Apple Pay security scam nets fraudsters millions of dollars
The big names in tech are falling over themselves to get new payment system out of the door at the moment. At MWC, Sundar Pichai confirmed Android Pay is on its way, and we've also learned about Samsung Pay from the Barcelona event. The convenience of paying with a smartphone is undeniable, but there are unavoidable security concerns.
Having been adopted by millions of Americans -- and with plans to expand into Europe and beyond -- Apple Pay is serving to highlight important security problems. Lax verification systems used by banks coupled with criminals exploiting stolen credit cards and IDs mean Apple Pay is used to make millions of dollars' worth of fraudulent purchases. So how does it work?
Microsoft helps enterprise customers move to Internet Explorer 11 and Windows 10
While everyday consumers are important to Microsoft, a decent chunk of its income comes from enterprise customers. This group of users can be slow to upgrade software, and Microsoft is keen to encourage them to upgrade to Internet Explorer 11 before support for earlier version comes to an end in January next year.
The company is only too aware that many people are running web services and apps designed for older versions of Internet Explorer. Laying the groundwork for ultimate upgrades to Windows 10, Microsoft is pushing the Enterprise Mode, the Enterprise Mode Site List and Enterprise Site Discovery feature of IE11 as a way to benefit from security updates and technical support whilst simultaneously paving the way for a Windows 10 upgrade further down the line.
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Windows Phone's biggest problem isn't apps
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New memory cards from SanDisk are designed for dashboard and security cameras
Cameras are everywhere these days, even on the dashboards of cars. In fact many of these, while in place for other reasons, have shown us all sorts of interesting stuff, including a recent meteor on its way to earth over the country of Russia. But where do you store all of this data?
SanDisk has a solution that could solve this problem. A new microSDXC card that comes with 64 GB of storage and promises up to 10,000 hours of HD video recording, though a caveat is offered in the fine print -- "video content recorded at 26 Mbps to one device; results, video support and performance may vary depending on host device, file attributes and other factors". Honestly, if it comes anywhere close to that then it's more than enough for any consumer.
Happy! 20th! Birthday! Yahoo!
Earlier I posted that Yahoo had lost market share in February, despite now being the default search engine in Firefox for US users. But boy do I feel churlish now as it turns out today is Yahoo’s birthday, and I’m sure with a bit of thought I could have come up with a better gift.
Yahoo is officially 20 years old, and while the company has certainly seen better days, it’s also survived through some turbulent times. In 2008 Microsoft tried to buy it for about $47.5bn, but Yahoo wanted to get more money, a move which backfired badly. Instead of a sale, the company ended up agreeing to outsource search to Bing, a move at the time my colleague Joe Wilcox described, rightly, as a "strange one". Microsoft, he said was "Dumb", and Yahoo was "Dumber".
Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge get pre-installed Intel Security protection
Samsung surprised many yesterday, when it revealed not one new flagship device, but two -- the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Both devices are drop-dead gorgeous, although the Edge is more so. If you decide to buy either phone, it is highly recommended that you buy a durable case.
If you protect the hardware from damage, why not the inside too? Android is more open than iOS, and even if you stick to the Play Store, malware can still reach your device. Don't panic, however, as Samsung has wisely partnered with Intel Security to pre-load its anti-malware solution, McAfee VirusScan Mobile, on these new phones.
How Netflix helped millions of TV viewers cut the cord
Netflix just won another indirect victory in the form of a net neutrality proposal passed by the Federal Communications Commission, which would ban all types of paid prioritization on the Internet.
This means Verizon, AT&T and Comcast will be unable to seek more revenue from Netflix, in exchange for fast video streaming rates to Netflix’s 40 million US subscribers.
Archos unveils world's first 256GB Android tablet and 'Fusion Storage' technology
Android tablets are a dime a dozen nowadays, making selecting one a bit daunting. Unlike iPad where you only must decide between full-size and mini, tablets running Google's OS come in various shapes, sizes, colors, and prices.
In order to stand out among the sea of rectangular slabs, a company must do something bold and unique. Today, Archos announces the world's first Android tablet to have 256GB of onboard storage. Even cooler? The company announces its fusion storage technology, allowing internal memory to seamlessly combine with a microSD card.
