OnePlus announces new bug bounty program and partnership with HackerOne.

After suffering two data breaches in its history, OnePlus is today launching a new bug bounty of its own that will pay between $50 up to $7000 dollars to security professionals who discover threats to its security systems. To make this happen, OnePlus created the Global OnePlus Security Response Center, which, the company says, "will engage academics and security professionals to responsibly discover, disclose and remediate issues that could affect the security of OnePlus' systems...". Security professionals can find details about the programs by visiting this website. OnePlus said a public version of the program will be available next year.

OnePlus also announced that it is partnering with HackerOne which will start as a pilot program. Select researches will be invited "to test out OnePlus' systems against potential threats." 

It's great to see OnePlus taking the security of its systems seriously to prevent any future mishaps.

Source: OnePlus

App Review: K-News app for Android brings Mauritian news to your fingertips.

If you’re out there looking for a local news aggregator, there is an excellent app in the Google Play Store developed by a local developer. K-news has it all in place for you. When you open the app, it provides content from popular newspapers of the country. Currently, it’s showing news articles from L’Express and Defi Media news groups. The lazy among us will appreciate that they won’t have to go out hunting for news source to add to the app and you don’t need to sign in with any of your social network accounts to pull content from the above-mentioned news source. That’s a great plus for those who value their privacy.

Interface

When you open K-News, you see a card-view layout and you swipe up and down to scroll. Swiping down from the top will refresh the news feed and pull new contents if available. You can also tap the Refresh button at the top next to the Search icon. The latter will bring up a Search screen and bar. Type in a word or phrase you’d like to search and the app will display all articles related to your search. Tap the X in the Search field to clear it and do another search. After you’re done, tap the back button on your phone to return to the app main screen.

The developer published an update today that brings some nice changes to the UI. I’m posting some pictures below that shows the old and new UI. The cards now show the news category as well and a reader counter that shows the number of times an article was read. By default, the app shows the news making the headlines first. And there is an option in the menu to show the most read ones. There’s also a Video option that pulls video content from L’Express, Defi Media and IoN Video. These filters can be found under the hamburger menu – the three horizontal bars – in the upper left corner of the app. You can also swipe from left of your screen to access them.

Old UI                                       New UI

Articles

Each card in the newsfeed shows the news tile and the beginning of the article. Tap the card to display the full article. The full news page has a picture at the top and the title right underneath it. I’ve noticed that those loads very quickly, but the article took longer to load. The text is left aligned which, in my opinion, makes for easy reading and the font size makes the text easy to read.

Each article has the sharing icon in the upper right to share to social networks or in emails. If you find a news of interest but you don’t have time to read it, you can choose to read later provided you have apps like Pocket installed on your device.

Conclusion

K-News is currently in beta, meaning the developer is still working on it and may have some bugs. But it is publicly available for download without the need to sign up and despite being a beta, it is very stable. I haven’t experienced any crashes. Sure, there are a lot of features that the developer can choose to add, like giving users the ability to choose the category they want to see more or support for notifications. But again, this is work in progress and I’m sure he will add more features. As of now, K-News is the best local news aggregator you will find in Google Play Store.

CNN re-introduces swiping on articles in its Android app.

Here’s a small but useful update to the CNN app for Android that flew under my radar. CNN completely redesigned their Android app back in February and since, they have been gradually adding new features to the app. Actually, they are re-introducing features that were present in the old version into the new one.

This update re-introduces side-by-side swiping between articles so you don’t have to navigate back to the app’s main page to get to a new article. Simply swipe to go to the next or previous article.

This small update raises the app version number to 5.7 and can be downloaded in Google Play Store.

CNN reintroduces Darth Vader's "This is CNN" in its Android app.

CNN completely redesigned their Android app back in February with a card-like view that required a lot of scrolling as one piece of news almost entirely filled the screen. After that first overhaul, CNN, probably listening to users complaints, brought changes by introducing a reading mode in May that let users remove the pictures to display only the news titles, thus requiring less scrolling.This has since been my default layout. Today CNN has again updated its app by bringing back the iconic James Earle Jones' "This is CNN" as in the previous version of the app, users will be able to activate or deactivate this feature in the app settings. The app also includes multiple bug fixes.

So if you're a fan of Darth Vader saying "This is CNN", go into the app settings to enable it. But first, head into Google Play Store to download or update the app. 

CNN app for Android gets new reader mode and support for Chromecast.

Reader mode enabled

Reader mode disabled

Back in February of the current year, CNN updated its Android app with a new card based design that I described as terrible for a news app. The new layout required a lot of scrolling with one news item taking most of the screen property. Today CNN has pushed another update that, unfortunately, does not replace the big cards layout, but includes a new reader mode that will remove the huge pictures and all associated links from the news-feed and instead keep only the news titles that make it easier and quicker to consume news on your device. Reader Mode can be enabled in the app settings by tapping the gear icon at the top right and use the toggle to activate.

CNN also added support for Chromecast so you'll be able to throw videos to your TV while doing something else on your phone.

