Thinkware X550 dash cam review

Thinkware X550 back display

It's always a good idea to use a dash cam when you get behind the wheel. In case you have a close call or get into an accident, you'll have a video that you can show to the authorities or your insurance company. But there's also an entertaining side to it as well, which is just as important to some folks, as you can also record a spirited drive on a fun road or some interesting things that you stumble upon on your daily commute.

Pretty much all dash cams let you do those things, but some do it better than others. Thinkware's X550 is among the best premium options on the market, featuring a solid camera with an effective "super night vision" mode, GPS info, driver assistance, speed and red light camera database, LCD display on the back, and dedicated software for PC and Mac as its standout features.

Continue reading

34 percent of US government agencies have had data breaches in the last year

Capitol building

According to a new report from systems security specialist Thales e-Security and 451 Research, US federal agencies are facing threats caused by legacy systems, spending and staffing issues.

65 percent have experienced a data breach at some stage in the past with 34 percent having one in the last year. Almost all agencies (96 percent) consider themselves 'vulnerable', with half (48 percent) stating they are 'very' or 'extremely' vulnerable. This number is higher than any other US sector polled for the 2017 Data Threat Report.

Continue reading

New approach protects IoT devices via a secure network

Network security

Up to now the security model for protecting IoT devices has been similar to that used for PCs, relying on patches which need to be installed by the user.

Now though internet security and performance company Cloudflare is launching a new service called Orbit which streamlines patching and adds an additional layer of security thanks to the use of a secure global network.

Continue reading

Most businesses will migrate to Windows 10 by the end of 2017

Windows 10 finger

Businesses will move to Windows 10 faster than they have moved to previous operating systems, according to a new report by Gartner. Surveying businesses everywhere, Gartner believes 85 percent of businesses will have migrated to Windows 10 before the year ends.

First of all, Gartner’s research director Ranjit Atwal says the time to evaluate and deploy Windows 10 has come down, from 23 months to 21 months. Large businesses that are yet to start the migration, are delaying because of legacy applications.

Continue reading

Chuwi LapBook 12.3 costs $349, launches in May

CHUWI Lapbook 12.3 7th

I walked away impressed after reviewing the Chuwi LapBook 14.1. There's something charming about a laptop that gets the basics right at an affordable price point. The new LapBook 12.3 is shaping up to be even more impressive, featuring more attractive hardware at a still-competitive price.

The LapBook 12.3 is designed for consumers in the market for a more portable laptop, featuring a 12.3-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2,736 by 1,824. That's pretty impressive for a budget offering, considering that there are premium laptops that ship with lesser screens.

Continue reading

Logitech launches Universal Folio keyboard case for iPad, Android, and Windows 10 tablets

Logitech_Universal_Folio_3

I recently bought the all-new iPad 2017 and love it very much. The problem? There aren't many cases for it. While some first-gen iPad Air cases may work with it, that is not a guarantee. Sure, there are some universal cases that leverage elastic straps to accommodate many models, but those are often a poor experience.

Today, Logitech announces an all-new universal keyboard case that actually looks good. Rather than use cheap elastic, the company has come up with some brilliant 4-point adjustable grips. This looks to be a very elegant product that solves a common problem. Of course, it will not work with all tablets, just some models that range from 8.9 to 10 inches. Best of all? The clever case is compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows 10.

Continue reading

Attackers shift away from file-based techniques

Cyber attack

Cyber attack methods are becoming more sophisticated in order to bypass traditional file-scanning protection systems according to a new study.

Endpoint protection specialist SentinelOne has used filtered data from more than one million SentinelOne Enterprise Platform agents deployed worldwide to carry out behavioral analysis of malware programs that bypassed firewalls and network controls to infect devices.

Continue reading

Capture, edit and share your desktop with Icecream Screen Recorder

IcecreamScreenRecorder.200.175

Desktop recorders are common on the PC and we’ve regularly covered them here, but does Icecream Screen Recorder have enough to stand out from the crowd?

A handy set of capture types doesn’t stop with full screen, window and freehand rectangles. The program can also capture a fixed-size rectangle around your mouse cursor, very useful when you need to focus on a particular area of the screen.

