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Microsoft is weighing up the $10 billion stake in OpenAI in a deal that would involve multiple venture firms, according to Semafor, which reports documents sent to prospective investors indicated a targeted close by the end of 2022. Also: What is ChatGPT and why does it matter? Here’s what you need to know The Wall Street Journal reported last week that OpenAI was in talks to sell existing shares in a tender offer that would value it at around $29 billion....

And sending a 500MB file around by email is pretty impractical. And the old sneakernet isn’t always practical – I never seem to have a blank USB flash drive when I need one! This is where I’m glad I have a backup. This is where I’m glad I have Send Anywhere. Must read: Apple will finally give iPhone and iPad users an important choice to make Send Anywhere is a file transfer service that makes sending files between devices a snap....

The Smart Payment Association (SPA), the trade body for the cards and mobile payments industry, has warned that the bottlenecks that are currently hitting the production of semiconductors is trickling down to some payment card manufacturers, who are facing difficulties securing the components they need to produce the items. With the shortage showing no sign of ending for another year at least, this could cause some major issues for consumers....

Had the pandemic not forced me to stay home, I probably would’ve snagged the MacBook Air M1 two years ago. It was one of the first devices to feature Apple’s M1 chipset, and benchmark tests proved that the lightweight MacBook could throw down against heavyweight, Intel-based computers – including Apple’s own MacBook Pro. For such a huge gap in performance, speed, and efficiency, it was hard to believe that Apple was selling the laptop for just $999....

Also: This tiny smartphone accessory gives you a fantastic superpower And this year, we’re seeing more manufacturers than ever pushing the envelope in smartphone innovation. In some cases, we’re looking at final products that will arrive in global markets very soon. Then, there are concepts; advanced constructs that simply give us a glimpse of the future, but are never not intriguing to go hands-on with. Despite all the new smartphones, tablets, and gizmos announced, one MWC theme remains: the lack of US releases....

Regular mobile leaker 91mobiles revealed the claimed Apple Watch Pro CAD renders showing a larger display than previous Apple Watch Models. So far, most of the details about the Apple Watch Pro, which Apple is expected to reveal at its “Far Out” event, have come from Bloomberg’s Apple watcher, Mark Gurman. He’s previously reported it should have about a seven percent larger display than normal Apple Watch models and that it takes aim at Garmin’s high-end rugged watches....

I got my hands on a Nixplay Touch 10 Smart Frame, and I’m impressed. As a millennial, I take hundreds of photos on my phone but rarely print them out to display them in my home. Although digital photo frames are typically associated with older adults, I think everyone should give them – or at least the Nixplay Touch 10 Smart Frame – a try. The Nixplay is now on sale at Best Buy for $70 off....

Right now, I prefer the convenience and ease of traveling light, and that means no unnecessarily large chargers, enormous cables, or hefty power banks. Here’s the kit I’ve put together instead. It’s small, lightweight, portable, and perfect when traveling with my iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. 1. A great multipurpose wireless charger The Apple MagSafe Duo wireless charger is a fold-out charger that, for me, is ideal for travel. You can charge an iPhone and Apple Watch together on a nightstand, and you can pop your AirPods or AirPods Pro case onto the MagSafe charger when that needs the occasional power top-up....

Also: How to find and remove spyware from your phone Essentially, a memory safety vulnerability is a problem with the way an application handles or uses memory in a device. What happens with these types of bugs is that an application could be capable of writing beyond the memory region it has been allotted, which can then be used by attackers to corrupt the application’s intended behavior. Think of it this way....

Cybersecurity researchers at Emsisoft have detailed how they were secretly able to foil the cyber criminals behind BlackMatter ransomware, saving several victims from having to pay the ransom. After keeping what they were doing under wraps to avoid the cyber criminals finding out, researchers have now disclosed how they were undermining BlackMatter by providing decryption keys to victims of their attacks. SEE: Ransomware: Industrial services top the hit list - but cyber criminals are diversifying BlackMatter has been active in its current incarnation since July this year, but has actually been around for a lot longer than that because the consensus among information security analysts is that BlackMatter is a rebranded version of DarkSide ransomware....

