A newly smuggled smartphone from North Korea has just offered us a glimpse at the unusual depth of the state’s control in its citizens’ daily life. This model is packed with restrictions and surveillance tools that are tailored to reinforce the government’s message. So let’s have a look.

A Peek at North Korea’s Bizarre Smartphone

The rare look at this smartphone from North Korea comes from a BBC video, which was originally acquired by Seoul’s Daily NK. This paints an unsettling picture of the lives of North Koreans under Kim Jong Un’s regime. Right from the get-go, you see a North Korean flag as you power up the smartphone. While no official branding is revealed, it is immediately clear that the device is highly customized to fit the rigid requirements of the government.

The smartphone comes with automatic censorship that can detect when certain words are being used. This even includes something as simple as “oppo”, which is a Korean term for older brother. But in South Korea, girls often use it to refer to their boyfriends. So this device changes the word to “comrade” and also shares a warning message. Taking things even further, you can’t even type “South Korea” since it can automatically be changed to “puppet state”.

The North Korean government routinely monitors these smartphones since the phone silently captures a screenshot every five minutes. These images are then stored in a hidden folder that users can’t access. But as one can surmise, the screenshots are likely being used to monitor the user’s daily activities.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Tech enthusiast? Get the latest news first! Follow our Telegram channel and subscribe to our free newsletter for your daily tech fix!

The post An unsettling look at a North Korean smartphone appeared first on Gizmochina.

Artificial intelligence technologies continue to evolve and expand their areas of application. Today, we can see the presence of this technology in many sectors. However, it’s not only private companies that are using AI. Many governments around the world are also working to benefit from AI’s capabilities. The only concern here is that AI isn’t always used by well-intentioned individuals for the right purposes. According to recent information, North Korea has acquired AI and is testing its capability for cyberwarfare. Here are the details…

North Korea Tests AI for Cyberwarfare, Raising Fears of New Attacks

North Korea is arguably one of the most mysterious countries on Earth. Although its citizens are isolated from the outside world and often lack access to many modern technologies, it doesn’t mean the government lacks them too. In fact, the country, led by Kim Jong-Un, frequently harnesses modern technologies for its own purposes.

North Korea is well known for its cyber attacks, which have targeted a broad spectrum of organizations, including governments, businesses, and individuals. Now, North Korea has acquired AI and wants to use it for cyberwarfare. According to a report prepared by the US, North Korea has become the first nation to adopt AI technologies for cyberattacks.

AI could enable the country to carry out more sophisticated and effective cyberattacks. Additionally, it could make defending against these attacks more challenging. The Asian nation often uses the gains from these attacks to make money, harm their “enemies,” and create propaganda.

The main point of curiosity is how North Korea acquired this technology. As you may know, advanced hardware components like the Nvidia H100 chip are needed for AI, and it’s certain that the mentioned country cannot produce this on its own. The consensus among experts is that the necessary components were purchased through a front company. However, the software aspect remains a mystery for now.

RELATED:

• Cheapest iPad to buy in 2023 (US)
• How Vivo’s AI Large Model Matrix Will Change the Way We Use Our Smartphones
• Google Assistant Your New Best Friend in the Digital World
• MediaTek and OPPO collaborate to bring large-model AI to the edge
• AMD acquires AI software startup Nod.AI to enhance its Open-Source AI Capabilities

(via)

The post North Korea’s AI-Powered Cyberwarfare Program: A New Threat to the World appeared first on Gizmochina.

It is known that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is an Apple Mac user but what we don’t seem to know is that the country’s leader isn’t the only fan of the U.S. tech company in the alienated country. A new product by a North Korean tech company – Ryonghung has revealed what could be a strong sentiment for Apple products. The Ryonghung iPad is a tablet PC except that it is bearing Apple’s trademarked name.

If it were in another country, we believe Apple would have been preparing to send its army of lawyers after the company’s ass so they’ll slug it out in the court. But it is North Korea, stuff like that doesn’t matter. Besides, this is not the first time such infringement would be happening. Some years back, a desktop PC that bears all the similarity in design to Apple’s iMac was spotted in a trade fair in Pyongyang. 

Read More: Apple iPad Mini Series May Get Discontinued Soon

In case you are wondering what lies inside the Ryonghung iPad, just know that it is nowhere near Apple’s iPad models. It looks like a low-end Android tablet and in fact, packs a Quad-core  1.2GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, 8GB storage and an HDMI cable. It also comes with a keyboard and internet connectivity. We’re not sure of what software the tablet run but it sure runs something, anything. Does it matter because you’re definitely not going to be seeing this budget “iPad” anywhere outside North Korea?

(source)

The post North Korean Company Names Own Tablet iPad appeared first on Gizmochina.