DOJ Wants to Break Up Google Ad Biz; Facebook Getting AI Dating Assistant; Uber Launches Prepaid Passes; WhatsApp Adds Built in Translation

Posted: September 23, 2025 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Department of Justice wants to break up Google’s ad business as the antitrust case against the search giant rolls on. Arstechnica.com reports that US District Judge Leonie Brinkema has already ruled that Google operated an illegal monopoly in digital advertising, and now we address the remedies that may apply. Google’s had mixed luck with antitrust rulings lately. The DOJ is asking the court to force Google to spin off Google Ad Manager, the marketplace through which advertisers buy ads on Google’s platform. The government was able to convince the court that Google’s control of Ad Manager gave it an unfair advantage that boosted its own services, but is a breakup the proper remedy? That will be the issue for the court to eventually rule on.

As if the myriad of dating apps wasn’t enough, now Facebook is bowing an AI dating assistant. According to TechCrunch.com, the chatbot is supposed to help users find matches that are more closely tailored to what they are looking for. You can put in parameters like location, job or social interests, and so forth…then ask the AI to help refine things. Meta has also rolled out Meet Cute, which gives users a weekly ‘surprise match’ based on its algorithm. Facebook Dating matches are up 10% they say for people 18-29 year over year. They have ‘hundreds of thousands’ of users. That’s a bunch, but Tinder has about 50 million daily active users!

Uber is launching prepaid passes, which let you pay a discounted price in advance on frequently taken trips. Cnet.com reports that the passes are available in bundles of 5, 10, 15, or 20 rides. The bigger the bundle you buy, the bigger the discount. The discounts run 5 to 20%. You do have to select a 1 hour request window, and Uber will display a countdown so customers know how many passes they have left. The feature is available in75 cities. 

WhatsApp has rolled out built-in text translations on iPhone and Android. Theverge.com says that it is a gradual rollout, starting today in 1 to 1 chats, groups, and Channel update messages. You turn the feature on by long pressing down on messages and touching the ‘Translate’ option to pick the language you want to translate to or from. Support for English, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic will initially be available for Android users, while iPhone users can translate messages into more than 19 languages at launch. Android users can also enable automatic translation for entire chat threads to apply the feature to all incoming messages.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now. 

WhatsApp Getting Ads; iOS Tweak Eases Use of One Time Codes; Trump Planning to Sell a Phone; Another EU Government Moves to Linux

Posted: June 16, 2025 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It has been rumored, and it’s coming. Meta has announced it will now serve ads from business in WhatsApp in its Stories-like status feature. According to theverge.com, you may start seeing ads along with the shared disappearing text, photo, voice notes, or video messages shared by friends or family members in this portion of the Updates tab. Meta says it will tailor the ads to your interests by using “limited” information, including your country or city, language, the channels you follow, and how you interact with ads on the platform. Meta says it will never see or share your phone number to advertisers. Also it won’t use your messages, calls, or groups to ‘inform’ its ads. Oh, I fell a lot better knowing that…

In all the announcements at WWDC last week, here’s a little one for iOS 26 that may make a lot of people’s use of websites easier on their iPhones. Bgr.com reports that for several years, iPhone and Mac users have had a feature that sees the two factor identification one-time password code which is sent to you by email or text, and it will appear in a bubble on the website. You can just click it and it fills in, and you are into the secure website. Now, with a tweak of iOS 26, that Security Code Autofill feature will not be limited to Apple Messages or email. If you get codes over WhatsApp or a third party mail app, the system will find it and suggest it without your needing to leave Safari or whatever app you are using. Apple will even show you where the OTP is coming from for extra security. 

In an interesting move, Donald Trump, Jr has announced the launch of a cellular brand…Trump Mobile. Engadget.com notes that they will sell a single wireless plan called ‘The 47 Plan,’ which offers unlimited talk and texting, as well as unlimited data that throttles speeds after the first 20GB each month. The Trump Mobile plan is a white-label plan built on an existing mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) called Liberty Mobile. The company also plans to sell “The T1 Phone,” a gold-accented smartphone that it says will be manufactured in the United States. The last part…a phone selling for $499 made in the US is something of a pipe dream. People who study the cost breakdown of phones like iFixit calculate that and iPhone costs Apple $500 to $800 to make…depending on the model….and that’s with cheap Asian labor and the distribution system all close by there. It has been estimated that a US made iPhone would cost some $1500 to build…so take the $499 golden Trumphone with a large grain of salt. 

