Smartphone use while driving may explain end to 40-year decline in road deaths
Smartphone use while driving may explain last year’s reversal to a 40-year decline in U.S. road deaths, it has been suggested.
Author
Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer who started his career on PC World and has written for dozens of computer and technology magazines, as well as numerous national newspapers, business and in-flight magazines. He has also written two novels.
He thinks wires are evil and had a custom desk made to hide them, known as the OC Desk for obvious reasons.
He considers 1000 miles a good distance for a cycle ride, and Chernobyl a suitable tourist destination. What can we say, he’s that kind of chap.
He speaks fluent English but only broken American, so please forgive any Anglicised spelling in his posts.
Google Earth revamp ditches desktop app for web, adds Voyager tours, random locations
Google teased that it would be launching a ‘brand new experience’ for Google Earth, and it has today announced the details.
The biggest change is that Google Earth is no longer a standalone app on desktop: it now runs as a web app. As of today, it’s Chrome-only, but the company is promising support for other browsers later. The mobile version still requires an app, and is currently Android only, with iOS support promised.
There are, though, two headline new features …
New Google Earth launching April 18, promises a ‘brand new experience,’ likely VR focus
Google has sent out press invites to ‘the unveiling of the new Google Earth‘ on April 18. The company gives no clue what to expect, but promises a ‘brand new experience.’
As Engadget observes, the smart money has to be on new virtual reality features …
Samsung overtakes Apple in Q1 smartphone sales even before Galaxy S8 hits – Trendforce
Trendforce data seen by us suggests that Samsung overtook Apple in Q1 smartphone sales even before the company’s new flagship Galaxy S8 lands in stores in Q2. Most of the gains made by the company were thanks to lower-end devices.
Samsung’s sales results for its high-end smartphones fell short of expectations in the first quarter as consumers’ confidence in the brand had yet to fully recover from the recall of Galaxy Note 7. Nevertheless, Samsung continued to do very well in the mid-range and low-end segments of the market. The economically priced, high-performing Galaxy J series sustained Samsung’s shipments and contributed significantly to the expansion of the brand’s overall smartphone production volume. Samsung was the only brand that saw positive growth in production volume during the off season of the first quarter.
There was less cheer when it came to high-end devices, however …
Looks like multi-user support is on the way for Google Home connected speaker
A card spotted in Google’s Home app by tech writer Owen Williams suggests that the connected speaker will soon support multiple users. We’ve since seen the same card ourselves.
It appears that the update was accidentally released early, as there is no other sign of multi-user support beyond a non-functional ‘linked account(s)’ setting, but there is evidence that Google planned this from the start …
Google expanding Fact Check worldwide, in all languages, in Search as well as News
Google has today announced a major expansion of the Fact Check tool it first introduced back in October of last year to help counter fake news. The tool was initially limited to Google News, and restricted to just two countries, the UK and USA.
Google says that it is now making the tool available in Search as well as News, and rolling it out globally in all languages.
With thousands of new articles published online every minute of every day, the amount of content confronting people online can be overwhelming. And unfortunately, not all of it is factual or true, making it hard for people to distinguish fact from fiction. That’s why last October, along with our partners at Jigsaw, we announced that in a few countries we would start enabling publishers to show a “Fact Check” tag in Google News for news stories. This label identifies articles that include information fact checked by news publishers and fact-checking organizations.
After assessing feedback from both users and publishers, we’re making the Fact Check label in Google News available everywhere, and expanding it into Search globally in all languages
You won’t, however, be offered a Fact Check for every single search you conduct …
Western Digital announces My Passport external SSD with USB-C connection, capacities up to 1TB
If you’re looking for an external SSD for use with your Chromebook or other laptop or desktop, Western Digital’s My Passport SSD looks like it could be ideal for the job. With a USB-C connection as standard (and a USB-A adapter in the box), it will be available in a choice of three capacities …
Twitter Lite launches today, needs less storage space, uses less data
If you like to keep up to date with Twitter but are tight on storage space or want to reduce data usage, the company has a new option as of today. Twitter Lite is what’s known as a Progressive Web App. Running in Chrome and other mobile browsers, it’s a client-side JavaScript application that takes up less than 1MB of storage space.
