Researchers conducted a study that found many smart TVs are sending your private data to Facebook and Netflix.
Facebook Launches New Surveillance Devices For Your Home
Today Facebook launched Portal video chatting devices that definitely won’t be used to spy on you and your loved ones. They will let Facebook users watch television together over a video call. Andrew Bosworth, VP of AR/VR at Facebook, said:
I think that in a couple years’ time, if you have a smart streaming device that doesn’t have a camera allowing you to video call people, you’re not going to have a competitive product. I think this is the killer feature for a device like this.
Bosworth also touted privacy protections like local processing of smart features on the devices, which means most user data will not be sent back to Facebook servers.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Legislation and Tech Conflicts, iPhone Battery Life – TMO Daily Observations 2019-09-18
Andrew Orr and Bryan Chaffin join host Kelly Guimont to discuss tech and legislation colliding in unfortunate ways, and iPhone battery life.
BBC Launches 'Own It' Keyboard App for Kids
The BBC has created a “digital wellbeing” keyboard for kids called Own It. It uses machine learning to analyze what a child types.
Apple Starts Using Recycled Rare Earth in Taptic Engine
Apple said today it will use recycled rare earth materials in the Taptic Engine of the new iPhone 11 models.
How To Enter Responsive Design Mode in Safari and See Your Website on Multiple Devices
There is a really easy shortcut for entering responsive design mode in Safari and testi how your website likes on different devices.
Apple Claims EU Does Not Understand Its Business
Apple accused the European Commission of failing to understand its business during its appeal against a tax ruling by EU’s executive body.
Podcast App Pocket Casts Moves to a Subscription
Popular podcast app Pocket Casts is now free with an optional US$0.99/month or US$10/year subscription. The previous price was a one-time fee of US$3.99. Pocket Casts CEO Owen Grover told TechCrunch: “We understood pretty clearly that we were limiting our reach and limiting the number of users that could enjoy the quality and power of the app and the platform. It felt penny wise and pound foolish to continue to collect a few dollars at the top … We have the benefit of these owners who are supporting us in a way that allows us to grow our audience, habituate new listeners and deliver a pretty terrific user experience.” App Store: Pocket Casts – Free
Fortnite Adds Party Hub and Split View on iPad
Fortnite added a Party Hub and split view support for iPad in a recent update. The Party Hub tells you which friends are online for voice chat, according to Cult of Mac. Split View support means you can have another app running along side the game on compatible iPads.
The Party Hub is the first thing you’ll see when you load up Fortnite on an Android or iOS device (after installing the latest update). And it shows you instantly which of your friends is online. You can then voice chat with any of those friends — even if they’re in a game and you’re not. You can also start a party to voice chat with multiple friends before jumping into a match together. Party Hub works across platforms, so you can chat to friends who play on console and PC. And you can quickly transfer your party from your smartphone or tablet to another device.
Life is Tough. So is The iPhone 11 Pro.
In a new ad, which I spotted on UK TV earlier today, Apple shows off how resilient the iPhone 11 Pro is. It shows the device being subjected to all sorts of things, including a wedding cake, and surviving. Naturally, it’s all done in typical Apple style.