Best Crypto Exchanges for September 2022: Buy and Sell Bitcoin, Ether and More - CNET

The best crypto exchanges enable you to trade coins and tokens easily while keeping your assets safe and your fees low.

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Latest Tech News

One of the most popular PDF reader apps on the Google Play Store is actually just a vehicle to deliver potentially harmful adware, experts have warned.

An investigation by Malwarebytes found that the imaginatively-named "PDF reader - documents viewer" app did nothing of the sort, but instead flooded user devices with annoying full screen adverts, even when not in use.

The company warns that the app has already had over a million downloads, and Google has yet to remove it, meaning even more victims could be hooked soon.

Pain-DF reader

In a blog post outlining the scam, Malwarebytes notes how the app looks to trick users by not displaying ads immediately after being installed.

Instead, it waits a few hours, making it harder to spot which app has caused the issue. When activated, however, the app fills the user's home screen with full-page adverts, blocking them from accessing their device unless they click on the ad.

Video ads are also displayed, effectively preventing the user from accessing their device, with ads launching more and more frequently the longer the app is left unchecked.

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Malwarebytes notes that the initial Google Play app listing page raised a few red flags that may have tipped users off that this was not a legitimate service. This includes a "Mature 17+" content rating - pretty unusual for an Android PDF reader, and the developer name of "Fairy games" - again, not something you would typically associate with such a service.

"If you have a lot of apps installed on your mobile device, this one can very hard to track down," Malwarebytes noted. "Another reason to not blindly trust you are safe while installing exclusively from Google Play. Even if the Play Store is by far the safest place to install apps on Android, it can fault from time to time as well. Having an anti-malware scanner, or anti-adware in this case, is a good idea. Stay safe out there!"

• Want to make a change? Here's the best free PDF editors around

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Stearns & Foster Mattress Reviews: Trust This Industry Veteran for Premium Sleep - CNET

Find out the differences between Stearns & Foster's mattresses and decide which one's right for you.

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Most Efficient Cars for 2022 - CNET

Vehicle emissions are a key contributor to climate change. This list of cars can help contribute to cleaner air.

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Ghostly Shadow Selfie Shows NASA Mars Rover Surveying Its Own Wheel Tracks - CNET

On Mars, something as simple as a shadow feels profound.

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Cruise Recalls Self-Driving-Car Software Because Humans Are Dumb - CNET

The recall comes from a niche case in which a human driver acted extremely unpredictably.

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Latest Tech News

Messaging platform Slack is expanding its Workflow Builder tool by adding new automation features that aim to make workflows more efficient. 

Having originally launched back in November 2021, Workflow Builder is used to automate "routine processes" on Slack without having to write any kind of code. It's an easy to use toolkit. 

A user could, for example, automate time off requests on a Slack channel without having to make others go through multiple pages or apps. The tool is pretty limited with what it can do, however, but that will soon change with this update. 

New branching tool

Within the coming months, workflows will be made more shareable as you will be able to send them as links in Slack channels or in direct messages, according to the announcement. 

It’s a simple copy and paste procedure resulting in an interactable preview, rather than a plain hyperlink. The receiving person can either approve or deny a request with one click. These links can be pinned to a Slack channel or tucked away in the saved items. 

The update doesn’t end there as early next year, Workflow Builder will get several new features including a branching tool.

This branching tool works on “if-then” statements that can affect how a workflow functions. Say, for example, you send a request via this branching tool to your manager asking for a week off work. Your manager then has the option to either approve or deny the request. 

If your manager approves, then you will get a message stating that you have the week off. If your manager denies the request, then you will get a message stating you don’t have the week off and explains why. 

At glance, this seems like a very minuscule change, but apparently, it’s one of Slack’s most highly requested tools. The company explains that managers currently have to create entire new workflows for requests per person. Slack can be bogged down by tedious processes so the branching tools aims to alleviate that.

Smaller changes

The other features are less impactful, but still welcomed. Workflow Builder will allow people to automatically create channels by inviting others and pinning important documents. The tool will also support more of Slack’s integrated apps, but the announcement neglects to say which ones. And new notifications will appear informing people if they have pending requests.

