XAMI

Oculus VR was created with gaming in mind but once Facebook announced intentions to buy the technology, the trajectory of the company forever changed. Sure, Facebook would still dabble in gaming but the long-term vision of Zuckerberg and crew has always been to make VR a social experience. At its F8 conference on Tuesday, Facebook set in motion the wheels to steer public perception in that exact direction with the (open) beta launch of Facebook Spaces. The program, which requires an Oculus Rift headset with Touch controllers (well, sort of), allows users to hang out with friends and family in “fun, interactive virtual environments” as if you were all in the same room. Simply select one of your Facebook photos to see an array of virtual options for your VR avatar. From there, you can customize the look of your avatar by changing things like eye color, hairstyle and facial features to best match your identity. In the virtual world, you’ll be able to draw in the air, share 360-degree videos and photos and more. Users can even take “selfies” with a virtual selfie stick and post the “image” to Facebook. While an Oculus Rift is obviously preferred, it’s not necessary as anyone with a phone and the Messenger app can join in via video call. Facebook said it plans to expand the app to additional platforms over time as well. You can download Facebook Spaces from the Oculus Store free of charge.

We got our first teaser picture of Android co-founder Andy Rubin’s handset last month. The device comes from his new company, Essential, and seems to follow the modern trend of bezel-less phones. Now, the Essential FIH-PM1’s specs have appeared on GFXBench. First spotted by Russian site Mobiltelefon, the handset comes with Android 7.0, a 2.2 GHz Octa-core Qualcomm processor (Snapdragon 835), 4GB of RAM, a 12MP 4K rear camera and an 8MP front snapper that’s also capable of recording in 4K. All of which sound pretty impressive, especially as the handset is said to cost around $649 when it arrives in the middle of this year. Some of GFXBench’s other specs are obviously a bit off. While smartphone screens are getting ever larger, the FIH-PM1 won’t have the stated 18-inch display, which would certainly make portability a problem; it’s thought to measure 5.5 inches. Like the Galaxy S8 (2960 x 1440) and LG’s G6 (2880 x 1440), Essential’s device comes with an unusual resolution due to the bezel-free display. In this case, it’s 2560 x 1312. It will also come with more than the stated 10GB of storage, though the true figure is suspected to be just 16GB, which isn’t a lot - 32GB is now considered not enough for a smartphone. The final specifications may change before the Essential hits the market. It’ll be interesting to see if any of the rumored features not mentioned here, like the modular ports, help make it a compelling, and much cheaper, alternative to the flagship smartphones.

Welcome Sto[N]eR!

Instagram is taking aim at Pinterest with its newest feature – the ability to organize posts into private collections. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. As explained in a recent blog post announcing the feature, one simply needs to tap and hold the bookmark icon under any post to save it directly to a collection. Options include the ability to create a new collection when saving a post or simply add it to an existing collection. Naturally, you can also create a new collection from previously saved posts at any time simply by tapping the plus icon in the top right corner. From that point, the process is similar to how you’d organize photos and videos on your phone’s camera roll. Collections can be viewed from the saved posts tab within your profile. As is the case with all other posts, collections are private and can only be viewed by you. Instagram says 46 percent of people have saved at least one post since they added the ability to do so last December. As Engadget highlights, the feature probably isn’t going to sway hardcore Pinterest fans over to Instagram but it could give the casual Instagram user a reason not to jump ship. Collections are being added as part of update 10.16 for Android and iOS versions of Instagram.

Boutique system builder Origin PC has unveiled a new laptop series that might appeal to those looking to game on the go. The new Origin EON15-S features a modest 15.6-inch IPS matte display operating at a respectable 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. The base model includes an Intel Core i3-7100H dual-core chip clocked at 3GHz although you can bump this up to a quad-core i7-7700HQ running at 2.8GHz for an additional $128. Origin offers multiple RAM options – from 8GB of 2133MHz memory up to 32GB of 2666MHz RAM – but just one graphics card choice in the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB. Windows 10 is standard, as is a 120GB solid state drive but as with the memory, there are plenty of local storage options to choose from including Samsung’s drool-worthy 960 Pro PCIe drive. As for I/O ports, you’ll get a mini DisplayPort 1.2 (TrueLink, a standard mini DisplayPort 1.2, an HDMI out port with HDCP, a headphone jack, a mic jack, line-in jack, RJ-45 LAN port and a 6-in-1 card reader. The system measures 14.9 inches wide by 10.5 inches deep by 1.0 inches tall and weighs in at five pounds. The Origin EON15-S gaming laptop starts at just $999 although as with any customizable product, it’s easy add a couple of options and skip well past that threshold. Tick every extra, for example, and you’re suddenly spending well over $5,000. The first batch is scheduled to ship on April 24.

