Latest Technology News

2015 is still relatively young, but we've already witnessed plenty of action. Torrent sites like The Pirate Bay and EZTV have been taken down, only to resurface. EZTV made a very quick reappearance, while The Pirate Bay took a bit longer to recover, though its comeback always seemed inevitable. Today we can add another site to this list -- Kickass Torrents has had its domain seized.

Being one of the most popular torrent sites on the web, it was always a major target. It most recently resided in Somalia -- pirate jokes aside, this seemed like a safe haven. Apparently it has become even less safe than it is for the ships that sail by the African nation.

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There is no doubt in my mind that Microsoft really wants to make Windows 10 available for as many Windows Phone 8.1 devices as possible. The software giant envisions a future when "the idea of asking 'What version are you on?' will cease to make sense" -- that can only be achieved by getting existing users on board through software updates.

However, it would seem that hardware limitations are getting in the way. The vast majority of smartphones running Windows Phone 8.1 are low-spec devices, packing just 512 MB of RAM. Their meager hardware may not be able to handle all of Windows 10's features, according to Microsoft's Joe Belfiore.

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There are lots of solutions to help collaboration and sharing of information within the workplace. However, it isn't always easy to exchange information if it's stored in different apps.

Collaboration platform Incentive is addressing this by adding seamless integration with Microsoft SharePoint, allowing users to search, visualize and collaborate on files natively within Incentive.

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There's a reason we are in a cultural, military, and cyber messaging war with a twisted group called IS -- still widely called ISIS, its old name. It doesn't call itself HISIS; they don't claim to represent Hinduism. Nor BISIS; they aren't Buddhist radicals. CRISIS and JISIS would also be incorrect, since they aren't Christian or Jewish radicals, either.

They may not represent mainstream Islam, but they wholeheartedly believe in their evil calling to establish a global Islamic caliphate based on a radical Sharia ideology -- affectionately and simply called the Islamic State.

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A police investigation has been launched after fraudsters targeted members of the UK’s biggest loyalty card scheme, Nectar.

Nectar, used by over 19 million people, has beefed up security after members reported fraudulent transactions on accounts that had been linked to online auction website eBay.

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Benjamin Leclerc has announced that TaskUnifier Pro, his comprehensive task manager for Windows, Mac and Linux, is now available for free.

Unfortunately this isn’t quite as good as it sounds, because the reason is the program will no longer be maintained.

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In the past malware developers and hackers have tended to concentrate on Windows. But as mobile has taken off and there's been a shift in the type of systems people use they've diversified their efforts into other systems.

In particular Android, as the most popular mobile OS, has become a prime target. We spoke to Huan Ren, chief architect at Android security and performance specialist 360 Security to get his view of the mobile security landscape.

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A month ago hacker collective Anonymous vowed to go after terrorists, and shortly afterwards took down its first target, ansar-alhaqq.net.

That was just the first shot in Anonymous’ war on terror and the hacktivists have been actively targeting Islamic State-related Twitter and Facebook accounts to reduce the terrorist group’s ability to spread its message online.

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We’re hearing a lot about how wearables are set to explode before this decade is out -- not literally explode (well hopefully not -- though there’s bound to be some sort of incident like that at some point, if smartphones are anything to go by), but rather to explode in terms of their numbers.

And Cisco has released another report which points to big numbers of wearables before 2020 arrives.

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The latest service to be gobbled up by Google is Odysee. Available as an app for iOS and Android devices, Odysee enables users to privately backup and share both photos and videos. In some ways the service is similar to the automatic backup feature provided by Google+, so it is perhaps unsurprising that the Odysee team will be joining forces with the Google+ team.

The mobile apps have been pulled from the App Store and Google Play by developer Nimbuzz Inc, but the service remains in operation for the time being. It's likely that the Odysee API is what sparked Google's interest, and it will be interesting to see how things move forward.

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Google Maps has become the standard for many smartphone users as stand-alone GPS devices get replaced. That doesn't mean it's the best, but it is certainly at or near the top of the list. Apple found out just how difficult this type of program can be to pull off, then invited the search giant back to its mobile platform.

Now the mapping program is celebrating its 10th birthday -- they grow up so fast. "If you hopped in your DeLorean for a trip back to before 2005, you’d remember the days when we were all dependent on paper maps, print-outs, post-its and sometimes even a compass for directions! Getting from point A to B is something we do all day, every day—from finding the fastest way to get to work, to dropping the kids off on a carpool route, to meeting friends for drinks at a new spot—so it should be as easy as possible", the Maps team states.

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Like every version of Windows before it, Windows 10 has its share of standout features, and a few niggles here and there. If you're working with the Technical Preview, you may have seen our earlier guide to removing the desktop watermark. But this is not the only thing that can be irritating, you may be frustrated by the requirement to enter your password to login every time you power up.

As with previous versions of Windows, you can configure Windows 10 so that you are logged into your account automatically. This is great if you are the only person using your computer as it shaves valuable seconds off the startup process. If you're sick of typing your password, here's how to bypass Windows 10's login screen and log into your account automatically.

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Taking a screenshot of your gaming prowess on your Xbox One will soon be as simple as screenshotting your desktop on your computer. It's a feature that has been requested for a long time, and promised for almost as long. Now head of Xbox Phil Spencer reveals that work is well under way and the ability to take screenshots should be coming to gamers soon.

The ability to record in-game video is nothing new, but the simple option to grab a screenshot is something that Xbox One owners are still waiting for -- although PS4 owners have enjoed this abilty for a while. With access to development software, Phil Spencer tweeted, er, a screenshot, of the screenshot feature in action.

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If you've dropped a few hundred dollars on a Surface Pro -- or even if you're one of the crazy few to have put your faith in Windows RT -- you want to protect your investment. One of the delights of the Surface Pro is that it is pleasingly svelte, even with the keyboard cover connected. So while you'll undoubtedly want to keep your Surface safe and secure, you probably don’t want to wrap it in armor casing that triples its size and weight.

Filling the gap in the market between full-blown laptop case and simple slip cases comes the Inateck Surface Pro 3 felt sleeve. Described variously as a Surface Case Cover, Laptop Bag, Felt Sleeve, Surface Pro 3 Sleeve Case Protection, and a Surface Pro 3 Sleeve, the felt case provides a surprisingly protective home for your tablet, and packs a few pleasing extras.

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There are so many Linux-based operating systems nowadays, that it can be maddening to try and settle on one. For many home users, sticking with Ubuntu or Mint is probably for the best. Why? These distributions are beginner-friendly while also powerful for experts too. In other words, you can grow with them without fear of hitting a ceiling.

My personal favorite is Fedora, because it is powerful and stable, while offering frequent updates to various packages and the actual kernel too. Even Linus Torvalds, the father of Linux, uses Fedora. The problem with this operating system, however, is that it is not beginner friendly. This is because Fedora is so strictly focused on being entirely free; not in price, but in licensing and other things. A beginner may face trouble getting media to play; a non-starter to say the least. Korora is designed to fix this dilemma. It is essentially a "remixed" Fedora, which makes it better for beginners by including things -- repositories, codecs, proprietary software -- that are not normally included. Heck, Fedora experts may even prefer it, as it can be tiring to frequently configure vanilla Fedora installs.

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