Introducing: World's Most Dangerous Virus For Android

The malware which has recently been discovered, takes advantage of hitherto unknown weaknesses in the Android platform, by borrowing advanced functions that are closer to a malicious application plaguing a Windows device, making it the world’s most malicious Trojan for the Android platform. 

The malware is named Backdoor, and hasn’t managed to affect the Android ecosystem too badly at present. As opposed to the more benign Android malware, the surreptitious Obad.a utilises Android bugs that weren’t known previously unknown. It can be transmitted through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections allowing hackers to issue malicious commands through standard SMS text messages.

"To conclude this review, we would like to add that Backdoor.AndroidOS.Obad.a looks closer to Windows malware than to other Android trojans, in terms of its complexity and the number of unpublished vulnerabilities it exploits. This means that the complexity of Android malware programs is growing rapidly alongside their numbers,” says discoverer, Roman Unuchek, expert at Kaspersky Lab, in a blog post.

Among the more advanced features of the malware are the capability to be remotely controlled by SMS messages. It can be instructed remotely by hackers to connect to new command and control servers, where infected phones upload sensitive user data and receive app updates.

"By exploiting this vulnerability, malicious applications can enjoy extended Device Administrator privileges without appearing on the list of applications which have such privileges," Unuchek said. "As a result of this, it is impossible to delete the malicious program from the smartphone after it gains extended privileges."

According to experts tracking the development, the complicated nature of the malware is an indication of the fact that going forward these malwares are likely to become increasingly complicated, difficult to detect and even more difficult to stop. 


Source:Internet 

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Beam Toothbrush Connects to Your Smartphone, Can Tattle to Your Dentist

Beam Brush

The Beam Brush looks like a chunky vibrating toothbrush, but the chunkiness merely makes way for a AA battery and a Bluetooth chip that wirelessly reports your brushing habits to your smartphone.
You brush your teeth the old-fashioned way, ideally twice a day for two minutes at a time (I’m out!) while earning special rewards from the Beam app. If you’re looking for a little friendly competition, multiple Beam Brushes can connect to the same smartphone; if you’re looking for some motivation, you can play music during the two minutes you’re brushing. Your brushing habits can even be sent to your dentist, who will undoubtedly use said data to catch you in a web of oral hygiene-related lies during your next visit.
The brush itself costs $50, while replacement heads cost $4 apiece. Helpful as ever, the app – available for Apple and Android devices – will let you know when it’s time to replace the head and let you order new ones directly from your phone.
Beam Brush [beamtoothbrush.com]

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iWatch: Apple 'secretly developing smart watch with a touch screen'

The Apple iWatch

Apple is said to be secretly developing a smart watch with a touch screen that can be used to text, send emails and link to Facebook.
Dubbed the iWatch, the device is said to have a 1.5in screen that can communicate with other devices such as the tech giant’s iPhone.
Apple manufactures its products in China and sources there said the company was working with a computer chip maker.
If the rumours are true the watch is likely to be the must-have device of 2013 among a range of amazing gadgets.
Google is also set to release its Google Glass, a pair of spectacles that users can talk to in order to take pictures, send a text, use Google maps and make videos.
Another smart watch is also in development.
Called Pebble, the watch can be used by runners and cyclists to track their training while also changing songs. Messages and emails will also pop up on the screen.

Source:Internet

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Entrepreneur launches first Africa-designed smartphone

 

The VMK smartphone. Photo: AFP

A Congolese inventor has unveiled what he says is the first African-designed smartphone.
Verone Mankou, 27, told AFP that the so-called Elikia, which means "hope" in the local language, went on sale the day before in the Republic of Congo. Mankou, head of the company VMK, said
the Android-powered device was on sale in only in Congo for now, but he planned to launch it in other countries. The phone was initially due to go on sale in October but its launch was delayed "because of an explosion in demand," he said.
Though the phone is Congolese by design, it is manufactured in China. It costs about 130 euros ($170) -- a considerable sum in this central African nation.
The phone has a 3.5-inch touchscreen, 512 megabytes of RAM and a 650-Mhz processor. Its camera is five megapixels, and it also comes with GPS and Bluetooth.
Mankou last year designed what was billed as Africa's first tablet computer.

