Google Agreed to Pay $68 Million in Class Action Settlement Over Google Assistant Privacy Violation, Pending Approval

Google has agreed to pay $68 million in a lawsuit settlement that claims that the Google assistant was recording private conversations illegally on smartphones, so that they could better target the smartphone owner with ads. It recorded private conversations without being alerted with the activation phrase, "Hey Google."

Google agreed to pay $68 million in a settlement

Google Will Pay Out $68 Million Over Privacy Lawsuit involving Assistant

Google has agreed to pay out a total of $68 million USD to smartphone users that had voice-activated Google assistant and their privacy was violated when it recorded users for targeted ads without the activation words, "Hey Google."

Reuters reported that U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman must approve the class action settlement that was filed 23 January, 2026, and therefore is in "pending approval" status.

According to Reuters, "users objected to receiving ads after Google Assistant misperceived what they said in hot words, known as 'false accepts.'"

Google has settled without acknowledging wrongdoing. this is to avoid cost, risk, and uncertainty of litigation, according to court papers. Those affected and subject to "false accepts" since May 18, 2016, are covered or "eligible" class action members of this settlement. Eligible users may file claims for up to 3 devices.

Out of the $68 million, the lawyers for plaintiffs "may seek up to one-third of the fund, or about $22.7 million" for their legal fees.

Do you suspect that Google Assistant on your smartphone recorded any of your private conversations in order to target you with ads?

Tampa Bay News: Google Agrees to Pay $68 Million in Privacy Lawsuit 

Sources:

Stempel, Jonathan. "Google settles Google Assistant privacy lawsuit for $68 million." Reuters.com. 26 January 2026.

Tampa Bay News. "Google Agrees to Pay $68 Million in Privacy Lawsuit Settlement." 27 January 2026.

Email Notice to Consumers Who Made Payments Through the Google Play Store

The following is a legitimate email sent out to eligible class action lawsuit members regarding the $630 million Google Play settlement. 

Google Play $630 Million Class Action Settlement

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
State of Utah, et al. v. Google LLC, et al., Case No. 3:21-cv-05227-JD

NOTICE OF STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL SETTLEMENT

Notice ID: 332212040

ATTENTION: CONSUMERS WHO MADE PAYMENTS THROUGH THE GOOGLE PLAY STORE

THIS IS A COURT-APPROVED NOTICE AND NOT A SOLICITATION FROM A LAWYER

Please read this Notice carefully. You are receiving this Notice because you may have paid for an app through the Google Play Store or paid for in-app content (including purchases in gaming apps, subscriptions, and ad-free versions of apps) through Google Play Billing between August 16, 2016, and September 30, 2023 (a "Qualifying Purchase"). For example, if you paid to download a game or made a purchase in an app downloaded from the Google Play Store, you may have important rights concerning the State Attorneys General lawsuit described below.

A proposed settlement has been reached in a consumer protection and antitrust lawsuit brought by the Attorneys General of all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands ("State Attorneys General") against Google (the "Action").

The State Attorneys General claim that consumers paid too much to Google for apps and for purchases made in apps downloaded from the Google Play Store because Google monopolized app distribution on certain Android devices and in-app billing services. The State Attorneys General also claim that by monopolizing app distribution, Google reduced consumers' choices in apps. The State Attorneys General also claim that Google made misrepresentations to the public concerning the risks of getting apps from sources other than the Google Play Store and Google's billing policies for apps. Google denies any wrongdoing and denies the allegations in the Complaint.

The State Attorneys General brought this lawsuit in their parens patriae* capacity, on behalf of consumers who made Qualifying Purchases through Google Play Billing between August 16, 2016, and September 30, 2023, while living in any State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands.

As part of the settlement, a $630 million Settlement Fund will be established. The Fund will be used to pay consumers who made at least one Qualifying Purchase, as well as the costs of administering the Fund and attorneys' fees. Your share of the Fund will be at least $2 and may be more based on how much you paid for apps through the Google Play Store or for in-app content through Google Play Billing between August 16, 2016, and September 30, 2023, compared to the amount paid by all other consumers who made Qualifying Purchases.

