Technology - Google News |
- Chinese spies reportedly inserted microchips into servers used by Apple, Amazon, and others
- LG V40 ThinQ vs. Galaxy Note 9 vs. iPhone XS Max
- Nintendo Plans New Version of Switch Next Year
| Chinese spies reportedly inserted microchips into servers used by Apple, Amazon, and others Posted: 04 Oct 2018 04:05 AM PDT  Chinese spies have infiltrated the supply chain for servers used by nearly 30 US companies, including government contractors, Apple, and Amazon, according to an explosive report from Bloomberg Businessweek. The operation is perhaps the most audacious example of hardware hacking by a nation state ever publicly reported, with a branch of China's armed forces reportedly forcing Chinese manufacturers to insert microchips into US-designed servers. The chips were "not much bigger than a grain of rice," reports Bloomberg, but able to subvert the hardware they're installed on, siphoning off data and letting in new code like a Trojan Horse. According to Bloomberg, Amazon and Apple discovered the hack through internal investigations and reported it to US authorities. The publication says there's no direct evidence that the companies' data — or that of users — was stolen or tampered with, but both firms worked quietly to remove the compromised servers from their infrastructure. Both Amazon and Apple strongly refute the story. Amazon says it is "untrue" that it knew of "servers containing malicious chips or modifications in data centers based in China," or that it "worked with the FBI to investigate or provide data about malicious hardware." Apple is equally definitive, telling Bloomberg: "On this we can be very clear: Apple has never found malicious chips, 'hardware manipulations' or vulnerabilities purposely planted in any server." The attack was reportedly carried out via the US-based company Super Micro Computer Inc, commonly known as Supermicro. The firm is one of the world's biggest suppliers of server motherboards, and contracts out manufacturing to factories in China and elsewhere. Supermicro's motherboards are used around the world, both for specialist products like MRI machines and weapon systems and for datacenters used by tech giants. The company manufactures servers for hundreds of customers, including Elemental Technologies, a startup that specializes in video compression and that was acquired by Amazon in 2015. "Think of Supermicro as the Microsoft of the hardware world," a former US intelligence official told Bloomberg. "Attacking Supermicro motherboards is like attacking Windows. It's like attacking the whole world." According to Bloomberg, it was Elemental (via Supermicro) that was a prime target for the Chinese military. Elemental's servers "could be found in Department of Defense data centers, the CIA's drone operations, and the onboard networks of Navy warships," says the publication, with thousands more used by Apple and Amazon. In total, the attack affected almost 30 US companies, including government contractors and one major bank. Parts of Bloomberg's story have been previously reported. Apple did sever its relationship with Supermicro in 2016, but the iPhone-maker claimed this was due to an unrelated and minor security incident. Amazon reportedly distanced itself from Supermicro's compromised servers by selling its Chinese infrastructure to a rival, for unknown reasons at the time. In a statement to Bloomberg, Amazon admitted finding "vulnerabilities" in Supermicro's products, but said they were software, not hardware, related. Facebook, another potential customer, also found problems with Supermicro's products, identifying malware in the company's software and removing the servers from its datacenters. Bloomberg's reporting has not been confirmed by on-the-record sources from the US intelligence community. The FBI and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, representing the CIA and NSA, declined to comment for the story. However, it's well known that such hardware subversions are a big prize for a nation's intelligence outfits — the NSA itself has been caught carrying out similar operations. They promise huge rewards in terms of stolen information, but leave behind physical trails, unlike software hacks. As with other large-scale hacks and security failures, the repercussions of the operation as reported by Bloomberg will be difficult to judge. According to the publication, the US intelligence community's investigation is still ongoing, three years after it was opened. