Items tagged with smartphone
It seems as though we can't escape a single week without hearing about a new widespread security exploit that puts us all at risk. This week, the newly detailed attack taking center stage is called Simjacker, and it was revealed by the folks at AdaptiveMobile Security. As its name implies, Simjacker works primarily by exploiting the SIM cards that all of our smartphone use. As the researchers explain it, this new exploit represents a "huge jump in complexity and sophistication" in comparison to other attack vectors that have propagated over mobile networks. Although Simjacker is quite an intricately-executed exploit, we'll give you a brief overview of how it claims its victims. First of...
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TCL is a name that we are used to seeing in the Smart TV segment with its lineup of Roku TVs, but the company also produces smartphones under different brand names. TCL has now unveiled a new smartphone that marks its first "branded" foray in the segment, and the device is a solid mid-range offering. It's called the Plex, it has a 6.53-inch FHD+ display, and runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 SoC. TCL stepping into the smartphone market isn't exactly a complete surprise, the company has some experience making smartphones for BlackBerry and Alcatel. The Plex has a front selfie camera is a 24MP unit that peeks through a hole punched in the screen and is set off to the left side. The camera...
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Samsung's Galaxy Note series of large format Android smartphones has never been about compromise. The pen-wielding, hybrid devices have always been bigger, more powerful and more capable, with larger batteries and as many bells, whistles and features as Samsung could cram in. As such, Galaxy Note users generally hail from a power user demographic, oftentimes with enterprise and business use cases that require an expanded tool set. And so for this passionate following, it probably comes as no surprise that Samsung has once again upped the Note's game with the latest iteration, the Galaxy Note 10 series. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 now comes in two sizes, a more modest 6.3-inch Galaxy...
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A new report is making the rounds that originated with The Chicago Tribune. The publication took several smartphones, including multiple iPhone models, and tested them to see how much radiofrequency radiation the devices emit. The testing alleges that some iPhones are emitting radiation that is exceeding federal safety limits. The publication used an accredited lab to test the smartphones per federal guidelines. In the testing, the iPhones were under a clear liquid meant to simulate human tissue, and probes measured the radiofrequency radiation. While testing found that several iPhone models were producing radiofrequency radiation over legal limits, the worst performer was the iPhone 7. The testing...
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Motorola has a pair of new smartphones coming soon, and some details on the devices have leaked from reputable leakers. The smartphones are the Motorola One Zoom and the Motorola One Pro. The devices are variants of the same smartphone and details were leaked by Evan Blass and Roland Quandt, both notable for their accuracy with smartphone leaks. Both the Motorola One Zoom and Motorola One Pro have the same design with thin bezels and a back with a blocky, rectangular raised area that has four lenses. The leaked details claim that the primary sensor will be a 48MP unit, and there are ultra-wide and telephoto lens to help add versatility to photo taking. The Motorola logo that is directly under...
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A new rumor is making the rounds that claims Apple will change the branding for its high-end iPhone line this year. Leaker CoinX posted via Twitter that the naming convention for the iPhone for 2019 will include "Pro" hinting that high-end versions of the smartphone might be called the iPhone Pro. Reports indicate that CoinX has a short history of Apple leaks, but has been accurate with leaks in the past. The leaker was accurate on current iPhone naming, the iPad mini coming back, and the iPhone XS Max. The leaker was also correct on symmetry differences between iPhone XS Max and the iPhone XR. All the leak claimed was that the Pro name would be used. Apple already uses the Pro branding...
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LG has a new patent that was granted in China for a smartphone that goes beyond what the folding screen devices we have seen so far offer. The patent shows a device that has a folding screen in the middle with no seam, similar to what Samsung did with the Galaxy Fold. Things get quite different from there. LG's patent shows a Z-fold device, and as one of the images here shows, the third screen is a stand-alone unit and appears to fold back onto the front surface of the smartphone. The design would give a full front screen that looks pretty much like all the smartphones we are used to seeing today that can unfold into a device that has a screen three times as wide when needed. LG filed for the...
