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The next big threat to mobile security could happen to anyone, but Samsung Galaxy has a new line of defense.

Did you know that just receiving an image might be enough to let hackers in? Most consumers know not to open random links or attachments that no longer guarantee safety as cybercriminals constantly explore new methods of attack.

Zero-click exploits are the latest kind of cyberattack, and they can take place any time an image is received. A single image could be hiding malicious code.

While there has been no sign of such attacks on Samsung Galaxy smartphones, Samsung Electronics constantly looks ahead to anticipate potential threats and develop preemptive security measures, such as Samsung Message Guard.

New Security for New Threats

Picture this: your phone receives an image. It vibrates gently in your pocket before going still. Or it is on your bedside table, lighting up briefly as you sleep. You haven’t touched your phone, but someone may already be reading your messages, browsing your gallery and copying your bank details.

Zero-click exploits are just the latest threat in an era of increased cybercrime targeting user data. One in three consumers around the world has been the victim of a data breach where their personal data was hacked.  Data breaches are increasingly common, with rates more than tripling between 2013 and 2021.

Threats evolve, but so too does Samsung’s mobile security. Samsung Galaxy smartphones offer comprehensive safeguards with the powerful Samsung Knox platform, and users are already protected from attacks using video and audio formats. Samsung Message Guard takes that security one step further by preemptively protecting your device, limiting exposure to invisible threats disguised as image attachments.

The security solution currently works on Samsung Messages and Messages by Google.  In line with Samsung’s philosophy of open collaboration, a software update will roll out at a later date to let Samsung Message Guard protect you across third party messaging apps as well.

A Secure Environment

Samsung Message Guard is an advanced ‘sandbox’, or a kind of virtual quarantine. When an image file arrives, it is trapped and isolated from the rest of the device. This prevents malicious code from accessing your phone’s files or interacting with its operating system. Samsung Message Guard checks the file bit by bit and processes it in a controlled environment to ensure it cannot infect the rest of your device.

Simply put, Samsung Message Guard automatically neutralizes any potential threat hiding in image files before they have a chance to do you any harm. It also runs silently and largely invisibly in the background and does not need to be activated by the user. So where previously you could be endangered without doing anything, now you are protected from zero-click exploits without lifting a finger.

Samsung Message Guard is just the latest forward-looking security solution from Samsung. Separately, Samsung Galaxy devices already provide industry-leading security and privacy protections in other areas, thanks to the award-winning Samsung Knox. This provides end-to-end protection across every layer of hardware and software, as well as real-time threat detection.

Availability                                                                                   

Samsung Message Guard is a solution on the Samsung Galaxy S23 series. It will be gradually rolled out to other Galaxy smartphones and tablets later this year.

Huawei technologies is targeting to further reduce ICT energy costs by introducing a new tool that uses artificial intelligence to regulate power consumption.

Known as Green 1-2-3, the new solution is designed to strike the right balance between energy efficiency, renewable energy utilization and user experience. It involves three aspects where firstly new materials and processes are being developed to solve condensation, low temperature issues and enable power modules to independently remain in standby, meaning the power consumption during extremely light load can be reduced from 300 W to less than 10 W.

Secondly, multi-dimensional site information such as weather, electricity price, battery status, and service volume are obtained by the software and intelligent scheduling algorithms used to maximize power generation efficiency and load-based power availability, while minimizing overall power cost.

Thirdly, experience-driven approaches are being upgraded to data-driven approaches, allowing energy-saving policies to be generated in minutes and optimization policies to be delivered in milliseconds.

Speaking at the Huawei Green ICT Summit, Peng Song, President of ICT Strategy & Marketing of Huawei, explained that the firm is advocating for expansion of the focus of organizations beyond improving network energy efficiency to reducing absolute energy consumption.

” An artificial intelligence ‘Big Bang’ is underway and is expected to bring new benefits and opportunities to network operators. However, it also requires better ICT infrastructure, due to higher bandwidth and increased computing power leading to a rapid increase in network energy consumption. Indeed, the ICT industry seems to be faced with the tough choice to either go green or develop. However, we believe the industry can choose not to choose, and instead go green and develop simultaneously ” Peng said.

