Holiday Gift Guide 2023: Best Smart Lights

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Holiday Gift Guide 2023: Best Smart Lights
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Smart Lights are a really cool way to spice up your home and make that apartment your own. Since there’s not a whole lot you can do with an apartment, when it comes to the smart home. But lights are a great way to change things up. They aren’t cheap, but definitely unique. There’s plenty of smart lights around right now that you can pick up for anyone on your holiday shopping list, and we’ve rounded them all up here.

Best Smart Light: Philips Hue A19 bulbs

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Philips Hue are the easiest smart lights to use, with the most robust ecosystem

The Philips Hue A19 bulbs are our pick for the best overall smart light. This is because of how easy it is to set up and use. Philips Hue allows you to use Bluetooth, or you can use the Hue Bridge – which is our preferred way of using Philips Hue. With the Hue Bridge, it makes it so much easier to control your lights, and you never need to worry about changing the WiFi credentials, since it is plugged directly into your router.

Philips Hue is not only easy to use, but it also offers a ton of different bulbs. I have quite a few of their bulbs in my home. These include 60W, 75W and 100W bulbs, which many competing brands only offer 60W. Additionally, Philips Hue offer offers bulbs that are white, tuneable white or white and color ambiance. If you really want to add some accent lighting to your home, that’s how you do it. It’s really cool that Philips Hue offers so many different options for bulbs in your home, that you can use in existing light sockets. In fact, in my home, about 70% of the lights are Philips Hue lights, because they are so easy to use.

Of course, we can’t forget to mention that Philips Hue also work with so many other things, like Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Siri/Homekit. On my iPhone, I can quickly pull down the quick settings and turn on or off my smart lights. I can also do this on my Android phones like the OnePlus Open, just as quickly. Which makes it a much easier method of controlling smart lights. Philips Hue also works really well with a number of home automation services like Home Assistant and IFTTT.

Philips Hue A19 Bulbs – Amazon

Honorable Mention: Govee Smart A19 bulbs

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The Govee Smart A19 Bulbs are here as an honorable mention because they aren’t quite as feature-rich as Philips Hue, and are also cheaper. These are 75W bulbs, which are colored (RGBWW). Meaning that you can choose from millions, if not billions, of colors for these bulbs to use. Govee does still work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, as you’d expect.

Govee Smart A19 Bulbs – Amazon

Best TV Accent Lighting: Nanoleaf 4D

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Experience TV shows and movies in 4D like never before

When we think of “smart lights” we often immediately think of the lights that are on the back of a TV, to give a really immersive experience with whatever you are watching on the TV. And Nanoleaf’s 4D does just this. It has a Gradient Lightstrip Kit that you can attach to the back of the TV, and a camera that sits at the top of the TV. This camera is a color camera, basically only looking for the colors on the TV, to put on the lights behind the TV, giving you that immersive effect. Those of you worried about the camera watching you, don’t worry, Nanoleaf does give you a camera privacy color, and it’s also aimed at the TV screen, so it won’t see you.

Setup of the Nanoleaf 4D is super simple. It uses 3M adhesive to attach to the back of the TV, which then plugs into a control box, along with the camera and power. And then you’re all set. The rest of the set up is done in the Nanoleaf app. The company does a really good job of making this super easy for you to set up, and control. Nanoleaf lets you set up the lights in four different settings 1D, 2D, 3D and 4D. And the color variety gets amped up at each setting. In our time using the Nanoleaf 4D, we found that the 3D and 4D settings use a vibrant variety of colors from the TV screen. While 1D and 2D were a bit more one-note and chose a main color to reflect. Basically, the higher you go, the immersive you’ll get.

Nanoleaf does sell this kit in two sizes, one that is able to fit TVs and monitors up to 65-inches which is $99. And another that fits up to 85-inches and that one is $119. All things considered, that is a very good price for what you’re getting here. And once you experience Nanoleaf 4D, you won’t want to go back.

Nanoleaf 4D – Amazon

Honorable Mention: Philips Hue Play Gradient

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The Philips Hue Play Gradient is arguably the best TV accent lighting you can buy, but it is not cheap. While others use a camera above the TV to get the colors right for an immersive viewing experience, Philips Hue uses an HDMI sync box, which is a few hundred dollars extra. But this HDMI Sync Box means that you are not using a camera in your living room, so for some, it’s worth the extra cost.

The HDMI sync box basically takes the input from your TV, so it knows what is on your TV, and the Play Gradient is able to display the corresponding colors in real time. I absolutely love this LED strip of lighting from Philips Hue, but know it’s not for everyone because of the price. However, this does work with other Philips Hue lights, like the Play which can really make the whole room immersive. Philips Hue Play Gradient comes in three sizes: 55-inch, 65-inch and 75-inch. And it starts at $249.

