Best Windows 10 apps this week
Two-hundred-and-forty-eight in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Windows Store in the past seven days.
Microsoft announced this week that it will give users greater privacy control by adding the full privacy statement to the setup process, and more prompts to apps requesting access to certain permissions such as contacts or the microphone.
Face ID on iPhone X has a quick-disable anti-theft feature, says Apple
With the launch of the iPhone X, Apple unleashed Face ID biometrics on the world. During a demonstration of the feature there was a SNAFU when Face ID failed to work as intended (due, Apple says, to staff playing around with the device beforehand), and there are many questions hanging over the idea of using one's face to unlock a phone -- Senator Al Franken has many questions, for example.
Among the questions posed by Franken and others are queries such as "what's to stop someone using a photo or mask to unlock my phone?", and "if a mugger steals my phone, could they not unlock it just be holding it in front of my face?" Good points, though Apple Senior VP Craig Federighi says there are built-in measures to prevent such instances of unauthorized unlocking.
Facebook tests Snooze function that lets you temporarily mute your friends
While you may be friends with someone on Facebook, it doesn't mean that they're not going to annoy you. Stoking the fires of annoyance is, after all, one of the (albeit probably unintentional) functions of social media.
If a friend upsets you, you might consider unfriending them. It's a somewhat extreme reaction, but it's something that happens regularly. Should you feel that this is indeed something of an over-reaction, Facebook's testing of a Snooze function may appeal to you, as it lets you put your irritating friends on a timeout.
Facebook updates ad targeting policies after anti-Semitic 'Jew haters' campaigns
Facebook has been forced to amend its ad targeting policies after an investigation by ProPublica found that the social network was permitting advertisers to target individuals with anti-Semitic beliefs.
The New York-based news organization found that advertisers were able to use a number of categories such as "Jew hater," "How to burn Jews," "History of 'why jews ruin the world,'" and "Hitler did nothing wrong." All of these categories were created by users -- rather than Facebook or advertisers -- as they self-reported their education and employment history with offensive terms and labels.
Street View comes to Google Earth VR
Virtual reality is hardly new, but the technology is finally getting to a point where it is fairly affordable and easy to use. It still has a long way to go before it can truly be considered mainstream, as for now, it is largely just for enthusiasts and gamers. There will need to be some truly great non-gaming uses to propel VR to the next level.
Google Earth VR is the type of application that could get people excited about virtual reality, and today, it gains an amazing new feature -- Street View. Yes, with the help of either an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, you can experience Street View in a more immersive way.
VMware wants the support of open-source developers
VMware has called for greater links between itself and developers in a major show of support for open source software.
Speaking at the company’s VMworld Europe 2017 event in Barcelona, CTO Ray O’Farrell highlighted the "powerful" world of open source software.
Google Chrome will stop trusting older Symantec certificates
Chrome will stop trusting any security certificates issued by Symantec, Google has confirmed.
In a blog post, Chrome Security's Devon O’Brien, Ryan Sleevi and Andrew Whalley say that certificates from the security firm will be "distrusted," starting with version Chrome 66. This affects all certificates issued before June 1, 2016.
'Your Windows Has Been Banned' malware makes an unwelcome return
"Your Windows Has Been Banned" is a nasty piece of malware that first surfaced in 2016. It locks your computer screen and displays a message stating "This PC has been banned for terms of use violations."
It doesn’t go into specifics for the ban -- because, obviously, it’s not a real ban -- but simply says that your PC has been locked in order to "protect the Windows service and its members," adding "Microsoft does not provide details about specific PC bans."
VMware clarifies its relationship with Dell
VMware has emphasised its strength and independence almost a year since its parent company was acquired.
Speaking at the VMworld Europe 2017 event in Barcelona, VMware COO Sanjay Poonen noted that the relationship between the firm and parent company Dell EMC was benefitting both parties equally.
Apple iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus coming to Xfinity Mobile
In the United States, there are four major cell carriers -- Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint. They are not the only game in town, however, as there are regional carriers too. Not to mention, there are many MVNO offerings that piggyback off of the towers belonging to the aforementioned "big four."
One interesting new player in the MVNO space is Comcast with its affordable and unlimited "Xfinity Mobile" offering. Limited to subscribers of Xfinity home service, it uses a combination of Verizon's excellent LTE network plus Xfinity's 18 million hotspots to maximize coverage. Today, Comcast announces that the the budget-friendly service will soon be getting Apple iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus.
Trump blocks Chinese purchase of chip-maker Lattice over national security concerns
President Trump has blocked a Chinese investment firm from buying US company Lattice Semiconductor. The acquisition was stopped because of national security concerns.
Following a recommendation by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the Trump administration said that the potential buyer, Canyon Bridge, "might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States."
Oracle plans massive job cuts in Europe
Oracle is reportedly planning major job cuts across Europe as it readies for a company-wide reorganization.
According to The Register, Oracle is looking to shift its hardware support division into Romania. Confirmed by 'multiple insiders' the report states the process has already begun, although the deadline for migration differs from country to country.
Privacy: Senator Al Franken has a lot of concerns about Face ID on the Apple iPhone X
From the moment Apple started to talk about Face ID, there were concerns voiced about privacy and security. It's not just security experts and potential users who have these worries; Senator Al Franken has written to Tim Cook asking for details about the safeguards Apple has put in place to protect users.
On top of this, Franken wants to know more about how Apple trained the Face ID algorithm, and seeks assurances that third parties will not be able to access or be granted access to Face ID data.
Intelligent data platform drives digital transformation
Businesses are more keen than ever to unlock the power of their data, but often struggle to come up with a strategic approach.
Cloud data management company Informatica is launching its latest Intelligent Data Platform driven by the CLAIRE engine which uses metadata-driven AI to deliver faster insights.
Bitcoin drops to $3,500 after China ban rumors
The cryptocurrency market is now in a massive correction which has wiped out over $50 billion from its market cap high reached at the beginning of the month. The downward pressure seems to center on rumors that China wants to ban Bitcoin, the most valuable cryptocurrency.
I say rumors because there seems to be no official information from China that a ban is, indeed, in the cards. That has not stopped various websites from giving them too much credence, which adds to the instability that we have seen recently.
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