Facebook launches bulk app removal tool in response to privacy concerns

Facebook icon on iPhone 8

Facebook has long been embroiled in controversies about privacy, but things have been particularly bad in recent weeks. The Cambridge Analytica scandal has put the spotlight firmly on privacy on the social network and -- having already made its privacy tools more accessible -- Facebook has now created a tool to quickly remove apps from profiles in bulk.

It's a very simple idea, but one that will be warmly welcomed by those who have been concerned about the Facebook apps they have installed, but have felt put off by the idea of doing anything about it because of the arduous nature of tinkering with them one by one.

Continue reading

How to upgrade to Windows 10 Spring Creators Update right now

It's only a week since Microsoft released Windows 10 Spring Creators Update Build 17133 first to the Fast ring and then the Slow ring, and it's clear that it's not going to be long until the latest big update is pushed out to everyone via Windows Update.

But what about if you want to upgrade right now? There's no need to be a Windows Insider as the RTM version of Windows 10 Spring Creators Update is already available to download directly from Microsoft's servers. So, if you're interested in keeping one step ahead of the game, here's what you need to do.

Continue reading

Intel unveils hexacore mobile Core i9 chip and gets within spitting distance of 5GHz

Intel mobile Core i9 processor

In Bejing today, Intel revealed its first mobile Core i9 chip. The hexacore processor (yep... no fewer than six cores) is an eighth-generation chip, and the company says it is "the highest-performance laptop processor Intel has ever built".

Intel also claims that it offers the "best gaming and content creation experience on the go," and with the top-of-the-range Intel Core i9-8950HK processor reaching speeds of up to 4.8 GHz, it's a claim that's easy to believe. A total of 12 threads bring serious improvements over the previous generation chips.

Continue reading

New program helps companies meet cloud security goals

Cloud data security

Infrastructure and development practices are changing as companies move towards cloud computing, DevOps, and on-demand SaaS delivery models.

This means security and operations teams must integrate their approach to securing systems. Cloud security company Threat Stack is launching a Cloud SecOps Program to help companies integrate security and operations initiatives and reduce risk.

Continue reading

ASUS unveils the svelte ROG Zephyrus M Windows 10 gaming laptop

It used to be, if you wanted a gaming laptop, there was a huge price to pay. No, I am not talking about a financial price, although they can be expensive. Actually, I am referring to the excessive weight and thickness. A portable gaming machine was historically a very big and bulky product.

These days, however, a gaming laptop can be quite svelte comparatively. They are continually getting thinner and lighter. Today, ASUS unveils its latest such notebook, the ROG Zephyrus M. That "ROG" stands for "Republic of Gamers," which is ASUS' premium gaming brand. This new laptop certainly is premium, as it features a hexacore Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and either an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or 1070 -- depending on configuration. This is all crammed into a very thin body. And yes, the keyboard features RGB lighting, because... Gaming!

Continue reading

Breakthrough in AI cuts battery drain of mobile voice UIs

Smartphone voice command

We've become increasingly used to technology that uses 'wake words' like, "Hey, Cortana" to initiate interaction.

But this technology has, so far, failed to make a big impact in the mobile apps arena, the main reason being the battery drain created by having an app that's constantly listening. That could be about to change as Silicon Valley company Sensory is announcing a breakthrough in running its TrulyHandsfree wake word and speech recognition AI engine directly on Android and iOS smartphone applications at low-power.

Continue reading

New platform delivers improved data management across clouds

Cloud management

Businesses are increasingly using multiple cloud platforms and so need a means of managing all of their data assets wherever they're located.

Cloud development company JetStream Software is launching a new cross-cloud data management platform to give cloud service providers and enterprise cloud operations a better way to support workload migration, resource elasticity, and business continuity across multi-cloud and multi-data center set ups.

Continue reading

Apple could drop Intel and start making its own chips for Macs

Apple logo on MacBook

Apple could be planning to ditch Intel and start to manufacture its own chips for Macs by 2020, according to a new report.

