Adware disguised as games, TV apps, and remote control simulator apps infected millions of devices with adware. Security firm TrendMicro revealed in a blog that 85 apps containing the adware made it on to the Google Play store. The apps were subsequently downloaded 9 million times. The adware could display full-screen ads, hide itself, monitor a device’s screen unlocking functionality, and run in the background on the device. TrendMicro said Google removed the apps from the Play Store quickly after verifying its report.
The app informs the user that it is loading or buffering. However, after a few seconds, the app disappears from the user’s screen and hides its icon on the device. The fake app still runs in a device’s background after hiding itself. Though hidden, the adware is configured to show a full-screen ad every 15 or 30 minutes on the user’s device.
I heart this so much. There aren’t enough emojis in the world to describe how much I love Apple’s giant message to CES: “What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone.” It’s on a massive outdoor sign hanging on the side of a ::checks notes:: Marriott…wait, is Apple trolling Marriott, too? Fitting, ifso. Whatever, the target is ostensibly Google, Facebook, Amazon, Android, and the myriad of companies whose customers are the product. And that message is being delivered to CES in Las Vegas, a show Apple doesn’t bother to attend. Chris Velazco of Engadget tweeted the first image I could find (below), and Mashable‘s Adam Rosenberg pitched it as, “Apple spent money to publicly troll everyone else’s privacy issues at CES.” Again with the feels, Apple. Thanks for brightening my day.
Macaulay Culkin recreated scenes from the classic Christmas movie Home Alone in Google’s latest advert. Reprising his role as Kevin McCallister, the clip showed Mr. Culkin adding aftershave to a shopping list, setting reminders, and fighting intruders with the help of the Google Assistant.
Today’s Quick Tip is all about using Gmail’s delegates feature. With this, you can allow people you trust to read and respond to your messages without them having to know your password! It’s cool and very handy in an office environment, especially.
John Martellaro and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to share their thoughts on how Apple will promote its streaming TV content and follow up on yesterday’s subscription TV overload discussion. They also look at competition in the artificial intelligence space with Google’s new Call Screen feature.
The days of only writing software that resides on a major platform like PCs and Macs are coming to a close. Now, every major tech company wants to sell you its own brand of hardware.
Dave Hamilton and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to discuss what’s behind Google shutting down its Google+ social network platform, plus they explore a new report saying an iPad Pro with a USB-C port is coming in October.
Google didn’t disclose the data breach that led to this decision, and according to The Wall Street Journal, the company made that decision because it feared disclosure would lead to regulation.
John Martellaro and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to discuss HomePod’s lack of growth in the smart speaker market, plus they look at Netflix’s plan to cut off Apple from in-app subscription purchases.
Andrew Orr and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to discuss Apple’s released—and now pulled—iOS 12 developer beta 7, plus they look at how Google tracks you even when you think they aren’t.
Google loves collecting as much data on our activities as it can, and that includes your location—even if you thought you disabled the “feature.” Here’s how to really stop Google from logging where you are.
