Information Technology

Kerry Wan/ZDNETIt’s a situation no one should ever be in, but in case of an emergency, Google today announced the availability of texting 911 with Rich Communication Services (RCS) in the US. The new feature, slated to roll out gradually this winter and made in partnership with emergency technology company RapidSOS, will allow Google Messages users (read: on any Android phone) to text their local emergency call centers via RCS. Also: How to record a phone call on Android in 3 easy waysThe communication technology should alleviate some of the pain points of today’s emergency responder call centers, including the inability to support texting and sharing pictures and videos.  More

Microsoft Microsoft has been touting its Windows Recall AI feature as a must-have for anyone who wants to remember an old webpage or message. But a new reveal suggests it may also come with its fair share of security problems. Ethical hacker Alex Hagenah has launched a tool, called TotalRecall, that shows how anyone with […] More

NurPhoto/Getty Images We all know that some perfectly good Windows 10 PCs can’t be upgraded to Windows 11. But did you know that Canalys Insights estimated there are 240 million Windows 10 PCs doomed to the trash heap because they can’t be upgraded to Windows 11 after Microsoft dumps Windows 10 support on October 14, […] More

Vicki Jauron, Babylon and Beyond Photography/Getty Images No operating system is 100% safe. As long as your computer is connected to a network, there is always the possibility that it can be compromised. These compromises can come by way of viruses, malware, or ransomware, each of which holds a particular danger.  Such a possibility is […] More

National Security AgencyThat pricey and precious smartphone you carry with you can be hit by a host of security threats, from phishing to malware to spyware. All it takes is one successful attack to clobber your phone and compromise your data and even steal your identity. So, how do you protect yourself?In a Mobile Device Best Practices report, the NSA serves up a variety of tips designed to thwart hackers and attackers from assaulting your mobile device. One method is as simple as turning your phone off and on.Also: How to find and remove spyware from your phoneSpearphishing attacks can target your phone to install malware, while zero-click exploits are able to infect your device without any interaction on your part. The NSA’s advice? Power your phone off and then back on again at least once a week. This simple action can make it more difficult for hackers to steal information from your phone, though the agency cautions that this will not always prevent an attack. More

filo/Getty Images There’s an entire class of frankly creepy software designed to monitor every move someone makes on a smartphone or computer, often saving surreptitious screenshots of activity for review by the person who installed the app (typically a parent or a jealous spouse). Those apps are usually filed under a category heading like “hidden […] More

@ Didier Marti/Getty Images IBM has inked an agreement with AI Singapore (AISG) to test the latter’s Southeast Asian large language model (LLM) and make it available for developers to build customized artificial intelligence (AI) applications.  Under the partnership, IBM will test the Southeast Asian Languages in One Network (SEA-LION) model using Big Blue’s AI technology […] More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETWhat’s the deal?The all-new Blink Mini 2 More