Philips Hue Play Gradient – Amazon

Best Outdoor Lights: Govee Outdoor String Lights

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Spice up your outdoor space with Govee’s brilliant String Lights

It’s time to liven up your patio, and Govee has the right lights for just that occasion. This is the Govee Outdoor String Lights. These are about $70, and feature RGBIC light bulbs which are water proof. These are great to put along your fence, or on a table on your patio, especially if you want to use it during the winter where the sun goes down a lot earlier.

Like the other Govee lights, this also works in the Govee app. Which makes it super easy to change the color, use different modes and even sync the lights to music. So you can really make those nighttime parties a lot more fun. Govee offers 47 different scene modes that you can choose from here. Really making it your own. Of course, these do work with Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can say “Alexa, turn on the patio lights” very quickly.

I have these on my patio and absolutely love them. The only thing that would make them better is if they could be used with a solar panel, since I don’t have an outdoor outlet on my patio, unfortunately. I use these a lot during Christmas and Halloween, to really get into the holiday spirit. And they also don’t use a whole lot of energy.

Govee sells these in two sizes 48-feet and 96-feet. Starting at just $69.99. Compared to the competition, this is a really good price for what you’re getting here. And definitely worth picking up.

Govee Outdoor String Lights – Amazon

Honorable mention: WiZ RGB WiFi LED Color Changing String Lights

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WiZ has a pretty cool set of string lights that you can pick up this holiday season too. These are the WiZ RGB WiFi LED Color Changing String Lights, which come in a 48-foot pack and is priced at $119.

While these string lights are water proof, they can still be used inside or outside. A cool use that I’ve come up with these myself is to put the in my basement, putting them up near the top of the walls, giving me more light in my basement office. These work with the WiZ app, so I can very easily change the color to my liking. There’s over 16 million colors available with these lights, in addition to using warm or cool white as the color.

WiZ RGB String Lights – Amazon

Best Smart Lamp: Govee RGBIC Floor Lamp

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Add some color to any room with Govee’s inexpensive RGBIC Floor Lamp

Smart Lamps can be really cool, and this Govee RGBIC Floor Lamp is one of those cool ones. It’s a tall stick, basically that emits light on one side. Which you can use to bounce light off of the walls. Govee’s lamp here has three different sections, which can use different lights, and really add some nice accent lighting into your room. Or you can stick with warm or cool white to make it work like a regular lamp.

I have this exact lamp in my bedroom, and it works amazingly. It doesn’t take up a lot of space, and of course works with Google Assistant. So I can add it to a routine, that turns off the lights before I go to bed. Another added benefit is the Music Sync feature, which lets it sync with the music and gives you a really cool party vibe.

Surprisingly, for the size of this lamp, it does get pretty bright. We’re looking at 1,000 lumens, which is going to be plenty bright for any room. And replace the existing lamps that you might have. This does also work with other Govee products, like their TV Accent Lighting, so you can sync them together and make your living room a whole lot more immersive when watching movies on Netflix. Honestly, if you’re looking for a lamp, and don’t have any other smart lights in your home, grab this one. It’s easy to set up and easy to use, and doesn’t require any manual labor, making it especially good for those in apartments like myself.

Govee does sell it in both black and silver, for $99. That’s a pretty decent price for a smart floor lamp, we’ve seen many more that are a lot more expensive with fewer features.

Govee RGBIC Floor Lamp – Amazon

Honorable Mention: Philips Hue Iris

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The Philips Hue Iris is a rather interesting table lamp from Philips Hue. And honestly, it’s one of my favorites. This lamp costs $109, and makes it super simple to bounce light off of walls. It also has a clear backend, making for a unique look in your home. This is a colored lamp, so you’ve got over 16 million colors that you can choose from.

Like with a lot of other Philips Hue bulbs, this does work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, in fact I use this on my desk, mostly to take photos for different articles. And it’s so great to be able to tell Google to turn on photography lights, and set a nice mood for photos. Giving them a nice purple, blue, green or another color accent.

Philips Hue Iris – Amazon

Best BR30 Floodlight: Philips Hue White Floodlight LED

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A well-rounded smart light suitable for your backyard

Floodlights are one of the least thought about lights in your home. Often times it’s not actually in your home. But it’s still an important light. So why would you want to make it a smart light? Well, think about this for a minute. You are in bed, and realize the backyard light is on. Now instead of going downstairs to turn it off, you can just pick up your phone and turn it off. Or better yet, tell Google Assistant or Alexa to turn it off. That makes it so much easier right?

Now with floodlights, you don’t necessarily need 16 million different colors (though Philips Hue does offer a White and Color Ambiance option), instead, you probably want it to be a white light. And that’s what Philips Hue has here with their BR30 bulb. It is a $40 bulb, but since it is an LED, you won’t need to replace it for quite some time.

