Why the SafetyNet API Exists During the development of Android Pay, the SafetyNet API was created by Google to check multiple aspects of a device – namely, whether or not it’s been tampered with. This means if you’ve rooted your Android device or installed a custom ROM, the SafetyNet API is able to detect it, and with many applications, prevent your device from using the app. As explained by a Google Engineer, SafetyNet was developed alongside Android Pay to ensure the highest-possible level of security for a user’s credentials and payment information....

Both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X compatible, it offers an HDMI input with 4K HDR passthrough for easy system expansion. Owners of compatible Samsung tellies can enjoy it in Q-Symphony mode, which allows the soundbar to work in tandem with the TV’s own speakers (rather than just replacing them). We like it a lot. Introduction The Samsung HW-Q700B is a well specified high-value Dolby Atmos soundbar that offers excellent dialogue intelligibility and moderate bass slam and comes with a raft of neat bonus features for owners of Q-Symphony-compatible Samsung TVs....

Web Preview While the web version of Seesmic is currently limited in comparison to the desktop app, it is very usable and very cool. This preview release has all the basics with a few of the extras similar to the new features in the desktop app 0.4 upgrade. I am sure if they update the site with as much frequency as the desktop, it will have more features than you can shake a stick at in no time....

Here’s how to go about using a screen saver as the desktop background. The first part of the procedure is to select the screen saver that you wish to be used as your desktop background. To do that, click on the Apple logo in the top left corner and select “System Preferences…” Click on the “Desktop & Screen Saver” icon on the screen. Click on the “Screen Saver” tab to be taken to the screen savers panel....

What is Skype Qik Skype Qik is basically a mobile messaging application that uses the Skype backbone and focuses on asynchronous video messaging – it lets you send short duration (42-second) videos to your friends. Microsoft says the idea behind the app is to cater to a section of mobile market that is moving away from scheduled, one-to-one communications. Aside from the younger generation, Skype Qik is also aimed at those who are travelling or live in completely different time zones, where a traditional Skype call doesn’t make any sense....

Unfortunately it is not easy to get an actual independent radio show up and running. The equipment is not exactly inexpensive or easily obtained. Plus there is licensing and numerous other issues. A far more convenient alternative are internet podcasts. These are essentially the same thing as a radio show, but taking place through the internet instead of radio waves. But for the person who wants his own internet radio show, most podcast services do not meet the expectations, leaving a big gap....

A planetarium is probably the best choice to learn about astronomy in a way that is both fun and educational at the same time. Yet if you have no access to a planetarium where you live, you can have it on your computer with Stellarium, a free and open source, cross-platform planetarium software available for all major operating systems, including Linux. Learning about the stars from the comfort of your chair Stellarium offers a very detailed map of the night sky....

Night Light I was always a huge advocate of f.lux, the app that lets you adjust the color temperature of your screen and reduce “blue light” output, which by default is 7000k on most monitors – about the same color temperature as daylight. The science-y stuff behind this is that in the evenings your eyes shouldn’t look at screens emitting daylight-equivalent light because it tricks your brain into thinking it’s daytime and can disrupt your sleep....

Software: Android vs. iOS The first major difference between the Kindle Fire and the iPad is with the software that runs the two devices. The Kindle Fire operates on a fork version of the Google’s Android OS, while the iPad operates on Apple’s iOS. If you already have an Android phone, it could be an obvious choice for you to go with what you know. The same goes for iOS. If you have an iPhone, it’s easier to go with what you know....

Most email clients these days use push notifications by default. Sometimes you’ll have the option to change to fetch email. What’s the difference between push and fetch emails? Why would you choose one over the other? Fetch Emails By making the email client responsible for noticing new messages, you can reduce the load on a server. This is ideal for popular services running on less-than-excellent hardware. This system appears on older corporate email systems or outdated free email clients....

