Finance Management Tech: What To Expect In 2017

With 2017 almost here, are you making any financial resolutions? Though we may not say it, most of us hope that each year will be more prosperous than the last, whether that means a better job, an upturn in our investments, or a surprise windfall. But why not take this goal into your own hands with financial tech? You can have more money in the new year if you play your cards right.

Check your Spending

One of the simplest ways to have more money in the new year is by trimming away the excesses and dead weight in your life. This might mean canceling that gym membership you never use or being more methodical about your grocery spending. No matter where you decide to make changes, though, it’s important to translate those changes into savings.

If you need help with that last step, consider downloading Digit. Digit works with your bank account to assess your spending and then automatically moves money to your savings. Don’t worry that this will send you into overdraft, though. The beauty of Digit is that it only moves money into your savings if it determines based on past trends that you’ve got a few extra dollars on hand, and the amount varies based on your spending patterns, keeping you in the green.

Set Some Goals

No matter what your financial situation is, setting financial goals can help you develop better spending and investment habits. Without some sort of accountability tool, however, many of us never meet those goals. That’s where Mint comes in.

Mint is one of the most popular budgeting tools around, and it’s free to use. It helps you sort through transactions, monitors accounts for unusual behavior, and – best of all – helps you work towards your financial goals. You can create a goal with your Mint account and it will provide a visual account of your progress. Want to take a vacation or pay down your mortgage? Mint will help.

Shop Smarter

One of the challenges that few budgeting apps address is shopping smarter. While there are many couponing apps, for example, these don’t integrate with other spending management tools. Squeeze is here to change that.

Squeeze, which just released the beta of its app, not only provides the standard tools for sorting and managing income and bills, but it also performs price comparisons within the app. Based on this analysis, the app can tell you if you’re overspending and how to get necessary items at a lower price. Expect a full version of the app in 2017.

What else can you expect from the financial management world in 2017? Many predict that the financial sector will drive devices like the Apple Watch that can provide up to the minute information about stocks and spending. And as even basic budgeting apps develop more complex capacities, don’t be surprised if they suddenly know as much about your financial future as your current behavior. If apps like Digit and its savings algorithm are any predictor, technology may turn us into better money managers, with or without our cooperation.

This blog was first published on: http://smarterware.org/2016/11/finance-management-tech-expect-2017/

Asus Zenfone 3 Max Review: A rather boring phone with good battery life

Lately there has been an exponential growth in the budget smartphone market which has seen devices launching left, right and centre. Be it the likes of Xiaomi, Lenovo and Motorola, or domestic phone makers like Micromax, Lava and Xolo all have been focusing greatly on the budget smartphone segment. Taiwan based Asus has also been focussing on this market in India for the last few years. The new ZenFone 3 Max is yet another phone which is targeting this very market. It also comes with a big battery which is its main USP. After the using for the last few days, I can tell you that this is a polarizing device.

Designed to Impress

The moment to see the handset, you would undoubtedly be pleased with how the phone looks. With a perky design, and use of copious amounts of metal the phone seems quite premium with its brushed finish on the back. The feel of the phone is also quite good with its curved sides enabling a great in-hand feel. From the back, the phone will also remind of a HTC phone or a newer device like the OnePlus 3 in terms of design and the way the camera has been laid-out on.

The back panel of the handset is also embedded with slight chrome like stripe on the top and bottom that fosters an elegant look, which is shared with same on the fingerprint sensor as well. All in all, Zenfone 3 Max is quite nice to look at and I have no doubts about that.
The camera that sits right at the center of the back panel accompanied with the LED flash and laser auto-focus module also has chrome like bezel finish that complements the over all aspects of the handset.

Aiding the fine build and design, the Zenfone 3 Max comes with a contoured 2.5D glass touch screen which seamlessly sinks into the metallic frame of the device. The button arrangement is also quite logical as on the right side of the panel there is the power button and volume rockers, where as the left side has a dedicated SIM tray that is removable with a pin. At the bottom is the USB port embedded precisely, just besides the speaker grill, at the same time the top has a 3.5mm jack port embedded in the panel.

The device gets a 5.5-inch full HD IPS display that expels good vibrant colours with 450nits brightness under all light conditions along with a noteworthy 73 percent screen to body ratio, for less bulk and more display. Compared to some of the other phones in the market, the screen does appear to be slightly washed out, but it isn’t a horrible screen.

Basic performer, not a dazzler

While there are no complains on how the phone looks or about the build quality, what really matters on any device is how good is the hardware and how well does it sync with the interface of the phone. Well, powering this device is the 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 CPU that is clocked at 1.4GHz and powering the graphics in the handset is the Adreno 505 paired with 3GB RAM. Now, this is the same hardware package which powers the Xiaomi Redmi 3S Prime, so it is kind of overpriced for what you’re getting.

