Volkswagen vehicles have integrated into certain cultures so much that you immediately associate a vehicle with a specific type of person. This the case with the automaker’s hippie-era minibus, which has now been reimagined as an electric microbus, revealed during the Detroit Auto Show.

In a somewhat strange move, the company decided to unveil the iconic vehicle at the North American Internationa Auto Show as a new electric microbus concept titled the I.D. Buzz. It’s unclear at this point whether or not the company is serious about bringing back the iconic van to markets or if it’s marketing move meant to play on the nostalgia of an older generation, as a way to tempted to purchase the new generation of autonomous, electric vehicles.

VW’s division chief Herbert Diess stated that the electric microbus is part of the company’s strategy to sell more electric cars by 2020, and deliver more than 1 million vehicles with zero-emissions annually by 2025. The company’s offering will consist in over 30 different models of electric cars, some based on existing models.

It’s very likely that we will see an electric minivan after 2020, despite that VW previously showcased other redesigns of its iconic 1960’s minivan. For example, a conventionally-fueled and still retro-looking concept was revealed in 2001, followed by the Bulli 10 years later, which was battery-powered. Most recently, during CES 2016, VW revealed the Budd-E. All these teasers make it hard to take the electric microbus concept as a serious production vehicle.

However, until that point, the newly revealed electric microbus I.D. Buzz has some interesting features. The automaker claims that it has a range of up 270 miles on a single charge, meaning that it can offer the same range as a current Tesla vehicle. Furthermore, during the reveal of the concept, VW stated that this will be the first fully autonomous minivan.

The electric microbus is able to accelerate to 60 miles per hour. in under five seconds and it’s capable of reaching a max speed of 99 miles per hour. The vehicle benefits from having the batteries built into the floor which creates a low center of gravity and thus provides an increased stability.

What do you think about the company’s iconic vehicle?

Image credit: VW

The Taiwanese D-Link corporation is mostly known for producing several routers and cameras. New documents reveal that the United States’ Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit against the D-Link Systems, the company’s US subsidiary. The suit concerns the fact that the company did not properly secure their products.

The FTC issued a public complaint to a court on Thursday, claiming that D-Link did not take any reasonable measures to protect their routers as well as their internet connected cameras from largely known and reasonable-enough risks of unpermitted access.  Furthermore, the lawsuit also mentions the fact that the company did not test the devices for any security flaws, or made any attempts to keep its security keys strictly confidential, nor did they attempt to secure login information on mobile devices.

The FTC complaint strongly suggests that D-Link lack of addressing security concern has left thousands of owners of either routers or cameras completely unprotected and thus vulnerable to any hacker attack. Such an attack on an unprotected device could easily lead to the compromise of personal information.

However, the complaint and the overall lawsuit does not contain any breach of the D-Link Systems device. This has led the company to contest the FTC’s claim in court, maintaining that while the FTC says people are at risk, it has failed to show any evidence of such a breach of their security.

A federal court will be the one to determine whether or not to adopt a no harm, no foul position. In most similar cases, such as the 2013 complaint against TRENDnet ofter unsecured cameras as well as the one in 2016 against ASUS over unsafe routers, the companies reached an agreement with the FTC.

The lawsuit against D-Link is a test on the power of the FTC, which worries about the safety of consumers. Even more so in the age of the Internet of Things (IoT) which has seen an increasing number of unsecured products connected on the same network as a computer with private information. The FTC is trying to fill the security gaps produced by the lack of any laws that require such devices to have a minimum of security.

What do you think about the FTC’s lawsuit against D-Link?

Image source: D-Link

Steam has received a new beta update which reveals that the popular game platform will soon be able to have controller support for all games. This will allow gamers more options and flexibility. Furthermore, the Steam controller interface will be able to work with Xbox gamepads as well.

When it comes to games and how to play them, gamers like to have as many options as possible. This goes from using a standard keyboard and mouse to using a gamepad or joystick. However, not all Steam games have supported the option to use other types of controllers.

The new Steam client update which is currently on the beta version of the platform will soon be released on the live version. With its release, gamers will be able to enjoy whatever Steam game they want with a controller. The update includes support for specific controllers such as the Xbox 360 and Xbox One controllers, as well as any other general X-input gamepads.

