What is Strictly Enforced Verified Boot in Android Nougat?

After the launch of the newest version of Android. Google has announced that it will enforce strict boot verification, though the feature has existed since Android 4.4 Kitkat in which the user was notified if the device was tempered with.

With the arrival of Android Nougat, Google has taken this feature to the next level but what exactly is Strictly Enforced Verified Boot?

Here is the answer. During the boot, the kernel checks for errors in the system and won't boot if it detects any corruption in the software. Though the feature has been in existence since Android 4.4, it was only made public with the release of Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

ALSO READ: 5 reasons people refused to upgrade to Windows 10

SO HOW DOES IT WORK?

During the boot-up, the kernel dm-verity checks the signature of every block against a signed hash tree to make sure the software is not compromised, should a single byte be corrupted, the entire block becomes inaccessible. A software with corruptions won't boot-up but it will give users the option to boot the system with limited functionality aka safe mode.

Sami Tolvanen, a Software Engineer at Google had this to say.

“Such strict checking, though, means that non-malicious data corruption, which previously would be less visible, could now start affecting process functionality more,” the engineer explains.

THE FEATURE WILL NOT BE ACTIVE ON DEVICES WITH UNLOCKED BOOTLOADERS

Google says, the feature will only be active on devices with locked bootloaders and not on devices that ship with bootloader unloced by default. If you want to root a locked device, it will definitely create problems for you.

WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU WANT TO ROOT YOUR DEVICES?

The answer is, you can't do anything. Devices with unlocked bootloaders will have little to no problem being rooted. Though some devices come with the option to unlock the bootloader but what of the devices that come with no such option. If you do tinker with your device, you will end up corrupting your software.

ALSO READ: Pokemon GO: 6 Hacks to catch 'em all

SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF ROOTING GOING FORWARD?

As it is obvious enough already, Google is slowly moving towards eliminating rooting from Android. As it has been previously hinted with release of Android 4.3 Jellybean and Lollipop. With talented developers like Chainfire, it is safe to say that we will find a way for now but It is evident that Google wants to move forward towards an era with no rooting.

Share your thoughts about this step from Google and also don't forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

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5 reasons people refuse to upgrade to Windows 10

Its been over a year since Windows 10 was launched and came as a free upgrade to the users of previous versions of Windows, though the free upgrade period has ended and now you have to purchase a license from Microsoft. Despite Microsoft's efforts, users still preferred to remain on the previous versions of Windows. Though Windows 10 is decent OS but comes with flaws that just could not take it to the levels of the mighty Windows 7 and the legendary Windows XP!

Why is that? The Redmond Giant offering its flagship product for free was unheard of before, people should have flocked to get their hands on the latest Windows but it was not the case. When it was first released in 2015, Microsoft had a humongous target of running Windows 10 on one billion devices by 2018. So what hindered the fairytale dream of Microsoft? Here are the reasons.

Privacy Concerns

In my post, Reasons you should own a Linux machine, I discussed in detail about how Microsoft is spying on its users through Windows 10. Windows 10 terms and conditions clearly state that Microsoft will collect your data. Though, they claim they only use it to enhance user experience but why you should allow them to collect your data in the first place. Its absolute violation of privacy.

Forced upgrade

If you are a user of older versions of Windows, you may have noticed the annoying pop up that pops up every now and then and ruins your experience. Hell, many people have reported that their machines automatically restarted and upgraded to Windows 10 without any prior notice or warning. You need to look no further than the "Get Windows 10" campaign which forced a lot of users to upgrade without them knowing. This just goes one to show how desperate they are to lure the users into upgrading but in turn it put off the users and definitely did not help Microsoft in the long run.

Here is how you can stop your OS to upgrade automatically.

Microsoft Store and the Universal apps

Microsoft Store just continues to underwhelm and the universal apps that were introduced with Windows 8 just don't cut it. Many popular companies have pulled their apps from the Store and it just seems easier to visit the site and use their services. Microsoft Edge still carries a lot of bugs from Internet Explorer and other apps such as News and Weather are practically useless because it is just easier to access their site from the browser which also loads faster and with no lag. This was a big turn off for the users that were hyped to taste the latest Edge browser and the improved Universal apps.

ALSO READ: 6 easy steps to keep your Windows XP machine secure.

Not worth upgrading

If you are using Windows 7 and have stopped using Internet Explorer, you have to think whether it is worth upgrading to Windows 10, plus I can't think of any program or app that is compatible with Windows 10 and not Windows 7 aside from the fancy Universal apps and Edge which are practically useless. Or if you are a user of Windows 8/8.1, and have got used to the interface and are now satisfied with Windows 8, then you have to stop and think for a second, is it really worth upgrading? Absolutely not.

People just don't trust Microsoft

After the release of Windows 8, users who were previously using the wildly popular Windows 7 upgraded to Windows 8 were just disappointed by the changes Microsoft brought to the Windows and reverted back to the Windows 7 just didn't risk upgrading again from Windows 7 which is still the most popular OS in the world today. Hell, there is panic inside the company itself after an alleged developer admitted that Linux is way better than Windows. This is just bad for the public image of the company and people just don't trust Microsoft anymore and after the outcry of the privacy issues with Windows 10, things have gotten worse for the Redmond giant.

