Google security head says Pixel is as secure as the iPhone

Google’s director of security at Android, Adrian Ludwig, has said that the Google Pixel and Apple iPhone are “nearly identical in terms of their platform-level capabilities” when it comes to security. Speaking to Motherboard at a conference on Tuesday, Ludwig also noted that Android’s open ecosystem would ensure that it was even more secure than Apple iOS in the future.Historically, the iPhone has been perceived to be the more secure platform, largely thanks to the difference in how security patches are rolled out across iOS compared to Android. Ludwig said that the number of Android phones that have potentially harmful applications installed is less than one percent, but acknowledged that the fragmentation between Android systems and delays between the disparate security patches remain a concern. See also: Google releases October’s Android security update for Nexus devices25“We got [sic] quite a bit of work left to do to get to a point where that actually happens on a regular basis across the whole the ecosystem,” he said, of how manufacturers and carriers implement security updates.Why Ludwig believes Android’s open ecosystem could result in superior security “in the long term” wasn’t laid out, but it may stem from the belief that open source software allows for wider and more varying approaches to identifying security flaws (i.e. having hundreds of manufacturers scrutinizing the code as oppose to a more singular ‘closed’ approach).Ludwig also mentioned that a targeted attack on multiple people at the same time was almost impossible on Android, and not something that he is expecting to see “at any point in the Android ecosystem.”What are your thoughts on Android’s level of security compared to iOS? Let us know in the comments.

Google security head says Pixel is as secure as the iPhone

Google Pixel can’t charge at 18W, despite claims that it could

Google’s Pixel smartphone is not capable of charging at 18W (Watts) despite Google marketing materials previously stating that it could.The discrepancy was unearthed by respected product tester Nathan K, who outlined full details of the test and his methodology in a Google+ post. The reason for the lower-than-expected limit is thought to be linked to potential thermal concerns, though Google hasn’t confirmed this. See also: T-Mobile’s excellent Google Pixel promo offer is now even better26Google has since acknowledged the error – putting it down to a “marketing materials mistake” – and has updated its tech specs page for the Pixels to reflect the correct information.It appears that the larger Pixel XL, however, is capable of charging at 18W. Nathan K speculates this in his post, and the Pixels’ specs page also now indicates that the devices charge at “15-18W” (as oppose to simply “18W” previously stated), suggesting that the XL is not capped like the smaller handset. See also: Why Google’s Pixel phones should be a big deal for everyone255What does the 3W discrepancy mean for the Google Pixel? Possibly not a great deal. Though a 3W improvement on 15W would theoretically represent an additional 20 percent charge being injected into the handset, the reality is that it probably wouldn’t have had a like-for-like effect on load times (i.e the Pixel wouldn’t have charged 20 percent faster if it could reach the 18W peak).Charge speeds vary depending on many factors: the 18W limit would, on any smartphone, be reached only in certain circumstances, not consistently throughout the entire charge cycle. Daily smartphone usage is said to be unaffected the Pixel’s imposed 15W cap.Do you consider this is a major issue?  Let us know in the comments.

Google Pixel can’t charge at 18W, despite claims that it could

Acer R13 Chromebook now has full support for Android apps (beta channel)

Thanks to their ease of use, affordable price tags, and great performance, Chromebooks are becoming more and more popular, especially in education, where they are currently being used by more than 20 million students.In 2015, over 5 million of them were shipped out to consumers and according to the recent study, their sales are expected to exceed 17 million units by 2023. One of the reasons for their increased popularity is that back in May, Google announced that Android apps are coming to Chromebooks. This will obviously make the devices, which are already outselling Apple’s Macbooks, even more in demand.After the announcement, we saw quite a few Chromebooks hit the market. One of them was Acer’s R13 that first saw the light of day back at IFA 2016. The device recently started shipping out to consumers but surprisingly without support for Android apps.Related Articles Acer R13 Chromebook now has full support for Android apps…2 minutes ago Wear Dialer can initiate phone calls from Android Wear4 hours agoFortunately, it didn’t take long for the functionality to become available. Acer’s R13 Chromebook now has full support for Android apps in the Chrome OS beta channel, while support on the stable channel is expected to hit the device in December.The R13 joins Chromebook Pixel 2015, Acer Chromebook R11 and Asus Chromebook Flip in the select club of Chrome OS devices that can run Android applications.For those of you who already own the device and want to check out the new feature first hand, simply go to Settings > About Chrome OS > More Info > Change Channel > Beta. Wait a few minutes for the update to be downloaded, restart your device, and you’re done. All that’s left is for you to test drive the new feature and have some fun in the process. Enjoy!This article originally appeared on our sister site TabTimes.

