Google Releases OEM Patch For Major Android Security Flaw

Ebay Exact – New App For Customizable 3D Printed Products Posted: 15 Jul 2013 08:00 AM PDT eBay has joined the craze for 3D printing after announcing the debut of a new iPhone app app called eBay Exact. Users are able to search through and buy customizable print-on-demand products from 3D printing companies MakerBot, Sculpteo and Hot Pop Factory. It is hoped this stand alone application will make it easier to find 3D printed items. So far there are 20 categories to browse through, with products mainly like jewellery and iPhone cases. The chosen product can be configured and then ordered all thorugh the mobile app, then shipped directly to the customer within 7 to 14 days. Ebay are not the only company promoting 3D printed goods. Staples announced in May that it would start selling 3D printers and Amazon now has its own 3D printing store. However consumers appear to still prefer to shop at sites like Shapeways, who have become an important role in making 3D printed goods more accessible to the general public. The site allows users to buy available print-on-demand goods or for those with a flair for design, turn their own ideas into products. Whether people will start turning to eBay for 3D printed products will show over time. Vice President of Innovation and New Ventures for eBay, Steve Yankovich said, “Shoppers today not only want to buy items anytime, anywhere through mobile devices, but they also want to be able to personalize their purchases”. But with this market still being relatively new, it may take time for consumers to become aware of the possibilites.

Google Releases OEM Patch For Major Android Security Flaw Posted: 15 Jul 2013 07:00 AM PDT In a follow up to our recent report regarding how an Android Security Bug was found to let hackers gain system access, Google has released a fix to its Android original equipment manufacturers (OEM’s) for this bug, named: Android security bug 8219321  as unearthed by Bluebox Security in February this year.  The flaw was confirmed from Google's Android Communications Manager, Gina Scigliano, she said "a patch has been provided to our partners." She also mentioned "Some OEMs, like Samsung, are already shipping the fix to the Android devices." The flaw in question will allow a hacker to turn a legitimate app into malicious files by modifying APK code without breaking the app's cryptographic signature.  In response to this, Google has already modified its Play Store's app entry process to scan for the exploit so apps that have been modified using this vulnerability can no longer be distributed via the Play Store.  Bluebox Security discovered the hole in Android's code, which it claims could potentially affect 99 percent of Android devices, back in February and informed Google at that time.  (but only made it public recently).  Samsung's Galaxy S4 was named then as one Android device that had already been patched, so it seems likely that this model is the device Gina Scigliano referred to when she cited Samsung as a manufacturer already shipping a fix.  The problem for Android users is that even though Google has now in fact released a fix to its OEMs, they still have to wait for the maker of their particular handset to implement and ship the fix.  This also poses another question, how long before their particular carrier tests it? Having to wait around to receive updates is a byproduct of the freeness and fragmentation of the Android sphere, still, it does not sound like this particular Android flaw has been widely exploited thus far. Scigliano has told ZDNet: "We have not seen any evidence of exploitation in Google Play or other app stores via our security scanning tools. Google Play scans for this issue and Verify Apps provides protection for Android users who download apps to their devices outside of Play."  But just because it has not been widely exploited yet, does not mean it will not be…does it?

Buffer & Echofon Partner Up to Make Your Life Easier Posted: 15 Jul 2013 06:00 AM PDT There are countless tools online that you can use to make your life easier, especially if you are a social media professional. Every pro has his own particular favorite, but for those who have interacted with me, it is no secret that I love Buffer. What started out as a small startup – the founders even had problems with US visas in the beginning! – is now one of the most popular and most useful social media tools out there. For scheduling and spacing out tweets (and other social media posts) – Buffer is the way to go. Now, Echofon has a little more on Buffer in terms of age, being one of the popular Twitter clients in existence. I use a different client for my needs, but Echofon certainly has more than its fair share of followers. Put together these two entities, and what do you have? A pretty neat experience for users. In a blog post published last week, Buffer co-founder Leo Widrich announced the partnership between Buffer and Echofon. If you’ve been using the scheduling tool for a while,  you’ll know that they have cemented partnerships with other entities – Twitter clients, browsers, etc. – which is the logical thing to do. With this Buffer and Echofon hook up, though, more users are able to schedule their posts on the go. Echofon is available both for iOS and Android, and the new integration with Buffer is not limited to one platform; so, yay for everyone! If you’re an Echofon user, but you’ve never tried Buffer out, you really ought to give it a shot. You can thank me later. On the other hand, if you know what Buffer is all about but use another Twitter client, does this integration tempt you to switch to Echofon? I’m a Tweetbot fan, but I have to admit I am thinking of downloading Echofon…

