slingshot
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Sophisticated malware attacks through routers
Security researchers at Kaspersky Lab have discovered what's likely to be another state-sponsored malware strain, and this one is more advanced than most. Nicknamed Slingshot, the code spies on PCs through a multi-layer attack that targets MikroTik routers. It first replaces a library file with a malicious version that downloads other malicious components, and then launches a clever two-pronged attack on the computers themselves. One, Canhadr, runs low-level kernel code that effectively gives the intruder free rein, including deep access to storage and memory; the other, GollumApp, focuses on the user level and includes code to coordinate efforts, manage the file system and keep the malware alive.
Facebook shutters Slingshot and other Creative Labs apps
Facebook isn't throwing in the towel when it comes to experimentation, but it has shuttered the project that sought to encourage it. Three apps born from its Creative Labs have been pulled from their respective app stores and the website for the initiative itself is no more. Creative Labs began as a way to encourage experimentation among the social network's employees through hackathon-type sessions, and it led to the development of Slingshot, Rooms and Riff. Slingshot is perhaps the most recognizable of the three for its attempt to take on Snapchat in the realm of ephemeral messaging. Facebook says that since those apps launched, it has pulled features from each into its core Android and iOS app.
Facebook's Snapchat competitor wants your evaporating photo stories
Notice anything new with Slingshot recently? Well, if you haven't used it in awhile, Facebook's ephemeral photo app has gotten an overhaul. The outfit says that refining isn't about what you add to something, but what you remove. In this update's case, that's seemingly quite a bit. Instead of the one-to-one photo-messaging tool it launched as, now Slingshot is a single-function app that's aping perhaps Snapchat's most social feature, Stories. Pictures and videos you share now go into a preview grid (above left) that gives a peek at all your friends' updates simultaneously -- instead of Stories' person-by-person list. Sending a photo or video clip is much more streamlined, too, with it only taking two taps to go from capture to upload. What hasn't changed is that your captures still only last 24 hours. Want to share your daily pics outside of Slingshot's user-base? You can export your content directly to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter now as well. Update: In the previous version of Slingshot, media lasted for up to 30 days. With the latest update, your shots and reactions only last 24 hours or until someone swipes past them.
Facebook's Slingshot now keeps the convo going with reactions to reactions
It's been a little over a month since Facebook unleashed Slingshot, its stab at an ephemeral competitor to Snapchat, so it seems about the right time for it to get its first update. Slingshot, if you'll recall, is a unique messaging app that requires you to reciprocate before you get to see what your friends have sent you. Once you see that photo or video, you have the option of sending a reaction shot, which takes up half the screen and is already unlocked so you don't need to send a reply to view it. With the latest update, you can now react to those reaction shots -- as seen in the third screen shot above -- again, without any unlocking necessary.
New Zealand ISP admits its free VPN exists just so people can watch Netflix
One of the most frustrating parts of trying to go legit with your movie watching is being restricted by Hollywood's windows and geofences that limit what's available to watch in your area. Of course, a network of third parties provide tools to help users go around and through the blocks, but now an ISP is taking the unusual step of getting directly involved. For the last year, New Zealand's Slingshot has offered a Global Mode VPN feature marketed for use by visitors from the US or UK. As a not-so-secret side effect it also let Kiwis pull in streams from the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and BBC iPlayer, but that wasn't mentioned -- until now. Slingshot General Manager Taryn Hamilton confirmed to the New Zealand Herald that "No beating around the bush. This is to watch Netflix," ending the ruse and opening it to all subscribers for free. [Image credit: Nathaniel Bell for Netflix]
Facebook's Snapchat rival Slingshot now available worldwide
Facebook launched its not-so-subtle Snapchat competitor Slingshot last week, but only for the US audience. That period of exclusivity has turned out to be quite short-lived, however, as today the new way to socially network is available worldwide. So, to give it a go, all you need is an iOS or Android device, and some friends to "sling" stuff at. Images and videos shared through the app disappear after being viewed, just like Snapchat, but Slingshot is intended more for mass-broadcasting to groups of friends. It also demands you get involved, rather than just observe. If you want to see a picture sent by a friend, for example, you have to "unlock" it first by offering something in return. Slingshot is a standalone app, too, so even you Facebook-phobics can start slinging pictures of your 35 adorable felines by signing up with just a phone number.
