Apps articles

protector uber guns

Protector is the "Uber with Guns" app that lets you hire armed bodyguards on demand

It rushed to market after the shooting of Brian Thompson
WTF?! The idea of using an app to book an escort of armed guards sounds like something from a cyberpunk dystopian tale, but that's what the Protector app does. It's using the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson as an example of where Protector's services could have made a difference, and its popularity has been boosted by a pair of influencers who used the app in a viral video.
downloading deepseek china mobile apps ban politics deepseek

Downloading DeepSeek could lead to jail time and a $1 million fine under new US bill

DeepSeek remains at the top of Apple's App Store
WTF?! Would you be willing to use the App Store-topping DeepSeek if doing so were illegal, potentially landing you behind bars for 20 years and a fine up to $1 million? A senator has introduced a new bill designed to restrict Chinese AI products that would make this bizarre scenario a reality.
mobile advertising tracking apps real time location

Mobile apps exploited to harvest location data on massive scale, hacked files reveal

"There's some company out there acting like a global honey badger, doing whatever it pleases with every piece of data that comes its way"
A hot potato: Thousands of popular mobile apps across Android and iOS are allegedly being exploited to harvest sensitive location data on an unprecedented scale. This data collection, occurring through the advertising ecosystem, is likely happening without the knowledge of users or even app developers themselves.
techtuber marques brownlee youtube apps wallpaper mkbhd marques brownlee with video

MKBHD is getting cancelled over $12/month wallpaper app, ad overload, and excessive permissions

Marques has promised to address the complaints, but not the price
A hot potato: Marques Brownlee, aka MKBHD, has long been one of those rare tech YouTubers who remains universally liked by fans. But his popularity has been put to the test after he released a wallpaper app with a $12 per month/$50 per year premium option that users say has excessive ads and asks for too many permissions. Now, Marques says he will be addressing these issues; but the pricing isn't going to change.
android api google play sideloading

Android apps can now block usage if sideloading is detected

A new API, if leveraged, will force users to use Play Store versions instead
A hot potato: Apple's infamous "walled garden" approach is often cited as an example of limiting consumer freedom, but it seems the Android ecosystem is erecting restrictive fences as well. The most recent development in this direction is Google supercharging its Play Integrity API to give developers more power to block apps installed outside the Play Store.