This is another bulb that I do have in my home, and absolutely love it. It weirdly is used in the foyer of my townhome. So I decided to add a Philips Hue BR30 Floodlight in there and now I can control it with my phone or voice. It has made it a joy to use because, that example I gave earlier, has actually happened to me quite a few times. Weirdly, that is the light I forget to turn off the most often. Probably because I don’t use it as much. But either way, I’m glad I did spend the money on that bulb. And since I already have a ton of other Philips Hue bulbs in my home, it just fits in quite nicely. With Philips Hue giving me a toggle to turn off all the lights at the same time. As a smart person once said “it just works”, and that’s what you really want from a smart light.

Philips Hue BR30 Light Bulb – Best Buy

Honorable Mention: Senglad BR30 Smart Bulb

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Obviously, not everyone wants to spend $40 on a smart bulb, but Sengled is here with a two-pack of BR30 bulbs for just $22. With a BR30 bulb, it’s not so much about the features, as long as it has the basics. You don’t need to be able to dim it in most cases, you also don’t need 16 million colors available. And Sengled does just that. You still get support for Samsung SmartThings, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, as well as Apple’s Siri/Homekit here.

These are LED lights, so they use very little energy, and also will last you over 20 years. Which is about all you can ask for a pair of floodlights at this price.

Sengled BR30 Smart Bulb – Amazon


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A test update to solve the storage issue of the Pixel 6 and above

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A test update to solve the storage issue of the Pixel 6 and above
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A new solution to the storage issue on the Pixel 6 and later devices has been seen on the horizon in the form of an OTA update. Google is working on rolling out a ‘Test’ update to the said device.

Shortly after the Android 14 update, some users of the Google Pixel 6 or later found their devices plagued by storage-related issues, ranging from random reboots to losing access to media storage. These problems basically rendered a lot of the devices completely unusable. The severity of the bug prompted Google to take notice.

After users reported the issues, Google soon responded informing that a solution to the storage issues was under development and they would soon roll out the update to the affected models. 

The proposed solution is a ‘Test’ update

In response to the storage issues, Google initially suggested performing a complete factory data reset as a potential fix. However, this solution is far from ideal, as it’s time-consuming and requires you to back up all the files before going ahead.

Recently, Google revisited the problem and introduced a “possible” solution. Unfortunately, Google labels it as a ‘Test’ update. We can expect it to roll out over the next two weeks through Over-the-Air (OTA) distribution. Importantly, only devices that have opted to receive it will receive the download.

How do you get the update on your Pixel 6 or later device?

To access the OTA ‘Test’ Update and potentially resolve the storage issues, affected users will need to complete a Google Form. You should receive the ‘Test’ update within 24 hours of completing the form. Notably, some devices are stuck in a rebooting loop. In this case, you might need to reset your device using the buttons before you can proceed with the update. Google also suggests contacting Pixel Support for alternative solutions.

It’s worth noting that the storage access problem affects devices with multiple users. It includes guest profiles, restricted profiles, and child profiles. So you should avoid creating or logging into secondary profiles on your device until the storage issue is fixed.

In conclusion, this OTA update is a step toward addressing the problem without having to reset your device, which in itself wasn’t a permanent solution.


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MediaTek launches Dimensity 9300 with no efficiency CPU cores

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MediaTek launches Dimensity 9300 with no efficiency CPU cores
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MediaTek has announced the Dimensity 9300, its answer to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The two chips have a lot in common, including TSMC’s 4nm fabrication process, the latest ARM CPU cores, and an extensive focus on AI (Artificial Intelligence) performance. However, they differ massively in one key area—CPU configuration. The new Dimensity processor doesn’t have any efficiency cores.

Dimensity 9300 is official with MediaTek’s “All Big Core” design

The Dimensity 9300 is an octa-core chipset with a 4+4 CPU configuration. It has four ARM Cortex-X4 prime cores clocked at up to 3.25GHz (only one at the maximum speed, with the other three operating at 2.85GHz) and four Cortex-A720 mid cores at 2.0GHz. According to MediaTek, its “groundbreaking All Big Core” design brings a 40 percent uplift in the peak performance over the previous generation.

Additionally, the company claims that power consumption has been reduced by 33 percent at the same performance. The Taiwanese firm has applied its industry-leading expertise to precisely control the CPU performance for superior power efficiency. However, the lack of efficiency cores may make it a power hog when running at its peak capacity. MediaTek may rely on some throttling to keep things in check.

The new Dimensity chip supports LPDDR5T RAM—the world’s fastest smartphone memory— at 9,600Mbps at UFS 4.0 storage with Multi-Circular Queue (MCQ). ARM’s Immortalis-G720 GPU is responsible for graphics duties, with MediaTek claiming a 46 percent improvement in hardware raytracing, 40 percent power savings, and 40 percent memory bandwidth savings.

