Connect with us

Technology

Google Pixel Watch 3 vs. Pixel Watch 2: Should you upgrade?

Published

on

Google Pixel Watch 3 vs. Pixel Watch 2: Should you upgrade?

Google just announced the third generation of Wear OS-powered devices since its return to the smartwatch domain. We say devices because this time around, there are two variants — a standard 41mm model and a larger 45mm version.

Apart from the additional bigger size option, the Pixel Watch 3 looks nearly identical to last year’s Pixel Watch 2. So, if you bought the latter in 2023, does upgrading make sense? Or, if you’ve been eyeing the Pixel Watch, you could get a discounted price on the previous generation, so should you buy the Pixel Watch 2 instead?

Advertisement

These are two very important questions. Let us answer them for you in the comparison below. 

Google Pixel Watch 3 vs. Pixel Watch 2: specs

Advertisement

Advertisement


Advertisement


Advertisement


Advertisement


Advertisement


Advertisement


Advertisement


Advertisement


Advertisement


Advertisement


Advertisement


Advertisement




  Google Pixel Watch 3  Google Pixel Watch 2
Display

41mm: 1.3-inch 

45mm: 1.7-inch 

Advertisement

Corning Gorilla Glass 5

2,000 nits peak brightness

Advertisement

1-60Hz dynamic refresh rate 

Advertisement

41mm: 1.2-inch 

Corning Gorilla Glass 5

Advertisement

1,000 nits peak brightness

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 5100

Cortex M33 co-processor

Advertisement

Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 5100

Advertisement

Cortex M33 co-processor

Durability

IP68 

5ATM (~50 meter) water resistance

Advertisement

IP68 

Advertisement

5ATM water resistance

RAM and Storage

2GB RAM

32GB storage

Advertisement

2GB RAM

Advertisement

32GB storage

Software Wear OS 5.0 Wear OS 4.0 
Battery

41mm: 306mAh 

45mm: 420mAh 

Advertisement

306mAh 
Sensors

Heart rate

Altimeter

Advertisement

Compass

SpO2

Advertisement

Skin temperature sensor

Continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA)

Advertisement

ECG

Gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer

Advertisement

Heart rate

Advertisement

Altimeter

Compass

Advertisement

SpO2

Skin temperature sensor

Advertisement

Continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA)

ECG

Advertisement

Gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3

4G (LTE models only)

Advertisement

NFC

UWB

Advertisement

Dual-band Wi-Fi  

Advertisement

Bluetooth 5.0

4G (LTE models only)

Advertisement

NFC

Single-band Wi-Fi 

Materials and colors

Polished silver aluminum with “Rose Quartz” Active band (41mm only)

Advertisement

Polished silver aluminum with “Porcelain” white Active band

Matte black aluminum with “Obsidian” black Active band

Advertisement

Champagne gold aluminum with “Hazel” green Active band

Advertisement

Polished silver aluminum with “Bay” blue Active band

Polished silver aluminum with “Porcelain” white Active band

Advertisement

Matte black aluminum with “Obsidian” black Active band

Champagne gold aluminum with “Hazel” green Active band

Size and weight

41mm: 41 x 41 x 12.3mm, 31g without strap

Advertisement

45mm: 45 x 45 x 12.3mm, 37g without strap

41 x 41 x 12.3mm, 31g without strap
Price

41mm: 

Advertisement

$349 (Wi-Fi only)

$449 (LTE)

Advertisement

45mm:

$399 (Wi-Fi only)

Advertisement

$449 (LTE)

Advertisement

$350 (Wi-Fi only)

$400 (LTE)

Advertisement

Google Pixel Watch 3 vs. Pixel Watch 2: design and display

Someone wearing the 41mm and 45mm Google Pixel Watch 3.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

The Google Pixel Watch 3 comes in a circular outer body without many visible changes from last year’s model. The addition of a bigger 45mm is perhaps the biggest change in hardware we see this year. Despite the wider landscape, the 45mm is as thick as the smaller 41mm variant, which remains largely unchanged from last year. We found that the underside of the Pixel Watch 3 does pick up a lot of scratches very easily, so it’s worth keeping this in mind.

