Excess permissions put Android app users' data at risk
Over a third of the 1,020 most-downloaded Android apps on the Google Play store request access to a user's camera -- despite no obvious benefit for user experience and potentially placing sensitive data at risk.
Research from CyberNews also shows one in three apps request access to track a user's precise, or approximate, location. Excluding those that require such access to function, such as weather or navigation, applications attempting invasive access included gaming and even wallpaper, which appear to have no legitimate reason to track location data.
Download Avdan's amazing Windows, Android and iPadOS concept wallpapers now
Although there are a number of talented designers creating operating system concepts, YouTuber (and full-time medical student) Kamer Kaan Avdan leads the way.
He has designed professional concepts for updated versions of Windows 95, Windows XP and Windows 7, as well as Apple’s version of Windows 10, and Windows 20. Most recently he gave us his vision of iPadOS 15.
Teracube 2e Android phone can change the world -- available today for $199
I love smartphones, but I hate how expensive they have gotten. If you can afford to spend $1,000 or more on a phone, more power to you. However, for most people, that is simply way too much money. Not to mention, companies pressure you to upgrade the phones every year or two, leading to waste. Landfills are likely overwhelmed by "obsolete" devices.
A company called Teracube has had enough of sky-high pricing, lack of software updates, and wasteful marketing tactics. Today, the manufacturer finally begins selling its latest model. Called "Teracube 2e," this $199 Android phone has the potential to change the world thanks to it’s focus on the environment. It even comes with an impressive 4-year warranty and the promise of at least 3 years of software updates.
Beeper is a cross-platform messaging tool that supports iMessage, WhatsApp and more
There are a huge number of messaging apps to choose from these days, and the chances are that many people you know use different chat tools. You may use Facebook Messenger with your family, WhatsApp with friends, and Slack for work, for example.
While there are various apps that claim to unify the chat experience and let you chat across multiple networks, they always miss out an important player. The same cannot be said of Beeper. This app lets you chat with people across no fewer than 15 messaging platforms, including Apple's iMessage, across MacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
Sorry, Americans, but you can't buy this amazing Xiaomi Mi 11 Android smartphone
Being an American is pretty great. After all, we get to live in the best country in the world. We have many freedoms that other countries do not, such as speech, press, and religion to name a few. And when it comes to tech products, we usually get access to the best. Thanks to the xenophobic Donald Trump we can't have Huawei products, but I digress.
With all of that said, China gets some amazing tech exclusives -- especially when it comes to smartphones. For instance, Xiaomi phones are quite beautiful and powerful, but rarely destined for the USA -- unless you import one. Today, that company unveils its latest Android-based flagship. Called "Mi 11," it is gorgeous with impressive specs, but it will not come to America officially.
New spyware seeks to blackmail Android and iOS users
Researchers at mobile device security company Lookout have uncovered a new strain of spyware targeting iOS and Android users in multiple Asian countries.
Called Goontact, it targets users lured to illicit sites and steals personal information stored on their mobile devices in order to carry out sextortion scams.
Free app helps consumers understand and reduce their cyber risk
Cybercrime is a major concern and many people worry about the threat of their personal data being stolen, leading to identity theft.
A new free app from cybersecurity and digital business risk quantification specialist Lucideus aims to fundamentally change the way consumers secure and protect their digital lives.
Project Latte could see Android app support coming to Windows 10
Having already embraced Linux with WSL 2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux), Microsoft looks set to do the same with Android. The company is said to be working on a project which will make it possible to run Android apps in Windows 10.
The arrival of a new subsystem in Windows 10 is something that will be welcomed by Android fans looking to enjoy mobile apps on the desktop. While Microsoft is yet to confirm its plans, Project Latte could see the light of day as soon as late 2021.
This beautiful Android 12 design could lure me away from the iPhone
I’ve switched between owning an iPhone and various Android handsets over the years, but for me iOS remains easily the best mobile operating system (and iPhone 12 Pro the best smartphone). It would take something very special to tempt me back to Android.
Something like this stylish vision of Android 12.