You are receiving this Notice because Google's internal records show that you may have made a Qualifying Purchase using a Google payments profile with a "Legal Address" located in one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands.

If the "Legal Address" listed in your Google payments profile at the time you made a Qualifying Purchase is in one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands, then you are a member of this Action and you are eligible to receive a payment from the Settlement Fund.

If you are covered by this Action, you may not have to do anything to receive a payment from the Settlement Fund. The Settlement Fund will make the majority of payments automatically, and no claim form is necessary in most cases. Once the Settlement has been approved by the Court, you will receive an email from PayPal or a text from Venmo notifying you of your incoming payment at the email address or mobile phone number associated with your Google Play account. If that email address or phone number is also associated with a PayPal or Venmo account, then the payment will be made directly to that account. If that email address or phone number does not match an email address or phone number associated with a PayPal or Venmo account, then you have the option to create a new account or redirect the payment to a PayPal or Venmo account at another email address or phone number.

If you (a) do not have an existing PayPal or Venmo account and do not want to sign up for PayPal or Venmo, (b) no longer have access to the email address or mobile phone number associated with your Google Play account, or (c) were expecting to receive a payment but did not, there will be a supplemental claims process after the automatic payments process is complete.

If you would like to be notified by email when the supplemental claims process starts, you may submit your name, email address, and mobile phone number at www.GooglePlayStateAGAntitrustLitigation.com.

By receiving money, you will give up any rights to sue, or continue to sue, Google separately over the claims at issue in this Action.

Objections to the $630 Class Action Google Play Lawsuit

If you want to object to the Settlement, then you must file a written objection on or before February 19, 2026. To learn more about the process for making objections, go to www.GooglePlayStateAGAntitrustLitigation.com.

If you do not want to receive a payment from the Settlement Fund and you want to bring your own case against Google, then you must submit a request to be excluded on or before February 19, 2026. To learn more about or to submit a request for exclusion, go to www.GooglePlayStateAGAntitrustLitigation.com.

An administrator appointed by the Court is sending this Summary Notice. To view the full Notice approved by the Court, and for more information about the Action, including certain important Court filings, go to www.GooglePlayStateAGAntitrustLitigation.com or contact the Notice Administrator at 1-866-905-8127 or by email to info@GooglePlayStateAGAntitrustLitigation.com.

BY ORDER OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The preceding email refers to a website, but doesn't ask you to take any action to join the class action lawsuit, because they already know who has a Google Play account and who is eligible.

That is a big indicator that this is a real and legitimate email. 

Google and Apple Have a 'Secret Deal' That Keeps Google Search as the Default Search Engine: How to Change this on Your iPhone

Google and Apple have a secret deal that affects iPhone users. Google pays Apple billions of dollars every year to be the default search engine on the iPhone. This secret agreement helps Google dominate the online search market and make more money from advertising. The money Google pays helps Apple fund its product development and innovation.

iPhone users: Have you ever wondered why Google Search is the default search engine on the iPhone?

That's because they have a secret deal.

Google pays Apple billions each year to keep it the default search engine.

Business Insider reported that Google paid Apple up to $15 billion in their secret deal, which is also why Apple walked away from meetings to potentially make DuckDuckGo a default search engine on Apple products. This amount would account for about one-fifth of Apple's annual income worldwide.

CNBC reported that Google paid multiple companies $26.3 billion in 2021 to keep Google Search as the default search engine on mobile phones and web browsers. This number includes the amount it paid to Apple.

Not everyone wants Google to be their default search engine.

It is public knowledge that Google tracks online behavior, uses personal data, and influences search results. Other search engines offer more privacy, security, and even social good.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google in 2020. The lawsuit claims Google has unlawfully maintained its monopoly in the online search market by entering into exclusive agreements with Apple and other device makers to prevent them from using other search engines. The lawsuit claims Apple received between $8 to $15 billion.

