Tesla and Boring Company CEO Elon Musk has had a rough time lately, with many sleepless nights at the office trying to fix the problems with the Tesla Model 3. To aid the billionaire’s woes, fans have banded together to crowdfund enough money in order to replace what can only …
Read More »Google working on an ‘Alt OS’ mode for Chrome OS
We've been hearing a lot about Google's laptop plans recently. Back in January, developers began testing Fuchsia OS on the Pixelbook, then we heard that we may see a new Pixelbook launch later this year. Now, it looks like the Chrome OS team is trying something new, as references to …
Read More »Microsoft protects Google Chrome users with Windows Defender extension
Microsoft has been tackling computer viruses with Windows Defender for quite some time, acting as a countermeasure once malicious software makes its way onto the system. Now, the company is taking a more proactive approach, implementing Windows Defender into browsers to stop it getting to that stage, starting with Google …
Read More »Google Chrome 66 is now live and will mute sites that autoplay content with sound
We’ve all come across those sites that load up and begin auto-playing a video at some obnoxiously loud volume. Over time, Google has been trying to tackle this with various Chrome updates. Back in January Google pushed out a Chrome update that allowed users to permanently mute certain websites, but …
Read More »Spotify set to show off mobile app changes next week
Update (17/04/18): Last week, we heard that Spotify was planning to make changes to its free tier on mobile. This news landed shortly after the company put itself up for public investment and disclosed that millions of mobile users were resorting to modded mobile apps to access better features. Now, …
Read More »Samsung faces lawsuit over biometric tech in Galaxy smartphones
We've seen Samsung defending its smartphones in the court room plenty of times over the years, but there is always another lawsuit around the corner. This week, a lesser-known US data security firm filed a case against Samsung, claiming that the Galaxy series infringes on biometric authentication patents. PACid is …
Read More »Windows Defender and other anti-virus vendors begin flagging uTorrent as a potential threat
It looks like uTorrent users are currently running into issues on Windows, as Microsoft's Windows Defender tool has begun flagging the torrent client as a potential threat. Several other anti-virus vendors have also begun labeling the latest version of uTorrent as harmful. It is unclear exactly what triggered this change …
Read More »Zuckerberg’s congressional hearing raises data abuse awareness
Somehow, Facebook's most recent data leak has both shocked and failed to surprise large swaths of social media users in a range of emotions that seem to fall on the side of disinterest. The idea of customers becoming the product when using free services that serve up targeted ads feels …
Read More »Zuckerberg has a hard time during the second hearing with US Congress
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had a bit of a harder time during his second bout with the US Congress, failing to elaborate on how the platform collects data from users who haven’t signed up to the site. The main man himself also revealed that he wasn’t immune to the Cambridge …
Read More »Reports point to struggling sales for Apple’s HomePod
Back in January, Apple entered the highly competitive smart home speaker market with the HomePod. This particular market has already been dominated by the Amazon Echo, but arriving late to the party isn't always an issue for Apple. However, it looks like the company is having issues persuading people to …
Read More »Lawyers across the world gear up for class-action lawsuit against Facebook and Cambridge Analytica
Facebook itself is under a lot of scrutiny thanks to the Cambridge Analytica data harvesting, with pretty much all eyes across the world pointed in its direction. It has a lot to make up for, as CEO Zuckerberg stated once again in front of US Congress, but first it might …
Read More »Zuckerberg appears in front of US Congress over Facebook’s data policies
As requested, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared in front of US Congress to be probed over the recent Cambridge Analytica data scandal. While the questions mostly pertained to the data harvesting itself and the subsequent aftermath, many were directed at Facebook’s monopolisation and regulation. Zuckerberg used cookie cutter statements for …
Read More »Spotify is reportedly planning changes to its free tier
Spotify opened itself up to public investment last week and in the build up to that, we received some interesting news. Over two million mobile Spotify users resorted to modified versions of the app to access features locked behind a pay wall. Now in light of this, Spotify appears to …
Read More »An API dedicated to ridding the need for passwords is in the works for Firefox, Chrome and Edge
With the unified opinion that passwords are increasingly insecure, Chrome, Firefox and Edge browsers are following in the footsteps of Yahoo to get rid of them entirely. This is thanks to the WebAuthn open standard which is already supported on Firefox, and is soon to make it over to Chrome …
Read More »Facebook will begin notifying 87 million users affected by data harvesting
Over the last few weeks, Facebook has been embroiled in a huge data scandal, after it was revealed that a firm known as Cambridge Analytica harvested the Facebook details of millions of users to help sway elections. Now starting from today, Facebook will begin notifying the 87 million users that …
Read More »YouTube to face FTC investigation after complaint alleges improper data collection of minors
