Technology - Google News

How to check and update your Philips Hue firmware - The Verge
The Galaxy S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite will get flagship treatment by Samsung - PhoneArena
Xbox Game Pass February games: Final Fantasy 15, Wolfenstein: Youngblood - Polygon

How to check and update your Philips Hue firmware - The Verge

Posted: 05 Feb 2020 07:43 AM PST

According to a firm called Check Point Software, a recent vulnerability in Philips Hue smart lightbulbs could allow malware to be installed on the Philips Hue Bridge that lets it access your internet connection and the devices connected to it. (Apparently, this hack doesn't apply to the version of Philips Hues' smart lights that feature Bluetooth.)

Before you get too worried, know that Philips Hue patched this vulnerability in mid-January, and your hardware should have automatically updated itself to version 1935144040. But it's always a good idea to check. In case you aren't sure where to find out if your hardware is patched or how to install the necessary updates, we're going to show you how to do both.

How to check the firmware version of your Philips Hue Bridge

Open the Philips Hue app on your Android or iOS phone or tablet
Click on the "Settings" tab on the bottom options panel
Scroll down until you see "Software update," and tap this option

The next page will show all of your devices and their firmware versions. In our screenshot below, the Hue Bridge is displayed at the top of the list of devices. You can see that it has already been updated to version 1935144040.

How to update your Philips Hue device firmware

However, if your hardware (be it a Bridge or just a bulb) is in need of an update, the app will notify you with a solid green bubble, located where the white checkmarks within a green bubble appear in our screenshot. If so, click into it and select "Update."

While you're here, enable "Automatic update" at the top of the page for peace of mind in case there is ever another vulnerability that needs an emergency patch.
Once you see white checkmarks next to all of your connected products, you'll know that security and software updates for your Philips Hue devices are up to date.

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The Galaxy S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite will get flagship treatment by Samsung - PhoneArena

Posted: 05 Feb 2020 12:39 AM PST

The recent release of the Galaxy S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite was a huge surprise in the world of mobile. No, we weren't surprised that they exist — they have been rumored about for months. But we were surprised to see the official hardware specs.There is absolutely nothing "lite" about the Galaxy S10 Lite. It has a bigger screen and a bigger battery than the flagship Galaxy S10+ and a new camera system with a 48 MP sensor. And the Note 10 Lite is only a minor downgrade compared to the regular Note 10 series.

And it seems that Samsung itself is going to be treating them as flagships.

See, in the world of smartphones, a device's value is determined not only by hardware specs but also the support it continues to get post-release. In the dynamic world of mobile tech, regular software updates are constantly in demand, but manufacturers only provide them for the top-tier devices.

Samsung has just announced its update plans for the new phones it recently released. The Galaxy A71 will be getting a new security patch every 3 months and will receive two major Android updates once they become available.

The Galaxy S10 Lite and Galaxy Note 10 Lite will get a security patch every month (thanks, GalaxyClub), just like their flagship counterparts, and will also receive two major Android updates. This means they will be supported up to Android 12's release and probably keep getting security patches for some time after.

It's worth noting that some carriers only allow quarterly updates. Samsung does mention that in a footnote — delays are not always the manufacturer's fault.

It's nice to see Samsung committing to keeping devices that are not on its top shelf up to date. It also makes it easier to swallow the supposed price tags of the upcoming Galaxy S20 series — the S10 Lite is a perfectly good smartphone that costs much less and will be receiving the same amount of love.

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Xbox Game Pass February games: Final Fantasy 15, Wolfenstein: Youngblood - Polygon

Posted: 05 Feb 2020 07:25 AM PST

Wolfenstein: Youngblood and Final Fantasy 15 headline the new titles available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers, beginning tomorrow.

They'll be joined on Feb. 13 by Death Squared, a co-operative puzzle game brought in by Microsoft's ID@Xbox program. Death Squared launched in 2017 on Xbox One as well as Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It was previously offered to Xbox Live Gold subscribers in July 2018.

Final Fantasy 15, which launched in November 2016, needs little introduction. It's the latest epic in the 32-year-old series. Although it launched to critical acclaim and was a sales hit for Square Enix, the publisher scrapped three of the last four character expansions players expected in 2019 after game director Hajime Tabata left the company.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood is also the latest episode in a long-tenured franchise. The first-person shooter, which follows the twin daughters of B.J. Blazkowicz through an alternate history of France in 1980, launched last summer. The game focuses on co-operative play with players taking control of one of the two main characters to finish off the Nazi threat.

Leaving the Xbox Game Pass library by the end of the month are Rage, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Epic Mickey 2, Jackbox Party Pack 2, and Pumped BMX Pro. Subscribers who want to keep playing those games get a 20% discount on purchasing them outright.

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