Samsung Galaxy Note 9 S Pen could be used to take photos and control music

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 event is on the horizon, and we already basically know how the device will look. Samsung seems to be putting a large focus on an upgraded version of the S Pen, according to Ice Universe, a well known Chinese leaker. We could be seeing the S Pen finally become more than just a drawing tool. It could potentially be used for taking photos and controlling music playback too, effectively making it a portable Bluetooth controller for your smartphone. The S Pen is what sets aside the Note series from the regular flagship series of devices from Samsung, so it's only right that the Galaxy Note 9 will improve upon that feature yet again.

The S Pen is looking at not only becoming a controller for your music, it also could potentially be used for gameplay too. What that means isn't quite clear though, and could possibly be the result of a poor machine translation of the original leak. You can check that out below.

Any other functionality is yet to be seen, but it's clear that Samsung is looking to expand the S Pen's feature set. If it's Bluetooth enabled, though, that could mean that it requires a battery, which would make it bulkier than before. If it's not Bluetooth enabled, then it's unclear how the buttons on the pen will work with the Samsung Galaxy Note 9.

Ice Universe has been correct on multiple occasions in the past. Not just on Samsung devices either. Ice Universe said the Google Pixel 3 XL will have a notched display made by LG. We can't confirm it's made by LG just yet but renders leaked by OnLeaks and MySmartPrice indicate that the notched display will, in fact, be present. There's not much doubt regarding the authenticity of Ice Universe's report. The press event is still a bit away for the device's launch, but with leaks starting to appear we may learn more about the upgraded S Pen very soon.

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Via: SamMobile

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PSA: Latest Play Store update breaks license verification for paid apps

Google offers a number of tools to developers to protect their applications and ensure that pirates can't easily sideload the premium versions of their apps. One of these tools is LVL, the License Verification Library. Many applications on the Play Store use it such as Substratum and our own XDA Navigation Gestures App. But there's a major problem: In the latest version of the Google Play Store, version 10.7.17 and above, access to this library seems to be broken. This is causing a lot of people who purchase apps to suddenly see their apps tell them that their paid license is no longer valid.

One user faced this issue when launching Substratum // Source : XDA Junior Member theninjew

XDA Recognized Developer flar2, the developer of EX Kernel Manager, confirmed that this bug has affected his apps personally and he also reports seeing the bug on his daughter's device for numerous applications. He states that paid Toca Boca apps, like Toca Life: School and Toca Life: City won't open as they get stuck with a blank screen and rotating progress bar. flar2 confirmed that downgrading to Google Play Store v10.6.x fixes the issue. Another developer facing the issue is XDA Recognized Developer arter97, and the Open GApps team has acknowledged that flashing back an earlier version fixes the issue.

There are dozens of new complaints from the users on how arkTube doesn't activate due to "Google services error" in the last 24 hrs.
Anyone knows wth is going on?

— arter97 (@arter97) July 2, 2018

For most applications though, problems won't show up immediately. While EX Kernel Manager checks the license on every launch, many cache the license and only check periodically. Users of these applications will not notice any issues until the license is re-checked, at which point the verification will fail.

There is now a post on the Google issue tracker, though a Googler has yet to respond. We urge users not to comment on it as it notifies everybody in the chain. This is a crucial bug that needs to be fixed by Google as soon as possible. We've reached out to Google for comment and will update this article if we hear back.

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Millions of users’ data leaked through misconfigured Firebase backends

Millions of users' data have been leaked because of misconfigured Firebase backends, according to a report from Appthority. Around 113GB of data over 2,271 databases were exposed publicly as a result of being misconfigured. Firebase is a Backend-as-a-Service offering by Google which was reported to be the fastest growing SDK in 2017. The service is hugely popular amongst the top Android developers. It provides cloud messaging, push notifications, databases, analytics, advertising and a lot more that developers can utilize, all powered by Google's high-performance servers. However, it appears that many developers are misusing it.

According to the report, starting in January 2018, researchers scanned mobile apps which utilize Firebase for their back-end functionality. After scanning a little over 2.7 million iOS and Android applications, they found that around 28 thousand of these used Firebase. Of those apps, some 3,000 were leaking their data in a publicly viewable database that could be found by monitoring the app's communication with a server. What's more, the total downloads of these 3,000 applications exceeded 620 million, suggesting some very high profile applications are possible offenders too. The types of data that were leaked are below.

• 2.6 million plaintext passwords and user IDs
• 4 million+ PHI (Protected Health Information) records (chat messages and prescription details)
• 25 million GPS location records
• 50 thousand financial records including banking, payment and Bitcoin transactions
• 4.5 million+ Facebook, LinkedIn, Firebase, and corporate data store user tokens

At present, there's no way to tell whether your data has also been leaked, but it's always safest to assume th and you should act accordingly. Apthority claims that they notified Google prior to publishing the report, providing the list of affected applications along with the links to the publicly viewable databases.

