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Windows Sandbox is a safer way to run programs you don't trust
Downloading and running an unknown .exe file can be fraught with terror -- or at the very least, a whole lot of a faff as you're required to set up a clean installation of Windows on a virtual machine. Now, Microsoft is introducing a new solution that brings it in line with a standard already found on other operating systems: Windows Sandbox. The feature creates "an isolated, temporary desktop environment" (and lightweight, at 100MB) on which to run an app, and once you've finished with it, the entire sandbox is deleted -- everything else on your PC is safe and separate. The feature is available for users of Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise running Build 18301 or later, and requires AMD64 and virtualization capabilities enabled in BIOS.
Google pulled 'millions' of junk Play Store ratings in one week
Google is just as frustrated with bogus app reviews as you are, and it's apparently bending over backwards to improve the trustworthiness of the feedback you see. The company instituted a system this year that uses a mix of AI and human oversight to cull junk Play Store reviews and the apps that promote them, and the results are slightly intimidating. In an unspecified recent week, Google removed "millions" of dodgy ratings and reviews, and "thousands" of apps encouraging shady behavior. There are a lot of attempts to game Android app reviews, in other words.
Instagram can turn question stickers into live Q&As
Instagram's question stickers have at least one main problem: you have to be patient while awaiting the answer. Now, however, you might just get some instant gratification. The social network is introducing an option to respond to a question in a Story by going live. This could be most helpful for creatives who want to start an impromptu Q&A (say, a beauty blogger offering makeup tips), but it should also be handy for answering deep questions or anything else where a Story would be too short. Broadcasters can share photos and videos from their camera roll, too.
The drop
When Nike launched its Air Jordan XI "Concord," in 2011, there were incidents of violence reported at several shopping malls in the US. Back then, most shoe stores sold pairs on a first-come, first-served basis, which led to physical fights between people who were trying to line up outside their local shop. A lot has changed. Over the past few years, sportswear giants like Nike and Adidas have turned to technology to make sneaker shopping safer, particularly for highly coveted models. And there's no better example of this digital-first strategy than the drop of the long-awaited 2018 edition of the Concord XIs, which re-released on December 8th without any chaos, thanks in large part to mobile apps like Nike's SNKRS.
Google Assistant will warn you when it predicts flight delays
Google has predicted flight delays for a while, but only if you've searched for a flight yourself. Wouldn't it be better if it warned you before you packed your bags? It will soon. In addition to bringing delay predictions to Assistant, Google is rolling out proactive warnings over the next few weeks. If your post-holidays return trip is likely to start late, Assistant will both let you know and provide a reason if one is available. You'll know to grab an extra book or TV episode for that longer wait at your gate.
Facebook Messenger's camera fakes portrait mode photos
Facebook Messenger's camera just caught up to Instagram's in a few key areas, and then some. To start, you can snap software-based portrait mode photos -- if you don't have a dual-camera phone (or one with clever AI photography), you can still get that blurred background for your headshots. You can also shoot animated Boomerang loops if you want to capture a brief bit of movement without recording a whole video.
Switch-only 'Netflix for comics' launches December 17th
You might not turn to your game console to read comics, but InkyPen is determined to change that. It's launching a comic subscription on December 17th that's arriving first for the Nintendo Switch. It will offer "thousands" of indie comics and webcomics (and eventually manga) on the hybrid console for a $8 flat rate (€8 in Europe). The initial service is focused on English readers, but "almost all" of the catalog is available worldwide.
Cydia's app store for jailbroken iPhones shuts down purchases (updated)
For years, people with jailbroken iPhones have turned to the Cydia Store to download apps that Apple wouldn't allow through its own portal. You might want to scramble for an alternative if you're one of those users, however. Service creator Jay Freeman (aka Saurik) has shut down purchases in the Cydia Store citing a combination of costs and security issues. It "loses [him] money" and, when there were multiple staffers, cost him a significant chunk of his "sanity." And while Freeman had already planned to close store purchases by the end of 2018, he bumped it up a week after learning of a security hole that let let someone buy apps through your account if you were logged in and browsing untrusted app repositories.
New York settles with Equifax and others over lax mobile app security
New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced that the state has reached settlements with five companies regarding a security vulnerability present on each of their mobile apps. Going forward, the companies -- Equifax, Western Union, Priceline, Spark Networks and Credit Sesame -- will be required to implement security programs aimed at protecting their customers' information.
Tumblr is back on the App Store ahead of 'adult content' ban
Tumblr is back in the App Store. Apple pulled the app from iTunes in November, and it was reportedly due to the presence child exploitation photos on the platform. Tumblr said it found those photos during a routine check and that they slipped through its filters, because they haven't been added to the database of known child sexual abuse material yet. Since then, the website has been flagging adult content on the platform more aggressively, until it finally announced that it will no longer allow any adult content starting on December 17th.
