Four years ago, security researchers showed how a flying drone could hack an entire room full of Philips Hue smart light bulbs from outside a building, by setting off a virus-like chain reaction that jumped from bulb to bulb. Today, we’re learning that vulnerability never got fully fixed — and now, researchers have figured out a way to exploit that very same issue to potentially infiltrate your home or corporate network, unless you install a patch.
That’s the word from cybersecurity research firm Check Point Software, and the good news is you should already be safe from the worst part of the hack. If the Philips Hue Hub that controls your bulbs is connected to the internet, it should have automatically updated itself to version 1935144040 by now, which contains the patch you want. (Check Point informed Philips in November, and a patch was issued mid-January.) I just checked my own hub’s firmware version in the Philips Hue app, and I’m good.
It’s also nice to know it might have taken a fairly clever, patient hacker to exploit this vulnerability in the first place. In addition to presumably uploading a malicious over-the-air update to a Hue bulb (the technique used in 2016), it relies on messing with that hacked bulb’s color and brightness long enough to trick the owner into resetting and re-adding that bulb to their own network, at which point the hacked bulb overwhelms the Hue Hub with data, taking control of the Hub in turn. Here’s how Check Point explains that part:
The hacker-controlled bulb with updated firmware then uses the ZigBee protocol vulnerabilities to trigger a heap-based buffer overflow on the control bridge, by sending a large amount of data to it. This data also enables the hacker to install malware on the bridge – which is in turn connected to the target business or home network.
But it appears that once again, the bulbs themselves may still be vulnerable to hacks. When that flying drone set off a miniature IoT virus in 2016, companies found a way to solve for that worst-case scenario by restricting those bulb-to-bulb hops, writes Check Point. But “due to design limitations”, the bulb’s vulnerability remained, leading to the new hack — and perhaps other yet-to-be-discovered hacks in our future, as long as these bulbs remain in service. Leaving these bulbs vulnerable might be more dangerous than simply letting a hacker flick on and off your lights at will.
And though Check Point hasn’t necessarily tested other brands yet, its researchers claim this vulnerability may not be limited to Philips Hue bulbs and hubs. It’s in the Zigbee communications protocol used by loads of smart home brands, including Amazon’s Ring, Samsung SmartThings, Ikea Tradfri, Belkin’s WeMo, as well as Yale locks, Honeywell thermostats, and Comcast’s Xfinity Home alarm system.
It’s going to be interesting to see how many of the devices homeowners and businesses have purchased — ones they presumably expect to last for years — might open them up to security vulnerabilities years down the road. And we’re still wondering when the next massive IoT botnet built from insecure gadgets might rear its ugly head, as well.
Despite updates to Samsung's roadmap indicating that Android 10 for the Galaxy S9 and S9+ might be further out than expected, the company has just started pushing the latest Android build to first phones from 2018's lineup. In contrast to the Galaxy S10's extremely slow rollout, the update is already live in the US and a few countries in Europe.
So far, Reddit users say they've received the update in Germany, Lithuania, Spain, and the US (on Xfinity), but since reports are only starting to trickle in, we might soon see Android 10 in many more locations and across more carriers.
The company wants to deploy the new software until at least April, so depending on your phone's variant, you might be in for a longer wait. Head to the Software update entry in your phone's settings to check for the over-the-air update. If you're particularly impatient, you can also download and flash the update yourself from SamMobile's firmware archive, but you'll lose all your data in the process and might possibly end up with a brick for a phone — proceed with caution and only if you absolutely know what you're doing.
We can currently confirm the rollout for the following carriers and countries (continuously updated):
US
Unlocked
AT&T
US Cellular
Australia
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
Croatia
Germany
India
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Netherlands
Poland
Romania
Russia
Serbia
South Africa
Spain
Switzerland
UK
Previous rollouts
US Cellular and more countries
Samsung continues rolling out Android 10 and first people in India, Italy,the Netherlands, Romania, Switzerland and the UK report that they've received the update. In the United States, US Cellular also provides first subscribers with the update.
People in Azerbaijan and the United Arabic Emirates have received the January patch sans Android 10, which could possibly mean that they'll have to wait a little longer for the new OS.
Unlocked US phones and more countries
A tipster confirmed to us that the update is arriving on first unlocked US phones. People based in Brazil, Canada (Rogers), and Russia can also look forward to Android 10 as the rollout has begun in these countries, too.
US Unlocked update screen.
AT&T and more countries
AT&T has officially revealed that it's rolling out Android 10 to its locked Galaxy S9 and S9+ phones, and we've received word from first customers who confirm the update. Further reports say that people in Australia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Poland, Serbia, and South Africa are currently getting the new OS release, too.