We can only hope that the list of applications will be released at a later date, as currently users are left in the dark as to whether their information is publicly viewable or not. While presumably trustworthy, eyes from both Google and the researchers will have seen the data. We recommend changing your passwords as a precaution until we find out more information.

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Source: Appthority Via: Bleeping Computer

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Google is adding ‘Nearby’ API to Chromebooks for connecting to BLE beacons

Google added its Nearby feature to Android phones back in 2015 and upgrading it to version 2.0 nearly a year ago. The premise is simple – your phone listens for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and inaudible sounds to find out if you are in the proximity of other capable devices. Shops or brands often use BLE beacons that broadcast information to supported devices, but it also has other uses too. You can play games, message your friends, and even share files. It's not just for commercial use, and as such, we'll be seeing support for it come to Chromebooks, according to two recent commits made on the Chromium Gerrit.

These commits both suggest the addition of the Nearby API to Chrome OS, something that users of Chromebooks may benefit from greatly. Not only are they portable and more likely to be brought out and about, but it allows them to communicate with Android devices too. Given the Android-ifying of Chrome OS in recent months with many new additions, that part isn't so surprising. You'll be able to get the same notifications as regular smartphone users do as well when you're out and about, which includes viewing BLE beacons.

What are other uses for the Nearby API? Not much, at present time. It could potentially recognize other Chromebook users nearby, but what you could do with that information is limited. Chrome OS isn't exactly used as a gaming platform, unlike Android where it could make sense. It's also not typically used as a messaging platform either – users resort to third-party apps for that. It could be useful for connecting to your own smartphone, as the Nearby API allows for file transfer too. It will need to be implemented correctly to be used at all by users, so we'll wait and see what Google does with it once it arrives. All going well, we'll see it make its way to a Canary build in the coming days. If there are no problems then we'll see it in a stable branch in a few weeks time.

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Discover the RhinoShield Case Options for the OnePlus 6

If you're looking for a quality case with a minimal design and maximum protection, RhinoShield has a few solutions for you to choose from. Owners of the OnePlus 6 will find that the CrashGuard and SolidSuit cases make a perfect companion for your phone. There are several different design and colors to match your OnePlus 6, whether you have the black or white version.

RhinoShield offers three different types of protection for the OnePlus 6. The SolidSuit is their full-body protection, the CrashGuard is their popular bumper design, and the screen protector is the best option for display protection in combination with one of their cases.

SolidSuit

The full-body protection of the SolidSuit case now comes in  Carbon Fiber, Classic Black, and Classic White. Pair your color choice up with your OnePlus 6 to have a phone-case combo that looks perfect. The ShockSpread design offers an impact protection of up to 11 feet, while still being ultra thin and lightweight.

Apart from the innovation in materials, the Honeycomb Structure (a hexagonal pattern lines the inner surfaces of the case, improving shock absorption by up to 10%) and the Raised Lip Design also help in protecting the phone.

CrashGuard

The minimal bumper design comes in both white and black color options. The same ShockSpread design is found in the CrashGuard bumpers, with up to 11 feet of impact protection. The snug fit of the bumper will ensure that your OnePlus 6 does pop out, even when you drop it. You can also rest easy knowing that your bumper will not become loose over time, like many other bumpers on the market.

Screen Protector

For screen protectors, you'll have the option of an Impact Protection Screen Protector, Impact Flex Back Protector, or Tempered Glass Screen Protector. Each solution is designed to work with your CrashGuard or SolidSuit case. If you have a CrashGuard bumper, you can also apply a back plate protective cover, so that every inch of your phone stays protected.

Previously, RhinoShield only offered a black bumper for the OnePlus 5. These new options come with their effort to offer more solutions to the OnePlus community. With five different cases and three different type of protective solutions, you'll be able to find a perfect case for your OnePlus 6.

Shop RhinoShield

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Nokia 3.1 now available in US for $159 from Best Buy & Amazon

Since acquiring the licensing rights to sell Nokia-branded smartphones we have seen HMD Global achieve great success in the market. While some OEMs opt for heavy customizations in their software, HMD Global has opted to join the Android One program for all of their devices and as such have been able to quickly roll out security updates. Nokia smartphones haven't been readily available in the United States barring a few options like the Nokia 6 2018 (AKA the Nokia 6.1), but today the Nokia 3 2018 (AKA the Nokia 3.1) goes on sale in the U.S.

