Google launches more affordable new Nest Thermostat
Of all the smart home devices I have connected to my network, the Nest Thermostat is probably my favorite. I can easily adjust my central air conditioning without leaving my couch or bed. While I can control the unit directly, or with the smartphone app, I prefer using my voice. I can ask my Google Home "What is the inside temperature?" and then command it to raise or lower it by voice too. It feels like magic -- I will never return to a "dumb" thermostat again.
Of course, many people are still clinging to their old outdated thermostats because of two things -- fear of installation and cost. I am happy to say, installing a smart thermostat is very easy -- if you follow the instructions and go slowly. Even better? Google has a new such product that is incredibly affordable. The unimaginatively named "Nest Thermostat" is designed to replace the "Nest Thermostat E." This new model should fit into the budgets of many homeowners.
Only 13 percent of businesses use public cloud across the organization
Despite 77 percent of businesses using public cloud in some form, a new survey reveals that just 13 percent have a fully-fledged public cloud program across the entire business.
The study from transformation consultancy Contino finds 42 percent have multiple apps and projects deployed in the cloud, 24 percent are still working on initial proofs-of-concept and 18 percent are in the planning stage.
Microsoft releases KB4583263 update for Windows 10 to prevent swollen laptop batteries
Microsoft has teamed up with HP to work on a fix for a problem affecting various HP Business Notebooks. The flaw not only causes a reduction in performance and battery life, but can also lead to swollen batteries.
The problem lies with the HP Battery Health Manager, and the update from Microsoft and HP is rolling out to enable a new charging algorithm to help alleviate the issue.
Microsoft took its sweet time removing leaked Windows XP source code from its own website
It is only a matter of weeks since the source code for Windows XP and various other Microsoft products leaked online. While the best part of two decades old, many people were eager to take a look at the code for the operating system, including people looking for code reused in Windows 10 that could be exploited.
Microsoft jumped to action, started an investigation, and took steps to try to stem the spread of the source code. But the company was surprisingly slow at removing the code from its own site after someone uploaded it to GitHub.
Top 20 VPN providers for privacy
Should you sign up for a paid VPN service? Only you can make that decision, but I do recommend them highly. Not only can they hide your activity from your ISP, but they can make you safer when using non-secure public Wi-Fi. Of course, you should avoid such public Wi-Fi networks when you can, but if you need to utilize them, a VPN is a must.
With all of that said, all VPN providers are not created equally. Free ones should be avoided at all costs, as their business models cannot be trusted. In other words, privacy and free services generally don't mix. Sadly, picking a good VPN provider can be hard, as there are so many from which to choose these days. Thankfully, VPNRatings.com has done some research on the subject, and it has shared its list of the Top 20 VPNs. And yes, privacy and security were huge factors.
Microsoft releases PowerToys 0.23.2 with bug fixes, and reveals details of next major version
Progress with Microsoft's PowerToys for Windows 10 continues, with the company pushing out version 0.23.2 of the utilities.
While this is -- as we were already expecting -- a release that focuses on improving stability and fixing bugs, Microsoft has also shed some light on the next major versions of PowerToys. But first, there is some slightly bad news.
Microsoft pushes out Edge 86 with download improvements, PDF enhancements and more
Microsoft has released the latest version of its Chromium-based web browser. Edge 86 is packed full of not only the usual raft of bug fixes and performance improvements, but also a host of new features.
This version of the browser sees the arrival of Secure DNS (DNS-over-HTTPS) support, as well as numerous improvements to PDF handling. Support for tables of contents aids document navigation, while pen support for highlighting and enhanced scrolling will be welcomed by many. Other improvements and additions include site testing in Internet Explorer mode.
The impact and cost of ransomware in 2020
We reported earlier this week that ransomware attacks have increased dramatically in the last year and it's undoubtedly a growing problem.
