Woman touching a phishing concept

Gen Z most likely to fall for phishing attacks

A new survey reveals that 44 percent of all participants admit to having interacted with a phishing message in the last year. Gen Z stands out as the…

By Ian Barker -

Latest Technology News

woojer-strap

Woojer Strap: Adds a whole new dimension to sound [Review]

I first reviewed Woojer three years ago when it was a matchbox-sized subwoofer that could be worn in a choice of ways -- in the center of your chest, the base of your spine, or against your hipbone or collarbone. Since then, the product has undergone a massive change, and is now a large, adjustable strap which you wear across your body (there’s also a vest version).

Despite having changed form significantly, the idea behind Woojer remains the same -- which is to help you feel sound, not just hear it.

By Wayne Williams -
Emoji 11.0

157 new emojis to hit iOS and Android with the launch of Emoji 11.0

Going under the banner of Emoji 11.0, a raft of new emojis are due to hit the screen of iOS and Android devices later this year.

After being previewed late last year, the full list of emojis has now been published by the Unicode Consortium, and they're due to be launched in the second half of 2018 -- August or September. What can you look forward to? New red-haired and bald men and women feature, as do a female superhero, a pirate flag and a microbe.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Meltdown and Spectre

Intel releases updated Spectre and Meltdown patches for Skylake systems

It may have been a while since there was major news about the Spectre and Meltdown bugs, but the problems have not gone away. After previously releasing unstable patches, Intel has now launched a microcode update for Skylake systems.

Despite the problems with both stability and performance with Spectre and Meltdown patches, Intel uses an announcement about the latest updates to stress the importance of installing patches in a timely fashion. There's more than a hint of irony in the fact that Intel had to tell users to stop using an earlier update because of the problems it was causing.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
target_back

Google and Nest Labs are together again, and Amazon should watch its back

When Google established Alphabet as a parent company for itself, things got very confusing. The newly established company became obsessed with establishing sub-company names under all letters of the alphabet -- seriously. In other words, Alphabet was taking its namesake way too literally. It felt forced and not at all organic.

Ultimately, it was decided that Nest Labs would be separated from Google, so it could represent the "N" for Alphabet. This has proven to be quite foolish, as it has seemingly slowed Google's innovation in the smart home market. Since then, Amazon has been making huge strides in the smart home segment. Google has apparently had enough of having its lunch eaten by an online bookseller. As of today, the Google and Nest Labs hardware teams are together again.

By Brian Fagioli -
Windows-10 key

Microsoft releases Windows 10 Redstone 4 Build 17093 to the Fast ring

When Microsoft was working on what became the Fall Creators Update, we typically saw weekly builds rolling out to Insiders on the Fast ring. With the Redstone 4 branch -- rumored to be called the Spring Creators Update -- new builds are coming out at a much slower rate.

Two weeks after Build 17083 arrived, Microsoft has rolled out new Build 17093 to Insiders on the Fast ring and Skip Ahead.

By Wayne Williams -
LinkedIn Profile

Get 'LinkedIn Profile Optimization For Dummies' ($14 value) FREE for a limited time

Your LinkedIn profile is essentially a platform to shape how others see you, highlight your abilities, products, or services, and explain how your work impacts lives.

Whether your goal is job search, branding, reputation management, or sales, people are Googling you -- and your LinkedIn profile is more often than not their first point of contact. With a focus on who you are, the value you deliver, and the culture you cultivate, the profile you'll create with the help of this guide will make that first connection a positive one -- giving you a better chance to see results.

By Wayne Williams -
Hotspot Shield logo

Hotspot Shield flaw could reveal the location of VPN users

There are many reasons for turning to VPN software, but anonymity and hiding one's location are pretty high up the list. A newly-discovered flaw in the popular free VPN Hotspot Shield, however, means that it is possible to determine key pieces of information about users.

The VPN -- produced by AnchorFree -- is used by 500 million people around the world, and security researchers have discovered a vulnerability (CVE-2018-6460) that means it is technically possible to home in on the location of an individual using the service.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Cortana for iPad

Cortana comes to iPad with faster loading than iPhone version

After something of a delay -- two years, no less -- Microsoft has finally ported Cortana from the iPhone to the iPad.

