3 ways to keep your iPhone headphones tangle-free | ||
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| Science has shown that your iPhone headphones are conspiring against you to tangle into an impossible knot. There are some preventative measures you can take, though. Here are three ways to prevent your headphones from tangling up into an annoying bunch. Produced by Will Wei Follow BI Video: On Facebook Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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A teenager was killed after using an app to find his lost cellphone | ||
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Canadian law enforcement officials are stumped by a case involving a teenager killed after trying to reclaim his lost cellphone. Jeremy Cook, 18, apparently left the smartphone in a cab over the weekend, police officials tell CBC News. Police constable Ken Steeves of London, Ontario, told CBC News that Cook used a mobile app to trace the device to an address where he and a relative who accompanied him were "confronted by three men in a car." The exchange escalated, and the car began to drive off, but the police say Cook grabbed on to the driver's door. He was shot multiple times and later died from his wounds. The car and the phone were recovered, and investigators are now examining surveillance footage to try to piece together what happened. Cook's death has prompted law enforcement to urge the public to think twice about using mobile apps to track lost devices — more specifically, using them to retrieve the lost items on their own. "The app itself is a great tool to have ... but if you suspect there's any potential for violence at all, we certainly encourage people to contact police," Steeves told CBC News. Sanjay Khanna, a mobile phones analyst at IDC Canada, had a suggestion for why someone would go to such lengths to retrieve a phone. "Our attachment to our data is so strong," Khanna told CBC News, "that it might prompt people to not be as cautious as authorities might wish us to be." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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A huge security flaw has left 600 million Samsung smartphones at risk of hacking | ||
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A major vulnerability in software that comes bundled with Samsung phones has left as many as 600 million Samsung smartphone owners at risk of hacking, according to a report in Forbes. Samsung gives SwiftKey typing software included on its devices system-level access, and the software also installs updates in plain text, security company NowSecure says — which, when combined, make it possible for an intruder to hijack the update and remotely execute code and malicious programs. Here's what NowSecure claims attackers can remotely do using the vulnerability:
NowSecure researcher Ryan Welton says that the company notified Samsung in December 2014, and the company produced a patch in "early 2015." However, Samsung is reliant on carriers to roll out the patch, and "it is unknown if the carriers have provided the patch to the devices on their network. In addition, it is difficult to determine how many mobile device users remain vulnerable, given the devices models and number of network operators globally." In short: Samsung can produce the best fixes in the world, but they're no good to anyone if the carriers don't push them to their users. Recent NowSecure tests found that the the Galaxy S6 is unpatched on both the Verzion and the Sprint network in the US, as well as the T-Mobile Galaxy S5, AT&T Galaxy S4 Mini, and multiple other devices. The company estimates as many as 600 million devices could be affected.
So what can users do to stop this happening? Very little, actually. Not only does SwiftKey come pre-installed on devices, it can't be uninstalled, leaving users constantly vulnerable until their carrier rolls out the patch. Mitigating steps suggested by NowSecure including avoiding insecure Wi-Fi networks, contacting your carrier for more information — or, most effectively, just "use a different mobile device." In a statement, SwiftKey says it is "doing everything we can to support our long-time partner Samsung in their efforts to resolve this obscure but important security issue." It goes on: "The vulnerability in question poses a low risk: a user must be connected to a compromised network (such as a spoofed public Wi-Fi network), where a hacker with the right tools has specifically intended to gain access to their device. This access is then only possible if the user’s keyboard is conducting a language update at that specific time, while connected to the compromised network." A spokesperson also pointed out to Business Insider that the vulnerability does not affect the SwiftKey app available to download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Here's The Underwater Drone The Navy Will Use To Spy On Enemy Submarines  | ||
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Devices are vulnerable when they log on to insecure networks, such as a public Wi-Fi hotspot. Fox News boss Roger Ailes has been demoted in Murdoch shakeup — and he's not happy about it (FOX) | ||
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Roger Ailes, the longtime boss of Fox News who has built it into a hugely profitable channel, has been dealt a massive blow by the bosses at 21st Century Fox. There has been lots of change at the top at 21st Century Fox: Rupert Murdoch recently announced plans to step down as CEO, handing the company over to his son James. Rupert's other son, Lachlan, will join his dad as executive cochairman. And Chase Carey, the company's deputy chairman, president, and COO, will become executive cochairman. In an emailed news release sent out Tuesday confirming its executive changes, Fox makes no mention of Ailes. As news emerged last week that Rupert Murdoch was stepping down as CEO, New York Magazine's Daily Intelligencer blog reported that Ailes released "what now appears to be a rogue statement" to the Fox Business Channel, saying he would continue to run the news network, reporting directly to Rupert Murdoch. Ailes even went as far as directing Fox Business executive Bill Shine to tell Fox Business Channel anchor Stuart Varney to read the announcement on air, reiterating that Ailes would continue to report to Rupert Murdoch, New York Magazine reports. But a 21st Century Fox representative told The Hollywood Reporter, "Roger will report to Lachlan and James." That's a huge slap in the face for 75-year-old Ailes, who has long counted Rupert Murdoch as a close ally. Ailes built Fox News from scratch into a huge cash cow. The Hollywood Reporter said in a recent profile of Ailes that the channel was valued by Wall Street analysts at $15 billion and contributed to 18% of 21st Century Fox's profits in 2014. Despite his huge contribution to the company, Ailes does not get along with the Murdoch brothers, sources have previously told Business Insider.
Their feuds have been epic. New York Magazine describes a few of their tussles: Ailes' tangles with Lachlan were legion. Not long after 9/11, Rupert gave Ailes a new contract after Ailes threatened to resign following a heated argument with Lachlan in the Fox newsroom. Four years later, Lachlan quit his job as deputy COO in charge of the Fox broadcast group after Rupert supported Ailes in a dispute over a TV show that Ailes wanted and Lachlan didn't. In 2014, Rupert did nothing publicly after I reported in my Ailes biography that Ailes once bragged to a Fox News executive about moving into Lachlan's vacant office, thereby putting himself closer to Rupert than Lachlan. "Do you know whose chair I’m sitting in? I'm sitting in Lachlan Murdoch's chair," Ailes boasted to his colleague. "Do you know who's sitting on the other side of that wall? Rupert Murdoch." Judging by Ailes' history with the Murdoch brothers, and his apparent confusion around whom he will be reporting to, it's unlikely Ailes will be happy with the arrangements at the top of the company. His contract is up in 2016 anyway, and Ailes told The Hollywood Reporter back in April that nobody had been in touch to talk about a renewal. One of Ailes' other close allies at the company is Carey, who had been deputy chairman, president, and COO since 2009. The news release from 21st Century Fox says Carey will serve in his new role through June 30, 2016. He has been tipped to leave once that date rolls around. SEE ALSO: Now that Rupert Murdoch is out, here's the biggest question for Fox Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Turns out Pizza Hut's new hot dog stuffed crust pizza is a 'horrible tragedy'  | ||
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Economist Jeff Sachs reveals the biggest threat to the human race | ||
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Economist Jeff Sachs tackles economic, social and environmental sustainability in his new book "The Age of Sustainable Development." Produced by Sara Silverstein and Alex Kuzoian Follow BI Video: On Facebook Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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UK mobile network Three accidentally revealed user data through a flaw in an online survey | ||
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Three, a major mobile phone network in the UK, accidentally revealed user data through a security flaw on one of its websites, The Register reports. Security researcher Joseph Redfern found that entering any phone number into Three's survey site would expose the name and email address of the person it belongs to — meaning you could input a stranger's number and their contact details would be revealed. The weird part about the security flaw is that the personal data wasn't actually used on the survey site once it was loaded on the web page. Redfern says he informed Three customer support about the vulnerability, but never heard anything else from them. The next thing Redfern knew, the site had been taken offline, and Three's survey API was removed. We reached out to Three for comment on this story. Below is a video that Redfern made to explain the vulnerability: The Three vulnerability is similar to a problem that Uber ran into earlier this week. It created a petition microsite that allowed respondents to enter special characters (like # or <), and a security researcher used that vulnerability to enter computer code into the petition that forced it to display an ad for rival company Lyft.
Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 5 clever iPhone tricks only power users know about  | ||
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Independent labels aren't signing up for Apple Music because they fear it will put them out of business | ||
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Apple is positioning Apple Music as a friend to small record labels. But many independent British labels have yet to sign up because they fear they'll end up losing out on revenue, the head of an industry lobbying group told the Telegraph. Apple Music is going to launch with a free, three-month trial period to tempt users onto its platform. And music labels and artists won't be paid anything for the songs played during that time. This could be disastrous for independent British labels, some of them are complaining, because they cannot afford to lose three months of revenues. Chairman of industry lobby group UK Music Andy Heath told The Telegraph that Apple's plan for the launch of its music streaming service has dismayed British labels like XL Recordings, which looks after Adele's music, and Domino, the home of the Arctic Monkeys. He said: “If you are running a small label on tight margins you literally can’t afford to do this free trial business." The fear is that stream revenue those labels would have earned from Spotify will dry up as people check out Apple's three-month free trial. Once the trial is over, Apple says it will be paying more than the industry average of 70% of music streaming revenues to music owners. In the US this will come to 71.5%, and outside the US it will average out to around 73%. But this hasn't been enough to reassure independent labels in the UK. To his knowledge, Heath told the paper, no independent British labels have agreed to allow their music to be used in the three month free trial. Heath said: “I think the dynamic here is nothing to do with the royalty rates but there are elements of these deals that are just too difficult for smaller labels to do. It will literally put people out of business.” These labels are happy to stick with Spotify, Heath said, which continues to pay them for each track played, even if Apple is promising to give them more than the industry average at a later date. The Telegraph report added that two record label bosses had confirmed Heath's view, but did not want to be named because talks with Apple are still ongoing. We've reached out to some British labels and will update this article when we hear back. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Two models in Russia just posed with a 1,400-pound bear  | ||
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The 13 European tech startups that are most likely to be worth $1 billion next | ||
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Roughly three European tech companies a year have been sold or floated on the stock exchange, or otherwise valued by investors, at $1 billion or more since 2000, according to data from British investment bank GP Bullhound. But since April 2014, Europe has added 13 companies to its list of "unicorns." (Three firms — London-based online fashion retailer Boohoo.com, Spanish online travel company Edreams, and British mobile money firm Monitise — dropped off.) The continent now boasts forty $1 billion dollar-plus companies. GP Bullhound's report also sets out which tech firms we're likely to see reach billion-dollar valuations next. Foodpanda: restaurant delivery in Asia, Africa and Europe Founded: 2012. Funding to date: $310 million. Founders: Ralf Wenzel and Ben Bauer. HQ: Berlin. Foodpanda lets people place orders and local restaurants online or using its mobile app. The company has partnered with 60,000 restaurants across five continents. It is known as Foodpanda in Asia and Europe, and Hellofood in Africa and the Middle East. Hello Fresh: home-cooked meals delivered to your door Founded: 2012. Founders: Dominik Richter. HQ: Berlin. Funding to date: $193.5 million. Hello Fresh delivers customised boxes of fruit, vegetables and other ingredients to help people cook more fresh food. Huddle: cloud storage for big businesses Founded: 2006 Founders: Andy McLoughlin and Alistair Mitchell. HQ: London. Funding to date: $89.2 million. Huddle lets large agencies to share, save, and collaborate on documents online, and control who has access to them. Rather than competing with consumer-focused DrobBox, the company faces competition from legacy enterprise software such as Microsoft SharePoint, which companies have often been using for years. See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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Something that looks like an anti-Apple PR stunt may be backfiring (AAPL) | ||
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A pro-Samsung stunt that mimics a recent Apple PR gimmick has backfired, BGR reports. We don't know that Samsung is behind the gaff. We've reached out to the company for comment and we'll update this story when we hear back. The stunt in question riffs on Apple's recent keynote speech at the WWDC conference, when CEO Tim Cook showed off a list of demands for Apple products sent by a baseball player. On Monday, Cleveland pitcher Tevor Bauer tweeted a remarkably similar list of demands — except almost every product on it was a Samsung one. Bauer had apparently got his hands on the ball that was the first hit for Francisco Lindor, and his team is demanding a Galaxy Note Pro, a Gear S smart watch, and a Samsung touchscreen laptop if Lindor wants the ball back. The ransom note subsequently went viral, with more than 750 retweets. But something's not quite right. Here's the original tweet: Notice anything weird about it?
No? Look closer... | ||
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Samsung is known for 
Google released an incredibly uplifting ad about a transgender man's transition (GOOG) | ||
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| To celebrate LGBT Pride Month, Google has released an ad from its "My Business Division," which tells the story of how a gym in Kansas City became the go-to safe spot for a growing community of people who were born in female bodies but identify as men. The ad, created by ad agency Venables Bell & Partners, first homes in on YouTube user Jacob Wanderling who went through the transition to become a man, and chronicled the process on the video platform. It then cuts to Hailee Bland Walsh, the owner of City Gym in Kansas City. She uses Google My Business to share online that her gym is a safe, inclusive space for all types of people. Jacob used the gym to help him build up strength and receive support during his transition. The result is an incredibly uplifting. On the whole, if the comments below the video are anything to go by, the reaction has been positive.
SEE ALSO: Google kills us with cuteness in its latest Android ad Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Here are all the best moments from Donald Trump's presidential announcement  | ||
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Here's how one of the world's biggest banks wants to use bitcoin technology | ||
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Banks mostly aren't interested in bitcoin, but they are interested in the software that runs the digital currency — the blockchain. Banks run on systems that were in some cases built decades ago and as a result are slow, costly and cumbersome. The blockchain — the program that lets people send bitcoin to each other and records those transactions — doesn't have these legacy issues. The blockchain keeps a public record of transactions, spread across a distributed network, and allows much quicker transfer of balances. As a result, sending bitcoin is faster, cheaper and more transparent than sending traditional currencies. That makes it attractive to banks looking to soup up their money transfer businesses, but the technology also has potential in other areas — distributed ledgers could be used for "smart contracts" when banks make loans, for example, recording who's borrowed what across a public network. "We have internally identified 20 to 25 use cases where this technology can be applied," Mariano Belinky, head of Santander InnoVentures told Business Insider at MoneyConf in Belfast this week. Belinky reeled off international money transfers, trade finance, syndicated lending and collateral management as some of the areas where blockchain technology could be applied. Santander, the world's tenth biggest bank according to Forbes, is one of several lenders investigating how to use the blockchain in traditional banking. UBS has set up a blockchain research lab in London, Goldman Sachs has invested in bitcoin startup Circle and Nasdaq is also experimenting with the technology. It's pretty clear why the banks are doing all this. As well as making their systems smarter, it could save them a huge amount of money. A report co-authored by Santander earlier this month estimated that blockchain technology could reduce banks' infrastructure costs by up to $20 billion (£12.8 billion) a year. Julio M Faura, global head of R&D innovation at Santander, told Business Insider: "For us, the first obvious space to explore all of this in is payments, particularly international payments. Later on we think smart contracts have the potential to transform many of the other things we do. "We still haven’t made anything official, we haven’t announced anything publicly, but we have an internal team working on this. We’ve done some proof of concepts."
