GTech Booster

Google Places API gets Monetization and Upgrade

Google is upgrading the Places API for Android and iOS, and at the same time is deprecating the free Places SDK in Google Play Services, with a full shutdown date of the end of July 2019. The reason Google has given for the move is that when the Maps Platform launched in July 2018, Google held back the Places software development kit (SDK) for Android and iOS, leaving the mobile Places SDK tied to the previous plan’s limit of 150,000 daily requests. However, the new Places SDK has been released for both Android and iOS, and are now officially part of the Maps Platform, and the old SDKs are deprecated. If…

Could Facebook’s unified services spell dark days for WhatsApp users?

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg recently announced plans to merge his three dominant messaging services: Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. The goal, according to Facebook, is to create a more unified service across all three platforms. “We want to build the best messaging experiences we can; and people want messaging to be fast, simple, reliable and private,” a Facebook spokesperson said. With these services integrated, users will be able to easily message one another from different apps. But while the merger may make these services more convenient, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be more secure. Encryption as an afterthought The decision to merge these services has both lawmakers and privacy advocates scratching…

Fear And Loathing In The App Store 22 – Apple Revokes Facebook’s Developer Certificate

Apple just revoked Facebook’s developer certificate because it broke the terms of the agreement and now none of its internal iOS apps run. Apple has even more power than you might have imagined. Update: Google’s certificate also revoked. Soon after this news item was posted Apple revoked Google’s developer certificate, as we suggested it would. The reason is the same as in Facebook’s case. Google was using the license to distribute data gathering apps to end users. It gives you a clear idea how powerful Apple’s control is. Being able to shut down the use of internal iOS apps at two of the biggest Silicon Valley companies is no small thing.…

A flaw in FaceTime lets people hear you, before you even answer

Think twice before cursing that ex who won’t stop calling: A newly found bug in Apple’s FaceTime means someone could dial you and listen to your phone’s microphone—even if you don’t pick up. In other words, if you see FaceTime ringing on your device, the caller could already be listening to whatever it is you are saying, or doing. How the FaceTime bug works Open the FaceTime app and start to call a contact. Before that person picks up, swipe up and add your own phone number to the call. Once you’re added, FaceTime assumes the connection is an active conference call and starts sending you the audio of whoever you’re…

Google Play Music bug strangely blocking new music from casting to speakers, TVs

A bug issue with Google Play Music prevents users from casting any 2019 tracks from the music streaming application using a phone. Clearly your The issue was uncovered by a tip sent to Android Authority and prevents any music from 2019 from being cast from your smartphone to a Smart Display, Google Home, Chromecast or even the Nvidia Shield TV. As for regions where this bug is affecting users, the reports are coming from Europe and India, but it’s entirely possible that this is a worldwide issue. You can remedy this by playing a recent song on your device and then casting to a Google Home device, rather than simply casting straight away.…

Security

How to properly dispose off your hard drives

Data is valuable. Your pictures, legal documents, chat logs, and even saved video games are all things you wouldn’t want to be public. Today, people generally go to great lengths to protect data, but devices age and don’t last forever. When we need to replace them, we often don’t think about what happens to the data that is still on the drive, and how people might be able to access it. Most computers have a hard disk drive, or HDD, which are disks coated with a magnetic metal layer. They rotate similar to a CD or vinyl record and read by a sensor at the tip of an arm. HDDs are…

Internet

Firefox Lite: Need to know

Gabby 15th February 2019 Android Firefox Lite Mozilla

Firefox Lite requires less than 3.5 MB, which is the smallest among major browsers, and it provides users with the shortest app download time. Moreover, one of Firefox Lite’s standout features is its Turbo Mode, which blocks third-party content such as ads on web pages. By doing this, less data is consumed and websites load faster. In addition to being lightweight and fast, users can also save a whole screen to read offline with a single tap on the toolbar. The website link is automatically saved too, so users can return whenever they want. Based on internal data, it is estimated that more than 440+ GB of online/mobile content was saved…

How To

Protect you against botnets

Gabby 14th February 2019 Botnet Cryptocurrency Privacy

Botnets are large networks of hijacked devices (robots) that can be remotely controlled by their creator. Mainly run for profit by criminal organizations, botnets can, for example, be used to mine cryptocurrencies like Monero, or use bandwidth to slow down websites as a denial of service attack. Who is at risk from botnets? The primary victims of botnets are outdated computers humming away in forgotten corners of business parks and schools, as well as poorly secured Internet of Things (IoT) devices. When a computer no longer receives updates but is still connected to the internet, it becomes vulnerable as more and more unpatched security vulnerabilities are discovered. These vulnerabilities might allow somebody…

Tips

15 Tips to stay ahead on the web – Part 6

Gr Bentil 13th February 2019 Link building local SEO Metadata SEO

1- Use a Distinct Color for Links To make your website more user-friendly, you should use a distinct color for links so that users can easily understand where links are. 2- A Line should not be More Than 65 Characters As a big percentage of people read on mobile devices. It is better not to write more than 65 characters in a line. Bonus Points: Thanks for reading so far. We have come to the end of the post. But wait! Here are some bonus points that can help you rank better on search engines. 3- Ask People to Contribute to Your Blog Asking industry experts and influencers to write on…