WikiLeaks republishes hacked Sony data in searchable database

Sony condemns WikiLeaks' republishing of data stolen in a crippling hack last year. AFP/Getty Images

WikiLeaks has republished the data stolen in last year's crippling hack of Sony Pictures Entertainment, making all the documents and emails available in a "fully searchable" format.

Although hackers had released the data in raw, bulk form last fall, WikiLeaks -- best known for the release of classified government and military documents -- announced Thursday it has published the information in a searchable database called "The Sony Archives." The release of the data cache, which includes 30,287 documents, 173,132 emails, and other sensitive information, proved a disruptive and embarrassing security gaffe for the studio -- one that the Japanese electronics and entertainment giant is still trying to contain.

"This archive shows the inner workings of an influential multinational corporation," WikiLeaks editor in chief Julian Assange said in a statement on the website. "It is newsworthy and at the centre of a geo-political conflict. It belongs in the public domain. WikiLeaks will ensure it stays there."

Sony representatives condemned WikiLeaks' republishing the data, calling the initial cyberattack a "malicious criminal act."

"The attackers used the dissemination of stolen information to try to harm SPE and its employees, and now WikiLeaks regrettably is assisting them in that effort," Sony Pictures said in a statement. "We vehemently disagree with WikiLeaks' assertion that this material belongs in the public domain and will continue to fight for the safety, security, and privacy of our company and its more than 6,000 employees."

The security breach, which Sony discovered in late November, turned out to be more serious and pervasive than initially believed, forced Sony to shut down its computer network for several weeks and delay issuing its quarterly results. A group calling itself #GOP, aka "Guardians of Peace," claimed responsibility and said it had obtained internal information. Hackers leaked the personal information -- including Social Security numbers -- of more than 47,000 celebrities, freelancers. and current and former Sony employees. They also leaked then-unreleased movies, as well as embarrassing emails between Sony Pictures executives, among other internal documents.

The hackers, which the FBI traced to North Korea, were apparently trying to prevent the release of the satirical movie "The Interview," which depicts actors Seth Rogen and James Franco as TV journalists drawn into a CIA plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

In a sternly worded letter sent to news organization in December, Sony Pictures general counsel David Boies referred to the leaked Sony documents as "stolen information" and warned them against any use of the leaked data. Later that month, Boies sent a similar letter to Twitter, warning that if "stolen information continues to be disseminated by Twitter in any manner," Sony "will have no choice but to hold Twitter responsible for any damage or loss arising from such use or dissemination by Twitter."

Despite the negative attention generated by the hack, Sony said in January that it didn't expect the security breach to have a substantial impact on its earnings. While some reports pinned Sony's cost to overcome the hack as high as $100 million, Sony's preliminary fiscal third-quarter financial results in February revealed that the company planned to take a $15 million charge in the current quarter to cover "investigation and remediation costs" related to the breach.

View the original article here

40 of our favorite iPhone 6 cases for style and protection

Apple has unveiled the iPhone 6, and it’s gearing up to sell millions of them. Shortly after they hit the stores, they’ll also hit floors and sidewalks as horrified new owners accidentally drop them. You can alleviate the worry by investing in some protection. That new sexy, svelte look demands some respect and we’ve got a range of the best iPhone 6 cases for you here to suit any style or budget.

Thoughtful design and quality materials make this case well worth checking out. It will suit anyone on the lookout for a wallet-style case for the iPhone 6. The exterior is genuine leather in black, red, or brown. Inside there’s a hard shell that holds your phone in place. It has all the usual cut-outs for easy access, and there’s a blue check or blue dot lining. You’ll find three slots for credit cards and ID, and a large pouch for cash. The elastic closure keeps the case firmly closed, and when you open it to take a call, there’s a clever magnet that holds the flap back for you. Use code DT15 to get a 15 percent discount if you order before the 1st of May.

At first glance, you might recoil at the price tag on these luxury bumpers, but the quality is impressive. The metal series offers aluminum in different shades with different colors of plastic on the joints, but it’s the wood series that’s more likely to seduce you. The top and bottom comes in your choice of bright silver or darker gray aluminum, and you can combine that with oak or walnut sides. There are also perfectly sited aluminum button covers. The bumper is fitted by unscrewing the top piece and sliding the iPhone 6 into place. Strictly speaking there’s no protection front and back, but the frame is larger than the iPhone all the way round, so the screen and the camera lens on the back won’t be touching if you put it down or drop it on a flat surface. These bumpers are really all about style, and they match the elegant design of the iPhone 6 beautifully.