In order to demonstrate just how big an issue it's become, Lumu, which helps businesses measure their compromise exposure, has produced an infographic detailing the cost and extent of ransomware.
Best Windows 10 apps this week
Four-hundred-and-seven in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Microsoft Store in the past seven days.
Windows 10 could make custom changes to the system after the out-of-box experience setup in the future based on a user's activity preferences. Microsoft added a new "customize your device" page to the OOBE that prompts users to pick activities, e.g. gaming, business, or family, that they plan to use the device for.
TCL TAB Android tablet for Verizon is a spiritual successor to the Google Nexus 7
Google's Nexus 7 was undoubtedly the greatest Android tablet of all time. Its small size (7-inch screen) and lightweight body made it perfect to hold in the hand, making it ideal for consuming media and surfing the web. Not to mention it was very affordable. Sadly, the search-giant stopped selling the Nexus 7, and then ultimately left the Android tablet market altogether.
While no company can ever fill the hole in our hearts left by the Nexus 7, the TCL TAB Android tablet might actually come quite close. This no-nonsense device from TCL is exclusive to Verizon, meaning it does have 4G LTE connectivity -- very nice. It does not have 5G, however. It does have modern niceties such as USB-C charging, reverse charging, and a fingerprint reader. Its overall look is very reminiscent of the Nexus 7, and despite it having an 8-inch display, its dimensions are very similar too.
Western Digital unveils a trio of new WD_BLACK NVMe SSD gaming products
Western Digital makes damn good storage products, and its WD_BLACK line is probably its most intriguing. While primarily designed for gamers, WD_BLACK is also a great choice for enthusiasts that crave high performance and elegant designs.
Today, Western Digital unveils a trio of new WD_BLACK gaming NVMe SSD products, and all three look incredible. There is the SN850 which is a PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD, the AN1500 PCIe Gen 3 NVMe SSD Add-in card, and the drop-dead gorgeous D50 Game Dock NVMe SSD -- a Thunderbolt 3 docking station with integrated NVMe SSD.
AMD spanks Intel's butt once again with 'ZEN 3' Ryzen 5000 processors
The year 2020 has been pretty much bad across the board -- unless you are AMD, that is. That company has been wildly successfully this year, pretty much besting Intel in all ways. Not only are AMD Ryzen processors being embraced by enthusiasts on the desktop, but on mobile too. Intel simply can't compete.
While I am sure Intel's latest 11th gen Core processors will be fine, they are already old hat. Why? Because today, AMD officially unveils its latest "ZEN 3" Ryzen 5000 processors. Not only are these 7nm multi-core chips extremely powerful, but they are quite aggressively priced too. You can expect to see many new PC builds using these processors from both gamers and enthusiasts.
UK online retailers not ready for Christmas surge
Online shopping has been enjoying something of a boom thanks to the pandemic, but a new report indicates that not all retailer sites are as good as they could be.
In a test of the websites of over 250 UK online retailers, Edge Testing Solutions looked at factors including, load time, navigation tools, image quality and broken links.
Evernote 10 unveils a major redesign with improvements to note creation, formatting, and search
The Evernote Corporation has unveiled Evernote 10.0, a landmark new release of its cross-platform note-creation and organization tool. The free and paid-for service allows users to create, organize, share, and view notes across all major platforms, including the web, Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.
Version 10 sees the app completely rebuilt on a new codebase, with the promise of better stability and reliability. It also promises a cleaner UI that’s consistent across all platforms, coupled with additional formatting tools to provide more control over how notes look, plus an improved -- and faster -- search tool.
Security breaches at a standstill but COVID-related attacks increase
The latest annual Cybersecurity Report Card from threat intelligence specialist DomainTools shows security breaches among those surveyed have remained essentially unchanged from last year's report at 16 percent.
Yet almost 60 percent of organizations detected a moderate to a dramatic increase in cyber attacks during and following the pandemic, which points to a rise in the overall breach prevention success rate.
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