Malware stored in synthetic DNA can take over PC: Study

Discovery of a new hacking method reverberates as DNA data storage becomes more widespread

University of Washington researchers figured out a way to use biology to infect computers with malicious code.

In their experiments, the researchers stored malware in synthetic DNA and demonstrated how that code can compromise a computer analyzing the DNA after it has been run through a gene-sequencing machine.

The danger of such an attack is still years away, the researchers said, adding they haven’t seen evidence of hackers attempting this sort of breach. The experiments highlight a new type of threat that could allow sophisticated coders to gain control of computer systems if precautions aren’t taken.

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“This is something [the genomics industry] and the U.S. government should be concerned about,” said Tadayoshi Kohno, a computer-science professor at the university and a member of the research team.

The team will present the results of its experiments, conducted in late 2016 and 2017, at a security symposium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on Aug. 17.

The hack makes use of technology in which digital bits of data are converted into synthetic DNA. Researchers believe DNA data storage could prove far more durable than stashing information on hard disks and flash drives, which last just a few years and can crash without warning. The nascent technology converts the 1s and 0s of computing’s binary code into A, C, G and T, the letters that correspond to DNA base types, adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine. Read more

Five things you should look forward to in Android N

Five things you should look forward to in Android N

Google has finally let us know what the ‘N’ in Android N stands for. And this time they decided to crowdsource the name. And no, it’s not Neyyappam or Nankhatai. The ‘N’ in Android stands for Nougat, that chewy, sticky dessert.

Nougat is a sweet made from sugar or honey, nuts, and egg white.

Now, nougat isn’t as mainstream as say KitKat or Ice Cream Sandwich or Marshmallow, but it does have its fans. I have an old relationship with it. As a kid, I would pop into my mouth the moment I didn’t want to answer inane questions such as “Do you like your teacher?” or “Recite a poem for us”. While such nougats are long gone, the closest one can have over the counter is a Snickers bar.

But Google chose Nougat over Neyyappam, the deep-fried concoction from God’s Own Country. This despite the fact that we’ve had reports that among the names being considered were Nankhatai and Neyyappam, and that Neyyappam was leading!

Every time we talk of crowdsourcing, we expect to win by sheer numbers. And of course, doesn’t our own “Sundi” head Google? Neyyappam was a winner even before you finished saying it. Yes, India is a land of over a billion people, but we forgot to read the fine print: Google takes the final call on the name, despite whichever name getting the maximum ‘votes’. And while Sundar Pichai is the CEO of Google, that in no way affects what the next version of Android should be named. So while we might think it’s a loss of face for Indian fans, we should spare a thought for the millions of non-Indians who also use the world’s most popular mobile operating system. And if one goes by sheer numbers, shouldn’t all phones run only Chinese versions of software? Read more

Sony Xperia X: Falls short on performance

Sony Xperia X: Falls short on performance

When I first got my hands on the Sony Xperia X, I was filled with a sense of deja vu - the reason being the uncanny similarity the phone shares with the Xperia Z series.

The phone has a metallic back with a 2.5D curved glass front. The corners are more rounded which makes it comfortable to hold. The power button is located in the middle on the right side, just above the volume rocker. The power button doubles up as a fingerprint sensor and setting the sensor up was easy. The sensor is pretty responsive and for people who favour one-handed usage, the sensor placement comes in handy.

specification of sony xperia X

The Xperia X comes with a 5-inch Full HD display. The colours are vivid and sharp and with the correct brightness level, using it in sunlight isn't a problem either.

The phone runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and is devoid of excessive pre-installed apps. The app drawer is akin to that of a stock Android.

Though the Xperia X falls in the premium segment, the hardware doesn't quite match up. Under the hood it houses a hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor with 3GB of RAM. I would have expected such a processor in mid-range smartphones. With a price tag of Rs 48,990, Sony could have easily gone for an upgrade. Read More.

Asus ROG G551VW: A must-buy for hardcore gamers

Asus ROG G551VW: A must-buy for hardcore gamers

The running around involved in assembling a gaming rig has dissuaded many from PC gaming. But for a hardcore gamer who wants nothing less than a 60-frames-a-second (fps) rate, a good gaming laptop can do the trick.

