Category: Apps and Software

Games, Apps, Softwares, Operating Systems and Software Hacks

Google Has Announced The Android 9 Pie Go Edition

It was in the year 2007 when Google officially introduced the Android ecosystem to the world. Android got its name from a Latin word “Androides”, meaning, human-like robot. The term Android also shares some resemblance with the ex-CEO and founder, Andy Rubin. Android is an operating system primarily designed for devices with touchscreen. Android has evolved not only in terms of versions but also in terms of its varieties. The latest version of the Android OS is the Android 9 Pie. The recent years gave us Android One and Android Go in addition to stock Android. Google announced Android Go as a watered-down version of Android 8 (Oreo) for low-end smartphones. It seems that now the company wants to continue the Android Go series with the Android 9 Pie Go edition.

Also Read: POCOPHONE F1 Leaked Ahead Of 22nd August India Launch

Android Go delivers the latest OS to devices with RAM as low as 512MB. Android Go is the watered-down build of the Android Oreo (8.0). This OS is built to work on low-powered devices without any jitters. With Android Go, users will find that the OS takes significantly less amount of space than even Android Nougat, which released before Oreo. The OS also offers lite versions of Google apps like YoutTube Go, Gmail Go, and Files Go. This allows it to run smoothly on smartphones with storage space as small as 8GB. The latest smartphone to launch with Android Go out of the box is the Nokia 1. In a blog post from Google, the company announced that it will also launch the Android 9 Pie Go edition as a continuation of the current series.

The Android 9 Pie Go edition would share a lot in common with the Android Go (Oreo). However, Google claims that the Pie Go edition would take up even lesser space and provide faster device boot times for smartphones. The Android 9 Pie Go edition will also cater to the low-end devices like the Android Oreo Go edition. The company promises top-of-the-line security features and an accessible dashboard for tracking and monitoring data consumption. Companies like Nokia, Micromax, and Lava are already on the list of smartphone brands to receive Android 9 Pie Go edition.

It is reassuring to see that Google wants to keep the low-end low-budget smartphones just as relevant as the flagship Android devices. With the Android 9 Pie Go edition, it will allow users on a tight budget to enjoy a fast, smooth, and the latest Android experience.

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August 16, 2018
Google Is Tracking User Location Without Consent

Google Maps is one of the most used services across all platforms. Even until Apple unveiled iOS 6 in 2012, the company relied on Google Maps. However, even to this date, many prefer Google over Apple maps for navigation. For a long time, Google has been optimizing its Maps services to provide better and more accurate results. However, there are times when the company goes above and beyond to ensure accuracy. According to reports, the company is secretly tracking its users’ location even after they turned their location history off. According to the company, if a user has turned his or her location history off then it will no longer be able to track their location. But, that does not seem to be the case.

As a new user, Google would ask the user to allow it to track his/her location for navigation. Once allowed, the entire location history of the user is recorded in a timeline fashion. This means that the company can keep a track of all the users who opted in for its map services, putting their privacy at risk. To deal with this, the company allows the user to turn off their location history. This, at least on paper, prevents the company from storing its users’ location. However, Google is still able to track its users with the help of some of the company’s apps. For instance, a simple Google search for a particular food item like a biscuit could help pinpoint your precise location. Moreover, the company even stores the instances of the times when you open its map service on a device. While mostly been open about tracking its users’ location, the company has never explicitly mentioned that it stores their location history even while turned off. It is with this privacy issue that more than two billion devices are at risk.

The issue of data privacy and the risks involved with it has always been a major concern. It does not help to know that big league companies like Google can misuse their users’ information. There is no word from the company on this issue but stay tuned as we will closely cover this news.

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August 14, 2018
Google Accused Of Allowing Third-Party Apps To Read Users’ Gmail

Online privacy has been at the centre stage of a global conversation for quite some time now. Every move by big tech companies is scrutinised for potentially risking the privacy of online users. The latest to join this ever-growing list is Google. One of the biggest tech companies in the world has been accused of allowing third-party apps to read users’ Gmail.