A more explanatory answer: You’ll be able to run a couple of programs on your desktop, but don’t expect to run anything useful for the moment. At this moment, you can run different sorts of applications depending on their compatibility with the desktop. Later on, more developers will develop ARM versions of their own desktop applications. But, for now, you’re just stuck with a few options: 1. Apps Included In The Tablet The tablet already contains a couple of desktop applications that you can use....

We’re officially onto Cyber Monday which means that the Black Friday sale will be coming to an end very soon, so you may want to stock up on deals now while they’re still around. And we’ve found the perfect stocking stuffer for any parents out there; the Garmin Vivofit Jr. 2 has seen a ridiculous £40.99 discount, bringing the price down from £79.99 to just £39. If you’re still scrambling for other winter holiday gifts then make sure you take a look at our best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals roundup, which we will keep updating until all the latest deals run dry, so you still have a chance to snatch up any discounted tech....

TimeSlotTracker is created in Java, and that explains why it is cross-platform compatible. To make it easy to install and use, there is the native installer for both Windows and Linux. If there is anything unpleasant about a java-based app, it must be the ugly interface and the inability to integrate with the OS theme. This is what it looks like in Ubuntu. Luckily, you can change the theme layout in TimeSlotTracker....

UFW UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) is a tool for host-based iptable configuration. It allows you to set permission for incoming/outgoing connections easily. For anyone who want to add an extra layer of protection to their system (who wouldn’t?), UFW would be the right tool for it. To enable UFW, To check UFW status To enable logging To block a connection from a IP address (say “111.222.234.245”) Install Restricted Codecs (multimedia, flash, Java) Once again, due to licensing restriction, Ubuntu could not include the multimedia codecs, flash plugin and java runtime by default....

Apple Pencil The 2017 line of iPad Pros have been optimized to process data from the Apple Pencil much more quickly than before. While the Pencil itself has not changed, the iPad sure has. The Pro Motion display is able to refresh at 120hz, and the A10X processor makes the Pencil’s data process at next to no time. Using the Pencil for handwritten notes feels just like using a pen and paper, and the beautiful display makes using the iPad Pro and Pencil a dream for graphic design....

What if you’re a Chrome user and like its performance but can’t stand the way that Google incessantly impedes on your privacy? What if you’re ready to move on but not ready to suffer the culture shock of adopting the look and feel of an entirely new browser? Currently, there are over twenty Chromium-based browsers, and this number is steadily growing. What this means is you can find a browser that gives you some of the same experiences you’ll find with Chrome and more....

Trusted Recommends is back, and we’ve got another list of top-tier products ready to share with you. Our reviewers rated all these devices highly, from fridge freezers to headsets; from keyboards to soundbars, so dig in if you want some tips on what to put on your wishlist. Asus ROG Phone 6D Ultimate The Asus ROG Phone 6D Ultimate is a dedicated gaming phone. It packs in brilliant levels of performance that will see all your favourite titles run very smoothly, while the 6....

For these reasons, download managers are especially beneficial to people with slow or spotty connections. We’ve covered download managers on MakeTechEasier before, but this time around we’ll be tackling a popular, recent addition to the long line of download managers. We’ll be discussing the multi-browser, multi-platform Turbo Download Manager. What platforms are supported? The primary benefit of Turbo Download Manager is its availability on basically every platform and browser you can think of....

Let’s Get Started First, head over to the Play Store and download CheapCast. It’s a free app, so it already lives up to its name out of the box. The app should install just fine, even on devices that aren’t capable of utilizing it. Once it’s up and running, you will be greeted by a screen that looks like this. CheapCast may be performing a relatively complex task, but this is hidden from the user....

After installing the application, just select the language you want to learn and it will load lessons for you. New lessons are only unlocked after you complete previous lessons. You get hearts after every lessons and you lose them if you don’t get the answers right. You have to start over with the lesson if you lose all your hearts. When you open any lesson, it will show you words in the language you are trying to learn along with four different options....