Navient, one of the largest student loan servicing companies in the US until 2021, reached a $1.86 billion settlement deal on Thursday with a coalition of 39 state attorneys general. In addition to canceling $1.7 billion in private student loans for almost 66,000 borrowers, Navient agreed to pay $95 million to borrowers who were unduly placed in certain types of long-term forbearances.

Though Navient isn't a lender itself, it managed the student loan repayment process on behalf of the US government. However, Navient chose to end its participation in federal student loan servicing at the end of 2021. Navient was accused of engaging in abusive and deceptive practices during that tenure, including targeting students the company allegedly knew would struggle to pay back loans. 

This settlement comes as federal student loan repayments continue to be paused due to the pandemic -- omicron's surge prompted another moratorium extension last month. Federal student loans are on pause until May 1. Moreover, the US Department of Education recently pushed to expand its Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which will bring expanded relief to more than 500,000 student borrowers.

"Navient repeatedly and deliberately put profits ahead of its borrowers -- it engaged in deceptive and abusive practices, targeted students who it knew would struggle to pay loans back and placed an unfair burden on people trying to improve their lives through education," Josh Shapiro,  attorney general of Pennsylvania, said in a release.

Shapiro added that the settlement corrects corrects Navient's past behavior and puts in place "safeguards to ensure this company never preys on student loan borrowers again."

Navient didn't admit any fault in the settlement and "denies violating any law, including consumer-protection laws, or causing borrower harm," the company said in a statement. The student loan servicer said it's resolving the claims to save on legal costs. 

As part of the settlement, Navient agreed to "maintain servicing practices that support borrower success."

Acer announced four Chromebooks as part of the company's global Next@Acer event on Wednesday. The new models include 14- and 15.6-inch clamshells -- the Acer Chromebook 515 and 514 -- as well as two 14-inch two-in-ones, the Chromebook Spin 514 and Spin 314. 

Shipments of Chromebooks exploded in 2020 from the pandemic and remained strong through the first half of 2021. That growth is showing signs of slowing as vaccination rates increase worldwide and the ongoing chip shortages hampers production. Still, Chromebooks are a popular choice for remote work and school use due to their relatively low cost and easy deployment and manageability. Acer's new models fit into those markets nicely with their larger displays, security and privacy features and MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability. 

The Chromebook 515, available with standard Chrome OS or with the Chrome Enterprise upgrade, is a trimmed-up version of one of our favorite Chromebooks from the past couple of years, the Chromebook 715. It's slightly thicker than that model, but it has a smaller footprint despite having the same 15.6-inch display size. 

The 515 can be configured with up to an 11th-gen Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of memory and up to 512GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage. Although it's not a two-in-one, the full-HD display can be opened to lay flat on your desk and there's a touchscreen option with a matte finish so reflections aren't an issue. 

Other features include an embedded fingerprint reader, a physical shutter to block the webcam when it's not in use, built-in HDMI output and microSD card slot, Wi-Fi 6 and two two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports -- one on each side. Although exact pricing and availability is up in the air at the moment, a configuration with an Intel Core i3 CPU, 8GB of memory and 128GB of storage is expected to sell for $650, which converts to approximately £480 and AU$885.

If the 515 is too much Chromebook for you, the Acer Chromebook 514 is smaller, lighter and trades Intel CPUs for an eight-core MediaTek Kompanio 828 processor. If your Chromebook needs are simple -- entertainment, Google docs and light content creation -- this should be enough. It weighs less than 3 pounds (1.3 kilograms), has an aluminum top cover, backlit keyboard and a 14-inch matte display (touch optional). Acer claims battery life for it is up to 15 hours. 

The Chromebook 514 is expected to be available in December starting at $400. 

The Acer Chromebook Spin 514 is much more than a two-in-one version of the Chromebook 514. Starting at $700 when it arrives early in 2022, the 14-inch convertible will have up to an 11th-gen Intel Core i7 processor inside a fanless body design for silent operation. Paired with a 1080p webcam, dual mics and stereo speakers flanking the keyboard, Acer is aiming this at people who spend a lot of time in video chats. 

The 14-inch display has slim bezels on all four sides to really cut down on the Chromebook's overall footprint and the body is made from reinforced aluminum. Dual USB-C ports, Wi-Fi 6, a backlit keyboard and a Gorilla Glass touchpad round out its higher-end features.

