Creepy or Fun? Vodafone's New Spokesperson Is AI, Not a Real Person
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Supported Smart Glasses Works with Even Realities G1, Mentra Mach 1, Mentra Live. See smart glasses compatibility list here. Apps on Mentra Store The Mentra Store already has a ton of useful apps that real users are running everyday. Here are some apps already published by developers on the Mentra Store: Write Once, Run on Any Smart Glasses MentraOS is how developers build smart glasses apps. We handle the pairing, connection, data streaming, and cross-compatibility, so you can focus on cre
A new peer-reviewed study alleges that 18 of the 100 most-downloaded virtual private network (VPN) apps on the Google Play Store are secretly connected in three large families, despite claiming to be independent providers. The paper doesn't indict any of our picks for the best VPN , but the services it investigates are popular, with 700 million collective downloads on Android alone. The study, published in the journal of the Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium (PETS), doesn't just find tha
Back Services & Software All the news and tips you need to get the most out of services, apps and software you use every day.
Back Services & Software All the news and tips you need to get the most out of services, apps and software you use every day.
Back Services & Software All the news and tips you need to get the most out of services, apps and software you use every day.
Kerry Wan/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Google released Android 16 back in June to Pixel devices and select OEMs, bringing performance improvements, new Material You changes, and more upgrades. If you want to try this update but are hesitant because you've noticed your Android phone or tablet already feels too sluggish, clearing app and browser caches can give it a fresh boost and free up some storage space. Also: The best Android phones to buy in 2025 Over time
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways Google will restrict sideloading with developer verification. The move mirrors Apple's long-standing security approach. Android loses one of its last big differences from iOS. For years, one of the biggest talking points in the Android vs. iOS debate has been freedom of choice -- and nothing summed that up more than sideloading. "But iOS is a walled garden. Apple controls what you can
is a news writer focused on creative industries, computing, and internet culture. Jess started her career at TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Apple has removed the iPhone torrenting client, iTorrent, from AltStore PAL’s alternative iOS marketplace in the EU, showing that it can still exert control over apps that aren’t listed on the official App Store. iTorrent developer Daniil Vinogradov told
As a soon-to-be-parent, I'm worried about how people online will interact with my kid once they have a phone or tablet. The good news for parents struggling with this now: When Apple launches iOS 26 in the coming weeks, it's bringing more parental controls to iPhones. Parents can already control how much screen time their kids have, manage their child's App Store purchases and more. Some of the new controls will detect and blur nudity in certain apps, and your child will have to ask for access
In which I attempt to be pragmatic. Are you allowed to run whatever computer program you want on the hardware you own? This is a question where freedom, practicality, and reality all collide into a mess. Google has recently announced that Android users will only be able to install apps which have been digitally signed by developers who have registered their name and other legal details with Google. To many people, this signals the death of "sideloading" - the ability to install apps which don'
Calvin Wankhede / Android Authority Prices at fast food chains, restaurants, and even grocery stores have spiraled out of control over the past couple of years. Luckily, not all hope is lost — if you’re a savvy shopper, you might know that the best way to save real money is to check for loyalty program discounts and limited-time offers. The only problem? Most of these offers require you to download each company’s app and check into them from time to time. If installing a dozen different apps s
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority I’m on a mission to use as few apps as possible, and Notion has been a huge help on my journey. It’s a powerful and highly customizable service that has allowed me to ditch several apps I now find redundant. To give you an idea of how versatile this software is, I want to share the four apps I’ve replaced with Notion and why. Perhaps it will motivate you to try it out for yourself. How many apps have you successfully replaced with Notion? 6 votes None, I'm
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET For years, one of the biggest talking points in the Android vs. iOS debate has been freedom of choice -- and nothing summed that up more than sideloading. "But iOS is a walled garden. Apple controls what you can and can't install on your hardware." If I had a dime for every time an Android user said this argument to settle which mobile platform is the best, I'd be lying in a pool of dimes as I type. Also: How to clear your Android phone cache (and greatly improve
Andy Walker / Android Authority TL;DR Google is testing an “Uninstall” button directly within individual app listings in the Play Store. This button, on individual app pages, will make it easier to remotely uninstall apps from other devices. The Google Play Store forms an integral part of the Android flagship experience. It serves as the primary gateway to download and install apps and games on not only your phone but all connected devices in your hardware ecosystem. Over the years, Google ha
Kerry Wan/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Samsung's Galaxy smartphones are some of the best Android phones available today, thanks to their responsive and feature-rich software. But most Samsung phones -- especially the flagships like the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 7, and Z Flip 7 -- come with over-the-top features that you might not use daily. If your new Galaxy phone isn't lasting an entire day on a single charge, there are ways to make the most of what you