A German state, Schleswig-Holstein, will ditch all Microsoft software and move to Linux and open source programs over the next 90 days. Zdnet.com says this is part of growing European resistance to reliance on US tech giants. Danish officials have also announced they are dropping Microsoft. The German state’s Digitalization Minister said “The geopolitical developments of the past few months have strengthened interest in the path that we’ve taken. The war in Ukraine revealed our energy dependencies, and now we see there are also digital dependencies.” Bavaria has also gotten away from Microsoft, but has returned partially. The French Police have also dropped Microsoft. 

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.

Disney & Hulu-No More Signups via Apple; Meta Bringing Back Facial Recognition; WhatsApp Rolling Out Direct Contract Storage; AT&T and T-Mobile Oppose Unlocking Rule

Posted: October 22, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

When Mel Brooks teased Spaceballs Two, he subtitled it ‘the search for more money,’ in a poke at Star Trek, the Search for Spock. Now, it looks like Disney is cutting some ties with Apple for…you guessed it…more money. Apple, as you no doubt know, gets a 15-30% cut of all money that comes from sales via their App Store. Macrumors.com reports that by not allowing new sign ups through the App Store, and pushing customers to their website, Disney will cut out those subscription fees for in-app purchases. Disney is already raising prices a couple bucks for Hulu and Disney +, and it looks like they intend to keep all of it! Netflix quit letting subscribers buy over the iOS app several years ago. 

If at first you don’t succeed…Meta is bringing back facial recognition, they say with new safeguards. Engadget.com notes that this comes some 3 years after they first tried it, but backed off after a huge backlash. Meta claims the facial recognition will first be used to detect scam ads that use the faces of celebrities or other public figures. If they confirm it as a scam ad, they will block it. Celebrities will be able to opt out of this use. Meta is also testing facial recognition as a method of account recovery. This time around, users will upload a video selfie…a short clip of themselves, and Meta will match that to their profile photo if the user gets locked out of their account. This should work for all personal accounts, but won’t work on a business page at this point…as they don’t include a profile pic of a person. Some privacy advocates are still skeptical, given the last time around. Meta paid out over lawsuits in Texas and Illinois from that last go around…some $650 million in Illinois and $1.4 billion in Texas. 

WhatsApp has been relying on your phones contact book to sync contacts for the platform. Now, techcrunch.com says WhatsApp will allow users to save contacts within the app, where they will live on cloud servers. That way, if you lose a phone or link a new one to your WhatsApp primary number, you will see all your contacts. Also…it gives WhatsApp possession of the data about all your contacts. They won’t mind, right? WhatsApp claims they have a new encrypted storage system for secure contact saving. In addition, they are saying that the storage feature will make it possible to save contacts by usernames. That way, you won’t need to share your phone number when messaging them. Signal and Telegram both already offer a way to share usernames without sharing contact details. 

In the shock of the century, T-Mobile and AT&T have come out in opposition to a proposed plan by the Federal Communications Commission to require the unlocking of phones within 60 days of activation. Arstechnica.com reports that the carriers are claiming that locking phones to a carrier’s network makes it possible to provide cheaper handsets to consumers. “If the Commission mandates a uniform unlocking policy, it is consumers—not providers—who stand to lose the most,” T-Mobile alleged in an October 17 filing with the Federal Communications Commission. The rule has broad support from consumer advocates, who say it will give consumers more choice and lower costs. The carriers have traditionally said that the locking helped them subsidize providing phones at lower costs. It seems more likely that we the consumers are subsidizing our own discounts. Verizon already unlocks phones after 60 days, due to requirements imposed on spectrum licenses it holds. 

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now. 

