Windows 10 version 1903 is now ready for broad deployment
Microsoft has announced that Windows 10 version 1903 (Windows 10 May 2019 Update) has been designated "ready for broad deployment". This means that all Windows 10 users can now download the update from Windows Update.
Despite the change in status, there are still a handful of issues with the release, some of which are still being investigated, and others which have only been mitigated against rather than fixed.
Game audio problems in Windows 10? Microsoft has a fix for that
There's no denying that recent updates for Windows 10 have caused more problems than usual. In the last few weeks, updates have led variously to issues with the Start menu, screenshots, high CPU usage and more.
Gamers found that the KB4515384 update for Windows 10 version 1903 was causing problems with in-game audio. The company was fairly swift to suggest some workarounds, but it is only now that a proper fix has been released to address the issue.
DoorDash hacked!
Food delivery services are all the rage these days. Apparently, people are so averse to leaving their home, that they are willing to pay a premium to get meals driven to them. But wait, is that really a new trend? Pizzerias, for instance, have been delivering pies for years. Yeah, but that was driven by an employee of the restaurant. These days, services like Grubhub and DoorDash allow pretty much anyone with a car to be the go-between -- there is no vetting by the restaurant. Do you really want your food in the hands of a stranger? Lord knows what he/she could do to it.
If you are a DoorDash user, the suitability of your delivery driver is not what you need to be worried about today. Actually, your concern should be focused on your privacy, as the delivery service has suffered a massive data breach. Yes, hackers have infiltrated DoorDash, and the number of impacted people is staggering -- nearly 5 million. That doesn't just include customers but DoorDash drivers and merchants too!
Microsoft turns to Google to help its struggling Xbox One
Long gone are the days where playing video games on a console was a simple affair. You used to just plug in a cartridge, turn the game system on, and begin playing. These days, consoles are constantly making you install both game and system updates, making the "pick up and play" concept a thing of the past. Not to mention, since they often double as media players, the interfaces are clunky and confusing. I really miss the 80's and 90's in this regard.
Thankfully, voice assistants are seemingly making the game console experience a little simpler. By allowing you to use your voice, you can potentially avoid the confusing interfaces. Today, Microsoft announces that Google Assistant support is now available for Xbox One -- in beta, at least. The search giant's offering joins both Microsoft's Cortana and Amazon's Alexa. It is doubtful that this move will help the Xbox One's struggles against the more popular PlayStation 4.
Poor incident response costs business time and money
Inefficient incident response to email attacks is costing businesses billions in losses every year. For many organizations, finding, identifying and removing email threats is a slow and manual process that takes too long and uses too many resources.
Research from Barracuda Networks finds that that, on average, a business takes three and a half hours to remediate an attack, and 11 percent of organizations spend more than six hours on investigation and remediation.
New tool gives businesses greater control and visibility of customer data
Consumers are becoming more aware of how valuable their personal data is to businesses, in return for this information they expect customized, relevant online experiences.
From the business side this means ensuring that data is held in line with the law, internal policies and customer preferences. Data infrastructure company Segment is launching a new tool to help businesses with this privacy management.
Modified PcShare backdoor replaces Windows Narrator to gain full control of systems
Security researchers have discovered a modified version of the open source backdoor PcShare which seems to originate from a Chinese advanced persistent threat (APT) group.
The malware has been used to target technology firms, and it is deployed via side-loading by a legitimate NVIDIA application. As part of the attack, a Trojanized version of Windows' Narrator screen reading tool is used to gain remote access to systems without the need for credentials.
Cybercriminals target Thomas Cook customers in the wake of the company's collapse
The collapse of travel firm Thomas Cook has caused chaos for hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers around the world. But if losing out on planned trips was not bad enough, cybercriminals are taking advantage of the confused situation to scam customers out of their money.
There have been numerous reports of fraudsters pretending to be representatives of either Thomas Cook or a bank, using the promise of a refund to get people to part with bank account details.