It’s fair to say that the reveal of Cambridge Analytica’s Facebook data harvesting in the past couple of weeks has kicked off a worldwide concern over how data is handled online, placing many websites and platforms under the microscope. YouTube is the latest to be scrutinised, with 23 groups across …
Read More »Google is reportedly working on a 4K Chromebook codenamed ‘Atlas’
Since 2015, Google has been continuously supporting its lineup of Pixelbook laptops, all sporting Chrome OS. In October, we finally got a hardware revision, with beefier processors and better battery life, but it looks like the next upgrade could be just around the corner. Reports this week claim that Google …
Read More »YouTube set to tighten security worldwide in the wake of HQ shooting
YouTube’s California headquarters was devastated earlier this week, as an armed woman stormed the working grounds, injuring three people before ending her own life. The video platform has since responded, stating that it will increase the security across all of its offices worldwide to ensure employee safety. Parent company Google …
Read More »Mozilla has rebuilt Firefox ‘from the ground up’ for VR and AR
Mozilla has begun preparing itself for the future of web browsing this week with the announcement of Firefox Reality, a dedicated version of the browser for Virtual and Augmented reality headsets. Currently, most people browse the web on a PC with a monitor, or on a mobile device. In the …
Read More »Facebook reveals Cambridge Analytica debacle hit 37 million more users than previously expected
Thanks to a Facebook policy that has since been rectified, Cambridge Analytica managed to get its hands on mass amounts of user data. This has caused a major fallout for the social media platform, with numbers hitting as high as 50 million affected. Chief technology officer Mike Schroepfer has now …
Read More »Valve is still working on SteamOS and will continue to invest in Linux
Earlier this week, we were quick to notice that Valve had quietly removed the link to Steam Machines from the front page of the Steam Store. Now, Valve has spoken publicly about this decision, stating that it was part of a “routine cleanup” and admitting that while the Linux powered …
Read More »Zuckerberg won’t adopt the General Data Protection Regulation beyond Europe
While many nations and companies are scrambling to tighten data regulations in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica information harvesting scandal, the European Union is already set to introduce its General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) across Europe. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has revealed that he agrees with the practice “in …
Read More »BlackBerry is also suing Snap over messaging and map patents
A few weeks ago, we learned that BlackBerry had filed a lawsuit against Facebook, claiming that the company had infringed on patents for messaging and security. Now, it turns out that Facebook isn't the only social network in BlackBerry's sights, with the Canadian firm also filing a lawsuit against Snap. …
Read More »Woman opened fire on YouTube HQ after video demonetisation angered her
Police were rushed to YouTube’s Californian headquarters on Tuesday, after a woman launched an assault against company employees. Three were injured by gunshot wounds before the assailant fatally turned the gun on herself. San Francisco General Hospital has clarified that of the three victims, a 36-year-old man was in critical …
Read More »Google axes all cryptocurrency mining extensions from Chrome
Since the cryptocurrency boom in popularity, scammers have taken the opportunity to exploit newcomers and enthusiasts with all manners of illicit mining. Following on from its ban on cryptocurrency advertisements last month, Google is now taking a stand by blocking any Chrome extension that can mine cryptocurrency from entering the …
Read More »The EU’s anti geo-blocking rules are now in place
In February last year, the European Union began preparing new laws to do away with region blocking on services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video when traveling. It has taken a while, but the new law is finally in effect, allowing those who subscribe to streaming services to access their …
Read More »Google is shutting down its goo.gl URL shortener
Google has offered its own URL shortener since 2009 in the form of goo.gl. The site has multiple advantages, allowing users to create easily sharable short links and track the number of clicks. Unfortunately, the service will shutting down soon in favor of ‘Firebase Dynamic Links'. Over the weekend, Google …
Read More »8PACK showcases £15,000 (2018) Custom Watercooled PC!
We travelled to the home of Overclockers UK to take a look at some of the fastest PCs money can buy. Ian '8PACK' Parry shows Briony two of the updated ultimate watercooled PCs in the 8PACK range. Each system can be fully customised in a range of colour combinations and only the best performing components make the final cut!
Read More »Toshiba’s $18 billion memory business sale will miss March deadline
Back in September, after months of back and forth negotiations, Toshiba finally landed an $18 billion deal to sell off its chip business ‘Toshiba Memory Corp'. The massive sale was expected to complete by the end of March, but this week, Toshiba has announced that it will miss the agreed …
Read More »Microsoft lets go of Windows chief as part of a major reorganisation
A few years ago when Satya Nadella first took over Microsoft, the company went through a major internal shakeup and formed the Windows and Devices Group, just ahead of the launch for Windows 10. Now this week, another major shift has occurred, reorganising Microsoft, diminishing the role of the Windows …
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