The evolution of the computer -- from 1613 to 2013
My first computer was the Sinclair ZX81 which, unsurprisingly, came out in 1981. It had 1kB of memory (but this could be expanded with the addition of a 16kB RAM pack) and a monochrome display. Compare that machine with today’s computers and tablets (and smartphones for that matter), and the advancement is clearly staggering.
The history of the computer is littered with milestones. In 1822 Charles Babbage began work on the Difference Engine, the first automatic computing engine. In 1936 Alan Turing submitted a paper describing a device that could be programmed using symbols on tape. In 1953 IBM released the first mass-produced commercial computer, and in 1976 Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created the Apple I.
Is your partner spying on you?
Google knows a lot about you, and the government may be snooping on your activities, but it's your significant other who may well be the one spying on you the most, according to a new survey by security firm Avast.
The company surveyed 13,132 adults in the United States and found that one in four women and one in five men regularly checked their partner's smartphone. Most of the women were doing so purely to be nosy, but a quarter of married women admitted to looking for evidence of infidelity.
Too poor to own an aircraft? Don't worry, a new app will let you hire a private jet
JetMe is a new app for iOS (Android coming soon) that wants to be like Uber or Airbnb, except instead of letting you book a ride or a place to stay, it lets you book a private jet.
I know what you’re thinking -- why book a private jet when you can just use your own aircraft -- but believe it or not, there are some people who don’t have their own planes (because they prefer to travel by yacht, for example). For those people, JetMe might be the perfect solution.
Watch the Galaxy Note 4 launch here LIVE
Samsung is set to announce the Galaxy Note 4 at its Unpacked 2014 Episode 2 press event today. Mihaita Bamburic has already covered what to expect from the new Android phablet and you can read his predictions here.
The new device will likely be powered by a much faster processor, and offer a higher screen resolution (but ship with the same 5.7-inch display size found on the Galaxy Note 3), and better quality front and rear cameras.
Toshiba's new Chromebook 2 offers a Skullcandy branded audio experience
Toshiba USA has taken the wraps off its second generation Chromebook. Chromebook 2 will sport a 13.3-inch screen in a compact 12-inch chassis and be available in two versions. The entry model boasts a standard HD display, while the premium edition offers Full HD (1920 x 1080) with IPS (In-plane switching) technology.
Both models feature Skullcandy tuned sound systems with "strategically placed" front-facing stereo speakers.
Lumsing E-DR15 car charger: Splitting one cigarette lighter socket into three [Review]
A few years ago, the very concept of a three port extender for your car's cigarette lighter socket would have caused some raised eyebrows. Even if you were in a car packed full of chainsmokers, three lighter sockets would be deemed excessive.
Of course, these days, the lighter socket is less for lighting cigarettes and more for powering devices, so Lumsing's power splitter serves a clear purpose.
Lumsing PBJ-6200 Power Bank: A stylish phone charging solution [Review]
I charge my iPhone 5s every night -- it's pretty much a standard routine. Although people moan about the iPhone's battery life, I have no complaints. In fact my old Samsung Galaxy S III needed charging more regularly. But every so often a little extra battery boost is required, which is fine if I'm at home, but less convenient when I'm out and about (and I have no interest in being a wall hugger). This is where an external battery pack can come in handy.
Lumsing's PBJ-6200 Power Bank has already proven to be a life saver in the couple of weeks I've had it. The device is roughly the same dimensions as my phone -- 4.88x 2.64 x 0.51 inches (124 x 67 x13 mm) -- and has a 6,000mAh capacity, which is enough to charge my iPhone about three times (a Galaxy S4 twice, or an iPad mini once).
Everything you need to know about Windows 9 ('Threshold')
At launch, Windows 8 was a mess. It was a brave and -- arguably -- necessary attempt by Microsoft to re-invent its operating system and keep it relevant as the world transitioned towards mobile computing, and tablets in particular. But the first release was seriously half-baked, and left many Windows users scratching their heads in confusion. Windows 8.1 improved things massively, and Update made the OS even better, especially for previously neglected keyboard and mouse users. But Windows 8.x’s poor market share tells a clear story -- the OS has flopped badly, and it’s time for Microsoft to chalk it up to experience and move on.