He called for ICT players to consider an upgrade from network-specific policies to site-specific policies in order to improve the accuracy of renewable energy deployment. This will additionally reduce the time required for intelligent scheduling from days to minutes, thus maximizing the economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy.

LG Electronics has rolled out an array of kitchen appliances set to define the future of the modern Kitchen.

Showcased at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) 2023, the LG Studio appliance lineup consists of the fridge with MoodUP, an InstaView® induction slide-in range with Air Fry and Air Sous Vide, a double wall oven, and a dishwasher.

Speaking during the rollout, LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution President Lyu Jae-Cheol said, “With our customer needs and interests at the center of our innovation, we will continue to provide innovative kitchen and living solutions that offer a variety of design options to suit different tastes. Today, with the LG Studio lineup, the journey has begun to define the kitchen of the future boasting modern design and premium quality with products such as the LG Studio refrigerator with MoodUP and Luxe Stainless-Steel products that can transform one’s kitchen into a tailored, supremely functional lifestyle space”.

The innovative refrigerator with MoodUP™, first introduced at IFA 2022, has now been added to the premium LG STUDIO lineup. With its color-changeable door panels and built-in Bluetooth speakers, the fridge can reflect the user’s mood and refresh the atmosphere of the kitchen; perfectly illustrating how LG STUDIO appliances can help people to express their personalities and make life at home more entertaining.

With its addition and a wider selection of advanced appliances offering new color and finish options, the expanded LG STUDIO range delivers greater choice and a more personalized kitchen.

The sophisticated home solutions, which also boast the upgradability of LG ThinQ™ UP, were displayed during KBIS at the atmospheric, SoHo-themed LG STUDIO zone, located inside LG’s booth. In addition, the LG STUDIO kitchen package appliances sport a new stainless-steel finish, Luxe Stainless Steel, and elegant rose-gold-colored handles and knobs.

The new finish and handle/knob color further widen the range of LG STUDIO appliance design options available to customers, enabling them to create a kitchen aesthetic that perfectly matches their unique sensibilities.

During the exhibition, the LG STUDIO zone lets visitors experience the ‘upgradable, personalized life’ made possible by ThinQ UP and ThinQ Care, which are both available on LG STUDIO kitchen and laundry solutions.

ThinQ UP allows users to download new features for compatible LG appliances via the LG ThinQ app, while ThinQ Care offers handy maintenance tips and preemptive alerts to help users keep their appliances performing at their best.

Samsung Electronics has announced new updates to Bixby that improve user experience, performance, and capabilities of the intelligent assistant and platform. The new updates deliver significant improvements in Bixby’s ability with enhanced language recognition, giving people greater control over their mobile experience.

“When Samsung first launched Bixby as a voice assistant, it was part of a vision to create a human-to-machine interface that makes life easier and can advance over time with Samsung Galaxy innovation,” said YoungJip Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Artificial Intelligence Team in Mobile eXperience Business, Samsung Electronics. “Today, we introduce updates to build a more intelligent interface that is proactive and adaptive, giving people greater control over their mobile experience.”

Giving People Greater Control over their Mobile Experience

The new Bixby updates bring several new features and improvements that allow people to customize their user experience further, including the recent availability of Bixby Text Call in English. Now, English speakers can answer calls from anywhere by typing a message, which Bixby converts to audio and communicates to the caller directly on their behalf.

Users can also personalize their Bixby Text Call voice. Using the new Bixby Custom Voice Creator, users can record different sentences for Bixby to analyze and create an AI-generated copy of their voice and tone. Currently available in Korean, this generated voice will also be compatible with other Samsung apps beyond phone calls in the future. And for those who want to customize their wake word, Bixby now supports changes to the Custom wake-up  phrase within Bixby settings as well, adding a new option to create a personalized wake-up phrase.

From Intelligent Assistant to Intelligent Platform

Today, Bixby can provide more seamless continuity and better attune to user needs with the introduction of new scenarios, including playing music depending on the type of exercise in Samsung Health or saving schedules in Calendar. Now, Bixby can better understand intent and process follow-up requests by understanding context and associating words previously used in interactions. For example, Bixby users can first launch a workout on Samsung Health and then ask Bixby to play music that best suits that exercise by saying “Play music for this workout.”