This is something a little bit different. What if your iPhone 6 had a bungie cord attached, so it couldn’t hit the ground, even if you dropped it? Kenu has come up with a very minimal shell in matte black, with large cut-outs, and a texture that really enhances your grip. The case isn’t going to save your phone if it actually hits the floor, but that’s what the elastic leash is for. It clips onto the case and into the Lightning port, and it boasts a Kevlar core, which means it isn’t breaking. Attach the loop to something like a zip, and you can whip that iPhone out on the ski lift, or at the top of the Empire State Building without a worry.

If you thought the self-healing coating on LG’s Flex phones was interesting, then take a look at this case. It’s a very svelte, minimalist, transparent case that allows the iPhone 6 design to shine through, but it also boasts a self-healing coating. This is important, because transparent cases can be prone to picking up light scratches. It’s not going to bounce back from deep gouges, but light scratches fade away at room temperature, and you can speed up the healing process with the warmth of your touch. You can get it in a couple of alternative shades.

Here’s a budget option that goes perfectly with the gold iPhone. The case is made from a translucent gel material, so it’s very easy to fit, and it doesn’t cramp your iPhone’s style. The back panel has a glittery effect, but it’s not over the top. There’s a lip on the front to protect your screen, and you’ll find that the cut-outs are precise. This case also adds a little grip, but it’s slim so don’t expect rugged drop protection. We have a lot of pricey options on our iPhone 6 cases list, but this one won’t break the bank.

View the original article here

208 Awesome iPhone Apps for 2015

We don’t know what kind of iPhone app you’re looking for, but we’re hoping you’ll find it here. We’ve got more than a hundred of our favorite apps spanning a bunch of different categories, all of which you can find in the Key. Click on any category or subcategory to jump right to it, and click on the name of any app to link directly to the iPhone App Store.

Below are our app picks for Entertainment, Work and Organizing, Security and Utility, What’s Around Town, Social and Chat, Fitness and Health, Travel and Maps, and The Dark Arts. We’ll add new categories in the coming weeks and months. We hope you enjoy and please give us app suggestions or feedback in the comments.

—————

Our list is being updated all the time with the newest and best apps we come across. Here are the latest additions to our collection of favorite iPhone apps.

Joobik Player allows users to queue up video playlists from iTunes and play them on any AirPlay device. It’s a nice feature, considering that Apple still hasn’t created a queue feature for iTunes.

Hate missing your TV shows? Checkout TeeVee 3, the app that provides a countdown calendar for all your favorite shows. Choose which shows to follow and the app will provide information and video supplements as they’re released.

Storehouse is a storytelling app that lets users upload photos, video, and text to create a personalized story of just about anything. The app even lets you embed your story on blogs and browse other users stories.

Chronicle your adventures with this travel journal app that easily uploads your musings and images. You can share with your friends and family over FB and Twitter. It’ll  even work offline so you can report from the most remote locales.

Duolingo is a good way to learn the basics of a language for the excellent price of zero dollars. Add-free, Duolingo currently offers mini-tutorials for 10 languages with fun, game like lesson plans. Before you know it you’ll dream in German.

A simple messaging app to ask a friend to get a beer. Beer!? was inspired by Yo, the app that lets people message Yo. All you do is select a name from your Beer contacts and the app will send them a message that reads Beer!? It’s a fun way to pester friends.

The text-based Device 6 isn’t your standard mystery game. The game reads like a mystery novel with puzzles and a healthy dose of intrigue to propel you through this unorthodox thriller.

Twitter’s answer to Meerkat, Periscope lets users live stream on Twitter. Your followers can interact by commenting on the view. Finally, a way for your friends to respond to your live stream of the bus ride home.

Nuzzle will aggregate news stories from your Twitter and Facebook feeds to give you one place to catch up on the important stories. Set alerts to receive notifications when news stories are shared by certain friends.

View the original article here

See the latest leaked snaps of Oppo’s gorgeous bezel-less smartphone

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo may be working on a new device with an almost bezel free touchscreen. A set of leaked photos and a video show a large phone with a screen that reaches the edge of the body, much like the Sharp Aquos Crystal released last year.

Updated on 04-17-2015 by Andy Boxall: Added in new pictures showing the bezel-less Oppo phone in more detail.