“By combining the extreme 8-core CPU design with Its 2nd generation hardware raytracing engine, the Dimensity 9300 provides gamers with fast, full raytracing experiences at a smooth 60 FPS and is the world’s first mobile platform to achieve console-level global illumination effects,” MediaTek said. The company claims it to be the most efficient raytracing mobile GPU.

The Dimensity 9300 also boasts MediaTek’s next-gen APU that offers eight times faster transformer-based generative AI. It reduces power consumption by 45 percent, ensuring a fast and efficient on-device AI performance. The chip supports large language models (LLMs) with up to 33 billion parameters. The company has named Meta Llama 2, Baichuan 2, and Baidu AI LLM among the supported LLMs.

Support for 320MP cameras, WQHD displays, Wi-Fi 7, and more

MediaTek’s latest flagship SoC features the Imagiq 990 ISP that can handle up to 320MP cameras with 8K video recording. The company claims 100 percent pixel-level autofocus and dual-lossless zoom for a never-before-seen flagship camera experience. The Dimensity 9300 can also handle WQHD resolution displays at up to 180Hz refresh rate. It boasts dual active display support for foldable phones.

Other highlights include Wi-Fi 7, Sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G connectivity, three-microphone HDR audio recording, and enhanced security. Overall, the Dimensity 9300 appears roughly on par with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, at least on paper. MediaTek says the first batch of phones powered by the chip will hit the market later this month, so it won’t be long before we get an idea of its real-life performance.

MediaTek Dimesity 9300 official specs


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Hackers Actively Exploiting Linux Privilege Escalation Flaw

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Hackers Actively Exploiting Linux Privilege Escalation Flaw
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Linux Privilege Escalation flaw is one of the highly critical flaws as it can allow an attacker to gain elevated privileges on a system, potentially leading to full control. 

Hackers typically exploit these vulnerabilities by crafting malicious code or commands that take advantage of the flaw, then execute them on a target system to gain higher privileges, enabling them to carry out malicious activities, such as;

  • Installing malware
  • Stealing data
  • Compromising the system’s integrity

Aqua Nautilus researchers recently intercepted the Kinsing’s cloud hack, and they found an unusual CVE-2023-4911 exploit, exposing the attacker’s actions.

Kinsing threat actor hijacks servers for crypto profits and extracts CSP credentials to expand their cloud attacks.

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Linux Privilege Escalation Flaw

Kinsing usually automates crypto mining, but recent manual tests signal a shift. 

They’re targeting CVE-2023-4911 vulnerabilities, which alarming experts, and that’s why researchers recommended users to watch out for their evolving tactics.

The PHPUnit flaw (CVE-2017-9841) gave Kinsing initial access. It used Perl script bc.pl to create a reverse shell on port 1337. Manual commands were carefully chosen after trial and error.

Looney Tunables (CVE-2023-4911) is a dangerous GNU C Library vulnerability, and Kinsing exploits it for root access. The flaw involves ‘GLIBC_TUNABLES,’ while the Kinsing uses an exploit from @bl4sty’s site, targeting this vulnerability. 

The exploit is based on Qualys’ method and works on multiple architectures. Kinsing also deploys a PHP exploit and a de-obfuscated JavaScript for more attacks.

De-obfuscated PHP script (Source - Aquasec)
De-obfuscated PHP script (Source – Aquasec)

Apart from this, the Wesobase.js is a base64-encoded script, revealing a PHP-JavaScript mix that forms a web shell backdoor for unauthorized server access.

Here below, we have mentioned all the key features:-

  • Password Protection
  • File Management
  • Command Execution
  • Network Interactions
  • Encryption and Decryption
  • Server Information
  • User-Agent Handling
  • Character Set Conversion

Credentials and Data that Could be Exposed

Kinsing aims to gather CSP credentials, potentially exposing sensitive data, like AWS instance identity, which poses risks in cloud environments.

Here below, we have mentioned all the types of credentials and data that could be exposed:-

  • Temporary Security Credentials
  • IAM Role Credentials
  • Instance Identity Tokens

Recommendations

Here below, we have mentioned all the recommendations offered by the security researchers:-

  • Vulnerability Patching
  • Monitoring and Detection
  • Use robust security solutions
  • Always implement limited accessibility to guest users

IOCs

IOCs (Source - Aquasec)
IOCs (Source – Aquasec)

Protect yourself from vulnerabilities using Patch Manager Plus to patch over 850 third-party applications quickly. Try a free trial to ensure 100% security.


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Samsung speeds up titanium plans for Galaxy S24 Ultra after Apple’s move

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Samsung speeds up titanium plans for Galaxy S24 Ultra after Apple’s move
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Earlier this year, Apple launched the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max with titanium frames. It appears the move has made Samsung hurry to do the same. The Korean firm is now equipping the Galaxy S24 Ultra with a titanium frame too. The new flagship will arrive in January 2024.