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Smartphone to soon double up as car keys

Hyundai said developing the system was part of the carmaker’s aim of producing technology for the mainstream consumer. Photo:AP 

 

Keep misplacing your car keys? Just wave your smartphone to unlock the door!

Engineers at South Korean automobile major Hyundai have invented a new system that will allow your smartphone to double as your car keys, and the technology will be made available to buyers within two years.

Rather than using Bluetooth, the system by Hyundai uses wireless Near Field Communication (NFC), allowing you to lock and unlock the car by waving your phone over a small tag on the car window.

Inside the car, you place the phone on a pad in the centre console that wirelessly charges it while the content is synced and streamed to the car’s infotainment system and touchscreen.

The system can also store in-car preferences, including radio stations, seating positions and even mirror adjustment with multiple profiles able to be saved for different drivers.

The system was demonstrated on a concept version of Hyundai’s popular i30 in Germany.

Hyundai said developing the system was part of the carmaker’s aim of producing technology for the mainstream consumer, website carsguide.com.au reported.

“The Connectivity Concept showcases Hyundai’s philosophy of making tomorrow’s technology accessible to a wide range of customers,” Hyundai Motor Europe chief operating officer Allan Rushforth said.

“With this technology, Hyundai is able to harness the all-in-one functionality of existing smartphone technology and integrating it into everyday driving in a seamless fashion,” Mr Rushforth said.

 

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Wahoo Balance Smartphone Scale Unveiled

Wahoo Fitness has announced the spanking new Balance Smartphone Scale which relies on Bluetooth Smart technology, where it is capable of keeping track of your weight and BMI over a period of time, while sending weigh-ins instantly to your iPhone or iPad App. You can place a pre-order today for $99 a pop, where shipments of the Wahoo Balance Smartphone Scale will start going out from the first week of December onwards, making it look like a pretty ideal Christmas gift for someone whom you have in mind. Not only that, customers will also be on the receiving end of their new Wahoo Balance iPhone body scale in time for the overall festive mood.

All you need to do is step on the scale, and the Wahoo Balance Smartphone Scale will get to work right away, taking a reading of your weight and BMI, while sending that information wirelessly via Bluetooth Smart technology to the new Wahoo Wellness App (which is pending approval for the Apple App Store) or to any compatible health & fitness App. You can have up to 16 different users using the Balance Smartphone Scale, and it can hold up to 130 weight readings. There’s nothing quite like charting out your progress, right?

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Blackberry Messenger gets Voice over Wi-Fi!

Whatsapp meets Viber… This is what I would call what Blackberry Messenger (fondly called BBM) has decided to do.
BBM needs no introduction and it is one of the key components what made Blackberry what it is was.
Blackberry has now decided to beef up its Messenger to add even more functionality to it. The newest version, 7, of BBM can now be used to call other BBM users over WiFi. It would have been better if this functionality extended to Cellular connections as well, but it is a good start nonetheless.

This is now a much needed capability which people are using more often with companies going global. Blackberry is a predominant Enterprise solution company. Their phones still find a soft corner in the hearts of professionals and with this functionality, Blackberry has given them something to be happy about till BB OS 10 comes out.
BBM 7 will be available for BB OS 6.0 onwards with support for OS 5.0 also coming in the future. Right now, it is in the beta phase and you can get it here.
The salient features are-

1. Customers can initiate a BBM Voice call directly, or instantly switch from a BBM text chat to talk, and back again.
2. The split-screen feature allows customers to talk and text at the same time, so for example, they can send a picture to their contact while talking with them. They can also check other BBM text chats, check email, or navigate to other apps while engaged on a BBM Voice call.
3. BBM provides a visual indicator that shows when contacts are available for a voice call.
4. BBM Voice is compatible with any accessories a customer has now for making voice calls on their BlackBerry smartphone, such as a Bluetooth or wired headset. Customers can also use BBM Voice over their BlackBerry smartphone’s speakerphone.
5. If it’s not an ideal time to talk, customers can simply choose to respond by texting back.