The watch has a rotating crown/button combo placed almost flush with the body, which is made of 100% recycled aluminum, and comes in clear silver, champagne gold, or matte black finishes paired to the same band colors last year — except for a new “Rose Quartz” that is limited to the smaller 41mm variant. The Bay Blue band option will no longer be an option in the default set but you can purchase other blue bands — besides chains, metal links, fabrics, and a whole range of options — separately.

Advertisement

While the design lacks any radical changes over the previous generation, the display gets a major upgrade. Both the 41mm and the 45mm models get a newer variant of Google’s “Actua” displays with a peak brightness of 2,000 nits. That’s twice as bright as the 1,000-nit display on the Pixel Watch 2. In addition to getting brighter, the display can also get as low as 1 nit on the always-on display (AOD), so it doesn’t scorch your eyes in the dark. 

A person sitting down and wearing the Google Pixel Watch 2.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

The new display also gets variable refresh rate that reaches as low as 1Hz when needed. The primary objective here is to reduce battery consumption, especially with an AOD. 

Advertisement

In addition, the displays feature slimmer bezels. Google says the 41mm’s display is now 10% bigger than last year despite any changes to the overall dimensions. Irrespective of their sizes, both displays get the same level of sharpness at 320 ppi (pixels per inch), so you shouldn’t have any trouble reading text, though interacting with the watch, and especially typing on a full-sized keyboard, is likely to be better on the 45mm variant. The bigger variant’s screen is 40% larger than that of the previous models, and this makes for a much better viewing experience, including seeing more information in notifications.

Google Pixel Watch 3 vs. Pixel Watch 2: hardware

Advertisement
The Google Pixel Watch 3 lying on top of a plant.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Other than the display, there aren’t any noticeable changes to the hardware on the Pixel Watch 3. Google doesn’t explicitly list any upgrades to the set of sensors on the Pixel Watch 3 over the last generation, and we can take this silence as a sign of no reasonable upgrades. 

That said, the Pixel Watch 2 already had a versatile set of sensors. In addition to the standard heart rate and blood-oxygen monitor sensors, the Pixel Watch 2 — and now the Watch 3 — features sensors to monitor skin temperature and ECG. Meanwhile, another dedicated sensor to measure electrical conductance in the skin can detect changes in mood and alert you in moments of stress. Though being reminded of your worries may not be useful for everyone, it may be helpful for people who suffer physiological conditions with stress as a sign of worsening symptoms.

Advertisement
The Google Pixel Watch 2's sensors.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Inside, the Pixel Watch 3 still uses a Snapdragon Wear 5100 chip with an M33 co-processor for low-level tasks such as AOD. The two-chip configuration helps limit the load on the main chip, thereby reducing the battery consumption. It’s backed up by a 2GB RAM and 32GB of storage, the same as the previous generation.  

Google Pixel Watch 3 vs. Pixel Watch 2: fitness tracking and software

The apps page on the Google Pixel Watch 3.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Although the Pixel Watch 3 lacks any notable changes to sensors for fitness tracking, Google advertises a wide range of improvements using AI. Google claims the improved training algorithms, part of the Fitbit Premium experience, now offer more precise recommendations and insight so you can adjust the intensity of your training. The Pixel Watch 3 will also give you a rundown of your condition at the start of the day with Fitbit’s Morning Brief functionality. This includes insights about your sleep quality, any overnight changes to your vitals, and the weather. 

Advertisement

Additionally, you will now be able to create routines with the Pixel Watch 3, including a sequence of difference workouts and buffers in between for rest or cooldown. You can also desired targets for distance, heart rate, and similar metrics, and the Pixel Watch 3 ensures you keep up or slow down accordingly by using audio-based and haptic reminders. For running-related activities, the Pixel Watch 3 is gaining additional metrics such as vertical oscillation and duration of contact with the ground.  

Furthermore, the Pixel Watch 3 now shows a Readiness score with an improved AI while Cardio Load tells you the ideal amount of activity you should pursue on any specific day based on various metrics, including recovery from sleep and similar workouts in the past. 

