Android app developers will soon need approval from the Google Play team before accessing a user’s location data in the background, according to an Android Developers Blog post Wednesday. In determining approval, the new Google Play policy will consider whether the app’s location-tapping feature delivers clear value to the user, if the feature is important …

You may be hearing a lot of talk about Microsoft’s Windows 10 ($144 at Amazon) operating system lately, since the tech giant recently ended support for its predecessor Windows 7 ($5 at Target) and is encouraging users to upgrade their devices. But Windows 10 isn’t the only version of the OS out there: There’s also Windows 10 S, a stripped-down …

Apple’s Touch Bar is getting some competition from Microsoft. On Tuesday, the tech giant revealed more details about its Wonder Bar — a touch bar that will be built into dual-screen devices with its Windows 10X operating system.  The Wonder Bar seeks to tap into the familiarity of a laptop while also increasing productivity and multitasking by acting as a virtual …

This story is part of Elections 2020, CNET’s coverage of the voting in November and its aftermath. Results from Monday’s Iowa caucus were delayed for days because of problems with a smartphone app used to tabulate and report results, causing chaos and frustration among campaigns and voters. A reported coding issue caused the app to only report out partial data, Iowa Democratic Chairman Troy Price said …

Motorola’s much-anticipated revamped foldable Razr phone finally hit stores Thursday. If you’re one of the 50 million people who bought the original Moto Razr V3 between 2004 and 2006 and are feeling nostalgic for that sleek metal keyboard, I have good news: The new Razr phone has a hidden “Retro Razr” mode that turns your modern touchscreen into the user …

On Wednesday, Apple released the first developer betas of iOS 13.4 and MacOS 10.15.4, with several new features that will make the platforms more useful.  The iOS 13.4 developer beta includes nine new Memoji Stickers (expressing celebration, eye rolling, and huffing with anger, among other emotions) for Messages, FaceTime, and other apps that use your phone’s keyboard. CarPlay also has …

Several Windows 10 users are encountering problems with the operating system’s search functionality, ZDNet and other publications reported on Wednesday. When they click the magnifying glass icon to open the Windows Search function, the window is completely blank, some users reported on Microsoft’s community forum and on Twitter.  was there a recent windows 10 update which broke the search functionality? …

Windows 10 has been around for five years, but it’s only now that Microsoft’s support for Windows 7 is dead and gone that the question arises: How long will Windows 10 last before Microsoft replaces it? Will we see a Windows 11 at some point?  Luckily, we know the answer. Microsoft has a long-established Fixed Lifecycle Policy for many of …

Apple will release new iPhone, iPad Pro, MacBook Pro and/or MacBook Air models in the first half of 2020, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo’s latest forecast, earlier reported by MacRumors. Other products Kuo predicts will be released include high-end Bluetooth headphones, a smaller wireless charging mat, and the long-rumored Ultra Wideband tracking tags. Kuo’s forecast is largely in line …

Fitbit has finally activated its blood oxygen monitoring feature on its Versa, Versa Lite, Versa 2, Ionic and Charge 3 wearables, after years of waiting, the company confirmed to CNET on Wednesday. While Apple still holds the largest smart watch market share, Fitbit (which Google has agreed to buy, in a deal expected to close this year) beat it to the punch …