Also arriving early in 2022 is the Chromebook Spin 314. Like Acer's new Vero PCs, the Spin 314 incorporates recycled plastics into its design. In this case, Acer used an OceanGlass touchpad that's made out of plastic waste that has a glass-like texture. 

The convertible 14-inch Chromebook will also feature Wi-Fi 6, a USB-C port, two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, HDMI output and a microSD card slot. Pricing is expected to start at $500.

Surfshark VPN said Tuesday it will soon release updates to its popular virtual private network app, after it was among six popular VPNs dinged by AppEsteem researchers for unsound security design in an April report.

Researchers revealed that the Surfshark app obtains an alarming amount of influence over a user's device security by installing a risky piece of tech known as a Trusted Root Certificate Authority security certification. Surfshark said it will continue installing the certificates but has fixed other problems noted by AppEsteem. 

As reported by TechRadar, if a company's own Trusted Root CA certificate were compromised, it could undermine all of a device's data and communication security. AppEsteem found that Surfshark's app installs the security certificate even when a user cancels the app's overall installation. Surfshark previously said the certificates are necessary only for the use of its IKEv2 encryption protocol option, but the company told CNET Tuesday that it plans to remove the protocol option. 

"When using the Surfshark root certificate, customers put their trust only in a VPN provider and not a third-party agency that can be compromised," the company said in and email. "We've been working on turning off the no longer popular IKEv2 protocol and focusing all our efforts on supporting Wireguard and OpenVPN protocols. This will eliminate the need to install the certificate."

AppEsteem also found a number of other security and privacy concerns with the Surfshark app. Researchers found the app continued running processes in the background even after the VPN was disconnected and the app itself closed. Surfshark also left components installed on a user's device after the app was uninstalled. Researchers also dinged Surfshark for not providing customers enough information on how to cancel annual subscriptions or how customers would be notified about subscription renewal.

"As for AppEsteem's evaluation, we've closely cooperated with the company in quickly fixing the highlighted issues. All of them have already been fixed, and all Windows users should soon receive an updated version of the app," Surfshark said. 

Read more: NordVPN and Surfshark are merging, continuing VPN consolidation trend

This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET's collection of news, tips and advice around Apple's most popular product.

Apple's "Far Out" launch event is scheduled for Sept. 7, and several new products are expected to make an appearance including the rumored Apple Watch Pro. If reports from Bloomberg and other sources turn out to be accurate, the Apple Watch Pro will have a larger screen, longer battery life and a sturdier design compared to the standard Series 8. It's said to be aimed at those who engage in extreme sports rather than the average smartwatch user. 

Launching a Pro version of the Apple Watch would be a wise move for Apple. Smartwatches like the Apple Watch are loaded with health and fitness features -- some of which are more useful for athletes rather than casual exercisers. An Apple Watch Pro would allow the company to reach those who are willing to pay more for a sturdier design and a larger screen while still offering more affordable options for those satisfied with a more basic experience.

Here's everything we know so far about what to expect from the Apple Watch Pro ahead of Apple's event next week.

Apple Watch Pro or Apple Watch Explorer Edition?

Among the biggest questions is what this new Apple Watch version will be called. There's a chance Apple could call it the Apple Watch Pro, since it fits with the naming convention Apple has used for other products like the iPhone, AirPods, the iPad and Mac computers. 

But an early Bloomberg report also said the watch was being called the "Explorer Edition" internally. Since Apple has launched special watches in the past under its Nike and Hermes collections, the Explorer Edition doesn't seem like a stretch. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also speculated that it could be called the "Apple Watch Extreme" or "Apple Watch Max."

A larger rugged design

The Apple Watch Pro's bigger and more durable build is expected to be the biggest way it stands out from the rest of Apple's lineup, according to Bloomberg. The Pro is expected to have a display that measures almost 2 inches diagonally and will have about 7% more screen area than the Series 7, reports Bloomberg. Ross Young, analyst and CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants also tweeted that a new Apple Watch with a larger 1.99-inch display is in the works. 

Apple will also outfit this new Pro version with a "strong metal material" rather than aluminum and a "shatter-resistant screen," according to Bloomberg. That could make it more appealing for those who frequently go hiking or rock climbing or work in harsh outdoor conditions.

