LG G2 in line for Android 4.4 KitKat update, but not until March 2014

LG G2 in line for Android 4.4 KitKat update, but not until March 2014

The rear-mounter volume rocker is the G2's calling card

LG has offered the first indication of when its impressive LG G2 handset will be furnished with the new Android 4.4 KitKat update.

The Korean company told Mobile Syrup that the new version of Google's operating system will begin hitting Canadian networks sometime during March 2014.

While the representative failed to mention US and UK networks it seems reasonable that we could expect the update around the same time, if not a little sooner.

Currently the highly-rated G2 remains on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, so fans of the uniquely designed handset will be hoping for a finger or two of KitKat as soon as possible.

Opinion splitter

The handset arrived in the UK last month, following its launch in August, packing a full HD 1080p 5.2-inch display with a pixel resolution of 424ppi.

It's also got plenty of power, thanks to a with a 2.26GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU and 2GB of RAM.

Aside from its top specs, the G2's calling card is undoubtedly its rear-mounted volume rocker that has so far split opinion among smartphone enthusiasts.


Source : techradar[dot]com

LG G Flex could see international rollout starting this December

LG G Flex could see international rollout starting this December

Will it bend?

The LG G Flex could start arriving on our doorsteps as early as December if you're living in Europe.

As flagged by 3G.cn, LG has sent out invites for an LG G Flex event in Hong Kong on December 3, which is reportedly to mark an international launch.

Currently, the phone is only available in Korea, where it went on sale in early November for the eye-watering price of 999,900 Korean Won - about $940 in the US, £583 in the UK and AU$992.

The G Flex will be available in France on Orange towards the start of December - that much we know - so we're hoping to see it hop over to the UK around the same time. As for the US, the flexy phone won't be making its way over until early 2014.

Out of shape

The G Flex, LG's first curved phone, has a 6-inch curved OLED, a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM and a 13-megapixel camera.

It also has a rear case that can heal itself when scratched, which might be even more exciting than the bendy headline feature.

And let's not forget about the Samsung Galaxy Round, which curves along a vertical axis instead. Although there's no guarantee we'll be seeing that outside of Korea any time soon.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Your smartphone PIN isn't as safe as you'd think

Your smartphone PIN isn't as safe as you'd think

Who could be watching you without you knowing?

We all know the dangers. The smartphone is the portal to online shopping, our bank accounts and all manner of social network profiling – for many, it is our digital identity.

We know what we have to do: make sure it has a lock code, and never share it with anyone.

But…what if even that isn't enough?

Researchers at Cambridge University recently proposed a method of discovering the PIN on your Android phone by using a malicious app to capture data through your smartphone's camera and microphone. This technique made headlines as it was able to correctly identify a 4-digit PIN, from a test set, 30% of the time after two attempts, rising to 50% after five attempts.

Flanking manoeuvre

Is your PIN really that safe?

The reason this technique, known as a "side-channel" attack, is so noteworthy, is that it circumvents the supposedly secure split between the Android system and the trusted zone on your smartphone.

"Side-channel" attacks use sensors like the gyroscope and accelerometer, or hardware, like the microphone and camera, in order to capture data that's uploaded to a remote server where an algorithm is used to take an educated guess at your PIN.

The 'trusted' part of your phone is separate from the main OS and is designed to isolate sensitive applications, such as banking apps. This is all part of a move to keep sensitive data like your PIN on separate hardware, with companies like ARM inventing technologies such as TrustZone to ensure this stays secure.

However Laurent Simon, one of the authors of PIN Skimmer: Inferring PINs Through The Camera and Microphone, told us, "it's not obvious that the accelerometer or the microphone could be used to leak information…the focus is on the touchscreen, on securing the screen."

How does it work?

This attack involves using the PIN Skimmer app, which is malware disguised as a game, to record users interacting with the touchscreen.

The front-facing camera can be used to capture a shot of the user and determine what they look like when pressing a specific point on screen. This data can then be used to build a model and analyse a video of them entering their PIN.

This is further bolstered by using the microphone to capture audio of the haptic vibration feedback when the user presses the screen in specific spots.

In fairness to phone developers, victims have to download the app and grant it permission to access the microphone, the camera, and the Internet in the Android system.

Once the attacker identifies a likely PIN, they still need the smartphone physically in hand before they can try it, as Simon explained, "in that sense it's limited, you can't do everything remotely; you would need to [inadvertently] collaborate with thieves."

