iPhone and iPad ANY Model Clean IMEI switch "Find My Iphone" from ON to OFF in 5 - 15 working days

iPhone and iPad ANY Model Clean IMEI switch "Find My Iphone" from ON to OFF 

This service will switch " Find My iPhone" option from ON to OFF and you will be able to use your phone. Very important is the activation screen of this iPhones to look like this, which means that there MUST BE NO message from owner:

BUT THE PRICE FOR THE MOMENT IS TO HIGHT ITS AROUND 200 US DOLLARS

Facebook's Nearby Friends: Location-based Advertising is Next Frontier

Facebook has introduced Nearby Friends where users can choose whether they would like to pinpoint their location to mates in a move that could give the social network a lot more data on users that could then be used for targeted ads.

Previously, the social network automatically notified users about friends who were close by. The new opt-in only version is designed to allay privacy concerns.

While some in the industry are calling the new feature "creepy", Nearby Friends potentially gives Facebook a chance to better monetise its mobile app, an area where the company has so far failed to profit.

Location-based advertising, whereby consumers are geo-located to receive messages about offers and discounts directly to their smartphones as they walk down a high street, could be the answer.

According to analyst firm IDC, location-based advertising makes up 40% of all mobile advertising in the US and 33% in the UK. By 2018, it is expected to account for 50% of all advertising in the US, with the UK not far behind.

"The challenge of location-based advertising is that it has to be very targeted. Facebook is a general social platform so different age groups use it in different ways. Twitter is the same," Alys Woodward, IDC's research director for European big data and social business tells IBTimes UK.

"In the past, Facebook have pushed the boundaries of privacy and then turn around and say, 'Oh, you don't like it?', and then roll [it] back. Since Whatsapp will never give them users' data, Facebook is now getting users to opt in.

"Despite their vast revenue, they do have to evolve to survive [as] Facebook sponsored ads haven't been successful."

The idea behind Nearby Friends is that if a user travels to an unfamiliar place, they might want to find out if there are friends around that they could meet up, for example, at a music festival.

"It's not just about tracking people. Facebook can take the data to advertisers and say, 'At a festival, why don't you advertise on our app?'" says Woodward.

Mobile operators who, like Facebook, are sitting on a rich database of user data from their mobile subscribers, are starting to use location-based advertising too.

Ginny Arnold, head of communications for Weve, the m-commerce platform joint-venture formed by Vodafone, EE and Telefonica O2 tells IBTimes UK: "Location and the ability to talk to a consumer directly on their device based on a specific area at scale is still a relatively new concept. About half of all the campaigns that were delivered by our service in 2013 had a location element.

"The most important thing about location is one of the fundamentals of marketing - understanding your audience and ensuring that the content you offer them is relevant and useful."

And it's not just about promoting retailers – location-based messages can be used for public service announcements as consumers always have their phones with them.

Intersec offers Linux-based geo-location technology called Igloo that has the ability to disregard "irrelevant" targets ie, people who just happen to be walking along a road or people who live there, instead targeting returning visitors at a specific time of day.

Igloo is being used by Weve and many other mobile operators in 32 countries, such as SFR in France.

"SFR launched a campaign for blood donations, targeted to reach opt-in [mobile subscribers] who were located less than 200 metres from a blood donation centre," Intersec's COO Gary Buchwald tells IBTimes UK.

"The results were astonishing: by 2pm, the centres couldn't take more blood as the reserves were full and 30% of the donors were first-time donors."

Privacy concerns

The worry is that location-based advertising could be intrusive but this is not the case.

"Location-based advertising is only sent to consumers who explicitly agreed to be targeted with SMS campaigns & geo-located. Operators are very cautious with the commercial pressure and only a limited number of SMS are sent to subscribers over a set period of time," says Buchwald.

"If you have your top five retailers and they send you the right messages in the right time, it's valuable. It's not like a spam email as there's a time limit as to how often customers will be contacted," says Woodward.

