Author: Jim O Brien/CEO

CEO and expert in transport and Mobile tech. A fan 20 years, mobile consultant, Nokia Mobile expert, Former Nokia/Microsoft VIP,Multiple forum tech supporter with worldwide top ranking,Working in the background on mobile technology, Weekly radio show, Featured on the RTE consumer show, Cavan TV and on TRT WORLD. Award winning Technology reviewer and blogger. Security and logisitcs Professional.

Significant rise in COVID-19/Coronavirus cyber-scams. #Scams #Cyberscams #tech #covid19

SophosLabs researchers have published a new Uncut blog, “Facing down the myriad threats tied to COVID-19.” that tracks how the use of “COVID-19” and “coronavirus” in domain names, spam, phishing attacks, and malware has skyrocketed. The article is a “live report” that SophosLabs Uncut will update as findings unfold.

Specifically:

  • The article shows that the volume of “COVID-19” and “coronavirus” email scams have nearly tripled in the past week – see the below chart (high res version attached).

  • Attackers are also increasingly impersonating the WHO (World Health Organization), CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, North America) and the United Nations (UN), as evidenced in scams tracked by SophosLabs.

“Cybercriminals are wasting no time in shifting their dirty, tried and true attack campaigns toward advantageous lures that prey on mounting virus fears. It’s easy to see, for example, that the attackers behind a new Chloroquine scam are the same as those behind a recent herbal Viagra scam,” according to Sophos Principal Research Scientist Chester Wisniewski.  

“With global spam volumes estimated to be in the hundreds of billions, for 2-3% of those to be COVID-19 themed is significant. Similar to A/B testing of advertisements and web pages, criminals often dip a toe in the water when there is a new or sensational topic in the news. If the new topic proves a more effective lure than the previous scam bait they begin switching to new lures.

 

“In fact in one of the spam campaigns we tracked this week, there was evidence of exactly that. These particular criminals had been using fake shipping and delivery emails to convince unsuspecting victims into opening attachments and infecting their computers with the Kryptik Trojan. Now the main body of the email pretends to come from erecruit@who.int with “health advice” in the attachment, but when we carefully inspect the plain text body, we see it matches a previous spam campaign from this same criminal using a lure pretending to be about invoices and deliveries.

 

“The increases we are seeing are likely due to two important factors. First, as time passes more and more criminal groups are joining the party on using all this interest in COVID-19 to steal money from people. Secondly, it takes time. Any given criminal group has to handcraft the spams to convince the recipient to take an action. In the research community we call this the call to action. The call to action might be to open the attachment, visit the website or, in the case of the WHO Bitcoin scam (attached), to donate cryptocurrencies to criminal controlled Bitcoin wallets. Crafting these messages takes time, especially for those who are not native English speakers.

 

“Even the most innocuous mention of something by a politician or a celebrity can lend a scam credibility or present a new business opportunity. Two recent examples come to mind. One is a spam campaign offering to tell you about a government cover-up and attempting to sell you a COVID-19 survival guide allegedly used by the celebrity Gwyneth Paltrow as a lure in its subject line. A clue that the email is a fake is the incorrect spelling of her first name as Gwenith (attached), but this could easily be missed or glossed over. A few days ago President Donald Trump mentioned the possible efficacy of a drug called Chloroquine against the coronavirus, immediately leading to WordPress blog comment spammers switching from pitching herbal Viagra to instead attempting to sell you Chloroquine, which can be quite dangerous when not taken under the supervision of a doctor. And within only two days of the WHO creating a charity called the Solidarity Response Fund, criminals were soliciting Bitcoin donations pretending to be the charity, even implying your donation is fully tax deductible in the US or Europe.”