Twitter says that the service also minimizes data usage and is resilient on unreliable and congested mobile networks, also supporting an offline mode. You also have the option of further reducing data usage by only downloading low-res previews of images and videos …
Samsung Galaxy S8+ beats other Android flagships in battery-life test, falls short of iPhone 7 Plus
Battery-life tests conducted by PhoneArena show that Samsung’s Galaxy S8+ phablet out-lasts other Android flagship devices, but fails to match the performance offered by Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus. The site reports that the device provided exactly 8 hours of use.
The Galaxy S8+ battery life test result stands at exactly 8 hours. Compare this with the 7 hours and 18 minutes that the already very good Galaxy S7 Edge scored, and you see that Samsung has managed to improve on their last year’s phone. The S8+ also bests the Google Pixel XL, the OnePlus 3T, but falls a bit short of the battery life on the iPhone 7 Plus …
Twitter seeking deal to allow users to watch live pay-TV channels within its app
If you enjoy following live sports games on Twitter while you watch them, you may soon to be able to watch pay-TV live broadcasts from within the Twitter app.
Roku leading the way in streaming TV boxes, with fireTV, Chromecast & Apple TV following
New data from comScore shows that Roku leads the market in streaming TV boxes, with an 18% market share, giving it close to the combined totals of its closest rivals, Amazon’s fireTV and Google’s Chromecast. Apple TV completes the top four, with a 5% share …
Android now the world’s most popular operating system as it overtakes Windows
Android has now overtaken Windows to become the world’s most popular operating system, according to data from Statcounter. Looking at combined usage across desktop, laptop, tablet and smartphone, Android usage hit 37.93%, narrowly edging out Windows’ 37.91%.
“This is a milestone in technology history and the end of an era,” commented Aodhan Cullen, CEO, StatCounter. “It marks the end of Microsoft’s leadership worldwide of the OS market which it has held since the 1980s. It also represents a major breakthrough for Android which held just 2.4% of global internet usage share only five years ago.”
The milestone was hit last month, after coming close in February. There are, though, a few points to note …
Videos proves that Samsung Galaxy S8 can be unlocked by a photo, using facial recognition [U]
A video posted by iDeviceHelp shows that the facial recognition system in Samsung’s new Galaxy S8 is so poor that the phone can be unlocked by a photo. The video backs industry sources making the same claims in the Korea Herald …
Facebook’s copycat spree continues with GoFundMe-style personal fundraising feature
Facebook seems to be on something of a mission at present to copy all the best features from popular apps and services out there. Just a couple of days after it added Snapchat-style ephemeral stories, it has announced that it has created a GoFundMe type personal fundraising feature.
Personal fundraisers allow people to raise money for themselves, a friend or someone or something not on Facebook, for example a pet. Personal fundraisers will launch in the US for people aged 18 years or older, and in beta over the next few weeks, as we hope to continue to learn and improve the product to make it even more useful. For example, we will begin with six specific categories for critical financial needs and include a 24-hour fundraiser review process. As we learn more, we hope to expand our categories and automate more of the review process.
Although Facebook describes the six permitted categories as ‘specific,’ they seem to cover most potential needs between them …
Marshall launches wireless version of its highly-respected over-ear Monitor headphones
When you’re using headphones for studio production, you want cans that reproduce the sound exactly as it’s being recorded – nothing added, nothing changed, nothing taken away. That’s a preference many of us share outside the studio, and what monitor headphones are all about. Marshall has today launched a wireless version of its top-of-the-range Monitor headphones.
Some Periscope live-streaming videos will be getting pre-roll ads, says Twitter
If you enjoy watching live-streaming Periscope videos, be prepared to start seeing some pre-roll ads first. Twitter has announced that it will start selling the ad-slots from today.
Amazon offers subsidized Moto G5 Plus thru Prime Exclusive Phones, plus $60 budget offering
If you’re looking to save a bit of cash on a Moto G5 Plus and don’t mind ads on your lockscreen, Amazon has you covered. The mid-range handset is being added to the company’s Prime Exclusive Phones line-up, starting at $184.99 for the 2GB RAM/32GB storage model and rising to $239.99 for 4GB/64GB.
