This week a report cited multiple sources from Snapchat describing the non-private nature of the apps' back end. Both iPhone (iOS) and Android versions of the app notwithstanding, Snapchat user data (including Snaps) are accessible with a tool called SnapLion. The SnapLion software is supposedly only accessible by Snapchat employees - but as the rules of the internet state: If it's data that exists, it can be shared.
While instant messaging and chat is probably still the most popular way to communicate with a group of people, some find it more efficient and practical to actually say what they want face to face. Group video calls are definitely better when facial expressions and body language are just as important as the words being said or when you need to actually show things rather than fumble around with words to describe them. To that end, group calling is now being made available to Google Duo users but with one very important catch.
Instagram's standalone video platform IGTV finally supports horizontal videos, the company has announced. The video app was, until now, limited to vertical content, which is arguably better suited for mobile devices but overall less popular than landscape orientation. The change is based on feedback from both viewers and creators, according to Instagram, which revealed in a post this week that its users really want horizontal videos.
It was more than a year ago that Google started rolling support for transit tickets into Google Wallet, and now it's looking to further simplify the process of riding public transit. Today, Google announced a new "pay-per-ride" feature for Google Pay, meaning you can use your phone to pay for single-ride tickets instead of buying multi-ride passes ahead of time. Going hand-in-hand with this update to Google Pay are a new transit-related features for both Google Maps and Google Assistant.
We live in a cruel world, a world where people find joy in spoiling story endings for others on the internet. They see a movie on release day (or worse yet, pirate a movie), turn around and spew the ending of said movie on the web. Today I've been shown a tool that could mitigate internet-based spoilers in a big way. Let me turn your attention toward Redact It.
When one thinks of Steam, its chat capabilities aren't often the first thing that comes to mind. Still, it's clear that Valve considers chat to be an integral part of Steam, as it now has its very own app. Valve has launched a new Steam Chat app on iOS and Android, allowing you to always have that aspect of Steam at your fingertips.
Lyft has started rolling out an updated app that adds new safety features designed for riders. Most notable in the update is a new in-app panic button that gives riders the ability to directly call 911 from within the Lyft app. As well, the company will make it easier to see a driver's license plate number, provide feedback for poor service, and more.
Back in October, Adobe Premiere Rush rolled out to a variety of platforms but left Android out in the cold. At the time, Adobe promised that an Android version of the app would launch at some point in 2019, and today, the company made good on that promise. Adobe Premiere Rush is now available on Google's mobile operating system, but only for a handful of higher-end devices.
Almost all Android phone makers, with extremely few exceptions, add some extra features to their flavor of Android. Mostly these are frowned upon by advanced users but some do like the value that those add-ons offer. Some even demand it for their previous gen models. That's what some OnePlus owners want from the OnePlus 7 Pro's Zen Mode and Screen Recording features and while OnePlus did promise it will happen eventually, some have taken matters into their own hands.
When Google revealed version 2 of its Material Design language, one of the most immediate reactions of users was that it was too white and bright. Never mind how it threatened to sear images onto people's retinas, it seemed almost antithetical to the whole "dark mode" movement that's trying to save batteries and eyes. since then, Google has started updating at least its mobile apps to offer dark themes and the two latest to get that option are Google Calendar and Google Keep.
A common misconception: "Internet security isn’t important, I’ve got nothing to hide anyway." Your conversations may be trivial for now, but you never know when you and your friends or colleagues discuss matters that could be of value to someone else who shouldn’t be eavesdropping.
Smartphones are becoming more sophisticated and more powerful but, truth be told, almost all of those features are designed for well-abled users. While those may represent the majority of paying customers, that's no reason to not make life easier for all kinds of users as well. On Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Google is announcing an upcoming feature for Live Transcribe that will help users with hearing problems be more aware of their surroundings and keep a record of some critical conversations as well.