Meta’s Threads was one of the biggest Twitter competitors after the company was acquired by Elon Musk. Unfortunately, the microblogging service was missing so many critical features that it lost more than half of its initial users just a few weeks after launch.
Speaking of launch, Threads is still not available in Europe due to the EU’s stiff regulations. One compromise that may allow Meta to launch Threads in Europe is to provide customers with the option to use it without needing a profile.
According to people familiar with Meta’s plans, the company plans to launch Threads in Europe as early as December, The Wall Street Journal reports. If that information proves to be accurate, it would be Threads’ biggest expansion since its initial release this summer.
Meta has been working hard to make Threads as appealing as possible in comparison with the competition, but the app was still missing important features not long ago.
It has taken Meta a few months to actually allow those who created Threads accounts to delete them without losing their Instagram accounts too.
That being said, it looks like Threads still has a lot fans. According to Mark Zukerberg, Threads had “just under 100 million monthly active” users as of October 2023, an impressive number considering the app has been hemorrhaging users since July.
However, with the new shift in the advertising industry, Threads expansion to Europe makes perfect sense. As some of you probably know already, Twitter lost most of its biggest advertisers after Elon Musk’s antisemitic posts, including Apple, Disney and IBM. Meta hopes to redirect their money to Threads and what better way to do that than tapping in a new, very important market: EU.
On November 30, 2023, YouTube Music began to roll out its annual Year in Review feature called “2023 Recap”. It’s not as straightforward as some of the other streaming music services, which brings it front-and-center, so we’re here to help you find out where it is, as well as what is included in the 2023 recap.
What is YouTube Music Recap?
YouTube Music’s recap feature is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a recap of the music, artists, and genres that you listened to over the past year. Technically, it’s just January through November. Since the recap comes out right at the beginning of December, So obviously, December is not included in the Recap.
The recap starts by showing you how many minutes you spent listening to music and the different artists that you listened to the most in 2023. Your recap will show you the top 5 artists and some more details about them. This includes how many hours you listened, songs, and the “longest listening streak.” This will also tell you if you’re one of the top listeners for that particular artist.
One of the new features for 2023 includes “Your Album Cover” which YouTube Music will pull colors from your top tracks, making it look a bit like dynamic color theming. And it’s matched with a font and image to inform the creation.
The auto-generated playlist of the top songs for 2023 is not live just yet, but it should be in the coming days. As this is starting to roll out pretty slowly.
How to find your Year in Review Recap on YouTube Music
In the YouTube Music app. You can find the YouTube Music Recap pretty easily. Here’s how to do it:
Tap on your profile picture in the upper-right corner.
Next, tap on “Your Recap.”
Or you can search “2023 Recap.”
From here, you should see your 2023 Recap. If you see “Nothing to hear here,” then it’s not yet available for your account.
And that’s it. You can check out your Recap as many times as you’d like and even add these playlists to your library.
Elon Musk doesn’t seem to care about the ongoing advertiser boycott on X, triggered by his public endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory. While he apologized for the post, the multi-billionaire lashed out at advertisers using profanity-laced words. He accused the firms of blackmailing him by pulling ads from the social media app.
“I hope they stop. Don’t advertise,” Musk told interviewer Andrew Ross Sorkin at the DealBook conference on Wednesday evening. “If somebody is going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go f**k yourself. Go. F**k. Yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is.” The X owner singled out Disney CEO Bob Iger as he said that. Iger was on the stage earlier in the day and said Disney doesn’t want to associate itself with Musk.
Elon Musk lashes out at advertisers amid a widespread boycott
The latest advertiser boycott on X/Twitter began about two weeks ago when Musk called a post attacking Jewish people the “actual truth.” More than 100 brands have pulled out their ads from the platform since his comments. This brand exodus is estimated to cause the company a loss of $75 million by the end of the year. However, Musk seemingly doesn’t care a bit.
For a moment, he appeared to have realized his mistake. “I should in retrospect not have replied to that one person,” Musk said. He even tried clarifying what he actually meant by that post—his belief that Jewish people are funding causes meant to “annihilate” them. He blamed the media for not covering his clarifications, though the clarification seemed to be supporting the antisemitic conspiracy theory.
