Security research firm Kryptowire has again exposed a hive of potentially malicious activity by preinstalled apps on cheaply produced Android phones. In research funded by the US Department of Homeland Security, the firm found apps secretly recording audio, changing phone settings without user permission and even granting themselves new permissions. Kryptowire’s research is the latest …
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In an internal email Friday, Google CEO Sundar Pichai told employees the company won’t be having biweekly town hall meetings anymore. Pichai said the TGIF meetings will be cut down to once a month and will focus on “product and business strategy” rather than internal politics. “TGIF has traditionally provided a place to come together, share progress and ask questions, but …
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Google has a new feature to help you learn to pronounce those words you read all the time but have no idea how to say. The feature announced Thursday will even show you an image representing the word so you know what it is or means, and help you practice how to say it. “We’re helping people pronounce tricky words …
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Google is finally replacing traditional SMS text messaging with a more Apple iMessage-like texting option that offers read receipts, the ability to message over Wi-Fi or mobile data, and the ability to leave group chats. The improved texting is powered by technology called RCS, which stands for Rich Communication Services, and begins rolling out Thursday, Google said. Most Android users …
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A long period of beta incubation has come to an end with the release of Brave 1.0, the privacy-focused speed demon of a browser that’s been turning heads with its cavalier approach to ad-blocking and its promises of cryptocurrency payouts. The open source brainchild of Javascript creator and Mozilla project co-founder Brendan Eich, Brave now touts more than 8 million users …
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It may not be obvious, but you’re almost certainly using AI every day. Artificial intelligence-boosting hardware in your phone enables voice recognition and spots your friends in photos. In the cloud, it delivers search results and weeds out spam email. Next up for dedicated AI hardware will be your laptop, Intel expects. Computer and software makers haven’t started clamoring for hardware …
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All modern televisions use one of two basic display technologies: LCD and OLED. The vast majority are LCD, and only some more recent TVs from LG and Sony are OLED. While LCD may be the norm, OLED TVs offer better picture quality overall, though at a higher price. You may have heard OLED discussed when it comes to mobile phone …
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After four years of development, Brave Software has released version 1.0 of its browser, an iconoclastic product that strips out conventional website advertisements but that can pay you to see other ads the browser itself supplies. The update brings the payment scheme to iPhones and iPads, meaning that Apple mobile device owners using the browser can now cash in on …
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Google plans to start offering checking accounts to consumers next year. The accounts will be run by Citigroup and a credit union at Stanford University, the tech giant confirmed on Wednesday. “Our approach is going to be to partner deeply with banks and the financial system,” Google’s Caesar Sengupta told The Wall Street Journal, which earlier reported on the company’s plans. …
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Google Play Points has arrived in the US, Google said in a Monday tweet. The rewards program previously launched in Japan and South Korea. Users can earn points on purchases, including in-app items and subscriptions, and can score up to four times as many points during special events. They can also get bonus points for downloading featured apps and games. …
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