That being said, the phone does perform decent in basic day-to-day tasks as it is backed with good speed, but you do get a sense of the software not optimized to its fullest potential, as it took time for the phone to open the phone menu and on dialling a number, it almost took a pause of few seconds, before the calling menu popped up. Furthermore, while playing a game like Need for Speed: No Limits, the phone preformed reasonably, with not many major drops in frame, though it didn’t dazzle.

Multitasking on the phone was adequate and while running heavy duty apps in the background you got a feeling that the phone was behaving in a sluggish manner. Thankfully on the storage front, the phone gets 32GB of on-board storage and there’s a microSD card slot which can be used to expand the memory to all the way up to 128GB.

Decent camera



Cameras on handset’s these days can be the key selling point of the device and almost all companies try insuring a good sensor at the back and Asus too has tried doing the same. The back panel of the phone comes with a 16-megapixel camera that captures decent images in high resolution without a shutter lag – be it daylight or close up shots, however, in night time it stumbles.

The camera is paired with a Tri-Tech auto-focus technology which is a combination of laser auto-focus, phase detect auto focus and a contrast detection system. It instantly tracks and focuses the subject for better images and also has a three-axis electronic image stabilizer (EIS) that helps in capturing handheld videos as steady as possible. The HDR mode too clicks decent images and has up to 4 times the dynamic range that helps enhance the brightness by up to 400 percent. The Super Resolution on the other hand can combine simultaneous shots at a 64-megapixel resolution.

The front 8-megapixel front camera also has a few tricks built under its software that can help you get nice selfies and accompanies other modes like Beautification, Auto, Night, HDR Pro, Effect, Low Light and Time Lapse. The image quality overall was also quite good and usable for handsome selfies.

Clearly, this phone doesn’t have a camera that’s in the same league as the new iPhone or the Google Pixel, but it isn’t the worst thing on the planet at the same time.

Ugly and irritating software

All manufactures have their own UI in their handsets and so does Asus. Powered by the Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the Zenfome 3 Max comes skinned with ZenUI 3.0, which according to Asus is intelligently incorporated that brings up all the apps you need and for that matter when you need it. It also gets some gesture controls that open the app, even when the screen is off. The fingerprint sensor too, integrates seamlessly with third party apps that aids in providing great security.

But the problem is that Asus overloads the phone with a plethora of duplicate apps which just doesn’t make for a very user friendly phone. If you’re a power user, then the good news is that it is possible to get rid of the many duplicate apps which aren’t even as good as the basic Android variants that Google provides.

Powerful battery

The battery of is the most crucial aspect of a phone and on a handset with a 5.5-inch screen, expecting the phone to survive through the day would be a big deal, but here apparently with the high capacity 4100mAh battery, the ZenFone 3 Max just lets you keep going by offering up to 38 days of standby time. Everyone wants a device that lets you play games, watch videos and talk endlessly without having to worry about the phones battery. (For how much time could you use it on a single charge? How many hours? How much time did it take for the phone to get charges?) The best part I liked here is that it offers so much so that you could literally double up the phones potential and use it as a power bank to charge other devices. In fact, the battery prospects are so good that it comes with a Super Saving mode, which is pre-configured to maximize every last milliampere and turning on the mode you can extend the phone to last another 30 hours on standby time even on 10 percent battery.

Should you buy it?

In this flooded smartphone market, if you look at the ZenFone 3 Max, then you look at it with a view that it has a lot of potential, but basic hardware and poor software basically straddle its potential. The phone sure looks up-market and feels premium, which is a good think but its performance is also quiet rudimentary at the same time. Certainly, the hardware could’ve been tuned in a better way to the software, but not many companies have proven that ability and that also includes a luminary like Samsung. Overall, it is a boring phone which has rather decent battery life, nothing more, nothing less; there certainly are better phones in the market.

This blog was first published on: http://www.gizmodo.in/indiamodo/Asus-Zenfone-3-Max-Review-A-rather-boring-phone-with-goodbattery-life/articleshow/55309451.cms

Snappy Ubuntu Core 16 Launched For IoT Devices, Raspberry Pi, And Cloud With A Focus On Security

Short Bytes: Ubuntu Core 16 is a minimalistic Linux-based operating system developed by Canonical Ltd. Primarily intended for IoT devices. The latest Snappy Ubuntu borrows core features from the Ubuntu 16.10 Yakkety Yak and takes advantage of the Snaps. Canonical has also assured timely updates and a dedicated app store.

