Apple launches screen replacement program for cracked aluminum Apple Watch Series 2 and Series 3

If you are one of the unfortunate owners of an aluminum Apple Watch Series 2 or Series 3 that has developed cracks, there's some good news: Apple has launched a replacement program which means you may be able to get a new screen free of charge. Apple has not given details of the number of affected units, but says that it "has determined that, under very rare circumstances, a crack may form along the rounded edge of the screen in aluminum models of an Apple Watch Series 2 or Series 3". See also: Apple beats Microsoft to the punch, will… [Continue Reading]

Hackers use Jack Dorsey's Twitter account to send racist tweets

Jack Dorsey's Twitter account was hacked yesterday, and the hackers -- going by the name of the Chuckle Gang -- proceeded to send racist tweets and made reference to a bomb at Twitter headquarters. The account of the Twitter CEO was back under control relatively quickly, and the tweets sent out by the hackers were deleted. Twitter has said that its security systems were not compromised in the attack, instead blaming the account hijacking on a "security oversight" by a mobile provider which enabled hackers to take control of a mobile number associated with Dorsey's account. See also: Hate the… [Continue Reading]

Foxit Software reveals data breach that exposed users' email addresses, passwords and more

Foxit Software has revealed that it "recently" suffered a security breach in which private user data was exposed to unnamed third parties. Those whose account have been affected are being contacted and "encouraged to change their passwords". The company -- famed for PDF applications such as Foxit Reader and PhantomPDF -- does not say when the incident took place, nor how many users are affected, but it explains that "My Account" section of user accounts was exposed. This includes data such as email addresses, passwords, users' names, phone numbers, company names and IP addresses, but not payment information. See also:… [Continue Reading]

New version of Windows 95 gains a snazzy user interface on Windows 10, macOS and Linux

Windows 95 has been enjoying a nostalgia-fueled revival in recent years. There have been concepts made for modern versions of the ancient OS on desktop and mobile and it’s even now possible to give an Apple iPhone a Windows 95 makeover. Last year, developer Felix Rieseberg released Windows 95 as an Electron app and a few months later updated it to run gaming classics like Doom. Three months ago he gave the OS a welcome performance boost, and now it gets a smart new user interface and upgraded components. SEE ALSO: Windows XP 2019 Edition is the operating system Microsoft… [Continue Reading]

AOC launches CQ27G1 27-inch curved QHD gaming monitor with 144Hz refresh

PC gamers are really lucky nowadays. Not only are there many fun games, but lots of great hardware too. Monitors in particular have dropped in price while introducing higher refresh rates. Today, for instance, AOC launches a new monitor that is quite impressive. Called "CQ27G1," the 27-inch curved display features 2560x1440 resolution, AMD FreeSync, and an impressive 144Hz refresh rate. Best of all, it is competitively priced too. What really intrigues me, however, is what AOC calls "Re-Spawned Warranty." Going back to a purchase date of January 1, 2019, the company will cover its gaming monitors for at least three years,… [Continue Reading]

GDPR and Brexit -- Is your cloud provider ready for the UK 'being treated like a third country'?

The UK government has always maintained that following Brexit, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be absorbed into UK law. This means that there will be no material changes to the data protection rules that organizations in the UK will need to follow. However, the French data protection regulator has recently said that in the event of a no-deal Brexit and absence of an adequacy decision, it will treat the UK like any other country that is outside the European Economic Area. In other words, it will treat the UK as a "third country."  It’s likely that other EU… [Continue Reading]

Windows XP 2019 Edition is the operating system Microsoft should be making

Microsoft ended support for Windows XP back in 2014, but it’s still to be found on 3 percent of the world's PCs, according to NetMarketShare. Many people still look back fondly on it, and for good reason. It was a huge step up from the gray, bland Windows versions that proceeded it. Although Microsoft does issue the very occasional update for XP, in the main it's now viewed as a relic from days gone by, and lacking many of the modern features we take for granted in Windows 10. But what if Microsoft updated it? YouTuber Kamer Kaan Avdan has… [Continue Reading]

Best Windows 10 apps this week

Three-hundred-and-fifty in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Microsoft Store in the past seven days. Microsoft is facing another European investigation over Windows 10 privacy concerns. Check out Mark's article for details. As always, if I've 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. Discounts this week The following list is a selection of the best deals. Make sure you check out the Store for… [Continue Reading]

Google's bug bounty program now covers any big Android app

Bug bounty programs have become a popular way for developers to track down security issues in software, but big pay-outs are not something that every company can afford. In a bid to keep its Android platform secure, Google has announced that its own bug bounty program is being expanded to include all big Android apps, regardless of who develops them. The company will reward security researchers who find bugs in any app in the Google Play Store with 100 million or more installs. See also: Google security researcher warns that hackers are using malicious websites to exploit iOS flaws and… [Continue Reading]

Big brother Elon isn't watching you -- but maybe he should be!