Continue reading

Uncontrolled user access is a weak link in corporate governance

Access management

Correct handling of corporate data is important not just to guard against security threats and data breaches, but to avoid the risk of regulatory fines and lawsuits too.

But a new report from secure erasing specialist Blancco Technology Group shows the two weakest links in a company's data governance program are uncontrolled user access to data (53 percent) and managing where data is stored (43 percent).

Continue reading

Can Amazon's Echo Dot make a good SIDS alarm?

chasecringely1

It was 15 years ago this week that my son Chase Cringely died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) at age 74 days. I wrote about it at the time and there was a great outpouring of support from readers. Back then, before the advent of social media, parents didn’t get a chance to grieve in print the way Mary Alyce and I did. We shed a light on SIDS and, for a couple years, even led to some progress in combating the condition, which still kills about 4,000 American babies each year.

When you lose a child, especially one who dies in your lap, as Chase did with me, you can just curl up and die yourself or you can try to fix the problem. With the help of readers all over the world I tried and failed to build a practical SIDS warning device with the idea of not curing SIDS, but avoiding it. You see the syndrome only lasts for about 11 months, from age 1 month to one year. And while events such as Chase’s can’t be made not to happen, with proper detection and the simplest of alarms the baby can be literally roused out of death.

Continue reading

GE Appliances connected window air conditioners get Amazon Alexa support

GE_AC

Summer is right around the corner, meaning the temperatures in many places will begin rising to uncomfortable levels. It's funny -- in the winter, many people get cold and dream of summer, and once that season comes, they complain about the hot weather. There' s just no pleasing some folks!

Thankfully, with the invention of air conditioning, human beings can use technology to stay cool. If you aren't lucky enough to have central air in your home, a window unit is the next best thing. Today, GE Appliances announces that its Wi-Fi connected window models are getting Amazon Alexa support. In other words, using the power of your voice, you can control the air conditioning.

Continue reading

Four million Brits can't work from home because of poor connectivity

Angry businessman

If your telecom's poor connectivity is preventing you from working from home, you're not alone. There are four million Brits suffering from the same woes, according to new research from uSwitch.com, the price comparison and switching service.

In the past year, almost half (43 percent) of employees in the UK have worked from home at least once. Among the younger workforce, those aged 18 - 34, the percentage jumps to 55. Yet, 58 percent have suffered from slow speeds and poor call quality. The problems were so pervasive that 46 percent of those with issues believe they can no longer work from home until something changes.

Continue reading

What do we know about bad bots?

Network security

In 2016, approximately 185 million new Internet users went online, with the vast majority of these coming from nations like India. This represents a huge increase in the market. However, while the Internet population continues to grow, there has also been an increase in bots as well. The word "bot" covers a wide variety of automated programs: while some source data for search engines and help people match their queries with the most appropriate websites, others are not so helpful.

In the past year, bad bots accounted for 19.9 percent of all website traffic -- a 6.98 percent increase over the same time in 2015. Bad bots interact with applications in the same way a legitimate user would, making them harder to prevent. However, the results are harmful: for example, bad bots can take data from sites without permission while others undertake criminal activities such as ad fraud and account theft.

Continue reading

NuAns ditches Windows 10 Mobile, new Neo Reloaded smartphone runs Android

NuAns Neo Reloaded

Without trying to sound like a broken record, there's really no future in Windows 10 Mobile. If it wasn't clear years ago, it is crystal clear now. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw a new manufacturer embracing the platform last year, and a niche one at that. That was NuAns with its Neo handset, which is probably the last memorable smartphone released with Windows on board.

A year later the company is unsurprisingly admitting defeat. NuAns is replacing the Neo with the Neo Reloaded, which, you guessed it, runs Android this time around. The smartphone just hit Indiegogo, and you can get one for as little as $355.

Continue reading

Many UK SMBs don't have a succession plan

team collaboration

More than half (52 percent) of small and medium-sized businesses in the UK’s IT sector have no idea what they’d do if key staffers decide to quit. This is according to a new report by the Aldermore Future Attitudes, which claims these businesses are lacking a succession plan.

The report puts things in a dangerous perspective -- 22 percent of SME IT businesses see senior executives leaving as their biggest business threat.

Continue reading

Load More Articles