“Essentially I handed a loaded gun to those who hate me, and arguably to those who are antisemitic,” Musk said about media backlash and advertiser boycott triggered by his comments. “For that, I’m quite sorry. That was not my intention.” However, despite occasionally sounding apologetic, Musk made it clear that he doesn’t care about advertisers fleeing X.
“What this advertising boycott is gonna do is it’s gonna kill the company,” the Tesla CEO said. “That is what everybody on Earth will know. We’ll be gone, and it’ll be gone because of an advertiser boycott.” As The Verge noted, “Musk seemed alternatingly apologetic and defiant” over the matter. He gave the most nonchalant answers to questions about the advertiser issue on X.
X CEO said it was a temporary pause from advertisers
Musk’s comments came a couple of weeks after X CEO Linda Yaccarino said that this advertiser exodus was temporary. She suggested that companies paused investments because of the misleading and manipulated report published by Media Matters earlier this month. X has already sued Media Matters, but advertisers haven’t returned to the platform yet. It remains to be seen how the scenario changes following Musk’s interview. Yaccarino was in the audience as Musk launched a profane attack on advertisers.
Even older, non-premium Samsung phones are getting the popular Galaxy Enhance-X app!
The image editor app that relies on AI to deliver some stunning results in the retouching art can now be played with on the Galaxy A53 and Galaxy A34 (via SamMobile). Of course, it’s a must that the phones have already installed the recently released Android 14 and One UI 6.
A few weeks ago, Samsung announced that Galaxy Enhance-X would be coming to some Galaxy A series devices with One UI 6, and the Galaxy A54 was the first to get support for it. The addition of the aforementioned two models is a welcomed one.
The Galaxy A34 (which gets access to Android 14 in some markets) was also listed as an eligible device, so users can now download the AI image editor app from the Galaxy Store.
The report states that even the Galaxy A53 can download and use Galaxy Enhance-X, even though Samsung didn’t officially say that 2022’s Galaxy A smartphones would be eligible.
All of this brings us to the logical assumption that the Galaxy A33 will also support Galaxy Enhance-X once it gets One UI 6, though it’s not confirmed right now as it is still running Android 13/One UI 5. Overall, Samsung could gift Galaxy Enhance-X to other A series phones, but that’s for users to check in the Galaxy Store once their Galaxy A series device has received Android 14.
What’s Galaxy Enhance-X?
As the Samsung team puts it, Galaxy Enhance-X is powered by AI and offers “comprehensive one-tap image enhancement” as well as the flexibility to adjust specific features, including HDR.
There’s a broad range of tools available for photo customization. HDR, for example, analyzes highlights, shading, brightness and contrast, expanding the dynamic range of the image and making its lighting richer without sacrificing quality. Like many of Galaxy Enhance-X’s features, it also offers different levels of intensity — from 0 to 4 in HDR’s case.
Furthermore, the images we receive via social media or other messaging apps often come to us compressed after having been uploaded online. For such cases, the Upscale tool boosts the resolution of images under 1MP by up to four times for consistent, sharp detail.
You’re inundated with yearly recaps from all of the services you love. Either you’re tired of the constant banners in the apps… or you just don’t want to come to terms with your obsession with Taylor Swift. Either way you slice it, YouTube Music has its 2023 recap for you. You’ll be able to see what music made your 2023 one to remember (via 9To5Google).
If you want to look at your 2023 recap for Spotify, you can do so. This company is also telling people about their listening habits over 2023. It’s pretty easy to do that, so if you want some help, you can read How To Find Your Spotify Wrapped For 2023. You might find similarities between your listening habits in YouTube Music.
Check out your 2023 YouTube recap now
You should see the prompt to check out your recap when you open the app. It will fill the screen when you open the app. Tap on the Get your Recap button at the bottom of the screen, and you’ll see the Recap screen. The first tile you see will take you to your recap.
You’ll see it in a Story style with a succession of pages. It will show you information like how many minutes throughout the year you listened to music on the platform, how many different songs and artists you listened to, and so on. It will give you a recap of the top track you listened to and how many times you listened to it.
It’s all standard yearly recap stuff, but YouTube Music added a neat twist to its recap. The app platform uses the music you listened to to construct an album cover for you. It will take the color scheme from your top track’s album cover, choose a style of text, and an image from the mood of music you listened to the most, and create a unique album cover.