We might see other design changes, too. Japanese tech blog Macotakara reports that the new Apple Watch will have a flat design similar to the iPhone 13 Pro.

Longer battery life

The Apple Watch Pro will also have longer battery life compared to the standard Series 8 we're expecting to see this fall, according to Bloomberg. However, the report didn't specify the precise battery gains we might see, other than saying it will allow users to track workouts for longer periods of time. That would be a big deal for outdoor runners, considering tracking runs with GPS is known to be a battery-drainer for smartwatches in general. It could also be more useful for those who plan to track their sleep with an Apple Watch.

Bloomberg also previously reported on a new low-power mode for the Apple Watch that was expected to debut with WatchOS 9. We didn't hear anything about it at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference in June, but there's a chance Apple could mention it at its upcoming event. 

Health and fitness tracking

The Apple Watch Pro sounds like it will be a more advanced version of the standard Series 8, meaning it will likely have the same health sensors and workout options. That means it will probably have the rumored temperature sensor planned for the Series 8, reports Bloomberg, and the ability to take an ECG and measure blood-oxygen levels from the wrist.

But the Apple Watch Pro may have enhanced hiking and swim tracking, says Bloomberg. That would make sense considering this watch will likely be tailored for sports enthusiasts. 

Possible satellite connectivity

Apple has been rumored to be developing satellite connectivity for the iPhone, which would enable it to send emergency texts even when cellular coverage isn't available. We don't know if this feature will debut with the iPhone 14, although Apple's space-themed "Far Out" event invite has certainly sparked speculation that such an announcement may be imminent. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also wrote in his Power On newsletter that Apple has internally discussed bringing satellite connectivity to the Apple Watch. He added that it would be a good fit for future Apple Watch Pro models, although it's unclear if he's referencing the Apple Watch Pro we're expecting to see on Sept. 7 or a next-generation model.

Either way, Bloomberg's reporting isn't the only sign suggesting that satellite connectivity might be coming to upcoming Apple products. TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that Apple has completed hardware tests on the iPhone 14, but its launch will depend on whether Apple has settled on a business model for bringing satellite communications to the iPhone. 

Launch and pricing

Apple typically announces its new Apple Watch lineup alongside its new iPhones in September, so we're expecting this year to be no different. Similar to the way Apple unveiled the iPhone X alongside the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, Apple could announce the Apple Watch Pro alongside standard versions of the watch, reports Macotakara citing sources in China. 

The Apple Watch usually launches shortly after Apple's event, but there have been exceptions. For example, Apple announced the Series 7 on Sept. 14 but didn't launch it until Oct. 8. That's a departure from the Series 6's debut in 2020, which launched on Sept. 18 after being announced on Sept. 15. 

Although we won't know for sure until Apple makes an announcement, we can probably expect the Apple Watch Pro to be more expensive than the regular Series 8 given its additional functionality. If Apple maintains the same pricing structure as the Series 7, the Series 8 will likely start at $400 for the non-cellular aluminum model. Since the stainless steel Series 7 starts at $700, we can likely expect the rumored Pro to cost more than that since it will likely be made of a more durable premium metal. 

We're expecting to find out more during Apple's event on Sept. 7. Aside from new Apple Watch models, Apple will likely announce the iPhone 14 lineup and possibly the rumored AirPods Pro 2. 

Apple's iOS 15.6 is here and ready to be downloaded to your iPhone. The follow-up to iOS 15.5, released July 20, folds in bug fixes, a lengthy list of security updates and a new feature for watching live sports in the TV app. 

With iOS 15.6, the TV app will now let you restart live sports games already in progress, as well as pause, rewind and fast-forward. This feature is also available in updates for the iPad and Mac computers. 

Here are Apple's iOS release notes:

iOS 15.6 includes enhancements, bug fixes and security updates.

• TV app adds the option to restart a live sports game already in-progress and pause, rewind, or fast-forward
• Fixes an issue where Settings may continue to display that device storage is full even if it is available
• Fixes an issue that may cause braille devices to slow down or stop responding when navigating text in Mail
• Fixes an issue in Safari where a tab may revert back to a previous page

This may be the last update to iOS 15 before the company's next mobile software, iOS 16, gets a wide release alongside the heavily rumored iPhone 14. The next version of iOS, which is available now in public beta, will bring several new features, including the ability to edit and unsend messages, a new customizable lock screen, changes to notifications, as well as updates to Wallet and Apple Pay. 

