app

A new app offers to bring together multiple social media, messaging and content tools into a single "timeline". Tapestry is made by the people behind a previous app that aimed to improve the experience of what was then called Twitter. That app, ... Twitterific, stopped working in 2023 when Twitter blocked third-party access to its service. That ongoing block means the new app doesn't support the rebranded X service. Instead, Tapestry brings together multiple apps into a single chronological timeline showing all posts that meet the user's criteria. The developers believe many users prefer that to ... (view more)

Google is to take stronger actions against apps that turn out to be potentially harmful. It may revoke permissions where the app is already on a user's device. One of the most notable aspects of Google's management of Android apps is its particular ... balance of security and privacy. Although it will remove apps suspected or confirmed to be malicious from the Play Store, it doesn't usually do much if anything about devices which already have the app installed. The optional Google Play Protect can technically deactivate suspicious apps, but usually it's left to users to hear about the issue (for ... (view more)

Imagine a device that not only tracks your health but also actively supports you in overcoming one of the toughest habits to break - smoking. Researchers are now exploring how smartwatches, equipped with advanced sensors and AI-driven apps, can ... provide personalized, real-time interventions to help people quit smoking more effectively. How Smartwatches are Different from Traditional Methods While traditional approaches to smoking cessation such as reminders or support messages sent to your phone have shown some success, they come with limitations. Messages sent at arbitrary times may miss the ... (view more)

The Supreme Court is to rule on a law that would effectively ban TikTok in the US. The timing of the hearing means there may be little room for nuance. The law follows ongoing debate about whether the Chinese-owned app poses a threat to US security. ... The app is already banned on devices owned by the US federal government and those in many states, though previous state laws that would have banned TikTok from app stores have been blocked. Critics of the app believe it accesses more customer data than is necessary for its stated purpose and that there's a risk the Chinese government may have or ... (view more)

Google may soon warn users before they download a mediocre app. It's the first time the warnings will appear for matters of quality rather than security. The changes were spotted by Android Authority and are buried away in the code of the Play Store ... app. The code would make the app display one of three messages: This app is frequently uninstalled compared to similar apps on Play Play has limited user data about this app This app has few active users compared to others on Play Apps Not Blocked Based on the way the code is integrated, it doesn't appear this will be a high-profile warning such ... (view more)

Google will soon let children use Android phones to make in-person purchases. It says there will be sufficient safeguards and controls for parents. The changes will be to Google Wallet. That's an app that lets users store card details and make ... payments in the real world without the card. The app also lets users store electronic versions of tickets and passes. The payments are contactless and use the NFC (near-field communication) chip in the phone. Users must authenticate the app through a security measure such as a PIN, passcode, fingerprint or facial recognition. Previously the app was only ... (view more)

Running app Strava made it possible to track the locations of world leaders and high-profile political candidates according to a newspaper investigation. Security services say the vulnerability did not put people at risk but are reviewing their ... guidelines on using the app. Le Monde investigated the movements of bodyguards for politicians including Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Emannuel Macron and Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump plus partners Jill Biden and Melania Trump. (Source: lemonde.fr ) Secret Trip Revealed The newspaper was able to discover the names of the presidential bodyguards and find ... (view more)

The head of controversial messaging app Telegram says it will now comply with some legal requests for information about users. Russian business owner Pavel Durov announced the policy change just weeks after being arrested in France and charged with ... enabling criminal activity. Telegram is a messaging app similar to WhatsApp in that the content of messages is encrypted, to the point that even the operators of the app can't read private messages. It has a couple of significant differences that likely affect the type of people that use it, however. One is that unlike WhatsApp's limit of 1,000 ... (view more)

A useful web feature could be a serious phishing risk according to security researchers. They say scammers are using "progressive web apps" to bypass Android and iOS security features. In simple terms, a progressive web app is a mix of a website and ... a standalone application. It's technically a website and uses web technologies, allowing for instant updates. However, it looks and feels more like a standalone app and can often access more of a device's resources than a web browser. Security firm ESET says scammers are using progressive web apps as a way to overcome a major limitation in scams ... (view more)

Android scammers are using a creatively nasty way to spread malware. They've disguised it as an update for the Google Play store itself. It's a particularly cheeky way to try to get credibility for a malware scam. Not only is Google Play the ... official place to get Android apps in the first place, but the best and simplest Android security tip is to only use apps from Google Play. In this case, the malware doesn't originate as an app but instead as a bogus link. This could be on a web page, in a text message or in an email. The supposed source is Google itself and the link comes with a message ... (view more)