Cybercriminals have been using Telegram for years, because it's encrypted and easy to access. According to a recent investigation conducted by The Financial Times and cyber intelligence group Cyberint, though, there's been "a 100 percent-plus rise in Telegram usage by cybercriminals" recently. And FT says the rise in criminal activity on the app came after users flocked to it following a change in WhatsApp's privacy policy.
If you'll recall, WhatsApp asked its users to accept a revised policy allowing it to share data with its parent company Facebook earlier this year. Users were outraged, and WhatsApp had to clarify that it still won't be able to read their private communications. Even so, people migrated to rivals offering secure similar messaging capabilities — for Telegram, that has apparently led to a rise in criminal activity conducted through the app.
According to the investigators, there's a ballooning network of hackers sharing and selling data leaks in channels with tens of thousands of subscribers. The number of times "Email:pass" and "Combo" were mentioned in the app over the past year reportedly rose fourfold. Some data dumps circulating on the app contain 300,000 to 600,000 email and password combinations for gaming and email services. Cybercriminals are also selling financial information, such as credit card numbers, passport copies and hacking tools through the app.
Tal Samra, cyber threat analyst at Cyberint, explained: "Its encrypted messaging service is increasingly popular among threat actors conducting fraudulent activity and selling stolen data ... as it is more convenient to use than the dark web." In addition to being more convenient than the dark web, Telegram is also less likely to be monitored by authorities, Samra said.
Telegram has removed the channel where the massive datasets with email and password combos are being sold after FT notified the company. In a statement, Telegram also said that it “has a policy for removing personal data shared without consent" and that it has an "ever growing force of professional moderators" removing 10,000 public communities every day for violating its TOS. Earlier this year, those moderators had to monitor hundreds of channels to keep an eye out for calls of violence following the attack on the US Capitol.
Microsoft will release Office 2021, the next consumer version of its productivity suite, on October 5th. That’s the same day the company will launch Windows 11. Much like Office 2019 before it, Office 2021 is a one-time purchase that will be available on both Windows and macOS. It’s for people who don’t want to subscribe to the company’s Microsoft 365 subscription.
Microsoft promised to share more details on Office 2021 soon, but we know from reporting by The Verge’s Tom Warren that the release will feature many of the same improvements found in Office LTSC, a variant of the software the company released today for enterprise customers who can’t access the Cloud. Among other improvements, it adds accessibility features and dark mode support. We also know from a previous announcement Microsoft plans to support the software for at least five years, and that the software will work with both 32- and 64-bit systems out of the box.
You'll now have a better choice of microphones if you're eager to start livestreaming or record your first podcast. AKG has quietly released the Ara, a $99 USB condenser mic clearly aimed at streamers and others just upgrading from their earbuds and headsets. You only have two capture patterns (front-only and omnidirectional) versus the $155 Lyra's four, and you're limited to a 96kHz sample rate instead of the pricier model's 192kHz. However, those might not be major issues if you're compressing audio for streams and downloads.
You'll still get some common perks like mounting options and a headphone output for monitoring. The mic works with any computer or mobile device that supports USB audio.
The Ara is available now. Whether or not it's a better buy over its most obvious rival, Blue's Yeti Nano, is a tougher call. You won't have the Yeti Nano's software effects or flashier design (an important consideration as a streamer), but you'll also get a higher sampling rate than Blue's 48kHz offering. It may just be a matter of priorities.
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Almost exactly 10 years go, we reviewed the GoPro HD Hero 2. It wasn’t the first flagship camera from the company, but I’d argue it was instrumental in bringing the GoPro to the attention of the general public. Back then, the maximum resolution was 1080p, photos topped out at 5-megapixel and it came shrouded in that iconic waterproof housing.
A decade later, the Hero 10 Black (revealed today) offers a whopping 5.3K max video resolution, 23-megapixel photos, no longer needs a waterproof housing (for most uses) and has a slew of fancy shooting modes that we couldn’t even have imagined three presidents ago.
Before we get to the review part, though, you likely want to know what else has changed. The headline feature is clearly the new GP2 processor. GoPro started using its homegrown chip, the GP1, a few years ago. Now, the second iteration is here and brings with it a boost in frame-rates across the board (5.3K at 60; 4K at 120 and 2.7K at 240 to name a few).
