Online platforms like Facebook are losing yet another ‘infodemic’ war
With cases of Coronavirus on the rise around the globe, online platforms like Facebook and Google are struggling to stem the resulting tide of misinformation.
Instagram may soon bring back the reverse-chronological feed
Instagram may bring back the old reverse-chronological feed. It's experimenting with a new Latest Posts tab, but that's in the testing phase and far from public release.
Facebook’s latest experimental app lets you document your hobbies
Facebook has released a new, experimental app called Hobbi, which allows users to document and keep tabs on the progress of their favorite hobbies and projects.
WhatsApp follows Facebook and YouTube to over 2 billion monthly users
Facebook-owned messaging app WhatsApp announced in a blog post that its 11-year-old app now hosts over 2 billion monthly users -- up from 1.5 billion in 2017.
Instagram may finally let influencers make money off their IGTV videos
Instagram may finally share a piece of its $20 billion ad revenue with creators. The social network is found to be testing a monetization platform for IGTV.
WhatsApp fixes bug that could have allowed hackers to read your desktop files
WhatsApp patched a security loophole in its desktop apps last month that could have potentially allowed hackers to access your computer’s local files.
Apple may have a solution for that annoying crease on folding devices
Apple may be gearing up to throw its hat in the folding device ring. Apple has been issued a new patent that features a hinge mechanism for "an electronic device that uses a flexible display." The design's highlight is a pair of "movable flaps" that prevent the display from being creased when folded.
WhatsApp contains ‘dangerous’ and deliberate backdoors, claims Telegram founder
Telegram Messenger’s founder, Pavel Durov has called using WhatsApp “dangerous”. The 35-year-old has accused WhatsApp of deflecting blame and claimed that WhatsApp’s security bugs were in fact, intentionally planted backdoors to comply with and appease local enforcement agencies.
Roku will likely lose all Fox channels a day before Super Bowl LIV
In a surprising turn of events, Roku has announced it will pull all of Fox cable channels from its platform on February 1st -- a day before the Super Bowl 2020 takes place. Viewers who wish to stream the annual sporting event will have no choice other than to subscribe to a separate streaming service.
Google’s next virtual assistant could chat your ear off on just about any topic
In a new paper, Google detailed a "human-like" chatbot called Meena that can "engage in conversation on any topic." Meena, unlike its peers such as Google’s own Assistant, is an open-domain chatbot and is designed to contextually and constantly converse with you -- no matter the topic.
Motorola’s next affordable phone, the Moto G8, previewed in new leak
A new leak offers the first look at one of Motorola’s next pair of affordable smartphones, the Moto G8. The phone is expected to feature a hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera, a familiar polycarbonate exterior, and an LCD screen that will go nearly edge to edge save for a thick chin.
Instagram wants to be both YouTube and TikTok, but it’s succeeding at neither
Instagram's dismissal of the IGTV button on its main app signals the video platform's growing troubles as competitors like TikTok continue to rise. IGTV, while trying to take on both TikTok and YouTube, has evolved into a confusing offering and pushed users to look elsewhere for their vertical content.
A battery-powered Amazon Echo? I wish all smart speakers had this feature
After a week with Amazon's Echo Input Portable, I'm convinced that a rechargeable battery should be a must-have feature in smart speakers. The addition of a battery unlocks several new use cases and lets the Echo Input Portable work like any other smart speaker -- without being tied up to a power outlet.
Latest beta update brings dark mode to WhatsApp; here’s how to try it yourself
At long last, WhatsApp is embracing the dark side. The Facebook-owned instant messaging app, after months of testing, has begun rolling out a dark mode toggle to Android users on the beta channel. The new black theme works across the entire app and even overhauls the backdrop of the settings menu.
Report says Apple doesn’t secure iCloud backups because the FBI asked it not to
A new report claims Apple backtracked on its plan to end-to-end encrypt iPhone owners’ iCloud backups after the FBI, citing that the move would harm investigations, hounded it not to go ahead with it two years ago. Before launching, the company consulted the FBI and upon objection, it dropped the plan.
WhatsApp will be ad-free because Facebook has a better plan to make money off it
Facebook has shelved its plan to bring ads to WhatsApp Status. However, the decision was unlikely to have been driven by a moral call. Instead, Facebook has apparently found a more lucrative and scalable monetization route than ads. Here's what seems to have motivated the decision.