BATTERYFORPC BLOG
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
Coronavirus: 3D-printer owners rally to create NHS face masks
Some 1,400 3D-printer owners have pledged to use their machines to help make face shields for the NHS. Started by palliative-medicine doctor James Coxon, the 3DCrowd UK group is now looking to recruit more volunteers. It says thousands of its 3D-printed masks have already been made and donated to hospitals, GPs, pharmacies, paramedics and social-care practices. Healthcare workers say they are h ... Read more
2020-03-31 21:36:04
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
2020-03-31 21:35:42
Coronavirus: UK considers virus-tracing app to ease lockdown
A coronavirus app that alerts people if they have recently been in contact with someone testing positive for the virus "could play a critical role" in limiting lockdowns, scientists advising the government have said. The location-tracking tech would enable a week's worth of manual detective work to be done in an instant, they say. But the academics say no-one should be forced to enrol ... Read more
2020-03-31 21:34:34