Items tagged with App
Security researcher Will Strafach has discovered that Uber had been granted access to an undocumented, private app permission allowing its app to access the screen-recording feature on iPhones. To be able to access this screen capturing feature, Uber had to be granted special permission by Apple. That screen recording feature is said to be off limits to most app developers and is something known as an "entitlement". The screen recording feature in question is taken advantage of by screen recording apps on jailbroken iPhones, allowing apps like iRec to capture screens without needing permission directly from Apple. The security researcher says that based on thousands of app binaries that he has...
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Sarahah, an anonymous feedback app that has recently exploded in popularity across the globe, is now coming under fire for privacy violations. The app stands accused of uploading emails and phone numbers from user address books to its servers. More intriguingly, there doesn’t seem to be a reason for why the company would need to take such an ill-advised action in the app's current form. The developers of Sarahah describe the app, stating, “Sarahah helps you in discovering your strengths and areas for improvement by receiving honest feedback from your employees and your friends in a private manner”. That’s all well and good, but Bishop Fox security analyst Zachary Julian discovered that the app...
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Facebook is always making tweaks and introducing new features to lure in the handful of people out there who aren't already on the social network, and to keep those who frequently use Facebook happily posting pictures of food, dogs and kids. The social giant recently announced that it was bringing a new streaming video service to the network with a new Watch tab set to debut with some shows that Facebook has paid for itself. Facebook is now back with an announcement that it has made the News Feed easier to navigate. Facebook's Shali Nguyen, Product Design Manager and Ryan Freitas, Design Director, wrote, "Every person’s News Feed is different and populated with a unique set of stories — from...
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(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.8"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));Video is becoming an increasingly important part of the Facebook experience. It is the reason why Mark Zuckerberg and the gang in 2016 launched Facebook Live, a live streaming feature similar to Periscope, and it is why you will soon be able to watch Facebook videos on your television through a new app for TV. It is one of several things Facebook is doing to promote video. The new Facebook video app for TV will roll...
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If you're a fan of Sony's PlayStation Communities feature, but have been left a little perturbed by the fact that Sony somehow has never integrated the functionality into one of its mobile apps: you can now relax. The company today released iOS and Android versions of an app specifically-tailored to those who participate in any PS community. There's something we should warn you about up-front: this is yet another app specific to the PlayStation 4, joining PS Messages, the simply-named "PlayStation", and a few others. It'd be amazing if Sony were to ever combine all three of these apps together, because it's not as though keeping them separate results in faster performance in each. Nonetheless,...
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App developers have been complaining for years that the App Store has become an untenable place for them make money. Selling an app for 99 cents and then never seeing any subsequent revenue from the users (who of course expect free updates) is not profitable, some say. Developers have leaned on in-app purchases to make up the difference, but Apple is instituting two big changes to help level the playing field for developers and put more money in their pockets at the same time. In a rare sit-down interview with The Verge, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller explained that developers will now have the option to sell subscriptions to customers for any of their apps. This could drastically change...
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Evernote and Google Drive just made a techie baby. Evernote gained Google Drive integration for web and Android app cloud storage. Google Drive is great for storing work while many argue that Evernote is a better organizational tool. Evernote customers requested a better way to combine the work they do in both Evernote and Google Drive. The two companies listened and delivered. Dog Walking Robot Idea not included. Erik Wrobel, Chief Product Officer at Evernote stated, "Evernote is where people capture and nurture ideas. This integration with Google Drive helps people cultivate those ideas with rich context." All the files you keep in Google Drive are now easier to access in Evernote....
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There are very few voices as recognizable as Morgan Freeman’s. In addition to playing God in the “Almighty” movies alongside Jim Carey and Steve Carrel, and the unforgettable “Red” in the Shawshank Redemption (which is still the top rated movie of all-time on IMDB), among countless other unforgettable parts, Morgan Freeman has narrated everything from “A Raisin in the Sun” to “War of the Worlds”.Credit: flickr.com/photos/kimstovring/His latest gig will likely win over some die-hard road warriors though, because Morgan Freeman’s voice is now an option in the popular community-based traffic and navigation app, Waze.The Waze Facebook page announces the availability of Freeman’s voice with,...
