Hackers allegedly used cryptocurrency in attack against Clinton campaign
An 11-count indictment filed against 12 Russian military intelligence officers reveals that the group allegedly used cryptocurrency to remain anonymous in a scheme against the Clinton campaign in 2016. They used these digital coins to pay for the website used to release stolen election-related documents.
Microsoft patent paves way for a touch- and smudge-free tablet future
While touchscreens are great for navigating on smartphones and tablets, your greasy fingers leave annoying prints on the surface, blurring the view. Microsoft aims to change that by implementing a design that relies on touch-free input. This design appears in a granted patent published on July 10.
Google Chrome now consumes more memory due to a new Spectre fix
Version 67 of Google’s Chrome browser for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chrome OS now includes a new security feature called Site Isolation. This new component protects web surfers against Spectre-based attacks on the internet but for a price: 10 to 13 percent more system memory consumption.
Bring magic to your desktop with a $699 external GPU for MacBook Pros, iMacs
Blackmagic Design teamed up with Apple to create an external graphics card enclosure with a built-in AMD Radeon Pro 580. Called the Blackmagic eGPU, it connects to Mac devices via a Thunderbolt 3 port (40GBps). It’s available now through Apple’s online shop and its brick-and-mortar stores.
AT&T to sell the Magic Leap One Creator Edition AR headset in U.S. this summer
AT&T said it signed a deal to be the exclusive wireless distributor of Magic Leap’s products in the United States. First up to bat will be the Magic Leap One Creator Edition headset that will be sold in select stores in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco this summer.
AMD’s second-gen Ryzen Threadripper CPUs could rip into stores in August
AMD’s next-generation Ryzen Threadripper desktop processors for enthusiasts will supposedly launch in August. We already knew they were on the way given AMD introduced the Threadripper 2000 family during Computex, but now unnamed sources close to AMD are providing an actual launch date.
AMD’s next batch of Ryzen desktop CPUs may focus on better power efficiency
Although AMD introduced its second-generation Ryzen desktop processors in April, a recent leak shows another batch is on the way that will focus on better power efficiency. One of the processors in question is the Ryzen 7 2700E, which appeared in the 3DMark database with a 45-watt power draw.
Think you’re an Apple fan? This collection of prototypes has you beat
If you thought you were Apple’s biggest fan, Hap Plain likely has you beat. He owns more than 250 prototypes manufactured by the company spanning PowerBooks, iBooks, iPhones, iPods and “pretty much everything in-between.” It may be the largest private collection of Apple prototypes in the world.
Watch artist rendition of a pixelated, dancing Donald Glover made on a 1987 Mac
A video on Instagram showcases an animation of Donald Glover performing his dance pulled from the This is America music video (aka Childish Gambino). What makes this animation unique is that its creator used Apple’s old Macintosh SE all-in-one PC along with the MacPaint and MacroMind Director.
Cryptocurrency may be why you still don’t have Nvidia GTX 11 Series graphics
Unnamed sources point to the current overabundance of add-in graphics cards as to why you’re not already seeing Nvidia’s new GeForce GTX 11 Series on store shelves. Nvidia reportedly has around one million chips ready for release but is holding back because there is simply no room for next-gen cards.
Apple registers 10 unannounced MacBook and iPad devices overseas
French website Consomac discovered that Apple just registered upcoming MacBooks and iPads with the Eurasian Economic Commission. The filings are a requirement for encrypted devices that will be sold in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. They list 10 models altogether.
The MacBook Pro may finally get updated with faster processors
There’s no doubt Apple plans to update its MacBook Pros with eighth-generation Intel CPUs, but now a new benchmark gives us a better view at the specific chips we’ll see in the upcoming devices. In the case of the next 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, one variant will rely on Intel's Core i7-8559U chip.
Nvidia’s GTX 11 Series may get people ready for the next generation of VR
Unnamed sources claim that Nvidia’s upcoming GeForce GTX 1180 add-in graphics card for desktops will likely include a proprietary connector for virtual reality headsets to support 120Hz refresh rates over a single cable. This port will likely be based on the current HDMI 2.1 specification.
Philips claims ‘world’s first’ with a new 4K HDR desktop display
The 43-inch Philips Momentum 436M6 Quantum Dot monitor revealed in April is now up for grabs on Amazon for a mere $999. At the time of its reveal, parent company Envision Peripherals deemed it as the world’s first DisplayHDR 1000 panel, residing at the top of VESA's new HDR certification system.
A free ‘Fortnite’ modification infected over 78,000 players with adware
Game streaming service Rainway recently detected adware that plagued over 78,000 "Fortnite" gamers. The Rainway client includes a tracker that records error reports for the engineering team. To their surprise, hundreds of thousands of reports began appearing on June 26, raising a red flag.
Microsoft wants artificial intelligence to catch cheaters on Xbox Live
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a patent application from Microsoft that describes a method of cheat detection for games on a platform level using machine learning. The idea is to bring cheat detection outside the game given platforms can't detect cheats within the game itself.
Razer crams lasers into its new ‘Huntsman’ keyboards for blazing-fast speed
Razer introduced a new line of mechanical keyboards called Huntsman. The first two models out the gate is the "premium" $199 Razer Huntsman Elite version and the cheaper, "performance-focused" $149 Razer Huntsman model. Both rely on new mechanical switches that use an infrared light beam.
Exactis left the records of 340M people, businesses wide open for anyone to grab
Marketing and data aggregation firm Exactis kept a database of around 340 million individual records on a publicly accessible server. The data dump measured around two terabytes (2TB) and contained the personal information of around 230 million adults in the U.S. along with 110 million businesses.
These fake Android apps steal your money when you aren’t looking
The McAfee Mobile Research team discovered a new campaign where at least 15 apps on Google Play were "re-packaged" to secretly sign up for premium paid services in the background and charge directly to your mobile carrier. The list includes Qrcode Scanner, Cut Ringtones 2018, and Despacito Ringtone.
Microsoft pulls its ‘Sets’ feature in the latest Windows Insider build
The latest preview build for Windows Insiders is out and with it sees the removal of Sets. Originally slated to be a part of the next major feature update, Sets intended to group your favorite apps together for a more productive workflow. But Microsoft decided to remove Sets based on feedback.
Facebook changes its cryptocurrency rules by easing its ad blocking policy
Facebook changed its mind about banning cryptocurrency-related ads from the social network. Starting June 26, the updated policy will allow advertisements that promote cryptocurrency and related content, but only from pre-approved advertisers. Ads for ICOs and binary options are still banned.
Intel may debut a Core i9 desktop CPU for the general market in 2018
Intel is gearing up to release high-end desktop processors for the mainstream market. These chips will essentially be part of Intel's fourth wave of eighth-generation processors released during the third quarter of 2018. At the forefront will be an eight-core chip listed as the Core i9-9900K.
AOL’s instant messenger rises from the ashes, but your buddies didn’t survive
America Online's instant messenger, AIM, now rises from the ashes as AIM Phoenix. It's not an official service but is instead run by Wildman Productions. AIM Phoenix essentially uses discontinued software to send messages through a private server and doesn't actually connect to America Online.
Cooler Master’s new $79 mechanical keyboard lights up your desk like Christmas
Cooler Master launched a new mechanical keyboard packing more features per dollar than the competition's more expensive products. It's a highly attractive, visually sturdy mechanical keyboard sporting a minimalistic, curved brushed aluminum design and raised, floating keys. It sells for $79.