Remember the days when a phone was just a phone? No, me neither. In the last 20 years, mobile computing has progressed at a faster rate than perhaps any other industry, with smartphones now capable of much, much more than simply allowing one human being to remotely communicate with another.
The iPhone, in particular, has evolved from a keyboard-less smartphone to mobile games console to DSLR-rivaling camera, and eagle-eyed Apple fans continue to find new and novel use cases for seemingly mundane iPhone functions even in 2023.
Japanese optician Sakata Yoshi, for instance, recently used his iPhone’s camera lens to demonstrate how people with impaired vision see without the aid of glasses. Why? Well, we’re not entirely sure – but if you’re keen to understand how your glasses-wearing friends or family members see the world au naturel, Yoshi’s video is worth a watch.
As you can see via the X post below, Yoshi simulates (presumably his own) natural vision by using the iPhone’s AF/AE lock camera function. This tool allows you to lock the focus and exposure values when taking a photo, which is useful, say, when shooting scenes with movement in the background, or when trying your hand at close-up macro photography.
Pretty cool, right? Here’s how you can try Yoshi’s method for yourself:
First, position your iPhone’s camera lens behind a pair of prescription eyeglasses. Click and hold anywhere in the viewfinder until the AF/AE lock function appears at the top of the screen. Then, simply remove the eyeglasses from the view of the iPhone’s camera. Et voilà! That’s how you (or the person whose glasses you’ve borrowed) sees the world without glasses.
In a separate video, Yoshi also demonstrates how to simulate presbyopia – i.e. the inability to see objects up close – using the same iPhone function without a pair of eyeglasses.
As you can see, Yoshi focuses on a slightly distant object (the drapes) and activates AF/AE lock by repeating the steps above. Now, his iPhone camera can clearly see objects at a similar distance to the drapes, but objects positioned right in front of the iPhone camera are blurry. This is similar to how someone with presbyopia experiences the world without eyeglasses.
Incidentally, Yoshi’s original X posts on this subject were deleted for violating guidelines, but the optician has prefaced his new tweets with the following message: “This might not go viral again […] so I’m asking everyone for the first time, please spread the word! Everyone on Twitter! Please share your strength with me!”. Thanks for sharing your discovery with us, Yoshi.
Amid rising concerns and multiple legal battles of authors, publishers, and media houses over large language models (LLMs) using their copyrighted work to train AI systems, the New York Times has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft. The publisher has alleged that the two AI firms has been using its copyrighted published work unauthorized to train their respective AI models.
American mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Mint Mobile has confirmed suffering a data breach affecting an unknown number of its customers.
The company revealed the news in an email sent to its customers, in which it explained “We are writing to inform you about a security incident we recently identified in which an unauthorized actor obtained some limited types of customer information.”
“Our investigation indicates that certain information associated with your account was impacted.”
SIM swap attacks
Among the data stolen was the full names, telephone numbers, email addresses of users, along with SIM serial numbers and IMEI numbers, and short descriptions of the mobile plans the customer had bought.
Payment information was not stolen, the company said, adding that customer passwords are protected with “strong cryptographic technology,” hinting (but not outright saying) that some passwords might have also been taken. While we don’t know who attacked Mint, or how (if it was a social engineering attack, malware, or ransomware), the company said it “resolved the breach” and brought in third-party security experts to tighten the systems up.
Information such as people’s names, email addresses, and telephone numbers is enough to mount a few types of attacks, from identity theft to phishing, wire fraud, and more. However, BleepingComputer argues that whoever obtained the data now has enough intel to run SIM-swapping attacks – essentially redirecting people’s GSM communication to an endpoint of their choosing.
That way, they can redirect SMS messages used for one-time passwords (OTP) or multi-factor authentication (MFA) and access even the securest accounts (think bank accounts or similar).
TechRadar Pro has contacted Mint Mobile for further clarification.
The news is the second such incident to affect the company, after cybersecurity researchers from FalconFeeds previously found a hacker trying to sell a Mint database on the dark web – although it is unclear if this was a separate incident or not.
