Steam shows Windows 10 usage dropping among gamers too, as Linux and Mac make gains
September wasn’t a good month for Windows 10. After enjoying uninterrupted meteoric growth since launch, usage share for the new OS actually dropped off last month, according to the latest figures from NetMarketShare announced on Saturday.
That's not the only bad news for Microsoft either. Gamers, who typically prefer to be running the latest operating system, also turned their back on Windows 10 in September.
Same hacker collective may be behind the biggest data breaches
You know that Yahoo breach that just happened recently? The one where 500 million credentials were stolen? Well, a highly respected security researcher claims the hack was done by the same group that breached MySpace, LinkedIn, Badoo, VK.com, and a few others.
The researcher in question is Andrew Komarov, and he told The Register that not only did the same group do all these things, but the number of breached Yahoo accounts is probably a billion. Double what was reported. Komarov says the group, referred to as "Group E", is a "small Eastern European hacking outfit" that makes money by hacking big companies and selling their data to whoever is willing to pay.
Mirai botnet code used to launch DDoS attack on Krebs On Security leaks online
Fears are mounting that there could soon be a rise in large scale DDoS attacks after the source code used to launch the recent crippling attack on Krebs On Security was shared on a hacker forum.
Brian Krebs' website was hit by what has been described as the largest ever DDos attack recently, and the Mirai botnet source code has now been made available for anyone to make use of. The style of attack is particularly interesting as it involves using compromised Internet of Things devices such as webcams and other connected IoT hardware.
Change the color of your world with LIFX bulbs [Review]
One of the fastest growing areas in home automation seems to be lighting. Every day new products come on the market and one of the most popular has been the Philips Hue, thanks to not only simple automation but also the ability to change colors. However, it is not the only one on the market with such a chameleon quality.
LIFX also produces bulbs that can set the color to your mood or taste. The LIFX Color 1000 is one of the latest models from the manufacturer and it will do all that other bulbs in this market are capable of.
You can now buy a Samsung Galaxy Note7 again
Things are slowly but surely starting to move in the right direction again for Samsung and its troublesome Galaxy Note7 flagship. Most affected units have been sent back, with the vast majority of customers opting to have their device replaced with a "new" -- or safe -- one. The only main thing left to do for Samsung is make the Galaxy Note7 available again.
During the recall, Samsung paused sales of the Galaxy Note7 to avoid introducing even more potentially dangerous units on the market. But now that there are enough safe Galaxy Note7 devices in stock, potential customers in some markets can get their hands on the flagship again.
Facebook Marketplace takes on eBay and Craigslist
Today, Facebook launches a new way to buy and sell goods online -- Facebook Marketplace. While the service may not win any prizes for the originality of its name, it provides a more efficient and effective way to find things that are for sale near you than currently exists on the social network.
To start with, Facebook Marketplace will be available to mobile app users on iOS and Android, but it will also come to Facebook on the desktop eventually. Facebook is taking a very hands-off approach to buying and selling, and is not getting involved in the murkier aspects of transactions such as payments or handling feedback.
KC Softwares unveils 'Wi-Fi troubleshooter' dot11expert
SUMo and KCleaner developer KC Softwares has unveiled its latest project, Wi-Fi troubleshooting tool dot11expert. The package displays low-level details about your network adapters, local wireless networks and access points: signal quality, SSID, MAC address, channel, authentication and more.
A separate graph plots the signal strength of all detected networks.
Linux Kernel 4.8 released with Microsoft Surface 3 touchscreen support
Over the weekend, Linux Kernel 4.8 was unleashed on the world. This version of the kernel has been available in no fewer than eight release candidate builds, but now there's a stable build for everyone to play with.
If you've been following through the release candidates, there are not a huge number of changes with the stable release -- mainly driver, architecture and a few bits of generic code. But for anyone who skipped these releases, there's more to look forward to including Raspberry Pi 3 SoC and Microsoft Surface 3 touchscreen support.
Microsoft Surface Book: Not the ultimate laptop, but close [Review]
The developing digital landscape has changed the way people interact with hardware. We are now more device-agnostic than ever -- both in our personal and professional lives -- meaning we are often carrying around two, sometimes three, devices to complete different tasks.
The 2-in-1 (or hybrid) market has looked to address this by merging the power and performance of a laptop with the flexibility and mobility of a tablet. For the most part, Microsoft has led the way in this area with its Surface and Surface Pro devices, but is now being pushed hard by the likes of Apple and Huawei.
Carphone Warehouse leaks full Google Pixel and Google Pixel XL specs
Google is on the verge of launching the Pixel and Pixel XL, but no launch would be complete without its share of leaks. This time around the slipup comes courtesy of UK retailer Carphone Warehouse which posted details of Google's upcoming phones, complete with photos and full specs.
The same mistake was made by Canada's Bell, effectively confirming the specifications which thus far have only been rumors. The listings not only reveal what we can expect in terms of hardware, but also show that Google is going to offer free, unlimited photo backups at full resolution for Pixel owners.
Google faces fines for anticompetitive Android practices in Europe
European regulators could hit Google with large fines if the company does not stop offering financial incentives to smartphone manufacturers to pre-install its own apps on handsets. Documents obtained by Reuters show that a potential fine could be linked to the revenue Google makes from AdWords.
With advertising being Google's primary source of income, this has the potential to be a fine of unparalleled magnitude. The European Commission knows that it needs to hit Google where it hurts if anticompetitive practices are to be effectively discouraged. The Commission says it "intends to set the fine at a level which will be sufficient to ensure deterrence".
Facebook launches Messenger Lite to reduce data usage
Facebook may have the rather lofty goal of wanting to "empower people all over the world to stay connected", but for most people the social network is just about chatting. Facebook Messenger has proved massively popular, and to cater for people with slower internet connection, the company now has Facebook Lite.
As you would probably guess from the Lite tag, this is a slightly cut-down version of the messaging tool but it still offers all of the core features. As well as helping out those with slow internet connections, it's an app that will appeal to people with more basic Android smartphones.
Access 280+ Windows applets, settings and tools from Ultimate Settings Panel
Windows has never made it easy to find the tool or setting you need, and with options now split between "old" and "new" "Control Panels", it can seem more difficult than ever.
Ultimate Settings Panel is a once-commercial, now free tool which makes just about every Windows applet, settings panel or tool accessible from a single place.
CORSAIR launches DOMINATOR PLATINUM Special Edition 32GB DDR4 memory kits
When buying PC components for a build, there are many things to consider. While brand, performance, and quality are obviously the most important factors, appearance sometimes matters too. True, not everyone cares about how computer parts look, but some people take pride in the overall appearance of their PC -- especially when a window-case is used.
CORSAIR is a well-respected company when it comes to memory, and its latest offering will likely bolster those opinions. The newly-launched DOMINATOR PLATINUM Special Edition DDR4 Memory kits are not only fast, but drop-dead gorgeous too.
View and import REG files safely with RegMerge
.REG files are a quick way of making multiple changes to the Windows Registry. Double-click one, REGEDIT asks if you’d like to apply its tweaks, and once you’ve said "yes" it'll update every key in the file.
Fast? Yes. Convenient? Certainly. But what if you don’t really want to make perhaps hundreds of Registry changes without having the slightest idea of what they’re doing?
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