 

Additional Sophos Resources Related to COVID-19 themed cyber-scams:

SophosLabs has uncovered a variety of different malicious email campaigns connected to COVID-19, including:

  • Phishing scams impersonating the WHO, CDC, and other healthcare organizations to deliver malware via malicious documents disguised as official information on how to stay safe during the pandemic
  • Cybercriminals impersonating charities and relief organizations like the WHO’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund to trick victims into sending them Bitcoin
  • SophosLabs is updating its Uncut blog with new findings in real time
  • Follow the SophosLabs Twitter feed for breaking SophosLabs discoveries: @SophosLabs

Sophos News is providing tips and free resources as people navigate the work-from-home tech/security gauntlet:

  • Cybersecurity guidance during the coronavirus pandemic

Naked Security is providing security tips and industry news:

  • Remote working during Coronavirus? Here’s how to do it securely
  • Extortion emails threating to infect families with the coronavirus
  • All Naked Security coronavirus-related articles

Review – The Aukey Desklamp with touch controls. #Aukey #Tech #Home #Office

I have several desk lamps in the house and two have been used for tech and often seen in the background in some of my reviews and they would be on my review table for several reasons. Light being one and other functions too be it wireless charging or bluetooth speaker and of course the light factor as to what it can offer..

The said lights above have been more or less a fixed affair with not much movement but had dimming or brightness controls but the actual lights did have some ability to move around offering a wider use case range and for me that is important.

This light has a touch panel on the base which is solid supported by four rubber stoppers underneath which keep it fixed in place. You have a timer,power switch a mode switch and then a night switch which allows you to see in the dark to turn on the light by emitting an orange dot on the panel.

The lamp can twist,turn from the base and also extends at an angle then the main LED section can rotate either way which is the additional bonus here for me to give you better control for lighting which for me is important and will also be of benefit to those who would use one to give them better light set ups for their personal use case. Also this lamp has a USB port on the rear which allows you to attach another item to it which saves on plugs and I have done that with mine by attaching my RGB desklamp to it as it sits with it in my set up at home. This lamp again is clean and effective with a simple to use control panel and ideal for any office or home and cheap.

  • Dimmable Eye-friendly Lighting: offers 5 different lighting modes and 7 levels of brightness, all on the seamlessly integrated touch panel. Generates a soft, evenly diffused flicker-free LED light for work, reading, relaxation
  • Multi-Angle Adjustments: Adjustable arm, rotating base, and swiveling lamp head for perfect positioning and lighting angle
  • USB Charging: Conveniently charge your devices with the built-in 5V/1A USB output; keep your smartphone or tablet within reach while charging
  • Auto-Off Timer & Memory Function: Turn the light off automatically with 1 hour auto-off timer to save on your electricity bill before you are going to sleep. Also, the lamp always remembers the last brightness and color setting used
  • Package Contents: AUKEY LT-T10 LED Desk Lamp, AC Adapter, User Manual, 24-Month Warranty Card

BUY HERE

All-in-one beer brewing machine helps turn beer lovers into craft beer brewers. #CraftBeer #MiniBrew

Dutch food tech start-up, MiniBrew, has today launched its first home brewing product, MiniBrew CRAFT, to the European market. The all-in-one, automatic beer brewing machine has been created to transform beer lovers into craft beer brewers.

Designed to inspire the brewers of tomorrow, MiniBrew’s CRAFT machine offers beer enthusiasts an innovative, yet remarkably simple way to create a variety of quality beers in the comfort of their own home, or even pub shed. Brewers can enjoy quality beers, made by their own hands, which come fresher than any beer you can buy from the supermarket and can be preserved up to three-months with the product’s built-in cooler.

The beautifully constructed MiniBrew CRAFT appliance features a real wooden back, a transparent mashing tun and a copper coloured keg for a traditional look. The product can be used to make recipes from all over the world while helping consumers understand the brewing process step by step.

MiniBrew’s brewing portfolio features 10 different recipes crafted by its in-house brewologist and beverage scientists using its signature beer style, as well as natural flavours and herbs that are precisely measured in each Brew Pack. The appliance also calculates the precise amount of water needed and defines a mashing, boiling and fermenting scheme for each individual Brew Pack, helping to deliver an exceptional experience every time.

Commenting on the launch, Bart van de Kooij, founder of MiniBrew, said: “CRAFT is for consumers who love beer and want to explore their true, inner beer-making soul.”

“We started with a clear vision: to transform the home-brewing experience, which is traditionally very time-consuming, expensive and messy. Now that vision is a reality, our next step is to expand our brewing portfolio and help more beer lovers fulfil their brewing potential.”