Baidu apps with 6 million US downloads found to be leaking sensitive user data
Security researchers from Palo Alto Networks have discovered that apps produced by Chinese firm Baidu have been leaking sensitive data about users.
Baidu Search Box and Baidu Maps -- which have been downloaded more than six millions times in the US alone -- were found to be sending details such as MAC addresses, phone models, IMSI and IMEI to a server in China. The researchers warned Google about the activity of the Android apps which were then removed from the Play Store.
TCL 10 5G UW is an affordable next-gen Verizon Android smartphone
5G is no longer the future -- it is the present. There are plenty of phones with 5G radios (including the new iPhone 12 series), and all major cell providers offer this next generation of connectivity. The thing is, not all 5G is created equally. For instance, T-Mobile offers the best 5G coverage, while Verizon's ultra wideband is the fastest. Unfortunately, when it comes to the latter, it can be hard to find an UW tower. So while Verizon has the best speed, it can be hard to achieve it.
With all of that said, Verizon has some hardcore fans that swear by its service, and if that is you, you are probably itching to get a new 5G ultra wideband phone. Sure, you could go with an iPhone 12, but Apple's offerings are quite pricey. Thankfully, up-and-coming phone-maker TCL has a new smartphone that works with Verizon's 5G and is very affordable.
SanDisk Ixpand Wireless Charger Sync creates local backups while charging
If you are like me, you charge your smartphone every night before bed. While some people still use old-school charging cables, many others -- including yours truly -- use a Qi wireless charger instead. I prefer this more modern option, as I can just drop my phone on the charging pad when I am exhausted -- no need to fiddle with plugging something in like a caveman.
Most Qi wireless chargers are pretty much all the same these days, but now, SanDisk has a new model that offers an incredibly useful feature. Called "Ixpand Wireless Charger Sync," the charging pad contains flash storage that allows the phone to automatically back up files locally while charging. How insanely cool is that?
TCL TAB Android tablet for Verizon is a spiritual successor to the Google Nexus 7
Google's Nexus 7 was undoubtedly the greatest Android tablet of all time. Its small size (7-inch screen) and lightweight body made it perfect to hold in the hand, making it ideal for consuming media and surfing the web. Not to mention it was very affordable. Sadly, the search-giant stopped selling the Nexus 7, and then ultimately left the Android tablet market altogether.
While no company can ever fill the hole in our hearts left by the Nexus 7, the TCL TAB Android tablet might actually come quite close. This no-nonsense device from TCL is exclusive to Verizon, meaning it does have 4G LTE connectivity -- very nice. It does not have 5G, however. It does have modern niceties such as USB-C charging, reverse charging, and a fingerprint reader. Its overall look is very reminiscent of the Nexus 7, and despite it having an 8-inch display, its dimensions are very similar too.
Google Maps adds new COVID-19 layer so you can track coronavirus trends
Many countries are in the process of rolling out "track and trace" mobile apps to make it easier for people to determine whether they have been in contact with anyone who has contracted coronavirus. Now Google has added a new layer to Google Maps that shows local information about COVID-19.
The optional layer shows a seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases for whatever area of the map you are looking at, and Google says that the aim of the new feature is to enable people to "make more informed decisions about where to go and what to do".
LG Wing 5G is a wonderfully weird phone that keeps Android fun and fresh
The Android smartphone market has long been rather stale, with many companies simply bumping up specifications rather than trying to innovate. Yeah, things like faster processors, better cameras, and 5G radios are great, but consumers are becoming indifferent to new phone launches due to a lack of innovation. It feels like evolution rather than revolution.
Thankfully, LG has retained its weird side, creating devices like the V60 ThinQ 5G, which pre-dates Microsoft's much-maligned Surface Duo. LG is willing to take risks, which is keeping Android fun and fresh. Today, the company unveils its latest innovative product -- the Wing 5G. This smartphone is like nothing you have ever seen. The main display flips out to unveil a second hidden display underneath. This creates a "letter T" form-factor, which should be great for multitasking.
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