You can search it on google/youtube, here no one can give it T/C

I just see this... and this come to my mind... Ok, now serious... The situation is becoming more complicated, you think the 3 world war is near?

Staring into the glare of a computer screen all day makes your eyes tired and sore. Sure, you could take a break, but who has time for that? Applying a dark theme to whatever application you are working with can help, but not all software allows this. Thanks to this Reddit tip, we can now activate a dark theme to one of the web applications we spend the most time staring into, YouTube. Dark Mode has not yet been announced because it's still in testing along with several other new features to the website. I have tested it in Chrome, Opera and Firefox, and got it to work in all of them. If you would like to try it out, it is very simple to activate. First be sure that Chrome is updated to version 57 or later (current versions of other browsers worked just as well). Go to any YouTube page and then open the developer console window. On Windows machines, you can use the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + I and if you are using a Mac hit Option + Command + I. Click the Console tab and then type or paste the following: var cookieDate = new Date(); cookieDate.setFullYear(cookieDate.getFullYear( ) + 1); document.cookie="VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE=fPQ4jCL6EiE; expires=" + cookieDate.toGMTString( ) + "; path=/"; Hit enter and then close the developer window and refresh the page. Now click on the settings button (your avatar if you are signed in). There will be a Dark Mode option and clicking it will bring up a toggle switch. Set it to “on” and enjoy the relief from the glare. Keep in mind that what you are doing here is setting a cookie, so if you clear your cookies, you will have to go through this process again. For even more YouTube customization, check out the Magic Actions extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.

Tired of taking shaky videos from your phone? The latest Google Photos update introduces video stabilization on demand to correct just that. Users with the latest version can access the feature by browsing to a video in their album, and hitting the edit (pencil) menu. Tap the stabilize button to begin processing. The processing time will depend on several factors: video resolution, bitrate, frame rate, and your phone's hardware. Once the video is done processing, you can toggle the stabilization on and off and compare the video side-by-side to the original. Similar to the electronic stabilization employed by the Pixel, the post-processing will slightly crop your video, and use the extra leeway to correct for camera movement. Initial results look impressive; you can apply it to further enhance shots taken with hardware OIS, or improve video when you lack hardware stabilization. With camera stabilization generally limited to flagship smartphones, the stabilization feature opens up the door for mid-range handsets to improve the usability of their videos. According to APKMirror, additional changes in the update include: Dynamic filters to enhance photos in one tap. Advanced editing controls to tweak lighting, and color These controls also include a Deep Blue slider that adds color to sky and water. Austin's Mystery Feature (a little teaser string from developers which has yet to be revealed) Already touting automatic (unlimited) cloud backup, cloud sync, easy editing, and social integration, video stabilization adds to a mounting list of positives that make Google Photos a TechSpot editor's pick.

United States destroying what they built and financed with their own money...

Mesh networking is becoming a po[CENSORED]r option for people that need to cover a large area and don’t want to deal with the nuances of setting up different devices — routers, extenders and access points — to blanket their homes with Wi-Fi. These mesh networking kits come in bundles of 2-3 small routers which are designed to work together reliably while being dead simple to setup and maintain. TP-Link just became the latest company to jump into the bandwagon with the Deco M5. The newly launched mesh router comprises three units that are capable of covering up to 4,500 square feet of space, and you can add more of them later to cover even larger areas — which is the point of mesh networking. The router will sell in a three-pack for $299 and each additional unit is $129. Each router has dual-band AC1000 support with 400 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and 867 Mbps on the 5 GHz band, the same as competing kits linke Google Wifi, Luma and Eero. Like most mesh wireless systems the M5 is a bit lacking in advanced features and settings compared to traditional routers in the much cheaper $100 - $200 price range. However, it does include web-filtering and internet usage control options, as well as QoS to prioritize internet traffic for specific devices or services. TP-Link also includes an antivirus feature powered by Trend Micro that monitors internet traffic, prevents port scanning and stops compromised IoT devices from sending out signals to unknown sites. Each Deco M5 features two network ports and according to Cnet an upcoming update with add the ability to use it in access point mode, allowing it to work seamlessly with an existing router.

