Apple will engrave poop (and other emojis) on your AirPods case for free
Many people love Apple's AirPods, but others think the wireless ear buds are crap. Well, now you can prove them right, if so inclined, as the company will gladly emblazon your AirPods case with the poop emoji engraved onto the front. In fact, there are several emojis from which to choose, such as a unicorn, smiling face, or a chicken.
Best of all, this service is entirely free -- when buying new AirPods, of course. In other words, those that already own Apple's wireless ear buds are out of luck.
XFX leaks full details of AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT graphics card
AMD hasn't yet announced its Radeon RX 5600 XT graphics card, but everything you could possibly want to know about the "the world's most technologically advanced card for 1080p gaming" has leaked.
Electronics firm XFX has -- seemingly inadvertently and without AMD's say-so -- published full details of the graphics card on a page entitled XFX AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT 6GB GDDR6 THICC II Pro Staging. Just about the only thing we don't get to know from this highly detailed page is how much the card will cost.
Samsung announces Galaxy S10 Lite and Note10 Lite
Ahead of CES, Samsung has revealed two new additions to its range of Android smartphones. The Galaxy S10 Lite and Note10 Lite are cutdown, cheaper versions of their expensive flagship stablemates.
But while these are not as feature-packed or powerful as the fully fledged Galaxy S10 and Note10, they are pitched as upper mid-range devices. Samsung is making much of the phones' cameras and display -- hardly surprising when the 6.7-inch handsets both feature 32MP units on the front and a trio of cameras on the rear.
Firefox 72 will let users delete data the browser collects about them
As we entered 2020, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) came into force, giving residents of California GDPR-like rights and protection. One of the rights afforded to people by the new law is to request that companies delete their user-specific data.
To comply with CCPA, Mozilla has announced that Firefox 72 -- due for release next week -- will include a new option that enables users to request the deletion of desktop telemetry. Although CCPA is only applicable in California, the new setting will be made available to Firefox users around the world.
Foreign currency specialist Travelex suspends some services after cyber attack
Travelex, the London-based foreign exchange company, has suspended some of its services and taken its UK website offline following a cyber attack that took place on New Year's Eve.
A malware infection caused the company to take the decision to cut the cord on its services. It said that this was merely a "precautionary measure" which was done "in order to protect data". The suspension of services has caused problems for customers around the world and has had a knock-on effect for other companies including Tesco Bank and Asda.
Dell announces XPS 13 (2020) Developer Edition with Ubuntu Linux and 32GB RAM
Dell's XPS 13 is a legendary laptop, not just with Windows users, but hardcore Linux fans too. You see, through the company's Project Sputnik program, Dell has long provided special "Developer Edition" variants of its laptops that come pre-loaded with Ubuntu. Operating system aside, the XPS 13 has been highly lauded for its build quality, attention to detail, and top specifications. Ultimately, you buy an XPS 13 and always know you are getting a quality laptop.
Today, Dell announces the newest XPS 13 Developer Edition and it looks incredible. This 10th generation computer (which is being dubbed "2020") is thinner and smaller while offering even better specifications, such as an improved 13.4-inch display (with 16:10 aspect ratio) and the ability to be configured with up to 32GB -- double the previous generation's maximum memory. There are no USB-A ports, sadly, but it does have two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a micro SD card reader. You get thinner bezels and a larger trackpad too. Believe it or not, Dell is even promising proper fingerprint reader support in a future software update, meaning you can finally secure Ubuntu with biometrics!
Samsung unveils affordable and elegant Galaxy Book Flex α (Alpha) 2-in-1 laptop
Long gone are the days where Apple was the sole manufacturer of elegant laptops. Quite frankly, Apple has become a bit stagnant with its designs. Truth be told, makers of Windows laptops (such as Samsung, HP, and Huawei) have met or exceeded Apple's MacBook looks. Best of all, these Windows notebooks are often much more affordable than Apple's offerings too. Not to mention, they typically have touch screens!