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LG V40 ThinQ vs. Galaxy Note 9 vs. iPhone XS Max Posted: 04 Oct 2018 07:54 AM PDT With the LG V40 ThinQ, LG, too often shunted as a me-too phonemaker, steps up against Apple's iPhone XS Max and Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 with its supersize phone for 2018. In a mobile climate where big, premium phones joust for your dollars, while being squeezed from below by cheaper-but-good phonemakers like OnePlus, LG has struggled to stand out. But with five (five!) camera lenses total, the V40 absolutely does. Arresting your eyeballs are three lenses on the back (Huawei's P20 Pro made that craveable earlier this year) and two on the front. The V40 has a large, bright screen, a cutting-edge processor, waterproofing, wireless charging and stereo speakers. But Samsung and Apple cast a long shadow, and their marquee large-screen phones are also playing for keeps. While we've now reviewed the LG V40, Galaxy Note 9 and iPhone XS Max, we have more testing to do before we pit them against each other. For now, here's how the specs line up. Scroll to the end for a full specs comparison chart. Screen size and clarityDoes this surprise you? The iPhone XS Max has the largest screen of the three, with a 6.5-inch display. The V40 and Galaxy Note 9 come in at 6.4 inches apiece. But it's the LG V40 that has the highest pixel density, edging the other two. We'll scrutinize all three in a number of lighting conditions, but they're all excellent for watching videos, reading stories and keeping up with social networks.  Watch this: LG V40 ThinQ flaunts 5 cameras, a big screen and a headphone... 2:14 Three rear cameras versus twoOur mega camera comparisons are still to come -- they take gargantuan effort, but are worth waiting for. What we can tell you is that the LG V40 is muscle-bound with camera options and tools. For example, you can take a photo from each rear camera at the same time to either use individually or to stitch together. There are AI camera settings, like on the Note 9 and Huawei P20 Pro, that change your settings when it senses one of 18 scenes (e.g. pets, blue sky). Like the iPhone XS Max, you can take dramatic photos with digital lighting effects.  Count them: 1, 2, 3 rear cameras. Josh Miller/CNETMost importantly, the LG V40 takes excellent photos. While each phone has its strengths, there's no doubt that the V40 earns its place in the upper echelons of camera photography. However, there's still some question if all these lenses are really necessary for producing terrific shots or mostly window dressing to impress buyers and set LG and others apart. We're holding out to see what Google's upcoming Pixel 3 can do with (likely) one lens on the back, compared to LG's trio. LG V40 is comparatively slim on storage spaceEven just a few years ago, a 64GB repository of storage was pretty standard. Now, times have changed. Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 offers you 128GB to start with, or you can pay more for 512GB. That doesn't even include the 512GB of external storage you can expand to with a microSD card. Apple, meanwhile, gives the iPhone XS Max three storage options: 64GB, 256GB and 512GB, with no expandable storage. So although LG's V40 ThinQ does let you expand up to 2T (in theory; 512GB cards top out the market right now), the total falls behind Samsung's largest capacity. The V40 does have more total capacity than the iPhone XS Max, when you include microSD storage. Total storage capacity: LG V40 versus Note 9, iPhone XS Max
Read also: iPhone XS versus Galaxy Note 9: What a $1,000 buys you Battery lifeComparing battery run-time on a single charge is tricky because there are so many factors at play. Battery life isn't determined by just the size of the battery (the capacity, measured in milliamp hours). There's also an interplay between the processor, how efficient the phone's base level software is in managing resources, and, of course, what you're doing with the phone. The LG V40 has a smaller battery capacity than the Note 9, and so far battery life looks like it's shorter, too. However, in real-world usage, LG's flagship phone is more than capable of taking you through your normal day. Battery life testing
Remember that Apple won't supply battery capacity, and instead provides vague, relative descriptions. For example, the iPhone XS Max is said to last 90 minutes longer on a single charge than the iPhone X. Our iPhone XS and XS Max battery tests are still ongoing, so we'll have more data in the near future. Here's CNET's video drain test protocol, which we weigh in addition to real-world observation. Extra features The LG V40 takes dramatic portrait selfies through those two cameras up front. Josh Miller/CNETAll three phones have wireless charging and waterproofing, so the main differences come down to camera performance and their individual claims to fame. The Galaxy Note 9 has its S Pen stylus (which now also works as a remote), the V40 its five cameras and the iPhone XS Max its FaceID, Memoji animations and portrait lighting mode. The value of these extras comes down to personal preference. For example, if you're enchanted by photography, the iPhone's portrait lighting or V40's camera software might attract you more. If you're a power user who likes the tactile use of a stylus, then the Galaxy Note 9 has no rival. Extra phone features