Two thirds of consumers don't think government encryption backdoors will protect them from terrorists
A new survey by machine identity protection company Venafi shows consumers don't trust major cyber security policies pushed by their governments.
Government officials in nearly every country believe the security risks inherent in government-mandated encryption backdoors are less important than giving law enforcement broad access to encrypted personal data. However, US and European consumers overwhelmingly disagree. When asked if laws allowing governments to access encrypted personal and private data would make them safer from terrorists 64 percent don’t agree.
Google Chrome update to blame for unbootable Macs
Earlier in the week, Variety reported about a mysterious problem with Macs in Hollywood. As the issues -- which prevented systems from rebooting -- affected television and film editors in LA, it was initially thought that the Avid Media Composer software was at fault.
But in fact, it was Google that was to blame. A buggy update for the company's Chrome browser caused issues for a number of Mac users whose systems met certain conditions. Google has published details of a workaround for those hit by the problem which saw the Chrome update damaging the macOS file system.
Amazon's new eero mesh Wi-Fi system collects your data and you shouldn't buy it
Earlier today, Amazon unveiled a bunch of new Echo devices. As a hardcore Alexa user, I am sort of excited about this new hardware, but at the same time, my house already has enough of them -- I am not at all in the market for more.
In addition to Alexa-focused hardware, Amazon today also launches a new eero mesh Wi-Fi system. In case you forgot, yes, Amazon owns eero now. While this new mesh Wi-Fi system looks fine enough for the average consumer, it is quite underwhelming. Its speeds are hardly top of the line, and there is no WiFi 6 (802.11ax) to be found. For the most part, these 802.11ac access points are fairly basic, but I do like that each has two gigabit Ethernet ports. The cute devices are powered by USB-C as well, which I also appreciate.
Amazon announces eight new Echo devices -- and lends Samuel L. Jackson's voice to Alexa
At a special hardware event held today, September 25, Amazon took the wraps off an all-new line up of Echo devices, as well as additional Alexa features, like celebrity voices (Samuel L. Jackson will be the first of these).
The new products include an improved Echo, with an updated fabric design (in Twilight Blue, Charcoal, Heather Grey, and Sandstone colors) and superior sound, but the same $99.99 price tag; and a new $59.99 Echo Dot with a built in clock that can show the outdoor temperature and alarms, as well as the time.
Apple shows off iPadOS 13.1 in new video
With iPadOS 13.1 available to iPad owners around the world, there's a lot to discover in the latest update.
To help tablet owners learn about the new features and options, Apple has shared a new video showcasing what's on offer. From swipe typing to full page screenshotting, Apple is continuing to push the iPad as a serious alternative to a laptop.
How the new sharing economy has changed consumer behavior
We currently live in a Digital Age, which, unlike a couple of decades ago, gives us the ability to leverage one another, like never before, as resources for support in just a few clicks or taps. Nowadays, we congregate online to do so many important things, none more important than sharing our precious resources. Whether we're setting up a ride on Lyft or booking a room on Airbnb, we, as consumers, are putting our trust in the fact that we will get great service and a fair deal, even when we are dealing with people we do not know. It's a fascinating time when what used to quaintly be called "stranger danger" has rapidly given way to consumers learning to trust complete strangers to provide everything from reliable transportation, to comfortable lodging, to transparency into how donations are being used.
The aforementioned companies are now, probably much to our parents’ disdain, household names. And with this kind of brand familiarity comes an implicit sense of trust. We know that if our Lyft driver fails to show, there is a company we can contact to complain about it. We also know that if our Airbnb host doesn’t provide clean accommodations upon arrival, we can go complain on Yelp. Every day, each of the crowdfunding, crowdsharing, and crowdsourcing companies that we're becoming increasingly reliant upon, in turn, relies on one important thing to make sure their business is running as well as it ought to be: consumer feedback.
BullGuard launches new internet security range
BullGuard is launching its range of 2020 security products which include a new Secure Browser and machine learning capabilities.
The 2020 product suite also now enables direct integration with BullGuard VPN to ensure users' privacy when connecting to public Wi-Fi.
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