Year: 2017

There’s a MAJOR update coming to Amazon Echo – What YOU Need to know

Dan Uff March 15, 2017 1

(express.co.uk): AMAZON is hard at work a blockbuster update for the cloud-based voice assistant that powers its hugely-popular Amazon Echo speaker – Alexa. Here's everything you need to know about the upgrade.

Amazon is working on a blockbuster new update for the Alexa smartphone app, Express.co.ukhas learned.

The US retail company is planning to bring its talkative voice assistant to your iPhone and Android smartphone, a high-ranking executive revealed.

The future software update was revealed by Ford Executive Director of Connected Vehicle and Services, Don Butler.

Speaking to Express.co.uk at the Mobile World Congress tradeshow at Barcelona, he said: "Amazon is actually going to be developing an app that will reside on your smartphone.

"If you’re familiar with Alexa today, the [smartphone] application that’s there right now is more of a utilities app to help you manage your Skills, your profile, and that kind of thing.

"But it doesn’t actually deliver Alexa capabilities.

"So, [Amazon] are going to be developing an app that delivers Alexa capability to that smartphone device."

To read the rest of the article, click here.

36 highly popular Android Devices ships with Malware already installed

Dan Uff March 14, 2017 0

“The Check Point Mobile Threat Prevention has recently detected a severe infection in 36 Android devices, belonging to a large telecommunications company and a multinational technology company. While this is not unusual, one detail of the attacks stands out,” Oren Koriat reports for Check Point. “In all instances, the malware was not downloaded to the device as a result of the users’ use, it arrived with it.”

“According to the findings, the malware were already present on the devices even before the users received them. The malicious apps were not part of the official ROM supplied by the vendor, and were added somewhere along the supply chain,” Koriat reports. “Six of the malware instances were added by a malicious actor to the device’s ROM using system privileges, meaning they couldn’t be removed by the user and the device had to be re-flashed.”

“Most of the malware found to be pre-installed on the devices were info-stealers and rough ad networks, and one of them was Slocker, a mobile ransomware. Slocker uses the AES encryption algorithm to encrypt all files on the device and demand ransom in return for their decryption key,” Koriat reports. “The discovery of the pre-installed malware raises some alarming issues regarding mobile security. Users could receive devices which contain backdoors or are rooted without their knowledge.”

More info here.

CompuScoop’s in the “Eye of the Storm”

Dan Uff March 14, 2017 0

Because CompuScoop is on the upper-East coast of the United States, we are bracing for a major winter snow storm, with reports of 1-2 feet in some areas as well as high winds and blowing snow.

Because of this, we maybe involved in power or internet outages. If that's the case, it means we wouldn't be able to update this web site until those problems are resolved.

Please stay with us for future updates.

Photo: WFMZ TV Channel 69

Rumor: New iPads could be introduced the week of 3/20 with or without a Special Media Event

Dan Uff March 13, 2017 0

Citing sources, both AppleInsider.com and MacRumors.com are reporting that Apple could be introducing new iPad devices as soon as the week of 3/20. No new configurations or design changes were mentioned.

Please keep in mind that Apple typically sends out invitations for product keynote presentations ten-plus days in advance. Events are usually held on Mondays or Tuesdays, so the media could be on the cusp of getting such an invite.

We'll keep you informed.