Google partners with the White House for Climate Data Initiative
Global warming, or global climate change, is a polarizing topic. Many people staunchly believe in it, while others are skeptical. We will not tell you what to believe -- it is healthy to debate. However, science is ultimately the deciding factor.
Today, the White House announces the Climate Data Initiative. This should empower people to more easily obtain data on climate change. Many people are likely dubious of this initiative, after the initial debacle that was the HealthCare.gov website -- the administration's technology reputation is tainted. Luckily, this time Obama and crew have partnered with Google, which should lend to a better experience.
EA Games server compromised, breach targets Apple IDs
Nothing on the internet is safe these days. Even point-of-sale systems in stores we regularly shop in can be accessed and stolen from -- witness Target to name only one recent high profile example. However, when it comes to computers, some users see Apple as more secure. While that may be a result of simply being less targeted, there is also nothing that the company can do to protect people from themselves.
Security firm Netcraft, which boasts customers that include British Telecom, Microsoft and Cisco, has detailed a sneaky new attack. EA, the popular game maker, has had one of its servers compromised so it can host phishing attacks that target Apple IDs.
Avast 2014 update 3 released, concentrates on stability and compatibility improvements
Avast Software has released the third update to its Avast 2014 range of products. Avast Free Antivirus 2014, Internet Security 2014 and Premier Security 2014 all get updated to build number 9.0.2016.
Again, there are no new features in this release, but the compatibility and stability improvements, as well as internal architecture changes, make it an essential update.
Microsoft Office 365 and Surface tablets to save Mecklenburg County millions of dollars
Choosing a large-scale software solution is a difficult thing. Obviously, in these tough economic times, cost savings are a huge deciding factor. However, saving money up front can lead to future headaches down the road. In other words, if the software causes the employees to be less productive, you may as well flush your cost savings down the toilet. Hell, it may cost you more in the long run.
Microsoft is a dependable name in software solutions, and Office is one of the most powerful software suites bar none. One county in the state of North Carolina has realized cost savings and increased productivity thanks to Office 365 and Surface tablets.
Firefox 29 Beta debuts Australis UI, improved sync function
After another underwhelming update in the form of the disappointing Firefox 28.0 FINAL, Mozilla looks likely to have something to shout about with the release of Firefox 29.0 Beta 1.
Although not due to be officially unveiled until tomorrow, we’ve installed the latest version and checked it out to see what new features could be making their debut in the next stable build, and the early signs suggest Firefox 29 could be a landmark release.
New College Humor video tackles Google, Bing and the NSA
Thanks to the likes of College Humor and Funny or Die there is no shortage of comical entertainment on the web these days. The former has got laughs before with a video showing what the web would be like if Google were actually a guy, and now it follows that success up with a sequel.
The new video contains the expected humorous search queries from everyday people, as each gets a turn to enter the office and pose a question. However, this time the comedy troop has given things a more modern twist.
Check whether two-factor authentication is available for your Internet accounts
Relying on passwords alone to keep your Internet accounts safe can get you in a lot of trouble. They may be comfortable to use, but hackers can easily bypass or crack them. Or, even worse in my opinion, steal personal information without you even knowing. A recommended method for minimizing such risks is to enable two-factor authentication.
Two-factor authentication is an added security layer that requires you to use a password and a security code, in order to log in. It is a feature available in the account's settings that is usually not enabled by default. The security code can be delivered via SMS, email or a dedicated app. I have it turned on for every Internet account that supports it.
Sony rolls out Android 4.4 KitKat for flagship Xperia smartphones
Most Android smartphones and tablets do not run the latest-available version of Android, as vendors choose older iterations, even for their flagship products. As a result, it can take many months -- or it may never even happen -- for a software upgrade to finally close the gap.
One of the vendors that finds itself in this situation quite often is Japanese maker Sony, which cannot seem to release a high-end device, like the Xperia Z, Xperia Z1, Xperia Z Ultra or Xperia Z Compact, without shipping it with a dated version of Android. Luckily, KitKat commences its much-awaited roll-out for the company's most-recent flagship smartphones and tablets.