Advertisement

There are also new running recommendations powered by AI that use your Readiness Score, Target Load and running preference to provide a daily recommended run plan. As we found in our Pixel Watch 3 review, having your watch tell you precisely the kind of run to undertake is incredibly helpful in improving the variety of your running, making warm-ups more consistent, and ensuring you can enjoy running more. Like detailed sleep tracking, mindfulness sessions, guided workouts and recipes, this feature is locked behind Fitbit Premium — which costs $10 per month or $80 per year — although you will get six months for free when you buy the Pixel Watch 3.

Sleep tracking data on the Google Pixel Watch 2.
Google Pixel Watch 2 Joe Maring / Digital Trends

The Pixel Watch 3 runs the newest version of Wear OS 5, although you may not notice many visual differences from the older Wear OS 4. In addition to the already existing Google Home controls on the Pixel Watch 2, the Watch 3 also gain controls to your TVs and dongles running Google TV, which presumably also includes the new Streamer box Google announced last week. In addition, you can also view and control your Nest cameras, including being able to talk to people through a Nest doorbell.

Advertisement

Since all of these features are available through software, Google might roll them out to the Pixel Watch 2 or even the older first-gen Watch when they receive the Wear OS 5.0 update. 

Google Pixel Watch 3 vs. Pixel Watch 2: battery and charging

Advertisement
The side of the Google Pixel Watch 3 and its crown.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

The smaller 41mm Pixel Watch 3 gets the same 309mAh battery as the older Pixel Watch 2, which can last over a day of usage with the AOD enabled. The larger 45mm variant comes with a bigger 420mAh battery adjusted for the higher power requirements of the larger display. For both of these sizes, Google claims a 24-hour battery life with an AOD and 36 hours with the battery saver. 

In our testing, we’ve found that the Pixel Watch 3 regularly exceeds its stated claims, a surprise given this rarely happens. The Pixel Watch 3 lasts around a day and a half between charges with the always-on-display enabled, multiple tracked workouts, sleep tracking overnight, and notifications being delivered all day. This is a definite improvement over the Pixel Watch 2.

Advertisement
The Google Pixel Watch 2's charging puck.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Pixel Watch 3 comes the same magnetic puck with physical pogo pin connectors for charging. Without disclosing the exact charging speeds, Google says charging is 20% faster than last year. As per official claims, the 41mm variant charges 80% in 35 minutes (compared to 43 minutes earlier) while a full charge takes an hour. The larger variant will take slightly longer, owing to the larger battery. Google says the bigger Pixel Watch 3 can charge 80% in 50 minutes, while a full charge takes 80 minutes. 

Once again, we will test these claims in real-life scenarios during our review. 

Advertisement

Google Pixel Watch 3 vs. Pixel Watch 2: price and availability

All four colorways for the Google Pixel Watch 3 41mm.
All four colorways for the Google Pixel Watch 3 41mm Google

The Pixel Watch 3 is available now. The smaller 41mm Pixel Watch 3 is priced at $349 without cellular connectivity and $449 with it. The larger 45mm variant is available for $399 and $449 without and with LTE, respectively. 

In comparison, the Pixel Watch 2 launched originally for $350 and $400 for Wi-Fi only and cellular variants. However, over the course of the months since its launch, the prices have dipped, and even reached as low as $270 for the sale events such as the recent Amazon Prime Day in July. 

Advertisement

Google Pixel Watch 3 vs. Pixel Watch 2: Should you upgrade?

The Google Pixel Watch 3 with its display turned on.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

The Pixel Watch 3 barely picks up any new features over the Watch 2, apart from a variant with a larger display. That means if you already own a Pixel Watch 2, upgrading makes little sense. 

Advertisement

However, if you want to buy one and are deciding between the Pixel Watch 3 and the Watch 2, we recommend going for the former. In addition to a new version of Wear OS and improved health metrics and AI-based recommendations, the Pixel Watch 3 will also get an additional year of software support from Google. And if you haven’t bought the Pixel Watch previously due to its smaller size, the new 45mm variant solves that too. Other reasons to choose the Pixel Watch 3 over the Watch 2 include the slightly faster battery backup and the brighter screen. 

