Now you can use Siri to launch Google Assistant on your iPhone


If you have an iPhone, you use Siri; if you have an Android phone, you use Google Assistant. Right? Thanks to Siri Shortcuts -- and an update from Google -- it's now easier than ever to access Google Assistant on your iPhone with a voice command.
With iOS 12, Apple introduced Siri Shortcuts giving users the opportunity to record their own voice triggers that can then be used to perform different actions. Now Google Assistant supports Siri Shortcuts, so you can access it via Siri.
Surface Pro 6 beats iPad Pro in bend test


Last week, Apple's latest iPad Pro was put through its paces by JerryRigEverything. We're not talking benchmarks of speed here, we're talking durability tests -- the iPad Pro was scratched, burned and bent to see what sort of punishment it could take.
In short, Apple's tablet was found to be extremely bendy. Actually, scratch that… it basically folded like a wet tissue. Now JerryRigEverything has turned its attention to the Surface Pro 6, finding that it is far more durable and able to withstand a bend test much more impressively.
Ubiquiti Networks launches AmpliFi HD Gamer's Edition mesh Wi-Fi system with NVIDIA GeForce NOW QoS


When Apple abandoned the home networking business by discontinuing its popular AirPort routers, there was a huge void left behind. Sure, there are plenty of router manufacturers out there, but Apple's offerings were fast, stable, and super easy to set up and maintain. Also important was the AirPort designs -- they didn't look out of place in a living room or bedroom. There really wasn't much like them. Rest in Peace!
Seeing there was an opportunity in the market, popular company Ubiquiti Networks set its sights on the home with its AmpliFi HD mesh networking system. Not only did it match Apple's AirPort excellence, but it exceeded it with features like an LCD touch screen. Last month, Ubiquiti launched the AmpliFi Instant for shoppers on a budget, but today, it goes in the opposite direction -- the high end. Its newest product, the "AmpliFi HD Gamer's Edition," features NVIDIA GeForce NOW QoS which should provide lower latency when playing games like Fortnite and PUBG.
Keep your software up-to-date and one eye on the latest downloads with Update Scanner


How many of us have time to keep an eye on every website, especially when you need to track the latest news, promotions, offers and deals? Some of us dislike all-in-one apps such as iTunes, but at least they bring together a range of sources within one handy tool.
With this in mind, we’ve created an Update Scanner for our Downloadcrew website, which enables you to follow the latest software releases, check for updates against your installed desktop apps, the latest news, store promotions and whether there’s a full software Giveaway available.
BullGuard and NordVPN partner to boost consumer privacy

Stop focusing your information security efforts on the wrong things!


There once was a time not all that long ago when security teams could plead ignorant to IT security risks, with minimal possible consequence in terms of any significant damage coming to the company. Those days are long gone. We’ve reached an era where the "I see nothing" perspective no longer works for network security. In today’s era of advanced cyberattacks, information security is too important an element of business success to dismiss.
In fact, ignorance of information security matters is prohibitively costly, as regulators can use it to justify the imposition of fines. Take GDPR’s penalty scheme, for example. Is ignorance of digital security worth €20 million or 4 percent of an organization’s global annual revenue? That’s just one data protection standard -- others such as Australia’s Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme and the NY Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) Cybersecurity Requirements for Financial Institutions come with their own fines and penalties. Given that we’re also in the era of insufficient resources, the challenge for security teams is how to deploy limited resources to have the greatest impact. As the title of this post makes clear, the obvious answer is to stop spending time on the wrong things.
Looking for an open source password manager? Give Bitwarden a spin


Everyone needs a password manager to surf the web safely -- they enable you to set virtually crack-proof passwords for all your online accounts, plus store a range of other sensitive data too, all locked behind a single master password.
If you’re unsatisfied with your current offering, or looking to support an open source alternative, then look at 8bit Solutions LLC’s Bitwarden 1.10.0 and Bitwarden for mobile 1.19.4.
Google invites you to place your vote for the best app and best game of 2018


