Mobile

I consider myself lucky, although some commenters (you know who you are) will disagree, by successfully ordering from Verizon Wireless the iPhone X for delivery on launch day—November 3rd. A FedEx driver brought the anticipated package to my door yesterday afternoon. I hauled down to Apple Store to purchase AppleCare+ before my grubby paws caressed the steel rims (vroom)  and generous glass (screen measures 5.8 inches diagonally).

Replacing iPhone 7 Plus, which features and benefits greatly satisfy, is a bit extravagant. But I wanted the X to review and for its smaller size but larger display—understanding caveats: Home button's removal changes fundamental interaction and means adapting habits (oh my aching muscle memory).

Broadcom could be on the verge of carrying out the biggest technology acquisition in history. The chipmaker is said to be planning a $100 billion bid for smartphone chip supplier Qualcomm. It is possible that the bid could be even higher.

While the deal has not been officially announced, people familiar with the matter say the offer could be just days away. If Broadcom does go ahead with the purchase of Qualcomm, it would create a $200 billion company.

Singles looking for love using mobile dating apps could be putting their device security at risk, experts have warned.

An investigation into many of the world's most popular dating apps by Kaspersky Labs has found that many services are not providing sufficient levels of data protection, with hackers able to potentially identify users and steal personal information.

The ongoing debate between law enforcement agencies and device manufacturers over customers' digital privacy was a major point of discussion during the San Bernardino terrorist attack in 2016 and now the FBI has revealed that it was unable to access almost 7,000 devices because of encryption in this year alone.

At the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Philadelphia, FBI Director Christopher Wray brought up the issue in a speech to highlight how law enforcement agencies are still at a loss as to how to access the data on mobile phones protected with encryption.

Half of app users are likely to be dissuaded from downloading an app based on customer reviews that mention bugs and glitches, according to a new survey.

The study conducted by independent software testing company QualiTest Group, shows users aged 45 to 54 are the least likely to download an app with negative customer reviews, and are the age group least convinced that companies do enough to ensure UX and update apps to have fewer bugs.

Text messages are often used as a means of implementing two-factor authentication on websites and in apps, but now Google is actively pitching its own alternative, known as Google prompt, to customers.

Traditionally users would receive a one-time code on their mobile device contained within a text message which they would have to enter to gain access. With Google's solution though, they will receive a prompt asking if they are trying to sign in. Users trying to sign in will gain access while those not expecting the login prompt will be denied.

Smartphone users have been urged to ensure their devices are properly protected against cyber threats, in a new report from one of the world's top security firms.

The latest Kaspersky Cybersecurity Index has warned that over-reliance on mobile devices could be putting consumers around the world at risk as they stop using PCs for many everyday tasks.

Qualcomm has taken a major step towards 5G smartphones with the first successful test of the next-generation networks on a mobile device.

The US chipmaker confirmed it completed 5G connections trials at its San Diego headquarters, and that devices with 5G compatibility could be released as soon as mid-2019, ready for the expected worldwide launch of 5G networks in 2020.

While companies are becoming increasingly dependent on mobile workers and distributed offices, a new survey reveals that IT staff are not confident they can protect remote workers.

The study by distributed gateway platform supplier iboss also finds that senior (CEO, CIO, CISO, and CTO) respondents are more confident in their organizations' ability to secure mobile traffic than more junior IT executives. 56 percent of CIOs, CISOs, and CTOs were not confident they could secure mobile traffic compared to 80 percent of subordinate IT executives.

Microsoft today addresses one of the biggest shortcomings of its Edge browser, announcing its upcoming availability on the two biggest mobile platforms: Android and iOS.

Microsoft says that support for Android and iOS is "one of the most common requests" that it has received from Edge users on Windows 10. By making it available across multiple platforms, the software giant is making its browser a viable option in this space for folks who use a mix of devices.

British mobile users are putting their personal details at risk by keeping large amounts of information on unsecured mobile devices, new research has warned.

Security firm Bitdefender has revealed a report showing that almost half of users in the UK store their sensitive personal and private information on smartphones that are often neither updated or protected.

Adblock Plus is about more than just its eponymous software -- the company also produces Adblock Browser. Now version 2.0 of the secure, private mobile web browser has been released for iOS and it introduces a wealth of new features.

Key among these new features is Ghost Mode which makes it easy to slip into anonymous web browsing mode whenever privacy is of the utmost importance. As the name of the browser implies, there is also an integrated ad-blocker, but it does not end there -- this is an update that the company has been working on for more than a year.

An architecture flaw in mobile networks could allow hackers to intercept SMS one-time passwords and access Bitcoin wallets.

The vulnerability uncovered by enterprise security specialist Positive Technologies means that with just a person's first name, last name, and phone number, researchers were able learn the email address linked to the wallet, obtain control over it, and gain access to the wallet itself including withdrawing funds.

A new report into mobile threats reveals that in the first half of 2017, there were more common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs) registered for Android and iOS than in all of 2016.

The study by mobile threat defense company Zimperium, based on data from its z3a app analysis tool, also shows that many devices aren't running the latest operating systems, leaving them vulnerable.

Facebook has today launched Crisis Response, a central hub that provides access to its various crisis response tools such as Safety Check. Over the years, the social network has gradually added more and more tools that serve to help those caught up in a disaster, and those who know them, and the new center pulls all of these into one place.

As well as serving as a central hub, Crisis Response on Facebook is also being bolstered by links to articles and videos posted on the site so users can be kept better informed about a given crisis.