Even the front-facing display benefits from an increased frame rate, which should make your previews smoother. GoPro also states that the GP2 brings with it an image processor (ISP) that promises improved quality photos and videos. We’ll be the judge of that, of course.
James Trew / Engadget
You may have noticed that the max resolution for video is now a shade higher than last year at 5.3K (up from 5). We’re told the sensor is actually the same as before, but that the new chip running the show can eke out more use of it.
The camera itself is, thankfully, the same dimensions as the Hero 9 which means if you have a media mod or Hero 9-specific accessory it’ll likely work with the new model just fine. In fact, the only visible differences between last year’s model and the Hero 10 is… the number 10 and the color of the text branding — it’s now GoPro blue rather than gray.
GP2 times the power
The GP1, GoPro’s first custom processor, made its debut with the Hero 6 Black. It allowed the company to tightly integrate the brains of the camera with the rest of the hardware and yield more control over key features. With the GP2, the promise is “twice the performance.” The company hasn’t shared specifics about the chip itself, but the rewards are evidenced in the increased frame rates across the board. I already mentioned that the upper-most resolution is now .3 megapixels higher than last time and available at 60fps. Twice the frames of the equivalent on the Hero 9 Black.
There are other benefits to the new chip beyond FPS, though. Not least, it’s paired with that ISP which we’ll go into in more detail next. The GP2 also powers the updated HyperSmooth 4.0, and promises a slicker user interface and faster offloading of media (again, each of these will get its own section).
Image quality
While GoPro is touting the new framerate modes as one of the key upgrades this time around, I feel the image quality is worth tackling first — this is a camera after all. The good news is that it’s markedly better than the Hero 9. It’s tempting to assume that the higher resolution for both video and photos is to thank here, but there’s some other processing grunt going on in the background.
James Trew / Engadget
According to GoPro, new algorithms for tone mapping and noise reduction are also responsible for the bump in quality. All I know is that both videos and photos look better, and in a meaningful way. When I was reviewing my comparison footage, color reproduction was a lot more faithful without looking flat. Somehow natural and inorganic tones (say, buildings and trees) look deeper. On top of that is the fidelity. When I viewed images at 100-percent crop, the difference in detail was instantly obvious. Where some textures, like road surface or leaves, on the Hero 9 can smooth out when they’re not the primary subject of the video, on the Hero 10 you can spot features that aren’t present in last year’s camera.
Higher resolutions
On top of the general improvement in image quality is the added flexibility that comes with the new resolution and framerate combinations. The Hero 9 topped out at either 5K/30fps in 16:9 or 4K/30 at 4:3. Not bad. But the Hero 10 offers a pretty substantial increase with 5.3K/30fps or 4K/60 at 4:3 and 5.3K/60 when shooting in 16:9. That’s a lot of jargon, but essentially it means you have a lot more headroom for both 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios. And given that 4:3 is great for POV shots, a staple of the action world, that’s good news for your videos.
It’s easy to wonder why you might even want 5.3K video, given there’s not a lot you can natively play it back on. But more pixels is never a bad thing and you can scale something down to a more “conventional” resolution later or crop to 4K without losing quality. You now even have something close to slow-mo at 4K (60fps) in the 4:3 aspect ratio which is a first for a GoPro.
James Trew / Engadget
Then, of course, there’s that increase in photo resolution that we already mentioned. Three whole megapixels is a decent improvement from last time around and if you pull stills from video on the regular you’ll enjoy higher resolution there, too (the change varies depending on your video settings, but it’s an increase across the board).
More frames
Finally we can get to one of the marquee upgrades: Frame rates. With GP2 onboard, 4K video is now available at 120fps, giving the Hero 10 a respectable slow-mo mode for the first time at UHD. Last year’s camera could eke out 60fps at 4K, but 2X isn’t really enough to show off your laser flips in all their mind-boggling glory. The new 4X slow-mo at this high resolution is going to really show off your best moves. The new 120fps mode is available with almost all the field-of-view options, which GoPro calls “lenses,” bar SuperView which tops out at 60fps. 2.7K also gets a boost from 120fps to 240 — the max the camera can do, making this a great balance of resolution and framerate for action.
