ProtonMail criticizes Gmail's confidential mode for being neither secure nor private
Privacy-focused ProtonMail has lashed out at Google, saying the "confidential mode" available in Gmail is "misleading" and "little more than a marketing strategy". It says that people "don't need to settle for fake privacy"
Pointing out that Gmail's confidential mode lack end-to-end encryption, ProtonMail says that the email service is "not secure or private". The company says that Gmail can still read your emails, and that expiring emails are not as secure as Google would have users believe.
There will be no more tablets from Google
Google is getting out of the tablet-making business, but says that it will continue to produce smartphones and laptops.
The announcement means that Google is ceasing work on two unreleased Pixel tablets, with the company's head of hardware saying: "Google's hardware team will be solely focused on building laptops moving forward". While ditching tablets is not entirely surprising, Google is said to have been working on two new tablets until as recently as this week.
Google confirms that second-hand Nest Cams could have been used to spy on people
There been many concerns voiced about the privacy and security implications of many smart products. Some are well-founded, as a new admission from Google that its Nest Cams could be used to spy on people goes to show.
The problem does not center around hackers, but people who have sold or given away their Nest Cams. Even after the new owner performed a factory reset of the camera -- following Google's own instructions -- it was still possible for the original owner to access the camera feed.
Firefox needs an urgent firefix!
If you're a Firefox user, now is the time to update your browser. A zero-day vulnerability has been discovered which is being actively exploited in targeted attacks.
The security hole was revealed via Google's Project Zero, and it affects ALL versions of Firefox. In short, if you have not updated to Firefox 67.0.3 or Firefox ESR 60.7.1, you need to do so right now.
Google Calendar for web is currently down
Take the day off! Seriously, at the moment you have no appointments or meetings. Well, you still do, but if you’re relying on Google Calendar then you’re out of luck at this moment because the web version is currently not available.
Efforts to access calendar.google.com result in an error page being displayed. The white screen simply states "Not Found Error 404", something any half-experienced internet user will certainly be familiar with.
Google is bringing RCS messaging to users directly instead of waiting for carriers
There has been much talk about SMS successor RCS (Rich Communication Service) over the last year or so, but there has been little in the way of action. But this is about to change.
Seemingly tired of carriers and handset makers dawdling, Google is bringing RCS messaging to Android users in the UK and France. With Google taking control of RCS, the service could become the company's version of iMessage before long, and it means users will be able to experience it sooner than they might have expected.
Genius.com uses clever entrapment technique and accuses Google of stealing song lyrics from its site
Ask Google what the lyrics to a particular song are and the chances are that the search results will display them in an info pane as well as links to lyrics sites. But where does Google get these lyrics from? Have Googlers sat and manually transcribed the words to songs ready or when people search for them?
No. Actually, there's a high chance that Google has simply scraped the lyrics from other sites, and one lyrics website says it caught the company red-handed. Genius.com used "Morse code" to catch the company lifting content directly from its lyric database.
Google Photos will soon stop syncing to Google Drive
If you have come to rely on Google Drive to automatically backup the images you have in Google Photos, you may have to find another option very soon. Google has announced that as of July, the way Google Drive and Google Photos integrate with each other is changing.
In short, Google Photos will no longer be automatically synchronize with Google Drive. The change is coming because Google says it has, "feedback that the connection between these services is confusing".
Chrome 76 makes it easier to get around paywalls
Google is busy working away on Chrome 76, and the beta version of the browser includes a change that will please anyone looking to bypass paywalls and view articles for free.
Many people switch to Incognito Mode, aware that this makes it possible to access paywalled articles on sites such as the New York Times. Many sites offer a number of free articles to non-paying visitors, and using this mode makes it impossible to determine whether you have reached your free article limit or not. As such, some sites blocked access to anyone using Incognito Mode -- but Chrome 76 has a trick up its sleeve.
Google's streaming game service, Stadia, launches in November with an impressive line-up of games
Google's much-anticipated cloud gaming service, Stadia, is due to launch in November. The company has revealed the launch date, as well as details of pricing and the games you can expect to play -- including Baldur's Gate III.
In all, there are over 30 games confirmed for Stadia, and Google is ramping up the hype by giving gamers the chance to pre-order right now. Anyone placing an order for the Stadia Founder's Edition can enjoy a number of benefits including a limited edition controller and three months of Stadia Pro, the subscription option that gives access to some games.
Urban Armor Gear launches Scout Series cases for Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL
Smartphones are way too expensive these days, with prices for some flagships hovering around $1,000. If you are wealthy and have a lot of disposable income, this probably doesn't bother you. For regular folks, however, this is simply too much to ask. Thankfully, Google heard the cries from its more meager customers and released the well-received Pixel 3a and 3a XL smartphones, starting at $399 and $479 respectively.
Even though these phones are more affordable, that doesn't mean consumers can afford to break them. A case is still a wise investment, even if your smartphone costs less than $500. With that said, popular case-maker Urban Armor Gear (UAG) has released new Scout Series cases for both the Pixel 3a and 3a XL. The case is very rugged and officially sanctioned as a "Made For Google" accessory.
How to enable Google Chrome's secret Reader Mode
Google has released an update for its browser and while Chrome 75 isn’t, at first glance, the most exciting of releases (with the main focus being on fixing bugs), it does contain a nifty hidden feature.
Tucked away inside the browser is a secret Reader Mode. This is disabled by default, but can be enabled easily enough if you know how. Here’s what you need to do.
Google Assistant comes to Bose speakers (along with privacy concerns)
Believe it or not, Bose speakers are a bit controversial. While many consumers (including yours truly) enjoy the sound quality of Bose products, many self-proclaimed "audiophiles" tend to speak badly of the brand. The reality is, if you enjoy Bose speakers, that's all that matters -- ignore the haters.
Today, some existing Bose speakers are arguably getting even better. If you own a Bose Home Speaker 500, Bose Soundbar 500, or Bose Soundbar 700, you will get the always-listening Google Assistant functionality through a free automatic update.
Google is using Gmail to track your purchases
Google's business relies on gathering information about its users and customers, so the company take every opportunity it can to reap as much data as possible. As such, it should surprise no one to learn that Google has been using Gmail to keep a record of things you have bought -- both online and offline.
A little-known page (it's not exactly secret, but nor is it made particularly obvious) of your Google account reveals years of purchases. Google insists that the data on the Purchases page can only be seen by individuals, and is not used to tailor ads, but the clandestine, opaque nature of the tracking -- coupled with the fact that the data is tricky to delete -- is unlikely to go down well with Gmail users with concerns about privacy.
Google recalls Bluetooth version of Titan Security Key after discovering hacking vulnerability
Google is recalling the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) version of its Titan Security Key, and is offering free replacements to owners.
The recall comes after the company became aware of a security issue which could allow a nearby hacker to hijack the security device. Google says that the security issue only affects the Bluetooth versions of the 2FA device sold in the US.
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