The move would be in line with what the company has done for iPhones and iPads -- the A11 Bionic chips are already designed in-house. Intel's share price dropped by 6 percent as the rumors of the plan came out.

Continue reading

Linux 4.16 launches

Just over a week ago, Linus Torvalds said that the release of Linux 4.16 could take place on Sunday April 1. Ignoring the fact that April Fool's day is a terrible day to do just about anything, he made good on his promise.

As predicted, there was no RC8 of the kernel, and Torvalds notes that the final release is very similar to RC7. In a post to the Linux Kernel Mailing List, he also said that the merge window for 4.17 is open, but for now, the focus is on 4.16.

Continue reading

Google kicks cryptomining extensions from the Chrome Web Store

Google Chrome logo

Amid growing concern about a disregard for Chrome Web Store policies, Google is slapping a ban on extensions that mine for cryptocurrencies.

With immediate effect, no more cryptomining extensions will be added to the Store, and as of July 2018, any existing mining tools will be removed. Google says that an astonishing 90 percent of mining extensions ignore rules that state cryptomining must be the extension's sole purpose, and users need to be fully informed about the mining.

Continue reading

Grindr was sharing users' location and HIV status with third parties

Grindr on smartphone

Last week there was an outcry after it was revealed that it was relatively simple to determine the location of Grindr users because of a security flaw. The company has now also admitted that it shared information from users' profiles with third parties -- specifically the analytics companies Apptimize and Localytics -- including their HIV status.

Grindr was quick to point out that, firstly, the information was sent via HTTPS, secondly, that the data was not sold to the analytics companies (it was provided free of charge) and, thirdly, that the data was public anyway. All three of these points will come as little comfort to Grindr users, but the company has said that it will now stop the practice of sharing HIV-related information.

Continue reading

6et ready! OnePlus teases the OnePlus 6 and opens forum for the upcoming flagship

OnePlus 6 6et Reader teaser video

There's always a great sense of excitement surrounding the announcement of a new OnePlus phone, and this is something that the company is only too happy to play on.

We've already seen a leaked photo of the yet-to-be-released handset and heard that the phone has an iPhone X-style notch; now OnePlus has (pretty much) confirmed the phone's name and started its "6et ready!" teaser campaign. While we were all but certain about the name, it has now been officially established that it will be called the OnePlus 6. Well ... almost.

Continue reading

Acer Aspire S24 Windows 10 all-in-one desktop comes to the USA

If you want a quality all-in-one desktop, you should buy an iMac or iMac Pro, right? Pretty much. Surface Studio is another option, but it is sort of outdated these days. Unfortunately, both Microsoft and Apple's offerings are very expensive, making them unobtainable for many.

There is yet another intriguing option lately -- the previously announced Acer Aspire S24. That company is normally synonymous with budget systems, and while this all-in-one desktop isn't top of the line, it actually has some premium design aspects. In fact, it can be argued that it is more attractive than the aforementioned expensive products from Apple and Microsoft.

Continue reading

Microsoft releases HTML5-based Remote Desktop web client preview

Microsoft is working on an HTML5-based Remote Desktop client to allow Windows users to control their devices from the comfort of their favorite browser. The web app was announced at the Ignite event last year and it is now finally available to test.

The Remote Desktop client is offered as a preview at this stage, and is accompanied by official documentation on how it can be set up on Windows devices. The web version is compatible with Windows 7 SP1 or Windows Server 2008R2 and newer, but it also requires a "compatible" browser as well.

Continue reading

The best and worst rated countries for internet surveillance

Surveillance graphic header

We all know that some countries censor their citizens' access to the internet. But which are the most intrusive when it comes to online surveillance?

Consumer security site Security Baron has created an infographic showing the best and worst, along with those named by Reporters Without Borders as, 'enemies of the internet'.

Continue reading

© 1998-2024 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.