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Apple is settling a class action lawsuit over Family Sharing for $25 million
Apple will pay $25 million to settle a class action lawsuit that accuses the tech giant of misleading customers over Family Sharing.
Google expands Broadcast and adds more family-friendly Assistant features
It's expanding the Broadcast tool that was previously limited to its smart speakers and displays, as well as a set of new features for the Assistant.
Tetris is now a daily game show with cash prizes
N3TWORK's mobile 'Tetris' app gets a game show mode and more.
Xbox Family Settings app sets limits on your kids' game time
Microsoft has released an Xbox Family Settings app in preview to help parents track and limit their kids' gaming.
'Connected' is a kids' movie about the dangers of tech obsession
For all the potential that AI and robotics hold, there's still plenty of fear around the negative impacts they could have on society, as well as concerns that we already spend too much time staring at screens. Sony Pictures plans to capitalize on that sentiment with a new animated film Connected. It's another family-saves-the-world plot, but its message probes our reliance on technology, and it has some impressive talent behind it.
Google Nest lets you read to your kids even when you're apart
The bedtime story is a cherished ritual between parents and their children, and one that hurts the most to miss when mom or dad are away. But now, Google Nest is launching a new Assistant action that will help keep story time on the agenda, no matter how far away you are from your kids.
Arcade Coder teaches kids to build games for the whole family
Tech Will Save Us (TWSU), the company behind cool kids' STEM kits, has launched a new flagship product designed to get kids into game design. The Arcade Coder is a 12-inch by 12-inch board with 144 fully programmable and controllable multi-colored LED buttons, that teaches children aged six and over easy-to-learn block coding and how to design their own games.
Spotify's Premium Family plans get an explicit content filter
Spotify is rolling out a new Premium Family Plan with a much-awaited setting. Parents will now have the ability to filter out songs with swearing, violence, drugs and more via an explicit content filter that can be applied to individual accounts. That feature was surprisingly lacking on a plan with the word "family" in it, considering that it might be used by young children who thought "Snoop Dogg" was some kind of cartoon.
Next-gen ‘Pictionary Air’ arrives at Target June 23rd
Starting this Sunday, you can pick up Pictionary Air at your local Target for $20. The new game puts a high-tech spin on the classic. You'll still pull a card, choose from a list of items to draw and race against a timer, but you'll use a large digital pen to sketch in the air. Thanks to the app, other players will see your doodle on their phones, tablets or TV screens, but you won't see your creation until your time is up.
Family tracking app leaked real-time location data for weeks
Family tracking apps can be very helpful if you're worried about your kids or spouse, but they can be nightmarish if that data falls into the wrong hands. Security researcher Sanyam Jain has revealed to TechCrunch that React Apps' Family Locator left real-time location data (plus other sensitive personal info) for over 238,000 people exposed for weeks in an insecure database. It showed positions within a few feet, and even showed the names for the geofenced areas used to provide alerts. You could tell if parents left home or a child arrived at school, for instance.
'Life is Strange 2' deals with brotherhood in the face of death
Life is Strange 2 begins with a bleak bang. Developer Dontnod shared the game's first 20 minutes this week on YouTube, introducing series fans to the Diaz family before diving straight into a chaotic, violent scene that sets the stage for the rest of the five-episode season. This article contains spoilers for the first 20 minutes of Life is Strange 2
Google's Project Fi lets you add younger kids to your family plan
Google added family plans to Project Fi a long time ago, but it wasn't really built for the younger children in your family. The company is fixing that today -- you can now add kids under 13 to your Fi group plan through a Google account controlled using Family Link. You can track and set alerts for your little ones' data usage, and use Family Link to set time and app limits.
Ask Engadget: Is Instagram creeping on my kid?
