Skype for Web (Beta) now available to all US and UK users
The web-based version of Skype first debuted last year, but as an invite-only service. Today however, Skype is opening it up to new and existing users in the US and UK.
To use the service just go to web.skype.com and sign in (or sign up) and you can send instant messages, and make Skype or video calls directly in your browser.
Uber's adding 'hundreds of thousands' of new drivers monthly
Uber made some impressive announcements at its San Francisco headquarters for the fifth anniversary of the mobile taxi service. Chief executive Travis Kalanick revealed one million drivers have worked on Uber and it is adding "hundreds of thousands" of new drivers every month.
The ramp on Uber’s growth is massive, steadily moving upward from 2010 to 2013 and escalating in 2013 and 2014 to massive heights. It has 26,000 active drivers in New York, more than the entire Medallion workforce and its San Francisco drivers make more revenue than the entire taxi industry in the city.
20,000 London police officers will wear body cameras
Police in London are about to be equipped with 20,000 cameras on their bodies, together with tablet computers, improved computer systems and 999 text messages.
No, of course a single police officer won’t be wearing all 20,000 of them.
LYCOS wants to change your life with wearables
Remember LYCOS? Before Google came along it was one of the leaders in the search engine market. It's since tried to reinvent itself as a digital portal in the style of Yahoo or MSN but, be honest, when was the last time you visited its site?
The company is now making a renewed bid for attention with its entry into the wearables market. On June 8 the company is launching a range of devices that will, it says, "serve as a single point of entry into users' digital lives".
Leaked Windows 10 Build 10135 release notes herald Microsoft Edge and more
Another set of release notes for Windows 10 have been leaked online by Wzor -- this time for build 10135. Despite being just five increments up from the build that's currently publicly available, there are still a few changes of note, including the official arrival of Microsoft Edge in place of Project Spartan.
As well as the name change for Microsoft's latest browser, the Snipping Tool also receives an update introducing a delayed screen capture option. Skype is now brought front and center thanks to preinstallation on the desktop, and there are all manner of bug fixes.
Millions of US government workers’ records exposed by data breach
The US government has been hit by a massive data breach at the department which handles government employee records, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). According to officials this has the potential to affect every federal agency.
The Reuters news agency says that it's been told by a US law enforcement source that a "foreign entity or government" was believed to be behind the attack. Suspicion has fallen on China although Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the accusations were, "irresponsible and unscientific".
Google improves Chrome's power consumption
Google Chrome may be one of the most powerful and reliable browsers around, but it is also one of the biggest offenders when it comes to energy consumption. It does not matter if you are using a PC or Mac, or even iPhone or iPad, its impact on battery life is considerable.
Google is well aware of Chrome's shortcomings, now announcing that it is rolling out a number of changes in the coming months that are meant to improve the browser's power consumption. The first improvement targets Adobe Flash.
Virginia opens up 70 miles of highway for testing self-driving cars
The state of Virginia has announced that it is making 70 miles of highway available for the testing of self-driving vehicles.
The "Virginia Automated Corridors" will be located in the northern part of the state and will be managed by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI).
Intel Unite modernizes sharing and collaboration in the enterprise
Modern offices are often anything but; many of them are straight out of the stone age. Hell, at many businesses, I half expect to see Fred Flintstone chiseling an email with a bird's beak! It is quite maddening that the world is chock full of amazing technology while office workers continue to use fax machines and meet in cramped conference rooms. There needs to be a better way to meet and collaborate.
Intel Unite may be that better way. This is a new solution aimed at converting old-school conference rooms into modern marvels. Best of all, the solution can be achieved using any mini PC powered by an Intel Core vPro processor. Users simply install the Unite software -- for both Windows and OS X -- and are off to the races.
Microsoft introduces Music section in Windows Store as it continues to unify the shopping portal
Over the past couple of months, Microsoft has been aggressively trying to merge many of its digital stores into one convenient hub. The company is taking a major step in that direction today. Microsoft announces that it is introducing a Music section in Windows Store.
If you’re on the latest Windows 10 dev preview build dubbed 10130, and have the version 3.6.1068.0 of Music app installed on it, starting today you'll see a Music section in Windows Store. Upon clicking on which, you will be able to browse through new albums and top songs, as well as purchase them.
Share links by audio with Google Tone and Chirp
There are many ways to share a link with someone: Twitter, Facebook, IM, email and more.
But if your friend is close by then you could just broadcast it via specially encoded audio tones.
Bose announces Bluetooth SoundLink Mini speaker II
Bluetooth speakers are very popular nowadays, and for good reason. Not only are they convenient, but usually portable too, meaning you can take your music anywhere. Unfortunately, there is one major downside -- they often have terrible sound quality. The market is flooded with such garbage, so it can be easy to buy a lemon. How do you avoid such a thing?
Luckily, for the most part, you can depend on some known brands for a quality listening experience. One of those brands is the venerable Bose. While the brand is often expensive, you can be sure that your money will be well spent. Today, the company announces the all-new SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker II -- a second-generation update to its wildly adored speaker.
Microsoft simplifies its service agreements and privacy statements
When signing up for an online service or installing new software, it's common to be confronted by a privacy statement as well as a service agreement. It goes without saying that few -- if any -- people bother to read through these as they are not only lengthy, but also packed to bursting with legalise. Microsoft wants to change that.
Starting at the beginning of August, the Microsoft Services Agreement and the Microsoft Privacy Statement will be updated so they are easier to understand. Microsoft stresses that the essential content of the documents will not change, just the way it is presented, and the language in which it is written. Covering products as diverse as Bing, Cortana, Microsoft accounts, OneDrive, Outlook.com, Skype and Xbox Live, this is Microsoft's latest bid to be more transparent to customers.
Facebook Lite gives a social fix without eating mobile data
With its Internet.org project, Facebook is trying to not only spread into new parts of the world by bringing the internet to places where it is not currently available. With a focus on minimal data usage to help keep down costs, it was only a matter of time before a stripped down version of the Facebook app appeared.
Today is the day that Facebook Lite arrives. As the name suggests, this is a data-light version of the familiar Facebook app, and it starts its life on Android devices. It is designed with developing markets in mind, and today it starts the rollout process in Asia before it spreads further around the globe.
Yahoo kills Pipes, Maps, and some TV and Music services in prioritization drive
Yahoo today announced that it is fine-tuning its focus moving forward, and this means that some products and services are being dropped. In its Q2 2015 progress report, the company explains that it looking to dedicate its energy and resources to "search, communications and digital content".
One of the most surprising casualties is Yahoo Maps -- the site will close at the end of June. Despite the closure, maps will still be supported by other Yahoo products such as Flickr, but it illustrates Google's dominance in this arena. Other victims of the cull include Yahoo Pipes, Yahoo Mail on old versions of iOS, as well as Yahoo Music and Yahoo TV in some regions.
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