Apple may have affected Samsung’s titanium plans for its flagships

Samsung has been researching the feasibility of incorporating titanium frames into its flagship smartphones for some time now. For at least two years, to be precise. The production complexities and the associated price increase mean the company didn’t hurry to make the change. It was already using aluminum, so a move to titanium wouldn’t have massively reduced the weight of the phones.

However, Apple’s decision to add titanium frames to the latest Pro iPhones seems to have affected Samsung’s plans. It is now all set to do the same with the Galaxy S24 Ultra next year. Noted industry insider Revegnus suggests that the Korean firm feared titanium iPhones would help Apple solidify its “premium image” in the smartphone market. It is following suit to keep up with its arch-rival.

According to the Korean media, Samsung is currently in the final stages of securing the desired yield rate for titanium frames. It is working with several firms in China and South Korea for the processing and production of the material. Since titanium has low heat and current conductivity, it is more difficult to cut and process. This increases the production cost. A low yield rate would further add to the cost.

Reports suggest a low yield of titanium frames for the Galaxy S24 Ultra will increase the frame cost by four to five times as compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The latter features aluminum frames, which reportedly cost Samsung less than $20 each. It remains to be seen if the company passes this added cost to customers and makes the phone expensive or absorbs it to reduce the profit margin.

A titanium frame may not make the Galaxy S24 Ultra lighter

Apple managed to substantially cut the weight of its new iPhones by switching to titanium. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are almost 20 grams lighter than their respective predecessors despite packing bigger batteries. However, this may not be the case for the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

This is because Apple switched from stainless steel, which is heavier than titanium. Samsung, on the other hand, is moving from aluminum, which is lighter. A titanium frame may make the Galaxy S24 Ultra stronger but certainly not lighter than its predecessor. That’s unless Samsung manages to cut the weight in other areas. The new Galaxy flagships are rumored to go official on January 17, 2024.


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Former Facebook employee to testify about Instagram’s child safety measures

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Former Facebook employee to testify about Instagram’s child safety measures
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Instagram has long been under the scrutiny of authorities due to its apparent lack of child safety measures. However, this recently resulted in a lawsuit from over 33 states against Meta and Instagram for allegedly prioritizing profits. Now, in light of this lawsuit, another former Facebook employee, Arturo Bejar, has reportedly come forward to testify at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, once again highlighting the impact of Instagram on children’s mental health.

During his time as a consultant with Facebook in 2019, Bejar and his team developed a questionnaire named the BEEF (Bad Emotional Experience Feedback) to assess user experiences on Instagram. And although feedback forms are common in such companies, the results of these reports were alarming since over 20% of users under 16 reported feeling worse about themselves after viewing others’ posts, and 13% experienced “unwanted sexual advances” within seven days. Additionally, teenagers from various ethnic backgrounds reported instances of hostility based on race, religion, and identity.

Echoing the allegations of the lawsuit

Bejar’s statements coincide with the ongoing sensitive situation for Meta since the lawsuit also alleges that the company misled people about the potential risks of Instagram on children’s safety. And if Bejar’s statements are accurate, it would mean that Facebook was aware of the risks but chose to disregard them intentionally for financial gain and user engagement.

When talking about the statements, Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal, members of the judiciary committee, highlighted the need for strict regulations aimed at protecting minors and stated, “From Arturo’s disclosures, we now know that Mark Zuckerberg, Adam Mosseri, and other Meta executives were personally warned that millions of teens face bullying, eating disorder material, illicit drugs, and sexual exploitation, often within minutes of opening the app.”

Meta’s response

In response to these allegations, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone countered the claims, stating, “It’s absurd to suggest we only started user perception surveys in 2019 or that there’s some sort of conflict between that work and prevalence metrics. Prevalence metrics and user perception surveys measure two different things.” Furthermore, he also argued that the BEEF survey was not specific and did not include a definition for unwanted sexual advances.


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Holiday Gift Guide 2023: Best Gifts Under $100

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Holiday Gift Guide 2023: Best Gifts Under $100
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The holidays are coming, and there’s still plenty of time to plan out your gift giving. The thing is, a perfect gift is not always easy to find, which is why we’ll try to help out. We have a series of gift guide articles on the site listing various different suggestions in different categories and price points. In this article, we’ll list some of the best gifts under $100, well, some of the best ones we’ve been able to track down. All of these products are available via Amazon, and all the required information is included below. You’ll find both tech and non-tech gifts down there, along with plenty of information about each one.

Best tabletop charger: UGREEN 100W GaN charger

UGREEN 100W GaN charger

Charge all your devices via a single, compact accessory

Many of you probably have plenty of chargers around the house, different versions of them. The thing is, most of them are probably quite slow at this point, and you have new tech gadgets to think about. You need something more robust, and at the same time something that won’t take as much space. The UGREEN 100W GaN charger is an ideal choice. One thing to note, though, this is not your regular charging brick, not at all. This charger is meant to sit on a table, or something of the sort.

