Samsung’s Galaxy Store, an alternative to the Google Play Store for Samsung phones, has several clones of an app called ‘ShowBox’ that could potentially allow for the installation of malware on people’s phones.
Spotted initially by Max Weinbach, Android Police expanded on the findings with a more in-depth investigation. Weinbach tweeted about finding at least five of these sketchy apps, which trigger Google’s ‘Play Protect’ warning when users attempt to install them. Android Police analyzed one of the ShowBox APK files through Virustotal and found over a dozen alerts from security vendors. Moreover, several of the ShowBox clone apps request extra permissions like access to contacts, call logs and the telephone.
I gave Huawei shit for this, gonna do it to Samsung too.
Samsung is hosting literal malware on the Galaxy Store. Google's anti-virus protection software, built into Play Services, stops the install. I've found at least 5 of these apps in a row on the Galaxy Store. pic.twitter.com/LiiDJtGwmb
Android Police also connected with security analyst ‘linuxct,’ which revealed more vulnerabilities in the ShowBox app. Particularly, the investigation found that code in the app’s ad tech was capable of executing dynamic code. In other words, the app doesn’t include malware but it could download and execute other code, which could include malware. Android Police says similar issues were demonstrated in at least two ShowBox apps from the Galaxy Store.
The other issue here is that the apps clone ShowBox, a platform with a reputation for enabling piracy and access to copyrighted content, such as movies and TV shows. It’s not clear if the cloned apps enable piracy.
Interestingly, a post on the ShowBox subreddit from two years ago warns that ShowBox is “down” with a promise that if the service does return, an announcement will be made on the subreddit. The post goes on to say that there are “no legitimate alternatives bearing the ‘ShowBox’ name” and even warns of some fakes that attempt to steal users’ personal information.
Samsung did not respond to Android Police’s request for comment, although that’s understandable given the holidays.
It’s worth noting that the Play Store didn’t have the ShowBox apps listed, although it has had its share of malware issues in the past. As usual, you should be careful when downloading any app — always make sure to check reviews and pay attention to warnings when downloading an app, regardless of the source.
LastPass, one of the more well-known and popular password managers available, is seeing several reports of attempted log-ins with users’ correct master passwords.
For those unfamiliar with LastPass or password managers in general, they typically require users to have a primary or master password that unlocks their password vault, which contains the passwords for all their other accounts. Although that may sound like a recipe for disaster, password managers allow people to use randomly generated passwords for all their accounts, meaning you only need to remember one really strong password for your password manager instead of hundreds of mediocre passwords (or worse, the same password reused).
Reports were first spotted on the ‘Hacker News’ forum by AppleInsider(via Android Police). The reports explain that LastPass informed users about blocked login attempts that originated from other parts of the world, often from Brazil. According to the LastPass emails, these login attempts include correct passwords, but were blocked because of the unusual geographic location.
Interestingly, LastPass’ owner, LogMeIn, says there’s no indication that its servers were hacked. You can read the full statement provided to Android Police below:
“LastPass investigated recent reports of blocked login attempts and determined the activity is related to fairly common bot-related activity, in which a malicious or bad actor attempts to access user accounts (in this case, LastPass) using email addresses and passwords obtained from third-party breaches related to other unaffiliated services. It’s important to note that we do not have any indication that accounts were successfully accessed or that the LastPass service was otherwise compromised by an unauthorized party. We regularly monitor for this type of activity and will continue to take steps designed to ensure that LastPass, its users, and their data remain protected and secure.”
Passwords could have come from third-party breaches, phishing scams
However, the attempted logins appear to be coordinated, which begs the question: where did these malicious actors get the passwords from? LogMeIn points the finger at third-party breaches, which could be a possibility if LastPass users reused their passwords from other online accounts.
Other theories posited on the Hacker News forum include a LastPass autofill exploit from 2015, while others suspect the LastPass users who reported the problem may have been phished. Another possibility is that LastPass’ old, discontinued forum, which apparently required people to log in with their LastPass master password, could be to blame.
