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The future of Android at Google I/O 2018

Google's major conference has come and gone. Its keynote speech gives consumers a sneak peek at Google Assistant and the next version of Android. This will help developers get their integrations, services and apps ready before the search engine giant releases its new stuff.

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21 May, 2018 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Uncategorized category
The future of Android at Google I/O 2018

Google's major conference has come and gone. Its keynote speech gives consumers a sneak peek at Google Assistant and the next version of Android. This will help developers get their integrations, services and apps ready before the search engine giant releases its new stuff. What is Google planning for 2018 and beyond? Read on to find out.

What happened at Google I/O 2018?

While the primary focus of the Google I/O conference was on the developers, every tech enthusiast in the audience had the opportunity to see what the future holds for their favorite Google products and the upcoming Android P. This year's developer conference focused on software and new mobile technologies that will be released later in the year.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence

The keynote was kicked off by CEO Sundar Pichai, who talked about Google's mission and how it is linked to AI. He stated that AI will help industries like healthcare predict certain events.

Pichai also stated that machine learning will play a major role in enhancing closed captioning's ability to figure out who is talking when there are multiple people speaking on-screen.

However, tech enthusiasts were extremely excited when the Google CEO announced the following features and upgrades:

  • Google Assistant will soon get 6 new voices, including one from singer and songwriter John Legend. Users will only need to say "Hey Google" to start a conversation with the product, instead of each time it is addressed. Google Assistant can now process more than one request at a time, and it can make phone calls to book reservations and appointments for the user with a feature called 'Duplex.’
  • Google Maps can now suggest restaurants and other noteworthy locations for the user, differentiate between car and motorbike routes, and add businesses to the map by combining satellite images and AI. Augmented reality will be integrated into Street View so that users can easily track the direction they are facing or heading toward.
  • Google News will display its top five stories as soon as the app opens. Advanced AI will push stories that it thinks are relevant to the user.
  • Google Photos will have the Suggested Actions feature which offers to add color to images that are black and white, convert documents to PDF, tweak the brightness on underexposed photos, and instantly share images with the people who are in the picture.
  • Gmail will get the Smart Compose feature that will utilize machine learning to suggest phrases when writing an email.

Public beta of Android P

The test version of Android P is currently available on Oppo, Sony, Mi, OnePlus, Essential Phone and Google Pixel handsets. The search engine giant announced that they will release the first retail version around summer this year.

Beta testers enjoyed the refreshing look of Android P, where most interactions such as switching between apps were done by gestures. A new Dashboard feature shows how long the user has been on the device, including the number of notifications received, how many times the phone was unlocked, and the time spent in a particular app. Users will also be able to set a time limit if they want to stop themselves from habitually staring at their phones.

Availability of Google Lens

In last year's event, Google announced AI-powered technology called Google Lens which uses a mix of machine learning and the smartphone's camera to detect a specific object, know what the object is, and provide results based on what it knows about the object.

At the time, this feature was available only in Google Pixel phones, but the search engine giant announced that more smartphones will soon have this feature built in.

Google continues to innovate and improve on its products, and we are here to help you make sense of all the tech so you can adapt it to your lifestyle. Get in touch with us today so we can discuss this tech and how you can benefit from it.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Back up files using Windows 10 tools

Ransomware attacks are in the headlines again, and thankfully, business owners are becoming more aware of the malicious software’s damaging effects. Companies realize that without safe and reliable data backup, important business information can fall into the wrong hands.

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18 May, 2018 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Windows category
Back up files using Windows 10 tools

Ransomware attacks are in the headlines again, and thankfully, business owners are becoming more aware of the malicious software’s damaging effects. Companies realize that without safe and reliable data backup, important business information can fall into the wrong hands. This is why Windows offers easy-to-use tools like File History and OneDrive.

File History Is Back for Windows 10

Users would be glad to know that Windows brought the same functionality of File History from Windows 8 (and 8.1) to Windows 10. Apart from the slight design changes, there really isn’t much difference, which is fine.

Serving as the main backup utility, File History enables users to regularly schedule backing up of files on their PC and store them on an external drive. That means you can connect your PC to a network or USB drive and make backups as needed.

However, you must be sure to regularly connect the external drive if you opt to set File History to back up to it. Otherwise, Windows will prompt you that your files have not been backed up for every day that you forget. You can neglect this warning at your own risk. If you back up to a mapped network that is unavailable, File History will back up to the local disk, until the network drive becomes available.

Setting Up File History

Turning File History on is not rocket science. After all, it was designed to make data backup and recovery easy for users. By default, File History backs up the main file folders, but you may also pick which folders you want to back up and bring in folders from other parts of the PC to back up.

From the Start menu, click on Settings > select Update & Security > click on the Backup section

You will see an option for Back Up Using File History. Below it is an option to Add A Drive. Click on + to see a list of external hard drives connected to your PC and choose one.

When you return to the Backup section, you will see that the Add A Drive option has changed to Automatically Back Up My Files (by default). This allows backups to be created at periodic intervals, which you can set to anywhere from every 10 minutes to once a day (default option is once every hour). You may also set how long to keep the backups (default option is forever).

Restoring files that have already been backed up is just as easy. Simply click on the Start menu and type File History in the Search bar. Then, you will see the Restore Your Files With File History option. Select this, and a new window showing the folders backed up onto your external drives will appear. A word of advice: Be sure to back up files using a network drive or the cloud, not locally.

Making System Image Backups

Backing up your entire operating system, along with all the programs, settings, and files, is possible with Windows 10. To use this feature, you need to access the Backup and Restore (Windows 7) option from the Control Panel. Click on Create a System Image and choose where to store the backup (external hard drive, network drive, or DVD) and which drives to back up. You will then be asked to make a system repair disc which you can use to start a PC and restore the image backup.