Price and value: Most bang for the buckThe LG V40 ThinQ is the least-expensive big phone of the bench in absolute terms, but depending on which carrier you buy it with, the savings may not amount to much. In the US, it sells from $900 to $980. For a little more, you could get a phone with a stylus or longer battery life (the Galaxy Note 9), or access to Apple's customer service at its retail stores (iPhone XS Max). There's also the question of storage. For the maximum capacity, the Galaxy Note 9 gives you the best deal of the three, though if you're trying to get to 512GB, you'll save money buying an LG V40 and making up the difference with a microSD card. For the best deal, keep an eye on seasonal promotions. That may very well shift the balance for you one way or another when buying any phone.  The best phone deals hinge on seasonal promotions. Sarah Tew/CNETBut what about the Pixel 3 XL?Cool it, itchy fingers. Before you plonk down your money, wait to see what the Pixel 3 and 3XL will bring. Google's Oct. 9 event in New York is days from now and the Pixel line has a strong reputation for excellent photography (out of two total cameras), smoothness and cheaper-than-Apple price. So tuck this information away, and bring it back out again after the Pixel 3XL lands, likely in mid-October. LG V40 ThinQ vs Galaxy Note 9 vs iPhone XS Max
Read now: LG V40's 5 cameras give you tons of photography options Read also: Sprint says its 5G phone with LG will look 'distinct' from other devices | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nintendo Plans New Version of Switch Next Year Posted: 03 Oct 2018 10:04 PM PDT  The current Nintendo Switch consoles at Bic Camera in Tokyo. Photo: Rodrigo Reyes Marin/AFLO/Zuma Press TOKYO— Nintendo Co. NTDOY -2.27% plans to release a new version of its Switch videogame console next year to maintain the sales momentum of the device, according to suppliers and others with direct knowledge of the plan. Sales of the Switch, introduced in March 2017, are still solid but are no longer delivering the favorable surprises that marked the machine’s first year on the market. Nintendo shares, which rose sharply last year, have trailed the broader stock market this year. The move to update the Switch suggests the Kyoto, Japan, company is moving quickly to ensure its flagship product doesn’t lose competitiveness. Nintendo is still debating what new hardware and software features to include in the upgrade and weighing the cost of the features, people with knowledge of the discussions said. One option is improving the display, they said. The current Switch uses a lower-end liquid-crystal display without some technologies that are standard in more recent smartphone LCDs. Updating the display with these technologies would make it brighter, thinner and more energy-efficient. The updated Switch isn’t expected to adopt the organic light-emitting diode or OLED panels used in Apple Inc.’s AAPL -1.12% iPhone X series. Nintendo is looking to release the new Switch in the latter half of 2019, perhaps as soon as summer, the people said. A Nintendo spokesman declined to comment. Between its introduction last year and June 30 of this year, Nintendo sold 19.7 million units of the Switch, a pace that compares favorably with Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 4, the most popular console among the current generation of videogame players. The Switch can be used both as a living-room console and as a portable game machine. Nintendo has said it wants to sell 20 million units in the year through March 2019, and analysts say they expect sales roughly to match that goal assuming some popular software titles planned for late this year arrive on schedule. Nintendo has said it plans to introduce “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” on Dec. 7. Videogame makers generally come out with new consoles every five to six years, and it is common for them to update the devices in the middle of their life cycles to keep the momentum going. Sony introduced the PlayStation 4 in November 2013 and updated it with a less-expensive version in September 2016 and a high-end model two months later. A new Switch would follow that pattern. Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto, who created many of its top games and now holds the title of creative fellow, said in February he wanted the Switch’s life cycle to be longer than usual, suggesting next year’s update of the hardware may not be the last. The upgraded Switch would likely share many features with the current version and be compatible with existing Switch game software. Software makers and others in the industry are watching whether Nintendo will clarify the future of its hand-held 3DS videogame device when it decides on the next Switch. Nintendo has said it would keep selling 3DS machines because they are a safe and affordable option for children. But new game releases for the platform have been declining and some popular franchises, including Nintendo’s own “Pokémon,” moved to the Switch this year. An executive at one software maker said the 3DS was increasingly overshadowed by smartphones that are well-suited to portable games. He said he was waiting for a “clear message” from Nintendo about what it would do with the 3DS series when it puts out a new Switch. —Yang Jie in Beijing contributed to this article. Write to Takashi Mochizuki at takashi.mochizuki@wsj.com |
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