It’s always fun to see what music brought you joy, tears, good vibes, and so on this year, so you should definitely give it a look.
In the ever-evolving competition among tech giants, the recent unveiling of the Google Play Store and Apple App Store’s best apps and games for 2023 showcased the industry’s ongoing strive for excellence. Google and Apple both stepped into the spotlight on the same day to present their respective winners, providing users with a glimpse into the most innovative and impactful apps of the year.Apple, acknowledging 14 outstanding apps and games, celebrated those that “empowered users to unleash their creativity, discover a world of new adventures, and have fun with family and friends.” Developers from around the globe were recognized for delivering meaningful experiences that inspire cultural change, with the App Store’s Editorial team carefully selecting winners from nearly 40 finalists.Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, expressed admiration for the developers, noting, “It’s inspiring to see the ways developers continue to build incredible apps and games that are redefining the world around us.”
AllTrails (Image Credit–Apple)
Taking center stage, the iPhone App of the Year for 2023 is AllTrails, fostering “community through comprehensive trail guides and outdoor exploration.” Meanwhile, Prêt-à-Makeup claimed the title of the best app for iPad, providing a true-to-life makeup sketchpad for professional artists and casual users, promoting “inclusivity and self-expression.”
Prêt-à-Makeup (Image Credit–Apple)
The Apple Watch App of the Year, SmartGym by Mateus Abras, stood out with its extensive library of exercises, routines, and robust fitness reporting.
SmartGym (Image Credit–Apple)
In the realm of games, Honkai: Star Rail, from COGNOSPHERE PTE. LTD. earned the prestigious title of the best game for iPhone, a recognition also shared with Google. The iPad Game of the Year, Lost in Play, invites players into a charming, childlike imagination during an epic point-and-click adventure.
Honkai: Star Rail (Image Credit–Apple)
Beyond individual categories, Apple’s App Store Editors highlighted five Cultural Impact winners, lauded for driving positive change through apps and games. Noteworthy recipients include Pok Pok, Proloquo, Too Good To Go, Unpacking, and Finding Hannah.
Reflecting broader trends, generative AI emerged as a dominant force in this year’s App Store Awards. Alongside the official winners, App Store Editors worldwide showcased a collection of generative AI apps exemplifying the Trend of the Year, with ChatGPT leading the way.
Hackers often use weaponized documents to exploit vulnerabilities in software, which enables the execution of malicious code.
All these documents contain malicious code or macros, often disguised as familiar files, which help hackers gain unauthorized access and deliver malware to their targets.
Recently, the cybersecurity researchers at SentinelOne reported that North Korean hackers are actively attacking the macOS using weaponized documents.
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Hackers Attacking macOS
North Korean threat actors focused on macOS in 2023 with two major campaigns, and here below, we have mentioned those major campaigns:-
RustBucket employed ‘SwiftLoader,’ disguising itself as a PDF Viewer, to deliver a Rust-written second-stage malware.
While in the KandyKorn campaign, Python scripts targeted blockchain engineers, delivering a C++ backdoor RAT named ‘KandyKorn’ after hijacking the Discord app on hosts.
A five-stage attack targeted users through Discord, using social engineering to trick them into downloading a malicious Python app.
This Python app is disguised as a crypto arbitrage bot that is distributed as Cross-Platform “Bridges.zip,” and the app contains several harmless Python scripts.
Bridges.zip contents (Source – SentinelOne)
Here below, we have mentioned all the stages:-
Stage 0: In this stage, the Discord user is tricked into downloading a malicious Python app, Cross-Platform Bridges.zip. Then, the malware links are sent via direct message and hosted on Google Drive. Then, as a module, the app’s Main.py script imports Watcher.py.
Stage 1: In this stage, Watcher.py verifies the Python version and runs testSpeed.py, which downloads and executes FinderTools. After execution, testSpeed.py is removed, and then the “FinderTools” is saved at /Users/Shared/FinderTools.
Stage 2: In this stage, the FinderTools runs SUGARLOADER from /Users/Shared/.sld, copying it as .log and appname in /Applications/Discord.app/Contents/MacOS/. SUGARLOADER, coded in C++, looks for a config file at /Library/Caches/com.apple.safari.ck, downloading from C2 if absent. After that, the FinderTools links C2 tp.globa.xyz in the intrusion observed by the cybersecurity researchers.