Of course, a high frame rate isn’t only about slow-mo, that’s just a common application for it on an action camera. A higher FPS also helps keep your videos looking smooth at normal speed, especially if there’s a lot of activity going on — which, again, seems quite likely with a GoPro. For example, I shot some videos on a bike ride at 4K/30fps and then some more later at 60fps and the sense of motion at the higher frame rate is noticeably much smoother even when played back at normal speed.
In short, frame rate is another tool in the box when it comes to lining up your shot so it’s great to see far more options here. It also means you don’t have to make a choice between FPS or high resolution nearly as much as you did in the past.
HyperSmooth 4.0
In a darker age, GoPros had no onboard stabilization. It meant handheld footage had to be shot with extreme care, and every twitch, pothole or wobble was recorded in great clarity. That was fine for some activities, but often it just meant you ended up with unusable footage or a spell in post to try and salvage things.
Since the Hero 7, we’ve lived in a lighter, brighter world where HyperSmooth would work its magic and make even the most jarring pursuit look slick and smooth on video without having to use a pricey, fragile gimbal. With the Hero 10 we’re now on the fourth revision of GoPro’s onboard stabilizing and it continues to work wonders.
James Trew / Engadget
Perhaps the most notable change here is the increased power of horizon levelling. Before, it would keep videos “flat” to the skyline up to about 27 degrees. After that, it’d gently tilt your video to match the angle of the camera. Now, you can hit a curve or ride a corner at 45-degrees and your video will steadfastly lock to the horizon.
As with all things, just because you can, doesn’t mean you (always) should. I like using horizon levelling with mounts, selfie sticks or anything that can easily go off-level while holding. In contrast, you could use it while mounted to handlebars, for example, but any tight turns or dramatic leans will get neatly ironed out. You’ll have a smooth video for sure, but it loses a little of the action dynamic. Fortunately, you can decouple horizon levelling from HyperSmooth right on the home screen of the camera so it’s right there when you need it (or don’t).
Front screen
All new on the Hero 9 was the addition of a front screen for framing yourself when looking at the camera. DJI came out of the gate with one on its Osmo Action, beating GoPro to market by weeks. Nonetheless, it’s now a mainstay feature and thus, subject to upgrades, too.
The one on the Hero 10 is the same size as last year, but with a small increase in frame rate — from 20fps to 30. It’s nice to see the company updating all aspects of the camera, but I personally don’t notice much difference, certainly not at arm's length, which is most of the time I find myself needing that second display. Either way, if you found the screen a little lacking in this regard, just know that there’s likely a better experience for you this time around.
James Trew / Engadget
Not so much a feature of the front screen, but it relates to the front, so here is the time to mention it: The Hero 10 now has an “hydrophobic” coating on the lens. If you’ve ever taken a GoPro into the water, you’ll know that drops on the lens are the fastest way to ruin your footage. They normally sit just where the action is taking place, too.
I haven’t been able to give this camera the full water test yet, but simply getting it wet, you can tell that water doesn’t gather in the large, subject-blurring drips as it did before. It’s not entirely water repellant, but big drops are a thing of the past, instead the worst you get is a collection of smaller droplets. These are still undesirable, but they seem to have less impact on what you’re shooting, so I’ll take it.
Faster navigation
Another light improvement is in the user interface and menu navigation. GoPro claims the touch screen is now more responsive and most tasks should be quicker. This definitely does appear to be the case. Older cameras sometimes need two (or even three) attempts for a press to be registered, but with the Hero 10 there were far fewer occasions where I found myself needing to tap more than once.
An even clearer example of the software side of things being more rapid is the amount of time it takes to process an HDR photo. While the exposure is instant, GoPro owners will be familiar with the swirling circles after an image is taken while the camera develops the photo. It’s not long, usually a couple of seconds, but with the Hero 10 that time is about cut in half. Between that and the general nippiness of the menus, the latest flagship definitely feels a little breezier to use.
