Windows' WiFi Sense is a useful feature misunderstood by the media
Earlier this week The Register published a story about WiFi Sense, saying the feature "smells like a security risk". The publication is making a huge deal out of it, even though the way it works has been known ever since Microsoft introduced it in the Windows Phone 8.1 preview builds more than a year ago. So it is not news today, and acting like there is something noteworthy to say about it at this point seems disingenuous to me and, quite frankly, clickbait.
For those who are not familiar with it, WiFi Sense is a feature that allows Windows Phone 8.1 -- and Windows 10 -- users to easily share access to Wi-Fi passwords with their contacts and friends. In this day and age, if Apple or Google introduced such a feature the media would go crazy. But, no. Microsoft is criticized for trying to make things easy for its users. How silly is that? Some of the things The Register says about Wi-Fi Sense reveal no proper knowledge of the feature.
YouTube getting 60fps playback on Android, iOS
Google has been steadily updating YouTube to run high frame-rate (HFR) video, and the silky smooth 60 frames per second is coming to YouTube's iOS and Android mobile apps this month.
HFR was originally added to YouTube in October last year, allowing video game channels to stream videos at 720p 60fps or 1080p 60fps. The difference in the frame rate was quite astounding, compared to frame rate difference in a video game.
Shrink your PDFs with PDF to DjVu GUI
At first glance, PDF to DjVu GUI doesn’t sound like the most promising of programs. Convert documents from one of the most commonly supported formats ever, to something most people don’t know at all? If you need to share files with a wide audience then there’s no way that will ever be a good idea.
And yet, DjVu does have its advantages, especially with document size. We tried out the program with 12 PDF files, and while one DjVu version was fractionally larger, most were 25 percent -- 80 percent smaller than the original, and a couple dropped by around 90 percent.
Get a free $100 Google Play credit when you buy a Verizon HTC One M9
For consumers looking to buy an Android phone, it can be quite the daunting task. Why? There are too many good phones to choose from! While the Nexus 6 and Galaxy S6 are two very popular choices, don't forget the LG G4, Droid Turbo and HTC One M9.
Speaking of the HTC One M9, I have been testing it lately and like it very much. The problem, however, is that I like the Galaxy S6 more; Samsung's flagship is just the better device. With that said, if you can get a good deal on HTC's phone, it might make a great choice for some buyers. Today, HTC is giving 100 reasons to choose its phone on Verizon -- a $100 Google Play credit for free!
Online disruption after internet backbone cables are cut in CA
Vandals have struck in California's Bay Area leading to a disruption to web traffic. The FBI is investigating the incident which occurred when several fiber optic cables were severed in Livermore, around 50 miles east of San Francisco.
The attack took place at about 4.30 am PT Tuesday, and caused problems for ISPs as well as Microsoft Azure. Backbone providers were hit hard, and web users over a wide area suffered from reduced performance. This is far from being the first attack on internet cables in the area, and the FBI is seeking help from anyone with information that could bring the perpetrators to justice.
Netflix targeting 70 million subscribers
Netflix wants to reach 70 million subscribers by the end of 2015, adding an additional 13 million in 12 months. The ambitious goal follows several launches in Western Europe and South America, alongside Netflix’s saturation in the United States.
In January, Netflix reported 57 million subscribers in an investor’s call. Most of the subscribers, a large 43 million, are based in the US. The second largest region is the United Kingdom, where Netflix has five million subscribers.
Google apologizes for labeling black people 'gorillas'
Google has issued an apology after the automatic tagging feature of its Photos apps labeled a black couple as 'gorillas'. This is not the first time an algorithm has been found to have caused racial upset. Earlier in the year Flickr came under fire after its system tagged images of concentration camps as sports venues and black people as apes.
The company was criticized on social networks after a New York software developer questioned the efficacy of Google's algorithm. Accused of racism, Google said that it was "appalled" by what had happened, branding it as "100% not OK".
Samsung releases LEVEL U Wireless Bluetooth Headset
When traveling on the train or walking through the city, corded headphones can be a huge inconvenience. It can get tangled and can even cause your smartphone to fall on the floor if the wire gets snagged. It can even impede exercise too, getting caught on equipment.
Wireless Bluetooth headphones and headsets are awesome from a convenience standpoint and solve many of those issues. There are many design choices when it comes to these wired variants, but my preferred is the style that rests on your neck and offers earbuds. It is comfortable and best of all, it's not bulky. Today, Samsung releases its take on this style with the all-new LEVEL U Wireless Bluetooth Headset.
What would Steve Carell say? This office will be made with a 3D printer
Step aside, multi-billion-dollar construction companies. The always-pioneering city of Dubai is about to prove that a completely functional office building can be set up with little more than a 3D printer.
A special 20-foot-tall printer will be able to spit out virtually all the varying components and layers for the single-story building, which will then be placed on site and manually assembled in the United Arab Emirates city. Once all is said and done, it will be a sprawling 2000-square-foot structure.
Four tips to drive offline sales
Advertisements and valuable content can bring your audience to your website, but what is driving them to your store? Even though customers are able to view and purchase items online, over 90 percent of consumers are still more inclined to buy at a physical location.
Some techniques -- like direct mail and business cards -- are old-fashioned ways of driving your offline sales, but modern strategies are offering more advanced techniques for connecting with your consumers digitally. Keep up with your audience and build on-site relationships with these four tips.
Digital piracy up by 22 percent over the last three years
Despite attempts to combat it, illegal distribution of copyright material via the internet is a continuing problem.
Protection solutions specialist Arxan Technologies has released the results of a new report produced in collaboration with the iThreat Cyber Group which shows that illegal reproduction and distribution of copyrighted material on the Web is booming as a result of security breaches in both mobile and desktop software applications.
O2 has exclusivity and special offers on Surface 3 4G for UK business customers
In the last couple of weeks there have been two new Surface models announced. Just a couple of days ago we learned of the new, cheaper Core i7 Surface Pro 3, and just before this the traveller-friendly 4G LTE Surface 3 -- still no news of the Surface 4 or Surface Pro 4, sadly.
In the UK, business and enterprise customers will be able to buy their 4G LTE Surface 3 from O2. The company has a three month exclusivity deal with Microsoft that means this is the only place the 10.8 tablet will be available during this period. As well as being the sole source of the device, O2 has a few deals to entice would-be customers into making a purchase.
iTunes 12.2 brings Apple Music to the desktop
Apple has released iTunes 12.2, bringing Apple Music and the new Beats 1 radio station to OS X and Windows.
Additions include the new Connect, a sort-of social networking service where artists share "thoughts, photos, music and videos", you can comment or "love" anything they’ve posted, and they can respond directly.
New survey reveals a preference for local web hosting
Choosing the right host to use for a website can be a critical decision for businesses, but information on how various hosts measure up can be hard to come by.
Online comparison service Host Advice has released the results of a survey that looks at which Web hosting services are faring best so far this year by looking at each company’s total number of hosted sites and dividing it by the total host sites of the industry over the same period of time.
Siri knows what makes Cookie Monster sad
Siri has become known for providing amusing answers to certain questions and today a new one has taken the internet by storm.
When asked the question "What is zero divided by zero?", Siri responds in a witty yet comical manner, citing Cookie Monster’s cookies as an example.
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