New leaked pictures have given us a better look at the next smartphone Chinese manufacturer Oppo could launch. Despite several leaks, there’s still no name associated with the device, although there are some calling it the R7. There’s no indication this is final though. Check out the new images below, which show what’s expected to be a 5.5-inch touchscreen fitted to a potentially 4.85mm thick body. Combine that with the bezel-less screen, and the phone is looking very special indeed.

Before these latest images surfaced, a video showing the Oppo smartphone in action was also released. Putting any fears the initial leaked pictures were fakes, the video proves the phone is at the very least, a working prototype. Check out the moment where a promo video is played on the device, and the full extent of the screen’s image is revealed.

The first images of the bezel-less phone came a short while before the video, and were published on a Chinese website, where it was stated the screen measures 5.5-inches. Nothing else about the phone’s specs are mentioned. We can speculate though, as the company has already pledged to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor in future hardware, and has talked about including innovative cameras to make its new phones stand out from the crowd. However, if the screen looks like this, then we’d pay attention regardless of how cool the camera is.

Recently, an Oppo patent was discovered showing an unusual way of creating a curved, bezel-free display, but without the massive expense associated with phones like the Galaxy Note Edge. According to the patent, a normal screen is hidden under a specially shaped transparent panel, which projects the image in a clever way, fooling us into thinking there’s no bezel on the phone. This could explain why in one picture, the screen appears curved at the edge, but not in the other.

It’s not certain whether the pictured phone uses this technology, or is even a model planned for production, but it’s certainly very eye-catching. Oppo’s not the only one working on minimizing the bezel on its phones either. Aside from the new Galaxy S6 Edge, LG has shown a display panel with a 0.7mm bezel, and we’re expecting a similarly edge-free phone, perhaps called the Nubia Z9, from ZTE very soon.

View the original article here

Xiaomi’s on the move: Firm invests in Shine makers Misfit, and may launch a $100 tablet

Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi is already a significant challenger to established mobile manufacturers in China, and according to the latest rumors it’s turning its attention to the low-cost tablet market, and may launch a new slate to take on the iPad Mini, Samsung’s Galaxy tablets, and any number of models from Huawei, ZTE, and others. Additionally, the firm has made its first investment in a U.S. company, after pledging $40 million to wearable tech company Misfit.

Starting with the tablet, the news comes from Business Korea and quotes anonymous sources in the industry, who state Xiaomi has a 9.2-inch tablet waiting to be released next year. The screen size puts it midway between the iPad and the iPad Mini, but the potential price is well below both Apple models and the majority of its competitors. It’s expected to cost around $100.

Related: Leaked Xiaomi Mi5 could mean the end of firm’s budget prices

Normally, a low price like this would mean a low specification, but Xiaomi is best known for producing well-specced hardware at a great price. The unnamed tablet may have both Wi-Fi and 4G LTE connectivity built in, a 1280 x 720 pixel screen, a Snapdragon 410 processor with 1GB of RAM, plus two cameras. Xiaomi’s modified version of Android will most likely be installed, providing access to the company’s own application store, rather than Google Play.

If the tablet turns out to be real, it won’t be the first time Xiaomi has launched one. In May, it released the Mi Pad, a $240, 7.9-inch tablet directly aimed at the iPad Mini 2, complete with a Retina Display-matching resolution, and a strong 2.2GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 chip inside.

Industry analysts IDC show Apple has nearly 30 percent of the tablet market in China, with Samsung struggling at 7.6 percent in second place. Xiaomi is right behind with 7 percent, which it has obtained by selling a single tablet. A cheaper Xiaomi tablet probably won’t cause Apple much worry, but it could upset Samsung, which is already having to deal with falling smartphone sales, and won’t want similar problems with its tablet range. It’s unofficial for now, but if the report is accurate, the new Xiaomi tablet will be out early in 2015.

Xiaomi’s investment in Misfit is a first for the company. Best known for its Shine fitness tracker, Misfit confirmed on December 2 the Chinese smartphone brand was among its latest investors. Xiaomi’s no stranger to the world of fitness wearables either, and launched the $13 Mi Band earlier this year. Hugo Barra, the executive responsible for Xiaomi’s international expansion, has mentioned in the past Xiaomi is experimenting with other wearable devices including a smartwatch.

