Google Play Services update adds turn-based multiplayer gaming support

Android owners will soon see the benefits of improved developer tools

Google has updated its Play Services tool for Android developers, which allows them to build the latest available features into their applications.

The headline new toy for devs is the ability to add native, turn-based multiplayer support for 8 players. The data from each turn will now be uploaded to Google's servers and passed onto each of the players.

Also among the new features is the opportunity for app makers to improve sharing to Google+ from their applications.

"An improved Google+ sharing experience makes it even easier for users to share with the right people from your app. It includes better auto-complete and suggested recipients from Gmail contacts, device contacts and people on Google+," the company wrote on the Android developers' blog.

Drive on

Google has also added a preview of the Google Drive API for Android, which will eventually see tighter integration between Google Play apps and the cloud storage locker.

This version of Google Play Services includes a developer preview of the new Google Drive API for Android. You can use it to easily read and write files in Google Drive so they're available across devices and on the web. Users can work with files offline too — changes are synced with Google Drive automatically when they reconnect," Google wrote.

While all this may be for the benefit of developers right now, Android users should start to feel the benefits as 2014 progresses. The update will begin arriving for app makers from today.

• Google has been kind enough to issue a Gmail update that potentially lets anyone on Google+ spam your inbox. Thanks, chaps.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/google-play-services-update-adds-turn-based-multiplayer-gaming-support-1214329

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Wi-Fi-only Sony Xperia Z Ultra rumoured to fall on the tablet side of phablet

Xperia Z Ultra's prohibitive price-tag may fall with a Wi-Fi only version

Sony is plotting to ditch mobile data connectivity for a new version of its Xperia Z Ultra phablet, according to reports on Friday.

According to leaked benchmarks from http://techradar.com/AnTuTu, the Japanese giant is plotting a Wi-Fi only version of the 6.44-inch device that'll maintain cellular connectivity, but skip on the 4G LTE radio offered by the original.

That would enable users to maintain calling and texting functionality, but would lower the costs for those who only wish to use the internet when in range of a Wi-Fi router.

Aside from the missing 3G and 4G data, everything else looks to be as it was in the first device. There's a 1080p screen, quad-core processor and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, according to the leaked screenshot.

Pocket unfriendly

As G4games reports, this isn't the first time word of a Wi-Fi only Xperia Z Ultra has drifted beneath our nostrils. Such a device reportedly took a trip through the FCC in November.

If the device were to land, it would definitely fall on the tablet end of phablet, as if it wasn't in the first place. 6.44-inches would stretch a clown's pockets, let alone our skinny Levis 511s.

• It's all creatures great and small for Sony, as it reveals the Xperia Z1 Compact

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/tablets/wi-fi-only-sony-xperia-z-ultra-rumoured-to-fall-on-the-tablet-side-of-phablet-1214324

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Samsung responds to Knox vulnerability allegations

Samsung Knox security software is continuously gaining popularity among the corporate businesses. And while the US Department of Defense was considering using the Knox-protected Galaxy S4 for its staff, cyber security researchers at Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Israel discovered a serious vulnerability.

According to the researchers the issue not only exposes critical email and communication data, but also allows hackers to insert malicious code through using it. Samsung immediately denied all possible vulnerabilities, but launched investigation anyway.

The investigation is now over and Samsung says it was able to verify the exploit and has intercepted critical data. As it turns out though this is not a flaw in the Knox software, but a classic Men in the Middle attack, possible due to user's omission while configuring the Knox security feature.

Here's Samsung's official description of the problem plus some tips how to avoid it. Samsung will be sending messages to the Knox users with these tips too.

"This research did not identify a flaw or bug in Samsung KNOX or Android; it demonstrated a classic Man in the Middle (MitM) attack, which is possible at any point on the network to see unencrypted application data. The research specifically showed this is also possible via a user-installed program, reaffirming the importance of encrypting application data before sending it to the Internet. Android development practices encourage that this be done by each application using SSL/TLS. Where that's not possible (for example, to support standards-based unencrypted protocols, such as HTTP), Android provides built-in VPN and support for third-party VPN solutions to protect data. Use of either of those standard security technologies would have prevented an attack based on a user-installed local application."

"KNOX offers additional protections against MitM attacks. Below is a more detailed description of the mechanisms that can be configured on Samsung KNOX devices to protect against them:"

1. Mobile Device Management — MDM is a feature that ensures that a device containing sensitive information is set up correctly according to an enterprise-specified policy and is available in the standard Android platform. KNOX enhances the platform by adding many additional policy settings, including the ability to lock down security-sensitive device settings. With an MDM configured device, when the attack tries to change these settings, the MDM agent running on the device would have blocked them. In that case, the exploit would not have worked.


2. Per-App VPN — The per-app VPN feature of KNOX allows traffic only from a designated and secured application to be sent through the VPN tunnel. This feature can be selectively applied to applications in containers, allowing fine-grained control over the tradeoff between communication overhead and security.


