Tech talks

Thursday 26 February 2015

In by criss brown // 06:41 // Leave a Comment

Facebook pays bug hunters $3 million; India reports largest threat

NEW DELHI: Social networking giant Facebook has paid over $3 million since 2011 to security researchers who report bugs on its website, with India topping the tally with the largest number of valid threats reported.

India, which has over 112 million Facebook users, cornered an average reward of $1,343 (about Rs 84,000) in the US-based firm's Bug Bounty programme.

"India contributed the largest number of valid bugs again this year at 196, with an average reward of $1,343," Facebook said in a post.
Egypt and the US followed at the second and third spots by volume, with 81 bugs and 61 bugs, respectively, and an average reward size of $1,220 and $2,470, it added.

The UK, which took the fourth spot in reporting bugs, earned the highest amount per report in 2014, receiving an average of $2,768 for 28 bugs.

The Philippines was at fifth, earning a total of $29,500 for 27 bugs, it said.
A bug is an error or defect in software or hardware that causes a programme to malfunction. It often occurs due to conflicts in software when applications try to run in tandem.

While bugs can cause software to crash or produce unexpected results, certain defects can be used to gain unauthorised access to systems.

"We've paid out more than $3 million since we got started in 2011, and in 2014 we paid $1.3 million to 321 researchers across the globe. The average reward in 2014 was $1,788," Facebook Security Engineer Collin Greene said in the post.

Sixty-five countries received rewards this year, representing a 12 per cent increase from 2013 and the social networking platform, which has a user base of over 1.39 billion, now has 123 countries reporting bugs, he added.

"Submissions increased by 16 per cent to 17,011. We are happy to see that the programme is continuing to produce high quality reports. 61 of last year's eligible bugs were categorised as h of last year's eligible bugs were categorised as high severity, 49 per cent more than the previous year," Greene said.

The top five earners last year collectively netted $2,56,750.

Facebook also paid security researcher Laxman Muthiyah a reported $12,500 (around Rs 7.5 lakh) for discovering a bug that allowed him to delete any user's photos or albums on the social network, without their permission.

Egypt and the US followed at the second and third spots by volume, with 81 bugs and 61 bugs, respectively, and an average reward size of $1,220 and $2,470, it added.

The UK, which took the fourth spot in reporting bugs, earned the highest amount per report in 2014, receiving an average of $2,768 for 28 bugs.

The Philippines was at fifth, earning a total of $29,500 for 27 bugs, it said.

Monday 23 February 2015

In by criss brown // 06:43 // Leave a Comment

This is the Samsung Galaxy S6

Our best look yet at Samsung's next flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S6, comes courtesy of T-Mobile. CEO John Legere just tweeted out news confirming that the Uncarrier will be offering Samsung's latest, but didn't provide any details beyond that. Still, the page that Legere linked to has a pretty clear shot of the S6's curved display.

From the front, the S6 looks a lot like the Note Edge — though this time both sides of the screen feature Samsung's unique curve. And that dark gray metal backside looks pretty nice and is a huge step above anything that Samsung's produced to this point. Goodbye, fake leather. We can't say we'll miss you.
You can expect to see an end to all these teases when Samsung officially unveils the Galaxy S6 on March 1st. T-Mobile's website says there'll be much more to share on that date. But which company is responsible for that awful marketing tagline?

Wednesday 18 February 2015

In by criss brown // 04:11 // Leave a Comment

Apple Orders More Than 5 Million Watches for Initial Run

Apple has asked its suppliers in Asia to make a combined five to six million units of its three Apple Watch models during the first quarter ahead of the product’s release in April, according to people familiar with the matter.

Half of the first-quarter production order is earmarked for the entry-level Apple Watch Sport model, while the mid-tier Apple Watch is expected to account for one-third of output, one of these people said.
Orders for Apple Watch Edition – the high-end model featuring 18-karat gold casing – are relatively small in the first quarter but Apple plans to start producing more than one million units per month in the second quarter, the person said. Analysts expect demand for the high-end watches to be strong in China where Apple’s sales are booming.
Apple Watch Sport will start at $349. Apple hasn’t announced pricing for the other models, but Apple Watch Edition is expected to be among the most expensive products the company has ever sold, likely surpassing the $4,000 Mac Pro computer.
Apple sets production plans based on its forecast of demand for the new product. But Apple quickly adjusts these plans if sales are different than what it estimated. Suppliers say that Apple adjusts its so-called “plan of record” more often and more quickly than any other consumer-electronics company.
The orders are similar to early sales of Apple’s last major all-new product. Apple sold 7.5 million iPads in the six months after it arrived in April 2010.
They indicate that Apple expects its watch to far outpace other wearable devices, from Samsung Electronics 005930.SE +0.22%, LG Electronics 066570.SE +1.85%, Sony, Motorola MSI -0.17% and a host of fitness trackers. Research firm Canalys said last week that just 720,000 smartwatches powered by Android Wear, Google GOOGL -1.13%’s operating system for wearable devices, shipped in the last six months of 2014.
Apple declined to comment.
Apple Watch is the company’s first all-new product since the iPad. During development, the company studied a wide range of advanced health features for the Watch before scaling back its ambition for a device that does a little bit of everything.
Taiwan-based Quanta Computer 2382.TW +1.02%, the sole assembler of Apple Watch, started mass production of the new gadget earlier this year. To get ready for the April launch, thousands of Chinese workers will continue to work round the clock during the Chinese New Year holidays at Quanta’s factory in Changshu, China, said one person