You do plug it into an AC outlet, and then plug it on a table. On the front side of this square charging box, there are four ports. Three of them are Type-C ports, while one is a Type-A port. Together, they can provide a max output of 100W. So, you can charge one device at 100W, or four devices at 25W each (max). It all depends on how many devices you’re charging, and how fast they allow you to charge them. This charger will automatically set the ideal charging for each of them, pushing as much as it can.

The UGREEN 100W GaN charger features dynamic temperature sensors, and an intelligent PWM chip that adjusts power outputs to safeguard your devices. It is compatible with a wide range of devices, of course, and it comes in a single color only, it combines gray with black colors. Should you choose to buy it, you’ll need to pay $99.99, which sits right below our $100 limit.

UGREEN 100W GaN charger (Amazon)

Best compact keyboard: Logitech MX Keys Mini

Logitech MX Keys Mini image 1

An outstanding, premium keyboard for typing & productivity

There are plenty of great keyboards available on the market, but some do shine brighter than others. The Logitech MX Keys Mini is a well-known offering, and for a good reason. This keyboard is very compact, and yet it screams quality. From its build to the typing experience and the features it offers. I personally own one, and have been using it for quite some time now. After spending around 8 hours a day typing, for months, I can vouch for it without a problem. Just make sure to use the included Wi-Fi dongle. Bluetooth can be quite wonky.

In any case, everyone needs a keyboard, and at $99.99, this one is not exactly the most affordable one out there. Still, it sits under our $100 limit here, and it is basically a high-end keyboard. The keys have a good amount of travel, though this is not a mechanical keyboard, not at all. So if you or the person you’re buying this gift for prefers mechanical keyboards, this one is not for them, that’s for sure. It’s more of a chiclet-style keyboard, but with more key travel than most such offerings.

The Logitech MX Keys Mini is compatible with a wide range of devices, including macOS, Windows, Android, iOS, and Linux. You can pair it up with up to three devices, and switch between them easily, via a press of a button. This keyboard can also be recharged via a Type-C port, and it can go on for up to 5 months with the backlighting turned off. It’ll offer considerably less use if you use the backlight, though, so keep that in mind. It comes in gray, white, and pink colors, and if you grab it from the link provided below, you’ll also get a free Adobe Creative Cloud Subscription. The Logitech MX Keys Mini costs $99.99.

Logitech MX Keys Mini (Amazon)

Best chic water bottle: memobottle A6

memobottle A6 image 1

Carry water with you everywhere you go… in style

Staying hydrated is very important. That is especially true for warmer regions, but everyone should keep their water intake high during the day. There are a number of proven benefits to doing that. We can often forget about that, however. That’s why it’s always good to have a water bottle nearby. Speaking of which, water bottles are usually made out of plastic, and we all know how that affects the environment. So, either reuse the same water bottle, or get something like the memobottle.

What is memobottle? Well, it’s a fancy flask, basically. It comes from a company called memobottle, and it comes in several different sizes and materials. You can get it in A5, A6, A7, and SLIM sizes. The AX basically represents the size of a piece of paper, so the A6 memobottle is the size of an A6 piece of paper. The model we’ve singled out here is the A6 in size, and it’s made out of stainless steel. It comes in both black and white colors. This particular model is priced at $55, but don’t worry, if you don’t like it, there are more options.

You can get the SLIM version for $60, the A7 size for $50, or the A5 size for $65. The A6 model can hold 17oz/500ml of liquids, the A5 36oz/1,080ml, the A7 8oz/250ml, and the SLIM 20oz/600ml of liquids. You, of course, don’t need to keep water in there, you can keep whatever you want. Just keep in mind that you will need to wash it regularly, as you’ll need to do with other bottles too. Speaking of which, with your purchase, you’ll also get a 6-month supply of cleaning tablets, it seems. Check out the Amazon listing below for more information.

memobottle A6 (Amazon)

Best power bank for clumsy people: Nitecore NB10000 GEN 2

Nitecore NB10000 GEN 2 image 1

A power bank that is not only very compact, but also rugged

Some smartphones offer outstanding battery life, others, not so much. The same goes for wireless earphones, and so on. If your devices don’t get you through the day on a single charge, or perhaps you travel a lot and don’t have the time to think about charging… well, having a power bank is not a bad idea at all. There are plenty of options in the market, but some are better than others. The one we’ll talk about here is somewhat special for two reasons, its size and design.

The device in question is called the Nitecore NB10000 Gern 2. In other words, it’s the second-gen product of Nitecore’s 10,000mAh power bank. The company refers to this power bank as “ultra-slim”, which is kind of true considering how much battery capacity you’re getting. First and foremost, this gadget is TSA-approved. You can easily carry it with you on a plane, no worries. It is also around 40% lighter than your typical power banks, says the company. Despite that, however, it’s very rugged thanks to a Carbon Fiber Polymer build. It is also IPX5 rated, so you don’t have to worry about some rain or snow.

