Latest Technology News

When it comes to Twitter, I don't like change. Many folks likely feel the same way -- its users seem to be very passionate, as if the social network is sacred. Quite frankly, from an engagement standpoint, that is a good thing.

The social network's 'Moments' feature -- a curation of Tweets focused on storytelling -- annoyed me at first. I found it to be a waste of space -- something I only accessed by mistake. Over time, however, I learned to love it. It is a great way to keep track of trends and follow stories. Unfortunately, not all creators have access to contributing to it. Today, Twitter announces that it will be opening access to 'Moments' to more people, beyond the existing curators.

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Many IT teams are looking for a way out of the quagmire of delayed projects, questionable quality, and missed deliveries in which they often find themselves without writing blank cheques. The concept of DevOps has taken the IT world by storm, but has the day-to-day practice caught up?

Brian Dawson, DevOps expert, CloudBees discusses how this new approach can help these IT projects can progress and transform businesses.

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Binary Fortress Software has released DisplayFusion 8.0, a major update of its multi-monitor management tool for Windows. Available in both free and Pro versions, version 8.0 focuses on fixing numerous bugs for the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, but does introduce some new features.

Chief among these is a new Triggers feature, which replaces the previous Windows Location feature, promising to be more robust and flexible. There are also updates to the program’s wallpaper tools as well as changes and other bug fixes.

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Many people think the big selling point of Linux is that it doesn't cost money. Yeah, operating systems based on the open source kernel are largely free up front, but that isn't the whole story. True, home users can probably get by without paid support, but businesses can't always rely on Google searches and forum posts for help.

Enter Ubuntu Advantage. If you are a small, medium, or large business that is transitioning to the Ubuntu operating system, going it alone is not always wise. UA is a paid subscription offering from Canonical, which provides professional-level support. Today, the company makes it even easier for users to subscribe.

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Companies are jumping on the cloud bandwagon at a rapid pace. In fact, Gartner predicts that the public cloud services market will grow 16.5 percent to $204 billion in 2016.

If you attend any IT conferences, you’ve heard the buzz. "What have you moved to the cloud?" "What are you planning to move?" On top of that, the goal of moving some part of your infrastructure to the cloud may have burrowed its way into your annual performance objectives. The pressure is on. It’s time to make the move. Or is it?

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Advertising on Facebook has undergone many changes over the years, but the latest tweak is likely to prove particularly controversial. As well as announcing the rollout of new controls for users to set ad preferences, the social network today says that its ads will circumvent ad blocking software.

The idea of bypassing the likes of Adblock Plus will almost certainly rub many Facebook users the wrong way. In an attempt to sweeten the pill a little, the company says its new ad preferences controls will enable you to filter out irrelevant ads so you only see ads that might be of interest.

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"It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s a drone!" may soon be a phrase we’ll all be saying. Our skies will be buzzing with these wireless devices, each on a separate mission from safe and timely delivery of a transplant patient’s new organs to expansion of critical search-and-rescue efforts. It’s clear that drones aren’t just for fun and games, but will help improve our lives in countless ways.

Drones are already in operation in a variety of industries, helping to save millions of dollars and support thousands of jobs. Telecommunications companies are now better able to monitor and maintain infrastructure, as well as plan for large-scale events, due to drone use. Complicated construction projects that require 100-foot ladder climbs can be completed in less time with less risk to employees with the assistance of drones. Energy and retail sectors are eager to enhance productivity and efficiency via unmanned aerial systems.

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The Brexit vote is yet to make a more significant impact in the UK’s tech job market, according to a new Dice report. The career site for the tech community surveyed 1,200 UK tech professionals and recruiters, and found that people are generally not making any dramatic movements because of Brexit.

It says that just above a fifth (22 percent) changed their career plans since Brexit. While more than half think a positive vote on the referendum would have a negative impact on the UK’s tech job market, 44 percent say they’re now looking for a new job in the EU.

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We all spend more time using computers, mobiles and other devices, but exactly how much of your life is devoted to using technology?

UK technology rentals chain BrightHouse has done some research which shows that 37 percent of Brits spend more than two hours every day browsing the web. What’s more the average 18-year-old spends 343 hours a year checking social media.

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If you have just upgraded to Windows 10 Anniversary Update, you have possibly noticed the addition of a Windows Defender icon in the notification area. Then again, you may not -- a quick straw poll in the BetaNews newsroom reveals that not everyone is seeing it.

Assuming the icon has suddenly appeared for you, it's possible that you'd rather it vanished. Here's what you need to do if you would like to banish the Windows Defender icon and clean up your notification area.

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The discovery of QuadRooter is one of the biggest security threats to Android users since Stagefright. Security firm Check Point Software has released a tool to help people determine if their phones are at risk, but Google says that it is already able to block apps with the QuadRooter exploit.

The Verify Apps feature of Google Play Services is able to detect and block any apps that feature QuadRooter. As the exploit has to be delivered via an app, this effectively protects the vast majority of handsets that are threatened.

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Airbnb, the home rental startup, is raising another $850 million (£651m), according to a new report by Bloomberg, at a valuation of $30 billion, making it the second most valuable start-up, right behind the $68-billion-worth car-sharing Uber.

The document, filed with the state of Delaware, does not show who the investors are, and Airbnb has yet to make a comment.

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Google Maps is a great tool for helping you get from A to B -- until you find yourself in an area with no data reception, that is. To help combat the problem -- and fighting expensive data charges at the same time -- Google is introducing a new Wi-Fi only mode which forces Google Maps into offline mode.

As well as preventing the app from struggling to download data over a rubbishy or non-existent connection, the update means that Google Maps relies entirely on your saved maps -- something Google says could boost battery life. But there's more!

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After a yearlong study into 'unwanted software' Google has published a report that shows that there is a good deal of money to be made out of bolting crapware onto software installers. The authors suggest that unwanted software is a problem that affects three times as many people as malware, making it an incredibly lucrative business.

The paper, entitled "Investigating Commercial Pay-Per-Install and the Distribution of Unwanted Software", is a joint venture between Google and New York University and it reveals the techniques used by developers to evade detection. It also found that Pay-Per-Install (PPI) methods are used to deliver not only harmless unwanted software, but also malware.

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Delta Airlines last night suffered a major power outage at its data center in Atlanta that led to a systemwide shutdown of its computer network, stranding airliners and canceling flights all over the world. You already know that. What you may not know, however, is the likely role in the crisis of IT outsourcing and offshoring.

Whatever the cause of the Delta Airlines power outage, data center recovery pretty much follows the same routine I used 30 years ago when I had a PDP-8 minicomputer living in my basement and heating my house. First you crawl around and find the power shut-off and turn off the power. I know there is no power but the point is that when power returns we don’t want a surge damaging equipment. Then you crawl around some more and turn off power to every individual device. Wait in the dark for power to be restored, either by the utility or a generator. Once power has been restored turn the main power switch back on then crawl back to every device, turning them back on in a specific order that follows your emergency plan. You do have an emergency plan, right? In the case of the PDP-8, toggle in the code to launch the boot PROM loader (yes, I have done this is complete darkness). Reboot all equipment and check for errors. Once everything is working well together then reconnect data to the outside world.

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