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AirPods are trash. Yeah, I know, they are very popular and Apple sells a ton of them, but that doesn't mean they are good. Look, the iPhone-maker could do much better than a set of rigid hard plastic things that you shove in your ear. They cause me, and others, severe ear canal pain. It doesn't have to be that way either -- Apple could very easily design them with replaceable tips to provide a customized experience. But no, Tim Cook and company would rather not. Oh well.

Thankfully, there are other companies willing to acknowledge that not everyone has the same size ear holes. Jaybird, for instance, makes many comfortable wireless headphones with replaceable tips. Their focus is on both performance and comfort -- what a concept! Today, the company launches its latest product, and it is clearly an AirPods-killer. Yeah, calling a product that competes with Apple a "killer" is a bit of a cliché, but hey, facts are facts.

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NordVPN has announced an important new option for users of the Linux version of its eponymous VPN tool. The company is introducing a new technology called NordLynx which is based on the WireGuard protocol.

The company says that it successfully combines the highspeed connection offered by WireGuard with NordVPN's own privacy-protecting double NAT system.

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Google has released Chrome 76 for Windows, macOS and Linux. As expected from the preview releases, this version of the browser brings a couple of important changes: Flash is now blocked by default, and Incognito mode detection is also blocked.

The blocking of Flash will be welcomed by many, and -- once word spreads about what the implications are (namely that it makes it far easier to get around paywalls) -- the same is likely to be true of the changes to the detection of Incognito mode. The changes have been welcomed by privacy and security advocates.

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As we have seen in another report today, the financial sector remains a prime target for cybercriminals. Phishing attacks and credential stuffing are the two most common forms of attack used against the industry according to another report from Akamai.

In the six months between December 2018 and May 2019, nearly 200,000 phishing domains were discovered by the research and 50 percent of all unique organizations impacted are from the financial services sector.

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The finance industry is a prime target for cyberattacks and a new report from F-Secure shows that it's facing a wide range of threats that go far beyond traditional theft.

Attacks targeting banks, insurance companies, asset managers and similar organizations can range from common script-kiddies to organized criminals and state-sponsored actors. And these attackers have an equally diverse set of motivations for their actions, with many seeing the finance sector as a tempting target due to its importance in national economies.

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As Microsoft continue to push Teams, the company has announced that Skype for Business Online will be retired in 2021.

While this is far from surprising, this is the first time a date has been mentioned so users can prepare to transition away. With the retirement date set at July 31, 2021, users have two years to get ready for a move to Teams.

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You might well be waiting for news of the new iPhone line-up, and we'll know more about that soon. In the meantime, however, Apple has a new product for its loyal fanbase. A credit card.

The Apple Card has been talked about for some time, and now Tim Cook has revealed that it will be launching in August. The news came from the Apple CEO during an earnings call yesterday, and he said that the company's employees have been beta testing the Apple Card, which comes in both digital and physical forms.

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AdDuplex monitors the state of adoption for the various Windows 10 versions. Its figures for June showed the October 2018 Update (1809) was only on 30 percent of systems (down from 31.3 percent in May), while the May 2019 Update (1903) was to be found on 6.3 percent of devices in the same time frame.

The monitoring firm has just released its figures for July and they show that the May 2019 Update has made its way on to more systems, but at a very cautious pace.

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If you are a PC gamer, you should really check out this new monitor from Acer. Called "Predator XN253Q X," this 24.5-inch display features some impressive specifications, such as NVIDIA G-SYNC, 400 nit brightness, 1ms response rate (0.4ms in "overdrive mode"), and an impressive 240Hz refresh.

While Predator XN253Q X has both HDMI and DisplayPort, you will need to use the latter to achieve 240Hz. The former maxes out at 60Hz. The monitor is a bit thick for my tastes, and that might be because of the integrated 4-port USB hub and stereo speakers. Thickness aside, it is a very attractive screen -- its design looks aggressive and futuristic.

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A new report reveals that 32 percent of businesses still have Windows XP installed on at least one device on their network and 79 percent of businesses are running Windows 7, which will reach its end of service in January 2020, on one or more devices.

The study from IT industry marketplace Spiceworks also shows many businesses are turning to next-generation security solutions like AI-powered threat intelligence and security-as-a-service to face security threats and vulnerabilities including outdated operating systems, limited use of encryption, and a lack of in-house security expertise.

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Google has released Google Web Designer 6.0, a major new version of its HTML-5 contenting-producing tool for Windows, Mac and Linux. Its WYSIWYG user interface and other user-friendly tools like syntax highlighting and code autocompletion make it popular among advertisers.

Version 6.0 introduces improvements to its Code view and Events panel layout, supports focal points for responsive images and introduces interactive video features.

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According to a new report, 53 percent of enterprise security leaders don't know if their security tools are working, despite massive spending.

The study carried out for continuous validation specialist AttackIQ by the Ponemon Institute shows companies surveyed are spending an average of $18.4 million annually on cybersecurity and 58 percent will be increasing their IT security budget by an average of 14 percent in the next year.

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Just when we all get used to blazing fast PCIe 3.0 NVMe solid state drives, PCIe 4.0 comes along to ruin the fun. True, current such SSDs are still more than fast enough for most, but now they are not the fastest. If you are an enthusiast or gamer that demands the very best, your PCIe 3.0 based drive is now old hat.

For instance, today, ADATA unveils an insanely fast new SSD based on PCie 4.0. Called "XPG GAMMIX S50," it is designed for gamers, but really, anybody that wants speed can take advantage. Not only are the specifications incredible, but the drive's heatsink is strikingly beautiful too. If you are someone that takes pride in aesthetics, this drive should make you happy. Keep in mind, however, you will need a new motherboard with PCIe 4.0 to take full advantage of this incredible speed.

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Containerization has seen rapid adoption in recent years, but a new study from container security specialist StackRox reveals organizations struggling with security issues.

The report shows that while two-thirds of organizations have more than 10 percent of their applications containerized, 40 percent of them remain concerned that their container strategy doesn't adequately invest in security. Another 34 percent say that their strategy lacks sufficient detail.

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We all have one. That cheapskate friend who never seems to have any money and who is always trying to sponge off you.

My old college pal Freddy is like that, especially when it comes to technology. For years, he limped by with no smart phone. Then, when he did get one, it was the lowest-end Android model from one of those el-cheapo prepaid wireless companies.

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