One of the more alarming terms in computer security is the "zero-day exploit." That label has some weight behind it for good reason, referring to a pretty scary situation where an attacker knows about a hidden major flaw or bug in some software — in this case a browser — for which there's not yet any fix available. Hackers love them, and now a new report from Google's Threat Analysis Group (TAG) outlines how a state-sponsored hacking gang based in North Korea has been exploiting just such a zero-day in Chrome.
The hacker group Lapsus$ has quickly risen to prominence in the cyber-crime world for breaching major firms and bragging about it online. It's responsible for last year’s attack on T-Mobile, the subsequent breaking into Nvidia in February, and attacks on Samsung and Ubisoft earlier this month. Following the most recent incursion against tech giant Microsoft, the group's luck may be starting to run out, and a new report suggests that the individuals behind the atrocious acts have just been nabbed.
We all have dozens upon dozens of apps installed on our phones, but how much do you think about all the effort that goes into making sure that they work (most of them, anyway) as well as they do? Developers have to test their software across all sorts of conditions, trying to anticipate what a user might run into. That includes dealing with limited internet connectivity, as an app needs to behave properly whether the connection is fast or slow. So far Android developers haven't had a great way to test that sort of thing, but Android 13 looks like it's working to fix it.
Although your car is probably one of the most common places to jam out, Spotify hasn't been the most driver-friendly service as of late. Not only did Car View unexpectedly shut down back in November — to the discontent of its users — but several in-dash receivers still sold in stores recently lost support for the service. There's finally some good news for drivers, though, as a new car-friendly UI is in testing.
Apple introduced the iPhone Upgrade Program in 2015, allowing its customers to get the latest iPhone every year for a relatively low monthly fee. Now, the company is reportedly putting together a subscription plan that'll include not only Apple hardware like iPhones, but also access to several of Apple's existing subscription products like Apple Music and Apple News. It sounds a lot like Google's Pixel Pass, which includes a Pixel phone and services like YouTube Premium for a discounted monthly payment, though there are some key differences.
The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a lot of people to the joys (and sorrows) of remote work, including video meetings via Zoom or competitors like Google Meet. Along with that came issues like camera etiquette and remembering to turn off your mic when not speaking — something a lot of people still forget, sometimes causing unneeded distractions. In a new update for Meet, Google is hoping to make online gatherings a little less chaotic-sounding — literally.
Google is reportedly working on a new Assistant-powered smart display. Given the typical release cadence, that's no shock, but this one may have a twist: It could have a removable display for tablet-style use. Plop it on the base for use as a smart display, pop it off for a bit of sofa browsing. It sounds cool, but it also raises a question about software.
Odds are most of you aren't running the new Quarterly Platform Release betas, but if you switched to that release cycle to get the patches on your Google Pixel 6 or Google 6 Pro a little early, you might want to tap that "check for update" button. Google has just released a bug-fixing QPR3 Beta 1.1 update, exclusively for the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro.
Notifications on your smartphone are useful—one might even say essential to the experience. It was Android's early lead in notification management that helped it gain traction against Apple. Notification overload is a thing these days, with dozens of apps and services screaming for your attention, but Google is rolling out a new feature that will help cut down on the noise in one very specific instance. When you're using Gmail on your computer, you can pause the Gmail notifications on your phone. There's clearly still some work to be done, though.
Unless you subscribe to a service like YouTube TV, most of us have moved from traditional cable TV to a lineup of streaming apps like Netflix and Hulu. HBO Max has only been around for a couple of years, but it's already cemented itself among those giants, offering legacy shows like The Sopranos and The Wire alongside hits like Succession. With a new feature, the app wants to make it easier for you to pull up a random episode of your favorite sitcom — without having to put in the work.
For a site that went live just over 16 years ago, Twitter hasn't changed as much as you might think. Character limits have gone up, and we get some new tweaks now and then to improve news and content discovery, but generally speaking, change doesn't happen fast at the little blue bird. One function that lagged behind the rest of the site has been the ability to search through your direct messages using keywords — the way search works almost everywhere else. Thankfully, this week Twitter's finally doing something about that.
One of the best controllers on Android has just gotten a little better. The SteelSeries Stratus Duo is our Editor's Choice here at AP, and SteelSeries has just updated the Stratus Duo, now called the Stratus+, and just like its predecessor, the Stratus+ is part of the GeForce Now Recommended program, so says Nvidia in its weekly GFN Thursday announcement. While much hasn't changed between the Stratus Duo and the Stratus+, gamers can expect the phone clip to now ship in the box (it used to be a separate purchase), with a fresh redesign to the clip that makes it easier to attach to the controller and smartphone.
If the last two years have proven anything, taking care of your health is essential. It's not just washing your hands and eating healthy — going to your doctor for regular check-ups can help you find problems before they're serious. That said, no one likes calling their doctor's office, and if you're new to the area, finding one can be a real hassle. If Google gets its way, all of those headaches might be gone for good.
Today OnePlus has announced that next week it will announce the 10 Pro for global markets. That means India, Europe, and North America — including the US. Making good on its prior end-of-March promise, the long-awaited Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-powered phone and its chunky camera hump will finally escape China to arrive in US-based pockets. Fans can tune in to the launch itself on Thursday, March 31st at 10AM ET, 1PM PT.
Now Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra and its siblings are in the company’s rearview mirror, attention is beginning to turn to the follow-ups to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3. According to a new report, a third mystery entry may join those two upcoming foldable phones.
To both critical and user acclaim, the Samsung Galaxy S22 lineup was unveiled last month after months of speculation and leaks. In our review of the Galaxy S22 Ultra, we found it a hefty yet surprisingly versatile flagship with excellent cameras that will almost certainly be a great purchase for those of you who can stomach the price. But the launch has certainly not been without its issues, especially for the Ultra variant. If you've tried to use Google Maps, you may have some issues while using GPS. If that's you, you're not alone.
Restrictions to freely available information in Russia continue to be rolled out by the country's government, and the latest move blocks access to Google News for its citizens (via Reuters). Russia's communications regulator accused the Google News service of providing access to false information on the country's military operations in Ukraine.
Since its launch in 2008, Google Play has been the go-to destination for Android users to get their apps. Although not as heavily curated as Apple's App Store, the Play Store provides a common framework for Android apps to meet quality and security standards. One drawback for developers has always been the lock-in to Google's payment system with its 15% revenue cut when they want to monetize their products. That changes today with the announcement that Google is going to pilot a program allowing developers to use the billing system of their choice in addition to the Play Store’s.
When you're looking to make a new purchase, you're probably going online to find out as much as you can about the product. And Google being Google, it's always handy for connecting you with reviews, buyer guides, round-ups, comparisons, and all that good stuff. Lately the company has been working to make that even easier to find, updating its algorithms to reward content with first-hand research. Now Google's sharing its latest progress along those lines, all in the name of surfacing the highest-quality product reviews in response to your searches.
Chrome 99 is currently rolling out to stable users across all platforms worldwide. If you just updated either your Windows computer or your MacBook, you may have found yourself overnight with a new button to the right of your address bar. It's not a new extension, even if it might look like one at first sight. Google has added a sidebar to the browser, and it might actually be a better way of managing your bookmarks and your reading list than keeping those visible at all times at the top of the app.