One other small usability change that doesn’t technically fit here, but adds to the user experience is that the Hero 10 now allows for good old fashioned wired transfer. That is, simply connect the camera to your computer and it’ll show up as removable storage with direct access to your media. It’s kinda hard to believe that this wasn’t a thing before, but I double checked with my Hero 9 and, nope, nothing — you have to get handsy with the memory card and an adapter. Small graces, but we love to see it.
Battery life
Everything has been quite positive so far, so it’s time for a small spanner in the works. Battery life has never really been GoPro's strong suit, although it has generally improved over time. Alas, the Hero 10 feels like a small step backward. It’s not deal-breaking levels, but on a straight “click record and leave the camera” shoot out, the Hero 9 outlasted the Hero 10 by almost half an hour — clocking in at 1hr40 at 4K/30fps. When I did the same test (with the same actual battery) on the new camera, it only managed 1hr15.
James Trew / Engadget
GoPro, for its part, claims that most users are only shooting short videos and it’s optimized the camera (and its battery usage) for that scenario. That might be true, but one must presume that that hasn’t changed since the last camera. And regardless of your shooting habits, the physics of higher processing will always diminish your overall shooting time.
Things get even worse once you start flirting with those new higher frame rates. On my first day out testing I thought I might have a duff cell as it sunk to about 50-percent battery unusually quickly. It was only later that I confirmed that this is just the price to pay for smoother videos.
There’s not a lot more to add here, as this is somewhat to be expected: You’re asking a battery of the same capacity to do a lot more work. Let’s hope that future revisions and maybe even some software updates can claim back some of those precious lost minutes.
Price
Last year, GoPro tried something… different, when it came to pricing. If you bought the camera on its own, it cost $450. That was a little higher than the flagship it replaced (the Hero 8 sold for $399 at launch). BUT, and it was a big but, if you were willing to sign up for a GoPro subscription at the same time, the total price you paid was $350 — which suddenly felt like a solid deal.
The same deal is in place this time around, just it’s $50 more expensive. The camera and subscription bundle now costs $399 and the camera on its own is $499. Given how easy the company is making it for you to get that subscription though — if you have an active subscription already, you’ll get the subscription price — it’s fairly easy to get the lower price. In short, make sure you snag a subscription or already have one when you order.
Ultimately, the Hero 10 isn’t the cheapest flagship at launch, but neither is it the most expensive — that honor goes to the Hero 6 which cost $499 with no route to pay less. GoPro reduced that price to $400 though soon after launch. It might sting a little that it’s more cost than last year’s, especially if you’d been hoping to get the latest and greatest for the same price, but with general improvements the whole way round it’s likely not something you will dwell on for long — especially as the Hero 9 will retain that $350 price tag along side the Hero 10 as the now “mid-tier” option.
Wrap up
James Trew / Engadget
For a spell, it looked like DJI was going to maintain the pressure on GoPro with its Osmo Action line. But so far it seems like it’s taking its time when it comes to new models — although you can pick up the original for $200 now, which makes it attractive if price is your main concern. Likewise, Sony seems to have taken its foot off the gas when it comes to refreshing its own, quite popular, line of action cameras. There is, of course, also Insta360, which has gained a solid fan base thanks to its unique form-factors and modular model.
It’s a familiar ending here, then. The new camera takes everything that’s working and builds on it. Especially in the areas that matter: Image quality and shooting modes. That’s all we can really ask for. The fact that there are many other usability tweaks is just an added bonus. The apparent dip in battery life, while not ideal, will only really be an issue if you use those new frame rates as standard. As for the price, we’d love for it to have stayed the same as last year’s launch, but the increase isn’t into unrealistic territory.
One of the devices Apple revealed during its latest hardware event is an updated 10.2-inch iPad with prices that start at $329. You can get the base tablet for $30 less than that, though, if you pre-order from Walmart where it's currently listed for $299. The listing says the tablet will begin shipping on September 28th, a few days later than its official release date of September 24th. But if you don't mind waiting a bit to get your purchase, you can get the 64GB WiFi version of the 2021 10.2-inch iPad in either Silver or Space Gray from the retail giant's website.