As we covered in the review, Google has undeniably refined the experience with the Pixel Watch 3. It fixes a few lingering issues from the second-gen model while adding useful features. The result is one of the best smartwatches you can buy right now.



Advertisement






Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Technology

Generative AI creates playable version of Doom game with no code

Published

on

Generative AI creates playable version of Doom game with no code

A scene from an AI-generated facsimile of the computer game Doom

id software

An AI-generated recreation of the classic computer game Doom can be played normally despite having no computer code or graphics. Researchers behind the project say similar AI models could be used to create games from scratch in the future, just as they create text and images today.

The model, called GameNGen, was made by Dani Valevski at Google Research and his colleagues, who declined to speak to New Scientist. According to their paper on the research, the AI can be played for up to 20 seconds while retaining all the features of the original, such as scores, ammunition levels and map layouts. Players can attack enemies, open doors and interact with the environment as usual.

Advertisement

After this period, the model begins to run out of memory and the illusion falls apart.

The original Doom was released in 1993 and has become a popular subject for computer science projects in the years since, including attempts to get it running on unusual and limited hardware such as toasters, treadmills and espresso machines.

But in all those cases, the hardware is simply running the original game’s code. What GameNGen does is fundamentally different: a type of AI called a neural network has learned by observation how to recreate the game without seeing any of its code.

Advertisement

The researchers first created an AI model that learned to interact with Doom as a human would. That model was then tasked with playing the game over and over again while a second AI model, based on the Stable Diffusion image generator, learned how hundreds of millions of inputs resulted in changes in the game state.

That second model essentially then became a copy of the game, with all of the knowledge, rules and instructions from the original code encoded in the mysterious network of artificial neurons in its own architecture. In tests, human players were only slightly better than random chance at distinguishing short clips of the game from clips of the AI simulation.

GameNGen’s creators claim in their paper that it is a proof-of-concept for games being created by a neural network rather than lines of code. They suggest that games could be generated from text descriptions or concept art, which would make production less costly than using human programmers.

Andrew Rogoyski at the University of Surrey, UK, says the idea of getting a neural network to hallucinate a game environment, and the interactions a human has with it, is an interesting step forward, but not one that will replace human game designers.

Advertisement

“I don’t think it’s the end of those game studios. I think what the game studios have is the imagination, the skills, to actually create these worlds, to understand gameplay, to understand engagement, understand how to draw us into a story. It’s not just the nuts and bolts, the bits and bytes,” he says. “There’s something very human about creating engaging experiences that we as human beings enjoy that, at the moment, and for the foreseeable future, will largely come from other human beings.”

Topics:

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Technology

What is Pluto TV: channels, where to get it, and more

Published

on

What is Pluto TV: channels, where to get it, and more

With so many streaming services available these days, keeping which shows and movies are on which streaming platforms can be a true hassle. Options like NetflixHulu, and Amazon Prime Video deliver top tier programming, but it comes at a cost, one that has continued to rise as major streamers keep raising prices. If you’re looking for a different option, then checking out advertising video on demand (AVOD) and free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) services may be just the ticket.

Pluto TV, is one of those AVOD/FAST(we’ll refer to it as free streaming going forward) services that comes at the low, low price of free. 

Pluto TV combines live TV with on-demand programming. With more than 250 live channels, and thousands of shows and movies to pick from, there is plenty here to veg out with. It’s also the source of content for Vizio’s WatchFree Plus.

So let’s dive into everything Pluto TV has to offer.

Advertisement

What is Pluto TV?

Pluto TV is displayed on a Chrome PC tab.
Jen Karner / Digital Trends

TV is a live-TV streaming service, not entirely unlike Sling TV and competitors such as DirecTV Stream and Hulu + Live TV. Unlike those services, which offer streaming access to channels you’d find on cable TV, Pluto TV offers free content mainly curated from what’s already available online. Pluto TV launched in 2013 and picked up steam fairly quickly. The service has more than 80 million active users as of April 2023, making it one of the largest free TV streaming service in the U.S. While not available worldwide, it is available in Latin America, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Canada.

