Skype for iPhone 5 now available, sports new look, better performance
Microsoft has released Skype for iPhone 5.0, a major new update to its voice, video and chat messenger for iPhone and iPod touch users. Version 5.0 sports a major new redesign, more in-app options and drops support for iOS 7.
The update has been released separately to the iPad version, with Microsoft claiming to be "hard at work on a new version" for iPad users.
Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit available in Free, Premium, Business editions
Malwarebytes has announced the first full public release of Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit, a powerful tool which protects against many zero-day exploits. It’s now available in three editions.
A basic Free version shields some browsers (IE, Chrome, Firefox, Opera), their addons, and Java, on Windows XP or later.
Best iOS apps this week
Twenty-third in a series. It will come as absolutely no surprise to anyone that with the World Cup now underway loads of new and improved football/soccer offerings have arrived in the App Store. There are games, so you can practice your (virtual) skills, and apps that let you follow the matches and your team's progress through the tournament. The official FIFA World Cup app is one of the better choices.
Away from football, the App Store saw the release of two long awaited new games -- Angry Birds Epic, a new RPG featuring Rovio's famous characters, and Broken Age, a graphic adventure from legendary game designer Tim Schafer. There's also an app that lets you transform iOS devices into audio speakers, a hotel guide, and a speed reading app, to mention just some of the latest releases.
Fitbit app coming to Windows Phone 8.1
Part of the Windows Phone app-gap problem is the lack of support from wearable companies, that either bump into software limitations or prefer to focus most, if not all, of their attention on Android and iOS, which make up for more than 90 percent of the smartphone market.
As a result, many users of the tiled mobile operating system turn to third-party apps, constantly ask manufacturers for support, or just give up on the idea of using wearables altogether. With Windows Phone 8.1, however, things are looking up -- Fitbit is jumping onboard.
FakeOFF helps you spot the fiendish Facebook fakers
Back in 2012 Facebook estimated in its official company filings that almost nine percent of the accounts on its system broke the service's rules in some way. That may not sound like many but the sheer number of Facebook users means it accounts for some 83 million problem accounts.
Some of these might simply be duplicates but others have a more undesirable purpose like spamming, distributing malware or grooming minors. Until now the only way of steering clear of the fakes was by keeping your wits about you and looking for tell tale signs like recent join dates or unfeasibly model-like profile pictures.
Nokia Lumia 1320 now available in US
With a massive 6-inch screen and low-end specs, the Lumia 1320 is the Windows Phone aimed at price-conscious phablet enthusiasts. The aging handset, that was unveiled by Nokia in late-October 2013, has been available on the market for quite some time, but is just now reaching US shores.
Starting today, the Lumia 1320 is available at local mobile operator Cricket Wireless, that sells the Windows Phone phablet off-contract. The price? After a $50 mail-in rebate through Cricket Visa Promotion Card, it costs $229.99. That is $20 less than what Cricket asks for the smaller Samsung Galaxy Express. Not taking into account the mail-in rebate, the Lumia 1520 goes for $279.99.
Logitech announces the Type-S -- Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 keyboard case
The dust is still settling from Samsung's monumental announcement of its Galaxy Tab S tablets. Make no mistake, the screens on these tablets are a game-changer and sure to push other manufacturers to improve their screen-technology too. While it is surely an iPad competitor, it will likely lag in one place -- accessories. Yes, when it comes to third-party add-ons, Apple's devices are on top.
Don't tell that to Logitech though. Even though the company makes cases and keyboards for the iPad, it supports Android too. Right on the heels of the Galaxy Tab S unveiling, Logitech announces the Type-S, which is a keyboard-case for the 10.5 inch variant.
How to avoid threats like Cryptolocker when browsing the web
Malware has, of course, been around for ages, predating the web itself by a long mark. Indeed, the first viruses were spotted way back in the early 1970s, on networks such as ARPANET, the forerunner of the Internet.
