Team communication service Slack got in a bit of a pickle yesterday after the database was hacked. The hackers were able to access the stored usernames, email addresses, and passwords on the database.

Fortunately, Slack uses one-way encryption for its database, so even if the hackers got access to the data, there is no guarantee they were able to decrypt it. Slack also claims no financial or payment information was accessed or compromised in this attack. Read more »

Google revealed on its developer forum that the company intends to switch to Pointer Events API from the current Touch Events across the board on all versions of Chrome. This has the benefit of increasing compatibility with multiple input devices and reduce the scrolling lag on Android.

The Pointer Events specification was first introduced by Microsoft back in 2012 for Internet Explorer and was quickly adopted by W3C as a web standard due to its superiority over the Touch Events specification. Pointer Events allows the use of multiple input tools other than a mouse, such as a stylus or a finger, common on modern devices. Read more »

Apple may have announced the Apple watch (twice) but the watch is still to go on sale. But even though there are still a month left for the watch to start shipping, developers have already started rolling out updates for their apps to make them work with the Apple Watch.

The list of apps available for the Apple Watch now includes Target, American Airlines, Nike+, Instagram, Twitter, OpenTable, Evernote, TripAdvisor, CNN, eBay, Shazam, NYTimes, Fandango, Citi Mobile Lite, Expedia, Runtastic, ESPN, and many more. Read more »

Facebook has announced two new Messenger related features at its F8 event. The first is Messenger Platform. Facebook has turned its messaging service into a platform, that allows integration with third party applications.

For example, you can now have the Giphy app integrated into the Facebook Messenger app on your phone, which lets you access Giphy content from within the Messenger app. Giphy now integrates within the Messenger app, allowing you to choose a GIF, which you can then send to your friends on the Messenger app. The person on the other end receives the GIF in their Messenger app. Messenger shows them the app that you used to send the GIF and then can click on the handily available Install button to install the app if they don’t have it. Read more »

Amazon has brought its flagship Kindle model to the Indian stores. The company is selling both, the Wi-Fi as well as the 3G model on its Indian website. The Kindle Voyage is priced at Rs. 16,499 ($265) and the Kindle Voyage 3G is priced at Rs. 20,499 ($329).

The Kindle Voyage is the thinnest Kindle Amazon ever made, with a new flush glass front and magnesium body. The glass on the front is anti-glare and textured to give the feel of paper. Read more »

Netflix has announced that it will be bringing its service to Australia and New Zealand. This would be the first time Netflix will be launching in the Asia Pacific region. The company is said to launch next in Japan.

Customers in this region can subscribe for 8.99 AUD per month to avail the SD service. For HD content, you’ll have to shell out 11.99 AUD and 4K content is priced at 14.99 AUD. Read more »

Treatment centers for airborne diseases such as Ebola are no joke. Everything is locked down and the doctors and scientists working on the patients have to wear special suits and there is a strict control of objects getting in and leaving the center.

As such, it is difficult to communicate with people outside the center. One such center in Magburaka, Sierra Leone had a problem, where the doctors had to shout off information from a piece of paper and then destroy the paper. This is when Google stepped in and created a one-off devices specifically meant to be used in this environment. Read more »

The God of War franchise is having it’s tenth anniversary and Sony is celebrating it with the God of War III Remaster announcement for the PlayStation 4.

Fans of the series will be able to relive (or live) the third major installment in the series on their new PlayStation 4 in glorious 1080p. Along with updated graphics, the remaster also brings with it the photo-mode, that lets you freeze the game and adjust the camera angle and add filters to create photos, which you can then share online. Read more »

Google has finally released the Android Auto app that will let you use Android Auto in your car. The head units with Android Auto started shipping in the US a while ago but couldn’t be used because there was no app on the phone to interface with them, but that shouldn’t be a problem anymore.

Android Auto is Google’s take on integrating smartphone functionality into your car’s entertainment system. It allows you to not just make and receive calls, which you can already even with some of the basic head units, but also voice to set reminders, use navigation, play music, listen to messages. and a lot more. Apple has something similar for iOS devices in the form of CarPlay. Read more »

One of the cool features is that the rubberized bands around the second generation Moto E are removable and can be interchanged with various color options. Motorola also offers grip shells that add a clear plastic shell for the back of the phone for protection.

After recently launching the phone in India, Motorola has now started selling the bands and shells as well through its online partner Flipkart. The bands are available in two sets consisting of three bands each. You can either choose from Raspberry, Turquoise, Purple or Red, Blue, Yellow. Read more »

Gameloft has decided to make Modern Combat 5: Blackout free in its next update on iOS and Android. The game was priced at $7 at launched and didn’t have any in-app purchases, but that’s about to change now.

In the next update, Gameloft is adding a couple of other things just making the game free. There is now controller support (I could have sworn it was there before too), new soldier class, and a new weapons class. But if you’re someone who paid for the game, you receive Veteran Status, which gets you unlimited energy for life, veteran exclusive kill sign and camo, and 200 credits. Read more »

OnePlus announced on its Twitter account that customers in Europe and India will be able to purchase the OnePlus Power Bank later in April through its website.

The OnePlus Power Bank is a 10,000mAh power house with lithium polymer batteries. It has 2x 5V/2A outputs for quickly charging your phone or tablet simultaneously. The Power Bank will be available in Sandstone Black and Silk White. Read more »

For years, Nintendo has been adamantly avoiding the mobile platform, refusing to bring its much loved collection of games from its own consoles to the massive mobile market despite all the demand.

But it seems that the company has changed its mind. Nintendo has partnered with DeNA to make new games for the mobile platform. This means these will be new properties and not existing games such as Super Mario Bros. or Legend of Zelda ported from existing Nintendo consoles, but will feature Nintendo’s characters. These games will be designed and developed specifically for smartphones. Read more »

Google Now, or to be specific, the Google Search app on your Android phone will now let you send messages over Hangouts simply using your voice.

In the latest feature to be enabled server side, Google Search app now includes Hangouts integration. So now you can just say “Okay Google” followed by “Send a Hangouts message” and then your message. It will then ask you whom you want to send the message to followed by your message before you can send it. Read more »

Borderlands is a series of first person shooters with a role playing element for consoles and PC. The original game spawned a sequel and then a pre-sequel, that fit between the first two games.

Tales from the Borderlands is nothing like those games. It is made by Telltale Games, the same studio that made games like The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us, and most recently, the Game of Thrones. Tales from the Borderlands uses characters from the Borderlands universe but places them in a new setting. Let’s take a closer look at it. Read more »