"If you share this information, it will learn what you like and you will get useful info about promotions and time-specific promotions just for you. Companies are using your data to get you to come into their shops to buy items more often."

PlayOn Adds More Than 100 Channels to Chromecast

PlayOn customers will now be able to stream more than 100 channels of free web content from teh likes of Comedy Central and NBC using the Chromecast dongle.

Google's Chromecast got just a lot more useful as web TV streaming company PlayOn adds support, bringing more than 100 online channels to the streaming dongle.

While PlayOn is currently not supported in the UK, US owners of the Chromecast can now enjoy more than 100 channels of free web video with shows from major US networks like ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC as well as Comedy Central and ESPN.

While PlayOn may say it serves up 100+ channels of 'free' web content, to view these channels you will need a PlayOn subscription, which in the US costs $30 per year or $60 for a lifetime subscription.

To use the system, you will need to download PlayOn software to your PC or laptop which will act like a virtual server. Once set up, you will then need to download the PlayOn app to your smartphone and tablet which you will use to navigate through the content available.

"Sorely missing"

Google's streaming dongle does not feature an on-screen guide, but PlayOn will add this feature which the company says is "sorely missing from the Chromecast user experience."

PlayOn already works with a number of device such as the Roku set-top box as well as mobile devices and both PlayStation and Xbox games consoles. The company also offers a DVR-like product called PlayLater which allows you record shows to watch later.

Google launched the Chromecast in the US last year and just last month brought it to the UK costing £30. Initial support was limited though featured heavyweights like YouTube and Netflix.

Increased support

App support has been growing gradually with BBC's iPlayer app adding support to coincide with the UK launch, as well as support for Live YouTube channels added to the mobile app just last week.

Google says that thousands of apps are in development which will support the budget device, though earlier this week it was revealed that both ITV and Channel 4 were not planning to support Chromecast.

Google is also reported to be working on Android TV, a new interface built specifically to work on large-screen TVs. It is unclear at the moment if or when Google will launch its own set-top box but sources within Google suggest whatever is launched will sit alongside Chromecast, rather than replace it.

Google is holding its annual developer conference - Google I/O - on 25 June when we should learn a lot more about the search giant's plans.

Apple Releases iOS 7.1.1, Is It Possible To Jailbreak 7.1.1 UnTethered?

7.1.1 UnTethered – Today, over a month and a half after the devastating blow to the jailbreak community that was iOS 7.1 (a firmware that patched the UnTethered evasi0n jailbreak), Apple released iOS 7.1.1 to the general public. In addition to iOS 7.1.1 being available for immediate download via iTunes, the firmware is also available through Apple’s built-in iOS over-the-air (OTA) update feature. However, jailbroken users should avoid updating to 7.1.1, as they will essentially forfeit their jailbreak. Evasi0n7 is effectively useless on the newest 7.1.1 firmware, making it impossible for the public to jailbreak 7.1.1 Untethered. Although iOS 7.1 was the first significant iOS update since Apple revamped their mobile operating system with the release of iOS 7, today’s new 7.1.1 firmware is simply a minor update that corrects a few small bugs.

Is It Possible to Jailbreak 7.1.1 Untethered?

The latest update, 7.1.1, is labeled with a build number of 11D201 and offers enhancements to Apple’s iPhone 5s-excuslive Touch ID sensor, rectifies a bug that affected Bluetooth keyboards with the VoiceOver feature enabled and corrects an issue that could lead to the keyboard becoming less responsive.

The extent of iOS 7.1.1′s changelog is as follows:

• Further improvements to Touch ID fingerprint recognition
• Fixes a bug that could impact keyboard responsiveness
• Fixes an issue when using Bluetooth keyboards with VoiceOver enabled

As far as jailbreaking is concerned, those who wish to maintain and preserve their device’s jailbroken state, avoid updating to 7.1.1 at all costs, as a number of exploits that powered the evasion7 jailbreak utility were patched when Apple released 7.1 – the same applies to the latest 7.1.1 update.