Facebook's Slingshot is a Snapchat competitor that wants you to snap back
After accidentally releasing it to the world last week, Facebook has now officially unveiled Slingshot, a curious new app to come out of the company's Creative Labs division. Widely rumored as a Snapchat competitor, Slingshot certainly has an ephemeral element -- all of the photos and videos you send using it are easily removed with a simple swipe. But while Snapchat is a messaging service for one-on-one conversations, Slingshot is more about sharing that moment with lots of people at once. In a sense, it's an impromptu social network that encourages spontaneous communications. But there's a catch -- if you want to see what your friends have shared with you on Slingshot, you'll have to reciprocate and "sling" something back. It's perhaps the only social app we've heard of that requires 100 percent active participation, and that's at the core of what makes Slingshot so very unique.
Facebook's Snapchat competitor appears then disappears quickly, just like its messages
The rumors are true: Facebook has indeed been working on a Snapchat competitor called Slingshot, and true to its ephemeral nature, it showed up ever so briefly on the App Store today before it was taken down. Prior to that though, we managed to glean enough information from the app description to get a few hints as to how it works. Similar to Snapchat, you can send photos and videos to friends, and once they view them, those messages will disappear. You're even able to add captions and scribblings on them just like Snapchat. But the key differentiator between Slingshot and other ephemeral messaging apps is that before your friends can see your missives, they must reciprocate and "sling" something back. After receiving your message, they can either tap to react to it or swipe it to remove it for good.
Facebook may launch 'Slingshot' Snapchat competitor this month
Facebook could be gearing up to introduce a Snapchat-like video message tool later this month, according to a Financial Times report. The app, known to staffers as 'Slingshot,' would enable users to send short video messages, and it would likely not be integrated with the social site's other applications, such as Facebook Messenger. Based on the timing of Slingshot's potential release, it's possible that a team within the company began working on the app shortly after negotiations to acquire Snapchat for $3 billion failed late last year, leaving Facebook to build its own competitor from the ground up. Still, while the new app appears to be nearly ready for primetime, the launch apparently has yet to be approved -- it's possible that Slingshot may never see the light of day.
Slingshot delivers business-class iOS and PC screen sharing
Slingshot, the latest offering from the makers of Reflector and Air Parrot, introduces a paradigm for business-class screen sharing that pushes meeting software to new levels. If you're familiar with live-meeting/webcast services (like join.me, for example) you'll have encountered server-ware that enables you to share your desktop out to groups for demonstrations and presentations. The current generation provides support for phone chats, text messages, and so forth. Slingshot takes all that functionality and bumps it up. Like its competitors, this software is aimed at the business and education markets, offering both one-to-one and one-to-many sharing. It adds some really splendid features like iOS screen sharing, individual OS X app screens, and participant control. With Slingshot, you can demo your apps and present screens anywhere in the world. When testing, the TUAW team was really pleased by the quality of transmission and the ability of any participant to share materials from their system. Slingshot allows users to share individual desktop apps, their entire desktop, or to screen share from iOS via AirPlay. Each participant may opt in to use a local camera feed and microphone as well. (The service plan you select sets limits on how many cameras may participate.) Our tests made it clear, however, this was early release software. We encountered audio drop outs, software crashes, and some odd video glitches. Despite those, we were all really impressed by the feature set and overall design quality. While the service is still young, it shows great promise. Slingshot works by subscription. After a 30-day full feature trial, its plans range from 1-to-1 connections for $10/month ($110/year) to an enterprise-worthy model at $100/month ($1000/year) for up to 25 users, 5 camera feeds, and phone support. Budget-minded users might want to stick with join.me's free single-screen sharing service and Squirrel's existing Reflector app, but companies and schools with more spending flexibility will find Slingshot to offer a good feature set. We recommend you decide for yourself with the free month trial. A feature video follows below.
