Google Safety Centre arrives in Europe -- or Safety Center... Google hasn't decided
Google has announced that its Safety Centre hub is rolling out across Europe. The announcement means that people in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK have access to Google's selection of tools and tips for staying safe online.
The launch has been timed to coincide with European Cyber Security Month, but Google doesn't quite seem to have decided how to spell the name of its own offering.
Walmart teams up with MGM to create content for Netflix alternative Vudu
Walmart has partnered with movie studio Metro Goldwyn Mayer to help boost content for its video-on-demand platform Vudu.
Vudu -- which Walmart bought eight years ago -- has failed to attract a userbase anything close to that of rival Netflix, but by teaming up with MGM, there is clearly a push to change this. MGM will create original content based on its library of film and TV franchises. Walmart is also planning to introduce a new "shoppable" video ad format.
Firefox 64 will support Action Center notifications in Windows 10
Following the footsteps of Microsoft Edge and Chrome, Firefox is -- at long last -- going to offer support for the delivery of notifications through Windows 10's Action Center.
The move will please many Firefox users as this is a highly-requested feature, and it brings Mozilla's web browser in line with its rivals. While there is no release date for the finished version of Firefox 64, Action Center notification support has already made its way into the nightly builds.
Facebook Lite for iOS is now a thing
Just as there is a trend for dark themes in software at the moment, there is also something of a movement of "Lite" apps that use less data and resources. Originally intended for parts of the world where connectivity iss an issue, such apps have become popular with more and more people; because if you can use less data, why not?
We've seen Twitter Lite, Facebook Messenger Lite, and Facebook Lite -- although, until now, this last app has only been available to Android users. Now, however, Facebook Lite is expanding its reach with the launch of an iOS app.
How to disable Smart Compose predictive text suggestions in Gmail
If you're a Gmail user, you've probably noticed a new feature in the web version recently. Building on the Smart Reply feature that makes it possible to insert stock responses with a click, Google has been rolling out a predictive text component called Smart Compose.
The idea is simple, and will be familiar to users of the Gboard keyboard on Android. As you type a message, Gmail guesses what you might be trying to say and offers to complete your sentences for you. In theory this sounds helpful, but many people find it irritating and invasive -- and very possibly a privacy concern when you consider that it means your messages have to be analyzed. Here's how to disable Smart Compose.
Voice control and dictation options are coming to Facebook Messenger
The ability to control devices and apps with your voice is becoming increasingly common, and Facebook is looking to bring this capability to its Messenger app.
Analysis of the Android version of the Facebook Messenger app shows that the company is looking to use its M assistant in messages to listen out for commands. App code shows that users will be able to make requests of M: "You can ask me to make calls, send messages, and create reminders".
People love Microsoft's Your Phone so much, it's the top trending Android app in the Google Play Store
Having abandoned its own mobile operating system, Microsoft is increasingly embracing Android and iOS and improving interoperability with Windows. A recent example of this is the Your Phone Companion app which makes it possible to send texts from your computer and easily access photos stored on your Android phone.
The ability to access and use a phone via Windows 10 has gone down very well -- as the interest in our story about the app showed. So well, in fact, that the Your Phone app is the number one trending app in the Google Play Store.
How to voice-control your Android phone using the Voice Access app
Digital assistants are becoming increasingly popular as people become used to the idea of controlling electronic devices by speaking to them. With Android, Google has supported limited voice control for a while with "OK, Google", but with the release of the Voice Access app you can now do much, much more.
The problem with uttering "OK, Google" at your phone is that there are fairly severe limitations on what you can do -- there are only a small number of supported actions. But with Voice Access you can use your voice to dictate and edit text, and interact with anything that appear on the screen. Here's how to get started.
Apple's proprietary software is blocking third parties from repairing Macs
Apple is using proprietary software to block third parties from making repairs on new iMac Pro and 2018 MacBook Pro computers.
A document sent to Apple's Authorized Service Providers -- seen by MacRumors and Motherboard -- shows that the T2 security chip that's built into modern Macs is being used to prevent authorized repairs from being carried out. The security feature requires Macs to pass Apple diagnostics in order for specific repairs to be performed.
Block more Google tracking with the latest Privacy Badger extension
We live in an age where privacy is simultaneously highly valued and under increasing attack -- and nowhere is this truer than online. The EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) has been fighting the corner for web users for some time, and with the latest version of its Privacy Badger extension it is helping people fight back against Google.
The latest update to the extension -- which is available for Chrome and Opera on the desktop, and Firefox on both the desktop and Android -- introduces new blocks on "link tracking" in Google web search, Hangouts and the Docs suite
Sans Forgetica: the font that could help you remember
Researchers from Australia's RMIT University have created a font which they say could help you to retain more data.
Sans Forgetica is the result of work involving typographic design specialists and psychologists, and it has been designed specifically to make it easier to remember written information. The font has purposefully been made slightly difficult to read, using a reverse slant and gaps in letters to exploit the "desirable difficulty" as a memory aid.
How to access your Android phone from Windows 10 with Microsoft's Your Phone app
Without a mobile operating system of its own, Microsoft is doing more for iOS and Android users than ever before. One example of this is the Your Phone app which makes it possible to view your Android phone's photos on your computer, as well as viewing and sending text messages from the comfort of Windows 10. Microsoft has also promised to enable an exciting-sounding app-mirroring feature.
As long as you have upgraded to the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, you'll have the Your Phone app installed on your computer already. Here we take a look at this handy tool and show you how to get started with it.
Google Assistant gets a revamp and new features
Having introduced a new Voice Access app to allow for full voice control of Android phones, Google has also redesigned Google Assistant on both iOS and Android.
The revamp makes the app a more visual experience, with Google acknowledging that while the Assistant is a voice-activated tool, touch is also a key component. With the redesign, Google hopes that bigger visuals and new controls will make it easier and faster to get things done with a combination of voice and touch.
Plex launches beta version of Plex Web Shows offering on-demand streaming shows for free
Continuing to increase its appeal to cord-cutters, Plex has announced a new on-demand streaming feature. Plex Web Shows is launching in beta and includes curated content from independent creators like Epic Meal Time, ASAPscience, Household Hacker, People are Awesome, and The Pet Collective, as well as brands including GQ, Saveur, Epicurious, and Pitchfork.
Plex Web Shows works across a range of devices -- web, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Windows, macOS and more -- and does not require either a Plex server or a paid Plex subscription. Like Plex News and Plex Podcasts, content is not only curated, but includes smart, custom recommendations based on preferences and watching history.
Google launches new .page TLD
Google has announced the availability of a new TLD (top-level domain) from its own Google Registry. Joining the likes of .com and .org comes .page which is described as "a new opportunity for anyone to build an online presence".
With security in mind, Google says that all .page websites require an SSL certificate. For businesses and individuals, the race is now on to grab the domain they want before it is snapped up by someone else.
Sofia Elizabella's Bio
Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson is a queer, transgender journalist based in Poland. She has been writing about technology for more than two decades, and after years working for magazines, her writing moved online. She is fueled by literature, music, nature, and vegetables. You can find her on Bluesky and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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