Apple focused on updating the base iPad's internals instead of overhauling its design. It's now powered by an A13 Bionic chip, which also powers the iPhone 11, the iPhone 11 Pro and the Pro Max. The tech giant says it has a 20 percent faster overall performance compared to the previous generation. In addition, the new iPad is equipped with a new 12-megapixel ultra wide, front-facing camera that has a 122-degree field-of-view, which sounds especially useful for video meetings and online classes. Even better? It supports Apple's Center Stage feature, which gives it the capability to detect people and keep you in the frame as you move around. Center Stage works with Facetime, as well as Zoom.
Like Apple's other products, the new base iPad has Retina display. It will ship with iPadOS 15, which features intuitive multitasking, a Translate app and a Live Text function that can detect text in photos. The OS will also add a Focus feature that will let you filter notifications. In case 64GB isn't enough for you, Apple will also sell a 256GB version, but that's not available at a discount right now.
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Microsoft isn’t so much declaring war on passwords as bragging about a successful first strike against them. The Windows maker has announced users can now remove the password from their Microsoft account in favor of something that’s (hopefully) more secure.
The feature, which had already rolled out to enterprise users, will let you ditch your password and leverage Windows Hello’s biometric security tools. Alternatively, you can grab your phone and use the Windows Authenticator app to grant you access to your machine.
Given that passwords have now become such a pain for so many people to use, switching to something more elegant is welcome news. Of course, for this news to drop at the same time as the announcement that Microsoft had to patch a fairly substantial security vulnerability in Office is slightly less comforting.
It just has to work out how to integrate the necessary infrastructure.
The state of New York has passed a bill banning the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035 which, it hopes, will help slash the state’s emissions. It’s the third major US state to do so, after California and Massachusetts, while Washington state tried, but the bill was vetoed. Given the scale of the challenge to get New York EV-ready, leaders have already tasked a number of agencies to start working on a zero-emissions vehicle masterplan. That will include creating a market for zero-emission vehicles, rolling out charging infrastructure and developing incentives for purchase.
Xiaomi’s new device launch includes the flagship X11T Pro, the romantically named superphone with a number of gee-whizz features. That includes 120W HyperCharge technology that promises to juice your phone full in less than 20 minutes. On the imaging front, the X11T Pro is packing a 108-megapixel primary camera that can shoot 8K Video with Samsung’s HD10+ (and AI cinema modes). Watching those magnum opuses should be pretty enjoyable, too, since the phone’s display has a 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision and HDR10+.
At the same time, the company unveiled the Pad 5, an 11-inch tablet with a WQHD+ screen and support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. More importantly, however, Xiaomi’s ubiquitous Mi Smart Band 6 now has updates for NFC contactless payments. You’ll also be able to connect to Alexa for voice control, among other things.
Flight of the Navigator may not have been a global smash hit, but it certainly jibes with a certain age group right now. Now, several years after Disney first planned to do something with the film, the company has announced a reboot for Disney+ is in the works. Details are thin on the ground at such an early stage, but we do know that Bryce Dallas Howard (star of Jurassic World and regular Lucasfilm director) will helm the remake. If you’re looking for your fill of Disney content, Kris Nadus has done their regular deep-dive on this week’s episode of Marvel’s What If.
Well, it’s official, the robot dog that will hunt us all down in the end-times has learned to navigate on its own. Boston Dynamics has announced a software update to its Spot robot means the machine can reroute itself when its regular planned path is blocked. The company says this will enable Spot to better run autonomous inspection tours, taking photos in hazardous or hard-to-reach areas. Yeah, sure, that’s the reason.
Samsung has started manufacturing 90Hz OLED displays that will be used in the latest ASUS laptops, it announced. The 14-inch, 2,880 x 1,800 16:10 panels were significantly delayed, as Samsung said they'd arrive in March this year when it first unveiled the technology.
The extra speed compared to 60Hz OLED panels makes these interesting for gaming in particular. Samsung notes that the OLED tech creates less blurring on motion than LCD panels and claims you'll see clearer movement on a 90Hz OLED display than you would on a 120Hz LCD model. In theory, that could mean relatively sharp gaming on a display that's not as taxing for your computer's GPU.
