Samsung rumoured to be teasing Samsung Galaxy S9 models at CES 2018

Review: Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

With the current generation Samsung Galaxy out and about for months already, people are looking towards the next best thing. Rumours about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S9 have been circling for a while. Now, a new report from VentureBeat gives away more details and a possible earlier announcement from the South Korean company. The S9 will supposedly be iterative in terms of design the smaller model (SM-G960) is codenamed Star 1 and will have the same 5.8-inch curved AMOLED display, while the S9+ (SM-G965) is codenamed Star 2 and will feature a 6.2-inch screen. It’ll supposedly run on a Snapdragon 845 processor with a 10-nanometer chip. It’s said the phone will make “their first public appearance” at CES but will have a separate launch in March.

Some of the other new features reportedly coming to the device is that the dual-camera setup similar to the Note8 will only be available on the S9+, while the S9 will stick to the single camera setup. And finally the fingerprint sensor will reportedly be moved to the bottom of the camera sensor instead of beside it. RAM will be 4GB on the S9 versus 6GB on the S9+. Both will have 64GB internal storage that’s expandable via microSD and will supposedly retain the 3.5mm audio jack. There will also be AKG stereo speakers and a new DeX docking station supposedly in the works where the S9 will serve as a touchpad or virtual keyboard.

Casio launches rugged action camera line, starts with GZE-1

Casio is getting in on the rugged action camera market with its new line called G’z EYE. Kicking it off, the company launched in Japan the GZE-1.This action camera takes inspiration from the company’s G-Shock series. It makes use of the similar cylindrical guard structure as the watches and has urethane resin material to handle the shocks and impact it might incur. As you can see in the video above, it looks like an armoured GoPro. Its body is dust-, water-, shock-, and low temperature-resistant. It can work underwater for up to 50m or in temperatures as low as -10°C without needing an extra case.

In terms of its camera specs, the GZE-1 has a 6.9-megapixel 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS sensor that can take 6-megapixel stills and 1080p30 video. It has a 13mm f/2.8 wide angle lens. If you want to record slow motion videos, you have the option to do so in 240fps at 384p or 120fps at 480p. You can control the camera using Casio’s smartwatch or move images to the mobile app using the built-in Bluetooth connectivity of the camera. It launches in Japan with a price tag of 46,000 yen (around CA$525).

Source: GSMArena

Uber covered up 2016 hack that exposed personal data of 57 million users

Uber has covered up a massive 2016 hack to its system that compromised the personal data of over 57 million users and drivers globally. The ride-hailing service declined to notify affected users and instead paid hackers $100,000 to hush up the hack and delete the data. This is the latest in a string of shady practices from Uber.Bloomberg reported that fired Uber CEO Travis Kalanick was aware of the hack as early as November 2016, just a month after it occurred. Uber Chief Security Officer Joe Sullivan, and a key senior deputy to the CSO, have also been removed from the company this week, specifically for their roles in keeping the cyberattack secret.

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Microsoft is being sued for ‘willfully’ ignoring holographic imaging patents

Microsoft’s HoloLens just ran into some legal issues in the US. The company’s mixed-reality device is at the center of a patent infringement lawsuit filed by HoloTouch for infringing on two of its patents. The tech is built to let users interact with holographic images. According to the Connecticut-based company, Microsoft “willfully” knew of and ignored HoloTouch’s patented technology, which have been dated back to over a decade already. The company is seeking a jury trial and triple damages (without the specific amount being outlined).

In the filing, it’s said HoloTouch first approached Microsoft back in 2006 for a partnership but never heard from them. Microsoft later on allegedly filed its own patent in 2013, which cited HoloTouch’s patents as “prior art,” meaning the company was aware of HoloTouch’s work. According to HoloTouch, they reached out again in 2015 and 2016 to discuss a licensing agreement for the patents but didn’t hear from Microsoft then either. If proven, this could cause some financial damage to Microsoft, especially with the company’s patents extending beyond the US to include Canada, Australia, the UK, and Japan.

Source: Engadget