PS4 Can Alter Gaming Landscape, Sony Says Posted: 15 Jul 2013 05:00 AM PDT Okay, we all know by now that Sony's PlayStation 4 is likely to be a very big hit and probably outsell Microsoft's Xbox One, but there's no need to rub it in. Sony doesn't seem to have any intention of halting its "charm offensive":  the new gaming platform's architect, Mark Cerny, recently said the upcoming PS4 has the potential to significantly alter the landscape of gaming. So how's that for raising the bar? PS4 architect Mark Cerny says the next system can alter the landscape of gaming. The PlayStation 4 will be released this holiday season and is already a few points ahead of its main contender, the Xbox One from Microsoft. Sony's gaming system gained more popularity due to its $100 lower price tag and lack of restrictions on used games. And even if Microsoft gave up its controversial DRM policies, the price difference still makes the PS4 the more popular contender. And if that isn't enough, the PS4 is now touted to mark a renaissance of gaming, according to Cerny. The new system's lead architect also insisted that the console has the potential to have the highest variety of content and richness of material. Cerny talked about the flexibility of the new console and insisted that the next-generation system can give game developers and Sony more customization than a PC. He underlined that the PS4 will have an architecture that will be more accessible to independent game developers and make it easier for them to develop and self-publish their titles. Sony has already announced an impressive line-up of independently developed games for the new console, along with policies aimed at helping independent developers publish and promote their own titles, as part of the company's declared intention to focus more on consumers and developers. On their end, Microsoft officials say the Xbox One is the future of gaming and entertainment and will allow users to switch between experiences in a unique way, making the new system the best place to play games for many years to come. After backtracking on its DRM policies, the company has seen a marked increase in sales for its new consoles. It remains to be seen how the Microsoft-Sony competition will play out after gaming fans actually get the opportunity to try the two consoles for themselves. Both will feature at the GameStop Expo on August 28 in Las Vegas. Before that however, the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One will be playable at Comic-Con in San Diego this weekend. The Xbox One will be released in November. Sony has yet to specify an exact date for the PlayStation 4 launch, but gave assurances that it will definitely happen before Christmas. PS4 architect Mark Cerny says the next system can alter the landscape of gaming.

Bukito: The Fast, Travel-Friendly Portable 3D Printer Posted: 15 Jul 2013 04:00 AM PDT Most of the 3D printers currently on the market are bulky, hard to carry around and rather slow. So it's pretty hard to imagine one of these gadgets being able to continue printing upside down or in flight. But the Bukito, from Deezmaker, can do all this and more: this portable 3D printer is sturdy, fast, very light and affordable, making it a promising addition to the personal-use 3D printing market. The Bukito portable 3D printer weighs only six pounds and has a printable area of 5 x 6 x 5 inches.  The device is equipped with sturdy aluminum rails, which make for a very stable printing platform. Due to this fact, the device is able to continue printing even when carried around or turned upside down. Deezmaker president Diego Porqueras said the printer was specifically designed to be lightweight and stable and therefore appropriate for travel. The device will be ideal for classroom use and can be easily shared between teachers or students, he explained. Its rigid construction and the lightweight extruder system allow the printer to work significantly faster than other similar devices. The extruder system is also shorter than others, which gives extra speed and accuracy: the device is able to print at speeds of over 100mm per second. The extruder system's nozzle is made of metal, which allows the Bukito printer to work with many different types of materials without risking any damage to the nozzle. The printer uses 1.75mm filament and works with materials such as PLA, ABS and nylon. For the time being, the printer needs a power outlet to work, but developers are planning to release a battery-powered model as well after they secure the necessary funds for mass production. Bukito is currently on Kickstarter, where it has already exceeded its $50,000 goal and still has 20 days left of its crowdfunding campaign. Backers can get an unassembled  Bukito kit for as little as $549 and will receive their order in February next year. There are several kits available for higher pledges, and backers who donate $799 will get their hands on a pre-assembled Bukito, ready for use anytime and anywhere. Check out the video below to see the Bukito portable 3D printer doing its job in flight and share your thoughts in the comments below:

Hippflow: Now With Google Glass Support Posted: 15 Jul 2013 03:00 AM PDT Hippflow, which provides a service that makes it easy to update investors, mentors, team members and other stakeholders on a startup's progress and future plans, has now added support for Google Glass. The new Glass app brings Hippflow updates, which are pushed on the hour to Google's wearable tech, once a user has linked their Hippflow and Google Glass accounts.  It may seem risky to build an app for Glass ahead of an iPhone or Android app, but Hippflow's young Russian founder Kirill Chekanov is excited by the opportunities that the new Google Glass has to offer. First off, he notes that the Glass platform, in which 'cards' are used to display small snippets of information in a user's peripheral vision, means that it fits with Hippflow's status update M.O. and mission to cut down on email to and from a startup's investors and other stakeholders. A Hippflow milestone update and other types of startup updates work well within the confines of the Google Glass User Interface. Second, Chekanov says that a Glass app enables him to reach a defined group of target users (those in the Glass Explorer program) including some of Silicon Valley's most prominent investors, founders and other influential early adopters within the startup sphere.  This is exactly the type of user that Hippflow has been designed for. "I want to thank Google," he says, also revealing that he and his team actually built the first Hippflow Glass prototype 'blind' since he does not have Google Glass! Instead, he had to rely on help from others in the developer community for access to the Glass API. Chekanov says, "I wanted to help the community to experience an absolutely different way to do things, a way to do it in one click, organically, just as you breathe."  In this way, Hippflow's main competitor is email.  Instead of a founder having to send out monthly or weekly email reports to investors and mentors to keep them updated on progress, problems and plans, or even things like major purchases, these updates can be posted on Hippflow and appear in the startup's timeline.   Then, it’s various stakeholders can 'follow' the startup, and while most updates will invariably be marked as private, updates can also be public, providing a nice way of keeping early adopters or maybe crowdfunding backers in the loop.  For investors, it's also a way to help their portfolio communications scale. "How do you track 10, 20, 50 companies? You need your data systematized," says Chekanov. "This is a key to success. You want it on the go, short, good-looking." We look forward to seeing the full applications of this new tech.