Buy a Windows Phone from Microsoft, get Nokia headphones for free
If you are in the market for a new Windows Phone now is the time to pull the trigger. Microsoft is running an attractive promotion, giving customers a free pair of Nokia headphones with the purchase of any Windows Phone from its online store.
And I mean any Windows Phone. This promotion applies to all Acer, BLU, Microsoft and Nokia-branded Windows Phone devices that Microsoft sells, so you are not limited to a certain brand or, most importantly, a certain price bracket.
Your online payments could soon be authorized with a selfie
Make an online payment with your credit card and you're probably used to having to enter a password or PIN. But if a trial scheme by MasterCard takes off, this could become a thing of the past. The finance company is testing out a new payment authorization technique including fingerprint scanning and facial recognition.
MasterCard is working with Apple, BlackBerry, Google, Microsoft, and Samsung to introduce the biometric checks. The initial plan is to trial the system with 500 participants before possibly rolling it out on a larger scale. It's something that MasterCard believes will be welcomed by millennials and should simplify the process of making payments from a smartphone.
How much does security software slow down your PC?
One of the main complaints that people express about security software is that it harms the performance of their PC. But how much of an effect does it really have?
Independent testing organization AV-Comparatives has conducted a test of 20 leading security products for Windows to assess their impact. Tests were performed on a 64-bit Intel Core i5 machine with Windows 8.1.
The world's smallest drone can be had for just $35
Drones are a much talked about technological development, but they have yet to really take off with members of the public.
There is a whole host of factors holding them back, regulations being chief among them, but it seems size certainly isn’t going to be an issue. Particularly when drones are being made that can easily fit into the palm of your hand.
Official Eyefi Mobi app available on Windows Phone
As more official apps are available in Store, more consumers will start paying attention to Windows Phone and, perhaps, be willing to switch from their Android smartphones and iPhones. The selection is improving, even if at a slow pace, and it is nice to see new known developers embracing the platform.
So, having Eyefi Mobi finally available on the platform is a major win. While not known by the majority of users, in the sense that Facebook is at least, it is a very important app for photography enthusiasts. here is what you need to know about it.
Prince pulling music from popular streaming services
One of the most prominent skeptics of digital music, Prince has surprisingly been off the radar on the whole music streaming debate, until now.
The Minneapolis sound pioneer removed all of his songs from Deezer, Spotify, Rdio and Apple Music earlier this week, while keeping music on Google Play and Tidal.
Windows 10 Build 10162 ISOs now available to download
Microsoft has been very busy this week rolling out three new builds to Windows Insiders on the Fast ring. However, Slow ring Insiders haven’t had much to get excited about.
Well, today that changes as Microsoft has released ISOs for the latest build, 10162. The Slow ring release of the build hasn’t happened yet, but it’s safe to say it will be pushed out shortly, possibly later today.
Scan for local wireless network with Acrylic WiFi Free
If your Wi-Fi isn’t performing well then using a scanner to check for competing networks can often tell you more.
Unsure where to begin? Acrylic WiFi Free claims to be "the most advanced WLAN Scanner", which sounds encouraging. It’s free for personal use and runs on Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10, so we grabbed a copy to take a closer look.
Could 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina Display with Force Touch trackpad be right for you? [Review]
Reviewing most any MacBook Pro is a pointless exercise, because this year's model isn't much different from the previous—or the one before. That's why I typically buy refurbished rather than new. But I broke with that practice last month, after a sudden electrical calamity laid my wife's laptop to rest. Fried and died it is. With Apple releasing new versions of iOS and OS X and launching a streaming music service, a summer sojourn seemed opportune.
I considered going Windows 10, which arrives later this month. But most of my BetaNews colleagues are headed that way, so I set out down the Apple reviews track. Again, I probably wouldn't have done so if not for my wife's computer catastrophe. I lent her my Chromebook Pixel LS and purchased a new MBP. She will never give up the Google laptop, BTW.
Time to reset your password as Plex forums get hacked
The internet can be a scary place, as sites and services get breached on a regular basis. However, it's also become an integral part of life for many people. That's why constant vigilance is in order to try and maintain a level of safety.
The latest victim is Plex, the media server and client, that many home theater enthusiasts use. If you just have a standard account then you should be safe, But, if you signed up for the forums, then you'll need to pay attention. Plex is notifying users to change their passwords.
Mozilla accidentally exposes the T-shirt sizes of its developers
User data compromises and leaks are very unfortunate events. As a result of a hack or improper security, a person's identity could be stolen. Sadly, it is all too common for someone's social security number, date of birth and more to get into the hands of evil-doers.
Sometimes though, it can be a bit silly and funny. In mid-March, Mozilla had a contest, where it asked developers to come up with a t-shirt design. In mid-June, a winner was chosen and the developers were invited to reserve a t-shirt online using Google Form. Unfortunately, someone at Mozilla pulled a boner, and the t-shirt sizes of 70 developers were made public. Oh, the humanity!
Which version of Windows 10 is right for you?
It's not long since Microsoft revealed the various editions of Windows 10 that will be available. We're now in the launch month and the preview builds are rolling out thick and fast to Windows Insiders. But when the big day rolls out, which version should you opt for?
If you're upgrading from Windows 7 or Windows 8, it's a fairly simple process that can be taken care of by Windows Update. For those who have decided to make the upgrade, Microsoft will automatically migrate you to the equivalent version of Windows 10. But if you're running the Home version of Windows, what are you missing out on? Is it worth thinking about going Pro? Microsoft has a handy guide to help you decide.
Minecraft sales exceed 20 million copies
The extremely popular sandbox game Minecraft has now sold more than 20 million copies on PC and Mac.
According to the statistics on the official Minecraft page, at the time of writing, 20,007,577 people have bought the PC/Mac version of the game.
Yet another Windows 10 Insider Preview release? Get Build 10162 now!
Good lord Microsoft, do you never let your developers sleep? I think that Red Bull is probably a huge portion of the Windows 10 budget. Yes, once again, we have another Windows 10 Insider Preview release.
After Fast Ring users were treated to Build 10158 and 10159 earlier this week, Microsoft is today seeding 10162. Excited? Us too!
Practical step-by-step guidance for after your company has been hacked
Everybody tends to think that hackers will never ever target them or their company/organization until a breach occurs. I've already written several practical examples explaining why hackers target you and your data.
Here, I will try to concentrate on post-incident actions and provide some brief advice on what to do after you have been hacked.
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