Intel firmware contains serious Management Engine vulnerabilities, affecting millions of systems
Security researchers have discovered critical issues with the hidden firmware used in some Intel chips. Security firm Positive Technologies discovered a series of serious vulnerabilities in Intel's Management Engine (ME), Server Platform Services (SPS) and Trusted Execution Engine (TXE).
The security flaw could allow an attacker to run code that would be invisible to the operating system, opening up the possibility of invisible rootkit or malware infections, as well as the risk of exposing valuable data. The problem is believed to affect millions of computers and servers.
diskAshur DT2: A super-secure PIN-protected desktop drive [Review]
There are many ways to secure your personal data, but if you have a lot of files and folders you want to keep completely private, then you really need to be looking at a hardware solution.
iStorage sells a range of external OS and platform independent USB drives that use hardware-level, real-time military grade AES-XTS 256-bit encryption to secure your content, with access via a built-in PIN pad.
Oracle plans massive job cuts in Europe
Oracle is reportedly planning major job cuts across Europe as it readies for a company-wide reorganization.
According to The Register, Oracle is looking to shift its hardware support division into Romania. Confirmed by 'multiple insiders' the report states the process has already begun, although the deadline for migration differs from country to country.
HP blocks third-party ink with printer firmware update... again
HP is pushing out a firmware update to its range of Officejet printers that blocks the use of the third-party ink cartridges. This is not the first time the company has issued such an update as it tries to force printer owners to buy its own, more expensive cartridges.
A year ago, HP faced strong criticism from the Electronic Frontier Foundation for implementing DRM that forced users to buy official ink. At the time HP saw the error of its ways and backtracked on the third-party ink ban, but now the company is having another crack of the whip. HP's "Dynamic Security Feature" is back to block your cheap ink, but there's a way around it.
Logitech Craft keyboard borrows heavily from Microsoft's Surface Dial
The latest device to be announced by Logitech is the Logitech Craft keyboard -- a wireless keyboard with a dial that's remarkably similar to the Surface Dial. It's so similar, in fact, that it's hard to imagine that Microsoft's lawyers aren't stroking their chins and wondering what to do.
Logitech refers to the new hardware as an "advanced keyboard with creative input dial," and the main target audience is people working with Photoshop or other design ventures. Of course, the company wants to appeal to as many people as possible, and points out that the dial -- known as the Crown -- is also useful in the likes of Word and Excel.
Poor reliability means Consumer Reports no longer recommends Microsoft Surface -- or any other Microsoft laptop or tablet
Influential reviewer Consumer Reports says that it no longer recommends Microsoft Surface tablets and laptops. The consumer group says that poor predicted reliability for the Surface range means that it is pulling its "recommended" tag.
More than this, Consumer Reports goes on to say that it "cannot recommend any other Microsoft laptops or tablets." Recent studies suggest that a quarter of laptops and tablets from Microsoft will present problems for users within two years of ownership.
AUKEY EP-B40 Latitude Wireless Earbuds: earphones for people who hate earphones [Review]
Let's get one thing out of the way: I hate earphones. I always have. This is not an irrational hatred, I've always liked the idea of in-ear buds -- I've just never been able to use them. The problem, it seems, lies with my right ear. To my knowledge it is a perfectly normally-formed ear, but it is singularly incompatible with earphones -- while the left will grip the bud nicely, the right vomits it out in next to no time.
So, I have long shied away from earphones, opting instead for either fully enclosed headphones, or the clip-on variety. At least that was the case until I tried the AUKEY EP-B40 Latitude Wireless Earbuds. While certainly not from a big name in the world of audio technology, they get off to a great start by featuring ear hooks that succeed in keeping the damned things in my ears -- win!
iStorage diskAshur2 1TB PIN-protected encrypted external hard drive [Review]
It's hard -- for me at least -- to get too excited about hard drives. They get bigger, they get faster, and that's about it. But the iStorage diskAshur2 is a little different. This is a 1TB USB 3.1 external hard drive with a twist.