Stage 3: In this stage, the SUGARLOADER downloads HLOADER, replaces genuine Discord, and sets up a stealthy persistence mechanism in /Applications/Discord.app/Contents/MacOS/Discord. HLOADER cleverly disguises itself as MacOS.tmp, ensuring continuous undetected execution alongside Discord. Apple’s login item monitoring remains unaware to this smart renaming/reloading strategy, enhancing persistence.
Stage 4: In this stage, from the com.apple.safari.ck the SUGARLOADER grabs the C2 URL to fetch and run the KANDYKORN via NSCreateObjectFileImageFromMemory and NSLinkModule. It’s a North Korean macOS malware technique seen in UnionCryptoTrader (2019).
North Korean threat actors have an evolving campaign named RustBucket, using the Swift-based app SecurePDF Viewer.app. It’s signed by “BBQ BAZAAR PRIVATE LIMITED” and reaches out to docs-send.online.
Another variant, Crypto-assets app.zip, signed by “Northwest Tech-Con Systems Ltd,” connects to on-global.xyz, dropping an executable at /Users/Shared/.pw.
This .pw file, associated with KandyKorn, references /Users/Shared/.pld, matching KandyKorn RAT, indicating shared infrastructure, objectives, and TTPs.
IOCs
SUGARLOADER
d28830d87fc71091f003818ef08ff0b723b3f358
HLOADER
43f987c15ae67b1183c4c442dc3b784faf2df090
KANDYKORN RAT
26ec4630b4d1116e131c8e2002e9a3ec7494a5cf
46ac6dc34fc164525e6f7886c8ed5a79654f3fd3
62267b88fa6393bc1f1eeb778e4da6b564b7011e
8d5d214c490eae8f61325839fcc17277e514301e
8f6c52d7e82fbfdead3d66ad8c52b372cc9e8b18
9f97edbc1454ef66d6095f979502d17067215a9d
ac336c5082c2606ab8c3fb023949dfc0db2064d5
c45f514a252632cb3851fe45bed34b175370d594
ce3705baf097cd95f8f696f330372dd00996d29a
e244ff1d8e66558a443610200476f98f653b8519
e68bfa72a4b4289a4cc688e81f9282b1f78ebc1f
e77270ac0ea05496dd5a2fbccba3e24eb9b863d9
ObjCShell
79337ccda23c67f8cfd9f43a6d3cf05fd01d1588
SecurePDF Viewer
a1a8a855f64a6b530f5116a3785a693d78ec09c0
e275deb68cdff336cb4175819a09dbaf0e1b68f6
Crypto-assets and their risks for financial stability.app
Following the rollout to the OnePlus 11, the OnePlus 10 Pro is now getting Android 14 with OxygenOS 14 as well. The OnePlus 10 Pro, for those of you who are out of the loop, is the company’s flagship smartphone for 2022. It is the OnePlus 11’s predecessor.
Android 14 starts rolling out to the OnePlus 10 Pro
That device launched back in January 2022, and the firmware version of this update is NE2211_14.0.0.202(EX01). The update weighs around 790MB, and the rollout is starting in India. Open Beta testers are the first to get the update.
The rollout is expected to spread to other markets soon, though, if major problems don’t rear their head during the initial rollout. The update in other regions will be basically the same, without a couple of India-specific changes, of course.
The update delivers Fluid Cloud, File Dock, Content Extraction & more
This update brings a number of changes, of course. A full changelog has been shared by people who have received the update. Android 14 and OxygenOS 14 bring Fluid Cloud, File Dock, Content Extraction, and Smart Cutout to the phone.
On top of that, an improved Shelf experience is also being added, with more widget recommendations. Security and privacy get a boost too, and the same goes for overall performance improvements.
The company’s Aquamorphic Design has been upgraded too
OnePlus has also upgraded the Aquamorphic Design with “a natural, gentle, and clearer color style for a more comfortable color experience”. Aquamorphic-themed ringtones have been added too, and revamped system notifications sounds as well.
