GalaxyNoteII
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Galaxy Note II info ticker, pop-up browser and ICE menu combo reveal another lock screen flaw (video)
The emergency contacts (ICE) menu is proving to be a Pandora's Box of lock screen vulnerabilities on several Samsung Galaxy handsets. Users are finding ways to exploit this weak point and the latest flaw that's come to our attention employs the pop-up browser on the Note II as an accomplice. It requires the information ticker to be active (found in lock screen settings) so news bites and such are displayed on the screen you encounter when waking the device. Touch upon something to find out more and you're sent to the lock screen; from there, head to the ICE menu to find a pop-up browser window containing the item you chose in the ticker. Within that window, anyone can access the handset's clipboard or point the browser to sites holding personal data. Sure, it isn't as bad as the bug that completely disables the lock screen -- identified on the Galaxy S III, but also found to work on the Note II -- but is just another reason to hope the mythical box is almost empty and at the bottom lies a fix.
Galaxy S III bug disables lock screen, grants full access, tests patience (updated)
Lock screens are around for a reason: to keep people from getting where they shouldn't. They aren't always infallible, though, and a few weeks ago, we saw a vulnerability in several builds of iOS 6 that granted access to the phone module without a passcode. Then, a couple of days ago, we reported on a Galaxy Note II bug that allows the quick-fingered to launch anything immediately behind the lock screen. Now, a similar flaw has been found on the Galaxy S III that breaks the lock screen altogether, permitting full use of the phone. To replicate the bug, you'll need to tap the "Emergency Call" button on the lock screen, then go into the ICE (emergency contacts) menu. From there, press the home button, followed quickly by the power button, and that's it. If successful, pressing the power button again will bring up the home screen straight away, and what's more, the lock screen won't return until the handset is restarted. Sounds worryingly simple, right? In our experience, not so much. We first tried this method on an S III running Android 4.0.4 ICS, and a Note II for good measure, but to no avail. Then, we had a crack at an S III running 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, and were close to giving up trying to replicate it when voilà, it worked. We hoped to provide you with a video of the bug, but it must be camera shy. Despite literally hundreds of attempts in front of the lens and several more behind it, we've only managed it once -- we found it impossible to nail down the correct timing between the home and power button pushes. Samsung's likely aware of the bug already and when quizzed about the Note II vulnerability, said a fix for lock screen issues on affected "Galaxy devices" was in the works (read: they didn't say the Note II specifically). We've reached out for comment just to be sure, but until a patch is provided, keep your phone concealed from nosey types who read tech sites and have saint-like patience. Update: Samsung has responded, confirming a fix is indeed on its way: "Samsung considers user privacy and the security of user data its top priority. We are aware of this issue and will release a fix at the earliest possibility."
The Daily Roundup for 03.04.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Galaxy Note II vulnerability lets attackers (briefly) access home screen apps (updated)
A security flaw discovered by Terence Eden on the Galaxy Note II with Android 4.1.2 may make that device less secure than you think when it's locked by a code or other method. He discovered that the homescreen can be accessed, albeit it just for a split second, by pressing the "Emergency Call" icon, then the ICE button and finally pressing the physical home key for several seconds. While brief, it's still enough time to click on any of your homescreen apps, which normally wouldn't present a problem since access goes away when the home page disappears again. However, if one of your apps is a "direct dial" widget, for instance, a call can actually be placed by a hacker, and many other programs that perform an action at launch could also leave the device vulnerable. We've confirmed the flaw on our own handsets and the individual who discovered it says that after reporting it five days ago, Samsung has yet to respond. We've reached out to the Korean company ourselves and will let you know about any further developments. Update: Samsung's emailed us to say it's aware of the matter and is working on a fix (see below). Samsung is aware of the consumer inquiries regarding the pattern lock feature embedded on some of the Galaxy devices and plans to provide a software update to address it as quickly as possible.
