Samsung's Galaxy Fold is surprisingly still coming to market -- after some fixes
Folding smartphones are probably still the future, despite Samsung's epic fail with the Galaxy Fold. It's hard to fault the company for being overly ambitious -- we need the envelope to be pushed for true innovation to come to market -- but clearly, it was not ready for prime time. As reviewers who got an early look quickly found out, Galaxy Fold was ridiculously fragile, and what looked like a screen protector actually wasn't -- peeling it off destroyed the damn thing.
After all the bad press, I actually assumed the Galaxy Fold would be canceled entirely. It would make sense to simply try a folding phone again in the future with a new name. Well, surprisingly, Samsung has decided to stay the course and release the Galaxy Fold this September -- after some revisions, of course.
IT professionals under pressure from email attacks
Email attacks are causing major problems for IT professionals, with over a third (38 percent) blaming them for increased stress at work.
A survey of 660 IT professionals by Barracuda Networks reveals that 38 percent also admit to worrying about email attacks outside of work hours and 16 percent have canceled personal plans due to email attacks.
Alleged critical VLC flaw is nothing to worry about -- and is nothing to do with VLC
There has been a degree of confusion over the last few days after news spread of a supposed vulnerability in the media player VLC. Despite being labelled by security experts as "critical", VLC's developers, VideoLAN, denied there was a problem at all.
And they were right. While there is a vulnerability, it was in a third-party library, not VLC itself. On top of this, it is nowhere near as severe as first suggested. Oh -- and it was fixed over a year ago. An older version of Ubuntu Linux was to blame for the confusion.
Microsoft reveals what you need to do if you have rogue Windows 10 Build 18947
Yesterday, Microsoft accidentally released Build 18947 to all Windows Insiders. The build wasn’t intended for a wide release, and today the software giant reveals how it came to be released, and more importantly, what you need to do to avoid installing it.
If you have already installed the build, with its new ugly Start menu, you can easily remove it.
Awair Glow C smart indoor air-quality monitor is here
Many smart home products just make your life easier -- they don't really add anything new. For instance, in my house, I have a smart thermostat and smart lamps. Using my phone or voice, I can adjust the temperature in my home or turn the lights on. Cool? Yes, but I could always do that -- I just walked to the lamp or thermostat and did it by hand.
With that said, there is a smart home product I began testing lately that actually adds to my life. Called Awair, it is a little wooden box that monitors air quality in my house. If things like humidity, dust or chemicals become too high, Awair lets me know. It even gives me a score to show how healthy my air is overall. I can then make changes, such as opening a window, to improve the air. It is truly a product I love, and I can't recommend it enough.
Microsoft accidentally releases internal Windows 10 preview build with new Start menu and no Live Tiles
Microsoft has unintentionally released Windows 10 Build 18947 to all Insiders, including those on the Slow and Release Preview rings. It was originally believed it was only rolling out to 32-bit devices, but that appears not to be the case. This build hasn’t undergone proper testing, so could cause problems if installed.
Microsoft says it is "looking into" the leak, but in the meantime, if you’re an Insider and you don’t want this build, be sure to reject it when it turns up. However, the new build, which was apparently meant for internal Xbox development, does have an interesting new feature that could tempt you into installing it -- a Start menu without Live Tiles.
Personal data encryption: The ultimate trolley problem
There’s a bomb hidden somewhere in a city. Law enforcement is in possession of a suspect’s mobile phone but can’t gain access because the device is encrypted, and the suspect is deceased. The authorities then demand that the device manufacturer create a backdoor so that they can bypass the encryption and learn how to stop the bomb. The clock is ticking. Literally thousands of lives are at stake. If the company complies, they will be exposing many times more users to potential security breaches in the future once the backdoor they provide is inevitably leaked to the world. If they don’t, a lot of people may die that needn’t if the company had simply given in.
