Latest Technology News

Microsoft Launcher, formerly known as Arrow Launcher, is a popular Android application by Microsoft that Android users may install on their devices to replace the default system launcher. It is quite popular with Android users and updated regularly.

To test upcoming features, Microsoft has just released Microsoft Launcher Preview in early access. It is a development version that users may install to try out new functionality. Microsoft gets feedback and some data in return which helps development.

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The US National Security Agency (NSA) has discovered a major flaw in Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 that could potentially expose users to "significant breaches or surveillance", according to the Washington Post.

In the past, the NSA might have simply weaponized the vulnerability, as it did by creating hacking tool EternalBlue, but this time around the organization instead chose to report the flaw to Microsoft, and a fix is expected to be issued as part of today’s Patch Tuesday updates.

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Visions of the future have long featured robots and cyborgs. We've seen robots, and even rudimentary human augmentation already, but now scientists have created the world's first living robots.

American researchers used cells from African clawed frogs to build biological machines from the ground up. Built from different biological tissues, scientists have brought into being "living, programmable organisms" and potentially opened up an ethical can of worms.

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Companies are increasingly leveraging digital solutions to their advantage. 44 percent of businesses have already adopted a digital-first strategy in their operations. As part of this widespread digital transformation, organizations have to reskill and upskill their employees and ensure that their staff are capable of maximizing their technology investments.

Companies are already spending significant sums on the necessary employee training. In 2018, large enterprises spent an average of $19.7 million for learning and development which included instructor-led classroom training, online training, and training-outsourcing.

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One of the most notable trends of the 2010s was an increase in data breaches. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse maintains a chronological database of data breaches that stretches back to 2005. Hacks and cybersecurity threats were an issue for companies and organizations even in the 1980s and the 1990s, but a simple scroll through that database will show how much more frequent data breaches have become within the past ten years. Since 2009 or 2010, notable data breaches have occurred virtually every day.

Why are these threats on the rise? One factor is that people are living more of their lives online. Between social media, online shopping, and the growing segment of the workforce that conducts most or all of its business on the internet, there are more targets for hackers and cybercriminals than ever before. This infographic shows how dramatically the production of global data has grown even in the past five years. With so much data out there, it stands to reason that cybercrime is becoming a more significant enterprise. It’s easy to imagine the culprits behind data breaches as keyboard warriors sitting alone in dark rooms, wreaking havoc from afar. What many people don’t recognize: the threat could be coming from the cubicle next door.

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Back in the day, there were two types of people -- mouse users and trackball users. There were obviously far more of the former, but the latter were very passionate about trackballs. In fact, there are some consumers that buy and hoard them out of fear that their favorite model will one day be unobtainable.

If you aren't familiar, a trackball is a productivity-focused pointing device that allows the user to move the on-screen cursor by manipulating a ball with their thumb. This type of device can be a godsend for those with wrist issues, as you don't need to move your arm like with a mouse. It is definitely not a good choice for gamers, however.

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US officials have warned British ministers that using Huawei technology in the UK's 5G network would be "nothing short of madness".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson reacted to the warning saying that he had no intention of putting the UK infrastructure or national security at risk. He also called on critics of Huawei to suggest alternatives.

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Apple has launched a new replacement program to help out people who have problematic Smart Battery Cases.

The company -- and users -- found that a number of Smart Battery Cases for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR suffered from intermittent charging issues. The company says that affected units were produced between January 2019 and October 2019 and is offering free replacements to owners.

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Visa has announced that it has agreed to purchase Plaid as part of a deal worth $5.3 billion. The acquisition values the fintech company at around double its valuation following a 2018 Series C funding round.

Plaid is behind financial services APIs used by the likes of Coinbase, Gemini, Venmo and Transferwise. Its software allows for easier sharing of financial details, making it simpler to connect services to bank accounts. Plaid says the acquisition will help it continue to "accelerate the success of the fintech ecosystem".

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After a decade of service, Windows 7 is, effectively no more. Microsoft no longer supports the operating system for those unwilling to pay for extended service leaving millions of machines vulnerable. Now that Windows 7 is dead, Microsoft may prefer you to invest in a new Surface, but it is cheaper -- much cheaper -- to upgrade to Windows 10.

Microsoft initially made quite a fuss about that fact that while it was possible to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, it was a time-limited offer. Many people rushed to upgrade because they felt the deadline was hanging over them like the sword of Damocles… but it seems that the deadline was not as pressing as Microsoft made out. You might be surprised to learn that more than five years after the launch of Windows 10, it is still possible to upgrade for free. Here's what you need to know.

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It may feel as though this date has been a very long time coming, but Windows 7 end of life is finally here. Unless you're a business or enterprise customer willing to pay, there will be no more updates and no more support.

Enterprise content delivery network firm Kollective held a funeral for the elderly operating system. Its research shows that in the US 40 percent of business are still using Windows 7, while in the UK the figure stands at 66 percent. Kollective warns that sticking with Windows 7 is dangerous, and outlines what the hold-outs need to consider.

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The Surface Go may not be the most powerful computer Microsoft makes, but it is definitely the least expensive. Despite its meager specifications, it can absolutely serve as a great tablet/laptop for home use, education, and business -- depending on needs, of course.

But can the Surface Go also be a desktop? Thanks to Kensington's all-new SD6000 Docking Station, the answer is an astounding yes! You see, not only is it a proper docking station, but it also props the computer up like a monitor. You can then connect up to two monitors, a mouse, a keyboard, external storage, hardwired internet, and more! In other words, the Surface Go really can be a proper desktop. In addition, Kensington is releasing new locks for Surface Go and Surface Pro that will keep it safe from thieves. They are quite cool, as they securely grip the Surface kickstand.

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Solid state drives are extremely popular with consumers these days, and it isn't hard to see why. Not only are they much faster than traditional mechanical hard disk drives, but they have dropped in price dramatically over the last several years.

Consumers aren't the only ones loving solid state drives nowadays. Even the enterprise is getting aboard the SSD train. After all, data centers can benefit greatly from the faster performance provided by an SSD. The major downside to a solid state drive, however, is capacity -- they typically hold much less data than hard disk drives. Today, Kingston unveils a new M.2 NVMe PCIe 2280 SSD that is primarily designed to be a boot drive for servers. Called "DC1000B," it can be used in conjunction with larger capacity storage drives.

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Which computer is right for you? How much RAM is enough? What ports do you need? Buying a new laptop or desktop can be a hellish series of self-questioning, dilemmas, doubt and confusion. But now Microsoft has a new tool that will help you to home in on the perfect computer.

With the new online tool, Microsoft promises to "help you find a computer that meets your needs". All you need to do is answer a number of questions describing your requirements and intended usage, and you'll be provided with a series of suggestions.

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Windows 10 is a very good operating system, but despite Microsoft initially offering it as a free upgrade, many users were reluctant to switch from Windows 7, and it’s easy to understand why. A lot of Windows 10’s big changes -- the Microsoft Store, bundled third-party apps, live tiles in the Start menu, Cortana, Bing integration, and so on -- simply weren't that appealing to users of previous versions of Windows.

Windows 7 still offers everything that most people would want from an OS, but over a decade on from its debut it now looks and feels quite dated compared to its successor, and of course tomorrow it reaches its end of life as well, leaving people little option but to switch. However, if the aging OS had a modern makeover, could it win back many of those people who have moved on to Windows 10 or a Linux alternative? I suspect so. Take a look at this superb modern re-imagining of Windows 7 and make up your own mind.

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