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Zotac Zbox Nano D518 PC runs Freescale quad-core CPU and Android 4.3

Zotac has a new small form factor PC that is set to launch next month called the Zbox Nano D518. The machine will have a Freescale i.MX6 quad core processor inside and rather than coming with Windows installed or simply having no OS and leaving it up to you to get the machine running, Zotac is shipping the little PC with Android 4.3 ready to run.



Other hardware features of the machine include 1GB of RAM and 8GB of eMMC solid state storage. Zotac also fits the machine with a quartet of USB 2.0 ports, HDMI output for connecting to your TV, and an Ethernet port. WiFi is built in and the adapter used is made by Intel.


8GB isn't much storage, but the good news is that the little PC has a space inside for connecting another 2.5-inch drive. That means you can put any compatible 2.5-inch SSD or HDD inside to up the storage space when needed.


One of the big features of the little PC is its small form factor measuring 5" x 5" x 1.8". The PC also sips power needing a maximum of 7.7 watts. If you are thinking this might make a nice little HTPC for the living room, it also uses passive cooling so no noisy fan is packed inside, so it should make a nice little HTPC indeed.


SOURCE: Liliputing


Sandboxing flaw opens Gmail, apps to hijacking

Researchers at the University of California Riverside and University of Michigan have discovered a flaw in Android that could allow nefarious users to hijack apps. The researchers believe that Android isn’t alone in being vulnerable to this attack; iOS and Windows Phone are thought to be susceptible to the flaw as well.



The flaw has to do with the way apps share memory space inside a device. Devices sandbox apps that are running in memory to separate them from each other natively, but they rely typically on a common graphic interface framework called a window manager. That window manager operates in shared memory space and renders the graphic elements we see on the screen.


To utilize this flaw, a malicious app would have to be downloaded and running in the background on Android devices. The app would need low energy and overhead to help it remain undetected. This malicious app would watch what graphics are being deployed on the screen and could inject timed fake interface elements, like login screens, to steal credentials.


This is a man-in-the-middle attack and some commonly used apps like Gmail, Amazon, Chase, Newegg, and WebMD were all found to be vulnerable to the attack. The researchers found that Gmail was vulnerable to the attack 92% of the time.


SOURCE: Information Week


Aviate data claims Android users have an average of 95 apps installed

Aviate is an Android launcher that was purchased by Yahoo early this year and came out of beta in June. Aviate is designed to organize apps and aggregate data for users. With Aviate running on so many devices, Yahoo is able to gather some data about what apps the user interacts with the most, average apps installed, and other details.



According to the latest bit of Aviate data, the average Android user has 95 apps installed. That seems like a lot of apps considering that data from ComScore released this month shows that the average smartphone user downloads zero apps each month.


Yahoo Aviate data shows that users have an average of 95 apps installed and use 35 of those apps on average each day. Aviate also captures data on what part of the day apps are most likely to be used in. Google Maps for instance was most likely to be used later in the day. Clock apps were most likely to be used in the morning and at night.


Netflix use rises steadily through the day to a high at around 10pm nightly. Interestingly while Yahoo is offering stats on other apps, it won’t say how many people have downloaded Aviate. Google Play says it has been downloaded between 1 million and 5 million times.


SOURCE: TheNextWeb


AnyMote turns Android smartphones into universal remotes

Most of us have our smartphones with us everywhere, including on the couch. The fact that your smartphone is always nearby makes the device a convenient item to be turned into a universal remote control for your TV. A new product called AnyMote is designed to turn your Android smartphone or other devices into a next generation universal remote.



AnyMote works with Android and iOS devices and supports over 800,000 different entertainment devices and other home automation hardware. AnyMote works with all InfraRed controllable electronics from TVs and amps to fans and power outlets.


The software and hardware device allows you to replace multiple remotes with one unit. The system has an AnyMote hardware puck that needs line of sight to the devices it is controlling. An app is launched on the smartphone giving access to any IR device you have in the home or office.


One of the cool features of AnyMote is that the app can be programmed to do things like mute all devices if the phone rings. Users can also create macros with the app making it easy to change between devices when needed. The project is seeking $50,000 and has raised $23,587 at the time of writing with 45 days to go. A pledge of $70 or more will get you the AnyMote Home with estimated delivery in June 2015. This certainly isn't the first Android universal remote device that we have seen, we talked about the ThinkFlood universal remote system back in 2011.