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Volvo has been firing on all cylinder lately, having recently launched the attractive, all-new XC90 crossover, and lifting the veil on the S90 sedan. And just this week, Volvo set wagon lovers’ hearts ablaze with the reveal of the V90. Now, Volvo is making a run for techies by doing away with physical keys starting next year. Rather than using an actual key or even a wireless fob, Volvo will offer cars that can instead unlock/lock and start the engine using using a smartphone application, in essence serving as a digital key. All functions that could normally be accomplished with a key fob, including opening the trunk, can be accomplished through the app. By relying on a smartphone app to takeover...
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It's no secret that success seen from creating a mobile app could be huge if done right. Small companies have become massive, all thanks to a single app. Look at King and its Candy Crush series as a great example. Knowing the possibilities and acting on them are two different things, though, and getting into the app-development game isn't something that most people are going to find easy. That's a problem Apple hopes to solve with its first ever "iOS App Development Center", one that will teach folks how to create apps for the iOS platform. The press release is a little light on certain details, but it sounds as though this will be like a night class that people can take to learn start to finish...
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Technology sure is grand. With a computer in front of us or a smartphone in hand, we have a world to explore. We can look up recipes to make sure whatever hits the dinner table tonight is delicious, check up on the latest sports news, get some shopping done, keep in touch with family and friends, and of course, seek out interested persons for a quick night of adult fun. I am sure some can relate to this sad situation: we're sitting on the couch, with candles lit in the background. While sipping on a glass of chardonnay, Elton John's Can You Feel The Love Tonight? plays on the record player and becomes a bit too much - we break down, and weep. But this is 2015. The number of services out there...
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Jan Souček, a security researcher from Prague, has uncovered a vulnerability in the security of the iOS Mail application that nefarious types can deploy against users of the app to gain access to their iCloud passwords. The method published by Souček illustrates how an email can be sent to the hapless victim that uses HTML code that mimics the iCloud login pop-up window upon receipt. Then, after said victim has inadvertently tapped their iCloud password into the window's Password field and clicked OK, an email is sent back to the sender with that critical information. Specifically, the app vulnerability lies at the feet of a bug in the Mail app that prevents the HTML tag in e-mail...
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Facebook Messenger users no longer need to keep fingers primed to tap out "Do I know you?". The social media giant's chat service is maturing rapidly and is now offering publicly shared information at the top of message threads — place of residence, job title, etc. — that will allow users to screen incoming messages from non-Friend users. Messenger's new feature — Facebook's Vice President of Messaging, David Marcus, calls it "enhanced caller ID for messaging." — will also display information for Facebook Friends with whom you have not previously chatted with via the service. Thus users can avoid closing the circle on uninvited communications with friends...er, Friends with whom they would just...
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An auto startup called Automatic is turning to third-party developers to help turn your dumb car into a smart one. The way it plans to do that is through a new app store for its car adapter, a small device that plugs into almost every car manufactured since 1996. By partnering with over 20 third-party developers, the first batch of apps found in the new Automatic App Gallery can upgrade your driving experience by helping you remember where you parked, decode engine problems, track mileage for business trips, and more. To attract even more third-party developers, Automatic also has made available its software development kit (SDK). It includes rich APIs that give access to a wealth of driving...
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Different strokes for different folks, right? Unlike Google, which tapped Lionel Richie to sing "Hello" when you call the number on Project Fi's "Experience" page, Facebook just rolled out a new app called Hello, but opted against any kind of celebrity endorsement. Of course, these are two entirely different things we're talking about here. Project Fi is an innovative wireless service that could potentially shake up the telecom industry, whereas Facebook's Hello app simply tries to provide more information about who's calling you. It does that by tapping into Facebook and displaying expanded caller ID information, even if the number of the person calling isn't saved in your phone. Caller ID already...