However, as the worldwide web grew, so did the ability to more effectively spread malware. Then the explosion in social networks led to social engineering, and increasingly more sophisticated scams came about -- for example, targeted spear phishing and ransomware -- leading us to the densely populated malware landscape of today, full of big bad nasties like Cryptolocker.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S -- hands-on and first impressions of the Super AMOLED Android tablets
When I received an invitation to attend the Samsung Galaxy press event at the Madison Square Garden Theater in NYC, I was both excited and underwhelmed. I was excited because Samsung is a very important company in technology -- it is a trendsetter, for better or worse. Plus, as a big Knicks fan, I can never pass on a chance to go to MSG -- even the theater. So, why was I underwhelmed? Well unfortunately, there were many rumors and leaked images surrounding the event. The prediction by many was Super AMOLED Android tablets. All surprise was probably lost.
When I got to the theater at Madison Square Garden, there was already a long line of tech journalists. Each one was more stereotypical than the next -- tight pants, plaid shirts, backpacks -- all taking selfies in front of Samsung signs. Most journalists fell into two categories -- using iPhones or using Samsung phones. Many using the latter were clearly trying to impress the company, by also wearing Galaxy Gear watches. Me? I was using an LG G3 -- I took it behind enemy lines.
.uk domain registrations exceed 50,000 on opening day
.uk has become the fastest selling new general top level domain [gTLD] after seeing registrations surpass 50,000 in opening 24 hours following its launch.
Nominet, the UK domain name registry, reports that the likes of Sainsbury’s, Bentley and Burberry have all already snapped up .uk domain names and it represents just a small proportion of the 10 million that are expected to register.
Banish annoying 'allow fullscreen' messages in Google Chrome
You know those annoying messages that say "Press ESC at any time to exit fullscreen. Allow fullscreen?" Here's how to never, ever see those again.
To stop the messages, simply head to Google Chrome's "content settings" section of the settings tab, scroll down to Fullscreen and click "Manage exceptions". Or you can just copy chrome://settings/contentExceptions#fullscreen into your address bar, if you don't want to go rummaging through all the confusing settings.
Encrypt, decrypt and process your PDFs with QPDF
If you need to process your PDFs then there’s no shortage of free options. JPDF Tweak alone can crop or rotate pages, apply text and image watermarks, encrypt, decrypt them, and so on. You’ve probably come across similar toolkits yourself.
Even the best of these programs will have some gaps in its functionality, though: some security options missing, limited batch processing, inflexible split or merge tools, maybe can’t create linearized (web-friendly) PDFs. And so sometimes, just occasionally, you’ll need a heavy-duty solution like the command line QPDF.
Hackers try to exploit fear of Cryptolocker with spam campaign
Recent news stories, along with the UK National Crime Agency's warning that users only have two weeks to protect their computers, have raised fears about the impact of the GameOver Zeus malware and its cousin Cryptolocker.
It's not really surprising then that the bad guys are seeking to exploit these fears. Security company BullGuard has uncovered a major new spam campaign supposedly offering Cryptolocker decryption keys.
Amazon brings Music service to Prime customers
Earlier this year Amazon announced it would be raising the annual fee for its Prime service, with the price jumping from $79 to $99. It's still a reasonable deal, given that customers receive access to Netflix-like streaming movies and TV shows, free two-day shipping on orders and access to the Kindle Lending Library.
To help soften the blow of the increased price, and to perhaps grab more customers, Amazon is announcing that a music service is now part of the Prime deal.
Samsung Galaxy Premiere 2014 -- Watch the event here LIVE
Samsung is holding an event at the Theater, Madison Square Garden in New York City later today to (presumably) launch the Galaxy Tab S, and maybe additional devices. The tag line for the event is "Tab into Color".
Our own Brian Fagioli will be there, and will be reporting on all of the announcements made by the South Korean firm, but you can also be part of the event as Samsung will be live streaming proceedings.
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