IT News and Technology

Microsoft’s new Lumia 535 costs $140 and is its first non-Nokia smartphone

14:10

Microsoft teased the imminent arrival of the first non-Nokia Lumia last week, and now it hasunveiled the Lumia 535, a budget device priced at €110 (that’s just under US$140) with improvements across the board.

The phone looks much like previous Lumia incarnations with an obvious branding difference. Gone are the Nokia logos, replaced instead by Microsoft’s name on the front — above the screen — and written horizontally on the colorful back of the device.

That basic difference apart, the Lumia 535 looks like, well, a Lumia, albeit with some important changes under the hood. Microsoft has given the phone five-megapixel cameras on the front and back, and equipped it with a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and 1GB RAM. There’s 8 GB of on-device memory, which can be expanded by up to 128 GB via an external memory card.

That RAM is an increase on previous mid-range Lumia devices, while the most recent budget-minded Lumias — the 630 and 635, announced back in April — strangely lacked a front-facing camera altogether. In a clear sign that the Lumia 535 is principally targeted at Asian markets, the phone is available as a dual-SIM variant.

Software-wise, it will run the latest Windows 8.1 operating system, including the most recent Lumia Denim update. The company is also bundling a range of its services — including Skype and OneNote — which is part of its strategy to get (and lock) customers into its services ecosystem, the idea being that they will buy another Lumia phone when it is time to upgrade their device.Microsoft said the phone will go on sale in China, Hong Kong and Bangladesh this month, with “other countries to follow.”

That’s a pretty aggressive price point given the decent specs of the device. Under Nokia’s parentage, the budget devices in the Lumia family performed best — last year’s top seller was the Lumia 520, which accounted for one quarter of the line’s sales. Microsoft seems to see the potential in playing to that strength and offering something bright, shiny and capable at a price point that won’t break the bank.

Microsoft opted to remain in the cellphone game — launching the $25 Nokia 130 in August — but the new Lumia 535 is our first look at the kind of devices that it thinks will attract first-time smartphone buyers and those on a budget. This new Lumia focus is Redmond’s answer to Nokia’s X range of Android phones and the budget Asha range, both of which were slated for emerging markets but quickly axed following the completion of Microsoft’s purchase of Nokia.

Technology News

Home Depot hackers stole 53 million email addresses

14:28

Technology News

Apple malware affects mostly Chinese users

14:27

Malware has bypassed Apple's safety controls by taking advantage of a process used by employers to add apps to workers' iPhones and iPads.

US-based Palo Alto Networks said WireLurker appeared to have originated in China and was mostly infecting devices there.

The malware first targets Mac computers via a third-party store before copying itself to iOS devices.

Researchers warn it steals information and can install other damaging apps.

"WireLurker is unlike anything we've ever seen in terms of Apple iOS and OS X malware," said Ryan Olson, Palo Alto Network's intelligence director.

"The techniques in use suggest that bad actors are getting more sophisticated when it comes to exploiting some of the world's best-known desktop and mobile platforms."

WireLurker has the ability to transfer from Apple's Mac computer to mobile devices through a USB cable.

The malware initially gets onto an iOS device via a USB link to an infected Mac computer

The security firm said the malware was capable of stealing "a variety of information" from mobile devices it infects and regularly requested updates from the attackers' control server.

"This malware is under active development and its creator's ultimate goal is not yet clear," the company added.

Apple has issued a brief statement.

"We are aware of malicious software available from a download site aimed at users in China, and we've blocked the identified apps to prevent them from launching," it said.

"As always, we recommend that users download and install software from trusted sources."

Work apps

According to Palo Alto Networks,WireLurker was first noticed in Junewhen a developer at the Chinese firm Tencent realised there were suspicious files and processes happening on his Mac and iPhone.

Further inquiries revealed a total of 467 Mac programs listed on the Maiyadi App Store had been compromised to include the malware, which in turn had been downloaded 356,104 times as of 16 Oct.

Infected software included popular games including Angry Birds, The Sims 3, Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2.

Once the malware was on the Mac, it communicated with a command-and-control server to check if it needed to update its code, and then waited until an iPhone, iPad or iPod was connected.

When an iOS device was connected the malware would check if it was jailbroken - a process used by some to remove some of Apple's restrictions.

If it was jailbroken, WireLurker backed up the device's apps to the Mac, where it repackaged them with malware, and then installed the infected versions back on to the iOS machine.

If it was not jailbroken - which is the case for most iOS devices - WireLurker took advantage of a technique created by Apple to allow businesses to install special software on their staff's handsets and tablets.