Alan Buckingham

Mobile data these days comes at a premium. Carriers charge what could be considered ridiculous amounts for it and many customers burn through it. Unless you're predominantly on Wi-Fi then you're likely wondering where all of that data is going.

The answer, of course, is background apps -- programs that run all the time without the user realizing it. These can eat up tremendous amounts of a monthly allotment.

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Banking trojans, like ransomware, have become big business today. And the people behind all of these malicious products are always moving forward, innovating with the times in an effort to keep up with technology and victims.

There is a virtual smorgasbord of malware out there just looking for ripe pickings. One is the Gozi Banking Trojan, which injects its code into the operating system via the browser. With Windows 10 being offered (pushed) for free, malware makers are scrambling to cover the adoption rate by updating their products.

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If you watch TV at all, at least in the US, you've likely seen the ads for the latest technologies being pushed to market. While many folks like to be early adopters, there's something to be said for ignoring that pie-in-the-sky pitch and waiting until something has had time on the market and been thoroughly tested.

We recently saw this with the Ring doorbell, a product that continues to run endless TV commercials, perhaps just banking on appealing to the average person who doesn't look into things too carefully. Another one taking up your screen time these days is a new alarm system calling itself SimpliSafe. The problem is, research indicates it may not be living up to its impressive moniker.

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When it comes to next-gen console gaming the community is largely segmented into two camps: Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4. A few people stay out of this fray, opting instead for the Nintendo offering.

Now, as it has done before, Sony is looking to sign up guinea pigs, or rather willing customers, to try out the latest beta version of its upcoming console software.

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Microsoft has been busy pushing new versions, or builds, of Windows 10. The company is still in an effort to get things right. Some patch holes, while others bring noticeable improvements to all of the "rings". But what if Microsoft hid an update from users? That's apparently the case from what we are finding out.

A new Knowledge Base update, specifically KB3140742, can take your Windows 10 installation to the next level, or it could potentially cause you endless problems. There's likely a reason it isn't released yet, so be cautious with this one.

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Andy Rubin, best known as the founder of Android, became the head of the division after Google purchased the mobile operating system. He left the company in 2014 after briefly heading the robotics division, and founded Playground Global.

Since then his tech incubator has provided funding and help to many startups with Google being one of the sponsors of this venture.

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You could always watch Hulu on your PC or Mac, or for that matter, on multiple other mobile devices. Now the streaming service wants to integrate much deeper, using Windows 10 as its launchpad.

This doesn't mean it will cease to be accessible in all of the previous ways, it just adds one more option for customers of the service.

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Water damage is a big deal, in fact, it's one of the most reported claims for home insurance, behind only fire and lightning, and wind and hail. Now with home automation products increasingly gaining market share and mainstream acceptability, that problem can be reigned in to a certain extent. No, it won't prevent extremes like Hurricane Katrina, but if a pipe springs a leak then you can get a jump on it.

Wink, makers of a home automation hub that is compatible with many third-party devices, is getting its first water sensors thanks to leakSMART, one of the more prominent manufacturers in the business.

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Online dating is big business these days, though not everyone thinks it's such a great idea. Security has to be kept in mind -- if you're meeting someone in person it's best to do so in a public place. With that said, it can also be great for someone who suddenly finds themselves single later in life.

That demographic includes millenials, a group of people born in the 1980's, though there are no exact dates to define it. According to a recent report, this group of people have become rather prominent on dating sites, or at least on one.

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Believe it or not, people download movies and music illegally. This may not be earth-shattering news to anyone, as it has been going on for a long time, most famously with things like Napster and The Pirate Bay. These days it has become more sophisticated and turned into a real business for the torrent sites.

Now the popular service uTorrent is instituting a new pay plan. No, you don't have to pay, but the service hopes to give those who do a better experience.

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As a society we tend to put an emphasis on being physically fit. There may be more diet plans out there than there are people to follow them. But honestly, there's no substitute for a smart meal plan and exercise, nothing fancy is needed.

If you exercise then you're likely familiar with the name Asics, a popular manufacturer of running shoes and clothing. To keep it all in the family, the company has now purchased FitnessKeeper, maker of one of the top running apps available in the mobile space. The app can track more than just runs, though. It handles walking and cycling as well, using GPS to calculate distance and pace.

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When Sling TV launched it already had a number of deals with major networks such as ESPN and CNN, bringing real-time TV viewing over an internet connection, and doing so for a reasonable price, especially compared to cable and satellite providers. There were also a number of add-on packages for such things as extra sports and news channels.

Last year, just in time for Game of Thrones, the service landed HBO, and now it has another prize in its lineup, one that may attract even more customers.

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Likely just about everyone has installed software from SourceForge at some point in their computing history. In 2013, the software repository enabled a feature called DevShare which developers could opt-in to. This wrapped developer software in SourceForge’s own installer, which also, unfortunately, came with bundled junk  -- something many users might breeze right past during an installation.

But last month Sourceforge, along with Slashdot, was sold to BIZX and some changes are going to take place under the new ownership, and that means no more DevShare.

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Home automation, the connected home, the Internet of Things, it's all phrases used to describe the same thing -- a series of devices connected to the internet and used to power tasks around a house. Turn the lights on and off, lock doors, raise blinds, sense a water leak, all of it can be done today.

One of the companies in this market is Wink, which is also one of the few hub makers that is compatible with Amazon Echo. Now Wink is beefing up it offering with what it terms "local control" of lighting.

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This may initially generate some snickers and likely lots of tabs quickly closing, but I assure you the story is safe for work. The only nudity here is the whale in the image above. In fact this is a story about charity and of helping to save endangered species, albeit in a rather unconventional way.

It's no secret that porn drives the internet to a certain degree, and many claim it also drives innovation to some extent. True or not, it's big business that can generate massive revenues for the purveyors of the content. One of the big ones is PornHub and it is deciding to give back in the form of charitable donations to a worthwhile cause.

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