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Sony Electronics has launched the SRS-XV500 Bluetooth party speaker, which focuses heavily on karaoke. The SRS-XV500 is engineered with two X-Balanced Speaker Units, ensuring robust, high-quality bass with minimal distortion. Alongside these, two tweeters enhance the speaker's ability to deliver clear vocals and an expansive sound field, creating an immersive listening experience.

A significant advantage of the SRS-XV500 is its impressive battery life. Offering up to 25 hours of playback, this speaker is ideal for extended events. Its quick charging capability is a bonus, providing 2.5 hours of usage with just 10 minutes of charging. Additionally, the Battery Care function prevents overcharging, prolonging the speaker's longevity.

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MX Linux users, brace yourselves for an exciting update! The MX-23.2 version is now available, offering a ton of enhancements and updates. This release marks the second major refresh of the MX-23 series, primarily focusing on bug fixes, kernel updates, and application improvements. Importantly, for existing MX-23 users, there's no need for a fresh installation as all updates are accessible through regular update channels.

Key highlights of MX-23.2 include the transition to Debian 12.4 “bookworm” base, ensuring users benefit from the latest and most stable Debian offerings. Additionally, this update introduces several new and updated applications, enhancing the overall user experience.

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We've all become used to scam phone calls of various kinds, but it seems AI is allowing them to become more sophisticated.

According to NordVPN, scammers are now able to create realistic voice clones from samples collected online and use them to extort money and data from victims' friends, relatives, or colleagues.

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In March this year, EU countries' interior ministers are due to vote on the introduction of mandatory client-side scanning for all providers in order to identify child abuse material.

But an open letter, published today, from a group of privacy-focused companies warns of the risk of opening up a backdoor and calls on ministers to defend citizen's right to privacy and strengthen the position of EU companies.

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Generative AI models like ChatGPT are creating a lot of enthusiasm for what they can do for businesses, but they are generating just as much fear over what can go wrong with the data they handle. There is a lack of trust between large companies that have the data and the AI startups that want to use them.

What can we expect to see in the near future? We spoke with Katy Salamati, senior manager of the advanced analytics lifecycle at SAS, to find out.

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Anyone holding out buying a new PC because they're waiting for Windows 12 should probably just bite the bullet. While many were hoping -- even expecting -- Microsoft to release Windows 12 in 2024, the latest rumors suggest that it's more likely to be in 2025.

But that's not to say 2024 is a write-off; far from it. Microsoft still has a lot in store for Windows 11 users, and the next big update -- codenamed Hudson Valley -- is thought to be dropping in September. Also known as Windows 11 24H2 ad the Windows 11 2024 Update, this is a major release which will Microsoft continuing to inject AI into the operating system.

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It's the start of 2024, the year when -- if the rumors are to be believed -- Microsoft is set to deliver Windows 12. However, this year also marks an important milestone for one of the software giant’s most beloved operating systems.

Microsoft ceased support for Windows XP ten years ago. If you've ever wondered how that OS would look if was released today, we have the answer.

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The Blue Screen of Death is so-called because it means that a critical error has occurred andy our current session in Windows has died. Ordinarily, this would necessitate -- at the very least -- a restart, but a new project highlighted by the makers of tiny11 could means that you have the option of crashing into Linux instead.

The project is known as BugCheck2Linux and it is a neat little software hack. It makes use of a software driver that can bee used to fire up RISC V emulator running Linux using a BugCheck callback. Could this be the solution to all of your Windows problems?

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There is, it seems, no end of ways in which Microsoft can use and abuse the Start menu. Now a long way from the simple launcher for accessing apps, documents and settings, the bastardized version of the Start menu that appears in Windows 11 has become a clutter and chaotic mess over the years.

And now Microsoft is adding even more to the mix. Soon, the Recommended section of the Start menu -- already controversial for having been used to house advertising -- will be used to show reminders for upcoming meetings scheduled in Microsoft Teams.

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So far in our 'Deep Tech Series,' we have explored ways for companies to share the more technical side of their work, with research-based publications such as white papers, and how to connect with their community through meetup events. While both initiatives have the purpose of reaching out and engaging with the target audience, one component that has been missing so far is that of a true call to action -- an invitation for the audience to become an integral part of these activities.

In 2022, Google awarded more than $12 million in bug bounties to security researchers who helped identify and fix over 2,900 issues and vulnerabilities. A bounty program is one of the most popular ways to achieve this, where vendors offer monetary rewards to anyone finding a security vulnerability in their products. In this particular case, vendors encourage security researchers to disclose their findings and let the company fix the security issue, instead of encouraging a black market for vulnerabilities that would be the only way for its authors to get some money out of their work. The bounties are open to individuals who have the right skill set to identify and potentially fix issues, work for which they can be economically rewarded.

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The best portable apps launcher just got a major upgrade with the release of PortableApps Platform 29.0. This latest release -- the third major update in as many months -- continues to refine the platform’s app selection tool with the addition of a user-specified filter to target apps by license type.

Users can access the new license filter via the Platform’s Options screen -- switch to the App Store tab where a new 'Freeware Apps' section is available. Users can opt to show all apps (Personal Use) or apply one of three filters: Educational, Business and Open Source Only.

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A survey from Defcon 17 back in 2009 revealed that 81 percent of hackers are more likely to be active in winter.

It's easy to understand why this might be, with the holiday period bringing a spike in online trading as well as businesses closing down or operating on skeleton staffs.

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The global cloud computing market is expanding rapidly and reaching new milestones every year. According to recent data, the market is projected to grow from USD 626.4 billion in 2023 to USD 1,266.4 billion by 2028 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15.1 percent during the forecasted period.

The industry's rapid financial growth is also driving new technological advancements. With this, the dynamic and innovative nature of cloud technology brings new security vulnerabilities and risks, thereby every year increasing the number of malicious incidents. According to the 2023 Thales Cloud Security Study, more than a third (39 percent) of businesses experienced a data breach in their cloud environment last year, an increase from the 35 percent reported in 2022. The leading targets for hackers were Software as a Service (SaaS) applications (38 percent) and cloud-based storage (36 percent).

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Sustainability has become one of the largest considerations for businesses worldwide with 96 percent of G250 companies reporting on sustainability or ESG matters. And sustainability cannot, and should not, be forgotten in your IT advancements and digital transformation.

Developing your digital transformation strategy has many considerations, but one that you shouldn’t neglect is the impact it can have on the environment. Integrating sustainability into a digital transformation program is not just about reducing environmental impact -- it's about future-proofing your business, enhancing efficiency, and meeting the expectations of customers and stakeholders in an increasingly eco-conscious world.

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SparkyLinux developers have announced the release of the first rolling update of 2024. Dubbed “Sparky 2024.01,” this latest version is particularly noteworthy for integrating the Linux kernel 6.6 as its default, a move that sets a new standard in the distribution’s performance and compatibility. Accompanying this kernel upgrade is a suite of updated packages sourced from both Debian ‘trixie’ and Sparky’s ‘sisters’ testing repositories.

One of the most notable changes in this release is the replacement of the PulseAudio server with Pipewire audio server. This transition signifies a major shift in how audio is managed, promising improved audio handling and system integration. For users interested in switching from PulseAudio to Pipewire, Sparky Linux provides a simple script available on their website, facilitating an easy transition.

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