The MiniBrew CRAFT machine starts at €1199, and Brew Packs start at €17. The MiniBrew CRAFT Pro is the same machine but gives experienced brewers powerful software with the opportunity to pilot and create their own recipes, while also giving professional breweries the opportunity to collaborate and share their recipe as a Brew Pack.

The MiniBrew CRAFT and MiniBrew CRAFT Pro can be purchased via authorised retailers and at www.minibrew.io.

Hydrogen fuel cells are being dubbed the fuel of the future. So how does a hydrogen car work? #Motoring #Hydrogen

Hydrogen cars are being called the fuel of the future. So how do they work? 

Unlike gasoline-powered cars, hydrogen vehicles (H2) use hydrogen fuel to power the motor. This hydrogen fuel is produced through a REDOX process that converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity. 

Similar to a gas-powered car, hydrogen vehicles can be refueled in about 5 minutes and can travel 300-400 miles before they need to be refueled. Because the hydrogen cells emit only water and heat, driving a hydrogen vehicle eliminates concerns around air pollutants and greenhouse gases. 

Because hydrogen vehicles will need their own refueling stations, the biggest obstacle facing mass production is infrastructure. Despite these hesitations, major automobile manufacturers such as Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, and Mercedes are investing big in the technology. By 2030, the U.S. plans to have 1 million hydrogen vehicles on the road.  

To learn more about hydrogen fuel cell stacks generate electricity, check out this visual from The Zebra below! 

https://www.thezebra.com/resources/driving/how-do-hydrogen-cars-work/

 

Moshi Twilight – Sleeping experts work with Goldie Hawn to combat children’s anxiety in the time of crisis. #Kids #Moshi

Moshi Twilight – the #1 sleep and mindfulness app for kids has partnered once again with Hollywood legend Goldie Hawn to launch a new ‘Brain Break’ to help families around the world improve the mental wellbeing of their kids and reduce anxiety during worrying times.

 Put together by the BAFTA award-winning Moshi team, Goldie’s Brain Break is an important resource that can be used by parents to help stabilise emotional thinking and help kids refocus when there is a need to bring balance and reduce family stress.  Recorded with the Moshi team, this Brain Break is a short wind-down exercise – set to calming music – that takes heightened emotions down to a sense of calm.  

Anxiety in children is continuously on the rise, affecting 30% of children and adolescents, yet 80% never get help according to Child Mind Institute. As world events create more uncertainty and stress, this growing issue affects millions of families around the world, especially during this unprecedented crisis.

 

Sleep expert and psychologist, Dr Azizi Seixas, who works alongside the Moshi team, says:

 

“Feelings can be overwhelming sometimes, especially for children who haven’t learned how to react and respond to them. Managing emotions, even more so during stressful situations, can be difficult regardless of age. This is especially true when routines are disrupted. Routines play a key role in promoting feelings of safety and security in children and when boundaries are broken they can feel more vulnerable and unsettled.”

 

As part of her philanthropic work, Goldie Hawn is actively committed to empowering children and families through acts of mindfulness, and has also lent her voice to a Moshi bedtime story, “Goldie the Mindful Moshling”, which has already been listened to millions of times by kids around the world.

 

Goldie shared the news of the launch of her Brain Break in the Moshi app with her 2.1M Instagram followers, saying: 

“In these times of uncertainty and fear, it is important to calm your brain to help reduce stress and anxiety. Please enjoy this Brain Break with your child and your family every day. Please visit @twilightmoshi to get this free Brain Break (and a really fun sleep story I narrated) on their app.”

CEO of Moshi Twilight, Ian Chambers said:

“School closures, self-isolation and quarantine is unfortunately becoming an unavoidable part of our everyday vocabulary and behaviour, and even as adults, the feelings associated with this are overwhelming.  We hope that Goldie’s Brain Break will help families achieve a sense of calm during moments of stress and anxiety.

 

“Against a backdrop of uncertainty, we are thrilled to be able to give this to families around the world for free via the Moshi app.”