The OLED screens deliver better color too, with 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage that beats most LCD models. They also offer deeper blacks, faster response times and better viewing angles. The drawback compared to LCDs is a lack of brightness and lower energy efficiency when viewing bright content. The screens are set to arrive on ASUS's Zenbook 14X Pro and Vivobook Pro 14X models announced earlier this month. Samsung is also supplying the 16-inch 4K 60Hz panels used in the ASUS ProArt Studio OLED and other models.
Apple didn't even touch on the HomePod line during its iPhone 13 event, but that doesn't mean the smart speakers will go untouched this fall. 9to5Macnotes an impending version 15 update will make the HomePod considerably more useful, particularly if it's part of a larger smart home. To start, you can set two or more HomePod minis as your default speakers for an Apple TV 4K. You won't have to specify them when it's time to sit down for a movie. They won't exactly produce thunderous audio, but they could save you from buying separate smart speakers or a pricier soundbar.
You also won't have to approach your HomePod to use Siri. The update enables Siri voice control through supporting HomeKit accessories. While Apple's smart home ecosystem isn't nearly as large as Amazon's or Google's, that could be handy if you want to quickly turn the lights on.
Other improvements are subtler, but could be valuable in the right circumstances. You can ask Siri to turn on your Apple TV, play a title and control playback. You'll automatically see playback controls on your lock screen if a nearby HomePod mini is playing music. You'll get notifications if compatible HomeKit Secure Video cameras and doorbells detect a package at your door. This is also a big update if you've ever woken your partner or neighbors by mistake — Siri will adjust its speaking volume based on both the room and your own voice, and you can specify a lower bass level to avoid irritating people in the apartment below.
Apple didn't outline the HomePod update's release timing, but it's likely to arrive on September 20th alongside iOS 15 and watchOS 8. Don't assume you'll get the vaunted spatial audio or Apple Music lossless updates, however. The release notes don't indicate support will be available with version 15, so you'll likely have to wait for a follow-up patch to experience more immersive HomePod sound.
Boston Dynamics' Spot dog is learning some new behaviors that will help the robot adapt to the real world. The company has delivered a Release 3.0 update that helps Spot do its jobs without human intervention. Most notably, it can dynamically replan routes — the robot's inspection will go smoothly even if someone inadvertently left a forklift in the way.
The upgraded Spot can also handle human-free scheduled missions, and it's smart enough to automatically plan routes when you choose the actions you want to perform. The robot will help you notice when something's amiss, too. It uses scene recognition to capture photos at the same angle every time, and human inspectors can conduct live reviews of changes Spot notices with computer vision, such as gauge readings and heat changes.
These updates won't mean much if you don't have the $74,500-plus to spend on a Spot of your own. They do show how Boston Dynamics' signature canine is evolving, though, and illustrate just how robots like this can help in real life — they're increasingly useful for tasks where it would be impractical (or just a hassle) for humans to step in.
Sony has revealed a second color option for its Pulse 3D headset: Midnight Black. It complements the Midnight Black DualSense controller Sony released for PlayStation 5 in June — the products share the same color scheme.
The headset's original white and black colorway matches the PS5's design. Here's hoping Sony is working on first-party black plates for the console to mirror the look of the newer peripherals.
The latest version of the headphones will be available on October 22nd. Pre-orders for the $100 headset are open on PlayStation Direct.
The company created the headset to take advantage of the PS5's spatial audio tech, which aims to place sounds in places that match what you're seeing on screen. There are dual microphones built in, which will come in useful for speaking with your teammates or if you're streaming your gameplay (though a dedicated mic is probably a better option).
The headphones are primarily designed for PS5 and will work with PS4, PCs and Macs via the wireless USB transmitter. There's no Bluetooth, but you can connect the headset to other devices through a 3.5mm headphone port or by using an adaptor.
Sony is rolling out a major update for PS5 today that not only unlocks the console's expansion slot, but adds equalizer settings for Pulse 3D. There are three presets: Standard, Bass Boost and Shooter. The latter puts more emphasis on shots being fired and footsteps. You can craft your own presets and save up to three for easy access. You'll be able to change the equalizer settings through the Control Center, so you don't need to access the console's main menu system to switch things up.
Meanwhile, the latest PS5 system software adds support for 3D audio through built-in TV speakers. So, if you prefer to play without headphones and don't have a surround sound audio system, you may still get some of the effects of spatial audio.