Latest Technology News

Six months ago, we showed you how it was possible to transform Windows 10 or 11 into Windows 7 or Vista with a single command, an article which -- it has to be said -- proved rather divisive.

Now YouTube channel Come on Windows has released a video showing Windows 10 being fully transformed into Windows 7, and has provided links to the software you need should you wish to try this idea out for yourself.

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When CrowdStrike issued a faulty security update on Friday, the impact was nothing less than catastrophic, causing a global IT outage that made Windows computers crash, impacting an estimated 8.5 million systems around the world.

"We understand the profound impact this has had on everyone. We know our customers, partners, and their IT teams are working tirelessly, and we’re profoundly grateful. We apologize for the disruption this has created,” CrowdStrike said on LinkedIn.

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In recent years, mobile devices have taken center stage and we've become mobile-first users, where mobile devices are our first choice for how we communicate, navigate, work, bank, take photos, shop and stay informed about the world around us. Our increased reliance on mobile phones is not without its risks.

According to Zimperium's Global Mobile Threat Report 2023, 43 percent of all compromised devices were fully exploited (not jailbroken or rooted), an increase of 187 percent year-over-year, a shocking number.

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The release of OpenMandriva ROME 24.07 offers a timely Linux alternative for users considering a switch from Microsoft Windows 11, particularly in the wake of the recent Crowdstrike-induced BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) disaster. This rolling release integrates the latest from the Release Candidate, featuring updated packages and enhanced stability.

At the forefront of this release is the introduction of KDE Plasma 6 as the default desktop environment, designed to enhance user experience with its improved aesthetics and functionality. For those seeking variety, there are additional spins available with LXQt (2.0.0 Qt6) and GNOME(46.3). It's important to note that while a Wayland-based ISO is offered, OpenMandriva advises that Wayland might not fully replace X11 for all users just yet, especially when used in VirtualBox environments.

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Hitachi-LG Data Storage, in partnership with SK hynix and NEOWIZ, is set to release a limited edition external USB SSD, the Tube T31 Lies of P Edition. This product will be available exclusively at Newegg.com, with only 300 units slated for sale in the United States starting from July 22. Pricing details have not yet been announced.

The Tube T31 is designed to be portable and user-friendly. It features plug-and-play compatibility via USB-A with PCs, consoles, TVs, and laptops, enhancing its practicality for both gaming and general use.

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In a recent statement to Engadget, Twitch has confirmed that is has restored former President Donald Trump's account on the live streaming platform. Owned by Amazon, Twitch emphasized the importance of direct communication from presidential nominees.

The decision comes amidst a backdrop of heightened security concerns and political tension. "We reinstated former President Trump’s Twitch channel," Twitch said in the statement. "We believe there is value in hearing from Presidential nominees directly, when possible. Trump is now the official Republican nominee for US President." This move by Twitch underscores a broader strategy to provide a platform for significant political figures to engage with the public directly.

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Apple Vision Pro users are now be able to enjoy a new range of content captured in Apple Immersive Video. This format uses 3D video recorded in 8K with a 180-degree field of view and Spatial Audio to deliver a highly realistic experience. Apple’s lineup includes series, films, and special performances.

The series “Boundless” kicks off with an episode called “Hot Air Balloons,” taking viewers over Cappadocia, Türkiye. “Wild Life,” a nature documentary series, will continue in August with a focus on orphaned elephants in Kenya. In September, “Elevated” will feature stunning aerial views of Hawaii.

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Google's URL Shortener service will be fully discontinued after August 25, 2025. Originally transitioned to Firebase Dynamic Links in 2018, the service stopped accepting new URLs but continued to support existing ones. Now, Google has announced it will cease serving these links.

Starting August 23, 2024, users will encounter an interstitial page on some goo.gl links. This page will notify users of the service’s impending shutdown and will increasingly appear before the links direct to their original destinations. After August 25, 2025, all goo.gl links will return a 404 error.

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Research released by KnowBe4 shows that 75 percent of security professionals have witnessed employees displaying risky security behaviors at work and 62 percent admit to risky behavior themselves.

Top risky things that cybersecurity pros admit to include using entertainment or streaming services (33 percent), using GenAI within the organization (31 percent), sharing personal information (14 percent), using gaming or gambling websites at work (10 percent) and using adult entertainment websites (two percent).

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Outbyte has launched a new app designed to improve energy efficiency for systems running Windows 10 and 11. The free application optimizes CPU performance, reducing power consumption by up to 34 percent and decreasing carbon emissions to support environmental sustainability.

The Camomile app works by adjusting CPU voltage and frequency to prevent unnecessary spikes in power usage, which are common with default chipset configurations. These spikes often cause CPUs to overheat and fans to work harder, increasing noise and decreasing system efficiency. By keeping CPU operations within manufacturer-recommended speeds, Camomile reportedly helps mitigate these issues, extending battery life, and improving the overall user experience.

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Six-hundred-four in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.

Windows 11 version 23H2 is now broadly available according to Microsoft. This means that everyone with an eligible device should get it when searching for the update under Windows Update in Settings. Non-managed devices with Windows 11 version 22H2 will be updated automatically in the coming months.

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You'll doubtless be aware already of the major outages of Microsoft systems today causing problems for airports, rail operators, banks, retailers, broadcasters and more.

Among the disruption stores found themselves unable to accept payments and in the UK Sky News’s breakfast show was taken off air. Some airports were forced to use whiteboards to show flight departure information.

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It's essential for businesses to get security, privacy and governance right -- not only to prevent breaches, but also comply with increasing numbers of regulations.

DevOps Research and Assessment (DORA) best practices are the gold standard for spotting vulnerabilities across both cloud and mainframe environments and improving development efficiency.

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OpenAI has released GPT-4o mini, a new AI model aimed at enhancing affordability and accessibility. Priced at 15 cents per million input tokens and 60 cents per million output tokens, GPT-4o mini represents a significant cost reduction compared to previous models like GPT-3.5 Turbo. The new model is more than 60 percent cheaper, making it an economical option for a wide range of applications.

GPT-4o mini is designed with a context window of 128K tokens and supports up to 16K output tokens per request. Currently, it is capable of handling text and vision tasks. Future updates will expand its capabilities to include text, image, video, and audio inputs and outputs.

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Dynabook Americas, Inc. has announced the release of its latest professional laptops, the 14-inch Tecra A40-M and the 16-inch Tecra A60-M. These new models, both of which have a starting price below $1,300, are equipped with Copilot AI and Intel Core Ultra processors, aiming to enhance productivity for professionals and educators.

The Tecra A40-M operates on Windows 11 Pro and is available with various Intel Core Ultra processors, including Series 1 H28, Core Ultra 5 135U, Core Ultra 5 145U, Core Ultra 7 155U, Core Ultra 7 165U, Core Ultra 5 135H, Core Ultra 5 145H, Core Ultra 7 155H, and Core Ultra 7 165H. It supports up to 64GB of LPDDR5 5,400MHz memory and features Intel Arc Graphics, with a minimum requirement of 16 GB dual-channel memory. The 14-inch WUXGA display (1920x1200) offers optional touch functionality, and storage options include PCIe NVMe SSDs up to 2TB.

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