Facebook wasn't really hiding this. It's there in plain sight for those that download their data (as shown in the article).
Not emphasized in the article is that this was possible on Android and not on iOS.
This seems like such a natural thing to do in any country. Except when these guys are caught it's not going to be pretty.
This is Tag Heuer's Android smart watch. It's for people who 1) are willing to pay $1500 for a smartwatch 2) Use Android 3) Have gorilla wrists. I'm thinking it's a small market.
Rough.
Ransomware: There's an app for that! Exclusively on Android.
What a mess. This is another reason to stick with the iPhone.
It's a little sad to me that a comoany with some of the greatest software developers in the world had to clone Oracle/Sun's Java and the iPhone's UI paradigm in order to create Android.
So this unofficial app is available for Android. It allows you to use Apple's iMesage service. Cool, right? It's a security disaster: A user installs it, and types in their Apple ID account information. This goes to a server in China which stores it and spoofs (fakes) an iMac connected to iMessage using the credentials. So it allegedly works. But you are giving your Apple ID password to an unknown entity in China. Your Apple ID is very likely tied to an iTunes account, which is very likely tied to your credit card. Oh, and this app can also install any software on your phone without your permission. Google and Android do nothing to protect the average user. Yet the average user is not a computer security expert with perfect judgement. This is where Apple's App Store rules and tight security shines through. It protects the average user from their own ignorance. And that's a good thing because not all users can be expected to be experts before getting a smartphone.
The graphics are really cool.
The comments are interesting too. Here's my take: If you care about your privacy, I recommend against installing software that runs at all times, on a computer you carry with you at all times, that has all sorts of personal information about you, and many sensors to get data on where you are and what you do; when said software is provided for free by a company that profits from gathering your personal data. How much did you pay Google for Android? How much did you pay Facebook for Facebook Home? How do these two companies make money?
Is it a condom, or is it an #Android? http://t.co/4Abjp8O0
Flagship #Android phone review: …in our 24 hours of intensive testing we had to reach for the charger multiple times… http://t.co/tGioyuJa
Very interesting techincal article on what design decisions mean that Android cannot be as smooth as iOS.
A technical and objective analysis of the CarrierIQ software without the media hype nor FUD.
Every other week I hear about some malicious app for Android or so. But this is crazy, at a whole different level!
As if their gigantic size and jerky interface is not enough, here's another reason you may want to rethink buying an Android phone.
The bottom line is: It costs Android phone makers money and R&D; time to prepare, test, and deploy a software upgrade. But they get nothing in return. Not a cent. Worse even, it would make customers less likely to upgrade their phone.
Surely they are selling these at cost or at a small loss.
Apple must be angry over the number of people who will gift these instead of an iPad. Google must be angry because they use Android but got rid of every Google branding and income sources. RIM must be furious because they basically asked the Chinese manufacturer for the Blackberry PlayBook's hardware.
Clever comment: "Makes sense. . . Android users can't afford to travel."
#iPhone users smarter and richer than #Android users. Anyone surprised? http://t.co/Op8gSfa