Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

'Dirty USSD' code could automatically wipe your Samsung TouchWiz device (updated)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/25/dirty-ussd-code-samsung-hack-wipe/

The Factory Reset. One of those last ditch efforts that many of us have a fair bit of experience with. However, a malicious embed code could potentially do the exact same thing to your Galaxy S III. The Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) code (which we won't reproduce here) apparently only works on Samsung phones running Touchwiz, and only if you are directed to the dodgy destination while inside the stock browser (rather than Chrome, for example). This means the Galaxy Nexus is unaffected, but it can work the same dark magic on the likes of the Galaxy S II.

We've been trying to murder a (UK-based) GS III here at Engadget, but with no luck as yet -- we can cause the malicious digits to appear in the dialer, but we can't force the stock browser to visit them as a URL, even when trying a bit of URL forwarding and QR code trickery. However, this particular GS III has been rooted in the past, even though it's now running an official TouchWiz ROM, and that may be interfering with the process.

Aside from our own experiences, the evidence for the vulnerability is certainly strong. It was demonstrated at the Ekoparty security conference last weekend, during which time presenter Ravi Borgaonkar also showed how a different code could even wipe your SIM card. See the video after the break for the evidence.

Update: Tweakers.net has been able to replicate the security hole on a Galaxy S Advance, while The Verge has confirmed that it works on both the Galaxy S II and the AT&T Galaxy S III. Samsung has told us it's looking into the issue.

Conti nue reading 'Dirty USSD' code could automatically wipe your Samsung TouchWiz device (updated)

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software, Mobile

'Dirty USSD' code could automatically wipe your Samsung TouchWiz device (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 08:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple A6 investigation shows highly customized dual-core, triple-GPU layout

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/25/apple-a6-investigation-shows-highly-customized-dual-core-design/

There's been a significant mystery lingering around the A6 processor found in the iPhone 5, even as it became clearer that Apple was veering further than usual from the basic ARM formula. A microscope-level inspection by Chipworks and iFixit is at last identifying the key elements of the 32nm, Samsung-assembled chip and revealing just how far it strays from the beaten path. The examination confirms earlier suspicions of a dual-core design with triple-core graphics -- it's how that design is shaped that makes the difference. Apple chose to lay out the two processor cores by hand rather than let a computer do the work, as most ARM partners do. The procedure is expensive and slow, but also gives the A6 a better-optimized design; it explains why the chip is noticeably faster than much of its competition without needing the brute force approaches of higher clock speeds or extra cores. Some mysteries remain, such as the exact PowerVR graphics that are at work, but it's evident Apple now has the design talent and resources to speed up mobile devices on its own terms rather than wait for off-the-shelf layouts like the Cortex-A15.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Apple A6 investigation shows highly customized dual-core, triple-GPU layout originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 11:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Piece of Glass Can Store Data Forever [Memory]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5946110/this-piece-of-glass-can-store-data-forever

This Piece of Glass Can Store Data Forever Data, like all things, eventually dies. Your music, your movies, your documents, your files, your computer. You don't expect it to live forever but... what if it did? Hitachi claims that they've developed a new quartz glass plate that can store data forever.

CDs and hard drives can only last for a few decades or a century at most, this new quartz glass can "endure extreme temperatures and hostile conditions without degrading, almost forever." How does it work? The data is stored in binary form with dots inside a thin sheet of quartz glass. The data is read with an ordinary optical microscope. PhysOrg says:

The prototype storage device is two centimetres (0.8 inches) square and just two millimetres (0.08 inches) thick and made from quartz glass, a highly stable and resilient material, used to make beakers and other instruments for laboratory use.

The chip, which is resistant to many chemicals and unaffected by radio waves, can be exposed directly to high temperature flames and heated to 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 Fahrenheit) for at least two hours without being damaged.

