Monday, April 30, 2018

God of War: Games no longer where actors careers 'go to die'

BBC News - Technology
God of War: Games no longer where actors careers 'go to die'
God of War: Games no longer where actors careers 'go to die'
Christopher Judge, who plays Kratos in the new God of War, talks about the jump from the silver screen to games.

Sunday, April 29, 2018

Fake five-star reviews being bought and sold online

BBC News - Technology
Fake five-star reviews being bought and sold online
Fake five-star reviews being bought and sold online
A trade in false online reviews relied upon by millions is identified in a BBC investigation.
Play as a refugee in Syrian war video game
Play as a refugee in Syrian war video game
The BAFTA nominated video game trying to teach people about what it's like for refugees fleeing Syria.
Gear Latest
Best Weekend Tech Deals: 200GB MicroSD, Ecovacs Deebot, Apple iPad
Best Weekend Tech Deals: 200GB MicroSD, Ecovacs Deebot, Apple iPad
Whether you're hunting for a 200GB MicroSD card or a new laptop, we've got a dozen tech deals to check out this weekend.
Apple’s Done Making Airport Routers, So Try These Instead
Apple’s Done Making Airport Routers, So Try These Instead
With the official end of the Airport era, it's time to let a new router into your life. Preferably mesh.

Saturday, April 28, 2018

Gadget Lab Podcast: Snap Spectacles and Our Faceputer Future

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Gadget Lab Podcast: Snap Spectacles and Our Faceputer Future
Gadget Lab Podcast: Snap Spectacles and Our Faceputer Future
This week on the Gadget Lab podcast, we hear about Lauren and Arielle's adventures with Snap's new Spectacles.
Why the New Snap Spectacles Matter
Why the New Snap Spectacles Matter
Want to see the future? Try squinting through Spectacles.
BBC News - Technology
Deadline to amend UK surveillance laws
Deadline to amend UK surveillance laws
A High Court judgement calling for changes came out of a legal challenge mounted by rights group Liberty.
Tech Tent: the technology of pleasure
Tech Tent: the technology of pleasure
Meet the British firm making its mark in the sex tech sector.
TechNewsWorld
Snap Doubles Down on Spectacles Wearable Cam
Snap, the company behind Snapchat, on Thursday released the second generation of its Spectacles, a wearable video camera that captures short clips that can be synced to a smartphone. The new version also takes still photos and is designed to be water-resistant. The new Spectacles sport the same basic Ray-Ban style design as the first iteration, but they have been slimmed down and are less bulky -- a good thing both for wearing the glasses and transporting them. In addition, users have more color options. They include the ever-fashionable onyx, as well as ruby and sapphire.

Friday, April 27, 2018

IS web media targeted in EU-led attack

BBC News - Technology
IS web media targeted in EU-led attack
IS web media targeted in EU-led attack
The EU police agency says it has "punched a big hole" in Islamic State propaganda.

Thursday, April 26, 2018

'Holy Grail' Exploit Puts Nintendo Switch Consoles at Risk

TechNewsWorld
'Holy Grail' Exploit Puts Nintendo Switch Consoles at Risk
Devices built on Nvidia's Tegra X-1 mobile processor are at risk of attack from a flaw security researchers have revealed. The exploit chain discovered by Katherine Temkin and others affects any device running the chip, including the Nintendo Switch gaming console and some Chromebooks. Called "Fusée Gelée," the vulnerability allows anyone to run code on the chip by overloading a critical buffer when a system boots. "Fusée Gelée isn't a perfect 'Holy Grail' exploit -- though in some cases it can be pretty damned close," Temkin wrote.
BBC News - Technology
Gun emoji disarmed as Microsoft follows Google toy switch
Gun emoji disarmed as Microsoft follows Google toy switch
Microsoft plans to replace its revolver emoji with a water pistol, following similar moves by others.