Faura is heading up a team in Santander dubbed Crypto 2.0 — referring to cryptocurrencies — which is carrying out experiments with the blockchain and digital currencies. Santander InnoVentures, which Belinky heads, is the Spanish banking giant's $100 million (£64 million) fintech investment fund, launched last year. The fund has made 3 investments so far and Belinky said 2 more are close to completion. A source told Business Insider that one of these is a startup working on blockchain technology. Belinky declined to comment. Belinky told BI: "We’re very excited about distributed ledgers and blockchain technology. They really have the potential to disrupt many of the basic processes we have underlying our transactional products." "What we see as the foundation use case, which is international payments, we don’t really need a coalition of 50 banks to make it work. We have ten major geographies. Just us connecting our ten major geographies will allow 100 million customers to make instant payments worldwide. If we partner with two or three banks similar to us we’ve got pretty much global coverage." But Faura adds: "This thing will only be interesting if many banks take part and collaborate. We are talking and experimenting with several banks." Belinky chips in: "It’s like having the first phone — there’s no point, you can’t ring anyone." He adds that while Santander is very keen to explore the possibilities of blockchain, we won't be sending cash over blockchain networks any time soon. Belinky says that "while getting to a working prototype could be something that we do within months, getting to an actual product that regulators say is good to go and the compliance guys like — that will take a while." Stephen Pair, CEO of bitcoin company Bitpay, told me during our interview at MoneyConf that he's in conversation with several banks about the potential of blockchain and related technologies. But he said: "I’ve been in and around banks for a while and they take years, even with software that’s well known and well understood." Pair thinks it will be at least 5 years before any banks seriously adopt a version of blockchain technology. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Forget the Apple Watch — here's the new watch everyone on Wall Street wants  | ||
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10 things in tech you need to know today | ||
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Good morning! Here's the tech news you need to know this Wednesday. 1. Amazon might start paying ordinary people to deliver its packages. The "On My Way" service would recruit retailers in urban areas to store packages. Then regular people wanting to make deliveries could use an app to see where to pick up and drop off goods as they were going about their day. 2. An influential Google Maps exec just got poached to build products at Uber. Brian McClendon will be going to work at Uber's Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburgh. He had been at Google since 2004. 3. A vulnerability in keyboard software allegedly left 600 million Samsung smartphones vulnerable to hacking. Forbes reports that the pre-installed SwiftKey keyboard installs updates in unencrypted plain text, making it easy to hijack and feed malicious code. 4. One of tech's biggest and most influential venture capital firms says we're not in a bubble. In a presentation to big investors, Andreessen Horowitz argues that this time it's different, and we're not headed for another Dotcom bust-style meltdown. 5. The European Court of Human Rights says websites are liable for the comments of its users. The ruling has been slammed by critics, who fear it could have a chilling effect on free speech and say it's unreasonable to place this burden on websites. SPONSORED BY PayPal 6. Y Combinator, Silicon Valley's hottest startup accelerator, is raising a venture capital fund. It's called the Y Combinator Continuity Fund I, an SEC filing revealed, although the company has declined to disclose the amount raised. 7. Apple almost struck a deal with Uber to deliver iPhones to your doorstep. The ride-share company was considered to power Apple's same day delivery service, but was ultimately passed over in favor of Postmates. 8. Tesla just borrowed $750 million. The electric car and battery company is getting a cash injection in the form of a loan worth up to $750 million from a series banks including Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, and Deutsche Bank. 9. Apple is about to make a big play for indie music publishers. Ahead of the launch its music streaming service, the Cupertino company has yet to reach out to indie publishers about rights — but it's expected to offer higher-than-industry-standard rates when it does. 10. Microsoft just made a huge privacy move to make Bing more competitive with Google and Yahoo. The search engine will now encrypt search traffic by default, making it more secure for users. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Should we kill off one of the most dangerous creatures in the world?  | ||
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A teenager was killed after using an app to find his lost cellphone | ||
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Canadian law enforcement officials are stumped by a case involving a teenager killed after trying to reclaim his lost cellphone. Jeremy Cook, 18, apparently left the smartphone in a cab over the weekend, police officials tell CBC News. Police constable Ken Steeves of London, Ontario, told CBC News that Cook used a mobile app to trace the device to an address where he and a relative who accompanied him were "confronted by three men in a car." The exchange escalated, and the car began to drive off, but the police say Cook grabbed on to the driver's door. He was shot multiple times and later died from his wounds. The car and the phone were recovered, and investigators are now examining surveillance footage to try to piece together what happened. Cook's death has prompted law enforcement to urge the public to think twice about using mobile apps to track lost devices — more specifically, using them to retrieve the lost items on their own. "The app itself is a great tool to have ... but if you suspect there's any potential for violence at all, we certainly encourage people to contact police," Steeves told CBC News. Sanjay Khanna, a mobile phones analyst at IDC Canada, had a suggestion for why someone would go to such lengths to retrieve a phone. "Our attachment to our data is so strong," Khanna told CBC News, "that it might prompt people to not be as cautious as authorities might wish us to be." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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13 brilliant ideas that turned these people into self-made billionaires | ||
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In general, nine out of 10 startups fail. But the ones who make it all have one thing in common: a brilliant idea. Like these self-made billionaires did with their companies. Larry Page and Sergey Brin were PhD students at Stanford when they first came up with the idea of a search engine. But their idea was a little different than the other search engines in the market: it would examine the number and relevance of links between pages, not just the keywords on them. Google's search engine now dominates the market, and the company has more than $66 billion in sales. It's now involved in other businesses too — it makes the most popular mobile phone platform in the world (Android) and runs the most popular video web site in the world (YouTube). It's also experimenting with all kinds of futuristic projects like Google Glass (seen here). Page and Brin are now each worth almost $30 billion. Mark Zuckerberg was a Harvard undergrad when he came up with the idea of a "hot or not" type of website called Facemash. From that site, Zuckerberg learned how technology could be used to connect people and launched a site called thefacebook.com. See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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Biological anthropologist: Tinder works because it mimics millennia-old human behavior | ||
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When famous astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson had two relationship experts appear on his StarTalk Radio show to discuss the evolution of love and relationships, it's not surprising that the conversation almost immediately turned to Tinder — a popular dating app where the user swipes the pictures of their potential matches to the right if they like what they see, or to the left if they don't. Tinder gets a bad rap sometimes. It's been called a hook-up app and an app for only shallow people since users judge potential matches on their appearance. But one of Tyson's guests, biological anthropologist Helen Fisher, made an interesting point: Tinder is nothing new. It's just a new interface for doing things the way we did them millions of years ago. Tinder works well because it mimics the first thing you have to do in a real-life encounter — you have to look at the person, Fisher said. And you can tell a lot about a person from just looking. Calling apps like Tinder and websites like OkCupid "dating sites" is somewhat of a misnomer, Fisher said. "The bottom line is these are not dating sites," Fisher said. "They’re introducing sites." You can swipe all you want, but eventually you'll have to meet someone in person. "And when you get into the bar or into the coffeehouse or whatever [to meet a Tinder date], and you sit down, the ancient human brain works the way it always has and you court the way you did a million years ago," Fisher said. When you think of dating websites as introduction websites, it seems natural that we'd incorporate them into modern love and dating. "We no longer have parents that can fix us up," Fisher said. "By middle age you've gone through the people who your girlfriends could introduce you to, you've met everyone that you might have wanted to meet at work, and [online dating] is cheap, it's easy, and it's safe, so why wouldn't we want to do it?" Of course it can be more complicated than that. Some reports suggest that nearly 30% of Tinder users are already married and are just using the app to get something on the side. Fisher is more optimistic. "Romantic love is like a sleeping cat — it can be wakened at any moment," Fisher said. That means even people who are on Tinder just for sex might meet the "person who triggers that brain circuitry for romantic love, and they're off to the races on something even more powerful than sex," Fisher said. You can listen to the whole StarTalk episode below. The Tinder discussion happens in the first three minutes and last five minutes of the show: SEE ALSO: Transgender people are reportedly being banned from Tinder Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: This video of a slab of meat swiping right on Tinder is weirdly perfect  | ||
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The tech industry is so insane, the comedy writers on 'Silicon Valley' can't keep up | ||
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Today at the Bloomberg Technology Conference, Bloomberg's Emily Chang asked Thomas Middleditch, the star of HBO's "Silicon Valley," if we were in a bubble. "What is the tech bubble? What does that even mean?" said Middleditch. As a more proper response to the question, Middleditch told a story from the production of the show. In the first episode, Hooli CEO Gavin Bellsom tries to buy out the Pied Piper technology from Richard, Middleditch's character, for $10 million. But apparently, in the first draft of the script, it was $100 million. The writers ultimately decided that $100 million was too unrealistic for anybody to turn down. Between filming that pilot and the show actually airing on HBO, the news came out that Snapchat had turned down $4 billion in an acquisition offer. "We were like 'oh wow, silly us,'" Middleditch says. "To us, $4 billion seems like the end result." Middleditch went on to poke fun at Snapchat's hubris: "These selfies will be revolutionary. They're going to change the world." Incidentally, Middleditch says that fellow Silicon Valley star TJ Miller was approached by Waze to be an investor, before Google snapped it up for millions. "He should have gone in," Middleditch says. "This feels like a very tense moment right now," quipped Mike Schur, executive producer of shows like Parks & Recreation (which featured a fictional startup called Gryzzl that mined users' personal data) and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. With all of these "absurd" deals and valuation flying around, Schur says that "of course" there's a bubble — and that the hubris makes for great joke fodder. "I think Hollywood really likes to satirize any subculture that's more absurd and self-obsessed than we are," the Hollywood-based Schur said.