Looking at these features we can say that the focus is completely on productivity. Also, BBM 7 is now integrated with customer’s Blackberry ID. This is a welcome addition as it will make switching to a new Blackberry phone for a person more streamlined.
It is good to see Blackberry in action again. They have already pinpointed the date for the release of their new OS and with this update it looks like Blackberry is preparing itself for a good fight. Though it may be too little, a bit too late.
The post Blackberry Messenger gets Voice over Wi-Fi! appeared first on India Business & Technology Hub.

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Broadcom introduces 5G WiFi Combo chip for Smartphones and tablets

Broadcom Corporation, a global innovation leader in semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications, has introduced the BCM4335, the industry's first complete 5G WiFi combo chip for smartphones, tablets, ultrabooks and other mobile devices. The new solution furthers Broadcom's wireless connectivity leadership and establishes it as the first chip vendor to sample solutions based on the 802.11ac standard for every major Wi-Fi product segment. 5G WiFi, the 5th generation of Wi-Fi based on the IEEE 802.11ac standard, is a major evolutionary step from the existing 802.11a/b/g/n networks. 5G WiFi dramatically improves the wireless range in the home, allowing consumers to watch HD-quality video from more devices, in more places, simultaneously. With 3X faster speeds, consumers can download web content from a mobile device, and synch large files such as videos, in a fraction of the time it would take on a similar 802.11n device. Since 5G WiFi transfers the same volume of data at a much faster rate, devices enter low-power mode quickly and, as a result, are up to six times more power efficient than equivalent 802.11n solutions. Broadcom introduced its family of 5G WiFi chips for access points and PCs at CES in January 2012.  The world's first 5G WiFi routers and notebooks powered by Broadcom's 5G WiFi chips were introduced to the market in Q2 2012. Smartphones and tablets powered by the new BCM4335, which are expected to hit shelves in Q1 2013, will allow consumers to reap the full speed, range and power saving benefits of 5G WiFi on both ends of the wireless connection.

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Unbreakable: Mesh networks are in your smartphone's future

Micha Benoliel's company, Open Garden, makes a mesh networking utility for Android smartphones and for Windows and Mac laptops (support for iOS is coming). It's a free app that turns your device into a mobile hot spot. No matter how you're connected to the Net (Wi-Fi or cellular), it makes that connection shareable (over Bluetooth) to other Open Garden users. Likewise, if you're running the product but don't have a connection to the Net, and you're near a user who does, this service seamlessly gets you online.
Benoliel says that, for the most part, carriers and ISPs welcome technologies that improve bandwidth for customers and that also lower power requirements (connecting to a nearby hot spot over Bluetooth takes a lot less power than linking to a cell tower). "The only way to improve the wireless networks is to increase the density of microcells or hot spots. I think carriers really understand that," he says. His pitch: "We turn every device into a hot spot... and we improve the network itself."
Sri Srikrishna was the founding CTO of the mesh networking company Tropos (recently acquired by ABB), and is now working on bringing mesh technologies to populations where today's standard wireless networking technologies are insufficient, or are blocked. See his paper, "SocialMesh: Can Networks of Meshed Smartphones Ensure Public Access to Twitter During an Attack?"
Srikrisha says it's time to do two things for people who don't have reliable means to connect to the global net. First of all, we can make better, more frequency-agile radios. Second: Mesh them together.

