Tausi Insider

Photo : Proxima Studio ( Shutterstock ) It’s unfortunate how often we hear about apps containing malware on Google’s platform ( not that they’re alone with a malware problem ). Each time we learn about new trojans, it’s a reminder to stay diligent when downloading new apps. This time, the newly-discovered apps have over two million downloads combined, meaning a lot of devices have been compromised. Cybersecurity Doctor Web discovered a trojan on the Play Store by the name of “Fast Cleaner & Cooling Master.” This app purported to be for OS optimization, claiming to improve the performance of Android on your smartphone. Instead, the app secretly communicates with developers through Firebase Cloud Messaging or AppMetrica Push SDK, display ads on victims’ smartphones, or use those devices as proxy servers. If you had the app installed on your Android, for example, third parties could route their traffic through your device. This app had less than 1,000 downloads, which, while n...

Photo : ALDECA studio ( Shutterstock ) Smartphones these days have great cameras, to the point where it’s tough to make the wrong decision when picking one. If you’re like most people, though, you’re a bit loyal to one brand, especially if that brand happens to be iPhone, and never have a chance to really see what else is out there. It’s possible your current smartphone doesn’t actually take your favorite photos, but without shopping around, how would you know? Marques Brownlee, otherwise known as MKBHD , wants to help. At the end of each year, the MKBHD team holds a blind smartphone camera test to see which smartphone photos people actually prefer. They started the tradition back in 2017, pitting the top five smartphones of the year against each other in a YouTube video (without telling you which was which, of course) but the test has grown exponentially since then . Now, the list covers the top 16 smartphones of the year, and millions of people vote on their favorite. The po...

Photo : Chikena ( Shutterstock ) When your smartphone starts to slow down, you may wonder whether it’s the be ginning of its end . However, it could just be digital junk accumulated throughout the year gumming up the works. As 2022 comes to a close , now’s as good a time as any to clear the clutter from your Android and start the new year with faster phone you can hold onto for longer . W e’re talking about Android here , so keep in mind that nearly every smartphone has a different interface. Some of our suggestions may not apply to your particular phone, and others will be available under different menus. You can always use the search function on your device or within the Settings app to apply this advice to your situation . Turn it off and back on Perhaps the most clich é advice of all, but it’s first on the list for a reason: A good number of Android problems (and tech problems in general) can be fixed with a simple restart. If your phone has been acting slow for a while...

Photo : Kaspars Grinvalds ( Shutterstock ) The new Always-On Displays on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max provide a nifty way to keep tabs on your smartphone without needing to interact with it. However, Apple’s original design choice was odd: By default, the 14 Pros dim your wallpaper in addition to the clock and notifications, which is both confusing and a presumed battery drain. Apple “fixed” the problem with iOS 16.2 , offering users the option to disable their wallpaper on the AOD . Since the 14 Pro has an OLED display, it can turn off the pixels that aren’t in use. You’d think, then, disabling the wallpaper for AOD, and thus leaving a lot of the display black, would net big battery savings. Well, apparently not. PhoneBuff recently ran a test comparing battery performance of three iPhone 14 Pro Maxes: One with the default AOD with wallpaper enabled, one with only text enabled, and one with the AOD disabled. For added measure, PhoneBuff reset all the phones to be free...

Photo : Orapruek ( Shutterstock ) The camera is one of the iPhone’s best features. It takes great photos, and shoots some of the best video on any smartphone. That’s why, when my iPhone’s camera broke, I was pretty bummed, yet hopeful the Apple Store could fix me right up. Unfortunately, breaking your iPhone camera isn’t like breaking the screen, and the fix likely isn’t as simple as you’d think. Not all broken iPhone cameras are the same In my case, I was working with two broken cameras on my iPhone 12 Pro Max, both requiring different solutions. The first issue came when my iPhone flew out of my pocket and slammed into concrete, instantly cracking my wide angle lens (the default 1x zoom camera). Lucky for me, the crack didn’t affect photos and videos unless there was a bright, intense light source directly above me, which usually only happened on particularly sunny days or when in a room with a strong light in the ceiling. These circumstances are rare enough that I decided t...

Photo : ALDECA studio ( Shutterstock ) Smartphones these days have great cameras, to the point where it’s tough to make the wrong decision when picking one. If you’re like most people, though, you’re a bit loyal to one brand, especially if that brand happens to be iPhone, and never have a chance to really see what else is out there. It’s possible your current smartphone doesn’t actually take your favorite photos, but without shopping around, how would you know? Marques Brownlee, otherwise known as MKBHD , wants to help. At the end of each year, the MKBHD team holds a blind smartphone camera test to see which smartphone photos people actually prefer. They started the tradition back in 2017, pitting the top five smartphones of the year against each other in a YouTube video (without telling you which was which, of course) but the test has grown exponentially since then . Now, the list covers the top 16 smartphones of the year, and millions of people vote on their favorite. The po...