In a report published by The Wall Street Journal, it has been revealed that Google allows partner companies to read Gmail messages in order to offer better products and services. This is not the first time a company has been accused of using private user data for better-targeted advertisements. Facebook was involved in a global controversy after Cambridge Analytica was exposed.

Must Read: Google Sued For £3.2 Billion For Secretly Tracking Browsing Data For 4.4 Million iPhone Users

It has been a common practice by many companies to use machines to go through emails for keywords and phrases. This helps them identify what sort of goods or services that particular user is on the lookout for. This data once studied properly allows advertisers to make targeted ads and display them across the user’s web browsing experience. In fact, some companies allow human employees to read through the emails and not rely on machine learning.

Google, too, has been previously exposed for reading emails of users. In 2017, Google promised its users that it would stop reading Gmail content of users. However, this report claims that Google has done little to nothing to preserve the privacy of users. It is also worth noting that Gmail has over 1.4 billion users, making it the most popular email service in the world.

Must Read: New Facebook Patent Reveals Tech That Will Turn On Your Smartphone Microphone

WSJ quoted many representatives of partners that snoop through Gmail, claiming that this is indeed a “common practice.” There are, however, strict rules in place as specified by user agreements.

July 3, 2018
Spotify Lite Being Tested For Emerging Markets Like India

Over the past few months, music streaming in India has picked up its pace. Services like Gaane, Saavn have emerged as a great free alternative to Apple Music or Google Play Music. Amazon recently launched Prime Music in India as well. However, the most popular music streaming service in the world, Spotify, has so far been aloof when it comes to India. It appears that the company is finally starting to work towards launching in India with Spotify Lite.

Must Read: Amazon Prime Music In-Depth Review

Spotify Lite is now available on Google Play Store (not in India) which has a total app size of about 15MB. This is significantly smaller than Spotify app’s 100MB size. Essentially, Spotify Lite is being tested for emerging markets where the internet is not that fast and the majority of smartphones have less storage.

The budget smartphone category dominates the market in India. This means people who buy cheaper smartphones tend to struggle with storage space running out after downloading a few essential apps. This is where the “Lite” version of popular apps comes into play. Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Google already have a Lite version of their apps up and running. Spotify Lite, currently listed as a ‘test app’ becomes the latest to join the long list.

Android Police first spotted the app on Google Play Store. It says that app visually looks similar to Spotify but, it does miss out on a few functionalities. There is no offline playback or an option for extreme quality playback (which streams songs at 320 kbps). There’s also no Spotify Connect, which allows for audio to be wirelessly be streamed from your phone to another device, like speakers or a TV. It also appears that despite being a Premium subscriber, the app doesn’t have an option to select a specific song, so all music has to be played via shuffle.

Spotify has long been rumoured to enter the Indian market. With the rise of other music streaming services, this is the time for Spotify to launch in India with all its might. And Spotify Lite could be the first step in that direction towards the Indian market.

July 3, 2018

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Starts Receiving Android 8.1 Oreo-Based MIUI 9.5.14 Update

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro was launched in February along with the Redmi Note 5. At that time, it was the only smartphone on the market to run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636. Since then, the smartphone has received a host of software updates and the latest update is the biggest till date. The new update brings MIUI 9.5.14 to the Redmi Note 5 Pro which is based on Android 8 Oreo.

While the company has made an official statement about the rollout, it is yet to publish the changelog. The most notable change with the new update is the upgrade to Android 8.1 Oreo. Xiaomi smartphones are not known for the regular Android updates. However, thanks to Project Treble, the Redmi Note 5 Pro will be one of the faster Xiaomi devices to receive software updates.

What is Project Treble?

Project Treble is a feature that is included as a part of Android 8 Oreo OS. This enables OEMs to make software updates faster and easier. A few months ago Android gained a “Vendor Interface” (VI), largely due to a new development effort from Google. The VI’s aim is to separate the “Vendor Implementation” (that is, “the device-specific, lower-level software written in large part by the silicon manufacturers”), from the Android OS framework.

