Facebook collected 1.5 million users' email contacts without their knowledge - CNN

The world's biggest social network said Wednesday night that the email contact lists had been "unintentionally" uploaded to Facebook (FB) following a design change almost two years ago, and the company was now in the process of deleting them.

Facebook said the issue began three years ago when it made changes to the step-by-step verification process users go through when signing up for an account on the platform. Prior to those changes, users were given the option to upload their email contact lists when opening an account to help them find friends already on Facebook.

But in May 2016, Facebook removed language that explained users' contact lists could be uploaded to the company's servers when they signed up for an account. This meant that in some cases people's email contact lists were uploaded to Facebook without their knowledge or consent.

A Facebook spokesperson said Wednesday the firm did not realize this was happening until April of this year, when it stopped offering email password verification as an option for people signing up to Facebook for the first time.

"When we looked into the steps people were going through to verify their accounts, we found that in some cases people's email contacts were also unintentionally uploaded to Facebook when they created their account," the spokesperson added.

The company said the mistakenly uploaded contact lists had not been shared with anyone outside of Facebook. The news was first reported by Business Insider on Wednesday.

Ashkan Soltani, a former chief technology officer for the Federal Trade Commission, tweeted Wednesday evening that he thought this was "one of the most legally actionable behaviors by @facebook to date."

"I'm confident regulators will be taking a look," he said.

The incident is the latest privacy issue to rock Facebook, which has more than two billion users globally. Over the last 18 months these have included the Cambridge Analytica data scandal and the biggest security breach in its history.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg has responded to criticism by promising to introduce more privacy-focused measures on the platform, such as encrypted messaging and better data security.

Facebook was also engulfed in controversy after a shooter in New Zealand livestreamed his March 15 attack on two mosques in Christchurch using the social network's video tools. The shooter killed 50 people.

Its WhatsApp instant messaging application has been accused of enabling the spread of misinformation in India.

Rob McLean contributed to this report.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/18/business/facebook-email-contacts/index.html

2019-04-18 05:49:00Z
CAIiEEMofSKkSs1oGpRRGJjf5tIqGQgEKhAIACoHCAowocv1CjCSptoCMPrTpgU

Samsung's $2,000 folding phone is breaking for some users after two days - CNBC

Samsung's $1,980 Galaxy Fold phone is breaking for some users after a day or two of use. A review unit given to CNBC by Samsung is also completely unusable after just two days of use.

The phone has only been given to gadget reviewers, but some of the screens appear to be disconnecting and permanently flashing on or off.

The Verge's Dieter Bohn posted earlier on Wednesday that his phone appears to have a defective hinge with a "small bulge" that he can feel that's causing the screen to "slightly distort." Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says his "review unit is completely broken just two days in," but noted he accidentally removed a protective film on the screen.

tweet

YouTube tech reviewer Marques Brownlee also removed the film and experienced a broken display. A Samsung spokesperson had warned on Wednesday not to remove the protective layer.

However, CNBC didn't remove that layer, and our screen is now also failing to work properly. When opened, the left side of the flexible display, which makes up a large 7.3-inch screen, flickers consistently. It looks like this:

tweet

Samsung started taking pre-orders for the Galaxy Fold last weekend, but quickly ran out of availability, suggesting supply is constrained at least until its retail launch on April 26. Folks who ordered it might want to reconsider at this point.

Samsung was not immediately available to comment.

Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/17/samsung-galaxy-fold-screen-breaking-and-flickering.html

2019-04-17 18:16:35Z
52780270491506

Anker's Google Assistant car charger, the Roav Bolt, is now on sale - Android Central

You might remember at CES back in January, Anker showed off its Google Assistant enabled car charger the Roav Bolt. Now, it has officially gone on sale and you can pick one up for $50 from Anker's website.

The first pre-order batch is expected to start shipping after April and the first 200 buyers will receive a free USB cable. This offer is first-come-first-serve, so you might wanna hurry.

In case you don't remember, the Roav Bolt is a compact car charger that plugs into your cigarette lighter and features two USB charging ports along with support for Google Assistant. With this in your vehicle, you'll be able to make hands free calls, control navigation, play music from your favorite services, and more. It is also optimized with a noise canceling mic, making it easier for it to hear you over the sound of traffic and other noises.

The Roav Bolt joins the lineup of smart auto products from Anker such as the Alexa-enabled Roav Viva. Now, you have a choice of who you'd rather have riding shotgun with you, Alexa or Google Assistant.