You can charge various different devices with this gadget, without a problem. There are two ports on it, a Type-C and a Type-A port. The Type-A port has an output of 18W, while the Type-C port has an output of 20W. That Type-C port also has an input of 18W, as you’ll use it for charging. If you decide to get this, you’ll also get a mini multi-tool for your keychain. That multitool has a built-in carabiner, magnet, and serves as a stand, bottle opener, and has a tripod hole. This entire package will set you back $59.90.

Nitecore NB10000 GEN 2 (Amazon)

Best tiny gadget storage: mordeco REVOV Tray Box

mordeco REVOV Tray Box image 1

A magnetic box for storing your compact essentials

Some of us simply love having unique gadgets around the office. There are various non-tech products available out there, and the moderco REVOV tray box definitely belongs in that category. What is this exactly? Well, it’s essentially a compact storage box, but with a twist, literally. This box swivels around to open, and then swivels back to close. Everything is regulated via magnets, and from what we’ve seen in video content, it’s quite satisfying to open and close.

The top lid is magnetized, and the magnets are really well deployed here. The tray comes with an aluminum bottom part, and a lower center of gravity due to the swiveling action. It is also slip-resistant when sitting on a table. The top (Tray) is designed with 100% beech wood, and the diameter of the tray is 7.8 x 5.12 x 3.07 inches. What’s this for? Well, you can place all sorts of products here, and there are several different compartments that you can utilize, as shown in the image above.

At the top, on the lid, you have three different compartments. One is ideal for a pair of AirPods, or some other truly wireless earbuds. The one next to that fits something the size of a larger USB stick, while next to that you have plenty of space for a small sticky notepad, card keys, or something of the sort. The bottom section seems to be wide open, and can hold some larger items, such as a smartwatch and a wallet in combination. Those are just some examples. It is an ideal gift for someone’s office, or perhaps bedroom or living room. It costs $69, if you’re interested, and comes in two colors, black and white.

mordeco REVOV Tray Box (Amazon)

Honorable mentions

Here are a couple of more products in this price bracket that you may like…

SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD

SanDisk 2T Extreme Portable SSD image 1

If you know someone who’s in need of a portable SSD, SanDisk has some great ones. The one we’ve highlighted here is a 1TB one, and it’s immensely popular, for a good reason. It has a recognizable design eve, and it’s quite fast. It offers up to 1,050MB/s data transmission via its Type-C port. USB 3.2 Gen 2 is used here, by the way, and the drive comes in three different colors you can choose from. It is available in Black, Monterey, and Sky Blue colors. This particular model costs $79.99 (down from $99.99), but you can get 500GB, 2TB and 4TB models too.

SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD (Amazon)

Logitech MX Master 3S

Logitech MX Master 3S image 2

If your loved one is spending a lot of time on a computer, and you’ve noticed that they could use a mouse upgrade… well, the Logitech MX Master 3S is a great option. This Logitech product is priced at $89.28, and it’s one of the best mice you can get on the market. It’s ergonomic, has a very capable vertical wheel on the left, and has great build quality. It also has an insanely high DPI, if needed. This mouse is also quite bulky, in a good way. Do note that it may not be suited for small hands, though.

Logitech MX Master 3S (Amazon)

PlayStation Classic

PlayStation Classic image 1

A while back, Sony reintroduced its very first PlayStation, but in a much, much smaller form factor, with pre-installed games. It comes with 20 preloaded games, including Tekken 3, Final Fantasy VII, Jumping Flash, and more. The console itself is around 45% smaller than the original, and two wired controllers are also included in the package. The package also comes with an HDMI cable, and a virtual memory card. The console comes in one color, the original one, gray. The price tag is set at $99.

PlayStation Classic (Amazon)

Razer Kishi Mobile Game Controller

Razer Kishi image 2

We’re staying in the gaming sphere with the next product. It’s the Razer Kishi game controller/gamepad. Versions for both Android and iPhone are available, and both are listed below. This is one of the best game controllers for your smartphone that you can get. It has a Type-C charging port, and great build quality on top of that. Razer also says you won’t get input lag here. The Razer Kishi costs $59.95 for Android, and $65 for iPhones.

Razer Kishi (Amazon)


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Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 tipped to better Apple M2’s GPU performance

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Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 tipped to better Apple M2’s GPU performance
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Qualcomm may have just unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 but rumors about the next-gen chip have already started pouring in. Based on early reports, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will bring several notable upgrades. It will jump from the 4nm to 3nm fabrication process and feature the chipmaker’s first custom Oryon CPU cores. This should mean massive improvements in the CPU performance. Its Adreno 830 GPU may deliver an impressive performance too.