– Announced in November 2022 – Principal photography began in June 2023 – Filming halted by Hollywood strikes before restarting in November 2023 – Season 2 is based on fourth and fifth graphic novels in Neil Gaiman-penned book series – Main cast members expected to return – New actors and their roles reportedly revealed – No trailer released yet – Unclear if show will be renewed for a third season – One spin-off in development, with others potentially on the way
The Sandman season 2 sleeps no more. The popular Netflix fantasy series’ next installment is back in full flow after the 2023 writers and actors strikes, which is a pleasing development after a nightmarish year for everyone in the entertainment business.
Indeed, with principal photography restarting on The Sandman‘s sophomore outing, fans are once again dreaming about a possible launch date for one of the best Netflix shows‘ second season. Unfortunately, we don’t know when Morpheus will invade our dreams – *ahem* screens – again, but there’s plenty of information surrounding its creation that’ll tide you over until it’s released.
Below, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about The Sandman season 2 on Netflix. That includes speculation on its launch date, cast details, potential storylines, and more. Full spoilers follow for The Sandman season 1 and Neil Gaiman’s graphic novel series of the same name, while possible spoilers for season 2 are also on the way.
The Sandman season 2 release date: what we know
35 years ago today, the first issue of The Sandman comic was released. This week, The Sandman officially restarts production.In the words of @neilhimself, “Good things are coming.” pic.twitter.com/oLCU7UpFuLNovember 29, 2023
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The Sandman season 2 doesn’t have a release date, but it’s nonetheless pleasing to learn it was renewed for another outing and that filming has restarted following the end of the 2023 Hollywood strikes.
So, when can we expect to see season 2? We predict a return for The Sandman in early 2025. At the earliest, it’ll be the very end of 2024, but the latter would mean huge crunch periods for the VFX-heavy show. We believe Netflix will allow its cast and crew to get every minute detail right before it’s ready to air – heck, it took 35 years for a live-action adaptation to finally see the light of day – so we’re confident the streaming giant won’t rush it out.
The Sandman season 2 rumored cast
Lucienne, Cain, Dream, and Abel should all return for season 2. (Image credit: Netflix)
Spoilers follow for The Sandman season 1.
The Sandman season 2’s cast hasn’t been revealed yet, but here’s who we expect to see again following their appearances in season 1 and the show’s bonus episode:
Tom Sturridge as Morpheus / Dream
Vivienne Acheampong as Lucienne
Patton Oswalt as Matthew the Raven
Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer Morningstar
Mason Alexander Park as Desire
Jenna Coleman as Johanna Constantine
Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death
Vanesu Samunyai as Rose Walker
Eddie Karanja as Jed Walker
Razane Jammal as Lyta Hall
Donna Preston as Despair
Sanjeev Bhaskar as Cain
Asim Chaudhry as Abel
Melissanthi Mahut as Calliope
There’ll be a couple of new faces in the show’s sophomore outing, too. At CCXP 2022 (aka Brazil Comic-Con), which was posted on Netflix Brasil’s X account, Neil Gaiman confirmed another of the Endless – Delirium, i.e. the immortal group’s youngest member – would make their bow. Per a thread posted on the DCEULeaks Reddit forum, Esme Creed-Miles (Hanna) has reportedly been cast as Delirium.
Gaiman also teased (via Entertainment Weekly (EW)) that David Tennant and Michael Sheen, who voiced characters in bonus episode story ‘A Dream of Thousand Cats’, might appear in the main show at some stage. It’s unclear if they’d play the same individuals from that short story, though.
As for other newcomers, Indya Moore (Pose) was seen filming scenes with Sturridge and Howell-Baptiste prior to the actors strike (per UK newspaper The Daily Mail), although we don’t know who they’re playing. What’s on Netflix also suggests Ruairi O’Connor (The Morning Show) has been cast as Morpheus’ son Orpheus, which might also mean the return of Melissanthi Mahut’s Calliope, Orpheus’ mother and Morpheus’ former flame, who starred in the bonus episode’s other short story.
The Sandman season 2 story speculation
Lucifer will be gunning for Morpheus in season 2. (Image credit: Netflix)
Full spoilers follow for The Sandman season 1.
Story details are understandably thin on the ground, but there’s much we can speculate on, given how season 1 ended.
