US warns UK against 'madness' of using Huawei for 5G
US officials have warned British ministers that using Huawei technology in the UK's 5G network would be "nothing short of madness".
Prime Minister Boris Johnson reacted to the warning saying that he had no intention of putting the UK infrastructure or national security at risk. He also called on critics of Huawei to suggest alternatives.
Apple may replace your iPhone XS, XS Max or XR Smart Battery Case for free
Apple has launched a new replacement program to help out people who have problematic Smart Battery Cases.
The company -- and users -- found that a number of Smart Battery Cases for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR suffered from intermittent charging issues. The company says that affected units were produced between January 2019 and October 2019 and is offering free replacements to owners.
Visa acquires fintech startup Plaid for $5.3 billion
Visa has announced that it has agreed to purchase Plaid as part of a deal worth $5.3 billion. The acquisition values the fintech company at around double its valuation following a 2018 Series C funding round.
Plaid is behind financial services APIs used by the likes of Coinbase, Gemini, Venmo and Transferwise. Its software allows for easier sharing of financial details, making it simpler to connect services to bank accounts. Plaid says the acquisition will help it continue to "accelerate the success of the fintech ecosystem".
Today is the day Windows 7 dies, but you can still upgrade to Windows 10 for free
After a decade of service, Windows 7 is, effectively no more. Microsoft no longer supports the operating system for those unwilling to pay for extended service leaving millions of machines vulnerable. Now that Windows 7 is dead, Microsoft may prefer you to invest in a new Surface, but it is cheaper -- much cheaper -- to upgrade to Windows 10.
Microsoft initially made quite a fuss about that fact that while it was possible to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, it was a time-limited offer. Many people rushed to upgrade because they felt the deadline was hanging over them like the sword of Damocles… but it seems that the deadline was not as pressing as Microsoft made out. You might be surprised to learn that more than five years after the launch of Windows 10, it is still possible to upgrade for free. Here's what you need to know.
The death of Windows 7: the funeral is over... what now?
It may feel as though this date has been a very long time coming, but Windows 7 end of life is finally here. Unless you're a business or enterprise customer willing to pay, there will be no more updates and no more support.
Enterprise content delivery network firm Kollective held a funeral for the elderly operating system. Its research shows that in the US 40 percent of business are still using Windows 7, while in the UK the figure stands at 66 percent. Kollective warns that sticking with Windows 7 is dangerous, and outlines what the hold-outs need to consider.
Microsoft launches new tool to help you find the perfect Windows 10 computer
Which computer is right for you? How much RAM is enough? What ports do you need? Buying a new laptop or desktop can be a hellish series of self-questioning, dilemmas, doubt and confusion. But now Microsoft has a new tool that will help you to home in on the perfect computer.
With the new online tool, Microsoft promises to "help you find a computer that meets your needs". All you need to do is answer a number of questions describing your requirements and intended usage, and you'll be provided with a series of suggestions.
Microsoft's Windows 7 end-of-life advice: 'buy a Surface'
Tomorrow is the day that Windows 7 reaches end of life, and it seems that everyone has different advice about what to do. Take Microsoft, for instance. The company believes that the best course of action someone with a Windows 7 computer can take is to buy a new Surface device, rather than upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10.
This is the advice Microsoft is giving to anyone visiting its Surface business pages, where it says that splashing some cash on a new Surface Pro 7, Surface Pro X, Surface Laptop 3, Surface Pro with LTE Advanced, Surface Book 2 or even a Surface Go is better option than upgrading an existing system from Windows 7 to Windows 10.
UK's intelligence service warns against using Windows 7 for email and banking
The end of Microsoft's support for Windows 7 is now just hours away. It should not come as any sort of surprise, as coverage of the end of life for the operating system has been widespread, but there are still plenty of people and businesses using the decade-old OS.
Some are put off by the hassle of upgrading (although it's easy), while others are discouraged by cost (although you can still upgrade to Windows 10 for free). But the ramifications of sticking with Windows 7 could be serious -- so much so that the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued a stark warning not to use the operating system for email or banking.
Reminder: You have slightly longer to download data from Yahoo Groups -- but you still need to move fast!
Back in October last year, Yahoo announced that not only was Yahoo Groups closing down, but all data was going to be deleted.
The company encouraged anyone who wanted to safeguard content to put in a data download request by the middle of December. As this was a short deadline there were numerous complaints and requests for more time. Yahoo obliged and offered an extension... but the clock is ticking down fast.
Acknowledging 'poor' drivers can break Windows 10, Microsoft tweaks update schedule and gives partners new powers
Updates for Windows 10 proved more than a little problematic last year, but it wasn't just Microsoft's own updates for the operating system that caused issues -- driver updates were often a headache for users too.
A confidential company document has now been published that details how Microsoft plans to deal with the problem. There are two key lines of attack: changing the release schedule for drivers that require Microsoft approval so they do not coincide with Windows updates, and giving hardware partners the option of requesting a block on feature upgrades that cause problems.
Microsoft is giving Windows Terminal a retro look with CRT effects
Updates are usually released to introduce new features and take things forwards, but with the next update to Windows Terminal Microsoft is taking inspiration from the past.
Due for release next week, the updated version of Windows Terminal will include experimental retro-style CRT effects. What does this mean in practice? It means using the old school PxPlus IBM VGA8 font and CRT-style scan lines; pointless, but a nice bit of fun. Of course, there are also other things to look forward to in this update.
Laplink makes it easy to switch to Windows 10 with its Windows 7 Migration Kit
It is now mere days until Microsoft stops supporting Windows 7. The company, as well as security experts, are keen to get as many users as possible onto Windows 10 so they do not find themselves in the position of not receiving updates.
For many people, though, the prospect of upgrading is daunting -- so Laplink is trying to help out. The company has announced the release of Windows 7 Migration Kit. Designed with both home and business users in mind, the software bundle includes PCmover Professional, DiskImage and SafeErase for a special, low price.
With Chrome 80, Google is making website notifications STFU
When Mozilla released Firefox 72 yesterday, users were happy to find that the company had tamed the popup messages that ask whether a website should be allowed to send notifications. Now, with Chrome 80, Google has done the same.
Google notes that while the option to receive notifications from sites can be useful, they are "also a common complaint as many websites request the notification permission on first visit rather than at contextually relevant moments in the user's journey". But rejoice, for there is a solution!
Google's Project Zero is testing new vulnerability disclosure procedures
The vulnerability-finding Project Zero has found Google on the end of both criticism and praise, but there has long been concern about the policy of being very quick to reveal details of vulnerabilities that have been discovered.
Previously Project Zero has given software developers a 90-day window of opportunity to fix bugs before it goes public. Details of vulnerabilities would also be published as soon as a fix was released. For 2020, Google is trying something new. The company will wait a full 90 days before disclosing a vulnerability, regardless of when the bug is fixed.
Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Fold is 'the world's first foldable PC' with a hefty price tag
So far -- as Samsung will attest -- folding devices have been a bit of a disaster, but Lenovo thinks it has got things nailed with its ThinkPad X1 Fold which it officially revealed at CES.
Due for release in mid-2020, the "world's first foldable PC" features a 13.3-inch folded OLED and Lenovo says it delivers "laptop efficiency with smartphone portability". The device will initially ship with Windows 10, but a Windows 10X version will follow. A 5G version will also be available. Lenovo envisions its device being used in a variety of ways, but the only sticking point may be the price.
Sofia Elizabella's Bio
Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson is a queer, transgender journalist based in Poland. She has been writing about technology for more than two decades, and after years working for magazines, her writing moved online. She is fueled by literature, music, nature, and vegetables. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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