The new VI is supposed to sit between the Android OS framework and Vendor Implementation. And the new VI will be validated by a Vendor Test Suite (VTS), which is analogous to the Compatibility Test Suite (CTS) that Google has been using for API testing of apps. The VTS ensures forward-compatibility of the VI. Before, the VI needed to be reworked after every single Android OS framework update, while with Project Treble, that won’t be the case anymore.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Specs

Specifications	Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
Price	Starting Rs 14999
Display	5.99 inch IPS LCD
Resolution	2160 x 1080 px 18:9 403 ppi
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 1.8GHz Octa-core
RAM	4GB 6GB
Storage	64GB
Battery	4000 mAh
Primary Camera	12MP f/2.2 5MP f/2.0 1.25-micron
Primary Camera Video	1920 x 1080 px @ 30fps
Secondary Camera	20MP Sony IMX376 Beautify 4.0 LED flash
Add-Ons	Fingerprint Sensor Face Unlock

June 30, 2018

WhatsApp Group Voice And Video Calling Feature Rolling Out: Here’s How To Get It

At Facebook’s F8 Conference, the company focussed a lot on data privacy and essentially showing how much it cares for every user’s data. While all of these features are essential for a safer space on the internet, the company also unveiled a few interesting features for Instagram and WhatsApp. One of those features was group voice and video calling. Now, the new feature is rolling out to WhatsApp Beta users.

First and foremost, only users who have signed up for WhatsApp Beta will be able to use this feature for now. It is worth noting that the WhatsApp Beta program on Play Store is already full. This means that WhatsApp is not signing up any new Beta testers. While the group voice and video calling feature rolled out to a few testers last month, the new beta version is now available to all WhatsApp Beta users.

Must Read: Apple’s Memoji Feature Will Let Users Create Personalised Animojis

In order to initiate a group voice call, a WhatsApp Beta user must first call a contact. Then, hit the ‘add new members’ button at the top right corner to add more contacts into the conversation. The same process works for group video calling as well. It is worth noting that for now, maximum of four people can participate in a group call. FaceTime will soon get a feature wherein users will be able to add up to 32 members to a single call.

Also, users can only add one contact at a time. This means that the process has to be repeated everytime you need to add a new member to the conversation. Users on a stable build of WhatsApp can participate in group voice and video calls. However, they cannot add or remove members from the call.

WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging app and this feature will only make it better. Skype, one of the mainstays of video calling platforms has its work cut out.

June 20, 2018
OnePlus 6 Gets Selfie Portrait Mode With New OxygenOS Update

The OnePlus 6 was launched in India on May 17th at a starting price of Rs 34999. Most of the details of the smartphone were leaked before it officially launched but, the device overall was a pleasant surprise for OnePlus 6 suitors. In terms of build quality and design, the smartphone is a definite upgrade over any of its predecessors. The company, in fact, is continuously adding new updates to its flagship device and the OxygenOS 5.1.6 update has done just that.

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With new the update to OxygenOS, the OnePlus 6 gets the famed selfie portrait mode. This feature has become quite popular over the course of a year-and-a-half with many smartphones being marketed solely on the basis of this feature. The OnePlus 6 now has portrait mode on both the rear and front-facing camera. Selfie enthusiasts should definitely appreciate this new feature. The update also brings a preview for Light Bokeh Effect in Portrait Mode but for the rear camera only.

The update also includes other notable additions like battery percentage in the status bar, a schedule for DND (Do Not Disturb), dual 4G network support in SIM and Network Settings, and smart answer for Bluetooth devices. The smart answer allows automatic answering of incoming calls when connecting a Bluetooth device for example headphones, car stereo etc.

Just like every other update, there are a few bug fixes as well. The new update is 223MB in size and for safety, make sure your data is backed up. Although official system updates seldom cause data loss, there is no harm in being precautious. Head over to Settings, then About Phone and then click on Software Update to update the system.

