facebook_lite

Facebook Lite gives a social fix without eating mobile data

With its Internet.org project, Facebook is trying to not only spread into new parts of the world by bringing the internet to places where it is not currently available. With a focus on minimal data usage to help keep down costs, it was only a matter of time before a stripped down version of the Facebook app appeared.

Today is the day that Facebook Lite arrives. As the name suggests, this is a data-light version of the familiar Facebook app, and it starts its life on Android devices. It is designed with developing markets in mind, and today it starts the rollout process in Asia before it spreads further around the globe.

yahoo_building

Yahoo kills Pipes, Maps, and some TV and Music services in prioritization drive

Yahoo today announced that it is fine-tuning its focus moving forward, and this means that some products and services are being dropped. In its Q2 2015 progress report, the company explains that it looking to dedicate its energy and resources to "search, communications and digital content".

One of the most surprising casualties is Yahoo Maps -- the site will close at the end of June. Despite the closure, maps will still be supported by other Yahoo products such as Flickr, but it illustrates Google's dominance in this arena. Other victims of the cull include Yahoo Pipes, Yahoo Mail on old versions of iOS, as well as Yahoo Music and Yahoo TV in some regions.

office_logo

Microsoft updates Office 2016 on Windows Preview with new features

Microsoft has released an update for Office 2016 on Windows Preview. It's only a month or so since the public preview of Office 2016 appeared, and Microsoft says that there are already one million people using it. Today's update brings a few new features with a focus on collaborative work.

We first heard about plans for Office 2016 a few months ago, and we've already seen the release of Office 2016 for Mac Preview, as well as Office 2016 IT Pro and Developer Preview. This update sees Microsoft making good on its promise to keep delivering new feature to the Office suite.

mobile security

New ransomware says you've been watching porn on your Android device

Ransomware has become big business these days, with high-profile cases affecting computer users. Up until now though, mobile users have remained relatively safe from that particular form of infestation and only had the "garden variety" version of malware to contend with. That landscape is changing rapidly, it seems.

Security researchers at AVG have uncovered what they dub "Porn Droid". The infected device is locked by the "FBI" and the user gets a message demanding money in exchange for restoring the phone or tablet. To make the message particularly scary, it claims the offense is for child pornography.

By Alan Buckingham -
Windows 10 Insider Preview build 10130 Slow Ring desktop

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 10130 headed for Slow ring soon

Windows Insiders on the Fast ring were able to update to Build 10130 last Friday, and in my experience it’s a solid, and reliable release. Microsoft is mostly focusing on tweaking and stabilizing the OS now, but the new build comes with some noteworthy improvements, including new icons, new taskbar animations, and other general UI enhancements.

The Build is good, and stable enough that Microsoft is getting ready to release it to the Slow ring. This will be the first release there since Build 10074 back at the end of April, and its arrival on that ring will also herald the release of new ISO files.

By Wayne Williams -
Warning Sign Sky Cloud Cloudy

F-Secure does a Symantec and shuts down its failed cloud storage service

Storing your personal data in the cloud makes a lot of sense. It provides a handy backup, and you can access your content from anywhere. I write about a lot of cloud storage services, but I only really use established ones from the likes of Google and Microsoft.

I would consider, and use, storage services from other companies, but the problem is they can’t be trusted. So many of the sites I sign up to -- usually purely to write about -- shut down within a year or so. These aren’t storage services from firms you’ve never heard of either. Today’s discontinued service is Younited by F-Secure.

By Wayne Williams -
apple-watch-thee-models-900x506_contentfullwidth

Apple Watch available from retail stores in two weeks

When the Apple Watch first went on sale, there was a huge rush to get hold of them. This led to frustration with delayed deliveries, but this could be set to come to an end. Apple’s wearable is due to hit retail stores before the end of June.

Starting on 26 June, in addition to existing countries, the Apple Watch will be available to purchase in Italy, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Taiwan from Apple stores, some Apple Authorized Resellers, as well as online.

Password

70 percent of consumers lack confidence in passwords

When we regularly hear stories of personal details being stolen through data breaches and hacks, it's not surprising that people are losing faith in the ability of passwords to protect them.

A new report from mobile ID provider TeleSign reveals that 70 percent of consumers lack confidence that their passwords can adequately protect their online accounts. In addition, about the same amount (72 percent) are in search of additional means to secure accounts.

By Ian Barker -
Box file image

BlueData adds support for Docker containers

Big data infrastructure specialist BlueData has announced that it's introducing support for Docker containers in its BlueData EPIC platform.

It will allow organizations to quickly and easily deploy Apache Hadoop or Apache Spark in a lightweight container environment making it simpler to deploy big data infrastructure.

By Ian Barker -
Security breach lock

How to protect your business against security breaches

As we saw in a recent Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) survey (conducted by PwC), the number of security breaches inflicted on UK businesses has increased considerably this year.

The report showed that the cost of a breach rose to an average of £1.46 million, up from £600,000 the previous year. It also revealed that 90 percent of major British organizations, and 74 percent of small to medium-sized businesses were hit by security breaches.

By Darren Allan -
Software testing

MicroStrategy makes powerful business analytics more accessible

IT departments face increasing demands for self-service applications to enable users to manipulate data themselves, but this often conflicts with the needs of the enterprise.

Enterprise software provider MicroStrategy is addressing this with the launch of its latest software which combines self-service analytics and data visualization with enterprise-grade infrastructure.

By Ian Barker -
google-maps-oceans

Google Maps goes underwater for World Oceans Day

As a wise man once wrote, "I'd like to be under the sea". Now you can go there virtually, thanks to advances in technology. No, you won't be diving to the depths of the Marianas Trench, but you can get a feel for what is beneath those waves that both fascinate and terrify us.

June 8th is World Oceans Day, dedicated to protecting what we have -- the coral reefs and the life that thrives out of our sight. Google has been sending its Street View team undersea in recent times and now does so again in honor of the upcoming day.

By Alan Buckingham -
Cyber attack

The cost of cyber attacks is rising dramatically

The cost of a cyberattacks to businesses has more than doubled in the past year, a new report by PWC says.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) commissioned the survey which has shown that not only has the cost doubled, but the number of security breaches has increased.

By Sead Fadilpašić -
Victory Winner Free

Microsoft: SSH support coming to Windows

Windows users who want to access another device via SSH (Secure Shell) have to rely on third-party tools to get the job done, as there is no built-in support for it in the popular operating system. Azure CTO Mark Russinovich has revealed that he uses PuTTY for such tasks, which is also the SSH tool of choice for plenty of other folks, myself included.

As such, the fact that SSH support is one of the most popular feature requests that the PowerShell team has received should not surprise any Windows power users. And since Microsoft is actively trying to cater to its users' needs, it just announced that it is currently working on making the much-requested feature a reality.

By Mihăiță Bamburic -
Cortana shown on Microsoft Lumia 535 Windows Phone

Microsoft now carries Lumia 535 Windows Phone, but should you get it?

Microsoft announced Lumia 535 back in mid-November 2014, but the software giant is only now making this entry-level Windows Phone available through its online and brick and mortar stores in US. Lumia 535 is offered unlocked, without any carrier markings.

Lumia 535 is one of the eight unlocked Windows Phones that are available on Microsoft Store, but, even though it is an entry-level offering, it is not among the least-expensive offerings.

By Mihăiță Bamburic -
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