Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » janvier 20, 2015

BetaNews.Com (16 non lus)

Logitech keyboard and mouse Wireless Combo MK345 has crazy-long battery life

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 10:47pm CET par Brian Fagioli

MK345_CTG_US_Top

We are now well into 2015, and you know what that means, right? New beginnings! I have been doing a lot of cleaning in my home office, trying to streamline my desk and throw away useless junk. Whenever this happens, I get a hankering for a new keyboard and mouse, as it makes my computer feel new.

Luckily, one of the best manufacturers of such products, Logitech, is back once again with some new input devices. The Wireless Combo MK345 package contains both a mouse and keyboard, sans wires. The best part? The battery life is insanely long. While I normally prefer wired devices, this may convert me.

"The Logitech Wireless Combo MK345 pairs a full-size keyboard, featuring a generous textured palm rest, with a supportive contoured right-handed mouse. Logitech’s wireless technology ensures a solid connection to your computer from up to 33 feet. With its spill-resistant design, the keyboard was also crafted to keep you safe from liquid mishaps", says Logitech.

The company further explains, "engineered with efficiency in mind, the Logitech Wireless Combo MK345 lets you to go longer between battery charges, with up to three years of keyboard battery life and over 18-months of mouse battery life".

wireless-combo-mk345

KEYBOARD

Battery life: 3 years

Battery: 2-AAA

On/Off switch: Yes

Full-size layout with 12 enhanced F-keys for media control

Unifying-ready keyboard: No

Unifying-ready receiver: No

Wireless operating distance: 10m maximum

Wireless system: Advanced 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity

wireless-combo-mk3452

MOUSE

Sensor technology: Logitech Advanced Optical Tracking

Resolution: 1000 dpi

Battery life: 18 months

Battery: 1-AA

Number of buttons: 3

Scroll Wheel: Yes

Tilt function: No

Wireless operating distance: 10m maximum

Wireless system: Advanced 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity

Connection Interface: USB receiver

Wow, 3 years of keyboard battery life? That is absolutely crazy good! The main reason I use wired components is that I am fearful the juice will run out in the middle of something important. Three years is certainly enough to quell my fears. While the mouse "only" lasts 18-months, this too should exceed many consumers' needs.

Unfortunately, these devices have some things going against them. They are both not compatible with Logitech's awesome unifying USB receivers. Also, the mouse is lacking both a tilt-wheel and thumb buttons. While I can live without a tilting scroll wheel, I do not think I can do without thumb buttons -- I use them frequently for back and forward in the web browser.

While Logitech has not yet officially announced pricing or availability, it has a list price on Amazon of $49.99.

Facebook aims to wipe fake news stories from your newsfeed

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 10:39pm CET par Mark Wilson

The queen is dead, boys! President Obama has announced he's going to step down! You can rewrite Facebook's privacy policy to your liking! Sick of seeing fake news stories cluttering up your Facebook newsfeed, getting in the way of content you actually want to see? Facebook feels your pain and is taking steps to cut back on the hoaxes.

Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before, but not everything that appears online is one hundred percent true. In fact, there's a huge amount of content that is twaddle, pish, balderdash -- and lots of people fall for it. Facebook is introducing a new feature that lets you report a story as being fake, and if enough other people do the same, the power of crowd sourcing means the story will be culled.

There are plenty of parody news sites out there, but these aren't really what Facebook has in its sights. However, there are journalists who lie, publications that deliberately try to mislead or paint a vulgar picture, and websites who sex up a dull story with things that are simply made up. Many people are able to spot such a story from a mile off and think "I won't share you", but there are plenty who spread hoax or misleading stories around -- and repetition lends credibility to even the tallest of tales.

Facebook is not aiming to censor stories any more than it already does, but the goal is to warn readers that certain posts may not be quite what they seem. It has long been possible to report content for being offensive, containing pornography and so on, but now a new "It's a false story" has been added. If enough people report a story for being false -- which some may argue is a matter of opinion -- a warning flag will be added to the content, as Facebook explains:

To reduce the number of these types of posts, News Feed will take into account when many people flag a post as false. News Feed will also take into account when many people choose to delete posts. This means a post with a link to an article that many people have reported as a hoax or chosen to delete will get reduced distribution in News Feed. This update will apply to posts including links, photos, videos and status updates.

Of course this will not mean that fake stories will immediately start to diminish -- these things take time -- and there is a danger that the feature will be misused to bury certain types of news story, but this is a move to help protect the gullible.

Photo credit: karen roach / Shutterstock
The worst passwords in the world -- is yours on the list?

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 9:05pm CET par Mark Wilson
Did you resolve to increase your security in 2015? If the list of top passwords used in 2014 is anything to go by, a lot of people should have had this right at the top of their list of New Year's resolutions. Security and password firm SplashData has published its annual list of the most common (worst, in other words) passwords that are in use.