With Pluto TV, you’ll find content from channels you recognize, as well as some you’ve likely never heard of. Even those who already subscribe to a live TV streaming service may find it useful thanks to its curated layout, though this will depend on your personal preferences.

What is Pluto TV’s navigation like?

Pluto TV has a user interface that streamlines the entire process of content discovery and playback. The chief theme in navigation is linearity. The service makes it possible to jump into any of its main live TV categories — sports, movies, news, entertainment, kids, local news etc. — with just one or two clicks. This philosophy extends to the On Demand tab, which offers genre-based categories like while retaining the traditional TV guide’s spirit. Pluto TV is constantly adding new channels, and it also frequently adds new categories. At current count there are 22 to choose from including Classic TV, The Black Collective, History + Science, and Kids, among others.

Pluto TV Live TV guide home page
Derek Malcolm / Digital Trends

You’ll now be able to specify your favorite channels, saving you from having to weed through its 1,000-plus channel list. You can also save individual shows, clips, and movies from more than 150,000 hours of unique programming to a watch list. Once you finally decide what you’re watching, you can also access a preview panel that shows more information, such as the cast list, directors, and trailers.

Which channels are available?

Pluto TV channel guide on a TV screen.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

You’d expect to chew through the content library of a free service quickly. Still, there’s a lot to explore on Pluto TV, especially with more than 400 global content partners on board providing entertainment across 1,000-plus channels. Looking through the Pluto TV guide, channels are separated into groups by similarity. You’ll find some relatively standard categories like news, sports, movies, entertainment, and comedy.

News

For the most part, you’re not going to find standard TV channels, though some are represented via their web counterparts, especially news outlets. Those include familiar names like Bloomberg, Cheddar, CNBC, MSNBC, CBSN, and many others. As of 2019, this also includes CNN, though not the full, live CNN you get on cable. Instead, the CNN channel features a curated playlist of short-form digital content from CNN’s anchors and reporters. Featured clips are oriented toward lifestyle and culture, climate change, the environment, and original CNN investigations and interviews. A similar channel for NBC called NBC News Now is also available. Other additions to Pluto TV include CMT, Kevin Hart’s Laugh out Loud, and Red Bull TV, plus a handful of new themed channels in Celebrity, Reality, and Lives, the perfect cocktail for pop culture and reality TV enthusiasts.

Sports

Sports coverage is less conventional — you’re not going to find the likes of ESPN here. Instead, you’ll find choices like Fight, World Poker Tour, Impact Wrestling, a dedicated Sports News Network, Glory Kickboxing, and the Big Sky Network. DAZN recently signed a deal to provide an original weekly series for Pluto TV, and there’s potential for that partnership to expand down the line. Pluto has recently added an official PGA Tour channel with 24/7 coverage of one of golf’s biggest tournaments.

Advertisement

Entertainment

There are reruns of reality and documentary shows alongside episodes of ThunderbirdsCriminal Minds and other older TV shows available in the Entertainment section. Among those various channels, you’ll also find Wipeout, a network that only shows reruns of popular game show and various iterations from different countries, as well as Nosey, which shows reruns of The Jerry Springer Show and The Maury Show, among others. Meanwhile, the Curiosity section features Science TV, Docu TV, Xive TV, and even a NASA livestream. Pluto TV also has a Sitcoms channel, which offers a selection of older comedies like 3rd Rock from the Sun and The Lucy Show, and a Spanish-language channel called Pluto TV Cine.

Comedy, travel, and more

That type of hyper-focused network is par for the course with Pluto TV, which also features Anime All Day and Stand Up, a channel dedicated to stand-up comedy. Similar channels include Slow TV, which shows relaxing imagery, Pluto TV Travel, and Cats 24/7, which is pretty self-explanatory. Check back during notable seasons like Christmas, and you’re likely to see new temporary channels or a festive explosion of holiday-themed content to enjoy, which is all the more reason to keep checking back for what’s new.

