Following the recent story about how a Google Bot was reported to have said things that a sentient being may say, we take a brief look at how good chatbots are now. What Happened? Google engineer, Blake Lemoine, recently reported that The Language Model for......
In this insight, we look at what edge computing is, why it’s necessary, the benefits it delivers, and some examples of how it’s being used. What Is It? Edge computing is a computing architecture and distributed computing framework which means the computing and data storage......
Microsoft has announced the retirement of its famous Internet Explorer browser which is now officially out of support as of June 15, 2022 for certain versions of Windows 10. Why? First announced in May 2021 and after 25+ years) Microsoft has announced that “Internet Explorer (IE)......
Following a claim made by a consumer champion against Apple over the ‘Batterygate’ alleged throttling of older iPhones, millions of people could receive compensation if the claim is successful. Batterygate The recent claim in relation to what has become known as ‘Batterygate’ refers to a......
Proofpoint researchers have reported finding a way that attackers could use a Microsoft 365 loophole to launch ransomware attacks. The method involves using compromised SharePoint Online or OneDrive accounts to reduce the (user-configurable) setting for the number or saved versions in SharePoint Online or OneDrive.......
The growing number of cyber-attacks since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine have led The Russian Foreign Ministry to warn that more western cyber-attacks on its infrastructure could lead to a direct military confrontation. Housing Ministry Website Hack The warning followed an apparent cyber-attack......
Following the recent news that the EU plans to introduce a single, universal charger for all devices, it has been reported that the UK has said that it is not currently considering copying the idea. Just One Universal Charger Cable A week ago, the EU......
In this insight, we take a look at Shopify, what it offers, and how it has grown to become a major e-commerce platform. Where And Who? The Canadian-based Shopify Inc. is a multinational e-commerce company founded in 2006 by Tobias Lütke and Scott Lake after......
Following news of a Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosure revealing a lack of public reprimands issued over GDPR breaches in the public sector, we take a closer look at the FOI, what it can be used for, and how it’s linked to the ICO. What......
Online security experts are warning people to take extra care when downloading PDF files after PDFs were recently used in campaigns to deliver Snake Keylogger malware. Snake Keylogger, which is eighth place in Check Point’s Global Threat Index, records a user’s keystrokes and transmits the......
The new AI-based interview Warmup tool from Google uses questions from a series of industry experts to help users prepare for job interviews. Tech Jobs And Skills Gap Googe says that this news Interview Warmup tool was developed as part of its own Google Career......
The new, free Firefox Translations browser extension translates websites in the browser without using the cloud, using machine learning. Client-Side Translations Firefox Translations provides automated translation of web content but, unlike cloud-based alternatives, the translation is done locally, on the client-side, so that the text......
In this tech-insight, we look at what a blockchain domain is, what it is used for, how to buy one, and what may bring them more into mainstream usage. What Is Blockchain? Blockchain is an incorruptible peer-to-peer network (a kind of ledger) that allows multiple......
The world’s first ‘exascale’ computer, called the ‘Frontier’ computing system (i.e. a supercomputer) from Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, has smashed the exascale computing speed barrier. What Is The Exascale? The exascale is a computing system threshold / level of computing performance of a......
Cybersecurity expert, Kevin Beaumont, has warned Microsoft Office users about a scam that uses a hole in a Microsoft Word. The scam, dubbed “Follina”, involves cybercriminals leveraging a Windows utility called msdt.exe to cause victims to download a malware-loaded Word file. The malware could allow......
Google has announced that users of Google Drive can now use the familiar keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + C (or ⌘ + C on Mac), Ctrl + X and Ctrl + V to copy, cut and paste Google Drive files via the Chrome browser. Timesaving And About......
With Macs getting a huge boost in popularity over the pandemic and a new report showing Mac shipments growing almost twice as fast as the PC market as a whole in 2021, we look at why more businesses are embracing Macs, and also what challenges......
A recent ‘Mobile Phone Trends’ report has highlighted how the quality and reliability of mobile phone calls in the UK are improving. So, what’s helping to bring about this change and why is it so important now? The Figures Some of the key figures highlighted in......
Zoom has announced that its new apps, updates, and features will improve collaboration and creativity, thereby increasing engagement and interaction among attendees of hybrid-working meetings. Collaborate Mode Zoom says that its new ‘Collaborate Mode’ will improve engagement by elevating the screen-sharing model to be interactive,......
Tax software vendor Intuit has warned that QuickBooks customers are being targeted with phishing attacks that are impersonating the company and are designed to lure targets with fake account suspension warnings. The phishing emails ask targets to click on a “Complete Verification” button which re-directs......
Following the launch of the new business-focused WhatsApp Cloud API, we take a look at where Facebook’s (i.e. Meta) popular secure chat app is heading. Cloud API Last week, Facebook’s WhatsApp announced that it was opening WhatsApp to all businesses and developers with a new cloud-based......
