Google working on smarter messaging app: WSJ.

Google, part of Alphabet Inc, is building a new mobile messaging application to better compete with rival services such as those offered by Facebook Inc, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The new service would tap into Google's artificial intelligence know-how, integrating chatbots, or software programs that answer questions, inside a messaging app, the Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The new app will enable users to text friends or a chatbot, which will search the web and other sources for information to answer a question.

It is unclear when the service will be launched, or what it will be named, the report said.

Google declined to comment.

Popular messaging apps include Facebook's WhatsApp and Messenger services, and Tencent Holdings Ltd's WeChat, while Google has a service called Hangouts.

Google Confirms They Are Testing Password-Free Logins.

Google was testing out some kind of new login feature where you would not require a password. Given that passwords can sometimes be easily figured out, like birth dates, names of loved ones, a phone number, and etc., this seemed like a good idea. The only problem was we couldn’t be sure it was real.
The good news is that according to a post by Android Police, it seems that Google has confirmed to them that they are testing out this feature. In a statement provided to Android Police, Google said, “We’ve invited a small group of users to help test a new way to sign in to their Google accounts, no password required. ‘Pizza’, ‘password’ and ‘123456’—your days are numbered.”Google also points out that this feature is being tested on both Android and iOS devices, so don’t let the Android screenshots fool you as iOS users who were selected can get in on the fun as well. Unfortunately Google did not state when they will roll out this feature in earnest, or if at all, but it is worth looking forward to.
For those unfamiliar with how it works, basically you’ll have to link your smartphone with your Google account. When you enter your email address to log into any Google website, you will be notified on your phone asking if it is really you trying to log in.

Gionee Marathon M5 Plus launched in China: All the key specs

Gionee Marathon M5 Plus, the bigger screen version of the battery-heavy Marathon M5, has been launched in China by the company. The Marathon M5 Plus features a 6-inch full HD screen and a fingerprint scanner in the home button.

However unlike the Marathon M5 which had a 6020 mAh battery, the Marathon M5 Plus has a smaller 5020 mAh battery. Marathon M5 Plus has a standby time of 34.5 days and 829 hours of maximum standby time.

The Marathon M5 Plus has been priced at Yuan 2499 in China (Rs 25,567 when converted). The original Marathon M5 was launched in India for Rs 17,999.

Marathon M5 Plus has a 6-inch full HD, 2.5D curved AMOLED display (368ppi), has 3GB RAM and the MediaTek MT6753 octa-core 64-bit processor. It comes with 64GB storage space, runs Android 5.1 with Gionee’s Amigo OS 3.0 on top.

Marathon M5 Plus has a fingerprint scanner which the company claims can unlock the phone in 0.38 seconds. Users can store up to five fingerprints on the phone via scanner.

Facebook helps find fun events going on around you

Want some help figuring out what to do tonight or this weekend?

Maybe you should turn to someone, or something, that knows a lot about you, like who you hang out with, what you like to do, where you live and where you go.

Facebook executives are hoping that's exactly what you'll want to do.

The social networking company is testing an events service designed to help users find things to do around their location.

Facebook said the new Event service is available only on the iPhone. With the service, users can specify if they're looking for something to do tonight, on Saturday afternoon or maybe a week from Friday.

Traveling for work or visiting relatives in another city? The service lets you adjust your location.

There's a "Suggested for You" section based on what Facebook knows about you and the things you have liked to do in the past.

"When you go to your Events dashboard in the Facebook app, you'll see new sections with Event results," a Facebook spokeswoman said in an email toComputerworld. "These will include specific categories like Music, Food & Drinks, Nightlife, Sports & Fitness and more."

Microsoft creates its own store within Google Play

To encourage users of Android -- which is by far the most popular mobile operating system in the world -- to use its apps, Microsoft has created its own store on Google Play. This store, which takes the form of an app, enables anyone to easily access and download any of Microsoft's apps that are Android-compatible, such as Office, Skype and Wunderlist.

Microsoft's idea is to have its apps on everyone's screen and to make them popular outside of the Windows universe. While its operating system is still dominant in the PC sphere, the same cannot be said for mobile phones, where Microsoft is still struggling to establish itself. In the third quarter of 2015, sales of smartphones running Windows Phone only accounted for 1.7 per cent of the total (down by 1.3 points), according to Gartner figures.

As a result, Microsoft has decided to launch its own store within Google Play in the form of an app. Microsoft Apps contains links to around 80 apps categorized by theme (communication, education, finance, photography, productivity, etc).

In addition to well-known apps such as the Office suite and Skype, Microsoft Apps enables you to discover other less familiar apps that it wants to bring to the fore. There are also apps bought by Microsoft such as the task manager Wunderlist and the calendar app Sunrise.

Microsoft Apps is free and can be downloaded from Google Play.

Microsoft creates its own store within Google Play

To encourage users of Android -- which is by far the most popular mobile operating system in the world -- to use its apps, Microsoft has created its own store on Google Play. This store, which takes the form of an app, enables anyone to easily access and download any of Microsoft's apps that are Android-compatible, such as Office, Skype and Wunderlist.

Microsoft's idea is to have its apps on everyone's screen and to make them popular outside of the Windows universe. While its operating system is still dominant in the PC sphere, the same cannot be said for mobile phones, where Microsoft is still struggling to establish itself. In the third quarter of 2015, sales of smartphones running Windows Phone only accounted for 1.7 per cent of the total (down by 1.3 points), according to Gartner figures.

As a result, Microsoft has decided to launch its own store within Google Play in the form of an app. Microsoft Apps contains links to around 80 apps categorized by theme (communication, education, finance, photography, productivity, etc).

In addition to well-known apps such as the Office suite and Skype, Microsoft Apps enables you to discover other less familiar apps that it wants to bring to the fore. There are also apps bought by Microsoft such as the task manager Wunderlist and the calendar app Sunrise.

Microsoft Apps is free and can be downloaded from Google Play.

Linux vulnerability lets anyone log-in into comp by tapping backspace 28 times

Linux vulnerability lets anyone log-in into comp by tapping backspace 28 times

Linux has serious vulnerability in its GRUB bootloader which could allow hackers to access a locked computer by just typing the backspace key 28 times.Linux has a serious vulnerability in its GRUB bootloader which could allow hackers to access a locked computer by just typing the backspace key 28 times.
The issue was first reported by two researchers Hector Marco and Ismael Ripoll from the Cybersecurity Group at the Universitat Politècnica de València, according to a report on PCWorld. The researchers have put up the full details of the potential flaw in the Linux systemhere.
According to the PCWorld report, GRUB (Grand Unified Bootloader) is used by most Linux distributions, has a password feature that can restrict boot entries. The protection is important especially in organisations that are using Linux.
Dell admits security issues in its laptops makes them vulnerable to hackersThe researchers showed that by pressing the backspace key 28 times, hackers can bypass the need to put in a password or username and gain access.
According to the researchers, the bug is in the code of Grub since version 1.98 (December, 2009) affecting loader versions till December 2015.
Hackers who successfully exploit this can get access to a Grub rescue shell, a very powerful shell which can give them “full access to the grub’s console.”
Researchers also says hackers can load malware from a USB, copy the full disk or even launch a denial of service attack by destroying any data, including the grub. Attackers can overwrite the disk, causing denial of service.