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WD introduces a range of affordable storage devices designed for Raspberry Pi

WD Labs Raspberry PiDrive Foundation

The Raspberry Pi has been an incredible success. Originally aimed at teaching kids to code, it has found an appreciative audience outside of the education system.

You can do lots with a Pi, but some projects require more storage than you might have on your SD/microSD card. WD has introduced a new series of storage devices designed specifically for use with the Raspberry Pi, which combine microSD card and USB drive functionality with operating system installation software.

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Windows 10 share picks up again, after two disastrous months

Windows relief

According to NetMarketShare’s desktop operating system usage share figures, in September Windows 10, on the back of no longer being free, went into reverse gear and managed to lose market share. It was only a drop of 0.46 percentage points, but even so.

October didn’t show much of an improvement for the new OS either. In that month it managed a minuscule rise of just 0.06 percentage points. Some good news for Microsoft in November then, as Windows 10 finally returns to actual growth.

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Free online test can tell if you're 'pre-disposed' to negative or bad behavior

minority report

In the 2002 movie Minority Report, a law enforcement squad called "Precrime" arrests future criminals before they commit their act. Imagine if businesses could predict the future behavior of potential employees before hiring (or not hiring) them? That’s what Veris Benchmarks’ products aim to achieve.

The company also offers Veris Prime, is a free online test that you can take for yourself, and which measures your personal trustworthiness and shows how your results compare to white collar criminals.

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Turn your Raspberry Pi into a 3D Christmas tree with this new board

Christmas Tree Pi 3D

If you need help to get into the festive spirit, and an Eggnog Latte from Starbucks isn’t quite cutting it, perhaps transforming a Raspberry Pi into an illuminated 3D Christmas tree will do the trick.

The Pi Hut has created a Christmas tree board kit that you simply assemble and plug into your Pi. Once done, sit back and feel the joys of the holiday season as they come rushing towards you. Ho, ho, and indeed ho.

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You can now play classic arcade games in Facebook Messenger -- Here's how

games-titles-2

https://www.facebook.com/messenger/videos/1125491070903905/

You’ve been able to play basic games in Facebook Messenger for a while -- things like chess, soccer and basketball -- but from now you’ll be able to play classic arcade games too.

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Plagued by Apple Calendar spam? Here's how to stop it

calendar spam thumb

Recently a lot of people have been complaining about spam calendar invitations in iOS, and it’s something I’ve experienced too -- particularly on Black Friday. "$19.99 Ray-ban&Oakley Black Friday In-Store & Online" said one unwelcome invitation.

While you can easily decline these invites, that’s not the greatest idea because -- just like responding to a spam email -- it has the side effect of telling a spammer that your account is active. Thankfully, there is an easy way to stop them.

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How to save Spotlight lock screen images to use as wallpaper in Windows 10

Windows spotlight image

Windows 10 has a lock screen mode called Windows Spotlight that pulls attractive images from the web on a daily basis. In most instances, you’ll only see these when you log on, or lock your PC.

If you see an image that you’d like to use as Windows wallpaper, you can’t simply right-click and save it, but there is a way to easily export Windows Spotlight images to a folder so you can use them as desktop backgrounds.

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Microsoft shares Windows 10 telemetry data with third parties [Updated]

Eye spy

It’s no secret that Windows 10 records all sorts of usage information, some of which it feeds back to Microsoft. To help with the smooth running of Windows 10, and to get an idea of how users interact with the operating system, Microsoft collects telemetry data, which includes information on the device Windows 10 is running on, a list of installed apps, crash dumps, and more.

Telemetry data recorded by Windows 10 is, in a nutshell, just technical information about the device the OS is on, and how Windows and any installed software is performing, but it can occasionally include personal information. If you’re worried about that, the news that Microsoft is sharing telemetry data with third parties might concern you.

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UK retailer Argos is selling the new Apple MacBook Pro (2016) for just £100!

Argos

Apple is planning some Black Friday offers, but if you’re looking to get a good deal on a new MacBook Pro (2016), you’re probably going to be very disappointed.

However, UK retailer Argos has the deal of the century on the new MacBook Pro with TouchBar -- it’s currently offering it for just £100 ($124) -- a significant saving over the recommended price of £1,449. And if that’s still a bit rich for you, there are credit options available.

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How to keep track of your Windows 10 update history

confusedpw

Unless you’ve taken steps to actively block Windows 10’s mandatory updates, the chances are the new OS is regularly installing updates without your knowledge, and you'll probably only discover a new one has happened if/when something goes wrong.

For the most part, updates are perfectly safe, introduce occasional new features, and keep your system protected from threats, without you needing to lift a finger. But if you’re the sort of person who likes to know exactly what’s going on with your computer, there are a couple of ways to keep track of the Windows 10 updates.

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Twitter accidentally suspends its own CEO's Twitter account

facepalm head

It’s a funny time to be the CEO of a social media site. First Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was "Killed" by his creation (along with a bunch of other users), and yesterday for a short time, Twitter suspended the account of its CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey.

It may not be quite as bad as "killing" its CEO, but Twitter mistakenly suspending the account of the person who helped create it is still hugely embarrassing.

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No, Microsoft's zombie groan isn't racist

Dead rising

Racism is something that’s in the news a lot at the moment following Donald Trump’s election victory and the rise of the alt-right. The unfortunate side effect of all this is companies occasionally get criticized for doing something that isn’t the slightest bit racist, but could be viewed as such, if you chose to do so.

Case in point, a day or so ago Microsoft sent out a promotional email for Dead Rising 4 with the subject heading "NNNNGGGHHAAAA". That’s a zombie groan right? Nope, apparently, it’s the N-word.

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The first official 64-bit OS for Raspberry Pi arrives -- but there's a catch

SUSE Pi thumb

Raspberry Pi 3 Model B is the first 64-bit version of the popular barebones computer, yet despite its processor upgrade, there isn’t an official 64-bit OS available for it. That’s because the Raspberry Pi Foundation has focused instead on making its Raspbian OS run on all generations of Pi.

However, the good news is Pi 3 owners can now take advantage of the full capabilities of their device, thanks to SUSE which has released a version of its 64-bit Linux Enterprise Server product that supports Raspberry Pi 3.

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Microsoft releases Windows Defender Hub

windows defender logo

Windows Defender can help keep Windows 10 safe from threats, and run as a second line of defense alongside any existing security software you have installed.

Microsoft has added various new elements to the program in the Anniversary Update, including Limited Periodic Scanning and Block at First Sight protection. There’s now a new Windows Defender Hub available to download in the Windows Store.

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The Grand Tour is Amazon's biggest hit

Grand tour

The British edition of Top Gear holds the record for being the most widely watched factual television program in the world. Having departed that show under a cloud, the presenting trio of Clarkson, Hammond and May had a lot to live up to with their new show on Amazon, but it turns out The Grand Tour fully met expectations, and then some.

If you’ve watched it, you’ll know it’s pretty much Top Gear with a much, much bigger budget. As it’s an Amazon Prime exclusive and currently only available in the US, UK, Germany, Austria, and Japan (officially anyway), it was never going to match Top Gear for viewing figures but it is still Amazon’s biggest hit to date.

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