Tag Archives: smartphones

Google Wallet To Support Digital Driver’s Licenses

Ars Technica reports: Google Wallet on Android is finally getting ready for your digital driver’s license and other US state IDs. Google says the feature is rolling out this month, and it will slowly start bringing states online this year. Of course, your state has to be one of the few that actually supports digital IDs. Google says Maryland residents …

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Apple Unveils Latest iPhone, Base Model Starts At $799

CNET reports: The iPhone 14 packs a 6.1-inch display, while the iPhone 14 Plus has a 6.7-inch screen. There are five colors, two rear cameras, and “all-day” battery life. The A15 Bionic powers the show, which Apple says is 18% faster. Both devices feature similar outer casings to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models. Pricing for the iPhone 14 …

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Apple Expected To Launch Latest iPhone On Sept. 7th

Bloomberg News reports: Apple Inc. is aiming to hold a launch event on Sept. 7 to unveil the iPhone 14 line, according to people with knowledge of the matter, rolling out the latest version of a product that generates more than half its sales. The new iPhones will kick off a busy fall product season, which will also include multiple …

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Google To Delete Tracking On Abortion Clinic Visits

The Verge reports: Google says it’ll start automatically deleting visits to abortion clinics, domestic violence shelters, weight loss clinics, and other potentially sensitive locations from users’ location histories in the coming weeks. In a blog post on Friday, the company says that the deletion will happen “soon after” the visit, once its systems have identified that a trip was made …

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Gallup: 58% Say They Use Smartphones “Too Much”

Gallup reports: The percentage of U.S. adults saying they use their smartphone “too much” has increased markedly in recent years, rising from 39% when Gallup last asked this in 2015 to 58% today. This sentiment was strongly age-contingent in 2015 and remains so now; however, all age groups have become more likely to express this concern. Also, this belief is …

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New Yorkers’ #1 “Unusual Fear” Is Being Phoneless

The New York Post reports: Even more than dark subways or stale bagels, New Yorkers fear being phoneless. Nomophobia, the fear of being without your mobile phone, is the No. 1 “unusual fear” in New York, according to a new report citing Google search metrics. Hyper-connected New Yorkers “see their phones as an extension of themselves,” said Kent State University …

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Google To Let Android Users Opt-Out Of Ad Tracking

Bloomberg News reports: Google will let Android mobile software users opt out of being tracked by advertisers on their smartphone applications, following an earlier move by rival Apple Inc. to bolster privacy on iPhones. The option will become available in late 2021, with a Google Play services update, the Alphabet Inc. unit said on a support website. Developers will no …

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Google Tests Health Records App For Patients

STAT News reports: After 13 years, Google is coming back for patient health records. The tech giant has launched an early user feedback program aimed at exploring how patients might want to see, organize, and share their own medical record data. The work could inform the creation of a consumer-facing medical records tool along the lines of Apple’s Health Records …

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Christian App: Find Out When Someone Prays For You

Via press release from Christian Newswire: New research suggests that even as churches and other religious gatherings have been closed during lockdown, there’s been a big increase in people turning to prayer and other forms of spirituality. The free ChatPray app is being launched today in response to those needs. The app has been specifically designed as an intuitive way …

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FBI Warns Hackers Are Targeting Mobile Banking Apps

Via press release from the FBI: The FBI advises the public to be cautious when downloading apps on smartphones and tablets, as some could be concealing malicious intent. Cyber actors target banking information using banking trojans, which are malicious programs that disguise themselves as other apps, such as games or tools. When the user launches a legitimate banking app, it …

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Apple To Pay $500 Million For Throttling Old iPhones

The Verge reports: Apple has tentatively agreed to a $500 million settlement after admitting to slowing down older phones. The deal would provide small payouts for many iPhone owners in the US, plus greater compensation for named class members and attorneys. It covers people who bought any product in the iPhone 6 and 7 lineup — which Apple secretly throttled …

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Tinder To Debut Panic Button For Unsafe Situations

Axios reports: Tinder will debut a feature later this month that will allow users to hit a panic button if they feel physically unsafe on a date gone wrong, the Wall Street Journal reports. Why it matters: Critics have previously called out Tinder for not doing more to ensure the safety of users and filtering out possibly dangerous users, especially …

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RUSSIA: Pre-Installed Russian Software Mandated For All Electronics Sold In Country, Per Law Signed By Putin

Reuters reports: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed legislation requiring all smartphones, computers and smart TV sets sold in the country to come pre-installed with Russian software. The law, which will come into force on July 1 next year, has been met with resistance by some electronics retailers, who say the legislation was adopted without consulting them. The country’s …

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Apples Launches iPhone 11 With $699 Starting Price

I’m sure this all means something: At its September event today, Apple has officially unveiled the successor to the iPhone XR. The new iPhone 11 packs a dual-camera and more.  The iPhone 11 camera setup includes wide and ultra-wide lenses, rather than wide and telephoto like many people had assumed. This gives users the ability to adjust cropping and zooming …

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LIVE VIDEO: Apple Unveils Latest iPhone Models

Gizmodo reports: Get ready to be blown away (or disappointed) as Apple gears up for its latest big iPhone announcement. We’re expecting to see updates to all three of the iPhones in Apple’s current lineup and possibly some updates on Apple Watch, iPad, and MacBook. We also expect to talk about cameras. A lot. The iPhone rumors so far have …

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Apple To Launch New iPhone On September 10th

CNET reports: Get ready for the iPhone 11 on Sept. 10. Apple sent invitations to the media on Thursday for its next big product launch. It plans to introduce its newest devices and services at 10 a.m. PT at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California. This year, Apple is expected to introduce three new models, replacing the iPhone XS, …

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Apple Issued “Foldable Cover And Display” Patent

CNET reports: As Samsung continues its figure out its Galaxy Fold problems, a recent patent suggests we might be getting closer to seeing Apple’s version of a foldable device. On Tuesday, the US Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent to Apple for a “foldable cover and display for an electronic device.” There are no specifics on whether this display …

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SCOTUS Rules 5-4 Against Apple In App Store Case

USA Today reports: The Supreme Court opened the door Monday for iPhone users to sue Apple over excessive prices on its exclusive App Store. Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote the 5-4 opinion and was joined by the court’s four liberal justices. The other four conservatives dissented. The question before the justices was whether consumers’ beef over prices is with Apple …

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Broken Screens Delay Samsung’s $2000 Foldable

The Verge reports: Samsung has confirmed reports from earlier today that it is postponing the release of its $2,000 Galaxy Fold foldable phone only days before it was originally scheduled to go on sale. “We want our customers to have the best experience possible which is why, after initial feedback, we have decided to delay the release of the category-changing …

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Samsung Unveils $2000 Foldable Smartphone [VIDEO]

CNET reports: The foldable future is finally here, and it’s called the Galaxy Fold. Samsung on Wednesday showed off the new foldable phone during its Unpacked event in San Francisco. The device has a 4.6 inch display when folded, and a full 7.3 inch display when unfolded into a tablet. The phone will be available April 26 at a starting …

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