Apple also released iPadOS 15.6, MacOS 12.5, WatchOS 8.7 and TVOS 15.6. In addition to security updates, iPadOS 15.6 and MacOS 12.5 got the same TV app update for live sports as iOS 15.6, while WatchOS 8.7 brought bug fixes, and TVOS 15.6 got performance and stability improvements, according to Apple. 

Google has overhauled its employee performance review process, reducing the number of reviews that staff will face each year from two to one, Google CEO Sundar Pichai told employees on Wednesday. The new reviews schedule is intended to boost morale while reducing the time employees take to prepare their assessments, according to a report from The Information.

Pichai reportedly cited the internal "Googlegeist" survey that the company conducts every year. In it, employees expressed dissatisfaction with promotional opportunities within the company, among other things. Pichai said that only 53% of Googlers felt the current system is "time well spent."

Google did not reply to a request for comment, but linked to a webpage outlining the changes. 

For Google employees, the once-a-year review system will still allow them to be considered for promotion twice a year. The move follows Meta, which also changed to once-a-year performance reviews last year. 

The new system will also establish new ratings for Googlers, ranking employees on the level of impact they have on the company. This can range from transformative impact to moderate impact to not enough impact. Google told employees that the changes being made reflect shifts in the market and a "renewed focus" on staff development.

Workers can also now transfer to a new role and keep their same level. Before, they would have had to transfer to the new job to then qualify for a promotion. 

There's been growing discord within Silicon Valley as workers are being told to return to office. In an anonymous survey conducted on the website Blind, 62% of surveyed workers said they weren't happy with return to office, which began to take place last month.

Many Silicon Valley companies are running through employees, with Amazon Web Services seeing anywhere between 20% to 50% turnover rate, according to Bloomberg. Uber is also seeing a 20% loss in staff, according to a report by Business Insider. And according a survey last year, 72% of IT workers are considering quitting their jobs within 12 months. These might be the market forces prompting a change within Google. 

Cryptocurrency-based crime brought in about $14 billion to illicit addresses in 2021, but this represents less than 1% of all cryptocurrency based transactions last year, according to Chainalysis.

The total cryptocurrency transaction volume grew to $15.8 trillion in 2021, up more than 500% from 2020. Only 0.15% of those transactions went to illicit addresses, said Chainalysis on Thursday, in a preview of its 2022 Crypto Crime Report.

"Crypto crime reached an all-time high in raw numbers at $14 billion in illicit transaction volume, but an all-time low as a share of all activity at 0.15%," said Kim Grauer, head of research at Chainalysis. "This is because the growth of legitimate cryptocurrency activity far outpaced that of illicit activity."

Cryptocurrencies are decentralized digital currencies that don't have physical bills or coins and are tracked on a system called the blockchain. Because of their decentralized nature, the value of cryptocurrencies is based off what people are willing to pay for them. The best known cryptocurrency is bitcoin, but there are thousands of other cryptocurrencies, including ethereum, litecoin and dogecoin.

Cryptocurrency stolen from people in scams rose by more than 80% in 2021 to $7.8 billion, according to Chainalysis, and rug pulls accounted for over $2.8 billion of that total. In a rug pull, developers build what appears to be a legitimate cryptocurrency project before they take investors' money and disappear. 

As cryptocurrency becomes more mainstream and cryptocurrency crime grows, law enforcement is also stepping up. The IRS Criminal Investigations said it seized $3.5 billion in cryptocurrency in 2021. The Department of Justice also seized $53 million in cryptocurrency in 2021.

Read more: 5 predictions for bitcoin, NFTs and the future of money

The dune buggy has been a unique piece of car culture since the mid '60s, but not overplayed like vintage 'Vettes and Mustangs. From Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway's beach romp in the original Thomas Crown Affair to the improbable dune buggy assault on James Bond in For Your Eyes Only decades later, the car adds levity to any drive.

Now the dune buggy is back, fully electric yet utterly recognizable, as the Meyers Manx 2.0. 

Sticking to its roots

The 1964 Meyers Manx was the original dune buggy, developed by Bruce Meyers in the crucible of post-war LA car culture, art school and DIY attitude. It was such a sensation that scads of other companies offered similar kits to build over VW chassis and Meyers failed to patent the design. By 1971 he was out of the game. 