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

How to Clean Your Computer Inside and Out

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How to Clean Your Computer Inside and Out
How to Clean Your Computer Inside and Out
Scrub down those keys, wipe the fingerprints off your screen, and delete all the files that have been clogging your tubes.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Ransomware infects Ukraine energy ministry website

BBC News - Technology
Ransomware infects Ukraine energy ministry website
Ransomware infects Ukraine energy ministry website
Hackers have taken Ukraine's energy ministry website offline, demanding a Bitcoin ransom to release encrypted files.
TechNewsWorld
Fighting Fake News and Forging Real Diplomacy
What we do about fake news today could have a major impact on our future. Two new initiatives -- a concerted effort by Apple and a massive educational effort called the "Pro-Truth Pledge" -- could help eliminate much of the fake news BS that is really messing up the United States at the moment. On another front, President Donald Trump's plan to meet with Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader of North Korea, reminds me a bit too much of a pivotal meeting between Carly Fiorina, who was CEO of HP at the time, and Steve Jobs, who was then CEO of Apple.

Monday, April 23, 2018

South Korea turns off loudspeaker broadcasts into North

BBC News - Technology
South Korea turns off loudspeaker broadcasts into North
South Korea turns off loudspeaker broadcasts into North
South Korea says silencing the propaganda broadcasts will help set the mood for the inter-Korean summit.
Man fined for hate crime after filming pug's 'Nazi salutes'
Man fined for hate crime after filming pug's 'Nazi salutes'
Mark Meechan put footage on YouTube of the dog reacting to statements such as "Sieg Heil" by raising its paw.
'TSB gave me access to someone's £35,000'
'TSB gave me access to someone's £35,000'
Computer chaos for customers continues as one man gets access to someone else's accounts.

Sunday, April 22, 2018

Jeremy Hunt threatens social media with new child-protection laws

BBC News - Technology
Jeremy Hunt threatens social media with new child-protection laws
Jeremy Hunt threatens social media with new child-protection laws
The health secretary wants action from the sites on underage use, bullying, and screen-time limits.

Saturday, April 21, 2018

How to Build Custom Alexa Skills for the Amazon Echo

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How to Build Custom Alexa Skills for the Amazon Echo
How to Build Custom Alexa Skills for the Amazon Echo
The new Blueprints tool makes it easy for anyone to build custom skills for Alexa.
Gadget Lab Podcast: The Tech We Can't Live Without
Gadget Lab Podcast: The Tech We Can't Live Without
This week, we discuss our personal relationships with our most beloved gadgets.
TechNewsWorld
With Custom Skills, Alexa Inches Closer to Being One of the Family
Amazon has introduced Alexa Skill Blueprints, adding personalization capabilities to its smart speaker devices. The new tool provides pre-crafted templates for users to create customized experiences. Among the possibilities are answers to specific questions, or skills for particular users. With Alexa Skill Blueprints, users can build into their devices experiences that are personalized for themselves, their friends and their families. The experiences they create will appear only on the devices registered to their Amazon account.
BBC News - Technology
HQ Trivia: The free app giving away thousands of pounds
HQ Trivia: The free app giving away thousands of pounds
How does a free app with no adverts go about becoming a success with Hollywood actors whilst giving away thousands in cash?

Friday, April 20, 2018

Facebook removes 'gay sex for rent' posts

BBC News - Technology
Facebook removes 'gay sex for rent' posts
Facebook removes 'gay sex for rent' posts
An investigation found groups offering free accommodation for young men in exchange for sex.
TechNewsWorld
Facebook Rolls Out European-Style Privacy Protections
Facebook has unveiled a comprehensive series of privacy enhancements designed to extend protections required by Europe's GDPR to all of the social media company's users around the world. The updates, which include major changes to the company's terms and data policies, fulfill promises CEO Mark Zuckerberg made to House and Senate members in Washington D.C., Facebook officials said. The congressional grilling followed disclosures that Facebook had allowed political data firm Cambridge Analytica to gain unauthorized access to user data.
Gear Latest
Motorola Moto G6 and Moto E5: Price, Specs, Release Date
Motorola Moto G6 and Moto E5: Price, Specs, Release Date
With the Moto G6 and E5, the king of budget phones has no plans to abdicate its throne in 2018.

