According to Google's support page on the matter, disabling your phone's "Location History" in your phone's privacy settings will prevent Google from tracking every move you make. The support page reads as follows: "You can turn off Location History at any time. With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored." That doesn't leave much in the way of wiggle room. A pity it's not even close to being true. A new investigation conducted by the Associated Press reveals … Read more
Social Media App Filters Could Alter Beauty Perception
File this one away under "unintended consequences." There's a newly emerging trend in the medical community called "Snapchat Dysmorphia" that's leaving plastic surgeons around the country to sound the alarm, and in some cases, scratch their heads in disbelief. Recent research conducted at Boston University has discovered that the digital filters featured prominently in social media services like Snapchat are influencing how Millennials think about beauty. It's causing significant numbers of … Read more
Android Gets New OS Update Named Android Pie
Android 9 is finally here, at least for some users. As of today, if you have any of the following phones, you can get the latest update: The Google Pixel The Pixel XL The Pixel 2 The Pixel 2 XL The Essential Phone The company is currently working with other vendors to make the new update available. So if you've got an Android device other than those listed above, you should have access to the new version later this fall. As to features, there's a lot to like. Google … Read more
Microsoft Is Keeping Classic Skype, For Now
Microsoft recently found itself on the receiving end of more than a little user rage when they made significant changes to Skype, with the release of version 8. The company's original plan was to model Skype 8 after several different social media services, but the users found the new interface to be both annoying and frustrating. On the face of it, Skype 8 boasts a number of impressive enhancements, enabling users to screenshare inside calls, connecting with up to 24 users simultaneously and … Read more
Lifelock Customers At Risk Of Email Information Exposure
A dark day for Lifelock, the Identity Theft Protection company. It has recently come to light that the company may have accidentally exposed their customers to additional attacks. They recently fixed a vulnerability on their website that allowed anyone with a browser to index email addresses associated with their entire customer database. The vulnerability can even unsubscribe users from company communications designed to keep them safe and keep them apprised of changes they need to be aware … Read more
Automatic Mobile Picture Sync Coming To Windows 10
Microsoft has made numerous ventures into the smartphone ecosystem, but so far, they've only been met with limited success. This time, they're trying something a little different. Instead of making their own Windows-based phones, they've created a "Your Phone" app that syncs your phone with your PC. The app is still in testing and is slated to be released sometime in October. At present, while there are two versions (Android and iOS), the Android version is currently more limited than … Read more
Microsoft Working On Delay Feature For Windows 10 Update Installs
If you've used Windows 10 for any length of time, you've probably had this happen to you. You're right in the middle of working on something important, and all of a sudden, your OS decides it would be a great time to install some updates! In response to user complaints, Microsoft introduced a "snooze" feature that allowed users to delay the installation of upgrades. However, this sparked as many complaints as it silenced, because unfortunately, it causes more frequent device reboots. Now, … Read more
Girl Scouts Can Now Earn New Badges For High Technical Skills
The girl scouts have officially moved into the 21st century. The Girl Scouts of America recently announced the creation of a whole raft of new badges that address (in the organization's words) "some of society's most pressing needs." A total of 30 new badges will be available exclusively for girls between the ages of five to eighteen for efforts and advocacy in the following areas: Computer Science Cybersecurity Environment Robotics Space Exploration Badges are awarded on … Read more
Survey Shows Businesses Feel Prepared For A Data Breach
A majority of business owners from around the world (68 percent) feel that they're better prepared to ward off a cyberattack and prevent a data breach than their competitors. This is a figure which is up 8 percent over last year's statistic for the same question. This, according to a recent survey by FICO. In the US, power and industrial companies were the most confident, with 86 percent of companies from these sectors rating their firms as either above average, or top-tier in terms of their … Read more
Microsoft Edge Mobile Browser Blocks Android And iOS Ads
As most people know, Microsoft Edge was the company's "reboot." After trying for years to patch and update their beleaguered Internet Explorer, Microsoft ultimately decided to scrap it and start fresh. Since Edge's launch, it has struggled to gain traction with users. Recently, Microsoft has upped the ante, at least where Edge for iOS and Android devices are concerned. A recent update sees the browser outfitted with a built-in ad blocker. Prior to the update, if you wanted an ad blocking … Read more
