Security: Wo ist nur das Botnetz hin?

Sicherheitsforscher haben einen massiven Rückgang von Infektionen der bekannten Malware-Familien Dridex und Locky beobachtet. Schuld sind offenbar Probleme beim verteilenden Botnetz. Für Locky gibt es keine neue Infrastruktur. Was mit Opfern passiert, ist derzeit offen. (Ransomware, Virus)

Sicherheitsforscher haben einen massiven Rückgang von Infektionen der bekannten Malware-Familien Dridex und Locky beobachtet. Schuld sind offenbar Probleme beim verteilenden Botnetz. Für Locky gibt es keine neue Infrastruktur. Was mit Opfern passiert, ist derzeit offen. (Ransomware, Virus)

Auto: Lexus-Navigationssystem nach Over-The-Air-Update unbrauchbar

Zahlreiche Lexus-Fahrer können nach einem Software-Update das Infotainment- und Navigationssystem Enform nicht mehr nutzen. Das System resettet sich spontan während der Nutzung. Schuld ist laut Lexus ein Datenlieferant für den Verkehrs- und Wetterdienst. (Lexus, Navigationssystem)

Zahlreiche Lexus-Fahrer können nach einem Software-Update das Infotainment- und Navigationssystem Enform nicht mehr nutzen. Das System resettet sich spontan während der Nutzung. Schuld ist laut Lexus ein Datenlieferant für den Verkehrs- und Wetterdienst. (Lexus, Navigationssystem)

This is what the finished BLOCKS modular smartwatch looks like (video)

This is what the finished BLOCKS modular smartwatch looks like (video)

After raising $1.6 million through a Kickstarter campaign last year, the developers of the BLOCKS modular smartwatch are getting ready to ship their first devices.

The BLOCKS team has refined the design, updated the processor, and says the watch is “undergoing final testing prior to mass production.” It should ship this fall.

You can pre-order a BLOCKS watch with four modules for $330 from ChooseBlocks.com. Or you can just check out this new video to get a sense of what the final hardware will look like:

BLOCKS consists of a core module with all the guts of a normal smartwatch, including a display, processor, memory, storage, and wireless features.

Continue reading This is what the finished BLOCKS modular smartwatch looks like (video) at Liliputing.

This is what the finished BLOCKS modular smartwatch looks like (video)

After raising $1.6 million through a Kickstarter campaign last year, the developers of the BLOCKS modular smartwatch are getting ready to ship their first devices.

The BLOCKS team has refined the design, updated the processor, and says the watch is “undergoing final testing prior to mass production.” It should ship this fall.

You can pre-order a BLOCKS watch with four modules for $330 from ChooseBlocks.com. Or you can just check out this new video to get a sense of what the final hardware will look like:

BLOCKS consists of a core module with all the guts of a normal smartwatch, including a display, processor, memory, storage, and wireless features.

Continue reading This is what the finished BLOCKS modular smartwatch looks like (video) at Liliputing.

App Store 2.0: Apple ändert Umsatzmodell und führt App-Abos ein

Apples App Store wird nach Aussage von Marketingchef Phil Schiller grundlegend überarbeitet. Dazu gehören ein neues Umsatzmodell, bei dem Apple einen kleinen Teil der Einnahmen erhält, Werbung in den Suchergebnissen und App-Abos. (Apple App Store, Apple)

Apples App Store wird nach Aussage von Marketingchef Phil Schiller grundlegend überarbeitet. Dazu gehören ein neues Umsatzmodell, bei dem Apple einen kleinen Teil der Einnahmen erhält, Werbung in den Suchergebnissen und App-Abos. (Apple App Store, Apple)

HPE Edgeline: Robuste Server für die Grenzbereiche der Daten

Hewlett Packard Enterprise will nun auch für IoT-Kunden Server anbieten. Den Anfang machen zwei Modelle, die entweder PCIe- oder PXI-Karten aufnehmen können. Aufgestellt werden die Server, die Moonshot-Module aufnehmen können, in der Regel weit weg vom Rechenzentrum. (HPE, Computer)

Hewlett Packard Enterprise will nun auch für IoT-Kunden Server anbieten. Den Anfang machen zwei Modelle, die entweder PCIe- oder PXI-Karten aufnehmen können. Aufgestellt werden die Server, die Moonshot-Module aufnehmen können, in der Regel weit weg vom Rechenzentrum. (HPE, Computer)

Withings Body Cardio: Waage soll Auskunft zur Gesundheit des Herzens geben

Die vernetzte Personenwaage Body Cardio von Withings misst nicht nur Gewicht und Körperfett, sondern soll auch Auskunft über die Gesundheit des Herzens und des Gefäßsystems erteilen. (Withings, Technologie)

Die vernetzte Personenwaage Body Cardio von Withings misst nicht nur Gewicht und Körperfett, sondern soll auch Auskunft über die Gesundheit des Herzens und des Gefäßsystems erteilen. (Withings, Technologie)

Report: Nest isn’t for sale

New CEO plans no change in direction, will focus on existing product roadmap.