Windows 9 (aka Threshold) is expected to be the operating system that Windows 8.x should have been, just as Windows 7 was the OS Vista should have been. According to The Verge, we’ll get our first proper look at the next Windows iteration on September 30, but we already have a fairly good idea of what to expect.
The story-driven Superhero Workout app makes getting fit super-fun
There are hundreds of fitness apps available for iOS and Android and, I suspect, like fitness equipment, many people buy them with the best of intentions, but then never use them. I’m a prime example. Although I use running apps like Zombies, Run! and Runtastic on a regular basis, most of the workout apps I own see far less action (the one exception being Runtastic PushUps which I use daily).
However, Six to Start -- the creator of story-driven apps like Zombies, Run! and The Walk -- has come up with a workout app that people will actually want to use. Superhero Workout uses camera-based motion tracking to record the reps as you exercise, and marries it with a thrilling sci-fi story. Punches become plasma blasts, abdominal crunches charge your AEGIS One battlesuit’s reactor, and you can brace yourself from incoming debris with a wall sit...
Microsoft updates Bing Maps, adds loads more 3D cities and Streetside views
Microsoft’s Bing Maps team has made a major update to its service, adding Streetside views (its version of Google’s Street View) to 64 new cities, and 3D maps to 29 new cities.
Among the new cities gaining Streetside views are Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Las Vegas, and Chicago. All of the Streetside additions are in the US. The new list of 3D cities also focuses on American locations, including Atlanta, Denver, and New Orleans, but Copenhagen in Denmark and Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria in Canada are also included.
Once a fantasy from a galaxy far, far away, holograms are finally nearing reality
The original Star Wars movies are packed with iconic scenes and futuristic technology, such as the moment when R2-D2 projects a hologram recording of Princess Leia into thin air for Obi-Wan Kenobi. Forget FaceTime and Skype, this is how we should be communicating with each other in the 21st century.
A little over three decades after Star Wars first hit the cinemas, hologram technology is slowly beginning to edge its way from the realms of science fiction and into science fact and it may not be long until we're able to project holograms straight from our mobile phones.
Would you use a tablet to make a phone call?
Phablets -- super-sized phones -- serve a useful purpose. They allow consumers to carry just the one device that can be used as a smartphone and act as a tablet. However, while phablets are growing in popularity worldwide, in Asia tablets with cellular voice capabilities are gaining traction.
According to IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker, in Q2 2014 nearly 25 percent (around 3.5 million units) of all the tablets shipped in the Asia/Pacific excluding Japan (APeJ) region had cellular voice capabilities, allowing users to make calls by holding a tablet up to their faces. And we’re talking devices with screen sizes of 7 inches and up.
HTC One (M8) for Windows is the Windows Phone you've been waiting for
Earlier today the first pictures of HTC One (M8) running Windows Phone 8.1 appeared on the web. The leaked images looked genuine, but we were waiting for official confirmation of the device before sharing the news, and the Taiwanese firm has just provided that.
The HTC One (M8) is one of the best -- if not the best -- Android phones available and the Windows Phone variant keeps everything that’s good about it, including the all-metal unibody design, tapered edges, and curved back, 5-inch 1080 by 1920 display, 2.3 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, and Duo Camera setup.
New ransomware charges $300 (early bird special) to unlock your files
PandaLabs has discovered a new strain of ransomware which it is calling Trj/Crypdef.A. The new variant works like other forms of ransomware in that it locks infected computers and encrypts a user’s files before demanding a ransom to get control back.
The ransom demand says "By purchasing a license from us, we are able to rescue your files 100% guaranteed for a very low early bird price of only $300". Don’t think $300 is a bargain? Well, in five days the demand goes up to $600, and after ten days it will cost you $1,000 to unlock your system and restore your files.
Get started with Raspberry Pi
We’re big fans of the Raspberry Pi here at BetaNews. The super-cheap credit card sized computer was created to help get kids back into programming, just as they did in schools in the 1980s and 1990s, but the ARM GNU/Linux board has found an appreciative audience outside of the education system, with over 3 million Pis sold since 2012.
Getting started with the device is easy enough, and there’s plenty of help and advice available on the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s website, but if you want a simple, straightforward guide then Manchester based NeoMam Studios has put together an infographic covering setting up, getting started and more.
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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