Gsbt

With each new iPhone 8 leak that we’ve seen so far, it becomes increasingly obvious that the hottest iPhone that Apple will launch this year will also feature a design unlike anything we’ve seen on previous models. The iPhone 8 will not have a physical home button and its bezels will be smaller than ever. CAD drawings, 3D renders, and protective case designs have shown the same purported iPhone 8 design over and over. Well, it looks all the rumors are true, and we have Apple to thank for the biggest iPhone 8 leak to date. DON'T MISS Genius flash drive works with micro-USB, USB-C, and USB-A all at once You know how Apple is big on secrecy and how the company has employed a team of highly skilled former intelligence officers to combat internal leaks? Well, Apple probably didn’t see this one coming. Someone at Apple accidentally — or intentionally — released the first firmware of Apple’s HomePod smart speaker. Intrepid developers took that firmware apart to find various details ab

Ever since the release of the HTC Dream back in 2008, Android has been growing steadily. Over the weekend, the platform achieved a pretty major milestone when  Google Play Services  crossed 5 billion downloads on the Google Play Store. If you know anything about Android, you know that Play Services isn’t something you go to the Play Store and download yourself. Instead, the app is automatically loaded onto your Android-powered gadget — if it has access to Google’s suite of Play services, that is. Play Services was first launched in 2012, and since then, more than 5 billion people have logged into an Android device with their Google account to enable it. That’s a substantially large amount of people, and it makes sense considering  Google’s claim at I/O  earlier this year that there are currently 2 billion monthly active Android devices. The 5 billion number for Play Services is substantially higher because it includes billions of devices that are out of commission. The app hittin

Changes big and small are coming to Android and these are our favorites. Android O  will soon be here, though it will take a while for most of us to see it. With it comes more of the tweaks under the hood with each release: changes to make batteries last longer, apps run better, and to keep our information safer. But there is also a lot of other cool stuff there! Things that sound small but will make a big difference like better ways to manage fonts and emojis, as well as bigger changes like new ways to show notifications. Everyone has a favorite feature from the list of changes, and that's what we're going around the table with this week. See what we're most looking forward to when Android O arrives. Jerry Hildenbrand I have two things, but they kind of go together so it's not cheating. The new window controls like picture-in-picture combined with new ways to use the keyboard mean developers can build apps that work even better on  Chromebooks . It's great

Google has a tendency to create multiple products that end up competing with each other, to some degree. Android and Chrome OS, Google's handful of messaging clients, the list goes on. But two of Google's subscription services, YouTube Red and Google Play Music, will soon merge into one offering. The merge was confirmed during a panel session at the New Music Seminar conference in New York, by YouTube's head of music, Lyor Cohen. He explained that Google needs to merge the services to help bring in new subscribers, saying "The important thing is combining YouTube Red and Google Play Music, and having one offering." Google later provided a statement to  The Verge , which stated that the company is still evaluating options and would notify users before any changes. Google's music ecosystem is a bit complicated, but I'm not sure if a merge would solve that. Google Play Music is a more typical music streaming service, while YouTube Music focuses on music vi

YouTube is a simple service with a lot of not-so-simple problems to it. It's easy for  YouTube  to frustrate users because beneath the cat videos and endless comment sections are a lot of features that can really make or break your experience. You thought you turned off Autoplay, but it still seems to be turned on when you're showing your family videos on the TV. You get notifications when people across the house are casting. Why? And more importantly, how do you end these annyoances? Here's how. How to control and stop someone casting from YouTube How to keep YouTube from Autoplaying when casting How to quickly skip forward or backward in a YouTube video How to change how far your double-tap to seek goes How to control and stop someone casting from YouTube By default, when someone casts content from YouTube (or most other apps) to a Chromecast, everyone else connected to the same router as at that Chromecast will receive a notification that allows them to control tha