If you have not tried the CNN news app for Android yet, you can download it free in Google Play Store.

CNN redesigned its Android app and it's terrible.

Old

New

CNN has redesigned its Android app yesterday and I dare say, it is terrible for a news app. For this update, they went with a list of card-like views for each news category that require a lot of scrolling and patience for the big sized pictures to load; really, the new app does require a lot of scrolling vertically to read the news in each category and horizontally when you move between the ten tabs at the top. CNN says "the entire app has been rebuilt for speed, simplicity, in-depth story telling and a focused, first-in-class video experience". It's all but that. Now, this is my opinion and I suggest you make your own by updating or downloading the new CNN app for Android in Google Play Store. Do you like it?

Flipboard 4.0 is out, introduces Smart Magazine.

The second thing I do everything morning after reading emails is to check on the news using apps like Feedly and Flipboard. The latter used to be my favorite. I used Feedly for it's simplicity. Flipboard on the other hand came to fame thanks to its unique magazine page like flipping. While that was nice a feature, I distanced myself from it as it became complicated to setup, find new topics and with new features being more cumbersome than anything else. Enter Flipboard 4.0.

The company has announced Flipboard 4.0 "in response to our ever-growing ecosystem of publishers, Fliboard magazines, topics and more." The new version will supposedly make users get to their stuff effortlessly. Flipboard says "Smart Magazine" is a the heart of this new version, which the company explains as "a new way to organize the world's stories, curated by experts and enthusiasts, into continually updating collections that can be personalized by you. Your Smart Magazines have a sleek new 'shelf space' - the Home carousel - for quick access to important and inspiring content about your passions."

Flipboard has posted a how-to on their blog which you should read both as an existing or new user. The app is available for download in Google Play Store.

CNN for Samsung gets support for Android Nougat.

CNN has updated there app for Samsung devices today that adds support for Android Nougat, Android latest iteration. As you probably know, Samsung has been late in pushing Nougat to the S7 series of Galaxy devices, namely the S7 and S7 Edge, with deployment limited to a few countries so far. I am still waiting for my Galaxy S7 Edge to get the update to enjoy the new stuff in Nougat. In addition, the phone is also missing out on some security patches, the last ones were the November 2016 patches. That's how life is outside the Nexus realm.

Do you own a Galaxy S7 device? Did you get the Nougat update yet?

CNN for Samsung can be downloaded or upgraded in Google Play Store.

BBC News for Android gets full screen portrait videos.

The official BBC News app for Android has been updated today with a new video tab that offers a curated list of "videos of the day". Additionally, the app will give users the ability to watch full screen portrait videos. The update also includes an "improved navigation with clearer sections and style."

Grab the update in Google Play Store.

CNN finally adds support for 360-degree video & Chromecast to its Android app.

You would be wrong to think that News/Press industry are the first to embrace new technologies. In fact, the one industry that is always on the avant-garde and even drives innovation in tech is porn. Don't believe me? Check out this article by Business Insider that dates back to 2013 on "How porn drives innovation in technology" and you will get my point. OK, it's a dated article that remains true today. 

Unless you have been living under a rock, you've heard about Virtual Reality or VR. It's all the buzz with Oculus Rift leading the pack, HTC having the Vive up for pre-order and Microsoft choosing to go AR instead with Hololens. With that, one of  the first company to launch a new VR channel is not CNN, Time or any other major news company, but PornHub, a market leader in the porn industry. The company has even been giving away 10,000 Google Cardboard to viewers at launch of the new channel. In the meantime...

CNN has pushed an update for its Android app that finally adds support for 360 degrees video. Users will be able to rotate their device to view 360-degree video within the app itself. CNN also finally added support for Chromecast - now Google Cast - so you can use Google first and second generation streaming device to cast videos to your TV. Casting Live TV and Android TV support is coming in another update.

Before checking out Pornhub's VR channel, head over to Google Play store to download or update CNN app for Android.

Flipboard app update fixes YouTube video playback, WhatsApp & SMS sharing and more.

Flipboard, one of the best news reader, released an update for Android today. There's no new features but a few fixes instead. So grab the update from Google Play store if you have been experiencing these issues.

Here's a list of the fixes:

• Sharing to WhatsApp and SMS fixed.
• YouTube video playback issues fixed.
• On Demand image feature fixed.
• ESPN app launch issue from select articles fixed.

CNN for Android lets you save and share stories directly from the breaking news alert.

Today, the CNN app for Android picked up an update that improves on the notifications experience making it possible to save and share your stories directly from the breaking news alerts. This new feature is also supported on smart watches too, should you be in a situation where you can't pull out your phone to read the breaking news, save it for later from your wrist. 

This update also brings support for full hyperlink in articles, though I'm not sure what that is. CNN also included some maintenance update and bug fixes, "just in time for the holidays".

Download the CNN app from the Play store.

Google Play Newsstand gets options to auto-download new magazines issues.