SEE ALSO: A subtle jab at a flopped Microsoft product is hidden in a recent episode of 'Silicon Valley' Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: JAMES ALTUCHER: What HBO's show 'Silicon Valley' gets wrong about Silicon Valley  | ||
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An influential Google Maps exec just got poached to build products at Uber | ||
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Google's former head of Maps, once seen as one of Google's most influential execs, just got poached by Uber, according to Re/code. Business Insider has independently confirmed the report. As a ten-year Google Maps veteran, Brian McClendon will be bringing his expertise to Uber's new Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburgh, where he'll be guiding the company's development of mapping and vehicle safety and autonomy technology. That McClendon decided to leave isn't exactly surprising. Jen Fitzpatrick replaced McClendon as Google Maps VP last fall, and in May, and a source told Business Insider that he was likely on his way out. McClendon, described as a "towering figure" within the the company, joined Google way back in 2004 after it acquired the digital mapping software startup Keyhole where he was an engineering VP. And the fact that McClendon left Google for Uber isn't exactly a shock either, given the talent flow between the two companies lately. Tom Fallows, former founder of Google Express and current Uber exec, said on stage at a recent StrictlyVC event that one out of three people he works with is a former Google colleague. Google's PR boss, Rachel Whetstone, recently ditched the search giant for Uber too. Uber currently uses Google Maps data to power its apps for drivers and riders, but McClendon's hire in conjunction with the company's recent acquisition of a mapping startup and reports that it could be interested in buying Nokia's mapping unit, hint that that relationship might not last. Google and Uber's ambitions are starting to overlap more in other areas too: Both companies are experimenting in the speedy-delivery space. Google has Express, a same-day delivery service that's available in seven areas. Meanwhile, Uber continues to experiment with ways it can turn its vast fleet of drivers into a logistical network to be reckoned with. SEE ALSO: East Hampton officials are pushing for jail time for Uber drivers, says their lawyer Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Gen. Stanley McChrystal on how Uber operates just like a special forces unit  | ||
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THE CONNECTED-HOME REPORT: Forecasts and growth trends for one of the top 'Internet of Things' markets | ||
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Homes around the world are going to become smarter and more connected over the next five years. Overall, a fair number of mainstream consumers still don't fully understand what connected-home devices are and how they work, and so demand hasn't reached its full potential. However, adoption and awareness is still high for such a new category. We expect the devices to become more prevalent in the next two years, when growth will peak. In a recent report on the connected home, BI Intelligence takes a closer look at this market, and forecasts shipments and revenue growth for connected-home devices over the next five years. We also examine current consumer sentiment about these new devices, the potential opportunities and barriers the Internet of Things will face on its way to mainstream adoption, and the leading companies currently in the market. Access The Full Report And Data By Signing Up For A Trial Today >> Here are some key points from the report:
The report is full of charts and data that can be downloaded and put to use. In full, the report:
To access the full report from BI Intelligence, sign up for a 14-day trial here. Members also gain access to new in-depth reports, hundreds of charts and datasets, as well as daily newsletters on the digital industry.
Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Forget Kim Kardashian — the 'butt selfie' queen of Instagram is a 21-year-old from Long Island  | ||
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Here are 13 tech jobs that pay at least $130,000 across the country | ||
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There's no question that technology related jobs, whether building software or managing a network, are in demand and pay well. But most salary lists of the best-paying tech jobs use average salaries. Fact is, wages are higher in places like San Francisco, New York, and Boston than they are most of the rest of the country, which skews the data a bit. Tech recruiting specialist Mondo recently published a report on the highest paid tech jobs with a salary ranges, reflecting regional differences in pay, with areas like NYC/San Francisco on the high end and areas like Florida/Dallas on the low end. IS Security Manager: Up to $169,000 IS Security Manager: $130,000-$169,000 An information systems security manager is responsible for making sure that networks, servers and apps are safe from hackers. This may be the top security position in a smaller company or, in a larger one, this person may report to a Chief Security Officer. BI Developer: Up to $171,000 BI Developer: $130,000-$171,000 A "business intelligence" developer is a computer programmer that specializes in writing database apps that help business analyze data. This field has exploded with the big data craze. There are now a lot of methods to cheaply collect and store vast amounts of data. But that does no good unless there are "business intelligence" apps that use all that data. UI/UX Designer: Up to $172,000 UI/UX Designer: $110,000-$172,000 A "user interface" or "user experience" designer is the person that designs how people use a product. Is it easy to figure out? Can people find all the features? This designer is also often responsible for the aesthetic look of an app or product. See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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Y Combinator, Silicon Valley's hottest startup factory, has filed to raise a venture capital fund | ||
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Y Combinator is raising money to create a new VC fund according to forms filed with the SEC. It's called the Y Combinator Continuity Fund I. The company declined to disclose the amount raised, and the filing indicated that the first sale has yet to occur. Business Insider's Jon Marino first reported that Y Combinator was looking to raise several billion dollars for a fund in March. According to sources, that fund would allegedly be used to support some of the incubator's largest investments, although it has told potential investors it would still be looking to continue its investments on the seed level. This appears to be the company's first filing of this particular type, known as an SEC Form D. Y Combinator listed the Continuity Fund both as a 3(c)(1), which means the fund may not be owned by more than 100 shareholders, and a 3(c)(7), which narrows the investor pool down to 499 or fewer "qualified purchasers". Business Insider tried calling the phone number on the form for comment, but it was disconnected. Y Combinator did not initially respond to a request for comment. The Continuity Fund could be Y Combinator's way of doubling down on some of the startup its backed in its early years, like Dropbox, Airbnb and Stripe. With tech IPOs drying up, more companies are staying private longer so Y Combinator may be looking to do some late-stage deals at higher valuations. SEE ALSO: Y Combinator is raising billions, and it could be making a big change to its funding strategy Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Here are all the best moments from Donald Trump's presidential announcement  | ||
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Amazon just made its most popular Kindle even better, without raising the price | ||
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If you're a fan of e-readers, Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite has long been one of the best options out there. Wednesday, the company's introducing an updated version of the popular device with a better screen and smarter guts that makes it even easier to read on than ever. The price of the new device — which starts shipping June 30 — stays put at $119. What changedWhen Amazon released its fanciest Kindle, the Voyage, late last year, we were impressed by how crisp and clean its text looked, in large part because of a 300 pixels-per-inch display. The new Paperwhite is getting upgraded to that same resolution, a 2X improvement to the former model (though, unfortunately, it won't have the front light that makes the Voyage adjust its brightness to any environment). The Paperwhite will also ship with the font Bookerly that Amazon built in-house to optimize reading speed with less eyestrain. Bookerly couples with a new typesetting engine which subtlely improves how each "page" looks. Older models of the Paperwhite didn't mimic the format of physical books as well as the new version does, including through the use of better hyphenation and more natural spacing between words. Amazon says that even with the better, crisper screen and smarter interior, the e-reader will still last for several weeks on one charge. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Mark Cuban explains why downloading Snapchat is a huge mistake  | ||
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Rachel Dolezal says Caitlyn Jenner's story really resonates with her | ||
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Rachel Dolezal said that her life experience is similar to Caitlyn Jenner's. In a new part from an interview with NBC News' "Today Show," the controversial former head of a NAACP chapter said she empathized and identified with the former Olympic athlete after reading her interview in Vanity Fair. "I cried. Because I resonated with some of the themes of isolation, of being misunderstood — to not know if you have a conversation with somebody, will that relationship then end because they have seen you as one way," Dolezal told Savannath Guthrie of "Today." (Dolezal also spoke with Matt Lauer.) Earlier this month, Dolezal came under national scrutiny after claiming she identified as black and suffered hate crimes because of her race. Dolezal's story has only unraveled from there, as it was revealed that she lied about parts of her background, claiming that a black man was her father and telling people that she was born in a tepee. In the early 2000s, Dolezal sued Howard University for discrimination, claiming she was treated unfairly because she was white. According to a 2005 appeals court opinion found by the Smoking Gun, Dolezal claimed that Howard was an "abusive work environment ... permeated with discriminatory intimidation, ridicule, and insult." News of Dolezal's apparent fabrications ignited a fire storm online culminating in her resignation from the NAACP on Monday. Critics slammed her for misrepresenting her ethnicity and identity and attempting to "pass" as black while avoiding cultural burdens.