(credit: Nest)

After what seemed like a big shakeup at Nest, with CEO Tony Fadell leaving the company to take on an "advisory role" at parent company Alphabet, a sale seemed like a possibility for the smart home company. An internal Nest memo obtained by The Verge says that's not the case, though. The new CEO, Marwan Fawaz, has addressed his employees to say that Alphabet won't be selling Nest.

In Fawaz's previous stint at Google, he ran Motorola's "Home" division (it made cable boxes) for a whopping six months before it was sold off to Arris. There's been lots of speculation (including here at Ars) that Fawaz would do the same job at Nest—move in, assess things, and put up a "For Sale" sign.

In the memo, Fawaz says "My only agenda for Nest is to scale and grow with innovative products. Nest is not for sale, and scaling and innovation aren’t mutually exclusive."

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Internet Archive Warns Against ‘Take Down, Stay Down’

The Internet Archive has joined other notable Internet groups in warning against increasingly loud calls for a “take down, stay down” copyright regime.Under the current DMCA laws, it is up to rights-holders to provide URLs to Intern…



The Internet Archive has joined other notable Internet groups in warning against increasingly loud calls for a "take down, stay down" copyright regime.

Under the current DMCA laws, it is up to rights-holders to provide URLs to Internet service provider such as Google for removal. The same piece of content, such as a unique music track, often has multiple URLs, sometimes thousands of them, but under the current approach rights-holders have to submit each URL for service providers to remove.

Under the "take down, stay down", also known as the "notice and staydown" approach, rights-holders only have to identify the unique piece of work (Justin Bieber's 'Love Yourself', for example), and it's up to service providers to search and destroy all URLs, new and old, for the content.

But The Internet Archive, a non-profit group whose aim is to build an "Internet library" to preserve all web pages and online digital media, says this new approach would be a disaster for the Internet in general.

"We were very concerned to hear that the Copyright Office is strongly considering recommending changing the DMCA to mandate a ‘Notice and Staydown’ regime. This is the language that the Copyright Office uses to talk about censoring the web," the Archive writes on their official blog.

The Archive makes several key arguments in its opposition to the new regime, primarily on privacy and the First Amendment grounds, and on technical and legal issues that would make such a regime a nightmare to implement for sites like The Internet Archive.

The Archive says such a regime would mandate Internet sites and ISPs to continually monitor all user activity on the Internet, and take proactive action take down content "without any form of review, potentially violates free speech laws".

On the technical grounds, the Archive argues that technology hasn't advanced to the point where computers can tell the difference between real infringement and fair use.

"So far, no computer algorithm has been developed that can determine whether a particular upload is fair use. Notice and Staydown would force many cases of legitimate fair use off the web," says the Archive.

Take down, stay down would also force websites to make legal judgement on the copyright status of content, but without having the authority or the required information to make a correct judgement at all times.

"They (the websites) don't have all the facts about the works, such as whether they have been licensed. Most platforms are not in a good position to be making legal judgments, and they are motivated to avoid the potential for high statutory damages. All this means that platforms are likely to filter out legitimate uses of content," the Archive warns.

And in addition to all of these problems, websites like The Internet Archive will also have to bear the full cost of implementing such a regime.

"Nonprofits, libraries, and educational institutions who act as internet service providers would be forced to spend a huge amount of their already scarce resources policing copyright," the Archive argues.

Paranoid Android is back with a new Marshmallow-based custom ROM

Paranoid Android is back with a new Marshmallow-based custom ROM

Paranoid Android is a custom version of Android known for building unusual features on top of Google’s mobile operating system. Halo, PIE controls, and Hover, for example, presented new ways to multitask, deal with on-screen navigation buttons, and interact with notifications.

But it’s been a few years since Paranoid Android released a new ROM. Phone maker OnePlus hired some of the project’s lead developers in 2015 to work on the company’s own OxygenOS software.

Continue reading Paranoid Android is back with a new Marshmallow-based custom ROM at Liliputing.

Paranoid Android is back with a new Marshmallow-based custom ROM

Paranoid Android is a custom version of Android known for building unusual features on top of Google’s mobile operating system. Halo, PIE controls, and Hover, for example, presented new ways to multitask, deal with on-screen navigation buttons, and interact with notifications.

But it’s been a few years since Paranoid Android released a new ROM. Phone maker OnePlus hired some of the project’s lead developers in 2015 to work on the company’s own OxygenOS software.

Continue reading Paranoid Android is back with a new Marshmallow-based custom ROM at Liliputing.