Ahead of iPhone 7 event, Apple's Twitter account shows signs of life

apple_Twitter

Believe it or not, Twitter launched over 10 years ago. The social network, which is now publicly traded, is no longer a young tech rebel. Instead, it is a mature platform that is leveraged by celebrities, companies, and regular folks like yours truly.

Since non-tech companies like Arby's and Fruit of the Loom have Twitter accounts, surely tech giants like Microsoft and Apple have accounts too, right? Actually, while the former is on Twitter, the latter has long been absent from the platform. True, the @Apple account has existed since 2011, but it has long been inactive.  With that said, Tim Cook is active on the network, as are accounts for some of its services like Apple Music and News. Today, ahead of the upcoming September 7 iPhone event, the @Apple profile shows signs of life. Better late than never, eh?

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Best Windows apps this week

matissa

One-hundred and ninety-six in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 8.x and Windows 10 in the past seven days.

As always, if I missed an app or game that has been released this week that you believe is particularly good, let me know in the comments below or notify me via email instead.

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End users struggle to identify security threats and put enterprises at risk

Shocked PC user

There's a reason why cyber attacks use social engineering techniques, it's because the person sitting in front of the screen is usually the weakest link in the security chain.

This is confirmed by the findings of a new report from Wombat Security Technologies which shows that in the last year, the number of organizations that reported being a victim of phishing has increased 13 percent, and 60 percent of enterprises say the rate of phishing attacks has increased overall.

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Dropbox 2012 hack exposes 68 million accounts

credential hacker

Remember how Dropbox asked all those that haven't changed their passwords since 2012 to do so now? Remember how they said they did it for no particular reason, just as a precaution? Turns out, it was much more than that.

As a matter of fact, back in 2012, more than 68 million accounts were hacked.

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Logitech G unveils 'Prodigy' line of PC gaming gear for the casual 'everyman'

PlayMoreProdigy

There is a stereotype that all PC gamers are the hardcore variant -- drinking Mountain Dew in their mom's basement while spending their entire paycheck on video games and associated accessories. While those people surely do exist, there are plenty of people -- myself included -- that are casual gamers with limited budgets. When I say casual, I don't mean Candy Crush and Words with Friends -- we enjoy the same games as the hardcore folks. Sadly, we just don't have as much time and resources to dedicate to playing.

Unfortunately, companies don't seem interested in catering to the PC gaming everyman (or woman). Today this changes as Logitech G announces a new line of accessories for the casual segment. Called 'Prodigy', it offers capable gear without nonsense.

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Analytics and data are the most sought-after IT job skills

Office staff

Data and analytics are some of the most important new skills you, as an employee, can have today. This is according to Alteryx, whose new report dives into the most important skills and competencies in the workforce today. That being said, data and analytics have surpassed some interesting skills, like multilingualism.

Knowing a second language isn’t really that important any more, even though a 2014 report suggested otherwise. The Alteryx report, entitled The Business Grammar Report, also says data is no longer "confined to the IT department or technical specialists". Just 15 percent of UK businesses are still doing it the old fashioned way while almost a third (31 percent) are empowering their employees with self-service analytics tools.

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Samsung to recall the Galaxy Note7 according to explosive new rumor [Update: Official]

shockedlady

Here at BetaNews, we very rarely report on rumors. With that said, sometimes it is warranted depending on the source and importance. Today, the reputable Verge is reporting that Samsung will recall its newest Android flagship, the Galaxy Note7. The Verge is citing Korean news agency Yonhap. The ramifications of this move, if true, are monumental.

Why is the company rumored to issue this unprecedented smartphone recall? Apparently, the phone has been exploding. No, "exploding" is not some form of slang like "lit" or "woke" -- the phone overheats and goes up in flames. This could potentially injure or kill users, not to mention cause damage to property. While this recall would damage Samsung's brand and cost the company millions -- potentially billions -- the alternative of massive lawsuits could be worse.