Google Announces Native Android ‘Foldables’ Support; Coming-Facebook 10 Minute Grace Period to Unsend Messages; Mercedes’ AI Package Delivery Tech

Posted: November 7, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

With a maker in China already having released a folding smartphone, Samsung releasing more about their Galaxy F, and LG on the verge of unveiling one, Google today announced Android support for a ‘foldables’ category. 9to5google.com reports that the new category of phone that unfolds into a tablet will have native Android support, allowing for makers to give you a phone with a screen like we all have, but unfolding to reveal a larger, phablet screen on the inside that is double the size of the ‘outside’ screen. Google’s ‘screen continuity’ will allow you to start with an app on the outside screen, then unfold and seamlessly continue on the bigger inner screen without a hitch. Samsung has been working closely with Google on this Android category, and is expected to release the Actual Galaxy F model early next year. The internal screen is said to be 7.3 inches.

If you have sent a Facebook private message, and instantly regretted it, you will like this. For some time, Facebook has had an ‘unsend’ feature for their top brass. Now, according to engaeget.com, the social media giant may be getting set to release the feature to everyone. It’s not an hour to change your mind like What’sApp, but a 10 minute grace period ought to be enough for people who hit send, and have nearly instant remorse. Of course, even with this feature, if the recipient has already seen the message within the 10 minute period, the deletion won’t undo whatever damage has been done to your relationship with them!

The engineers and programmers at Mercedes have been experimenting with a number of different ways to help automate delivery vehicles, so the driver/delivery person can get packages to you more quickly and efficiently. Some have ended hilariously…like one with a Ferris wheel and baskets…that one ended when a gallon of milk basically exploded all over a van. Now, the German conglomerate is trialing its latest idea. Cams and sensors light up shelves, and show the driver which shelf and spot is best for a package…lighting up green. On arrival at a drop off, it lights up green again…and everything flashes red if the person grabs the wrong item. The built in sensors also allow for less hand scanning, which should shave additional time off deliveries. AI not only helps figure out the best spot in the truck for the packages, but plots out the delivery route based on what packages are loaded and their destination addresses. Mercedes thinks this system will help the likes of FedEx and UPS, but will be even more beneficial to smaller delivery company, like those indie operators contracted by Amazon.

HomePod Sounds Great, Siri Sucks; Pixel 2 Visual Core Works With Apps; France Bans Handheld Smartphone Use in Cars; Military-Self Driving Vehicles & Auto Weapons

Posted: February 6, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A number of reviews are out for Apple’s HomePod. According to 9to5mac.com (as I am way too small potatoes to have actually gotten a review unit), reviewers are pretty universally impressed with the HomePod’s great sound. On the other hand, they hate the stupidity of Siri compared to Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa. The semi-smart speaker also gets knocks for being a closed system (like Apple would ever make it otherwise!) It won’t work with Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, etc. If you have all your music on Apple’s system, and love great sound with tight, loud, punchy bass and crisp highs, that sounds good anywhere in the room, by all means…go for it.

Google’s Pixel 2 had gotten accolades from it’s great camera app. The pix are just great on its proprietary processor Now, techcrunch.com says Google is opening up that tech to third party apps. As of today, it will work on Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Snapchat if you update the software. That software is showing up as part of the monthly software update today…although it may take a day or two to get to you…your mileage may vary.

Love ‘em…hate ‘em, it’s often fun to pick on the French. Now, they’ve done something that may have their own citizens up in arms. 9to5google.com reports that France has banned hand held smartphone use in cars…EVEN if the car is sitting still with the engine off! Apparently, France changed their legal definition of driving to include everything except being parked off-road or in a designated parking spot! The fine is 135 Euros, and points on your license, same as if you were motoring down the road doing it. I suspect the French may invent a new hand sign to display in protest of this!

Welcome to the future and our new, robotic overlords! The military is now testing autonomous vehicles equipped with robotic weapons systems! According to zdnet.com, the Army has announced ‘Wingman,’ and they have successfully destroyed targets from a self-driving Hummer with an autonomous 7.62mm weapon system. The Army claims that, for the foreseeable future, there will always be a human soldier in the loop, making the decisions.

