Verizon is pulling two advertisements for its 5G network that boasted of the potential benefits of faster speeds for firefighters and first responders. The move comes after T-Mobile filed a series of complaints with the National Advertising Division of BBB National Programs. Specifically, T-Mobile took issue with the ads’ suggestions that Verizon’s network “generally provides sufficient …

After launching on Android and iOS last month, the Roku Channel, the streaming company’s free, standalone TV service, is now available on Amazon Fire TV devices, the company said in a blog post Thursday. That includes Fire TV streamers and also Fire TV Edition smart TVs and soundbars. With 115 live channels and a library of more than 100,000 ad-supported …

Google is bringing Google Assistant voice controls to select third-party Android apps, the company announced in a blog post Thursday. Examples of new, app-specific voice commands Android users can take advantage of. Google “Opening and searching within Android apps using ‘Hey Google’ is now available to all Assistant-enabled Android phones,” wrote Google product manager Adam Coimbra. “For example, you can …

For months, we’ve been hearing rumors that a new Google Chromecast streamer was in the works. Code-named Sabrina, the device was reportedly being built around a revised and full-fledged Android TV interface, with a debut planned for fall. Now, weeks ahead of the Sept. 30 virtual event where we expect it to debut, a new leak posted on the German …

Apple is delaying plans to require iOS developers to request permission from app users before collecting their unique device ID for the purposes of ad tracking, the company said Thursday. “When enabled, a system prompt will give users the ability to allow or reject that tracking on an app-by-app basis,” Apple told CNET. “We want to give developers the time …

Google Assistant got a bit more helpful today thanks to some new features for Google Assistant Snapshot on Android devices and in the Google Assistant app on iOS. First released two years ago, Google Assistant Snapshot pulls personal info like calendar appointments, flight times and expected package deliveries into a single, easily digestable overview that updates automatically throughout the day. Now Google …

It probably isn’t a stretch to say that most of us are staying in and watching more TV than usual these days. Now Google wants to rise to the occasion by making it easier to search for stuff to watch, whether that’s a baseball game or your favorite terrible reality show. “Today we’re adding new features to Google Search in …

Update, Aug. 3: The Pixel 4A is here. Read CNET’s review. Original story follows. We think we know a fair amount about Google’s next flagship smart phone — presumably the Pixel 4A — but we didn’t have a firm sense of when the thing would actually arrive. That changed Thursday, thanks to a clever tease posted to the Made by Google Facebook …

Samsung hasn’t officially announced what’s next for the Galaxy lineup, but that isn’t stopping the Korean conglomerate from taking reservations for whatever it might be. A new splash page on Samsung’s website calls on consumers to “be the first to experience the next Galaxy.” Rumors and leaks point to a new Galaxy Note device — namely, the Note 20. On …

T-Mobile is preparing to make support for Voice over LTE a requirement for all new devices, according to a report Thursday. The move was reportedly detailed in internal T-Mobile documents obtained by Android Police. The requirement won’t mean much for users at first, but as of January 2021, “T-Mobile will require all devices connecting to our nationwide 4G LTE and 5G networks …