In a different interview with NBC that aired on Tuesday, Dolezal hit back against some of her critics. "This is not some freak, birth-of-a-nation, mockery blackface performance," Dolezal said. "This is on a very real, connected level, how I've actually had to go there with the experience, not just a visible representation, but with the experience." Watch the interview below, via NBC:
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How 2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump spends his billions | ||
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Donald Trump announced his bid for the presidency Tuesday, at the same time claiming that he's worth nearly $9 billion. (Forbes says it's less than half that). Regardless, the billionaire knows how to spread his wealth. Aside from running some of the best-known apartment buildings in the country, he also owns a personal portfolio of homes from Manhattan to Palm Beach, all of which are drenched in gold. Here, we check out Trump's collection of homes, cars, aircrafts, and more. Julie Zeveloff and Meredith Galante contributed to an earlier version of this post. Donald Trump calls Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue "home" the majority of the time. Trump Tower is a 68-story skyscraper, and Trump sleeps in the penthouse. Source: Trump Trump's penthouse has a gold- and diamond-covered door, an indoor fountain, a painted ceiling, and an ornate chandelier. When Trump gets tired of his cosseted New York abode, he hops on his $100 million Boeing 757 and jets to one of his other mansions. See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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Watch hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen eat chorizo on Guy Fieri's Food Network show | ||
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Notoriously private and press-shy hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen was spotted on a recent episode of Guy Fieri's Food Network show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." In the episode, Fieri heads to Los Angeles to grill up homemade chorizo in a Yucatan-style restaurant called Chichén Itzá. Fieri, who has eaten Super-Duper Weenie hot dogs at Cohen's house in Connecticut before, compared the chorizo to a "Yucatan hot dog" with a "great meat to fat ratio." Cohen seemed to enjoy it too. "Just intense flavor," Cohen said. "Something different like I've never had before." Cohen, 58, is the founder of Stamford, Connecticut-based Point72 Asset Management, an $11 billion "family office" hedge fund formerly known as SAC Capital. (Cohen can be spotted at 2:15 and 3:54) [via Dealbreaker]
Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 6 scientifically proven features men find attractive in women  | ||
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This chart shows how millionaires invest in different parts of the world | ||
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The latest World Wealth Report from Capgemini and RBC Wealth Management came out on Wednesday, and it has some important insights on where and how the world's ultra-rich are investing their millions. Last year, high net worth individuals, or HNWIs (defined as people with investable assets of $1 million or more, excluding primary residence, collectibles, consumables, and consumer durables), became slightly riskier: stocks overtook cash as the number one asset in their portfolios. The biggest jumps in equity holdings were in Japan and Latin America, even though more Japanese HNWIs prefer cash than anything else. The reason some HNWIs are hanging onto cash is to maintain financial stability, while others, particularly in emerging markets, still hold cash in order to invest in "unique financial opportunities," according to the report. In Japan and North America, meanwhile, HNWIs are most likely to hang onto their cash in order to maintain their lifestyle. Here's a breakdown of all HNWI assets by geographic region:
Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Forget the Apple Watch — here's the new watch everyone on Wall Street wants  | ||
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60% of the world's super-rich live in just 4 countries | ||
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What do the United States, Japan, Germany, and China have in common? They all lay claim to an enormous share of the world's high net worth individuals (HNWI) — 60.3% of the global HNWI population in 2014, to be exact. This is a modest increase from 59.9% in 2013 and 58.4% in 2012. But the upward trend shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, 67% of new HNWIs minted in the year 2014 came from those top four markets, with China and the US boasting the lion's share. Overall, this year's ranking of the top 25 HNWI populations is not too different from 2013's rankings, apart from India, which shot up five spots with a 26% increase in annual growth. For more from the World Wealth Report, check out the full report on their website.
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Stock futures are slightly higher ahead of the Fed (SPY, DJI, IXIC, USO, WTI, OIL, VDE, AGN, KYTH) | ||
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Stocks are higher ahead of the Federal Reserve's monetary policy update and press conference on Wednesday afternoon. Near 9:33 a.m. ET, the Dow was up 52 points, the S&P 500 was up five points, and the Nasdaq was up 13 points. Stocks posted their most substantive gain in three trading sessions on Tuesday. In focus today is the Federal Open Market Committee's assessment of the economy, and its projected path and timing for rate hikes. Business Insider's Myles Udland has the full preview here. At 2:00 p.m. ET, the Fed's monetary policy statement will cross, expected to leave interest rates unchanged. Crude oil prices are rallying, with West Texas Intermediate crude oil trading at around $61.30 per barrel, up 1.5%. At 10:30 a.m. ET, the Energy Information Administration will release the latest data on US crude oil inventories, which could fall for a seventh straight week amid increasing production. The US dollar, gold and silver are all a tad lower. US treasuries are also lower, and the yield on the benchmark 10-year note is near 2.33%. FedEx reported fourth-quarter earnings, missing on the top and bottom lines. Earnings per diluted share came in at $2.66, lower than estimates for $2.69. Sales came in at $12.1 billion, compared to the forecast for $12.30 billion. The company said it "assumes continued moderate economic growth." And in the latest biotech deal, Allergan is buying Kythera Biopharmaceuticals for $2.1 billion. The Botox maker will add an injection that treats double chin to its portfolio. Kythera shares were up more than 22% in premarket trading. SEE ALSO: 10 things you need to know before the opening bell Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Economist Jeff Sachs reveals the biggest threat to the human race  | ||
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3 ways to keep your iPhone headphones tangle-free | ||
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| Science has shown that your iPhone headphones are conspiring against you to tangle into an impossible knot. There are some preventative measures you can take, though. Here are three ways to prevent your headphones from tangling up into an annoying bunch. Produced by Will Wei Follow BI Video: On Facebook Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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'We should stop eating Nutella' because it is destroying the environment | ||
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France's Ecology Minister Segolene Royal wants people to stop eating Nutella because it's destroying the planet. Royal said in an interview with French television network Canal+ that people should stop eating the popular chocolate spread because harvesting one of its key ingredients, palm oil, leads to deforestation that is damaging the environment. Nutella is a huge deal in France — the country consumes 26% of all Nutella produced globally by maker Ferrero. Royal said in the Canal+ interview: "We have to replant a lot of trees because there is massive deforestation that also leads to global warming. We should stop eating Nutella, for example, because it's made with palm oil. Oil palms have replaced trees, and therefore caused considerable damage to the environment.” Ferrero, which also makes the famous Ferrero Rocher chocolates, gets almost 80% of its palm oil from Malaysia and said in February that "it has made commitments to source palm oil in a responsible way." In 2013, it launched the Ferrero Palm Oil Charter as it "has a significant role to play in leading the sustainable transformation of the palm oil sector" and is committed to using palm oil in a responsible way. In 2011, France tried to push through a 300% tax on palm oil because of its deforestation effect and the fact that products using palm oil contribute to obesity. However, in 2012, the draft law - dubbed the "Nutella Law" - was quashed after the French senate rejected the amendment by 186 votes to 155. The move would've been a huge deal for Malaysia, which is Nutella's largest supplier of palm oil and the world's second largest producer of palm oil behind Indonesia. Half a million people work for the palm oil industry in Malaysia and the sector accounts for 5-6% of Malaysia's GDP.
Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: This 1998 supercar could auction for $15 million  | ||
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Here are the brutal and hilarious newspaper reactions to Donald Trump's 2016 campaign | ||
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The front pages of US newspapers had a mixed reaction to Donald Trump's Tuesday entry into the 2016 presidential race. Trump, a famed real-estate mogul and television personality, announced his bid for the GOP nomination with an ad-libbed speech chock-full of confidence and declarations about the size of his personal fortune. The following day, some prominent papers questioned the seriousness of his campaign. Daily NewsIn New York, the Daily News published a brutal takedown comparing Trump to a clown who gave a "circus speech." The populist tabloid took particular exception to Trump saying some Mexican immigrants are rapists and drug dealers:
New York PostMeanwhile, New York City's other major tabloid offered a less critical take. The New York Post's cover put "Trump" in golden letters above the White House and said the "Apprentice" star gave a "fiery, take-no-prisoners speech that promised to create jobs and blow up the 'stupid' DC establishment":
The TrentonianIn New Jersey, The Trentonian simply quoted Trump discussing his own wealth and let that speak for itself:
The Boston HeraldThe Massachusetts daily went with a simple pun and argued that Trump's candidacy could have an impact:
amNewYorkThe free New York City morning newspaper rolled its eyes at Trump's campaign:
SEE ALSO: Here are the big ideas in Donald Trump's presidential campaign Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 5 clever iPhone tricks only power users know about  | ||
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Burger King Japan is selling burgers with red buns and cheese | ||
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Burger King is releasing an all-red burger in Japan. The Red Samurai Chicken burgers have bright red buns, red cheese, and red hot sauce made from miso and hot peppers, the Wall Street Journal reports. The red color was achieved using tomato powder, according to the company.
The burger will be available beginning July 3. Burger King is also releasing a new all-black sandwich. The chain released its first black burger in Japan last September. The new version, called Kuro Shogun, comes with black buns, cheese and sauce, and deep-fried eggplant.
SEE ALSO: Burger King Japan's Black Burgers Look Unbelievably Gross In Real Life Follow us: On Facebook Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: There is a secret menu at Chipotle — here's what to order  | ||
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Here's what the Fed said the last time it was on the verge of raising interest rates (DIA, SPX, SPY, QQQ, IWM, TLT) | ||
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It is Fed Day in America. On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve will release its latest monetary policy statement at 2:00 p.m. ET along with an updated outlook for the economy, all of which will be followed by a press conference from Fed chair Janet Yellen at 2:30 p.m. ET. Expectations are that the Fed will keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 0%-0.25%, but many expect the Fed will lay further groundwork for a rate hike as soon as September, a meeting that takes place exactly 3 months from today. The broadest implication of an increase in interest rates is that it becomes slightly more expensive for businesses and consumers to borrow money. The flip side is that you might get an interest rate of more than 0% in your savings account. In a note to clients ahead of the report, strategists at Bank of America Merrill Lynch note that even though we seem to be closing in on a change in Fed policy, today's meeting might not give us the clues you'd expect. In its note, BAML recalled the language used by the Fed in 2004 — the last time the Fed raised interest rates from a post-recession low — and said that the Fed wasn't as "hawkish" as you'd think in foreshadowing that move. BAML expects that the Fed will raise rates in September, and so back in March 2004, three months before the Fed's initial rate hike, they note that the Fed said, "With inflation quite low and resource use slack, the Committee believes that it can be patient in removing its policy accommodation." Not exactly a harbinger of rate hikes to come. BAML adds: Despite such dovish language the Fed two meetings later began a hiking cycle that saw the target for the funds rate increase by 25bps for 17 consecutive FOMC meetings! Plus, as New York Fed President Dudley has argued, in hindsight the Fed should have been more aggressive because going too slowly helped create the housing bubble. The point we are trying to make is that [today's] FOMC statement is not the right place to be looking for hints about the timing of liftoff or the path of subsequent rate hikes. Earlier this week, we highlighted commentary from Kris Dawsey at Goldman Sachs, who sort of took the other side of this argument, writing that, "The expected date of the first hike in the Fed Funds rate is closer than it has been at any point so far in the recovery... As a result, the signal from the June FOMC meeting will be especially important." Dawsey adds that the meeting's "overarching message" will be that rate hikes are coming in September, though he thinks the Fed will want to maintain the option to push rate hikes out to its December meeting. And so the core question ahead of today's meeting, really, is how will — and how should — the market interpret the Fed. It's a pretty safe bet that the Fed will continue to stress its "data dependence" in looking to raise interest rates. But with the market not really looking for the Fed to change course for another 3 months, or 2 Fed meetings (the Fed meets at the end of July but no press conference is scheduled), the question is whether or not we'll get a firm a signal from the Fed this far out from its first move in 9 years, or whether it will be "more of the same." At least one economist — Torsten Sløk at Deutsche Bank — thinks that as far as "data dependence" goes, the Fed has gotten all it needs from the labor market. In short, Sløk thinks it is time to act, though this is a minority view. And so again, the Fed isn't likely to do anything on Wednesday, but the big question is how much they'll do to telegraph their next move. On the one hand, they haven't done a lot in the past to tip their hand. On the other hand, they've never kept interest rates near 0% for almost 7 years before. They are, after all, a bunch of economists. SEE ALSO: 3 things Goldman Sachs expects from the Fed Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 6 scientifically proven features men find attractive in women  | ||
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The 10 best jobs for millennials right now | ||
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This group is known for a lot of things. One of them: job hopping. So, there's a good chance that if you're a millennial reading this, you're on the hunt for a new gig. To help you decide what to do next — or, if you're a recent grad just joining the workforce, to guide you in the right direction — jobs site CareerCast has put together a list of the best jobs for millennials. To compile the list, CareerCast looked at salary and growth outlook data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Advertising account executive Annual median salary: $115,750 Projected growth outlook (by 2022): 12% Education required: A bachelor's degree is required for most advertising management positions.