Google has updated Play Newsstand today. The app, which serves both free and paid content, offers a new feature that will benefit magazine's subscribers should they choose to activate it in the settings of the app after installing the update. With this new feature, magazine subscribers can now configure Newsstand to automatically download new issues of magazines once they become available.

As stated above, after applying the update, a new "options for auto-download issues" settings will appear in the app settings. Check your download nethod while you're there. With this new option activated and depending on the number of magazines you're subscribed to, the auto-download can put pressure on your data plan. 

Download Google Play Newsstand version 3.4.3 in the Play Store. 

Fine-Tune your Flipboard or mute news source entirely.

Perusing the daily news with Flipboard's flipping gesture remains a unique experience on Android. Flipboard has been getting better with time and expanding with localized content and the last update makes it even easier to consume news while keeping the experience personal. Flipboard has added a down arrow on a stories that give the readers the possibility to choose whether they want more or less of what they're seeing. The down arrow can also be used to entirely mute the source.

This update raises the version number to 3.3.6 and includes the usual bug fixes and improvements. Visit the Play Store to download the update or try Flipboard. 

Flipboard introduces privacy feature in new update.

Flipboard is not just any news aggregator. Besides serving news, Flipboard builds an entire community around the topics that are of interest to you, letting you share and build groups with people who share similar interest. Add to that the magazine-like animation while perusing your topics and you get to experience what makes Flipboard unique.

Now all that sharing thingy is awesome, but like anything on the web, things can get out of control with the bad guys lurking in the background waiting to pilfer any data you share. With this in mind, the folks behind Flipboard added a new feature in an update published yesterday. Flipboard users will now be able to block unwanted followers with a new privacy feature. The update also contain the usual bug fixes and performance improvements.

Head over to Google Play store to download the update and enjoy some privacy.

CNN app for Android finally lets users change font size for better readability in a way that s**ks.

To be polite, I'll say it's just funny that it took so long for CNN to bring the ability to change font size within the app. Not only is that useful for any users, not just those with accessibility issues, but it is one feature that you would expect in any news reader nowadays. Better late than never.

This font size changeability is part of an update published today by CNN to it's Android app. While it is a nice addition, it's implementation has to be reviewed though. Let me explain. In order to change the font size, users has to go into the app settings. So, say you're reading an article and want to increase or decrease the font size, you have to tap on the menu buttons on top-right of the app and select Settings and tap "Story Text Size" to change to the size you want. The choices are Smallest, Smaller, Normal, Larger and Largest. Do you see what the problem is?

Since you have to navigate to the Settings screen to change the size, you don't actually get a preview, or even better, a live preview of the size of the text. Your only option is to increase or decrease the the size and navigate back. Here's another problem. Going back does not take you to the article you were reading, but to the app main screen instead. I'm sure some of you will agree, CNN's implementation of the font size change sucks. For those of you in the "disagree" camp, check out BBC's implementation of that same feature and you will probably get my point.

The update also contains the usual bug fixes and improvements. Section headlines will also display time of publication. If that is not playing catch-up, I don't know what it is.

Download the official CNN app for Android in Google Play store.

Flipboard for Android now serves Topics in India and UK.

Flipboard is my favorite news magazine on Android. Notice I wrote magazine instead of news reader. Unlike other numerous news apps in Google Play store, Flipboard has that distinctive feature that lets you flip through your news like you naturally do with a paper-based magazine. Of course there is more to Flipboard than the flip.

Flipboard news magazine serves Topics. Actually, you start by following topics that are of interest to you to create your personal magazine. And you are not limited to magazines. Flipboard also lets you follow people and connect to your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Flipboard was updated today that brings Topics to India and UK. The change log states that "each topic is powered by the best stories from publishers, websites and magazines". I assume these are localized sources. Performance improvements is also part of the update that makes Flipboard opens faster and sections to load faster. 

Download Flipboard free in Google Play store.

Flipboard for Android improved.

My favorite news reader on Android, Flipboard, got updated today. The app has been updated with a bunch of features for a better experience like the improved pull to refresh and double tap to zoom on images inside articles and more. See the What's new list below:

• Improved pull to refresh for your subscriptions
• Double tap to zoom on images opened from inside articles.
• Organize your magazines in your profile, just tap and hold to move them around.
• Easier and faster to flip your magazines, tap the + button to begin.
• Lower data usage.
• Bug fixes and performance improvements.

Download Flipboard for free on Google Play store.

Feedly gets another update, fixes duplicate image and crashes.

Yesterday I blogged about Feedly 21.1 which received an update that contained fixes and optimizations. 24 hours later, the developer behind the popular news reader for Android has released another update with two fixes. The first is to fix duplicate image issue and the second one fixes crashes for Android 2.x and Android 4.x. I did notice the duplicate image issue on a Motorola G and my Nexus 7 running Android L. Fortunately, no crashes. Anyway, I'm proceeding with the update and I invite you to do the same. This update brings Feedly to version 22.0.

Go to Google Play Store to update/install Feedly on your device.