Today, Samsung unveils a new Windows 10 laptop that isn't just elegant, but affordable too. Starting at well below $1,000, the Galaxy Book Flex α (Alpha) features a useful 2-in-1 design that should be beneficial for both work and play. It has a beautiful 13.3-inch QLED FHD display, long battery life, a fingerprint reader, a USB-C port. and a 10th gen Intel Core processor.
Dell Mobile Connect will soon let you control your iPhone from your laptop
Dell's Mobile Connect software already allows for handy control of Android smartphones from a Windows 10 laptop, and soon the same option will be made available to iPhone users.
The software has been around for a couple of years now, and Dell's planned expansion means that iPhone owners will be able to view their phone's screen on their computer, as well and easily transfer files between devices.
Microsoft Edge for Android now supports legacy and new Edge syncing
Microsoft plans to release the Chromium-based Edge web browser for the desktop on January 15, 2020 (one day after support for Windows 7 ends officially but Windows 7 is supported).
The Chromium-based web browser is only available for desktop operating systems currently. Microsoft published an update for Microsoft Edge on Android recently that prepares the mobile web browser for the upcoming release.
Alexa, have you changed your hair?
People tend to anthropomorphize their virtual assistants, assigning them personalities and physical features such as age, facial expressions and hairstyles according to research from Canada's University of Waterloo.
But giving these qualities to virtual assistants could cause people to reveal more personal information to the companies that own them than they otherwise would, says the study.
Vivo, OPPO and Xiaomi's Peer-to-Peer Transmission Alliance makes for easier file-sharing
Three smartphone manufactures came together last summer to create a new Peer-to-Peer Transmission Alliance with the aim of making it easier to share files between devices. Now it's available on selected handsets and is going global.
The alliance is made up of vivo, OPPO and Xiaomi and it was been created to develop what amounts to an Android version of Apple's AirDrop. File transfers are possible without the need for additional apps, and without the need to use mobile data or an internet connection.
Apple says virtualization tools violate DMCA... but Corellium says the company is attacking jailbreaking
Apple has long played a game of cat and mouse with the developers of jailbreak tools, constantly amending the code of its mobile operating systems to prevent people from unlocking their iPhones and iPads.
In an ongoing spat with Corellium -- a company which virtualizes iOS for use by security researchers -- Apple has amended the lawsuit it brought against the company this summer saying the tools it produces infringe on copyright. Corellium has responded with an open letter saying that Apple's line of attack "should give all security researchers, app developers, and jailbreakers reason to be concerned".
JPMorgan to ban third-party fintech platforms from accessing customer passwords
JPMorgan Chase is to enforce stricter security measures, banning third-party fintech apps from accessing customer passwords.
The existing method of data sharing provides -- with permission -- numerous apps with access to customers' bank accounts, but concerns have been voiced about the possible dangers. No timetable has been set out, but the American finance giant intends to use a token-based system that will provide third parties with access to "a narrow range of data in a secure form".
Your life is worth more than a laptop
There is absolutely nothing wrong with loving technology. If you are delighted and excited by computers, smartphones, and other devices, that is perfectly normal. Heck, I am guilty of this myself -- my desktop computer is one of my most prized possessions. After all, I built it piece by piece -- it is almost like my child. Almost...
Let's be honest though -- computers are just things that can be replaced. OK, true, maybe the data on the machine is irreplaceable, but even then, your life is worth more than anything stored on the computer’s drive. And that is why I am heartbroken today. You see, I stumbled across an article from CBS San Francisco about an adult man that died tragically -- trying to recover his laptop from thieves.
My favorite tech items of 2019
Another year over and a new one just begun. That’s where we are today, not only a new year, but a new decade. Welcome to the 20s. The last time we had those my grandparents were young kids, Flappers were in style and nobody saw the great depression coming.
To celebrate the passing of time I'm going to look back at my favorite tech of 2019. Not all is new, but some is. The others are just things I still use all the time. I shall begin with the three new items.
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