With the next update, as part of Microsoft’s 365 roadmap, Outlook users will soon be able to ‘react’ to Outlook emails without sending or receiving incremental emails. Like Emojis The Microsoft ‘Reactions’ feature will enable Outlook users to choose a thumbs up, laugh, heart, celebrate, or......
The UK government’s MI5-run ‘Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure’ has launched a new app to help people spot approaches from foreign spies and organised criminals seeking sensitive information. Really? How Big Is The Problem? According to MI5, it spotted 10,000 UK nationals across......
In this insight, we look at the development, applications, and issues relating to new ‘smart eye’ wearables such as smart glasses and contact lenses. Smart Contact Lenses Smart contact lenses, such as those in development by health and technology company Mojo, use a tiny micro-LED......
Trustwave SpiderLabs cybersecurity researchers have warned that criminals are using fake DHL customer support chatbots to scam victims out of personally identifiable information and payment data. Victims are directed to the fake chatbots by a phishing email saying that the target has a parcel waiting......
Following last month’s announcement, Meta’s WhatsApp is rolling-out emojis and the ability to share files within WhatsApp up to 2GB in size. Communities The new features are being added as part of WhatsApp’s “vision for Communities” where the idea is to “help people have the next best thing......
In this insight, we look what ereaders are, their strengths and weaknesses, and popular makes and models. Ereaders Ereaders / e-book readers / e-book devices are mobile electronic devices that look similar to tablets and are designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital e-books,......
With its volatile past and with a recent survey showing that almost one-third of small businesses in the US now accept them as payment, we look at who accepts CryptoCoins in payment for goods and services. Cryptocurrencies CryptoCoins / cryptocurrencies are digital/virtual currencies, secured by......
ICANN, the US-based non-profit organisation responsible for overseeing the Internet’s Domain Name System (DNS) has turned down a request by Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister to revoke Russian domain names. The Request In a published response from Göran Marby, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Internet Corporation......
A warning has been issued by the BBC, following its own investigation, to beware of the hundreds of fake charity websites that have now been set up by scammers to trick people into donating money to the people and the military of Ukraine. Some have......
Apple, Google and Microsoft have announced that they are joining forces to support a common passwordless sign-in standard that will allow websites and apps to offer consistent, secure and easy sign-ins across devices and platforms. The Problem With Password-Only Relying on password-only authentication is known......
The UK government has announced that it is giving statutory powers to the new Digital Markets Unit (DMU) regulator to enforce pro-competition rules and protect users from the “unfair practices” of big tech companies. New Watchdog To Prevent Abuse of Market Power Following a consultation......
In this article, we look at how there are several risks and challenges associated with sending email attachments, how businesses can track emails, and about a new product that could allow greater visibility and control of what happens to email attachments after they’ve been sent.......
In this insight, we look at where Virtual Reality (VR) is now, plus what predictions there are for its future. Potted History Virtual Reality (VR) is a simulated and fully immersive experience that obscures the natural world, which is used for entertainment, education and business.......
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned that there has been an 86 percent rise (July to Dec 2021 compared to the previous year) of a screen-sharing scam. The FCA reports that the scam involves people posing as investment advisers and offering to help their......
In this article, we look at the legal issues around recording calls on your mobile, and the different methods for doing so. Is It Legal To Record Phone Calls On Your Mobile? In the UK, as an individual mobile phone user, generally speaking, secretly recording......
In this article, we look at the immediate challenges ahead for Twitter with Elon Musk now at the helm, plus we look at some of the likely ways that he could start adding more revenue. What Happened? Billionaire Elon Musk recently became Twitter’s largest shareholder......
Google has announced that it is changing its policies to allow more types of personally identifiable information removal requests. Personal Information Showing Up In Google Search Google acknowledges that personally identifiable information of some users can and does show up in Google search queries. This......
With many governments (including the UK Government) being targeted with Pegasus phone-spying software, there’s now news that Spain’s PM’s has also been hit. What Is Pegasus? Pegasus spyware is sold by Israeli-based NSO Group to governments to carry out surveillance by infecting phones with surveillance......
WhatsApp is warning users that scammers are sending messages from fake WhatsApp Support accounts, some of which even have a profile photo containing a verified badge. WhatsApp says these scam contacts are asking for private information such as credit card details to avoid terminating a......
The University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab has reported finding evidence that Pegasus spyware was being used to listen-in on UK government networks for 10 Downing Street and the Foreign and Commonwealth Offices (FCO) in 2020 and 2021. Pegasus Pegasus spyware is sold by Israeli-based NSO......
In this tech insight, we look at what ‘toxic’ backlinks are, how to identify them, and how to remove them. Backlinks Backlinks (incoming links) are believed to be one of Google’s top three ranking factors. Trustworthy backlinks from websites with a high authority score are......
In this article, we look at the possible causes of the recent large losses of Netflix subscribers, and what’s next for the global streaming giant. 200,000 Subscribers Lost In its Q1 results, the world’s biggest global streaming service, Netflix, revealed that it had lost a......