Currently, the material—which is also waterproof—has four layers of dots which can hold 40 megabytes per square inch (approx. the density of a music CD) but researchers believe they can add even more layers. Glass storage. Amazing that something that sounds so fragile is actually the strongest form of data storage. [PhysOrg]

Samsung-Made Galaxy Nexus 2 Currently in Testing? [Rumors]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5946141/samsung+made-galaxy-nexus-2-currently-in-testing

Samsung-Made Galaxy Nexus 2 Currently in Testing? Photos that appeared online over the weekend appear to have been taken with an as yet unannounced Samsung phone, which seemingly fits in with Samsung's Nexus device naming system.

The data attached to the shots say they were taken with a device Samsung's labelled the GT-i9260, which you might reasonably expect to be an update of the phone known as the GT-i9250 - which was last year's Galaxy Nexus. Given that we've previously heard about this i9260 model are and expecting Samsung to contribute a new Nexus this year, it all makes perfect sense.

The images, which are still sitting up there on Picasa, don't give us any more information, although it's nice to imagine we're seeing a bit of the wall and floor of some top secret Samsung testing laboratory out in Korea. [GSM Arena via Techradar]

Our newest offspring Gizmodo UK is gobbling up the news in a different timezone, so check them out if you need another Giz fix.

Bloomberg: iPhone 5 'Shortage' a Result of New Ultra-Thin Display [Apple]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5946143/bloomberg-iphone-5-shortage-a-result-of-new-ultra+thin-display

Bloomberg: iPhone 5 'Shortage' a Result of New Ultra-Thin Display Despite five million units being sold in three days, Bloomberg is claiming that demand for the iPhone 5 has been outstripping supply because of a shortage of the ultra-thin display units used in the new phone.

The new iPhone uses in-cell screen technology, which rolls together the display and touch-sensitive parts of the screen in order to make it thinner. These screens, though, are more labor-intensive to make. Hence the problem.

Originally Apple was using LG Display Co. and Japan Display Inc. to produce the new four-inch screens. To ensure production remained high, though, Apple drafted in the help of Sharp to make more displays.

According to Bloomberg, however, Sharp has been struggling to meet demand. Reports suggest that the company struggled to fix defects in its screens—the knock-on result being delayed shipments of iPhones and less stock to sell on to consumers.

While shortage is perhaps the wrong word to use with 5 million handsets sold over the weekend, no doubt it's a problem Apple would like to solve soon. In the meantime, you can at least now reserve an iPhone 5 for in-store pickup, so at least you won't have to wait in line. [Bloomberg]

Samsung SSD 840 Pro caters to speed seekers with faster random access

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/24/samsung-ssd-840-pro-caters-to-speed-seekers-with-faster-random-access/

It's difficult to thrive in the solid-state drive world. Unless you've got just the right controller and flash memory, most performance-minded PC users will rarely give you a second glance. Samsung muscled its way into that narrow view with the SSD 830 last year; it intends to lock our attention with the new SSD 840 and SSD 840 Pro. The Pro's 520MB/s and 450MB/s sequential read and write speeds are only modest bumps over the 830, but they don't tell the whole story of just how fast it gets. The upgraded MDX controller boosts the random read access to a nicely rounded 100,000IOPS, and random writes have more than doubled to 78,000IOPS or 90,000IOPS, depending on who you ask and what drive you use. The improved performance in either direction is a useful boost to on-the-ground performance, as both AnandTech and Storage Review will tell you. We're waiting on details of the ordinary triple level cell-based 840 model beyond its 120GB, 250GB and 500GB capacities, although there won't be an enormous premium for the multi-level cell 840 Pro over existing drives when it arrives in mid-October -- the flagship line should start at $100 for a basic 64GB drive, and peak at $600 for the ultimate 512GB version.

