Dixons Carphone says data breach affected 10 million

BBC News - Technology

Dixons Carphone says data breach affected 10 million

The Carphone Warehouse and Currys PC World owner says details of 10 million customers have been affected.

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Uber halts development of self-driving trucks

The ride-hailing firm says it will now focus solely on the development of self-driving cars.

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TechNewsWorld

AI and the Future of Your Job

I just finished The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity, and it was one hell of a read. A lot of us are concerned about the coming of robots that arguably will be more capable than we are. This book likely will make some feel a tad more comfortable about the future, because it points out in some detail that a lot of the blue-collar jobs that supposedly would be going to these metallic false humans won't be. On the other hand, a lot of white color jobs probably won't be around for long.

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Gear Latest

Blueair Sense+ Review: Breathe Easy With This Wi-Fi-Enabled Air Purifier

Check on indoor air pollutants and bid them begone with Blueair's smart air purifier.

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Argos catalogue reveals unannounced DJI Mavic drone

BBC News - Technology

Argos catalogue reveals unannounced DJI Mavic drone

The store's literature has photos and technical details of the as yet unannounced Mavic 2 Pro drone.

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BT loses TV rights for 'ultimate fighting' and NBA basketball

The firm is understood to have lost the rights to broadcast NBA basketball and UFC ultimate fighting.

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How to Pick the Perfect Phone Case

Protect your phone—and your sanity—with this helpful expert guidance.

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Fake news 'crowding out' real news, MPs say

BBC News - Technology

Fake news 'crowding out' real news, MPs say

New laws must be introduced to clamp down on the "wild west" social media world, MPs say.

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TechNewsWorld

The Transportation Revolution: Much More Than Self-Driving Cars

The autonomous car has thrown the automotive industry -- an industry that is notoriously slow to change -- into the forefront of technology. The autonomous car has become a technology catalyst because it requires innovation in many areas, ranging from processor and sensor technology to AI. As with all new technologies, the industry rushes to focus on consumers because they represent the billion-dollar pot of gold, but as with many other new technologies, it is the industrial applications that are likely to take hold first.

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Gear Latest

When in Nature, Google Lens Does What the Human Brain Can’t

The visual search tool can identify a California poppy or Pacific poison oak with a single photo, bringing you deeper into the nature around you.

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Weekend Tech Deals: Google Pixelbook, Vizio, Apple Watch

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Weekend Tech Deals: Google Pixelbook, Vizio, Apple Watch

Whether you're looking for a discounted 4K TV or an affordable Apple Watch, we have deals for you.

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TechNewsWorld

Lenovo Smart Display Shows Loads of Potential

Lenovo's Smart Display with Google Assistant has hit the market. There are two versions of the device, one with an 8-inch full HD screen and the other with a 10-inch full HD screen, priced at $200 and $250 respectively. "The cost is significantly below an iPad mini and it offers far more functionality than just a digital picture frame or a Bluetooth speaker," said Alan Lepofsky, principal analyst at Constellation Research. Buyers will get three months' free access to YouTube Premium. The Lenovo Smart Display runs on Google's Android Things OS.

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BBC News - Technology

Fake news a democratic crisis for UK, MPs warn

Social media sites should face regulation, the committee investigating fake news proposes.

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Facebook stops InfoWars host posting for 30 days

BBC News - Technology

Facebook stops InfoWars host posting for 30 days

The suspension comes after videos posted by the channel were found to break Facebook's policies.

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TechNewsWorld

Earrings With Earphones and a Smartphone Bonanza

Swings Bluetooth Earrings with built-in earphones showcase a practical, clever idea for people with pierced ears. Swings certainly could fix the problem of losing Apple's expensive AirPods to the ether or having to root around in one's pockets or purse to find one's tangled-up headset. The earphones are in the lower part of what look like beaded earrings, and the motion accelerators determine when you have swiveled them to nestle inside your auricle. You can expect five hours of listening time out of the Swings on a single charge.

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Gear Latest

Presto Nomad Review: A Portable Slow-Cooker With Serious Smarts

Presto rethinks the staid slow-cooker with a fun and portable design.

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Russian Hackers Have Invaded Hundreds of US Utilities: Report

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Russian Hackers Have Invaded Hundreds of US Utilities: Report

Hundreds of U.S. utilities were penetrated by Russian hackers who could have disrupted the nation's power grid. The attacks were launched last year by threat actors belonging to a group known as "Dragonfly" or "Energetic Bear," which is sponsored by the Russian government, according to a report. The hackers used Black Hat tools such as phishing and waterhole traps to obtain credentials from legitimate users and leverage them to gain access to the utilities. It's unusual for the DHS to call out a nation-state attacker by name.