Must Read: Lenovo Z5 Running On Snapdragon 636, With An iPhone X Like Notch Launched

The OnePlus 6 is available in Mirror Black and Midnight Black colour variants only. The Silk White variant went on sale on June 5th and is currently out of stock. The Avengers Edition as well, is out of stock with no information about a further flash sale of the limited edition variant.

June 11, 2018
Yahoo Messenger Is Being Killed Off On July 17th 2018

Anyone who grew up in the early 2000’s knows two things about the internet – the dial-up tone and Yahoo Messenger. Long before Snapcha and Facebook Messenger, there was the ultimate social media platform, Yahoo Messenger. The instant messaging app, which is now run by Verizon-owned Oath will shut down on July 17th.

Oath will be redirecting its users (if any) to its new group messaging app, Squirrel. The company is encouraging users to sign up for Squirrel which the company has been beta testing since May. Squirrel is currently invite-only, but the app should be open to the public by the time Yahoo Messenger shuts down.

We know we have many loyal fans who have used Yahoo Messenger since its beginning as one of the first chat apps of its kind. As the communications landscape continues to change over, we’re focusing on building and introducing new, exciting communications tools that better fit consumer needs.

Must Read: Apple’s Memoji Feature Will Let Users Create Personalised Animojis

The death of the Messenger has been imminent. In 2016, Yahoo was acquired by Verizon for US$ 4.6 billion. Verizon renamed the business as Oath and started selling off parts of Yahoo. The company recently sold Flickr, a popular photo-sharing app to SmugMug. As was with the case of Flickr, Yahoo Messenger could not cope with the rise of social media apps like Facebook and then instant messaging services like WhatsApp.

Yahoo Messenger made its debut in 1998 as Yahoo Pager. For many years, it became the sole IM service that teens and adults used across the globe. From anonymous chat rooms to set a status message, Yahoo Messenger did it first. While it is fair to romanticise a fallen legend, the reality is that the Messenger faded away. While Squirrel is what Oath is working on, it isn’t a like-for-like replacement of Yahoo Messenger.

There currently isn’t a replacement product available for Yahoo Messenger. We’re constantly experimenting with new services and apps, one of which is an invite-only group messaging app called Yahoo Squirrel (currently in beta).

Must Read: Baba Ramdev’s Kimbho Messaging App Disappears From Google Play Store Within 24 Hours Of Its Launch

Its users will have up to 6 months after July 17th to download their Messenger chat history. Their Yahoo email ID will continue to work and users will be able to access Yahoo Mail or log in to any other services using their email ID. The writing was on the wall for the end of the Yahoo! era and the killing off of Yahoo Messenger is just another brick in that wall.

June 9, 2018
Google Could Be Fined US$ 11 Billion In EU’s Antitrust Case

Google is in troubled waters with the law again. This time around, it is because of the world’s most famous mobile operating system, Android. The European Commission could fine Google up to US$ 11 billion (Rs 73,800 crores) for abusing its dominance via the Android OS. Google was recently sued for £3.2 Billion for secretly tracking and collecting personal information of 4.4 million iPhone users in the UK.

A report by Financial Times claims that EU’s Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager is set to give the verdict “within weeks.” The investigation revealed that Google imposed illegal terms on Android device makers “which harmed competition and cut consumer choice.” The report further adds:

Android is used in more than 80 percent of the world’s smartphones and is vital to the group’s future revenues as more users search on their mobile gadgets.

Must Read: Google And Facebook Sued For US$ 8.8 Billion For Coercing Users Into Sharing Their Personal Data

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Even though the fine could be up to US$ 11 billion, the actual penalty may be less. This is not an exception and happens in many cases involving multi-billion dollar penalties. The case dates back to 2016 when EU accused Google of imposing licensing conditions for Android OS. The initial charges on Google state that the company required phone manufacturers to install the company’s Chrome web browser and its search tool on their devices. Google allegedly offered financial incentives to place its apps on phones, but also threatened to cut off access to the Google Play Store if companies didn’t comply.

A third investigation is underway into whether the company (Google) unfairly banned competitors from websites that used its search bar and adverts.

