Today was the deadline for Google to reveal how it’s complying with Judge James Donato’s order to crack open Android for third-party app stores, stop illegally tying its Google Play Billing system to its app store, and let developers link to ways to download their apps outside the Play Store in the US.
Technology
National Security Agency is urging Americans to reboot our phones once a week
We spend a lot of time on our smartphones, whether texting, scrolling on social media, checking emails or staying on top of the latest news. We typically only power off our devices when an issue or bug appears or when the battery dies (although that’s not intentional).
However, the National Security Agency recommends powering off and on your smartphone every week to protect yourself from cyberattacks. The spy agency has also listed some general mobile device best practices, which I have been telling you about from time to time.
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A person holding a Google Pixel smartphone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Why you should restart your phone weekly, according to NSA
The NSA recommends rebooting your smartphone weekly to protect against zero-click exploits, which attackers use to eavesdrop and gather data from phones. While rebooting won’t completely thwart more advanced schemes, many modern cyberattacks involve a sequence of multiple vulnerabilities that need to be exploited in succession. Restarting your phone makes the attacker start over, which can disrupt their progress.
How restarting your phone helps it stay secure
Restarting your phone not only helps you avoid cyberattacks, but it also makes your phone run smoothly. Manufacturers recommend restarting your phone regularly to prevent it from slowing down or freezing.
A quick restart clears out background apps, fixes overheating, resolves memory issues and improves call signals, even if it’s just for a short time. Most importantly, it gives your device a fresh start, which means smoother performance and a longer-lasting battery. This applies to both Android phones and iPhones.
Limitations of restarting your phone
However, the NSA warns that turning your phone off and on again will only sometimes prevent these attacks from being successful.
“Threats to mobile devices are more prevalent and increasing in scope and complexity,” the NSA said while warning that some smartphone features “provide convenience and capability but sacrifice security.”
A person holding an iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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NSA has more mobile security tips for you
The NSA also advises that you disable Bluetooth when not using it, update your phone with the latest version of the operating system and apps as soon as updates become available and disable location services when not needed. The NSA further warns you not to open email attachments and links.
The spy agency specifically asks you to “not connect to public Wi-Fi networks,” to disable Wi-Fi when not in use and to delete unused Wi-Fi networks. This is solid advice, considering how much cybercriminals use Wi-Fi to exploit you. Earlier in June, I reported on a vulnerability in Windows devices that allows bad actors to hack into your PC just by being connected to the same Wi-Fi network as you.
The NSA also recommends using strong lock-screen PINs and passwords, advising a minimum of a six-digit PIN, as long as your smartphone is set up to wipe itself after 10 incorrect attempts and to lock automatically after 5 minutes of inactivity.
Setting a strong password for every app or software you use and also remembering them can be challenging. I personally use a password manager to generate and manage my passwords, and you can consider using one, too.
A smartphone on a desk (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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4 additional ways to secure your smartphone
While the tips mentioned above are quite useful, here are a few additional security measures you might consider following.
1) Have strong antivirus software: The best way to protect yourself from clicking malicious links that install malware that may get access to your private information is to have antivirus protection installed on all your devices. This can also alert you of any phishing emails or ransomware scams. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
2) Use a VPN: Consider using a VPN to protect against being tracked and to identify your potential location on websites that you visit. Many sites can read your IP address and, depending on their privacy settings, may display the city from which you are corresponding. A VPN will disguise your IP address to show an alternate location. For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
3) Enable two-factor authentication: Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification, such as a code sent to your phone, in addition to your password.
4) Change your password: You can render a stolen password useless to thieves simply by changing it. Opt for a strong password, one you don’t use elsewhere.
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Kurt’s key takeaway
The NSA’s advice isn’t a cure-all for your security problems, but I completely agree with the suggestion to turn your devices on and off regularly. It only takes a minute or two each week and is a great habit to develop. You might even want to make it a daily routine, like part of your bedtime routine. Also, it’s important to keep your phone’s software and apps up to date and to avoid clicking on unknown links and attachments.
How often do you restart your devices and have you noticed any benefits from doing so? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.