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Gear Latest

Microsoft's Xbox Adaptive Controller Gets an Accessible Box Design

Microsoft prioritizes accessibility with an innovative package design for its new Xbox controller for disabled gamers.

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Sony's 48MP Sensor Delivers Greater Detail Despite Shrunken Pixels

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Sony's 48MP Sensor Delivers Greater Detail Despite Shrunken Pixels

Mobile phone cameras are about to get a significant performance boost. Sony on Monday introduced a 48-megapixel sensor for cellphone cameras that measures less than one-third of an inch diagonally. The sensor is slated for release in September. To pack that many pixels into such tight quarters, Sony had to shrink their size to 8 microns. Shrinking pixel sizes usually results in performance degradation, not improvement. It usually results in poor light collection and a drop in saturation sensitivity and volume.

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Next Up, Game Consoles: Is There Anything Google Can't Do Badly?

It's interesting to compare Google and Amazon -- two of the most incredibly powerful companies in the world. Amazon brings out product after product, with more successes than failures. Google largely buys companies and then loses interest in what they do. Amazon is a retailer, and profit is built into its efforts, while Google largely lives off selling users' information and providing access to content that doesn't belong to it -- kind of like living off an allowance from parents who don't really want to give it but don't see an alternative.

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BBC News - Technology

Using a paper clip to clean headphone sockets

BBC Click's Kate Russell with a tip on how to get the best sound from a smartphone.

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NHS: New health secretary Matt Hancock says use more apps

Matt Hancock, who replaced Jeremy Hunt as health secretary, tells Newsbeat there is "loads to do" with apps in the NHS.

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Gear Latest

Apple's MacBook Pro Heating Problem Gets a Software Fix

Apple acknowledges its newest laptops have been suffering from heat-related performance issues. The company also says a fix is on the way.

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How to Supercharge Instagram Stories: Ask Questions, Use Stickers, Save Highlights

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How to Supercharge Instagram Stories: Ask Questions, Use Stickers, Save Highlights

Using Instagram's "creative tools" for Stories, you can flaunt your personality and tell a story all your own.

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The Best Trail Running Shoes (2018): Salewa, Vasque, Hoka One One, and More

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The Best Trail Running Shoes (2018): Salewa, Vasque, Hoka One One, and More

These light, nimble, and rugged trail runners will become your favorite all-purpose outdoor shoes.

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BBC News - Technology

Full-fibre broadband pledge for new homes

All of the UK will have full-fibre broadband coverage by 2033 under a new national telecoms strategy.

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Zephyr solar plane will stay in sky for 120 days

Airbus is developing a plane powered by solar energy.

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The moment girl, 8, gets new 3D printed arm

Student Edward Whipple made the arm after seeing a Twitter appeal by Chloe Smith's mother.

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Elon Musk's farting unicorn fight settled

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Elon Musk's farting unicorn fight settled

The billionaire chief executive of Tesla got in a row with a Colorado potter over use of the image.

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Singapore personal data hack hits 1.5m, health authority says

BBC News - Technology

Singapore personal data hack hits 1.5m, health authority says

The attack by hackers on a health database has affected about a quarter of the population.

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Hackers net almost $1m in Russian bank raid

The theft is the latest in a series by the MoneyTaker gang which has targeted Russian banks

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Gear Latest

Instant Pot Max Review: Not Quite Instant Success

Don't replace your existing multicooker just yet.

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TechNewsWorld

The Pain and Potential of Making a 180-Degree Policy Shift

Photo-hosting service Photobucket in May quietly restored third-party hosting of photos, reversing its unpopular year-old policy that required users to pay nearly $400 in subscription fees for hosting privileges. Many irate users claimed their photos were "taken hostage." Hosted photos on blogs, forums and other sites were replaced by an image of a dial indicating the hosted data quota had been surpassed. Users were not given advance notice. Instead the company sent out emails with the message, "Some features on your account will be disabled."

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What's Really Behind Apple's New MacBook Pro Keyboard

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What's Really Behind Apple's New MacBook Pro Keyboard

iFixit performs surgery on Apple's new silicone-padded keyboard.

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TechNewsWorld

Samsung's Foldable Smartphone Slated for Next Year: Report

Samsung plans to launch a foldable-screen smartphone early next year, according to reports, possibly priced around $1,500. Samsung's foldable phone will resemble a book, with the main display inside the covers, said Ken Hyers, director of the emerging device strategies service at Strategy Analytics. The exterior will have a smaller notification display on the front, and a camera, or cameras, on the back. The main display will have a 7.3-inch screen. The foldable smartphone may have a 3,000 mAh battery or larger.