Ryne Hager It might not matter how high the DPI on a screen gets cranked by each new model if you have trouble seeing it. Thankfully we have Google's TalkBack, Android's accessibility service for the blind and disabled. It reads what's on your screen, but it also provides feedback for actions allowing users to fully interact with their device. Now the latest update has left beta after a few months of testing, bringing with it even more features, like verbosity (an adjustment for how much or little content it reads, based on your preferences), character counts for password fields, and a new Select to Speak service that allows you to tap content to hear it spoken, and more. The recent changes should go some ways towards easing accessible interaction with an Android device. Phones are pretty much a requirement these days to a productive life, and each new accessibility feature makes them easier to use, enabling everyone to have the same advantages in communication. Google f

For as much as some pundits like to believe that Snapchat poses a serious threat to Instagram, the popular photo-sharing site owned by Facebook is as popular as ever. Not only has Instagram seen its user base grow considerably over the past few years, the cumulative number of Instagram users continues to accelerate with each passing year. Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom recently revealed that Instagram now boasts more than 700 million users, according to a new report  from  The New York Times . Of that subset, an estimated 400 million users check the website or the app on a daily basis. Interestingly enough, approximately 560 million of Instagram’s total user base now resides outside of the United States, a data point which speaks to the site’s broad appeal across the globe. As a quick point of comparison, Snapchat currently boasts upwards of 160 million daily users. To help illustrate Instagram’s tremendous growth over the past few years, consider this: From June 2016 through D

The  Infinity Display  on the Galaxy S8 is impressive to say the least. Its sleek curves set it miles apart from the competition. According to a new report out of South Korea, Samsung is now working on a new kind of display panel which will have curves on all four sides, meaning that even the top and bottom edges would be curved. The report mentions that this display panel would allow for a screen-to-body ratio more than 98 percent so the front of the device will essentially be a big slab of glass. The handset would have no top or bottom bezels and would look unlike any other smartphone on the market right now. However, the report does caution that there are some difficulties in the lamination process that have to be eliminated first before we can see these displays in consumer devices. The current lamination process won’t allow the display’s four corners to register the user’s touch thus making them essentially useless. This challenge has to be addressed first before we can have sm

The Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) is a great mid-range device. Samsung hasn’t managed to avoid all faults with this phone but it without a doubt includes a range of functions and features that definitely play in its favor. Here are 5 reasons to opt for the Galaxy A3 (2017). Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) review: the mid-range phone that thinks it's a flagship Has Samsung found the perfect recipe for success with the A series? Before revealing the strengths of this device, it’s important to acknowledge its weaknesses. This way you can ensure that, as a potential buyer, your final decision is based on all the facts from both sides of the coin. The phone was released with Android 6.0.1, an Android interface that has now been available for several months. Samsung didn’t consider it necessary to install Android Nougat on the device, which reflects the  fragmentation problem  that affects the various Android versions. Some also criticize the device’s poor internal memory (16 GB), as photography 

It might not matter what you think about  how the Pixel looks  — it worked for the company and it hasn’t deterred demand. The process of getting to the Pixel’s look was profiled by  CNET  last week and Krishna Kumar, Product Lead for the Pixel, decided to take the opportunity to throw some food for thought to the Pixel User Community. The forum has been a discussion center for fellow owners to discuss issues like  image corruptions  and  broken speakers , but it also inadvertently played hub to what people wanted from  a Pixel 2 . “What do you like about the design? What do you hate about it? What did we get right?,” Kumar asked.  “What would you like to see us improve?” Well, that’s a sequel confirmed, right? The discussion took turns supporting more buttons, fewer buttons, stereo speakers, wireless charging here,  waterproofing there  and a lot more. Storage and RAM upgrades were requested with better overall specs and biometrics and the camera app and sometimes the rails just cam