Refresh Roundup: week of February 25th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
IRL: ColcaSac Jack Bauer shoulder bag, Mitsubishi WD-82740 3D TV and the Galaxy Note II
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Hey, we never said our favorite things were practical. This week, Darren tells us why his $125 shoulder bag was worth it, while Jason defends his decision to purchase an 82-inch 3DTV at 2AM (no he wasn't drunk -- we don't think, anyway). Rounding things out, Jon doesn't generally like super-sized phones, but he can't help but enjoy the Galaxy Note II. Read on to find out why.
Mobile Miscellany: week of February 18th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought confirmation of Pantech's next phone for Verizon, legal battles over the airwaves in India and a new smartphone to Virgin Mobile. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of February 18th, 2013.
Refresh Roundup: week of February 11th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Fitbit updates Android app with wireless syncing over Bluetooth 4.0
Fitbit promised wireless syncing and, as of today, it's finally delivered. An Android-only app update, currently live in Google Play, will now allow Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II users to transfer data wirelessly from their Zip or One Activity Trackers to the Fitbit application. The new feature, which works over Bluetooth 4.0, was previously announced at this past CES alongside news of the Flex band, and initially targeted for an end-of-January release. But that's not all this update heralds -- it also packs the ability to manage silent alarms, adds push notifications, a distance tile and additional tap-to-pair NFC functionality for use with the Flex. Unfortunately, you'll still have to wait a bit for that lifestyle band to launch, as Fitbit's only committed to a vague spring launch. For now, though, a small segment of existing users can enjoy this enhanced feature set.
Samsung Galaxy Note II gets pretty in pink, makes Hello Kitty proud
To say that we've covered many, many rosey devices around here still wouldn't do the statement justice, so don't mind our slight excitement after seeing the Galaxy Note II show up wearing a very pink outfit on Samsung's Taiwanese site. Clearly, the phone tablet slab looks to follow in the footsteps of its other galactic siblings, the OG Note and GS3, and, in the process, looks to give an extra hue option to those who prefer something a little different than the more traditional colors, or even the newer amber brown and ruby wine. Since Samsung hasn't made an official announcement yet, however, availability details are still relatively unknown, so we'll have to wait to see whether or not this light pink Galaxy Note II ever makes it past the Taiwan page and onto others. In the meantime, perhaps you'd like to mosey past the break, where a rather glamorous press shot gallery awaits.
Refresh Roundup: week of January 28th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Which T-Mobile smartphones will support LTE?
It's no secret that T-Mobile is on the cusp of lighting up its first LTE network in Las Vegas, but with Kansas City soon to follow -- and ambitions of extending LTE coverage to 100 million Americans by mid-year -- it's time to start factoring this consideration into your next smartphone purchase. While the carrier's HSPA+ 42 network is certainly speedy, there's no point in saddling yourself with a device that's rooted in the past. Want to make sure you're ready for what comes next? Read on for everything you need to know.
Refresh Roundup: week of January 14th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
IRL: Securifi Almond, Samsung Galaxy Note II and the LG Optimus G
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. This is the one place where it's okay for us Engadget editors to be slightly behind the times. Back at CES a couple weeks ago, for instance, we got hands-on with the Securifi Almond+, a touchscreen router with a fancy all-white design and even fancier support for Zigbee / W-Wave home automation. Here in "IRL," though, we're just fine to talk about the OG Almond, which doesn't offer quite so many add-ons. Rounding things out, we've also got some anecdotes about the Galaxy Note II and Optimus G, neither of which need an introduction at this point.
Samsung flaunts amber brown, ruby wine Galaxy Note IIs to pair with your drapes
Were you hoping to get that Galaxy Note II in a cooler color than marble or titanium gray, like maybe hotrod red? Would you settle for "amber brown" or "ruby wine," to perhaps match that chaise lounge? That's good, because Samsung has decided to out the 5.5-inch phablet in those trendily specific colors on January 17th, in Korea at least -- though given the five million plus units sold so far, it's earned the right to tint the Note II however it wants. The new hues will blanket the front, back and S-Pen of the device, but we're not sure if we're fashion-forward enough to rock "ruby wine" -- especially on a loud & proud handset like that.
