In the coming weeks, Google is rolling out end-to-end encrypted phone calls on its Google Fi MVNO, the search giant announced today. When enabled, the feature means that no one, not even Google, can listen in on the contents of a call. Although it’s possible to have end-to-end encrypted audio calls through services like FaceTime and WhatsApp, Google Fi’s new feature makes it the default for regular phone calls. The feature is a little limited in its current form. Google’s end-to-end… Source link

This article is part of the On Tech newsletter. Here is a collection of past columns. Google and Facebook love to talk about the cutting-edge stuff that they’re working on. Metaverse! Driverless cars! Cloud! Artificial intelligence! The reality, though, is that these tech companies are rich and powerful because they are the biggest sellers of advertising in the world. They do essentially the same thing that William Randolph Hearst did a century ago: They draw our attention to try to sell us… Source link

Amazon (AMZN) reported third-quarter sales and earnings results that missed Wall Street’s estimates, reflecting a growth deceleration after the pandemic stoked a surge in online shopping last year and earlier in 2021.  The company also flagged that it would see additional costs as a result of supply chain challenges in the fourth quarter. Shares dropped by more than 4% in late trading.  Here were the main metrics from Amazon’s report, compared to consensus estimates compiled by Bloomberg:

PORTLAND — Memphis Grizzlies third-year guard Ja Morant is now widely viewed as an All-Star player. Though he has yet to officially be voted as such, he carries an annoyance with those who are just now becoming believers. “I feel like it took me averaging 35 points a game to finally get some All-Star recognition,” Morant told Yahoo Sports. “But, I really can’t speak too much on that. I feel like my chip will never leave.” The Grizzlies’ franchise guard erupted to start the… Source link

The Pixel 6 Pro has everything you’d look for in a 2021 flagship phone. It’s the best phone Google has… Source link

And the wins keep piling up for buy now, pay later outfit Affirm.  The company announced this week it has inked a deal with American Airlines that will allow consumers to pay for their travel in installments.  “It’s there to help travelers. Lots of people are going to try to go to a family getaway and not everyone is capable of paying for it instantaneously in cash,” said Affirm founder and CEO Max Levchin on Yahoo Finance Live. For Affirm, the American Airlines tie-tup is the latest in a… Source link

Prescription drug prices have become a key target of criticism by those calling for reforms to the U.S. health care system. Upon taking office, President Biden vowed to lower these prices. His plan called on Congress to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices with manufacturers, allow prescription drugs to be imported from Canada, impose an out-of-pocket spending cap for those on Medicare, and limit annual price increases. Unfortunately, the plan was dropped from the latest White House… Source link

Months after legendary boxer Mike Tyson made his triumphant return to the ring against Roy Jones Jr. last year, rumors have been swirling that his next opponent could be YouTuber-turned-boxer Logan Paul. Paul may have earned more respect from the boxing community after going the distance in his last exhibition bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr., but Iron Mike didn’t necessarily seem threatened in a new interview with Yahoo Finance. Without going as far as confirming a fight with Paul, Tyson… Source link

Housing activity in the U.S. kicked off the fall season slower than anticipated. Pending home sales, a leading indicator of the health of the housing market, fell in September, reversing an increase a month earlier. The National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) Pending Home Sales Index, which tracks the number of homes that are under contract to be sold, dropped 2.3% in September from August — a surprising dip. Analysts expected a 0.5% increase in sales, according to Bloomberg consensus… Source link

(Bloomberg) — China’s largest cross-border brokers plummeted in U.S. premarket trading after a central bank official questioned the legitimacy of their operations amid Beijing’s continuing crackdown on private enterprise. Most Read from Bloomberg These online brokers are engaged in “illegal financial activities” because they have no “driving licenses” to operate in China, Sun Tianqi, a senior People’s Bank of China official wrote in an article published on the website of Finance… Source link