The support shared among readers in the comments section is one of the things we love most about the Engadget community. Over the years, we've known you to offer sage advice on everything from Chromecasts and cameras to drones and smartphones. In fact, our community's knowledge and insights are a reason why many of you participate in the comments. We truly value the time and detail you all spend in responding to questions from your fellow tech-obsessed commenters, which is why we've decided to bring back the much-missed "Ask Engadget" column. This week's question comes to us from a parent concerned about what their social media accounts are sharing. Weigh in with your advice in the comments -- and feel free to send your own questions along to ask@engadget.com! I took all my kid's photos off of Facebook but I still share plenty of them (privately) on Instagram. Is that a totally stupid distinction to make, since Instagram is owned by Facebook and my accounts are still connected? Are they doing facial recognition on my Instagram photos?
Students, send us your gadget questions!
How much laptop does a college freshman need? What's the quickest way to learn Photoshop? Is it worth having a TV in my dorm room? Ask Engadget gets a lot of emails -- and more than a few of them are questions about products. Think: What should I buy? Which product will work best for me? Which ones will last the longest? Now we're looking to hear from students, parents of students and maybe even some teachers too. If you're at all unsure about what to buy or how much to spend, shoot us a note and we'll answer as many of your queries as possible sometime this summer, once back-to-school shopping season is under way. Send your questions to ask@engadget.com and get a mix of answers from our staff and the rest of the Engadget community. (And if you have a non-school-related question, feel free to send that in too! We'll still be doing a monthly column leading up to, and after, our back-to-school special.)
How child-security apps lengthen the reach of parents
My son recently turned 3 years old. Now that he's a "big boy," he wants to explore and run ahead of me, even though he lacks the wherewithal and caution to do so. My instincts, as a first-time father, are to hold onto him for dear life. I can't hold onto my son forever. But there are steps I can take to lengthen my reach before I let go entirely. Via GPS and beacon technology, developers are creating child trackers -- security apps and hardware to address the modern parent's primary preoccupying concern: "Where is my child right now?"
Android and YouTube will help you manage screen time
Those rumors of Google launching tools to manage your screen time? They're true. The internet giant has used its I/O conference to unveil a string of digital well-being initiatives that will help you get away from tech. To start, Android P is getting a dashboard that will give you a clearer picture of how long you use your phone with given apps and how many notifications you receive. Do Not Disturb will also reduce visual distractions, while a Shush option will silence alerts when you flip the phone down. And when it's time to call it a night, Wind Down mode will both switch on DND and turn your screen gray scale.
Apple shows off its parental features with new 'Families' page
Apple's website now has a dedicated page for family features and parental controls. It brings together the company's existing tools, such as the Ask To Buy tool, purchase-blocker and website restrictor already in the company's arsenal, into one single destination, making it easier for parents to manage their kids' smartphone use.
iPhone X owners can't use Face ID to approve family purchases
Face ID on the iPhone X is helpful for authorizing a purchase for yourself, but don't expect to use it if you're approving a purchase for your kids. Numerous owners have discovered that the face authentication feature doesn't work for family purchases (that is, where a family member asks you to buy apps or music on their behalf) like Touch ID does on earlier iPhones. It's not a tremendous pain, but you probably won't relish the thought of punching in your password every time your little ones want a new game for their iPads.
New Google Assistant skills reinvent family game night
There's no question that kids like talking to smart speakers, and Google knows it. As promised, the search firm is adding over 50 child-oriented activities to Google Assistant to make sure your Home speaker (or really, any Assistant-capable device) can entertain the younger crowd. It can orchestrate trivia games, start a round of musical chairs, tell a story or even help with homework. Not surprisingly, this includes a few branded experiences: you can ask the Assistant "what's my Justice League superhero?" or tell it to "play Mickey Mouse Adventure."
LastPass Families can manage passwords for a household of six
It's hard enough keeping track of your own passwords, let alone your family's. Unless you plan on outfitting your brood with biometric rings, your best bet is to sign up to a password managing tool. That way you can keep track of the logins your clan is racking up, and even reference them to create unique passwords in the future. Most popular services, such as 1Password, already offer family plans. And soon that small list will include LastPass too.