The original Manx never looked as finished and complete as the new version, largely because the Manx 2.0 has been refreshed by a serious car designer, Freeman Thomas, whose pen you know from the original Audi TT and New Beetle. In spite of that and the car's original roots in Volkswagen hardware, the Manx 2.0 has no connection to VW and is backed by Trousdale Ventures chairman Phillip Sarofim.

You may be surprised that the new Manx' electric conversion is almost its least interesting aspect to me.

A triumph of restraint

The body is instantly recognizable as a correct dune buggy devoid of any silly effort to contort it into a utility, a four-seater or a "reimagined" product like the redux FJ Cruiser or the thankfully shelved VW attempt at a modern dune buggy. In this, the Manx 2.0 relies on Freeman Thomas' experience faithfully carrying over the New Beetle. But the new Manx sheds the rough edges of the original, appropriate for a more upscale 21st century buyer who is less comprehending of the rugged fun we once had on four wheels. Kit cars aren't really a thing any more, and safety definitely is.

I overheard more than one person at the car's Pebble Beach debut say that it was their favorite thing on the green at Quail, which may have caused some chafing under the jodhpurs of Bentley at the adjacent stage. 

I was delighted by the ample chrome on the Manx 2.0, a big part of the car's authenticity: The roll bar, windshield frame, bumper bars and headlight buckets all sparkle with a correct finish little seen in autos today.

A charming place to sit

Under either a forward pivoting rigid top, soft bikini top or no top at all, you'll find a cabin (if you can call something this open a cabin) that exercises admirable restraint. 

No big LCD screen or console full of tech, just a central dinner plate speedo embedded with a small, round LCD, flanked by a few narrow futuristic buttons that I think are the only misstep in design.

The seats are truly buckets and getting into them involves stepping over into the tub, which has no doors. That tub will have monocoque crash integrity that was never found in the original, along with crumple zones and a modern safety steering column. The aforementioned roll bar and windshield frame are structural rollover safety elements.

Out back, things have changed

The most memorable single detail of the original dune buggy was its exposed Beetle engine at the rear, full of rotating parts and cartoonish exhaust plumbing that created a show. That's all gone with electric power but covered nicely in new bodywork that seems to be where Freeman Thomas most earned a lot of his keep. 

Two electric motors drive the rear wheels only, helping to keep the car's weight under 1,600 pounds. The front wheels are busy responding to electric power steering, an unheard-of luxury in the original that demanded good triceps.

As with many EVs, you can buy your battery capacity: 150 miles or 300, the latter configuration delivering a projected 0-to-60 time of 4.5 seconds. Not knowing pricing, the 150-mile car makes the most sense to me; I don't see driving anything this al fresco farther than that and think lighter weight is the better part of valor.

How to get one

Preorders for the car opened up in August of 2022 via a refundable deposit, though the price is still not known. The company plans to release the first 50 copies to what it considers passionate beta buyers, before somewhat fuller production happens in 2024.

Having not driven a prototype, I can't say if too much original charm is lost in the move to quiet, less distinctive electric power; It would have been cheeky to see the company thumb its nose at current automotive dogma and release the Manx 2.0 with a potent turbo DI inline 3, but the writing's on the wall and that sort of fun is best left to someone restoring an original Manx.

I see enough smart, savvy interpretation of the past in the Meyers Manx 2.0 that I'll prioritize driving one for you when they come out.

This story is part of Plugged In, CNET's hub for all things EV and the future of electrified mobility. From vehicle reviews to helpful hints and the latest industry news, we've got you covered.

There's plenty of hype around EVs, but has anyone explained to you how they work? Here are the basics for people who just want to know what they're buying and not geek out.

In terms of getting around there are five major components that separate an electric car from one that burns gas:

• Battery Charger
• Battery
• Power Control Unit
• Motor(s)
• Gear(s) 

Battery charger

Contrary to common belief, the thing on your garage wall or on a pole at the shopping center isn't the charger, it's Electric Vehicle Service Equipment that provides power to the charger which is built into your EV. That charger converts the AC power the ESVE delivers into DC power that the battery can store. That can be done via either a slow Level I charge when the car is connected to a 120-volt EVSE or a faster Level II charge when it's tapping into 240 volts.

