News written by James Delahunty (August, 2017)

Google has removed hundreds of apps from the Play store after they were found to hijack devices for the use of the WireX botnet.

The apps appeared to be normal common apps, providing abilities such as media playback and system resource and storage management. In reality, they would use the device to take part in DDoS attacks against targets online.

Akamai has been credited with discovering the WireX botnet after a client was targeted. It then went on to cooperate with security staff from competitors to try to solve the problem. During this cooperate effort, hundreds of apps available through the Play store were found to be bogus and malicious.

Google removed over 300 apps from the Play store so far and they are being removed from affected devices too. An estimated 70,000 devices in over 100 countries have been compromised already.

Some affected devices have also been hit by ransomware attacks.

Read More: Akamai

Sony has responded to price cuts by VR competitors by cutting the price of its own popular PlayStation VR gear.

It did so by adding the required PlayStation Camera to a $399 bundle, starting from September 1. Another bundle including a pair of Move controllers will cost $449.

Sony has enjoyed something of an advantage in the space up until recently. Competitors Oculus and HTC had gear that was more expensive and had to be used with a decent PC setup. However, over time HTC cut the price of its Vive gear on multiple occasions, and Oculus recently followed suit with its own price cuts.

Additionally, the minimum specs also dropped meaning the Rift headset with Touch could work well with a lower priced PC. To take advantage of the PlayStation VR system, it is recommended that you own a PlayStation 4 Pro.

From Friday, the price cut for the bundles will take effect across the U.S. and Canada. The core PS VR bundle will include the PlayStation VR headset and PlayStation Camera for $399 USD (MSRP) / $499 CAD (MSRP), while the PlayStation VR Worlds bundle adds two PlayStation Move motion controllers and PlayStation VR Worlds for $449 USD (MSRP) / $579 CAD (MSRP).

Microsoft today released an announce trailer for Age of Empires IV as we approach the 20 year anniversary of the release of the original title in the franchise.

The cinematic trailer takes the user through the ages but doesn't confirm much about the game at all. For now, all we really know is that Age of Empires IV is coming and is being developed by Relic Entertainment (Company of Heroes, Warhammer, Homeworld).

It has been 12 years since a major release in the Age of Empires series and it's likely to be some time before Age of Empires IV is available to buy. In the meantime, Microsoft will be releasing Age of Empires: Definitive Edition on October 19, the 20th anniversary of the original Age of Emprires.

Here is the trailer released by Microsoft, and a second video showcasing the history of the iconic franchise.

Preemptive action from a U.S. court aims to stifle illegal unauthorized streams of the hotly-anticipated fight between Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Conor McGregor this weekend.

The upcoming bout between the undefeated Mayweather, and UFC star Conor McGregor, has generated phenomenal interest. As such, Showtime is concerned about a loss in revenue from pay-per-view receipts due to the availability of unauthorized streams on the web.

The premium cable and satellite network went to court seeking an injunction against several websites that are advertising the bout ahead of the weekend. United States District Judge André Birotte Jr. approved a preliminary injunction forbidding the site's operators from providing illegal streams. The injunction is valid until August 28.

All of the domains affected appear to be associated with LiveStreamHDQ, according to TorrentFreak. Showtime has clashed with LiveStreamHDQ's operator, Kopa Mayweather, in the past.

Given the high profile nature of the fight, it is likely that a very wide range of sites will offer illegal streams through browsers, while others will be available through P2P streaming (Acestream etc.) and by other means. The unauthorized streaming of sports events has come to the forefront in recent months around the world. In the UK, efforts are underway to block illegal streams of Premier League football matches during the games, for example.

The next iteration of the Android mobile operation system is called Oreo, Google has revealed.

It promises that Android 8.0 Oreo improves speed, performance, security and introduces several new useful features. Oreo will feature much faster boot speeds (up to twice as fast on Pixel, Google claims) and brings Autifill, which will remember logins and other information with your permission to make things more convenient.

