UK government launches five-week consultation into IoT security
The UK government is looking to ensure the security of the Internet of Things as they become more prevalent in the home, possibly through the use of legislation.
The government says that it wants IoT devices to be secure by design and, having already published a code of practice paper, is now embarking on a five-week security consultation during which the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will consider regulatory proposals.
Personal details of 80 million US households exposed on unsecured Microsoft cloud server
Security researchers have discovered an unprotected database stored on a Microsoft cloud server. The 24GB database includes personal information about 80 million households across the US.
The researchers from vpnMentor were working on a web mapping project when they made the discovery. They say that as the database they found left out in the open relates to American households which include multiple residents, the data breach could potentially affect hundreds of millions of people.
Microsoft, Dell and VMware become partners in the cloud
Microsoft has announced that it is extending its partnership with Dell in a move that will enable Microsoft Azure customers to take advantage of VMware virtualization in the cloud.
The company is also bringing VMware into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem to extend the capabilities of its Windows Virtual Desktop too. It will also bring new management and security options to Microsoft Intune.
Apple responds to parental control app removal controversy
Apple has been upsetting developers of parental control apps recently by asking them to restrict their offerings in various ways, or simply removing them from the App Store. Critics say that this is because the apps compete with iOS's Screen Time feature.
Apple has now responded to the criticism, denying that this is the reason for its interference with and removal of apps. The company insists its actions had nothing to do with killing off the competition, but says that several parental control apps were delisted because "they put users' privacy and security at risk".
UK streaming site TVCatchup is down... and this could be the end
If you are having trouble accessing TVCatchup via its mobile app or through its website, you are not alone. The UK TV streaming service has gone dark, and it could be a permanent closure.
The service has been no stranger to controversy and managed to attract the attention -- and the wrath -- of numerous broadcasters, and became embroiled in a legal battle. Having managed to stay online for longer than many would have imagined, it seems you’ll now have to seek out an alternative to TVCatchup.
After launching Screen Time, Apple is interfering with competing third party parental control apps
With iOS 12, Apple introduced Screen Time, a feature that serves as a parental control tool and encourages periods away from the screen. Tim Cook said last year that he thought he used his phone too much (more recently adding, "we don't want people using their phones all the time"), and Screen Time is Apple attempt to muscle in on the countering of "phone addiction".
For those who are concerned about how much they are using their phone, or who are concerned about their children, it seems like a great feature. But for app developers who have spent years crafting tools that offered these options before Apple, the news is not so good. A new report reveals that Apple is interfering with apps that compete with Screen Time, even going as far as de-listing them without warning.
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18885 fixes drive letter assignment problems and brings Android notifications mirroring to Your Phone app
Microsoft has released Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18885 (or Windows 10 20H1, if you prefer) to the Fast Ring. The big addition in this latest build is Android notification mirroring in Windows via the Your Phone app.
If you have an Android 7.0 handset, you can (probably, barring handset-specific compatibility issues) take advantage of the ability to see phone notifications in Windows 10. The range of phones that can use the "phone screen" screen mirroring option has been expanded as well. With Build 18885, Microsoft has also addressed the problem that was preventing people from installing updates when they had a USB drive or SD card connected.
New York attorney general to investigate Facebook for scraping 1.5 million users' email contacts
Following the revelation that Facebook "unintentionally" scraped and uploaded 1.5 million users' email contacts, the New York attorney general's office has announced that it is opening an investigation into the social media giant.
Attorney general Letitia James said that it is "time Facebook is held accountable for how it handles consumers' personal information".
Windows 10 May 2019 Update needs more space than ever before
With the release of the May 2019 Update, Windows 10 is becoming more space-hungry than ever. For both the 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 10 version 1903, Microsoft has increased the minimum storage requirements to 32GB.
For 32-bit users the new requirement is double what it used to be, while for 64-bit users there is a 12GB increase from the previous minimum of 20GB.
iFixit pulls damning Samsung Galaxy Fold teardown
The launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fold has been mired in problems, culminating in the company postponing the foldable phone. In addition to reports of serious screen issues from journalists with review handsets, Samsung was also hit with an iFixit teardown that highlighted numerous design flaws.
Now, following pressure from Samsung, iFixit has removed the teardown -- although the site stresses that it was under no obligation, legal or otherwise, to do so.
Shocking! Apple launches voluntary recall and exchange program for some power adapters
Apple has announced a voluntary recall of some of its AC wall plug adapters and Apple World Travel Adapter Kits over fears that they could cause electric shocks.
While the number of known incidents is low -- Apple says there have been just six worldwide -- there is a risk of the wall plug adapters breaking and causing a shock if touched. The recall relates solely to three-prong wall plug adapters, not USB power adapters. Anyone who has one of the adapters can obtain a replacement free of charge.
Leak shows that the OnePlus 7 Pro is not going to be cheap
While Samsung's problematic Galaxy Fold was vying for attention by not only being a foldable smartphone, but also an extraordinarily expensive one, handsets from OnePlus have been notable for their low price tags.
The launch of the OnePlus 7 series is just around the corner, and the specs we've seen have hinted that this is not going to be a cheap phone. Now leaked pricing appears to confirm this.
Microsoft drops password expiration policies from Windows 10 1903 security baseline
In new draft security baseline documentation, Microsoft has scrapped the policy that requires users to change their passwords on a regular basis.
The new security settings apply to Windows 10 version 1903 and Windows Server version 1903, and the change sees Microsoft conceding that its policy of forcing periodic password changes is "an ancient and obsolete mitigation of very low value". The company has a series of suggestions for how to better improve password security.
Microsoft will block the Windows 10 May 2019 Update if you have a USB drive or SD card connected
If you have external storage attached to your computer, you may well find that you're unable to install the Windows 10 May 2019 Update when it is released next month.
Out of an apparent abundance of precaution, Microsoft is opting to block the installation of the update if a computer has an external USB drive or SD card plugged in. The block is being introduced because of fears that drive letters might be inappropriately reassigned during the installation.
Here is the colossal 17.3-inch Samsung Galaxy View2 tablet
As the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fold is proving to be something of a disaster, the company will be only too happy at anything which can serve as a distraction. Well, here's the Samsung Galaxy View2, an Android tablet that features an extraordinarily large 17.3-inch screen.
Following on from 2015's Galaxy View (which was even larger at 18.4 inches), this yet-to-be-released tablet is due to make its way to AT&T at some point in the future. And, thanks to the telecoms firm, we know pretty much everything we need to about specs in advance.
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 Bluesky and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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