Few UK consumers trust councils' ability to handle their data

Slightly over half (53 percent) of local authorities in the UK are ready to take on a cyber-attack, according to a new report by PwC. When it comes to local authority leaders, 35 percent are confident their staff are well equipped to deal with such an attack. Three quarters (76 percent) of UK CEOs are concerned about cyber threats, and almost all (97 percent) said they’re currently addressing cyber breaches that are affecting business information or critical systems. From the consumers’ point of view, things aren’t looking any better either. A parallel survey of 2,000 consumers conclude that just 34 percent… [Continue Reading]

SMS-based mobile marketing will target 37.2 million Brits in 2017

When it comes to mobile marketing, there is a lot of room for growth among UK businesses, according to a new report from Textlocal. The report, based on a poll of 1,000 users, says Britain has roughly 80 million active mobile users, but just 50 percent of businesses are using SMS for marketing. However, that is about to change. SMS-based mobile marketing is expected to rise, from 37.2 million customers this year, to 48.7 million before we reach 2020. If this trend continues, SMS marketing is set to become the fastest growing marketing channel in the UK. Ofcom’s numbers are saying… [Continue Reading]

The 'slow-burn' cost of a cyber attack

Businesses have been warned that they may be hit for damages in multiple ways after being affected by a cyber-attack. A new report by Lloyd's of London says there are two different costs linked to a cyber-attack: a one-off cost, and a "slow-burn" effect. The one-off cost is the visible one -- notifying customers, paying ransom, paying for public relation expenses, things like that. But there is also the "slow-burn," which can sometimes even be more expensive than the one-off price, and that includes things like loss of customers, fall in share price, or reputation damages. "There is a lack of understanding as… [Continue Reading]

LG X Charge Android smartphone with 4500mAh battery available on Xfinity Mobile

Comcast's Xfinity cable service is used by many people in America. Not only does it offer television, home telephone, and internet, but cellular service too -- Xfinity Mobile. No, Comcast hasn't rolled out its own network, it is using Verizon's towers plus its own Wi-Fi hotspots to create a comprehensive nationwide offering. Xfinity Mobile has a new smartphone by LG that is quite interesting. Called "X Charge," the Android device has a massive 4500mAh battery, meaning it should offer all-day usage. It has a respectable 5.5-inch display and is running the Nougat operating system. Best of all, it is very… [Continue Reading]

Should Microsoft have canceled the Surface Mini?

Microsoft came very close to launching a smaller version of its Surface slate three years ago. The Surface Mini, as it was rumored to be called, was expected to see the light of day alongside the Surface Pro 3, but mysteriously there was no sign of it at the software giant’s launch event in New York. During the company's earnings report a few months after the launch event, Microsoft admitted it had been working on the diminutive device, but had decided "to not ship a new form factor" after all, although it didn’t give a reason. Due to the late… [Continue Reading]

Teens in Britain engage in worrying 'extreme internet use'

A report by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) says that more than a third of British teenagers are "extreme internet users." This does not (necessarily) mean they are accessing the darker, more extreme recesses of the internet, rather that they are just using it a hell of a lot. Of the 34 OECD member countries -- which includes the US, Australia and much of Europe -- only Brazilian teens were more extreme. But with 37.3 percent of British teenagers indulging in "extreme internet use," there is a warning that this is not an accolade to be proud of. Extreme internet… [Continue Reading]

OnePlus 5 'jelly' scrolling is 'natural'

The OnePlus 5 may have received positive reviews, but the launch has not gone as smoothly as OnePlus might have hoped. The new flagship killer was found to boost performance in benchmarks to get higher scores, and, most recently, users have reported a strange scrolling issue as well. This does not appear to affect all OnePlus 5 units, but some users say that they have noticed what is commonly referred to as "jelly" scrolling. OnePlus calls this a "subtle visual effect," but it says that this kind of behavior is perfectly normal for the AMOLED display that it uses. In a statement, Oneplus says… [Continue Reading]

Ubuntu Linux 17.10 'Artful Aardvark' Alpha 1 now available for download

There has been tons of Ubuntu news lately, with the death of Unity continuing to be felt in the Linux community. Just yesterday, a company that is one of Ubuntu's biggest proponents -- System76 -- announced it was creating its own operating system using that distribution as a base. While some might see that as bad news for Canonical's distro, I do not -- some of System76's contributions should find their way into Ubuntu upstream. Today, we get some more positive news, as Ubuntu Linux 17.10 'Artful Aardvark' has officially achieved Alpha status. While details about changes and such are virtually… [Continue Reading]

