Greece plans to roll out Bitcoin ATMs across the country
Greece might be settling for a deal with the European Union, but inside of the country big changes are happening to the economy to deal with sanctions and lack of funds.
The most expensive and popular cryptocurrency Bitcoin has shot up in popularity. The popularity has risen to the point BTC Greece is planning a 1,000 Bitcoin ATM rollout, available in stores, banks and tourist locations.
Amazon brings new tricks to Echo, rebrands app name
If you haven't yet tried out Amazon Echo then you're in for an... ah... experience. It works quite well most of the time. Response speed is amazing. It can become temperamental when you branch out into other aspects like home automation, although to be fair I think that's the fault of the hub more so than Echo.
You'll also need to get past the fact that Amazon is listening to what you say, not to mention that you look a bit like a crazy person talking to an imaginary friend.
Sony unveils SmartBand 2 fitness tracker
Sony has unveiled a new fitness wearable called SmartBand 2. The device is a successor to the first SmartBand, and its key feature is an advanced heart rate sensor.
Even though it is a common feature on most fitness wearables today, the heart sensor was absent from the first SmartBand. This time around, Sony has upped the game. It also features a smart notification system, which works through a set of vibrations and colored LEDs.
Chrome extensions coming to Firefox as Mozilla unveils major changes
Mozilla today announces a series of important changes that affect Firefox add-ons. The good news? Add-ons should be reviewed faster, they will be more secure, and a new API means that Chrome extensions can be more easily ported across. But, of course, there is also bad news.
The bad news for developers is that Mozilla is switching to new technologies -- Electrolysis and Servo -- and this means that work will have to be done on existing extensions to ensure compatibility. In the switchover, it is likely that a large number of older add-ons will simply not be updated, but with a 12 to 18 month timescale for phasing out XPCOM and XUL means there is plenty of time for other developers to come up with alternatives to projects that have been abandoned and will no longer work.
Your Uber driver might be a convicted felon
Even though Uber prides itself on the extensive background-checking of its drivers, it is now being accused that some of its drivers are convicted felons.
According to a report by Sky News, a complaint was filed by the San Francisco district attorney’s office, in which it was said that one of the drivers is a convicted murderer who spent 26 years in prison before being released on parole in 2008.
Spotify says sorry for confusion over its privacy policy
We reported earlier today that streaming music service Spotify had upset a lot of users with changes to its privacy policy. In particular sections concerning what information the company is allowed to collect have sent some users into a spin.
Evidently stung by the reaction, Spotify has been quick to respond. In a blog post by CEO Daniel Ek it says sorry and explains more about what the changes actually mean.
Microsoft will only provide information about Windows 10 updates when it wants to
It's less than a month since the launch of Windows 10, and there have already been three cumulative updates released. There has been far greater interest in these updates than for previous versions of Windows, but there has been frustration about the lack of detail provided about the changes the third brought.
Users were told that the update includes "improvements to enhance the functionality of Windows 10", but no specific details were given. Microsoft has now made it clear that extra detail will only be provided for some updates depending on their significance. Considering Windows 10's forced installation of updates, this is something that is unlikely to go down well with users.
How today's work gets done in the cloud
In recent years cloud technology has allowed organizations of all sizes and across all industries to become more flexible and more productive.
Identity and mobile management specialist Okta has produced a report based on usage data across more than 2,500 customers and 4,000 apps that sheds light on how organizations and people get work done today, and on what security measures companies use to keep data safe.
New Spotify privacy policy angers users and drives some away
Spotify has updated its privacy policy, and a lot of users are now very unhappy. The change was prefaced a few days ago on the Spotify blog and the new policy started to roll out on 19 August. As it starts to hit accounts around the world, users are sitting up and paying attention; many are not happy with what they see.
What are people so upset about? Spotify might now access your Facebook likes and posts, photos and contacts you have stored on your phone, and even the speed at which you are traveling. The company says that the changes have been made as part of a move to "be as open and transparent as possible", but it has left large number of users questioning motives, and many have been pushed to quitting the music service completely.
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ goes on sale today
We usually have to wait until the IFA trade show for Samsung to announce the next Galaxy Note flagship phablet, but this year the company moved up the second Unpacked event to mid-August. And not only has it unveiled Galaxy Note 5, but also Galaxy S6 edge+, the latter of which goes on sale today.
For those who are not familiar with it, Galaxy S6 edge+ is basically a Galaxy Note 5 with a curved display that forgoes the traditional S Pen. Or, put differently, it is the successor to last year's Galaxy Note Edge, but, again, without the stylus in tow. International availability also differs between the two models.
Best Windows apps this week
One-hundred and forty-two in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps and games released for Windows 8.x/10 in the past seven days.
Microsoft pushed out a new Insider build to Fast Ring systems this week which caused several issues. Probably the biggest of them all was that 64-bit versions of Chrome did not work properly anymore.
HP Spectre x360 is the best Windows 10 laptop for back-to-school and beyond [Review]
Buying a Windows laptop can be an extremely stressful ordeal. Unlike Apple, whose OS X is limited to just a few models, Windows notebooks are manufactured by many companies, in countless designs. If you shop online or go to a local store, like Best Buy, your head could easily explode from all of the options.
It is for this reason, that you should do your homework -- read reviews, educate yourself on specs and find out which brands are most reliable. If you don't have time for all of that, I can save you the trouble. The HP Spectre x360 is the laptop you want for back-to-school and beyond. OK, now go buy it. Oh, you want to know why I am saying it is the laptop you want? Well then read on to find out more.
Samsung offers iPhone owners 30-day Galaxy Note 5, S6 Edge, or S6 Edge+ rental for $1
Samsung is trying to woo iPhone owners with a new promotion that gives Apple fans the chance to rent one of its latest flagships for a single dollar. For one paltry buck, curious iPhone users can test drive a Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 Edge, or Galaxy S6 Edge+ with no obligation.
It's a unique scheme and one that might appeal to those who are scared of commitment... but only those with an iPhone. If you're interested you can sign up to test the Samsung handset of your choice with your current carrier, on your current tariff.
Give your screen a custom tint with ColorVeil
ColorVeil is a free Windows app with a single purpose: to place a color filter over your screen, reducing brightness and cutting eye strain.
The program is a tiny download -- 21.8KB, really? -- and immediately applies a default filter on launch. Right-click its system tray icon and a settings dialog appears when you can choose your preferred shade and opacity.
Android devices and iPhones make up 96.8 percent of the smartphone market
When we think of smartphones, two platforms come to mind: Android and iOS. For some, Windows Phone is there as the third, but as Gartner’s second quarter smartphone sales results show, Microsoft is losing even more ground.
Combined, Android and iOS own 96.8 per cent of the smartphone market. Android actually dropped market share from 83.8 last year to 82.2 percent this year. Apple managed an increase from 12.2 to 14.6 percent in the same time period.
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