New Android Malware Simulates Shutdown and Mines Your Data

If you have an Android phone and have purchased third-party apps from outside of the more well-known app stores, you may have put your device at risk from an ingenious new malware that makes it look like you’ve shut off your phone, but instead has only simulated the shutdown with identical shut off animations. Once the screen goes black and you forget about it, the malware kicks in and roots around through your device, accessing your data. Even scarier, the malware can use your phone to make outgoing calls, take pictures, and utilize a host of other features.


This malware, called the PowerOffHijack, was first spotted by AVG, who explained how it worked on their blog post. Their team believes it originated in China and is spreading via apps that originated within the country, estimating that as many as 10,000 devices have already been infected.
There are a couple of ways to know if you’re safe, even if you don’t have a clear way to know if your phone is infected. If you’re running a version of Android that’s at least v.5, you should be all right; at the same time, if your phone has not been modified (jailbroken) to allow different forms of functionality, then you’re probably okay, too.
The only issue is some retailers sell their phones with this level of functionality already in place, so you may not be aware of the potential danger. Finally, if you’ve only downloaded apps from the Google Play store, you’re probably safe as well since that app store is not available in China.
For now, there’s no patch to combat the PowerOffHijack’s capabilities. Experts are currently recommending users physically remove their batteries when they power off their phones, at least until a patch can be made available.
[Image via Roaming Required]

Man Killed By Batman, His Online Obituary Claims

When it’s my time to die, I really hope my family does something awesome to remember me; something that takes into account my hobbies and interests and the things I was passionate about in life. And I hope someone writes me one heck of an obituary – whether it’s all true or not doesn’t matter – what matters is that it makes someone do a double take and ask “Did I really just read what I thought I read?” There’s an obituary making the internet rounds right now because of its sheer awesomeness. While I know next to nothing about the deceased, I do know the cause of death on his obituary is listed as “a uppercut from Batman“. If there’s a better way to go out, I don’t know what it is.


Stephen Merrill, from Winter Haven, Florida, recently died at the age of 31. His cause of death was unknown at the time, but apparently it’s an obituary requirement to list a cause of death, so the family had to figure out something to write. Remembering his love of comic books, Batman, and laughing, they decided to honor his memory in a pretty unique way – they decided to tell everyone that he was done in by the Dark Knight himself. Again, could there be a better way to leave the earth? (As Robin Williams asked in Patch Adams, what’s wrong with treating death with a little bit of humor?)
You can view Stephen’s entire online obituary here.
[Image via ComicBookResources]
SOURCE: CNET

Rock Out With This Millennium Falcon Guitar

As an amateur guitar player, I love discovering new guitars and sounds, though I’ll admit my scope is a bit limited. I’ve mainly stuck to the acoustic side of things, but I have messed with a few electric guitars in my day. I’ve played some good guitars and some not-so-good guitars – but one guitar I’ve never played? One made out of the Millennium Falcon. With a new Star Wars movie set to come out this coming December, it seems everyone is doing everything they can to cash in on it, including custom guitar builders – and that’s not all necessarily a bad thing.



Doni Latchford, from Doni Custom Guitars in the UK, has created what has been dubbed the Han Solo Guitar. It’s called that because he takes a Millennium Falcon toy, adds strings, a neck, and all necessary hardware to make it function as an actual guitar, and then he sells them. (He even adds blue LED lights to the Falcon to complete the effect). If Han Solo played guitar in a band, he’d no doubt use this one. You can buy one of them on Etsy for $710.79 as of this writing, and it can even be shipped worldwide, though it doesn’t mention inter-galaxy shipping.
What do you think? Too much? Let us know in the comments section below!
[Image via Mashable]
SOURCE: CNET

Xbox Live Gold Gets A Price Cut

If you have an Xbox One or even an Xbox 360 and have been waiting for a great reason to purchase an Xbox Live Gold subscription, there’s probably not going to be a better time than right now to get one. Microsoft have announced that they’re cutting the price of the subscription by $20 – in other words, the price has been slashed from $60 a year to $40 a year. Hey, anytime you can get something with a third of the price knocked off, it’s got to be a good deal, right?

So, why would anyone want an Xbox Live Gold membership? Well, for starters, everyone knows it’s a heck of a lot more fun to play certain games with other people, and that’s exactly what the membership lets you do – game it up with all kinds of other gamers from around the globe. (Would you rather play Halo by yourself or with others just as good and/or better than you are? It’s a rhetorical question). It also gives you access to free games and discounts on other games found in the Xbox Store.
I honestly can’t tell you how long this price cut will last; it might be a permanent change, or the price might go back up tomorrow. So if you want to get in on it while the price is at its low point, you can do so here. If you’re still on the fence, I’m not sure what else will help you land on either side.
[Image via gaminrealm]
SOURCE: CNET

Excellent Chitrol of Punjab Police By Pak Army While Giving Them Training

Excellent Chitrol of Punjab Police By Pak Army While Giving Them Training

This Unseen Jacket Changes Colors With Your Mood

The jacket seems to work a little more precisely than the mood rings of old – it’s actually pretty scientific when you get right down to it. So, how exactly does the jacket read your mood and adapt its color? Here’s a little snippet from the website explaining it:

“An unseen force or “Aura” is outwardly emitted from every human as electromagnetic energy, these wavelengths through certain lenses can be seen as colour. The Unseen aim to discover and investigate this invisible energy field by using a physical garment that reads human magnetism coupled with the capture of EEG data. These biosignals are translated visually through our sculpture with the use of colour and pattern. For instance red portrays anger, nerves and anxiety, whereas green reflects teaching, sociality and people, Blue reveals calming, truthfulness and peace while white mirror’s an inner state of sensitivity, intuitiveness and psychic ability.”

In short, the wearer of the jacket also wears a EEG headpiece which connects to an app which then connects to the jacket, effectively telling it to change colors based upon mood. Who knows – maybe one day we’ll literally wear all of our emotions on our sleeves!
[Image via adafruit]
SOURCE: CNET