Apple’s Siri Speaker in Production; Skype Gets Major Makeover With ‘Me Too’ Features

Posted: June 1, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Apple’s smart speaker, powered by Siri, is apparently in production and will be showed off at WWDC, according to bloomberg.com. In an effort to outshine Amazon and Google offerings, it will feature virtual surround sound, be louder and reproduce sound more ‘crisply’ than others, and (of course) have deep integration with other Apple products. It will also serve as a hub for Apple HomeKit connected devices. The device will be built by the Taiwanese company Inventec, which produces AirPods for Apple. It is expected to be out later this year.

Microsoft is giving Skype yet another makeover, but this one is much more than a fresh coat of paint. The latest iteration takes on the look of Snapchat. Theverge.com reports that although Skype has done well for video and audio calls, it hasn’t made much of a dent in Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, iMessage, or Snapchat….and messaging is where the growth in conversations live. The new interface includes 3 sections in a conversation: find, chat, and capture. Chat is what is sounds like, but the other two allow you to search a convo, or find images, restaurants, or content to drop into a message. Capture is where Microsoft has added the Snapchat like capabilities….the cam opens so you can shoot pics or video, then you can add stickers, text, or annotate the shot. There’s also a Highlights feature so friends can stream pics and videos of yours and react with emoji.

Facebook’s WhatsApp Leans on Telegram; Apple May Drop Headphone Jack on iPhone 7.

Posted: December 1, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Facebook is using its muscle to make it tougher to use a competitor for one of their apps. WhatsApp has started blocking outbound links to Telegram, the secure messaging service. Businessinsider.com reports that any such links are dead, and can’t be copied an pasted out of WhatsApp. The blocking came with a silent update yesterday. In an unintended but ironic side consequence, the app also now blocks links to telegram.com, a domain for a newspaper in Worcester, Mass that has nothing to do with the Telegram messaging app!

A rumor that has popped up everywhere the last 24 hours, including gizmodo.com, is that Apple may drop the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, opting for earbuds that plug into the Lightening port. Besides meaning you couldn’t charge the phone and listen at the same time, or use your old…and perhaps expensive headphones…this means if you listen on a computer, iPad, or any other device that uses the standard 3.5mm headphone plug, you either will have to carry a dongle adapter around with you, or two sets of headphones or earbuds. You also won’t be able to plug directly into another system and feed your music from your phone to it…like at a party where they’re playing terrible music, and need a musical rescue! While Apple has done this sort of thing before…think the floppy disk and DVD/CD slot…it’s likely that dropping the headphone jack will REALLY make people mad, and could hurt sales. Let’s hope common sense prevails at Apple in this case!

Tesla’s Home Batteries Could Be Leased

Posted: April 27, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The poorly kept secret Tesla home batteries may be leased instead of sold. Engadget.com picked up a report from the Guardian that says some have already been leased to a few SolarCity customers. SolarCity is, of course, run by Tesla boss Elon Musk. The 10 year deal has been test run at $1500 down and $15 a month, or $27.50 a month, making the decade lease cost $3300. Subsidies from energy companies could drop the price even lower. Whatever the deal will be should be revealed in a few days.

A new app is out for renters, that works like Venmo for shared meal tabs. Splittable lets housemates divvy up rent and expenses evenly…a big help in places like the Bay Area and New York City, where house and apartment sharing are common. It was already given a trial run in London for 1000 renters, and is available on Android, iOS, and the web. TEchcrunch.com says you can invite housemates over email, Facebook message, or WhatsApp.

Microsoft Surface 3 Grows Up

Posted: March 31, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Microsoft has just unveiled the latest version of their Surface 3 tablet. The verge.com says the $499 tablet may have cracked the code this time…it has an Intel Atom chip instead of an ARM processor, and will run full Windows 8.1 and apps like the Surface Pro or a laptop.

Techcrunch.com reports that Amazon has launched a dedicated STEM toy shop. Toys for all ages focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math skills are featured.

WhatsApp has been updated for Android. According to thenextweb.com, you can now make and receive voice calls. It’s in the Google Play store now. WhatsApp says an iOS version will be out in a few weeks.