Google releases open source font Noto to eliminate the tofu problem
You may not have heard of the tofu problem, but you have almost certainly experienced it. If you visit a website or open a document that can't display a particular character, you'll see a white box symbol resembling a cube of tofu. Now Google has a solution.
The Noto font project (it's a mashup of 'NO more TOfu') has been something of a labor of love, taking five years to reach its conclusion. But the result is an open source Noto font family which Google says includes "every symbol in the Unicode standard, covering more than 800 languages and 110,000 characters".
How connected cars are vulnerable to attack
It's reckoned that by 2020 three-quarters of new cars shipped globally will have some form of internet connectivity.
But while this brings benefits in terms of practicality and ease of use it also adds cars to the list of IoT devices that are vulnerable to attack. We've already seen Fiat Chrysler recalling cars to fix a vulnerability and this could be just the tip of the iceberg.
Cut PNG file sizes by 50 percent with S-Ultra PNG Compressor
S-Ultra PNG Compressor is a $14.95 Windows application for lossless compression of PNG files.
The program’s interface won’t win any design awards. It’s all very basic: click an "Add" button to select your files, check a couple of boxes to set compression levels and click "Start" to kick the process off.
Algorithm-powered sorting comes to Google+ Communities
Just about all of the key players in social media have turned to algorithms to control the order in which posts appear in users' timelines. Google has already introduced algorithmic sorting for Google+, and now it is rolling out to Communities.
Just as with Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, the decision to move towards algorithms rather than a simple chronological timeline is one that will be divisive. But Google has made it easy to toggle the setting, helping to keep everyone happy.
Windows 10's updated Paint app leaks online
While Windows 10 introduced massive changes, some things have remained constant -- such as the bundled Paint app. After years of minor tweaks, Paint is finally in line for a major upgrade.
In recent days, details of the overhauled Paint have appeared online, including introductory videos that show the app will deal with 3D work as well as regular 2D drawing. Now the app has leaked online so you can try it out for yourself.
Class-action age discrimination lawsuit against Google goes forward
A class action lawsuit has been filed against Google accusing the company of discriminating against older job seekers and employees. The case against the company has been certified by the Northern California District Court, which is allowing aggrieved applicants aged 40 and older to join together to file a single suit.
Now that the case has been certified, the court has given plaintiffs the right to challenge Google in court as opposed to individually which will make it easier to deal with the company's expert legal team. This move by the court also increases the chances of the company offering those involved in the case a favorable settlement.
Samsung ceases production of Galaxy Note7 as replacement phones catch fire
The Galaxy Note7 has been nothing short of an unmitigated disaster for Samsung. Problems with exploding batteries wiped billions off the value of the company and led to a recall, but it soon transpired that even replacement handsets were problematic, with a number of reports of replacement handsets overheating, catching fire, or exploding.
Now South Korean news agency Yonhap reports that Samsung has temporarily suspended production of the flagship Android smartphone. It's a move that will unnerve investors, but one that is being carried out in conjunction with safety regulators from South Korea, the United States and China.
Celebrate Columbus Day with $50 discount on Honor 8 unlocked Android smartphone
The Android smartphone market is in disarray. Samsung smartphones are exploding like bombs, while Google's too-high Pixel pricing and likely cancellation of the Nexus line are both recent bombshells. In other words, it is a confusing time for consumers looking for a high-quality and safe Android device.
Luckily, a lot of value can be found by choosing lesser-known brands, such as Honor by Huawei. The affordable Honor 8 Android smartphone is rather inexpensive at $399, offering a beautiful design and respectable specifications. To celebrate Columbus Day tomorrow, the company is giving a special one-day $50 discount. Yes, you can score yourself a seemingly good phone starting at a very low $349 -- a fraction of the cost of flagships from some other companies.
Verizon gives unlimited data, text, and talk to people impacted by Hurricane Matthew
Whenever a major tragedy hits, there is an immediate need for communication. Whether it is a natural disaster, terrorism, or some sort of accident, friends and family want to confirm the safety of their loved ones. After 9/11, for instance, it was heartbreaking to see people not know the fate of the missing -- quickly connecting people can quell fears and anxieties.
Cellular phones and other technologies can make communication easier, but running out of data or talk minutes can make it useless. After all, if you can't connect to the internet or make/receive calls, what is the point? Some Verizon customers impacted by Hurricane Matthew will not have to worry about this, however, as the cellular provider is giving them unlimited data, text, and talk at no additional charge.
Free Wi-Fi and the dangers of mobile Man-in-the-Middle attacks
We’ve known for a long time that public Wi-Fi is one of the weakest links in mobile security. But what is proving even weaker is public awareness of just how vulnerable that connection technology can be.
According to iPass, which tracks the global growth of Wi-Fi, there are now 54 million Wi-Fi hotspots in the US, representing a 4,414 percent increase since 2013. Many of these Wi-Fi hotspots are insecure, leaving users open to cyber attack and at risk of significant financial loss. In our recent study Uncovering the True Costs of Enterprise Mobility, 28 percent of US companies report having suffered a mobile breach in the last 12 months -- with the cost of remedying the breach at $250,000 to $400,000 in many cases.
Google ditches Hangouts in favour of Duo as a required Android app
Starting in December, smartphone manufacturers will no longer be required to install Hangouts on their handsets. Instead, phone makers will need to provide users with the recently-launched Duo.
This is not to say that Hangouts is being killed off -- not yet, at least. But Duo, complete with end-to-end encryption, will replace the app as part of the core Google Mobile Services package.
Discover what malware is doing online with FakeNet
FakeNet is a clever Windows tool which tries to detect and display common web access attempts on your PC.
The program isn’t just another packet capture tool. Instead FakeNet redirects internet traffic and handles it locally, so you’ll see any attempts to download "www.server.com/trojan.exe" but they won’t succeed.
Facebook's new Events app helps you discover what's going on near you
If you're a keen Facebook user, you may well have accepted invites to events advertised on the social network. To help make your life a little easier, Facebook has now launched a new, dedicated app called simply Events from Facebook to more easily find out what's going on nearby.
More than this, the app can pull in information from your existing calendar so you can see all of your events and appointments in one place to avoid double-booking yourself. It's iOS-only for the time being, but an Android version of the app is in the pipeline.
Russia accused of hacking US voting system and interfering with the 2016 election
There is only a month to go until the election showdown between Trump and Clinton finally comes to an end. There is a great deal riding on the result of this particular election and we have already seen DNC servers hacked.
There has been speculation about who may have been responsible for this security breach, but now the US has pointed the finger firmly at Putin's Russia. Russian hackers are accused of hacking into the Democratic National Committee's servers and trying "to interfere with the US election process".
Microsoft set to reveal the future for Windows 10 on October 26
Windows 10 is, it’s fair to say, a bit of a divisive product. While it hasn’t alienated users to the same degree Windows 8.x did, it hasn’t been universally embraced in the same way that Windows 7 was either.
Part of the reason for that can be laid squarely at Microsoft's door -- the company’s overly aggressive push to get people to upgrade meant a lot of users were put off before they’d even given the new OS a chance.
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