The DOJ complaint stated:

“Google pays billions of dollars each year to distributors—including popular-device manufacturers such as Apple, LG, Motorola, and Samsung; major U.S. wireless carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon; and browser developers such as Mozilla, Opera, and UCWeb—to secure default status for its general search engine and, in many cases, to specifically prohibit Google’s counterparties from dealing with Google’s competitors.”

How to Change the Default Search Engine on Your iPhone

Here’s how you can change Google Search from your default on your iPhone it in a few steps:

• Go to Settings on your iPhone and tap Safari
• Tap Search Engine
• Choose the search engine you want to use from the list. You can choose to stick with Google or go with Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo and Ecosia
• Close the Settings app and open Safari. You will see that your new search engine is now the default

Sources:

Feiner, Lauren. "Google paid $26 billion in 2021 to become the default search engine on browsers and phones." CNBC. 27 October 2023.

TikTok User @hemanknowit Shares Google Voice Hack on How to Get 10 Tacos at Tasty Casa for $0.48 with Uber Eats

TikTok user hemanknowit posted a video on his TikTok account sharing his Google voice hack to get 10 fajita chicken street tacos for only $0.48 on Uber Eats.

TikTok user hermanknowit; credit: @hermanknowit

User hemanknowit on TikTok shares his secret to getting tacos extremely cheap from Tasty Casa which he believes is "like extreme couponing" in his words.

The restaurant where he ordered from is Tasty Casa located at 1213 S McDonald Street in McKinney, TX.

TikTok User hemanknowit Shares his Google Voice Hack to Get Discount Tacos on Uber Eats

User @hemanknowit shares his secret Google Voice Hack in his TikTok video. He admits in the video, "Uber gonna delete my accounts, but I ain't fixin' to gatekeep this." Uber Eats is probably going to crack down on people taking advantage of this hack.

He says, "Today is Taco Tuesday, and I don't miss a Taco Tuesday."

He points out: "10 Fajita Chicken Street Tacos for $0.48. Look at the breakdown. Let me tell you how I do this."

TikTok user hermanknowit; credit: @hermanknowit

How to Get Extreme Taco Discount with Uber Eats at Tasty Casa in McKinney, TX

User @hemanknowit says, "The thing is...and grab your pen and paper and listen fast."

"You gotta go from your current Uber Eats [account] and get a Google Voice number, and refer yourself from your current to your Google Voice number, sign up, and then get the $20 off of a $25 order, and then you get it on both accounts."

He Warns About the Complexity of the Referral Offer

He warns that if you do this, "then you'll start getting these crazy orders on both accounts, but that particular one I did, it was 'buy one, get one free' [offer] plus $15 off of a $25 [order] but it was already 'buy one, get one free' so it's like extreme couponing but through Uber Eats, and I know that they are going to come back for me. Enjoy."

The TikTok video can be seen below.

Source: @hemanknowit (TikTok)

Would you say this is a form of extreme couponing or just gaming the system?

Gaming the Referral System Violates Google Eligibility Requirements

The Google Voice referral program offers a referral bonus to both the referrer and the referee.

If you sign up for a Google Voice number solely for the purpose of getting a referral bonus, you may receive the bonus if you meet the eligibility requirements and the referral is successful. However, it is important to note that creating multiple Google Voice accounts for the purpose of gaming the referral program is against the program's terms and conditions and may result in the cancellation of your accounts and forfeiture of any referral bonuses earned.

Review: Coup is a Fun Game App in the Google Play Store

Want to know a fun game app in the Google Play store?

Over the holidays, I discovered a game in the Google Play store: the game Coup.

Coup app icon

The app is available in the Google Play store is based on a board game of deception and manipulation. This app game is essentially a card game, and is all about bluffing, and learning how to bluff successfully.