On the security side, Settings now puts Security front and center. Additionally, Oreo brings tighter app install controls, and has Google Play Protect built-in. To alleviate charge concerns, Android Oreo minimizes unintentional overuse of battery from apps in the background.

Picture-in-Picture is a useful new addition that allows you to see two apps at once, so you can, for example, check your schedule while being on a video call without having to swap apps. Notification dots let you tap to see what's new in your apps, meaning you can view notifications only for priority apps.

Oreo also features built-in support for Android Instant Apps, letting you check out new apps without having to install them, and also features a team of fully-redesigned emojis.

More than 100 robotics and AI experts, along with heads of tech companies in the field, have signed a letter urging the UN to prevent the use of AI in lethal weaponry.

Signatories include billionaire Elon Musk, and Mustafa Suleyman, the founder of Google's DeepMind. It specifically warns about a forthcoming third revolution in warfare with the development of robotics and artificial intelligence.

"Once developed, they will permit armed conflict to be fought at a scale greater than ever, and at timescales faster than humans can comprehend," the letter reads.

"These can be weapons of terror, weapons that despots and terrorists use against innocent populations, and weapons hacked to behave in undesirable ways."

They are calling for the inclusion of "morally wrong" technology in the list of weapons banned under the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW).

The fear is the development of fully autonomous weapons that can select and engage targets without any human oversight once deployed. While no such weapons are known to exist now, developments in robotics, drone technology and AI makes their eventual development inevitable.

HTC has permanently cut the price of the Vive VR headset by $200, bringing it closer to the cost of hardware from rival Oculus.

That brings the cost of the Vive headset down to $599, which is still $100 more expensive than Oculus Rift & Touch. It also includes Google Tilt Brush, Everest VR, Richie's Plank Experience, and 1-month free access to VIVEPORT Subscription.

It was only a matter of time before HTC would cut the cost of Vive following cost cuts by rival Oculus. Consumers have been choosing between two similar VR systems but with a $300 difference on the price tag.

According to Engadget, HTC said that the cost cut is not aimed at clearing inventory, so it's unlikely that HTC is preparing to unveil any new hardware.

More info: Vive

Microsoft has made a limited Xbox One X Scorpio Edition available for pre-order ahead of the launch of the revamped console.

The Xbox One X Project Scorpio Edition features a custom design with "Project Scorpio" printed on the console and the controller. Additionally, it also comes with an exclusive vertical stand so you can choose how to display it in your home.

With only a limited number available, the only way to buy one new is through the pre-order through Microsoft's store, Best Buy and Amazon. It is available for $499 while stocks last.

In the box: Xbox One X Project Scorpio Edition 1TB Console, Project Scorpio Edition Wireless Controller, Xbox One X Vertical Stand, 1-month Game Pass subscription trial, 14-day Xbox Live Gold trial, HDMI cable (4K capable), and AC Power cable.

Reddit has launched its own video hosting service for its millions of users, cutting out the need for separate third party uploads.

The user-driven, community-based content sharing site added the ability for users to upload GIFs and images last year too. Up until that point, Redditors had to rely on third-party services like Imgur for content uploads and some communities (subreddits) still largely do choose third party options.

Most videos shared through reddit have typically been hosted on popular platforms like YouTube and Streamable, but now Reddit is launching its own video hosting service to cut out the third party, and open up a new potentially lucrative ad-revenue source.

Reddit said that the need for users to upload content to third-party services inhibited their abilities to share quickly and easily, and that the new hosting is intended to streamline the process from video capture straight to upload.

Not all communities (subreddits) will be able to use the service however, as Reddit wants to stick to content that isn't infringing or unsuitable for a family audience. Reddit has a large number of adult-themed subreddits and sports communities that often share highlights and content without permission.

Judges have ordered ISPs to block a list of 59 websites that provide access to pirated movies and TV show content.

Two seperate orders from courts in Australia obliges Internet Services Providers to block a total of 59 websites and 127 domain names. In one case, based on a complaint from Roadshow, a judge ordered ISPs to block 42 websites, while in a second case brought by Foxtel, a further 17 blocks were mandated.

