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For the sake of ease, the Google Play store supports the purchase of apps and games using a variety of credit and debit cards, PayPal and other payment options. Now Google has announced a new option -- pending transactions.

This is an option designed for people who don't have cards, or just don't want to use them. It allows Android apps and games -- as well as in-app purchases -- to be paid for using cash, and is ideal for emerging markets

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One of the best investments you can make for your home is an internet connected camera. Even if you don’t feel comfortable having them indoors, outdoor variants can be essential for protecting your house. Whether you are home or away, it is nice to know you can always pull out your phone and monitor the perimeter of your property.

Today, Amazon announces the second generation Blink XT camera, which is designed for both indoor and outdoor use. Called “Blink XT2,” it is very affordable, starting at less than $100. Believe it or not, the budget friendly camera features 1080p video, motion detection, and night vision. Best of all, cloud storage is gratis (no monthly fee), making it an extremely inexpensive way to get started with a smart security camera.

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Windows 10 19H1 -- aka the May 2019 Update -- is currently undergoing testing in the Release Preview ring, with the aim being to start rolling it out to all by the end of the month.

In the meantime, the software giant is working on builds from the 20H1 branch, the feature update set to be released a whole year from now.

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PC gaming doesn't have to be an expensive affair, but if you are a hardcore gamer, you will have no problem finding ways to part with your money. Forget just buying the games themselves -- there will always be new graphics cards and faster solid state drives, for example, to offer superior performance. Not to mention, there are accessories too, such as mice, keyboards, headsets, and more.

Today, Logitech G unveils what it claims is something many consumers have requested -- a wireless version of its popular G502 mouse. Called "G502 LIGHTSPEED," it has RGB lighting, adjustable weights, up to 16,000 DPI, and fast-scrolling. As the product name implies, it leverages Logitech's proprietary "LIGHTSPEED" wireless technology, reducing lag and allowing it to outperform some wired mice. It is also compatible with the company's POWERPLAY mouse pad, which allows the mouse to wirelessly charge while in use.

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Being paid to play games all day long is a dream job for many people. There are a number of ways you can make this a reality, such as live-streaming on Twitch.

HighSpeedInternet.com is currently looking to pay someone to play Fortnite this summer, and will also cover their high speed internet costs for one year, plus hook them up with a new modem and router. Best of all, this opportunity is open to everyone, not just professional gamers.

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Blockchain is often seen as a game-changer for businesses, governments and criminals alike. But, as organizations rush to deploy applications based on blockchain technology, do the potential benefits outweigh the information risks?

The Information Security Forum (ISF) is releasing a new briefing paper aimed at boosting understanding of the technology.

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Can you ever have enough security? We often wonder after being told what our users have installed. It’s not unknown for people to have a full security suite alongside a second on-demand scanner and additional browser plugins warning them of potentially malicious websites.

As individuals tend to stick with a security suite which has worked for them in the past and, as long as their system isn’t compromised, continue to pay for a yearly subscription. With this in mind, developers are adding functionality to enable their security tools to run alongside and not interfere with your daily use. These are on-demand scanners where you’d need to schedule a scan or manually run a scan when required.

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Although many transactions are now carried out online, contact centers remain an important tool for businesses.

Call and contact center payment security solutions provider Semafone has had its latest Cardprotect (version 4) product validated by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) against the latest version of the Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS). This makes it one of the only companies in the industry to provide this level of certification.

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A new study from Webroot that examines the cyber hygiene habits of 10,000 Americans, 200 in each state, reveals that 88 percent feel they take the right steps to protect themselves from cyberattacks.

However, just 10 percent scored 90 percent or higher on a cyber hygiene test, with the average respondent getting only 60 percent.

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Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has been struck by hackers who were able to make off with $40 million worth of Bitcoin.

The exchange suffered what it describes as a "large scale security breach" in which attackers were able to obtain "a large number of user API keys, 2FA codes, and potentially other info". CEO Zhao Changpeng says that 7,000 BTC were withdrawn in a single transaction and the attack which was perpetrated using a variety of methods.

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Microsoft is bringing back PowerToys for Windows 10 -- and this time it is open source. If the name doesn't mean anything to you, you probably weren't a Windows 95 user, but if this was your computing era, you'll remember tinkering with the likes of TweakUI, Send to X, QuickRes and numerous other delightful utilities.

Now the collection of utilities is back, rebooted for Windows 10 and due to be released as an open source project. At the moment, there are two tools being worked on -- Maximize to new desktop widget, and the Windows key shortcut guide -- but ten more are under consideration and due for release this summer.

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When it comes to the smart home, I consider myself "all in." I have smart lights, a smart sprinkler system, a Nest thermostat, and a few audio-only Amazon Echo devices. The outside of my house is monitored by internet-connected cameras too. Despite all of that, I don't feel comfortable having cameras inside my home as part of a hardware assistant. For example, I would never buy a Facebook Portal or Amazon Echo Show for my home.

Earlier today at its I/O 2019 conference, Google unveiled its all-new Nest Hub Max (under the new Google Nest branding), and I find myself intrigued. With that said, I am also terrified of inviting a camera made by the world's biggest advertiser and data collector into my home. Should I allow my intrigue to overcome my desire for privacy?

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Microsoft may not have said it out loud, but it's become increasingly clear over the past couple of years that .NET Framework is on its way out. With the software giant focusing most of its attention of making .NET Core faster and beefier, its longstanding predecessor has been slowly neglected, receiving only smaller changes every now and then.

While some have argued that .NET Framework is not dead, being the only framework in Microsoft's .NET family to support desktop applications, it was only a matter of time before its younger brother would be ready to replace it. And it looks like that's going to (finally) happen this summer, when .NET Core 3.0 launches. So, now, Microsoft is bracing developers for the inevitable -- .NET Framework will indeed be put out to pasture.

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It’s getting increasingly difficult for hardware companies to keep their new smartphones under wraps. Leaks prior to the official announcement mean we often know all about a new device well in advance.

We already knew a lot about the new Pixel phones that Google revealed today at its I/O conference, but it’s good to have everything confirmed. If you've always fancied a Pixel smartphone but couldn't justify the asking price, then the new Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL could well provide the perfect solution.

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Thunderbolt 3 is excellent technology -- it is fast and allows laptop users to expand the capabilities of their computers. For instance, you could add a TB3 docking station to gain additional ports, or an external GPU enclosure to add a desktop-class graphics card. So, yeah, Thunderbolt 3 rules.

Unfortunately, to get the full performance of Thunderbolt 3, it usually means using a very short cable, like 0.5m. While longer cables are available, they often provide slower transfer speeds (20Gbps) rather than the faster 40Gbps that TB3 can theoretically achieve. Not to mention, longer cables usually provide lesser charging power. Sure, there are some longer cables that provide top charging and data speeds, such as this 0.8m one from Apple, but as you can see, at $40, it is quite expensive. Today, Plugable launches a new cable (TBT3-40G80CM) that matches the performance of Apple's cable but at much more affordable price!

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