The game is free to download. There are in-game purchases available, but not necessary to play.

The game consists of five character cards:

1. Duke card - the Duke draws a tax of 3 coins, and cannot be blocked or challenged.
2. Captain card - the Captain can steal 2 coins, and can be blocked by the the Captain or Ambassador card.
3. Contessa card - Contessa can block an Assassination
4. Assassin card - in exchange for 3 coins, the Assassin can attempt an assassination. The Assassin can be blocked by only Contessa character card.
5. Ambassador card - the Ambassador can exchange 1 or 2 cards from the player's hand, and allow the player to choose from the next 2 cards drawn

Coup Gameplay

Each player has a total of 15 cards in the deck. Each character appears 3 times in the deck The player is drawn 2 random cards to start with in their hand.

You then can bluff or truthfully choose how you want to play based on the character cards' abilities, or you can draw 1 coin if you choose. There is a motivation to get to 7 coins. Once you reach 7 coins, you can press the "Coup" button, and force the player to reveal 1 card. A Coup cannot be blocked.

If you have an Assassin, you must have 3 coins in order to use the Assassin card.

You have 1:30 to play your turn, unless you are in a challenge period.

If you choose to only tell the truth, then logic could reveal your cards to the other player.

After you successfully accomplish certain tasks, the game awards you with badges that you can display on your Coup profile picture.

Coup Tips

1. Plan on bluffing. The game requires you to bluff to be successful.
2. If you do not have the Duke, but want to collect tax, start bluffing in Round 1 (your first turn)
3. If you have a card, but want the other player to think your bluffing, play it at an odd time
4. If you are in a challenge period of 30 sec., you can hesitate to play, but it will look like you do not have the card if you do this. You can hesitate to make the other player think you don't have the card.
5. You can use chat features to communicate pre-selected phrases and taunts to the other player. Use these strategically while playing.

Screenshot of Coup app

Disclaimer: The author of this blog post was not paid in any way for this blog post, and wrote it out of pure interest.

Google parent Alphabet and GlaxoSmithKline Partner to create Galvani Bioelectronics

Alphabet and GlaxoSmithKline partnership Galvani Bioelectronics graphic

Alphabet and GlaxoSmithKline Joint Venture: Galvani Bioelectronics

Search powerhouse Google parent Alphabet and pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline are partnering to create Galvani Bioelectronics. This joint venture will be located in the UK. GlaxoSmithKline will own 55% of Galvani Biolectronics, while Alphabet (Google's parent company), will own 45% of Galvani Bioelectronics. The tentative date that Galvani Bioelectronics will have electrical medical implant treatments ready for the regulatory agency to review, will be the year 2023.

Announcement from GlaxoSmithKline and Alphabet

On 01 August 2016, GlaxoSmithKline and Alphabet announced their new joint venture into electrical medical implants by creating Galvani Bioelectronics. The goal is to "harness" electrical signals in the body to treat chronic diseases. Bioelectronics is still relatively new in the medical field, and Alphabet and GlaxoSmithKline want to be on the forefront of new medical discoveries (although GlaxoSmithKline has been active in this field since 2012). "New" meaning that very little progress has been made in this field as far as developing practical medical treatments for the human body. Alphabet's company Verily has expertise in the miniaturization of low power electronics, which is why this is such a strategic partnership.

The main headquarters for this joint venture will be in Stevenage in the UK, and research will also be conducted at Verily's facility in San Francisco, CA.

Galvani Bioelectronics to Create Miniature Electrical Medical Implants

The joint venture between Alphabet and GlaxoSmithKline will produce miniature electrical medical implants to treat a wide array of diseases in the human body. Think of a TENS unit, only smaller, and inside the body. Galvani Bioelectronics will be funded with about $712M over the next seven years.

Fun Fact: The inspiration of the company name Galvani Bioelectronics is from Luigi Aloisio Galvani, who was an 18th century scientist that first explored this field of bioelectronics.

In Other News...

