Head 82 feet below the surface with Canon's waterproof PowerShot D30

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/11/canon-powershot-d30/

It's a very busy CP+ for Canon. The camera maker has a handful of new models for the show, including one of the waterproof variety. The PowerShot D30, which replaces 2012's D20, boosts the waterproof rating from 33 feet to 82 feet, making it a suitable choice for all but the deepest scuba dives. There's a 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, a DIGIC 5 processor and support for 1080/30p video. The 5x 28-140mm lens isn't as fast as we'd like for dim underwater shoots, with an f/3.9-4.8 maximum aperture, but with the ISO bumped up a bit, it should perform decently. You can frame shots on the 3-inch 461k-dot LCD, which sports a sunlight mode for use in brighter conditions. The camera is shockproof and cold-resistant as well, and while there's no WiFi on board, it does include GPS. The PowerShot D30 is expected in stores by mid-April with a $330 MSRP.

Filed under: Cameras, Canon

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Sony's VAIO Flip 11A convertible is now available for $799

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/11/sony-vaio-flip-11a-now-available/

Even though the VAIO Flip 15 and 13 are both pretty solid PCs, some people might find one to be too big and the other too expensive. To alleviate this, Sony introduced the VAIO Flip 11A, an 11.6-inch laptop with the same Yoga-like design as the other, larger Flips. Available now for $799, Sony' newest convertible ships with Windows 8.1 and is powered by Intel's 2.16GHz Pentium N3520 CPU. What's more, there is also that included copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements 12, a 1,920 x 1,080 IPS screen, NFC support and 128GB of solid-state storage alongside 4GB RAM. It appears Sony is only selling its Flip 11A in the US at this time; that said, let us know in the comments if you see it up for grabs elsewhere. Or maybe it's all part of the company's new business plan.

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Sony

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Source: Sony

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HTC's leaked 'Desire 8' mid-ranger looks big and beautiful

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/12/htc-new-desire-8-series-leak-china/

Despite HTC's recent blast of Desire phones, the company admitted that it still needs to push harder in the lower price tiers. Lo and behold, here's a leak of an upcoming "New Desire 8" series mid-range device, courtesy of Chinese site MyDrivers and with confirmation from our own sources. This dual-SIM phone will reportedly pack a 5.5-inch display of unknown resolution, which will make it the largest non-flagship HTC phone since the Desire 700. There will also be a 13-megapixel main camera (not UltraPixel), along with a 5-megapixel front imager with beautification mode. We're assuming that this is a plastic body -- available in white, red, yellow, orange and cyan -- with stereo front-facing speakers, which is now a signature feature on many HTC phones. But where are the Android buttons? ! Chances are this Desire model is joining the M8 flagship to embrace on-screen keys, despite their absence in this render.

The screenshot mentions "March 18th" plus Beijing, so unless Peter Chou is messing with us here, we'll be making ourselves available that day for the launch event in China. Having said that, we might also get to see it at MWC in two weeks' time, so stay tuned.

Update: A reliable tipster sent in the original image, so we've updated this article with it.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

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Source: MyDrivers

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Make 'business connections' with Virgin America's new in-flight social network ;)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/11/virgin-america-in-flight-social-network/

Haven't had much luck buying alluring strangers a drink on your last few Virgin America flights? What you need, my friend, is a service to expand your circle of potential prospects and make the in-flight connection you deserve. At least that's what the airline must be thinking with its announcement of the "first-ever" in-flight social network, developed with Gogo Wifi and the Here on Biz geo-location app.

Once you've downloaded Here on Biz from the App Store (sorry, no Android types need apply) and connect through Gogo, the service lets you register via Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter to contact fellow travelers at the gate, on your plane and even on other Virgin America flights. But don't think the social network is all about helping you get lucky at 35,000 feet (the sexy skies are the furthest thing from Richard Branson's mind, after all); Virgin America says the service is targeted at business travelers who want to "take advantage of downtime in-flight to build or renew their professional connections." It's unclear, though, whether Virgin will claim rights to any startup ideas hatched on board.

Filed under: Transportation, Internet

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Source: Virgin America, Here on Biz (iTunes)

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Sophisticated malware finally discovered after 7 years, likely created by a nation-state

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/11/the-mask-careto-malware/

Security firm Kaspersky Labs recently released a research paper that uncovers the existence of a piece of highly complex malware that's been in circulation for almost seven years. It's called "The Mask," which is a rough English translation of Careto, a Spanish word for "ugly face" that was found in the malware's code. Aimed at high-level targets such as government institutions, embassies and large energy corporations, Kaspersky says "The Mask" has already claimed nearly 380 unique victims (with more than 1,000 IPs) in 31 countries that include China, France, Germany, the UK and the US. Kaspersky first spotted it in a spear phishing email campaign that entices the recipient over to malicious websites disguised as news sites like The Guardian and the Washington Post.

Kaspersky reports that the malware is extremely sophisticated, with a set of tools that include a rootkit, a bootkit, versions that'll affect 32- and 64-bit Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and possibly even mobile operating systems like Android and iOS. Once it gets its hooks into your system, it can be used to hijack all your communication channels and snatch everything from Skype conversations to sensitive encryption keys. It's also very difficult to detect. Due to the level of finesse found in the malware, Kaspersky concludes that "The Mask" was very likely created by a nation-state, much like Stuxnet and Duqu. As to which nation-state that is, the security firm doesn't know, but says it's probably one that is Spanish-speaking based on the code's language. Intrigued? Go on and hit the PDF link here to get the full rundown of what Kaspersky discovered.

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Via: Vice

Source: Kaspersky Labs, (PDF)

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