On top of all that, the OnePlus 10 Pro gets improved system animations, and also a carbon tracking AOD which visualizes the carbon emissions you avoid by walking, instead of driving.
As per usual, the update is rolling out OTA (Over-The-Air). Once again, it’s limited to Open Beta testers in India for now, even though it’s a stable update. It will spread very soon, though, both in India and globally.
Right now, the drama surrounding OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s ousting seems like ancient history, but it’s still going to be in the news for quite some time. With Microsoft now a board member of the company, it seems that there will be some changes at the company. The Verge just had an interview with Sam Altman, and he talked about some details of the whole predicament.
An interview with Sam Altman
The interview was performed by The Verge’s Alex Heath. In the interview, they talked about some of the things that went down at the company while everything was happening. When asked about some of the inciting factors that led to his firing, there wasn’t much that he could pony up.
The spark
Right now, a private investigator is looking into the matter to figure out what sparked it. Also, when asked when the board lost trust in him, Altman replied “That will be a better question for them.” Also, Altman didn’t want to talk about the misunderstanding between him and the board.
Returning to the company
Heath was able to get more information about his motivation to come back to the company. The reason for returning is one that we all could guess. He had poured a ton of time into OpenAI and genuinely loves the company. “I really loved the company and had poured my life force into this for the last four and a half years full time, but really longer than that with most of my time. And we’re making such great progress on the mission I care so much about, the mission of safe and beneficial AGI.”
So, it’s clear why he wanted to come back. He also talked about the moment he decided to come back. It did take him some time to come to this realization, it seems. Shortly after being fired, he planned on collaborating with Greg Brockman to start a new company. However, when he was asked to return he said “It took me a few minutes to snap out of it and get over the ego and emotions to then be like, ‘Yeah, of course I want to do that.’”
Other factors
There are factors that are still up in the air at this point. Reports came out about a project that researchers warned the board about called “Q*”, allegedly. Details on that project are still extremely scarce, at the moment. When asked about it, Altman said “No particular comment on that unfortunate leak.” This project will be an area of interest for the time being, as it seems like a major breakthrough in AI technology.
The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned the famous cryptocurrency mixer Sinbad after it was claimed that the North Korean hacker group Lazarus was using it to launder funds that had been stolen.
Millions of dollars worth of virtual currency from Lazarus Group thefts, such as the Horizon Bridge and Axie Infinity heists, have been processed by Sinbad.
Cybercriminals also utilize Sinbad to disguise transactions connected to unlawful operations like drug trafficking, evading sanctions, buying materials involving child sexual abuse, and other illegal sales on darknet markets.
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Sinbad is behind Several of the Largest Crypto Hacks
According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Lazarus Group prefers Sinbad as a mixing service, and Sinbad is accountable for materially aiding in the laundering of millions of dollars in virtual currency that has been stolen.
By hiding the origin, destination, and counterparties of illegal transactions, Sinbad, which runs on the Bitcoin blockchain, indiscriminately helps them along.
Some industry insiders believe that Sinbad is the replacement for the Blender.io mixer, which OFAC assigned to supply mixing services to the Lazarus Group.
A substantial amount of the $100 million in virtual currency taken from Atomic Wallet users on June 3, 2023, was laundered through Sinbad.
A sizable amount of virtual money from the $620 million Axie Infinity heist in March 2022 and the $100 million Horizon Bridge crime in June 2022 was also laundered through the usage of Sinbad.
Over the course of its more than 10 years of operation, the Lazarus Group is thought to have committed many crimes totaling over $2 billion in digital assets.
Details of Sanctions
As a result of the action on Wednesday, Sinbad’s U.S. assets are frozen, and Americans are typically prohibited from interacting with it. Individuals who use the mixer in specific ways run the danger of facing penalties.
According to a notice on its website, the service has been taken down as part of a coordinated law-enforcement operation, including the FBI and organizations in Finland and the Netherlands.
“Mixing services that enable criminal actors, such as the Lazarus Group, to launder stolen assets will face serious consequences,” said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo.
“The Treasury Department and its U.S. government partners stand ready to deploy all tools at their disposal to prevent virtual currency mixers, like Sinbad, from facilitating illicit activities. While we encourage responsible innovation in the digital asset ecosystem, we will not hesitate to take action against illicit actors.”
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