Thursday, November 30, 2017

Google faces UK class action over iPhone data snooping

Google may be forced to pay out compensation to more than 5 million Brits if a class action lawsuit in the UK is successful. A group, labeling itself “Google You Owe Us,” is taking Google to court, claiming it unlawfully collected personal information by bypassing privacy settings on Apple’s iPhone Safari browser. Google, Facebook, and several other online advertising networks were caught in 2012 using a workaround to bypass restrictions, allowing the companies to deposit cookies on an iPhone even if the device was set to block them.
While Google claimed at the time its practice was limited to the company’s failed Google+ initiative, the UK lawsuit alleges that Google used the workaround to track “internet browsing history, which Google then used to sell a targeted advertising service.” Google’s revenues rely on selling targeted ads, and obtaining as much personal information on its users to sell services and recommend products.

Richard Lloyd, former director of consumer body Which? In the UK, is taking Google to court alongside law firm Mischon de Reya. “I believe that what Google did was simply against the law. Their actions have affected millions, and we’ll be asking the courts to remedy this major breach of trust,” explains Lloyd . “Through this action, we will send a strong message to Google and other tech giants in Silicon Valley that we’re not afraid to fight back if our laws are broken.”
The case is rather unique in the UK against a giant tech company. While there have been numerous class action lawsuits in the US against big tech companies, the practice isn’t as widespread in the UK. Google was forced to pay a $22.5 million fine for the same Safari privacy breach back in 2012. At the time it was one of the highest fines the Federal Trade Commission had administered. Britain’s High Court will hear the case some time next year, and if the action is successful then iPhone users from 2011-2012 will be able to claim part of the damages. Google says it will defend the case. “This is not new,” says a Google spokesperson. “We have defended similar cases before. We don’t believe it has any merit and we will contest it.”

Saturday, January 24, 2015

How to use WhatsApp from your computer


Tired of only being able to access your WhatsApp conversations on your phone? Start using WhatsApp Web.
WhatsApp on an iPhone, with WhatsApp Web in the background. 

Earlier this week Facebook-owned WhatsApp announced WhatsApp Web. The new service makes it possible for a user to link a website accessible only through Google's Chrome browser to his or her WhatsApp account. In doing so, WhatsApp conversations will sync between the mobile device and desktop.
As long as you're signed in, your conversations will sync -- even when you're away from the computer, or on a cellular connection (as opposed to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer).
The process for linking your WhatsApp account to your computer is streamlined, and easy enough for Grandma to follow.

  • First, download Chrome if you don't already have it installed on your computer.
  • Next, visit https://web.whatsapp.com/ in Chrome.
  • Follow the instructions to pull up the WhatsApp Web QR code scanner on your mobile device. The method for launching this section of the app is a different based on the platform you're using, but directions are listed just under the QR code.
  • Scan the QR code and watch as your conversations magically appear in your browser.
iOS users will notice directions to connect your iPhone are missing from the list of supported devices. WhatsApp says the reason is due to "Apple platform limitations."
The layout of WhatsApp Web should mirror the mobile experience, just on a larger scale. You can still send emoji, photos, voice notes, view your contact list and so forth.
To receive alerts of incoming messages on your computer, click on Allow (top-right corner of Chrome) when prompted. You'll need to approve access to other aspects of your computer in a similar fashion as you attempt to send photos or record voice memos.
Going forward, anyone who has access to your computer will be able to pull up your WhatsApp conversations as long as you remain logged in. If your computer is password protected, that's probably not a big deal. But when using WhatsApp Web from a public computer, you'll want to sign out when you're finished. You can do that by clicking on the three-dot menu icon and selecting Log out.
Have you used WhatsApp Web yet? If so, what are your thoughts?

Facebook's WhatsApp comes to desktop computers

The Web version will work with Windows Phone, Blackberry, Android, but not iPhones.
WhatsApp isn't just for smartphones anymore.
The chat application, which Facebook bought for more than $19 billion in October, will now extend its service so that it can be used on desktop and laptop computers. The app now lets people send and receive messages using a website, in addition to existing mobile apps.
The move expands WhatsApp's reach to even more devices, and underscores Facebook's desire to fuel the world's communications. The service, which has more than 600 million users, is one of the world's largest social chat platforms, and the expansion allows Facebook to make it even more accessible.
WhatsApp is not the only company making this effort. Apple's chat service, iMessage, started as a mobile-only application on the iPhone before the company brought it to desktop computers. Google's Hangouts service also works across devices, as does Microsoft's Skype. And while each company's approach is slightly different, chat is becoming one of the latest battlegrounds among companies hoping to tie customer's devices together under one service.
WhatsApp said its Web service, which launched Wednesday for Google's Android operating system, BlackBerry and Windows Phone, will "mirror" conversations on the smartphone app and users log in through their mobile device. That means customers will still need an Internet connection on their phones for WhatsApp to interact with desktops. But of course, Facebook is already working on this problem too, tying WhatsApp access into its Internet.org project.
WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum said in a Facebook post that "platform limitations" kept it from working with Apple's iPhone. The company didn't say when a Web-version that works with iPhones would be released.