In other news, Tesla has announced that it is buying SolarCity for $2.6B being that they have similar synergy in the renewable energy industry.

Google Chrome crash, Safari Glitch

Google Chrome is cracked

Solutions to Google Chrome Crashing

Google Chrome looks cracked above, doesn't it? Well it is.

If you are experiencing Google Chrome crashes, you are not alone. The truth is out there.

The three most common fixes for when Google Chrome crashes is:

1. Restart Google Chrome
2. Restart your device
3. Close the other tabs
4. Disable problematic plugins (see screenshot on right)
5. If all else fails, reset the settings (see screenshot below)

Apple iOS Safari browser Glitch Crash Boom!

On January 27, 2016 Safari browser, by Apple, kept crashing. It was even unavailable for some worldwide users on Wednesday. Everyone was wondering: "Why?"

There is a perfect good explanation for this, isn't there?

No. Apple has declined to comment as to the details of why their beloved browser has crashed. They will not even provide any hints as to why the Safari browser has failed millions of people worldwide.

Apple calls Safari problems a minor Glitch

This "glitch" - as Apple called it, lasted approximately 7 hours. Apple claimed that the problem was fixed about 10:45 p.m. Eastern standard time, but they did not say why the Safari glitch caused such an issue for users worldwide.

People in Apple's support forums believe that the Safari glitch was caused by the Safari's search suggestions box. They surmised that typing anything into the box caused the app to crash on the Apple iPhone. They temporary disabled this feature in the settings, but had to shut down the servers to do so.

Some people wonder if this Safari glitch had anything to do with the latest upgrade of the iOS system that took place earlier in the week.

How to Solve your Browser Problems

There is one way to solve your Google Chrome and Apple Safari problems: Don't use either.

There are other browsers that you can use, instead of Google Chrome and Apple Safari.

You could use Microsoft Edge or Mozilla Firefox, as an alternative. Although one should point out that Mozilla Firefox uses more of your computer's resources to run than most other browsers. That doesn't mean that it isn't good, it just means, be mindful of your CPU working overtime to run your online browser.

Microsoft Edge Not Really Letting you Browse inPrivate

In 2010, Stanford analysts found that private perusing modes in Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Internet Explorer were powerless against neighborhood aggressors through various hacker attackers.

When you use inPrivate browsing, Internet Edge browser still creates data on the hard drive disk connected to your browsing activities. The cached files are still stored in the Temporary Internet files sub-directories.

The only thing it really does as advertised, is conceal a user's browser history from the user interface, and from the common tools.

Mozilla Firefox taking a bite out of Internet Explorer

Why is Google Chrome Crashing in Windows 10?

Google Chrome keeps crashing in Windows 10

The question of the hour is: Why is Google Chrome crashing in Windows 10?

Here is a daily log of Google Chrome's performance in Windows 10:
I was using Google Chrome on 08/06/15 in Windows 10 and had it open for up to 30 minutes.  Then, the screen went purple and had the purple dinosaur on the screen - the unable to connect to the internet message was on the screen, with a button to reload the page.  It did nothing.  Apparently, Google Chrome has been having issues when running on OS Windows 10. It keeps crashing.

On 08/07/15, I used Google Chrome in Blogger and wrote this blog post. I did not experience any issues on this day.

08/08/15, I had Microsoft Edge browser open on one monitor screen, and opened up Google Chrome on another screen in OS Windows 10. The Google Chrome browser would not respond when I tried to type in words into Google.com. I closed Google Chrome, and then opened a new window. The second Google Chrome window worked normally, but the first window was unresponsive. I tried opening up a third tab in Google Chrome, and open Yahoo.com. It took an unusually long time, and appeared to be slow and sluggish.

Google Chrome Keeps Crashing in Windows 10

Are you trying to figure out the following:
Why does Google Chrome keep crashing in Windows 10?
Google Chrome crashes in Windows 10

Google Chrome permanently crashed on me on 08/06/15, and I don't have a technical answer. The obvious answer is Google Chrome browser has not worked out the bugs with Windows 10.

