Articles about Android

Orange Pi is an affordable alternative to the Raspberry Pi. There are several versions of the open-source computer available, including the recently released Orange Pi 5 and Orange Pi 800, and they can run a choice of operating systems, such as Android, Ubuntu, Debian Image and more.

There’s also now a dedicated Android-based operating system called Orange Pi OS which, as well as being able to run a large selection of Android applications, also offers quick switching between Windows 11 and macOS style themed desktops.

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While there are numerous ways to save links, text and other information you need to refer to later, sending an email to oneself is a method that many people rely on. But soon you could use WhatsApp to send yourself a message instead.

Currently in beta testing, the feature is one that will be welcomed by many users, particularly those who use WhatsApp across multiple devices. Here's what we know so far.

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The trouble with mobile phones is they rely on a battery and you can almost guarantee that with today's high-res screens and power-hungry applications it never seems to be fully charged when you want it to be.

If you want to avoid waiting for a charge to complete or using your phone while tethered to a wall socket, the team at charger specialist MAGFAST has created an infographic with tips to help you ensure your phone charges faster.

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Google has announced today that it's bringing passkey support to both Chrome and Android. Passkeys offer a significantly safer replacement for passwords and other phishable authentication factors and mark another step towards a passwordless future.

If you're unfamiliar with passkeys, they're a joint initiative from Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Unlike a password the key is stored exclusively on your devices and never gets shared with anyone else.

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Microsoft has revealed details of a high severity vulnerability in the TikTok app for Android. The Microsoft 365 Defender Research Team shares news of the now-fixed security flaw which the company says could have allowed an attacker to take over a victim’s account by simply getting them to click a malicious link.

With hundreds of millions of users around the world, TikTok is one of the most popular social platforms at the moment; the potential damage from the successful exploitation of such a vulnerability is huge.

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Thousands of Android apps have hard-coded secrets which means that a malicious actor -- and not necessarily a very skilled one -- could gain access to API keys, Google Storage buckets and unprotected databases and more.

Research from Cybernews shows that over half of 30,000 investigated apps are leaking secrets that could have huge repercussions for both app developers and their customers.

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RCS is a cross-platform messaging protocol designed as a successor to the outdated SMS and MMS standards, and Google today launches a new website to try and shame Apple into adopting it.

If you have an iPhone and message Android-owning friends regularly using the Apple’s Messages app, then you’ll know that the message bubbles show up in different colors -- blue for fellow iPhone owners, and green for those on Android. However, you might also have encountered problems like low res photos and videos, missing read receipts and typing indicators, and broken group chats when engaging in cross-platform messaging. This, Google says bluntly, is down to Apple.

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Google's Pixel phones are a dream come true for vanilla-Android fans -- on paper, at least. Sadly, the search giant has failed mightily when it comes to its phones, as the devices are often riddled with bugs. The Pixel line of phones just can't stand up to the high-quality hardware and software Apple provides with the iPhone.

If you still want a Pixel phone, however, but are concerned about it being buggy, then it would be foolish to buy one -- especially at full price. What if the device was free, though? Well, if it costs nothing, then maybe it is worth taking the gamble and dealing with potential bugs. Well, folks, I am happy to report that you can get Google's newest phone, the Pixel 6a, for free when signing up with either Xfinity Mobile or Comcast Business Mobile.

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Do you want to feel old? Google Play launched in 2012! In other words, Google's digital store has now existed for a decade. Google Play has become a centralized digital store for both software and media, including mobile apps, games, books, television shows, and movies.

Is Google Play a good store, though? That is debatable. While it is has plenty of quality offerings, it is polluted with low-quality apps and games too. Even worse, some of the software downloads are designed by nefarious developers looking to trick and defraud unsuspecting users. Yes, Google Play actually contains some malware. Sadly, Google's digital store just isn't as safe as Apple's superior App Store.

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Microsoft has fully embraced Linux with the release of Windows Subsystem for Linux, opening up exciting possibilities for fans of Linux-based distros. The company has also shown support for Android, with the Windows Subsystem for Android making it possible to run mobile apps and games in Windows 11.

Now the company has made a significant update to Windows Subsystem for Android, making huge improvements to its networking capabilities.

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Passwords. Despite numerous predictions of their demise we still can't live without them. Using strong passwords though, especially if you have several devices, means using a password manager to help you keep track.

Google Password Manager has been around in Chrome since 2008, but it's always offered a somewhat different experience on desktop and mobile devices. Until now that is.

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Microsoft has been working on a new security tool for a while now to help protect you and your family’s data and devices against online threats, such as malware and phishing attacks.

Three months ago it made a preview build of Microsoft Defender available for Windows Insiders to try out, and today it announces the tool's official availability for Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers.

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The Microsoft 365 Defender Research Team has shared details of several high-severity vulnerabilities found in a mobile framework used in popular apps associated with a number of big names.

The framework is owned by mce Systems, and is used in apps from numerous mobile providers. The apps -- from the likes of AT&T, Rogers Communications and Bell Canada -- are often pre-installed on Android handsets, but they have also been downloaded millions of times. If exploited, the vulnerabilities allow for local or remote attacks, including command injection and privilege escalation attacks.

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Making payments online is fraught with potential dangers, and there is risk involved with making purchases with your credit card. To help offer a level of protection, many companies -- including the likes of Revolut -- enable their customers to create virtual, disposable credit cards.

Inspired by this, Google is building the same functionality into Chrome. The company announced the upcoming payment security feature at Google I/O, saying that there will be support for autofilling details to help speed up transactions.

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The Google Pixel 6a was announced today, and there is both good and bad news regarding it. The good news is, the Android smartphone doesn't cost an arm, nor does it cost a leg. Yes, as is typical with Google's "a" smartphones, the 6a is inexpensive. This is very much appreciated at a time when inflation is causing everything to be so expensive. The bad news we can touch on in a bit...

Despite being fairly affordable at just $450, the Pixel 6a is powered by the famed Google Tensor processor that is also found in both the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. The Pixel 6a has some other nice specifications too. For instance, you get 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, and that's it -- there's only one configuration to be had. I rather like that strategy, as it makes things less confusing for consumers.

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