Furthermore, the evad3rs aren’t planning on releasing the team’s next UnTethered jailbreak utility to the masses until after Apple pushes out both iOS 8 and the company’s next round of iDevices.

If you own an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch that’s running iOS 7.0 through 7.0.6, you can still make use of the evasi0n7 jailbreak utility to jailbreak your device(s) – ensure than you avoid updating to iOS 7.1.1 though. To jailbreak Apple’s older iOS 7.0.6 firmware, we recommend following the steps outlined in our comprehensive UnTethered jailbreak tutorial.

Thank you for reading and don’t forget to subscribe to our Jailbreak 7.1.1 Evasion Info news feed, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us on Google+ to be instantly notified when we publish new articles regarding iOS 7.1.1 and the evad3rs’ next UnTethered jailbreak.

New App Helps Clients Shop For Sex Workers

By borrowing dynamics from popular dating apps like Tinder, a Berlin-based start-up has created an app that customers can use to find a male or female prostitute.

Launched on 1 April, the app dubbed 'Peppr.it,' allows users to view profiles of sex workers near their current location.

Apart from allowing clients to search for male and female prostitutes, the app even goes to the extent of allowing people to filter out sex workers by body type, skin colour and special services.

While the sex workers don't have to pay a fee to be a part of the service, the app's owners will take a €5 or €10 booking fee from clients.

Pia Poppenreiter, the app's co-founder, was inspired to create it after she took a stroll through a red-light area in Berlin on a winter night.

"I was walking down Oranienburger Strasse - I know it sounds cheesy, but it's the truth - it was chilly and I saw the poor girls on the streets, and I thought, why isn't there an app? It's not efficient to wait outside," she told The Local. 

"We're trying to revolutionise the image of sex work in general," she said. "We're trying to get it away from its shabby image."

She even went on to add that sex workers from escort agencies are required to talk to representatives from Peppr.it so as to confirm that they are not being forced into the occupation.

"We have a short conversation to get the feeling that this is voluntary and they are independent sex workers," she said - although she said that her company can't always guarantee this.

"We try to ask them - you kind of find out in a conversation whether they're doing it on a voluntary basis - we ask them what they did before, whether they've always worked voluntarily and so on," she said.

5 Essential iOS 7 Cydia Tweaks to Thwart iPhone Thieves

Smartphone thievery is one of the most common types of theft, mostly because it’s terribly easy to misplace your phone, and the person who finds it just might have larceny in their heart. However, if you have a jailbroken iPhone, you can at least thwart iPhone thieves with these clever iOS 7 Cydia tweaks.

Of course, there’s no way to literally thwart an iPhone thieve, as they’ll steal a phone no matter what. However, once they have your phone, they’ll probably have seconds thoughts once they discover that you have the device locked down and easily trackable.

These iOS 7 Cydia tweaks can work together to make your jailbroken iPhone one of the most secure iPhones on the block, disabling thieves from turning off GPS or even shutting down the device entirely, as well as taking a picture of the thief when a passcode reaches too many wrong guesses. Plus, you can set up commands that will allow you to easily locate your lost iPhone if it’s in the vicinity.

Activator

Activator itself isn’t geared specifically toward those who want to secure their iPhones from potential thieves, but it can be used in such manner if you’d like, since Activator can do a lot of neat stuff. For instance, one Reddit user has come up with actions for Activator that allow you to text your misplaced iPhone from another device with different commands for different situations.

That Reddit user even described a situation where these commands came in handy after he accidentally dropped his phone in a movie theather:

“This is when I remembered that I set up an activator setting to turn my phone volume on. By sending a text message from my friend’s phone saying “RINGERACTIVATEON” I was able to faintly hear my phone go off around the row behind me. I began to become suspicious of the two people sitting behind us. I then called my phone and it began to ring and suddenly halted as if the call was ignored. I immediately knew it was one of the people behind me.”

Long story short, he got his phone back and the thief was escorted out of the movie theater.