Thursday, April 19, 2018

How to Set Up and Use a YubiKey for Online Security

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How to Set Up and Use a YubiKey for Online Security
How to Set Up and Use a YubiKey for Online Security
These simple, battery-free devices provide an easy way to securely verify that it's really you who's trying to access your online accounts.
Tax Refund Tech Deals: Roomba, Essential Phone, Dell, Sony
Tax Refund Tech Deals: Roomba, Essential Phone, Dell, Sony
These are the best deals we found this week.
TechNewsWorld
Microsoft, Facebook, Oracle Among 34 Firms to Join Cybersecurity Tech Accord
Microsoft, Oracle and Facebook, along with 31 other companies, have signed the Cybersecurity Tech Accord, an agreement aimed at defending against cyberattacks, whether coming from rogue hackers or nation-states. The 34 tech firms committed to stronger defenses, no offensive attacks, capacity building and collective action. The accord is designed to protect the integrity of the 1 trillion connected devices that could be in use around the world within the next 20 years. Security remains a major issue in the tech world.
Bluestar Gives Arch Linux a Celestial Glow
Using most any Arch Linux distro usually involves balancing the desire for hands-on control of the operating system from scratch against the attraction of convenient installation and maintenance processes. Bluestar Linux is one of the few Arch distros that gets the balancing act right. Bluestar Linux is a GNU/Linux distribution that features up-to-date packages, an impressive range of desktop and multimedia software in the default installation, and a live desktop DVD. The live session capability is one of Bluestar's more enticing qualities.
BBC News - Technology
Ikea's TaskRabbit app back online after data breach
Ikea's TaskRabbit app back online after data breach
The odd jobs marketplace has been investigating a "cyber-security incident".

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Chef Erling Wu-Bower Pursues Wood-Fired Perfection, From Roast Fish to Pizza

Gear Latest
Chef Erling Wu-Bower Pursues Wood-Fired Perfection, From Roast Fish to Pizza
Chef Erling Wu-Bower Pursues Wood-Fired Perfection, From Roast Fish to Pizza
The young chef explains his wood-fire cooking technique ahead of the opening of his new Chicago restaurant, Pacific Standard Time.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

T-Mobile fined over false ringtones

BBC News - Technology
T-Mobile fined over false ringtones
T-Mobile fined over false ringtones
The firm paid $40m (£27m) over claims it employed false ringtones rather than fixing call problems.
Ikea app TaskRabbit reveals security breach
Ikea app TaskRabbit reveals security breach
TaskRabbit says it is working with law enforcement, and its website is offline.
TechNewsWorld
Facebook and Google Could Be Nationalized in 5-10 Years
After I considered Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's testimony before Senate and House committee hearings last week, it became very clear to me -- and I expect many in Congress -- that social media companies need to be regulated. However, I think this is only a step in the path that governments -- and I do mean more than the U.S. -- will take to ensure their effectiveness and protect their people. I'm not suggesting the U.S. Congress, whose members currently appear to be woefully out of step, could run these companies better.
Mozilla Trumpets Altered Reality Browser
The Mozilla Foundation has unveiled its plans for Firefox Reality, a browser designed specifically for mixed reality headsets. The browser combines the beneftis of Mozilla's existing Firefox browser with its experimental Web engine. Using Servo, Mozilla plans to experiment with entirely new designs and technologies for seeing and interacting with the immersive Web. "We believe that the future of the Web will be heavily intertwined with virtual and augmented reality, and that future will live through browsers," wrote Mozilla's Sean White.

Monday, April 16, 2018

Wetherspoon pub chain shuts its social media accounts

BBC News - Technology
Wetherspoon pub chain shuts its social media accounts
Wetherspoon pub chain shuts its social media accounts
Chairman Tim Martin condemns trolling and says limiting social media use would be better for society.
China's Sina Weibo backtracks from gay content ban after outrage
China's Sina Weibo backtracks from gay content ban after outrage
The Chinese social media giant reverses a ban on gay content after a wave of defiant protests.
Lockhart in Foster Twitter photo bullying complaint
Lockhart in Foster Twitter photo bullying complaint
Carla Lockhart received 'very personal' abuse after DUP leader Arlene Foster posted a picture of the pair.
Why I like my job-share with robots
Why I like my job-share with robots
A worker at an Alibaba warehouse in China explains why she is happy to have robot colleagues.
Gear Latest
Inside Nokia’s 3310 and 8110 Feature Phone Nostalgia Trip
Inside Nokia’s 3310 and 8110 Feature Phone Nostalgia Trip
With the Nokia 3310 and 8110, feature phones are back and better than ever.

