Everything you need to know about Microsoft's Cortana on iPhone and Android
The newly announced Windows 10 Phone Companion App will let you link your Android or iOS devices to Windows 10, but that’s not all. It will also give users of those rival mobile operating systems access to Cortana. I’ve used both Siri and Cortana, and I much prefer Microsoft’s virtual assistant over Apple’s. Having access to both (or Cortana and Google Now, in the case of Android), is great news for consumers.
To make use of Cortana you’ll need to have Windows 10 installed on a PC, and the Cortana app for iOS or Android. These isn’t available yet, but Windows Insiders will be able to try out the Phone Companion app in a future Windows 10 Insider Preview Build which is set to arrive in the coming weeks.
Google Play hosts over 30 malicious Minecraft apps
Malware is still a worry on the Google Play store, even though the rate of malware is dropping to its lowest levels since the inception of the store in 2008.
One of the easiest ways to push malicious apps is by masquerading them under popular names, in this case Minecraft. Guides, tutorials, tricks and other apps would offer help, but quickly turn into a user’s worst nightmare with malware and adware spam.
Microsoft plans to purchase leading to-do service Wunderlist
Microsoft is planning to acquire German application developer 6wunderkinder, the team behind Wunderlist, for around $250 million (£161 million).
It is another move by Microsoft for a small development studio, following the acquisition of New York-based calendar developers Sunrise and email startup Acompli.
How to back up all your Gmail emails
Gmail might be the most popular email service in the world, but even the biggest players fall sometimes, and once that happens, the little guys will be there to cheer.
Server outages and crashes have happened before, and even though Gmail is generally seen as a solid, well-built and stable product, it too can crash, leaving you without all those precious emails you’ve been saving.
Best Windows apps this week
One-hundred and thirty-one in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps and games released for Windows in the past seven days.
The official Dropbox application is universal now, and Microsoft released a new build of Windows 10 for Insiders on the Fast ring.
SURE turns your Android device into a universal remote
You can turn your tablet or smartphone into a remote and control every smart device in your home, thanks to a new app available worldwide now.
Tekoia, the provider of smart universal remote solutions for digital media, smart appliances and the Internet of Things, has announced it launched SURE globally.
Microsoft to launch new iPhone messaging app
Microsoft is reportedly planning another messaging app for the iPhone, this time utilizing Outlook contacts without all of the formalities on email.
Spotted by Twitter user @h0x0d, Microsoft has named the app Flow and is preparing to launch it in the coming months. Instead of sending an email with titles and signatures, Flow will allow Outlook contacts to chat like they would on Facebook Messenger or any other messaging platform.
Dropbox for Windows, Windows Phone becomes universal app, gains new features in the process
Cloud storage service Dropbox has turned its Windows and Windows Phone apps into a single universal app, giving users a consistent experience across smartphones, PCs and tablets that are running Microsoft's tiled operating systems.
The latest version of Dropbox bridges the gap between the Windows and Windows Phone versions of the app, sharing most of the code, also gaining a number of new features in the transition to universal app status. The most important changes are aimed at the Windows Phone-toting crowd. Some are long-overdue, being mentioned in my initial coverage of the Windows Phone client in mid-January.
Microsoft launches Office for Android preview
Microsoft has launched a preview of Office for Android smartphones. Pre-release versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint are available for phones running Android 4.4 or later.
Functionality looks much the same as the previous tablet-oriented releases, with support for creating and opening the same documents you’re using now, and the ability to save files to OneDrive (+ For Business), Dropbox and SharePoint. While you won’t need an Office 365 subscription this time, getting hold of the apps still takes a little work. You must first sign up to the official Microsoft Office for Android community, then wait for up to four hours for your tester’s permissions to be replicated before you can download.
Adblock Browser launches for Android
Adblock Plus, the maker of the popular ad-blocking tool for desktop web browsers is taking a major step today in offering similar services on mobile devices. The company releases Adblock Browser for Android, which blocks ads while also offering features like the ability to block adware, boost browsing speed and save data and battery life.
Adblock Browser for Android is powered by the same popular ad-blocking tool that has been downloaded over 400 million times. The company claims that by blocking the annoying elements -- which includes ads among other annoyances -- it is able to speed up browsing as well as save data usage.
Popular music streaming service MixRadio arrives on Android and iOS
Popular music streaming service MixRadio, which was earlier exclusively available on Microsoft’s Windows Phone, today arrives on Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store. BetaNews had exclusively reported about the company's plan to release the app to other platforms in March earlier this year.
MixRadio offers free music streaming curated in a radio-like way. Available in 31 countries including US, China, and India, the on-demand music streaming is estimated to have millions of users -- though the exact numbers have never been disclosed. The service offers more than 12,500 playlists and a catalog of over 35 million songs.
How to turn iPad into a Mac or PC second screen
A newly released app enables iPad owners to use their tablet as a second monitor for their desktop PC.
Duet Display uses the iPad’s charging cord to connect to your PC and is now compatible with both Mac and Windows devices.
Snapchat plans to release a Windows Phone app, but don't get your hopes up
While Windows Phone Store is home to lots of third-party apps, you will not see a Snapchat client in there. And it is not due to a lack of effort. The company simply does not want any such offerings to be available, actively working towards eliminating each and every one.
Rudy Huyn, a well-known Windows Phone developer, has gone as far as asking Snapchat to review the code of his 6snap client to keep the app alive in Store, but the company would not budge. Also, when Snapchat CEO Evan Spegel was told that Windows Phone users want an official app, he simply replied: "didn't think anyone used those". However, Snapchat's could-not-care-less-about-Windows-Phone stance seems to have changed, as it just announced that a Windows Phone app is on the cards.
Best Windows apps this week
One-hundred and thirty in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps and games released for Windows in the past seven days.
This week saw the release of several high profile apps for Windows, something that does not happen too often.
Intermex allegedly fires employee for removing privacy-infringing app
A Californian woman is suing her former employee after being fired for deleting an app that was tracking her movements at all times. The company instructed her to run the app, which monitored her via GPS, 24 hours a day.
According to the lawsuit, plaintiff Myrna Arias alleges that her employer, money transfer firm Intermex, fired her after she uninstalled job management app Xora. She also alleges that her boss John Stubits boasted about being able to monitor her during out-of-work hours.
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