BioLockdown

By using the Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5s, you can prevent certain apps from opening or certain actions from being done by requiring a fingerprint scan first. This is where BioLockdown comes in handy.

Previously, we mentioned a jailbreak tweak called BioProtect, which allows you to fingerprint-protect certain apps, so that you can only access them by scanning your finger using the Touch ID home button, but BioLockdown is cheaper and offers more features and settings to play around with than BioProtect.

Personally, I only use BioLockdown to prevent someone from shutting off my iPhone, because once the device is off, it’s no longer traceable and Find My iPhone becomes useless at that point. You can also set it up so that a fingerprint scan is required in order to turn off connections like WiFi, LTE and GPS, which are vital in order to track down a lost or stolen iPhone.

iCaughtU

iCaughtU is pretty much like Find My iPhone on steroids. Find My iPhone allows you to easily locate a lost or stolen iOS device, but iCaughtU takes things to a new level.

The tweak allows owners to set up a handful of different security measurements on their iPhone, like when a thief enters in the wrong passcode, the front-facing camera takes a photo of the perpetrator and emails it to the owner, along with the location of the phone and a map. You also can’t turn off the device when it’s locked, preventing thieves from erasing their tracks.

There’s also a Pro version that allows owners to perform remote actions over iMessage and forward any text messages or calls to another number, that way the thief doesn’t see any incoming activities on your iPhone. iCaughtU does require a Gmail address to send the info to, but most people have a Gmail account nowadays. If not, it’s really easy to sign up for a Gmail account, even if it’s just a burner to use for the jailbreak tweak alone.

CleverPin

CleverPin isn’t necessarily a jailbreak tweak aimed at thwarting iPhone thieves, but it’s a nice tweak to have if you want to have a passcode lock enabled, but without the hassle of entering it in all the time. A good passcode on your iPhone is crucial for keeping it secure when it ever becomes lost or stolen. However, it can be a nuisance at times, especially when you’re at home when the chances of your device getting lost or stolen are very slim.

CleverPin allows you to have the passcode lock enabled only when you’re out of the house. It does this by adding your home’s WiFi network to its list of approved locations. You can even add your parents’ house or a friend’s house to the list. If the tweak detects that you’re on an approved WiFi network, it disables the passcode lock, but once you leave WiFi, it will enable passcode lock.

There are also settings you can change as far as when passcode lock is enabled or disabled, like when you’re playing music or when your iPhone is plugged in.

AndroidLock XT

As with CleverPin, AndroidLock XT isn’t a jailbreak tweak aimed at thwarting iPhone thieves, but it’s a nice replacement to the iPhone’s traditional passcode lock that makes it easier and quicker to unlock your iPhone.

One thing that we’re big fans of on Android is the pattern lock feature, where you can simply draw a pattern in order to unlock your Android device. iOS doesn’t have this by default, but jailbroken users can download and install AndroidLock XT from Cydia to get the pattern unlock feature.

The tweak gives you the same 3×3 layout as Android, and you can setup your own pattern to unlock your iPhone or iPad. You can even get customizable themes to fit your style, and there are even options to have the pattern unlock disabled if you’re on WiFi or connected to a Bluetooth device. Plus, the tweak works with iCaughtU, so you can integrate AndroidLock XT in with your various security measures.

Chrome Remote Desktop App Controls PCs and Macs on Any Device Running Android 4.0 or Above

Google has just launched a full-fledged Chrome Remote Desktop app for Android with the ability to remotely connect and control your PCs and Macs via any smartphone or tablet running Android 4.0 or above.

The app is now available as a free download via Google Play Store and its functionality mimics the existing Chrome and Desktop counterparts for remote access.

Once you are logged on to the Remote Desktop client, all the computers connected to the specific Google account on the Android device will be listed. Users can remotely connect to any computer in the list using a secure PIN and username login credentials.

The controls are very basic as you move around the screen with a simple swipe, tap to click an object on screen, and tap and hold to drag selections or to move open windows, according toAndroid Central.

