Read QR codes on the Windows desktop with BarCode Reader
The easiest way to scan the occasional QR code is on your phone. Install one of the many QR Reader apps, point your camera at it, and you’re done: it’ll detect the code, read the text and maybe act on it, for example opening your browser at a URL.
ByteScout BarCode Reader is a free tool which brings the same QR-reading abilities to the Windows desktop, and adds a lot of other functionality as well.
Xiaomi Redmi 2 with 4G LTE support launched in India for Rs 6,999 ($110)
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi today launched the Redmi 2 -- the successor to its dirt cheap Redmi 1S -- at an event in New Delhi. The company has once again partnered with e-commerce portal Flipkart to give it the exclusive rights to sell the smartphone in the country. Priced at Rs 6,999 ($110), the handset will be available for purchase starting March 24 and will be sold via flash sales. The registration will start at 6PM IST on Flipkart today.
Unveiled in China this January, the Redmi 2 sports a 4.7-inch IPS HD display with 312PPI. It is powered by a 64-bit 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor and Adreno 306 GPU paired with 1GB RAM. It comes with 8GB of inbuilt storage, which can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD card should you need more storage.
Panda Security identified itself as malware, quarantined its own files
Security software can be inherently dangerous. That appears to be a statement that doesn't seem to make sense, but it does none-the-less. We've seen it time and again, as well-meaning tools cause chaos with computers. The problems over the years have run the gamut from endless reboots to dead systems to files "accidentally" removed. The software has the best interest of the user in mind, but sometimes it goes too far, treading beyond the line of safety.
Such is the case in this latest incident which affected customers of the popular anti-virus program, Panda Security. It is not the first, nor likely the last, to cause these issues. By it's very nature, the programs search for files identified as malicious. The problem arises from the definitions it installs with each update. These are designed to search for malware, but can also appear as the culprit for which they are looking for.
Apple MacBook vs Google Chromebook Pixel
Two new laptops launched this week, both pioneering USB-C and packing 12-inch displays. The likenesses stop there, and the distinctions can't be overstated. One computer you can buy now, the other comes next month. Should you consider either? My primer will help you decide.
Apple unveiled the new MacBook, which measures 1.31 centimeters at its thickest and weighs less than a kilogram, two days ago. Sales start April 10. This morning, Google launched the second-generation Chromebook Pixel, which is immediately available for purchase. Both laptops adopt USB Type-C for power and, using adapters, hooking up to other devices. USB-C puts both computers at the bleeding edge for charging and connectivity, But their approach to ports couldn't be more different.
AOPEN unveils commercial-grade Chrome OS devices as Google targets digital signage market
If you need to drive a nail into a piece of wood, you shouldn't use a wrench. Could you make it work? Sure, but it is not ideal; you should use a hammer. In other words, you should select the correct tool for the job. The same makes sense for computers. When you decide to buy a machine, you want to be sure that it is powerful enough for the software you want to run, but also, durable enough for the environment.
Chrome OS devices are starting to be used more and more, but let's be honest; none of them are particularly durable. For a business owner, a chintzy Chromebook, Chromebase or Chromebox may not last in a dirty or abusive environment. Today, AOPEN announces a commercial-grade Chromebox and Chromebase (in two sizes) with a focus on digital signage.
OMG people, I am not wearing an Apple Watch, it's Android Wear, get a clue!
Something has me enraged this week and I don't think it's going to stop any time soon. I can hardly talk about it, as it makes my blood boil. Before I go into it, let me say that I have been wearing a Samsung Gear Live for months now and I love it. I'm not going to lie, I hoped that people would ask me about it when I wore it -- like a conversation starter -- but no one did. I even made sure to use it in a very ostentatious manner, wildly swiping and positioning my arm in such a way that my wrist would display the watch. Nothing. No one said anything.
Then Apple Watch happened. This past Monday, Apple had a proper keynote address for its watch, and the media lapped it up. As a result, Apple Watch was all over the mainstream media. So here is what's making my blood boil -- since that event, every asshole I encounter asks me if I am wearing the Apple Watch. Grrrr. I'm wearing the same smartwatch that I've been wearing for months, people. Get a clue!
Zuckerberg is a spineless gimp
Facebook is often a breeding ground for controversy. When it's not being used as platform for mindless idiots to air their dirty laundry, the social network is busy upsetting people for one reason or another. We've had censorship of one sort or another. We've had the debacle surrounding the requirement to use a real name and opening up of custom gender options.