Goldie’s Brain Break is free to use on iOS, Android and Amazon Fire and is now part of the Moshi Twilight app that has played over 75 million stories since launch. The Moshi Twilight app also includes: Moshi Stories, Guided Meditations, Moshi Moments, Music and Sounds to help kids wind down, relax, de-stress and sleep.

Ms Hawn concludes: “All children in the world are our most precious resource for a happier, healthier tomorrow. They deserve all we can give them to thrive and succeed in this sometimes challenging world.”

Review – The Urbanista Athens Sport True Wireless earbuds. #Tech #TrueWireless #UrbanistaLife

Urbanista have been busy of late with new products and they are certainly most welcome,from testing them the last few years they remain consistent with delivery of great quality Audio products and the new Athens Sport geared towards the more active people are no different.

Recently we tested their new True Wireless Paris earbuds with the stem design and they have been great and deliver on all aspects at the price point they come in at and they also look good too and come in a range of colours,check the review of the Urbnanista Paris and then if you need a new speaker to go along with it that also gives a great punch for its size check that out Sydney speaker review.

There are a few differences here with the Athens which are geared towards the more fitness type and the first thing is there is no wireless charging which is a bit disappointing coming from the Paris I recently tested but they do come with USB-C and a really nice matt Black finished charging case which looks really well and these buds have a totally different design language than the previous ones which we tested.

 

These come with built in wings to keep them in your ear and they are not going to budge with a nice secure with also offering some good noise isolation too and no stem, they remain flush with the ears and do not stick out or look abnormal like some earbuds can. They look well but only come in the one colour for now but it is nice.

The controls here are great and simple to use with a rubber finish to boot,again different to the touch sensitive are on the Paris you would find there perhaps easier to control blindly,they have a nice clicky feel and have a light that spans the circle on them which looks cool in the charge case.

Controls are the same as the Paris for those wondering…

TURN OFF VOICE ASSISTANT – Touch the R logo twice.

ANSWER A CALL – Touch the logo twice on the right (R) or
left (L) earphone.
END A CALL – Touch the logo twice on the right (R) or left (L)
earphone.
REJECT A CALL – Touch and hold the logo on the right (R) or left
(L) earphone for 2 seconds
PLAY MUSIC – Touch the logo twice on the left (L) earphone
PAUSE MUSIC – Touch the logo twice on the left (L) earphone
ADJUST THE VOLUME (+) – Touch the logo once on the right (R)
earphone
ADJUST THE VOLUME (-) – Touch the logo once on the left (L)
earphone.
SKIP A TRACK FORWARD – Touch the logo on the right (R)
earphone for 2 seconds.
SKIP A TRACK BACKWARD – Touch the logo on the left (L)
earphone for 2 seconds.
The Audio is what you are hear for and I am happy to report it is clean, it is a bit brighter than the Paris and not the same level as bass on my testing but overall balanced,clean,bright good separation and instruments clearly heard, they do offer a better seal in my opinion than the Paris giving you a better overall experience and testing my usual Netflix and You Tube they do very well there with direction and no lag latency which of course is a bonus.
Overall if you want the same as the Paris but a but brighter with a better seal isolating the outside world a bit better,these are the ones to go for especially if you are the more active person, In a quite environment you will notice the difference between the two if you have a pair of the Paris and enjoy the listening experience.
Need a job in IT or tech? Click the image below.
Key features
IP67 waterproof rating
8 hours per charge
Total Playtime: 32 hours
Slim charging case with 3 charges
Stereo phone calls
Bluetooth 5.0
Volume and music controls
Voice control (Siri, Google Now)
Compatible with Android and iOS
USB Type C

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact: Production of Smartphones Will Fall as Much as 30% in the First Half of 2020

The Coronavirus outbreak is expected to lead to a huge reduction in the production of smartphones, potentially falling by as much as 30% in the first half of 2020, states global tech market advisory firm, ABI Research.

“The ripples from China will be felt globally,” says David McQueen, 5G Devices Research Director at ABI Research. With China located at the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, the resultant impact has been disastrous for the global mobile device market, which has subsequently witnessed mass disruption to its production lines and a stalling of related supply chains caused by labor shortages and inactive logistics. As China is also the world’s manufacturing center for most of these device types, and one of its biggest markets, the sector has been hit hardest by delayed shipments and a weakened development of next-generation products.