Source:Internet

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Spoka lamp from IKEA is smartphone-controlled

The smartphone of today comes with its fair share of apps that allows it to control TVs and function as a universal remote control around the home, but who would have thought that it can also control a lamp? Of course, this is no ordinary lamp that you can purchase off the shelf and is ready to go right out of the box, as some preparatory work needs to be done beforehand. First of all, a Spoka lamp from IKEA was selected, where it has been subsequently hacked to include an ATtiny2313 and an RS232 Bluetooth module, letting your Android-powered smartphone to control the lamp itself. Since the lamp comes with two modes originally which you select through a switch located at the top, the hack will let you customize the kind of light patterns that it can display, in addition to having it synchronize to music playback. Something to tide you over the weekend if you have a penchant to “hack” everyday items, and it might even win you a new admirer in the process.

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The latest advance in smartphone technology -- a corded handset?

 

99

7

What might prompt one to buy a large, anti-sleek, hardly cool retro-style handset for a smartphone?
Well, consider your options. Those white ear buds are so tell-tale, and those Bluetooth ear clips have "obnoxious business guy" written all over them.
On the other hand, the retro handset provides a nice weighty, I'm-talking-on-the-phone feel, and that satisfying curly rubber cord reminds one, comfortingly, of what phones are supposed to be like.
And here's another bonus: These larger-than-your-cellphone cellphone attachments apparently protect you from 96% to 99% of the cellphone radiation that the World Health Organization has declared "possibly carcinogenic to humans."
It may not be discreet. It's not exactly cool.  But it's safe!
A company called Yubz started making retro-style handsets in 2000, mostly as a gag gift for those early adapters who abandoned the land line for their cellphone about five years before the rest of us did. After fears of the dangers of cellphone radiation began circulating, the company changed its marketing to include a giant "reduce 96% of radiation" note on the product's packaging materials.
For the aesthetically inclined the quirky design store A + R sells a version by French designer David Turpi in pop colors like yellow and magenta. "Super cool! Super cute!" says the description on the site where it sells for $30.
The budget minded may choose to check out the latest addition to the market, the handset pictured above that is made by a company called IMobifone, which is selling the phone for $25.
The company's website includes images of Jamie Lee Curtis walking on the street with an old-fashioned handset clutched to her ear.

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RunKeeper’s smartphone app gets smarter with sensors

Smartphones are packing more sensors these days, and application developers continue to find new ways to gain additional value from them. Popular exercise application RunKeeper, for example, updated its software on Monday with two new ways to take advantage of the GPS and Bluetooth radios in either a Google Android handset or Apple iPhone.
The free RunKeeper application already leverages these radios; using a GPS sensor, the software tracks the speed, distance and route elevation while running, walking or cycling, for example. During the exercise, the application can provide audio feedback on pace and distance. When the activity is completed, a route map is saved in a Google Maps format, complete with details on the effort. But the new version takes RunKeeper a step further.
An auto-pause function is now built in to RunKeeper, which temporarily pauses the GPS tracking when arriving at a red light or stopping to take a picture of the scenery. I know from experience that the automatic pause feature will prove handy. I run daily using the app, and it can be a chore to unlock the phone and manually pause it when needed. It’s actually difficult to do so in the winter when running with gloves; I’ve actually used my nose to pause the application during cold weather months, which looks ridiculous to cars passing by.

The other new function takes advantage of wireless heart rate monitors. RunKeeper already supported these monitors by tracking heart rate data during exercise and providing an average heart rate upon activity completion. Now the data becomes more useful in the new software update. RunKeeper shows visual heart rate data in real time and supports targeted heart zone training. Users can set up heart rate target zones, which generally measure exercise effort, and RunKeeper will provide audio cues when the heart rate is above or below the targeted zone.
RunKeeper’s software updates also include a handy workout countdown timer, allowing you to stash your phone in a pouch or pocket before taking off, and some GPS updates to improve exercise tracking. These are welcome, of course, but the more important features are those that continue to find new ways to gain value from the sensors in our smartphones. Think about it: If the auto-pause feature could be combined with accelerometer data, your smartphone could determine that you’ve been hit by a car while running or cycling. Imagine if it could call for help in that scenario, thanks to the sensor data.

