Google Steps forward to Secure its Web Store

Intro:
Chrome apps and extensions make things easier, but they can also do terrible things like spy on web users and collect their personal data.

But, now Google has updated its browser’s User Data Policy requiring all Chrome extension and app developers to disclose what data they collect.

Furthermore, developers are prohibited from collecting unnecessary browsing data and must also use encryption when handling sensitive information from users

Around 40 percent of all Google Chrome users have some kind of browser extensions, plugins or add-ons installed, but how safe are they?

The company plans to enforce developers starting this summer, to "ensure transparent use of the data in a way that is consistent with the wishes and expectations of users."

Google is making its Chrome Web Store safer for its users by forcing developers to disclose how they handle customers' data.

Google’s new User Data Policy will now force app developers, who use the Chrome Web Store to distribute their products, to be more transparent about their data collection practices.

In other words, the company wants its Chrome users to know what's happening when they use third-party apps and services that rely on its browser.

According to Google, "Protecting our users is our key priority, and we believe this change will make sure users are better informed and allow them to choose how their user data is handled."

Here's the list of new requirements for developers:

• Be transparent about the handling of user's data and disclose privacy practices.
• Post a privacy policy as well as use encryption for handling personal or sensitive information of users.
• Ask users to consent to the collection of their personal or sensitive data via a prominent disclosure, when the use of the data is not related to a prominent feature.

Besides this, developers are also restricted from collecting user's Web browsing activity that is not at all required for their app's main functionality.

Google has already started notifying app developers about the change in its privacy policy and is giving them 3 months from now to comply.

From July 15, 2016, any app or extension that violates any of the requirements mentioned above will be discarded from the Chrome Web Store. So the only way to be restored will be to comply with the new policies.

Microsoft Hololens to come in Q1 2016 for Developers

After our experiences with smart watches, it is clear that an aspect as important as battery life is not to be underestimated. So far, HoloLens, said to be one of the exciting future prospects in technology, missed this detail but thankfully, Microsoft is working towards covering that too now.

According to the company, the mixed-reality computing platform will bring life of up to 5.5 hours on a single-charge, rather acceptable for a first-generation product of its kind. However, it can vary quite a lot with heavy 3D applications, whose use can shorten it to a rather subpar 2.5 hours.

Microsoft also detailed further aspects of the HoloLens, including connectivity. HoloLens uses both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for communication, so pretty much every wireless device out there is covered. Several headsets can be connected together for a shared experience too over Wi-Fi, and don’t need to be at the same place at the same time.

It can run just about any Windows 10 universal app. The field of view offered is similar to 15″ monitor placed at two feet from your face, due to cost and battery-life limitations. In the future, with improved manufacturing, that range can be expanded further as well.

We still aren’t sure when will the technology arrive for consumers but developer units should start hitting in Q1 2016. With this slightly different approach with virtual reality, Microsoft can surely blaze a trail for other lesser-known companies with HoloLens.

Muhammad Haris - First Developer to Earn $10 Million on Envato Marketplace

It appears that Muhammad Haris, the developer-extraordinaire from Karachi, has finally achieved a new global milestone.

The Karachi-based Haris and his designer-partner Luke Beck made history in 2013 to score $1 million in income with their ultra-popular WordPress theme called Avada on the Envato Marketplace.

This time around, Mr. Haris and Mr. Beck have made history once again. Their current claim to fame? To become the first sellers on Envato aka Themeforest, to cross $10 million mark!

Together the two of them have achieved a significant milestone not just in Envato’s history as a provider of world-class WordPress themes, but for those who want to pursue freelancing as a serious career option.

The Story Behind ThemeFusion

Haris and Beck founded their company ThemeFusion in 2012. The Karachi-based specialist did the development heavy lifting while Beck designed the overall aesthetic of what was to be the world’s most popular paid WordPress framework called Avada.

Avada allows for virtually limitless theming and customization options, with responsive optimizations that make it a breeze to use it on mobile devices and desktops alike.

Now, with 181,000+ satisfied customers, ThemeFusion has grown into a 20-strong company, providing around-the-clock support to its dedicated user base.

Pakistani Freelancers are Putting Pakistan on the World Map for the Right Reasons

It’s efforts like these that put the best of what Pakistan has to offer the world. Pakistani freelancers happen to be one of the most sought-after in freelance work providers such as UpWork, Freelancer.com and eLance.  We hope that companies like PayPal and the rest set up shop here sooner in order to facilitate Pakistani freelancers who are hamstrung by a litany of charges and hidden costs when it comes to transferring their earnings here.

We wish the ThemeFusion team all the best in their future endeavors. Hopefully Mr. Haris’ efforts will go a long way in convincing people to invest in making freelance work their full-time career that can prove to be lucrative than a regular old 9-to-5 gig.