Smartphones can identify you by your touch

US-based scientists have developed a new software that can enable your touchscreen smartphone to identify you simply by the unique way you tap and swipe on the device.

LONDON: Move over, passwords. US-based scientists have developed a new software that can enable your touchscreen smartphone to identify you simply by the unique way you tap and swipe on the device.

The software, Silent-Sense , developed by Cheng Bo and his colleagues at the Illinois Institute of Technology, has demonstrated 99% accuracy in tests.

It uses the phone's built-in sensors to record the unique patterns of pressure, duration , fingertip size and position of each user when interacting with their phone or tablet, Bo said.

Machine learning algorithms then turn this information into a signature that identifies the user — and will lock out anyone whose usage patterns do not match, New Scientist reported.

The system's accuracy can be further enhanced by enabling the smartphone's accelerometer and gyroscope to measure how much the screen moves when you are jabbing at it.

They can also pick up on your unique gait as you walk while using the screen.

In tests, a group of 100 users were told to use the smartphone's touchscreen as they would normally.

SilentSense was able to identify the smartphone's owner with 99% accuracy after no more than 10 taps. Even with an average of 2.3 touches, the software was able to verify the user 98% cent of the time.

The software stops checking the smartphone user's identity when apps and mobile games are being used. However, to maintain security, it automatically switches on whenever more sensitive applications, such as email or SMS, are accessed, the reaserchers said

Indians hit mobile apps to find love

Moving from US to India to research their mobile dating application, entrepreneurs Josh Israel and Devin Serago made some surprising revelations about how women are 'wooed' online here. "I signed up as a woman on dating services and saw that guys harass women with incessant messages," says Israel, who is of Indian-origin.

Men with fake profiles and guys who sign up as girls to talk to other girls were also discoveries, but most baffling was what they encountered after debuting their app, called Thrill, this July. Older men, signing up using real Facebook profiles with photos of wives and kids, were indignant at being screened out. "When asked why they want to be on a singles' app when they are already married, they'd say, 'Wife-swap !'" Israel claims, laughing.

Israel and Serago may be the first to decode the mobile dating space in India, where an increasing number of smartphone-wielding youngsters aged 18-25 are searching for friendship and love across Android, iPhone/iPad, Blackberry and Windows platforms, but they aren't the only entrepreneurs 'thrilled' by this growing market. The people at Tinder, the world's hottest dating app described by co-founder and CMO Justin Mateen as a "cool new way to meet new people," are excited about their India numbers. "We're growing 3-4 % day on day," Mateen says of the site which globally makes two million matches per da.

Grindr, an app for gay men, has over 11,000 plus monthly users in India. "In conservative regions where being gay may be taboo, Grindr allows for connections that wouldn't happen face-to-face so it's not surprising that it is popular in India," says a Grindr spokesperson.

SinglesAroundMe (SAM), another US-based app, claims they have 66,000 Indian subscribers. "India is third after the US and UK and represents only 5% of our user base presently, but the number is growing very quickly," says CEO Christopher Klotz.

Numbers aside, the cultural shift in society was encouraging for Thrill creators, who believe Indians are adapting quickly to influences from the West. Malini Agarwal, blogger and founder of social group Friday Club, says youngsters today aren't looking for marriage. "Indians are a lot more comfortable with the idea of dating. But there is also the feeling that you have to be extra careful, especially when you hear horror stories of rape and attacks," she says.

Thrill's 'he applies she decides' approach enables women to choose the men they want in. "We guarantee guys won't harass them," says Israel, who along with Serago currently vets the male applicants. App matches are based on physical attraction and common interests. On Tinder, for instance, you "swipe rate" people based on their attractiveness, which Mateen calls an accurate reflection of human interaction. "When you walk into a coffee shop, the first thing you do is look for physical attributes that attract you or not, and after that you engage in conversation," he says.

The way dating apps work is simple -- users chat with matches, become Facebook friends, exchange phone numbers and then meet. "It's step-by-step so when you meet you are not really strangers," says Serago. Geography is never a deterrent to pursuing a real life relationship as the apps locator technology only matches users with people in their vicinity, without revealing the users exact locations. Thrill, however, won't be enabling their locator technology at the moment . "It's a turn-off for women who are already a little fearful," says Israel.

Thrill, available in Delhi and Mumbai now with a 1,000 user base, is customizing other features for India users, debating whether match information should include job, education , income and horoscope, to comply with their female users' requests. Tinder is planning its India launch a few months down.

They're all clearly upbeat, but more experienced players are advising caution. "It's a challenging business," says Anupam Mittal, founder of Shaadi.com, a leading portal in India's Rs 510-crore online matrimony market. For starters , the ratio of men to women online is skewed towards men. "Also culturally, we're not a society of daters. We introduce boyfriends as friends, preferring to dance around the issue," Mittal says.

Israel agrees that mobile dating needs more time. "But everyone said that when Match.com came out in the US in 1995, now they are a $500 million company. I think that is going to happen in India and what we're trying to do is get in on the ground floor," he says.

iPhone 5S's fingerprint scanner may lead to rise in crime: Expert

Apple recently unveiled a range of iPhone 5S, which consists of a biometric scanning feature called as Touch ID.

LONDON: Apple recently unveiled its iPhone 5Ssmartphone, which consists of a biometric scanner called Touch ID. However, a security expert has warned that such a feature could also lead to criminals actually mutilating victims to acquire the use of the device.

Chief researcher at mobile security firm, Lookout, Marc Rogers said that although the fingerprint sensors provided greater security, thieves have been known to mutilate victims, and even if they did not cut off fingers, they may become more brutal because of the feature.

