Android has evolved by leaps and bounds since the early days, and as a result, dozens of helpful features are hiding all over the place. Whether you're a long-time user or just switched from the iPhone, here's a hidden feature I use daily that most people have forgotten even exists.
I use free apps every day, and I write about them constantly. In many cases, theyβre genuinely great. Some of the most useful software on my phone and computer doesnβt cost me a cent upfront. But that doesnβt mean itβs actually free.
Brazilian researchers developed an AI system that analyzes WhatsApp audio messages to identify depression, showing high accuracy and potential for low-cost, real-world mental health screening.
I used to spend a lot of time commuting, but these days Iβm lucky enough to work remotely. My wife isnβt. She drives about 20 miles each way on busy highways, and like a lot of people, I worry about her every time she pulls out of the driveway. Late last year, I bought her a dashcam. Itβs nothing fancy, just something recording in the background, but she really likes it and says it gives her peace of mind. That alone made it feel worth it to me.
I used to treat my Linux app menu like a forgotten drawer. I rarely opened it, only to switch to my terminal a bit later. Then I found Ulauncher. It quietly replaced my start menu, app grid, and desktop shortcuts. Once I got used to it, I wondered why I ever clicked through menus in the first place.
TikTok users are freaking out over a mention of "immigration status" data collection, but lawyers explain the disclosure is related to state privacy laws.
Kindle eReaders are obviously great for reading books, but thatβs not all they can do. One of the coolest lesser-known features is the ability to send web articles to your Kindle. Instapaper is a great way to do this, but starting next month, the appβs "Send to Kindle" feature will no longer be free.
More ads are coming to App Store search results starting in March, Apple shared on an advertising help page. The company first said that it would increase the number of App Store ads last month, and this new rollout of search ads will begin on Tuesday, March 3, according to a developer email viewed by MacRumors.
"Search is the way most people find and download apps on the App Store, with nearly 65 percent of downloads happening directly after a search," Apple says. "To help give advertisers more opportunities to drive downloads from search results, Apple Ads will introduce additional ads across search queries." Up until this point, ads for related apps have appeared at the top of search results, but now they'll also appear "further down in search results," according to Apple.
App Store activity makes up a significant portion of what Apple calls its "services" business. The company makes money on every App Store transaction, whether it's an app download or an in-app purchase, and increasingly, by selling ad space to companies looking to reach users. App Store ads are hardly new, but the number of ads has steadily increased over the years. Apple added ads to the Today tab in 2022 β a space that's already home to editorial curation that doubles as marketing β and in 2025, Bloomberg reported the company planned to bring ads to Apple Maps.
Apple's decision to rebrand its advertising business from Apple Search Ads to Apple Ads in April 2025 was maybe the best indication that the company was interested in expanding the number of places it would help partners try and reach customers. And it makes sense: the company's billions of devices, each pre-installed with default apps, are some of the most valuable real estate it owns.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-will-begin-showing-more-app-store-ads-starting-in-march-192031226.html?src=rss
Meta today said that it is pausing teens' access to its AI characters globally across all its apps. The company mentioned that it is not abandoning its efforts but wants to develop an updated version of AI characters for teens.
The deal ends a six-year long political saga thatΒ started in 2020 when PresidentΒ Donald TrumpΒ tried to ban the app over national security concerns during his first term.
Register nowΒ toΒ save up to $680 on your TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 pass and get a second ticket at 50% off.Β This offer endsΒ next week on January 30, or once the firstΒ 500 ticketsΒ are claimed β whichever comes first.
The world of Linux software is hard to navigate, but with there are a lot of good ones worth checking out if you know where to look. Have a look at this text drawing app, packet analyzer, and Wikipedia browser.
Hereβs a fun and somewhat terrifying fact: youβre on a planet right now. We all know this, but itβs hard to really visualize. The good news is thereβs a website for that, and it can tell you exactly how far Earth has traveled through space since you arrived on it.
The latest estimates show that perhaps millions were harmed in the days immediately after Elon Musk promoted Grok's undressing feature on his own X feed by posting a pic of himself in a bikini.
Over just 11 days after Musk's post, Grok sexualized more than 3 million images, of which 23,000 were of children, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) estimated in research published Thursday.