Latest Technology News

fman is a keyboard-powered file manager for desktops

Most Windows file managers sell themselves on working just like Explorer, but adding more features and functionality: more file previews, smarter searching, extra tools, whatever it might be.

Fman’s shareware dual-pane file manager ignores all of that. It’s smaller, has far less functionality than Explorer, is almost entirely powered by the keyboard rather than the mouse, and ignores most Windows conventions. So is there any reason why you might want to install it?

Continue reading

Creators Update gives Windows 10 a much needed usage share boost

Windows 10 usage share has been suffering lately. According to NetMarketShare, in February, the new operating system lost share, and in March its gains were minimal.

With Windows 10 Creators Update rolling out in April -- even if Microsoft warns users against manually updating to it -- we were always likely to see the OS returning to growth, as users spend more time on it, finding out what’s new.

Continue reading

Hajime botnet controls nearly 30,000 devices

Hajime, a mysterious IoT botnet, now controls almost 300,000 devices, according to a new report by Kaspersky Lab. The report also states that the botnet's true purpose is still unknown.

Kaspersky says the malware, whose name means "beginning" in Japanese, first appeared in October 2016. Since then it has evolved into a decentralized group of compromised machines that discretely perform either spam or DDoS attacks.

Continue reading

How to increase your laptop volume above 100 percent

Laptop speakers can often be underpowered, and if you’re on the move it might not always be convenient to connect external speakers, or headphones. Another option is to install specialist audio processing software to amplify your system volume beyond the usual maximum.

How well this works depends on the individual device. Your usual volume limit isn’t some definitive physical barrier, and it’s likely you’ll be able to go a little further without any issues, but taking it too far will trash your audio quality.

Continue reading

Make your own NES Classic Edition with Lakka 2.0 LibreELEC Linux distro and Raspberry Pi

The NES Classic Edition is a very fun nostalgia-based gaming console. As someone who grew up with Nintendo, I knew I wanted the mini system as soon as it was announced. A family member was able to score me one on launch day, and I've been very happy with it. Unfortunately, other people have not been so lucky. Supply was very limited and it has since been discontinued. If you do not already have it, you are sort of out of luck without paying high prices on eBay or Craigslist.

If you are only looking to replay the NES games of your youth, and you are OK with doing it in an unofficial way, emulation is another route. In fact, if you'd rather not play these games on your PC, you can instead use a Linux-based operating system and a Raspberry Pi (or other devices) hooked to a television. One such distro is Lakka, which just reached version 2.0. It is arguably better than an NES Classic Edition as it can also play games from other systems, such as SNES, Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64, PlayStation 1, and many more.

Continue reading

Facebook updates Rights Manager so content owners can earn ad income from pirated videos

Like Google, Facebook places great importance on advertising. The social network not only earns money from ads itself, but also allows companies and individuals to do so by displaying ads in videos. Pirates were quick to spot an easy way to earn money -- steal someone else's popular video and watch the ad revenue roll in.

Now Facebook is fighting back in a way that has already been used to some extent by YouTube. There is a new "claim ad earnings" option in the Rights Manager tool which enables the owner of a particular video to bag the ad revenue when their material is pirated. But the update to Rights Manager are more far-reaching than this.

Continue reading

Report: Facebook really is used for propaganda and to influence elections

It's something that many people have expected for some time, and now we know that it's true. Facebook has admitted that governments around the world have used the social network to spread propaganda and try to influence the outcome of elections.

In the run-up to the US election, there was speculation that powerful groups had been making use of Facebook to influence voters by spreading fake news. Now, in a white paper, Facebook reveals that through the use of fake accounts, targeted data collection and false information, governments and organizations have indeed been using the social network to control the news, shape the political landscape, and create different narratives and outcomes.

Continue reading

Orange is the New Black season 5 episode 1 leaks online as Netflix is held to ransom

A hacking group by the name of TheDarkOverlord has leaked the first episode of the Netflix show Orange is the New Black [Update: the group has since leaked 9 more episodes]. The season premiere of the hit show is not set to air until June, but TheDarkOverlord released it to The Pirate Bay after Netflix failed to meet ransom demands.

The group allegedly managed to get hold of the episode after gaining access to the systems of post-production studio Larson Studios in Hollywood. When Netflix refused to comply with its demands, which are described as "modest", the show was made available for BitTorrent users.