Filed under: Storage

Samsung SSD 840 Pro caters to speed seekers with faster random access ! original ly appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 21:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung's Smart EX2F point-and-shoot now on sale for $500

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/25/samsung-smart-ex2f-point-and-shoot-on-sale/

It has taken Samsung a wee bit longer than expected, but the Korean outfit announced earlier that its intelligent, WiFi-equipped EX2F point-and-shoot is finally hitting US store shelves today. And while availability itself comes a few weeks behind schedule, it gave Samsung plenty of time to reconsider the initial $550 MSRP tag it gave when the camera was first unveiled, which means that $500 gets you in the "smart" shooter game with a 3-inch AMOLED display, 12.4-megapixel CMOS sensor and, of course, the lovely f/1.4-2.7 (24-79mm) lens. Still trying to figure out whether this is indeed the one for you? Then be sure to peruse over our own hands-on to help you decide if it's worthy of your hard-earned cash.

Continue reading Samsung's Smart EX2F point-and-shoot now on sale for $500

Filed under: Cameras, Misc

Samsung's Smart EX2F point-and-shoot now on sale for $500 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pantech Vega R3 packs Snapdragon S4 Pro, 5.3-inch screen into one hand

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/25/pantech-vega-r3-packs-s4-pro-5-3-inch-screen-into-one-hand/

If there's one thing that defines the phablet, it's not hand portability -- what's on the market usually demands something of a stretch. Pantech wants to keep our grip at least slightly in check through its imminent Vega R3. The Android phone's 5.3-inch, IPS-based LCD isn't what we'd call modest, but it's framed by an extra-thin bezel that Pantech claims is still comfortable in one hand. The R3 will be powerful, no matter how you hold it. It touts the the same quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro we just saw in the LG Optimus G along with 2GB of RAM, a 13-megapixel camera and a 2,600mAh battery that can top up 100 minutes. South Koreans can pick up the Vega R3 from one of their three major carriers on September 25th. Sadly, we're not expecting an American variant of the design given an emphasis on cheaper and smaller Pantech models in the US.

Continue reading Pantech Vega R3 packs Snapdragon S4 Pro, 5.3-inch screen into one hand

Filed under: Cellphon! es, Mobile

Pantech Vega R3 packs Snapdragon S4 Pro, 5.3-inch screen into one hand originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 04:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sorry Investors, You Can't Make More Money Just By Taking More Risk

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/volatility-risk-premium-2012-9

One of the more alluring investor myths is that you can get paid a premium for having the patience to withstand risk. It's like getting paid more for working at a smelly job rather than a job surrounded by wonderful smells: in equilibrium, the bad thing no one likes (risk, smells) are compensated via an extra return. You can formalize this and it forms one of the pillars of finance under the rubric of 'risk premiums'.

Yet, as I point out in my book The Missing Risk Premium, to a first approximation the risk premium has a negative sign. Using Popperian logic, the profession should have moved along a long time ago, but it persists for several interesting reasons that I discuss in my book (eg, it's beautiful if true, it's a key fallacious assumption that underlies so many other threads, etc.).

Now there's PIMCO writing about how to capture the 'Volatility Risk Premium' by selling vol. They correctly note that on average, implied volatilities are a couple percentage points higher than actual volatilities, so 2% higher. Thus, it seems clear that writing options, collecting premium on 22% and paying on 20% generates a straightforward premium.

Consider what may appear to be a great example of their argument: the VXX. it has lost 97.8% of its value since inception in January 2009, while the VIX has only declined by 66.8%. Win for risk-taking volatility sellers!

This phenomenal extra 8% annualized negative return drag (underperformance of VXX vs. VIX) comes from two sources. One is th! e fact t he VXX tries to match the daily return, and in sample that have negative autocorrelation, this strategy will underperform its benchmark over long periods. This is best shown by this piece by Cheng and Madhavan and Barclays. The other is the contango in this market, so that trying to maintain a fixed forward volatility position causes one to lose money riding down the VIX futures curve which has been very steeply sloped since the inception of this stupid product.