Before you dismiss this idea as never going to happen to you, consider that malware could also be used to track your location, and smartphone theft is at an all-time high. Earlier this year the Met revealed that there are more than 300 mobile phones stolen every day in London alone.

How an app can work out your PIN

How can you protect yourself?

Marc Rogers, Principal Security Researcher at Lookout (WHICH IS?), told us "The absolute, most common, method of compromising your smartphone is installing something from a third-party store that will send out your phone number, your contacts list, your SMS messages, and allow someone to remotely control the phone.

Only download apps from Google Play

"We did a study on the likelihood of encountering this kind of malware and we found in the US and UK that the likelihood of encountering something nasty (a phishing link, adware, or malware) is around 2% to 3%. Your probability of actually encountering malware is about 0.5%."

Those figures are based on data captured from millions of Lookout Mobile users, with Rogers suggesting that to protect themselves users should "stick to [Google's] Play Store and don't go to third-party stores. These don't necessarily have the same level of protection and that's why the probability rises from 0.5% in the UK to around 40% in the Russian Federation and Ukraine."

Simon agreed that "in general Google Play is a safe bet, but that doesn't mean you can't be compromised a different way", citing a Chrome exploit that enabled attackers to gain control over a Nexus 4 and a Galaxy S4 after getting people to click on a link.

Is anyone trying to protect us?

The researchers at Cambridge University are focused on what OS vendors and smartphone manufacturers can do to combat this threat.

The PIN Skimmer research paper suggests various countermeasures, but concedes that one of the main ways is blocking access for various sensors during sensitive transactions, or randomizing the placement of digits on the PIN pad, which would have a detrimental impact on usability.

As Simon suggested, "when you're typing a PIN you don't really need to have access to anything, it takes a few seconds, but it's a big decision for them to say 'we're going to block everything', people might start complaining if they miss a call."

What about biometrics?

Could developments like Apple's Touch ID be the answer? Rogers suggested "it's a really good way to bring security to the masses. It's convenient, it's easy to use and it fits within the user's normal processes.

Touch ID
Is Touch ID the answer?

"The biggest risk you face with the PIN code is that someone is going to trick you into surrendering your PIN, via a website or app. A PIN can be tricked out of someone, but you can't trick a fingerprint out of them. If you marry the two, so that now you need two credentials to gain access, I would rate that security as pretty high."

So biometrics, which also recently debuted on the HTC One Max, are the mobile industry's way of addressing this issue, but it remains to be seen if this is the answer, or if multi-factor authentication is a step further than users would accept for everyday smartphone use.

So in the short term the only option may be to sacrifice some convenience for peace of mind. As Simon said: "anything you can do to make things harder for the bad guys is always a good thing."


Source : techradar[dot]com

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 won't be going gold - only joking, of course it will

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 won't be going gold - only joking, of course it will

Yeah, about this classy

This just in from our existing-phones-in-different-colours correspondent: looks like Samsung is going to release the Note 3 in both red and white gold next year.

It's getting to the point where if you want to stand out from the gadget pack, you'd be better off going for a plain old black handset.

Via Sammobile

More blips

Blips are available in all the colours of the rainbow.


Source : techradar[dot]com

Samsung admits Outlook sync issue with Android 4.3 update

Samsung admits Outlook sync issue with Android 4.3 update

Oops, it's broken again

If you're rocking a Samsung device which hasn't yet been upgraded to Android 4.3 you might want to count your blessings, as it appears the Korean firm is still having issues with the latest version of Jelly Bean.

Samsung has admitted to TechRadar there is a new issue, which we were tipped off about. Our tipster highlighted that since the Android 4.3 update on his Galaxy S4, Outlook no longer syncs with the Samsung Kies desktop software or the handset.

It appears that this problem isn't restricted to just S4 handsets, with many Samsung owners reporting similar issues over on the Android Central and XDA forums.

What does this mean for users? Well anyone who relies on Outlook for contacts, calendars and email will be unable to sync these details with their Samsung handset - if it's running Android 4.3 that is.

Fix coming in "near future"

We contacted Samsung to try and find out more, and a spokesperson for the firm told us: "In the near future, an improved Kies tool which will also support 'Outlook sync' will be released.

"This new version of Kies 3.0 will be available in due course from www.samsung.com."

Unfortunately Samsung was unable to tell us an exact date for the new Kies tools, but it's yet another embarrassing turn of events for the Korean firm, so surely it won't be too far off.

  • Are you having issues with your Samsung post-Android 4.3 update? Let us know in the comments below, on Facebook or via Twitter.

Source : techradar[dot]com

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