According to metro.co.uk, the researcher believes that unlocking a device with a fingerprint can be much more convenient than entering a pin code multiple times a day.

However, he said that in some regions, thieves are known to force a victim to unlock a secured device, and in some extreme cases have also mutilated victims in order to steal their fingerprint.

Rogers further added that fraudsters are also capable of copying finger signatures in order to access smartphones

Fingerprint scanner: The killer feature of iPhone 5S

A phone is a very personal device and people do care about the security of the data that they store in it.

NEW DELHI: This is one of those occasions when the rumours turned out to be true. There was a talk ahead of the iPhone launch event on September 10 that the high-end Apple phone will come with a fingerprint scanner for added security. Now we know that iPhone 5S indeed packs in a fingerprint scanner, hidden inside its round home button. 

This is a unique feature. While there is no doubt that other phone makers will add this feature to their phones, for now it should give Apple an advantage in high-end phone market, and iPhone 5S a better chance at standing up to upcoming Android devices like LG G2 that have better and bigger screens.

 A phone is a very personal device and people do care about the security of the data that they store in it. This was reflected in how Phill Schiller, Apple's VP for marketing, introduced the feature. "iPhone 5S sets a new standard for smartphones, packed into its beautiful and refined design are breakthrough features that really matter to people, like Touch ID, a simple and secure way to unlock your phone with just a touch of your finger," he said. 

Apple is calling the fingerprint scanner Touch ID. 

Once a user has stored his fingerprint impression into the device, he will be able to unlock the phone by pressing his finger on the home screen button. Apple said the TouchID can be also be used in apps. For example, in iTunes Store where a user has to put in a password before he can buy an app, Touch ID will negate the use of password. To buy an app a user will have to just provide the device with his fingerprint impression. 

Apple said Touch ID was very reliable. "Built into the home button, Touch ID uses a laser cut sapphire crystal, together with the capacitive touch sensor, to take a high-resolution image of your fingerprint and intelligently analyze it to provide accurate readings from any angle," the company noted in its press release. 

The technology of the TouchID seems to have been based on the research by AuthenTec, a company that Apple bought last year for $365 million. Before it was acquired, the company also made fingerprint scanning apps for Android devices

Special coverage: Apple launches two new iPhones

Apple launched two new iPhones: 5S, 5C

Special coverage: Apple launches two new iPhones

NEW DELHI: Apple has, for the first time, unveiled a cheaper smartphone, named the iPhone 5C. It has almost the same specifications as iPhone 5, which was launched as the company's flagship device last year, but in a plastic body.

The iPhone 5C (with contract in the US) is cheaper than all new iPhones launched till now, and is said to be targeted at emerging markets like India and China. With the launch of iPhone 5S, Apple has discontinued the iPhone 5 that was rolled out last year and served as the flagship model till now.

Apple also launched its pricey new iPhone 5S, which will take over from iPhone 5 as the latest flagship device of the company. It will be available in three colours - gold, white and black.

But the wow appeal usually associated with Apple's launches clearly seemed to be missing from today's event. Unlike in the past when iPhone's newer models turned slimmer, lighter, glitzier each year, Apple seemed to have reserved most of its attention to what lies inside the body this time.

However, in a bold move aimed to take on rivals Microsoft and Google, Apple also announced that it was making its premium productivity suite iWork, which can be downloaded free with iOS 7.

Parineeti beats Priyanka at the box office

Priyanka Chopra and Parineeti Chopra

Priyanka Chopra starrer Zanjeer remake and Parineeti Chopra starrer Shuddh Desi Romance released on the same day (6th September). However, Parineeti has managed to walk away with the cake as her film beats Piggy Chop's movie at the box office.

Priyanka had denied any clash with her sister Parineeti at the ticket window. In fact, claimed it to be a Chopra weekend. Shuddh Desi Romancehas grabbed eyeballs when it comes to the youth of India and managed to open at 6.45 crore, while Priyanka's Zanjeer collected 3.58 crore at the first day.

About opening day of Zanjeer, Trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted, "#Zanjeer *Hindi version* 3.10 cr nett on 2,086 screens. Very poor start!

About opening day of Shuddh Desi Romance, he tweeted, "#ShuddhDesiRomance takes a triumphant start. Collects 6.75 cr+ on Friday on 1050 screens."

Taran Adarsh further tweeted, "#Zanjeer *Hindi version* slips on Day 2... Fri 3.58 cr, Sat 2.89 cr. Total: 6.47 cr."

It seems that the audience prefer originality versus remakes at the box office
.

Priyanka more popular than Deepika!

Priyanka Chopra More Pics

Priyanka Chopra is the current favourite when it comes to popularity amongst fans on Twitter.Pee Cee has been going places this year. Her single 'Exotic' with rapper Pitbull was released a while back and she's also lent her voice for the Hollywood film Planes. That apart, Piggy Chops has Zanjeer to look forward to in September.

Priyanka who has been a hot favourite on social networking site Twitter (Twitter handle @priyankachopra) has a fan following of 4,041,756. Ranked fourth on the Bollywood celebs rankings on Twitter, she beats all other actresses including Deepika Padukone who is placed sixth on the list with a following of 3,495,685.

This comes as a surprise because Deepika is reportedly the first actress to cross the 500 crore mark with three of her films being big hits this year ( Race 2, Chennai Express and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani). Both Yeh Jawaani Hain Deewani and Chennai Express have proven to be record breaking films.

But yet, it seems Deepika has tough competition from Priyanka Chopra.

How long will Priyanka be able to retain the numero uno spot on Twitter and also in the hearts of fans?