<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways Incogni is an automated data-removal service with an easy onboarding process. It requires minimal technical knowledge to operate. A dedicated mobile app doesn’t exist yet, but would be welcome. –> Ever heard of Incogni<!–>? You may have heard about the company, launched by one of our favorite VPN providers, Surfshark–>, in […] More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETDid you know that whenever you turn on your smart TV, you invite an unseen guest to watch it with you? These days, most popular TV models utilize automatic content recognition (ACR), a form of ad surveillance technology that gathers information about everything you watch and transmits it to a centralized database. Manufacturers then use your data to identify your viewing preferences, enabling them to deliver highly targeted ads.Also: 184 million passwords for Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and more leaked in massive data breachWhat’s the incentive behind this invasive technology? According to market research firm eMarketer, in 2022, advertisers spent an estimated $18.6 billion on smart TV ads, and those numbers are only going up.To understand how ACR works, imagine a constant, real-time Shazam-like service running in the background while your TV is on. It identifies content displayed on your screen, including programs from cable TV boxes, streaming services, or gaming consoles. ACR does this by capturing continuous screenshots and cross-referencing them with a vast database of media content and advertisements. More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETMobile devices are always a tempting target for cybercriminals. That’s true not just for consumers but for companies. According to Google, more than half of organizations have pointed to smartphones as their most exposed endpoint, and data breaches often occur from improper use of these devices. In a blog post released earlier this month, Google describes the latest protections available with its Android Enterprise platform, which rolls out to most Android 16-compatible handsets, including Google Pixel phones as old as the Pixel 6.Also: Your Android phone is getting 4 big upgrades, thanks to Android 16Mobile devices have become popular, convenient tools among workers, as they can access email, apps and other internal business resources from anywhere. But often an employee’s phone is unmanaged and uncontrolled, leading to security weaknesses that can be exploited by hackers and attackers. Android Enterprise offers organizations and IT admins a way to better manage these devices, whether they’re company-owned or employee-owned. Though Android Enterprise has been around for a number of years, here are some of the latest initiatives Google has introduced. CNET survey: Just 11% of people upgrade their phone for AI features. Here’s what they want instead Security features Advanced protection: Employees can better thwart targeted attacks through strong mobile device protection. With just a single tap, they can enable multiple security features to defend against online attacks, malicious apps, unsafe websites, scam calls and other threats. This feature is accessible on Android 16 and higher but may only be available on certain devices and in specific regions. Identity Check: This feature prevents scams such as PIN theft and shoulder surfing, in which nearby thieves can pick up the PIN or password used to access a phone. With Identity Check, signing in to the device and apps requires a biometric method, such as facial or fingerprint recognition. This feature is also available on Android 16 and higher on certain devices. Also: 7 simple things I always do on Android to protect my privacy – and why you should tooCorporate badges in Google Wallet: Employees can add their corporate ID badge to the Google Wallet app and then use their phones to securely gain entry to NFC-enabled buildings and offices. Secure network access with Access Point Name: Access Point Name, or APN, is a secure gateway between a mobile network and the public internet. With APN enabled, IT admins can apply custom cellular network configurations on managed devices to control how they use cellular data. More
NurPhoto / Contributor/Getty For all of us who hate passwords, passkeys represent a simpler and safer way of authenticating online accounts. But adoption has been slow, with many companies and websites still relying on passwords. Now the world’s biggest social media platform is jumping on the bandwagon. On Wednesday, Facebook announced that it’s now rolling […] More
kontekbrothers/Getty We’ve probably all received confirmation codes sent via text message when trying to sign into an account. Those codes are supposed to serve as two-factor authentication to confirm our identity and prevent scammers from accessing our accounts through a password alone. But who actually handles those SMS codes, and can those people be trusted? […] More
Michael Burrell/Getty NordPass users looking for a quick and easy way to access vital documents can now store them online. In a Tuesday blog post, NordPass introduced Documents, a new storage option that uses an encrypted vault to house digital copies of physical documents in the cloud. In its post, NordPass cited passports, IDs, and […] More
Eufy Eufy just launched the Smart Display E10<!–> for pre-sale. This 8-inch tablet is designed to control your Eufy smart home ecosystem, with intelligent features like facial recognition, quad-view live stream, event summaries, and a built-in battery for portability. The Smart Display E10 can be wall-mounted or placed on a desk or tabletop with the […] More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETFor many people, motion smoothing on TVs is only appropriate for gaming and watching live sports; enthusiasts typically prefer turning off the feature to watch anything else because it can detract from the filmmaker’s original intent, making on-screen images seem artificial or hyper-realistic. This is what’s called the “soap opera effect.” Also: How to disable ACR on your TV (and why doing so makes such a big difference)It’s a perfectly descriptive metaphor that probably requires no explanation. You can see it all too well: the cinematic film should not look like a daytime soap; you shouldn’t feel like you’re on the set with the actors. But it is appealing to feel like you’re in the stadium watching your team with thousands of fans. The soap opera effect makes sense for live sporting event broadcasts. More