Setting Up Your OneDrive Backup Option

Use OneDrive to store and sync your files in the public cloud. While it isn't exactly a backup solution, OneDrive can serve as a destination for your backups. Microsoft offers plans ranging from at least 5 GB to 50 GB (monthly) and 1 TB (yearly) of storage space.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Protect your Facebook and Twitter from hackers

In the wake of Facebook’s worldwide privacy scandal, it’s time to revisit some social media best practices. Your information is incredibly valuable, and you can’t rely on social media platforms to keep it safe from hackers. Heed these tips to make sure your Facebook and Twitter accounts are well secured.

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17 May, 2018 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Facebook, Security category
Protect your Facebook and Twitter from hackers

In the wake of Facebook’s worldwide privacy scandal, it’s time to revisit some social media best practices. Your information is incredibly valuable, and you can’t rely on social media platforms to keep it safe from hackers. Heed these tips to make sure your Facebook and Twitter accounts are well secured.

Lockscreens exist for a reason

Make sure all your computing devices lock the moment you stop using them. This way, you are safe from the simplest hack of all: someone opening a browser on your computer that has your social media login saved. As long as your password isn't your birthday or anniversary, you'll be forcing hackers to work for access to your account.

Strong passwords are never out of fashion

Unlocking your phone may be limited to a six-digit passcode, but you'll need something much more complicated for your account password. The first thing you'll need to do is create a password that isn't used for any other account. Because data breaches have become such a regular occurrence, hackers probably have a long list of your favorite passwords from other websites and platforms.

In this case, it is best to use a password manager like an app or online service that allows you to generate and retrieve complex passwords.

Another thing you can do is enable something called two-factor authentication, which requires you to type in a secondary code sent to your phone. Even if hackers have your password, they won't be able to log in without your phone.

Make use of social media features

Facebook offers functions that help you keep tabs on who's accessing your account and from
where. To use this feature, click the down arrow in the upper right corner of your Newsfeed and select Settings. Then click Security and Login to get more information. If you sense an imposter, click the right-hand icon to give you the option of logging out remotely or reporting the person.

From there, turn on Get alerts about unrecognized logins to be notified via Facebook, Messenger, or email if someone is logged into your account from an unrecognized browser. Unfortunately, Twitter doesn’t have the same option (that makes the two-factor authentication extremely necessary).

While it may be difficult for a hacker to barge into your Facebook or Twitter account through a third-party service that you have given access to your profile, it's still advisable that you check what you have approved.

  • Facebook: Go to Settings > Apps and Websites to view and manage outside service with access to your account
  • Twitter: Go to Settings and Privacy > Apps to check and edit the list

Last, be sure to check the permissions mobile apps like Facebook and Twitter have on your smartphone or tablet.

  • Android: Go to Settings > Apps > tap the icon in the upper right and then tap App permissions
  • iOS: Go to Settings > Privacy to manage which service can access which parts of your phone

Less personal info, fewer problems

These steps are just the beginning of what you should be doing. The next thing you should consider is limiting the personal data you input into your social media accounts. If you have to put a ton of information, then be sure you read this blog from the top.

With a little practical knowledge, you can prevent Facebook and Twitter hackers from doing what they do. Cybersecurity is a sprawling issue and social media privacy is such a small sliver of what you need to stay on top of. For 24/7 support, call our team of experts today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Apple and your privacy: What do they know

With the recent U.S. Senate inquiry into Facebook's perceived violations, concerns about online privacy are once again thrust into the spotlight. Apple, Google, Amazon, and other tech companies also gather data on their users, so if you’re using Mac or iPhone, you may wonder: How much information does Apple have about you?

What Facebook & Google Know

Let’s first look at what Facebook knows about you.

The post Apple and your privacy: What do they know appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

16 May, 2018 / by Complete Technology Resources / in iPhone category
Apple and your privacy: What do they know

With the recent U.S. Senate inquiry into Facebook's perceived violations, concerns about online privacy are once again thrust into the spotlight. Apple, Google, Amazon, and other tech companies also gather data on their users, so if you’re using Mac or iPhone, you may wonder: How much information does Apple have about you?

What Facebook & Google Know

Let’s first look at what Facebook knows about you. As the biggest social network in the world, Facebook makes a lot of money through advertising. The more data it gathers about you, the more able they are to target you with relevant ads. Aside from the information you provide when you open an account, Facebook also tracks your browsing history, knows your social circle, and keeps note of your general interests.

Facebook also retains the names and numbers of people in your contact list who are not yet on Facebook to create “shadow profiles.” When they sign up for the social network, these contacts appear in your “People You May Know” recommendations.

Facebook’s Messenger app keeps a record of all your conversations, contacts, and even SMS messages (if you give Messenger permission to manage them).

Google also gathers data to target users with promotions and advertising. But they have more data to collate and play with, thanks to their other services like Google Maps, AdSense, and YouTube. They know the places you’ve been, the things you buy online, and the music you like.

What Apple Knows

Compared with Facebook and Google, Apple knows little about you. They know your name, home address, email address, all the apps and songs you’ve downloaded, and anything you’ve purchased in the Apple Store.

Facebook, Google, and Apple all allow you to download a file that reveals what they know about you. The files from Facebook and Google are often massive, sometimes containing gigabytes’ worth of data. Apple’s files are a lot smaller, and they make it more difficult for you or a hacker to download and see all the information they have on you.

Protecting your privacy online doesn’t mean you have to swear off Facebook or stop using Google’s services, but knowing how these companies collect information about you is the first step. If you want to learn more about how Apple collects information on you, don’t hesitate to give our experts a call.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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