If there's anything positive to be taken from this terrifying list of insecurity, it's that 'password' is still not the most used password out there. It only slipped to second place last year to be replaced by '123456'. The top two positions remain the same this year, so there's not really that much cause for celebration. But the list makes for interesting reading, particularly when you consider these (supposedly) security-conscious times we live in.

If you're wondering how the list was compiled, SplashData collected together data about millions of stolen passwords that were posted online. Some of the new entries in the top 25 list are worryingly weak -- that's not to say that this list contains any passwords that would be considered strong by anyone of sane mind, but "access"? Come on, people!

No fewer than ten of the most popular passwords comprise only numbers. Of course, we're not talking about random digits here, but instead predictable patterns such as 123123, 111111, and (snigger) 696969. If that little giggle seemed childish, it's not entirely out of place -- many of the passwords have a rather childish feel to them: "monkey", "master", "superman", and "batman". Urgh.

Here's the full list in all its disturbing, insecure glory;
1. 123456 (Unchanged from 2013)
2. password (Unchanged)
3. 12345 (Up 17)
4. 12345678 (Down 1)
5. qwerty (Down 1)
6. 1234567890 (Unchanged)
7. 1234 (Up 9)
8. baseball (New)
9. dragon (New)
10. football (New)
11. 1234567 (Down 4)
12. monkey (Up 5)
13. letmein (Up 1)
14. abc123 (Down 9)
15. 111111 (Down 8)
16. mustang (New)
17. access (New)
18. shadow (Unchanged)
19. master (New)
20. michael (New)
21. superman (New)
22. 696969 (New)
23. 123123 (Down 12)
24. batman (New)
25. trustno1 (Down 1)
Needless to say, if you spot a password you're using listed above, do yourself a favor and change it this instant. After you've punched yourself in the face first, that is.

Photo credit: Maxx-Studio / Shutterstock
Microsoft acquires text analytics firm Equivio ready to boost Office 365

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 8:10pm CET par Mark Wilson

It seems as though there have been quite a few acquisitions by the big names in tech recently, and the latest addition to Microsoft's portfolio is Equivio. The Israeli company specializes in text analytics, focusing mainly on helping other businesses with legal and compliance issues with data, counting the Department of Justice among its clients.

What Microsoft is particularly interested in is Equivio's machine learning technology and information governance tools, and aims to improve the eDiscover feature of Office 365. For any company managing large quantities of data, this will help to make life a good deal simpler, and help to eliminate the need for manually sifting through documents and emails.

Rajesh Jha, Corporate Vice President for Outlook and Office 365, broke the news of the acquisition in a blog post. He explains businesses currently spend too long searching for documents that are relevant to compliance or legal matters and that Equivio uses "machine learning to help solve these problems, enabling users to explore large, unstructured sets of data and quickly find what is relevant".

Text analytics performed by the system make it easier to group documents together and to link them together in ways that would otherwise not be possible. The eDiscover system is already trusted by numerous law firms and Microsoft hopes that by taking control of Equivio, existing tools can be made not only more powerful, but also easier to use.

A post on the Equivio website is glistening with excitement:

When we launched Equivio, we had a vision to deliver innovative text analysis software to the legal market. It’s been an amazing ride. Along the way, our machine-learning technology has transformed the business process of e-discovery. By joining Microsoft, we will now have the opportunity to help many more customers layer these technologies into their standard operational and business practices.

For the time being things will continue as they currently are, but in the months ahead there will be changes coming to Office 365.

Photo credit: Asif Islam / Shutterstock
HP targets business mobility with new enterprise, education and healthcare devices

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 6:43pm CET par Brian Fagioli
It is important to remember that the world marches to the beat of many drums. In other words, what works for you, may not work for everyone. While a tech-writer can get by with a Chromebook or iPad, what about doctors? teachers? office professionals? For some professions, there are very specialized needs.

Luckily, HP understands this, and today it announces new solutions for commercial use; enterprise, education, healthcare and more. Recognizing that there are many different needs, some of the devices run Android, some Windows and of course, they come in different shapes and sizes. BetaNews was at the announcement, getting a hands-on look at the products. Which is right for your company?

"HP is taking a modular approach featuring secure, purpose-built devices. By supporting multiple operating systems, HP is giving business customers a choice of application ecosystems and user experiences. When coupled with the new software offerings from HP and its partners, the company has created a complete mobility solution for all businesses -- including education, field service, healthcare, public safety and retail industries", says HP.

The manufacturer further explains, "new tablets and 2-in-1 devices running Microsoft Windows operating system, along with new tablets built on Google’s Android operating system, all feature built-in security and can be tailored to meet specific use-case requirements with a focus on embracing business mobility".