In addition, the app provides text input via a full on-screen keyboard and a single tap ctrl-alt-del button for Windows users. The setup instructions for the app seem fairly simple involving just a couple of steps (courtesy of The Next Web):

• Set up remote access on your designated Windows or Mac computers using Chrome Remote Desktop app via Chrome Web Store.
• Launch the app on your Android device and tap on any of your online computers to connect.

Paul Sawers of The Next Web explains how the app works in a few simple words:

To authorise the connection between the machines, the app generates a code which you must share with the other person. So, for example, if you wish to share your desktop with a tech-savvy friend to fix an on-going issue, you'd send them a 12-digit code that looks roughly like this (see image below):

As Android Central reports, the Chrome Remote Desktop app appears to work seamlessly with lightweight tasks on the Nexus 7, while heavy duty tasks are limited by the small screen controlling a full-fledged desktop operating system.

Those looking for a first-hand experience of remote desktop access in Android will not be disappointed though, as the app gets the job done in the simplest and most convenient way.

iPhone: Control Your Home With Siri Using This Simple Hack Without Having to Jailbreak

A team of students from the university of Pennsylvania has created a hack for Siri which allows the voice-based assistant to control household appliances. Apart from general household appliances, it can also control lighting and web services.

Dubbed GoogolPlex, the hack connects Siri to the programming interfaces supplied by third parties through web proxy servers.

By simply changing an iPhone's proxy settings to Googolplex's servers, users can add an unlimited set of extra commands to Siri. Watch the video below for more information.

GoogolPlex uses a middle-man style method to pick the commands you send to Siri and shoots them over to GoogolPlex instead. Owing to this, it's a little sluggish since it travels from Siri, through their servers, before reaching Safari.

The app is great for adding some much-needed third-party functionality to Siri. At the moment, the GoogolPlex can work with services like Spotify, Instagram, Philips Hue smart lighting products, Nest thermostats, and Tesla electric cars.

Since Apple has restricted third parties from tapping in to Siri to provide added functionality, this app shows off Siri's potential if Apple ever decides to open Siri via APIs.

Users can create their own functions through APIs and the students have offered details on how this can be done. A good example would be to ask Google Maps for directions, displaying a random XKCD comic, opening a web page and much more.

It is worth noting that users won't have to jailbreak or modify their devices. However, users must keep in mind that there are certain security implications that may arise from this app since data that hits a third-party proxy can be intercepted, stored or altered.

Apple iOS 7.1.1 Update to Fix Bugs Rolled Out by iOS 7.1

iOS 7.1, the first major update to Apple's iOS 7 software, has been released for iPhone, iPad and iPodtouch models in March.

Although the features and enhancements were brought in by iOS 7.1, software update was praised by critics and users alike. There were many complaints from the users after the update.

iOS 7.1.1 Update

According to 9to5mac, Apple is gearing up to a bug fix (update) to iOS 7.1 called iOS 7.1.1. The Web site saw countless visits from areas around Apple's campus. Apparently, the devices were running on iOS 7.1.1 as shown in their analytics. In all likelihood, the increase in views indicates the bug fix update will come over-the-air to all Apple devices shortly. The Web site also indicated iOS 8 testing inside Apple has also seen a considerable increase in its analytics.

Here is a list of bugs compiled by CNet, introduced after upgrading to iOS 7.1:

1. Battery Drain Issue

Every time Apple sends out its software update, users are bogged down by perennial battery drain issues and the situation was no different. Many users complained of their sudden reduction in battery life once they updated their device to iOS 7.1.

2. Fingerprint Scanner Malfunction

After upgrading to iOS 7.1, many users complained the Apple's touchID (fingerprint scanner) did not work as expected by not recognizing the users' fingerprint.

3. Disabled Bluetooth And Wi-Fi

Fewer users complained the iOS 7.1 update causing their iPhones to disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity completely. For some users, however, the Bluetooth disconnected sporadically.