This isn’t the first time that EU has cracked down on Google’s alleged illegal activities. In 2017, the company was fined US$ 2.7 billion (18,000 crores) for its ill-treatment of comparison shopping services. This led to Google later introducing changes in how it compares shopping offers in its search results.

With the result poised to be announced in the coming weeks, Google would want to get this over with quickly. The company will launch the Pixel 3 devices in October and would like to avoid any sort of bad press around the time of launch.

June 8, 2018
Baba Ramdev’s Kimbho Messaging App Disappears From Google Play Store Within 24 Hours Of Its Launch

Baba Ramdev, the infamous yoga guru launched a “swadeshi messaging app”, called Kimbho in India on May 30th. The app was launched as a competition to WhatsApp which is the world’s most used instant messaging app. Kimbho, however, is no longer available for download from either Google Play Store or iOS App Store. While many are bemused by the sudden vanishing, it appears that a recent takedown of the app’s security frailties might be the prime reason behind it.

A few hours after the launch, a Twitter user who goes by the name of Elliot Anderson tweeted a series of flaws that were found in the app. The French security researcher took to Twitter and posted a few screenshots and a video. According to the video, it’s possible to choose a security code between 0001 and 9999 and send it to the number of your choice. He also tweeted that he can access everyone’s messages and that the app is a security disaster.

The @KimbhoApp is a copy paste of another #application. The description and the screenshots in the app stores are the same. Moreover, the #Kimbho app is making request to bolomessenger[.]com pic.twitter.com/gOKOhash5X

— Baptiste Robert (@fs0c131y) May 31, 2018

An even more amusing fact that he discovered is that Kimbho is an identical version of another application. The screenshots and app description of Kimbho is the same as another messaging app called Bolo. To make matters worse for Kimbho, users started receiving OTP messages for Bolo Chat App instead of Kimbho. This proved Anderson’s finding that the app is indeed built on the Bolo app and the Kimbho developers didn’t even fix the OTP SMS format.

Hi @KimbhoApp before trying to compete #WhatsApp, you can try to secure your app. It's possible to choose a security code between 0001 and 9999 and send it to the number of your choice #kimbhoApp pic.twitter.com/YQqK8lfIeI

— Baptiste Robert (@fs0c131y) May 30, 2018

Kimbho, however, has a completely different take on the issue. According to a new tweet, the app has “extremely high traffic,” and that it “will be back shortly.”

https://twitter.com/KimbhoApp/status/1002076004590895106

At the time of its launch, a company spokesperson explained the meaning behind the app’s unusual name. Kimbho is a Sanskrit word and according to Patanjali’s spokesperson SK Tijarawala, it means “How are you?” or “What’s new?” The app has, or rather had, all the features you’d want in a messaging app. Users could send text, video, images, GIFs, stickers, doodles and more. According to the app’s description, users can block unwanted conversations or users and is encrypted by AES for security.

It appears that the people over at Kimbho realised that its security shortcomings have been exposed. Taking down the app means it’s been worked upon and it might be released in the future with better security.

May 31, 2018
Apple Might Introduce New NFC Features For iOS 12 At WWDC 2018

The buzz around the 2018 iPhone lineup has not even reached its peak yet and we have already numerous leaks about it. However, before Apple hosts one of the biggest launch events of the year, it will play host to one of the biggest developer’s conferences in June. The World Wide Developer’s Conference will commence on June 4th and many software-based announcements are expected. We will learn more about iOS 12 as well and it appears that the new iOS version will have more NFC functionalities than before.

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A new report claims that Apple will introduce interesting features pertaining to NFC functionalities with iOS 12. Apple first introduced NFC in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus back in 2014. So far, NFC has mainly been used for Apple Pay which is not available in India right now. With iOS 12, however, there will be a lot more, that an iPhone user will be able to do with NFC.

The report by The Information claims that:

The change to the near-field communication, or NFC, chip, which is expected to be announced next month, could pave the way for people to use iPhones for other security-sensitive interactions, from paying transit fares and opening car doors to verifying their identity in other ways.

