'Awexa, play Disney songs' -- Amazon unveils new Echo Dot Kids Edition
While the likes of Google and Apple are making some headway in the home voice assistant market, Amazon remains king. Part of the reason for its success (beyond simply being the first to market) is the retail giant offers a range of Alexa compatible devices to suit every need and budget.
Today, it adds another device to its range, targeting a different, but inevitable demographic -- Echo Dot Kids Edition.
Opera launches (another) mobile app -- Opera Touch 1.0 links in with Opera desktop browser
Opera Software has launched Opera Touch 1.0 a mobile app for Android (with iOS due to follow shortly). It joins existing mobile apps Opera and Opera Mini.
The new app is designed to work in tandem with Opera’s desktop browser using Flow, a means of instantly sharing tabs between desktop and mobile. It’s also been optimized to facilitate fast web searches and for one-handed use.
WhatsApp raises minimum user age to 16 in Europe and announces data download tool
With new privacy laws due to roll out around Europe next month, WhatsApp has increase its minimum age from 13 to 16.
The Facebook-owned messaging tool has made the change in order to comply with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) which comes into force on May 25. To continue to use WhatsApp, users must now confirm that they are at least 16 years old and agree to the privacy policy and terms of services of the newly-created WhatsApp Ireland Limited.
Google rolls out massive Gmail redesign -- here's what's new and how to access it
We've known for a little while that Google was planning a major overhaul of Gmail -- complete with a host of new features -- and now the big day has arrived. The most obvious change is the new look which is more in keeping with the aesthetics of Material Design, but it's the new features that Google is most keen to talk about.
While the company says that the aim of the update is "to help people be more productive at work", the new features are available to everyone starting now. What do you have to look forward to? Nudges, Smart Replies, email snoozing, action buttons and more.
Urban Armor Gear's rugged 'Plasma' Apple iPad case is a Best Buy exclusive
Apple's iPad tablets are beautifully designed, but let's be honest -- they are not durable. If you drop it, there is a very good chance the screen could shatter. Even if the display is unhurt, it could become dented or scratched, which can really destroy the resale value. Money aside, it can be depressing to use a device with cosmetic blemishes. Look, you spent good money on your iPad, right? Well, you should protect it.
The best way to do this is with a rugged case. This way, if you do drop your precious iPad, it should hopefully survive unscathed. One manufacturer that produces reliable cases is Urban Armor Gear. Today, that company announces the "Plasma" case for both the regular iPad (9.7-inch, 5th and 6th generation) and iPad Pro (12.9 and 10.5-inch). Not only is it very rugged, but it looks quite beautiful too. Apple Pencil users should love the integrated holder.
Samsung unveils blazing fast 970 PRO and EVO M.2 PCIe NVMe SSDs
Samsung solid state drives are the gold standard of storage. True, there are other brands that sell quality SSDs, but Samsung's offerings are not only blazing-fast, but very reliable too. If you can afford it, you shouldn't consider any other brand.
Today, Samsung announces its most impressive solid state drives yet -- the 970 PRO and 970 EVO, both of which are M.2 PCIe NVMe variants. The PRO model features capacities up to 1TB, while the EVO goes up to 2TB.
May 25th and GDPR goes live... What happens next?
Here’s my predictions for what will happen in a world where GDPR is 'live' -- out in the wild so to speak. The EU’s mythical caged dragon of GDPR is set loose to wreak havoc upon mere mortal humans and their humble businesses. Can you see what I’m doing here? A movie magnate was once purported to have said "I want a movie that starts with an earthquake and the builds up to a climax." I’m doing that sort of thing.
So, what will happen on May 25th? The honest answer I suspect, is not much. A damp squib, by all accounts. Darn. Not much excitement after the earthquake after all. A bit like when no one was affected at all when the clocks tipped over midnight and the world braced itself for the Y2K global disaster. That was very different though, and once it was over, it was over. Not so with GDPR, it will rumble-on for many years. So what can we expect to see?
