When Facebook decided its messenger app would be an entirely separate program from its regular app, I was ticked off. I didn't want to have a second application in order to send private messages. It seemed like a needless extra step. And, I stuck by that opinion until I realized I could integrate regular SMS and MMS messages into Facebook Messenger.

Introduction Internet service providers in the United States have just been given the green light to sell usage history of their subscribers by S J Res 34,

Although Linux Journal readers might not equate Milwaukee with tech, a new Briggs & Stratton product portends the bright future of smartened "legacy" devices from the industrial heartland.

Usually bird-related apps involve pigs and anger, but if you're a bird watcher like myself, there's another bird app you must download. Cornell Labs has released a free app called Merlin Bird ID that helps identify birds you see in the wild.

ADUPS is an Android "firmware provisioning" company based out of Shanghai, China. The software specializes both in Big Data collection of Android usage, and hostile app installation and/or firmware control. Google has blacklisted the ADUPS agent in its Android Compatibility Test Suite (CTS).

A few months ago I tried out the recently open-sourced Simplenote application from the folks at Automattic. One of the other fairly new additions to their cross-platform note-syncing platform is that an Android app is available for free in the Google Play Store.

Back in 2014, I highlighted Waze, which is a turn-by-turn GPS navigation program created by a startup in Israel. That company was bought by Google, but it still remains independent, at least for now. (It does share some data behind the scenes, but it functions differently when it comes to routing.)

You might remember a couple months ago my mention of Habitica, which is a gamification of your daily to-do list. One of my friends on Twitter mentioned an app he uses on Android called Wokamon, which ties in with your FitBit (or any of several other "step-counter" devices).

To facilitate better building of Android apps, the technical team at LinkedIn has developed {py}gradle, a new powerful, flexible and reusable Python packaging system. Now available to the Open Source community, {py}gradle wraps Python code into the Gradle build automation tool so that developers can build Android apps more easily.

This article focuses on flaws in Android's stock web libraries, while acknowledging related exploits. Some modern Android browsers have critically weak encryption and other dangerous flaws that cannot be patched or otherwise corrected. This weakness extends to multiple browsers and applications and is determined by the linkage to the system webcore on older OS versions.

The new version 8.5 of Synopsys' Coverity extends the security umbrella of the static analysis tool to mitigate a wider range of security vulnerabilities.

The prospect of privacy protection and occulting your smartphone's IP address with a VPN are sufficient selling points, but the ability to watch your Spanish-dubbed Turkish telenovellas while on the beach in Tahiti should seal the deal for real.

Juniper Systems' new Geode rugged sub-meter GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver collects real-time professional-grade data but is intuitive enough for novices. Designed foremost for versatility, the Geode features one-button simplicity and can be paired with any of Juniper Systems' rugged handhelds as well as a wide range of Android devices.

I like Snapchat, but if I'm being totally honest, it's not something I use every day. I like it because my kids send me goofy pictures and videos, and it makes me happy that they think to include me in their Snapchatty world.

Expert Android Studio is a new book for expert and experienced developers who want to take their Android programming skills to the next level by unleashing the potential of Android Studio.

Have you ever had the suspicion that your smartphone wasn't quite pulling its weight?

I'm always leery when I hear, Recent studies show.... But the idea that looking at electronic device screens before bed can cause sleep issues seems to be fairly accepted. The fascinating part for me is that it isn't really the screen itself, but the blue part of the color spectrum that contributes to the sleeplessness.

The Sync application from BitTorrent Inc. is simple yet powerful, offering the ability to move large amounts of data directly between devices.

Zappix's development of its Visual IVR customer service platform is informed by research showing that 77% of consumers report that valuing their time is the most important element of good service.