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Now an app that helps you save Android phone's battery

When there are software programs running in the background and the users are not aware of it, the process sucks away battery life.

Many of us want to extend our Android smartphone's battery life but are not comfortable going into the details. For such users, an app has been launched, named PowerMax which is created by a startup - Volt Up.
"Smartphones that carry the Google Android platform can rest assured their phones will not fail them when they need them most," said Joseph Yossi Weihs, an embedded devices engineer and head of Volt Up.
"Of course we can't make the battery last forever, but in most cases we can double battery life, which can make all the difference, especially during emergencies," Joseph added.
The technology developed by Volt Up monitors and manages the radios of Android handsets including 2G/3G/4G, WiFi, FM, GPS and Bluetooth. The app puts these radios to sleep according to the needs of the users.
The app analyses the usage patterns of the Android handset, and keeps an eye on the device if the battery is being drained faster. The user is also informed about how much battery power is being saved and used.
Google is definitely aware the Android phones are facing some battery problems. When Google co-founder Larry Page was asked about the weak battery life of Android handsets, he said ideally the users should get one day's battery life and if they were not getting it, something was wrong. He suggested it was probably due to third party apps and the way the users used them.
When there are software programs running in the background and the users are not aware of it, the process sucks away battery life.
In simpler terms, the users should simply turn off applications such as the GPS whenever they can. Similarly the background sync, or Twitter app, RSS apps should not be active all the time. The problem is, these are the features which bring people to Android in the first place, so they may not want to disable these apps for more battery life, they would rather charge their battery.

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New Bluetooth 4.0 Medical Devices to Hit the Shelves by December 2011

Image via Wikipedia The Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group) is gradually rolling out specifications for a new generation of health-monitoring wireless devices based on the low-energy capabilities of Bluetooth 4.0.
Wireless device manufacturers are already designing prototypes of Bluetooth 4.0 health-monitoring devices, and mobile phone manufacturers will embed the updated wireless specification in new products beginning in the fourth quarter of 2011, in time for the holidays.
"It's a whole new architecture," Suke Jawanda, chief marketing officer for the Bluetooth SIG, told eWEEK. Many types of devices could not connect previously using Bluetooth because they required too much power, he noted. "A big battery pack is not going to happen with a glucose meter," Jawanda said.
Founded in 1998, the Bluetooth SIG is a nonprofit trade association governing the standards for Bluetooth wireless technology. All companies incorporating Bluetooth technology into their devices join the Bluetooth SIG, which now has 14,000 member companies.
On June 7, the Bluetooth SIG announced profiles for thermometer and heart rate monitors. Bluetooth profiles are the set of rules ratified by the Bluetooth SIG and ready to be optimized for particular tasks, such as monitoring heart rates or taking blood glucose numbers, Jawanda said.
"We have dozens and dozens of profiles that are optimized that allow certain devices to act accordingly," Jawanda said.
For the thermometer profile, companies will design a thermometer path to transmit temperature readings to a patient's mobile phone every half hour to allow a caregiver to keep track of the patient's condition.
"All of that information can be sent to an application, and in one spot they've got a panorama of their health," Jawanda said.
On July 26, the Bluetooth SIG will publish on its Website several other profiles, including Blood Pressure Profile and Search, which allows patients to measure their blood pressure, then send the readings to a mobile phone or PC using Bluetooth. Caregivers or doctors access the information in the cloud and import the data into EHRs (electronic health records). Health insurance companies can also access the data through the cloud.
"You can liberate data and turn it into information on a phone, on a PC and in the cloud," Jawanda said.
The number of Bluetooth-enabled medical devices on the market could increase from 40 million to hundreds of millions over the next few years, Jawanda said.
Heart rate, temperature and blood pressure monitors will be among the first Bluetooth 4.0 devices available, followed by weight scales, pedometers and new blood glucose meters.
Companies that make Bluetooth health-monitoring devices include A&D Medical, Nonin, 3M and Omron. The devices are sold in retail stores such as pharmacies and through health care providers.
By the end of 2012, 100 percent of smartphones will feature version 4.0, according to the Bluetooth SIG. Bluetooth 4.0 radios happen to be cheaper and smaller than their 3.0 predecessors, Jawanda noted. "It's just the way the silicon has been spun," he said.
To enable data to be transferred securely in the cloud, the Bluetooth SIG is working with the Continua Health Alliance, a nonprofit group of 230 companies in health care and technology that certifies the devices as interoperable with other tech products.
Mobile health will be the first industry to benefit from Bluetooth 4.0, followed by smart homes and fitness, according to the Bluetooth SIG.
With 72 percent of physicians in the United States using smartphones, mobile technology is a key driver of health care IT growth, according to a report by research firm RNCOS.