Before we get into that, though, while we’ve all been referring to The Sandman‘s next outing as season 2, we might be misguided in that assessment.
Upon The Sandman‘s renewal, a Netflix press release simply called it “a continuation of the story”, rather than a definitive second season. So, what gives? Well, The Sandman‘s overarching narrative jumps from one graphic novel to the next, often leaping thousands of years in the process, so the structure of the live-action adaptation’s story isn’t likely to follow the best streaming service‘s rigid 10-episode length and/or seasonal terminology. Indeed, speaking to Collider, actor Kirby Howell-Baptiste and Vivienne Acheampong suggested we’ll continue to see a non-linear story play out, meaning we could see show’s installments denoted as volumes, rather than traditional seasons.
Expect a tense rematch between Lucifer and Morpheus in the show’s next installment. (Image credit: Netflix)
Okay, so what do we know about The Sandman‘s second outing? It’ll draw from the forth and fifth volumes of Gaiman’s works – ‘Season of Mists’ and ‘A Game of You’ – which the author confirmed to RadioTimes.com, saying: “Our plans for the second season is the second two graphic novels, which technically, in this case, will be books four and five, with some bits of the short stories in book three scattered among some other stuff.”
What that means in practice is complicated. As mentioned, The Sandman is not a linear saga, and what happens in ‘Season of Mists’ and ‘A Game of You’ are not related. Whether Gaiman, showrunner Allen Heinberg, and producer David S. Goyer stick to the stories as they’re told in the books, or try to rework them into a more linear narrative for general audiences, is unclear. That said, The Sandman season 1 was very faithful, so it’s hard to see why things will deviate too far from the original formula.
Alright, so what can we glean from the graphic novels, plus what the cast and crew have told us, about the stories to come?
Per Netflix Tudum, here’s a teaser for the show’s next chapter: “When last we left Dream, and his friends and foes, the forces of hell were on the move, led by Lucifer themself. The new episodes of the series will dive into that conflict and continue to explore the many challenges facing the universe in the wake of Morpheus’ century-long absence.”
Raise your hand if you want to live in the Dreaming. Here’s some never-before-seen concept art of Morpheus’s realm from @ILMVFX. pic.twitter.com/DEGHrm4lzLJanuary 24, 2023
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Established fans will know how the continuing battle between Hell’s overlord and Morpheus plays out. However, for less well-versed fans wanting some more details, we’ll let Heinberg reveal more, as he did in a chat with EW: “”The end of episode 1 [of season 2] is Dream saying to Matthew ‘I’m going to Hell and I may not come back. So then episode two begins with the rematch between Dream and Lucifer. It’s so juicy! I’m so looking forward to doing something entirely different with Gwendoline’s look. I don’t want to spoil the surprises for people who haven’t read ‘Season of Mists’, but that’s where Dream’s trouble really begins.”
Adds Gaiman (via ET Online): “The Lucifer-Morpheus rematch is going to happen and it is going to be a stranger, darker, and much more disruptive Morpheus than anybody could possibly imagine who hasn’t actually snuck out and read Season of Mists’ in The Sandman comics.” Color us excited.
Morpheus will be keeping a close eye on Lyta’s baby. (Image credit: Netflix)
As for ‘A Game of You’, which is centered around Barbie, one of the Hal’s B&B guests we met in season 1, Heinberg teased: “We’ve got a lot of characters who aren’t even human, who are talking animals, who I’m looking forward to meeting. Lenny Henry is so good as Martin Tenbones, and I can’t wait for the audience to meet [new characters like] Wanda, Foxglove, and Hazel.”
There’s plenty more, plot wise, to look forward to as well, including what becomes of Lyta’s baby (who Morpheus will certainly be keeping an eye on), Lyta’s comic book ties to iconic DC superhero Wonder Woman, Morpheus’ problems with Desire, and the potential return of The Corinthian – providing Gaiman and company want to bring that aspect of the source material into season 2 – and Morpheus’ promise to be a more benevolent ruler of the Dreaming, i.e. his domain. We’ll see how all of these plot points (and many more!) shake out in The Sandman season 2.
The Sandman season 2 trailer: is there one?