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Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14915 killing Wi-Fi for some users, and there's no fix

Tired, Exasperated, Frustrated man at mac

Windows Insiders are beta testers for Windows 10. They get their hands on the latest builds, and get to try out the latest features. However, they also get to experience known issues and occasionally encounter show-stopping bugs.

A number of Windows Insiders on the Fast ring who installed the latest new release, Build 14915, which was pushed out just yesterday are reporting that it kills their Wi-Fi stone dead.
Writing at the Community forum, Microsoft says:

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Cisco buys container-as-a-service startup ContainerX

Cisco

Cisco wants to transform into a software company and to further move towards that goal it announced the acquisition of CointainerX, a small start-up formed by engineers from Citrix, Microsoft and VMware.

The container-as-a-service business creates virtual containers for data centres, for Windows and Linux.  The financial details of the agreement were not disclosed. ContainerX didn’t try to hide the excitement.

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Plex adds DVR support worldwide, including HD

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If you have never used Plex then you may be missing out on a great source of entertainment. The media server can be used on multiple devices. You'll need to install the server on a computer that's always on (and holds your media), but the required software is free. You can then access your content on a set-top box like Roku or Fire TV, or even an HTPC. You'll just need to install the relevant Plex app on your devices.

A new update is promising global DVR support worldwide and you'll be able to use it from mobile devices anywhere you have a connection.

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Why encryption is essential for everyone [Q&A]

Data encryption

If your laptop or smartphone gets lost or stolen, there’s the danger of its contents being accessed, which could prove a nightmare. If the device is encrypted, however, you can rest easy… Or can you?

Ebba Blitz, CEO of laptop encryption company Alertsec (and former host of Sweden's Shark Tank), chatted with me about the benefits and potential pitfalls of encryption, and revealed her top tips for keeping your data secure.

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Facebook Messenger gains Instant Video live broadcasting

facebook-messenger-instant-video

Facebook, like Twitter, is going all in on video. The social network's latest move is to bring video to its second greatest love -- Facebook Messenger. You'd be forgiven for thinking that this is not exactly new, and you'd be right.

Facebook Messenger has included a video calling option, but Facebook is concerned that this is being reserved for 'special occasions'. Instant Video is an extra new feature that is designed to make it easier to show things that can't be properly described in words, or even static pictures.

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Dealing with tech stress in the workforce

stressed worker

Tech-stress may be a relatively new phenomenon in the corporate world, however it is also the latest in a long line of issues which have a significant impact on the performance of today’s employees. Largely a symptom of the "always on" culture that stems from the nation’s growing reliance on digital devices, tech-stress is reported to be placing additional pressure on the corporate world as many workers struggle to switch off and relax.

According to the 2016 Quality of Working Life study carried out by the Chartered Management Institute, employees are now working 29 days extra a year and are suffering rising levels of stress. Citing an apparent "tech-addiction", the study found that this obsession with checking emails outside of work hours is making workers more stressed and less productive.

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Three quarters of SMEs feel the UK tax system unfairly benefits big business

tax-coin-piles

The tax paying habits of big businesses are back in the headlines now that Apple is facing a $14.5 billion bill in Ireland -- although Tim Cook vehemently disagrees. In the wake of the Irish Apple tax ruling, 71 percent of SMEs say that the UK tax system benefits big businesses and makes thing harder for the little guy.

The figures apply to the UK's micro-businesses (those with under 10 employees) and self-employed individuals, only 1 percent of whom feel the system is working for their benefit.

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Microsoft fixes Windows 10 Anniversary Update freezing issues

Windows 10 solution

The Anniversary Update may have introduced a whole host of new features but it has also caused a fair number of problems for Windows 10 users. Among the most annoying issues reported since its release in late-July are freezes on systems equipped with SSDs.

Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and provided a couple of workarounds that users could try, promising that a permanent fix would eventually be made available. Microsoft says that it has addressed the freezing issues in the latest Cumulative Update that it just released.

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