Bigger isn't better when it comes to password security


A new study by LogMeIn, the company behind the LastPass password manager shows that size matters in password security, but not in the way that you might think.
Looking at anonymized data from over 43,000 companies, the study produced a security score and a password strength score for each. Businesses with fewer than 25 employees had the highest average security score of 50, but the average drops as company size increases.
Sign up with The Lab and you could get a OnePlus 6T early


If you're a fan of OnePlus handsets, you might like the idea of getting your hands on the OnePlus 6T not only free of charge, but before the official launch.
As part of its marketing program, OnePlus has opened up The Lab -- as it has done with previous models of its phones. This gives you the opportunity to sign up to review the phone, which means you'll be given one for free!
NightOwl is a must-have app for all Mojave users


Dark mode is a fantastic addition to any operating system, enabling late-night work to more productive. We have the theme switched on as default on Windows 10, which has always suited a darker user-interface.
Apple introduced a system-wide dark mode with Mojave and some of the recent apps look hugely better on a dark background. iPhoto is a very good example, making photos pop on the dark shade and editing easier on the eyes.
Major Google Maps update brings real-time public transport updates, music control, and more


Google is pushing out a big update to its Google Maps app with the aim of making your daily commute easier. One of the biggest additions is support for mixed-mode commutes -- those journeys that involve multiple modes of transport -- and to help with this, there's also real-time information about the location of buses and trains.
But it doesn't end there. Google Maps now also supports Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play Music podcast and music playback to help keep you entertained while you travel.
Tim Berners-Lee launches open source project Solid to decentralize the web and place users in control of data


Tim Berners-Lee is famous for inventing the world wide web, and now he's ready to take things to the next level with an ambitious open source project called Solid. Noting that the web has become "an engine of inequity and division", Berners-Lee wants to restore the power and agency of individuals online and move the balance of power away from "powerful forces who use it for their own agendas".
Solid is not a completely new venture. Berners-Lee has been working on it for some time, and it is built on the existing web as we know it. Where it differs is that "it gives every user a choice about where data is stored, which specific people and groups can access select elements, and which apps you use". This is about decentralizing the web.
Microsoft stops development of touch-friendly Office apps for Windows


Microsoft has confirmed that it is no longer developing the touch-friendly versions of Office apps for Windows
The Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, and PowerPoint Mobile apps found in the Microsoft Store first appeared for Windows 8.1, and development has continued with the release of Windows 10. But now this is changing, with Microsoft saying it wants to focus on the Win32, web, iOS and Android versions instead.
Facebook shares more details about its massive security breach -- after blocking people from sharing news about it


The Guardian was among many outlets to write about the huge Facebook vulnerability and attack reported yesterday, and people were understandably keen to share the story on the social network. However, many people found that they were unable to do.
Large numbers of Facebook users who tried to share the Guardian's story -- as well as one published by the Associated Press -- were greeted by a message informing them that the messages was spam and could not be posted. The matter has been addressed, but it led to complaints that Facebook was trying to hush up the story, and renewed calls to #DeleteFacebook. On its blog, Facebook's security team has also given more details about the "security issue" that happened earlier this week,
TVAddons' new transparency report reveals blacklisted Kodi add-ons


Taking a leaf out of the Lumen Database, unofficial Kodi add-on provider TVAddons has been maintaining a list of blacklisted Kodi Addons in a regular transparency report.
This blacklist is not the result of DMCA takedown notices, but rather is compiled based on Kodi addons that were submitted to its index but judged not to meet the company’s own verification standards.
Accell launches Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station for Windows 10 and macOS


For a while, it was hard to find a decent Thunderbolt 3 docking station. Oh, there were plenty of USB-C docks, but believe me, other than sharing a connector type, they are nowhere near as good as TB3 variants. From my experience, USB-C models can be a bit problematic -- especially with macOS.
Nowadays, however, there are many Thunderbolt 3 docks on the market. Today, Accell -- a company known for selling quality products at affordable prices -- launches a TB3 dock that looks quite beautiful and futuristic. Rather than being a simple rectangle, it slopes downward on the front. This is not just for looks -- it is designed to prop up the laptop for better viewing and typing angles.
Facebook hack: 50 million users affected by site code flaw


Facebook has revealed that it discovered a security issue which could have exposed the accounts of 50 million people.
A vulnerability was discovered in Facebook's View As feature on Tuesday, September 25, but the company has not given too many details about how the flaw was exploited or by whom, but it has said that attackers were able to steal access tokens and access other people's accounts. Law enforcement agencies have been informed, and an investigation is under way.
OnePlus 6T teaser video invites you to 'unlock the future'


With the launch of the OnePlus 6T expected in the next few weeks, the OnePlus marketing machine is now in full motion. We've had a number of leaks and rumors, as well as some official news, and now the first teaser video for the upcoming phone has been released.
The video, released to Twitter, bears the tagline "unlock the future", and says simply of the handset: "It's coming".
Cuddle up with Ubuntu Linux 18.10 Cosmic Cuttlefish Beta now!


Just yesterday, we shared with you the official Ubuntu Linux 18.10 Cosmic Cuttlefish wallpaper. And yeah, while it looks cool, it's not as exciting as, say, a Beta release of the upcoming operating system. Today, that is exactly what we get.
If you like to run pre-release Linux-based operating systems for fun -- which I do -- you can download the ISO immediately. With Ubuntu, these late-stage Beta releases are usually very stable. After all, the final version will drop next month. So while you should install it at your own risk, I would say you are probably safe with it.
Consumer Reports now recommends Microsoft Surface laptops -- apart from Surface Go with its 'lag'


Last year Consumer Reports stripped Microsoft Surface laptops of its coveted "recommended" status because of concerns about reliability. But now the badge of honor has been restored, with the publication saying: "Microsoft's reliability is now on par with most other laptop brands".
While the vast majority of the Surface laptop range is now recommended by Consumer Reports, the Surface Go is not. The reason for this is that in lab tests, the device's performance was found to be subpar.
Microsoft is sending Skype classic to the software graveyard in November


The death of Skype classic (or Skype 7.0 if you prefer) was reported a number of weeks ago, but after angry and emotional outpourings from users, Microsoft said that it would (slightly) extended its life. Now the company has revealed the new execution dates.
Dates is plural because the killing off of Skype classic is going to be a two-step process. The desktop version is first for the chop on November 1, with the mobile versions following a little later.
3 questions startup founders should ask about data privacy


Modern startups are awash in information, from real-time customer insights collected via mobile applications to employee data received through online portals.
Founders are constantly making decisions about where to invest, when to hire, how to hire and, most importantly, how to grow. In the rush to cultivate clients and consider business scalability, many startups may fail to truly appreciate the immense responsibility that comes with gathering and storing data in the current digital environment, a place where cybercriminals roam and users are painfully aware of the risks that come with sharing private information online.
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