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Google Pixel 4A 5G owners are reporting issues using their touchscreens

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Google says it’s aware of a problem with Pixel 4A 5G touchscreens and is working on a fix. Some devices are failing to respond consistently to taps on the lower part of the screen, which is particularly impacting folks who have opted for three-button navigation rather than swipes. Android Police spotted complaints from 4A 5G owners experiencing the issue, which seems to have cropped up after the December security patch was released.

Google’s response comes courtesy of a Pixel support forum post. The company says it will address the problem ”in an upcoming software update”, but it’s looking like that will be at least a couple more weeks away since Android Police reports January’s security patch didn’t address it. In the meantime, Google advises users to work around the issue with some specific instructions on tapping navigation controls:

1. When tapping icons on the edge of the screen, tap the center of the button or the side of the button/icon furthest away from the edge of the display.
2. When tapping icons, including the navigation buttons on the bottom of your screen, use the tip of your finger or thumb instead. This will help improve touch recognition.

It’s not an easy task to try and consciously change the way you do something like tap a button on your phone screen, so hopefully Pixel 4A 5G users will only have to attempt these awkward workarounds for a little while longer.

Google’s January patch did address a raft of other Pixel 4A 5G bugs and quirks with the security update. So while the touchscreen issue persists, at least an audio bug that was causing crackling sounds in some situations is no longer a problem.

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Parler app removed from Google Play Store (Update: Apple suspends iOS app)

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parler app icon

  • Parler, a “free speech” social media app, has been removed from the Google Play Store.
  • In a statement, Google said Parler had not done enough to “implement robust moderation for egregious content.”
  • Apple has also warned Parler to put in better moderation or its iOS app will be removed from Apple’s app store.

Update: January 9, 2021 – 8:36 p.m. ET – Deadline reports that Apple has now suspended the iOS Parler app from its App Store as well. Apple told Parler in an email that the social networking company “has not taken adequate measures to address the proliferation of these threats to people’s safety.”

Original story – January 9, 2021 – Parler, the social media app that centers on conservative themes and content, has had its app removed from the Google Play Store. Launched in 2018, Parler has become more popular over the last several months among US conservatives.

In the wake of Wednesday’s looting of the US Capital in Washington D.C. by a mob, it had been discovered that Parler was used by some right-wing groups and individuals to promote participation in that mob and to advocate violence during that event. Late Friday night, Google decided that was enough to remove the Parler app from the Play Store.

In an email statement from Google, as posted by XDA Developers, the company stated:

In order to protect user safety on Google Play, our longstanding policies require that apps displaying user-generated content have moderation policies and enforcement that removes egregious content like posts that incite violence. All developers agree to these terms and we have reminded Parler of this clear policy in recent months.

We’re aware of continued posting in the Parler app that seeks to incite ongoing violence in the U.S. We recognize that there can be reasonable debate about content policies and that it can be difficult for apps to immediately remove all violative content, but for us to distribute an app through Google Play, we do require that apps implement robust moderation for egregious content. In light of this ongoing and urgent public safety threat, we are suspending the app’s listings from the Play Store until it addresses these issues.

In addition to the…

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Google is featuring Instagram and TikTok ‘Short videos’ in mobile search results

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Google is featuring Instagram and TikTok 'Short videos' in mobile search results

I think it’s safe to say that short-form video content reached the pinnacle of popularity this year. Seeing TikTok’s wild success, competing platforms such as YouTube and Instagram were quick to jump on the bandwagon with Shorts and Reels, respectively. It seems like even Google doesn’t want to miss out on getting a piece of the pie as the search giant is expanding its carousel of short videos in mobile search results to include content from more sources.

Spotted by Twitter user Brian Freiesleben, search results for certain topics (“Packers” in his case) include short videos sourced from Instagram and TikTok.

While I wasn’t able to replicate this here in India, Rita (Lebanon) and Scott (UK) saw success for some searches, so it seems like it’s is available more widely than before.

The same type of carousel was first spotted in mobile search by Saad AK in November, although the videos featured were only sourced from YouTube at that time. This builds on a previous Google test which showed short videos in the Google Discover feed, as spotted by Twitter user Jatin Chaudhary back in August.

Google often moves with the times by updating its search results to include the most relevant content, so it’s no surprise to see it find a way to add TikTok videos into the mix. Google confirmed to TechCrunch that the feature is currently in limited, early-stage testing, so don’t panic if you don’t see it yet.

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