Customize Windows 10's Start menu with these third-party apps
Microsoft’s operating systems have always been easy to customize, and Windows 10 is no exception. We’ve already shown you how to make changes to the Start menu, modify Windows 10's title bar color, automate login and bypass the lock screen, and more. But what if you want to go way beyond the basics? Well there are already third-party tools available that will let you make much bigger design changes to Windows 10 than Microsoft usually allows.
With the right apps you can customize the look of the tiles in the Start menu (not simply resize them and toggle the Live Tile feature on or off) and even redesign the icons of built-in apps and use your own artwork (or someone else's).
SMBs need to consider 5 layers of data protection
Digital data has become central to all our lives and businesses from the largest multi-national organisations to the smallest family run start-ups now store the majority of their data in bytes instead of boxes. Current estimates are that there is now up to five zettabytes (the equivalent of one trillion gigabytes) of information on the planet and it could be ten times that by the end of the decade.
Many of us blissfully assume that the data we store electronically will be eternally safe. However, the real world is fraught with potential "data disasters". The data loss scenarios painted in the media may focus on cyber attacks or natural disasters, but often it is the everyday occurrences such as accidental file deletion, an overnight waterpipe breakage or spilling a hot drink on a piece of hardware that can cause the biggest disruption to a business if data is not properly stored and backed up.
Facebook's privacy settings allow for harvesting data through mobile numbers
If you've added your mobile number to your Facebook account, you might want to reconsider in light of a new security exploit. A software engineer was able to access user data just by entering their mobile number. Profile pictures, names and locations were all accessible even for users who had not made their number public.
There is potential for such harvested data to be misused by malicious parties, as it provides an easy way to link a mobile number to an individual. Reza Moaiandin was able to use a special tool to quickly generate tens of thousands of numbers which, when passed through a Facebook API, fed back the associated user profiles.
Big data being used in the war against Islamic State
ISIS might be a formidable force, but you know who they can’t defeat? Robots.
Yes, that’s right, artificial intelligence is getting the better of ISIS, and according to a BBC report, researchers have used it to better understand the group’s tactics.
Google stops neglecting Hangouts for Android -- releases 4.0 update in Play Store
When I need to communicate with friends, family or colleagues, I often turn to Hangouts. The reason why is simple -- most of them have Gmail accounts, which in turn, means they can be contacted on Hangouts too. Not to mention, the service is available for all platforms, except the lowly Windows Phone, of course.
Unfortunately, the Android app has been lagging behind for a while now. For whatever reason, the iOS version has been superior, in both usability and appearance. Today, this changes, as Google finally pays attention to Android users and delivers Hangouts 4.0.
Windows 10's forced cumulative update (KB3081424) causing endless reboots, but there is a solution
Forcing updates on all users must have seemed like a good idea in the Windows 10 planning meetings -- no more PCs at risk from unpatched vulnerabilities -- but already the mandatory updates are causing major headaches for many users.
Even before Windows 10 officially launched, there was an update (KB3074681) that caused crashes in File Explorer, and NVidia driver updates that were breaking some people’s computers. Last week’s servicing rollup fixed various bugs and issues, but for some users it actually caused their PCs to go into a reboot loop.
Tips to improve your team collaboration and take back the work day
According to a recent survey* of 200 North American business professionals, workers waste nearly two working months per year trying to collaborate, making it harder to complete high quality projects on time and on budget. What are the issues that lead to these inefficiencies? What can employees, teams, and organizations do about it? Here are some answers and tips for teams to work together more effectively.
One issue is the increasingly distributed nature of teams. Indeed, 70 percent of the people surveyed said they participate in projects that require external collaboration with contractors, consultants, agencies, and other outside parties. Also, on average, a third of people collaborate with team members who are geographically dispersed, and nearly 40 percent work across different departments in their company. Trying to communicate across geographies, time zones, and organizational boundaries is a challenge for any team.
European retailers rush to go digital for a competitive edge
Perhaps more than any other type of business, retailers are always keen to gain an advantage over their competitors. A new study by IDC suggests that they're increasingly turning to technology in order to stay ahead.
It reveals that 64 percent of retailers in Western Europe are currently undertaking some form of digital transformation effort while 21 percent are planning to do so by the end of the year.
VPaint is a clever vector editor and animator
Vector editors are commonplace, but vector animation is a little more unusual -- and VPaint combines both technologies in an open source package for Windows, Linux and Mac.
Right now the program is very much a beta (or "experimental" according to the developer), distinctly short on features, but don’t let that put you off -- there’s more than enough here to give you a feel for how VPaint is going to work.
Security is weakened because random numbers are not random enough
A lot of security systems are based on random numbers, prime numbers, or a combination of the two. But generating random numbers is not as random as you might expect -- or hope -- and it relies on sources of broadly random data that can be used as a starting point. The problem is that these sources of data are not large enough.
The entropy of data generated by Linux servers -- which are the backbone of much of the internet -- is, says security expert Bruce Potter, too low. Speaking at Black Hat USA 2015 -- an event which has already seen the unveiling of the Thunderstrike 2 firmware malware and the Stagefright-beating Certifi-Gate Android vulnerability -- Potter warns that the low entropy problem means that seemingly random numbers could in fact be easier to guess or crack than first thought.
Tesla Model X ships to customers on September 30
After three years of waiting, Tesla has finally set a launch date for the Model X. It will be shipping to customers on September 30, and arriving at show floors shortly after.
The Model X pre-orders started in 2013, with production set to start later that year. Sadly, Tesla went into a state of polishing for two years, where they didn’t want to release the car without making it perfect for the customer.
How to remove the OneDrive entry from File Explorer in Windows 10
Microsoft's cloud storage service OneDrive is baked into Windows 10 and forms a key part of the new operating system. However, if you prefer to use a different service, like Google Drive, or Dropbox, you may not appreciate the OneDrive entry being forced on you in File Explorer.
The OneDrive icon sits just below Quick Access (we’ve already looked at how to remove Quick Access from File Explorer here) and removing it is easily done, you just need to make a quick registry tweak.
Decode malicious scripts with Converter
Analyzing malicious scripts requires skill, experience, background knowledge. But it also helps if you’re able to view them, first, which can be a problem if they’ve been obfuscated or encoded in some way.
Converter is a tiny free tool which is designed to help by converting text or binary values into something you might be able to read.
Oculus will let you enjoy VR movies with friends
Facebook-owned Oculus plans to make going to the virtual reality cinema a bit less of a lonely experience, by adding a new multiplayer mode to sit in the cinema with friends.
The movie will play at the same time across all Oculus VR headsets, and the user will be able to see friends sitting next to them in the VR cinema. This might be a weird experience, but it is part of Facebook’s goal to make VR a more social experience.
iPhone 6 Plus balances benefits [Review]
Sometime within the next few weeks, Apple should announce successors to iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and my review of the latter device is long overdue. Let's get to it finally and present the key finding first: If size matters, as in you want a phone with larger screen but that doesn't feel humongous, the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus is a worthy choice. By measures that matter most—benefits from apps, calling, camera, data, performance, screen, and storage—the phablet is best of class.
As expressed in my iPhone 6 review, I regretted not buying the larger device after handing it. The Plus is big, but not overly large for my tastes. Hell, I bought Motorola-made and Google-branded Nexus 6 in January 2015 to replace iPhone 6; the screen is even bigger than Plus, at whopping 6 inches. I gained great value using either of the larger handsets, but gave up one for the other.
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