PCMag – Tech News

Google: No, We’re Not Secretly Using Your Gmail Account to Train Gemini

Google has hit back at claims circulating on social media that accuse the tech giant of training its Google Gemini AI on users' emails without their permission. In a statement shared with The Verge, Google called reports "misleading," saying that the company has “not changed anyone’s settings. Gmail Smart Features have existed for many years, and we do not use your Gmail content for training our Gemini AI model.”
https://www.pcmag.com/news/google-no-were-not-secretly-training-gemini-on-your-gmail-account

Apple’s New iPhone Accessory Is Part Sock, Part Crossbody Strap

Apple’s latest limited-edition accessory is a crossbody cloth strap designed to fit every iPhone. Apple calls this pleated, cloth accessory a "singular 3D-knitted construction." The sock element where you place your phone can be stretched, allowing you to put in other small everyday items.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/apples-new-iphone-accessory-is-part-sock-part-crossbody-strap

Adobe’s SLR-Like Camera App Adds iPhone 17 Support, But There’s a Catch

If you've got an iPhone 17 and have been waiting to try Adobe's Project Indigo app for photography, there's good news. After long delays over hardware compatibility issues, Adobe has found a workaround to offer partial support. Project Indigo rolled out in June and uses computational photography to offer SLR-like results for iPhone users. For photography nerds, the app offers more manual control over focus, exposure, ISO, shutter speed, and more.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/adobes-slr-like-camera-app-adds-iphone-17-support-but-theres-a-catch

OpenAI’s Chrome Killer Is Here: Meet the ChatGPT Atlas Browser

OpenAI jumped into the browser wars today with ChatGPT Atlas, which puts AI at the center of your web surfing, but only on macOS to start. Atlas is built on Google’s Chromium engine and operates like other browsers, offering traditional features such as tabs, bookmarks, password autofill, and an incognito mode. Still, it promises to stand out from the competition by integrating OpenAI’s chatbot into the browsing experience.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/openais-chrome-killer-is-here-meet-the-chatgpt-atlas-browser

California bans loud commercials on Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services

“We heard Californians loud and clear, and what’s clear is that they don’t want commercials at a volume any louder than the level at which they were previously enjoying a program,” Governor Newsom said in a press release. “By signing SB 576, California is dialing down this inconvenience across streaming platforms, which had previously not been subject to commercial volume regulations passed by Congress in 2010.”
https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/07/california-bans-loud-commercials-on-netflix-hulu-and-other-streaming-services/

Is the Cookie About to Crumble? EU Considers Axing Pesky Consent Banners

A 2009 European law called the e-Privacy Directive required websites to get consent before loading cookies. The European Commission is now considering rolling back the law, Politico reports. The move is part of a larger initiative to remove red tape in technology regulation. A committee met to discuss alternatives last week, which could include allowing users to set their cookie preferences once, perhaps in the browser settings, rather than each time they visit a website.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/is-the-cookie-about-to-crumble-eu-considers-axing-pesky-consent-banners

Google to Block Sideloading of Apps From Unverified Developers

Starting next year, app installs on certified Android devices will be possible only if the developer has been verified by Google. The company compares the move to an "ID check at the airport," and says it is intended to tackle malicious actors who impersonate developers and their brand image to trick users into downloading fake apps.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/google-to-block-sideloading-of-apps-from-unverified-developers