4. Bluetooth Pairing (in Cars) And Device Volume Issues

A good bunch of users have complained the iOS 7.1 update has caused Bluetooth connectivity and synchronization problems, especially when using mobile devices in their cars. Upon making a hands-free call, many users realized that the audio is not routed via Bluetooth. Also, iPad volume jammed after upgrading to iOS 7.1.

5. Personal Hotspot Problems

Several users found out the personal hotspot APN settings were not getting saved after iOS 7.1 update. This issue was quite prevalent with iPhone 4 but not with any other models.

HTC Sense 6 Available for Nexus 5 [How to Install]

HTC One M8 Sense 6.0 ported into Nexus 5

HTC's newly launched flagship smartphone, HTC One M8 features the all-new Sense UI 6, which is completely redesigned with a cleaner and more striking visual style.

The Sense 6 features bold, customisable colour themes and delivers a more intuitive, personalised user experience.

HTC America president, Jason Miller recently confirmed the Sense 6 will be available for HTC One M7 users by the end of May.

What about Sense 6 on a non-HTC device? Surprisingly, this is possible. No sooner the new Sense version is launched, it has made its way for other device. Thanks to the Android developer community, the Sense 6, which is exclusive to HTC One M8 is now available for Google's fifth generation Nexus branding smartphone.

HTC Sense 6 running on Google Nexus 5

GalaxyUser, a recognised XDA contributor, has successfully ported Sense 6 from HTC One M8 into the Nexus 5. Besides, the developer has shared the Sense 6 ROM file for the Nexus 5. As the build is in its alpha stage, it is partially functional and few of the features are not working in this port.

Working

Touchscreen

RIL

Wifi

Internal SDCard

Vibrator

Bluetooth

Sensors (Light/Orientation/Proximity)

Bugs

Sound

NFC

Sensors (Accelerometer/Gyroscope/Magnetic)

GPS (Because of sensors)

Camera

Wi-Fi hotspot

Head over to the development thread to know more about the Sense 6 ROM.

Nexus 5 users may follow easy instructions guide below to install the Sense 6 on their devices.

IBTimes UK reminds its readers that it will not be held liable for any damage to the device.

How to install Sense 6 on Nexus 5

Step-1: Download Sense 6 ROM for Nexus 5

Download links- 1/ 2 /3 / 4 / 5 [File name: NexSense_ALPHA-GalaxyUser.zip]

Step-2: Connect the Nexus 5 to the computer. Then copy the Sense 6 ROM file to the internal storage of the phone

Step-3: Reboot the phone into recovery

Step-4: Perform a Nandroid backup of the current phone set up

Step-5: Perform a Factory Reset. Select wipe data/factory reset and confirm the action

Step-6: In recovery mode select install zip from sdcard then select choose zip from sdcard, then navigate to the Sense 6 ROM. Select it and confirm installation

Step-7: When the installation process is completed reboot the phone by selecting reboot system now to boot the phone into normal mode

Note: If the ROM does not boot after 10 minutes, try to reboot. If the ROM does not boot again, go to recovery, wipe all and flash the ROM again.

When the Nexus 5 boots up, it should be running Sense 6 from HTC One M8.

Tips to Increase Samsung Galaxy S5 Performance

Samsung's new Galaxy S smartphone is a powerful Android device powered by Snapdragon 801 Krait 400 processing unit featuring a quad-core processor clocked at 2.5GHz, while paired with Adreno 330 graphics unit. The device packs a huge battery of a 2, 800mAh inside.

However, many Galaxy S5 users complain of performance issues and IBTimes UK have listed out a few tips to solve it.

Restart/ Factory Reset Galaxy S5

If the Galaxy S5 is behaving erratically, try to restart the device. Most of the users never turn the device off, but a proper shutdown is a good idea to clear away some of the grime from the device. 

In case the aforementioned tip failed to work, then you may perform a Factory Reset. To do so, navigate to settings, tap Backup and Restart option under the User and Backup tab. You will find the Factory Data Reset option at the bottom.