Internet radio

Several internet radio stations are also available via Dash Radio, which is available as a standalone service. Modern genres like hip-hop, electronic music, and pop are the most prevalent, though stations are also available that offer classic rock, soul, and jazz.

International flavor

In the last several years, Pluto TV has been ramping up its international presence. It’s now available in more than 30 countries and territories including the U.S., U.K., Latin America, and Canada, amongst others.

Advertisement

They’ve ensured that each time they move into a new region, they have the programming to back it up too. In the first year of its U.K. operations, the service added two British-specific channels to its lineup, including a permanent 24/7 Made in Britain lineup that airs British-centric films and shows. The other is Brit-pocalypse, a temporary themed channel that highlights apocalypse and destruction films in British settings. In the Nordics, they partnered with local broadcaster Nordic Entertainment Group. This allowed for 70 unique, locally-focused channels in these locations.

What about on-demand content?

Pluto TV’s on-demand catalog has tons of great movies and TV shows to choose from with thousands of hours of movies and TV. There are classics like  I Love Lucy, Matlock, and The Andy Griffith Show, alongside more recent faves like Criminal Minds, and S.W.A.T. to marathon.

The available content changes frequently, with the service promising new movies every week. The rotating selection makes it hard to predict what’s available, and it’s not on par with services like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video by any stretch. Overall, Pluto TV doesn’t match Netflix’s vast expanse of cinematographic excellence. Still, there are enough notable titles to catch your attention, and you may find a hidden gem among the fringe offerings.

On-demand content may not be available on every platform, or at least not all of it may not be available. In our testing, both shows and movies were available on-demand via most of the platforms we tested, including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, iOS, Roku, and Playstation 4 and 5.

Advertisement

What devices can I use to watch?

The Roku Ultra set-top streaming box.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Chances are that you own at least one streaming device capable of streaming Pluto TV. The service can be streamed via a web browser and offers desktop apps for both Windows and MacOS. However, they can only be used in the U.S. Mobile apps are also available for iOS and Android devices, with separate U.S. and international versions, which offer different channels due to streaming rights issues.

If you’d rather watch on your TV, several devices including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Android TV devices, and the PlayStation 5 offer Pluto TV apps. Smart TVs from Samsung, Hisense, Roku, and Vizio are also supported, with the company’s website saying that more are on the way. Not all Pluto TV channels are available on all platforms, however.

Will Pluto TV stick around?

Pluto TV celebrated it’s 10th anniversary this year, and it doesn’t seem like it’s going anywhere. Unlike previous projects that aimed to provide shows you would otherwise need an antenna for, Pluto TV isn’t stepping on any toes that could irk either government agencies or pay TV companies.

Free though it may be, Pluto TV sells advertising on every channel, judging from our experience. It seems like advertisers are buying. With Paramount’s team significantly boosting the platform’s marketing efforts, we expect even greater interest among advertisers as Paramount uses Pluto TV to help bolster its other properties, such as Paramount+.

The easiest way to decide whether Pluto TV is right for you is to download one of the apps on your platform of choice or head to the company’s website and watch there. It won’t cost anything but your time, and you’ll most likely find something you enjoy, given the breadth of programming. Just don’t expect to find any of the latest content found on other networks. 

Advertisement

Our list of the best streaming devices is a great starting point if you need something to stream Pluto TV on. If you’re more interested in a traditional TV experience than watching your favorite shows over the internet, check out our comparison of the best live TV services.






Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Technology

Vulnerability in MediaTek chips allows ‘zero-click’ remote takeover

Published

on

Vulnerability in MediaTek chips allows ‘zero-click’ remote takeover

A vulnerability discovered inside the MediaTek chipsets can allow attackers to take over a victim’s device. The “zero-click” bug opens the door to Remote Code Execution (RCE) without user interaction.

Vulnerability in MediaTek Wi-Fi chipsets can compromise devices

Some of the most dangerous attacks on electronic devices need no action from the victims. These attacks can compromise the security of a device and take over control without the user needing to click or tap on anything. Such a vulnerability exists in MediaTek chipsets, particularly those that handle wireless communication. Several device makers embed MediaTek chipsets, which makes multiple electronics vulnerable.

