BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Coronavirus: Google reveals travel habits during the pandemic
Google is to publicly track people's movements over the course of the coronavirus pandemic. The tech firm will publish details of the different types of places people are going to on a county-by-county basis in the UK, as well as similar data for 130 other countries. The plan is to issue a regular updates with the figures referring back to activity from two or three days prior. The company has ... Read more
2020-04-03 20:30:14
Zoom boss apologises for security issues and promises fixes
Zoom is to pause the development of any new features to concentrate on safety and privacy issues, in the wake of criticism from users of the app. In a blog, the chief executive of the video conferencing app apologised for "falling short" on security issues and promised to address concerns. He said that the use of Zoom had soared in ways he could never have foreseen prior to the coronav ... Read more
2020-04-02 20:40:32
Coronavirus: Privacy in a pandemic
These are strange times. Germany, perhaps the most privacy conscious nation on earth, is considering a mobile phone app that would trace the contacts of anyone infected with Covid-19. Earlier this week the British Prime Minister shared a picture of an online Cabinet meeting, complete with the Zoom meeting ID and the usernames of ministers. And millions of us are sharing views of our kitchens over ... Read more
2020-04-02 20:40:12
Coronavirus threatens the next generation of smartphones
Every Autumn, Mazen Kourouche heads to the biggest Apple Store in Sydney, Australia, and queues up for hours to be one of the first people in the world to get his hands on the latest iPhone. "Since the iPhone 7 came out I've been lining up for the new Apple devices for a few reasons: firstly the hype associated with them, secondly because of the resale value, and thirdly because Australia is ... Read more
2020-04-02 20:39:51
Coronavirus: Israeli spyware firm pitches to be Covid-19 saviour
A controversial Israeli cyber-security company is marketing software that uses mobile phone data to monitor and predict the spread of the coronavirus. NSO Group says it is in talks with governments around the world, and claims some are already testing it. The surveillance software-maker is being sued by WhatsApp for allegedly sending malware to the phones of human rights activists and journalist ... Read more
2020-04-02 20:39:25
Coronavirus: Moscow rolls out patient-tracking app
Moscow is launching an app to track the movements of people in the capital diagnosed with coronavirus, who have been ordered to stay at home. The city's IT chief said the service would become operational on Thursday. The move coincides with a separate initiative to help European health authorities create virus-tracing apps that communicate with each other. This could help relax border restrictio ... Read more
2020-04-01 22:04:50
Amazon Prime allows in-app purchases for Apple users
Amazon has begun allowing iPhone and Apple TV users to make in-app purchases and rent movies and shows from Amazon Prime. The move is a reversal for Amazon which had forced Prime users to leave the app and go to Amazon's website via a browser to make purchases. It is also a change for Apple which will allow Amazon to use its own payment system. The changes apply to Amazon Prime users in the US, ... Read more
2020-04-01 22:04:28
UK government defends PM's use of Zoom
The UK government has defended using Zoom to hold cabinet video conferences. Questions had been raised about potential security risks after the prime minister tweeted a picture in which a meeting ID was visible. "In the current unprecedented circumstances, the need for effective channels of communication is vital," a government spokeswoman told BBC News A source added the app was quic ... Read more
2020-04-01 22:04:04
Coronavirus: Racist 'zoombombing' at virtual synagogue
A synagogue service being held online has been hijacked by racist accounts which posted anti-Semitic abuse to congregants, the BBC has learned. The meeting was being held on video chat app Zoom. "Zoombombing" - where uninvited guests enter meetings - is on the rise as more people use the app to stay in touch during the coronavirus restrictions. Experts advised people to secure meeting ... Read more
2020-04-01 22:03:42
Apple buys weather app Dark Sky
Apple has purchased the weather predicting app Dark Sky and plans to shut down the Android and Wear OS versions.
Dark Sky is known for its hyper-local weather predictions and ability to forecast minute by minute.
The app's creator Adam Grossman said the partnership would allow Dark Sky to reach "far more people".
Owners of Android phones or wearable devices not made by Apple will have access to the services until 1 July.
On social media, many users complained about Apple's decision to remove Dark Sky from Android.
2020-03-31 21:36:35