Continue reading

NSA to stop reading certain American emails -- will delete some previously collected messages

The government is supposed to work for the people, but sometimes, it can feel like it is against them. In a democratic country like the USA, where many officials are elected by citizens, you would think this wouldn't be the case, but sadly, it often is. As Edward Snowden revealed in his leaks, the US government has programs where it spies on its own people, doing things like scanning and reading their emails.

Today, the National Security Agency announces -- somewhat begrudgingly -- that it will stop the collection of some American emails that simply mention known foreign targets. It will instead only collect communications to and from the target directly. While this is a big win for the privacy of American people, the NSA is seemingly implying that it could have negative implications for safety. In fact, the agency tries very hard to distance itself from any wrongdoing by making it clear that the reading of these emails were legal and allowed.

Continue reading

How can businesses stop attacks when traditional security solutions are ineffective?

Stop

Anyone would think zero-day attacks are unpreventable following a recent claim from one leading cyber-security vendor. FireEye this year claimed to have discovered "29 of the last 53 zero-day attacks." 24 exploits remained undetected, yet this was still presented as some kind of monumental achievement. Such a statement leaves little comfort for the businesses who found themselves victims, so is it time to just give up completely and let the cyber criminals take over?

It certainly feels that way, even while threats intensify and Locky ransomware rears its ugly head in new forms with renewed malevolence.

Continue reading

There are four types of AI: Here's how you can recognize them

Artificial intelligence

AI, or artificial intelligence, is becoming increasingly prevalent in today’s society, but many people don’t realize there are actually four distinctive types of artificial intelligence.

Keep reading to discover the types of AI and the differences among them and examples of how you might see each one play out in real-life scenarios.

Continue reading

Why businesses need to change their mentality when it comes to IoT

Internet of things

Two years ago the FTC released a report on the Internet of Things that recommended a series of concrete steps that businesses take to enhance and protect consumers’ privacy and security. Yet not much has changed. As people continue to reap the benefits from a growing world of Internet-connected devices, we’re still seeing security problems with devices in the home. It’s essential that manufacturers know where to begin when they develop software, especially consumer-focused companies.

I recently joined the millions of consumers entangled in the Internet of Things by adding a smart thermostat and solar panels to my home. The good news is I’ve already been able to help reduce my electricity usage. The bad news is that, as a security professional, I worry about the security of the devices in my house, the systems they communicate with and the chain of custody for my personal data.

Continue reading

Microsoft releases Windows 10 Redstone 3 Build 16184 for PC, introduces new My People app

Microsoft intended to include its new My People sharing and communication app in the Windows 10 Creators Update, but had to postpone it because it simply stood no chance of being ready in time.

The revised plan is to include it in the next major Windows 10 update, codenamed Redstone 3, and if you want to take it for a spin, the good news is it is now possible to do so as it makes an appearance in the latest Windows Insider release, Build 16184.

Continue reading

IT leaders will struggle to meet future demands

When it comes to meeting future demands, IT leaders in the UK are lagging behind those in Germany and the US. This is according to a new report by Brocade, entitled Global Digital Transformation Skills Study. The report is based on a survey of 630 IT leaders in the US, UK, France, Germany, Australia and Singapore.

It says that organizations are "at a tipping point" -- a point in time when technology demands are just about to outstrip the skills supply. Consequently, those that train their staff now and prepare for the future in that respect are the ones that are setting themselves up for a successful future.

Continue reading

G.SKILL unveils RIPJAWS KM560 MX tenkeyless mechanical gaming keyboard

With PC gaming still hugely popular, more and more companies are looking to create their own peripherals. As a result, there are countless mechanical keyboards on the market nowadays. I recently reviewed the Logitech G413 which offers amazing value.

Today, popular memory-maker G.SKILL unveils its latest mechanical keyboard -- the RIPJAWS KM560 MX. As the name suggests, it uses Cherry MX switches, and consumers can choose between red, blue, and brown. It is very similar to the company's KM570 model with one big exception -- it is tenkeyless. This means it is lacking the numberpad that is found on most keyboards. In fact, G.SKILL says this will save about 8cm, making it a good choice for those that need desk space.

Continue reading

© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.