The list of websites includes popular sources for unauthorized streams, including PrimeWire, Project Free TV, Watch Servies and PutLocker, which can blocked based on legislation passed in 2015.

"This is a historic moment for Australia to have what is effectively 95% of the criminal trade blocked," Graham Burke, co-chief of Village Roadshow, and also the head of Creative Content Australia, said. "The thieves who run pirate sites contribute nothing to Australia -- they employ no one and pay no taxes here. Of the enormous profits they earn, not one cent goes back to the original creators of the content."

Creative Content has threatened to sue pirates in Australia later this year.

via: Engadget

Microsoft has shared a list of game titles that will be visually enhanced by the Xbox One X console, due to be released in November.

The Redmond giant has released details about game enhancements with the upcoming Xbox One X over the past few months. On Sunday, Xbox' Major Nelson dropped a list that includes newer titles from Microsoft's own studio but also from third-party and Indie developers.

The list - which will be updated continuously - does not detail exactly what kind of enhancements to expect per title, and not all listed games will be enhanced by Xbox One X on launch day, which is November 8.

Still, the list gives us an idea of what to expect when it comes to Xbox One X enhancements.

• A Plague Tale: Innocence
• Anthem
• ARK: Survival Evolved (Game Preview)
• Ashen
• Assassin's Creed Origins
• ASTRONEER (Game Preview)
• Battlerite
• Below
• Black Desert
• Brawlout
• Chess Ultra
• CODE VEIN
• Conan Exiles
• Crackdown 3
• Danger Zone
• Dark and Light
• Darksiders III
• Dead Rising 4
• Deep Rock Galactic
• Diablo III: Reaper of Souls – Ultimate Evil Edition
• Dishonored 2
• Dishonored: Death of the Outsider
• Disneyland Adventures
• Dovetail Games Euro Fishing
• DRAGON BALL Fighter Z
• Dynasty Warriors 9
• EA SPORTS FIFA 18
• Elex
• Elite: Dangerous
• EVERSPACE
• F1 2017
• Fable Fortune
• Fallout 4
• Farming Simulator 17
• Final Fantasy XV
• Firewatch
• For Honor
• Forza Horizon 3
• Forza Motorsport 7
• Gears of War 4
• Gravel
• Halo 5: Guardians
• Halo Wars 2
• Hand of Fate 2
• Hello Neighbor
• HITMAN
• Homefront: The Revolution
• Injustice 2
• Jurassic Park
• Killer Instinct
• Killing Floor 2
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance
• Life is Strange: Before the Storm
• Madden NFL 18
• Mafia III
• Mantis Burn Racing
• METAL GEAR SURVIVE
• Metro: Exodus
• Middle-earth: Shadow of War
• Minecraft: Xbox One Edition
• Minion Masters
• Monster Hunter: World
• NBA 2K18
• Need for Speed Payback
• Ooblets
• Ori and the Will of the Wisp
• Outcast – Second Contact
• Outlast 2
• Paladins
• Path of Exile
• PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
• Portal Knights
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2018
• Project Cars 2
• Quantum Break
• Raiders of the Broken Planet
• Railway Empire
• Real Farm Simulator 2017
• ReCore
• Resident Evil 7 biohazard
• RiME
• ROBLOX
• Robocraft Infinity
• Rocket League
• Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure
• Sea of Thieves
• Slime Rancher
• SMITE
• Sonic Forces
• Star Wars Battlefront II
• State of Decay 2
• STEEP
• Strange Brigade
• Super Lucky's Tale
• SUPERHOT
• Surviving Mars
• Tennis World Tour
• The Artful Escape
• The Crew 2
• The Darwin Project
• The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
• The Last Night
• The Long Dark
• The Surge
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
• Titanfall 2
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands
• Tom Clancy's The Division
• Train Sim World
• TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge
• Warframe
• Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide
• We Happy Few
• Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
• World of Tanks
• WRC 7 FIA World Rally Championship
• Zoo Tycoon