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Next month marks the kickoff for IFA 2019 in Germany. The show opens on September 6, and ahead of the show, LG has debuted a video invite for an event that indicates it will be showing off some new products. The teaser video starts with an 8-bit style video game running on a single screen smartphone form factor. If we are to assume anything about the form factor of the device being shown off from the video, which could be a version of the LG V50 ThinQ smartphone, it would appear that the bezels are thin and there is no notch. The biggest feature of the smartphone in the video is a second screen that folds out, offering twice the screen space. The video shows a game that has a head moving through...
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Folding smartphones are coming and are poised to become more commonplace in the future. LG has a new patent application that shows line art teasing a device of the future with a tri-fold design and a very cool hinge. Unlike Samsung's devices that come with a stylus that stores inside the body of the device; LG's patent shows a hinged display that curved around to accommodate the stylus. The cool part about the ingenious hinge design isn't only that the pen will always be close by, but the pen will also help prevent dirt and debris from getting inside the folded device and damaging the screen. Samsung knows all about debris getting inside folding smartphone. Debris getting under the screen was...
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Samsung has had some embarrassingly high-profile failures of its devices over the years, with its most recent embarrassment coming from the Galaxy Fold debacle. The Galaxy Fold was highly touted, sold well in preorders, and failed almost immediately once reviewers got their hands on the device. The failures prompted Samsung to postpone the launch of the device and several retailers to cancel preorders. Samsung has now announced when the Galaxy Fold will ship, and what it has done to fix the smartphone. Samsung has stated that it is conducting final product tests and intends to make the Galaxy Fold available to consumers in specific markets in September. What markets it will make the device...
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Fans of the defunct Blackberry Passport who fancy the idea of a similar device that runs Android will want to check out the new device from a company called Unihertz. The smartphone is the Unihertz Titan, and it looks almost just like the classic Passport device. Unihertz is billing the smartphone as "unbreakable" and is aiming it at working pros, outdoor enthusiasts, and physical keyboard fans. The device is going to head to Kickstarter, meaning there is no guarantee it will ever be made. Unihertz has shared some details on the device, like its 4.5-inch 1440x1440 IPS LCD and its giant 6,000 mAh battery. The smartphone also has a dual-SIM slot and global LTE support along with wireless charging....
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There have been a bunch of leaks that allege to show what Samsung is cooking up with its new Galaxy Note 10. We have seen the device leaked in renders in the past and have seen what was alleged to be the device in the flesh. Samsung has also recently invited us to the launch event for the smartphone. Ahead of that official launch, some new renders have surfaced that allege to be the smartphone inside a case. One design choice Samsung made that is noted right off the bat, is that there is no 3.5mm headphone port on the Galaxy Note 10 renders indicating that Bluetooth will be the only way to go without resorting to a dongle of some sort, assuming a dongle is available. Rumors have also claimed...
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Issues with batteries inside smartphones and other tech devices that pose a fire hazard are nothing new. Samsung has had problems with its flagship Galaxy Note 7 device catching fire; Apple has been associated with battery fires also, most recently with the 2015 MacBook Pro. Budget smartphone maker OnePlus has been called out in India for a smartphone that allegedly caught fire while it was sitting unplugged and turned off. The owner of the smartphone claims that it caught fire at about 3:15 am on July 3 as it sat unused. The smartphone is said to have been sitting in an air-conditioned room when the user woke up to a burning smell. The user alleges that fumes were pouring out of the device,...
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One of the smartest things that Samsung smartphones users can do is to keep their devices updated with the latest firmware from Samsung. Consistent updates allows them to have the latest security updates to help protect their device and personal data. A new report claims that 10 million Samsung smartphone users have downloaded an app from Google Play that is called "Updates for Samsung." The users apparently thought that the app was an official app from Samsung, but what the app does is redirect users to a website filled with ads where they are charged for firmware updates. Samsung offers firmware updates for its smartphones at no cost. As of this writing, the "Updates for Samsung" app was...
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