information Archives

AppWizard

June 11, 2025

Experts warn of risks linked to period tracker apps

Academics from the University of Cambridge have raised concerns about the collection and commercialization of personal information through menstrual tracking applications, which have over 250 million downloads globally. These apps collect extensive data, including exercise, diet, medication, sexual preferences, hormone levels, and contraception use, making menstrual data valuable for consumer profiling. The report highlights that information on pregnancy status is particularly sought after in digital advertising, leading to risks of exploitation for targeted ads. If this data is misused, it could result in health insurance discrimination, employment risks, or domestic abuse. The researchers advocate for enhanced governance in the femtech industry, emphasizing the need for improved data security and meaningful user consent. They suggest that public health organizations develop alternatives to commercial tracking apps to prioritize user privacy and safety.

AppWizard

June 11, 2025

6 new Android features that are tailored to you

Six innovative features have been introduced for Android users to enhance personalization. One feature is an AI-generated audio show that curates content based on individual interests. Google Home Favorites have been updated to allow users to customize selections across devices, making favorite playlists, news sources, and smart home controls easily accessible. These features are designed to adapt to users' lifestyles and preferences.

AppWizard

June 11, 2025

Pixel VIPs, Android 16 and more updates in the June Pixel Drop

The June Pixel Drop introduces significant enhancements to Pixel devices, including the rollout of Android 16 and the new Pixel VIPs feature. This feature allows users to designate important contacts as VIPs, enabling easy access to recent interactions, shared locations, and event updates like birthdays. VIPs can bypass Do Not Disturb mode, ensuring users remain reachable. Sensitive information, such as call logs and message content, is securely stored on the device.

Winsage

June 10, 2025

Microsoft Patch Tuesday addresses 66 vulnerabilities, including an actively exploited zero-day

Microsoft addressed 66 vulnerabilities in a recent Patch Tuesday update, including a critical zero-day exploit, CVE-2025-33053, which has been exploited by the espionage group Stealth Falcon against a defense contractor in Turkey. Stealth Falcon has targeted high-profile government and defense entities in the Middle East and Africa since 2012. CISA has added CVE-2025-33053 to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities. The group employs innovative infection methods, including WebDAV and multi-stage loaders. Many organizations may be at risk due to inadequate security measures for WebDAV, with estimates suggesting up to 80% of organizations could be vulnerable. The update also includes another critical vulnerability, CVE-2025-47966, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive information in Power Automate, as well as 17 vulnerabilities affecting Microsoft Office products, with three likely to be exploited.

AppWizard

June 10, 2025

How Russian Spies Are Analyzing Data From China’s WeChat App

Moscow's skepticism towards foreign messaging applications has intensified, particularly regarding the Chinese app WeChat, which has weak encryption protocols. Russian counterintelligence is analyzing WeChat data to identify individuals in contact with Chinese operatives. A recent intelligence document reveals concerns about China's influence in Russia, particularly as Russia's isolation from the West grows due to geopolitical tensions. The F.S.B. is using an analytical tool called "Skopishche" to enhance surveillance, aggregating data from sources like WeChat, including account logins, contact lists, and message archives. This data is often collected from mobile devices seized from significant individuals. The shared focus on surveillance by Russian and Chinese authorities highlights their concerns about external influences and internal dissent.

AppWizard

June 10, 2025

Russia’s State Duma passes bill to create state messaging app as it considers blocking WhatsApp

The Russian State Duma has approved a bill to create a state messaging application, coinciding with discussions about potentially blocking messaging platforms like WhatsApp. The app is intended to enhance government service accessibility and improve information security. Key features include integration with state databases, identification and payment processing capabilities, legal equivalence for documents submitted through the app, and inclusion of educational services. The Russian government will choose a company to develop the app. This legislative move follows previous restrictions on foreign social media platforms, including the blocking of Facebook and Instagram in March 2022 and Viber and Signal in 2024. Roskomnadzor is also considering similar restrictions for WhatsApp, owned by Meta, which is labeled as an "extremist organization" in Russia. Additionally, YouTube has faced throttling of speeds, initially attributed to technical issues but later confirmed by lawmakers to be intentional.

AppWizard

June 10, 2025

Android 16 will make it easier to find your recent apps with a new taskbar overflow feature

Google is set to roll out a significant update with Android 16, introducing a taskbar overflow button to enhance user experience on tablets. This feature will streamline app switching by providing a horizontally scrolling carousel of recent apps, making it easier for users to navigate through multiple applications. The taskbar overflow button is designed to address clutter in the taskbar, which has been refined since its introduction in 2021. Preliminary images suggest a gray, circular button will be positioned after the divider between pinned and recently used apps. The feature is expected to debut later this year in either the Android 16 QPR1 or QPR2 release.

AppWizard

June 10, 2025

Steam Next Fest – June 2025 Features Over 30 PC VR Demos

Steam Next Fest has begun, featuring over 30 PC VR games. Notable titles include Ghost Town, Of Lies and Rain, Don't Move, Puzzling Places, RAGER, Virtual Skate, Ultima Chess, Retronika, and Whispers of the Void (which has an updated demo). The event runs until June 16, 2025, at 10 AM PT. The list of participating games is based on information from Valve, and some titles may change or new demos may be introduced during the event.

BetaBeacon

June 10, 2025

I stumbled upon the perfect reason to use Gemini and NotebookLM on a gaming handheld

The Anbernic RG557 was released with an update introducing "Anbernic AI," a chatbot on gaming handhelds that provides answers and translations. The author attempted to replicate this using AI chatbots Gemini Gems and ChatGPT GPTs, with the help of NotebookLM. NotebookLM was used to create gaming encyclopedias by uploading strategy guides for retro games, converting CBR or CBZ files to PDF for compatibility. The author found this to be a useful resource for gaming information.

AppWizard

June 10, 2025

Minecraft Multiplayer – How To Play With Friends

In Minecraft, players can join friends' worlds through Realms or dedicated servers. For Bedrock edition, players can directly join a friend's world by ensuring both are online and connected as friends. The steps to join a friend's Bedrock world include launching the game, navigating to "Friends," and selecting the host's name under "Joinable Friends." To invite friends to your own Bedrock world, you need to enable "Multiplayer" in the world settings and send invites after starting the game. Local multiplayer on Bedrock allows split-screen mode or LAN connections. For split-screen, player one joins a world and adds a second controller. For LAN play, all devices must be on the same internet, and the host must enable "Visible to LAN players." Players can then select the LAN world to join. To join a Minecraft Realm, players must launch the game, navigate to "Realms," and select the desired Realm. A Realm will only appear if the player owns it or has received an invitation. Inviting friends to a Realm differs between editions; in Java, players manage the Realm and add friends using their gamertags, while in Bedrock, invitations can be sent via Minecraft.net. To add friends in Bedrock, players search for their friend's Microsoft gamertag. Java edition does not have a friends list, so players can only join the same server or invite friends to a Realm using their gamertag. To join a server, players need the server address, launch Minecraft, select "Multiplayer," and enter the address. For Bedrock, the server port is typically 19132. Troubleshooting tips include ensuring the Microsoft account is signed in, verifying multiplayer permissions, updating the game, and confirming that both players are on the same version of Minecraft.