Android Auto now gives you access to your contact list

Google is bringing in more features to its Android Auto platform. The newest one is being able to access your entire contact list right from the in-car system. Before you’d need to use Google Assistant to get someone from your contact list or it’ll show you your starred contacts, recent calls, or let you dial a number. Now, you just need to head to the phone tab within Android Auto. Tap on the hamburger menu icon and select Contacts. If you’re not in motion, your access to the contact list is unrestricted. But if you’re driving you’ll only be able to tap down the list a few times. That said, this is a reminder to limit the amount of distractions you have when driving.

Source: 9to5Google

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Pro photo hosting service SmugMug buys Flickr

After Flickr’s fate has been put up in the air with Yahoo’s sale to Verizon and being joined with AOL in Verizon’s Oath subsidiary, professional photo hosting service SmugMug wanted to help out. The company has just bought Flickr for an undisclosed amount. The photo service hasn’t been able to mount a successful comeback with tough competition in its space because of services like Instagram. But SmugMug is confident it can thrive still. SmugMug CEO Don MacAskill told USA Today “Flickr has survived through thick-and-thin and is core to the entire fabric of the internet.”

Now, whether SmugMug can revive the service is something we can’t say yet at the moment. The company promises to keep Flickr as a standalone community and will supposedly get the focus and resources it needs.

‘Limited number’ of non-Touch Bar 13-inch Apple MacBook Pros need to have batteries replaced

Apple has just launched a free battery replacement program for some non-Touch Bar-toting Apple MacBook Pros. The company claims a “limited number” of these units have had their batteries expand. These supposedly affect those that were manufactured between October 2016 and October 2017 and is due to a fault component that causes the battery to expand.

The linked page above will ask you to submit your computer serial number to check if you’re eligible for a replacement. Those that qualify can bring their MacBook Pro to an authorized dealer or retail store or mail the unit to Apple’s repair center. If you’ve already gotten the battery replaced, you can contact Apple to see if you can get a refund. Apple notes that any damage that might inhibit the battery’s replacement will need to be fixed first and this program does not extend the computer’s standard warranty.