Crowdfunding collective TinyLightbulbs shows off its iOS products
Last year, e-commerce site TinyLightbulbs formed in Denver, focusing on products that are funded via crowdfunding sites such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo. TinyLightbulbs brought five of the products available on its site Macworld/iWorld 2013, including: SlingShot: This smartphone stand received more than US$70,000 in funding on Kickstarter and acts as a combination tripod and cradle for your iPhone. An attached handle helps create smooth panning shots. Erica Sadun took a look at it in October. Ultima: A smartphone stand for the car that is made with an aluminum body with a suction cup that is use to secure it to your car's interior. It raised more than $64,000 on Kickstarter. CableKeeps: This was my favorite of the products offered at this booth. These fish-shaped rubber cable holders were funded in 2011. Insert an Apple iPhone or iPad charger in one end, then thread the 30-pin or Lightning cable through the tail and wrap it around the fins to keep the cable in one place. When it's in use, you can use the fins as a stand for your iOS device. The CableKeeps are offered in three styles: two for iPad adaptors and one for the smaller USB adaptor used with iPhones, iPods and the iPad mini. SoundJaw: Steve Sande reviewed the SoundJaw in 2011. Originally developed for the iPad 2, this clip attaches to an iPad near the speaker and boosts the sound by directing the sound waves forward. It raised $17,000 on Kickstarter and is compatible with the iPad models that came out in 2012. Soft Touch Flex: This iPad mounting system is available with a clamp or a mic thread to fit it to a microphone stand. It comes in white and black.
Ask Engadget: best Skitch replacement?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Benjamin, who feels a little let down by the most recent changes to Evernote's image-sharing software. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "Hi guys. I'm a graphic designer who, until recently, used a desktop app called Skitch to quickly share images with clients. I loved being able to just click and drag a portion of my desktop, click "share" and have it uploaded in a seconds. Of course, Evernote has screwed with it, so now it won't default to keeping my pictures private (not so good for the clients, or my reputation) and the new layout hides the sharing feature in a stupid drop-down menu. Frankly, a really useful piece of software has been ruined, so can you suggest a replacement?" We feel your pain Benjamin, even if we did have to slice out your more colorful descriptions of Evernote from your e-mail. A site favorite has been ruined by the changes, and as such we're on the hunt for an alternative. Jing, from TechSmith lets you share screenshots and even record video on your desktop. Slingshot is a Mac exclusive that'll set you back $3, but uses the cloud service of your choice (Dropbox, Imgur etc) Of course, this is the moment where we turn it over to our amazing commenters, who we hope will share the skinny. You never know, maybe some enterprising indie dev has already created the program to replace that hole in our lives -- friends, head down below, grab the candle and bang on.
Woxom's SlingShot stabilizes your iPhone videos; lets klutzes shoot landscape
If there's something I hear a lot of when I post videos it's "Why don't you shoot the farking thing landscape?" That, and "Your voice is sooooo annoying." The reason? My hands are small, weak and wobbly. So when Steve showed the Woxom SlingShot on TUAW TV Live a week or two ago, I volunteered to give it a hands-on. A bit on the pricey side, at US$19.95 retail, the SlingShot lets you slide your phone in sideways and hold it with one hand, using the same muscle groups you'd use for gripping it in portrait position. That's not a big deal for many iPhone owners, but it is for me because: 1. I shoot a lot of how-to video, where I have to manipulate equipment with one hand and shoot it with the phone in the other hand; and 2. The aforementioned wobbliness. When I try to hold the phone in landscape while doing all this, I can't capture a stable enough image. Even typical, unimpaired users will benefit from the stability, but quite frankly you probably don't want to be carrying this thing around if you don't have to. Plus, most people can hold their phone landscape using one or two hands with successful results. It worked beautifully in my testing, exactly as advertised, producing a much steadier landscape video than I could capture without the device. What's more, the gadget had a bunch of unexpected bonus features. First, the handle is very adjustable. You can shoot with either hand, and the device accommodates your needs. That's important because you need to put your phone in with the camera towards the top, and placed so the holders don't interfere with its visual field. Second, there's a built-in tripod that pops out of and into the handle. If you don't mind your camera being about 3-inches above the ground, the SlingShot will stabilize it for you without any need to hold it. Finally, if you unscrew the handle there's a final treat. The holder uses tripod threading, so you can connect it to any standard tripod. I found the holder itself to be steady, gripping my phone even when shaken -- I did not, obviously, whip the thing around. (I'm under a two-year contract with AT&T and would rather not have to buy another iPhone full price.) The material is quite light and I do worry about the possibility of it cracking under normal use. Had the unit cost about $6.95 or so, I'd say it would be a no-brainer. Just buy it. At nearly $20, this is more a buy recommendation for anyone who needs extra stabilization. I cannot recommend it, off-label, as an assistive device for anyone with shaking and palsy. The holder covers too much of the screen and home button for that kind of use. If you can benefit from the image stabilization for landscape photography, the SlingShot will help do the job for you. It's a neat little device that offers more than it first appears to and I enjoyed playing with it a lot.