The new update will allow gamers to properly customize the controls of their gamepads, by mapping any combination of keyboard and mouse functions to the device. However, standard controllers are well-known for lacking the capacity needed to play a strategy game for example. Only Valve’s unique Steam controller is able to offer this type of functionality due to its unique interface.

During the previous year, Valve decided to support PS4 controllers by allowing them access to the Steam controller’s interface. This allowed users to map any combination of keyboard and mouse controls to the specific buttons on the controller so that it can play a larger variety of games than ever before.

Although many gamers appreciated Valve for increasing the number of options they have to play a game, many also wondered if the Xbox One controller will also receive the same perks as the PS4 controller. After a few months of waiting, Valve has finally decided to announce that in the same patch, the Xbox One controller will be able to access the Steam controller’s interface and benefit from its customization options.

What do you think of the new controller support for all Steam games?

Image source: Wikimedia

If you’re on the lookout for the next best thing regarding headphones, the Consumer Electronics Show is the place to be, as many companies reveal what they managed to develop over the last few months or even years. Sennheiser has announced a number of different headphones and earbuds.

Although the company is best known for their over-the-ear headphones, they are not shy about experimenting with other designs and new features as a way to move the audio technology further. During this year’s CES, they manage to impress once again, revealing a number of standard headphones and earbuds as well as releasing its first neckband-style in-ears headphone titled the HD 1.

According to Christian Ern, the head of Sennheiser’s Portfolio Management Audiophile, the HD1 headphones were inspired by people who refuse to compromise in their ambition and push their boundaries. The HD1 in-ear Wireless represents this exact ethos only in the form of a neckband headphone.

The HD1 uses various methods for connecting to your main device, from Bluetooth 4.1 to aptX, AAC, and even NFC pairing. Although the battery last only 10 hours, it can be fully charged in just 1.5 hours. The headphones with a three-button remote, a microphone, and can even pair up with two devices at once. The neckband headphone will be available later this month for the price of $200.

If the new HD 1 sleek and stylish HD1 neckband wasn’t enough for some people, the company has also announced at CES two new in-ear headphone models. These are the HD 4.50 BTNC and the 4.40 BT. Both headphones are wireless and come with Sennheiser’s NoiseGard active noise canceling feature.  The device can easily be paired with your favorite mobile device using either Bluetooth 4.0 or NFC.

Sennheiser revealed that both models have a battery life of around 25 hours, depending on whether the active noise cancellation is turned off. Nonetheless, even if the feature is enabled they can offer up to 19 hours of excellent sound quality. Both models come with battery-free passive mode when their cable is being used.

Unfortunately, Sennheiser has not revealed any specific details regarding the price of either device, but they will be available starting with February.

Image credit : Digital Trends

Android is the most versatile mobile operating system as it is able to run any type of file users might need. However, this very functionality can pose a security risk. This was the case where several WhatsApp users received malware files on the platform.

The malware files come in the form of fake Microsoft Excel documents which seem to be issued by the National Defense Agency or the National Investigation Agency. These organizations are part of the Indian government. If downloaded and opened on a user’s device, the documents trigger the installation of a malware.

This hidden malware is then able to collect all sort of user info like various app privileges and information, thus gaining control of the user’s device. From there, it’s even able to collect banking information as well as your passwords, depending on the type of activities you have used your phone for and what apps you have installed.

The recent reports which revealed the existence of this new exploit also stated that the two fake files are most commonly titled as “NIA-selection-order.xls” and “NDA-ranked-8th-toughest-College-in-the-world-to-get-into.xls”. Keep a look out for these names or any other suspicious and unrelated Excel files or anything that you didn’t expect to receive.

It’s also important to remember that the malware activates and begins to steal information as soon as you click the files in order to either download them, view them or edit them in any manner. This cannot be avoided no matter in what app you are trying to open the specified files. Many users have speculated that the malware files were intended for individuals who are actually part of the military or the government, or even those interested in international relations. However, nothing has been confirmed as of yet.

The malware has already been reported to government officials, but it’s very likely to continue to spread to unsuspecting WhatsApp users. Security experts also issued a warning stating that in these types of cases, other hackers could develop copycat malware which has the same function and be transmitted through the same method. As such, it’s recommended to maintain a state of permanent vigilance regarding the files you get, if you’re not keen on installing an antivirus app.