While it’s made of small changes, the update appears to be more about the sum of its parts rather than having one killer feature. Slack claims users have been able to achieve a lot with the current version of Workflow Builder as workflows have grown by more than 160 percent in 2022 compared to last year. The hope is this number continues to grow with more people using Workflow Builder.

We asked Slack if it could give us a more concrete launch date for everything in the Workflow Builder update. A company representative got back to us, only to reiterate the update's rather vague launch window. So expect the workflow link feature to come out by the end of this year.

If you’re interested in making yourself more productive at work, check out our list of the best productivity apps; both free and paid. 

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California Asks Residents to Limit EV Charging Over Labor Day Weekend - CNET

A massive heat wave is expected to put additional strain on the state's power grid.

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Latest Tech News

Apple has released a new version of its iOS 12 operating system aimed at helping protect older iPhone devices from some serious security threats.

The new iOS 12.5.6 is designed for some of the company's most-loved devices, including the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, as well as the iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and iPod touch (6th generation).

Apple is advising users with these devices to update immediately in order to stay protected from a dangerous WebKit zero-day security bug.

Crucial iOS update 

The fact that Apple has felt the need to release a new update specifically for users of its older devices shows how significant it feels the risk is. 

In the release notes for the new update, Apple notes that the vulnerability it addresses could allow a malicious website to run and execute unchecked code. The company confirmed that it was "aware" of a report claiming that this issue may have already been actively exploited, so users should update now.

This vulnerability is the same as one patched by Apple for its newer iPhone and iPad devices and macOS Monterey earlier this month, as well as for its Safari browser.

The release of iOS 15.6.1, iPadOS 15.6.1 and macOS Monterey 12.5.1 also addressed an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in the OS Kernel that can be abused to grant malicious applications highest privileges - essentially allowing an attacker to fully take over a target device.

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Both flaws had been detected by an anonymous security researcher, with Apple noting that it doesn't disclose, discuss, or confirm security issues "until an investigation has occurred and patches or releases are available" in order to safeguard its customers.

Apple is reportedly set to reveal the iPhone 14 imminently, with the latest iOS tweaks and tools set to play a central role in helping the new device appeal to users everywhere.

• Stay safe with the best firewalls around

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Best Power Bank for iPhone for 2022 - CNET

Looking for a pocket-size power bank for iPhone charging on the go? Here are some top picks.

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Latest Tech News

A set of malicious Google Chrome extensions designed to monitor browsing activity have been installed on more than 1.4 million devices, researchers have reported.

As described in a blog post from security company McAfee, the purpose of the scam is to modify the victim’s browser cookies each time they visit an ecommerce website, thereby netting the operator an affiliate fee for any purchases made.

Although two extensions branded as “Netflix Party” have now been removed from the official extension marketplace, McAfee says the remainder are still available to download.

Chrome extensions scam

Although the malicious extensions do not pose an immediate security risk – they are not designed to exfiltrate sensitive data, nor install malware payloads – they do represent a flagrant violation of privacy.

As demonstrated by the surging popularity of VPN services and other solutions designed to obscure web activity, modern web users are increasingly unwilling to part with their browsing data - and especially not, one would imagine, in these circumstances.

What makes this scam particularly difficult to spot is that the extensions all serve a legitimate purpose, on top of providing a foundation for the affiliate revenue ploy. They are also broadly well-reviewed, leaving potential victims with little indication of the scam playing out under their noses.

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“The extensions offer various functions such as enabling users to watch Netflix shows together, website coupons, and taking screenshots of a website,” explained McAfee.

“The users of the extensions are unaware of [the malicious functionality] and the privacy risk of every site being visited being sent to the servers of the extension authors.”

In an effort to evade detection by analysts, meanwhile, the operators programmed some of the extensions to begin meddling with browser cookies multiple weeks after the date of installation.

Chrome users that find they have installed the offending extensions are advised to perform a manual uninstall immediately.

Malicious extensions list:

• Netflix Party
• Netflix Party 2
• FlipShope - Price Tracking Extension
• Full Page Screenshot Capture - Screenshotting
• AutoBuy Flash Sales

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Latest Gadgets News

A team of researchers have developed a method to help explore the darkest areas of the Moon that never receive sunlight. These are some of the coldest locations on the Earth's only natural satellite, and could contain ice which could be useful for future space missions. Researchers used a deep learning-driven post-processing tool and produced high-resolution and high-...