Tuesday 10 February 2015

In by criss brown // 19:18 // Leave a Comment

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg launches free internet programme in India

MUMBAI: Facebook has tied up with Reliance Communications to offer free access to subscribers of Anil Ambani-led firm to the social networking site as well as about three-dozen general information websites.

With Facebook seeking to connect more people in the world's second-biggest mobile market with internet, India will become the first country in Asia to get the new Internet.org app. The app targets mobile phone users.

"We still have a long way to go to connect India," Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page. "But I'm optimistic that by getting free basic services into people's hands, more change can follow pretty rapidly." Besides accessing Facebook, RCom subscribers can also access 33 websites offering news and information on weather, jobs, government services, and health without incurring data charges.
"About 70% of people in India don't have access to the internet. We need to connect a billion people to the internet. We are happy to announce that with Facebook we will offer free access to 33 popular websites," RCom Chief Executive Officer for Consumer Business, Gurdeep Singh, said here.
The free websites include Facebook, ecommerce portal OLX, Cleartrip, TimesJobs, Babajob and sports website ESPN Cricinfo. The service has been initially launched for Reliance customers in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
We are committed to launching it on pan-india level within 90 days," Singh said.
Zuckerberg in a video message said that last year his organisation had rolled out Internet.org free basic services to countries with more than 150 million people across Africa and Latin America. More than 6 million people, who were not connected to the internet, are now connected with it.
"But to continue connecting the world, we have to connect India. More than a billion people in India don t have access to the internet. Today's announcement is just one step towards changing that," Zuckerberg said.
He said internet should be made affordable for people. The companies did not disclose as to who will bear the cost of data that Rcom customers will access free of cost.

In by criss brown // 18:35 // Leave a Comment

#OPISIS: Anonymous targets ISIS online propaganda

The hacktivist group Anonymous says it has targeted dozens of websites and social media accounts used by the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) to recruit new members and disseminate propaganda.
On Sunday, Anonymous published a list of over 1,000 social media accounts, email addresses and recruitment sites it says were “exposed and destroyed” by the collectives RedCult team. Over 800 twitter accounts made up the bulk of the list.
In a statement released online, Anonymous describes itself as an ecumenical group of “Muslims Christians and Jews” from every walk of life and from “all races, countries, religions, and ethnicity.”
“Remember, the terrorists that are calling themselves Islamic State (IS) are not Muslims. ISIS, we will hunt you, take down your sites, accounts, emails, and expose you. From now on, no safe place for you online,” the group said in a statement.

Monday 9 February 2015

In by criss brown // 09:12 // Leave a Comment

Leaked image claims to depict the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S Edge

Although nothing has been confirmed, it would appear that Samsung has sprung a leak as of late given the waves of materials claiming to depict the Galaxy S6 in all its case-enclosed glory. It is understood that Samsung will be releasing a Galaxy S Edge model as well, something that became a much more plausible presumption earlier this week when the MWC (Unpacked) invitations went out. And now, we may have the first images of what the product might look like.
While the two devices on the left are believed to be the Galaxy S6 (and thus further the belief of a relocated flash/fingerprint sensor and protruding camera), the three on the right are apparently of the Galaxy S Edge. To be sure, the picture certainly looks real, and given that it’s showcasing cases made by Korean case manufacturer Versus, it would seemingly be all the more legitimate.
At first sight, the image may be a little confusing, because the right slope isn’t visible for the rightmost device; however, the right slope is clearly present on the second device from right. It’s very likely that this apparent inconsistency is due to the angle at which the device is shown in the render. After all, multiple leaks point to Samsung launching a device with two slanted edges.
Just to speculate, it’s theoretically possible that Samsung plans to produce two different variants so as to accommodate people of differing dominant hands: one with the curve on the right, and one with the curve on the left. Considering that the Note Edge was criticized for its alleged handling problems for southpaws (a problem this writer had no trouble with whatsoever for reference) it would make some sense.
The Samsung logos on the devices are extremely small, to the point of looking just plain out of place, especially on the fourth device from the left. And, on the leftmost device, the logo seems to be off-centered. These inconsistencies would strongly suggest this is an unofficial render made by Verus, rather than an image made or sanctioned by Samsung. So there’s a good chance the real product will look somehow different.
Would you be interested in a dual-Edge device like the one in this image?`