While we have yet to hear new details about Saints Row V, you'll be able to play the franchise's best entry on Nintendo Switch when a port of the 2013 classic called Saints Row IV: Re-Elected comes out on March 27th.
If you haven't had a chance to experience it, the story of Saints Row IV is insane. You play as the President of the United States of America as you attempt to fend off an alien invasion. All you really need to know is that one of the weapons you can use in Saints Row IV is a dubstep gun (remember dubstep?) that causes your enemies to dance when you shoot them with it.
The Nintendo Switch version of Saints Row IV will come with 25 pieces of DLC, including the game's two story expansions: Enter The Dominatrix and How The Saints Save Christmas. It will also feature co-op, as well as a new weapon customization system.
While you can pre-order Saints Row IV today for $40, it's probably best to wait for reviews of the port to come out first. Last year's Switch release of Saints Row: The Third was plagued with framerate and input lag issues. Here's hoping Saints Row IV does better.
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Co-founder of Rockstar Games, Dan Houser, is leaving the firm he started with his brother Sam in 1998.
Mr Houser was a main creative force behind two of the firm's biggest series, Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead.
His departure comes after an "extended break", Rockstar's parent company Take-Two Interactive said.
Rockstar's series have often courted controversy, but are among the best-selling and most critically-acclaimed games of the past two decades.
Mr Houser will officially depart in March, according to a notice Take-Two sent to US financial regulators. His brother Sam Houser will remain as the company's president.
Dan Houser was one of the lead writers for the Grand Theft Auto series, as well as Rockstar's other hits, Bully and Red Dead Redemption. He also worked as a voice actor on some of the company's projects.
Dan Houser was a co-founder of the company, the lead writer on most of their games including GTAV (the third-best-selling game of all time), and one of the two men most responsible for Rockstar's culture. His departure will undoubtedly have a lot of ripple effects
Grand Theft Auto V, released in 2013, was one of the most commercially successful games of the decade, selling well over 100 million copies.
Rockstar's controversial success
The Grand Theft Auto series, as the name suggests, is mostly about stealing cars. It puts players in the shoes of a criminal, wanting to build an empire - allowing them to engage in robbery, murder, or soliciting prostitution.
The violent and sexual nature of the games has made the company a frequent target of criticism by politicians and special interest groups.
The comment caused a stir at a time when many game journalists and fans were beginning to discuss so-called "crunch", where staff work to meet tight deadlines for a game's release.
Even during the creation of the first Red Dead Redemption in 2010, spouses and partners of the game's developers wrote an open letter accusing Rockstar of working them "to the brink".
Yet Rockstar is still one of the few gaming companies that take years rather than months to develop new games.
The company did not announce Mr Houser's replacement or respond to requests for further comment.
Take-Two's stock fell 5% following the announcement of Mr Houser's departure
Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, is the world’s biggest mobile trade show, but the coronavirus will be making it a little smaller this year. Chinese phone manufacturer and telecom giant ZTE just confirmed that it’s canceling its press conference at MWC 2020, citing secondary effects of the virus outbreak.
It’s partly due to practical issues like travel and visa delays, a spokesperson tells The Verge — some people weren’t going to make it to Barcelona in time anyhow — but the mild case of xenophobia that accompanies the disease may also play a role. “[We] tend to be an overly courteous company, and simply don’t want to make people uncomfortable,” writes the rep.
So far, the organization that runs MWC has maintained that the 2020 show “will proceed as planned” and issued a statement hours ago that there has been “minimal impact on the event thus far.” Here’s a list of measures the GSMA is taking against the spread of the virus:
Increased cleaning and disinfection programme across all high-volume touchpoints, e.g. catering areas, surfaces, handrails, WCs, entrances/exits, public touch-screens, etc. along with the use of correct cleaning/sanitising materials and products
Increased onsite medical support
Awareness campaign via online and onsite info-share and signage
Availability of sanitising and disinfection materials for public use
Awareness and training to all staff and associates on standard personal preventative measures, e.g. personal hygiene, frequency of use of sanitising/disinfection products, etc.
Advice to exhibitors on implementing effective cleaning and disinfection of stands, offices along with guidance on personal hygiene measures and common preventive behaviour
Public health guidelines and advice communication to Barcelona hotels, public and private transport, restaurants and catering outlets, retail, etc.
Installing new signage onsite reminding attendees of hygiene recommendations
Implementing a mic change protocol in production for speakers
Communicating advice to all attendees to adopt a ‘no-handshake policy’
So far, the coronavirus has killed over 400 people, sickened over 20,000, impacted travel as many airlines have suspended flights, caused tech companies like Apple to temporarily shut down all offices out of an abundance of caution, and may threaten production. ZTE’s fellow Chinese tech giant Huawei postponed a developer conference due to the virus, too. We’re waiting to see whether business as usual resumes when China’s government-extended holiday ends on or around February 10th or if the situation will extend further.