That gets to the bottom line, which is that the premium of going short the VXX has little to do with risk--it's negative return is much bigger than any estimate of the equity risk premium--but rather technical issues within the contract. You can try to capture this by trading yourself or becoming a short seller, but this highlights that to capture a return premium you need to actively educate yourself and put on positions that take at least a little work (eg, shorting the VXX is more complicated that simply going long the VXX), not passively invest in a fund that has 'risk' and does this all for you.

If a fund purports to give you a risk premium for simply giving them money it's a classic sucker's pitch. Consider that after 50 years there's no agreement on what the risk factor is: originally it was a beta with the broad market, now it's a covariance with something, though interestingly things correlated with well-known risk factors like 'size' or 'value' don't exist outside of the characteristic-based portfolios that actually create these factors. That is, if you find a currency, or low book equity/market equity stock that has a high value loading, these assets don't generate higher-than-average returns as theory suggests they should. So, if you magically discovered the risk that underlies risk premiums, it would be in your best interest ! to keep it to yourself, not give it away to investors, and call it alpha, because no one would know.

It simply isn't plausible people are finding risk premiums and giving this to passive investors, and naive investing is just what underlies all those fools going long the VXX in hopes of making money off Black Swans. While selling vol (shorting the VXX) is in a certain way selling Black Swans, the similarity is that some 30k foot metric like improbability is something you get paid for, whether you are buying or selling it. You have to roll up your sleeve and earn it, taking out those pesky middle-men.

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Monday, September 24, 2012

Apple TV update 5.1 brings shared photo streams and iTunes account swapping, available now

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/24/apple-tv-update-5.1/

Apple TVs of the second and third-gen variety are getting update 5.1 today, which brings two long-awaited features. Both shared photo streaming and iTunes account switching are now part of Apple's set-top box -- the combination of those two finally freeing parents from the potential nightmare of discovering their child's "not safe for parents" photo streams, of course. The update, spotted by MacRumors, also adds some new AirPlay functionality, enabling users to "send audio content from Apple TV to AirPlay-enabled speakers and devices (including AirPort Express and other Apple TVs)." Beyond those two biggies, however, the rest of the update is rather nuts and bolts oriented -- head below for the full list.

Continue reading Apple TV update 5.1 brings shared photo streams and iTunes account swapping, available now

Filed under: Household, Software, HD

Apple TV update 5.1 brings shared photo streams and iTunes account swapping, available now originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here's the Chip Apple Is Using to Stop You from Buying Cheap Cables [Apple]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5945889/some-third+party-adapters-might-not-work-with-your-new-iphone

If you bought yourself an iPhone 5, and are looking for a cheap, third-party lightning adapter to save a couple of bucks, you might want to hold off. There's an authenticator chip in the official adapters, and third-party adapters probably won't work without it.

Peter from Double Helix Cables found the obnoxious little chip while dissecting one of the new, official Lighting cables. Positioned between the cord's USB contact and the power pin on the Lightning plug, the chip seems to be the key to keeping Lighting cables and adapters proprietary. These kind of authentication chips aren't uncommon in more sophisticated accessories, but this is the first time one has shown up in something as basic as a charging cable, smack in the middle of the power line. According the Peter, the chip doesn't block the data lines, but you need data and power to connect by USB.

"There is basically no way [third-party adapters] are functional cables," Peter told Apple Insider. "You can't just build a Lightning cable by making something with the same shape and connectivity." That means that all those third-party connectors out there will fit the ports on your devices, sure, but they probably aren't going to actually work. What looks like a $10, $20, or $30 could very well wind up being a waste, so if you're in a hurry, official adapters are probably the best bet.

If you aren't, you can sit tight and see if someone can figure out how to fake those chips, but it could wind up being pretty difficult. Peter put it this way in an email to us:

If the chip has some code on board that makes it authenticate with the iPhone, then it may be hard to duplicate for sure. If it's doing a "smart" function like pin assignment or something crazy like that, then it definitely is going to be mandatory. Apple has said it's a "smart" connector but it is horrifying that just a basic power charging/sync cord like this requires additional complexity.