Exception: When you use a fast charger, like a Tesla Supercharger, that's a DC power connection. It's at far higher levels of current than your home can provide, which is how it charges your car so much faster. 

Battery

The battery is the heart of any EV. It substantially determines a car's highly scrutinized range, typically higher cost and much greater weight. It's both the magic and a curse.

The battery is usually laid out as a big flat panel under the belly of the car, inside of which are smaller modules containing many even smaller cells. Some cars eschew the belly-pan style battery and shape it more like a piece of luggage tucked away in cavities of the car body. But the shape and location of the battery is of little importance to the average buyer. All that matters is the range the whole car delivers.

Batteries store DC power, whether they're in a flashlight, phone or a car. That's why the charger has to convert AC to DC to recharge the battery and that's also one of the main jobs of the next component, though in reverse.

Power control unit

The power control unit is an assembly that goes by various names and is not something carmakers typically advertise, but it's important. Its most critical job is to convert the DC power stored in the battery back into AC that most EV motors use. This is done with a component called an inverter, a version of which you may already use to power your laptop or other house current device from the 12-volt port in your car's dash.

The power control unit also interfaces the drivetrain to the accelerator pedal, start button and drive mode controller. And, crucially, it oversees regeneration which is how an EV puts power back into its own battery when coasting or braking.

Much of Tesla's success has been its ability to optimize the various power flows and conversions that take place in its EVs, testament to the importance of the least-touted component in an EV.

Motor

The motor is, of course, what turns the wheels but unlike a combustion car you might have one motor or several in an EV. More motors can make an EV faster, imbue it with sophisticated all-wheel drive, or both. But don't lift the hood expecting to gaze upon an impressive-looking motor as you might a conventional car's engine. They're typically compact and not much to look at, often buried out of sight.

It's fully valid to compare horsepower and torque between a gas and electric car. Note how high the torque spec is on any EV you consider, part of the nature of electric motors and making EVs a kick to drive beyond what their horsepower rating might suggest. And electric cars can deliver most of their torque starting at low RPMs, while gas-engine cars need to be revved up to deliver maximum acceleration. Motors are just different from engines, which you'll note the first time you drive any EV.

Transmission

Not much to say here since electric motors don't really need a transmission. The nature of their operation makes them efficient and powerful across a much wider range of RPMs than combustion engines, so they don't need six, seven or even 10 gears as crutches to help them accommodate different vehicle speeds or loads.

Having no typical transmission an EV has a drive mode selector instead of a PRNDL. Federal regulations require that any car sold in the US comply with certain conventions including placing Park at the end of the drive controller's travel and Reverse adjacent to that. But EV drive controllers often take some unconventional shapes and may add an unfamiliar position that puts the car into a higher mode of the regeneration while driving, as described earlier.

It's simple

This list may seem like a lot but EVs have simpler drivetrains that use 70% to 90% fewer parts than a gas-engined car. That collection of fewer parts still typically costs more than a gas engine car but as scale drives down EV cost, their inherent simplicity should only turbocharge that curve.

The Chinese manufacturer of phones provided to low-income families in the US as part of a federal program says its devices don't come with malware already installed. This comes a week after a report from an anti-malware software company said the phones contained two malicious pieces of software that required several steps to remove.

Unimax, the maker of the UMX U683CL, released a statement Thursday regarding the phone mentioned in a blog post from Malwarebytes Labs on Jan. 9.  It examined the handset and found no malicious software installed. 

"After investigating this issue, Unimax Communications has determined that the applications described in the posting are not malware," the company said. "In reviewing these applications, however, Unimax Communications has determined that there may be a potential vulnerability in the Settings App library. Because of this, Unimax Communications has updated software to correct the potential vulnerability. To Unimax Communications' knowledge, no customer data has been compromised."

The report about the budget Android phone, which is provided by Sprint-owned Assurance Wireless as part of the US government's Lifeline Assistance program, found two pieces of malware suspected of being of Chinese origin. Malwarebytes Labs said it received reports of the malware problems in October. 

"We stand by our original assertion that the Settings app is malicious due its Trojan Dropper capabilities," said Malwarebytes' Nathan Collier, senior malware intelligence analyst who wrote the original report, in an email Friday. "The dropping of Android/Trojan.HiddenAds on the UMX is indisputable. However, the goal of our post was to inform and protect users. We're glad Unimax is taking action so that our customers can safely use their devices."

