Microsoft includes Windows XP and Vista in June's Patch Tuesday updates
Last month Microsoft made the decision to issue a "highly unusual" patch for Windows XP. Despite the fact the operating system has not been supported for some time, the patch was released in an attempt to thwart the WannaCrypt ransomware attacks.
Now, in an even more unusual move, Microsoft has chosen to include Windows XP in this month's Patch Tuesday. Windows Vista is also included in this batch of security updates which Microsoft says should address the "elevated risk of cyberattacks by government organizations."
Industroyer is more dangerous than Stuxnet
Remember Stuxnet, the worm that wreaked havoc across Iran's nuclear facilities? Security researchers from ESET say that they have discovered an even bigger threat, which is being called Industroyer.
According to the company's report, Industroyer is built to "disrupt critical industrial processes," and was recently used in an attack in Ukraine, causing the city of Kiev to lose power for an hour.
Google launches Android Excellence to recognize the very best apps and games
Google has launched a new scheme which sees the company highlighting the very best games and apps to be found in Google Play. This is not simply a list of the most downloaded or, necessarily, the most highly rated titles; Google has a new batch of criteria by which to judge developers' offerings.
The real aim is to heap praise on those apps and games which exude quality, and deliver the best user experiences. Google says that titles which "use many of our best practices, and have great design, technical performance, localization, and device optimization" will also feature in the regularly-updated list.
Windows Insiders can now try out OneDrive's Files On-Demand feature -- here's how
Microsoft announced a new Files On-Demand feature for OneDrive at Build last month. This lets you access all of your files in the cloud without having to download them first.
The files you have stored in OneDrive can be viewed in File Explorer and interacted with just like every other file on your device. If you used OneDrive on Windows 8.1 previously, you’ll be familiar with idea as it’s essentially an improved version of the old placeholders feature.
Nintendo very briefly confirms new Pokémon game on Switch
Likely to emerge as the biggest story out of today's latest round of news at the 2017 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Nintendo has announced that it is working on a new Pokémon title for its Switch console.
In the very brief announcement, the title was described as a new entry to the "core RPG" series of Pokémon games. Presumably that means it will be the launching pad for a new generation of Pokémon creatures, and if so, it would be the first time that has happened on a home console.
Yahoo is now officially Verizon's problem and Marissa Mayer waves goodbye
Verizon today reveals that it has completed the acquisition of Yahoo, nearly a year after announcing the deal. Big red initially agreed to pay $4.83 billion, but after the massive security breach that resulted in over one billion hacked accounts was disclosed to the public the value dropped to $4.48 billion.
What is interesting is that Yahoo will not operate as an individual subsidiary, as you might expect. Instead, Verizon will combine it with AOL under a different brand, called Oath, which it describes as a "diverse house of more than 50 media and technology brands that engages more than a billion people around the world."
Creative unveils Sound BlasterX AE-5 gaming sound card with 32-bit DAC and RGB lighting
If you thought the concept of a sound card was dead, you'd be wrong, but I wouldn't blame you for thinking it. After all, on-board motherboard sound is often excellent, and many people will choose a USB DAC nowadays as an upgrade.
Today, Creative unveils a new PCIe sound card that will get you excited. Called "Sound BlasterX AE-5," it is chock full of features and impressive specs. While overkill for most, it features an insane 32-bit/384kHz DAC. It offers connectivity for a 5.1 speaker setup. Since this is a gaming product in 2017, it of course has RGB lighting -- it comes with attachable RGB light strips to illuminate your case. While this card is designed for gamers, it will also be ideal for audiophiles listening to music.
Ransomware attacks are becoming more sophisticated
Following the WannaCry attack last month, ransomware was one of the big topics at the recent Infosecurity Europe event in London.
The worldwide assault woke many businesses and organizations up to the real danger that ransomware poses, but new research has also discovered that the criminals behind such attacks could be gearing up for even bigger attacks soon.
Gboard for Android now recognizes the emoji you draw by hand and suggests phrases for you
Emoji offer a great way to spice up your chats, and the Android version of Gboard has been updated to make it easier to find the perfect ones. The update means you can now use the emoji search box to draw the sort of emoji you're looking for, and Google's keyboard will track down what it thinks you mean.
Google uses machine learning to interpret even the most primitive of squiggles, so now there's no need to think about how you would describe a particular emoji in order to perform a text-based search for it -- just draw what you want! But there's more.
Logitech Circle 2 is a versatile home internet surveillance camera for both inside and outside
Internet-based home surveillance cameras are gaining in popularity nowadays, thanks to decreasing cost and easier setup. These devices allow you to monitor your home using your smartphone for ultimate convenience.
Back in 2015, Logitech unveiled its first such product. Simply called "Circle," it was affordable and easy to use. The problem? It lacked versatility. It didn't offer much in the way of positioning and couldn't be used outside. With that said, the battery aspect allowed it to be moved about a residence. Today, the company unveils the successor -- Circle 2. This time the camera is far more useful, even offering the ability to be used outdoors. There are two models -- wired or wire-free, both of which work with Amazon Alexa.
AI-driven platform improves sales forecasts and visibility
Success in a sales environment increasingly needs access to accurate real-time data on which to base decisions.
To provide companies with better information, sales forecasting specialist Aviso is launching its latest Aviso Sales Vision, an AI-based platform that provides accurate sales forecasts, detailed pipeline visibility, and actionable insights to drive sales performance.
Fedora 26 Beta Linux distro is finally here with GNOME 3.24 and updated LibreOffice
Fedora 26 Beta is finally here! Why do I say "finally?" Well, as is becoming more common nowadays, the Beta release was delayed. This isn't the end of the world, however, as there is nothing wrong with making sure everything is ready -- especially a beta.
While you never want to run pre-release software on a production machine, I must confess that the Alpha version has been rock solid on my laptop -- it is probably safe. With that said, if you can be patient, we should have a final version on July 11. Can't wait for a stable Fedora 26 and like living dangerously? You can download the Beta today -- at your own risk.
What does the scrapping of EU roaming charges mean for UK mobile users?
It's just a couple of days until new EU regulations come into force which makes European roaming charges a thing of the past. Put simply, all mobile operators will have to permit their customers to use their bundled text, call and data allowance within the EU at no extra charge from June 15.
With many UK travelers caught out by high mobile bills after a trip, this change should be great news. But consumer watchdog Which? warns that there could be a catch, and mobile users are warned to continue to keep an eye on their bills.
New platform helps integrate big data across the cloud
As enterprises continue to move their data to the cloud, they often find themselves using multiple different services. But a multi-cloud approach brings problems when it comes to managing and integrating information.
To tackle this issue, cloud and big data integration company Talend is releasing a new version of its Talend Data Fabric integration platform that is optimized to manage multi-cloud, enterprise IT environments.
Enterprises overwhelmed by endpoint alerts
Organizations receive an average of more than 600 endpoint alerts in a typical week according to a new report. These represent a severe drain on an organization's financial resources and IT security personnel and the cost can average $1.4 million annually.
The study by endpoint security company Absolute and the Ponemon Institute reveals that, of all alerts, 45 percent (277 alerts) are considered reliable and an average of 115 are investigated. An average of 61 percent or 369 of these alerts involve malware infections.
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