Millions of Android Phones Could Be Affected by the Heartbleed Bug. Check to See if Yours Is One of Them

Disturbing news: The now-infamous Heartbleed security flaw might reach further than your favorite websites. It could affect your mobile device, too.

According to an announcement by Google, smartphones and tablets running a specific version of Android were affected by the widespread web security bug, which could potentially spill your sensitive login information (like passwords).

The company assured Android owners in a blog post April 9 that most versions are not affected by the flaw. However, as Bloomberg notes, Google added that a version called 4.1.1 Jelly Bean is a “limited exception.”

That version of Android was released in 2012 and is likely to be running on older Android smartphones. According to the most recent statistics released by Google, about 34 percent of Android devices use a version of the 4.1 Jelly Bean software. Though the company said that fewer than 10 percent of devices in use are vulnerable, a Google spokesperson confirmed to Bloomberg that millions of devices still run 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. 

So how can you check to see if your device is affected? You’ll need to go to the Settings menu of your phone and find your way to the About Phone section. There you’ll be able to learn what version of Android you’re running and see if any updates are available.

There’s also a free Android app available that will tell you if your device is vulnerable to the bug.

Whether there is an immediate update to patch this bug is still unclear. Google’s blog post says that “patching information for Android 4.1.1 is being distributed to Android partners.” A Verizon spokesperson told Bloomberg that the company was aware of the “security vulnerability referred to as ‘Heartbleed,’ ” and that the company was “working with our device manufacturers to test and deploy patches to any affected device on our network running Android 4.1.1.”

We’ve reached out to Google for comment. In the meantime, fingers crossed that you’re not affected.

Knock Off iPhone Charger Sends User To The Hospital ** Warning Graphic Images**

Minnesota - A Minnesota man's phone charger lands him a weeklong stay at the hospital. 
Tim Tyrell needed a new charger for his iPhone so he turned to eBay.
The popular retail site sells knockoff chargers for a fraction of the cost of an apple original.
Tyrell was reaching for his charging phone when a jolt tripped the circuit breaker, destroying the charger and exploding in his hands.
Tyrell recalls, "basically the charger turned black and it's where the USB cord connects to the outlet had a little mini explosion.  It kind of bruised the fingers inside where I plugged it in."
So far Tyrell has undergone three surgeries and has been in the hospital for more than a week.
To complicate things even further, he's a diabetic which slowed his recovery. 
Tyrell advice is to "just be careful.  I mean obviously I've been in here for a week and probably have to gone in for my fourth operation tomorrow. Just be careful."
Apple warns customers of the potential dangers that can arise from using counterfeit chargers and accessories.

Read more: http://www.myfoxtampabay.com
 

Leaked iPhone 6 Air Photos Appear To Show New Design In All Its Thin, Rounded Glory

You might not want to sleep through September this year. Rumor has it that's when the new iPhone 6 is set for release.
And, if the leaked images featured on French site Nowwhereelse.fr are to be believed, the gadget rumored to be called the iPhone Air is gonna be a real beaut. Take a look:

The photos show a thinner, rounder design that's almost reminiscent of the HTC One. Perhaps most notably, the phone's screen finally reaches the edges of its body. The pictures match up pretty well with a leaked image found on Mac Rumors, but considering the phone hasn't even been announced yet, our advice is to take all of this with a grain of salt.
It's hard to say what other changes will come with this latest model, or if these images are accurate, but another recent concept design from Sam Beckett, a British designer with an eerily good track record of predicting what the next iPhone will look like, also forecasts a thinner iPhone 6 with a 4.7-inch screen. (That's slightly larger than the 4-inch screen of previous models.)
However, this is seemingly contradictory to recent rumors from Business Insider and Barron's, which both reported talk of not one, but two new iPhones, one with a 4.7-inch screen and one with a 5.5-inch screen.
The only thing that's certain, Apple fans, is that rumors abound in the Land of the iPhones. Keep your eyes peeled for more information as the release date looms closer.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com