6 apps to install on a new MacBook

This six-pack of apps belongs on your Mac.

These are the first six apps I installed on my new MacBook Pro, from a text expander to a word processor, with four useful apps in between. All are free except the first, which costs only $5 and offers a free trial. Let's take them in alphabetical order.

aText

aText is a simple, text-expansion app that lets you create abbreviations for commonly typed words and phrases. With it, for example, I can type "@@" instead of my email address. Or "ty" instead of "thank you." It offers other features but it's worth the cost simply for a handful of keyboard shortcuts that saves me time each day.

aText costs $4.99 (£4.18 in the UK and AU$7.05 in Australia) and is available from Tran Ky Nam Software. You can try aText free for 14 days.

Making your own keyboard shortcuts in aText can save so much time.Photo by Matt Elliott/CNET

Chrome

It hogs more system resources than Safari, but I need Chrome because of its little favicons that let me -- at a quick glance -- make sense out of the dozens of tabs I have open at any given moment during the day. Until Safari adds favicons to its boring and uselessly gray tabs, I'm stuck with Chrome on my Mac.

Chrome is free and available from Google.

Dropbox

Apple is making strides with iCloud Drive, but I still can't quit my Dropbox habit. It remains my preferred method for moving files between my iPhone and Mac along with sharing files from my Mac to others. The Dropbox app integrates itself into Finder and adds a helpful menu bar icon for quick access.

Dropbox is free and available from Dropbox.com.

Dropbox is still a great way to upload files to the cloud and share them with others.

Photo by Matt Elliott/CNET

Flux

If you are enjoying Night Shift on your iPhone, then you'll like Flux for your Mac. It adjusts the color temperature of your Mac's display according to the time of day. So, cooler temperatures during the day when the sun is up, then warmer colors at sunset and even warmer at bedtime.

Flux is free and available from Download.com.

Itsycal

There are more powerful calendar apps than Itsycal, but I prefer Itsycal for its simplicity. It installs an icon in the menu bar that displays the current date. You can click on the Itsycal icon to see the full month. Itsycal also lets you link to the MacOS stock Calendar app and will display upcoming appointments, but you can't schedule appointments with Itsycal. That's fine by me since I like it just to be able to glance at my menu bar to see today's date.

Itsycal is free and available direct from developer Mowglii.

Itsycal is a very simple way to see your calendar.

Photo by Matt Elliott/CNET

LibreOffice

I need to work with Microsoft Word docs on occasion, and I think LibreOffice does a better job in approximating Word than Apple's Pages app. I don't use Word enough that I need to shell out forOffice for Mac, and the free LibreOffice is a suitable stand-in for Word if you don't need it on a daily basis (that's why God invented Google Docs).

LibreOffice is free as well as open-source, and available from The Document Foundation.

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Google patches severe Android boot mode vulnerability

The critical vulnerability left Android devices open to denial of service and privilege escalation attacks.

Symantec

Google has resolved a dangerous Android vulnerability which allowed attackers to reboot Nexus devices into custom boot modes, leading to spying and remote attacks.

Patched as part of Google's January Android security bulletin, the flaw, CVE-2016-8467, grants cyberattackers the ability to use PC malware or malicious chargers to reboot a Nexus 6 or 6P device and implement a special boot configuration, or boot mode, which instructs Android to turn on various extra USB interfaces.

According to IBM X-Force Application Security Research Team researchers Roee Hay and Michael Goberman, who revealed further details of the vulnerability in a blog post, the flaw gives attackers access to interfaces which offer additional control over a compromised device.

In particular, the Nexus 6 the modem diagnostics interface is of concern as accessing this platform gives attackers access to the modem, which compromises "confidentiality and integrity," the team says.

Once an attacker has gained access to the modem they can intercept phone calls, for example. It would also be possible to sniff mobile data packets and grab information including GPS coordinates of the device for tracking, place phone calls, steal call information and either access or change nonvolatile (NV) items or the EFS partition of a device.

IBM says that if Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is enabled on the device, PC malware or a malicious charger can boot the target device with the special boot mode configuration. Once connected, the user is forced to accept the PC or charger permanently, a few commands are issued, and the device is rebooted.

"Every future boot from this point forward will have the boot mode configuration enabled," IBM says. This means the attack is persistent and no longer requires ADB to run, although it still requires USB access."

