Latest Technology News

Big data can provide many benefits for businesses, but the complexities of dealing with systems like Hadoop can make it expensive and time consuming to roll out projects.

California-based Kyvos Insights is launching a new product specifically designed for big data that enables business users to easily and quickly derive powerful insights from their data for more informed decision-making, with no programming required.

Uber is planning to add boats to its growing list of travel services, which now include all variety of cars alongside a growing delivery service for merchants and food.

Named UberBOAT, the service will be available first in Istanbul, Turkey. The city is famous for the Bosphorus, the connection between Asia and Europe, split by a strait.

Car makers offer some interesting equipment options that are said to increase driving safety. One of those features is a head up display, which shows the driver essential information, such as the speed and turn-by-turn directions, without having to take the eyes off the road. This is a benefit that is commonly pitched by car companies, as, in theory, it would allow the driver to be more focused on what's ahead rather than be distracted by a smartphone or navigation system.

However, a University of Toronto report contradicts this assertion, claiming that, in practice, HUDs are distracting and "a threat to safety" because they force drivers to focus on two different things at once: the road ahead and the windshield.

Thanks to the Internet of Things and the growth in the use of mobile devices, network traffic is growing faster than ever. But the tools used to manage and monitor that traffic haven’t kept pace.

Network visibility specialist Kentik (previously known as CloudHelix) is launching a SaaS platform to enable full visibility into networks of any size giving real-time, actionable insights into network traffic activity, DDoS attacks and peering efficiency.

Businesses need their employees to be able to collaborate on projects but the increasingly mobile nature of the workforce and the pressures of BYOD use can make that hard to achieve.

Collaboration software specialist Huddle is updating its iOS apps to provide iPhone and iPad users with a simple and secure way to collaborate on content and manage projects while on the move, as well as delivering a more social experience by focusing on team activity around content.

Xara Group has announced the release of Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 11, its one-stop photo editor, graphic design and publishing tool for Windows Vista+.

Art Brushes are a highlight, a new technology which smoothly stretches bitmap or vector brushes in real-time along a freehand path. There are new brushes to emulate paint, chalk or watercolours, or you can create your own as required.

What an exciting time to be either a PC gamer or system builder (or both!). We are getting ever so close to a new version of Windows -- what could be the best version yet -- which is always a great excuse to upgrade hardware. Also notable, however, are the amazing new AMD 300 series graphics cards, including the Holy Grail Radeon R9 Fury X.

If you are upgrading your rig and moving to a new version of Windows, you should probably consider upgrading your monitor too. Gamers picking up a new AMD graphics card will want to consider a display with FreeSync technology for smoother gameplay. Today, Acer announces one of the most impressive such gaming monitors -- the XR341CK. This curved 34 inch QHD gaming monitor not only offers great performance, but it is totally sexy too. Feel free to drool.

I plopped onto my sofa tonight to watch a show using Sling TV. I love the service, despite it being a bit pricey. The one time I've called I got quick and courteous customer service. Tonight was different -- the service told me there was a problem with the login. I called and received endless messages that there were "higher than normal call volumes".

The sense that something was up popped into my head. Indeed it was, as the eventual customer service rep informed me that there was a big problem.

Another week, another Windows 10 build. Microsoft today announces that it is releasing a new Windows 10 build -- which might as well be the last build before RTM -- to Insiders in the Fast ring.

With this new build dubbed 10158, Microsoft aims to bring stability to the desktop operating system and make things smoother and pleasant to look at. In addition, the company is also finally bringing the Microsoft Edge branding while also introducing some new features. Cortana is becoming cooler than ever, too. Below is a brief summary of everything you get from the new build.

When consumers think back to the 90's, there are two companies synonymous with personal computing -- Microsoft and AOL. People bought Windows computers and connected to the web with the AOL ISP. Hell, I begged my dad for my first computer when I learned I could talk to girls in AOL chat rooms. In hindsight, I was probably talking to old men pretending to be girls, but I digress.

Both Microsoft and AOL are still quite successful -- the former much more than the latter -- and today, they announce a decade-long extension and expansion to existing agreements. Microsoft is handing over the keys to a large portion of its advertising business, while AOL search will begin using Bing.

Happy Birthday! iPhone is 8 years-old today. Oh my, it seems so much longer ago because so much has changed. Think back. Eight years ago, there was no Android. YouTube was but 18 months available to the public, and Facebook or Twitter only about a year. There was no market for tablets, or smartwatches.

The iPhone marks everything right about the Steve Jobs era of risk-taking design. More changes: He is gone from this world and some of that other-worldly innovation with him. In 2007, the smartphone was a decade-old slow seller that few people owned. Now it's everywhere! Apple deserves credit for the transformation, whether or not anyone wants to give it.

The dreams of science fiction fans could be about to come true after the world’s first commercially available jetpack was unveiled.

The Martin Jetpack has been in development for 35 years and will be available next year for $150,000 (£95,000).

Let the countdown begin. One month from today, July 29th, Microsoft releases Windows 10. Three weeks ago we asked what you like about the operating system. Many of you are testers, and keeping with the spirit of the "beta" in our site's name, we just had to inquire.

Microsoft hasn't made this transition easy enough, even before the code's release. For starters, there is, or was, or may still be, or may never stop being, confusion over who is eligible  for the free upgrade. Microsoft kind of, sort of, clarified who gets and who doesn't -- and those of you who are Windows Insiders, and remain so, can continue on the forever free track, albeit running betas. Based on our poll posted last week, 10 percent of you without valid licenses will stay with the Windows Insider program to keep the free software coming. More than half of you plan to stick with the testing track.

Security firm Avira has won a court case that can not only be chalked up as a win for consumer rights, but could also set something of a precedent. German company Freemium.com took Avira to court for warning users about 'potentially unwanted applications' that could be bundled along with a number of popular games and applications.

Freemium.com downloads included a number of unwanted extras in the form of browser toolbars, free trial applications, adware, and other crapware. Avira's antivirus software warned users installing such applications; Freemium took objection to this and filed a cease and desist letter, claiming anti-competitive practices. But the court ruled in Avira's favor, saying it could continue to flag up and block questionable software.

The Fourth of July is almost here. You know what that means, right? USA Independence Day! Yes, on this day, Americans will barbeque delicious meats and watch fireworks to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and subsequent defeat of the tyrannical British empire. Of course, our former oppressors are now one of our greatest allies.

Microsoft is one of the most famed American companies, and one of its founders, Bill Gates, is a great example of how anyone can become a success within America's borders. Today, Microsoft announces that it is celebrating the people that earned the USA its freedoms -- our veterans -- by sponsoring a 60 day, 3,400 mile relay race called the "Old Glory Relay". What great news so close to July 4th!