HMD Global first announced the Nokia 3.1 smartphone at the tail end of May as their latest budget Android One smartphone. It is a successor to the Nokia 3 that was brought to market last year and it's pretty middle of the road when it comes to specifications. Here are the specifications:

	Nokia 3.1
OS	Android 8.1 Oreo
Display	5.2-inch 18:9 HD+ (1440×720) Gorilla Glass
Chipset	Octa-core MediaTek MT6750 8×1.50GHz Cortex A53
GPU	Mali-T860 MP2
RAM	2GB/3GB
Storage	16GB/32GB, MicroSD slot
Rear camera	13MP
Front camera	8MP
Battery	2990mAh
Charging	MicroUSB 2.0
Security	Passcode
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n Bluetooth 4.2, NFC OTG, 3.5mm jack
Dimensions	146.25 x 68.65 x 8.7mm 138.3g
Colors	Blue/Copper, Black/Chrome, White/Iron

The Nokia 3.1 is currently on sale at retailers including Best Buy, B&H Photo, and Amazon for $160. This segment is rather popular in the United States as it can offer some decent specs for the price point. Motorola has done very well for themselves in this segment thanks to the Moto G and we could see HMD Global doing the same.

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Source: HMD Global

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Samsung Galaxy On6 launched in India with 5.6-inch Infinity Display

In January, Samsung launched the Galaxy On7 Prime with Samsung Mall in India. The phone itself turned out to be a re-brand of the Galaxy J7 Prime, which was released in 2016. This meant that it could not compete with phones such as the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro. The company then launched the Galaxy J7 Duos in May. In June, Samsung launched the Galaxy J6, Galaxy J8, Galaxy A6, and the Galaxy A6+ — its first "mid-range" phones to feature Infinity Displays. Now, the company has launched the Galaxy On6 in India.

Last week, it was reported that Samsung would launch a Galaxy On phone with an Infinity Display. With the Galaxy On6, the company has delivered, but it must be noted that the phone is a re-brand of the Galaxy J6 for the online market. The Galaxy On6 features intensifying competition in the lower mid-range price segment in the form of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1, and the Oppo Realme 1. Let's take a detailed look at its specifications:

Samsung Galaxy On6 – Specifications at a glance

 

Samsung Galaxy On6	Specifications
Dimensions and weight	149.3 x 70.2 x 8.2 mm,
Software	Samsung Experience on top of Android 8.0 Oreo
SoC	Octa-core Samsung Exynos 7870 (8x ARM Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.6GHz)
GPU	Mali-T830MP1
RAM and storage	4GB of RAM with 32GB of storage; microSD card slot
Battery	3000mAh
Display	5.6-inch HD+ (1480×720) Super AMOLED with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio
Wi-Fi	802.11b/g/n
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.2
Ports	microUSB port, dual nano SIM slots, 3.5mm headphone jack
Bands	GSM: 850/900/1800/1900MHz CDMA 800 and TD-SCDMA WCDMA: 850/900/1900/2100MHz FDD-LTE: Bands 1/3/5/7/8 TDD-LTE: Bands 34/38/39/40/41
Rear camera	13MP camera with f/1.9 aperture, 28mm field-of-view Video recording up to 1080p at 30fps
Front-facing camera	8MP front-facing camera with f/1.9 aperture

The Galaxy On6 is the cheapest Samsung phone to have an Infinity Display. The phone's design is standard, with the fingerprint sensor being placed below the rear camera on the back.

The phone has a 5.6-inch HD+ (1480×720) Super AMOLED display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio and 293 PPI. The low resolution is perplexing to see, especially when considering the fact that AMOLED displays have a PenTile matrix, further reducing color resolution.

The Exynos 7870 system-on-chip, too, isn't new. In fact, Samsung has been using this SoC in its phones since 2016. This means that it can't match the performance or efficiency of newer SoCs such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 (used in the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro) as well as the MediaTek Helio P60 (used in the MediaTek Helio P60).

Elsewhere, the phone is a standard Samsung budget phone. It's probable to expect it to lack basic sensors, unfortunately.

Samsung Galaxy On6 – Pricing and availability

The Samsung Galaxy On6 price in India has been set at Rs. 14,490. It will be exclusively available for purchase through Flipkart and Samsung Online Shop starting July 5. Customers purchasing the Galaxy On6 can avail a bunch of launch offers, including a complete mobile protection plan at Rs. 49, no cost EMI options starting at Rs. 1,610, and exchange offers. Additionally, customers with a Jio connection are entitled to receive a cashback worth Rs. 2,750 in their MyJio account on recharging with Rs. 198 and Rs. 299 packs. They would also receive a Double Data benefit on the first four recharges of Rs. 198 and above.

Samsung has offered a new 'Chat Over Video' feature that lets users chat with their contacts while watching a video by offering a translucent chat screen. There is also a preloaded My Galaxy Video app that lets users watch aggregated and curated video content from a list of content providers. The app includes curated playlists, original shows, and full-length Bollywood movies. Lastly, there is Samsung Pay Mini to enable easy payments through the smartphone.

 

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