OSLO, Norway (AFP) — Seven European consumer groups filed complaints against Google with national regulators Tuesday, accusing the internet giant of covertly tracking users’ movements in violation of an EU regulation on data protection. The complaints cited a study by the Norwegian Consumer Council that concluded the Internet giant used “deceptive design and misleading information, which results in users accepting to be constantly tracked.” Council official Gro Mette Moen charged that “Google uses extremely […]
Tag: computers
Amazon says some customer email addresses exposed
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Amazon on Wednesday said that a website glitch accidentally exposed names and email addresses of some of the e-commerce giant’s customers. Amazon declined to disclose the extent of the software slip-up. “We have fixed the issue and informed customers who may have been impacted,” an Amazon spokesman said in response to an AFP inquiry. There was no breach of Amazon systems or its website, and passwords were kept safe, according […]
Apple unveils new Macs, iPad Pro
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Apple has unveiled a new version of its MacBook Air laptop, this time made of recycled aluminum, as well as a new Mac Mini and an iPad Pro, all pricier than their predecessors. Nearly 10 years after the launch of the first MacBook Air by the late Steve Jobs, his successor Tim Cook presented on Tuesday the latest version of this PC, just 1.56 cm thick, compared to […]
Amazon quarterly profit rockets tenfold to $2.9 bn
by Glenn CHAPMAN Agence France-Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Amazon reported Thursday that its profit in the recently-ended quarter rocketed to $2.9 billion in a ten-fold increase from the same period last year. Net sales at the e-commerce colossus climbed to $56.6 billion in the third quarter, a 29 percent increase from the $43.7 in sales reported in the third quarter in 2017. However, analysts had expected an even stronger performance by Amazon, […]
Instagram co-founders resign from Facebook-owned company
by Julie Charpentrat Agence France Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger have announced they are leaving the photo-sharing app bought by Facebook six years ago, setting a new test for the parent company as it works to quell mounting turmoil. “Mike and I are grateful for the last eight years at Instagram and six years with the Facebook team,” Systrom said in a statement late Monday, […]
Google Mini captures top spot in connected speaker market: survey
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Google Home Mini has vaulted to the top spot in the global market for connected speakers, edging out a rival device from Amazon, a survey showed Wednesday. The Strategy Analytics report for the second quarter of 2018 showed the smallest device from Google captured 20 percent of the market with sales of 2.3 million. That was slightly ahead of the Echo Dot, the similarly sized device from Amazon, with […]
Facebook suspends hundreds of apps over data concerns
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Facebook on Wednesday said it has suspended more than 400 of thousands of applications it has investigated to determine whether people’s personal information was being improperly shared. Applications were suspended “due to concerns around the developers who built them or how the information people chose to share with the app may have been used,” vice president of product partnerships Ime Archibong said in a blog post. Apps put on […]
Facebook moves to stop sharing of 3D gun blueprints
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Facebook on Thursday said it was moving to prevent the sharing of blueprints for 3D-printed guns on the social network, which violates its rules on regulated goods. “Sharing instructions on how to manufacture firearms using 3D printers or CNC milling machines is not allowed under our Community Standards,” a Facebook spokesman said in response to an AFP inquiry. “In line with our policies, we are removing this content from […]
Samsung unveils newest smartphone hoping for sales boost
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) – South Korean electronics giant Samsung unveiled the new Galaxy Note 9 smartphone Thursday, its latest effort to address flagging sales of the high-functioning gadgets. Boosting the power and the price, Samsung hopes to win back customers in the competitive market. The consistent leader in the global smartphone market, the company nonetheless suffered a 22 percent drop in mobile technology sales in the second quarter. The company blamed the drop […]
Apple quarterly profit leaps, nears $1 trillion value
by Glenn Chapman Agence France-Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Apple said Tuesday that its profit had jumped more than 30 percent to $11.5 billion in the recently ended quarter, besting market expectations despite selling fewer iPhones than analysts projected. The news boosted shares in the tech giant in after-hours trading, putting it ever closer to a history-making, trillion-dollar market value. Apple’s revenue in the fiscal third quarter soared 17 percent to $53.3 billion […]
Singapore says hackers stole 1.5 m health records, including those of PM Lee, in record cyber attack;
SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — Hackers have stolen health records belonging to 1.5 million Singaporeans, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong who was specifically targeted in the city state’s biggest ever data breach, authorities said Friday. Singapore’s health and information ministries said a government database was broken into in a “deliberate, targeted and well-planned” strike, describing the attack as “unprecedented”. “Attackers specifically and repeatedly targeted the personal particulars and outpatient information of Prime Minister Lee […]
Facebook cracks down on bogus posts inciting violence
MENLO PARK, United States (AFP)–Facebook on Wednesday built on its campaign to prevent the platform from being used to spread dangerous misinformation, saying it will remove bogus posts likely to spark violence. The new tactic being spread through the global social network was tested in Sri Lanka, which was recently rocked by inter-religious over false information posted on the world’s leading online social network. “There are certain forms of misinformation that have contributed to physical […]