Following a decade of seeing black, rectangular glass slabs grow in size while swapping their backs between metal and glass, foldables are taking over to become the face of phone fetish. With the nostalgia-invoking Motorola Razr set to go on sale about a week before the Galaxy Z Flip’s unveiling, it’s about time we put the two face-to-face and see which one deserves your dough.
Flippity-floppity form factor
The fad of the early ’00s, flip phones are making a comeback, bringing along the gratifying sound of snapping them shut, although in a more contemporary avatar. While both the Motorola Razr and Galaxy Z Flip have a similar clamshell form factor, you can immediately recognize them apart, thanks to their distinct design approach.
Top: Motorola Razr, Bottom: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
Samsung’s offering will seemingly carry the DNA of a modern smartphone and wouldn’t look vastly different when in the unfolded state. You’ll get the usual nearly edge-to-edge display with a hole-punch camera and chunky bezels. The Motorola Razr, on the other hand, clearly strikes the nostalgic chord with a layout borrowed almost as is, complete with a chin, from the original Razr that had an alphanumeric keypad.
In a hands-on video that surfaced recently, the Z Flip appears to have a rather unwieldy design, particularly when it’s unfolded. That display is tall to a fault and might even work against the device. The phone seemingly gets more manageable when closed into a square with a tiny screen on the outside. Motorola’s flip phone, instead, has a smaller footprint, which helps it fit your hand better in either state.
What’s with the chin? And that hinge?
Left: Razr’s chin, Right: Galaxy Z Flip’s two halves
The original Razr's raised chin was an iconic design element that the re-engineered foldable version retained to draw parallels as well as include additional functionalities. For one, it houses a user-facing capacitive fingerprint reader along with speakers grills and a USB-C port at the bottom. At 14mm, the chin is the thickest point, while the rest of the slab is merely 6.9mm when unfolded.
The Z Flip looks to have a more uniform thickness (barring the camera bump) of 6.9mm when wide open. When folded, it could be a couple of millimeters thicker around the hinge, forming a wedge shape. Though, it’ll still fold into two halves, unlike Motorola’s asymmetrical implementation. Its fingerprint scanner will likely be embedded in the side-mounted power key as the 2019 Galaxy Fold had.
Top: Motorola Razr’s hinge in action. Bottom: Galaxy Z Flip’s hinge when folded.
The hinges used by Motorola and Samsung are like chalk and cheese, which also affects how visible the display crease would be. Razr’s hinge uses a pair of support plates (shown above) to brace the display from underneath, which helps make the crease imperceptible. It, along with a sliding screen, folds the phone completely shut, unlike the first-gen Samsung Galaxy Fold's ridge, which leaves a wedge-shaped gap.
We aren’t sure if the Z Flip will inherit that cavity, since none of the leaked images, including the recent renders from Roland Quandt, have shown the phone’s folded side, though the varying thickness mentioned above clues in on its presence, and so does the video above. Samsung is expected to use a redesigned juncture that will hold the phone’s flexible screen at any angle you like, while the Razr only supports two furthest positions: open and shut. However, it won’t help in hiding the crease, which might remain as noticeable as its predecessor.
Big foldable display and small sidekick
Flip phones are anything but new; in fact, they’ve been around for decades. It’s the flexible displays that rebounded their relevance in 2020. Both the Razr and Z Flip sport a bendable OLED screen that folds inwards along the X-axis, like a traditional clamshell phone. That’s precisely where the similarities end and the two phones part ways.
The Motorola phone features a 21:9 6.2-inch P-OLED with a resolution of 2,142 x 876 pixels. At the same time, the Z Flip is rumored to include a bigger 6.7-inch AMOLED (2,636 x 1,080, 22:9) covered with an ultra-thin glass—possibly the first-ever foldable glass display—instead of plastic. Plus, Samsung will opt for a hole-punch front camera against Razr’s notch.
Left: Razr’s secondary screen, Right: Galaxy Z Flip’s
A secondary display accompanies the main one on both phones, but their sizes and functions differ wildly. The one on the Razr is significantly larger at 2.7 inches (600 x 800, 4:3), while Samsung is said to include a 1-inch display (300 x 116) with minimal functionality. The bigger screen not only shows you more information without having to flip the phone open but can also work as a viewfinder for selfies, besides having other features.
