As it's Safer Internet Day today, lots of companies are getting in on the action and doing their bit to encourage people to be a little safer online. One such company is Google, and if you spend a few moments performing a quick security check, you can bag yourself 2GB of Drive storage for free.

There are no trick questions -- it's nothing more than ensuring that your Google account recovery information is up to date. You don’t get the extra space straight away, but you only have to wait until the end of the month for the start of the rollout.

Continue reading →

Nest, the thermostat maker that everyone seems to love, has been busy innovating with the Internet of Things lately, allowing users even more control over the devices in their homes. But the company hasn't forgotten its roots -- it's still about being a thermostat that aims to save energy and money.

Now the company is touting a new report to get customers up to speed with where they stand with the whole "savings" part of things and more. This new report incorporates more of what Nest does -- not just the energy savings, but information on the smoke detectors the company produces, as well as the integration with other devices.

Continue reading →

Facebook is on a mission to get more people to use the internet. Through Internet.org -- a global partnership between the social networking service and six mobile phone technology giants, nonprofits, local communities and experts -- the company today took its biggest step in that direction. Internet.org is now available in India, the world’s second most populous nation.

The company has partnered with Reliance Communications, an Indian broadband and telecommunications company, to provide access to 38 services (products and websites) for free. To get things started, the service has been launched in six Indian states -- Tamil Nadu, Mahararashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, and Telangana -- and will work for both existing and new RCom subscribers.

Continue reading →

Software-driven intelligent devices and the Internet of Things are changing the way companies deliver their products and services.

This is among the findings of a new report from Flexera Software and IDC which points towards a 'third industrial revolution' transforming the global economy.

Continue reading →

If you need to find images which fit into some predefined web or document layout, you’ll probably need to consider their aspect ratio. But that might require some manual calculations, especially if your pictures aren’t in standard sizes.

Alternatively, you could just use Arti -- "Aspect Ratio Tool for Images", the latest release from prolific freeware developer Jody Holes, aka skwire -- to handle everything for you.

Continue reading →

Consumers looking to purchase their first smartphone have so many options to choose from that the only way manufacturers can differentiate is by giving their devices more upscale, standout features. In a time when 4G LTE is on the rise, faster data speeds would certainly qualify. And with the 2015 Moto E, Motorola is finally giving its future customers just that.

Yes, folks, the 2015 Moto E will arrive packing 4G LTE cellular connectivity, at a price that is similar to its predecessor's. And it will run Android 5.0 Lollipop out-of-the-box.

Continue reading →

The Simplocker ransomware targeting Android systems first appeared in mid 2014. Prior to Simplocker most ransomware only claimed to encrypt files but didn't actually do so.

Fortunately files locked by the malware were fairly easy to decrypt, but now researchers at antivirus company Avast have uncovered a new version of Simplocker with an even nastier trick.

Continue reading →

Windows Event Logs can be a great troubleshooting resource, packed as they are with a host of essential low-level system details. But the bulky, underpowered Windows Event Viewer means all this data isn’t nearly as easy to access as it could be, and so many people avoid it just as much as they can.

TailExpert is a free-for-personal-use alternative, a powerful tool for viewing, analyzing and monitoring Windows Event and plain text logs.

Continue reading →

We're a global nation of hypochondriacs; Google has revealed that 5 percent of search traffic comes from people looking for health and well-being information. To help with any queries you might have about your body and different conditions, the search giant has furnished Knowledge Graph with a raft of medical data.

Got a funny looking rash? Google could help you to determine whether you have something to worry about, or whether it's something that's likely to clear up on its own. Knowledge is power, and medical knowledge is what Google is trying to arm people with to avoid the worry that comes with uncertainty.

Continue reading →

It probably hasn't escaped your notice that today (10 February) is Safer Internet Day. This is intended to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile phones, especially amongst children and young people.

Online advice site Knowthenet.org.uk -- operated by the Nominet domain registry -- has published some new research looking at the attitudes of parents to their children's use of social media and finds that whilst it has a generally good effect there's still a need for caution.

Continue reading →

Manchester City has claimed the title of the world’s first football club to create an app for Android Wear smart watches.

The app is called CityMatchday Wear, and it can be downloaded for free from the Google Play store. It offers club related news, goal alerts and notifications for different events, such as yellow and red cards, penalties, team sheets, match details and substitutions.

Continue reading →

I'm a dog guy. No, really; I'm all in on this canine thing. You know those weird people that dress up their dog in clothes? I'm that guy now. Having never owned a dog growning up, I used to laugh at people that did that, but now I am having birthday parties for my little puppy. Heck, I even dress her up for Halloween and go to Petco for the costume contest! Believe it or not, I'm not alone in this behavior. More and more people are treating their pets as family members and even treating them as equals.

Today, Microsoft touts a new use for its popular communication solution, Skype -- keeping a loving eye on your pets. Yes, some people cannot bear to be away from their pets for long amounts of time. With Skype, you can monitor your furry family member using a webcam. With that said, I must warn you; there is an adorable example video below that will melt your heart.

Continue reading →

It's difficult, if not impossible, to have too much storage space. There has been a slow, but steady move to the cloud, and there are numerous names vying for attention, from Google Drive and Mega to OneDrive. Numbers talk, and it's the amount of free space that can sway users to one service or another.

Google has been giving away Drive storage with Chromebooks for some time, and now Microsoft is getting in on the action. Agree to receive promotional emails through Bing rewards, and you can bag yourself an extra 100GB of OneDrive storage completely free of charge for the next two years. If you're in the US, that is. Or if you use a proxy...

Continue reading →

Cutting the cord, the phrase commonly used to describe those who get rid of cable and satellite service for their entertainment, has become part of the modern lexicon. Now Sling, the box maker that enables TV sharing, has its own version of internet TV. This one is designed to compete with the likes of Hulu, Amazon Prime and Netflix, but is a bit pricier than its rivals.

Sling TV was already announced, but until now it required an invitation. The floodgates are now open as that restriction gets lifted. As of now, anyone can sign up for an account, getting access to a wealth of TV shows. These include channels such as ESPN, HGTV, Food Network and more. The first is the most intriguing -- the possibility of watching live sports without the need to use sketchy services like Wiziwig.

Continue reading →

It’s a free for all as Imgur Pro goes free for all! The image sharing site is celebrating its sixth birthday by handing out gifts to its users rather than expecting to receive them. As of today, everyone is able to take advantage of unlimited storage on the site, but of course there is a -- very slight -- catch.

You don’t get owt for nowt, and the cost of free in this case is ads. Imgur has long been ad-supported, and now Imgur Pro has gone down the same route. Now that everyone has access to a Pro account, they have access to more than just extra storage space.

Continue reading →