Whatever the reason, if you use LastPass, you may want to take a few steps to protect yourself. First, it’s probably a good idea to change your master password. And while you’re doing that, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) if you don’t have it on already. Finally, if you don’t use LastPass anymore — which may apply to several people since LogMeIn effectively killed the free version in 2021 — you should take the time to delete your account. That should prevent any malicious actors from potentially gaining access to any passwords still saved to LastPass.
Another Samsung Galaxy S21 FE leak has turned up online. This time around we get a full unboxing video that shows off the device.
The latest unboxing comes from Reddit user ‘UnknownWon’ (spotted by Android Police). UnknownWon shared a short video with them opening the box and starting up the phone, as well as some pictures. The Reddit post turned into an impromptu ask-me-anything (or AMA) where UnkownWon answered several questions about the S21 FE.
Most of the details back up previous leaks, confirming things like the Snapdragon 888 chipset, 6GB RAM (in the base version), a 4,500mAh battery, headphone jack, no microSD card slot and a 120Hz display. The unit unboxed in this video comes in the olive green colour — other options from previous leaks include black, white and purple.
One interesting difference with UnknownWon’s S21 FE is that it appears to run One UI 3.1 and Android 11, instead of the newer One UI 4 on Android 12. Previous leaks point to the S21 FE running Android 12 at launch, so it’s a bit strange. Android Police suggests that UnknownWon’s S21 FE is a pre-production unit running older firmware, so it’s likely a safe bet that the final release units will have Android 12. The only other thing I can think of is that the S21 FE will have a day-one update to bring the device from Android 11 to 12, but we’ll see what happens.
With all these leaks, it seems like there’s not much left that we don’t know about the S21 FE. Samsung will likely officially unveil the device soon — perhaps at CES 2022. However, Samsung’s rumoured Galaxy S22 smartphones are also likely right around the corner, so it might be worth waiting to see what the company does with those before picking up an S21 FE.
It’d be too easy to introduce this with some reflection on how 2021 was a COVID-ridden mess, but really, we all know that. What more needs to be said on the matter? Instead, I’d rather look back on some of my “favourite things” of the year.
Of course, with much of the year still spent at home, many of my fondest 2021 memories come from the art I consumed, as well as the rare times I got to properly get out of the house. With that in mind, and in keeping with MobileSyrup tradition, here are my five favourite things, broken down by medium. As I’ve done in previous years, I’ll list four honourable mentions per category to round out my top five for each.
*Warning: Full spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home in the second category*
Favourite game: The Forgotten City
Image credit: Modern Storyteller/Dear Villagers
I made a point of playing as many new games as I could this year, and my final count puts me at just under 50. And yet, the one that I can’t stop thinking about is developer Modern Storyteller’s debut title, The Forgotten City. Impressively, the story of how the game got made — an Australian lawyer quitting his job to spend five years turning his Skyrim mod into a full-length experience — is worthy of significant praise in and of itself.
Of course, it also helps that The Forgotten City is just immaculately made. After creating your character, Modern Storyteller soon has you travelling 2,000 years into the past to discover what happened to a ruined Roman city. As it so happens, the city is being protected by the gods through something called The Golden Rule, which states that “the many shall suffer for the sins of the one.” The idea, as it were, is that this creates a blissful “utopia” for all of the city’s inhabitants. This also means that you have to be careful to not anger the gods through sinful action — either of your own doing or by provoking the mysterious people you speak to — as you carry out your investigation.
Image credit: Modern Storyteller/Dear Villagers
It’s a brilliant premise that works on multiple levels. Firstly, The Forgotten City is perhaps the best use of the “time loop” gimmick in a game to date. Should The Golden Rule be broken, you can zip back to a portal that resets the day while allowing you to retain any knowledge or items that you’ve gained on that loop. What’s more, you’ll be able to send the good-hearted Galerius off to complete quests you’ve already learned the solution to in previous loops, thus avoiding any tiresome repetition. Through these mechanics, The Forgotten City weaves a deeply engrossing and well-written yarn filled with all sorts of compelling characters.