On the inside
What powers the Motorola Razr is a mid-tier Snapdragon 710 processor paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. Samsung’s choice of processor, on the flip side, will possibly be the higher-end Snapdragon 855+. It’ll also throw in 256GB of storage as well as 8GB of RAM. The Z Flip should run Android 10 with Samsung’s One UI 2.1 skin on top, while the Razr offers a near-stock OS experience with Android Pie along with a retro mode to give you an ancestral throwback.
With that kind of configuration, the Razr doesn’t stand a chance against the upcoming (or even existing) breed of mainstream smartphones boasting the Snapdragon 865, not that it’s even trying to, but the Z Flip still looks better equipped. That razor-thin form factor largely dictated Motorola’s choice of rather mediocre, not to mention old, chip, just so it could keep heat dissipation and battery drain in check.
Cameras
Similar space constraints kept the Lenovo-owned brand from adding anymore camera than the current two—one each on the inside and outside. The Razr has a 16MP primary camera that can shoot 4K videos and be used for taking selfies when the phone is folded. The one in the notch has a 5MP sensor capable of taking 1080p videos. Leaks suggest that the Galaxy phone will have a pair of 12MP cameras on the back along with a 10MP front-facing one—all three of these could be borrowed from the 2019 Samsung flagships. Its secondary display isn’t likely to double up as a viewfinder, given its tinier footprint.
Left: Razr’s primary camera, Right: Galaxy Z Flip’s two rear cameras
Battery juice
In the battery department, the Z Flip might take the lead with a rumored capacity of 3,300mAh, while the Razr settles for a much smaller 2,510mAh. However, both can charge using a 15W brick. Despite a smaller cell, Motorola is aiming for a day’s worth of juice, but it remains to be seen how the Razr sails through a typical workday, and also possibly when put up against the Samsung foldable. The Samsung phone may have the upper hand in this department with support for wireless and reverse wireless charging.
Pricing and availability
Those in the US will need to shell out $1,500 for the Motorola Razr or $63 a month for a 24-month contract with Verizon. The demand for the novel handset was apparently sky-high, leading the company to push the release date back by a month. After having preordered the handset starting January 26, you can pick it up on February 6.
On the other hand, Samsung is expected to make the Z Flip official alongside the S20 line at the Unpacked event on February 11. As for its pricing, two opposed figures have so far been thrown around. One report said it could cost close to $860, while the other quoted $1,550—almost double the former. You should expect an asking price somewhere between the two figures, inclining towards the latter.
Everything else
A nanocoating on the Motorola Razr should make the device splash-proof, but dunking it in water is still a big no-no. Nonetheless, it’s a considerable feat for a foldable phone that has moveable parts in and around the hinge, which cannot be sealed. That’s possibly the reason Samsung will likely skip any form of water resistance. Besides, the Razr can only take an eSIM as there is no SIM card tray, which the Z Flip might have, in line with the Galaxy Fold.
The Samsung phone is also expected to pack stereo speakers, likely pairing the single down-firing unit with the earpiece. It’s worth noting that neither phone has a headphone jack, nor do they support 5G or have 5G-capable variants, and thankfully so. We can only imagine the number of times you’ll be required to plug them in with their unconvincing battery situations if they tried latching onto a 5G network.
At this point, we’ll not be giving a final statement on which phone outweighs the other, or our recommendation for that matter, given that the Galaxy Z Flip isn’t out yet, and all its included details are courtesy of leaks and rumors. We’ll update the coverage when we get an official word from Samsung along with the pricing details.
There are absolutely no strings attached to these killer new deals, as the world's largest smartphone vendor can hook you up with some sweet savings on unlocked members of the aforementioned ultra-high-end handset lineups, as well as a cool freebie.
The priciest models are also the most deeply discounted, with the Galaxy S10+ currently available for $850 instead of $1,000 in an entry-level 128GB storage variant, while a 256 gig configuration of the Galaxy Note 10+ can be yours right now in exchange for 950 bucks after an identical $150 markdown. On top of that, Samsung is throwing in a Galaxy Fit at no extra charge.
The 2019-released activity tracker normally costs an additional 100 bucks on its own, although it's worth pointing out that Samsung's official US e-store lists the entry-level wearable device at $79.99 today.
The black or silver Galaxy Fit also comes bundled with the unlocked Galaxy S10e, S10, and Note 10, the latter two of which can be purchased at $100 off their regular prices too. The S10e still costs $750 and up, but at least it includes a small gift likely to come in handy if you don't dig or can't afford full-fledged smartwatches.
Keep in mind that certain Note 10 and S10-series storage options and hues are listed as out of stock, while others might be in short supply, so if you're 100 percent sure you won't be buying a Galaxy S20, S20+, or S20 Ultra when they're released, you'll want to hurry and nab the 2019 flagship that best fits your personal preferences and needs.