It could take some serious engineering brain-power to get to the bottom of what this chip is actually doing. Until then, first-party is the only surefire option. [Apple Insider, Peter (Double Helix Cables)]

iPhone 5 camera gets tested in Iceland, panorama and low-light comparison with iPhone 4S included

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/24/iphone-5-camera-compared-iphone-4s-low-light-video/

Sure, we tested the iPhone 5's camera in the well-lit streets of New York City, but if you're wondering how Apple's latest functions when used primarily as a shooter, TREK has a pretty remarkable look. Photog Austin Mann and a few of his closest pals took a pair of iPhone 5s to Iceland following launch weekend in a bid to test the unit's durability, capability and image quality next to the 4S. After two days of geyser spray and admitted "drops in mud," the uncovered 5 seemed to be a-okay, and when it comes to output from the sensor, that's worthy of praise as well.

The low-light capabilities of the 5 are perhaps the most impressive upgrade compared to the 4S, with much less noise seen in shots from the former. He also gushed over the panorama mode, which admittedly churned out some pretty seamless results of the Icelandic countryside. As for shutter speed? That too has been "significantly" improved over the 4S. He interestingly noted that Snapseed was acting a bit wonky with iOS 6, but one has to wonder how much smoothing will be done by the Nik team now that Google's calling the shots. Hit the source link below for the full rundown, comparisons included, and a video that shows how the iPhone 5 reacts after sunset.

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Mobile

iPhone 5 camera gets tested in Iceland, panorama and low-light comparison with iPhone 4S included originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 13:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon intros Device Targeting to help developers with new Kindle Fires

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/24/amazon-intros-device-targeting-to-help-developers-with-new-kindl/

Amazon's celebrating its new line of Kindle Fires with the announcement of Device Targeting, a feature aimed at helping developers create apps across its tablet line. Using the new program, app makers can offers up APKs for specific devices like the old Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD (different screen sizes included), without displaying "confusing" multiple versions of the app for consumers. The new feature ensures that customers who download an app get the proper version delivered to the right devices. More info on the program -- including an FAQ for curious parties -- can be found in the source link below.

Filed under: Tablets

Amazon intros Device Targeting to help developers with new Kindle Fires originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 08:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netflix extends new user interface experience to Android phones

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/24/netflix-ui-android-phones/

Netflix's new user interface experience popped up on Android tablets last year before progressing to the iPad and finally iPhones just last week, but now the company officially announced it's completing the circle by pushing it to Android phones. As seen on other devices, it's focused on larger artwork, and offers the ability to scroll through many more titles, as well as search its streaming library from anywhere within the app. Users can tap once on a title to see more info about it or double tap to start playing immediately. The new UI is available on hardware running Gingerbread and above. It may already be appearing on your device but if not, check out the video preview embedded after the break.

Continue reading Netflix extends new user interface experience to Android phones

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, HD, Mobile

Netflix extends new user interface experience to Android phones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 08:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel reveals Quad-Core, LTE-capable Medfield chips are on the way

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/24/intel-medfield-lte-quad-core-news/

Intel's curious decision to shun the US and release Medfield-powered smartphones in India, China, Russia and the UK might be because of those countries' underdeveloped levels of LTE. Marketing chief Sumeet Syal told TechCrunch that its current-generation x86 system-on-chip won't support the standard, but a capable version will arrive at the end of the year -- with production ramping up in 2013. He also let slip to the site that dual-core versions will arrive shortly, claiming they'll benefit from Intel's hyper threading know-how. Syal said that Santa Clara is "comfortable" with its progress just months after entering the smartphone space but declined to discuss numbers -- for which we'll have to wait for the Q3 earnings call in October to find out how well (or not) Intel's mobile ambitions are going.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Intel reveals Quad-Core, LTE-capable Medfield chips are on the way originally appeared on E ngadget on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 07:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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