Civil engineer Annual median salary: $79,340 Projected growth outlook (by 2022): 20% Education required: A bachelor's degree in civil engineering or civil engineering technology. They typically need a graduate degree and licensure for promotion to senior positions. Computer systems analyst Annual median salary: $79,680 Projected growth outlook (by 2022): 25% Education required: A bachelor's degree in a computer or information science field is common, although not always a requirement. See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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According to A teenager was killed after using an app to find his lost cellphone | ||
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Canadian law enforcement officials are stumped by a case involving a teenager killed after trying to reclaim his lost cellphone. Jeremy Cook, 18, apparently left the smartphone in a cab over the weekend, police officials tell CBC News. Police constable Ken Steeves of London, Ontario, told CBC News that Cook used a mobile app to trace the device to an address where he and a relative who accompanied him were "confronted by three men in a car." The exchange escalated, and the car began to drive off, but the police say Cook grabbed on to the driver's door. He was shot multiple times and later died from his wounds. The car and the phone were recovered, and investigators are now examining surveillance footage to try to piece together what happened. Cook's death has prompted law enforcement to urge the public to think twice about using mobile apps to track lost devices — more specifically, using them to retrieve the lost items on their own. "The app itself is a great tool to have ... but if you suspect there's any potential for violence at all, we certainly encourage people to contact police," Steeves told CBC News. Sanjay Khanna, a mobile phones analyst at IDC Canada, had a suggestion for why someone would go to such lengths to retrieve a phone. "Our attachment to our data is so strong," Khanna told CBC News, "that it might prompt people to not be as cautious as authorities might wish us to be." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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A huge security flaw has left 600 million Samsung smartphones at risk of hacking | ||
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A major vulnerability in software that comes bundled with Samsung phones has left as many as 600 million Samsung smartphone owners at risk of hacking, according to a report in Forbes. Samsung gives SwiftKey typing software included on its devices system-level access, and the software also installs updates in plain text, security company NowSecure says — which, when combined, make it possible for an intruder to hijack the update and remotely execute code and malicious programs. Here's what NowSecure claims attackers can remotely do using the vulnerability:
NowSecure researcher Ryan Welton says that the company notified Samsung in December 2014, and the company produced a patch in "early 2015." However, Samsung is reliant on carriers to roll out the patch, and "it is unknown if the carriers have provided the patch to the devices on their network. In addition, it is difficult to determine how many mobile device users remain vulnerable, given the devices models and number of network operators globally." In short: Samsung can produce the best fixes in the world, but they're no good to anyone if the carriers don't push them to their users. Recent NowSecure tests found that the the Galaxy S6 is unpatched on both the Verzion and the Sprint network in the US, as well as the T-Mobile Galaxy S5, AT&T Galaxy S4 Mini, and multiple other devices. The company estimates as many as 600 million devices could be affected.
So what can users do to stop this happening? Very little, actually. Not only does SwiftKey come pre-installed on devices, it can't be uninstalled, leaving users constantly vulnerable until their carrier rolls out the patch. Mitigating steps suggested by NowSecure including avoiding insecure Wi-Fi networks, contacting your carrier for more information — or, most effectively, just "use a different mobile device." In a statement, SwiftKey says it is "doing everything we can to support our long-time partner Samsung in their efforts to resolve this obscure but important security issue." It goes on: "The vulnerability in question poses a low risk: a user must be connected to a compromised network (such as a spoofed public Wi-Fi network), where a hacker with the right tools has specifically intended to gain access to their device. This access is then only possible if the user’s keyboard is conducting a language update at that specific time, while connected to the compromised network." A spokesperson also pointed out to Business Insider that the vulnerability does not affect the SwiftKey app available to download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Here's The Underwater Drone The Navy Will Use To Spy On Enemy Submarines  | ||
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Spain court probes fraud case against Barca's Neymar | ||
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Madrid (AFP) - A Spanish court on Wednesday launched a fraud investigation against Barcelona striker Neymar, a judicial source said, dragging the Brazilian star into a case in which the club's president faces trial. The National Court admitted a lawsuit alleging "corruption and swindling" by the star player, his father and his former club Santos linked to the signing of Neymar by Barca in 2013, the source told AFP. The case has been brought by a Brazilian investment fund, DIS, which owned part of the transfer rights for the player, the source said. The 23-year-old helped Barcelona to a stunning triple of Spanish league, cup and Champions League titles this season. He was to captain Brazil on Wednesday against Colombia in the Copa America tournament in Chile. DIS received 6.8 million euros ($7.7 million) out of the total 17.1 million that Barca paid to Santos, but claims it may also be due a share of the overall transfer payments. Santos has also launched an action in Brazil against Barcelona and the player and his father over alleged irregularities in the deal. In a separate lawsuit, a judge last month ordered Barcelona's president Josep Bartomeu, his predecessor Sandro Rosell and the club itself to stand trial over alleged tax fraud linked to the signing. They have always said they paid a transfer fee of 57 million euros to sign the Brazilian star from Santos in 2013. The courts suspect the actual price was at least 83.3 million euros and that Rosell and Bartomeu hid the real cost from the taxman. The case was shifted from Madrid to a court in Barcelona last month after an appeal was upheld. No date for a trial has been set so far. It is alleged the overall fee was split between a number of different contracts between Barcelona, Santos and Neymar himself. In doing so, Barcelona stand accused of defrauding the Spanish taxman of 12.7 million euros. Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of two years and three months for Bartomeu and seven years for Rosell, as well as a 22.2 million euro fine for the club. Bartomeu's involvement could seriously damage his campaign to be elected as president in club elections on July 18. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Fox News boss Roger Ailes has been demoted in Murdoch shakeup — and he's not happy about it (FOX) | ||
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Roger Ailes, the longtime boss of Fox News who has built it into a hugely profitable channel, has been dealt a massive blow by the bosses at 21st Century Fox. There has been lots of change at the top at 21st Century Fox: Rupert Murdoch recently announced plans to step down as CEO, handing the company over to his son James. Rupert's other son, Lachlan, will join his dad as executive cochairman. And Chase Carey, the company's deputy chairman, president, and COO, will become executive cochairman. In an emailed news release sent out Tuesday confirming its executive changes, Fox makes no mention of Ailes. As news emerged last week that Rupert Murdoch was stepping down as CEO, New York Magazine's Daily Intelligencer blog reported that Ailes released "what now appears to be a rogue statement" to the Fox Business Channel, saying he would continue to run the news network, reporting directly to Rupert Murdoch. Ailes even went as far as directing Fox Business executive Bill Shine to tell Fox Business Channel anchor Stuart Varney to read the announcement on air, reiterating that Ailes would continue to report to Rupert Murdoch, New York Magazine reports. But a 21st Century Fox representative told The Hollywood Reporter, "Roger will report to Lachlan and James." That's a huge slap in the face for 75-year-old Ailes, who has long counted Rupert Murdoch as a close ally. Ailes built Fox News from scratch into a huge cash cow. The Hollywood Reporter said in a recent profile of Ailes that the channel was valued by Wall Street analysts at $15 billion and contributed to 18% of 21st Century Fox's profits in 2014. Despite his huge contribution to the company, Ailes does not get along with the Murdoch brothers, sources have previously told Business Insider.