If you're the sort of person who likes to express the way you're feeling through the medium of emoji rather than words, you may well have used Facebook's built in 'I am feeling...' feature. Feeling excited? Don’t type it, just select a starry-eyed smiley. But following a Change.org petition, you can no longer select a predefined option to indicate that you feel fat. Why? Because Mark Zuckerberg is completely spineless.
Samsung Animal Edition battery charger alerts to endangered species, but does it help protect them?
Species have been going extinct for millennia, with larger events occurring periodically. We find ourselves living in one such epoch, though it mostly goes unnoticed because these events don't happen overnight. However research quickly points out the trend, and it's one we'd rather avoid.
To do so there are endangered species acts and restrictions of other sorts to help preserve the wildlife we have left. Individuals can get involved, both physically and financially, and Samsung is releasing a new line of battery chargers to get a few specific creatures to the public attention.
Second-generation Chromebook Pixel available now at all-new Google Store
When Google announced the first Chromebook Pixel, many people scratched their heads in confusion. There was good reason for this; Chromebooks were looked at as low-cost web-browsing machines, while the Pixel was very expensive and beautiful. The developer-focused machine served as an example that laptops running Google's browser-focused operating system didn't have to be chintzy.
Unfortunately, Google allowed the Pixel to age and get stale with nary an incremental update. Hell, since Google seemingly ignored it, many people predicted the Pixel's demise. Well, I am happy to say that Google is finally updating the luxurious Chromebook Pixel.
Google Cloud Storage Nearline offers cloud backup for just $0.01 per gigabyte
Cloud storage just got a whole lot cheaper. Starting today, Google is offering Google Cloud Storage Nearline for the insanely low price of $0.01 per gigabyte. You read that correctly; one single, solitary cent for a gigabyte of cloud storage.
This is a service aimed at enterprise customers looking to archive large amounts of data without paying the Earth or compromising on performance too much. Nearline is a service designed for data which does not need to be accessed all that often, but when the need arises, there's a response time of under 3 seconds.
Google opens its first store
Not to be outdone by Microsoft and Apple, Google has opened its first ever store. Located within Currys PC World on Tottenham Court Road in London, this is not a standalone store but a "shop in shop". Going under the predictable moniker of the Google shop, shoppers can expect to find a range of hardware from the search giant.
The stores will give people the opportunity to browse and try out numerous Android smartphones and tablets. Other hardware such as Chromecasts and Chromebooks will also be available. But the Google shop is about more than just hardware, it also gives people the chance to get hands-on with Google software, and attend events and classes -- forget Google Glass, this is Google Class.
New MacBook's single port isn't the problem
Across tech sites and forums there are rumbling complaints about Apple choosing to provide just one port on the 12-inch MacBook and the compromises the design presents. The flawed approach is much bigger, and the laptop line has been this way before—where thinning down means giving up something many users want, which is why I am so surprised that little of the discussion focuses on the original MacBook Air.
Stated simply before the long explanation: If you don't mind paying $1,299 or $1,599 for the performance equivalent of a souped-up tablet, running OS X but lacking touchscreen, Apple's tiny laptop is a good choice. Otherwise, stop whining and buy something else. There is no shortage of choices in the slim-and-portable category.
The future of Ethernet looks brighter than ever
Ethernet has become not just the dominant standard, but the universal technology of local area networking. If you plug a networking cable in at work or at home, it’s almost certainly going to be using Ethernet. Over its 40-year history, Ethernet has risen from contender to unopposed winner in the LAN.
But its abilities now stretch well beyond the building at hand. In this feature we look at how Ethernet is far from having a mid-life crisis now that it’s past 40, and could be about to enter an even more dominant era than it has enjoyed over the last few decades.
Belkin announces collection of USB-C cables -- perfect for new MacBook or Chromebook Pixel
USB-C is not an Apple standard. Even before the announcement of the new MacBook, computers, add-on cards and motherboards with the port were already in development. With that said, Apple's new computer has certainly accelerated the public's interest in the next-generation of USB.
Today, Belkin announces a line of USB-C cables ready to take advantage of this new technology. If you are planning on buying the new MacBook or Chromebook Pixel you should definitely take notice.
Why Apple Watch could be doomed
"The most advanced timepiece ever created". This is how CEO Tim Cook described the Apple Watch at his firm’s official launch event.
However, will the device’s flashy exterior and high-tech internals be enough to ignite the wearable market? Will it even be enough to tempt consumers to pay the $349 for the basic edition, let alone the $10,000 for the 22-carat gold model? These are the questions that Apple execs will surely be pondering, even with the launch event being well-received for the most part. There are many hurdles that Apple will have to overcome if its first foray into the wearable market is a successful one and we’ve listed a few of them below.
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