Fortunately for me, I got my hands on Asus' ROG G551VW. Touted as a mean machine, the laptop claims to provide optimum gaming experience. Fitted with a Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M graphics card coupled with 4GB DDR5 graphics memory, the laptop runs graphic-heavy games with ease. Under the hood, it houses a quad core 6th Gen Intel i7 processor, which reduces the chance of a lag.

The 15.6-inch display and a 4K IPS panel makes it perfect for watching HD videos. I tried it out with my copy of The Great Gatsby and found the colours to be vibrant and sharp.

As it's a gaming laptop, it was natural for me to play as much as I could. It has a backlit keyboard so nocturnal gamers can rejoice. To begin with, I ran Far Cry Primal. Playing as Takkar in the Stone Age was not only immersing but the graphics card ensured there were no lags. Next, I ran Arkham Origins. The result was equally impressive - the creases on Batman's cape and distinct raindrops were a proof of how good the graphics card was. Interestingly, the laptop doesn't heat much, thus removing the need of a cooling pad.Read More.

New software can recognise unseen events in YouTube videos

New software can recognise unseen events in YouTube videos

Scientists have developed a computer software that can recognise events in YouTubevideos, even those that it has not previously seen.

The new approach uses both scene and object features from the video and enables associations between these visual elements and each type of event to be automatically determined and weighted by a machine-learning architecture known as a neural network.

The approach not only works better than other methods in recognising events in videos, but is significantly better at identifying events that that the computer programme has never or rarely encountered previously, said Leonid Sigal, senior research scientist at Disney Research.

These events can include such things as riding a horse, baking cookies or eating at a restaurant.

"Automated techniques are essential for indexing, searching and analysing the incredible amount of video being created and uploaded daily to the Internet," said Jessica Hodgins, vice president at Disney Research.

"With multiple hours of video being uploaded to YouTube every second, there's no way to describe all of that content manually," Hodgins said. Read more.

Redefining flagships

Redefining flagships

The OnePlus 3 looks quite different from its predecessors. Its metal and glass construction looks premium, but reassuringly, some things like the notification slider, remain the same.

OnePlus is known for the kind of customisation it offers and this one's no different. The OxygenOS, based on Android Marshmallow, is virtually bloat-free. Swiping to the right, one accesses the Shelf, which displays the weather, recent apps and your choice of widget. Also, all settings are highly customisable, such as tapping to unlock the screen. But some apps take their time opening.

The OnePlus 3 has 6GB of RAM on board, so I downloaded Asphalt 8: Airborne and Need For Speed Most Wanted, two resource-hungry games. The phone heated up while downloading apps or games. Downloads done, I fired up the browser with five tabs, logged into WhatsApp and Facebook and started playing. There was absolutely no lag! But the phone started getting very hot. Shutting background apps did help, but it was still warm after a 15-minute session.

The solution, however, was simple: The review unit came with five different back covers. I selected the bamboo one and didn't feel any heat thereafter.

Click here for more details about OnePlus 3 mobile configuration.

Airtel ranks 1st spot on data usage, Reliance jio 6th

Airtel ranks 1st spot on data usage, Reliance jio 6th

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's telecom arm Reliance Jio even before its commercial launch has climbed up to sixth position on data usage as its pilot launch saw users downloading more as against some industry players.

While Airtel continues to lead with 45 million gigabyte (GB) of data usage per month in the March quarter, Jio is ranked sixth with 13 million GB, according to latest data available with the company.

For the quarter in question, Airtel had about 55 million users with a monthly usage of 45 million GB. Vodafone's 47 million users downloaded 28 million GB of data at an average 0.6 GB per user.

Jio, which has done a pilot launch for its employees and their relatives and friends, saw its 70 lakh users download 13 million GB of data at an average of 19.2 GB per user.

The company is offering the service free to its employees and at a nominal cost to their relatives. The speed of 4G is also said to be behind the high data usage.

Taken together, India had 278 million data users in the said quarter downloading 202 million GB at an average of 0.7 GB per user. (more)