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Last fall, Google released a tool called 'Arc' that allowed developers to run their Android apps in Chrome OS. Soon after, it became clear that Arc's functionality would expand to other platforms, like Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X - basically, any platform that has a Chrome version available. As Ars technica relays, we can see that Google has begun to really ramp-up its rollout of Arc. At first, developers that ported their apps directly to Arc worked with Google directly, but now, developers can take it upon themselves, submit the app to the store, and relish in the fact that they're able to support another platform without much hassle. What makes that possible is a tool called Arc Welder, a...
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Light a candle for the 300-word news bite. The New York Times has announced its initiative to produce an app for the soon-to-be-everywhere (or not) Apple Watch that will offer all the news you need when you need it, in the form of one-sentence stories that are curated by an editorial team dedicated to the task. The New York Times Apple Watch app — a free extension of the NYTimes on iPhone app — will provide news, accompanied by The Times's photography, from among many Times sections, including Business, Politics, Science, Tech, and The Arts. And readers who find a story to be worth more than just a cursory glance will be able to use Apple's Handoff feature...
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If the trick in life is to never take yourself too seriously, then Lyft should do fine in the long run, despite being an underdog to Uber. That's because the ride sharing service put itself on the map with furry pink mustaches attached to the front of drivers' cars. Call it a gimmick if you wish, but it worked, though the carstache as you know it is evolving. Meet the latest incarnation called the Glowstache. "The Glowstache will be debuting in different cities at different times, so stay tuned for news about when it’s coming to you," Lyft stated in a blog post. "Craving more Lyft swag? Head to ShopLyft to stock up in the meantime. With the Glowstache’s introduction comes...
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Isn't it amazing what our "apps" have become? It used to be that we'd use mobile apps for simple tasks or the odd game, but in recent years, we've gained the ability to use them for real-world activities, like booking a ride, checking into the airport, or paying for a coffee using a digital gift card. Now, it looks like Iowa is ready to take things to the next level, by allowing its citizens to replace a vital piece of information with a mobile app: Their driver's license. When I first read this, I admit I had to do a double-take. It just struck me as so unexpected that a government would allow such an important piece of someone's information to not only be stored on their mobile device, but...
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Twitter is looking for new ways to collect data in order to fuel its ad-oriented business model. To that end, the company is rolling out an update that will let its Twitter app track what apps users have downloaded and are on their mobile devices. The data collected, according to Twitter, will help the company to provide a more “tailored experience” and content to its users. As a result of the information gathered, “who to follow” suggestions should be improved, more relevant promoted content will be displayed, as well as adding Tweets, accounts, and other types of content to a user’s timeline that Twitter thinks they will find interesting.Image Credit: Flickr (Hank Mitchell)Data collected, though,...
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Few things are as annoying as waiting for a cable technician to arrive. You know the drill -- you call customer service to schedule an appointment and the person on the other end of the line says a technician will arrive on Thursday sometime between 7:00 AM and the year 2020. Well, there goes your day, right? Perhaps not -- Comcast has a new app that will let you know precisely when a technician is scheduled to arrive so you can go about your normal business. "This is how it works. Customers with scheduled appointments will be alerted through our app when our technician is about 30 minutes away from arriving at their house, and will be able to track this technician’s progress on a map," Comcast...
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Swype, the top paid third-party keyboard for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users running iOS 8, just learned a whole bunch of new languages -- 16 to be exact, bringing the total number to 21. Also new to Swype version 1.1 in iTunes is intuitive Emoji input. When you compose a message, Swype will analyze your choice of words and suggest appropriate Emojis, whether you're feeling happy, confused, tenacious, or satisfied. "The response to Swype for iOS 8 has been amazing, and we’re thrilled to have quickly updated the app with 16 additional languages – the most currently available for any third-party keyboard for iOS 8," said Aaron Sheedy, vice president of mobile solutions, Mobile Division,...
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