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Microsoft's New Skype Could Be Risky Gamble

TechNewsWorld

Microsoft's New Skype Could Be Risky Gamble

Microsoft has announced a new version of its Skype messaging app, along with a warning that previous versions of the software will be disabled after Sept. 1. "As we roll out improvements, there comes a time when we must shut down older services and application versions," wrote the Skype Team in an online post. "This is done to ensure that all customers have the best possible Skype experience, and that there are no quality or reliability issues resulting from old technology and new technology interoperating."

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New Roku Speakers Offer Sophisticated Audio for Smart TVs

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New Roku Speakers Offer Sophisticated Audio for Smart TVs

Roku has earned a reputation for making streaming TV products that are easy to set up and use, and that deliver above-average quality at affordable prices -- and that's the approach it has taken with its new Roku TV Wireless Speakers. The company unveiled the speakers on Monday, although it doesn't expect to start shipping them until October, when they will sell for $199.99. Eager consumers can preorder to take advantage of early bird offers. The speakers are designed exclusively for smart TVs that run Roku software.

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The Best Amazon Prime Day Deals for Home, Outdoor, and Lifestyle: Instant Pot, Zojirushi, Fitbit

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The Best Amazon Prime Day Deals for Home, Outdoor, and Lifestyle: Instant Pot, Zojirushi, Fitbit

Pull your shattered life back together with our favorite home and outdoor deals this Prime Day.

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The Best Amazon Prime Day Deals (2018): Home, Laptops, Echo, Kindle

Prime Day is finally here! We have the deals you're looking for.

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BBC News - Technology

Emotional surveillance

How facial recognition is being used to identify suspects in crowds and spot suspicious behaviour.

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The artificial intelligence bot you make with a potato

Smartibot is an artificial intelligence robot you can control from your smartphone.

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TechNewsWorld

Could a Tech Collaboration Tool Fix Dysfunctional Governments?

Microsoft Inspire is taking place this week in Las Vegas, and a huge number of my personal friends and I were prebriefed on what the big announcements would be. Strangely, the embargo on the news lifted last week, so I'm not going to get in trouble for sharing some of the revelations. There are a number of interesting elements, including Microsoft's suddenly aggressive move to use Azure as an Internet of Things host, which suggests that in the future, many of our homes and businesses will be managed remotely in the Microsoft Cloud.

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Aliens killed by spelling mistake in 2013 Colonial Marines game

BBC News - Technology

Aliens killed by spelling mistake in 2013 Colonial Marines game

A typo in the code of a poorly reviewed game from 2013 is being blamed for one of its biggest problems.

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All the Gear You Need to Conquer Comic-Con 2018

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All the Gear You Need to Conquer Comic-Con 2018

Brave long lines and massive crowds like a superhero with these essential items.

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BBC News - Technology

Ghanaian boys use cassavas to generate electricity

Ghanaian brothers James and Kwesi Ansah use the root vegetables to power radios and mobile phones.

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Twelve Russians charged with US 2016 election hack

BBC News - Technology

Twelve Russians charged with US 2016 election hack

The dozen allegedly used spear phishing emails and malware and hacked voter data on a state website.

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Facebook will not remove fake news - but will 'demote' it

It says fake news is not against its "community standards".

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TechNewsWorld

New MacBook Pros Get Major Power Boost

Apple has announced updated MacBook Pro 13- and 15-inch notebooks with a Touch Bar, 8th-generation Intel Core processors, support for up to 32 GB of DDR memory in the larger notebook, a True Tone display, and an improved third-generation keyboard for quiet typing. The 15-inch model comes with 6-core Intel Core i7 and i9 processors rated at up to 2.9 GHz -- with Turbo Boost, up to 4.8 GHz. It offers up to 4 TB of SSD storage. The 13-inch model has quad-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors rated at up to 2.7GHz -- with Turbo Boost up to 4.5 GHz.

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Fire Cubes, Home Theater Beams, and X-ray Cases

Amazon's latest gambit for taking over your living room is the Fire TV Cube. It works in much the same way as the Fire TV stick, but with the added impact this time around of stuffing in a smart speaker with the familiar tones of the Alexa voice assistant. You can use it to play whatever you want to see in up to 4K resolution from various streaming services. All the usual suspects are here, like Netflix and HBO Go, but sadly, there's no native YouTube app, thanks to a tiff between Amazon and Google.

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Gear Latest

Electrolux Pure i9 Review: An Effective, But Expensive Robot Vacuum

This small, bashful botvac that will win over your heart, if not your wallet.

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Active defence

BBC News - Technology

Active defence

How firms are using cutting-edge techniques to stop cyber criminals breaching their networks.

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