But beyond that, the narrative offers a fascinating exploration of morality. That’s because The Forgotten City smartly acknowledges that what constitutes a “sin” is never fully defined by the city’s flimsy government. While murder, assault and theft are all clearly prohibited, there are so many loopholes that malicious people can exploit, like a merchant charging way too much for a deathly ill woman’s life-saving medicine, or a wealthy man blackmailing lower-class lovers to be his de facto slaves. The “system” — in this case, The Golden Rule — clearly favours the rich, who are all too keen to keep it that way. Through this, you begin to see Modern Storyteller’s smart commentary about, as its name suggests, our own society. All around, The Forgotten City is an outstanding achievement, and a must-play experience.
The Forgotten City is now available on Xbox consoles (including Game Pass), PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch (via the cloud) and PC.
Favourite movie: Spider-Man: No Way Home (and the Appreciation of One Andrew Garfield)
Image credit: Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures
In 2019, a few people hilariously got mad because I listed Avengers: Endgame as my favourite movie of the year. Never mind that I watched 80-plus other movies (including all nine Best Picture nominees), how I stressed that it was by no means the best that I saw, or, hell, why should anyone care one way or the other? Well, with the same caveats and justifications (plus some good ol’ fashioned spite), I’m now saying that Spider-Man: No Way Home is my favourite movie of 2021.
In many ways, it’s a story about second chances — not only for the villains and heroes of previous Spider-Man films, but for Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock (of Netflix’s masterful cancelled Daredevil series) and, especially, Tom Holland’s own Web-Head. Admittedly, I was way too high on the MCU’s decidedly Iron Man-heavy version of the character in previous movies, so I appreciate that NWH finally delivers real, emotional stakes while bringing the character to a less Avengers-dependent, more comics accurate status quo. Truthfully, I could be here all day writing about how much it’s a love letter to the character who’s meant the most to me since I was five.
But my absolute favourite part of NWH is how it handles Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man, who’s been my favourite actor to play the character since he debuted in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man. At the time, I had just finished high school but was doing a gap year to figure things out. Seeing nearly everyone I know drift apart as they went off to university while I struggled with my post-secondary path and extreme introversion made me feel more alone than ever. Around the same time, I stopped talking to my father and most of his side of the family, which certainly didn’t help, while an international exchange program completely fell through.
That’s where Garfield’s Peter came in. Sure, Spidey’s always been the most relatable superhero, but the way Garfield’s Peter was specifically portrayed as this awkward loner yearning for his lost father gave me a web-slinger who I could connect to more profoundly than ever before. I certainly have many issues with the TASM duology, especially how Peter was “genetically destined” to be Spider-Man, but Garfield’s soulful performance nonetheless just hits me. I was in a darker place than I was used to, which made Garfield’s Peter — so earnest, passionate, resilient and wonderful despite his suffering — really inspirational. Imagine, then, how disappointed I was that the deeply flawed The Amazing Spider-Man 2 would be his swan song. Seeing this broke my heart — not to mention Garfield’s, given his lifelong passion for the character.
All of that is important context for why I absolutely ugly cried seeing Garfield’s Peter first appear in the movie — after all of his amusing lies, bless his heart. Sure, I also loved seeing Maguire’s Spidey again, but my personal bond to the second cinematic wallcrawler gave his appearance a real gut punch. And it wasn’t just that I was seeing an old friend on screen again — I was seeing him, in some ways, better than ever. Removed from the clunky universe building, frequently awkward writing and corporate meddling, the strengths of Garfield’s Peter — that somewhat quirky and self-deprecating personality mixed with deep emotional sincerity and animated physicality — really got to shine.
I love that Emma Stone’s Gwen was still a meaningful part of his story; while her death has made him both rageful and neglectful of his civilian life, that pain is also something he desperately doesn’t want Holland’s Peter to have to go through following the murder of his Aunt May. I love that he’s clearly been so lonely and full of self-loathing that just a little bit of love and encouragement from his fellow Spider-Men, particularly Maguire’s, proves genuinely therapeutic for him. And I love how the moment Zendaya’s MJ begins to fall, Garfield’s Peter immediately springs to action and saves her, preventing another Gwen-like tragedy — the kind he’s undoubtedly tortured himself by playing it out incessantly ever since — and becoming relieved to the point of tears. In what’s really just a third-act supporting role, Garfield artfully manages to stealthe entire damn show. There’s a reason people are now clamouring for Garfield to get another solo movie. While I, too, would kill to see that happen, I’m overjoyed to have at least gotten this little bit of closure.