As the huge company that it is, Google tends to have a way of seeping into things through means you aren’t aware of. Yes, even into (or out of) Tizen OS. The  Korean Fair Trade Commission , though, is aware of a couple of stipulations between the firm and Samsung and is investigating some antitrust concerns it has. Specifically, it is looking into the Mobile Application Distribution Agreement and the anti-fragmentation agreement signed. The first agreement basically ensures that manufacturers  pre-load Google Mobile Services apps  like YouTube, Drive and Gmail onto their devices and also mandates  Google’s search engine as the default  — leaving competitors feeling edged out and regulators mad. Why? Unlike  minimum hardware requirements  that ensure an impressibly decent experience, dictating which web services a manufacturer’s phone must have as an irrevocable default allegedly deprives users of choice for such things — you can’t just Bing things from the intrinsic search bar on t

Softbank , the owner of Sprint, may soon approach T-Mobile US owner Deutsche Telekom for a merger proposal. One concession the Japanese conglomerate might cede is control of the combined company, sources to  Reuters  say. The meeting has not happened as FTC rules bar such communications between rivals as  the 600MHz spectrum auction is set to go on through April . Back in 2013, it was  Softbank that led a failed merger  attempt between the two service providers.  AT&T tried to buy T-Mobile in 2011 . Both transactions faced intense regulatory scrutiny. Enter the presidency of Donald Trump, one seemingly concerned less with antitrust laws, and a new age of business in the telecom industry.  AT&T  and  Verizon  have been picking up media properties while T-Mobile CEO John Legere has suggested that he would be open to  a power play of service companies . An overall stronger T-Mobile that has grown its user base by the millions over the past four years has emboldened Deutsche Tel

A study came out this week that revealed  that only one in ten people still use a new app after one week. That number drops to about four or five out of 100 using it after 30 days. Retention rates are higher in some areas, like North America. They’re also higher on iOS than on Android in general. Android’s new Instant Apps feature could dramatically change these numbers when people try out apps without actually installing them. Word around the digital grapevine indicates that Supercell  isn’t developing a game this year. The mega popular developer released Clash Royale in 2016. 86% of the company was also purchased by Tencent for $8.6 billion. In short, it was a busy year. The team plans to double down and improve their current selection of games for now. However, a new game is scheduled for release in early 2018. Early this week, Prince’s music became available on streaming sites . Prince had previously removed his music from streaming sites in 2015 and only gave the rights to stream

If you’ve ever wondered what devices your fellow Android Authority buddies are using, or if all those polls about buying new flagship phones and updating to Nougat are accurate, then have I got the data just for you. We’ve had a little dig through the anonymous usage statistics that Google Analytics collects for the site, and it reveals some rather interesting trends. Broadly speaking, there’s a love for Marshmallow, Google, Samsung, and OnePlus out there, and our dear readership is right on the cutting edge of mobile tech. I wouldn’t have expected anything less. First up, what sort of devices are you lot using the most to browse the site? It’s not really a surprise to see that the vast majority of your viewing is done with a smartphone, which clocks in with a 62.2 percent share. A notable 32.2 percent chunk are still using either PCs or laptops to scope out the latest news and reviews, which leaves tablets on a somewhat surprisingly small 5.6 percent. We know that the tablet market

According to an industry insider who  spoke to Reuters , Apple is gearing up to begin manufacturing the  iPhone SE  in the south Indian city of Bangalore. The news follows  our report from two weeks ago  about Apple’s plans to start building phones in India by the end of April. Priyank Kharge, IT minister of the state of Karnataka (of which Bangalore is a part), tweeted – and then deleted – an announcement signaling that the company would kick off manufacturing operations soon. The Economic Times reported earlier today that the Cupertino-based firm is looking to  build between 300,000 and 400,000 iPhone SE units  in a plant that will be handled by Taiwanese manufacturer  Wistron . However, the company’s India Country Director, Sudipto Gupta,  told Digit  yesterday that he is unaware of any such plans. While that leaves the story up in the air at the moment, the plan to kick off India operations with the  iPhone  SE could make sense for Apple. Cheaper and smaller than the more recent

