Apple has made iOS 12.1.2 available to iPhone users, just two weeks after the public release of iOS 12.1.1. The fourth update to the iPhone operating system since it was launched includes fixes for problems with eSIM and connectivity.

But while iPhone owners around the world will be pleased to receive another update, Qualcomm remains unhappy with Apple. The company complained that Apple was violating two of its software patents, and last week a Chinese court banned the sale of certain older iPhones. Apple said that this week's update would "address any possible concern about our compliance with the order"; Qualcomm says the company is still violating the court order.

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When I think beta testing, low-tech doesn't come to mind. The gadgets that you use demand extensive quality review during design and prefabrication stages, long before ever being manufactured. But, gasp, cat furniture?

Seeing this website is still called BetaNews 20 years on—and felines own the Internet—there's strange sense to spotlighting something for your furry friend(s) the week before Christmas. Call it a stocking stuffer, but one where the kitty is stuffed. And, this wool wonder, like other things from Tuft + Paw, was thoroughly beta tested.

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Earlier in the year open-source software startup Whitewater Foundry brought WLinux to the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). Not content with creating the first native Linux distribution for WSL, the company has now gone a step further, targeting enterprise users with WLinux Enterprise.

Whitewater Foundry says that WLinux Enterprise is the first product to support the industry-standard Red Hat Enterprise Linux on Windows Subsystem for Linux.

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When you're taking a flight, you can check the arrivals and departures section of your airport website to see if you're going to take off on time, or just rely on an airline announcement. Or you could just ask Google Assistant.

Google has announced that it will start to predict flight delays, using a combination of historic flight information and machine learning. The company says that it is able to deliver predictions with 85 percent confidence.

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Facebook is borrowing more features from Instagram and will be pushing a Facebook Messenger update to users starting today. The camera-focused update sees the arrival of not only a new selfie mode, but also support for Boomerang looping videos and AR stickers.

The update is heavily inspired by Instagram, to the point that the new Selfie mode that automatically blurs backgrounds is practically identical to Instagram's Portrait mode.

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A lawsuit has been filed with the District Court of the Northern District of California accusing Apple of misleading advertising for the iPhone XS.

The lawsuit claims that not only does Apple disguise the fact that the iPhone XS has a notch, but also that the company made false claims about the pixel count of the handset's screen. The class action lawsuit, Sponchiado & Davis vs Apple, runs to some 55 pages and it makes observations that have been made by fans and critics of Apple alike.

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When we looked at security predictions at this time last year some experts were predicting that we'd see attacks on cryptocurrencies and that we'd continue to see a rise in the scale and profile of attacks.

They've been proved right on both counts over the course of 2018, so what is next year going to have in store? We've canvassed the views of a number of industry figures to find out what they see as the key security issues for 2019.

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We are edging ever closer to the full and final release of the next major version of Kodi, codenamed Leia.

Coming two weeks after RC2 arrived, the third release candidate drops today. Work is now underway on RC4, which does mean the full release likely won’t occur until January.

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In the world of Android, LG doesn't get the attention it deserves. The company's smartphones are usually exceptional -- well made, with excellent displays, and quite often, above average audio quality too. Yet for whatever reason, many consumers flock to Samsung instead. Look, there is nothing wrong with Galaxy devices -- they are usually wonderful too -- but one of the best things about Android is there are so many companies embracing different designs and hardware. If you are a user of Google's mobile operating system, why not broaden your horizons a bit?

With the exception of the unfortunate G5, I have been impressed by every LG smartphone I have tried. Historically, yours truly has been particularly smitten with its "V Series" of devices. These are smartphones where LG has taken more risks, such as utilizing a "second screen" that sits atop the primary display -- a feature that is now gone. Was it gimmicky? Yes, a bit, but it was actually useful. Through age and refinement, however, the V Series has evolved into the true flagship device from LG, with the latest being the V40 ThinQ. I have been testing the device (unlocked variant) lately to see if LG is still delivering the quality smartphone experience I expect.

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Another week and yet another in a seemingly endless stream of Facebook privacy issues. The social networking giant has found itself apologizing, yet again, for leaking users' private data. This time around, an API bug meant that private photos of millions of users may have been exposed to app developers.

The bug was present for nearly two weeks and it went further than simply giving developers access to photos users had posted to their accounts -- it also exposed photos that had been uploaded but not actually posted.

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Sony is no stranger to limited edition consoles. The company has released countless versions of its PlayStation devices over the years with special colors and designs. For instance, earlier this year, the company released a really cool Spider-Man PS4 Pro.

Today, Sony announces yet another limited edition PlayStation bundle, this time a PS4 Pro featuring artwork inspired by the upcoming Square Enix game Kingdom Hearts III. Even if you aren't a fan of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, it must be admitted that the designs of both the console and included controller are quite beautiful.

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If you need a streaming media box, you really can't go wrong with Roku. The devices are inexpensive, chock full of features, and most importantly, have access to most of the popular media services, such as Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, and more.

If you weren't aware, the Roku interface can even be customized with special themes -- some free, some paid. To be honest, it seemed sort of greedy to charge customers for themes, but OK, at least they are optional. Well, that gripe is no longer, as starting today, Roku is making all of its themes gratis.

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Bluetooth earphones and headphones may not always sound as good as wired variants, but for many consumers, they are good enough. The convenience of not having to have your head tethered to your smartphone or tablet more than makes up for any audio deficiencies. Of course, there are audiophiles out there that will never embrace wireless for music -- that's their prerogative.

There are many such Bluetooth earphones on the market today, including the wildly popular AirPods. Personally, I find the hard plastic design of Apple's offering to be uncomfortable and painful -- I actually bought and returned them. Instead, I opt for earphones that come with multiple sizes of replaceable silicone tips -- this allows you to achieve a more comfortable fit. Today, Phiaton lunches new wireless earphones that come with small, medium, and large tips. Called "CURVE BT 120 NC," they offer active noise canceling. Also cool? You can set them to vibrate for incoming calls and notifications.

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Earlier this week we reported on how Windows 10 could be sharing your activity data even if you had told it not to.

In response Microsoft has released a statement from Marisa Rogers, privacy officer at its Windows and Devices Group.

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The days of simply walking, taking the bus, or hailing a taxi to get around a city is quickly becoming unfashionable. Instead, small electric vehicles -- such as scooters and bicycles -- are being used to go from place to place. While some people own their own e-bikes or e-scooters, many just rent them instead. Yes, rent. If you aren't familiar, there is a huge trend right now where popular cities are littered with e-scooters, pedal bicycles, and e-bikes from companies like Bird, Citi Bike, and Lime. When you tire of walking, you just hop on the vehicle and use it as needed-- for an affordable price.

Google Maps is a great service for getting directions for traditional means of transportation. Not only does it help with navigating by car, walking, or biking, but it can offer mass-transit assistance too. Today, however, Google Maps gains yet another new feature that will surely delight millennials -- integration with Lime on both Android and iOS.

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