SlashGear 101

Yes, you read that right. As if it weren't bad enough to be faced with ads no matter what corner of the Interwebs you go, HTC has decided that you should also see them in almost all screens of your smartphone. HTC has just pushed out an update to the Touchpal keyboard that it uses by default on some of its smartphones, like last year's HTC 10, that puts very visible and obnoxious ads at the very top of the keyboard, which means you get to see them all the time.

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The Tesla Model S and Model X are the safest cars in history... unless they're not. The variations in automotive crash testing are once again under the microscope, with Tesla protesting the latest batch of IIHS results after the Model S electric sedan failed again to ace the controversial small overlap frontal test. It's a frustrating blip for the EV company, which actually redesigned the car in the hope of performing better in the crash testing.

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Privacy is no longer a concern of a few well-informed, conscious, or even paranoid individuals. Given how much of our lives we have stored on computers, phones, or the cloud, digital privacy should already gain the same level of attention that we give our physical spaces. Sadly, that just isn't the case and many, sometimes even the best of us, take such things for granted. And with governments seemingly more invested in actually invading citizens' privacy, the responsibility of securing our digital lives falls on us. Fortunately, you don't need to be a computer scientist nor a lawyer to implement these simple steps to protect your privacy, whether online or offline.

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Launching an electric car company seems like the go-to folly of today's billionaires, but Lucid Motors wants to be more than just a vanity project of its well-heeled backers. The California-based automaker took the wraps off its first model, the Air, this week, promising Tesla-beating range, autonomous driving, and more gadgetry and luxury than a Mercedes or an Audi. Big words, certainly, and even with some industry heavyweights on the staff, it's no small challenge. Here's what you need to know.

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Big news in Apple land this week is the arrival of Thunderbolt 3 on the new MacBook Pro, but there's more reason to be interested in the high-speed, highly-flexible port than simply because you're an Apple fan. While Apple may have been first to the Thunderbolt party back in 2011, the technology itself was actually a collaboration between the Cupertino firm and Intel's, and we've seen it appear on numerous Windows computers as well as third-party accessories too. Even after five years, though, you could be excused for not realizing why Thunderbolt is such a game-changer.

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The Google Pixel and Pixel XL are here, and in the afterglow of some positive reviews it's easy to get caught up in upgrade fever. Question is, when the halo wears off, are you going to be left with a smartphone headache for the next two years? We've already comprehensively reviewed the Pixel XL, but here's the low-down on why you should - and why you shouldn't - buy Google's new Android flagships.

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Look out Apple Music, Tidal, Spotify, and all the other streaming music services: Jeff Bezos is out to poach your subscriptions. Amazon Music Unlimited has broken cover today, another player in the heated on-demand streaming market that aims to differentiate itself by working particularly nicely with the company's own Alexa AI. Question is, does that do enough to differentiate from everything else on the market today?

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Two iPhone hoaxes and one built-in security measure have popped up over the past week that you need to be aware of. For the most part, these warnings stick for whatever iPhone you happen to have: iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s - so don't take your chances. The first has to do with re-setting your clock to a date before Apple existed. Do not do this. Your iPhone will turn into a brick.

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Netflix scams are on the rise, so say the security crews at Tripwire and Symantec. How do you avoid such malware? How does your grandmother avoid downloading a virus? The answers are relatively simple, and they begin with sticking to the course. That is, not clicking on any advertisements that promise lower costs and coupons for Netflix-based deals on subscriptions. That's where this newest wave of internet evil is coming from - let your uncle know what's up.

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Today Apple has confirmed that there is, indeed, a trackable reason why some unique users are receiving an "error 53" on their iPhones. It is, apparently, people who have gone out and gotten their devices repaired by non-certified Apple technicians or have DIY'ed their device repairs at home. Not just any repairs, mind you - repairs to their home button. In this home button, a button with Touch ID, is a failsafe that can brick your whole device (or at least disable it) upon software discovery.

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When it comes to selling a green vision, hydrogen power has an advantage: a glass of pure water the only thing spilling from your tailpipe. Despite that, fuel-cell based cars have been slow to reach the market, but your options in the US are set to double - to, admittedly, two models - by the end of the year.

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Right around 50 minutes into the 2-hour Star Wars: The Force Awakens film, we see a tiny character by the name of Maz Kanata. She's a mostly-CGI character voiced and acted by Lupita Nyong'o, and she's more than a little important to the overarching Anakin saga that flows through the Star Wars film universe. The following is a glimpse at what Maz has been up to for the past several hundred years, what she's done with regard to Han Solo, and what she's got in her secret curio box. Therefore, if you've not seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens, we recommend you proceed with caution!

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