3. FIPS 140-2 — KNOX implements a FIPS 140-2 Level 1 certified VPN client, a NIST standard for data-in-transit protection along with NSA suite B cryptography. The FIPS 140-2 standard applies to all federal agencies that use cryptographically strong security systems to protect sensitive information in computer and telecommunication systems. Many enterprises today deploy this cryptographically strong VPN support to protect against data-in-transit attacks.



So, as it turns out there's no reason to lose your sleep about your Knox-secured device - your data is still safe with it.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_responds_to_knox_vulnerability_gives_solutions-news-7537.php

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Sony in talks with Microsoft to develop Windows Phones

According to Sony Mobile head for Europe, Pierre Perron, who spoke to TechRadar Sony is in talks with Microsoft to deliver a Windows Phone device. He says Sony is in talks with "other partners, including Microsoft" for a broader Sony spectrum.

"We don't want to be a single OS manufacturer" said Perron, and that's exactly what Sony has become having released only Android smartphones for a few years now. In its later days as Sony Ericsson the company was involved with Windows Mobile, on which platform the company introduced its Xperia lineup with the then-popular X1 slide-out QWERTY phone.

Recently we heard that Sony is pondering a WP device for a mid-2014 launch, but now that a credible Sony executive has confirmed the negotiations, we're more at ease believing them.

Sony has years of cooperation with Microsoft under its belt with the VAIO brand of Windows computers - an established brand name. Looking back to 2011 we can clearly remember a Sony prototype running a test version of Windows Phone 7 - later on Sony CEO Kunimasa Suzuki dispelled the rumors by saying that Sony won't release a Windows Phone.

Perron believes that making smartphones for just one OS - even the most widely adopted one - isn't a "viable position in the long term". He did add that Sony enjoys "a good collaboration with Google" but that the search giant has a relationship with direct competitors of Sony as well. The same could be said of Microsoft, however.

While Perron hasn't provided specifics on launch dates or if talks are even in their final stages yet, things are certainly looking promising.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_still_in_talks_with_redmond_to_bring_windows_phones-news-7535.php

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Expect an influx of Ubuntu phones in 2014

Year of the Ubuntu

The Ubuntu Phone is far from dead. In fact, we've been promised that we can still expect to see the Linux OS go big in our smartphones in 2014

Despite missing the funding goal to get its own handset out on the market, Canonical has kept busy to get manufacturers to build their own Ubuntu OS smartphones.

And speaking in a Google Hangout, Canonical community manager Juno Bacon confirmed that all signs are good.

"I'm confident that in 2014 you're going to see a number of Ubuntu phones hitting the market," he said. "I can't tell you [who it will be] right now but I can tell you that some awesome things are happening."

One OS to rule them all

Bacon also implied that we'll see some devices made exclusively for certain regions and carriers as well as some that will be sold unlocked online.

That's as concrete as Canonical is being right now, but it sounds like we can expect to see Ubuntu popping up all over the shop in the coming months.

• Hands on with Ubuntu for smartphones

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/expect-an-influx-of-ubuntu-phones-in-2014-1214247

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Apple looking to improve autofocus and OIS for new iPhone

A recent patent filed on behalf of Apple has made its way to the US Patents website, which details the development of a new camera stabilization mechanism. The "VCM OIS actuator module" is not only poised to reduce image blurriness, but will also allegedly improve autofocus speed.

Through the use of voice coil motor (VCM) actuators that move the camera in directions that move the lens in orthogonal directions related to the optical axis, the new VCM OIS system is designed to compensate for hand movement when taking a photo or video. Better yet, the design also has the lens and image sensor attached to one another as one rigid body, which should result in substantially simplified camera manufacturing process.

Heretofore Apple has yet to join the arms race that has been camera megapixels, relying instead on pixel size to make its 8MP shooter stand up against the 13MP (and higher) sensors found on most competing flagships. While initially this was enough, our recent six-way cameraphone shootout saw it fall behind in image fidelity of its higher-resolution rivals.

Hopefully, the new mechanical OIS tech will help it make up for lost ground and we'll see a better camera than ever with the next iPhone - whenever that is.

Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_looking_to_improve_autofocus_and_ois_for_new_iphone-news-7534.php

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo gets pictured

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo, which was recently leaked via internal promotional documents, has been pictured next to the Galaxy Note 3.

If the leaked specs are to be believed, the Galaxy Note 3 Neo is set to be more of the spiritual successor to the Galaxy Note II, with a thinner profile and the faux leather back panel introduced with the Galaxy Note 3.

It'll also feature an as-yet unannounced 1.7GHz dual + 1.3GHz quad-core "Hexa" processor, which Samsung looks to be developing for its midrange and entry-level devices. It raises interesting questions about what sort of performance a potential six-core device could bring to the playing field, especially compared to Snapdragon or even Samsung's own octa-core Exynos.

Given the sheer amount of previous leaks surrounding the Galaxy Note 3 "Lite", as it was formerly known, it's likely that we'll get official word of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo at MWC 2014 next month.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_3_neo_gets_pictured-news-7533.php

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