Google increases Android security with continuous malware filtering

Google has announced a change in its Android security system that will ensure that apps on your smartphone are safe from malicious software. "Verify Apps" by Google earlier used to scan apps for malicious code at the time of installation. "From now on, the program will expand and will continuously check the device even after installation to make sure that apps are “behaving in a safe manner," Google announced in a blog post.

 

The continuous app scanning will mean that if an app changes permissions on a later day, (like the ability to access your calendar, read your messages, etc.), Google’s Android Verify Apps program will keep a check on them and make sure they are not affected by malware. The new continuous checks use the same app-scanning technology that Google already uses for Android and also in its Chrome browser. Google adds that the regular “Verify apps” feature in Android has been used more than 4 billion times till now.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Becomes First Smartphone To Support Fingerprint Recognition for Payments

While we all know that the Samsung Galaxy S5 is set to officially launch with a dedicated fingerprint scanner, we are yet to see some real-life demonstration related to the same. However, it seems like that wait is about to end.

According to a new report via MIT's Technology Review journal, the Galaxy S5 is the first smartphone to support the ability to use the Fingerprint Recognition feature for making PayPal payments.

What this means is that with the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy S5, owners of the smartphone will be able to make massive use of the device's in-built fingerprint sensor to make payments from anywhere in the world, assisted on the sides via the fingerprint recognition feature.

Samsung ChatON updated with message recall feature and more

ChatON, the instant messaging service from Samsung, has received an update (to version 3.5) which brings new features such as recalling sent messages and large file sharing up to 1GB.

One of the biggest additions to ChatON v3.5 is ability to recall messages, which can recall a sent message even after the receiver has read it. To recall a message, the sender can tap and hold the message bubble and select the 'Recall' option.

Notably, the latest ChatON update has taken a page out of the popular 'sexting' app, Snapchat's book. The Snapchat app is different from most messaging apps, where users can set a time limit for how long recipients can view their 'snaps', after which they will be hidden from the recipient's device and deleted from Snapchat's servers.

Further, the ChatON v3.5 now supports large file transfers up to 1GB, which allows users to share large data through the app and also increases the capacity of group chats, increasing the maximum limit from 200 to 1,001 persons to send a single message.

Vine update introduces private video, text messaging

Twitter has introduced a new feature for Vine that allows users to send video clips and messages privately to other users. It arrives roughly six months after competitor Instagram added similar functionality and further reflects the popularity of private messaging apps and services.

In a blog post on the matter, the company said they recognized since the early days that there was a growing desire and need for private messaging. It’s a bit surprising that it took Vine this long to come up with an answer to Instagram’s service, but I guess better late than never, eh?