Save lives now? Or keep the world safe from future tyranny? That’s how I look at the ultimate trolley problem. On the one hand, I hate the idea that -- through some inaction on my part -- I might be complicit to an event that causes mass casualties. On the other hand, I’d also hate to be the person who, by giving in this one time, leaves some poor slob to be persecuted by a state actor who gained access to his or her private communications and deemed them to be "criminal."
X-Doria launches premium vertical Qi charger and hardcore AirPods case
X-Doria is most well known for its excellent phone cases, but in recent years, it has also been cranking out some premium mobile accessories too. For instance, late last year, the company released a really cool Qi phone charging mount for the car.
Today, the company launches two new mobile accessories -- the Defense Vertical Charger and the Defense Trek. The former is a premium USB-C Qi fast charger for iPhone and Android that props up your phone, while the latter is a durable case for your AirPods that comes with a handy carabiner (clip).
Department of Justice's Antitrust Division launches big tech investigation
Without naming any names, the Department of Justice has announced today that its Antitrust Division is to launch an investigation into the practices of "market-leading online platforms".
The probe comes amid concerns that the big names in technology are "engaging in practices that have reduced competition, stifled innovation, or otherwise harmed consumers". While the DoJ has not officially named any of the companies it is planning to look into as part of its investigation, the likes of Facebook, Google (or Alphabet) and Amazon are likely to feature prominently.
'Critical' vulnerability discovered in VLC on Linux and Windows -- but VideoLAN says it is not reproducible
Reports have emerged of a security bug in the Windows and Linux versions of VLC, making it vulnerable to remote-code execution via malicious videos. But although German and American security experts have branded the flaw as "critical", VLC-maker VideoLAN is downplaying things.
In fact, more than downplaying the vulnerability, VideoLAN is flat-out denying that it exists, with the software developer dismissing it as "fake news". [UPDATE: the vulnerability has now been pretty much debunked]
22 percent of businesses hit by phishing attacks in the last quarter
In the past three months 22 percent of businesses have suffered a data breach as a result of an email attack according to a new report.
The study released by email security platform GreatHorn spoke to more than 1,000 professionals to get a better understanding of the current state of enterprise email security.
Password stealing malware on the rise as 60 percent more users are targeted
Password stealing malware is a key weapon in the cybercriminals' armoury, seeking to grab data directly from users' web browsers using a range of methods.
According to new data from Kaspersky, the number of users, targeted by password stealers, has peaked from less than 600,000 in the first half of 2018 to over 940,000 during the same period in 2019.
New developer program helps strengthen IoT security
Securing Internet of Things devices is an ongoing problem for businesses, developers often have to sift through a raft of unorganized and disparate information to find the IoT security solution that works best for them.
Identity and security specialist GlobalSign is launching an IoT developer program designed specifically to assist developers with device identity integrations that strengthen security operations for IoT and industrial IoT (IIoT) ecosystems.
AVerMedia launches Live Streamer CAM 313 1080p webcam
You know what perplexes me? That in 2019, laptop-makers are still putting low-quality webcams in their computers. Sure, even a poor webcam is passable for a quick chat, but consumers should demand more. For business professionals and content creators, a high-quality cam is a must. Thankfully, a USB webcam can be had for a superior experience.
Today, AVerMedia launches a new webcam for laptops and desktops. The "Live Streamer CAM 313," as it is called, features a beautiful cylindrical design, 1080p video, dual microphones, and my favorite feature -- a physical privacy cover. Yes, if you want to make sure you aren't being spied on via the camera lens, and you don't want to continually unplug the camera from your computer, you can simply slide the cover over -- how cool is that? The base also has tripod threading, so it can be mounted on that rather than on top of a display.
Enterprises lagging behind on Windows 10 migration
Windows 7 support comes to an end six months from now, although businesses will be able to pay for Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU) for a further three years -- at a ratcheted cost. Windows Enterprise customers can expect to pay $25 per device for the updates, rising to $100 in the third year. For Windows 7 Professional, the starting figure is $50 per device, rising to $200.
Aware that time is running out, many enterprises have already moved to Windows 10, but a large number remain significantly behind in completing the migration process, according to new findings from endpoint management and security company 1E.
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