Like the social network itself, Facebook Messenger is incredibly po[CENSORED]r. Yesterday, the service passed another milestone: 1.2 billion monthly active users (MAUs). The figure marks an increase of 200 million users over the last eight months and means Messenger now has a similar number of MAUs as WhatsApp, which Facebook also owns. "I keep on hearing powerful stories about how our product is becoming a more important part of your daily lives," wrote David Marcus, head of Messaging products at Facebook, in an FB post. "So from all of us here at Messenger, a heartfelt thank you to all of you for giving us a chance to build something good and more meaningful for you." Speaking to TechCrunch, Marcus said the chat app had become the “primary communications channel” for many users. The site also notes that iOS and Android downloads of the app are up 5.66 percent from 145.3 million in Q1 2016 to 153.5M in Q1 2017. In recent times, Messenger has become much more than an SMS replacement. It now boasts peer-to-peer mobile payments (and group payments), Instant Games, polls, reactions and mentions, new camera features, group video chats, bots, and more. With Messenger continuing to grow – it now has twice as many users as Instagram – the next step could be the appearance of more ads, which are already being tested on select users in Thailand and Australia. Last year, Facebook introduced sponsored messages to its chat service, but companies could only send messages to users who initiated a conversation. These are different from the ads currently being tested overseas, which appear on Messenger's home screen.

Android is the world's most po[CENSORED]r mobile platform, and knowing how to create apps for it is one of the best ways to break into the booming tech sector. Plus, thanks to the wonders of the web, you won't have to spend exorbitant amounts of cash on training for it. With the Pay What You Want: Ultimate Android Development Bundle, you can build up your Android dev knowledge for a price you get to choose. Here's how the bundle works: Pay what you want, and you'll unlock one of the bundle's six courses. If you manage to beat the average price paid, you'll unlock the remaining five at no extra charge! Perfect for beginners, this collection boasts over 80 hours of hands-on Android app development training. You'll ease into the topic as you learn about Android Studio and po[CENSORED]r development tools like Java. Then, you'll get your hands dirty as you build your very own app projects. Following along with the courses, you'll create multiple apps including a workout app and a Spotify clone. Just pay what you want and get started with your Android development venture. Pay what you want for over 80 hours of top Android app development training.

Microsoft unleashed a torrential downpour of Project Scorpio information last week although unfortunately, we didn’t get to see what the actual hardware looks like. Such remains the case but we do have the next best thing to share today: pictures and renders of Project Scorpio dev kits. Gamasutra, which recently paid a visit to Microsoft, walked away with a handful of images and additional information regarding a system that is blurring the lines between mid-generation refresh and brand new platform. As you can see, the machine somewhat resembles an Xbox One S albeit slightly larger. It packs a number of features like programmable buttons, extra USB ports, a front-mounted display and a battery backup that won’t make it to the final consumer release but will make it easier for partners to build content. The dev kit now vents warm exhaust air out the back and sides of the machine, a small but important change that allows developers to stack kits on top of each other without having to build makeshift spacers to help with cooling. Something else worth noting is the fact that the dev kit is more powerful than the retail console will be, packing 44 CUs on the GPU (instead of 40 on the retail version), 24GB of RAM (twice as much) and a 1TB solid state drive. The idea, it seems, is that Microsoft wants devs to build their games big then be able to tune them down to run on the Scorpio or other Xbox One consoles. Project Scorpio dev kits will be shipping out to select developers in the coming weeks.

GoPro has launched a new program that it hopes will provide the incentive that current users need to trade in their existing action camera towards the purchase of a shiny new model. As outlined on GoPro’s trade-up website, shoppers can choose to get a Hero5 Session for $50 off or a Hero5 Black for $100 off when they send in any GoPro. Said camera can be dented, dinged or totally destroyed, the company notes, and they’ll even cover shipping. Once GoPro receives your old camera, they’ll ship out the new replacement. The price cuts bring the cost of the Hero5 Session and Hero5 Black down to $249.99 and $299.99, respectively. The offer will certainly help GoPro move out excess inventory although whether or not it’s wise to buy the current generation action camera just a few months before a refresh is expected is something you’ll want to strongly consider. GoPro has had a tough go of it as of late. Shortly after launching its Karma drone late last year, the company pulled it from the market following reports that some units were losing power during operation. Fortunately, GoPro was able to rectify the matter and got the drone back on the market earlier this year but the financial damage had already been done – no doubt contributing to its decision to cut 270 jobs in March.