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Device turns smartphones into satellite communicators

All the myriad benefits of today’s smartphones amount to no more than the proverbial hill of beans if no cellphone signal is available. We’ve already seen a few solutions for off-grid connectivity — Range Networks’ open source phone service, for example — but nothing quite like SPOT Connect.
Launched just last week by Globalstar’s California-based Spot subsidiary, SPOT Connect is a satellite communicator capable of sending messages over the Globalstar satellite network from a smartphone operating system. Smartphone users begin by downloading the SPOT Connect app. Then, when they’re out of range, they pair their phone with the SPOT Connect device using Bluetooth. SPOT is currently compatible with smartphone operating systems including Android; others will be incorporated later this year. In any case, once it’s connected, the SPOT device links the smartphone to communication satellites, enabling users to send text messages, short emails and SOS messages including GPS coordinates, as well as to perform tasks like updating Facebook and Twitter. Users can create contact groups and store up to 10 predefined messages for quick reference and sending, and an on-device SOS button provides standalone emergency operation.
Winner of this year’s CES Innovations Award in Design and Engineering in the Personal Electronics category, the waterproof, 3.7-ounce system is scheduled to begin shipping this month. Pricing is USD 169.99 plus an annual subscription service starting at USD 99.99 per year. Retailers specializing in GPS, outdoor recreation and personal electronics: this one’s for you!

Website: www.findmespot.com
Contact: customerservice@findmespot.com

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Bluetooth 4.0 promises to be more successful than Bluetooth 3.0

Apparently the Bluetooth 3.0 has a problem that it consumes too much power so even though the specs have been available for quite some time, they haven't been rolled out.

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group has said that the new version, Bluetooth 4.0, could be launching in the 4th quarter of this year with devices such as headsets, phones and PC’s all getting the technology.

The latest specification allows devices with smaller batteries to utilise Bluetooth. Previous versions of BT required that a device had at lease a AAA or larger capacity battery to function. The new 4.0 specifications allow for smaller devices that require coin-cell batteries to run.

As well as utilising less power, the device also has higher speed data transfer. Version 3.0 was launched last year although it kind of fell flat on it’s face due to the power requirements needed. Version 4.0 fixes those problems.

The new specification will carry the high-speed Wi-Fi feature introduced with Bluetooth 3.0. That allows devices to jump onto Wi-Fi 802.11 networks, where it can transfer data at up to 25Mbits per second.

Hopefully with the lower power requirements and the options to switch to 802.11 networks we should start seeing more devices using the Bluetooth specification.

However, Forrester Research analyst Charles Golvin believes the new standard nonetheless holds considerable appeal.

"These protocols are designed to be very efficient because they are delivering small bits of data," Golvin told PC World, adding that current technologies expended far too much energy to transmit data over short distances. “They'd be like pulling out a cannon to kill a mouse,” Golvin said.

Despite being certified nearly a year ago, the first Bluetooth 3.0+HS devices have yet to appear on the market.

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Abis Interface - Engineering Guideline

This Engineering Guideline provides a description of the physical characteristics of the Abis Interface and defines how it is dimensioned within the “GSM Network”.

Abis Interface pdf


Source :Internet

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