Linux Mint 19.1 'Tessa' coming this Christmas
December is coming, which means one of my favorite holidays, Christmas, is fairly imminent. While I enjoy spending time with family to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, I’d be lying if I said I don’t like getting presents. Heck, I really enjoy giving gifts too.
Not all Christmas gifts need to be physical -- sometimes a Linux distribution can be equally rewarding! Case in point, today, we learn Linux Mint 19.1 -- which is named "Tessa" -- will be released around Christmastime. In addition, the Mint developers have launched an official Patreon account as a new way to get funding from users. More importantly, there are some significant upcoming improvements to the Cinnamon desktop environment.
Apple unveils new MacBook Air with Retina Display and Touch ID
At the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Apple today revealed a new MacBook Air. As well as a Retina Display, Apple has shrunk the bezels to near-invisibility. The screen measures 13.3-inch with four times the resolution of its predecessor.
The new model features Touch ID built directly into the keyboard. The keyboard itself has been upgraded for a better and more reliable typing experience, and the new Force Touchpad below this is 20 percent larger. But what else does the new MacBook Air have to offer?
Non-Microsoft exploits on the rise as hackers turn to servers
A new report from AlienVault, based on findings from vendors' threat reports in its Open Threat Exchange (OTX) platform, reveals more non-Microsoft exploits are in the top 10 list this year.
This is largely due to a rise of server attacks, particularly cryptocurrency-mining botnets that use remote exploits, such as Drupal. The report also sees an IoT exploit make the list for the first time.
Major companies' two-factor authentication offerings fall short
With passwords increasingly being seen as insufficient to properly secure access to websites, more and more companies are turning to two-factor authentication.
New research from digital identity management experts Dashlane looks at how some of the biggest consumer websites are protecting their users. It looks at 17 of the UK’s most popular sites and finds only four get top marks for their 2FA offerings.
Apple announces iOS 12.1 with Group FaceTime, new emoji, dual-SIM support and more
Later today Apple is holding an event in Brooklyn at which we expect to see a new iPad Pro, iMac and MacBook Air. That's the hardware side of things. Today is also about software -- specifically iOS 12.1 which holds many treats for iPhone and iPad users.
The latest version of iOS will be available today, and it includes Group FaceTime and more than 70 new emoji. On top of this, there's also Depth Control in real-time preview and dual-SIM support for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR.
RogueKiller Anti-Malware 13 adds new scan modes, rewrites scan engine for faster performance
Adlice Software has released RogueKiller Anti-Malware 13.0.3 alongside RogueKiller Portable 13.0.3 and RogueKillerCMD 13.0.3, a major new release of its anti-malware protection tool.
RogueKiller, which comes as a cut-down free scan-and-removal tool as well as a paid-for version offering additional features such as CLI support and automatic updates, unveils several new scanners, an overhauled scan engine and redesigned user interface, with several advanced tools and features stripped out and moved to a separate application.
How to watch Apple's new iPad and Mac event
In just a few hours, Apple will be taking the wraps off its latest iPads and Macs. The launch event will be held in Brooklyn this time around, which means it will be a lot earlier than usual.
We’re expecting to see a new Home button-less iPad Pro with a thinner bezels and a Face ID sensor, updated iMacs, a new MacBook Air and maybe a new Mac Mini. iOS 12.1 is also out today, so expect some references to that too, as well as the usual surprises.
Google is working on a patch for weird double-notch bug affecting Pixel 3 XL
The notches that grace an increasing number of phones -- from the iPhone XS to the OnePlus 6T -- have proved quite divisive, but it seems unlikely they are going to disappear anytime soon. In fact, thanks to a weird bug,some Pixel 3 XL owners have found that they have extra notches to contend with.
A number of users have encountered a bug that adds a second notch to the side of the screen in addition to the usual one at the top. The cause of the problem is not known, but Google is working on fixing it.
Dear Apple, I don't need a fancy iPad Pro for sitting on the toilet
Apple makes very elegant products that help people get work done every day. As an example, my MacBook Pro and iPhone are what I often use to both be creative and keep in contact with friends, family, and colleagues. My iPad is a different story though. I'm not going to beat around the bush here, folks -- I frequently use it while going "number two."
Look, if I am going to be sitting on the toilet for a while, I take my 2017 iPad with me for surfing the web, watching videos, listening to music, playing casual games, and checking social media. Before you look at me with disgust, let's be honest, you probably bring a tablet into the bathroom too. It's time Apple acknowledges this fact and gives us redesigned iPads that focus on consumption. The current non-Pro iPad is simply too big, thick, and heavy.
Red Hat takes over IBM
So IBM is buying Red Hat (home of the largest Enterprise Linux distribution) for $34 billion and readers want to know what I think of the deal. Well, if I made a list of acquisitions and things to do to save IBM, buying Red Hat would have been very close to the top of that list. It should have bought Red Hat 10 years ago when the stock market was in the gutter. Jumping the gun a bit, I have to say the bigger question is really which company’s culture will ultimately dominate? I’m hoping it’s Red Hat.
The deal is a good fit for many reasons explained below. And remember Red Hat is just down the road from IBM’s huge operation in Raleigh, NC.
Here's the OnePlus 6T -- and it's coming to T-Mobile in the US
After months of build up from the Chinese company, a tremendous number of leaks, and endless hype, the OnePlus 6T has finally been officially announced. Something of an evolution of the OnePlus 6, the latest handset features a smaller notch, an in-screen fingerprint reader, and no headphone socket.
With a starting price of $549 there's a lot to get excited about with the latest addition to the OnePlus range -- and the specs are certainly impressive. But for folks in the US who have been eagerly anticipating OnePlus handsets finally launching in their country, the wait is finally over. The OnePlus 6T will be available in the US as a T-Mobile exclusive.
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Could your brain be a target for hackers?
Implanted brain stimulation devices are used by scientists to explore how memories are created in the brain. New research shows that vulnerabilities mean they could be be targeted in future to steal personal information, alter or erase memories or cause physical harm.
Sound like science fiction? Researchers from Kaspersky Lab and the University of Oxford Functional Neurosurgery Group have used practical and theoretical analysis to explore the very real vulnerabilities that could exist in implanted devices used for deep brain stimulation.
How to access your iPhone's secret emoticon keyboard
Before emojis took over the world, people who wanted to add some tone or feelings to text messages or emails would use emoticons (or smileys) -- faces made up of punctuation characters.
They’re still in use today, but people prefer to send emojis, or -- if you’re an iPhone user -- you might enjoy using Apple’s new face-tracking Animoji instead. But if you want to go old school, there’s a special emoticon keyboard hidden inside iOS.
Sony announces the full PlayStation Classic game list, and it is insanely impressive
When Nintendo experienced huge success with its NES Classic Edition, many people in the video game industry were caught off guard. It shouldn't have been a surprise, however, as nostalgia sells. People simply love reliving their youth. We are all guilty of fondly remembering the commercialism of our childhood, and putting certain things -- like a video game console -- on a pedestal.
Sony was wise to follow Nintendo's lead with the upcoming mini PlayStation Classic, as many consumers that had the console as children are now adults with disposable income. Unfortunately, Sony did not share the full list of pre-loaded games, only revealing a fraction of the 20 promised titles. Today this changes, as the PlayStation-maker reveals the full list. And quite frankly, the list looks incredible.
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