SonicWall Capture Labs researchers who discovered the issue have alerted MediaTek. The chipmaker has tagged the vulnerability as CVE-2024-20017. The vulnerability’s severity rating is CVSS 9.8. Simply put, this bug is reportedly a nearly max-critical zero-click vulnerability.

Security researchers have indicated the vulnerability is an out-of-bounds write issue that resides in “wappd”. In simple words, a “network daemon”, which is an always-active service, can be targeted and compromised. Wappd is responsible for configuring and managing wireless interfaces and access points, indicated the researchers.

Advertisement

“The architecture of wappd is complex, comprising the network service itself, a set of local services that interact with the device’s wireless interfaces, and communication channels between components via Unix domain sockets.”

How to stay protected from the latest MediaTek security exploit?

The vulnerability impacts MediaTek SDK versions 7.4.0.1, and earlier. Attackers can also target devices that run older versions of OpenWrt, a custom router firmware, and even couple it with other recently discovered vulnerabilities.

End-users with MediaTek Wi-Fi chipsets can tweak their Wi-Fi settings to mitigate the risks. Smartphone users should avoid public Wi-Fi hotpots as the backend networking hardware could be vulnerable.

Attackers could also target smartphones with the latest MediaTek chipsets as a public proof-of-concept exploit (PoC) recently became available. Hence, it is wise to stay connected to reliable Wi-Fi routers. When outside, switch to “Airplane” mode when in public places or use mobile data. Additionally, users must keep their devices updated.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Technology

See the iPhone 16’s game-changing battery removal process in new iFixit teardown

Published

on

See the iPhone 16’s game-changing battery removal process in new iFixit teardown

Apple introduced some major lineup, but nothing stands out as much as the new battery removal process for the base iPhone 16. Doing away with the usual pull tabs, Apple is using an adhesive that debonds in response to a low electrical current. It only takes about a minute and a half for it to come unstuck, per Apple’s . A teardown by shows the process in action, and it sure looks easier than ever. iFixit tech Shahram Mokhtari said, “I’m not sure we’ve ever had a battery removal process go so cleanly and smoothly.”

Only the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus have the new adhesive, and they’ve earned a 7/10 on iFixit’s repairability scale. “Apple definitely seems to be leveling up on repairability,” Mokhtari, adding Apple has “landed another repairability win” with this year’s base iPhones thanks to the new battery removal procedure.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Technology

For smart glasses and other wearables, fashion is as important as function

Published

on

Orange RayBan Meta Smart Glasses in front of a wall of colorful lenses including green, blue, yellow and pink

This week we saw the arrival of new Snap Spectacles, and based on what’s been announced they sound like beefy AR glasses that inch closer than ever to our expectations based on sci-fi depictions of the tech. But while they might be in the running for the best smart glasses, man, do they look goofy. 

They look like those massive 3D glasses you wear at the cinema, and definitely not something I’d like to be seen wearing in public. That’s a sharp contrast to the Ray-Ban and Meta collaboration smart glasses, which have utterly triumphed in the fashion department. Those ooze cool – right down to their slick charging case – and all summer they were my shades of choice even when powered off, largely because of their aesthetics.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Technology

Why is the US military getting ready to launch new spy balloons?

Published

on

A high-altitude balloon launched by the US Army Pacific in the Philippines in 2022 as part of an exercise to strenghten their cooperation
A high-altitude balloon launched by the US Army Pacific in the Philippines in 2022 as part of an exercise to strenghten their cooperation

A high-altitude balloon launched by the US Army Pacific in the Philippines in 2022 as part of an exercise to strengthen cooperation between the two nations

The US military is planning to launch balloons that are capable of providing high-altitude surveillance. It comes after the nation scrambled fighter jets to shoot down a Chinese balloon as it drifted through North American airspace last year.

Modern balloons can use artificial intelligence to predict and ride wind currents while operating at altitudes around 18 kilometres, or even higher, in Earth’s stratosphere for commercial and military purposes. Those heights make them hard to…

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2017 Zox News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by WordPress.