Google Chrome Keeps Crashing in Windows 10, but Why? 

User Soul Wolfess  posted this on Answers.Microsoft.com:

So I upgraded my laptop to Windows 10 two days ago. Everything worked like a charm. Last night my internet fluxed and I couldn't even load chrome, now my internet is stable I can't keep chrome open on 1 single tab for more than 10 mins without it crashing on me. Windows 10 update + Chrome A HUGE problem. It's never and I mean NEVER done this to me. When ever Chrome refuses to load, by this I mean even open to display. I uninstall it and re-install it and I have done that only twice in the past 2 years. But this constant ''Google Chrome is not Responding'' nonsense is getting on my nerves. I have cleared my cache, even wiped my temp files and all my browsing history. Since 9am this morning it's crashed about 5 times. I'm trying to get on with some research and some important work and it's starting to annoy me. I NEVER use Internet Explorer because it killed my PC the last time I used it. 


I am currently on a MSI Apache Pro gaming system, with 12gb Ram and a i7 Processor. Freshly re-installed to Win 10. 


Please Help me =/  

Thanks.

Is Microsoft Intentionally Causing other Browsers (like Google Chrome) to crash in Windows 10?

An article on Motley Fool raises the legitimate question: Is Microsoft intentionally causing other browsers to crash and burn in Windows 10?

This article says the Windows 10 was intentionally created to override the default browser used in the OS system to make Microsoft Edge (their new web browser) the default internet browser. If this is true, then it is plausible to also believe that Windows 10 might also make other browsers unstable.

Two Secrets to Getting 1.5 Million Organic Page Views on Google Plus

1.5 Million Google Plus Page Views

What are the two big secrets to getting 1.5 million organic page views on Google Plus?

The first secret is original content...not just re-posting articles and stories that interest you.

My Google+ profile has passed 1.5 million organic page views. with the majority of posts on my profile are blog posts from Z. Love's Entertainment Blog and Stop Email Phishing Scams.

Original Content is important to Google Plus and Google Search

People want to read original content. Re-posting articles and content makes that content popular, but you need original content added to Google Plus as well.

Hashtags are important to Twitter, but now also on Facebook and Google Plus

The second secret is to add hashtags to every post on Google Plus. You can add up to three hashtags per post on Google Plus. Focus on the most popular and most searched for words in the post. Hashtags started out as a way to contribute to a conversation on Twitter, but the use of hashtags has now also grown to social media sites Facebook and Google+, too.

These 1.5 million organic page views on Google Plus were not from back-links, special marketing tricks, or special SEO other than what I have already described to you. Secret #1: Post original content regularly. Secret #2: Add hashtags to every post. 

If you want Google+ to give you lots of page views, you must learn to incorporate the about two secrets to every post.

Another tips is to always write something in the description of a Google+ post. These words come up in search engine results, and help your posts and content to be found in internet searches, particularly when a Google search is performed.

Both the description of the blog post and the description that you typed on Google+ will show up in a Google search containing certain key words.

If you have found this blog post helpful, please follow me on Google+.

Google Contact Lens and Google X Project Adds New Biotech to Glasses

Google Contact Lens; photo by Google

Google Contact Lens is for Diabetics

Would you put a Google Contact Lens in your eye?

Probably so, if you are diabetic.

It seems like a bit of a stretch, because Google just recently rolled out with the Google Glass project. But the search engine behemoth is already years ahead in their next technology, and this technology is still years away from the consumer. This project is courtesy of the Google X lab, which also produced a car that needs no human driver, and the Google Glass project.

Google Contact Lens not an Advancement of Google Glass...yet

But the Google Contact Lens is a little less interested in taking video and photos at this point, and more interested in monitoring the glucose level found in human tears. But don’t worry, if this latest tech proves to be profitable, you can be assured that taking video and pictures is only down the road.

