Samsung's Galaxy S8: 'Bigger, longer, uncut!'
I remember the time I accidentally stumbled upon a porn shoot in the San Fernando Valley, CA. The headliners were infamous wife-beater (and sliced manhood holder) John Wayne Bobbitt and some chick named Belladonna (Stevie Nicks dies a little inside every time I say that name).
As I recall, the title card on the set said something about "bigger, longer, uncut!" And that’s what I thought of when I first laid eyes on the Samsung Galaxy S8: "Damn, is that thing LONG!" And I don’t mean that in a positive, "you should be in porn, fella!" kind of way. I mean it as criticism -- as in, "it’s so long you’ll look stupid holding it up to your face!"
Android is more popular than Windows... for getting online
We already know that interest in Windows 10 is on the wane, but now Android is more popular than any version of Windows with Internet users. Google's mobile operating system has overtaken Windows as the preference for getting online for the first time.
Usage figures published by StatCounter show that Android accounted for 37.93 percent of the worldwide OS Internet usage share in March. Windows is not far behind at 37.91 percent, but Android taking the lead is being described as a "milestone in technology history."
How to find out which of your apps are not compatible with iOS 11
Last week saw the release of iOS 10.3, and thoughts are already turning to the next major release of Apple's mobile operating system. When iOS 11 launches later this year, it is not expected to support 32-bit apps and this means that a number of apps that have not been updated accordingly will stop working.
Built into iOS 10.3 is a tool that can be used to quickly determine which of your apps could die in iOS 11. While it's possible that updates might be released for them, Apple's move away from 32-bit software is far from new, so it's probably time to start looking for 64-bit alternatives for anything you have come to rely on.
Apple ditches Imagination Technology and will make its own iPhone GPU chips
In a dramatic announcement, British firm Imagination Technology has revealed that in 15 to 25 months' time Apple will no longer be using its GPU chips. Imagination's graphic chips are used in the iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV and Apple Watch, and the revelation sent the British firm's shares into freefall.
Apple will reduce its reliance on Imagination's technology as, the chip-maker explains, it "has asserted that it has been working on a separate, independent graphics design in order to control its products and will be reducing its future reliance on Imagination’s technology." Apple is Imagination's largest customer, and the company has issued a warning that the iPhone-manufacturer risks infringing upon intellectual property rights.
Windows 10 Mobile needs to be put out of its misery
It's time for Microsoft to pull the plug. Windows 10 Mobile has been on life support for a long time, and the software giant is only making things worse by not giving it the mercy killing it deserves. It may sound harsh, but there's no future for Windows on smartphones in its current state.
Microsoft wants to keep the door open to future developments but, let's face it, when it decided to sell Samsung's new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ through its stores it basically sealed its own platform's fate. There is no turning back from this. We know it and its fans know it too.
What your smartphone knows about you
Currently, many people unlock their phones by pressing their thumbs onto fingerprint sensor panels or using their fingers to draw patterns on the screens. Those authentication methods are certainly high-tech, but, before long, you’ll likely be unlocking a phone that knows more about you than you’d ever imagine.
Check out some of the smartphone security methods being tested and what they might mean for future users.
Apple may drop support for iPhone 5, iPad 4 in iOS 10.3.2
Apple is focusing on a 64-bit only future for iOS devices and software. Apps that do not play well with the latest architecture will cease to be supported in the next major release of the operating system, while 32-bit iPhones and iPads could get the axe as early as the next iOS 10 update.
How do we know that? Well, Apple just made the first iOS 10.3.2 beta available to developers and it does not include restore images for the iPhone 5, iPhone 5c and the fourth-generation iPad. All those devices are supported by iOS 10.3, which Apple released earlier this week.
Samsung unveils Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ -- here's what you need to know
At the first Unpacked event of the year, Samsung today officially takes the wraps off its new flagships, the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+. They're arguably the most important Android smartphones to launch this year, featuring drastic changes in terms of design and cutting-edge internals that set it apart from the competition.
The highlight of the Galaxy S8 line is the display, a 5.8-inch panel on the standard model and a 6.2-inch screen on the plus version. Both are taller than before, with an aspect ratio of 18:9, nearly filling up the front panel -- just like on the new LG G6.
Google introduces 'Free App of the Week' to Play Store
The best price tag to find on anything is one that reads "Free", and Google has introduced a new section to the Play Store with this in mind. The new "Free App of the Week" section does very much what you would expect -- slashes the price of a paid-for app to zero. Great news for Android users!
It's an idea that Apple has experienced great success with, and it's a quick and easy way for Google to increase engagement in its app store. The first free app is Cartoon Network's Card Wars --Adventure Time which normally retails for $2.99.
T-Mobile to roll out network-level scam call protection features: Scam ID and Scam Block
Spam in your inbox and via SMS is one thing, but fairly easy to ignore. Spam phone calls, on the other hand, are not only annoying, but are frequently used to try to scam people out of money. T-Mobile is about to roll out a solution.
As part of an upgrade to its network, the carrier is introducing Scam ID and Scam Block which will be used to alert customer to potential scam calls, and to block known malicious callers. As these features are being rolled out on a network level, it should be available to all T-Mobile customers starting next month.
Moto G5 Plus starts at $184.99 on Amazon
There is much to like about the new Moto G5 Plus. It's got a nice screen, fast processor, fingerprint sensor, large battery and an interesting design too. It also runs Android Nougat and it comes with Google Assistant out of the box. But all this comes at a price, which may seem a bit too high for some.
The base model, which comes with 32GB of storage and 2GB of RAM, costs $229.99 in US, while the high-end version, which features 64GB and 4GB of RAM, can be had for $299.99. It is not exactly cheap, if you want the latter model, but you can get it at a nice discount on Amazon.
OnePlus 3T and OnePlus 3 get Google Assistant
Google Assistant made its debut on the Pixel and Pixel XL last year, and after a period of exclusivity the search giant started to bring the voice assistant to other Android smartphones. The new LG G6 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 line have it, and, now, so do two other popular flagships.
OnePlus has announced on Twitter that the successor to Google Now is finally available on its OnePlus 3T and OnePlus 3. Both smartphones run Android Nougat, which is required for Google Assistant.
Instagram ups security with two-factor authentication
Just about every app and online service offer two-factor authentication (2FA) as a security measure these days, and Instagram is the latest to join the party.
After numerous instances of hacking for other services, it's little surprise that Instagram wants to offer its users an extra level of protection. Once enabled, users are required to enter a six-digit code that is sent to their mobile via SMS, greatly eliminating the risk of unauthorized access.
OnePlus 3T gets Midnight Black color option as new limited edition
When OnePlus unveiled an all-black OnePlus 3T, dubbed the "colette edition," I did not believe that this color option would be available again in the future. It was, after all, a limited edition. As it turns out, OnePlus had other plans. This is one of those times I'm glad I was wrong.
OnePlus just took the wraps off the Midnight Black OnePlus 3T, which, like the colette edition, is also a limited edition. However, unlike the previously mentioned model, OnePlus fans will have a better chance of getting one, as there will be more units offered and they will be more easily available.
New Google report shows Android security is improving
Today Google published its third annual Android Security Year in Review, the day after the launch of the developer preview of Android O. Looking back at 2016, the report details the steps the company has taken to keep Android users and their data safe. Google cites a crackdown on Potentially Harmful Apps as a particular success, and points to the fact that security updates have been issued to 735 million devices.
But it’s not all good news. Many of the security improvements are to be found in Android 7 Nougat which is only available on a limited number of devices. Additionally, a large number of handsets are not eligible for the monthly security updates the company pushes out.
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