Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson

Battlefield V

Electronic Arts is banning some Linux gamers from Battlefield V

Some Linux gamers who are using Wine to play Battlefield V are finding themselves permanently banned from the game.

Player using the DXVK package are falling foul of Electronic Arts' anti-cheat system, seemingly because the DXVK Direct3D DLLs -- used to render 3D scenes in Wine -- are detected, for some reason, as being a cheat tool.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Cartoon Chrome logo

Error codes are coming to Chrome to help get to the bottom of Aw, Snap! messages

When Chrome crashes, a message reading Aw, Snap! appears -- and it's not particularly helpful. Mindful of this, Google is going to introduce error codes to the browser to help users determine what has gone wrong.

The idea is similar to the blue screen of death (BSoD) that will be familiar to many Windows users. It's currently being tested in the Canary build of Chrome 81, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the error codes will appear in the final build of this version number.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT

XFX leaks full details of AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT graphics card

AMD hasn't yet announced its Radeon RX 5600 XT graphics card, but everything you could possibly want to know about the "the world's most technologically advanced card for 1080p gaming" has leaked.

Electronics firm XFX has -- seemingly inadvertently and without AMD's say-so -- published full details of the graphics card on a page entitled XFX AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT 6GB GDDR6 THICC II Pro Staging. Just about the only thing we don't get to know from this highly detailed page is how much the card will cost.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite and Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite

Samsung announces Galaxy S10 Lite and Note10 Lite

Ahead of CES, Samsung has revealed two new additions to its range of Android smartphones. The Galaxy S10 Lite and Note10 Lite are cutdown, cheaper versions of their expensive flagship stablemates.

But while these are not as feature-packed or powerful as the fully fledged Galaxy S10 and Note10, they are pitched as upper mid-range devices. Samsung is making much of the phones' cameras and display -- hardly surprising when the 6.7-inch handsets both feature 32MP units on the front and a trio of cameras on the rear.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Firefox logo 2019

Firefox 72 will let users delete data the browser collects about them

As we entered 2020, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) came into force, giving residents of California GDPR-like rights and protection. One of the rights afforded to people by the new law is to request that companies delete their user-specific data.

To comply with CCPA, Mozilla has announced that Firefox 72 -- due for release next week -- will include a new option that enables users to request the deletion of desktop telemetry. Although CCPA is only applicable in California, the new setting will be made available to Firefox users around the world.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Travelex

Foreign currency specialist Travelex suspends some services after cyber attack

Travelex, the London-based foreign exchange company, has suspended some of its services and taken its UK website offline following a cyber attack that took place on New Year's Eve.

A malware infection caused the company to take the decision to cut the cord on its services. It said that this was merely a "precautionary measure" which was done "in order to protect data". The suspension of services has caused problems for customers around the world and has had a knock-on effect for other companies including Tesco Bank and Asda.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
iPhone

Dell Mobile Connect will soon let you control your iPhone from your laptop

Dell's Mobile Connect software already allows for handy control of Android smartphones from a Windows 10 laptop, and soon the same option will be made available to iPhone users.

The software has been around for a couple of years now, and Dell's planned expansion means that iPhone owners will be able to view their phone's screen on their computer, as well and easily transfer files between devices.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Peer-to-Peer Transmission Alliance

Vivo, OPPO and Xiaomi's Peer-to-Peer Transmission Alliance makes for easier file-sharing

Three smartphone manufactures came together last summer to create a new Peer-to-Peer Transmission Alliance with the aim of making it easier to share files between devices. Now it's available on selected handsets and is going global.

The alliance is made up of vivo, OPPO and Xiaomi and it was been created to develop what amounts to an Android version of Apple's AirDrop. File transfers are possible without the need for additional apps, and without the need to use mobile data or an internet connection.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Black iPhone

Apple says virtualization tools violate DMCA... but Corellium says the company is attacking jailbreaking

Apple has long played a game of cat and mouse with the developers of jailbreak tools, constantly amending the code of its mobile operating systems to prevent people from unlocking their iPhones and iPads.

In an ongoing spat with Corellium -- a company which virtualizes iOS for use by security researchers -- Apple has amended the lawsuit it brought against the company this summer saying the tools it produces infringe on copyright. Corellium has responded with an open letter saying that Apple's line of attack "should give all security researchers, app developers, and jailbreakers reason to be concerned".

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
JPMorgan

JPMorgan to ban third-party fintech platforms from accessing customer passwords

JPMorgan Chase is to enforce stricter security measures, banning third-party fintech apps from accessing customer passwords.

The existing method of data sharing provides -- with permission -- numerous apps with access to customers' bank accounts, but concerns have been voiced about the possible dangers. No timetable has been set out, but the American finance giant intends to use a token-based system that will provide third parties with access to "a narrow range of data in a secure form".

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
ProtonCalendar

ProtonMail's ProtonCalendar beta is the 'first fully encrypted calendar app'

Privacy and security are the guiding principles of ProtonMail, and now the company is expanding beyond email. The company has launched a beta version of ProtonCalendar, a privacy-focused alternative to Google Calendar.

ProtonMail claims that this is the "first fully encrypted calendar app", and says it offers a viable alternative to the companies (i.e. Google)  that "companies snoop on your calendar and use that information to inform their advertising".

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Witcher 3

Netflix series and a Steam sale give Witcher 3: Wild Hunt a huge boost

Despite being over four years old, Witcher 3: Wild Hunt not only remains popular but is actually more popular than ever on Steam.

Yesterday, over 94,000 players were logged into the game, exceeding the previous record from the launch back in May 2015. There is no doubt that the Netflix Witcher series has helped to boost interest in the game, but Steam also has a huge sale on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt -- Game of the Year Edition (which includes the Hearts of Stone and Blood & Wine expansions), with a massive 70 percent off serving as a huge enticement for newcomers.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
WhatsApp

Beta insights show WhatsApp's Disappearing Messages feature is probably not what you think

When app hackers discovered references to Disappearing Messages in beta versions of WhatsApp, it was -- understandably -- assumed that this was going to develop into a self-destructing messages feature. But when the same option was renamed to the less-exciting Delete Messages, the name didn't really tally.

Further details shared by WABetaInfo about the latest beta of the WhatsApp app for iOS shows that the feature is very much not what people were expecting... or hoping. Oh, and if you were hoping for a Dark Mode option, you're going to have to wait a bit longer.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Isometric Twitter logo

Twitter bans animated PNGs to avoid triggering people with photosensitive conditions

File under: "This is why we can't have nice things". To counter abuse by people seeking to trigger seizures in those with photosensitive epilepsy, Twitter has announced a ban on animated PNG images.

The company says that the fact that APNGs don't respect autoplay settings and pose a risk to some users. As such, the ability to post animated PNGs has been removed "for the safety of people with sensitivity to motion and flashing imagery, including those with epilepsy".

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Windows Feature Experience Pack

Microsoft could be about to use the Windows Feature Experience Pack app to deliver non-core updates to Windows 10

Microsoft seems to have big things in store for Windows 10 in 2020, but it's not exactly clear what at the moment. A few people have recently noticed that after updating to Windows 10 version 19536 that there is a reference to something called Windows Feature Experience Pack under in the About section of System Settings.

But things get more intriguing. A dummy app from Microsoft called Windows Feature Experience Pack has been spotted in the Microsoft Store, leading to speculation that the company could start to deliver some Windows 10 updates via an app, keeping them separate from more major updates to the operating system.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -

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