Daily Roundup: MWC 2015 so far, Google+ splits up and more!
Mobile World Congress kicks off in Barcelona today and there's already been a number of big announcements. Get the latest details about the new phones from Samsung, HTC and Lenovo. In other news, Google+ is splitting up and IKEA will sell wireless charging furniture. Head past the break to find out the top stories from MWC and more.
The biggest announcements of MWC 2015 so far
MWC technically starts today, but that doesn't stop some of the industry's biggest players trying to get a head start on the fun on Sunday. Besides the big launches, there are a couple of pre-show shows for those off-beat things that don't need an auditorium to themselves.
Google+ is being broken into services you might want to use
It's been the punchline to plenty of gags, and now it looks as if Google is finally ready to do something with its homegrown social network. The search engine has announced that the photography and social elements of Google+ are being broken into two separate products, one called Photos and the other named Streams.
IKEA will start selling wireless charging lamps and tables
After lots of perseverance from smartphone makers, wireless charging is finally starting to make an impact. Many big name phones now support the technology and companies like Starbucks are helping to bring it a wider audience. Now, it's set to receive another big boost, after IKEA, the world's largest furniture retailer, announced the introduction of a new range of furniture that features integrated charging.
Tinder's paid service launches with a pretty sleazy catch
If you didn't think that your opinion of Tinder could go any lower, something new pops up to make you change your mind. The hookup app has reportedly launched its long-awaited paid tier, but in Europe, users will have to overcome something worse than left-swipes: ageism.
Lenovo's 16-megapixel Vibe Shot is a smartphone that looks like a camera
Even though Lenovo unveiled new tablets a little over 12 hours ago, it isn't quite done with Mobile World Congress announcements just yet. Now it's taking the wrapper off some more devices. One is the Lenovo Vibe Shot, a superslim handset that looks eerily like a camera, while the other is the Lenovo A7000, apparently the world's first smartphone to come with Dolby Atmos.
ISIS threatens Twitter employees after account was blocked
Middle Eastern terror group ISIS has apparently threatened the lives of Twitter's employees, as well as that of its chairman, Jack Dorsey. The threat was reportedly made as a response to the service's policy of blocking accounts that directly encourage acts of violence or illegal activities such as terrorism.
These 'privacy glasses' make you invisible to facial recognition
You're going out with friends mid-week, and you don't want the boss/significant other/parole officer to find out. But it's a birthday celebration, and Facebook's auto-tagging the pictures your buddies upload like a dirty snitch. The first piece of advice: never "friend" your parole officer. The second? Maybe grab a pair of these "privacy" glasses from software security firm AVG.
