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Google's Cloud Messaging now sends notifications to iOS devices
Google's Cloud Messaging is no longer just for sending alerts to Android devices or your web browser. The internet giant has announced that the service now pushes notifications to iOS devices as well -- your favorite app can deliver updates to all your gadgets using a single system. The Cloud Messaging update also introduces topics, so an app can ask you about getting only the notifications you care about. A news app can send you notifications about tech and world news, for instance, while skipping entertainment. These features will take a while to filter down to the software you use, but they promise to both keep your hardware in harmony and cut back on some noise. Don't miss out on all the latest news and updates from Google I/O 2015. Follow along at our events page.
Xiaomi issues fix amid privacy scare over its cloud messaging service
Earlier this week, Finland's F-Secure looked into claims that Xiaomi was secretly sending data from its MIUI-powered phones back to its servers, and it turned out to be true. Despite having not added any cloud accounts, F-Secure's brand new Redmi 1s -- Xiaomi's budget smartphone -- still beamed its carrier name, phone number, IMEI (the device identifier) plus numbers from the address book and text messages back to Beijing. Worse yet, the data was unencrypted, thus allowing F-Secure and potentially anyone to, well, get to know your Xiaomi phone very easily. Fortunately, today the Chinese company is issuing a patch to address this booboo.
