apps

Infopackets Reader Richard A. writes: " Dear Dennis, I am so glad I found your website! I have a major problem with my Samsung S6 Edge (with Android Marshmallow). Recently I started receiving full screen pop up advertisements on my phone - these ads ... are appearing even when my phone is idle! At first they appeared every few days but now these full screen advertisements are popping up every few hours. I have NO idea where they are coming from. I searched google for 'block popup ads android' and came across an article suggesting it is possible to disable notifications from apps by adjusting the ... (view more)

Microsoft is to give Windows 10 users more details about exactly what an app is able to do on their computer. It's a similar security measure to that available on some mobile device apps. Until now, apps only usually have to get a Windows user's ... permission when they want to access location data, for example in a mapping tool. That's changing with the 2017 Fall Creators Update, the next major twice-yearly feature update for Windows 10. Microphone and Webcam Access Need Permission The change means apps will need the user's permission to access key hardware components on the computer such as a ... (view more)

Microsoft has unveiled a new variant of Windows 10 known as Windows 10 S. It has some key benefits for price and security, but with some major drawbacks. The new variant of the system will be built in to several machines, ranging from more basic ... $189 laptops to a $999 Microsoft Surface, which combines an ordinary laptop with a touch screen. The name doesn't stand for something specific, but rather Microsoft has thrown around terms such as security, simplicity, speed and streamlined. Devices running at the system will be billed as loading and running more quickly than many rivals and all ... (view more)

Motion sensors in smartphones could give away your lock code to hackers according to new research. But practical limitations mean related attacks might have to be specifically targeted. Researchers at Newcastle University explored the idea that ... tools such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, compasses and GPS chips in phones could reveal more detail than users realize. The tools are used for a variety of functions such as location tracking, fitness tracking and gesture control such as a user turning a phone face down to instantly switch it to "do not disturb" mode. Their theory was that ... (view more)

Bogus Android apps have helped hackers seize control of more than a million Google accounts in the past few months according to a security company. The apps have also been posting fake online reviews in the names of victims. The attack involves ... malware that's been dubbed "Gooligan." It's particularly concerning because of the sheer amount of personal data a hacker could theoretically access if they can use somebody's Google accounts, such as their email messages and any files stored on Google Docs and Drive. The malware affects devices running versions 4 and 5 of the ... (view more)

With smartphones and tablets gaining extreme popularity thanks to low-cost production and ever-increasing CPU speeds, many users are looking at alternatives to Windows when it comes to being able to compute on the go. One system in particular is the ... ChromeBook (laptop) which is based on Google's Chrome operating system. Many major manufacturers produce Chromebooks, including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Samsung. As of September 2016 there were at least three dozen Chromebook models on the market. What is Chrome OS? Chrome OS is a somewhat similar, but separate operating system to Android ... (view more)

Google says a set of security flaws on Android devices may not be as serious as initially feared. It says 90 percent of devices should be largely immune from what's been dubbed the "Quadrooter" exploit. A security research company found the problem ... in software which works with processors manufactured by Qualcomm, which are used in an estimated 900 million Android devices. The bugs affect the communication between different actions (known as processes) running on the phone at the same time. The name of the exploit (Quadrooter) comes from the fact that there are four ... (view more)

Google is working on an option to replace password logins on mobile devices with a "trust score" based on multiple factors. The idea is to combine all sorts of factors that aren't secure enough on their own. The idea is to balance the need for ... security with the hassle of remembering passwords by building on the concept of two-factor authentication. That's an existing philosophy that deals with the inherent weakness of using a single login factor such as a password. Two-factor authentication combines a password with another factor such as using a specific device or having ... (view more)

Microsoft's goal of having Windows 10 used on just about every form of computing device has taken one step forward. Manufacturers have already incorporated it into a phone and even a portable stick. Acer, the company that helped establish the idea ... of the netbook as a way to run 'real' Windows on an ultra-portable device, has announced what it is calling the first PC Phone. At first glance, the Jade Primo looks like a high-end smartphone running Windows mobile; however, it has fairly impressive specifications, including a Snapdragon 808 Processor, a full 1080p HD 5.5" AMOLED ... (view more)

Microsoft is to crack down on what it considers low-quality apps. It's likely an attempt to get its house in order before Windows 10 is officially released to consumers. The decision affects applications that can be downloaded and installed directly ... from the Windows Store. It doesn't affect applications which users get elsewhere and install manually, in the same way with all software in Windows 7 and earlier. Instead, Windows Store apps are displayed prominently in the Windows 8 and 10 user interface, and on Windows mobile devices. According to Microsoft, the crackdown isn't so ... (view more)