Tag: devices
Amazon rolls out free Roku-like TV channels for Fire devices
Amazon just announced the impending launch of Fire TV Channels, allowing customers access to a wide variety of “premium, free content” on Fire streaming sticks, streaming boxes, and, of course, Fire-branded televisions. The company promises there will be no forced sign-ups or fees associated with this content.
Just like the similar offering from Roku, there looks to be plenty of free content to wade through here. There are channels for local and national news, sports, travel, cooking, music videos, old TV shows and just about everything else. Amazon announced content partnership deals with professional NHL hockey, PGA golf, gossip site TMZ, ABC News and media giant Condé Nast, among others. All told, the company says it has lined up over 400 publishing partners ready for the summer launch.
This is an ad-supported service, so if you have an aversion to that dang Liberty Mutual song, look elsewhere for content. Amazon already offers some FAST (free ad-supported TV) channels, but this is a major boost for the platform. Additionally, there will be an easily accessible “Free” tab right on the home screen of all Fire devices for instant perusal. This tab breaks down into more category-specific menus.
“With Fire TV Channels, we’re delivering a simple, category-based experience that makes it easy to discover what you want to watch while constantly expanding content offerings.” said Charlotte Maines, director of Fire TV advertising, monetization, and engagement.
The company says that channels will feature live content, linear content and VOD content. It also says that new stuff will be added throughout each day, so binge, baby, binge. Amazon is not the only player in the FAST space. Along with the OG Roku, Google recently announced its own 800-channel offering.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-rolls-out-free-roku-like-tv-channels-for-fire-devices-230056933.html?src=rss
I tested dozens of smart home devices; this is the feature I loathe the most
Amazon shuts down Halo division and discontinues all devices
Amazon has decided to shutter its health-focused Halo division, The Verge has learned. Amazon has stopped selling its three Halo products and plans to lay off portions of the Halo team.
“We have made the difficult decision to wind down the Halo program, which will result in role reductions,” Melissa Cha, Amazon’s VP of smart home and health, told staffers in an email obtained by The Verge. “More recently, Halo has faced significant headwinds, including an increasingly crowded segment and an uncertain economic environment. Although our customers love many aspects of Halo, we must prioritize resources and maximize benefits to customers and the long-term health of the business.”
Cha went on to write that all Halo hardware would be…
Armis Identifies the Riskiest Medical and IoT Devices in Clinical Environments
Nurse call systems could pose a threat to hospitals Armis, the leading asset visibility and security company, today released…
The post Armis Identifies the Riskiest Medical and IoT Devices in Clinical Environments appeared first on TechRound.
Google’s Authenticator App Now Lets You Sync 2FA Codes Across Devices
Sensory enables voice chat with generative AI on consumer devices
Criminals Are Using Tiny Devices to Hack and Steal Cars
Samsung may replace Google Search with AI-powered Bing on all devices
Microsoft’s Bing, the search engine you absolutely forgot about until three months ago, may be on the brink of a comeback so major that it has Google shaking in its boots. The New York Times reports that Samsung has been considering using Bing as the default search engine for its phones, replacing long-time partner Google.
While, as the Times noted, it’s not explicitly clear that the launch of Bing’s AI-enabled search drove Samsung to consider ditching Google, that possibility has caused internal “panic” at Google, which brings in about $3 billion annually from the Samsung partnership. As a result, Google has apparently put AI development into overdrive.
But why does Google care about a deal that makes up less than two percent of the company’s $162 million search ads business? Because a loss like that is one ugly crack in an otherwise impenetrable facade. Google’s primary money-making business is search ads and the New York Times calls “AI competitors like the new Bing… the most serious threat to Google’s search business in 25 years.”
Plus, the AI market is heating up, and Google wants to be a contender. As it rushes to build a new AI-based search engine, the company is upgrading its existing search with AI features under a project named Magi. Other product ideas in development include a tool that uses AI to generate images in Google Image results and another that teaches users a new language via AI text conversations.
But Google may have a long road ahead of it. Its AI chatbot Bard was released last month to mixed reviews as ChatGPT continued to impress. Now that Samsung’s eye is wandering, Google has to step up its game before it gets stepped on.
Security researchers find LockBit ransomware can target macOS devices
One of the most notorious ransomware gangs appears to have recently begun targeting Mac computers for the first time. In a series of tweets spotted by 9to5Mac, a group of security researchers known as the MalwareHunterTeam said on Saturday they recently found evidence of a Lockbit ransomware build designed to compromise macOS devices. As far as the group is aware, Saturday’s announcement marks the first public notice that Lockbit’s ransomware could be used against Apple computers, though it appears the gang has offered that capability since last fall.
“locker_Apple_M1_64”: 3e4bbd21756ae30c24ff7d6942656be024139f8180b7bddd4e5c62a9dfbd8c79
As much as I can tell, this is the first Apple’s Mac devices targeting build of LockBit ransomware sample seen…
Also is this a first for the “big name” gangs?
🤔@patrickwardle
cc @cyb3ropspic.twitter.com/SMuN3Rmodl— MalwareHunterTeam (@malwrhunterteam) April 15, 2023
“I think this is the first time one of the major ransomware players has taken aim at Apple’s OS,” security analyst Brett Callow said, pointing to the significance of the disclosure. As 9to5Mac notes, the LockBit gang has historically focused on Windows, Linux and virtual host machines. The reason being those operating systems are overwhelmingly used by the businesses the group’s partners target. For those who don’t know, the Lockbit gang runs what’s known as a “ransomware-as-a-service” operation. The group doesn’t directly involve itself in the business of extracting ransoms from businesses. What it does do is build and maintain the malware affiliates can pay to use against an organization. According to an indictment the US Department of Justice unsealed last fall, LockBit is “one of the most active and destructive ransomware variants in the world.” As of late 2022, the software has infected the computer systems of at least 1,000 victims, including a Holiday Inn hotel in Turkey. It’s believed the gang’s partners have claimed tens of millions of dollars from victims.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/security-researchers-find-lockbit-ransomware-can-target-macos-devices-164446912.html?src=rss