"Therefore, the attacker only needs the victim to enable ADB once," the researchers added. "Moreover, a lucky attacker might wait for the device to be in fastboot mode, which requires no authorization from the victim. This, however, is less likely."

If attackers have physical access to the device, they can also reboot it into the custom boot mode manually.

These issues are less severe on the Nexus 6P due to firmware protections, however, a quirk in the device type means attackers can open ADB sessions even if the mode has been disabled.

In addition, due to the inclusion of additional USB interfaces in both device types, attackers can also access other interfaces to send or on SMS messages and potentially bypass two-factor authentication, escalate privileges, change radio settings and access a wide range of mobile device features.

Google has now patched the flaw by forbidding a locked bootloader to boot with the dangerous boot modes.

In December, researchers revealed that a new variant of Android malware called Gooligan was exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities to steal sensitive user data.

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Google buys Limes Audio for better sound in Hangouts

Google's acquisition brings on board tech to tackle distortion and echo on video calls and conferences, so you can hear who you're talking to.

Google has bought Limes Audio, which makes tech to battle noise, distortion and echoes on video calls.

Photo by Nicole Cozma/CNET

Google has bought Limes Audio, a company with technology to improve sound quality in video calls, to improve its conferencing products like Hangouts, according to a blog post Thursday.

The tech giant said audio quality -- "so that you can hear the person you're talking to, and they can hear you" -- is critical as more businesses adopt its videoconferencing services like Chromebox for Meetings and Hangouts.

Limes Audio's technology removes noise, distortion and echoes, which should help with problems like conference rooms' acoustics and poor internet connections, the company said.

Google has been energetic about video chat lately. With products like Hangouts and Chromebox already in place, it launched another rival to Microsoft's Skype and Apple's FaceTime last year. Called Duo, the app allows one-to-one video calling and has quirky features like Knock Knock, which offers a video preview of who's calling you.

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Which new Daydream VR phone is right for you? :Pixel vs. Moto Z vs. ZenFone AR vs. Mate 9 Pro vs. Axon 7

Jealous that Pixel owners get to have all the VR fun? Pick up one of these newly compatible Android smartphones and you'll be Daydreamin' in no time

When Google revealed its Daydream View in October, it was announced alongside the Google Pixel and Pixel XL. These two "phones by Google" and headset were a match made in VR heaven in some ways, but that also meant you could only experience Daydream by using a Pixel.

After that, Google added compatibility to the Moto Z. Now it's expanding the list of Daydream-compatible phones a bit more with the Huawei Mate 9 Pro, Asus ZenFone AR and ZTE Axon 7.

If you're in the market for a Daydream phone, you have a few options to choose from. The six compatible phones bring different things to the table. For example, the Pixel phones will automatically get the latest Android updates as they're made available, while the Moto Z has the option to attach Moto Mod accessories. The three new phones offer their own unique features, like the dual cameras in the Mate 9 Pro, the dual SIM in the Axon 7 or Tango AR compatibility in the ZenFone AR. So which phone you pick depends on the features you want -- and the price, of course.

Luckily CNET's got your back and came up with the following chart for easy side-by-side comparison.

Which Daydream phone is right for you?

