No backdoors thanks, we're Dutch
Unlike other countries, notably the UK and China, that have been busy passing laws to allow them to snoop on encrypted communication, the Dutch government has decided that strong encryption is vital to the health of its digital economy and the privacy of its citizens.
The country's minister of security and justice Ard van der Steur writes in an official statement that the Dutch executive cabinet endorses, "...the importance of strong encryption for Internet security to support the protection of privacy for citizens, companies, the government, and the entire Dutch economy. Therefore, the government believes that it is currently not desirable to take legal measures against the development, availability and use of encryption within the Netherlands".
Batch watermark your photos with GFXMark
"Copyright" isn’t a concept that means much online, and we’re not just talking about the latest movies: put your own photos on the web and people will be reusing them in no time at all.
GFXMark Free is a versatile Windows application which can protect your copyright with a range of image watermarking tricks.
HP's new Spectre x360 laptops offer optional 4K, OLED displays
CES is quite possibly the trade show with the highest number of new Windows products showcased. Lots of such devices fly under the radar, however, as they tend not to have many, if any, standout features. HP's new Spectre x360 laptops are an exception.
What makes the 13.3-inch and 15.6-inch Spectre x360 worth bringing to your attention is HP's choice of (optional) displays. The smaller model can be had with an OLED panel, which is a very rare option in this market, while its bigger brother can be specified with a super high resolution screen, a 4K display to be exact.
Google Nexus 5X: An Android Marshmallow smartphone worthy of your attention [Review]
Phones have been gradually getting bigger in the past few years. That makes for better displays for watching videos and viewing documents and web pages, but there’s a downside too.
For many people it makes them more awkward to carry around and can mean they’re harder to use as a phone because you need two hands to operate them.
Welcome to 2016 predictions week!
Readers love predictions so for 15 years or so I’ve been making lots of them during the first full week of each new year. The first time I did a predictions column it was because I couldn’t think of anything else to write about that day and the reaction from readers was so strong that I’ve been stuck doing them ever since. What started as one column per year filled with about 10 predictions has expanded over time to as many as 10 separate predictions columns because as I age I am becoming ever more long-winded. Sorry. It’s reached the point this year where this introductory column won’t even contain predictions, just a guide to the several columns that will follow in the next few days.
They will begin, of course, with a look back at my predictions from a year ago to see how smart or stupid I was. Historically I’ve been about 70 percent smart and 30 percent stupid in my predictions with that number more or less dependent on how vague I can be. Sorry again.
Ubuntu Linux 16.04 'Xenial Xerus' Alpha 1 available now
While Windows 10 is a solid operating system, it is nowhere close to being perfect. Actually, for 2015, I am comfortable saying Ubuntu was the superior operating system. The Linux-based OS is rock solid, while being straightforward -- no confusing privacy settings, silly live tiles, or aggressive upgrade tactics. Quite frankly, Ubuntu 15.10 with Unity is currently my favorite operating system. This is saying a lot, as I have historically preferred Fedora with GNOME.
Today, the first official Alpha of the upcoming Ubuntu 16.04 'Xenial Xerus' becomes available for download. By the way, a Xerus is apparently an African squirrel; you can see an image of one above. Before you get too excited, however, Unity is not available, nor is GNOME or KDE. No, this is exclusively a LXDE, MATE, and Kylin (for Chinese-language users) affair.
Roku is using CES to announce its plans for 2016
There's already a lot of noise coming out of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, even though the actual event hasn't yet begun. It seems almost every company will have at least some sort of representation present in Sin City.
Set-top box maker Roku will be there to unveil its plans for 2016. The company claims it has grown its smart TV market from zero to eight percent this past year.
Why is Microsoft monitoring how long you use Windows 10?
The various privacy concerns surrounding Windows 10 have received a lot of coverage in the media, but it seems that there are ever more secrets coming to light. The Threshold 2 Update did nothing to curtail privacy invasion, and the latest Windows 10 installation figures show that Microsoft is also monitoring how long people are using the operating system.