In by criss brown // 09:07 // Leave a Comment

OnePlus One will be available without an invite every Tuesday

OnePlus is making its “no invite” events a regular occurrence, with the OnePlus One set to go on sale with no strings attached every Tuesday.
Announced on the company blog today, the new system will see both the 16GB Silk White ($300) and the 64GB Sandstone Black ($350) versions go on sale without invitations. The events will open every Tuesday at 12AM Pacific/3AM Eastern/8AM British/4PM Hong Kong and will last for 24 hours.
OnePlus is not giving up on its invites any time soon. The “beloved” system will remain in place for the other six days in the week, and users buying the One during the open windows will still receive invitations to give away to friends.
The new open windows are for the global variant of the OnePlus One, so Indian and Indonesian customers won’t get to join in the fun. However, OnePlus will still hold occasional events for these markets – a “one-time” limited stock event will be held in India tomorrow, starting at 10AM IST.
OnePlus has received a ton of flak over its restrictive sales policies, but the invitation system has some clear benefits for the young company. OnePlus can keep manufacturing costs in check and minimize the amount of money it sinks into stocks, and the savings are passed to the customer. OnePlus has always claimed it makes very little money on each phone it sells, though exact figures are not public.

Friday 6 February 2015

In by criss brown // 18:45 // Leave a Comment

Alibaba enters India's e-commerce space with 25% stake in Paytm owner One97

NEW DELHI/BENGALURU: Alibaba, the world's biggest and most valuable ecommerce firm, has finally moved to pitch its flag in India. An Alibaba affiliate, Ant Financial Services Group, said on Thursday it had signed a deal to buy a 25% stake in Indian mobile payments and ecommerce platform Paytm owner One97 Communications. While both sides did not reveal financial details, three sources familiar with the deal said Ant would initially pay around $200 million for the stake and stump up $375 million more in tranches based on the firm meeting performance milestones. ET had last month reported Alibaba was in talks to buy into Paytm, heralding the Chinese firm's indirect entry into a market potentially as big as the one back home.

Speaking to ET over phone, Cyril Han, vice-president of Ant Financial, said the deal that seeks to effectively pump money into Delhi-based Paytm — India's largest mobile commerce platform with nearly 25 million orders a month and more than 23 million mobile wallet users — will close in the second quarter of this year. Paytm offers recharges, tickets and deals besides hosting an integrated marketplace where it offers bargains to shoppers purchasing clothing, shoes, accessories and other goods.

"India is a very important market for us because the population of 1 billion is just as large as China, while we also see the smartphone growth in India as more users will use mobile phones for payments and shopping," Han said, explaining the rational investing in a mobile commerce player in the Indian market.

Alibaba is the last of the global ecommerce biggies to have a presence in India's red-hot marketplace for online shopping. Its global peers Amazon and eBay already have sizeable Indian operations. Neither Han nor One97 Communications and Paytm's founder Vijay Shekar Sharma divulged financial details of the deal or how much it valued the Indian firm at. However, the sources close to the transaction said the latest deal tranche valued One97 at around $800 million and the valuation could rise to as much as $1.5 billion with the subsequent fund infusions pegged to performance milestones.

ET had reported last month that Paytm was likely to get a funding of about $575 million from Alibaba for 25-30% stake in the company, and that others in fray to invest in the Indian company included Singapore's Temasek, New Yorkbased Tiger Global and ecommerce firm Amazon. The report also said existing investor SAIF Partners will participate in the funding round to maintain its 40% equity level while Vijay Shekhar Sharma, chairman and managing director of One97, would dilute his stake in favour of new investors. SAIF Partners invested $10 million in the latest round to maintain its stake at 40%. Other investors in One97 include Intel Capital, Sapphire Ventures and Silicon Valley Bank, and their holdings were not immediately known.

of new investors. SAIF Partners invested $10 million in the latest round to maintain its stake at 40%. Other investors in One97 include Intel Capital, Sapphire Ventures and Silicon Valley Bank, and their holdings were not immediately known.

investing in a mobile commerce player in the Indian market.

Alibaba is the last of the global ecommerce biggies to have a presence in India's red-hot marketplace for online shopping. Its global peers Amazon and eBay already have sizeable Indian operations. Neither Han nor One97 Communications and Paytm's founder Vijay Shekar Sharma divulged financial details of the deal or how much it valued the Indian firm at. However, the sources close to the transaction said the latest deal tranche ..

more in tranches based on the firm meeting performance milestones. ET had last month reported Alibaba was in talks to buy into Paytm, heralding the Chinese firm's indirect entry into a market potentially as big as the one back home.

Speaking to ET over phone, Cyril Han, vice-president of Ant Financial, said the deal that seeks to effectively pump money into Delhi-based Paytm — India's largest mobile commerce platform with nearly 25 million orders a month and more than 23 million mobile ..