“Significantly, in the short term, there will be an adverse effect on 5G devices. No sooner had 5G smartphones started to gain some traction and break into the market in significant numbers, than the outbreak will now trigger a suppression of its near-term growth, pushing out the development and introduction of affordable 5G phones,” McQueen explains. This move to lower price tiers was expected to become a key driver for boosting 5G smartphone shipments in 2020, but the desired impact will now be lessened throughout the year due to the outbreak. Shipment volumes for 5G smartphones in 2020 will be much lower than previously expected, slowed by a stagnant supply chain and crippled demand. “Undoubtedly, the market will also be faced with numerous disruptions and delays, most notably the launch of Apple’s first 5G iPhones that are due to appear in September 2020.”

In the longer term, expectations are that the outbreak will gradually come under control by end of 2Q 2020, but it will take some time thereafter for consumer confidence to return and for the device sector to recover.“Importantly, with such a large proportion of the world’s mobile device market relying on China for manufacturing and component supply, which is contending with disruption on a massive scale, it has become clear that many in the chain were woefully unprepared to react quickly,”  McQueen points out.

It is not clear what the full extent or lasting effect that COVID-19 will have on the mobile device ecosystem, but in the short- to medium-term, it will heavily impact the smartphone market. “Aside from taking its toll on both demand and the supply chain, it will particularly affect the industry’s eagerness to drive 5G to lower price points in 2020, seriously blunting its growth potential,” says McQueen.

McQueen recommends that “vendors and suppliers fully understand their exposure to all those along the chain, identifying and evaluating all risks related to issues like capacity management and market demand, enabling them to react accordingly and mitigate the impact of any future market disruptions.”

For a clearer picture of the current and future ramifications of COVID-19 across technologies and verticals, including  5G devices, Smartphones, and Wearables, download the whitepaper Taking Stock of COVID-19: The Short- and Long-Term Ramifications on Technology and End Markets.

Smartbox Transforms Customer Experiences with Nutanix. #Nutanix #Smartbox #IT #Cloud #Retail

Nutanix , a leader in enterprise cloud computing, announced today that Smartbox Group, a leading European retailer of gift experiences, expanded its relationship with the company to support its digital modernization project. Smartbox leverages Nutanix software to modernize its IT infrastructure, streamline operations, and reduce costs in order to delight customers with tailored, real-time experiences.

 

A seamless omnichannel customer experience is now a must have for retailers, as customers expect online shopping experiences that draw from their digital behavior and are tailored to them. This requires real time data analysis, across multiple sources as well as a modern technology infrastructure that is automated, secure, supports the use of artificial intelligence, and, is most importantly, always available.

 

Providing gift boxes, gift experiences, and memories for clients across Europe, Smartbox serves 11 countries, distributing nearly 6.5 million gift experiences annually, as well as its unique brand of gift boxes to 10,000 major outlets through retail partners and online stores. The sheer scale of its operations and its many webstores demand constant uptime, scalability during seasonal peak times, flexibility in development, and tailored experiences to its customers.

 

“Our previous systems were just not able to support our business vision and something drastic had to be done if we were going to be able to continue to support our business expansion across Europe and ensure customer fulfilment,” said Paul Cash, Director IT Operations at Smartbox. “Nutanix, more than any other partner, has allowed us to get more out of our IT infrastructure, so it can add value to the business. Its solutions have enabled us to take back control of our environment and allowed us to focus on innovation first rather than maintaining a legacy infrastructure.”

 

With a keen understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the retail industry, the Smartbox team invested in a hyperconverged environment that marries the best of its on-premise IT systems with public cloud services, to be more nimble and quickly adjust to customers’ needs. Its base requirements included the need for full visibility across all IT assets and services, advanced data analytics, the ability to control cloud usage, and scale out DevOps.

 

To support this shift, in the last 18 months Smartbox has adopted Nutanix AHV, which has both allowed it to reduce its datacenter footprint and provided it with enhanced flexibility. Additionally, the company has moved some elastic workloads, like its eCommerce storefront to AWS. The overall environment supports hybrid cloud computing, with seamless connectivity between its Nutanix-powered datacenter and its public cloud environment. The IT infrastructure now better caters to its development teams and is stable enough to run its web services and all core backend applications.