This might seem like a slightly strange statistic for Microsoft to keep track of, but the company knows how long, collectively, Windows 10 has been running on computers around the world. To have reached this figure (11 billion hours in December, apparently) Microsoft must have been logging individuals' usage times. Intrigued, we contacted Microsoft to find out what on earth is going on.
Customize almost any Windows icon with CustomizerGod
There are plenty of tools around for customizing Windows icons, but they usually fall into one of two groups: very basic specialist apps which just replace a few things, or low-level powerhouses packed with complicated options.
CustomizerGod tries to take a middle route, with point-and-click ease of use for beginners, and some interesting icon-replacing extras for everyone else.
How to settle your storage woes in a virtualized world
Flash is undoubtedly considered a superhero within the world of storage. However, it is unlikely to save the day all on its own. Whilst playing an important role, flash is just one of multiple solutions required to address the most common storage pain points in the data center.
Just like any superhero, it needs to work as part of a team in order to save the world or at least save you time. And in that respect, there is an underlying problem (or villain) that needs to be fought off. After all, without villains, there would be no need for superheroes in the first place.
Do you have wireless dead zones in your home? The NETGEAR PowerLINE WiFi 1000 can help
Depending on your home, Wi-Fi could be brilliant or torturous. In a small house or apartment, there is a good chance your signal will be strong throughout. In a large house with many floors, however, you may face the dreaded dead zones -- rooms that either don't get Wi-Fi, or experience degraded connectivity. Sorry to be crude, but that totally sucks, and is understandably frustrating.
A good alternative is powerline adapters. If you aren't familiar, this technology transmits an internet connection through your home's electrical wiring. Unfortunately, they work best for stationary machines -- not smartphones or tablets. Today, NETGEAR announces a product that blends both technologies in an incredibly smart way. Say goodbye to dead spots -- the PowerLINE WiFi 1000 can render them nonexistent.
How to go paperless in the office
The aim of a paperless office was coined years ago, but is only slowly becoming a reality. Research by AIIM to mark 2015’s World Paper Free day in November found that the use of paper at offices is declining with solutions for a paperless office becoming cheaper, better and faster.
While many organizations still have difficulties becoming more sustainable and efficient, the survey shows that only 35 percent of organizations developed a policy on the use of paper.
Samsung Portable SSD T3 features USB 3.1 Type C and up to 2TB capacity
Portable external storage is hardly newsworthy nowadays. If you go on Amazon or Newegg, you will find countless products that should meet your needs. The problem, however, is that not all drives are created equally. There are differences in capacity, reliability, and durability. If you are putting important files on the drive, you want to stick to a reputable brand known for quality.
One such trustworthy company is Samsung, and today, it announces the new Portable SSD T3. This fast external SSD features USB 3.1 Type C, meaning it is compatible with the newest such connector. Don't have a Type C connector yet? Don't worry, you can totally leverage an adapter so it can work on an older machine too.
Wi-Fi HaLow increases wireless range and reduces power consumption
As the Internet of Things starts to gather momentum, the Wi-Fi Alliance today announces Wi-Fi HaLow. The latest wireless standard is touted as being ideal for the IoT thanks to its lower power requirements and greater range when compared to current offerings.
Wi-Fi HaLow is an extension of the existing 802.11ah standard, and occupies the frequency bands below one gigahertz. The Wi-Fi Alliance says it is perfect for use in connected cars, smart homes and a number of different industries, but there will be some of a wait before the technology is available -- it's not due for certification until 2018.
Microsoft says that Windows 10 is now on 200 million devices and is its fastest growing OS ever
NetMarketShare’s latest desktop usage figures suggest that Windows 10 now has nearly 10 percent of the market. And that translates to over 200 million devices, according to the latest figures released today by Microsoft.
Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s corporate vice president, Windows and Devices Group, says "there are more than 200 million monthly active devices around the world running Windows 10" and he reports some other interesting adoption figures about the new OS, which will surprise a lot of people.
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