If you thought only the government has advanced spying tools for your iPhone or Android device, then you were wrong. It turns out that it’s pretty easy to spy on people, including your significant other or children, by installing commercially available applications. It’s also illegal, and if you’re thinking about doing it, there are probably other personal problems to fix first. An extensive story from  Forbes  dives right into the matter, revealing the many intricacies of selling government-grade surveillance tools to private citizens looking to spy on their spouses. The report reveals that various companies would actually sell such tools in blatant disregard of local laws. The spyware would allow users to track their victims, and the report specifically mentions that it’s very common to see such tools put to work in domestic abuse cases. “Control is the absolute heart of domestic abuse, that’s what it’s all about, and so it’s not surprising perpetrators are finding new ways of co

Hay muchas aplicaciones de correo electrónico para Android pero no todas son tan rápidas e inteligentes como  EasilyDo , que llega a este sistema operativo. Android tiene por defecto la aplicación de Gmail preinstalada, y es que esa es una de las razones por las que Google desarrolla este sistema. No obstante hay muchas alternativas  si queremos un gestor de correo más personalizado. ProtonMail, el correo cifrado, ultraseguro y libre creado en el CERN Así es ProtonMail, el correo cifrado más utilizado del mundo. Creado por científicos del CERN y el MIT. Una de estas acaba de llegar a Android tras un año en iOS. Se trata de  EasilyDo , una app que se centra en aprender cómo usamos el correo y permitirnos gestionarlo de forma cómoda, integrando los gestos de deslizamiento que son casi obligatorios desde que  Mailbox  los implementara. Sencillo y rápido Lo primero que llama la atención es que es muy rápido. Podríamos pensar que es una imitación de Inbox pero al lado de esa opci

Kif Leswing Getty Images/Stephen Lam AAPL Apple Rg  133.25 1.16 (+0.90 %) Disclaimer Get real-time AAPL charts here » The world's most valuable company is breaking new records. Apple's shares closed on Monday at $133.29, up $1.17 for the day, and above its record close of $133, set in February 2015.   However, Apple hasn't yet broken its intraday high, $134.54, set in April 2015. Still, investors are clearly finding their appetite for the company's stock. Apple is valued at about $699 billion, the largest market cap for a publicly traded American company.  The stock has risen more than 9% since Apple reported  a solid beat on quarterly earnings , breaking three straight quarters in which the company reported an annual decline in sales.  During much of 2016, there were serious concerns about whether Apple's iPhone, which contributes about two thirds of Apple's revenue, had saturated its market. And Apple's sales in China are still falling. But in

Chris Weller EBay founder and chairman Pierre Omidyar in Delaware, December 7, 2009. REUTERS/Tim Shaffer Omidyar Network, the philanthropic investment arm started by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar,  has invested  $493,000 into an experiment giving people in Kenya free money. The experiment, put on by the charity GiveDirectly, tests an up-and-coming solution to poverty known as basic income. People under basic income receive a set amount of money on a regular basis to cover expenses like rent, food, and clothing. GiveDirectly is running a small pilot in just a few Kenyan villages at present, but once the full experiment launches in a few months it will be the largest basic income experiment in history. More than 26,000 people will receive free money in some form, whether it's for a period of 12 years, just a couple, or in a lump sum or spread out. Not much long-term research on basic income exists, but the studies that have been performed  suggest only good comes  from helping poo

A SWEET TIME FOR POKEMON GO Valentine's Day is sweeter than ever with extended lures, extra candy, and more frequent catches! Pokemon Go's  next event has just gone live, and this one is aiming to steal your heart. A special Valentine's Day event runs from 11 a.m. PST February 8th thru 11 a.m. PST February 15th. There is going to be plenty going on for the next week, from extra candies to help evolve your Pokemon to lures that'll last for hours. Don't worry, though, we have all the details for you here. Candies, candies everywhere As you're probably well aware, in order to evolve your Pokemon you need to collect enough candy. That's where the first perk in this event shows up. Each time you catch, hatch, or evolve a Pokemon you'll receive twice the normal amount of candy. That isn't all either. Your buddy Pokemon will also find candy to help them evolve twice as fast! Extended lures Lures are also receiving a special perk. Instead of their usu