At first glance, Brad Inglesby’s Mare of Easttown might seem like another police drama, but it’s so much more than that. In fact, it’s a near-perfect mixture of so many things that I adore: a powerhouse lead performance, an engaging twisty-turny murder mystery and a poignant family drama.
Even if some late plot developments can feel a little hokey, Kate Winslet’s magnificent turn as the gruff detective Mare Sheehan completely sells them. That would have been enough to keep me intrigued, but it helps that the character is layered — a mother who has largely shut out her friends and family in a futile attempt to avoid processing her grief over her son’s suicide. The supporting cast proves just as strong, be it Mare’s funny-yet-tragic mother Helen (Jean Smart), her sweetly supportive friend Lori (a particularly excellent Julianne Nicholson) and charming detective partner Colin (Evan Peters). Practically everyone in the series’ remarkably well-realized Philadelphia town harbours their own secrets, and it’s through them that we get weighty explorations of themes of grief, addiction, infidelity, abuse and motherhood. It’s a consistently gloomy show, but it sure makes for some affecting drama.
I’ve always found screenwriting to be so intriguing, but it’s taken me until the pandemic to actually seek out some podcasts about the process of actually penning a screenplay. My favourite so far is Al Horner’s Script Apart, in which the British journalist interviews the screenwriters of many prominent movies, like Moonlight (Barry Jenkins), Steven E. de Souza (Die Hard) and Aaron Sorkin (The Trial of the Chicago 7). No doubt owing to his prolific journalistic career, Horner has an eminently likable interviewing style that feels both laidback and insightful.
Some standout Script Apart episodes for me this year include James Gunn (The Suicide Squad), Edgar Wright and Krysty Wilson-Cairns (Last Night in Soho), Bob Gale (Back to the Future) and, as a special treat for gamers like me, Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross (The Last of Us Part II). But my favourite was easily Meg LeFauve on Inside Out — not only one of my top Pixar movies, but most beloved movies in general. Hearing from LeFauve about how collaborative the other Pixar creators were and the way the story evolved from a simple “young girl tries to choose potato chip flavours” premise to “young girl processes her sadness over moving and growing up” was especially impactful. Whether you’re a cinephile or a casual moviegoer, this is definitely worth a listen.
There isn’t really a strict category to lump this all into, so I’ll just use this space to briefly reflect on some of the miscellaneous things I’m thankful for this year.
In February, I got LASIK eye surgery done, and it’s been wild to not have to wear glasses for the first time since I was six.
And during the summer, some friends and I went to Vancouver and Victoria, which was my first prolonged time in B.C., not counting a brief (but wickedly cool) Gears 5-related work trip in 2019. I’ve never been outdoorsy, but being able to hike through parks, ascend mountains or even just relaxing on the ferry was so refreshing after everything.
Throughout all of this, I also just took the time to appreciate how fortunate I am. From the opportunities I’ve had, both personally and professionally, to the real friends and family who’ve stayed close during everything, I try not to take anything for granted.
Honourable mentions: Not really applicable here, so I’ll just shout out to anyone who’s read my work this year. Thanks to everyone for your support! It really means a lot.
Currently, Fido has its 75Mbps and 150Mbps internet plans discounted by 50 percent for 12 months. That means the prices are as follows:
75Mbps down / 10Mbps up, unlimited – $37.50/mo for 12 months (usually $75/mo)
150Mbps down / 15Mbps up, unlimited – $42.50/mo for 12 months (usually $85/mo)
Overall, those discounted prices seem pretty good, and they actually make both plans cheaper than Fido’s base $60/mo 30Mbps plan, which isn’t included in the deal.
A few other details include that there’s a one-time $49.99 installation fee if you don’t choose to self-install, and Fido notes in the fine print that plan “prices may increase during subscription.”
Moreover, several posts on a RedFlagDeals thread about the deal note that the offer is primarily for new customers, but some posters indicated they had success getting the deal as an existing customer. Other posters warned that users should watch their bills to make sure Fido includes the modem rental in the discounted price — some users claim Fido didn’t apply the discount to the modem rental, despite the company’s website listing the rental as included.