Malware in pirated software costs billions
Enterprises worldwide are expected to spend $500 billion in 2014 to deal with issues caused by malware in pirated software. Consumers are set to spend $25 billion and waste 1.2 billion hours on security threats and fixes.
These are among the conclusions of a study carried out by IDC and the National University of Singapore, released today by Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit as part of its annual Play It Safe campaign.
Copy websites locally for offline browsing with Cyotek WebCopy
Cyotek WebCopy is a clever tool which copies all or part of a website to your hard drive for offline browsing.
Grabbing a small and simple site is easy: just enter a URL in the "Website" box, and choose the Copy option. Cyotek WebCopy downloads that page, and any links (within the same domain), then repeats the process until it’s done. And then you’re able to view the local copy of any page, and browse it as though you were online.
Google's Chromecast streams its way into 11 additional countries
The world is a big place, full of many countries. However, the technology community is often very USA-centric. It can be easy to forget that when a product launches in the United States, it does not necessarily launch simultaneously in other countries too.
Google's Chromecast is a great product -- useful and inexpensive, but for Americans it is yesterday's news. We've been using it for several months now. While the streaming-media dongle is still cool, it no longer has that new-car smell. However, the smell is fresh for consumers outside the USA, as Google launches it in eleven more countries, starting today.
Celebrate Grumpy Cat's second birthday by sharing a picture of your cat!
When it comes to the internet, there is one absolute...a love of cats. Regardless of your allegiance -- Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone -- felines bring us all together. Sure, there are some macho men that will pretend they do not like cats, but I guarantee their hearts will melt at the sight of a basket of kittens.
One of the most famous internet cats is the lovable Grumpy Cat. She became one of the most popular memes of all-time, generating a huge amount of social media shares. If you aren't familiar, she is a cat with a grumpy face. Believe it or not, Grumpy Cat is turning 2 years old on April 4th. Since she has brought us so much joy, it is time we returned the favor by celebrating with her. Today, cat-food company Friskies announces a contest to win a trip to NYC, where the winner will meet Grumpy Cat.
Microsoft announces economical Wireless Mobile Mouse 1850 for Windows and Mac
When it comes to computer mice, it is hard to make them one-size-fits-all. After all, people have different sized hands, different preferences and heck, let's not forget the whole lefty and righty situation. To muddy the waters even further, many people own two mice -- one for home and one for portability.
A mouse for home is easy; it can be any size as it does not need to be portable. Instead, the consumer can just focus on comfort and price. A portable mouse is more difficult. A consumer must focus on size and connectivity, often at the expense of comfort. Many portable mice are too small and can be a chore to use. Today, Microsoft aims to deliver an inexpensive portable mouse, which is comfortable for both right-handed and left-handed users alike.
Pandora One raises subscription price, existing users immune to new cost
Pandora is one of the grandfathers of the streaming music service, and it has remained one of the better deals among paid music apps. Granted, being a radio-only service limits the capability and, therefore, the potential price that can be charged, but many customers find that it's quite useful and all they really need.
Now Pandora is being forced to raise prices. Even though the increase is minimal, the service is making it as painless as possible for loyal customers -- in fact, completely painless. The current subscription cost for One (unlimited and ad-free) will rise from $3.99 to $4.99 per month beginning in May, but those who already have a One account need not worry, as things will not change for them.
Cloud storage price wars! First blood to Google!
And so it begins. The price war in the cloud. There are few tech companies that would not like you to store all of your files in the cloud, and there are several big names vying for attention. The obvious contenders for the crown are Microsoft with SkyDrive (sorry, OneDrive), Dropbox and Google Drive -- of course there are plenty of others, but these are the names that trip readily off the tongue. As computer users we have become increasingly comfortable with the idea of storing files online; in fact we almost demand it. If an app or service does not offer cloud storage, there are instant complaints about the lack of between device syncing.
But cloud storage does come at a cost. On the face of it, online storage is available free of charge. All of the big names -- and many of the smaller ones -- provide gigabytes, in varying quantities, of space gratis. But for cloud storage to be truly useful, everything needs to be stored there. The 5GB of free space from one provider is not to be sniffed at, but 5GB disappears very quickly. Opt to store all of your photos online, for instance, and the gigabytes will very quickly be eaten up.
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