With new functionalities, iPhone users will be able to unlock NFC-enabled doors and even use it to transmit data to transit systems, personal authentication devices and more. How much of it will be usable in a country like India is yet to be seen.

Apple employees are already using their iPhones to unlock doors at Apple Park, likely via custom badge readers detailed in Federal Communications Commission filings last year.

Apple has iterated that iOS 12 will concentrate more on performance aspect than UI. This means that visually, iOS 12 might not look a lot different from iOS 11 but, there will be performance enhancements which iPhone users will be able to notice once they upgrade to the latest version of iOS. Apple was scrutinised recently for slowing down iPhones without making it clear to iPhone users as to why the company was doing so. With iOS 11.3, users can choose whether to let the battery degrade with time or prolong battery life by capping the CPU power.

With iOS 12, there will be more changes in the back-end processes and less visual changes. Users with older iPhones would definitely appreciate that if it means that their iPhones will be smoother than before. It is rumoured that the iPhone 5s will also receive an update to iOS 12 which means an iPhone launched in 2013 will run on the latest version of iOS. More details to follow when WWDC 2018 kicks off on June 4th.

May 28, 2018
Google One Brings Expanded Storage, Live Support To Google Drive

Ever since the Google I/O 2018 concluded, the company has been hard at work introducing new features to its services. YouTube got a new feature called ‘Take A Break’ recently while Gmail has also received some exciting new features. The company has also decided to rebrand its cloud storage service and call it Google One as well as introduce new plans. It is worth noting that it isn’t the Drive that is being rebranded but, the storage plans.

As part of the new moniker, Google has unveiled new expanded storage plans, access to live support and more storage sharing plans. The company has added a new, 200GB plan that costs US$ 2.99 per month in the US. This plan will be available along with the existing plans that start at US$1.99 for 100GB and goes all the way up to US# 299.99 for 30TB. Interestingly, Google also dropped the price of its 2TB plan from US$ 19.99 to US$ 9.99.

These storage plans are already live in the US along with other new features. In the coming months, everyone in the US will be automatically upgraded to Google One plans. The company has claimed that Google One will roll out globally in the coming months which includes India as well. As of now, the plans in India have not been upgraded and the 100GB plan remains the cheapest at Rs 130 per month.

The live support feature is also very interesting. Google already offered 24/7 support for paying business users with a G Suite account, but this is the first time the live support is offered to consumers. It is worth noting that this is an access to Google Experts for help with any Google consumer product and service. You won’t be connected with an AI bot, but a human being with the necessary knowledge and communication skills.

Going forward, users will also be able to share their storage with up to 5 family members. The company says:

Everyone gets their own private storage space as well as the additional benefits of Google One.

The new features are very useful for people who have subscribed to Google Drive. The new plans also make monetary sense for consumers and the 24/7 live support will be appreciated by many. It will be interesting to see when these features are rolled out to the rest of the world.

May 15, 2018
YouTube Will Remind Users To ‘Take A Break’ With New Update

At the Google I/O 2018 conference, the company unveiled a lot of new technological advancements including Google Duplex. One of the most anticipated announcements was that of Android P. The next iteration of the world’s most populat mobile OS will officially roll out later in the year but, Google gave us a glimpse of what’s in store for us. One of the main areas where Google has worked on is the digital well-being. YouTube appears to be a part of that initiative by Google as the new update to YouTube for Android brings a ‘Take A Break’ feature.

The ‘Take A Break’ feature will allow users to keep a check on their YouTube habit and monitor their usage of the app. This is in line with what’s in store for Android P in the future. To start using the new feature, head over to the YouTube app’s setting and then click on general. There on, you can choose different ways to monitor your activity and work on your “Digital Well Being.”

Must Read: Android 9 P: Google I/O 2018 New Features

Users can set a reminder for 15, 30, 60, or 90 minutes. Once a user sets a reminder for a certain time, YouTube will automatically pause the video at those intervals. A user can decide whether continue to watch the video or dismiss the reminder. Another option available in “Disable sounds & vibrations’ for the app. This will essentially stop all notifications from the app to pop up on the screen. The idea here is that the app won’t try to grab your attention, and the user will be able to avoid getting distracted from constant notifications.