The company is among the top smartphone manufacturers in the world, but its co-founder remains cautious on the future. Speaking at a summit in Hong Kong, he said that just because Xiaomi is doing well now, the intense competition in the mobile world means it could all change tomorrow. “The biggest challenge for us,” he explained, “is if we can push innovation and low prices on a yearly basis. Technology innovation is the most important element for success.”

View the original article here

You only get two days to download $105 worth of Amazon apps for free, so get to it (updated)

Just when Amazon stops giving away apps for free, the company turns around the following week to start anew. This week is no different, as Amazon is giving away $105 worth of apps for free.

Updated on 04-16-2015 by Williams Pelegrin: Amazon reached out to us, clarifying that the promotion actually ends on Saturday, April 18. Gives you a little more time to download these free apps.

Even though we’ve seen some of these apps before, we’re certainly not complaining. Free is free, and we even get some new goodies. Games such as Adventure Time Game Wizard and Prince of Persia Classic are now free, as well as apps such as Wolfram|Alpha and Runtastic Pro.

It’s a pretty healthy list of apps and games, so check the list below to see if any of them spark any interest.

Since the free apps are part of Amazon’s “Free App of the Day” promotion, however, you’ll want to decide sooner rather than later. The promotion ends Saturday, April 18. Even if you miss this opportunity, Amazon regularly bundles apps and puts them out for free, so this will likely not be the last time you’ll see these apps sans price tag in the Appstore.

View the original article here

Uber could face charges in Brussels, reports say

Belgium's capital allegedly plans to file a complaint against Uber as the ride-sharing service continues to operate despite being banned in the city. Also, reports surface of a possible investment from Baidu.


Uber's smartphone personal vehicle service is in some hot water in Brussels. Uber

Another day, another potential roadblock for car-hailing service Uber.

Pascal Smet, the mobility minister for Brussels, has announced plans to file a complaint with police against Uber in the coming days, charging that the company is operating illegally in Belgium's capital, according to local reports on Friday. Smet also will file a formal complaint with federal regulators, asking them to block access to the company's mobile app.

Uber's service, which enables people to earn money by using their personal vehicles to give rides to people who traditionally might have called for a taxi, was banned in Brussels in April after taxi companies there took aim at the service. The consortium of taxi companies argued that Uber was in violation of taxi regulations. The city agreed and ordered that Uber stop providing its service.

Rather than shutting down, however, Uber continued operating in Brussels and has risked a fine of €10,000 per car to do so. It's unclear whether Uber has been levied any fines, but Smet's reported next move suggests there could be more at risk for the car-hailing service.

Uber did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Brussels news is just the latest in a string of issues the company has faced recently. Last week, one of its drivers in New Delhi, India, allegedly attacked and raped a passenger who used the service late at night. A few days later, the city moved to ban Uber. Thailand and Spain have both moved forward with charges against Uber, saying that the service was operating illegally within their countries. Additionally, Uber has disregarded South Korea's warnings not to set up shop in Seoul and launched its service in that country this week.

Uber's troubles aren't limited to foreign cities. On Friday, Uber began operations in Portland, Ore., even though city officials have deemed the service illegal. Officials there said they're ready to issue civil and criminal penalties against the company and its drivers. Last month, after a judge issued a restraining order against the company, Uber decided to shut down its service in Nevada until it finds a legal way to resume business in the state.

Despite the setbacks and controversy, Uber remains defiant, saying that its service is being embraced in every city where it operates. Last week, Uber announced it raised a $1.2 billion round of funding that could put its total valuation as high as $40 billion. Uber operates in more than 250 cities in 50 countries.

Uber might also stand to generate even more cash in the coming weeks. China-based search engine Baidu is planning to buy an equity stake in Uber for as much as $600 million, Bloomberg reported late Thursday, citing people who claim to have knowledge of the companies' discussions. Baidu would take a minority stake in Uber and the deal could help the car service expand rapidly across China.

If the deal is sealed, Uber could quickly overcome some of the issues it's facing in Europe and the US. China's consumer market is exploding and Uber has a massive growth opportunity in China. Best of all for the company, partnering with Baidu -- a company in the good graces of the Chinese government -- could safeguard Uber from any issues with the government.

Back in Brussels, despite the calls for formal charges, Smet indicated that he might be willing to relax his stance on Uber. In a comment to local news outlet De Morgen, Smet said that Uber could be "welcome in the city" but must adhere to all local laws and regulations.

View the original article here