Google: HTTPS usage is rising among Chrome users
Google is actively pushing websites to embrace HTTPS, going as far as to warn Chrome users when they visit a page that can transmit sensitive data over the unsecured HTTP protocol. The search giant hopes that this will speed up HTTPS adoption, and to help us keep track of how things evolve it has updated its Transparency Report to reveal how HTTPS usage is increasing among Chrome users.
Google says that the majority of pages that Chrome users access on desktops are now loaded via HTTPS, and two thirds of their time is spent on pages loading the secure communications protocol. The platform with the highest rate is Chrome OS, which is approaching the 75 percent mark.
Telecomms companies blacklist Samsung Galaxy Note7s to prevent people using dangerous phones
The Samsung Galaxy Note7 was one of the -- if not the -- most disastrous phone launches of all time. After numerous reports of handsets catching fire or exploding, Samsung was forced to recall the device -- but some people have been reluctant to give theirs up.
The phone may have been banned from planes, and Samsung has even offered a financial incentive to hand over the Galaxy Note7, but despite the potential danger many users are hanging onto their phones. In a drastic move to prevent them from being used, some mobile providers -- incoordination with Samsung -- are disconnecting Galaxy Note7s, rendering them all but useless.
How to remove unused Android phones and tablets from your Google Play account
If you visit Google Play on your computer, you can install apps to any of the Android devices you own. All you need to do is click the Install button and you'll then be presented with a list of your phones and tablets to choose from.
Over the years, you've probably owed a number of Android devices, and it's possible that this list has become a bit unwieldy. Why should you be forced to make a selection when you only have one phone? Here's how to clear up the list and make your life a little easier.
Huawei unveils 'Mate 9' and 'Porsche Design Mate 9' Android 7.0 Nougat smartphones
While the Android smartphone market was starting to feel stale, there have been many great offerings lately, such as LG V20, Google Pixel, and the LeEco Le Pro3. In other words, it is a great time to be buying an Android handset.
Today, Huawei adds another remarkable-looking Android smartphone to the list -- the much-anticipated 'Mate 9'. The 5.9-inch 1080p screen should look great, and the company promises two days of use from the 4,000mAh battery -- plus fast-charging, of course. It even has 4GB of RAM standard, plus 64GB of storage. Will consumers embrace the premium dual-sim device?
Microsoft's Windows is one of the 'other' smartphone platforms, says Strategy Analytics
Windows does not seem to have a future in the smartphone market, as the vast majority of consumers opt for either Android or iPhone. It is a sad state of affairs, but there is little that Microsoft and its partners can do now to turn things around. Judging by the software giant's most-recent press events, it seems that it has stopped trying to compete.
And this is reflected in the latest quarterly figures from Strategy Analytics. The report, which analyzes smartphone shipments in Q3 2016, puts Windows under the "Others" category, a place reserved for the least-popular platforms that only a handful of consumers are invested in.
Off-the-shelf Android spyware targets high level executives
The increasing commoditization of malware means that you no longer need to be a technical expert to launch an attack. You can simply buy the tools off the shelf.
Researchers at Skycure Research Labs have uncovered just such an off-the-peg spyware attack targeting senior company executives.
Rowhammer memory attack can root Android phones in seconds
Smartphones from LG, Samsung and Motorola are all vulnerable to an attack that makes it possible to gain root access in a matter of seconds. Known as Rowhammer, the attack works using a bit flipping technique that exploits a vulnerability in the design of RAM chips.
Because the attack takes advantage of a physical aspect of design, it is going to be difficult to quickly devise a fix. In the meantime, millions of smartphones are at risk of compromise in what could be as large an issue as the recently-discovered Dirty COW bug -- and there's an app you can use to check if you are at risk.
How to disable new tab article suggestions in Chrome 54 for Android
If you've updated Chrome on your Android smartphone to version 54, you may have noticed an annoyance. When you open a new tab, Google has now decided to spam users with "article suggestions". These -- you will be pleased to hear -- can be banished.
There's more than one reason that you might want to get rid of these suggestions, not least of which is that the feature involves Google keeping an eye on the sites you visit to come up with the suggestions. But the feature also replaces the far more useful bookmarks, and this is going to be enough to tip many users over the edge. Here's how to disable article suggestions.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1" with S Pen Android tablet comes to USA
The tablet market has gotten a bit stale lately. While Apple keeps chugging along with its innovative "Pro" iPad devices, the Android community hasn't seen much in the way of quality offerings. Sadly, many tablets running Google's mobile operating system are low-quality with scant support -- OS updates are often non-existent.
If you do want a quality Android tablet, Samsung is still cranking them out, and today it announces a new such model for the US market. The 'Galaxy Tab A 10.1" with S Pen' -- yeah, that is actually the full name -- will be in stores later this week at a very affordable price.
New Sway Democracy app wants to help you choose between Trump and Clinton
You've probably noticed that there's an election just around the corner. As Trump and Clinton battle it out there have been accusations that Russia is trying to interfere with the result, Julian Assange has been cut off from the internet to prevent him meddling, and Google has released a fact checker to help separate political fact from fiction.
There's no denying that this is one of the most important US elections ever, and the balance of power could be tipped by an important demographic -- millennials. With this in mind, a new app aims to help educate younger voters so no matter who they vote for, they are doing so in an informed way. Enter Sway Democracy.
Photo-to-painting converter FotoSketcher gets a test Android release
The popular PC "photo-to-painting" converter FotoSketcher is now available on Android in a very basic, advanced-user-only test release.
This alpha app is only available as a stand-alone .apk file, and if you manage to install it anyway you’ll find there’s only a single painting effect, and even that is a work-in-progress.
Chrome's bleeding edge Canary build now available for Android
Google offers a choice of Chrome versions, depending on how close to the cutting edge you want to be. You can choose to run either the stable release, or gain access to additional features by opting to join the beta channel. There’s also Canary, a "bleeding edge" build of Chrome that installs, runs and updates separately from the main browser.
This has previously only been available for Windows or Mac, but it’s now available on Android too.
Samsung Galaxy Note7 is banned from all US planes to avoid 'a catastrophic incident'
An emergency order has been pushed through by the US Transportation Department that means the Galaxy Note7 phones cannot be taken on board any US flight.
The grounding of the handset comes after Samsung stopped manufacturing it because of numerous reports of phones catching fire or exploding. It is yet another incentive for anyone who has hung onto the Note7 following a recall which saw Samsung offering customers $100 to switch to another phone from the company.
Twitter experiments with replacing Moments with a new Explore feature
The Moments feature could be set to disappear from Twitter's mobile apps. Having only recently announced the roll out of a curation option to everyone, Twitter is now experimenting with replacing it with a more inviting Explore feature.
Speaking to Mashable, Twitter confirmed that a "content discovery"-focused Explorer tab could replace Moments in the future. For now, though, there is an experimental change visible to some iOS and Android users that sees the Moments and Explore tabs show up side by side.
Samsung offers Galaxy Note7 owners $100 to stick with the company as it expands product recall
The cost of Samsung's explosive and disastrous Galaxy Note7 launch just keeps on mounting up. Having previously offered Galaxy Note7 owners $25 for anyone seeking a refund on their handset or switching to another brand, the company is now dangling the promise of a $100 sweetener to anyone willing to try their luck with another Samsung phone.
The expansion of the refund and exchange program starts today, and is accompanied by near-grovelling from Samsung president and COO Tim Baxter. Samsung is currently counting the financial cost of the recall -- but would the promise of a nice, crisp Benjamin be enough to entice you back?
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