After disappointing experience with Windows 8 and now Windows 10, Microsoft products are not my cup of tea anymore and are not worth my time and money.

Tell us about your experience with Windows 10 in the comments section below and do follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

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Pokemon GO: 6 Hacks to catch 'em all

Pokemon GO has taken the world by storm and there is no denying the fact that it has the become the most talked about phenomenon on the internet today. Whether it be the die hard or casual fans, everyone share the same excitement.

It has become so popular that it has surpassed Candy Crush as the most popular game in U.S. history. So much so that the hackers are also taking down their servers to get attention.

A Reddit user recently claimed that he has caught all the Pokemon in the North American region.n order to finish his collection, he caught 4,269 Pokemon. He also hatched 303 eggs and walked 153 kilometers over the course of his two-week journey. Sounds crazy. Right? But you don't need to do that. Here is a guide to help you complete your Pokedex from the comforts of your home.

Play Pokemon GO from home

If you don't want to be one of those crazy enthusiasts that roam the streets and parks in search of Pokemon and have a little knowledge of Bluestacks and how to run Android apps on a Windows PC. Here is a detailed guide on how to set up a fake GPS and play Pokemon GO from home. Or here is a video for those iOS folks.

Poke Radar app to discover the location of rare Pokemon

You can download the Poke Radar app in which users work together and drop whenever they find a rare Pokemon. The more pins in an area, the better the chances of finding the rare Pokemon.

Find all the Poke Stops

Here is a user-created map to find all the Poke Stops. Anyone can add to the map so some of the data might be incorrect.

Evolve Eevee into whatever you want

As you die hard fans would remember, Eevee can evolve into Vaporeon, Jolteon or Flareon. And this occurs randomly. However there is secret trick which forces Eevee to evolve into the Pokemon you want. All you have to do is give her a nickname, a different for the Pokemon you want her to evolve to. "Rainer" for Vaporeon, "Sparky" for Jolteon or type in "Pyro" for Flareon. Restart the game and see the magic.

Get Pikachu as your first Pokemon

At the start, you are offered three Pokemon to chose from, all you have to do is literally run from it, run from the area where the game starts and then a Pikachu will appear.

Hatch eggs without walking

It can get pretty exhausting to walk around while in game to hatch your eggs and the rarer Pokemon hidden in 10k eggs. Yes, it is possible to hatch eggs without even walking an inch. A genius Youtuber came up with a great idea to hatch eggs. If you own a record player, just put your phone on it and let it spin. You will have eggs hatching from all directions.

Here is a six step guide to ensure your success in catching Pokemon. Tell us what you think of our guide and if you know any good tricks, share with us in the comments section below.

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Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are ousting iPhone 6s and 6s Plus in terms of sales

Samsung's flagship smartphones are outselling iPhone 6s and 6s Plus and people are preferring Samsung over Apple.

According to a report, Samsung's Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are selling in greater number as compared to iPhone 6s and 6s Plus in the three month period ending in May 3.

16% of customers preferred a Samsung Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge while only 14.6% people purchased an iPhone 6s or 6s Plus during the three month period.

Also Read Another iPhone 7 video released showing the handset in its full glory.

Apple is still ahead of Samsung in the customer satisfaction area. 88% of Apple’s customers stay loyal. 14% of people who are using an iPhone have used Samsung before.

Also Read Galaxy Note 7 spotted on AnTuTu, SD820 SoC and QHD display in tow.

On the other hand, 86% of customers stay loyal to Samsung. And only 5% of Samsung users made the jump from Apple.

Source

Also Read iPhone 7 might sport 1,960 mAh battery.

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Getting rid of Adware

Ever clicked on a wrong link on the internet mistakenly? and it resulted in annoying ads showing up in the browser?

You may be a victim of Adware, due to which, you maybe experiencing unwanted toolbars in your browser or your homepage is set to a unknown search page. Nowadays, Internet is flooded with these Adware (Ads Software). Don't worry, here is the guide which will help you in getting rid of these adware which stick to your system and spoil your internet browsing experience. Here is a tool developed by ToolsLib:

Also Read 6 easy steps to keep your WIndows XP machines secure

AdwCleaner:

AdwCleaner is an efficient tool to get rid of Adwares and Hijacking software. The operation of this tool is very simple.

Follow these steps:/div>

• Download AdwCleaner Tool from here.
• Open it and click on "Scan".
• Let it scan your Computer for Adwares and other hijacking software.
• Once the scanning is completed, click on "Clean" button. (It is recommended to close other programs)
• After the cleaning process is completed, your Computer will restart.

After these steps you will surely get rid of most of the Adwares.

Tips to keep yourself free from Adware:

• When installing a software, don't click next too quickly, double check that there is no extra toolbar selected to be installed which may change your browser components.
• Always download a program from trusted links or Official sites.
• Use a AntiVirus Program.
• Don't click on malicious advertisements.

Happy browsing ! If this post helped you, then express it in the comments sections.

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