Sitting around waiting for The Sandman season 2 trailer like… (Image credit: Netflix)
No. Given production only recently restarted, it’s not realistic to expect we’d have a trailer for The Sandman season 2 yet. We’ll update this section once one is released.
Will The Sandman get a third season on Netflix?
There’s no word on whether a sequel to The Sandman season 2 will be greenlit, but two characters who – in canonical terms – make their debut in Gaiman’s source material will make their live-action debut on Netflix: Dead Boy Detectives.
For the uninitiated: Dead Boy Detectives was initially created by Gaiman, and follows the adventures of Edwin Paine and Charles Rowland, who are murdered at various points during the 20th century but refuse to pass onto the afterlife. Instead, they stick around and investigate crimes concerning the undead and the supernatural.
The pair were first introduced in the ‘Seasons Of Mist’ storyline (The Sandman #25, to be precise) during a brief interlude from Morpheus’ deliberations about the future of Hell. The duo are never seen in the graphic novels, but they would later go on to have their own comic book spin-off series, which was helmed by Ed Brubaker and Byran Talbot.
A live-action TV show of Dead Boy Detectives was greenlit in late 2021, with Max (then known as HBO Max) set to be its streaming home. However, in February, the TV adaptation was confirmed for release on Netflix, aka the world’s best streaming service, with a first trailer (see above) released in November as one of four underrated Netflix Geeked Week 2023 announcements.
Is a Johanna Constantine spin-off in the works? (Image credit: Netflix)
No launch date has been set yet, but we know if it’ll tie into Netflix’s wider Sandman universe. As revealed by Gaiman, this Sandman-adjacent content will see one of the Endless appear in Dead Boy Detectives (per The Sandman News X fan account), which should link it to the mainline series.
Dead Boy Detectives might only be the start of a more expansive live-action Sandman universe, too. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Jenna Coleman teased the possibility of a Johanna Constantine spin-off project, which Gaiman and Heinberg are keen to pursue. We’ll see if that’s still in the works in the coming months.
As for how long the main show could run, Gaiman told Variety: “As long as the audience is there… we want to tell the whole story that went through to ‘The Wake’. And after that we want to tell ‘Sandman: Overture’ and… we’d love to do things like ‘The Dream Hunters’ We quite probably weave the stories that are in ‘Sandman: Endless Nights’ into the body of the whole.
“What is nice is we have the entirety of The Sandman to draw on. We also have the ‘Death’ books. It might be great to go off and do one of those as a sideline… we can keep going on this for a long time to come”. We hope we speak for everyone when we say we hope you do, Neil.
To make things easier for users to complete the e-KYC process using Aadhaar, UIDIA has added a new “Paperless Offline e-KYC” feature within the mAadhaar app. For those unaware, the mAadhaar app is home to a lot of Aadhaar related features. It allows users to authenticate aadhaar, locate nearest enrolment centres, access services like EID/UID retrieval, Aadhar Download, biometric authentication, mobile and email verification and more. What is Paperless offline e-KYC feature in mAadhaar app KYC also known as Know Your Customer that allows organisations and financial institutions to verify customers identity and authenticity.The process is conducted by collecting several documents from customers in order to identify them before getting them onboard. With the new feature, users can generate these documents using mAadhaar app’s new Paperless offline e-KYC feature and use that for offline verification. As UIDAI has explained “It is a secure shareable document which can be used by any Aadhaar holder for offline verification of Identification.” How to access Paperless Offline e-KYC in mAadhaar app
Download or update the mAadhaar app from Play Store or Apple App Store.
Login using registered phone number and OTP received on the phone.
Next up, tap on the Services tab at the bottom bar and look for Paperless Offline e-KYC (it’s the last option under the “Aadhaar Services”.
Tap on it and enter Aadhaar number, Share Code and Security Captcha
Then, tap on “Request OTP” button
Enter the OTP and hit the “Verify” button
Now, you’ll see “Share ekyc” button, tap on it and select the app through which you want to share the eKYC documents with someone.