Benchmark hints at a massive GPU boost for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4

According to X tipster Revegnus, Qualcomm’s 2024 flagship smartphone chipset achieved a score of 7,200 points in an early 3DMark Wild Life Extreme benchmark test. The benchmark run pushes devices to their limits to test the efficiency and thermal capabilities of their chipsets during sustained workloads. The tipster added that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 performed about ten percent better than the Apple M2’s GPU in the same test.

The source of the information didn’t share a screenshot or any other proof backing their claim. However, the alleged score of the new Qualcomm chip suggests the comparison was made with the Apple M2 featuring an 8-core GPU. The Apple silicon also comes in a 10-core GPU variant, which expectedly offers better GPU performance. Nonetheless, if these results are accurate, things are looking good for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4’s Adreno 830 GPU.

That said, the chip is still a year away. This is the first notable information about its GPU performance. As Wccftech points out, the benchmark run was likely carried out using engineering samples of the chip in a controlled environment. With no compact mobile enclosure and power limiters, the chip flexed its muscles without any constrain. We will have to wait and see if it delivers the same real-life performance inside Android flagships in 2025.

The chip’s early CPU scores are impressive too

The new report also gives us an idea of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4’s CPU performance. The chip reportedly achieved a score of more than 2,000 in single-core tests and 8,600 in multi-core tests on Geekbench v5. On Geekbench v6, the scores topped 2,800 and 10,000, respectively. Both results are impressive, to say the least.

However, like with the GPU scores, the CPU scores may not be a true measure of the upcoming Qualcomm processor’s real-life performance. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 still has to undergo several rounds of optimizations and developments. Watch out for more reports in the coming months as the company works on improving it in all areas. The first batch of Android phones with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 will hit the market soon.


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Fake Ledger App on Microsoft Store Leads to $800,000 Crypto Theft

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Fake Ledger App on Microsoft Store Leads to $800,000 Crypto Theft
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The fake Ledger Live app on the Microsoft Store deceived users into downloading malware, which stole their Bitcoin and Ethereum funds.

Hackread.com has been actively following the cryptocurrency space as it has lately been a prominent target of scams and cyberattacks. Hackers are eyeing the crypto industry to steal valuable assets and even NFTs.

For this purpose, crooks devise clever tactics to lure unsuspecting users into giving away their funds and tokens. One such scam was recently reported by a pseudonymous on-chain detective and crypto sleuth, ZachXBT. 

According to ZachXBT, a fake Ledger app was circulating on the Microsoft App Store. This fraudulent app masqueraded as the official Ledger Live app and tricked users into unwittingly downloading and installing malware stealing victims’ crypto funds and data.

Scammers Use Fake Ledger App on Microsoft Store to Steal $800,000 in Crypto
Fake Ledger app on Microsoft Store (Screenshot: ZachXBT)

ZachXBT’s analysis stressed the sophisticated nature of this scam, emphasizing the critical need for end-users to stay alert in protecting their cryptocurrency wallets. As of November 4th, scammers successfully collected roughly $588,000 in Bitcoin by hijacking users’ crypto wallets.

In a tweet, ZachXBT cautioned crypto users and investors with the following warning: “Community Alert: There is currently a fake @Ledger Live app on the official @Microsoft App Store which was resulted in 16.8+ BTC ($588K) stolen.”

However, on November 5th, ZachXBT received updated information from a victim, indicating a loss of $180,000 worth of ETH due to the fake Ledger app. This significantly increased the total lost payments to over $768,000.

Stolen funds (Screenshot: Hackread.com)

It is worth noting that in November 2023, a fake Ledger Live app was uploaded to the official Microsoft App Store that looked exactly like the original Ledger Live app. For your information, it is a popular software wallet designed to help users manage their crypto assets.

However, those who downloaded the fake version of this app ended up installing malware capable of stealing cryptocurrency by intercepting users’ recovery phrases. The attackers specifically targeted users who store their cryptocurrency in the Ledger hardware wallets to profit by stealing their assets.

The attackers designed the fake app quite cunningly, replicating the look and features of the authentic app, including identical logos and branding materials. They went as far as creating a fraudulent Ledger device pin verification process. This tricky similarity between the original and fake apps makes it challenging for users to differentiate between them.

Nevertheless, Microsoft promptly detected and removed the fake Ledge Live app from their store. The company is investigating how the fake Ledger app bypassed its app review process, however, the damage to users is already done.

Remember that apps like Ledger, Trezor, or another hardware wallet will never ask users to enter their recovery phrases into their computers or phones. You should always enter the phrase in the hardware wallet to recover it.

  1. Teen Hacks Ledger Hardware Cryptocurrency Wallet
  2. New DoubleFinger Malware Strikes Cryptocurrency Wallets
  3. All Ledger hardware wallets vulnerable to man in middle attack
  4. Ledger data breach: Hacker leaks stolen database on hacker forum
  5. Crypto wallet Ledger data breach; hackers steal 1m emails, other data

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