On the medical front, HP reveals the HP ElitePad 1000 G2 Healthcare Tablet. It is not an entirely new tablet, but instead the existing ElitePad in a medical frame. The magic is the silver ions in the white frame, which can kill germs on contact. Obviously, in a hospital setting, germs, blood and other gross stuff will be bountiful. My favorite feature, however, is the integrated bar code scanner, which can be used on a patient's bracelet. This will not only save time, but increase accuracy too. There are also additional rugged ElitePad configurations for other industries too.

For education, the company announces a pair of tablets that look very similar, but are quite different. How so? The HP Pro Slate 10 EE runs Android, while the HP Pro Tablet 10 EE is powered by Windows. This allows the school to select the operating system that it prefers. Best of all? The accessories will be interchangeable, as the form factors are the same. The coolest option, however, is the stationary keyboard dock, which is powered by the tablet. It is meant to stay on a table or desk, so a student can just pop it on when needed. Because it is not wireless, there are less headaches by avoiding Bluetooth-pairing hell.

The star of the show, however, is the HP Elite x2 1011 G1; a Surface Pro 3 clone that proves even more versatile than Microsoft's offering. Not only can it be used with a floppy type cover like the Surface, but also a rigid keyboard that offers a traditional laptop clam shell experience. It also bests the Surface Pro 3 in that it has a Core M processor, rather than the previous-generation Haswell.

Below are some of the specs.
- Processor Family -- Intel Core M processor
- Maximum Memory -- 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3L SDRAM
- On-board memory -- 4 GB or 8 GB module
- Internal Storage -- 128 GB up to 512 GB M.2 SSD
- Display -- 11.6 inch diagonal HD BrightView IPS eDP ultra-slim LED-backlit touch screen (1366 x 768); 11.6 inch diagonal FHD BrightView IPS eDP ultra-slim, LED-backlit touch screen (1920 x 1080)
- Available Graphics -- Integrated: Intel HD Graphics 5300
Business users in particular will love the optional wireless dock. Once paired with the HP Elite x2 1011 G1, the dock will activate when in close proximity. This includes USB ports, HDMI, DisplayPort, Ethernet and VGA. HP tells me that this can wirelessly drive two 1080p displays in addition to the device's built-in display. Whoa.

HP also announces two new Android tablets, the Pro Slate 8 and 12, that come with an amazing new pen called the Duet. What makes it so amazing? It uses a special technology which enables it to be used on the capacitive screen, or on actual paper. Yes, it will transmit your handwriting on paper to a digital format on the tablet. It truly is a great way to bridge the gap between paper and digital. Besides that, they are typical Android slates with impressive build quality. I was impressed by how light they both are.

Lastly, the company announces the HP Pro Tablet 408 G1, which is a run-of-the-mill 8 inch Windows tablet. In my hands-on, it proved to be very solidly built and fast. Sadly, unlike HPs other new business products, which are unique and exciting, this is just your typical slab. That isn't a bad thing, however, if that is what you want. Unlike other tablets of this size, it comes with Windows 8 Pro, making it ideal in a corporate setting.

So, which of these products do you like the best? Please tell me in the comments.
Platform9 makes private clouds easier to implement

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 5:11pm CET par Ian Barker

Public cloud services put a lot of resources into managing their systems in order to provide an efficient service with automated infrastructure and self-service features.

For businesses wanting to implement their own private clouds, however, achieving a similar level of service can be difficult. They often turn to solutions like OpenStack but fail to reach its full potential thanks to a lack of the resources and skills required.

Private cloud specialist Platform9 aims to make things easier with the announcement of the general availability of Platform9 Managed OpenStack. This is a SaaS solution that transforms an organization's existing servers into an AWS-like agile, self-service private cloud.

"Today, Platform9 is disrupting the complexity barrier to private clouds with Platform9 Managed OpenStack -- its SaaS simplicity, production readiness, and seamless integration with existing environments enable every organization to manage their in-house infrastructure with greater agility and efficiency", says Sirish Raghuram, Co-founder and CEO of Platform9.

Platform9 Managed OpenStack offers ease of use without the need for any OpenStack expertise. It supports existing environments so that businesses can import their own servers, storage and network configurations. It can also work seamlessly across multiple sites, integrating all of an enterprise's distributed infrastructure into a single private cloud.

The service is continuously monitored by Platform9's internal telemetry for availability and operational health. Also updates are seamless and non-disruptive and in most cases will be transparent to the customer. It incorporates an update to a new, stable OpenStack release each year to take advantage of the latest enhancements.

The product is available as a free, Lite, version to allow users to test or learn about it on a limited scale. There are then pricing models for business from $49 per month. You can find out more and sign up for the Lite tier on the Platform9 website.

Photo Credit: Marynchenko Oleksandr / Shutterstock
Screen Reader reads on-screen text as you point at it

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 3:37pm CET par Mike Williams

Screen Reader is a compact free tool which reads on-screen text out loud, as you point at it.