How to share this e-KYC with someone for offline verification mAadhaar app mentions that the generated .zip file can be shared with the origanisation or the service provider along with the “Share Code” and the registered mobile number for the offline verification purpose. You can share the generated .zip file using any app like WhatsApp, email, etc.
Apple has been banned from selling the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the United States due to a legal battle with Masimo. The United States International Trade Commission ruled that Apple had infringed two of Masimo‘s blood oxygen patents. As a result, Apple had to pause the sale of these watches from its online and physical stores by December 21 and December 24, respectively. Before the Apple Watch was even announced, Marcelo Lamego, the chief technical officer of Cercacor Laboratories Inc., a sister company of Masimo Corp – the company that has sued Apple, sent a late-night email to Tim Cook, “I strongly believe that we can develop the new wave of technology that will make Apple the No.1 brand in the medical, fitness and wellness market.” This is the email that could have led to the ban on Apple Watches. “The three equations Marcelo Lamego <[email protected]> Wed, Oct 2, 2013 at 12:54 AM To: [email protected] Dear Tim Cook, I was approached by Apple in the beginning of this year (by David Affourtit and James Foster) and was asked if I would like to join the executive technical team. Because I did not want to sign the Apple’s NDA for an onsite interview, the process came to a halt. I felt that it was not appropriate to receive confidential information from or disclose confidential information to Apple given my fiduciary responsibilities as the Chief Technical Officer of Cercacor. I have developed several medical devices in the last 10 years and I am positively sure I could add a significant value to the Apple team, if I was given the chance of becoming part of it in a senior technical executive position and without conflicting with the large IP | have developed for Masimo and Cercacor during the same period. What I am sure Apple soon will realize is that medical, wellness and fitness technologies are very deceptive in the sense that they are easy to develop for products that work in most (~80%) he users. Getting the same technology to work in almost the entire population is a problem extremely more complex. This is the very reason most medical device startups become insolvent. Knowing Apple’s reputation, I am sure you would not settle for even 99%, imagine then, 80%. As you probably know, regulatory barriers are another important consideration when dealing with medical technologies in general. If the FDA or any other regulatory agency worldwide (i.e., Canada, Japan, Korea, Europe, etc.) believe your product should be regulated by their standards then, the choice of intended use combined with the technology realization strategy can make the development shorten or longer by several years. The reason I feel attracted by Apple as a company is not related to the things most people are interested in, i.e., brand recognition, great culture, great products, great people. It has to do with the fact that, as an engineer, I realised that there are three important equations to be solved in order to create a competitive global medical, wellness and fitness product portfolio…..” A few weeks later, Lamego was hired by Apple, where he filed about a dozen patents on sensors and blood-oxygen algorithms for a wearable device. However, he left the company in July 2014. According to Bloomberg, Lamego’s email and patents led Masimo to sue Apple, even though these patents were published before Apple introduced the blood oxygen sensor with the Apple Watch Series 6.
US-based gaming studio Rockstar Games has been hit by another cyber incident. In the latest attack, cybercriminals leaked the full source code for the studio’s popular open-world crime game Grand Theft Auto 5 on the internet. According to a report by Insider Gaming, 100GB of code was leaked in the latest data breach. Apart from GTA 5 source code, some Python code for the upcoming sequel, Grand Theft Auto 6 as well as files from another cancelled Rockstar Games sequel, Bully 2 was also leaked. The leaked GTA 5 source code revealed references to as many as eight unreleased single-player DLC packs. Here are the titles for these alleged DLC packs that never saw the light of the day:
SP Assassination Pack
SP Manhunt Pack
SP Norman Pack
Agent Trevor
Relationship Pack
Enterprise Pack
Prologue DLC
LibertyV DLC
What happened to these DLCs The names of the cancelled single-player DLC packs suggest how Rockstar was planning to add them to the game. For example, the Prologue DLC would’ve taken place before the story events of GTA 5. Meanwhile, the Enterprise Pack title would have added more business-oriented parts to the game. On the other hand, the Relationship Pack might have been a reference to adding more romantic encounters in the game.