Victims of Android malware are often advised to perform a factory reset after cleaning up an infection, but BRATA now does the reset for another reason: in order to wipe any evidence after conducting an illicit wire transfer from the victim’s online bank account. BRATA or “Brazilian RAT Android” was named by Kaspersky researchers in 2019 because it exclusively targets Android users in Brazil. Since then, it has broadened its reach to US and Spain bank brands, according to McAfee....

The dual 4K cameras on this drone can capture more stable videos, as well as high-definition photos, thanks to electronic image stabilization and a 3-axis mechanical gimbal. An altitude hold mode function provides a steadier flight with foldable arms. And its optical flow offers more balanced and accurate hovering as it flies. A remote control is included which allows you to navigate your drone from longer distances of up to 1,200 meters or from greater heights....

The attackers used a range of techniques to infect targets with malware, such as via malicious Word documents, fake removable devices leading users to malicious folders, and fake antivirus vendor icons that led to executable files. The group relied on users’ familiarity with the Windows folder icons and the File Explorer interface to dupe victims into running malicious executables. Dubbed Aoqin Dragon by researchers at SentinelLabs, the group’s prime targets were organizations in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, including Australia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Vietnam....

There’s no end in sight for this war of words, but there’s one product that members of both sides almost always give their nod of approval to, even if it is a begrudging one: the Drop + EPOS PC38X gaming headset. Why? It’s all about history. EPOS is a company that began as the gaming division of legendary audio equipment maker Sennheiser. It owes its pedigree to legendary Sennheiser equipment like the $50,000 Orpheus headphones, and the actually attainable HD 500 through HD 800 series....

The malware has been detailed by cybersecurity researchers at F5 Labs, who’ve dubbed it MaliBot. It’s the latest in a string of powerful malware targeting Android users. In addition to remotely stealing passwords, bank details and cryptocurrency wallets, MaliBot can access text messages, steal web browser cookies and can take screen captures from infected Android devices. It can also get around multi-factor authentication (MFA) – one of the key cybersecurity defences people can use to protect themselves against cyber criminals....

Between remote work and travel, the world is more transient than ever. And fortunately, there’s no reason why you can’t stay productive and entertained no matter where you are. With a tablet, you don’t even need to haul around a laptop when you want to watch movies or take care of a bit of business when out and about. And if you’re on the hunt for an affordable option, check out this Apple iPad mini 4, available for $289....

If you’re a beginner, then “AWS Solutions Architect Associate - 2021 Update (SAA-C02): The Total Course” is the place to start. In 165 lectures over 19 hours, the course will prepare you to pass the Associate certification exam. You’ll learn everything you need from technical essentials, terminology, and concepts to security, database, and management services. Plus, it includes two practice tests. Students were very satisfied with this module, rating it 4....

Mykhailo Fedorov, the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, tweeted the appeal on February 27, asking that “all major crypto exchanges block addresses of Russian users.” “It’s crucial to freeze not only the addresses linked to Russian and Belarusian politicians but also to sabotage ordinary users,” Fedorov said. Economic sanctions and the upcoming exclusion of some Russian banks from the global SWIFT financial system have already prompted concerns of a cash run in Russia....

Last week, the Computer Emergency Response Team for Ukraine (CERT-UA) said that the department has been advised of new phishing campaigns taking place against Ukrainian organizations that spread the LoadEdge backdoor. According to CERT-UA, phishing emails are being sent that have an attached archive, 501_25_103.zip, together with a shortcut (LNK) file. If opened, an HTML Application file (HTA) downloads and executes VBScript designed to deploy LoadEdge. Once the backdoor has formed a link to an InvisiMole command-and-control (C2) server, other malware payloads are deployed and executed including TunnelMole, malware that abuses the DNS protocol to form a tunnel for malicious software distribution, and both RC2FM and RC2CL, which are data collection and surveillance backdoor modules....

The new rules, which come into effect in 90 days and were pushed by the department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), governs the “export, re-export, or transfer (in-country) of certain items that can be used for malicious cyber activities.” Companies would be barred from selling some technology to certain countries without a specific license from BIS. US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a statement that the US is “committed to working with our multilateral partners to deter the spread of certain technologies that can be used for malicious activities that threaten cybersecurity and human rights....