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, and Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, penned a letter to Sprint CEO Michel Combes on Thursday about the infected phones. The two requested that the carrier look into the problem further. 

"Mobile carriers and smartphone manufacturers should not sacrifice due diligence in the race to put devices on the market," the senators said in the letter. "It is urgent that Sprint addresses the risks posed by this specific device and takes comprehensive action to ensure that it does not sell dangerous devices to the public."

Among the senators' requests were for Sprint to contact those possibly affected, provide replacements to those who have infected phones and to verify whether other phones used in the program contain the same malware. 

A company spokesperson said it will respond directly to the senators regarding the specific questions outlined in the letter. 

Originally published Jan. 10, 8:19 a.m. PT.
Updates, Jan. 10,11:51 a.m.: Adds comments from Sprint and FCC. Jan. 16: Adds mention of letter from senators. Jan. 17: Adds comment from Unimax and Malwarebytes.

With Apple and Samsung wading into the crowded field of personalized emojis, Snapchat wants to expand too.

Friendmoji -- which are your Snapchat-customized Bitmoji featuring you and a friend -- will be available outside Snapchat on iPhones and iPads in the coming days, Snap said on Friday.

The cartoon versions of you and your friend will be available on the Bitmoji keyboard for Apple's iOS mobile software, allowing you to share your Bitmoji love through messages.

To share Friendmoji, your Snapchat account needs to be linked with your Bitmoji app. You can tap on the friend icon in the upper-right corner of the keyboard to select or search from your list of friends.

This comes as smartphone heavyweights Apple and Samsung make their own forays into the emoji battleground. On Monday, Apple introduced its Memoji, a cartoon version of you that's evolved from the previous Animoji lineup of animated poop and robots. Then there's Samsung's AR Emoji, which was introduced alongside the Galaxy S9 in February.

Special Reports: CNET's in-depth features in one place.

Culture: Your hub for everything from film and television to music, comics, toys and sports. 

Improving system latency -- the chain of tiny lags across your mouse, keyboard, controller and monitor -- can make anyone's game better. But it's hard to understand the difference between 85ms and 55ms without seeing that difference for yourself. Nvidia's hopes to convince you it's worth paying a premium for partner devices with its Reflex Latency Analyzer tech, which can optimize performance in the 25 games that support it. The strategy: Offer gamers a chance to win a high-demand graphics card, the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition, an MSI Oculux NXG253R G-Sync display or a Logitech Pro X Superlight mouse by testing their shooting skills.

The Meta's Reflex-supported aim training software, KovaaK's 2.0, includes two Nvidia Experiments modules starting today. The new modules simulate 25ms, 55ms and 85ms of system latency as measured by your aim accuracy when shooting single or multiple targets (flicking and frenzy, respectively) in-game. Access to KovaaK's is free for the week, but you'll need to create an account. To participate, just boot up the software and press the big Nvidia Experiments button, scroll through Nvidia's terms of "consent to participate in research mode" and follow the instructions.

Why only shooting? Nvidia's own research shows latency has a significantly bigger impact on aim accuracy (and therefore in shooters) than on frame rate. Also, it's aim-training software.

The software simulates the effect of latency on your system configuration by measuring game and GPU latency via Reflex, then using its existing data to estimate and calculate the rest of the system equation. It'll then add a lag of the relevant duration (25ms, 55ms or 85ms). You can't play around with your settings to see how they affect the experience, though. Your changes will just be ignored. 

As far as marketing and research-data-collection strategies go, it's quite clever. There are caveats, as with any contest, both to compete and to win one of the 27 prizes (there are nine of each). You can try the software with any GPU, but in order to make it onto the leaderboard, and therefore to win, you need to use a Reflex-supporting GPU. In other words, you'll need a GeForce 900 series or newer Nvidia GPU. 

The winners are randomly selected from the leaderboard and only a single entry per human, so it doesn't matter how uncoordinated you are. But it also means your chance of winning decreases as more people participate. So shhhh. Don't tell anyone about it.

At the very least, you get to try the most excellent KovaaK's for a week. At best, you can win an RTX 3080 Ti and sell it for holiday gift cash.