HexBrowser.NET identifies mystery files from their contents
Identifying a file type is normally just a matter of glancing at the extension: EXE, a program; ZIP, an archive; JPG, an image, and so on.
But what if the extension is missing, or has been changed for some reason? The free HexBrowser.NET analyzes the file contents to tell you more.
Protecting your brand in the new domain name era
The online world has long been a space in which brands and businesses have jostled for attention. Until recently, there have been only a small number of domain extensions available, with the most popular ones including .com, or .co.uk.
The limited number of possibilities meant that prime domain addresses were fiercely fought over, with the market becoming increasingly saturated as rising numbers of brands looked to establish an online presence. Now however, a new programme spearheaded by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is changing the face of the domain name marketplace -- by introducing more than 1200 new domain suffixes to the Internet.
Yu Yureka successor -- Project Caesar -- with Android Lollipop-based Cyanogen OS 12 to launch in India in April
YU Televentures, a Micromax Mobile-owned smartphone brand, grabbed headlines late last year for launching the Yureka smartphone. The Yureka packs in mid-range specification and runs on Cyanogen OS while maintaining an enticing affordable Rs 8,999 ($140) price point. The company is now working on the second iteration of the popular Yureka smartphone, YU’s co-founder Rahul Sharma confirms to BGR India.
Codenamed “Project Caesar”, the smartphone will come with improved specification, which Sharma doesn't want to reveal just yet. On the software front, it will run on Android Lollipop-based Cyanogen OS 12. Sharma noted that the smartphone will be launched in April.
YouTube gets a case of March Madness as NCAA tournament approaches
March Madness is almost upon us. For those outside the US this may sound a bit weird -- almost like what people claim to happen during a full moon. In truth it's actually more mundane, though many folks may argue that point. It's the college basketball tournament that culminates in the crowning of a school as the new national champion. It's the time of year when even non-gamblers lay down money and fill out brackets.
Can you watch it online? Well, sort of. A special YouTube channel is being set up to bring you some of the action. The selections for participation will be made March 15th and the games get underway on the 17th. The grand finale actually supersedes the month, with a championship game played on April 6th.
Get free Xbox One games on your Xbox 360!
Xbox One is probably the best console on the market, although I'm sure PlayStation 4 fans will disagree. Before you call me an "Xbox One fan boy", please know that I don't even own it. So why do I consider it the best? Besides games, its multimedia capabilities and Kinect compatibility put it over the edge for me.
While I don't own Microsoft's latest console, I did buy the Xbox 360 last year. Why? I had never owned one, and got it for a steal at $99. Unfortunately, even though I have a Live Gold membership, that only entitles me to the free 360 games through my console; not Xbox One. This changes today, however, as you can now get free Xbox One games on your Xbox 360 console with a Live Gold membership!
Apple Pay security scam nets fraudsters millions of dollars
The big names in tech are falling over themselves to get new payment systems 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 versions come 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.
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.