Image source: Flickr

 

With the Consumer Electronics Show only a few days away, we can expect an array of smart home appliances to make their debut on the showroom floor. However, most of them will be a new generation of previously seen devices and only a few consist of genuine innovation. Among these, you can count GeniCan and Eugene as the world’s first smart trash can devices.

As much as we like to disregard our garbage, it plays an important role in our lives. An analysis of a person’s garbage can tell a lot about a person, their lifestyle, and diet. The way we deal with our trash, whether we recycle it or not is just as important. Thanks to GeniCan and Eugene, all these tasks can be easily managed.

GeniCan is a Wi-Fi enabled device which can be easily attached to the side of your trash can or recycling bins. If features a barcode scanner so that when you’re about to discard the package of a certain product, you can allow GeniCan to scan it and add it to your shopping list. The device even has a microphone for voice recognition, so you can easily add a product which doesn’t have a barcode.

The device is managed through an Android or iOS app. This is where you can find your shopping lists, which can be shared with anyone in your family. The app even allows the device to order items automatically using Amazon’s Dash Replenishment program. GeniCan will be released in early 2017, at a price of $150, with pre-orders available now at $125.

Another new smart trash device similar to GeniCan is Eugene. It has mostly the same functions as GeniCan, with one more extra functionality developed for environmentally-concerned people.  Eugene is developed by Uzer and its another Wi-Fi enabled scanner that reads your trash. However, when it does so, besides adding to a shopping list, it also informs you if you can recycle that specific container. The mobile app of Eugene will inform you of how much energy you’ve saved by recycling.

The developers of Eugene have stated that the device will be released in the US and the UK by the end of 2017 at a price $99.

Image source: GeniCan

Smart speakers which feature a smart home assistant made waves in 2016 with the launch of Amazon’s Echo and Dot products as well as the Google Home. However, it seems that the market is set to become slightly more crowded as Lenovo, the largest PC maker in the world, has decided to build their own speaker while still using Amazon’s Alexa smart assistant.

Lenovo’s new device has a similar shape to the Amazon Echo but it seems to borrow design aspects from Google Home as well. More specifically, the speakers are covered in a fabric which comes in different colors, orange, gray and black, while the top part of the device features a black or white plastic.

Furthermore, the microphone part of the Lenovo Smart Assistant can also be found on top of the speaker, like the Echo. However, it’s slightly jutting out rather than being covered by more plastic. Lenovo has stated that the design is meant to allow more ventilation for the Intel Atom processor inside the speaker. One last difference from the Echo is that Lenovo’s new device features eight far-field microphones, compared to Amazon’s only seven such microphones.

Despite being smart speakers, it seems that both Amazon and Google focused more on the part of the smart assistant, as the devices have not been regarded as great speakers. This is where Lenovo actually improves on previous systems, by offering a special edition of their new devices which comes with a Harman Kardon speaker.

This edition of the Lenovo Smart Assistant is slightly more expensive, but could very well be worth it if you play a lot of music through the speaker and have a high standard for sound. Lenovo has stated that their speaker will include Amazon’s assistant, known as Alexa, which can also be found in the Echo or Dot devices. Users can set up the speaker using the company’s app for both Android and iOS.

The Lenovo Smart Assistant device will start shipping to customers this year, in May. Interested customers can purchase the standard edition of the speaker for $130, the same price as a Google Home but cheaper than the $180 Echo. However, if prefer a higher sound quality, the Harman Kardon edition will drive you back $180.

Image credit: Lenovo

Although the Google has officially renounced the idea of developing its own self-driving car, it is still keen on developing the required technology through the recently established Waymo department. It seems that Google’s success with Android on phone and tablets wasn’t enough for them, and have also developed an Android infotainment system in partnership with Fiat Chrysler.

Waymo’s partnership with Fiat was mostly based on the automaker delivering a fleet of Chrysler Pacifica minivans to Waymo, where they can be equipped with the self-driving technology and then released on the streets for testing. It seems that their collaboration consisted in more than it was previously announced, as they have announced that future Fiat Chrysler cars will feature the upcoming Android infotainment which also functions as a platform to connect your car to the Android ecosystem.

Patrick Brady, the Director of Android Engineering at Google, revealed that the company is committed to developing Android as an automotive platform, which allows for a deep integration with vehicles in a seamless and safe way.

