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Every so often Google starts to feel a little generous and decides to give things away. It's happening again, and you might just find that you've been given a few dollars in free credit to spend in the Play Store.

Seemingly at random, Google is handing out between $1 and $5 to Android users -- so you should check to see if you're one of the lucky ones.

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If you like to read books, an Amazon Kindle e-reader is a wise purchase. After all, they use e-ink technology which is easy on the eyes while offering very long battery life. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford a device dedicated to reading. For many, a traditional tablet -- such as an iPad -- serves as both an e-reader and a general use slate.

Barnes and Noble sells e-ink readers, but also, it offers NOOK Tablets powered by Android. These are superior to Amazon's Fire tablets, as NOOK has Google Play support. In other words, Barnes and Noble's tablets have access to all the popular apps you will want. Today, timed perfectly for the upcoming holiday shopping season, Barnes and Noble announces its latest tablet. This new NOOK Tablet has a big 10.1-inch screen. In addition to being a consumption device, the company apparently thinks it can be used for productivity -- it will sell an optional keyboard cover for it.

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Ever wondered how much your life might be worth? If we're talking about the digital world then the answer might be, 'not very much.'

Cybercriminals could sell your complete digital life, including social media accounts, banking details, app data, gaming accounts, and even remote access to servers or desktops, for as little as $50.

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Verizon has announced that it is to split into three as it looks to ensure "first-to-market leadership in the 5G era". Starting January 1, 2019, the telecom company will divide into Consumer, Business and Verizon Media Group/Oath.

The company says that it expects its new structure to be reflected in financial reporting for Q2 2019.

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Security researchers claim to have unearthed a zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft Edge. The remote code execution is due to be revealed with a proof-of concept.

Microsoft has not yet been informed about the details of the security issue, but exploit developers had been looking for a way to break Edge out of its sandbox -- and it would appear that this objective has now been achieved.

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Earlier this year, I was on the fence about renewing my Amazon Prime account. Don't get me wrong, it's a great value, but I have been on a quest to save money. Then life happened, and I totally forgot about the upcoming Prime decision. In August, the service auto-renewed, and rather than fight for a refund, I decided to just keep it. Why? Well, besides enjoying the streaming video service, I love the "free" shipping aspect. I justified it by telling myself that with the holidays soon approaching, I would be thankful to have Prime for gift buying.

Well, today I feel sort of like a fool. You see, Amazon announces that all shoppers will get free shipping with no minimum dollar amount required. In other words, one of the biggest perks of Prime service -- not needing to spend at least $25 for free shipping -- is just being given away to all.

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Given the increase in both frequency and complexity of cyberattacks today, it's no surprise that security is coming to the forefront across industries.

While people often view cybersecurity as hackers trying to steal data, threats can impact more than just traditional data loss. With new technologies like edge computing emerging, we need to start thinking about protecting physical infrastructure in addition to data at the edge.

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Ultra-fast 5G wireless is going to change the world... eventually. It won't just disrupt the mobile ISP business, but home internet as well. Throughout 2019, I fully expect consumers to be bombarded with 5G marketing that will sell it as the next big thing. And yes, the new standard will be pretty great, but it is not yet necessary. You see, the 5G infrastructure is not yet ubiquitous, and it won't be for a long while. So while there will probably be Android phones with high-speed 5G modems in 2019, owners largely won't have any way to take advantage of it.

According to a new report from Fast Company, Apple will be sitting out the 2019 5G shenanigans, instead waiting for at least 2020 to launch the iPhone 5G. You know what? That is very wise. The fruit-logo company is seemingly opting to wait until 5G is worthwhile and not merely a marketing tool.

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The recent roadmap for Kodi 18 'Leia' planned for four beta versions, followed by two release candidates, and then the finished thing.

That plan has gone slightly out of the window, however, as today the Kodi Foundation releases a fifth beta. This is the final beta release and fixes a number of issues.

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Thinkware is slowly expanding its range of dash cams to reach more consumers, with the recently-introduced F70 being one of the most sensibly-priced products in the lineup -- while still offering all the essential features we've come to expect from the company.

It's priced at around $100, which makes it very attractive for dash cam buyers on a budget. It's also got a nice design, unlike many of its competitors. Question is, how does it perform? I've tested it to find out.

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Twitter has confirmed the removal of thousands of accounts for not only discouraging people from voting in next week's US elections, but also falsely appearing to originate from the Democratic Party.

In all, over 10,000 accounts were deleted in September and October, for targeting key demographics and encouraging them to withhold their vote. While the removals are pretty small-scale, they still serve to demonstrate how Twitter is being used to try to subvert the outcomes of elections.

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Viber has rolled out a feature that users have been begging for for some time -- the ability to edit sent messages.

While Viber may not be quite as popular as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, it has millions of users around the world. At long last these users now have the ability to correct typo after sending a message, just as can be done in a handful of other messaging tools.

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As we wrote yesterday, Flickr is introducing a number of changes to both its free and Pro packages. For users of the free tier, the most significant change is undoubtedly the slashing of free storage to just 1,000 photos and videos.

This is clearly a move designed to encourage people to upgrade to a paid-for account, complete with unlimited storage. But if you're determined to stick with the free option, you'll need to take action or risk losing huge numbers of photos in a few months' time.

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In the early days of the internet, it was possible to maintain an online presence that was completely separate from your real life. You could be one person on an online message board and another person at your day job or with your family. These days, that kind of distinction is a lot more difficult to achieve.

Your social media identity is inherently linked to your in-person identity, and even anonymous message boards attract users ready to share information about who they really are. The days of online anonymity are in the rearview.

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Google has made a change to its account sign in process that means you now have to have JavaScript enabled.

The change, which has been introduced for Cybersecurity Awareness Month, is part of a security process which Google says protects you "before you even sign in". While the vast majority of people will have JavaScript enabled, the new policy will still affect a number of users.

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