devices

Wed
10
Jun
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Win10 May 2020 Update Goes Badly For Lenovo Devices

Lenovo has confirmed a batch of problems with its devices running Windows 10 after the latest major update. Solutions range from uninstalling the update to simply being patient. The problems are with the Windows May 2020 Update. That's one of two ... major updates this year and takes the version number from 1909 to 2004. It's mainly ThinkPad tablets and laptops affected. (Source: lenovo.com ) Here's a list of issues: Problem: Devices coming out of sleep or hibernate mode sometimes crash into the "Blue Screen of Death." Solution: The problem is still under investigation. In the meantime, the best ... (view more)

Wed
06
May
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Microsoft Drops Dual-Screen Windows

Microsoft is rethinking its plans for a completely new version of Windows 10. It's no longer going to target "Windows 10X" at dual-screen devices for the simple reason that not many people are interested about such devices right now. Windows 10X was ... originally designed to be a separate system to the widely used Windows 10. The idea was to get ahead of the game with fold-out laptops that have a touchscreen on both halves of the fold, rather than a screen and physical keyboard. Such devices are designed to give users a large screen space and a more practical way to have multiple windows open in ... (view more)

Wed
11
Mar
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Official: COVID-19 a Pandemic; Tips to Clean Devices

Apple has issued new guidance on how to clean iPhones, iPods and laptops. Though it doesn't mention the reason for the update, it's almost certainly a reaction to concerns about COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus. Most of the medical ... advice for people to minimize the risk of catching or spreading the coronavirus has centered on regular hand washing with hot water for at least 20 seconds and avoiding touching the face. However, portable devices are certainly an area of concern, given how often many owners touch them during a day. Apple already offers official advice for keeping ... (view more)

Tue
25
Feb
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Windows 10 Start Menu to be Redesigned

Microsoft is reportedly set to ditch "live tiles" from Windows 10. It's part of a planned revamp of the system's Start Menu. Live tiles originally debuted in Windows Phone 7 and there's a strong argument it's a feature that should have been left to ... mobile devices. The tile is a square display that shows a specific piece of information such as current weather or a stock price, updated in real time rather than the user having to click on it. Live Tiles Driven By Mobile The feature debuted on the PC desktop with Windows 8, which was widely criticized for being designed ... (view more)

Thu
14
Nov
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Arbitrary Phone Searches Banned at Border

A court says US customs officials can't examine the contents of phones and laptops at the border without reasonable suspicion of illegal activity. It said current policies violate the Fourth Amendment. The amendment prevents "unreasonable searches ... and seizures" and requires warrants based on probable cause. It's been at the centre of numerous technology-related cases as courts decide what constitutes property and searches when it comes to digital devices and information. The latest case, first brought in 2017, covers the policies of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency and the ... (view more)

Thu
19
Sep
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Study Reveals Smart Gadgets Share Data Unexpectedly

Researchers have discovered that many smart gadgets (such as smart TVs and streaming sticks) send data to tech companies, even when idle. The purpose of the experiment was to determine if devices were being used to monitor users, or could ... potentially leak data about the user to a third party. The research was a joint project between Northeastern University and the UK's Imperial College London. They examined 81 devices under the broad category of the Internet of Things (IoT). The study included security cameras, home automation devices such as WiFi plugs, Smart TV sets, smart speakers and home ... (view more)

Wed
27
Mar
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Apple Devices Need 51 Important Security Updates

Apple has released a patch for mobile devices which covers 51 security flaws. It's sparked debate over Apple's security levels and the way it issues such updates. The patch is for iOS, taking it up to version 12.2. Apple doesn't issue standalone ... security updates. Instead, it builds it into the main update for the system, which also includes new features or bug fixes. (Source: apple.com ) The most notable fix is a bug in an API (application program interface), which lets third party software interact with Apple services. In this case, the API bug could allow malware to access an iPhone, iPad ... (view more)

Wed
13
Mar
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Apple Wants To Block Police Phone Tracking

Apple wants to patent a technology that would make it harder for police to track people's location through their phone. The technology wouldn't make messages and calls secret, but rather make it harder to prove who owned the phone in question. The ... patent is for end-to-end encryption for the mobile subscriber identification number (MSNI). That's part of a longer number that also identifies the country and mobile network a phone is registered to What's important here is that the MSNI identifies the specific handset. Police could then force a mobile carrier to hand over the ... (view more)

Wed
16
Jan
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Court Rules Against Forced Fingerprint Unlock

A judge says police can't force a suspect to unlock a phone with a fingerprint or other biometric measure, including a suspect's face . It's the latest step in the way privacy laws interact with technological changes. This ruling came from a federal ... judge in a court in California and involved a review of a search warrant request. The case involved two suspects allegedly using Facebook Messenger to trying to extort a victim by threatening to publish an embarrassing video. (Source: gizmodo.com ) The police wanted permission to not only search a location where they believed they would find the ... (view more)

Tue
09
Oct
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Facebook Launches Dedicated Screens

Facebook is launching dedicated devices for video-calling friends and family. While they have some impressive technology, it's a bold move from a company whose reputation on privacy issues is controversial to say the least. The devices are known as ... the "Portal" and "Portal+". They both offer some of the features of 'smart speakers' such as Google Home and the Amazon Echo, but the main function is for making video calls. That's reflected in the 10 inch screen of the Portal and the 15 inch screen of the Portal+. There's no charge for making calls on the devices as they work ... (view more)

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