The new infotainment system is called Uconnect and will be based on Android Nougat 7.0 to provide a wide range of features, such as compatibility with the Android app for traditional in-car controls like heat, the AC, radio, and more.

This collaboration on the development of an infotainment system will integrate Fiat cars into Google’s ecosystem. It will give customers a lot of options regarding how they want to customize and control the features of the car, while Fiat Chrysler is still able to maintain control over the brand, design of their interface and their customer relationship.

Many Android fans wouldn’t prefer that automaker such as Fiat Chrysler to have control over both the look and the feel of a car’s Android software. However, auto companies do have to meet certain strict rules in designing the interface as to prevent driver distraction and they do like to maintain control over the general customer experience in their car, despite outsourcing most of the software.

The Android infotainment system will be available for testing during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on January 5^th.

Image source: Pixabay

Car-sharing or ride-hailing services have only been around for a few years now, but have seen a lot of controversies, more so than any other companies in recent memory. The latest situation comes after both Uber and Lyft, two of the most prominent companies in the US market reportedly discriminated against passengers from minorities.

Earlier this year, a study revealed that customers which are part of certain minority groups were more often discriminated against by both Uber and Lyft services. The study focuses mostly on how customers of African-American descent face more cancellations from drivers, or at least waited longer for their rides. Women from this group even experienced longer rides than normal.

The study gained traction and was picked up by news sites, and it even reached Senator Al Franken of Minnesota. He wrote an open letter on November 2, and addressed it to both companies, urging them to investigate these reports of discrimination based on race.

The study revealed that the revealing the name and photo of a customer when a request to a driver is placed, is what mainly caused the drivers to discriminate between their customers. People with a picture on their profile or with black-sounding names had experienced the highest degree of discrimination. As such, the senator suggested that removing the need for passenger’s name and photos to be displayed when requesting a ride could be a solution to this problem.

Today, the senator decided to publish both Uber’s and Lyft’s responses to his open letter. The document reveals that both companies defended their current practices.  Uber considered that removing names or photos from a request or even replacing them with codes could create a series of confusions for drivers. The company believes that this may even lead to various forms of accidents like someone pretending to be an Uber driver.

Lyft offered a similar defense to that of Uber, claiming that its drivers only receive the star rating of a client before accepting the request. Afterward, only the first name of the customer is seen by the driver, with photo account being optional and are never seen by drivers in the first place.

Both companies believe that this type of information is not enough to lead to wide-spread discrimination. Furthermore, its benefits outweigh any negatives as it is required to create a digital trust profile.

Image source: Flickr

Although Twitter is one of the more unconventional social media platforms due to the fact that users share news and chat through a limited number of characters, the company is gradually diversifying its services and features. It has recently added the capacity for users to watch 360-degree live video on Twitter.

The new feature is available to all users when it comes to watching videos. However, only a limited number of content providers and big name broadcasters can publish the video on Twitter using Periscope, the company’s live streaming app.

The new feature comes just as Twitter started to focus more on live video and events. The company’s new strategy is not surprising considering that video is Twitter’s number one ad format when it comes to revenue.

Furthermore, the launch of 360-degree live videos is that much more essential for the Twitter to remain relevant, as many of its competitors like Facebook and its Instagram app already launched such a feature earlier this year and they continue to invest heavily in video features, believing that it is the future of communication and overall media.

Twitter’s new live video feature will have a lot of beneficial implications for the company. It will be able to attract large media companies to release their content on the social media platform. The new feature also suggests that Twitter is keen on integrating Periscope as a core service of their social media platform. It is very likely that it will lead to the creation of a unified platform with one single large user base and audience.

Furthermore, the new live video feature will likely lead to an improved viewing experience for Twitter’s various streams of TV content such as NFL matches. Additionally, it could even become a platform on which to provide live video content compatible with VR headsets.

Despite the potential that the new feature holds for Twitter, the company still has a lot of competition from a lot of companies, including Facebook, Google’s YouTube or Amazon’s Twitch. Twitter’s future will likely depend on the success of these type of feature since the social media platform is not yet profitable but plans to become during next year.

Are you a Twitter user? If so, how often do you watch videos on the platform?

Image source: Pixabay