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Even at $1,000, the Xbox Ally X handheld didn’t ship with magnetic drift-resistant joysticks, and neither did the $600 model. But for an extra $20 at Amazon, you can change that today — with officially Asus-approved and sanctioned TMR joysticks from Gulikit, the company that’s made a name for itself by supplying aftermarket drift-resistant sticks.
The company says it worked with Xbox Ally manufacturer Asus to create these sticks, that they’ll be “automatically recognized” when you swap them in, and that you can use the handheld’s built-in Armoury Crate app to calibrate them afterwards.
And while I haven’t tried these ones (I do have a pair in my Switch), I can confirm it’s pretty easy to pop open the Xbox Ally to install. Just loosen the Philips-head screws, poke in a guitar pick pry tool to create a small gap, and pull a little harder than you think you need to pop open the clips. The joystick modules are right underneath. There’s nothing blocking you — just pop a ribbon cable and undo their three screws.
Here’s the company’s walkthrough in case you want to see for yourself — though I do not recommend taking sharp tweezers to ribbon cables when your fingernails can do that job safer and easier. (I may have broken a few ribbon cables in my life.)
When we’re talking about TMR or the older and slightly less power-efficient Hall effect joystick technology, I usually write “drift-resistant” instead of “drift-free” because you may find your center point drifting over time — but the beauty of magnetic is you just have to recalibrate! Unlike the potentiometer joysticks that ship with Nintendo, Sony PlayStation, and Microsoft Xbox controllers, you’re not scraping away material that’ll lead to permanent drift as you use the magnetic versions.
Gulikit’s new Xbox Ally sticks are $20 in the US today, and should also be available in the UK for £20, and in Italy, France, and Spain for €22, this January.
Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer of Palantir Technologies Inc., speaks at the Hill & Valley forum at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on April 30, 2025. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images )
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.
IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
– AI fuels blue-collar productivity boom across manufacturing, Palantir technology chief tells FOX Business
– New exoskeleton adapts to terrain with smart AI power
– Purdue becomes first university to require AI competency for all undergrads as universities race to adapt
RISE OF MACHINES: Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar told FOX Business artificial intelligence is fueling a blue-collar productivity boom, not mass unemployment as forecast by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Sankar said AI is accelerating hiring, training and American industrial growth.
SMART STEPS: Recreational exoskeletons have been popping up for years, but the new IRMO M1 exoskeleton feels like a turning point. This next-generation wearable blends artificial intelligence (AI), a forward-facing camera, LADAR sensors and lightweight robotics to give your legs a serious boost on trails and city streets.
With training and assist modes, the M1 adapts to your goals whether you want more power or more strength. (IRMO)
EDUCATION REWIRED: Purdue University has announced a new “AI working competency” requirement, the first of its kind at an institution of higher learning, for all undergraduate students on their main campus, Indianapolis and West Lafayette, to complete starting in 2026.
‘DISPARATE IMPACT’: White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks called out blue states Tuesday for inserting “woke” ideology into artificial intelligence as the Trump administration moves to cut what he described as “unnecessary” regulations on the rapidly developing technology.
EYES TO THE FUTURE: Artificial intelligence (AI) is charging into a new phase in 2026 – one that could reshape business operations, global competition and even which workers thrive, according to Goldman Sachs’ Chief Information Officer Marco Argenti.
Artificial intelligence enters a new phase in 2026 that could reshape business operations, global competition and workforce outcomes, according to Goldman Sachs Chief Information Officer Marco Argenti. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)
‘MORE USABLE’: OpenAI announced an update for ChatGPT Images that it says drastically improves both the generation speed and instruction-following capability of its image generator. A blog post from the company Tuesday says the update will make it much easier to make precise edits to AI-generated images. Previous iterations of the program have struggled to follow instructions and often make unasked-for changes.
HANDS-FREE TECH: Chrome on Android now offers a fresh way to digest information when your hands are busy or your eyes need a break. A new update powered by Google Gemini can turn written webpages into short podcast-style summaries. Two virtual hosts chat about the content, making it feel easier to follow during your commute or while you multitask.
