D-Link routers allows unrestricted access to configuration page

A frightening new vulnerability has been discovered in D-Link's older routers. Discovered by /dev/ttyS0, a website dedicated to embedded device hacking, the vulnerability could potentially let anyone get access to one's router configurations. It was discovered when one of the writers at /dev/ttyS0 reverse-engineered a firmware update that was released by D-Link.

One of the affected DLINK router

The vulnerability allows a potential hacker to get full access to the router's configuration page, even if the hacker doesn't know the username or password for it. This is achieved by setting your browser's user-agent to a certain string. With this, the modem skips authentication, and simply logs you in to the router.

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source: FIRSTPOST

BHIM app integrated with all banks in India launched by PM

By Regina Dias

As an aftermath of the invalidation of most cash circulated last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of a new app named Bharat Interface for Money – BHIM. The app works on the Country’s Mobile UPI mobile banking platform while the mobile number is used as a payment address. This app aims at substituting the plastic currency and point-of-sale-terminals.

Source: Google Play

How to use the BHIM app?

• Download the app

• Register your bank account with the app

• Thereafter set a UPI Pin for the account (follow the instructions)

• Use your mobile number as payment address. You can also create a custom payment address. 

The greatest advantage of the app is that it works across all banks and there is no need to use separate apps in case of multiple bank accounts. The app enables payments of up to ₹20000 ($300) a day and also supports QR codes which makes it easier for merchants to let customers pay online. UPI aims at facilitating person-to-person and e-commerce transactions.

While it’s only been a week since the launch of the app, customers say that they aren’t finding avenues to use the app. This is mainly because merchants specially the ones operating online are taking time to warm up to the new system.

Well well! We hope these issues can be dealt with asap, so that commoners like you and me can benefit from the uses of the app. 

Source:  Mashable India , The Economic Times 

Watch the fun summary of Zuckerberg’s Jarvis AI

By Regina Dias

Source: Comicbook.com

Mark Zuckerberg introduced his virtual butler yesterday on Facebook in a video post which shows Mark, Priscilla, Max and dog Beast at home in different scenarios where Jarvis can help. The video showcases an idealized version of how the Jarvis system works.

For those of you who don’t know, the whole invention of this AI is inspired from the artificial intelligence system designed by Marvel comics’ Iron Man aka Tony Starks where Jarvis can run voice commands, respond to texts,  run music, operate the air conditioning,  doors, recognize visitors and even shoot t-shirts from a cannon in his closet.

Not just functioning like a robot, Jarvis can also take decisions like whom to tickle next and in the video it was Max. Zuckerberg has bigger plans with Jarvis by not just confining him to the walls of a home. He states, “It could be a great foundation to build a new product” he wrote on a note released on a day prior to the launch of the video post. Read the note here.

He identifies the common obstacles like the absence of common standards for communicating with connected devices, machine learning and the challenges related to speech recognition. However, he also states that challenges lead to greater inventions.

Teaching computers new things is difficult, while they are very good at picking up patterns says Zuckerberg. Everything done by him this year including natural language, face recognition, speech recognition, are variants of the same fundamental pattern recognition techniques. He says even if he spends another 1000 hours more, it won’t be possible to build a system that could learn skills on its own.

In the meanwhile being sweet to his wife Mark posted another video on his timeline showing the kind of patience she displayed while he was busy building the butler. 

Source: Hindustan Times, The Verge

Amazon to launch Cash-Free Convenience stores

No long queue’s, No checkout (No, seriously)

By Regina Dias  

While going cashless is the new big dream here, somewhere on the other side of the globe, Amazon is planning on taking the retail market by storm by launching over 2000 cash-free convenience stores according to The Wall Street Journal. 

Pic Source: CNet

Amazon’s new self-checkout technology called ‘Amazon Go’ will literally allow people to walk-in the store, pick what they want and walk out- no checkout process at all, so no time wasted! 

To test this technology Amazon has opened a 1800 sq ft store it its hometown Seattle – for its employees. If proved successful the store will be open to the general public early next year. Unlike the technology - RFID scanners used in the regular retail stores which are subject to the RFID tags on the products; Amazon Go uses a completely different approach – it uses computer vision & sensors to detect what items are taken outside the store. When walking in, you need to scan the app, do your shopping and the sensors will charge them to your account when walking out of the door and although it feels like shoplifting, remember you are being watched by numerous cameras.

In theory, it sounds fantastic! Now all we have to do is wait and watch for if it does prove successful, it will definitely transform the retail market.

Source: The Wall Street Journal ,  Vox , The Verge

Google’s new Trusted Contacts app turns Smartphone into Emergency Rescue system

Your whereabouts now can be requested and monitored by close family & friends after being added as contacts during potentially dangerous situations

Today, the internet anyway follows us wherever we go - even into dangerous situations.  One’s security is a top priority and many tech firms are thus investing their time and interest in promoting personal safety. Based on this, Google’s Trusted Contacts mobile app lets you connect with your family and friends in case of an emergency.

The app was released on the 5^th of December, 2016 coincidentally after the deadly Oakland, California fire, which led Facebook to activate it safety check feature as quoted by San Jose Mercury News.

How it works ?

