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T-Mobile agrees to cough up $500 million for its disastrous data breach last year

You might be entitled to up to $25,000 if you suffered losses from the leak

By

Arol Wright

It might have been almost a year ago, but T-Mobile’s big August 2021 data breach is still fresh in some people’s minds. After all, the theft of data (including addresses and Social Security numbers) from tens of millions of users is nothing to scoff at. The carrier has since been fighting class-action lawsuits all over the country due to the breach. Now, after trials and negotiations, it is preparing for some hefty payouts in order to settle the matter.

Chrome zero-day exploit used to target journalists in the Middle East

Google patched this security hole, but it’s still an active risk

By

Chethan Rao

Zero-day exploits are some of the most feared security vulnerabilities out there, mostly because institutions working to patch them are already well behind the curve. It’s not uncommon for Google’s name to come up in such an exploit, it’s got thumbs in every pie after all: the company accounted for 58 exploits in 2021, signifying a more than two-fold increase uncovered the year before, although the company attributes the higher number to better detection. Well, we can officially tally another one for Google’s 2022 as researchers are now disclosing a new exploit that’s been in the hands of Israeli spyware distributor, Candiru (also known as Saito Tech), navigating a hole through DevilsTongue spyware on the Chrome browser to illegally track journalists across the Middle East.

Google is making Chrome more stylus-friendly for text input with Android 13

Thanks to a little help from Samsung

By

Jules Wang

You know how school likes to throw a bunch of group projects sat you sometimes? Well, you could say Android and Chromium (from which ChromeOS, the Chrome browser, and other web browsers) essentially are just big ol’ group projects. Thanks to Google, their open-source nature has brought together all sorts of features from all kinds of contributors. Samsung is probably the biggest one and it seems like we’re about to get another feature courtesy of the company in time for Android 13 — this one should add marvelously to its advertised tablet friendliness.

Data privacy concerns trigger restrictions on Google Chrome in Dutch schools

Students and staff are steered away from using Google Search and towards DuckDuckGo

By

Chethan Rao

Google is no stranger to privacy concerns with the search giant undergoing regulatory scrutiny almost every other day. The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR, has sought to limit Google’s power in the world of data by mandating specific requirements for the collection, use, and storage of user data. The Netherlands is now taking additional steps to safeguard students across the country by adding new restrictions on the usage of Chrome OS and the Chrome web browser in schools.

Weekend poll: Did you pre-order the Pixel 6a or Pixel Buds Pro?

Google’s latest gadgets hit store shelves this week

By

Will Sattelberg

It’s been a long two-month wait for Google’s next product launches, but after an official unveiling at I/O a couple of months ago, it’s finally time. The Pixel 6a and Pixel Buds Pro both officially launch in just a few days, and while you’ll have to wait for our impressions of Google’s top-tier earbuds — assuming yours don’t arrive early, that is — our feelings towards the company’s latest mid-range phone are no secret.

The best wireless headphones in 2022

Have an amazing sonic experience no matter where you are with one of the best wireless headphones available right now

By

James Holland

Except for one weird guy in college with half a beard, it’s safe to say that most people love music. And some people want a great aural experience no matter where they are. Enter some of the best wireless headphones you can find right now.

Warcraft Arclight Rumble beginner’s guide: Tips and tricks to navigate Blizzard’s newest strategy game

How to collect and command an army of Warcraft Minis

By

Faith Leroux

Warcraft Arclight Rumble is Blizzard’s upcoming mobile action strategy game. It’s set within the Warcraft universe, where an army of Minis come to life to battle it out on the playfield, bearing a similar feeling to how the classic strategy game Clash Royale plays, but with an emphasis on single-player tower defense gameplay. Seeing tha the game will launch this year, we at Android Police already went hands-on with the beta, all so we can offer tips to those in early access on how to get started on their all-star Warcraft Minis collection. Let’s get ready to rumble!

What is Discord: How to get started with the social messaging platform

What makes Discord stand above the rest, and what’s it have to do with gaming?

By

Faith Leroux

Many online communities have adapted to include discussion spaces held on Discord. Gamers often use Discord as a communication tool, where students can use Discord as hubs to connect with their classmates. Discord has indeed brought together global and local communities so they can engage in social activities such as texting, voice and video chatting, and screen sharing. What differentiates Discord from the other social platforms from Slack, Whatsapp, TeamSpeak, etc. is how well managed the whole system is, how flexible the social features are, and how easily integrated it is on a range of platforms. Discord can be accessed from an online browser, installed as an app, and is even receiving newly added support with Microsoft and Sony to stay connected with your friends, family, and communities while you’re playing on your console.

Disney Mirrorverse beginner’s guide: Save the universe by empowering your Guardians

Form the ultimate team of Disney and Pixar characters to fight off the Fractured

By

Faith Leroux

Ever wondered what the world would be like if your all-time favorite Disney and Pixar characters teamed up to save the day? Kabam’s latest action RPG, Disney Mirrorverse, pits you against an impending threat known as the Fractured. But to succeed in your mission to save the Mirrorverse, you must be ready to break out your biggest guns by unleashing your Guardian dream team. Do you have what it takes to avert the crisis before your ideal world is destroyed?

