2016: A Retrospective From My Point Of View
Software December 30, 2016
So, that’s it, 2016 is pretty much over and 2017 is fast approaching. But before this year is finally gone and buried, I thought I might take the time to review the news stories of the year that caught my eye. A lot happened this year, and while not... Read more
Google’s Top Searches Of 2016
Software December 30, 2016
Google, and what we as a species looked for from the World Wide Web in 2016… You may be surprised, but then again you probably won’t! Every year the Google search engine processes trillion of search requests using its custom-built algorithms. And last Wednesday the Californian based Mountain View company... Read more
Libraries Fight Surveillance With New Privacy Policies
Software December 29, 2016
Following on the heels of the recent news about libraries that are “collecting” web pages on crucial data before the next presidential administration can delete them (or something like that), the American Library Association has upped its antagonism game by apologizing for its “normalization” of the upcoming President’s role.... Read more
Apple And Ireland Appeal EU 13 billion Tax Fine
Software December 29, 2016
Apple has filed an appeal against the European Union ruling that says it has to pay up to €13 billion in back taxes to the Republic of Ireland, and across the globe. The ruling centres on an adjudication by the EU in August that stated categorically that Apple’s tax... Read more
Facebook, WhatsApp, And The (Alleged) Misleading Of The EU
Software December 28, 2016
Facebook has found itself formally accused by the European Commission’s merger and anti-trust watchdog of misleading EU oversight regulators over its 2014 takeover of WhatsApp. The European Commission says it was misled when Facebook said it was impossible to match users’ Facebook and WhatsApp accounts. In August, this year... Read more
Word From Our Editor: Five Key Tech Trends For 2017
Editor's PickSoftware December 28, 2016
Well, that’s 2016 done. And what a crazy year it was! But we’re putting political upheaval and the seeming death of every celebrity we loved to one side, to focus on the year to come. More specifically, we’re looking ahead at the five key tech trends for 2017 –... Read more
Out With The Old: Harvesting Government Web Docs
Software December 28, 2016
There’s a major undertaking afoot, one that has brought together numerous agencies and volunteers in a race against the proverbial clock. Entire teams of librarians are working tirelessly to harvest information from government websites and store it in archives before it can be deleted following the inauguration of the... Read more
Global Software Database ‘Fingerprints’ Now Includes Mobile Apps
Software December 27, 2016
Your average piece of software can include hundreds or even thousands of files. I mean think of all the graphics files, templates, and fonts that are installed onto your PC install something as mundane as a word processing application. And when you think about how many different software apps... Read more
Google Pixel Suffering From Audio Software Issues
Software December 27, 2016
The launch of Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL smartphone were a lengthy and much-anticipated process, but like a few other hardware innovations from the company, this one may be falling a little short of the hype. Namely, a number of users have indicated an audio problem with the phone’s... Read more
Russian Cybercriminals Fake Real People To Make Money From Real Online Ads
Software December 26, 2016
And the 2016 prize for original cybercriminal thinking goes to… the hackers who created fake people so they could make real money from real online ads. Known as “Methbot,” alleged Russian hackers have taken a new spin on making money through illegal online means. That is according to White... Read more
Fake News Spreads To Law Enforcement Agencies
Software December 26, 2016
The onslaught of fake news has reached epidemic proportions, so much so that a number of social media sites are taking action. Once limited to just satire sites – and a few sites whose satire wasn’t quite witty enough to be recognized as satire – the reach of fake... Read more
Turkey Blocks Tor Network
Software December 24, 2016
Turkey has begun blocking direct access to the Tor anonymous browsing network as part of a continuous wide ranging assault on people within the country who attempt to bypass the government’s draconian internet censorship. The watchdog group Turkey Blocks has confirmed that Turkey is blocking the Tor anonymity network’s direct access mode for most... Read more
Employee Sues Google Over Illegal Confidentiality Policies
Software December 24, 2016
Well, here’s some Christmas cheer for you. Google is being sued by one of its employee’s over internal confidentiality policies which ban employees from writing about workplace concerns. According to information available at the time of writing, the lawsuit alleges that Google’s confidentiality policies are illegal under Californian state law.... Read more
New Windows Update Interrupts Users Internet
Software December 23, 2016
As the days have rolled by, news has emerged that a recent Windows software update has been causing internet connectivity problems for Windows devices across the world. While the news seems to so far have been most widely reported in the U.K., and Europe, the problem seems to having... Read more
Uber App Update Tracks You When You’re Not Using It
Software December 23, 2016
Ride sharing company Uber is no stranger to controversy. From lawsuits dating back to 2014, the company has been routinely accused of violating its customers’ privacy by tracking their locations and accessing the ride logs for their trips. This practice has extended to everyone from celebrities and reporters to business... Read more
Mark Zuckerberg’s Own Personal Jarvis
Software December 22, 2016
What’s better than an Alexa or a Google Home virtual assistant? Building one yourself, making it meet all your personal specs, having it customized to interact with all the members of your household, and getting to name it Jarvis after Tony Stark’s VA in Ironman. Of course, when you’re... Read more
Word From Our Editor: The Best Free Photo Editing Software
Editor's PickProduct ReviewsSoftware December 22, 2016
It’s that time of year when we fill our memory cards up with a gazillion photos of festive fun and New Years’ antics. So what better time to take a look at some great free photo editing software? Whether it’s pics of your loved ones opening their presents; of... Read more
Watch TV, Movies And Sport For Free With ChillGlobal Chrome Extension
Product ReviewsSoftware December 22, 2016
Today’s wide variety of online options means more and more consumers are ditching their monthly cable television providers and turning to the opportunities that various subscription-based streaming services can provide. But while Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and other similar platforms are running a steady business based on the content... Read more