Acer R13 Chromebook now has full support for Android apps (beta channel)

Wear Dialer can initiate phone calls from Android Wear

Answering calls using your Android Wear smartwatch is no problem, but things aren’t that simple once you want to actually place a call from your wrist-worn gadgets. Android Wear has no straight-forward way to do this, so third-party developers have needed to figure out their won solutions.The latest one is simply named Wear Dialer, and it does exactly what the name entails. Initiate a call using the application’s dialer, recent call history or contacts list. That’s but the tip of the ice berg in terms of customization within this app, though.There is a bevy of theme options you can unlock by paying the $2 premium fee. This will enable a quick dial mode, the ability to change Wear translation,, alter the color scheme, switch the speaker mode, enable the use of contact images and more. See also: 10 best Android Wear apps46Interested? The only requirements are that your phone has Android 4..3 or higher and that your watch sports Android Wear 1.3 or higher. There are plenty of compatible Android Wear devices listed, so chances are you can start making calls from your wrist right away.How many of you have been looking for an app to do this? We don’t make that many calls nowadays, but suppose it is helpful to keep the task simple when needed.Download Wear Dialer now

Wear Dialer can initiate phone calls from Android Wear

Vivo X9 and X9 Plus to include 20MP and 8MP dual front-facing cameras

The China-based Vivo is getting close to officially announcing its two latest Android smartphones, the X9 and X9 Plus. These will be successors to the previously launched Vivo X7 and x7 Plus. However, the company is already posting teasers about the new phones’ features, including a rather interesting move for their front-facing cameras. See also: Best Android phones for taking selfies45In a post on its official Weibo account, Vivo teased that the X9 and X9 Plus would both have dual front-facing cameras. One of them will be a massive 20MP camera, while the other will be smaller at 8MP. There’s no doubt that having a 20MP front-facing camera in a smartphone is a huge step-up from the norm, but what the second 8MP front camera will do is still something of a mystery. Will each camera have a different degree of wide-angle lens? Will the 8MP camera serve as a way to capture depth of field for the larger 20MP camera on the phone?Hopefully, all will be revealed when the Vivo X9 and X9 Plus are officially announced at a press event in China on November 17. In the meantime, what do you think the dual front-facing camera setup could be used for? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Vivo X9 and X9 Plus to include 20MP and 8MP dual front-facing cameras

Google Wallet’s new web app is here

With the introduction of Android Pay, Google Wallet underwent some significant changes back in May of last year. Android Pay became Google’s main virtual mobile payment platform, competing directly with the likes of Samsung Pay and Apple Pay. Meanwhile, Google Wallet became an app that allows anyone with a US debit card to send and receive money for free within minutes – even if the other person doesn’t have the app. Well, the Google Wallet team just announced that its new web app is now available. See also: Facebook Messenger will now keep track of PayPal payments in US6If anything, Google Wallet is competing with PayPal or Venmo (which is owned by PayPal). The former is more ubiquitously used, especially for international transactions whereas the latter is limited to the US, and targeted at millennials specifically. I’m glad that the web app is finally here because I can now say Google’s money transfer platform is on par with PayPal’s, if not better. They are both intuitive, secure, and convenient to use, but one advantage that Google Wallet has is that it will automatically transfer your money to your bank. That’s kind of a game changer for me because on PayPal and Venmo, the money you receive just sits there until you manually transfer it to your bank account.The web app is unmistakably Google – it has a simple form in the middle, surrounded by Material Design elements. You set the amount, specify who the recipient is, and click send. It’s as simple as that. I’m curious to see if Google Wallet will gain traction in the coming years given the already saturated field. On one hand you have PayPal dominating the money transfer realm, and on the other, you have much more commonly used apps like Facebook and Snapchat with mobile transfer options integrated into their apps. Google Wallet’s approach of letting you receive money transfers even if you don’t have the app – which is similar to Google Allo’s – may work, but only time will tell if this strategy will pay off.On one hand you have PayPal dominating the money transfer realm, and on the other, you have much more commonly used apps like Facebook and Snapchat with mobile transfer options integrated into their apps.

Google Wallet’s new web app is here

Samsung Gear S3 is already sold out in the UK

Samsung’s upcoming Gear S3 frontier and classic are arguably the sexiest smartwatches that Samsung has ever made – they employ the same rotating bezel navigation we saw in the Gear S2 family, but this time around, the Gear S3 frontier and the Gear S3 classic come with a more refined design and richer features. The S3 duo’s launch is imminent: pre-orders went live in Canada mid-October and then in the UK just a few days ago, and it seems like both versions are already sold out in the UK. See also: Samsung Gear S3 vs Gear S2 comparison36Just merely three days ago, we reported that pre-orders for the Gear S3 frontier and classic had gone live in the UK through Samsung’s official website. Each retailed for £349 or around $430. And to sweeten the pot, Samsung promised that the first 1,000 folks to pre-order would receive a free pair of Level Active headphones. Well, we are seeing that both models are now out of stock on the website.Although we don’t know when they will be restocked, my guess is it’d be some time after mid-November since pre-ordered units will start shipping November 11 according to Samsung.Given Gear S3’s specs, it’s not entirely surprising to see them selling so fast. Both the frontier and the classic come with a 1.3-inch circular AMOLED display (360 x 360), which supports full-color Always on Display, and are powered by Samsung’s own Exynos processor. They feature Samsung’s now signature rotating bezel, which works in conjunction with Samsung’s Tizen OS. Both watches are IP68 certified and support Samsung Pay (both NFC and MST). Inside is the 380 mAh battery, which according to the South Korean company, should give your watch four days worth of battery life.Are you looking to buy the Gear S3? Which do you prefer: the frontier or the class? Let us know by leaving a comment down below!

Samsung Gear S3 is already sold out in the UK