Facebook in 2015 added peer-to-peer mobile payments to its Messenger app. The addition made it easy for friends to swap cash but if you need to pay multiple people (to split up a restaurant tab or chip in on a gift purchase, for example), things can get a bit time-consuming. Fortunately, Facebook has addressed the shortcoming with its latest app update. The expanded payments feature now allows users to pay multiple people simultaneously (or request money from a group at once). Just like before, you’ll first need to link a payment card to your Facebook account and set up a PIN. Once that is in place, the process is very similar to paying an individual – simply tap the plus sign in the bottom left of the screen then select the “Payments” icon. From there, just select the people in the group that you want to send or ask money from, enter the amount and bam, it’s a done deal. As Engadget highlights, if you’re requesting money, you can enter in the amount you want from each person or simply input the total and let the app split the requested amount up evenly among the group. Messenger will show who has and hasn’t paid. Group payments should be available starting today for Android and iOS users in the US.

Welcome Florin

There's no debating the importance of using security measures to protect your data and computer. GlassWire's excellent firewall is one such tool for protecting your digital self. Rated 4.5 out of 5 by PCWorld, GlassWire is an all-encompassing safety solution that allows you to monitor, track, and reinforce your computer with unrivaled control. With GlassWire, you can keep tabs on current and past network activity, sorting by traffic type, apps, and geographic location. GlassWire also includes a robust firewall that updates you on your computer's background activity and notifies you when a new app or service accesses the web for the first time. There is a basic version of GlassWire which you download for free. You can also upgrade GlassWire for extra protection with two levels of service. GlassWire Pro lets you monitor, track, and protect up to three computers, while GlassWire Elite ups the count to ten. There's a deal on GlassWire Pro for $29 or Elite for $49, saving 70 percent off their usual retail prices. GlassWire's award-winning features offer unparalleled control over your online security.

Security researchers have discovered a new zero-day attack in the wild that can silently install malware on a fully-patched computer through a vulnerability in Microsoft Word. McAfee and FireEye posted blogs revealing the attack, which, as these things so often do, starts with a malicious email attachment. In this case, it’s a Word document that contains an embedded exploit. Once opened, an HTTP request is sent to a remote, attacker-controlled server to download a malicious HTML application file (HTA), which appears as a fake Rich Text Format document. The .hta file is executed automatically, allowing the attackers to gain full code execution on the machine, downloading additional payloads from "different well-known malware families." The nature of the attack means it can bypass most memory-based mitigations designed by Microsoft. It works on all versions of Windows, even Windows 10, and, unlike most other Word exploits, it doesn’t require Macros to be enabled. It even shows a fake Word document to hide the attack from the victim. McAffee and FirstEye say the vulnerability is related to the Windows Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) function, which allows embedding and linking to documents and other objects. FireEye said it has been working with Microsoft on the vulnerability for several weeks and had agreed not to publicly disclose it until a patch was released, but decided to reveal the details after McAfee published its post. Microsoft said it would issue a fix for the issue tomorrow as part of its monthly security updates. But always remember to take care when it comes to suspicious files attached to emails, even if you know the sender.

Most people know how ransomware works; after it infects a machine, the malware encrypts files, or the entire system, and the decryption key will only be released once a person pays the ransom. But rather than handing over some Bitcoins, a new kind of ransomware asks victims to reach a high score on an incredibly difficult game before unlocking the files. Anyone who finds that “Rensenware” has made its way onto their computer will discover a typical warning that "your precious data like documents, musics, pictures, and some kinda project files" have been "encrypted with highly strong encryption algorithm." The only way to release them is by scoring over 200 million points in the anime-style, bullet hell shooter Touhou Seirensen (Undefined Fantastic Object)'s "lunatic" level. Rensenware, which itself is a pun on the 2009 game’s name, was created as a joke by a Korea-based undergraduate student who goes by the name Tvple Eraser on Twitter. Kotaku spoke to the creator, who admitted he couldn’t reach the required score and that he’d accidentally infected himself while programming the malware. After uploading Rensenware’s source code to Github, Tvple Eraser fell asleep. Upon waking, he found it was spreading fast. “I realized that it [had] become a huge accident and [was] confused,” he said, before admitting that the exact number of infected machines was unclear. Once the malware was traced back to Tvple Eraser, he removed the original code from Github and posted an apology, along with a “forcer” tool that circumvents the encryption without the need to play the game. "I'd like to apologize [to] everyone for making [them] shocked or annoyed," the apology read. "Ransomeware is definitely kind of highly-fatal malware, but I made it. I made it for [a] joke and just laughing with people who like Touhou Project series," he wrote. A new, “cut” version of Rensenware that doesn’t include any forced encryption is now available on Github to show off the software. Check out the video below to get an idea of just how hard it is to unlock the original Rensenware.

Welcome Aymann