In an effort to reassure privacy advocates, Tesla announced that its new automobile insurance product for owners of the company’s popular electric vehicles will not use onboard sensor data from said vehicles in determining policy premiums. The fear was that the company would use the voluminous data collected by every Tesla Model 3, S or X to pre-judge the risk associated with specific drivers and penalize those who've demonstrated a propensity for speeding or other aggressive behavior. Most news outlets are reporting this as a win for consumers, another bit of pushback against our intrusive, surveillance-state of a world. But… [Continue Reading]

Thunderbird 68.0 revamps App Menu and options dialog, unveils 64-bit Windows release

Mozilla has released Thunderbird 68.0 for Windows, Mac and Linux. Also released in portable and -- for the first time -- 64-bit form for Windows users, Thunderbird is Mozilla’s free and open-source email client. Version 68 unveils improvements to its App Menu, incorporates the options dialog into the main program window and offers improved attachment-handling features. Thunderbird 68 opens with a major update to its App Menu. It’s been reduced to a single pane -- users must now click a menu to access its sub-menu options, which slide into place. Icons have also been placed next to menu items to… [Continue Reading]

Brain Simulator II technology: What you need to know

Ever since computers were invented, people have made up stories about how they'd one day become smarter than the humans that made them. While that seemed impossible with the first mega computers that had limited functional capabilities, the idea of an independent computer system is becoming more real with the development of AI. AI, also known as artificial intelligence, has captured the fascination of people around the world. If it's developed correctly, it could be the next major technology transformation that the world undergoes. It would help many people and change lives, so what progress is being made? Recently, the… [Continue Reading]

Microsoft will release HoloLens 2 in September

Microsoft is due to launch the second edition of its augmented reality headset next month. HoloLens 2 will go on sale in September, according to the executive vice president of the company's artificial intelligence and research group, Harry Shum. Shum was speaking at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai when he made the revelation, finally bringing to an end speculation about when the device will see the light of day. See also: Open source champion Microsoft makes the Linux kernel better with exFAT Microsoft faces another European investigation over Windows 10 privacy concerns Microsoft and others join the Linux… [Continue Reading]

Microsoft releases Windows 10 20H1 Build 18970 with cloud recovery feature and redesigned tablet experience

A number of previous Windows 10 Insider builds from the 20H1 branch have featured a new "Cloud download" option in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) under Reset this PC. Despite the feature’s presence in these builds, Microsoft has yet to release a working version. That changes in the latest flight. Build 18970 allows users to download Windows over a high speed internet connection when resetting a PC. The option reinstalls the same build, version, and edition that's currently on your device. SEE ALSO: Microsoft faces another European investigation over Windows 10 privacy concerns Microsoft releases Windows 10 20H1 Build 18965… [Continue Reading]

Google security researcher warns that hackers are using malicious websites to exploit iOS flaws and monitor iPhone users

Hackers are using compromised websites to install "monitoring implants" on iPhones, warns a security researcher from Google's Project Zero. Taking advantage of vulnerabilities in iOS and Safari, hackers are able to target devices running everything from iOS 10 to iOS 12, accessing contacts, images and other data. It is claimed that the practice has been going on for years, and that "simply visiting the hacked site [is] enough for the exploit server to attack your device". See also: Apple apologizes for having contractors listen to Siri recordings and announces privacy changes Apple puts the kibosh on vulnerability that let iPhone… [Continue Reading]

Security operations centers face high levels of staff turnover

New research from managed detection and response company CRITICALSTART finds that security operations center (SOC) analysts are being overwhelmed by alerts and this is leading to high rates of analyst turnover. In the past year, 80 percent of respondents reported SOC turnover of more than 10 percent of analysts, with nearly half reporting between 10 and 25 percent turnover. 35 percent report losing a quarter or more of their SOC analysts in under a year. The number of alerts is increasing, with 70 percent of respondents investigating 10 or more alerts each day (up from 45 percent last year) while… [Continue Reading]

Fairphone 3: Now with more HEMP!

No, the Fairphone 3 is not really made from marijuana plant fibers -- but it might as well be. This misguided attempt to make a smartphone that "care[s] for people and planet" is nearly as ugly as that hemp "shirt" your Environmental Studies buddy used to wear in college. Clunky, with middling specs and a creepy, peek-a-boo-translucent backside, it's a phone that screams "virtue signal -- incoming!" I mean, why else would anyone buy this thing? Its aesthetic is reminiscent of every generic, first-generation slab phone ever built -- like someone took an Apple iPhone 4 and a Samsung Galaxy… [Continue Reading]