Google shared on Thursday January 16, 2014 that their Google Contact Lens is realistically five years down the road from being available to consumers.

Ultimately, the Google Contact Lens is competing with other technologies being developed to monitor the health of diabetics, so we can finally do away with the pricking of fingers (and other areas on the body) to get a drop of blood onto a lancet test strip.

There are an estimated 382 million people in the world that are diabetic, and this technology would no doubt have a market.

Google Glass to Implement Next Generation Biotech Soon

Despite the fact that the Google Contact Lens is at least five years down the road, the Google Glass project is in existence, and they are about to add next generation biotech to their glasses.

This Business Insider article shares that the Google X team has been in talks with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to add biosensors to Google Glass glasses to monitor your vital signs, which will be interpreted and gathered by Google Glass glasses.

This would prove a valuable feature for those with known medical conditions, and would be very helpful for people with heart conditions.

With Google Contact Lens in the works and Google Glass biotech upgrades, products starting out as a Google X project seem to be very lucrative and help people monitor their health. 

RAD Soldiers Strategy Game Review for iPhone and Google Chrome

RAD Soldiers by WarChest

RAD Soldiers is a free-to-play turn-based Strategy game for both iPhone and Google Chrome.

RAD Soldiers Video Game Review

Each squad of weapon carrying fighters has a Captain, who has the power to call in air-strikes and radio down medical supplies or an item called "Less Harma Pharma" which reduces the damage taken by a soldier.

This game is perfect for the video gamer that likes strategy, and has both campaign modes and an online multiplayer mode.

Each soldier has a unique special ability that can be performed, which makes this strategy game interesting.

RAD Soldiers for iPhone

RAD Soldiers for iPhone is obviously on a smaller scale. The loading time on an iPhone 4 takes a few minutes, and if you are toggling between online multiplayer matches, the loading time can become annoying.

The other annoying thing about RAD Soldiers on iPhone is that it is easy to mispoke the screen, or for your finger poke to not register and then the move is not accepted. After having this happen a lot, it can get frustrating.

If you don't mind the load time and the mis-pokes, then play RAD on your iPhone.

RAD Soldiers for Google Chrome

RAD Soldiers for Google Chrome can be downloaded from the Google Chrome store. If you are playing in several multiplayer matches at once, it loads much quicker on Google Chrome.

There are no loading time issues (other than on boot up) for RAD on Google Chrome. It is much easier to play with a mouse than poking spaces on an iPhone screen.

Tips for Getting RAD bucks

RAD bucks are the in-game currency. There are many ways to earn RAD bucks. 

Here are some tips:

1. Add a friend from an online multiplayer match. This will get you one bonus RAD buck.
2. Win an online multiplayer match. This will get you one courtesy RAD buck.
3. Level up. Each time you level up, you get a RAD buck
4. Beat a campaign mode stage. This will get you one RAD buck.

Locked Air Drops

When playing in Campaign mode on Google Chrome, you may notice some locked crates falling from the sky. RAD gives you three keys for free. There are bonus items you would otherwise have to buy given in the locked crates. After you use up your three free keys, then you have to pay to buy more.

Expansion Maps

Expansion maps are offered in RAD in exchange for either RAD bucks or for payment in real currency. The downside to the free-to-play part is that the cheapest expansion map costs 45 RAD bucks. This means if you are saving RAD bucks, you better save them for an expansion map, since you can purchase recruits with coins, and coins can be won in online multiplayer.

Just by observation, I would like to see more cities and campaigns available to unlock, and some for only 20 something RAD bucks.

Overall Rating for RAD Soldiers

Overall, I give RAD a thumbs up for being an awesome free-to-play strategy video game for both iPhone and Google Chrome. What is even more awesome is that you can log in from either and your account is automatically synced. You can pick up from your iPhone if you want to play on the go.

As long as there is more unlockable content to work towards, then this video game will keep your attention.

Z.Love's Stamp of Approval