A showcase event at this week’s GeekPwn conference in Shanghai suggests that Sony’s PlayStation 4 has been hacked, as a recently released video shows the console running an unsanctioned Linux build courtesy of a web browser exploit.
While details regarding the hack are not yet known, a browser-based security issue in PS4 firmware version 4.01 could potentially allow users to root the upcoming PlayStation 4 Pro console in order to run unlicensed applications and games.
Originally seen at GeekPwn this week, the video above purports to show that Sony’s current-gen gaming console can be rooted by visiting a specific website within its built-in web browser. After confirming that the featured PlayStation 4 unit has been updated with its latest Sony-issued system software, members of the Pavilion Safety Research Lab point the console’s web browser to a site that appears to install rooting software.
The video then jump-cuts to a command line interface, which soon becomes what appears to be a fully fledged Linux installation. The pair then demonstrates the hack’s potential applications by loading up a Nintendo Entertainment System emulator and playing the original Super Mario Bros. using the PS4’s DualShock 4 controller.
Previous PlayStation 4 system hacks required firmware version 1.76, which has long been superseded by multiple downloadable updates from Sony. PS4 consoles with legacy firmware have since become rare, as new console shipments are bundled with more recent system software.
While Sony has issued updated PS4 firmware that will likely address the new exploit, Eurogamer notes that initial shipments of Sony’s upgraded PlayStation 4 Pro console are likely to include the same system software as seen in the video above, potentially allowing hackers to root the console at launch.
The PlayStation 4 has been a particular target for hackers since the unveiling of December’s fail0verflow hack, which allowed the console to boot Linux builds.
“Linux on the PS4 actually makes a lot of sense, more than it ever did on any previous game console,” fail0verflow previously stated. “It’s close enough to a PC that getting 3D acceleration working, while rather painful (as we’ve learned), seems entirely possible without undue effort (in a timeframe of months, not years), to the level needed for real indie games and even AAA titles, not just homebrew.”
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.