UK launch of Microsoft Rewards bribes Brits into using Bing and Edge
Formerly known as Bing Rewards, Microsoft Rewards has now made its way to the UK. The program rewards users for making searches with Bing, with extras thrown in if these searches are conducted in Microsoft Edge.
Users can accrue points by performing searches, completing quizzes, or spending money in the Microsoft Store, and these can then be exchanged for Skype credit, gift cards, Groove Music passes and more. It's a scheme that amounts to little more than bribery, and sees Microsoft paying people to use its products and services.
EU has big plans for free Wi-Fi coverage
Free Wi-Fi connectivity will soon be coming to public spaces such as parks, squares, public buildings, and hospitals all over the EU thanks to a new agreement.
This comes after the European Parliament, Council and Commission have reached an agreement regarding the decision to fund the WiFi4EU project.
US roll-out of Samsung Bixby delayed as the virtual assistant struggles with English
The launch of the Samsung Galaxy S8 was slightly marred by the absence of the promised virtual assistant, Bixby. We may now be in June, but it looks like it's still going to be a few weeks until Samsung's assistant arrives in the US. The problem? It's having trouble understanding English syntax and grammar.
So far Bixby has emerged with Korean support, but the Wall Street Journal reports that the English-language version is still weeks away from completion. The news comes from "people familiar with the matter," but Samsung has responded to the claims, adding weight to their veracity.
Logitech launches MX Master 2S and MX Anywhere 2S, plus multi-computer mousing with Logitech FLOW
Logitech today announces the latest additions to its MX range of mice -- the MX Master 2S and MX Anywhere 2S. We'll come back to the mice in a moment, though. There's more exciting news with the launch of Logitech FLOW.
This is Logitech's new software which makes it possible to use the same mouse to control up to three computers. Perfect for anyone who has two or three computers on their desk, Logitech FLOW not only makes it possible to use a single mouse and keyboard to control all of the devices, but also features between-devices copying and pasting.
Bodhi Linux 4.2.0 Ubuntu-based operating system now available
Bodhi is an interesting Linux distribution thanks to its lightweight nature. If you have an older PC that isn't particularly powerful, the operating system could breath new life into it. Unlike some other distributions that are light on resources, Bodhi is not ugly -- its Moksha desktop environment looks rather modern. I highly recommend giving the OS a try.
Today Bodhi reaches version 4.2.0. It is quite the boring release, as there isn't much to it. It is merely a rollup, incorporating many of the updates that were released since the previous stable version, 4.1.0. If you are already running Bodhi and have been installing updates, there is no reason to bother -- this is more for those that aren't already running the OS.
Why UK businesses can't take full advantage of Office 365
The advantages of Office 365 are being hindered by poor connectivity, bandwidth and latency issues, according to new reports coming out of Zscaler.
As it turns out, Office 365 is a great service with many benefits which businesses all over the UK are very well aware of. However, due to issues with connectivity and latency, many organizations can't take full advantage of the service.
Wacom unveils two new Bamboo styluses -- 'Ink' for Windows 10 and 'Sketch' for iOS
Drawing and writing on a computer are both important features for creative types, but not everyone has the need. If you do have the need for a quality stylus, however, both Windows 10 and iOS are optimized for such things. The Surface line of personal computers and the iPad Pro, for instance, have official stylus accessories.
If you find yourself needing a third-party stylus for your Windows 10 or iOS device, Wacom has two new products that may interest you. The first such device is called Bamboo Ink, and it is named quite appropriately, as it is designed for Windows 10's Ink feature. For iOS -- including iPhone -- the company unveils the Bamboo Sketch. Both writing devices can be used with different types of replaceable tips for a more custom experience.
The cost of cyber attacks will rise to $8 trillion in five years
Cyber attacks will cost businesses across the world $8 trillion in the next five years, according to a new Juniper Research report. Just to put things in perspective, India's entire GDP crossed $8 trillion two years ago.
The report says that we'll hit that threshold very soon due to higher levels of Internet connectivity, and inadequate enterprise-wide security.
ARM unveils high-performance Cortex A75 and energy-efficient A55 chips
ARM has revealed its latest series of mobile processors, promising its most advanced performance yet.
The company has unveiled its new Cortex-A55 and Cortex-A75 chips, which will make smartphones and other mobile devices smarter, more powerful, and longer lasting when they begin appearing in devices from next year.
Microsoft Surface Hub is a huge success, finally gets Windows 10 Creators Update
Whether or not the Surface Hub is a success has been a big question mark. After all, Microsoft hasn't shared exact sales figures. Obviously, the company doesn't have to sell a ton of them to be considered successful, since it has a narrow focus and large price tag. While we still do not have exact sales figures, today we can confidently call the product a success. Why? Well, Microsoft announces something very impressive -- 50 percent of Fortune 100 companies have purchased at least one of them. Keep in mind, this is in addition to companies outside of that group.
True, that could be a total of only 50 Surface Hubs, but the number isn't so important. The truly impressive aspect is that these are high-quality companies that are often seen as trendsetters. In other words, this is exactly what Microsoft should want to be seeing from a fairly niche product. Today, the product gets even more attractive for two reasons. For one, the Windows 10 Creators Update is now available for it. Secondly, Microsoft introduces a new 5-year extended hardware service plan.
Bitdefender Home Scanner checks your network devices for vulnerabilities
Bitdefender has released Bitdefender Home Scanner, a free tool which scans your wireless network, identifies connected devices and checks them for vulnerabilities.
The program claims to spot devices with poorly encrypted or insecure authentication, weak login credentials and "hidden back doors."
OnePlus 5 will be 'the thinnest flagship phone' says CEO
OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has just let a little more slip about the upcoming OnePlus 5. According to a Weibo post by the company founder, the OnePlus 5 will be "the thinnest flagship phone" when it launches later this summer. Importantly, Lau says that the thinness does not mean compromises have been made.
There have been all manner of leaks and rumors about the latest version of the so-called "flagship killer," but this comes straight from the horse's mouth. OnePlus has started a teaser campaign for the smartphone, inviting social media users to guess which of two photographs was shot on the OnePlus 5. While thin on detail, the latest teaser from the CEO is one of some limited pieces of information to be announced by the company itself.
Fake News: Half of Donald Trump's Twitter followers are bots
This story isn’t actually "Fake News", but rather news about fakes. We all know Donald Trump loves Twitter (more than covfefe itself!), and with over 31 million followers it appears the 45th President of the United States of America is hugely popular on the social site.
Except, well, his 31 million followers aren’t quite what they seem.
China's QR codes changing the way young people perceive money
QR codes are "changing social behavior" in China, according to a new story published on the South China Morning Post. As a payment technology, QR codes are going through a renaissance in mainland China, where mobile payments are now 50 times greater than those in the US.
Mobile payments in the States have reached $112 billion last year, the report states, calling on a Forrester Research report.
The first Windows 10 ARM devices will come from ASUS, HP, and Lenovo
Microsoft and Qualcomm announced late last year that Windows 10 will be available on ARM-based Snapdragon devices. And, unlike with Windows RT, this time around x86 programs are welcome, giving users the ability to run full-blown software like Office 2016 and Adobe Photoshop CC.
And now Microsoft and Qualcomm have provided an update on the project, announcing the hardware partners that will release ARM devices with Windows 10 and the sort of benefits that users can expect to receive from the "Always Connected PCs" that will arrive.
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