NVIDIA and RED bring 8K video editing to the masses
In case you needed another reminder that your 4K TV will soon be obsolete, RED and NVIDIA have unveiled software that will make 8K video editing feasible for more creators. The NVIDIA CUDA-powered REDCODE RAW SDK will enable apps that can play back 8,192 x 4,320 files from RED's Weapon and other cameras at 24 fps with no need for caching or proxies. Best of all, it can run on relatively cheap systems and NVIDIA's consumer gaming graphics cards.
Google adds Lens to its iOS search app
You no longer have to fire up Google Photos if you want to use Lens searches on your iPhone. Google has rolled the AI-based feature into its iOS search app, putting it in a more logical place than your image library. Tap the Lens icon in the search bar and you can point your device camera at books, bottles, pets and various other objects to get more answers about what you see. You can tell Lens to look at your existing images or turn on the flash when it's too dark.
Instagram adds walkie-talkie voice messages
You no longer have to strike up a live conversation if you want voice chats on Instagram -- the social network has launched walkie-talkie style voice messaging feature for direct messages. If you want to speak your mind, you only have to hold down a microphone button to record a message that your recipients (either individuals or groups) can play on their own time. You can deliver a heartfelt message if text seems too impersonal, or dash off a quick reply when you don't have both hands free.
Google's Android file manager now supports USB drives
Files by Google (formerly Files Go) is helpful if you want an official means of managing the files on your Android phone, but there's been an obvious limitation: you couldn't move files to physical storage beyond the phone itself. You won't have that issue from now on. Google has released an update to Files that introduces support for external storage using USB On-the-Go. If you want to offload photos to a thumb drive, you won't have to track down third-party software.
Spotify's revamped Xbox One app includes smarter voice control
Spotify just became much more useful if it regularly provides the background music for your Xbox One sessions. After weeks of testing, it's releasing a refreshed version of its Xbox One app that promises both easier discovery of music and, importantly, more control when you find it. The new "razor sharp design" (similar to the one from newer PS4 and Roku apps) gives you easier access to the Made for You hub, your library and your recently played songs, while the Xbox One Guide now has shuffle and repeat controls for longer gaming marathons. And if you like to shout at Cortana instead of tapping buttons, you're in for a treat.
Microsoft gives Outlook for iOS a full UI makeover
Microsoft has gradually been unveiling changes to Office's interface since the summer, when it announced plans for a major makeover. Since then, we've seen updated icons and a revised web experience, and now Outlook iOS is getting the treatment.
Huawei app uses AI to help deaf children read
Deaf children face challenges learning to read. As their parents and teachers often don't know sign language, young ones can't always make the connection between words on the page and their own life experiences. Huawei aims to fix that with its StorySign app for Android. Point your phone at certain children's books and the app will use AI to translate individual words on the page to sign language performed by an avatar (created by Wallace and Gromit's Aardman Animations, no less). This not only helps children read, but can teach parents the sign language they'd need to tell the story later.
Google's AR Pocket Gallery turns your phone into an art museum
You can certainly view paintings on your phone, but you can't truly recreate the feeling of seeing a masterpiece in museum. Google thinks it can get close, though. The search giant has introduced a Pocket Gallery feature to its Arts & Culture app that uses augmented reality to create virtual art galleries, starting with one dedicated to classic Vermeer paintings (yes, including Girl with a Pearl Earring) curated by The Hague's Mauritshuis museum. Once you choose a room, you can walk up to paintings to both study them in detail and learn more about them. These are the highest-resolution images for eight of these paintings, according to Google
Apple Music will finally support Android tablets
There probably isn't a huge cross section of people who both subscribe to Apple Music and use Android tablets, but Apple has your back if you're part of that group. Listeners have learned that the latest beta of Apple Music for Android now includes tablet support, giving you an optimized and more intuitive interface for choosing tunes. Part of it stems from changes to the interface for all Android users -- Apple is ditching the classic "hamburger" menu in favor of a bottom navigation bar that both speeds up access to common features (like For You) and should be easier to reach on larger screens.
Racists use app to trick celebrities into endorsing anti-Semitic views
White supremacists have been using mobile apps to trick stars into spreading hate speech online. BuzzFeed News has learned that two racist YouTubers have used Cameo, an app that lets you pay for personalized celebrity messages, to make NFL legend Brett Favre, rapper Soulja Boy and actor Andy Dick unwittingly record anti-Semitic messages that were promptly used for hateful videos. The duo paid significant sums (as much as $500 for Favre) and used coded language that sounded benign on the surface, but included coded language that anti-Jewish groups would immediately recognize.