Sunday, April 15, 2018

The design tricks that get you hooked on your phone

BBC News - Technology
The design tricks that get you hooked on your phone
The design tricks that get you hooked on your phone
Ever wondered why you are always checking your phone? The BBC's James Reevell explains.
Gear Latest
Best Weekend Tech Deals: LG OLED, Kindle, Alienware, Megaboom
Best Weekend Tech Deals: LG OLED, Kindle, Alienware, Megaboom
No matter if you're looking for a Kindle or an OLED TV, we've got what you're looking for this weekend.

Saturday, April 14, 2018

TED 2018: The smart home that spied on its owner

BBC News - Technology
TED 2018: The smart home that spied on its owner
TED 2018: The smart home that spied on its owner
Kashmir Hill filled her home with gadgets to see how much data they would slurp up.
Girl gamers told to 'get back in the kitchen'
Girl gamers told to 'get back in the kitchen'
Women at the London Games Festival talk about the abuse they've received from men.
Gear Latest
Smartphone Apps Know Too Much. We Need to Fix Permissions
Smartphone Apps Know Too Much. We Need to Fix Permissions
The recent Facebook drama has shown that people need more explicit information before they give access to apps.
Gadget Lab Podcast: How Facebook Will Change After This
Gadget Lab Podcast: How Facebook Will Change After This
On this episode, we discuss Facebook's future relationship with its users, and with the governments who seek to regulate it.
TechNewsWorld
Disney Debuts ESPN+ Streaming Sports Service
Disney has introduced EPSN+, an all-in-one, direct-to-consumer premium streaming service that offers thousands of live sporting events as well as original series and films. ESPN+ is the first such premium service from The Walt Disney Company's Direct-To-Consumer and International Group through a partnership with ESPN. The release of ESPN+ coincides with the release of the free ESPN App, which features five primary navigation menus. Viewers can catch live events; check scores; watch news and analysis; view video clips; or listen to ESPN Radio content.

Friday, April 13, 2018

Instant Pot Cookbook Review: America's Test Kitchen's Multicooker Perfection Is Sure to Be an Instant Hit

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Instant Pot Cookbook Review: America's Test Kitchen's Multicooker Perfection Is Sure to Be an Instant Hit
Instant Pot Cookbook Review: America's Test Kitchen's Multicooker Perfection Is Sure to Be an Instant Hit
America's Test Kitchen new cookbook for Instant Pots and other multicookers is a great way to navigate the pressure-cooker trend.
Best Amazon Device Deals: Huge Kindle, Fire Sale (April 2018)
Best Amazon Device Deals: Huge Kindle, Fire Sale (April 2018)
The 8-Inch Fire HD tablet, 4K Fire TV, and Kindle are now $50 (among others) in Amazon's biggest spring sale.
TechNewsWorld
What Should We Expect From AI?
Fear mongering about killer robots and the recent deaths connected with Uber and Tesla autonomous vehicles have rekindled concerns about AI. We are well beyond answering Alan Turing's question, "can machines think?" There is now good reason to ask how we should think of AI, and what we should expect from it. There have been phenomenal advances in just the past few years. They are due in part to advances in processor technology. We now can train artificial neural networks in the time it would take to make a cup of coffee.
The Power of Social Media and the Coming Repeal of the 2nd Amendment
One of the most powerful political organizations in the U.S. is the NRA. The president of the United States recently claimed he wasn't afraid of the NRA, only to have an NRA spokesperson -- not the president himself -- later announce that the president had changed his mind. It was painful to watch the most powerful man in the free world be treated like a small child. The cornerstone of the NRA's platform to sell more guns is the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Its original intent has been perverted over the years.
BBC News - Technology
Russia to block Telegram app over encryption
Russia to block Telegram app over encryption
A court approves the media regulator's request after the app refuses to hand over encryption keys.