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Why Melatonin Makes You Feel Less Rested, and What to Take Instead - CNET

Melatonin "hangovers" are a thing. A clinical nutritionist explains why, and which sleep aid alternatives will help you feel more rested.

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Latest Tech News

Samsung is stepping into new territory as it has revealed its very first OLED gaming monitor. the aptly named Odyssey OLED G8 and it’s packed to the gills with features.

The most notable aspect of the G8 is its blazing fast response rate, which clocks in at just 0.1ms, or 1/10th the typical 1ms response rate of some of the best gaming monitors around. Not just that, the ultra-thin form factor and high quality display output make this one of the best ultrawide monitors you'll find. 

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 is a 34-inch monitor with a 21:9 aspect ratio and a thickness of 3.9mm (around 0.15 inches), which the company claims is the thinnest for a product of its size. It’s even slightly curved with a curvature rating of 1800R for greater immersion.

At maximum, the G8 monitor can output at Quad HD resolution (3330 x 1440 pixels) while sporting a 175 Hz refresh rate, pitting it against the best high refresh rate monitors going. This refresh rate and extremely low response rate translates into a gaming monitor that strikes the perfect balance between esports performance and gorgeous OLED-powered visuals – so yes, esports gamers can now have both. 

Quantum Dot Technology

The G8 comes with the company’s Quantum Dot Technology to ensure colors don’t look washed out at high brightness. If you look at the official Quantum Dot Technology page, Samsung claims that typical OLED monitors compromise on color if the brightness level is turned up high, losing image quality. It also claims OLEDs lose efficacy over time and become more “susceptible to burn-in, or ghosts of images…”

Quantum Dot Technology lights up the display via nanoparticles on every pixel to maintain saturated colors at high brightness while also reducing the chance of burn-in over the long run. In return, the G8 can boast a “100 percent color volume” and can replicate 99.3 percent of the DCI-P3 (Digital Cinema Initiatives - Protocol 3) color space, which is an image standard created by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. At 99.3 percent, the monitor can almost display the entire color gamut.

If these Quantum Dot Technology isn't enough, the G8 is also VESA DisplayHDR 400 True Certified which is a relatively recent standard that came out in 2021 to ensure more accurate color and greater contrast for shadows. Gamers will enjoy AMC FreeSync Premium for fluid gameplay that isn’t bogged down by graphics card latency problems or screen tearing. 

Gaming features

As a gaming monitor, there are indeed some gamer-centric features, beyond the intense response rate. The first of which is the multitude of media hubs present on the G8's user interface.

Samsung’s Smart Hub gives access to various streaming sites like Amazon Prime, YouTube, and Samsung TV Plus – also present is a IoT (internet of things) hub that allows users to check up on any device directly connected to the G8 – in addition to the Gaming Hub for direct access to various video game streaming services like NVIDIA’s GeForce Now, Xbox Game Pass, and even Google Stadia if you have that. 

We reached out to Samsung asking for clarification on how devices can connect to the IoT hub. For example, does the G8 have Bluetooth connectivity. And what other streaming services are supported besides Netflix. We’ll update if Samsung gets back to us.

Rounding out the gaming features are a few hardware additions. Samsung added CoreSync and CoreLighting Plus RGB lights on the back for a more immersive experience. Equipped ports include one for Micro HDMI, a Mini DisplayPort, and some USB-C inputs. Sound is emitted from a 5W stereo speaker, but not much else is known about its capabilities.

Also unknown is the price tag and release date, but Samsung does say to expect a global launch sometime in Q4 2022. So it’s entirely possible the Odyssey OLED G8 could launch as early as October, but that’s probably wishful thinking. It’s certainly an impressive monitor and we can't wait to get our hands on one.

A monitor like the G8 will almost certainly be expensive. If you’re looking for a low-cost option, check out our best cheap gaming monitor deals page for the latest savings on today's best displays.

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'Rings of Power' Review: An Epic Cinematic Return to Middle-Earth - CNET

Prime Video's series balances the Lord of the Rings that fans love with a new story.

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