DESANTIS VS. TRUMP: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, said on Monday that state officials have the right to regulate artificial intelligence despite President Trump’s recent executive order aiming to require a national AI standard the president argues would overrule state laws.
TECH FORCE: The Trump administration launched a new initiative Monday aimed at recruiting top-tier technical talent to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) at the federal level. The hiring program, known as “Tech Force,” plans to recruit roughly 1,000 early-career technologists for a two-year service term across various federal agencies.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, says state officials have authority to regulate artificial intelligence despite President Trump’s executive order seeking a national AI standard he says would override state laws. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)
HOME RUN: Baseball teams have long searched for a way to study the entire swing without sensors or complex lab setups. Today, a new solution is entering the picture. Theia, an AI biomechanics company, debuted a commercially available video-only system that analyzes bat trajectory and full-body biomechanics together. This new approach works in real baseball environments and needs no reflective body markers, wearables or special equipment.
POLICING PUSH: Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., helped advocate for the AI Civil Rights Act last week in order to prevent companies from using what Democrats describe as “biased and discriminatory AI-powered algorithms.”
PRICING GAP : Instacart is using AI-enabled pricing experiments that are substantially raising the prices of identical products for different customers, according to an investigation by Consumer Reports and Groundwork Collaborative.
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But Google isn’t just letting app developers do things however and whenever they’d like. The company’s quietly updated its support pages with a January 28th deadline to enroll in specific Google programs for “alternative billing” and “external content links” — and these programs will come with large alternative fees of their own, assuming Judge Donato doesn’t opt for Epic and Google’s proposed settlement instead.
While it isn’t collecting fees yet, Google says it will charge developers $2.85 for every app and $3.65 for every game a user installs within 24 hours of clicking a link that takes you outside Google’s app store to download them outside the Google ecosystem.
Plus, it’ll take a 20 percent cut of any in-app purchases and 10 percent of any auto-renewing subscriptions. Apps still need to be submitted to Google for review, use a Google API to track them, and developers have to report all transactions (including $0 free trials) if they want to participate.
Meanwhile, developers who want to offer their own billing solutions will only get a 5 percent discount compared to Google’s current fees, likely making it not worth the effort to try alternative billing at all. Google will charge 25 percent for in-app purchases and 10 percent for auto-renewing subscriptions there; devs will need to integrate a Google API to track those, and report all transactions within 24 hours.
The company will cap some of these fees at 10 percent of a developer’s first $1 million of earnings, making it a bit easier for small developers, but perhaps no easier than it is currently. Google already offers a similar cap at 15 percent, so this too is a 5 percent discount.
How will Judge James Donato react? When Apple told Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers it would require a 27 percent fee for external payments in the parallel Epic v. Apple case, she found Apple in contempt of court, and an appeals court backed up that decision just days ago. However, the appeals court did suggest that Apple may be able to collect some fee, writing that:
Apple should be able to charge a commission on linked-out purchases based on the costs that are genuinely and reasonably necessary for its coordination of external links for linked-out purchases, but no more.
Google currently claims that “the fees associated with the external content links program reflect the value provided by Android and Play and support our continued investments across Android and Play.”
But Google also says it won’t collect any fees quite yet, writing:
In the future, Google intends to apply a service fee on successful transactions and downloads completed via external content links. At this time, however, Google is not assessing these fees and is therefore not requiring developers in this program to report these transactions or downloads to Google.
In their joint progress report today, Epic and Google’s lawyers write that while Epic agrees with the January 28th deadline and other requirements, “Epic has indicated that it opposes the service fees that Google announced it may implement in the future and that Epic will challenge these fees if they come into effect.”
Of course, none of this will come to pass if Judge Donato accepts Google and Epic’s proposed settlement instead, which would generally apply worldwide (instead of just in the US) and comes with lower standard transaction fees.
But Google signaled that settlement, too, would come with fees on alternative billing and external app downloads, and Judge Donato seemed skeptical of the settlement in November. He’s ordered an evidentiary hearing on January 22nd before he makes a decision.
Since Google’s support pages seem to be fluid as Epic v. Google continues, we’ve archived copies of their current text below.
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