The third feature available is the ‘Scheduled Digest’ and will again revolve around notifications. This feature lets users get all of their notifications from the app once a day at a time of their liking. Users can select the time they feel they can devote to YouTube and get all the notifications at that particular time.

The feature is available in the latest version of YouTube app for Android. The version number is 13.17.55 and should be rolled out to all Android devices soon.

May 12, 2018
TIDAL Falsified Streaming Numbers Of Beyoncé, Kanye West’s Albums

TIDAL is a subscription-based music streaming service owned by popular rapper, Jay-Z. The streaming service has come under serious scrutiny over misconduct, allegedly inflating streaming numbers of albums by multiple artists. A new report by Norwegian news outlet, Dagens Næringsliv has accused the streaming service after a year-long investigation.

Dagens Næringsliv worked closely with music research firm Midia and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s Center for Cyber and Information Security (CCIS) to validate the accusations. The albums in question here, are Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo and Beyoncé’s Lemonade. Apparently, the reporters from Dagens Næringsliv obtained a hard drive that contained manipulated TIDAL streaming data. They then took that data to Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)’s Center for Cyber and Information Security (CCIS), which analysed it and laid down their findings.

Both Lemonade and The Life of Pablo were released exclusively on TIDAL in 2016. 10 days after TLOP was released, TIDAL announced that the album was streamed over 250 million times. Two weeks after Lemonade was released, the album apparently was streamed over 306 million times. These numbers sounded suspicious to folks over at Dagens Næringsliv, especially considering the TIDAL has only over 3 million worldwide subscribers.

In a statement to Variety, TIDAL said:

This is a smear campaign from a publication that once referred to our employee as an ‘Israeli Intelligence officer’ and our owner as a ‘crack dealer.’ We expect nothing less from them than this ridiculous story, lies and falsehoods. The information was stolen and manipulated and we will fight these claims vigorously.

Buying fake views and subscribers is nothing new. Outlets like Fiverr offer services like these as well. In this case, if the study finds some sort of grounding, TIDAL could be in some serious legal trouble. TIDAL executives could be sued for collusion and/or fraud since streaming rates correspond to royalty payments. Inflating streaming numbers and thus increasing royalty payments is clearly illegal and if proven to be true, Sony and Universal would have to pay back some funds and a penalty.

May 10, 2018
Smart Compose For Gmail Will Help Users Write Better Emails

Google has been trying really hard to make Gmail, the world’s largest email service better, for both mobile and web. At the Google I/O conference 2018, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google announced a new Smart Compose feature for Gmail. The new feature, as expected, depends a lot on AI and machine learning and will essentially help users write better emails.

The Smart Compose feature, from the looks of it, appears to be similar to the Auto Complete feature that Google uses for online searches. Smart Compose will use AI to suggest words and phrases as a user is typing an email to make the email look and sound better. To use a suggested word, users can simply hit the “Tab” button and the word will autofill.

Google claims that not only will this help save time when writing emails, it will help reduce the chance of users sending an email with a grammatical error. In the world of smartphones and autocorrect, this could be a lifesaver for people who predominantly use Gmail on their computers. Nobody is immune to a grammatical error and AI appears to be ready to help us out. Although, Grammarly might feel hard done here if Gmail becomes self-sufficient in this area.

Interestingly, Smart Compose will also understand context. For example, if a user is talking about tacos in an email, the feature will understand the conversation and suggest the word, “Guacamole.” The company has said the feature will roll out to users within the next few weeks and will be integrated for G Suite customers within the next few months. For the Smart Compose feature to work, users will have to be updated to the Gmail for Web that was introduced a few weeks ago.

The Google I/O conference 2018 has kicked off and Smart Compose appears to be a very nifty feature. With autocorrect taking over many people’s typing habits, it was about time something like this was made available for PC users as well.

May 8, 2018