T-Mobile: LTE launching in Las Vegas within 'weeks,' Galaxy Note II might upgrade to use it
Want to know just when T-Mobile's LTE network goes live? Not long, if you ask CTO Neville Ray. On stage at CES, he declared that the faster access should go live in Las Vegas within "weeks." That includes a full-on LTE-Advanced network, and the deployment should be fast with 100 million customers reached in the first half of 2013. Devices? Nothing was immediately confirmed on stage, but Ray and other executives told us and others that the Galaxy Note II's known latent LTE could be switched on through a firmware update -- although we weren't told when. Magenta customers still have good reason to be happy, however, knowing that their days of being HSPA-only pariahs should soon be over.
Fitbit Flex hands-on at CES 2013 (video)
Fitbit's been in the fitness-tracking game for a while now, but today marks its first official entry into the wearable band space. Shown off here at CES 2013, the Flex is a wireless band much in the vein of Nike's Fuelband and Jawbone's rebooted Up. But while it shares many similarities with those existing products, there are a few very notable areas where it breaks apart from the pack-- namely, the inclusion of Bluetooth 4.0. Now, health nuts can wirelessly update their stats to an iPhone or limited selection of Android (!) devices via that standard without having to manually sync. While it doesn't boast the Yves Behar design that Jawbone fancies, the Flex should prove to be a welcome accessory for fashion conscious consumers. To that end, it comes in five different colors -- navy, black, tangerine, slate and teal -- and features a thin strip of LEDs that can be activated by a simple tap. Those lights, five in total, each represent 20-percent towards a user's assigned goal, so current progress can be easily monitored. And, as you might expect, there's a vibration motor within the band to alert users based on settings made from the companion app. The Flex is indeed a waterproof product and can be worn in the shower or even the swimming pool, though we wouldn't advise you take it diving. Despite this H20 resistance, the Flex won't track your butterfly strokes (or doggie paddles), but it will keep count of your steps, calories burned, sleep and distance walked. Perhaps one of the most welcome innovations of this particular wearable is its ability to play friendly with Android -- specifically, the Samsung Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III. Users who purchase this band will be able to download that app from Google Play at the end of January. Further, there's one additional perk for Android users: the ability to tap-to-pair with NFC. In theory, this functionality should provide users with easy access to their stats, but we (in addition to the company's many reps) had significant trouble triggering the action on repeated occasions. If you've been monitoring the fitness-tracking space, but have been holding out for a band that offers just a little extra, then it's worth considering the Flex. You can look for it to hit this spring for $100. Stay tuned for a video demo of the Flex in action. Sarah Silbert contributed to this report.
Refresh Roundup: week of December 31st, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Samsung Galaxy Note II purportedly reaching South Korea in brown and red
Yes, the black Galaxy Note II may have been more wishful thinking than reality, but that doesn't mean Samsung is sticking to a narrow palette for its extra-large flagship. A supposed magazine page in South Korea shows both a brown Note II (already available in Japan) and a previously unseen red model headed to the country at an unspecified point in the future. The claim sounds promising for those who've wanted more options than gray and white. All the same, we'll remain skeptical unless the new colors are made official -- Samsung hasn't commented on the authenticity of the page, and the original Korean forum post has disappeared without a trace. We can't help but hope it's real, though, if just for the chance of another smartphone designed for vampires.
Samsung Galaxy Note II sales exceed one million in Korea, may hit 10M globally in Q1
By all accounts, Samsung's Galaxy Note II has been a massive success. The oversized smartphone has now made its way into the hands of more than one million consumers in South Korea, just a month after Samsung announced that global sales had exceeded five million units. At that pace, the smartphone maker is reportedly on track to move 10 million Note IIs within four to five months of its late-September launch, compared to the nearly 10 months that it took to meet that milestone with the device's predecessor. LG is also reporting similar domestic sales for its aging 5-inch Optimus Vu, so if you've taken the plunge on either 5+ inch behemoth, it looks like you're in good company.