Apple Watch faces battery life challenges -- report


How long will the Apple Watch last on a single charge?
Apple has aimed for its upcoming smartwatch to last a full day on a single battery charge, but the reality may fall short of the goal, according to news site 9to5Mac.
Apple chose to use a fairly beefy processor and high-quality screen for its Apple Watch, sources told 9to5Mac in a story published Thursday. But that combination impacts how long the watch functions on a single charge.
Apple initially planned for the watch to run 2.5 to 5 hours based on active use. It was also eyeing a goal of three days on standby mode and four days in sleep mode. But the wearable device may last only two to three days in either standby or low-power mode, according to 9to5Mac.
Battery life is critical to smartwatches since device owners expect such a device to last through the day. In addition, owners will want the ability to tap into its full array of apps and features without draining the battery too quickly. In October, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that he expects people to charge the watch on a daily basis. because they will be using it so frequently.
Still, 9to5MAc's report -- if accurate -- may not be so damning if people use the watch sporadically. The watch won't be on or active all the time. As a partner to the iPhone, it will spring to life only when you receive an incoming phone call, text message or alert. The watch's animated clock face will last for around three hours straight, but that's only when the watch is in use. When you're not using or checking the watch, the display shuts off, thereby preserving battery life. Also, the average person may use the watch as a fitness tracker only during a workout or only to occasionally check health stats.
However, Apple is a company known for perfectionism, so battery life has been a concern. That's reportedly one reason the company pushed back the launch of its smartwatch from late 2014 to early 2015. Apple continues to gauge the watch's performance with almost 3,000 units being tested under real-world conditions.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Little Printer will stop working next March as its creator shuts down

Bad news if you own Berg's super-cute, internet-savvy Little Printer: it might not be not long for this world. The company is going into "hibernation" after it couldn't sustain a business based on connected devices, and its current plan has Little Printer services shutting down on March 31st, 2015. There is a glimmer of hope if you can't bear to be without paper copies of your internet news feeds. Berg plans to at least open source its code so that fans can keep the services alive if they like, and it's willing to sell the hardware business to any firm that will pledge ongoing support. There isn't any talk of a savior just yet, though, so you may want to cherish those printouts while you still can.

We got our hands on the Apple Watch

The rumors, flying for many moons now, have turned out to be true. Meet Apple's first wearable, the aptly, if uncreatively, named Watch. While the name's a bit mundane, Apple's making a big effort to make the thing as customizable as it can, with two sizes, three materials and a slew of different watchbands. We didn't get to put our fingers on every permutation of the Watch, but we did get to try on a couple of them. Join me after the break, won't you, and find out what they're like.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Microsoft's next Xbox One update makes it act more like the 360

We weren't lying in our review when we said that the Xbox One felt like a work in progress. From the sounds of it, though, the system's next update will add features and functionality that frankly should have been in the box last fall. For starters, once the patch rolls out to everyone in October, double-tapping the Guide button on the Xbox One controller will act an awful lot like pressing the Guide button on the Xbox 360 controller does: it'll give options to bring up your friends list, achievements and messages. Finally! The update is also supposed to make recording video without Kinect voice controls a lot easier by letting you save the last 30 seconds of game-video by double-tapping the Guide and then hitting the X button.

Sprint and T-Mobile fight to buy back your old devices

With the new iPhone making its debut later and other phones coming out in the next few months, you're probably already looking for the best way to trade in your old device for a new one. Sprint and T-Mobile both want your business really badly, it seems, so now they're trying to one-up each others' -- and everyone else's -- buyback programs. While the Now Network has long paid up to $300 for old gadgets, the company will now start matching any higher trade-in price you get from the other three major carriers, in an effort to offer the best deal possible. But Big Magenta won't go down without a fight: in case you get a better buyback pricing from another carrier, the company will not only match it, but also add $50 on top of the total amount to make the deal sweeter.
As Sprint pointed out in is press release, though, T-Mobile only lets you trade in one device per line and only when you're buying a new one, whereas its buyback program accepts up to three eligible devices at once. Choosing between the two then depends on how many devices you're trading in, which one will pay you the most and when you're turning in your old devices: Sprint's new policy starts immediately, but T-Mobile's will start on September 17th and is only available for a limited time. Your move, AT&T and Verizon.
[Image credit: Getty Images]

Amazon Prime Instant Video finally comes to Android

We've been waiting for what seems like forever, but today's the day that Amazon finally lets Android users watch video on the go. The company has updated its core shopping app to bake-in Prime Instant Video, enabling users to catch digital re-runs of The Sopranos whatever device they're rocking. The updated app also now lets customers access every part of Amazon's online retail catalog, so they can pick up a kitchen appliance or two in line at the DMV. The app is available for free on Google Play, with 5GB of free cloud photo storage with Amazon Cloud Drive thrown in as a sweetener.
[Thanks, Anthony]

4.7- and 5.5-inch iPhone 6, sapphire glass iWatch, NFC payments confirmed by new report

We’re just a few days away from Apple’s special iPhone 6 event on September 9, and right on schedule the New York Times has published a detailed exposé — most likely leaked directly by the highest echelons of Apple — of everything that we can expect. We now have almost-certain confirmation that the iPhone 6 will come in two flavors — a 4.7-inch model, and a 5.5-inch phablety monster. Furthermore, Apple will also reveal its first new product since Tim Cook took the helm from Steve Jobs three years ago: the iWatch. Curiously, it sounds like the iWatch will also come in two different sizes. Near-field communication (NFC) will be available in both the iPhone 6 and iWatch, and Apple will announce partnerships with Amex, Visa, and MasterCard, allowing the Cupertino company to finally wade into the mobile payments/digital wallet arena. The iWatch will have a sapphire glass front, but the iPhone 6 might not.
At roughly the same time every year, Apple performs an unofficial official leak to one of the big US newspapers. Historically it has usually been the Wall Street Journal, but this year it’sthe New York Times. This unofficial “pre-release” from Apple usually serves as a tidy way to brush away some of the rumor mill’s more spurious predictions — and I’m sure the stock market likes it, too. In any case, while we can’t take the NYT’s story as hard fact, this is as good as it gets before Tim Cook and friends take to the stage of the Flint Center to officially unveil the new large-screen iPhone 6 and iWatch. The iPhone 6 is expected to be released a week or two after the September 9 event; the iWatch will probably open up for pre-orders, but won’t ship until 2015.