We're approaching the end of 2018, so it's only natural that companies take a look back over the year and reflect on what was great about it. Not one to miss out on such things, Google is launching its first-ever User's Choice Awards and is asking for your votes.
Google users are invited to cast their vote for what they believe is the best app of 2018, and what is the best game of 2018. Want your voice to be heard? Now is the time to cast your vote.
Amazon discloses names and addresses -- but doesn't disclose details


If you're an Amazon customer you may have received a rather strange email this morning. It states that the company has, "...inadvertently disclosed your name and email address due to a technical error."
It then goes on to say, "The issue has been fixed. This is not a result of anything you have done, and there is no need for you to change your password or take any other action."
How Windows 10 adoption and automation can protect your enterprise


With cyberattacks becoming more prevalent, Microsoft introduced a number of new or vastly improved security features in Windows 10, which officially hit the market in July 2015. The enterprise gave a collective nod of approval, and the Windows 10 migration was underway -- but at more of a crawl than a sprint. Although businesses wanted to take advantage of the Windows 10 benefits, the realities of deployment (associated time, cost, resource drain, and general complexity, to name a few) resulted in a slower-than-anticipated adoption process.
Now, three years in, Windows 10 has reached critical mass and continues to gain momentum. According to Adaptiva’s third annual Enterprise Endpoint Security Survey, the majority of respondents for the first time reported that their companies are running Windows 10 on most machines. In fact, more computers are running Windows 10 than all other versions combined.
You can watch The LEGO Movie for free on YouTube this Black Friday


YouTube only very recently gave people the option to watch big-name movies free of charge -- the only price to pay is enduring a few ads. Now, to celebrate Black Friday and to promote the upcoming release of The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, you'll have the chance to watch the first film (The LEGO Movie) for free.
While the previously-announced free option means you have to watch ads, in this instance The LEGO Movie is itself an ad.
Google unveils holiday season savings on games, apps, books and movies


It can't have escaped your attention that -- in the US at least -- holiday season is just around the corner. With Thanksgiving comes Black Friday and other sales, and Google is getting in on the action with a series of discounts in the Play Store.
There are great savings to be made on games and apps, ebooks and audiobooks for cyberweek, and if you're in the mood for a movie on Thanksgiving itself, you can rent any title for just $0.99.
Your Time On Facebook rolls out, revealing how much time you waste in the social network's mobile apps


It is a little while -- over three months, in fact -- since Facebook said that it was planning to launch a tool that would give users some insight into the amount of time they spent using the social network. This tool is now rolling out.
Unimaginatively called Your Time On Facebook, the tool offers a dashboard that gives a very basic overview of how long you spend using Facebook each day. But going beyond this, it can also be used to set daily reminders to help you to cut down your usage. Trying to kick your Facebook habit? Maybe this could help.
Change.org may alter next year's Super Bowl halftime show


If you haven’t been marooned on a desert island for the past couple of years, you’ll be aware of the Colin Kaepernick saga. As a refresher, the quarterback was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers. He started for them as a rookie and had a good season, though he dropped off slightly in the following seasons. When his contract expired it was not renewed.
You can have your own views of why he is no longer in the NFL. It could be his play, though he’s more than qualified to, at least, get a second string job on many teams. However, most think it was his protests that did him in. When he chose to stay on the bench during the National Anthem it caused an outcry. People claimed he hated the country, hated the military and all sorts of more bizarre things. The fact was, he was protesting violence and, after talking to a military officer, he learned to get up from the bench and take a knee.
European DDoS attack volumes more than double


In Europe DDoS attack volumes have increased sharply during the third quarter 2018 according to a new report.
The report from DDoS protection specialist Link11 shows the average attack volume more than doubled in July, August and September, to 4.6 Gbps (up from 2.2 Gbps in Q2).
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