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.
Apple caused quite a stir when it became clear that the company was intentionally slowing some phones to compensate for aging batteries. The fallout from that revelation was rather wide reaching - not only did Apple end up discounting battery replacement charges for many iPhone models for a year, but it also added a toggle to iOS that allows users to decide for themselves if they want their phone's speed throttled to make up for their worn down batteries.
Apple's WWDC 2019 keynote invitations have dropped, and all eyes are on the annual developer event to see the latest updates for iOS and macOS - and just in case some new hardware makes an unexpected appearance. The keynote kicks off at 10am PT on June 3, 2019, and will set the stage for Apple's big updates to its mobile, desktop, and services for the year ahead.
This is Extraordinary Raid Week in Pokemon GO, and there's a whole lot of quantifiable data through which we must sift! Much like our previous guides for special weeks in Pokemon GO, we've got the shiny Pokemon of the week: Bronzor - as well as some new rates on Shiny Pokemon popping up as result of the raids themselves. All five tiers of Pokemon Raid Boss are in the mix too!
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.
Back in March, Activision revealed Call of Duty: Mobile. As pre-registration for the game continues, Activision today dropped a lot of details about how the game will work and what kind of content it will feature. At the end of it all, we're left feeling like Call of Duty: Mobile will be something of a greatest hits compilation of the games that came before it.
In 24 hours from the point at which this article goes live, there'll be no more Detective Pikachu in Pokemon GO. The big Detective Pikachu event in Pokemon GO started on May 7th, 2019, at 1PM Pacific. The event is set to end at 1PM Pacific on Friday, May 17th, 2019. Let's talk about how you can get a Detective Pikachu before your time is up.
Instagram announced the death of another feature this week, not long after rumors surfaced of the axing of public likes. This is just the latest in a line of changes for Instagram, an app and company that's coming closer and closer to its parent company, Facebook. I quit using Facebook a few months ago for all but the rarest family communication - is it time I gave Instagram the boot as well? NOTE: If it weren't clear already, the opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily shared by SlashGear or associated entities.
Apple is being criticized, even sued, for holding its App Stores so tightly to the point of being anti-competitive. Of course, it rightfully owns that App Store and until something drastic changes, what it says goes and app developers have no choice but to find ways to compromise. That seems to be the situation Valve found itself in last year with its Steam Link mobile app. Thankfully, that may now be a thing of the past as the app has popped up on the iTunes App Store again. Hopefully, for good this time.
Two years ago, Nintendo and The Pokemon Company revealed a mobile game called Pokeland that seemed to borrow heavily from the Pokemon Rumble series. A close alpha launched with that announcement, but after that, The Pokemon Company went radio silent on the game. Fast forward to today and it has resurfaced with a new title and an imminent release.
There's a flaw in the vast majority of Intel chips from here back to the year 2011 called ZombieLoad. That's what security researchers are calling it, anyway. The name refers to data a processor cannot handle, a "zombie load" which can be exploited thanks to a code vulnerability in Intel hardware.
Often times you only hear of bugs or even "features" that violate users' privacy after someone reports it on the Internet. Often times the companies involved have to deal with the PR mess and backlash involved after the fact. Perhaps learning from its peers, Twitter has decided to beat others to the news and own up to its own privacy blunder. While it doesn't exactly excuse them from making such a simple misstep, it has to at least be complemented for not waiting until the last minute to come clean.