Super Angry Birds USB controller puts the sling back in your shot (video)
Yeah. We know. There are pretty much as many ways to play Angry Birds, as there are people who play it. That's a lot. However, the Super Angry Birds controller you see above speaks to us. Why? Because it's not just a sling shot, or a fudged use of existing technology. That wooden "sling" hides one of those motorized faders you see in big music studio desks. Using some coding magic (i.e. a force curve stored in a table), the creators were able to give it a realistic resistance feeling, sans elastic. The rest of the hardware is programmed in Max / MSP and Arduino, with a "Music and Motors" microcontroller. It's not just the sling part, either, with angle and special power triggering available from the same device. A pretty neat solution, we think. Now, we wonder if we could scale this thing up?
Visualized: Space Needle slingshot readies 35-foot Angry Bird for launch
If it doesn't make it, we can just hit restart, yeah?[Photo credit: Rod Mar]
Angry Birds Space marketing crafts a giant weapon on the Space Needle
Angry Birds Space is officially available for Android, iOS, PC and Mac today, and to celebrate, Rovio and T-Mobile constructed a 300-foot slingshot, complete with Angry Bird, mounted on the Seattle Space Needle. Today, starting at 10 a.m. PST, Rovio is hosting an Angry Birds Space launch party -- with Angry Birds cupcakes! -- at the Space Needle.Rovio calls the slingshot an "art installation," but we see what's really going on here: interstellar travel and a public, press-heavy reveal of a monstrous weapon -- it's the space race all over again. This time, it's angry.
Make Angry Birds awesome again with DIY slingshot controller
Look, we're as tired of Angry Birds as you are -- the phenomena has certainly run its course. But, if we had Simon Ford's home-made slingshot controller, we might still be addicted to hurling the pissed-off poultry through the air. The DIY peripheral is built around an mbed microcontroller, three-axis accelerometer and a stretch sensor. Pinching and pulling the band initiates a click and drag, while the position of the slingshot itself determines the angle of launch. It's not the easiest gaming controller hack we've ever seen but, if you can follow directions, you could build your own courtesy of the instructions at the source link. If you're a little too intimidated to try it yourself, check out the video after the break to see it in action.
Angry Birds Space to launch on Samsung's Galaxy Note (video)
Rovio described the upcoming Angry Birds Space as its biggest launch since the original game, but has been coy about platform details until now, as Samsung has revealed it's launching on the Galaxy Note. We're not sure how the phablet's 5-inch (or possible 10.1-inch) display comes into play, but the extra area can't hurt. Other than the "Houston... we have a slingshot" tagline there's not many other details revealed, but if you're (still) obsessed with taking down those pigs once and for all then press play on the teaser video above.
Auckland amps up free WiFi for Rugby World Cup
Just in time for play-by-play tweets about the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, Auckand has instituted a fully-integrated WiFi network across its Link public transit system. According to officials, buses and some trains will get the free internet treatment, giving passengers up to three 30 minute sessions a day between September 1 and October 31st. Powered by Tomizone and sponsored by Localist, the network promises 2 - 6Mbps downloads and is based on point-to-point links around town using fiber assets for backhaul. If that wasn't enough connectivity, CallPlus and Slingshot are dishing out some gratis WiFi of their own with an additional thousand hotspots sprinkled throughout the city. Hopefully, the added infrastructure will mean WiFi access par excellence year round for maximum non-Rugby related tweetage. Check out the full PR after the break. [Thanks, Scott]
Smugglers use zip line and slingshot to sneak iPads into Shenzhen
Chinese smugglers turned to a rather low-tech method for getting a pile of decidedly high-tech iPads and iPhones across the border to Shenzhen, in a scheme to make money off of regional tax differences. The unsanctioned exporters fired a slingshot from a high-rise in Shenzen, dragging a zip line down to a small house just across the Sha Tau Kok river in Hong Kong. They then sent canvas bags loaded with the gadgets flying through the night sky along the projectile-placed cable -- at least until authorities spotted the gear hurtling through the air, that is. Police recovered about $46,000 worth of Apple products (and four culprits) when they discovered the end of the 300-meter line. Check out the video below for a little Chinese-language news coverage of the story and a glimpse at the simple, but ingenious, smuggling rig.
