Whisper

New Kodi 19.4 for Android isn't available on Google Play -- here's how to get it

The Kodi Foundation has just released Kodi "Matrix" 19.4 and you can read all about what’s new in this point release in our story here. While this is great news for Kodi users, if you run the popular home theater software on Android there’s some not great news -- you won’t be able to download this update from Google Play.

The problem lies with a change to Google’s requirements, which Kodi doesn’t meet.

By Wayne Williams -
Stressed man trying to sleep

Are health apps offering wellbeing solutions or exacerbating our health problems?

In the era of smartphones, we can now manage and even improve our health on our handheld devices. Whether you’re struggling with your mental health, want boost your physical health with your exercise regime or, you’re seeking to achieve a better night’s sleep -- there’s a wide choice of apps to turn to for support.

Apps range from guided meditation to comprehensive running plans, and they can even track your sleep and mood. But are they doing more harm than good?

By Jonjo Hancock-Fell -

Kodi 19.4 'Matrix' is here -- Download it NOW!

Five months ago, the Kodi Foundation released Kodi 19.2 'Matrix' with a wealth of fixes and changes. It followed that up a mere two weeks later with Kodi 19.3.

Now Team Kodi releases version 19.4 with yet more fixes and improvements.

By Wayne Williams -
Windows 11

Microsoft is using the KB5012427 update to test the servicing pipeline for Windows 11

It is only a few days since Microsoft released a new build of Windows 11 in the form of Preview Build 22567, and already the company has pushed out a cumulative update for it.

With the release of the KB5012427 update, Microsoft takes the current build of the operating system available to Insiders signed up for the Dev channel to Windows 11 build 22567.100. So, what can you expect from this update?

HP laptop

HP Hotkey UWP Service is eating up memory on some Windows 11 laptops

Some laptop owners upgrading to Windows 11 are reporting that a utility from HP is consuming huge amounts of RAM, to the point that systems are rendered unusable.

The utility in question is the HP Hotkey UWP Service which is used to control the Fn key on HP laptops. While the software functioned well under Windows 10, upgrading to Windows 11 results in huge resource usage. Affected users are asking whether there is a problem with Windows 11, or with their laptop, but it would seem more likely that a memory leak is to blame.

To better healthcare with open data

Web scraping can be a force for good in the world. While it has been predominantly used by large corporations, more opportunities for non-profit use of web scraping have been becoming apparent.

Most of these non-profit projects focused on things such as catching corruption. However, it can be beneficial anywhere where data is public. Luckily, the global trend seems to be moving us towards the democratization of data where it becomes available to everyone.

By Aleksandras Šulženko -
Microsoft Ukraine

Microsoft suspends sales of new products and services in Russia

It’s hard to imagine that Vladimir Putin expected quite the response his invasion of Ukraine generated. In addition to hard hitting sanctions, Russia has seen its media censored across the world, sporting events pulled, and hacktivist collective Anonymous has been knocking many state-sponsored sites offline, and much more.

Tech firms have also shown their anger towards Russia in a number of ways, and now Microsoft -- which previously revealed what it was doing to help the people of Ukraine -- has taken the decision to suspend all new sales over there.

By Wayne Williams -
Surfshark fake news

Surfshark launches free plug-in to help spot fake news

Fake news and disinformation has long been a problem on the internet and no more so than at present as both sides in the Ukraine conflict engage in an information war.

It's timely then for Surfshark to launch a free extension for Chrome and Firefox that detects and highlights website links from various media and other websites that are known to spread fake news and misinformation.

By Ian Barker -
Interop 2022

Microsoft teams up with Apple, Google and Mozilla to improve the web with Interop 2022

Four of the biggest browser developers have joined forces to participate in the Interop 2022 initiative. Apple, Google, Microsoft and Mozilla are working together to improve interoperability between web platforms, make lives easier for developers, and enhance the experience of internet users.  

Interop 2022 is a series of tests, a set of benchmarks that are at heart a way to measure whether individual browsers meet various web standards, working with web developers to discover problems and find solutions. The ultimate aim is to eliminate inconsistencies between browsers, and it gives a reason for companies who are usually competitors to work together on a shared vision.

Russia - Flag on Button

Why we shouldn't try to kick Russia off the internet

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has sparked condemnation around the world and led to the imposition of a range of sanctions from the economic to the sporting and the cultural.

There have been calls to censor media linked to the Russian state too, with the European Union taking the step of banning the distribution of content from outlets like Russia Today.

By Ian Barker -
Kubernetes

Why Kubernetes deployment needs a security first mindset [Q&A]

Kubernetes has been at the forefront of container deployment, allowing the automation of development, scaling and management, and supported on a wide range of public cloud platforms.

But as with any cloud deployment there are potential risks from mis-configuration, poorly managed access privileges and more. It's important therefore that when deploying Kubernetes security is given top priority.

By Ian Barker -
Portege-X40LK-00006

Dynabook Portégé X40L-K is a svelte and powerful 14-inch Windows 11 laptop

Windows laptops aren't particularly fascinating these days -- it can be hard to get excited about them. With that said, Dynabook has a new notebook that should truly get your motor running. Called "Portégé X40L-K," this 14-inch laptop has a dark-blue magnesium chassis, and it is merely 15.9mm thin while weighing just 2.3 pounds.

The Dynabook Portégé X40L-K comes with Windows 11, but Windows 10 remains an option too. It is powered by either a 12th Gen Intel Core or Core vPro processor, and can be configured with up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to a 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD for storage. The 14-inch 1920x1200 display should pair quad nicely with the Dolby Atmos-compatible quad-speaker system for enjoying media.

By Brian Fagioli -
Kaspersky Labs logo

How neutral is Kaspersky in the Ukraine cyberwar?

Kaspersky has been trying to distance itself from ties to the Russian state for several years, but the invasion of Ukraine has cast some doubt on its success.

The Cybernews site reports that Kaspersky Lab is protecting the resources of the Russian Ministry of Defense along with other high-profile Russian domains including Russia Today, TASS news agency, and Gazprom bank.

By Ian Barker -
Laptop security

Attivo expands Active Directory protection

In 2021, there was a surge of attacks targeting Active Directory domain controllers in order to gain the privileges that are needed to install backdoors, change security policies, and distribute ransomware or malware.

In recent days there have also been attacks targeting organizations in the Ukraine using the HermeticWiper malware which is implanted via Active Directory to destroy data on the machine.

By Ian Barker -
Windows 11 monitor

Microsoft's free App Assure program gives software compatibility assistance to Windows 11 upgraders

Microsoft has reminded business and enterprise users about its App Assure program and how it can help with the process of upgrading to Windows 11.

The program has been running for a while, and was expanded to cover Windows 11 back in October to coincide with the release of the latest version of the operating system. Available at no cost, App Assure gives users a chance to work with Microsoft engineers to ensure app compatibility, and to gain assistance in addressing issues.

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