Their feuds have been epic. New York Magazine describes a few of their tussles: Ailes' tangles with Lachlan were legion. Not long after 9/11, Rupert gave Ailes a new contract after Ailes threatened to resign following a heated argument with Lachlan in the Fox newsroom. Four years later, Lachlan quit his job as deputy COO in charge of the Fox broadcast group after Rupert supported Ailes in a dispute over a TV show that Ailes wanted and Lachlan didn't. In 2014, Rupert did nothing publicly after I reported in my Ailes biography that Ailes once bragged to a Fox News executive about moving into Lachlan's vacant office, thereby putting himself closer to Rupert than Lachlan. "Do you know whose chair I’m sitting in? I'm sitting in Lachlan Murdoch's chair," Ailes boasted to his colleague. "Do you know who's sitting on the other side of that wall? Rupert Murdoch." Judging by Ailes' history with the Murdoch brothers, and his apparent confusion around whom he will be reporting to, it's unlikely Ailes will be happy with the arrangements at the top of the company. His contract is up in 2016 anyway, and Ailes told The Hollywood Reporter back in April that nobody had been in touch to talk about a renewal. One of Ailes' other close allies at the company is Carey, who had been deputy chairman, president, and COO since 2009. The news release from 21st Century Fox says Carey will serve in his new role through June 30, 2016. He has been tipped to leave once that date rolls around. SEE ALSO: Now that Rupert Murdoch is out, here's the biggest question for Fox Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Turns out Pizza Hut's new hot dog stuffed crust pizza is a 'horrible tragedy'  | ||
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Scientists set plan for new tests with Philae comet probe | ||
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Paris (AFP) - Space scientists on Wednesday unveiled their plan to put the revived robot lab Philae back to work with experiments to monitor, sniff and prod a comet hurtling toward the Sun. The lander, which sent home its first word Saturday after seven months of hibernation, will go through a rigorous checkup before being told to resume imaging, sampling and finally drilling into its frozen host. "The rationale should be to... start by the less risky to go to the most risky" experiments, Philippe Gaudon of France's CNES space agency told journalists at the Paris Air show. Philae touched down on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on November 12 last year after a 10-year journey piggybacking on mothership Rosetta, now orbiting the space rock. The landing was bumpy -- the tiny lab bounced several times on the craggy surface before ending up in deep shade, deprived of sunlight to replenish its battery. Philae had enough onboard power to send home data from about 60 hours of tests conducted with eight of its 10 instruments, before going into standby mode on November 15. The washing machine-sized lander's power pack is being recharged as 67P streaks toward the Sun at about 31 kilometres (19 miles) per second. Saturday's initial 85-second contact was followed by a four-minute communication Sunday -- with Philae relaying data via Rosetta. There has been no followup contact, but the teams say this was expected. "We have much more data still waiting for us in the mass memory... so hopefully with the next communication we will get more data," Barbara Cozzoni, an engineer with the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), told the briefing. Information received so far is exclusively about Philae's state of health and is "only good news," she said. "The lander internal temperature is very good, the lander is warm... Our solar panels are collecting energy... they are performing as expected." As for future experiments, Gaudon said the first -- hopefully within days -- would see deployment of the Romap magnetic field analyser, the Mupus temperature gauge and Sesame, which measures the comet's surface using sound waves. These instruments "are small consumers, only a few watts and they don't require movement," he explained. Any motion could dislodge the lander, perched precariously at an angle against a rocky outcrop, with only two of its three feet touching the surface. The following round would likely involve high-resolution cameras, Civa and Rolis, then Philae's Cosac and Ptolemy gas and dust analysers. "The last activity should be the most risky," -- meaning Philae's APXS X-ray spectrometer, which needs to extend to very near the comet surface, and the SD2 drill.
- Moving closer -
If all goes well, "we should be able to... take a sample, to retrieve a sample, to see the sample with Civa and to analyse the sample... This is something we would do perhaps not in the next weeks but hopefully next month," said Gaudon. Comets are deemed to be frozen balls of dust, ice and gas left over from the Solar System's formation some 4.6 billion years ago. Understanding what constitutes this primeval rubble may give insights into how life on Earth began. One theory is that comets smashed into our infant planet, providing it with precious water and the chemical building blocks for life. To improve the data link with Philae, operators are manoeuvering Rosetta closer after problems with the orbiter's navigational star-tracker forced it to be moved outward to a distance of about 200-240 kilometres (124-149 miles). The tracker had started to confuse stars with dust particles blasting out of the comet. "Rosetta is being manoeuvred now to come down again to 180 kilometres, which we reckon should be safe," said Elsa Montagnon, Rosetta deputy flight manager at the European Space Agency (ESA). "But as soon as we see activity coming back, we may have to retreat." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Palestinian unity government 'resigns' | ||
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Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - The Palestinian unity government formed last year in a bid to heal rifts between Hamas and president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah party resigned on Wednesday, an official said. "Hamdallah handed his resignation to Abbas and Abbas ordered him to form a new government," Nimr Hammad, an adviser to Abbas, told AFP, referring to prime minister Rami Hamdallah. Discussions to form a new government would include consultations with the various Palestinian factions, including Hamas, he said. Officials have said the planned dissolution of the government, made up of technocrats, had been under discussion for several months because of the cabinet's inability to operate in the Hamas-dominated Gaza Strip. But it also came as Hamas sources said the Islamist movement was holding separate, indirect talks with Israel on ways to firm up an informal ceasefire agreement that took hold last August, ending a 50-day war in Gaza. Some have argued that news of the secret talks prompted Abbas to move to dissolve the unity government. A Palestine Liberation Organisation official said the new government was likely to be one of politicians rather than technocrats. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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New Spanish mayors cast doubts on big building projects | ||
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Madrid (AFP) - Spain's construction industry is on edge after far-left mayors took office in the nation's two largest cities, Barcelona and Madrid, casting doubts over the future of major building projects. Both new leaders have vowed to shelve urban development projects, judging them unnecessary and too expensive at a time when one in four workers is out of a job in Spain. Tens of thousands of new homes also remain unsold following the collapse of a property bubble in 2008. Ada Colau, a 41-year-old anti-eviction activist, was sworn in as mayor of Barcelona on Saturday while Manuela Carmena, a 71-year-old retired judge, took the reins at Madrid city hall, after nationwide local elections last month in which the ruling conservative Popular Party took a drubbing. Shares in Spanish builders have slumped since the May 24 election, reflecting concerns by investors. Spanish infrastructure group OHL has lost a third of its value, builder FCC is down by nearly 17 percent while its rival ACS has lost just over nine percent. Madrid had the greatest number of real estate projects awaiting approval before the local elections, which put an end to over two decades of Popular Party rule in the Spanish capital of three million residents. The largest is an ambitious public-private partnership dubbed "Operation Chamartin" named for the district in northern Madrid where investors want to create a new financial centre. It calls for the construction of several skyscrapers, three new metro stations and around 17,000 new homes. The project's backers say it would create 121,000 badly needed jobs for an investment of six billion euros ($6.7 billion). But Carmena, whose race for mayor was backed by Spain's new anti-austerity party Podemos, has said she opposes the project in its current form. "The north of the city does not need 17,000 new homes," she told top-selling daily newspaper El Pais. Carmena said she wants to "curb speculative real estate projects which are under way" following a lengthy building boom whose collapse in 2008 sent the Spanish economy into a tailspin.
- New hotel moratorium -
On Spain's northeast Mediterranean coast, Barcelona's new mayor has vowed to place a moratorium on approving the construction of new hotels as part of a plan to ensure the city does not "end up like Venice". She has also said she will stop the construction of a large supermarket and block the expansion of two others to help preserve small shops. The new mayors cannot outright cancel projects which have already been approved, said real estate consultant Jose Luis Bartome. "They will be terminated, but through delays and changes," he said. He considers "Operation Chamartin" a project that would meet the need for housing and urban renewal in Madrid. Spain's second-largest bank BBVA, one of the project's creditors, said it "will work with public administrations to satisfy the needs of residents". Spanish construction group Acciona, which is in the race to build another Madrid mega-project -- a new complex of court buildings estimated to cost 1.2 billion euros -- is also cautious about the new view from city hall regarding big projects. "We must wait and see what they say," a company spokeswoman said.
- Audience with king -
A Madrid architect, who spoke under the condition that he not be named, said the election outcome had already cost him a project to build 40 homes on an empty plot. "The Friday (before the municipal elections) it was almost sold. The Monday (after the vote), the French investors backed away," he said. There is "uncertainty" over how the municipality will manage building permits, he added. Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin, who earlier this year bought a stake in Spanish football club Atletico Madrid after last year snapping up a landmark Madrid skyscraper which has stood empty for years, is reportedly worried. He has demanded an audience with King Felipe VI, according to a report in online news site El Confidencial, which was not confirmed by the royal palace. Wang wants to buy two million square metres of land in Madrid to build 11,000 houses, stores and a theme park, but locals are lobbying city officials to turn the site into a hospital. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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