Instagram launches Data Download tool so you can grab the contents of your account
A couple of weeks ago, Instagram said that it was working on a tool that would enable users to download everything from their accounts. Now the tool has been launched ahead of the roll out of GDPR in Europe.
There has been no fanfare for the data download tool, but it's available for everyone to use. It gives people the opportunity to download "photos, comments, profile information and more" which is ideal for anyone looking to either backup their data, or who is thinking about moving to a rival service.
90 percent of malware given unhelpful labels by AV tools
According to a new study, 90 percent of malicious files are given generic labels by AV tools, such as 'trojan.generic', providing limited guidance for successful remediation and leaving enterprises exposed to subsequent attacks resulting from compromised credentials.
The study by breach protection specialist Lastline analyzed tens of millions of samples that were for the most part scanned and released by other security solutions.
TVAddons launches Feeds for Git Browser, making it easy to share lists of favorite Kodi addons
It has been a little while since we heard anything from TVAddons, the Kodi addons site that has been embroiled in a series of copyright cases. Recently the site launched its Github Browser as part of its continued attempts to provide "resilient and decentralized" links to Kodi addons.
Now TVAddons has launched Feeds for Git Browser, a new feature that makes it possible for anyone to create a list of their favorite Kodi addons and then share them with friends, family and followers.
Amazon Key In-Car lets Prime subscribers have orders delivered to their car
Through Amazon Key, Prime subscribers can grant delivery drivers access to their home using a special keypad so packages can be delivered when they're out. Today Amazon announces an extension of the program, Amazon Key In-Car, which lets Prime users have deliveries placed in their cars.
To start with, the service is available in 37 US cities, and there are plans to roll it out further. Shoppers are given a four-hour delivery window during which time their goods can be delivered to their vehicle. To start with, there is support for compatible 2015 or newer Chevrolets, Buicks, GMCs and Cadillacs with an OnStar account, and 2015 or newer Volvos with a Volvo On Call account. Vehicle support is also due to extend.
Robin the AI-based assistant automates tedious sales tasks
Sales staff often find themselves spending time on administrative tasks that keep them away from actual selling.
San Francisco-based company SalesHero is aiming to change that with the launch of Robin, a new AI assistant for sales staff that learns from the user's actions and automates processes to improve daily productivity.
Apple's purchase of Shazam to be investigated by the EU
Apple's planned purchase of UK-based music-recognition app Shazam for $400 million is facing an investigation by the European Commission.
The commission is concerned that the purchase could give Apple an unfair advantage because of the access it would have to user data, and there is also concern that consumer choice could be limited. Initial investigations found that Apple may use the takeover to encourage Shazam users to move to its own music streaming services, so the commission is undertaking a more in-depth probe.
ASUS unveils Lyra Trio AC1750 dual-band mesh Wi-Fi system
Mesh networking systems are all the rage these days, and it isn't hard to see why. Traditional wireless routers can be deficient in large houses, failing to reach all of the rooms. It can be quite frustrating to experience dead zones in your home, and fiddling with range extenders can be annoying. Mesh networks blanket your home in glorious Wi-Fi by utilizing several well-placed access points.
Today, ASUS unveils its latest mesh networking system. Called "Lyra Trio," it is comprised of three AC1750 access points. The 802.11ac devices are pyramid-shaped and contain vertical 3x3 MIMO antennas. If you don't have experience with setting up a home network, don't worry -- you can use a special smartphone app (Android and iPhone) to do so easily.
Facebook publishes its internal Community Standards guidelines and introduces appeals process
Facebook faces lots of criticisms and questions, and while much of this is focused on privacy and security, there are also lots of queries about what is permitted on the platform. To help users to understand what's allowed and what's not, the company has published its Community Standards for everyone to read.
As well as making it clear exactly what sort of content is likely to attract the attention of censors, Facebook is also introducing a new appeals process, giving people the ability to fight back if their content is removed.
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