However, Rockstar decided not to move forward with any single-player DLC packs. Instead, the studio launched the GTA Online version of the game and released multiple DLC packs for the online multiplayer portion of GTA 5. This also turned out to be the correct decision for Rockstar as GTA Online generated a lot of money for the company and continued to boost sales of the main game. Earlier this month, Rockstar alsoreleased the first-ever official trailer for GTA 6. The trailer confirms that the game is set in Vice City. The game is set to arrive for the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles in 2025.
WhatsApp has started rolling out new keyboard shortcuts and a revamped menu bar for its users. The Meta-owned app has introduced the new keyboard shortcuts for the Mac users. WhatsApp is introducing a set of new keyboard shortcuts aimed at boosting productivity, enhancing the overall user experience, and facilitating quicker access to commonly used features. Additionally, this update reinstates previous keyboard shortcuts, contributing to improved navigation within conversations and ensuring a smooth transition for users familiar with earlier versions of the app. Apart from the recently added keyboard shortcuts, WhatsApp has unveiled an overhauled menu bar, elevating both the aesthetics and functionality of the Mac app. The redesigned menu bar presents a more intuitive layout, simplifying the process for users to find and utilise various options. WhatsApp rolls out new chat filter feature WhatsApp has rolled out a novel chat filtering feature designed to help users organise their conversations based on personal preferences. As reported by WABetaInfo, the messaging application now includes a feature that permits users to categorise their chats through selected filters. Currently in the testing phase, this functionality is accessible to a limited group of beta testers and is expected to be made available to all users in the coming future.
GitHub has warned users that, if they haven’t already upgraded to two-factor authentication (2FA) on their accounts, they would risk losing some functionality very soon.
The warning came in the form of an email seen by Bleeping Computer, which warns contributors to upgrade their account’s security by mid-January 2024.
Of course, this shouldn’t be a surprise to GitHub users given that the mandatory security upgrade was announced in mid-2022, with several reminders over the following 18 months.
GitHub will enforce 2FA
In May 2022, GitHub’s Chief Security Officer and SVP of Engineering, Mike Hanley, said that the platform would “require all users who contribute code on GitHub.com to enable one or more forms of two-factor authentication (2FA) by the end of 2023.”
The deadline now appears to have been pushed back by nearly three weeks, but this could be a polite grace period provided by the Microsoft-owned platform, given that offices are likely to be shut over Christmas and the New Year.
The email reads: “GitHub users are now required to enable two-factor authentication as an additional security measure. Your activity on GitHub includes you in this requirement. You will need to enable two-factor authentication on your account before January 19, 2024, or be restricted from account actions.”
The mandate has already been in place for some account holders since March this year. Various 2FA methods can be chosen from, including SMS and TOTP authentication apps, as well as physical security keys.
After the deadline, users will be prompted to set up 2FA before they can continue to use their account’s features.
Moreover, users are being advised to set up more than one type to prevent account lock-out, though access can be recovered by dipping into a pot of recovery codes provided upon setup.
Bluesky, a decentralised social network, has recently introduced new features to its platform. The new features include an in-app video and music player for links, and a “hide post” option, and the option to read posts without logging in. The in-app video and music player is compatible with YouTube, SoundCloud, Spotify, and Twitch embeds. Unlike X, where videos autoplay by default, Bluesky’s player requires users to tap on the content to play it.This means that users will have to initiate the playback manually if they wish to watch or listen to the content. The new “hide post” feature allows users to remove any posts they don’t want to see again from their feeds. If a user visits the post directly, it will also be hidden behind a mask. Bluesky has also fixed a bug that caused muted and blocked account listings to appear as empty. An issue that led to an empty home screen has also been resolved, along with a crash bug that would occasionally occur while interacting with threads. The social media platform has also updated its platform to allow users to view posts without logging in. Users can access posts through a link, and publishers can embed Bluesky posts in blogs. Additionally, users can share them in private or group chats. If a user wants to limit the visibility of their posts to only logged-in users, they can do so by toggling a setting in the account under Settings > Moderation > Logged-out visibility. Please note that this limit only applies to Bluesky’s website and app. This change allows users to view Bluesky posts without logging in, and publishers to embed Bluesky posts in their blogs. However, to create an account and post content, an invitation is still required. Bluesky has gained 2 million users since its launch in February, and it is available on both Android and iOS.