Blackphone 2 caters to the enterprise, the security-minded and the paranoid
Yep, we know all about the NSA, thanks Edward. Yeah, it's possible (probable?) that a government agent somewhere is listening to or recording your conversations. And yes, even if you're not one of the tin-foil hat brigade, there's a danger that someone could tap into your phone. But you don’t have to be paranoid to want security; there are plenty of companies and enterprise customers for whom security is of the utmost importance.
While much of the news coming out of MWC 2015 has been dominated by Microsoft's Lumia 640, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, and tablets from Sony, there's always room for something a little different. Following on from the security-focused Blackphone, Silent Circle used the Barcelona event to announce the follow-up -- the Blackphone 2.
Windows Phone's biggest problem isn't apps
My colleague Brian Fagioli was right to reject Microsoft’s laughable claim that Windows Phone is experiencing 'impressive growth', and to also brand the tiled mobile OS as a failure. Android and iOS completely dominate the mobile space, and Microsoft -- which owns the desktop -- is nothing but a bit player.
If you ask anyone why Microsoft has failed to succeed they will probably say "apps". The Windows Store has a fraction of the apps found in the Apple App Store and Google Play (aside from the main names, few of the many apps I used regularly on my iPhone are available on Windows Phone) and there are dodgy clones and fakes to be found throughout the store. But while that is definitely a factor I think the real blame for Windows Phone’s failure lies elsewhere.
7 useful online tools for your business
As the manager of a small business or an entrepreneur just starting out, you should always be on the lookout for anything that can improve your productivity, time management, organization, and ultimately make day to day tasks easier to manage.
It can be hard enough trying to run things in the office without also having to worry about your online presence. But like it or not, today’s business needs an online presence in order to ultimately succeed, or at least remain competitive.
Even propped up by Firefox, Yahoo search manages to lose market share
Three months ago Mozilla made the surprising decision to make Yahoo the default search provider in the US version of Firefox, replacing Google, its long standing search partner. The switch had immediate benefits for Yahoo which saw sizable usage gains in the US, going from 8.6 percent share in November 2014 to 10.4 percent in December.
However, anyone who thought this would be the start of a search renaissance for Yahoo is going to be disappointed to hear that in February Marissa Mayer’s firm went into reverse and lost share.
Zip through the Amazon without any possible dangers to life and limb
The rainforests of the Amazon can be an inherently dangerous place, with everything from poison dart frogs to flesh eating fish. The Earth itself can be a dangerous place, more so in some locations than others, though it can be argued that only the types of dangers change. With that said, who wouldn't want to explore this pristine, and disappearing, area of the world?
Google Maps Street View can take you on that dream vacation and it's doing so in style -- a zip line to be precise. But this time you don't have all those dangers to worry about.
Google+ to split into Hangouts, Photos, and Streams
It's fair to say that of all of the social networks there are to choose from, Google+ is one that has failed to set the world on fire. Facebook may annoy users from time to time but it dominates the social web, and Twitter has carved out a healthy niche for itself as well. But Google is, uncharacteristically, unwilling to give up on Google+ just yet.
In what seems to be an attempt to breathe new life into a flagging product line, Vice President of Google, Bradley Horowitz is taking control. Interestingly he is not looking after Google+ as a whole, just a couple of its branches. Announcing the news, he said that the recent rumors surrounding Google+ splitting up are true.
Samsung devices overtake Apple in mobile ad impressions
One of the advantages of advertising on digital platforms is that it reveals information about the devices and apps being used to view ads. This is useful for marketers but also echoes some general industry trends.
Digital advertising specialist Millennial Media has released its latest Mobile Mix report charting the use of its platform over the past year. The results throw up some interesting patterns. Among them are that Samsung saw the greatest number of impressions on the platform in the past year, unseating Apple who had previously been the leader.
Malware detection in 2014 doubles from 2013 -- 2015 could be even worse
A report from PandaLabs suggests that there were twice as many malware infections in 2014 compared to 2013 -- and China was the hardest hit. Globally, Europe was found to be the area with the lowest rate of infection, and Sweden topped the chart as the safest country. The UK found itself in fourth place with an infection rate of 22.14 percent.
There were certainly plenty of big name security issues throughout 2014. CryptoLocker was just one high-profile example of ransomware, and Trojans continue to be the most common form of infection, accounting for 70 percent of new malware. Viruses tend to be the most commonly known and feared form of infection, but these make up just 12.33 percent of new infections, and a mere 2.7 percent overall.