What’s new
Hackers can use Cortana to open websites on Windows 10 even if the PC is locked
Two independent researchers from Israel found a worrisome security vulnerability in Microsoft’s Windows 10. The “hack” involves activating Cortana via voice command to open websites on a PC that’s been locked. With access to the PC, specifically just to the computer’s microphone, the “hackers” could cause it to visit malicious websites. They could even, potentially, hijack the processor for cryptocurrency mining or install malware.
You can read more here.
Google adds a video voicemail feature to its Duo messaging app
If a video call gets declined or dropped for whatever reason, users will see a notification that lets them record and send a video message, a short video clip, to the person on the other end. These clips can be up to 30 seconds long and can be recorded multiple times, and can also be saved in the phone’s internal storage. The clips, like the video calls, are end-to-end encrypted.
More info are available here.
New products
OnePlus 6
The phone will have Snapdragon 845 processor, a glass back and wireless charging. It will come with dual cameras and a fingerprint sensor at the back.
More info here.
Huawei Mate 20
Huawei Mate 20 will have a 6 inch display, Kirin 980 processor, 6GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It will come with dual main camera with 12MP and 20MP sensors and an 8MP front camera.
More info here.
You might want to know about this
BlackBerry is licensing its security technology for third-party phones and smart devices
This new licensing program, known as BlackBerry Secure, lets companies leverage BlackBerry’s security credentials without completely hiding their branding. To secure a phone, BlackBerry says it gets involved in the manufacturing process to sign and install encrypted keys that allow the hardware and software to verify that it hasn’t been tampered with.
You can read more here.
Microsoft announces a new AI platform for developers coming to Windows 10
The AI platform in Windows 10, which will launch with the next major version of Windows, will make use of the GPU on the local machine and allows developers to run their models in real time and without the need of using to the cloud. Microsoft will also allow developers to build image recognition models with the Azure Custom Vision Service and export them for use in Windows ML.
More info can be found here.
Fun stuff
Amazon is working to fix Alexa after users report random burst of ‘creepy’ laughter
Amazon Echo users were surprised to hear their devices laughing at random. After confirming the company was working on a fix, Amazon revealed on Wednesday why Alexa was laughing at random. “In rare circumstances, Alexa can mistakenly hear the phrase ‘Alexa, laugh,'” a spokesperson said in an email.
You can read more here.