	Google Pixel	Google Pixel XL	Motorola Moto Z	Huawei Mate 9 Pro	Asus ZenFone AR	ZTE Axon 7
Display size, resolution	5-inch; 1,920x1,080 pixels	5.5-inch; 2,560x1,440 pixels	5.5-inch; 2,560x1,440 pixels	5.5-inch; 2,560x1,440 pixels	5.7-inch; 2,560x1,440 pixels	5.5-inch; 2,560x1,440 pixels
Pixel density	441 ppi	534 ppi	535 ppi	534 ppi	515 ppi	538ppi
Dimensions (inches)	5.7x2.74x0.34 (at its thickest)	6.1x2.98x0.34 (at its thickest)	6.11x2.96x0.2	5.98x2.95x0.3	6.25x3.06x0.35 (at its thickest)	5.97x2.9x0.31
Dimensions (millimeters)	143.8x69.54x8.58 (at its thickest)	154.7x75.74x8.58 (at its thickest)	155.3 x 75.3 x 5.19	152x75x7.5	158.6x77.7x8.95 (at its thickest)	151.8x75x8.7
Weight (ounces, grams)	5.04 oz; 143 g	5.92 oz; 168g	4.79 oz; 136 g	5.96 oz; 169g	6 oz; 170g	6.17 oz; 175 g
Mobile software	Android 7.1 Nougat	Android 7.1 Nougat	Android 6.0 Marshmallow	Android 7.0 Nougat	Android 7.0 Nougat	Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
Camera	12.3-megapixel	12.3-megapixel	13-megapixel	20-megapixel monochrome + 12-megapixel dual cameras	23-megapixel	20-megapixel
Optical Image Stablization	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Front-facing camera	8-megapixel	8-megapixel	5-megapixel	8-megapixel	8-megapixel	8-megapixel
Video capture	4K	4K	4K (30 fps)	4K	4K	4K
Processor	2.15GHz + 1.6GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821	2.15GHz + 1.6GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821	Up to 2.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820	2.4GHz + 1.8GHz octo-core Huawei Kirin 960	2.35Ghz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821	2.15GHz quad-core Snapdragon 820
Storage	32GB, 128GB	32GB, 128GB	32/64 GB	128GB	32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 256GB	64GB, 128GB (varies by region)
RAM	4GB	4GB	4GB	6GB	6GB / 8GB	4GB, 6GB
Expandable storage	None	None	up to 2TB	None	Up to 2TB	Up to 128GB
Battery	2,770mAh	3,450mAh	2,600 mAh (nonremovable)	4,000mAh	3,300mAh	3,140mAh
Fingerprint sensor	Back cover	Back cover	Below screen	Home button	Home button	Back cover
Connector	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C
Special features	Google Assistant built-in; unlimited cloud storage; Daydream VR-ready	Google Assistant built-in; unlimited cloud storage; Daydream VR-ready	Magnetic Moto Mod snap-on accessories and dedicated accessory port on back; Daydream VR-ready	Dual camera; dual-SIM; curved display; Daydream VR-ready	Tango AR depth camera; Daydream VR-ready	Dual-SIM option; Daydream VR-ready
Price off-contract (USD)	$649 (32GB); $749 (128GB)	$769 (32GB); $869 (128GB)	$624	$680 (converted from Chinese price)	TBD	$400
Price (GBP)	£599 (32GB); £699 (128GB)	£719 (32GB); £819 (128GB)	NA	£553 (converted from Chinese price)	TBD	£275
Price (AUD)	AU$1,079 (32GB); AU$1,229 (128GB)	AU$1,269 (32GB); AU$1,419 (128GB)	NA	AU$930 (converted from Chinese price)	TBD	AU$699

Be sure to check out the Google Daydream website for a list of compatible phones as they are added, and read CNET's thoughts on the Daydream View. 

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Google Assistant will soon let you bark commands at your Android TV

Move over Siri and Apple TV, there's a new virtual assistant in smart TV town.

Android TV watchers rejoice, you'll soon be able to yell commands at your television set. Google on Wednesday announced via a blog that Google Assistant, its Siri-like virtual assistant, is coming to Android TV.

The feature, which allows you to use voice commands to play content, enquire about content or just ask how long the commute to work will take (if you haven't worked that out by yourself yet), will be available on Android TVs in the US that run Android 6.0 Marshmallow or Android 7.0 Nougat.

Nvidia announced at its CES 2017 press conference that its Nvidia Shield Android TV, available later this month, will be the first device to take advantage of the update.

"You'll also see the Assistant come to other new surfaces," wrote Google's Android TV director Sascha Pruete, "like smartwatches running Android Wear 2.0, Android-powered in-car infotainment systems and many other types of devices."

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JBL Everest Elite 700 Platinum Edition review: Tune into style

What happens when an iconic audio electronics company completes 70 years? They introduce an anniversary edition of noise cancelling wireless headphones called the JBL Everest Elite 700 Platinum Edition. While these are yet to come to India, we got our hands on the headphones (exclusively) to know more about them, first hand.

Right out of the box we did find these (wireless) noise cancelling headphones to be quite modern. The JBL Everest Elite 700 Platinum Edition is not your usual noise cancelling headphones with simple ear cups connected to the headband. These are designed for extreme comfort with the ear cups sitting on a swinging arm on the headband for the best ear and around the ear flexibility.

