Showing 1 - 10 of 166
Do you really own your devices?
Life, James Hein, Published on 11/09/2024
» Do you own the hardware and software you purchased? Yes, no and possibly, so let's dive into an example. A man buys a second-hand Microsoft Surface from the Internet. It is one of a batch. He uses it for a few years until one day a massage pops up on the screen advising that Mastercard has locked the device and it should be returned to Mastercard. The man does some research and finds out that Microsoft has embedded some software in the firmware and BIOS that has enabled this to occur. It also turns out that this software can be found in other Microsoft and Apple devices, is very difficult to detect and requires a high skill level to remove, or you can just install Linux.
From ATMs to flights, epic IT crash leaves trail of chaos
Bloomberg News, Published on 20/07/2024
» LONDON - In what will go down as the most spectacular information technology (IT) failure the world has ever seen, a botched software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike Holdings Inc crashed countless Microsoft Windows computer systems around the world on Friday.
A new low in online scams
Life, James Hein, Published on 17/07/2024
» According to the Australia's Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), scammers are now targeting scam victims with fake offers to help them recover from scams. The con is to use information from those scammed in the past and approach these people with an offer to recover the funds they have lost for, of course, an up-front fee.
Bill has ways of forcing updates
Life, James Hein, Published on 22/05/2024
» If you are a Microsoft user, private or business, there is a site you should keep an eye on. Search "Microsoft end of life dates" and then select the result with the heading "Overview – Product End of Support and Retirements", associated with learn.microsoft.com. On the left-hand side there are years. Click on 2025, for example, and you will see that Office 2016 and 2019 products will no longer be supported after Oct 14 of that year. On that same date, Windows 10 will be retired. For both of these there will be no new security updates. For some, this will not be an issue, but organisations will need to take note as it means their security will be potentially compromised after a while. Even with Windows 10 still outselling Windows 11, Microsoft will be pushing people to upgrade over the next 18 months and for many, this will no longer be free. People and organisations tend to stick with what works and Microsoft doesn't like that, so it stops supporting older products. The site will tell you when you will start to be at risk and after that you can decide what to do.
Lenovo expounds on 'AI for All' vision
Business, Suchit Leesa-nguansuk, Published on 10/04/2024
» Lenovo is transitioning from a PC company into a global technology powerhouse by empowering customers' digital intelligence transformation in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), says a senior executive.
Tech breathes new life into endangered Native American languages
AFP, Published on 19/10/2023
» BLOOMINGTON (UNITED STATES) - Linguistics experts are turning to cutting-edge technologies to revitalize threatened Native American languages -- and rejuvenate generations of Indigenous tradition -- through new approaches such as children's books and smartphone apps.
PC makers go green with recyclable content
Business, Suchit Leesa-nguansuk, Published on 19/10/2023
» Personal computer (PC) makers are embracing sustainability as part of their growth strategies by using recyclable materials and packaging.
KBTG calls for educational reforms to prepare for AI
Business, Suchit Leesa-nguansuk, Published on 08/08/2023
» Thailand must revamp its education system to ensure the country is ready for artificial intelligence (AI), according to the head of Kasikorn Business-Technology Group (KBTG), the technology arm of Kasikornbank (KBank).
Here Comes the AI: Fans rejoice in 'new' Beatles music
AFP, Published on 05/06/2023
» WASHINGTON: When the Beatles broke up more than 50 years ago, devastated fans were left yearning for more. Now, artificial intelligence is offering just that.
Microsoft on the naughty list again
Life, James Hein, Published on 15/03/2023
» Some of you may have already noticed, Microsoft is getting very pushy about installing Windows 11. On one of my machines, it started the process under the guise of a standard update. Softwarekeep.com has an excellent article titled "How to Cancel Windows 11 Update and Stay on Windows 10" that covers many ways to handle this. One option is to revert back to Windows 10 within 10 days of Windows 11 being installed, found here: Start menu > Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Recovery > Previous version of Windows. After this arbitrary 10 days, you need to do a clean Windows 10 install. I also recommend the free Windows Update Blocker, currently at version 1.7, as a way to control your Windows updates.