Best Windows 10 apps this week

Two-hundred-and-thirty-seven in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Windows Store in the past seven days. The Xbox Ultimate Game Sale 2017 starts today (until July 10), and games are not only discounted up to 65 percent on Xbox, but also on Windows 10. As always, if I missed an app or game that has been released this week that you believe is particularly good, let me know in the comments below or notify me via email instead. Discounts this week The following list is a selection of… [Continue Reading]

France drops Windows 10 privacy case after Microsoft changes telemetry settings

There have been lots of complaints about invasion of privacy since the release of Windows 10. Microsoft's telemetry lead to several lawsuits, including one from France's National Data Protection Commission which said Windows 10 was collecting "excessive personal data" about users. But now the Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL) has decided to drop its case against Microsoft. The commission is happy that sufficient steps have been taken to reduce the amount of data that is collected and users are now informed about data collection. Announcing that it was dropping the lawsuit, the CNIL says that: "The company… [Continue Reading]

AI could boost UK's GDP by 10 percent by 2030

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is set to provide a major boost to the UK’s GDP over the next decade, new research has claimed. A new report by PwC says that by 2030, the country’s GDP could see a boost of around 10 percent thanks to AI -- equivalent to around £232 billion. For PwC, this makes AI the biggest commercial opportunity today. In its biggest part, these gains will come from an increased consumer demand, which will result in a greater choice of products, more personalization and lower prices. To a somewhat lesser extent, improvement in productivity will also drive GDP gains. "Much of… [Continue Reading]

UK workers optimistic about automation

Every second office worker in the UK (48 percent) is optimistic about what automation technologies will do to their workplace in the future. The only problems are that it’s expensive and infrastructure is lacking. This is according to a new report by Capgemini, based on a poll of more than 1,000 UK office workers. Four in ten (40 percent) believe machine learning will have a positive impact, while 32 percent said the same for robotics. Only 10 percent said automation might have a negative impact. Almost half (47 percent) have seriously thought about how automation can support their departments on a daily… [Continue Reading]

Apple releases first macOS High Sierra public beta

Apple will not officially release macOS High Sierra until later this year, but, in the meantime, Mac users who want to check out the new features early can enroll in the public beta program to install preview builds of the new operating system. The first public beta build lands today, coinciding with the release of a revised second beta for developers. Apple typically gives developers the option to sample a new Mac operating system early, so that casual testers can enjoy a more stable experience. To get it, you first need to enroll in the public beta program with your Apple ID. After… [Continue Reading]

The iPhone is 10 years old -- so are my horrible predictions about it

On this day in history, all the way back in 2007, a device that not only revolutionized an industry but changed the way everyone thought about all industries, was unleashed on the world. Okay, okay, before I go any further, I know what you're thinking. "Oh, great, another one of those flowery, rose-colored articles about the nostalgia of all things Apple and how the iPhone changed cell phones forever. Kill me now." No, that's not what this is. It's a much broader reflection of how the landscape has changed around media, consumer culture, and communications of all forms, and the… [Continue Reading]

Protect yourself from ransomware with these free ebooks

Ransomware is barely out of the news these days. We had WannaCry wreaking havoc not so long ago, and now it’s the turn of Petya/NotPetya. And those are just two of the better-known threats; there are plenty more forms of ransomware out there which, while maybe not as prevalent, can have just as devastating an effect. If you’re concerned about the threat of ransomware, which is easily one of the nastiest forms of malware out there, we have a selection of ebooks and whitepapers you can download for free which will give you all the knowledge you need to avoid… [Continue Reading]

What is AWS planning to do next?

Amazon Web Services is looking to transform the fortunes of all UK customers. The company took over London’s ExCel center this week for its AWS Summit, the largest ever event held in Europe, and laid out its view for the next 12 months in the opening keynote. Taking to the stage for the keynote speech, Amazon.com CTO Werner Vogels told attendees how the company’s AWS tools could help change their businesses for the better. "This is the new world of IT," he said, "we do things differently now. Cloud has changed the way we do things." "AWS gives you superpowers.” AWS has enjoyed… [Continue Reading]

Luxury smartphones are a terrible idea and Vertu's problems confirm it

When I dream of being rich, the one thing that I never imagine buying is a luxury smartphone. It just doesn't make sense to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a device that, realistically speaking, isn't better than an iPhone or Galaxy S flagship. I have not conducted a scientific study to back this up, but I suspect that people who are actually wealthy would agree. A luxury item, at least from my perspective, has to stand the test of time. It has to be just as attractive today as it was yesterday. A Rolex Submariner from 10 years ago isn't… [Continue Reading]