The audio drivers have good cushioning around them, however once worn they were a bit firm for our liking. They are also slightly heavy. That said, however, this is the case with all headphones that are wireless. Since wireless headphones carry the additional weight of a battery, lots of buttons et al, ultimately the burden falls on the wearers head and neck.
Setting up and connecting these bad boys to your Android or iOS smartphone is child's play. Charge the JBL Everest Elite 700 Platinum Edition headphones with the help of the supplied charging cable, power up the headphones, turn on Bluetooth on the smartphone and simply connect.

As soon as we connected them to play some of our favourite HD quality tunes, the JBL Everest Elite 700 Platinum Edition just blew usaway. They are mind numbingly loud, at the same time filled with bass and clarity one expects from a high-end noise cancelling headphone. JBL has also added a microphone to the mix so that the users can take voice calls wirelessly. The clarity here is superb, as well.

We could manage volume, power and other functions of the headphone with the easy to reach buttons on the head band. The battery charged quickly and we squeezed almost 14 hours of playback time from the JBL Everest Elite 700 Platinum Edition. In case the user runs out of battery juice, these headphones do support auxiliary cable so that one can enjoy seamless music or take calls with it.

A nice cloth case comes in the box, in which the users can carry the headphones as well as the supplied cables. This is nice but not as nice as the hard box that comes with the Bose Quite comfort.

The JBL Everest Elite 700 Platinum Edition headphones, carries a USD price tag of $299 and is expected to come to India very soon. If they launch these around the same price category (roughly Rs 19,000 to 21,000) these would be a force to reckon with in the segment.

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5G will give you blazing fast broadband at home

You’ll have to wait for 5G on your phone, but ultra-fast wireless will deliver speeds that blow away your cable connection.

Credit: Thinkstock                                                                          

You’ve probably heard the breathless hype about the new wireless standard called 5G. As I’ve written before it’s not exactly on our doorstep. But trials by a number of major carriers have gone well, and some industry analysts are predicting that the ultra-fast technology will start to be deployed as soon as 2020.

When it arrives, though, it’s likely to be deployed in a way that may surprise you: Expect to see Google and a few wireless carriers using it to provide ultra-fast broadband to your home or office without the trouble and expense of installing fiber cables. By ultra-fast, I mean speeds of 1 Gbps or even more.

Disappointingly though, 5G technology that will make your smartphones download data many times faster than the current standard -- 4G LTE -- is still years away.

“Fixed wireless is the only business case for 5G,” said Bengst Nordstrom, a long-time telecom exec now CEO of Northstream, a consultancy based in Stockholm. Carriers in Europe and North America have got to do something different because their core business is getting saturated and revenues have been flat, he said recently at a conference in Helsinki.

Fixed wireless in the works

Verizon and AT&T, along with Google, are working towards fixed wireless deployments even though the 5G standard is not yet fully baked, Samsung vice president Wonil Roh predicted recently. Roh visualizes a network in which carriers put base stations on poles that are already connected to a high-speed network (or can easily be connected) and then beam a 5G signal to a home. That signal would allow the consumer to connect to the Internet at speeds of 1 Gbps or even faster.

A plan such as the one Roh envisions would obviate the need to bury fiber cables in trenches, an expensive and disruptive process.

Google disappointed many people when it put the brakes on plans to deploy gigabit internet to cities across the country and laid off much of Google Fiber’s workforce. However, the search giant purchased Webpass, a high-speed wireless ISP, in June and views that technology as an alternative to fiber cables, Craig Barratt, who oversees Google Fiber, said earlier this year.

That technology would provide high-speed connections for many consumers and prod big ISPs to speed up their fiber deployments. Comcast, AT&T and, to a lesser extent, Verizon, are bringing gigabit Internet to a growing number of markets, but typically those highly touted deployments only cover selected neighborhoods. Sometimes the coverage is so sparse that industry insiders refer to their announcements as “fiber to the press release.”

Actual speed my vary

5G is really fast, though the exact speeds will vary depending on how the technology is deployed. Ericsson, for example, said it had achieved 5 Gbps on a testbed for 5G. That's about 50 times faster than today's fastest LTE networks. It will also require a much denser deployment of cell towers than those used for older technologies and that could prompt a good deal of opposition from communities.

The move to 5G won’t happen all that quickly, but it does promise a future that will include faster broadband and cellular connections that will leave today’s standards in the dust.

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