SOURCE: Kickstarter


New Moto G2 pics leak showing device with interchangeable back plates

We got our first glimpse at what is expected to be Motorola's next entry-level smartphone dubbed the Moto G2 earlier this month. We aren't sure that the Moto G2 will be the name of the device; it could also be called the Moto G+1. Some new images of the smartphone have turned up on the web showing the device from just about every angle.



The G2 has back panels that can be swapped to give the phone a different look. In the images, we see white, pink, and blue back plates. Word on the street is that the Moto G2 will be unveiled officially on September 4.


Along with the new images also comes an unofficial teaser summarizing the specs for the G2. The G2 is expected to get a 5-inch screen with 720p resolution, an 8MP rear camera, front facing stereo speakers, and a microSD card slot.


Rumors point to some decent hardware under the hood with a Snapdragon 400 SoC, 1GB of RAM, and 8 or 16GB of storage. One of the things that the original Moto G lacked that bugged some folks was a microSD card slot for storage expansion, so that is a big upgrade. The screen of the G2 is expected to be about half an inch larger than the original. Pricing details are still unknown, but if September 4 is the launch date we don’t have long to wait to hear more.


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SOURCE: PhoneArena





Samsung footie app “Kicks” its way to fans’ digital hearts

Now that most of the domestic leagues have started after a few months’ rest from the World Cup, diehard football fans with gadgets are once again relying on various sites and apps to keep abreast of all the action and movement of their favourite players and teams. Samsung’s research shows that the average football fan engages more on online content than actually watching live games. So they came up with an app called Kick that aims to bring all the latest information and statistics in an engaging and visual manner.



For serious football fans, particularly those who participate in fantasy football leagues, having updated statistics of leagues, teams and players is very crucial. Kick has a lot of features that would appeal to those kinds of fans. The VS feature for one is very handy when you have to make important decisions as to which player to put in your team. You can compare any player or team in a head-to-head matchup that is shown on a spider web chart that can even be shared on your favourite social networks. If you like looking at visualisations of games rather than reading actual match reports, the 3D Shot Map gives you a snapshot of the on and off target shots and all the goals of the match that you want to look at. You can enable/disable shot types if you want to focus on certain ones and also share the 3D shot on social media.


One of the coolest features of this app which would only work on Samsung’s Smart TV is to connect the two, which would show the match stats and visualisations on your TV while you’re watching an actual game. The app also has other features common to most football apps, like match overviews, live scores, latest news and editorials on all the major leagues like the EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, etc and major competitions like the World Cup, Champions League, Euros, etc.


For all its great features, the Kick app is a bit limited. It would only work on selected Samsung smartphones, tablets and Smart TVs and is also limited to users in the European region. But if you meet all those criteria, you can enjoy the app for free by downloading it from the Google Play Store.


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SOURCE: Samsung





Crazy LG G Pad ad: tablets are dangerous

Trying to prove that its rival isn't the only one with a funny bone, LG has released a video ad that tries to sell its new G Pad series. But like many ads, it's all fluff, funny fluff mind you, that practically has nothing to do with LG's tablets until the very last parts of the clip.



The message is clear and brutal from the very beginning: sometimes people make dumb choices. Probably not as brutal as the "accidents" that our tragic hero runs into. Or rather runs into him. The ad does comically point out the dangers of having your face glued to your tablet (or smartphone, for that matter), a fact that we (should) know only too well from real-life incidents.


Funny as the ad may be, one might be left head scratching by the end. Because it never really answers the question that the ad seems to build up. How does an LG G Pad solve the problem of mobile users never looking to appreciate life or appreciate an oncoming bus? The video does touch on some of LG's key features, like QPair, which is admittedly quite interesting, and Gesture Shot for easy selfies. But none of those, or the G Pad's other features like Dual Window, QSlide, or Smart Keyboard, really solves the problem, does it? The only corollary we can deduce is that if you're smart enough to buy an LG G Pad tablet, you're probably smart enough not to sit next to a dartboard.




Still, the ad is indeed humorous and LG can be given props for trying. And the G Pad tablets are indeed interesting mobile devices that try to straddle performance and price. If you were to direct a funny TV spot for an LG G Pad tablet, how would you spin it? Come share your thoughts and creative musings in the comments below!





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