iPad keyboard maker Brydge announced today it has acquired Henge Docks. Henge Docks makes docks that you plug your MacBook into.
Apple Furthers its Research Studies With SensorKit
In addition to ResearchKit and CareKit, Apple is said to be building a new framework for research studies called SensorKit.
Netflix Announces New 'Latest' Section
Netflix unveiled its new ‘Latest’ section Thursday. It provides a personalized list of forthcoming content, TechCrunch reported.
Netflix had confirmed in August that the Latest section would be available on its streaming app for TVs, including Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, and others. But it also had a similar feature available on Android and is testing the feature on iOS, it said at the time. Today, the company confirms the new tab will now be available on many game consoles and Roku, with smart TVs and other devices getting the upgrade in the next couple of months.
Facebook Dating Launches in U.S.
Mired in data breaches and privacy scandals Facebook has turned to love. It launched its dating service in the U.S. Thursday The Verge reported.
Facebook says it will suggest matches for you based on preferences you express when you create your profile, along with your interests and Facebook activity. The app, which borrows many design elements from the dating app Hinge, allows you to send a “like” and a corresponding message to any profile you encounter on the service. You won’t see your Facebook friends in the app unless you use its “secret crush” feature, which lets you express interest in up to nine Facebook friends (or Instagram followers). If you both like each other, you’ll get a notification letting you know.
Audioboom and Voxnest Partner for Podcast Ad Network
Voxnest and UK-based podcasting platform Audioboom announced a partnership for a podcast advertising network.
Amazon Fire TV Edition Smart TV Arrives in UK
Amazon launched a Fire TV Edition smart television and soundbar in the UK in collaboration with JVC and Anker.
IFC Films Unlimited Joins Apple TV Channels
IFC Films is a production company mainly focusing on indie films. Its channel—IFC Films Unlimited—is coming to Apple TV Channels.
Biggest Apple Store in Japan Opening Saturday
The fifth Tokyo Apple Store will open Saturday in the city’s Marunouchi business district. It will be Apple’s biggest store in Japan.
Sonos Move: Portable, Weatherproof, Water Resistant, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Voice-Assistant Speaker
In a move that simultaneously felt like a very natural evolution of their product line as well as (finally?) answering every unrequited request ever made of the company, Sonos today announced Sonos Move, a portable, battery-powered, water resistant, weatherproof, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speaker.
Researchers Test Phones to See if They're Secretly Listening
Researchers put an iPhone and a Samsung phone into a room, playing cat and dog food advertising for 30 minutes.
The security specialists kept apps open for Facebook, Instagram, Chrome, SnapChat, YouTube, and Amazon with full permissions granted to each platform…They repeated the experiment at the same time for three days, and noted no relevant pet food adverts on the “audio room” phones and no significant spike in data or battery usage.
The results won’t surprise those in the information security industry who’ve known for years that the truth is that tech giants know so much about us that they don’t actually need to listen to our conversations to serve us targeted adverts.
For some people, maybe the belief that phones secretly spy on us is less terrifying than learning how much data these corporations actually have on us.