Google just made Chrome for iOS much better -- Split View and Autofill are here
As soon as I come home every day, the first thing I do is grab my iPad. My iPhone gets connected to the charger and then it is tablet time. While I use a lot of apps, the one I use most is Safari. Yes, on the device with the best apps, I spend a lot of time surfing the web.
While I am totally satisfied with Safari, I am open to trying an alternative. On both Ubuntu and Windows 10 I use Chrome, so maybe I should use Google's browser on my iPad too. Well, today, the search giant makes its browser much more attractive to iOS users. The iPad version now offers Split View for compatible devices, while all iOS devices gain Autofill.
Apple releases iOS 9.1, OS X 10.11.1 El Capitan, watchOS 2.0.1 -- here's what's new
When Apple releases an update for iOS these days you can expect to find new versions of OS X and watchOS too. So, today, on top of making iOS 9.1 available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices, Apple is also bringing OS X 10.11.1 El Capitan to Macs and watchOS 2.0.1 to Apple Watch. So, let's take a look at what's new.
The common denominator between the three operating system updates is a refreshed collection of emoji, which now includes over 150 new items -- and, yes, the middle finger emoji is among them as the controversial photo above would suggest. But, probably, the most-awaited changes are under-the-hood.
Mac and iOS users warned about Apple support scam
Windows users have long been the primary targets of all manner of security attacks, but now the tide is turning towards Mac users. In recent years there have been more viruses and malware attacks aimed at OS X, and security company Malwarebytes is now warning that Mac owners could fall victim to support scams. iPhones and iPads are also at risk.
It's a story that will be familiar to PC owners: fake technical support agents offer to remotely connect to a victim's computer to fix a (fake) problem, and then take control of the system and wreak unknown havoc. Apple does have its own, genuine remote support system accessible through ara.apple.com, but fraudulent pages with similar addresses are being used to trick people into installing remote access software.
The New York Times embraces virtual reality with NYT VR app and Google Cardboard
The New York Times is an institution -- one of the most important and respected news outlets in history. While some will decry its pro-liberal stances, even conservatives cannot deny the strong writing and relevant topics.
Today, the news organization takes a very weird, albeit cool, path in its quest to stay relevant in the digital age. Shockingly, it is partnering with Google to embrace virtual reality with a new mobile app called "NYT VR"; I kid you not, folks. The app will require Google Cardboard, which the New York Times will give away to some of its readers as a promotion.
Apple pulls hundreds of iOS apps from its store for privacy violations
More than 250 apps have been pulled from the Apple App Store for secretly gathering users' information including email addresses, device serial numbers and details of other installed apps.
Apple's action comes as a result of a report from analytics service SourceDNA which uncovered the apps built using an SDK from a Chinese advertising company called Youmi. This allowed them to access the information via private APIs and send it back to Youmi's servers.
Facebook test drives new video-centric features
Facebook has become much more than just a social network; indeed, networking is fairly low down on the list of priorities for many users. The site is increasingly used for gaming, news gathering, and video consumption. Today Facebook announces a batch of new video features in recognition of the fact that videos are what people are looking for.
A small-scale test with iPhone users to try out a video suggestion feature is set to extend worldwide, ultimately spreading to the web and Android. Facebook is also borrowing some ideas from the likes of YouTube, including the ability to build up video playlists.
Would you rather disable your adblocker or pay to access content?
German tabloid Bild has made a bold move with its website -- blocking anyone using an adblocker from accessing content. Visitors to the site who want to use a tool such as Adblock Plus are now faced with a stark choice: add Bild.de to a whitelist so ads are displayed, or cough up for a €2.99 monthly fee to remove ads.
This is not a move that -- at the moment at least -- every website could get away with. Bild finds itself in the unique position of being the top-selling tabloid newspaper in Europe; it can afford to lose a few visitors with this experiment. With adblocking back in the limelight at the moment, it's time to ask the question: would you rather disable your adblocker or pay to access content?
Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for iOS gain more new features
Microsoft has released new versions for the three core apps in its iPad and iPhone Office suite. Word for iOS 1.14, Excel for iOS 1.14, and PowerPoint for iOS 1.14 all gain minor improvements and new features as part of the suite’s ongoing evolution.
All three apps gain the ability to rename files, while there are improvements to font accessibility and a number of app-specific improvements too.
Panic over: iOS adblockers fail to trigger the 'adblockolypse'
For a company that doesn’t rely on advertising to make its money, Apple was never going to lose anything by allowing adblockers into the App Store unlike, say, Google.
Still, the recent move has certainly proved divisive. On one hand, websites that rely on advertising to survive have been bracing themselves for a loss of revenue, while many iPhone users have welcomed the change. Web pages reportedly load quicker in Safari without adverts, and if you’re on a capped mobile data plan you’ll benefit from the savings created by not downloading ads. The big question was always whether the move would impact advertisers in any meaningful way, and the early indications are that it has certainly made a difference, although it’s far from the "adblockolypse" many predicted.
Twitter launches Moments to help bring tweets to the masses
If you're a Twitter user, you undoubtedly love it. If you're not, you probably either hate it, or find it confusing. Today Twitter launches Moments in a bid to make itself more appealing to beginners by helping to provide a gentle step up into the crazy world of tweets, and by bringing context to timelines.
Times they are a-changing at Twitter with Jack Dorsey now the fulltime CEO, and the prospect of curated content from reputable sources could be what is needed to take things to the next level. Part of the problem with Twitter is the sheer volume of content that is out there -- and it is generated very quickly; for newbies, it can be completely overwhelming. Moments is an attempt to cut through the crap and present news and stories in a meaningful and accessible way.
YouTube for iOS unveils major redesign, new in-app editing tools
Google has rolled out YouTube for iOS 10.38 for iPhone and iPad. Despite the minor version number revision, the new app sports a major facelift, plus new in-app editing controls.
The new look sports a minimalist interface with just three major navigation buttons: Home, Subscriptions, and Account. Users can tap or swipe to move between the various sections.
The new Microsoft Band is (much) better-looking and has two-day battery life
Microsoft appears to have learned from its mistakes. Its first wearable, the Microsoft Band was a cheap and cheerful affair -- although there wasn’t really all that much to be cheerful about in all honesty. Today the company unveiled the second edition of the Band, and the look is in line with the leaked images from a couple of weeks ago.
With the latest version of the Band, Microsoft has gone back to the drawing board and come up with a design that is sleek and stylish, and features a curved screen. The health and fitness tracker is nicely rounded, and the curved display is strengthened with Gorilla Glass 3. There are now no fewer than 11 built in sensors, including a new barometer for measuring altitude.
Access Google Maps on your Apple Watch with latest iOS update
Google has unveiled updates to its Google Maps for iOS and Google Maps for Android apps. The big news in this latest release is the addition of support for the Apple Watch on the iOS platform.
Both Android and iOS users also gain additional new features including support for comparing ETAs across a range of transit options, plus the ability to generate directions and call businesses directly from a list of places.
LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition is the first Android Wear smartwatch with cellular connectivity
The smartwatch wars are heating up, and LG is sending out new troops. Today the company announces the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition -- the first Android Wear smartwatch that offers LTE/3G connectivity.
LG describes the latest wearable as 'breaking the limits of a watch', and with the prospect of making phone-free calls with the Watch Urbane 2nd Edition, this would seem to be a fair description. The watch is compatible with iOS and Android, but it is the fact that it can be used on its own that is its real selling point.
How the mobile security landscape is changing [Q&A]
As our mobile phones become increasingly central to both our personal and working lives, securing them and the data they hold has become paramount. The nature of the mobile space means that threats are more dispersed and change fast, so traditional security solutions are struggling to cope.
How does this change in the security landscape affect businesses who may be faced with supporting a range of different devices and operating systems thanks to BYOD policies? We spoke to Gert-Jan Schenk, VP for EMEA at mobile security specialist Lookout, to get his view.
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