Enhanced Language Recognition, Processing and Response

In addition to these great new features, Samsung also expanded Bixby’s on-device AI support. Users can run key commands entirely offline, such as setting a timer, taking a screenshot or turning on the flashlight. By integrating on-device AI with its native applications, Samsung was able to further expand its language offering and capabilities with advanced AI-based voice dictation. These updates to Bixby will be made possible by the powerful innovation found in Samsung Galaxy devices, including the industry-leading performance that enables on-device AI applications.

Availability

Bixby updates will be available for Samsung Galaxy users in February through a software update. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/apps/bixby.

Taxi drivers are set to benefit as Hava Net Limited a leading ride-hailing local company operating in the region acquires 200 Electric Vehicles and Solar vehicles, as its expansion strategy journey gets underway.

The firm says it opted to add EVs in its fleet as opposed to Fossil Fuel powered cars so as to conserve the environment and reduce costs cabs drivers incur on maintenance and fuel. It should see a driver save over Kes. 500 per day on fuel and Kes. 300 on maintenance. Their drivers will spend only Kes. 450 for 300 Km by going electric instead of 2,600 currently with a vehicle consuming 1 liter for every 18 Km. Unlike the other players in the market, the firm buys vehicles for its drivers which is a very good move and this will help drivers earn more per ride considering that no cost of fuel except minimal charging costs. With this, they seek to give the highest commission to drivers in the market.

In order to support taxi drivers, ride-hailing firms seek to acquire 1000 electric cars. To realize this goal the firm has inked a deal with Utu Cars for procurement of the first 200 electrical vehicles for the HAVA Green Project in a deal worth Kes. 420 million. These cars are fully electric and solarized and thus can either charge on solar or electricity. This comes at a time when the world is gearing towards electrical vehicles because of their environmental friendliness and cost-effectiveness.

“We have agreed to acquire the initial solar and electric units of Utu Cars from Go Electric Limited as they match the standards we are looking for. These solar and electric cars will increase margins for drivers as they save on fuel and maintenance and hence earn at least twice because electric cars have fewer moving parts that will make the drivers take home twice as much as they did with the petrol-fueled cabs,” said Abdifatar Mohamoud Chief Executive Officer of HAVA Net Limited.

The running cost of an electric vehicle is much lower than an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle.
Electric vehicles use electricity to charge their batteries instead of using fossil fuels like petrol or diesel. Electric vehicles are more efficient, and that combined with the electricity cost means that charging an electric vehicle is cheaper than filling petrol or diesel for your travel requirements.

Using renewable energy sources can make the use of electric vehicles more eco-friendly. The electricity cost can be reduced further if charging is done with the help of renewable energy sources installed at home, such as solar panels.

Ms. Eve Maina Managing Director at Go Electric Ltd said; “These initial order will act us emissaries and we expect them to showcase and increase assurance and conviction in EVs to spur more uptake. The electric vehicles are a game changer in the East African market that has for long being dominated by fossil-fuel vehicles. They come with reduced running costs, cut the use of fuel, and reduction of operational costs. Thus, owners of the EV who want to venture into public transport will save more money than their counterparts, because of the no engine maintenance costs.”

Statistics indicate that EV sales are increasing slowly, but surely. In 2015 electric vehicles constituted three percent of the automotive market. In 2022, it was 15 percent. By 2025, the projection is 23 percent. Electric SUVs are selling like hotcakes. Almost every major automobile manufacturer today has at least one electric SUV model variant.

Shadrack Wangara Head of Growth Hava said, “We believe these Electrical and solar vehicles help us meet our sustainability goals, our company has a commitment to sustainability and we believe electric vehicles play a significant role in reducing carbon prints with every automaker going all in on electric and many exciting new products coming to the, we have placed our order and we are excited to expand and make it easier for consumers to make the transition to Electrical mobility.’’

EVs are regarded as one of the most significant modern cost-cutting innovations, owing to the reduction of running costs of both fuel and associated engine maintenance costs. Owners of solar and electric vehicles, particularly those who will operate public transportation, will earn more money as they transition away from fossil fuel vehicles due to a reduction in operation costs.