Wayne Williams

Microsoft launched a Chinese version of LinkedIn in 2014, having weighed up the pros and cons of operating under the scrutiny -- and restrictions -- of the Chinese government.

Today, the software giant announces it is pulling the plug on LinkedIn there, citing a lack of success with the social aspects of the site, and the difficulties it faced with complying with the government’s many demands. Microsoft isn’t pulling out of China's blossoming business market entirely though -- rather it’s changing its focus.

Continue reading →

If you’re looking for military images and videos, there’s a new resource which offers over 5,000 videos and 10,000 images from the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MOD).

Created in conjunction with Norwegian software provider FotoWare, the new Defence Imagery site complies with the strict requirements laid out by the UK Government and makes it clear what you can and can't do with any content you download.

Continue reading →

It’s now more apparent than ever that security is a critical aspect of IT infrastructure, and that devastating data breaches can occur from simple network line hacks.

As shown in this book, combining the latest version of Python with an increased focus on network security can help you to level up your defenses against cyber attacks and cyber threats.

Continue reading →

DearMob iPhone Manager, from Digiarty (WinXDVD), is an easy to use program that lets you transfer, manage, backup and restore your iPhone or iPad.

If you’re always running out of space on your Apple device, you can use this tool to quickly manage your storage, and it’s available for both Windows and Mac.

Continue reading →

The other day I was chatting with a friend and she mentioned how Facebook was listening into personal conversations via her phone. It was the only possible explanation, she said, for how it could know she was in the market for a new sofa. Her husband was the only person (other than me) she’d mentioned this to and although she hadn’t yet got around to looking for a sofa online, her Facebook feed was full of ads for upholstered seating. I’ve heard this conspiracy theory before, of course, we all have. If it’s not Facebook listening in, it’s Google. But it made me smile.

When I go into Facebook (or Instagram), which is several times every day, I see stories from my friends and family, interspersed with 'targeted' adverts for products and services that I have no interest in -- such as the advert I saw today for a train company whose trains I’ve never been on because they don’t run anywhere near where I live or travel to. Judging by all the food ads Facebook shows me, it thinks I’m a staunch (and very hungry) vegan. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Continue reading →

It’s been five months since the Kodi Foundation released Kodi 19.1 'Matrix'. The latest iteration of the popular home theater software brought with it a wealth of fixes and changes.

Now Team Kodi releases version 19.2 with more fixes and improvements.

Continue reading →

Windows 11 is currently rolling out to users with compatible hardware, but if you don't want to wait you can jump the queue. You can even install it on PCs without the TPM 2.0 requirement using this hack. Although it’s early days, a number of users have reported problems with the OS, which is to be expected.

If you upgrade to Windows 11 and encounter problems -- or decide it’s simply not for you -- you might want to go back to Windows 10, and wait until the new OS is a bit less buggy. The process is straightforward enough, although there are some downsides to be aware of.

Continue reading →

Although Microsoft would prefer it if people waited to be invited to install Windows 11 on compatible hardware, you can jump the queue now and install it in a number of ways, including by downloading the ISO file, or using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant.

Microsoft has warned against installing Windows 11 on unsupported hardware but -- in the perfect display of the mixed messaging the company seems so adept at delivering when it comes to the new OS -- it’s also revealed the steps you need to take to do exactly that.

Continue reading →

Microsoft started to roll out Windows 11 yesterday -- a day earlier than originally stated -- and many users chose to immediately jump on the new OS, installing it via either the Media Creation Tool or the Windows 11 Installation Assistant. The latter is the method I used to painlessly upgrade both my desktop and laptop PCs.

For some users however, the process has been far from painless, with a number of eager upgraders reporting the installation stalling with error code '0x8007007f', despite their having compatible hardware.

Continue reading →

When Microsoft announced that Windows 11 would start to become available from October 5 it didn’t specify a time zone. That’s because its new operating system will be released in each country as the day begins.

That means, for some lucky users, Windows 11 is already available to install and users can start to buy new PCs with Windows 11 preinstalled on them from today.

Continue reading →

Tomorrow is a huge day for Microsoft as it’s when Windows 11 starts to roll out to the first batch of compatible systems.

Work continues apace on the new operating system though, and Microsoft today releases a new build to Insiders in the Dev Channel. Build 22471 is the lone build this week and comes with a large number of fixes.

Continue reading →

If you have personal files that you want to be able to access when on the go, but don’t trust cloud providers to keep them safe, and are worried about the dangers of storing them on a USB memory stick which could be easily lost or stolen, the best solution is to use a 100 percent hardware encrypted USB drive like the Aegis Padlock SSD.

This is a much more secure solution than using software encryption and is designed to meet NIST FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) 140-2 Level 2 requirements. The SSD drive protects data as it’s being written with military grade 256-bit AES XTS encryption, and is small enough to fit comfortably in any pocket.

Continue reading →

Nine previous editions of this popular benchmark guide can’t be wrong! Whether you’re new to Linux and need a step-by-step guide or are a pro who wants to catch up with recent distributions, Linux For Dummies, 10th Edition has your back. 

Covering everything from installation to automation, this updated edition focuses on openSUSE and Ubuntu and includes new and refreshed material -- as well as chapters on building a web server and creating simple shell scripts. 

Continue reading →

Windows 11 is set to begin rolling out to compatible systems next week, but Microsoft is working on future incarnations of its new operating system

Today the software giant releases Windows 11 Build 22468 to Insiders in the Dev Channel.

Continue reading →

Microsoft has completely redesigned its forthcoming operating system, and Windows Insiders have been testing it out for months, ahead of its official launch on October 5.

The apps that come with the new OS have been updated also, and Insiders in the Dev Channel now have the chance to try out the all-new Paint tool, which Microsoft describes as a "modern spin on the classic app".

Continue reading →