May the Moto Z Force Droid be with you [Review]


If you asked why the Moto Z Force Droid Edition appeals to me, I couldn't identify one thing, which arguably is odd considering this is a review. Benefits and features feel finely balanced, which is a hallmark of good product design. Oh, and that satisfaction is for the pure smartphone experience, which is premium by nearly every measure that matters; I didn't test Moto Mods that expand capabilities.
Lenovo/Motorola and Verizon released the smartphone in July 2016, so this exploration is belated—and then some. Apologies, the delay was necessary. In mid-December 2016, Verizon sent a holiday review package unexpectedly. At the time, my father-in-law's health rapidly declined—and he passed away about 30 days later. In the months following, as we settled his estate and finalized other matters, I occasionally recharged the battery and picked up the Droid but had no real time to test it. Still, something about how well the Moto Z Force feels and fits in the hand compelled me to handle it. Often. To caress the ridged bezel. To read blog posts and news stories on the beautiful display.
Ultimate Ears unveils limited-edition 'Second Street' BOOM 2 and MEGABOOM Bluetooth speakers


When you need a Bluetooth speaker, there is no shortage of options. With that said, many of those options sound terrible. Quite often, these wireless speakers are designed more for portability and convenience -- sound quality be damned. I've heard many a Bluetooth speaker with such muddy sound that it was preferable to just use a phone's integrated speaker.
Luckily, not all Bluetooth speakers are bad. In fact, some are damn good. One such brand that always delivers in this regard is Ultimate Ears. Regardless of price point, you can count on its products for an excellent music-listening experience. Two of the company's top Bluetooth speakers -- the BOOM 2 and MEGABOOM are getting limited-edition makeovers. There are eight new styles from which to choose, and Ultimate Ears calls this collection "Second Street." Best of all, pricing remains the same -- there is no limited-edition premium.
Maze Blade 4G is a superb affordable smartphone [Review]


There was a time, not so long ago, when all you could get for £100 was a feature phone or one based on an antiquated operating system.
Nowadays, the increasing competition in the far-east and in mainland China has caused prices to tumble down, so much so that there has never been so much choice if you’re after a so-called mid-market smartphone.
Cisco and IBM team up to boost their security products


Cisco and IBM have announced a new partnership that will see both companies integrate their security services, products and threat intelligence in an effort to bolster their cybersecurity offerings.
Both companies already have sizable security businesses and the partnership will see them share research and services with one another. Cisco's security suite will integrate with IBM's QRadar across networks, end points and cloud while IBM Global Services will offer support in managed security services to the company.
Is it the end of the line for the iPad mini?


Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference starts on Monday, and while it’s traditionally been a software show, there have been rumours we’ll see some exciting new hardware this year too.
What we probably won’t see however, is a new iPad mini. The product hasn’t been refreshed in a while, and according to insider reports, the smaller iPad’s days could well be numbered.
Father's Day giveaway: Win your dad the 'Ultimate Man Cave' from Logitech


On June 18, Father's Day will finally be here. This is a holiday that aims to highlight the importance of dads. If your father is still living, not only should you get the man a gift, but spend time with him too. Sometimes memories are the best gifts of all.
If your dad is particularly exceptional, you could totally get him a new man cave setup, but understandably, that is probably too expensive. Well, thanks to Logitech, you still may be able to get your dad the 'Ultimate Man Cave'. The company is giving one winner a Sony X900E 4K television and a Harmony remote. A TV and a remote alone do not make a man cave, however, so Logitech is including a lot more too.
MLB strikes deal with Intel for live VR broadcasts


Take me out to the ballgame, but keep me away from traffic and overcrowded stadium annoyances. With a new partnership between Major League Baseball and Intel, you'll be able to experience what it's like to be sitting up close to the action (or if you prefer, back in the bleachers), no matter where you are.
The partnership involves Intel's True VR app, which is available for the Samsung Gear VR platform, which will broadcast one live MLB game every week for the entirety of the regular 2017 season: beginning next Tuesday, June 6.
Microsoft suggests time travel as a way to avoid its rogue Windows 10 Build 16212


Yesterday, Microsoft accidentally pushed out a new, buggy, internal Windows 10 build to PC and Mobile that caused big problems for users. The Windows-maker pulled the problematic Build 16212 quickly, but it was too late for some.
In response, Microsoft issued an apology and offered some tips to help users who had installed the build to recover. However, despite this action, some users are still seeing Build 16212 waiting to be installed and for those people, Microsoft has an interesting solution -- time travel.
Qualcomm announces Quick Charge 4+ -- what's new?


Qualcomm officially announced Quick Charge 4 late last year, alongside its Snapdragon 835 processor which continues to reign supreme in its mobile lineup. However, the fast charging technology now gets an update, which adds three key improvements.
Qualcomm says that Quick Charge 4+, as the new version is officially known as, operates up to 3°C cooler, is up to 15 percent faster and up to 30 percent more efficient than Quick Charge 4. And it is already live in the ZTE nubia Z17 smartphone, which is powered by Snapdragon 835.
Insurance companies increasingly relying on machine learning


More than half, 54 percent, of almost 200 insurance executives recently confirmed that their company was using machine learning for predictive analytical modeling.
They confirmed it to analytics solutions firm Earnix, which used the information to release a report entitled Machine Learning -- Growing, Promising, Challenging.
Motorola unveils Moto Z2 Play and new Moto Mods


There are not a lot of smartphones nowadays that offer support for hardware add-ons. The just-unveiled Essential Phone is among the few that have this feature, and so is the new Motorola Moto Z2 Play.
The Moto Z2 Play is the successor to last year's Moto Z Play, and is positioned as a mid-range smartphone -- albeit at a price that is much closer to the premium segment than the entry-level. It also comes with a bunch of new Moto Mods for users to customize their experience.
Nokia 6, 5 and 3 will get Android O update


For a newcomer, it is reassuring to know that HMD Global cares about software updates. The company has announced that the Nokia 6, Nokia 5, and Nokia 3, which were unveiled earlier this year, will all receive an update to Android O.
HMD Global has not provided an estimate as to how long it will take for the Android O update to be available for the Nokia 6, Nokia 5, and Nokia 3 but, in the past, large manufacturers have needed a few good months to push out such major software releases.
App developers want better feedback during coding and debugging


The ability of developers to do their jobs effectively is crucial to delivering reliable apps on time. App development company Perfecto has released the results of a new survey which asked developers how they focus their resources.
Among the findings are that 50 percent of user interface and user experience developers want better feedback during the coding and debugging process. Less than 25 percent say they actually get the timely feedback they need.
Forewarned is forearmed: 6 of the most common database security vulnerabilities


There’s a huge number of creative hackers out there finding new and infuriatingly clever ways to compromise data. Then there’s an even more massive number of not-so creative hackers using the same old strategies because the same old vulnerabilities keep popping up in organizations the world over.
Either way, a data breach is devastating, but one route is far worse when it comes to explaining to affected users, investors and the Securities and Exchange Commission how the personal data of 1.2 million of a company’s users ended up for sale on the dark web. Now is the time to get to know six of the most common database security vulnerabilities -- before the FBI start asking some pretty tough questions.
Gmail offers better malware and phishing protection for enterprises


Google has updated Gmail with a number of new security features aimed at businesses that require better protection against malware and phishing scams.
The company announced today that it is bringing early phishing detection to its email service by using machine learning along with click-time warnings for malicious links found in emails as well as unintended external reply warnings.
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