YouTube was (yet again) the most downloaded iPhone app in 2019
Apple has released its annual list of what it believes were the year’s best apps and games across iOS, macOS, and tvOS and the trends which dominated their app stores. On top of that, the company revealed the apps and games that bagged the highest number of downloads over the course of the past year.
You will soon be able to migrate your Facebook photos and videos to Google Photos
Facebook will soon let you easily migrate your photos and videos to other services like Google Photos. In a blog post, the social network said it’s rolling out a new tool in Ireland that allows you to transfer your Facebook media without having to manually download and upload it someplace else.
Quit losing things: Score a free Google Nest Mini on these Tile Tracker combos
Best Buy is throwing in a free Google Nest Mini -- which normally sells for $50 and is currently retailing for $19 -- with a handful of combo packs of Tile’s latest trackers. The deal is available on Tile Sticker and Mate 4-packs and a bunch of mixed combos.
Best Buy discounts Apple HomePod and Google Home by up to $100 for Black Friday
Best Buy has slashed $100 off of the Apple HomePod and $50 from the Google Home . The fresh deals bring the Apple HomePod down to $200 from its sticker $300 price and the Google Home is available for $50 instead of its usual $100 cost.
Keep all your kids busy for 3 months: Grab Amazon FreeTime Unlimited for $1
In addition to deep discounts on its Echo range of devices, Amazon is heavily discounting its subscription service for kids, FreeTime Unlimited, for Black Friday. Three months of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited’s family plan -- which normally would cost you $30 -- is right now available for just a dollar.
Google now bundles 3 months of free Disney+ on new Chromebooks
Google is offering 3 months of complimentary Disney+ subscription with every new Chromebook purchase. The offer was silently added to a long-running list of Chrome OS freebies and is available for buyers who activate a new Chromebook between November 25 and January 31, 2020.
HP knocks $250 off of its premium Chromebook x360 for Black Friday
HP is knocking $250 off of one of the best Chrome OS computers available on the market, the Chromebook x360 ahead of Black Friday. The sale, which is already live on Best Buy, brings the Chromebook’s usual $600 price down to $350. The Chromebook x360 has a set of premium hardware and a 360-degree hinge.
Private data of some Facebook and Twitter users leaked through malicious apps
Facebook and Twitter said private data of “hundreds of their users” was compromised through malicious third-party Android apps. The social media companies were tipped off by a team of security researchers who discovered a SDK allowed developers to access personal information of some of their users.
Facebook’s new, experimental Whale app lets you create your own memes
Facebook has released a new app called Whale that lets you create your own memes from scratch. The app debuted on the Canadian iOS app store last week, and comes with a standard set of annotation features that let you add elements such as text, emojis, and filters over images.
TikTok owner Bytedance aims to launch a music-streaming app before year’s end
A new report Bytedance will announce a new music streaming app next month in a bunch of countries including India, Brazil, and Indonesia. The subscription will likely be paid, however, it will be priced competitively, and may undercut incumbents such as Spotify and Amazon Music.
Google wants an iMessage Android alternative. RCS won’t help it do that
Google is having another go at building an iMessage alternative for Android with RCS. But its plans have way too many moving parts and already begun to show cracks. Instead, it likely has a better chance of succeeding by merging a simple instant messaging service inside its existing SMS app.
That’s rich: Apple VP knocks classroom Chromebooks for being cheap
In an interview with CNET, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, dismissed Google's Chromebooks "cheap testing tools." He further added that Chrome OS computers can never inspire kids and believes an iPad or a MacBook will allow a child to be more creative and successful.
An iOS bug gives Facebook background access to your iPhone’s camera
A new iOS bug allows the Facebook app to access your iPhone’s camera in the background. The issue keeps the camera active in the background when you scroll through your personal feed. The glitch becomes apparent when you open a picture on the Facebook app and swipe it down to return to the feed.
Pirates are using publishing platform Medium to distribute bootlegged movies
Scammers have been found to be abusing the publishing platform, Medium to distribute bootlegged copies of the latest movies such as Joker. The posts feature links to the video files and a range of search keywords. Most sources lead visitors to registration pages that demand credit card details.
Switching back to a dumbphone was the smartest thing I’ve ever done
Smartphones are designed to hold our attention, and we often end up spending hours on them each day. I set out to see if a smarter feature phone, like the Nokia 8110, can help us break those habits and restore balance in our digital lives. With support for WhatsApp and more, I really didn't miss my smartphone.
Android is a dead-end for new devices — and Google knows it
Google launched Android over a decade ago but has struggled to replicate the explosive success of the OS beyond phones. There was only one Android-powered device at Google's hardware event. Is Android a one-trick pony? As Google increasingly focuses more on the Assistant, where is Android really headed?
Google Pixel 4’s astrophotography mode is now rolling out to older Pixels
Google Pixel 4's astrophotography mode is now making its way to a bunch of previous-generation Pixel phones. Google has begun rolling out the version 7.2 update for its default camera app, which enables the astrophotography mode for the Pixel 2, Pixel 3, and Pixel 3a, among other additions and changes.
Third-party devs improperly accessed some Facebook groups’ private data
Facebook has revealed that about 100 third-party app developers had improper access to personal data of several groups’ members, such as their profile pictures and names, despite the fact that the social network overhauled its APIs to prevent this exact behavior last year.
Why Google’s $2.1 billion Fitbit purchase won’t fix its WearOS woes
Google's Fitbit acquisition may end up being a step in the wrong direction. WearOS has struggled over the years in the smartwatch world, but not because it lacks a decent health platform or activity trackers. The real problem is vertical integration and in-house end-to-end development.
Google continues to ignore the Chromecast, the best product it ever made
There was no sign of the Google Chromecast at the company's Pixel event. The Chromecast was launched more than six years ago, but remains fundamentally the same. The lack of attention has allowed competitors like Amazon and Roku to prosper. Here's why the Chromecast desperately needs a major upgrade.
Opinion: Why my next phone might be an iPhone and not another Google Pixel
The new iPhone 11 phones offer a better camera experience than the Google Pixel 3 as well as stronger battery life.The upcoming Pixel 4 might not be able to compete based on my experience using Pixel phones and based on the leaked rumors about the phone. Here's why I'm likely making the switch to an iPhone.
Google is giving away free Home Mini ahead of its Pixel event next week
Google is currently giving away free Home Minis to lucky YouTube Premium and Google Assistant users. The promotion looks to be limited to the United States. While Google is waiving the entire $49 price tag, the lucky users do need to pay for the shipping cost of about $5.