The app lets you tag people from your contacts. During an unforeseen emergency like an accident, wildfire or an earthquake or any such event or simply when you are unavailable to talk; it lets you send your location and a message. If you are offline for a long period of time, it can track your last location activities as stated by Minh T. Nguyen, a Google software engineer, in a Company blogpost announcing the launch of Trusted Contacts. According to Google you can turn the location settings down or change the trusted contacts whenever you want if you are worried about privacy.

Looks like there’s lots more than what we have share which can be learnt once you use the app..

Please share your thoughts and views about the app with us…

Source: The Wall Street Journal, The Drum

Be a part of a Worldwide quantum physics experiments powered by human randomness

Researchers need people from all over the world to get involved by helping them test the laws of quantum mechanics.  Yes! The world's largest quantum physics experiment is here.

The experiment run by 12 different labs around the world, will test Albert Einstein's idea of local realism - one of the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics.

So what can you do to help?

All you have to do to help out is play a bunch of online games for science. Now isn't that fun? All the Game fanatics are going to love this one I bet!

To participate go to the quantum physics experiment page: click here

Read to learn more about the the world's biggest quantum physics experiment.

   The BIG Bell Test from ICFOnians on Vimeo.

The experiment needs at least 30,000 volunteers from all over the world, and of all ages, to take part in order to generate enough random data to properly test out Bell's inequality.

You can be a part of it.

You do this by playing a game where you have to introduce the most random sequences of 0s and 1s as possible. These sequences you generate in your game will determine the order of measurement of quantum entangled particles in each lab around the world.

The games are accessible to people of all ages, and all you need is an internet connection.
If you pass all the levels, you'll have generated enough random sequences of information to help the scientists complete their Bell's inequality test.

source: Science alert

The ‘Hand- Energy Electricity Generator’ the new portable charger in town

Who ever thought, that energy generated by the human hands can be used to charge our mobile phones or run electronics? 

Well- well ! 

The new portable charger that will be available in the market from May 2017 is now turning heads. By spinning a complex magnetic rotor and battery system that is built inside a portable charger; this Hand-Energy pocket electricity generator allows users to create clean energy. It has a featured app that enables you to track activity and wattage; this handy device will up your power when in need! Priced at $73 on Kickstart, everyone’s eyes are fixed on this one – fidgety hands can now be put to good use…

Source: MashableIndia

By: Tara Flanigan

Dear Zindagi - A beautiful Film for Indian Cinema

DON'T LET YOUR PAST BLACKMAIL YOUR 

PRESENT TO RUN YOUR BEAUTIFUL FUTURE.

‘Dear Zindagi’ is a much-needed dialogue on mental health that is spoken of only in hushed words in real life, if at all. The film finally makes it okay to talk about it, to ask for help, to not being fine. Alia Bhatt’s Kaira makes you realize how natural it is to crumble and how it could happen to the best of us and more importantly, how it’s okay, important rather, to seek therapy. It’s a disease and, like most other diseases, can be cured with the right prescription of perspective and understanding. Even at understanding Kaira’s mental imbalance, the film never categorizes it as ‘depression’— a word that’s now used as a blanket term for any and every mental illness. You never feel the need to label Kaira’s condition, you don’t know what it is, all you know is you’ve felt the same at some point in life and you know how crippling it can be. Gauri Shinde leaves it at that and that’s exactly what makes it so much more relatable.

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source: mensxp.com

By: Ankush Bahuguna

What is Megabyte (MB) and a Megabit (Mb)

This is how your internet speed is measured in Megabit (Mb)

The difference between a Megabyte (used for file size) and a Megabit (used for download speeds). People often assume that a download speed of 1 Megabit per second (1 Mbps) will allow them to download a 1 Megabyte file in one second. This is not the case, a Megabit is 1/8 as big as a Megabyte, meaning that to download a 1MB file in 1 second you would need a connection of 8Mbps. The difference between a Gigabyte (GB) and a Gigabit (Gb) is the same, with a Gigabyte being 8 times larger than a Gigabit.

You can use Google's MB/Mb converter to calculate time required to download a file.

source: opensignal.com

OneDrive's downgrading free storage to 5GB

Microsoft starts downgrading OneDrive's free storage to 5GB. You might have to say goodbye to your 15GB camera roll bonus, too.

Heads up: if you didn't sign up to keep the 15GB worth of OneDrive storage Microsoft gave out in 2014, you'll soon see a big change in your account... if you haven't yet. Redmond is not only killing your 15GB camera roll back-up bonus, it's also slashing 10GB off your account, bringing it down to 5GB. The company started sending out emails about the change earlier this year, with a warning that your unpaid storage capacity would become even smaller than its original 7GB offering by either July 13th or July 27th.

To be fair, Microsoft gave people a chance to keep their bigger storage and camera roll bonus by opting out of the July change. If you remember signing up for that before January 31st this year, there's no need to worry: you'll still get to enjoy both. But if you received an email like the one below, you may want to back up your photos ASAP. Sad, but you do have a lot of other options if you need a cloud service that offers a big free storage capacity. Google Drive, for one, will give you access to 15GB upon signing up.


source: engadget
By: Mariella Moon