Google Assistant on the road

Anker Roav Bolt

Ok Google, let's take a road trip

With two high-speed charging ports, noise canceling mics, and Google Assistant in tow, the Roav Bolt is your ultimate road trip companion. Take to the road with all the power of Google to get weather or traffic updates, play your favorite music, or manage your calls and text messages.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.androidcentral.com/ankers-google-assistant-car-charger-roav-bolt-now-sale

2019-04-17 16:14:54Z
52780270831968

Microsoft unveils an 85-inch Surface Hub 2S collaborative display - Engadget

Almost a year since Microsoft first announced the Surface Hub 2, its next-generation collaborative display, we've finally got more details on the product line. While we'll have to wait until next year to see the Surface Hub 2X, the high-end model with the fluid rotating screen, Microsoft announced today that the 50-inch 2S, which runs the current Surface Hub software on a slimmer screen, will start shipping in June. Even better, there's also going to be an 85-inch model coming, just like the last Surface Hub lineup. The 50-inch Surface Hub 2 will run you $9,000, plus an additional $1,499 for the movable stand.

Gallery: Surface Hub 2S hands-on | 12 Photos

12

• 
• 
• 
• 
  +8

The company claims the Surface Hub 2S will have "tablet class precision" on its large screens, each of which will feature a resolution beyond 4K. With its sleek stand, you'll be able to move it between different meeting rooms with ease. It also features a 4K camera for clear video chats, as well as an eight-element microphone array to capture every voice in the room. And if you need absolute portability, there's a $1,400 battery accessory that'll let you work unplugged for a few hours (perfect for when you get kicked out of a meeting room).

During a media demonstration in New York City, Microsoft showed off how the Surface Hub 2S can deal with a four-person video chat, as well as collaborate with nearby Surface laptops using its digital whiteboard. It's also clear that Microsoft's investment in screen technology has paid off: the Hub 2S looks sharp and vibrant, and colors pop off the screen. Overall, it looks more fluid than other collaborative displays I've seen, but of course, the real test will be to see how it works in an actual office environment.

While it's nice to finally have some concrete details on the Surface Hub 2 line, the one we're really waiting for is the 2X. Luckily for Surface 2S owners, Microsoft says they'll be able to upgrade to the 2X down the line through a removable processor cartridge, which comes out easily from the bottom of the Hub. In addition to offering faster performance, the 2X upgrade will also unlock the rotation ability Microsoft showed off last year. It's a bit odd that that feature is sitting dormant inside every 2S, but at least there's an easy upgrade path. Unfortunately, we don't know what the upgrade cartridge will cost yet, or what its faster hardware will entail.

In this article: gadgetry, gadgets, gear, microsoft, personal computing, personalcomputing, Surface Hub 2S

By Devindra Hardawar @devindra

Devindra has been obsessed with technology for as long as he can remember -- starting with the first time he ever glimpsed an NES. He spent several years fixing other people's computers before he started down the treacherous path of writing about technology. Mission accomplished?

Shares

Share

Tweet

Share

Save

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.engadget.com/2019/04/17/microsoft-surface-hub-2s-85-inch/

2019-04-17 15:32:16Z
52780270895197

Microsoft reveals bigger 85-inch Surface Hub 2 model - The Verge

Microsoft is creating an even bigger version of its new Surface Hub 2 hardware. At a press event in New York City today, the software maker is revealing a bigger 85-inch Surface Hub 2 model. Unlike the smaller 50-inch version, this bigger model has a 16:9 display that’s more in line with the original Surface Hub. Microsoft is using a 3:2 aspect ratio on its new 50-inch Surface Hub 2S.

While the smaller Surface Hub 2 will be able to be tiled with up to four 50-inch panels side-by-side, this bigger 85-inch model is designed for businesses that are looking for something even bigger. Surface chief Panos Panay introduced the new 85-inch model today, and briefly showed it sandwiched between two of the 50-inch versions. Microsoft isn’t providing exact pricing for this bigger Surface Hub 2 model, only that it will ship at some point in 2020.

Microsoft is launching its $9,000 Surface Hub 2S model today, which includes a removable cartridge that will be upgraded next year. Microsoft will make an upgrade cartridge available (Surface Hub 2X), that will improve the CPU, RAM, and GPU of the Surface Hub 2 and update it to a newer operating system. Features like rotation and the tiling of four Surface Hub 2 displays will also be enabled with this 2X cartridge. You can read our full hands-on with the Surface Hub 2 for more information.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/17/18312031/microsoft-surface-hub-2-85-inch-model-specs-release-date

2019-04-17 14:53:37Z
52780270895197

Poll: What Are Your Thoughts on the PS5? - Push Square

When we stepped into the Push Square office at the start of the week, we didn't think for a second that we'd be covering the PS5. And by that, we mean the actual PS5. Not rumours, not speculation, but concrete, official details on the next-gen console itself. It's been a wild ride to say the least.

Of course, as with any significant slice of PlayStation news, we want to harvest your opinions. What do you think of the PS5 so far? Are you hyped? What detail are you most excited about? What would you pay for it? How do you want Sony to handle the console's full reveal? Vote in our polls, and then feed us some honest thoughts in the comments section below.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

http://www.pushsquare.com/news/2019/04/poll_what_are_your_thoughts_on_the_ps5

2019-04-17 14:05:24Z
52780269715879

Microsoft Surface Hub 2 hands-on: a $9K PC on wheels - The Verge

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSUHgrjwBb4

2019-04-17 15:00:04Z
52780270895197