The company has not made a great deal of noise about the updated app, but its digital assistant has now been optimized for use on Apple devices with larger screens. The restrictions of iOS still mean that Cortana cannot compete directly with Siri, as it is only possible to access the assistant's tools once it has been launched.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Broken umbrella in storm

Public cloud services like Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive fail to protect against zero-day malware

Hackers and cyber criminals are becoming wise to the fact that they can use cloud applications to spread malware.

In response, top cloud providers now offer malware protection in an attempt to stop files containing malware being uploaded. But a new report reveals that placing your trust in this protection may be ill-advised.

By Ian Barker -
Bitcoin Ethereum Litecoin BTC XBT ETH LTC

Crypto market rebounds after massive crash -- Bitcoin recovers above $8,000

If there's one thing that the cryptocurrency market is not lacking, excitement is definitely it. You can't get bored looking at the crazy swings in price. One day, you are looking at Bitcoin inching closer to $20,000 and, a few weeks later, you are wondering whether it will recover above $7,000. It's fun.

I am sure many investors would have a problem with my definition of fun in the crypto scene, but I can't help but feel amused. Prices fluctuate all the time, crashes happen frequently, rebounds are amazing, it's just how things are. Now, after a sudden move into sub-$300 billion territory, the market is getting close to stabilizing above the $400 billion mark.

By Mihăiță Bamburic -
Opera33-200-175

Opera 51 unveils better Windows performance, host of functional tweaks

Just one month after its previous update, Opera Software has unveiled Opera 51.0, the latest version of its Chromium-based browser for Windows, Mac and Linux.

There’s no let up in new features and improvements in Opera 51. Chief among these is the promise of faster browsing on Windows, with Opera claiming it’s 38 percent faster than Firefox 58. This is down to the fact the program code is now compiled using Clang.

By Nick Peers -
Worried It worker

IT leaders struggle to deliver cost transparency

A new survey by London-based Coeus Consulting reveals that 88 percent of respondents are unable to demonstrate cost transparency to the rest of the organization.

Those that can, however, are best positioned to deliver business agility for digital transformation and are more likely to be represented at senior level in their companies.

By Ian Barker -
PC_-_Carry_Mode_Tablet_Front_Left_Angle_(handle_up)

Panasonic refreshes 'Toughbook 20' rugged 2-in-1 Windows 10 detachable laptop

Have you ever walked into a Starbucks and seen a bunch of millennials sipping expensive lattes as they type on their super-thin (and often fragile) laptops? Please know that is not the only way people work with computers. Actually, there are many hardworking men and women that do downright dirty jobs in the field -- a thin laptop and a fancy latte just won't do. These folks need a normal cup of coffee to go and a laptop that can withstand abuse.

For many years, Panasonic has been producing its "Toughbook" line of computers for the blue-collar workers that make the world turn. The company's machines can take a beating, making them ideal for first responders, construction workers, the military, and more. While they may cost a bit more up front, they can pay for themselves over time as they survive when other computers will have already died. Today, the company refreshes its famed 10.1-inch "Toughbook 20" 2-in-1 Windows 10 detachable laptop/tablet with a new 8mp rear camera, a bridge battery, plus updated processor and storage options.

By Brian Fagioli -
D-Link AC-2600 router

D-Link DIR-882 EXO AC-2600 MU-MIMO router [Review]

For many people a router is something that's supplied free by their internet service provider. Consequently they don't give much thought to it unless they encounter problems.

Yet, as we attach more and more devices to our home networks we put more demand on our routers and performance can start to suffer. The good news is that there's a whole world of routers out there that offer performance and connectivity features way beyond those of the basic units usually sent out by ISPs.

By Ian Barker -
battery health

iOS 11.3 beta 2 includes performance throttling opt-out and new battery health options

Apple raised the anger levels of some iPhone users when it was revealed that handset performance was being purposefully reduced to maintain battery health. Some of this anger was dissipated when the company offered up cheap battery replacements, but Tim Cook also promised that users would soon be able to opt out of performance throttling.

The option to disable performance reduction is due to hit the masses with iOS 11.3, and the second beta of this version of Apple's mobile operating system has now been released to developers. It gives us our first glimpse at what the new battery health features look like.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -

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