Angled Apple logo

You could be in line for a payout from Apple for slowing down your iPhone

Apple has agreed to settle legal action taken against it for deliberately slowing down older iPhones. Having already been fined €25 million by a French consumer watchdog the company has now agreed to settle in the US -- something which could cost it $500 million.

Apple previously admitted to the practice of slowing down phones, saying it was to increase the life of devices with aging batteries. The new agreement in the US could see Apple paying out $25 to those affected by updates to iOS that slowed down their iPhones.

Young woman using her tablet computer while traveling by train

Leaked: 146 million records relating to users of railway Wi-Fi exposed online

An unsecured database has been found online that contains 146 million records about people who have used free Wi-Fi at railway stations in the UK.

The database was discovered by a security researcher on Amazon web services storage. It was found to include personal details such as usernames, dates of birth, email addresses and details of travel arrangements. Network Rail and the service provider C3UK have confirmed the data leak.

Microsoft Edge surf game

How to play the secret surfing game in Microsoft Edge -- and unlock the hidden NinjaCat player

Everyone loves a good Easter Egg, and Microsoft Edge has an absolute belter -- a hidden surfing game that you can even play using your Xbox controller.

The game was originally used by Microsoft when it was revealing the new logo for Edge, and it is designed -- much like Chrome's dino game -- to give you something to do when you're offline.  The surfing game itself is a great bit of fun; here's how to access it, and how to unlock the secret NinjaCat character.

New Microsoft logos

Microsoft starts rolling out new icons to all Windows 10 users

It is a few months since Microsoft first unveiled the new look icons for Windows 10 and various applications.

Now, having started the roll out of the new icons to Windows Insiders, the company is giving everyone access to the new designs. At the moment, it seems to be people running Windows 10 version 1909 that are affected, and this means they can enjoy new icons for Mail, Calendar, Calculator, Photos and more apps.

Cortana

Microsoft is making Cortana much less useful for most people in a business-focused pivot

Microsoft is planning a major re-focus for Cortana; one that will mean the digital assistant becomes far less useful for most people. When Windows 10 version 2004 (or Windows 10 20H1) arrives, users will lose many of Cortana's consumer and third-party skills as Microsoft gives the assistant more of a business focus.

In dropping feature, Microsoft says that Cortana will be "focused on your productivity with enhanced security and privacy". Other significant change is the impending removal of Cortana from the Android Launcher app and a closer relationship with Microsoft 365.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Microsoft Edge potentially unwanted app blocking

Updated Microsoft Edge will protect you from malware, crypto miners and more

With the switch to the Chromium engine, there's a lot more to like about Microsoft Edge these days. Microsoft is now pushing the browser hard, with the promise of serious speed improvements being used as a lure.

The latest update offers something extra -- protection against potentially unwanted applications (PUA). Microsoft Edge will now step in and block adware, cryptocurrency miners and other unwanted nonsense, particularly when downloading free software. The Microsoft Edge Team explains how to get the most from the protection.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Windows 10 box and spanner

Microsoft releases KB4535996 update to fix Windows 10 search and printing problems

Microsoft has released a new cumulative update that, among other things, addresses problems introduced by previous updates to Windows 10.

The KB4535996 update applies to both Windows 10 1903 and Windows 10 1909. It fixes issues such as the Wiindows Search box failing to render properly, as well as network printing problems.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Chrome / Edge fade

Google displays warning in Microsoft Edge encouraging users to switch to Chrome

Having embraced the Chromium engine, Microsoft Edge now gives users the chance to install Chrome browser extensions -- but Google would rather you just stick with Chrome in the first place.

The company has start to display warning messages to anyone who has the audacity to visit the Chrome Web Store using Microsoft Edge with a view to downloading extensions. The message advises users that "Google recommends switching to Chrome to use extensions securely" and includes a link to download the browser. The browser wars are back, complete with sneaky underhand tactics.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
FCA

FCA reveals data breach that exposed personal details of people complaining about UK's financial watchdog

The UK's financial watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has revealed details of a data breach that took place last year.

The FCA says that personal details of people who had made complaints against the watchdog were exposed following the online publication of a response to a Freedom of Information Act request. Among the exposed information are the names and numbers of those who had lodged complaints.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
DNS-over-HTTPS

Mozilla is enabling encrypted DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) by default for US Firefox users

Firefox users in the US will soon have DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) enabled by default. Mozilla is in the process of rolling out the privacy- and security-focused feature after an intensive period of testing.

DoH is an option for anyone outside of the US, but it will have to be manually enabled. Once enabled, DNS lookups are routed through Cloudflare or NextDNS using an encrypted HTTPS connection, hiding it from third parties such as your ISP.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Netflix on smartphone

Netflix launches new top 10 feature so you can see what's popular in your country

Having previously contented itself with offering up algorithm-based suggestions about what you might like to watch next, Netflix has introduced a new feature that lets you see what other people are enjoying.

New lists of the top 10 films and series let you see what is currently popular on the streaming platform. Netflix has chosen to provide top 10 lists based on country, so you'll only see lists of the ten most popular series and movies in your country rather than globally.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Samsung S20

Samsung admits to data breach unconnected to mysterious Find My Mobile 1 push notification

Last week, Samsung customers around the world were confused by the appearance of a mysterious push notification which simply read "1". The company revealed that the Find My Mobile notifications had been sent out by mistake as part of a test, but there was something even more worrying.

In addition to the random notification, some users reported that they were able to access personal data of other users, including names, addresses and partial payment card details. Samsung has now admitted to the data breach and says it will be contacting those affected.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Revolut card

Revolut raises $500m in funding, valuing it at $5.5bn and making it the most valuable UK fintech startup

Financial disruptor Revolut has managed to raise $500 million in a Series D funding round. The new funding sees the value of the digital banking platform rocketing to $5.5 billion, making it the UK's most valuable fintech startup, and one of the most valuable fintech firms in Europe.

The funding comes from a group of investors headed up by TCV (Technology Crossover Ventures) and effectively triples the value of Revolut when compared to its funding round in 2018. The cash injection will be used to expand its multi-currency operations both in Europe and on a global scale.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Lighthouse

Google helps devs speed up Firefox with open source Lighthouse extension

Google has released a Firefox version of its Lighthouse browser extension, giving developers an easy way to test the performance of websites and web apps.

The open source extension makes use of the PageSpeed Insights API, and the new release brings Firefox in line with Chrome which has had a version of the extension for a few years now. The ultimate aim is to make it easier for developers to improve app and page performance by encouraging better practices.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Huawei

You can't have Google apps on your Huawei phone because Donald Trump says so

If you have a Huawei phone launched after May 16 last year, you're going to have to live without Google app such as Gmail, YouTube and Google Maps -- even the Play Store.

Known collectively as Google Mobile Services, Huawei is banned from gaining a license from Google to use its software. In a post on its support website, Google has revealed more about what is going on, and advises people against bypassing the ban by sideloading apps.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
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