Thanks to Microsoft, Chrome is now 15 percent faster on Windows
In a bid to make its browser faster than ever, Google has started using Microsoft’s Profile Guided Optimization (PGO). Introduced in Chrome 53, this technology can help optimize high-use functions in the browser.
The nightly Chrome builds track how often functions are used, and these functions are then optimized by PGO, sometimes increasing their binary size. In addition, PGO optimizes the memory location of the browser code, keeping rarely and frequently used functions away from each other.
How well would your city survive a zombie apocalypse?
If you’re a fan of The Walking Dead you’ve probably, at one time or another, considered how well you’d fare in a zombie apocalypse.
Where you live would certainly have a major impact on your ability to survive, and with this in mind, and to celebrate Halloween, CareerBuilder's EMSI (Economic Modeling Specialists Intl.) looked into how well the major US cities would cope in the event of an actual zombie outbreak.
Relive the 1990s in animated GIFs, at the Internet Archive
The 1990s were great -- multiplayer shooters like Doom and Quake were revolutionizing gaming, Friends and ER were on the TV, and we were all enjoying a new, fledgling technology called the World Wide Web.
Before Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter came along, there was GeoCities, a web hosting service eventually acquired by Yahoo, that allowed users to place their websites in virtual 'cities'. But if there was one thing that most people remember about GeoCities, it was the animated GIFs.
Donald Trump will be president, according to an AI that's never been wrong
Donald Trump is viewed by many as a figure of fun, a racist, and a misogynist. His polls are way down, and at this point it looks like he has no chance of winning the election. Two weeks ago, Microsoft’s Bing gave Hillary Clinton an 87 percent chance of winning (although this has since dropped to 82 percent).
However, an AI system is predicting a completely different result -- that Trump will prevail, and become the next president of the United States. What makes its forecast even more interesting is it has correctly identified the outcome of the last three US presidential elections and the results of the Democrat and Republican Primaries.
Apple unveils new TV App for Apple TV, iPhone and iPad
We were expecting Apple to release a new app for Apple TV at its "Hello Again" event, and that was the first thing that the tech giant showed off.
Called simply TV, the new app lets you discover and watch TV shows and movies from multiple apps on Apple TV, iPhone and iPad. There’s also a new Siri feature for Apple TV that lets viewers quickly tune in to live news and sporting events.
How to watch Apple's 'Hello Again' Mac launch live on any device including Windows, Linux and Android
In just a few hours, Apple will be taking the wraps off its latest MacBook Pro. We’ve already seen a leaked photo of the new device, with OLED Magic Toolbar, but Apple will have more to show us than just that. Rumors suggest the tech giant will be updating the MacBook Air and iMac too, debuting an external 5K display, and announcing an Apple TV app called "The Watch List" that will recommend shows users may like.
The event is scheduled to start at 10am PDT/1pm EDT/6pm BST, and as always it will be streamed live so you can tune in at home or (maybe) work.
Naked Cases protect your iPhone 7 from scratches, without hiding its beauty
The iPhone 7 is undeniably an attractive smartphone. The Jet Black model is particularly beautiful -- I should know, I own one. However, the high gloss finish of the Jet Black model is prone to scratches, and what Apple refers to as "fine micro-abrasions" caused by everyday use.
Apple suggests that if you want to keep your phone in pristine condition you should use one of the many available cases to protect it. But then people won’t see the beauty of the new device, which is a shame. This is where Naked Cases come in.
Office 2013 can now block macros to prevent infection -- here's how to enable it
If someone sends you a document, modern versions of Microsoft Office will automatically open it in Protected View, to keep you safe from malware. If you need to edit it, you can do so, but it's at your own risk.
Office 2016 also gives administrators the ability to prevent users from running macros in Office documents that originated from the Internet, adding further protection. Frustratingly, this feature wasn’t made available in Office 2013, leaving users of the older suite at risk.
Microsoft's updated Surface Book i7 delivers twice the graphics performance, keeps weird hinge
At its big event in New York, Microsoft has already introduced the next version of Windows 10, called Creators Update, and it has some hardware designed to run it on.
Last Year’s Surface Book divided opinion, with its rather weird, unsightly hinge, but it’s not a problem for Microsoft, which has decided to keep that look in its 2016 update.
Windows 10 'Creators Update' arriving next spring, and it's (mostly) all about 3D
https://youtu.be/zdJBurRbT4o
At Microsoft’s Windows 10 event in New York, the software giant has lifted the wraps off the next big update of Windows 10, which it’s calling the Creators Update.
Watch Microsoft's big Windows 10 event here, live
Microsoft is hosting an event today, Wednesday October 26, in which it intends to reveal what’s next for Windows 10.
Titled "Imagine what you’ll do", the event is expected to reveal some new Windows hardware, although, from what we hear, not new versions of Surface or Surface Pro (although existing devices may get a processor bump). Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley says the software giant will reveal an all-in-one Surface PC codenamed "Cardinal" (which may or may not be called Surface Studio) and we expect to see new hardware from other partners too.
How to fix the Dirty COW vulnerability on Raspberry Pi
Dirty COW is a privilege escalation vulnerability found in the Linux kernel. Although it’s been there for nine years, it’s only recently been identified.
The vulnerability, which affects the 'copy-on-write' (COW) mechanism, can be found in most Linux distros, and since the Raspberry Pi runs Linux, it too is at risk.
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14955 for PC and Mobile arrives on the Fast ring
Microsoft is hosting a big Windows 10 event tomorrow, which you’ll be able to watch live here. It will be showcasing some new Surface hardware, and also revealing more about the future of the operating system.
In advance of that happening, the software giant has pushed out a new build for Windows Insiders on the Fast ring.
Grim London is an interactive guide to the very worst of the city's past
London is a fantastic city, with a long, and fascinating history. While you may be aware of many of the famous people who called the city their home in the distant past, there are thousands more infamous characters whose misdeeds you likely haven’t heard of. People like The Witch of Wapping, The Blackout Killer, and 'Lord Minimus'.
Created in time for Halloween, digital creative agency Impero has put together an interactive horror map of London, chronicling the city’s creepy past. What may appear to be a normal house to a passing tourist, might well have been built on a plague pit, or once been a baby farmer’s residence.
Why anti-malware protection isn't a 'thing' you can buy [Q&A]
Threats like ransomware means it’s more important than ever to keep your computers safe both online and off.
Emsisoft has just released Anti Malware 12, the latest version of its respected anti-malware software, and Christian Mairoll, the company’s CEO, took time to speak to me about the ever evolving threat landscape, the best ways to keep your system safe, and the benefits of paid versus free solutions.
Wayne's Bio
Wayne Williams has been writing about computers, technology, and the web for over 30 years now. He’s written for most of the UK’s PC magazines, and launched, edited and published a fair few of them in his time also. If you like what you read, you can Buy Me a Coffee!
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