Canonical Ltd. has announced its much-awaited Ubuntu Core 16 Linux-based operating system for various IoT devices. The Ubuntu Core 16, which was in development since a year, is a trimmed down version of the Ubuntu 16.10 Yakkety Yak.The Linux distro for IoT devices takes advantage of the Snap packages — a zip file containing all the package data along with the details about running the application on the machine. The Snaps are tamper-proof, developer-friendly, and digitally signed. The Snappy package manager–used to install and manage snaps–has been developed by Canonical itself and it enhances security by enabling sandboxing of the applications.

Ubuntu Core 16 has taken full advantage of the Snaps, even the kernel and the OS itself are delivered as Snaps. The Ubuntu Core OS contains just the base filesystems. Its image size is almost half of the CentOS Atomic Host 7.

The transactional nature of the Snap package updates is a boon for the developers. If the update gets failed, an automatic rollback is performed which encourages the developers to update their applications more often and without any fear of a crash. Using Update Control, the developers can validate an update in the ecosystem before applying it.

The lightweight Ubuntu Core 16 also features a Snap app store allowing developers to publish apps for various internet-connected devices. The Snappy Ubuntu Core 16 is intended for single board computers, SoCs, and cloud platforms. It has already been deployed in top-of-rack switches, drones, radio access networks, gateways etc. The list of supported devices include:

• Raspberry Pi 2 and 3
• Qualcomm DragonBoard 410c
• Intel NUC
• Intel Joule
• Samsung Artik
• KVM

You can download the Snappy Ubuntu Core 16 ISO on Ubuntu’s website.

If you have something to add, tell us in the comments below.

General Mobile GM5: The first Android One phone running Nougat launched

If you think in this new age of Google’s Pixel smartphones, it has forgotten its budget Android One programme, then think again because it is still alive and kicking. The search giant has collaborated with General Mobile to launch the first Android One smartphone which is based on the latest build of the mobile operating system called Nougat. It is called the GM5.

This phone has been designed for emerging markets like Azerbaijan, Albania, Afghanistan, Belgium, Bosnia, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Iraq, Kenya, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Pakistan, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. This also means it has a bleak change of coming to India, but then again the market here is quite mature which you realise the moment you see the specifications on the phone.

It has a rather rudimentary 5-inch 720p HD LCD display which is reinforced with Gorilla Glass 4. It is powered by the aged Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor which we have seen in phones for quite a few years. There’s also 2GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage and even a microSD card slot for the sake of memory expansion.

For imaging, the device also packs in a 13-megapixel snapper on the back and a 5-megapixel camera on the front. It has a 2,500mAh battery and it is quite chunky at 160 grams and 9.3mm.

The phone comes with the usual array of features that one expects of a basic Android phone - Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, FM Radio and even Wi-Fi Direct.

Overall, it is a rather basic Android phone which is differentiated by the fact that it is part of Google’s Android One programme and is running stock Android Nougat out of the box which isn’t true of many smartphones.

This blog was first published on: http://www.gizmodo.in/indiamodo/General-Mobile-GM5-The-first-Android-One-phone-running-Nougat-launched/articleshow/55286266.cms

Top 10 Most Dangerous Malware That Can Cripple Your Device

Short Bytes: Check Point has released the list of the most dangerous malware that are most prevalent in the world. This list was topped by Conficker, a worm that spreads from system to system and downloads malware. For the first time, ransomware found a place in the top 3. In the mobile arena, for the sixth consecutive month, HummingBad remained the most wanted malware.

The Check Point Research Team has released its latest list of the top 10 most wanted malware. The team has indicated that ransomware attacks have continued to rise in the recent months. Also, for the first time since they launched the Threat Index, ransomware has found a place in the top three.According to September’s data, Locky ransomware, which originated in February 2016, was the 3rd most dangerous malware, accounting for 6 percent of all recognized malware attacks all around the world. Talking about the total share of ransomware attacks, it grew by 13 percent.

There was also a rise in the number of active malware families, with 3 new names entering the top 10. These families were Chanitor , Blackhole exploit kit, and Nivdort bot.

In the mobile malware category, Check Point found that for the sixth consecutive month HummingBad, followed by Triada and Ztorg, remained the most common malware used to attack mobile devices.

Top 10 Most Dangerous Malware

1. Conficker: Worm that enabled remote operations and malware download
2. Sality: Virus that allows remote operations and downloads additional malware
3. Locky: Spreads mainly via spam emails with disguised downloader
4. Cutwail: Botnet used to send spams and take part in DDoS attacks
5. Zeus: Trojan used to steal banking information
6. Chanitor: Installs malicious payloads on infected machines
7. Tinba: Banking trojan
8. Cryptowall: Ransomware that uses AES encryption and conducts C&C communication over TOR
9. Blackhole: Exploit kit that uses browser and plugin security flaws
10. Nivdort: Bot that’s used to steal passwords and modify settings

Did you find this article helpful? Don’t forget to drop your feedback in the comments section below.

