Search Results for: xp

It seems there are no depths that Microsoft will not sink to in its relentless quest to get the world using Windows 10. It’s already made the new OS a 'recommended' update for Windows 7 and 8.x, which will see the update download and install automatically on some systems.

But the company's latest sneaky trick is beyond the pale. According to Microsoft’s own documentation, a new security patch for Internet Explorer also "adds functionality to Internet Explorer 11 on some computers that lets users learn about Windows 10 or start an upgrade to Windows 10". In other words, as well as fixing vulnerabilities with Internet Explorer, the security patch will also advertise the new OS to customers. In what world is that acceptable?

Continue reading →

Google Docs has a new option allowing your documents to be saved directly to the ePub format.

All you have to do is click File > Download as > EPUB Publication. EPUB documents are widely supported across most ebook readers, so this could be a good choice for sharing your work with others.

Continue reading →

When Microsoft released the first Surface tablets, many consumers -- including me -- were dubious. Windows on a tablet was not ideal, and it made lap-typing damn-near impossible. Worst of all, Surface RT confused consumers, tainting the Surface branding entirely. A detachable laptop/tablet was a massive failure, right?

Wrong. Microsoft persevered, and wisely maintained course, eventually making the Surface an honest-to-goodness success. If you can afford it you really can't go wrong with a Surface Pro or Surface Book. Heck, Google has even copied Microsoft's concept with its atrocious Pixel C, while Apple has seen success with its beautiful iPad Pro. Microsoft was the leader, and it is apparently paying dividends, as detachable tablet sales are predicted to increase leaps and bounds. Sorry, haters, Microsoft was right all along.

Continue reading →

Microsoft is currently working on the next version of Windows 10, codenamed Redstone, and we’ve been seeing the results of this labor in the form of new Insider Preview builds arriving on the Fast ring at a rate of around one a week now.

The updated OS will include new features, tweaks and general improvements and should, finally, introduce extension support to the Edge browser. It will also bring the different Windows 10 devices -- PC, Xbox, Mobile -- closer together.

Continue reading →

Computers and sports have historically been viewed as separate -- at least from a stereotypical point of view. It used to be perceived that there were jocks and nerds, and that computers were reserved for the latter. Over time, however, computers have gone so mainstream that they are ubiquitous in pretty much every sector. Hell, Microsoft's awesome Surface computers are seen on the sidelines of NFL games.

Today, Microsoft and the NCAA announce a partnership to further marry sports and computers with the Bing-powered March Madness basketball bracket experience. The NCAA is also releasing a new universal Windows 10 app! Sports fans -- and bracket gamblers -- should absolutely love the experiences created by this partnership.

Continue reading →

Microsoft's use of the Start menu to promote 'recommended apps' is nothing new, but recent builds of the operating system take things a step further. Install Windows 10 on a new computer, or create a new user account, and you'll find that a number of extra apps -- including Candy Crush Soda Saga, Flipboard, and Twitter -- appear in the Start menu.

Getting rid of these Start menu entries is simple enough, but the Microsoft Consumer Experience feature which is used to push the apps could be used to add links to more third party apps in future. Here's what you need to do to disable the Microsoft Consumer Experience and regain control of your computer.

Continue reading →

Most Americans, and many of the world’s iPhone users, are now aware that a court order was filed on February 16 to compel Apple to assist the FBI in retrieving information from an iPhone. This was the phone uncovered in the aftermath of the mass shooting in San Bernardino in December last year. Apple objected to the FBI’s demands and very public legal maneuvering ensued.

In this article I endeavor to explain some of the key issues that this situation raises, for both privacy and security, as they impact companies, consumers, and governments.

Continue reading →

One of the great things about travel is the food you get to try, authentic dishes that can sometimes only be found in certain locations. If you aren't picky about new things then you just may find something to satisfy your culinary dreams, perhaps a dish you've never heard of.

Google Maps has been guiding users to restaurants in both the US and UK for a while now, using a feature called "Explore Around You". Now the search giant is bringing this to more nations so both locals and travelers can find a location to satisfy their appetites.

Continue reading →

Freeware developer The SZ has shipped a new version of PortScan, its one-stop network toolkit for Windows XP and later. We last checked out the program way back in 2012, so the new release seems like a good time to look at it again.

The download is a compact 387KB, and there’s no installation required. Just unzip the single program executable.

Continue reading →

At Mobile World Congress (MWC) tides will start to turn. There won’t be an overnight revolution powered by shiny new gadgets, but technologies we’ve seen evolving over recent years will start to demonstrate their real potential.

We expect to see five major technology themes come to the fore in Barcelona this year:

Continue reading →

Many IT personnel don't follow the same security protocols they’re expected to enforce according to the results of a new survey of over 500 professionals working in IT security roles.

The study by Absolute Software Corporation shows that 45 percent of IT professionals admitted to knowingly circumventing their own organization's security policies. In addition 33 percent of respondents admitted to successfully hacking their own or another organization.

Continue reading →

We all know that hackers are looking to steal credentials and get their hands on sensitive data, but exactly how does this process work?

Researchers at data protection company Bitglass carried out its second 'Where’s Your Data' experiment, creating a digital identity for an employee of a fictitious retail bank, a functional web portal for the bank, and a Google Drive account, complete with real credit-card data.

Continue reading →

A new study by security firm Tripwire says IT security experts are very confident they can detect a breach, and that they can detect it quite fast. For automated tools, they do not share the same levels of confidence.

The survey questioned 763 IT professionals in various verticals, including retail, energy, financial services and public sector organizations in the US, about the seven key security controls that need to be in place in order to quickly spot an ongoing hack attack.

Continue reading →

When people are booking travel, companies like travel agencies, hotel chains and airlines have an opportunity to gain a loyal customer.

But a new survey of more than 500 travelers from data science specialist Boxever suggests that the window to turn searchers into bookers and beat the competition is a narrow one.

Continue reading →

A security specialist has discovered a flaw in Sparkle, a third-party framework that Mac apps use to receive updates, which makes a man in the middle attack possible when unencrypted HTTP connections are used.

If the attacker has the ability to intercept the unencrypted data stream for example on a public Wi-Fi hotspot they could possibly inject malicious code.

Continue reading →