It’s also worth noting that Bell’s Virgin Plus offers slightly cheaper pricing on its slightly worse internet plans. Virgin currently has 25Mbps for $35/mo, 50Mbps for $35/mo and 100Mbps for $40/mo. Virgin is offering credits for 12 months, instead of a flat percentage discount — for example, the 100Mbps plan normally costs $80/mo but includes $40 in credits each month for 12 months. You can learn more about that here.
Motorola plans to launch a new Razr foldable in 2022 with improved power and a better appearance.
The news comes via a post from Lenovo executive Chen Jin on Weibo (spotted by Android Authority). According to the translated post, the third-gen Razr will likely launch in China first and could sport a tweaked interface.
However, Motorola’s new Razr foldable will need to sport some major improvements if it hopes to compete in the current foldable market. The first Razr launched back in 2019, and the company followed it up with a slightly improved 5G version in 2020. The third-gen Razr will need to go toe-to-toe with devices like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 3.
Presumably called the Razr 3, Motorola’s upcoming foldable would benefit from a higher-end chipset, bigger battery and a tougher foldable screen. If Motorola pulls off these upgrades, the Razr 3 could be a good option for those looking to buy a foldable.
Each month, Netflix adds new original content to its platform.
This January, Netflix Original shows and movies like Mother/Android, season 3 of After Life, season 4 of Ozark, and season 3 of Snowpiercer.
This list is curated for Canadians who primarily subscribe to Netflix for its original content. If you’re looking for all of the shows and movies coming to Netflix in January, click here.
Below are all the Netflix originals coming this month:
Coming Soon
All of Us Are Dead — Netflix Series (South Korea)
I Am Georgina — Netflix Series (Spain)
Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein — Netflix Series (India)
January 1st
Chief Daddy 2 – Going for Broke — Netflix Film (Nigeria)
The Hook Up Plan: season 3 — Netflix Series (France)
January 4th
Action Pack — Netflix Family
January 5th
Four to Dinner — Netflix Film (Italy)
Rebelde — Netflix Series (Mexico)
January 6th
The Club: Part 2 — Netflix Series (Turkey)
The Wasteland — Netflix Film (Spain)
January 7th
Hype House — Netflix Series
Johnny Test: season 2 — Netflix Family
Mother/Android — Netflix FIlm
January 10th
Undercover: season 3 — Netflix Series(Belgium)
January 11th
Dear Mother — Netflix Film (France)
January 12nd
How I Feel in Love with a Gangster — Netflix Film (Poland)
January 13th
Brazen — Netflix Film
Chosen — Netflix Series (Denmark)
The Journalist — Netflix Series (South Korea)
Photocopier — Netflix Film (Indonesia)
January 14th
After Life: season 3 — Netflix Series (U.K)
Archive 81 — Netflix Series
The House — Netflix Series
Riverdance: The Animated Adventure – Netflix Family
This Is Not a Comedy — Netflix Film (Mexico)
January 18th
Mighty Express: Train Trouble — Netflix Family
January 19th
El marginal: season 4 — Netflix Series (Argentina)
A new message from OnePlus CEO Pete Lau doesn’t bode well for OnePlus owners with older devices.
The CEO said on Chinese social media Weibo that the company was finding it challenging to update older devices to OxygenOS 12/Android 12.
It’s been a tough year for OnePlus fans as the company fumbles transition after transition as it shifts to become a more recognized Oppo sub-brand. The company has brought Android 12 to the OnePlus 12, but that update was plagued with bugs and rollbacks. Even now, as the update is supposedly stable, it still feels very much like a beta to me.
Lau claiming that the company is struggling to bring the update to older phones doesn’t surprise me now. What would be surprising would be for the OnePlus 10 to launch without any software bugs. We’re expecting to know soon enough as well since Lau has hinted the phone will be released in January 2022.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a Sony Pictures movie, which means it has equal opportunities to come to Crave, Netflix, Prime Video, or even the CTV app in Canada, which means if you’re waiting for a streaming service to watch this channel, you might be out of luck.
It’s worth noting that this movie has a few Canadian actors in the movie such as Jason Reitman, Finn Wolfhard, and Dan Akyroyd. Additionally, the movie was filmed in Alberta, Canada as well.
