Google takes down from Play Store a fake ‘System Update’ app

You can’t always trust what you download, even on official app marketplaces like the Google Play Store. An app called System Update has been taken down by Google because it was actually spyware. Unfortunately, it has already been downloaded millions of times in the past. The spyware was discovered by security firm Zscaler and alerted Google about its existence. The app was launched back in 2014 and it sent data about a device’s location to whomever created the app. It was also able to look at certain incoming text messages. According to Zscaler, if you installed and tried to use System Update, it’ll look like it stopped working and display the message “Unfortunately, Update Service has stopped.” But it’ll actually still work in the background.

The app’s Play Store page was actually telling of how fake it was. There were no screenshots there nor a proper description of the app. It had negative reviews as well. From your end, make sure you scrutinize the new apps you plan to download to your devices.

Source: Android Authority

Samsung partners with Google to make Play Music default music player and service on its devices

After Samsung shut down its U.S. mobile music service, Milk Music, the South Korean tech company turns to Google and makes its Play Music the default music player and service on its new phone and tablets worldwide. This begins with the new Galaxy S8 and S8+. As a bonus, Samsung users will get to upload 100,000 of their own songs to Google Play Music for free, which is double the storage capacity Google offers its users. New Samsung phones also get a three-month trial of Google Play Music’s subscription service and access to YouTube Red.

Google has also promised it’ll work with Samsung’s Bixby, the company’s own personal assistant software, so you can ask it to play a particular song, among others.

Source: Tech Crunch

Airbnb quietly tries out new paying scheme for guests

When you book a home with Airbnb, the policy is to pay upfront once you decide where to stay. But a new option has been spotted by Fast Company’s Ruth Reader while looking for her honeymoon destination. It hasn’t been officially launched but her account seems to be part of a small group of users that are shown a new “partial-payment feature.” It lets her pay partially for the place she booked and then having to pay the remaining balance two weeks before she arrives.

According to Airbnb’s spokesman Tim Rathschmidt, “We’re always looking for ways to make booking with and paying for Airbnb listings easier for guests, but have nothing to announce at this time.” It seems to be in the early testing phase yet but Reader theorizes this is being tested out on people who have booked far in advance and above a certain price point to make the feature attractive and more worthwhile. As she points out, from the time of the first payment and the next one, her and her fiancé will have four paychecks each, giving them more time to save up for it.

Review: 2017 Lincoln MKZ

One thing that impressed me about the 2017 Lincoln MKZ is the power it had given the 2.0L 4-cylinder engine under the hood. Thanks to the turbocharger, the vehicle had pep and didn’t lag when I wanted it to accelerate quickly. If you’re in the market for a mid-size luxury vehicle, take a look at the MKZ with me.

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