The UK Government’s Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that following changes to The Highway Code, users of automated vehicles will be allowed to watch TV on built-in screens. Viewing Content On Built-In Screens Following a public consultation launched a year ago on how self-driving......
Researchers from Canadian cybersecurity company eSentire have reported that attackers are targeting corporate hiring managers with phishing emails containing the ‘more_eggs’ malware, using fake CVs as a decoy to launch the malware and sidestep detection. The more_eggs malware is a backdoor suite that can steal valuable information......
Researchers from the Stanford Internet Observatory have reported finding more than one thousand ‘virtual’ employees on the LinkedIn platform. Faces Created By Artificial Intelligence Virtual employees in this case are AI-generated photos of employees, the photos of whom don’t belong to any person (living or......
In this article, we look at the next phase of Elon Musk’s attempt to control Twitter – a so-called ‘hostile’ takeover. The Next Stage In The Twitter / Musk Story – Hostile Takeover Billionaire Elon Musk recently became Twitter’s largest shareholder after recently acquiring a......
In this tech-insight, we look at what Web 3.0 is, together with its main benefits plus some concerns about it. What Is Web 3.0? Web3 / web3 / Web 3.0 (a term coined in 2014 by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood) is the next phase in......
A survey by IT asset management platform Lansweeper has revealed that 55 per cent of devices are not capable of upgrading to Windows 11. Survey The survey, based on an estimated 30 million Windows devices from 60,000 organisations, has revealed that on average, only 44.4......
A vulnerability to an authenticated remote code execution flaw, which could allow attackers to run malicious code in a website has been discovered in the Elementor WordPress website builder plugin. Elementor has over five million active installations. A security patch to fix the issue has......
As part of its roll-out of the collaborative working ‘Loop’ app, Microsoft has announced that as part of its ‘365 Roadmap’, self-updating Loop elements can now be included in Outlook emails. What Is Loop? In November 2021, Microsoft unveiled its ‘Loop’ collaborative app which it......
In this insight, we look at some of the Microsoft Windows features that can be used to minimise distractions and help you to stay focused. Minimise Interruptions, Stay Focused Being able to stay focused during work can help productivity, keep a flow, and can help......
Following SpaceX and Tesla boss Elon Musk becoming Twitter’s largest shareholder after recently acquiring a 9.2 per cent stake in the social media company, we look at the news, issues, and implications relating to this move. 9.2 Per Cent Stake Elon Musk, who already had 80+......
The UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has launched a £4 million trial project in South Yorkshire to run fibre optic broadband cables through drinking water pipes to connect-up rural locations. No Digging Up Roads – Reach Rural Locations Fast The two-year......
It has been reported that the banking trojan malware called ‘SharkBot’ was recently discovered hiding in 6 different fake antivirus apps in the Google Play Store. The malware, which steals credentials and banking information, was previously discovered in apps in the store back in October. Google......
In this insight, we look at the history of fears about a possible link between mobile phone usage and cancer, then we look at the latest studies, conclusions, and expert opinions. History Claims that mobile phones could cause cancer (e.g. brain tumours) can be traced......
A report by SEO software firm SEMrush has shown that so-called ‘Dumbphones’ are experiencing a revival, but why? What Is A ‘Dumbphone’? Dumbphones are mobile handsets that lack the advanced functionality characteristics of a smartphone and typically have press-button based inputs, a small non-touch display, and......
In this article, we look at what the digital switchover is, why it’s needed, what the challenges are, and why it’s now been paused. The Switch To ‘Digital Voice’ Back in April 2021, BT Openreach announced that starting from the end of the year and......
WhatsApp has announced that it will soon be introducing some new features to improve its voice messaging. Voice Messaging WhatsApp’s voice messaging, introduced back in 2013, saves typing and is a fast way and free way to send expressive, encrypted messages. WhatsApp says that its......
Following the discovery of a ‘zero-day’ vulnerability in its Chrome browser, Google has advised users to update Chrome to version 99.04844.84 or later. This security issue also affects the Microsoft’s Edge browser because it uses the same underlying technology as Chrome. Microsoft is, therefore, also advising users to......
The UK’s national fraud reporting centre, Action Fraud, says that it has received 196 reports of scam emails claiming to be raising funds for victims of the war in Ukraine. Facebook Post In a Meta / Facebook post on 18 March, Action Fraud reported: “We’ve......
In this article, we look at the cyber-crime gang Lapsus$, how they operate and the details of some of their recent high-profile attacks. Cyber-Crime Gang Lapsus$ is reported to be a mostly teenage cyber-crime gang (hackers), mainly based in South America, yet with its alleged......
The EU Parliament, Council negotiators and lawmakers have agreed new rules under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) that will limit the market power of the big technology companies and open up the market for competitors. What Is The Digital Markets Act? The Digital Markets Act......
In this insight, we look at how Stephen Wilhite invented the GIF file, and how his invention has endured while the Internet has undergone vast changes. Who Was Stephen Wilhite? Stephen Wilhite is regarded as one of the inventors who changed the face of the......