 

“Hybrid Cloud continues to gain momentum as organisations yearn for more flexibility and choice in preparation for moving to a multi-cloud operating model.  Dublin based Smartbox Group is taking advantage of our consumer grade software and methodologies which deliver simplicity, choice and security as it deploys Nutanix.

Smartbox was the first Nutanix customer in Europe and it took a leap of faith with us 8 years ago when we were a small company with a big vision.  Smartbox is the European leader in gift experiences and operates in 11 countries. Nutanix has helped Smartbox to achieve phenomenal growth through its software which includes a virtualisation platform with real-time analytics on multi-cloud cost and security for both on-premises and public clouds. Expanding our relationship with Smartbox is an exciting step in cementing Ireland at the forefront of the global cloud economy”, said, Fergal O’Sullivan, Country Manager & Regional Director at Nutanix.

 

Smartbox is also using Beam to keep public cloud costs in check – which at times was 15 to 20% higher than budgeted prior to the deployment. With Beam, the IT team can now utilize a cost based  model to show the department the actual footprint and cost and of running application environments and the IT they consume.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Additionally, Nutanix Era has helped Smartbox simplify databases and management solutions across many environments, while Prism Pro supports automated infrastructure management, all to drive more flexibility.

 

“Retailers need the flexibility to change the course of their business at a drop of a hat. Whether to cater for seasonal fluctuations, to scale up or down for a sale, or to add digital services – automation and adaptability are what stands between failure and success,” said Dom Poloniecki, General Manager, Sales, Western Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa region, Nutanix. “Smartbox has really got the mix between public and private cloud right, it not only understands the costs of its on- and off-premise infrastructure but is able to prove the value of IT to the business and ensure that each department is responsible for its own costs. Smartbox is not just keeping the lights on – it is delighting its customers and creating greater loyalty.”

 

Looking ahead, the company plans to leverage its Nutanix software investment tools to deliver self-provisioning of IT resources across the business. It is working to create an environment where its developers are able to spin up changes to its sites, add promotional offerings, and create new products, without having to wait for IT to approve requests. Smartbox believes this will allow it to more proactively act on business opportunities and more easily adapt to customers’ needs.

Review – The Aukey RGB bedside lamp with touch control. #Aukey #Tech #RGB

If you are looking for a clean piece of kit to refresh the mood in your house this is one to try out and it is not expensive either it does not also require and use of smartphones either and is a simple to use touched based product.

The lamp is 360 degrees with a silver ring around the base which can be touched anywhere to control the lights settings which includes modes and colour settings,there is a power on/off switch underneath the light so overall it is pretty simple to use with really nice lighting effects in your room or wherever you might want to place it.

Simplicity is key here with the base being a brushed metal finish with a white plastic topping and is very robust too so this will take a few knows should you happen to knock it over. What is nice for this lamp is you can leave it just sitting there and let it run through the cycle or you can set a colour you desire and you can higher or lower its intensity by just tapping the silver area on the bottom, it is a clean light with no tech knowledge required to change the look of your bedroom or sitting room with a really nice effect.

 

  • 360°Touch Control Base: Switch on the lamp, you could tap anywhere on the touch control surface (silver area) to light up or off the lamp / change modes / select a color / adjust brightness
  • Warm White Light & Color Changing RGB: There are 3 brightness in warm white light mode, and the dimmest light is suitable as a night lamp. Besides, in RGB mode, you could also choose to cycle the colors or pause on any color
  • 2600mAh Built-in Battery: Charging for 4 hours via USB cable, the lamp could offer 15 hours to continuous use in dim light, efficient enough so as to accompany your family all night
  • Best Companion: Compact design, space-saving, ideal for various occasions. Unique atmosphere lamp for romantic dinners; elegant night lamp for good sleep
  • Package Contents: AUKEY LT-ST21 Mini Touch Control LED Lamp, Micro-USB Cable, User Manual, 24-Month Product Replacement Warranty and Friendly Customer Service

BUY HERE