Enable Developer Mode to Limit Background Processes 

Too many apps or, processes running in the background slow down an Android device. However, users may always have the option to limit the number of apps. To limit the apps, enable the developer mode. Head over to Settings and tap About Phone under the System tab. Then tap the Build Number entry seven times.

This will unlock a Developer option menu. Right down the bottom of this menu is an option to limit background processes. You may limit this to zero processes to optimise the smartphone's performance. Besides, this is always good idea to save battery life of the device.

Turn off Battery Saver Mode

The Battery Saver mode can help in improving the performance of Galaxy S5. But this limits the speed of the processor. From the notification bar, tap the 'more icons' button at the top-right of the screen to switch on/off the power saver mode. Also, you can do this with the Power Saving part of the Settings menu.

Also you can get rid of the performance restriction part of the power saving by tapping on the Power Saving Mode's setting entry. You should find options to toggle background data, performance capping and grayscale mode.

Switch to Android Runtime (ART) system

Switching to ART form DALVIK is another tweak to enhance the performance of the device. The ART is a new Android runtime introduced experimentally in the Android 4.4 KitKat. The ART pre-empts user's movements, doing some processing work for actions before those are being made. ART should give better performance compared to DALVIK.

Android uses DALVIK runtime system, but users may switch to ART if the developer mode is enabled. The runtime switch option can be found in the Developer options under Settings.

Turn Off Transition Animations

Turn off the transition animations. Under the Developer Options menu, there will be options for Window animation scale, Transition Animation Scale and Animation Duration Scale. These options control the transitions between screens and you can fiddle with how long they take.

Use Different Interface

The Galaxy S5's performance issues are mainly down to the TouchWiz software. But users may try different interface, which can be downloaded from Google Play. The most favourites are Facebook Home and Launcher Pro. Besides, users may try Nexus 5's Google Experience interface on Galaxy S5.

Uninstall Apps to Create Space

Navigate to Settings>> Storage to check how much free space the device is left with. Besides, you can check which apps are using loads of storage for temp files. If you want, you can always uninstall the unnecessary apps. You can do it from the Application Manger under Settings.

Galaxy S5 Fingerprint Scanner Hacked: PayPal Users at Risk?

Galaxy S5 Fingerprint Scanner Hacked: PayPal Users at Risk?Photo: AndroidandMe

The Samsung Galaxy S5 fingerprint scanner has been successfully hacked just days after the smartphone release as was the case with iPhone 5s.

The biometric sensor technology is still immature as more and more devices seem susceptible to hacks due to their design focus being limited to convenience rather than enhanced security.

A European group of hackers had earlier exposed the vulnerability of iPhone 5s fingerprint scanner by training the TouchID sensor to accept fingerprints through dummy objects like nipples and paw prints.

According to German-language security blog H Security, SRLabs has posted a video footage showing how Galaxy S5 can be spoofed with a dummy fingerprint to gain unauthorised access to the phone, besides compromising the PayPal user account information on the device.

Unlike Apple's Touch ID system which requires the user to input password every time the device is rebooted, the Galaxy S5 does not require any password input while using sensitive apps such as PayPal or even after a reboot.

Nevertheless, PayPal has reassured its commitment to protect biometric-based security loopholes with the use of auto-generated cryptographic keys for enhanced security while its service denies access via fingerprint scanning.

As PayPal notes, the existing security key can be reset when the device is hacked. PayPal has not clarified if a new key can be generated while using a fingerprint scan from the same device.

Nevertheless, PayPal offers protection to its consumers via purchase protection policy in case of fraudulent incidents while using its service.

