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Google and Qualcomm are making neural network API updates easier on Android
Instead of waiting for an OS update that may never come, now your Android phone can get AI processing improvements directly from Google.
Facebook is putting #StopAsianHate notifications in the news feed this month
The company is highlighting the impact and diversity of Asians and Pacific Islanders.
Twitter confirms outage was caused by 'inadvertent change'
Twitter's support page notes it is "Investigating Irregularity with Twitter APIs," that seem to have taken the site offline around 5:35 PM ET.
Twitter’s new API for third-party apps is now live
After a security breach caused a delay, Twitter has launched its new API meant to improve third-party apps. Twitter’s API “has long taken a one-size-fits-all approach,” according to a post on the Twitter Developer Blog, but Twitter developers said they’ve listened to feedback to make the API more scalable and flexible to apps like Tweet Delete and Tweetbot. Notable changes include a new foundation, multiple access levels and product tracks.
The first US COVID-19 app built on Apple and Google tracking tech is here
The Virginia Department of Health has launched COVIDWISE, an app that uses Apple and Google’s COVID-19 contact tracing technology to track coronavirus cases and notify users when they may have been exposed. State officials had been beta testing the app, which is the first to fully use Apple and Google’s exposure notification API. As of today, the app is free to download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
The first US COVID-19 exposure notification apps could arrive within 'weeks'
Google and Apple released COVID-19 exposure notification technology that can work across Android and iOS in May, but so far apps to use it haven't launched in the US. Now Google says the first ones should launch in 'the coming weeks,' while Canada launched its app on Friday.
UK switches COVID-19 contact tracing app to Apple and Google framework
The UK will base its coronavirus contact tracing app on the Apple and Google API and adopt the decentralized framework.
Switzerland pilots a contact tracing app using Apple and Google's tech
Switzerland is piloting a COVID-19 contact tracing app that uses the Apple-Google framework.
Apple and Google's COVID-19 contact tracing tech is ready
Apple and Google release their COVID-19 contact tracing technology to public health agencies (PHAs) around the world.
Apple and Google will release COVID-19 contact-tracing tools next week
Apple and Google’s COVID-19 contact tracking technology will be released to developers on April 28th, weeks before the companies initially said it would arrive.
WhatsApp debuts coronavirus fact-checking hub
WhatsApp can be more than a messaging app -- in Europe, India and other parts of the world, it's a social network in its own right. To help avoid the spread of misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, the company -- which is owned by Facebook -- created an information hub that provides advice on how users can look after friends and family, stay cognizant of the latest developments and share verified information. The website was launched in partnership with the World Health Organization, UNICEF and UNDP, and is meant to help in more than just a social context -- healthcare providers, educators, local governments and businesses can learn how to best connect with one another while social distancing is advised.
Visa acquires fintech startup used by Venmo, CoinBase for $5.3 billion
Visa just spent $5.3 billion to acquire Plaid, the fintech company with an API that enables services for Venmo and other banking apps. Plaid's software allows startups, like the mobile investing app Robinhood and the cryptocurrency exchanges Coinbase and Gemini, to securely connect to users' bank accounts. According to Visa, one in four people with a US bank account have used Plaid's technology.
Samsung’s SmartThings app will soon connect to your car too
Samsung wants to add cars to its smart home ecosystem. At CES, Samsung announced that it's teaming up with Smartcar to make its SmartThings app compatible with "most new cars" in the US. Through the app, users will be able to do things like locate and unlock their vehicle or check its mileage, fuel level and EV battery status.
Facebook is facing an EU investigation over data collection
Google isn't the only tech giant facing an investigation from European Union antitrust regulators over data collection and monetization. The European Commission has Facebook in its sights too.
Aibo update lets you program your robot puppy's actions
Not happy with what Sony's reborn Aibo can do? You now have the power to make it do more. Sony has rolled out a 2.50 update for the robot dog that enables, among other things, a web-based interface for programming actions. Beginners can use a visual programming kit that uses blocks to create actions, while seasoned programmers can participate in a Developer Program. You can't modify the personalty of your Aibo, to be clear -- this is mainly for tricks and other activities Sony didn't envision itself.
Chrome web apps will soon tout desktop-like speed
If web apps are going to truly replace native apps, they'll need the near-instantaneous responsiveness of desktop apps. That appears to be on the horizon, thankfully. Google is unveiling Chrome tools that will help web apps run as quickly as their native counterparts, not to mention make them more usable offline. A newly introduce Web Bundles framework will let developers distribute fast-loading web apps through "any format," including USB drives -- you wouldn't even need to be online to start using an app. Background syncing and context indexing, meanwhile, will let apps "proactively" cache data to make sure it's quickly available whether or not you're connected.
YouTube will stop displaying exact follower counts in September
In an attempt to take the pressure off of creators, YouTube is changing the way it displays how many followers an account has. Throughout September, the platform is rolling out abbreviated public subscriber counts. For example, if a creator has 1,234,567 subscribers, viewers will see that the count as 1.23M. YouTube announced the change in May, but it released more details this week. As you might imagine, users are not happy.
Apple might force Facebook to change how its apps handle voice calls
A change coming in iOS 13 could force Facebook to change Messenger and WhatsApp. As The Information reports, Apple will no longer allow these apps to run Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) in the background when it's not in use. At the moment, apps like Messenger and WhatsApp run VOIP continuously in order to connect calls faster, but doing so could also allow them to do other things, like collect user data. According to The Information, Facebook may have to redesign its messaging apps in order to comply.
Google will let enterprise users escape Chrome's ad-blocking restrictions
Google announced Manifest V3 earlier this year -- a proposed change to Chrome's extension system that would essentially stop ad-blockers from working effectively. Despite the significant backlash Google faced in the aftermath of this decision, it's now doubled down on the changes with one major exception -- enterprise users will be unaffected.
IFTTT loses some Gmail triggers on March 31st
Google's push to tighten third-party API access is already going to cost the world Google+, but a change that more of you might notice is coming to IFTTT. The service sent out emails alerting users that their "recipe" scripts involving Gmail triggers and an action that could create a draft will go away as of March 31st. According to Google, the shift is a result of the Project Strobe sweep it announced last October. IFTTT said it worked with Google to keep the integration that will support triggers to Send an email, or to Send Yourself an email, but the API lockdown that's coming would've required too much work to change its services. Otherwise, integrations with Google will still be the same, but anyone relying heavily on the automated scripts may want to double check things before they get a surprise in a few days.
