From the Editor’s Desk

1. Google’s new rating systems for app downloads
What the heck are they downloading to their mobile devices? Hopefully just Minecraft add-ons and Minion Rush. Google just announced that it’s rolling out a new rating system for apps available in the Google Play store, a move it says will give parents more control over what their kids are downloading. Reception to the announcement has been mixed, and Google could definitely be accused of simply using this new rating system to gain loyalty for Google Play apps in the face of stiff competition from Apple’s popular App Store, which has had a ratings system since 2008. However, the internet giant did agree to refund parents a cool $19 million for apps their kids purchased without permission. So there’s that. Anyway, if you have an Android phone, this new rating system could help you get the 411 on the apps your kids are using, even if they’re downloading them on another device entirely.