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Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Google’s latest app requirement may soon block the sideloading of apps from unregistered developers. The change could impact readers who rely on sideloaded apps on their Android-based eReaders. The new requirement will begin rolling out in September 2026. Google’s latest app requirement claims to protect users, but feels more like a move for greater control. In accordance with the “developer verification requirement,” developers will need to confirm t
is a news writer focused on creative industries, computing, and internet culture. Jess started her career at TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Apple has removed the iPhone torrenting client, iTorrent, from AltStore PAL’s alternative iOS marketplace in the EU, showing that it can still exert control over apps that aren’t listed on the official App Store. iTorrent developer Daniil Vinogradov told
AppGoblin has now run over 40k apps in an emulator, tracking millions of API calls thousands of advertising domains. Unfortunately, some of them are dark, meaning they have no landing page of any kind, and I’m unclear who controls these domains. news-cdn.site marketingcloudapis.com kickoffo.site onegg.site lazybumblebee.com qa-analytics.com acobt.tech yastatic.net Let’s see if we can figure them out! qa-analytics.com This one is a mystery. Seems like it’s related to Germany since it’s always
Google is introducing a new defense for Android called ‘Developer Verification’ to block malware installations from sideloaded apps sourced from outside the official Google Play app store. For apps on Google Play, there was already a requirement for publishers to provide a D-U-N-S (Data Universal Numbering System) number, introduced on August 31, 2023. Google says this has had a notable effect in reducing malware on the platform. However, the system didn’t apply to the vast developer ecosystem
Hi HN, we’re Kyle, Jacob, and Tim. We’re building Bitrig ( https://www.bitrig.app ). Bitrig lets you create native Swift apps for your phone, on your phone, just by chatting with AI. It’s like Lovable for iPhone apps. Here's a video of Bitrig in action: https://youtu.be/CUlWhF3ERME We created SwiftUI at Apple to help developers make better apps with less code. Bitrig lets anyone build at this level of polish. If you've thought about making an iPhone app, Bitrig is the easiest possible way to
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR Android 16’s Advanced Protection is getting new useful features. We’ve discovered an under-development interface that will list all the apps that are aware of Advanced Protection being turned on. Besides Google apps, the feature will also include third-party apps that can access the state of Advanced Protection. With the rollout of Android 16 earlier this year, Google introduced an “Advanced Protection” mode that enables high-security features on Andr
Google is introducing a new defense for Android called ‘Developer Verification’ to block malware installations from sideloaded apps sourced from outside the official Google Play app store. For apps on Google Play, there was already a requirement for publishers to provide a D-U-N-S (Data Universal Numbering System) number, introduced on August 31, 2023. Google says this has had a notable effect in reducing malware on the platform. However, the system didn’t apply to the vast developer ecosystem
Android’s open nature set it apart from the iPhone as the era of touchscreen smartphones began nearly two decades ago. Little by little, Google has traded some of that openness for security, and its next security initiative could make the biggest concessions yet in the name of blocking bad apps. Google has announced plans to begin verifying the identities of all Android app developers, and not just those publishing on the Play Store. Google intends to verify developer identities no matter where
Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Google is increasing security measures around sideloading apps by removing anonymity for Android developers who distribute outside of the Play Store. Starting in September next year, Google will require developers in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand to verify their identities in order for their apps to be installed on certified Android devices via direct downloads or third-party app stores. This re
Why we like it: Samsung made an astonishing leap forward in its 2025 foldable phones, which was great to see after several years of iterative designs. The new Z Fold 7 features its thinnest (4.2 mm) and lightest (215 grams) design yet, making the device feel more like a traditional handset when folded, and a super sleek tablet when unfolded. It helps that the Android operating system has been steadily improving for foldables as well. More and more apps are starting to take advantage of the extr
I developed a game called "Putter King Adventure Golf" for iOS and Android back in the 2010s. It's long since disappeared from the app stores, but my son recently asked if he could play it, which got me thinking about whether it might be recoverable. I'm wondering if there's any way to find a copy of it somewhere on the web (I assume it was probably pirated at some point during its lifetime). And if I could find it, what would be the best approach to get it running again? Has anyone here succe
Google will implement a new safety feature that would require developers to verify their identity if they want Android users to be able to sideload their apps. The company said that it made the decision after recent analysis found "over 50 times more malware from internet-sideloaded sources than on apps available through Google Play." By verifying a developer's identify first, it hopes to better protect users from "bad actors spreading malware and scams." In its announcement, Google said that a
To combat malware and financial scams, Google announced today that only apps from developers that have undergone verification can be installed on certified Android devices starting in 2026. This requirement applies to “certified Android devices” that have Play Protect and are preloaded with Google apps. The Play Store implemented similar requirements in 2023, but Google is now mandating this for all install methods, including third-party app stores and sideloading where you download an APK file