This blog was first published on: http://thinkdebug.com/blog/top-10-most-dangerous-malware-that-can-cripple-your-device/

A Tropical Getaway: 7 Apps for Easier Travel Planning

In several recent commercial spots, JetBlue has been bragging about its efficiency: how it helps travelers arrive at their destination before they come up with their business idea or before learning about the local animals.

It’s an odd premise because, though speed is a wonderful thing, do you really want to arrive on vacation, only to realize you know nothing about where you are? Vacation is more likely to be fun and fulfilling when you have at least a few plans, even if they’re just to lie on the beach.

What you need are some easy tools to help guide you. Before you hop on that plane to enjoy a little rest and relaxation, you’ll want to download the following great travel apps.

From scuba diving to road trips, there’s an app waiting for your next adventure.

An Approved Itinerary

One of the great challenges of going on a road trip is trying to find the best stops and figuring out how to space them as you go. Now there’s a solution: Tripsee. A crowdsourced itinerary tool, Tripsee aggregates all of the information, from location to costs and hours, while also plugging in your hotel and any flights or other transit data. With insights about which spots are usually overcrowded and other knowledge you can only get from being there, Tripsee is the all-seeing app that goes anywhere you want to be.

When You’re Out of Range

Part of what makes vacationing so great is that you get to disconnect from your normal workday world. Without service, you might not be able to access your home security stream, but you also won’t have to check your work email.

The only problem with this situation is that many travel apps depend on an internet connection. For those who plan to spend their vacation on an isolated stretch of beach, however, this can pose a problem.

If you plan to be off the grid for a good portion of your trip, check out apps like Aruba’s official travel guide, which can function without an internet connection. St. Thomas has a similar app, plus advanced functionality for when you are connected, such as augmented reality tools and itinerary planning.

It’s rare to find a location-based app that doesn’t demand at least a phone signal, but they are out there.

Go Deeper

You might not be able to take your phone snorkeling and scuba diving with you, but its usefulness doesn’t have to end at water’s edge. Your phone has a lot to offer in terms of helping you plan dives, identifying the many colorful fish you will see while snorkeling, and keeping records of what you encounter down below.

DiveMate USB for Android is a perfect fit for divers of any level, and it makes it easy to transfer information between devices. Advanced divers will find a lifeline in V Planner, an app that can predict gas consumption, weather conditions, and more.

Weather the Storm

Finally, you can stop worrying about whether you’ll have sunny skies for the duration of your getaway by downloading tools that stretch a little further than your iPhone’s weather app. Leading tools include Dark Sky, a rain predictor for the notoriously rainy UK and Ireland (as well as the US), and On The Snow, a great app for avid skiers and snowboarders who want to make sure the slopes are in prime condition.

There are many other travel apps, no matter what your destination may be, so if you don’t find the solution to your vacation planning woes here, don’t worry. A quick skim of the app store is sure to turn up precisely the guide to Greenland’s tundra or outer Mongolia that you’ve been looking for.

This blog was first published on: http://smarterware.org/2016/10/tropical-getaway-7-apps-easier-travel-planning/

Android is as secure as iPhone says Google

Google now contents that Android is as secure as Apple’s iOS which powers iPhones and iPads. Android’s head of security Adrian Ludwig touted Android’s secure nature at the O’Reilly security conference in New York City on where he spoke at great length about the security that the new Google Pixel smartphone provided.

“For almost all threat models…they are nearly identical in terms of their platform-level capabilities,” he said. “In the long term, the open ecosystem of Android is going to put it in a much better place,” claimed Ludwig.

Ludwig also touted Google’s Safety Net which scans through 400 million devices every day and 6 billion apps per day. According to Ludwig this means that less than 1 percent Android devices have malware on them.

“At this point we still don’t have any confirmed instances of exploitation in the wild,” he said talking about the StageFright malware issue, which he believed was blown out of proportion.

Ludwig believed there was room for improvement especially when it comes down to Android updates. He believes Google and its carrier and smartphone OEM partners can better collaborate to provide timely updates especially when they are related to security patches.

As in the US, updates are also vetted by the carriers and deployed by them, often phones don’t get updated for months after.

Ludwig also believed that Android is so secure as a platform that it doesn’t suffer any of the afflictions that have plagued dominant operating systems like Windows.

“Mass exploitation is something that I’m not expecting that we’re going to see at any point in the ecosystem.