Windows 8.1 enters extended support: What can you expect?
Microsoft has ended mainstream support for Windows 8.1, more than five years after its debut. The operating system, which was offered as a free upgrade to Windows 8 users, has moved to the extended support phase, in which it will continue to receive updates, albeit in a more limited fashion.
During mainstream support, which ended January 9, Microsoft provided security and non-security updates and accepted requests for product changes. Extended support means that the average Windows 8.1 user will only receive security updates.
Apple to pay £136 million in back taxes after UK audit
HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) has completed an "extensive audit" of Apple, and accounts show that the company has been hit with a £136 million ($184 million) back tax bill.
There has been a great deal of interest in the tax arrangement of technology companies in the past couple of years, and the recent Paradise Papers revealed how Apple was structuring its finances. The latest payment in the UK comes after Apple agreed to settle a $15 billion bill in Ireland, and the company says its UK tax bill payments will increase in coming years.
Paint.NET unveils Dark Theme support in Windows 10, implements High DPI improvements
dotPDN LLC has unveiled Paint.NET 4.0.20, the latest version of its popular -- and powerful -- free image editor for Windows PCs.
Version 4.0.20 introduces Dark Theme support, so the app interface switches to match Windows’ own Dark Theme when evoked. The update also offers vastly improved support on High DPI displays, adds Explorer thumbnails for TGA and DDS image types and includes a host of bug fixes and minor improvements.
Cisco solution prevents malware from hiding in encrypted traffic
As businesses increasingly turn to cloud solutions they rely more on encryption to protect their data. Gartner predicts by 2019, 80 percent of web traffic will be encrypted, but that leads to a problem as it can allow malware to travel undetected.
Detecting malicious content in encrypted traffic is difficult without decrypting it, forcing network operators to choose between privacy and security. A new solution from network specialist Cisco solves this conundrum by allowing traffic to be scanned without decrypting it.
Security and business continuity top IT spending plans for 2018
Security is the top initiative companies plan to pursue in the next 24 months with investments in virus and malware protection, patch management, and intrusion detection and prevention.
According to a new State of Resilience report by big data company Syncsort, 49 percent plan to spend on these areas, with 47 percent planning to spend on business continuity and high availability.
Apple to introduce enhanced parental controls to counter iPhone addiction in children
Following accusations that children are addicted to iPhones, Apple has said that it will introduce improved parental controls in iOS.
At the weekend, an open letter from a group of investors expressed concern about the overuse of Apple devices by children and teenagers. Responding to the letter, Apple says that while it considers itself a leader when it comes to parental controls, it will make the feature even "more robust" in the future.
Microsoft and Intel reveal just how much Meltdown and Spectre patches slow PCs
The Meltdown and Spectre revelations have people around the world concerned about privacy, but there has also been great speculation about the reduction in performance that patches might bring. Now Microsoft and Intel have opened up about the sort of slowdown PC users and server operators can expect.
Having previously tried to play down the negative impact that bug patches will have on systems, Intel's benchmark test now shows that -- depending on the tasks -- a slowdown of between 2 and 14 percent can be observed. Microsoft says that anyone with a computer dating from 2015 and earlier will notice a decrease in system performance.
Tails 3.4 privacy-focused Linux distro now available with Meltdown and Spectre fixes
With everything going on in the world these days, it can feel like you are naked when using your computer. If you previously felt safe and secure, these last several years have probably eroded all of your confidence. Between Edward Snowden's revelations and the many vulnerabilities constantly hitting the news, it is tempting to just live in the woods without electricity.
Before you sell your house, buy a tent, and become a nomad, you should consider a Linux distribution that helps you fight back against evil governments, nefarious hackers, and other bad people. Called "Tails," this Linux-based operating system is designed to be run from a live environment, such as on a DVD or flash drive, so you can hide your tracks and enjoy your God-given right to privacy. Today, version 3.4 becomes available and if you are already a Tails user, you should upgrade immediately. Why? Because it includes kernel 4.14.12 which offers fixes for Meltdown and Spectre (partially).
Huawei Mate 10 Pro flagship Android smartphone finally coming to USA
When you think of elegant computers and devices, your mind probably goes to Apple, and rightfully so. After all, the iPhone-maker has long pioneered the concept of technology being more than just function. With Apple, exterior design is equally as important as the internals. The first iMac, for instance, showed that a computer could be more than a beige tower.
Nowadays, there are many other companies that focus on external beauty, but one in particular really shines in this regard -- Huawei. That manufacturer sells elegant phones, tablets, computers, and more. Its previously announced Mate 10 Pro had many people drooling (including yours truly), but tragically, it was not available in the USA. Today, however, Huawei announces that the much anticipated smartphone is finally coming to the country sandwiched between Mexico and Canada.
Why employees should aim to fail in 2018
As children, most of us learned the hard way not to touch a hot stove. The instant searing pain and the lingering bite that followed and lasted for at least a couple days is the bitter reminder that we had messed up. But ask yourself, have you touched a hot stove since?
The lesson learned here still follows us throughout our lives because learning from failure is the quickest path to growth. The first time one falls for a phishing email is no different.
5 ways artificial intelligence is changing the future of work
The proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) is changing everything about the way we live, shop and communicate. From Amazon’s incredibly helpful recommendation engine, and Target’s startlingly accurate pregnancy predictor, to the diagnosis and prediction of medical conditions, we’ve become simultaneously slightly creeped out, yet also somewhat dependent, on AI.
In some cases, it’s become so seamlessly woven into our daily lives that we hardly even notice. For example, Apple’s QuickType keyboard, which suggests the next word based on the context of your message, is an AI technology that many of us rely on every day without even realizing it.
Toshiba unveils CANVIO PREMIUM, ADVANCE and BASICS USB external hard drives
Solid state drives are ideal for portable storage. Why? They are small, fast, and have no moving parts. Unfortunately, SSDs are also a bit expensive per gigabyte compared to mechanical hard drives.
If you need external storage that won’t break the bank, and speed is not a major factor, a mechanical USB hard drive is still a great choice. Over the years, I’ve had great experiences with Toshiba CANVIO drives. Today, the company unveils three new models -- CANVIO BASICS, ADVANCE, and PREMIUM.
Cloud workloads at risk from compliance, security and management failings
Security, management and compliance challenges are hitting the benefits businesses are getting from using the cloud as their infrastructures become more complex, according to new research.
The study from security and compliance specialist WinMagic reveals that 39 percent of respondents report their infrastructure is more complex since using the cloud, and 53 percent spend more time on management tasks than they have done previously.
WPA3 will boost Wi-Fi security and privacy
Wi-Fi Protected Access is commonly used to secure Wi-Fi connections between pretty much all devices that we use nowadays. For many of us, WPA2 -- the most-recent version of the protocol -- is what we tick to make our router's wireless network private. But, pretty soon, there will be a new option available.
The Wi-Fi Alliance has announced the introduction of WPA3, which will be available for both personal and enterprise Wi-Fi devices this year. The big additions over its predecessor, for which certifications began in late-2004, are improved security and privacy.
French prosecutors investigate Apple over 'planned obsolescence' of iPhones
There have long been rumors that Apple slows down iPhones in a bid to encourage owners to upgrade to newer models. While not admitting to this precise accusation, the company had said that it reduces performance of iPhones to counteract aging batteries.
Now the French consumer fraud watchdog DGCCRF is launching an investigation into what is described as "planned obsolescence." In France it is illegal to purposely shorten the life of a product to encourage replacement purchases, and the investigation comes after a complaint from a consumer group.
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.