Now you can send auto-expiring emails from Gmail on your mobile
With the recent update to Gmail, Google added a number of features to its email service. One of the new features is Confidential Mode which allows for the sending of auto-expiring messages -- although, as we have previously noted, it's not perfect by any means.
Available on the web version of Gmail for a number of weeks now, the feature is finally rolling out to iOS and Android users.
If you want to record calls in Android 9 Pie, you'll need to root your phone
Recording phone calls is dodgy territory legally speaking, but whether you choose to do it depends on where you are in the world, and whether you're concerned about complying with the law. Since Marshmallow, Google has made it difficult to record calls on Android phones by killing the recording API, but this has not stopped third party developers finding ways around it.
But with Android 9 Pie, Google has made it impossible for apps such as Call Recorder - ACR and BoldBeast Android Call Recorder to be used to record calls. Unless, that is, you're willing -- or able -- to root your handset.
How to enable Chrome's secret Emoji Context Menu to make it easier to type emoji
The likes of Duolingo have made it easier than ever to learn French, Spanish, Polish, Hebrew or whatever other tongue tickles your fancy, but the language of the internet is -- arguably -- emoji. On your mobile phone, these handy little characters are easy to type, but less so on your computer.
To make things a little easier, Google Chrome now has a hidden Emoji Context Menu that you can enable. Once activated, this menu can be used to access an emoji picker to add emoji to text fields. Here's how to enable it.
Google is tracking your location even when you tell it not to
An investigation by the Associated Press has found that Google is tracking the location of Android and iPhone users even when privacy settings supposedly explicitly stop this from happening.
The AP concedes that "for the most part, Google is upfront about asking permission to use your location information", but its investigation -- the findings of which were confirmed by researchers from Princeton -- showed that Google services recorded user data even when Location History was disabled.
Campfire leak: Google could bring Windows 10 support to Chromebooks, Boot Camp-style
Google could be about to add Windows 10 support to a range of Chromebooks, according to a new leak.
The appearance earlier in the year of a new project called Campfire showed that Google was working on bringing Windows 10 support to Pixelbooks. But now it seems that the option to dual boot Chrome OS and Windows 10 could spread to a wider range of Chromebooks.
Google Play shows warning to anyone searching for Fortnite APKs
The arrival of Fortnite on Android has not only been eagerly awaited, but also steeped in controversy. In addition to making the game a Samsung exclusive (for a few days, anyway), Epic Games decided to bypass Google Play and host APK downloads on its own servers.
But this isn't going to stop people looking for Fortnite in the Play Store. Google is well aware of this, and that there is the potential for fake, scam apps to appear, tricking users into downloading something malicious. As such, the company is taking action, and is showing a warning to anyone who searches for Fortnite in Google Play.
Google has slashed the size of Android apps
To tie in with the launch of Android 9 Pie, Google has given a glimpse into the improvements it has made to the app store.
In a blog post aimed primarily at developers, the director of Google Play, Purnima Kochikar, said that improved discovery features had helped to boost visits to the store by 30 percent while new tools helped to dramatically reduce crash rates. Google also points to new techniques which have enabled it to reduce app size by up to 65 percent.
Chrome starts to use native notifications in Windows 10
With the roll out of Chrome 68, Google is making an important change to its browser's notification system. Rather than issuing website notifications within the browser, Chrome will instead start to make use of the Windows 10 Action Center to display them.
While the change may not be viewed by everyone as a major one, it will help to provide a more consistent experience for people who choose to enable notifications from their favorite websites.
Android 9 is... Android Pie! Seriously, Google?
Google has revealed what the P in Android P -- otherwise known as Android 9 -- stands for. Despite previous suggestions that it was going to be Pistachio, it is in fact Android Pie.
Just let that half-assed name sink in for a moment. Pie. Not even a specific pie to evoke some sort of imagery. Just a bog standard, run of the mill, common or garden... pie. The name is something of a damp squib and now the game of wait-and-see-if-I-actually-get-the-update begins. Google has already made the source code available on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), and Pie is rolling out to Pixel owners now. Everyone else will just have to wait to see when -- or if -- they get it. So what's new?
Confirmed: Fortnite for Android will risk players' security by sidestepping Google Play
Fortnite for Android is one of the most eagerly-anticipated game launches of recent times, but the impending release could turn out to be something of a security nightmare. Following on from recent rumors, Epic Games has confirmed that Fortnite will not be made available through the Google Play Store.
Instead users will have to download the game directly from Fortnite.com -- something which means they will have to lower the security settings for their phone by allowing the installation of apps from unknown sources. Despite the security risks involved in this, Epic is eager to avoid paying a 30 percent cut to Google for Play Store distribution; but how long before the plan backfires?
Leaked report shows Google plans a censored search engine for China... but China says otherwise
A leaked document suggests that Google is planning on making a return to China, launching a censored version of its search engine to comply with strict Chinese laws.
Going by the codename of Dragonfly, the project has been in the works since 2017 and has led to the creation of China-specific Android apps with the internal testing names Maotai and Longfei. But while the documents and people familiar with the matter say that the launch date could be just six to nine months away, China says the reports are not true.
Hate phone notches? Google says Android handsets can never have more than two
Phones with notches are incredibly divisive, but since Apple launched the iPhone X complete with a little screen cutout, there have been endless copies from other handset manufacturers. But is one notch enough? How about two or more?
If you fall into the "hate" camp when it comes to notches and cutouts it may be hard to convince you to buy such a phone, but for everyone else, Google has set out some new ground rules stating how many a phone can have, and where they can be located.
New Google policies ban cryptocurrency miners from the Play Store
Google has issued an update to its Play Store policies banning cryptocurrency mining apps.
A new addition to the Developer Policy Center now explicitly states: "We don't allow apps that mine cryptocurrency on devices. We permit apps that remotely manage the mining of cryptocurrency". Google has also introduced a number of other restrictions including a ban on apps that allow for the sale of firearms.
Lenovo Smart Display with Google Assistant now available for purchase
Hardware voice assistants are all the rage these days, but let's be honest -- humans are very visual creatures by nature. It's great to interact with our voices and ears, but it can be limiting too. For instance, if you want to ask a voice assistant, such as Alexa, what a dog is, she can tell you. But isn't it better to be shown as well? In other words, in certain situations audio-only is fine, but in others, visualization can be a plus. It is good to have choice.
Amazon saw the light and introduced Echo devices with screens, such as the Echo Show and Echo Spot. Now it's Google's turn. Today, the search giant announces the first-ever devices using its Smart Display platform are available for purchase. If you aren't familiar, it is essentially a tablet that is intended to primarily be stationary -- so you always know where it is. It is a Google Home on steroids, if you will. There are just two models to be had today, both from Lenovo.
Chrome has a secret Material Design mode -- here's how to enable it
With the launch of Chrome 68 a few days ago, Google changed the way it handled non-HTTPS websites. But the browser update also hides a secret -- a Material Design mode that you can enable by tinkering with the relevant hidden settings.
The new look is currently available on the desktop and in the iOS version of Chrome, and it gives the browser a much cleaner, fresher look and a bit of a UI rejig.
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.