Technology - The Malaysian Insider

Facebook tests vanishing messages

Facebook users in France were able to send vanishing missives with its smartphone Messenger application on Thursday, ramping up the challenge to Snapchat. "We're conducting a small test in...

Google Sheets adds commenting to Android app

A new update for Google Sheets means that mobile users can add or respond to comments from within the app. It's a tweak that makes it easier to use the cloud-hosted software as a collaborative...

Indonesian motorbike taxi app to ban smelly drivers

Life is about to get a little easier for Indonesians who use motorbike taxis to weave through Jakarta's notorious traffic-choked streets – a new ride-hailing app is promising to ban smelly...

Could 2016 see the first cyber attacks on wearables?

Intel's annual McAfee Labs Threat Predictions Report forecasts that Ransomware, in-car infotainment systems and even smartwatches could be at the top of hackers' and cyber criminals' lists in the...

The smartwatch that calls time on the smartphone

One of the biggest criticisms levelled at the current generation of smartwatches, be they from Apple or one of the many companies supporting Google's Android Wear, is that without a connection to...

New Facebook app fires news to smartphones

Facebook on Wednesday released a Notify application designed to keep iPhone users up to speed on the latest news and entertainment happenings. Notify debuted with more than 70 "stations," most...

Google Maps guides travellers offline

Google on Tuesday updated its free map service to guide users of Android-powered smartphones to destinations without relying on Internet connections. An offline navigation feature previewed at...

By 2016, there will be 6.4 billion connected ‘things’

The Internet of Things is in for rapid growth, forecasts Gartner, Inc., with 6.4 billion devices predicted for 2016, and 20.8 billion by 2020. "Aside from connected cars, consumer uses will...

Japan team develops ultra-thin thermometer

Japanese researchers have developed a micro-thin thermal sensor that can be attached directly to the skin, potentially useful in monitoring the health of infants or even making sportswear more...

‘Breakthrough’ science awards total US$22 million

Researchers in physics, mathematics and life sciences were awarded a total of US$22 million (RM96.2 million) in the third Breakthrough Prize Awards funded by key Silicon Valley...

Apple’s iPad Pro to go on sale Wednesday

Apple Inc said its iPad Pro will be available for ordering online on Wednesday and will arrive at stores later this week. The 12.9-inch tablet, which starts at US$799 (RM3,517) but costs more...

Xiaomi launches new Mi Band fitness tracker

Xiaomi has announced the launch of its new Mi Band 1S, the Chinese company's second generation wearable fitness tracker, reports Gadgets 360. While the company first unveiled the Mi Band in...

TV operators seek silver bullet to fight online rivals

The empire has not yet figured out how to strike back. The major legacy television companies are struggling to find the formula to stem the loss of customers to Internet rivals like Netflix,...

iPad Pro in the starting blocks

The iPad Pro is set to hit retail this month, with reports suggesting it will drop November 11 or 13. The new tablet will be in direct competition with the brand new Surface Pro 4 and the...

Cortana to take on Siri in iOS

Microsoft is preparing to launch a first version of Cortana, its virtual personal assistant, for iOS. Windows Insiders (a community which tests new Windows products) in the US and China will be...

YouTube to support virtual reality video on app

YouTube announced two new features Thursday for its Android app that expand the video site's use of virtual reality, giving the new technology its biggest platform yet. The app now supports VR...

Tinder preparing to announce algorithm change

Dating app Tinder is preparing to announce a major change to its algorithm in the coming days, its CEO indicated at the Web Summit in Ireland. Tinder's plans were revealed via a tweet from the...

Brand-by-brand lowdown on Android 6.0 Marshmallow rollout

As the first models pre-loaded with Android 6.0 Marshmallow hit the shelves, manufacturers are preparing to update their high-end phones with this new version of Google's mobile operating...

How to create a Windows 10 app without knowing how to code

To enhance its customer offering and enable anyone to submit their own Windows 10 apps, Microsoft has released a new version of Windows App Studio. With this web app, you can easily create...

Twitter trades stars for hearts, favourites for likes

Like it or not, Twitter on Tuesday retired its star button that users click to "favourite" a post and replaced it with a heart. The messaging platform said the new system of "likes", which is...