It offers hardware-level AES-XTS 256-bit encryption -- so no software is needed -- secured with PIN authentication. As you can see from the photo, there's a PIN pad built into the drive for easy locking and unlocking, and it's compatible with Windows, macOS and Linux ("it will work on any device with a USB port!"). We've already look at the diskAshur Pro 2, but this diskAshur2 drive is nearly 20 percent cheaper.
Samsung Electronics to invest $26 billion in its South Korean memory chip manufacturing business
Samsung is to invest more than KRW 37 trillion ($32 billion) in its global production facilities. Of this, KRW 30 trillion ($26 billion) will be pumped into its latest semiconductor factory in Pyeongtaek to further expand its production capacity.
The South Korean company says that the new facility has started to produce its 64-layer, fourth-generation V-NAND chips, and it wants to push more off the production line.
Logitech's POWERPLAY mousemat lets you wirelessly charge your mouse as you use it
You might have thought that mousemats had been consigned to the history books, but Logitech has other ideas. Designed with the needs of gamers high on the list of priorities, Logitech's new POWERPLAY mousemat not only ensures great control, it also wirelessly charges mice to avoid the problem of running out of juice at an inopportune moment.
Of course, you need a POWERPLAY-compatible mouse in order to take advantage of this feature, and Logitech has also launched two new mice. The G903 and G703 are the latest addition to the company's high-end wireless gaming mouse range, and they work with the charging pad.
Intel announces Core X processor lineup
The battle for the title of the most powerful PC processor in the world has just become even bloodier.
Intel has announced its first 18-core processor at Computex in Taipei, officially named i9-7980XE
Logitech launches MX Master 2S and MX Anywhere 2S, plus multi-computer mousing with Logitech FLOW
Logitech today announces the latest additions to its MX range of mice -- the MX Master 2S and MX Anywhere 2S. We'll come back to the mice in a moment, though. There's more exciting news with the launch of Logitech FLOW.
This is Logitech's new software which makes it possible to use the same mouse to control up to three computers. Perfect for anyone who has two or three computers on their desk, Logitech FLOW not only makes it possible to use a single mouse and keyboard to control all of the devices, but also features between-devices copying and pasting.
Western Digital now shipping the 12TB HGST Ultrastar He12 Helium 7200 RPM Enterprise HDD
Thanks to media streaming and cloud storage, many home consumers no longer need massive hard disk drives. Instead, a fast SSD with a lesser capacity can often meet needs. Of course that isn't a fact for everyone -- some folks still prefer local storage, and mechanical HDDs are ideal from a cost perspective.
Home users aside, businesses still largely have a need for hard drives with large capacities. Trade secrets and customer information can't always be stored in the cloud. While some data centers are embracing solid state drives for better performance, that is not really cost effective at this time. Today, Western Digital begins shipping the 12TB HGST Ultrastar He12 Helium 7200 RPM hard disk drive. This is a HDD with monstrous capacity that is designed for the enterprise.
System76 wants to build its own hardware for its Linux-based computers
System76 is building up quite a name for itself, being one of a very limited number of companies selling only computers running Linux-based operating systems. Now the aim is to branch out; System76 wants to design and build its own hardware, while representing the open source community as it does so.
At the moment, the hardware used in System76 systems is outsourced, but in the future this will change. The company says that it is moving into phase three of its development cycle, and this "moves product design and manufacturing in house." And you should set your expectations high: "We're about to build the Model S of computers. Something so brilliant and beautiful that reviewers will have to add an 11 to their scores."
Dell flips its lid to create the XPS 13 2-in-1 [Review]
News of Dell's upcoming convertible version of the XPS 13 leaked back in January, now it's here and we’ve got our hands on one.
Dell has essentially taken its XPS 13 laptop and turned it into a convertible whilst maintaining most of the conventional system's features. First impressions are that it feels solidly made with a machined aluminum chassis, carbon fiber composite palm rest and a gorilla glass screen. It has a smart silver/gray finish but what strikes you most on first acquaintance is the compact size.
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