What is Wi-Fi 7?

And should you be planning on an upgrade when routers that support it are released?

By

Ryne Hager

In tech, newer usually means better and faster, and that’s the case with Wi-Fi, too. The newest standard, Wi-Fi 7, is on the horizon and promises substantial speed and reliability benefits. It’s that easy to summarize, but there are more particular and technical benefits it offers, improving on both Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E in key ways.

How to share your Amazon Prime account with your family

Make the most of your Prime membership by adding the whole family

By

Connor Nolan

While it can be easy to make your Amazon Prime membership feel worthwhile with its myriad benefits, there’s no need for everyone in your family to have their own separate Prime subscriptions. When you add everyone into the same Amazon Household, everyone gets the benefit of fast and free Prime shipping, along with many of the extras that come with a Prime membership, and it doesn’t cost a dime to do. Supporting up to two adults, four teens, and four preteens, it’s more than large enough for most families and a great way to get even more value out of your Prime membership.

Google fires engineer who called AI model ‘sentient’

Blake Lemoine made his firing public on Friday

By

Jules Wang

Blake Lemoine has made a name for himself and that’s saying something for a software engineer. His peers would argue, though, that it’s been for the wrong reason. As a member of Google’s Responsible AI division, he’s been pitching and publicizing transcripts generated from his interactions with the company’s Language Model for Dialogue Applications, or, LaMDA. Lemoine has described the chatbot generator as a “hivemind” of personas with a self-aware core of intelligence. When Google originally was made aware of his disclosures, it suspended him. Now, Lemoine himself has revealed that he has been dismissed from the company.

Fitbit app update makes navigating charts a whole lot easier

It may take a while before the update reaches you

By

Zohaib Ahmed

There are a ton of fitness apps on the Play Store right now coming from a variety of brands, but the Fitbit app stands out as being a better one in the bunch — yes, especially if you own a Fitbit smartwatch or tracker band. Aside from the usual stuff like tracking your activities, the app goes above and beyond with advanced features like daily reminders, tips, workout videos, and training plans. Now, with a new update to its charts interface, the app has gotten even better… or worse — it really is up to you to decide with this one.

YouTube’s trying out some changes to the Explore tab (for better or worse)

Trending content will likely only be accessible from the Trending tab once the change hits

By

Zohaib Ahmed

Like any other Google division, YouTube likes to test new features with small groups of people to gain feedback and polish things up before making them widely available. While a few of them are the opt-in kind and can be accessed through the “Try new features” section from the app settings, many others pop up on their own through server-side switches. One of these experiments on the mobile app now makes it a bit easier to explore new content based on the kind of videos you want to watch.

Best heavy-duty Samsung Galaxy S22 plus cases in 2022

A rugged case is the perfect way to protect your high-end Samsung smartphone

By

Chris Thomas

A quality case is a must-have if you have a Samsung Galaxy S22+. It costs a pretty penny, and you wouldn’t want to damage its precision-engineered curved glass screen with a careless drop. However, the average case isn’t necessarily designed to provide complete protection. Instead of partial security from an open-face TPU case, consider a full-body or rugged model. Rugged cases often have extra layers of foam and air, a reinforced back, or aluminum bumpers for impressive durability. If you’re okay with adding a little more bulk, some models offer novel features like kickstands and camera shutters.

Amazon Prime Video: Everything you’ll want to watch in July 2022

It’s too hot to be outside

By

Karandeep Singh

While you’re eagerly waiting for Amazon Prime Video to release its Lord of the Rings series, the streaming giant has a lot to offer in the meantime. Its release schedule for July is packed with dozens of movies and TV shows, including many of its originals that are or will presumably be massive hits. Here are some of the best movies and TV series coming to Amazon Prime Video in July 2022.

The best new movies you can watch at home right now

There’s plenty to watch at home these days, and we’re rounding up the best (and worst) movies you can stream

By

Cody Toombs

Streaming services have taken over as one of the best ways to catch the latest movies. Whether they’re making a stop in theaters before rolling out digital rentals or they launch as first-run originals from the likes of Netflix, Apple TV+, or HBO; we’re rounding up the best titles so you’re not left in the dark — until it’s time to start the film, that is. Check back each week (usually on Friday) to see the latest additions for movies that are now available to stream, the latest theatrical releases, and movies coming next week.

The best Google Pixel 6a cases in 2022

The Pixel 6a is a phenomenal phone that only deserves phenomenal cases

By

Ara Wagoner

The Google Pixel a-series have produced some of the best budget Android phones over the last few years, bringing Pixel features and Google’s camera prowess to use users than its pricey flagships could ever reach. The Google Pixel 6a looks to continue the trend with the power of Google Tensor and multi-day battery life. A phone this exciting will need a sturdy, surefire case to protect it the moment it arrives.