The Moto G5 Plus features a 5.2” Full HD display, fingerprint reader, octa-core processor, 4G LTE speed and compatibility with all major U.S. carriers […] Incredible pricing is supported by personalized offers and ads, including deals and product recommendations, displayed on the phone’s lock screen.
Announced at MWC last month, you get an unlocked phone with a decent spec in a metal design, saving around $45 on the retail price. Alternatively, if you’re just after a budget phone, the company has an option for just $59.99 …
Wells Fargo rolling out smartphone ATM withdrawals from next week
Wells Fargo customers will be able to withdraw cash from any of the bank’s 13,000 ATMs using only their Android phone or iPhone from next week, with no card required.
YouTube responds to ad boycott by announcing new policies, enforcement measures & controls
YouTube has responded to a growing ad boycott by major brands and government departments in the UK. The boycott was prompted by ads being embedded within and alongside hate videos.
In a blog post, Google apologized for the failure in its policies and filters, and explained the three measures it was taking in response …
Tablets & laptops banned from cabin baggage on flights to USA from 10 airports
Dubai International is one of the airports affected by the ban
The U.S. government has announced a ban on carrying tablets, laptops and other ‘large electronic devices’ in cabin baggage on flights to the USA from 10 airports. The measure is said to be in response to intelligence on terrorism threats from eight countries, mostly Middle Eastern and North African, reports the BBC.
Failure in YouTube’s filters sees UK government and mainstream brand ads embedded in hate videos
A BBC ad appearing alongside a neo-Nazi video
UK government ads, as well as those for major brands like L’Oréal, have been embedded in hate videos on YouTube, reports the Times.
The ads have appeared within and alongside videos of former Ku Klux Klan official and holocaust denier David Duke, as well as Steven Anderson, a preacher banned from Britain after praising the terrorist attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando …
Philips Hue range being extended to E14 ‘candle’ bulbs from next month, suitable for smaller lamps
Philips has announced that it is extending its range of Hue bulbs, adding an E14/B39 ‘candle’ bulb to fit smaller lamps. This will be added to the E26/A19, bayonet and GU10 fittings.
The new bulbs will be available in both white and color versions, as with the existing range, and will hit Europe in April, reaching the U.S. ‘later this year.’
Philips says that the candle bulbs will be particularly useful for bedside table lamps …
Latest Google Street View tours explore hot air, taking you inside a volcano & Parliament
Google’s Street View Trekker system has taken us to some pretty amazing places in the past, but an abseil more than 1,000 feet into the crater of an active volcano has to be the craziest one yet.
We invite you to join us on a journey to the edge of one of the largest boiling lava lakes in the world on the Vanuatuan island of Ambrym. To get inside the active volcano, we partnered with explorers Geoff Mackley and Chris Horsley, who repelled 400 meters into the Marum crater with a Street View Trekker collecting 360-degree imagery of the journey down to the molten lava lake, which is roughly the size of two football fields.
If you prefer to experience your hot air in a more sedate form, Street View has also added a tour of Britain’s Houses of Parliament …
PSA: Here’s how to secure your Twitter account against hijacks like today’s Nazi one
Thousands of Twitter users have this morning had their accounts hijacked and used to tweet a swastika and Nazi hashtags. The attack appears to be in support of Turkey’s President, urging support for a referendum which could allow President Erdoğan to remain in power until 2029.
The Verge reports that many verified and high-profile Twitter accounts were compromised, and that the hijack appears to have been carried out via a third-party app.
Accounts operated by Amnesty International, Duke University, Reuters Japan, and BBC North America were among those hijacked. Several users have noted that all hijacked tweets appear to have been linked to Twitter Counter, a Netherlands-based analytics application. Twitter Counter was previously targeted in a November 2016 attack that caused some high-profile accounts to spread spam.
Twitter confirmed that a third-party app was behind the hack, so checking which apps have permission to access your Twitter account is one important step to take. Here’s a quick checklist to check the security of Twitter and other services …