News
Apple’s Siri listens to private conversations, sexual adventures
Knows your sensitive and confidential information
If you frequently use Siri or if you own a Siri-enabled device, you better watch what you say in front of it. A whistleblower came forward in a report by The Guardian stating that Apple contractors hear confidential information like medical details, drug deals, and even sexual acts between couples through Siri.
The Guardian has learned that the tech giant has contractors around the world that help in “grading” Siri. These contractors provide quality control by identifying if the activation of the voice assistant was accidental, or if Siri was asked with a query that was answered appropriately.
Apple came into their defense and told The Guardian that “Siri responses are analyzed in secure facilities adhering to Apple’s strict confidentiality requirements.”
“Overheard” vs Intentional listening
However, there’s more to the story uncovered. The anonymous whistleblower expressed concerns about accidental activations. This means that these recordings aren’t meant to be heard, as people activate Siri indirectly in several instances.
For example, raising your Apple watch while speaking can activate Siri. Even the sound of a zip acts as a trigger. This leads to contractors accidentally hearing conversations containing sensitive information. Additionally, these Siri recordings are accompanied by user data which shows privy information such as location, contact details, and app data.
Furthermore, it seems that Apple Watch and HomePod smart speaker are the suspects for frequently mistaken recordings. On the other hand, Apple’s solution is to encourage the staff to report these accidental activations “as a technical problem”, with no other procedures to deal with the recordings.
Apple doesn’t seem to be the only one using humans to review recordings since Amazon and Google revealed to be doing the exact same thing on their respective AI assistants. However, we can wish for these tech giants to teach their assistants to listen to someone only when they’re spoken to.
Source: The Guardian
News
Samsung teases anti-shoulder surfing privacy feature
A “new layer of privacy” coming to Galaxy phones soon
Samsung has teased a “new layer of privacy” to shield users’ phones primarily from shoulder surfing.
Although there haven’t been any specifics yet, this “new layer” could be quite literal, as in an added display technology on Samsung devices.
Samsung says users can customize it to raise their guard with specific apps, or when entering access details for more private areas of their phones.
Moreover, there are multiple settings for adjusting visibility. This way, users can limit what others can see based on the level of privacy protection they need.
They can likewise choose to protect specific parts of the experience, such as notification pop-ups. In a way, it’s a tailored approach that lets users fine-tune or switch off entirely, rather than a blanket one.
It also eliminates the need to go through apps one by one and adjust settings, as in the case of notifications.
Samsung adds that the process took five years of engineering, testing, and refining, hence the careful and deliberate roll-out instead of a sudden one.
This process included studying how individuals use their phones, what they consider private, and how security should feel in everyday life.
The result, Samsung says, is a fusion of hardware and software expertly calibrated to protect users while on their phones.
This latest development is part of a series of Galaxy innovations to keep users safe. Samsung has been introducing topnotch mobile protection with Knox Vault, Knox Matrix, and more features.
News
Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold reveals US$ 2,899 price tag
It’s still cheaper than the Huawei Mate XT.
Late last year, Samsung finally revealed the Galaxy Z TriFold, its official entry into the three-paneled market. Even only from its initial announcement, the Galaxy Z TriFold already looks mighty good, more so than its Android-less counterpart from Huawei. But, as with everything, it still depends on the price. How much will Samsung’s trifold phone cost? Now, we have an idea.
Today in the United States, Samsung has announced that the Galaxy Z TriFold will already be available in the country starting this week. From January 30, users can start trying out the phone for themselves in Samsung Experience Stores. They can also grab the device through Samsung.com.
Because the phone is already available, the price tag is out as well. In the United States, the Galaxy Z TriFold will set you back by at least US$ 2,899.
Despite how eye-watering that price is, it’s still a step below the Huawei Mate XT when that launched last year. (For reference, the Android-less Mate XT launched for a miserable EUR 3,499.)
Still, spending almost three thousand dollars on a phone might not be the most appealing decision for a lot of people. This price is also almost a full thousand dollars more than the Galaxy Z Fold7, which starts at US$ 1,999. On the bright side, the Galaxy Z TriFold is taking a big step in “democratizing” the trifold market before it takes over the industry.
If you’re interested in adding this to your cart, the Galaxy Z TriFold has a huge 10-inch screen, a custom Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage. It also has a 200-megapixel main camera and a 5600mAh battery.
All that in mind, is US$ 2,899 a justifiable price for the Galaxy Z TriFold?
Entertainment
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie trailer shows first look at Yoshi
The premiere was also moved up by a few days.
As a fan of the Super Mario games, I’m still waiting patiently for the next 3D Mario title. In the meantime, we’ve got Mario in 3D to stave off the hunger. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will premiere on April 1, and it just got a new trailer.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was announced quite some time ago, if the first film’s stinger wasn’t enough of a confirmation for you. As in that post-credits scene, Yoshi is set to make his debut. Now, the new trailer reveals the green dinosaur for the first time.
In the trailer, Mario and Luigi head to the Sand Kingdom to investigate a strange disturbance inside a pyramid. The disturbance turns out to be a scared Yoshi. What follows is a short montage of scenes from the movie but doesn’t reveal much of the connection between Yoshi and the movie’s story.
From the previous trailer, Bowser Jr. wants to claim the throne as the universe’s big baddie. It’s still unknown how Yoshi (and even Rosalina) connects to the overall plot.
Still, the trailer has a bunch of Easter eggs for fans of the franchise. For one, the Sand Kingdom is an area from the latest 3D Mario game, Super Mario Odyssey. Heading into the pyramid, you might also hear a subdued version of the “Underground Theme”. Then, when Yoshi finally appears, you’ll hear Super Mario World’s “Overworld Theme”.
The trailer also shows a peek at Birdo.
From the new trailer, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will premiere a few days earlier on April 1. Previously, it was set to premiere on April 3.
SEE ALSO: Nintendo’s latest toy is Super Mario Wonder’s Talking Flower
-
Reviews2 weeks agoPOCO M8 Pro review: Goin’ loco over this POCO
-
News1 week agoInfinix NOTE Edge debuts: High-end features for accessible pricing
-
Reviews2 weeks agoRedmi Note 15 Pro+ 5G review: The midrange fashion piece
-
Reviews2 weeks agoMijia Smart Audio Glasses review: Immerse yourself in the music
-
Features2 weeks agoCan the REDMI Note 15 Pro+ 5G Survive?
-
News2 weeks agoREDMI Note 15 Series unveiled: Price, availability in the Philippines
-
CES 20262 weeks agoSpotlight: ASUS Zenbook at CES 2026
-
Reviews6 days agoHONOR X9d 5G review: Tougher, more long-lasting and optimized