In a statement to BGR, a PayPal spokesperson has issued the following public statement via email:

While we take the findings from Security Research Labs very seriously, we are still confident that fingerprint authentication offers an easier and more secure way to pay on mobile devices than passwords or credit cards. PayPal never stores or even has access to your actual fingerprint with authentication on the Galaxy S5. The scan unlocks a secure cryptographic key that serves as a password replacement for the phone. We can simply deactivate the key from a lost or stolen device, and you can create a new one. PayPal also uses sophisticated fraud and risk management tools to try to prevent fraud before it happens. However, in the rare instances that it does, you are covered by our purchase protection policy.

Photo of Alleged Front Panel from Larger-Screen iPhone 6 Surfaces

An alleged photo of what appears to be a front panel from Apple's larger-screen iPhone 6has surfaced on Chinese microblogging site Weibo

The image appears to show an individual in a factory-type setting holding up an iPhone 5s next to a much larger front panel that contains similar characteristics, including cutouts for a front-facing camera, ambient light sensor, ear speaker, and home button. However, the front panel also features a notably thinner bezel, which is consistent with previous rumors about the iPhone 6's slimmer design. 

While the validity of the image cannot be confirmed, the leak is the latest among a number of others recently. This past weekend, several photos reportedly showed the details on manufacturing molds for the iPhone 6, which was followed by a photo yesterday that hinted at a 4.7-inch display. 

Last month, Japanese magazine MacFan published alleged design drawings of what appeared to be 4.7-inch and 5.6-inch iPhone 6 models, with a photo showing cases for the larger iPhone surfacing shortly afterward. 

Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 6 later this year, which may ship in two different sizes: 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. Recent reports have indicated that the smaller 4.7 inch version will ship first in the fall, while the larger version may ship later this year or in early 2015 due to manufacturing challenges. 

Along with a larger screen, both models of the next-generation iPhone are rumored to include a new A8 processor, Touch ID fingerprint sensor and an upgraded camera featuring optical image stabilization. A report yesterday from Jefferies analyst Peter Misek also stated that Apple is negotiating with wireless carriers to raise the price of the iPhone 6 by $100. 

Update 8:07 AM: A second comparison photo has also been discovered on Weibo, showing the iPhone 6 panel next to an iPhone 5 or 5s that is turned on. The image is of relatively low quality, but does offer a fairly straight-on view that shows the larger iPhone accommodating a screen of approximately 4.7 inches. 

Two Simple Steps to get Cortana Working on Windows Phone 8.1 Outside the US

Cortana, based on the artificial intelligence character from the Halo games, is limited to US users of Windows Phone 8.1 - but there are ways around this restriction.Microsoft

The Windows Phone 8.1 update brings with it literally 100s of updates to Microsoft's smartphone operating system, but the one headline grabbing feature - Cortana - is not available at launch to those of us not living in  the US.

Here we detail the two relatively simple steps you need to take if you really need to show off to your iPhone and Android friends that Microsoft now has an answer to Siri and Google Now.

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First, get Windows Phone 8.1 Developer Preview

Microsoft has not released the final version of Windows Phone 8.1 yet, but it has released the developer preview and the important thing to note is that this is not only available to developers.

To sign up (free of charge) go to the Windows Phone App Studio website, sign in with your Microsoft account and create a new project. Next go to the Preview for Developers page for Windows Phone 8.1 and install.

Now a warning: This is a version of windows Phone 8.1 which is designed to give developers the chance to update apps ahead of public release. It is likely to be buggy and if you choose to install it, YOU WILL NOT be able to go back to an earlier version of Windows Phone.

It is also possible that Microsoft may discontinue updating its software with this app, meaning you could forever be stuck on Windows Phone 8.1.

You have been warned.

Say Hello to Cortana 

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 Cortana is only going to be available to people in the US for most of the rest of 2014, with the voice activated personal assistant coming to the UK and China by the end of the year and more territories in 2015.

However one simple change to the settings and you can get Cortana to greet you today, even if you don't live in the US.

Simply go to the Settings menu and change the region to US and then change the interface language to English (United States). A reboot will likely be necessary (indeed a couple of reboots could be needed) but next time you turn on your smartphone you should be greeted by Cortana.

Simple.