If you’re thinking this sounds a lot like Windows’ built-in Narrator, then you’re right -- Screen Reader even uses the same core Microsoft speech engine to do its work. But the program also has a few advantages which might justify its download.

Screen Reader is portable, for example, so you can use it on someone else’s PC without messing up their own system settings. Just unzip the tiny download (< 100KB) and run ScreenReader.exe as and when required.

The program isn’t overly wordy. It won’t start reading an entire window every time you click on it: instead, Screen Reader just reads text as you hover your mouse cursor over it, even if that window doesn’t currently have the focus.

You don’t get all the text context information, either. Click in the system tray, hover your mouse over an icon, and unlike Narrator you won’t hear "desktop… notification area… tooltip": Screen Reader just reads whatever the tooltip text says.

There’s support for reading the clipboard on demand, or automatically whenever the clipboard is updated.

Configurable hotkeys allow you to read the keyboard, start/ stop reading or lock/ unlock a particular window for reading only.

As the program is based on Microsoft’s SAPI, it’s able to read using any of the standard voices, or whatever others you might have installed.

Screen Reader still isn’t as configurable as Windows Narrator, but if it may be preferable if you need only occasional words reading, or would like a portable tool you can easily run on other people’s PCs. Worth a try.
Users and IT teams are part of the security problem says Cisco

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 3:15pm CET par Ian Barker

Careless user behavior and targeted malware campaigns are putting many industry sectors in danger from security breaches with the pharmaceutical and chemical industries at highest risk.

This is among the findings of the latest Annual Security report from networking specialist Cisco. It also finds that attackers are adapting their methods to make their campaigns harder to detect.

Among the changes are the rise of 'snowshoe spam' which involves sending low volumes of spam from a large set of IP addresses to avoid detection, and the use of less common exploit kits so as not to attract attention. There's also an increase in malicious combinations, sharing attacks between two files, for example Flash and JavaScript to make them harder to detect.

Users are the main target though and may also be unknowingly aiding cyber attacks. Throughout 2014, Cisco threat intelligence research has revealed that attackers have increasingly shifted their focus from servers and operating systems as more users are downloading from compromised sites leading to a 280 percent increase in Silverlight attacks along with a 250 percent increase in spam and malvertising exploits.

Users are increasingly targeted using web browser add-ons as a medium for distributing malware and unwanted applications. This approach too is proving successful because many users inherently trust add-ons or simply view them as benign.

"Attackers have become more proficient at taking advantage of security gaps. At any given time, we should expect for one percent of high-urgency vulnerabilities to be actively exploited while 56 percent of all OpenSSL versions are still vulnerable to Heartbleed," says Jason Brvenik, Principal Engineer, Security Business Group at Cisco. "Despite this, we see less than half of the security teams surveyed using standard tools like patching and configuration management to help prevent security breaches. Even with leading security technology, excellence in process is required to protect organizations and users from increasingly sophisticated attacks and campaigns".

The report also reveals that while many defenders believe their security processes are optimized, and their security tools are effective, in truth, their security readiness likely needs improvement. It concludes that corporate boards need to take a role in setting security priorities and expectations.

It sets out some basic principles for achieving security which include that security must be transparent and informative, that it must enable visibility and appropriate action and that it must be viewed as a 'people problem'.

A complete copy of the report is available from the Cisco website.

Image Credit: watcharakun/Shutterstock
Android 5.0.2 Lollipop OTA files now available -- here's how you can update

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 2:51pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic
After releasing Android 5.0.2 Lollipop factory images for the 2013 and 2012 Wi-Fi Nexus 7, Google is now rolling out the latest version of Android for the two 7-inch tablets via an over-the-air (OTA) update.

Google has yet to provide an official changelog for Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, but from the AOSP commits we can tell that there are only a couple of noteworthy changes made since Android 5.0.1 Lollipop. The biggest one is related to TRIM functionality, which should lead to noticeable improvements in performance.

After the update, which I performed using the factory image, my 2013 Wi-Fi Nexus 7 started performing better, with fewer slowdowns and less stuttering. That said, it still feels like there is lots of room for improvement. (For more on what Android 5.0.2 Lollipop brings to the table, check out this article.)

As always, the Android 5.0.2 Lollipop OTA files for the 2013 and 2012 Wi-Fi Nexus 7 tablets are available to download from Google's servers. Here are the download links:
- 2013 Wi-Fi Nexus 7 (only from Android 5.0.1 Lollipop, build number LRX22C).
- 2012 Wi-Fi Nexus 7 (only from Android 5.0 Lollipop, build number LRX21P).
- 2012 Nexus 10 (only from Android 5.0.1 Lollipop, build number LRX22C).
Now that you have the OTA file for your Nexus tablet, you can proceed to applying the update. You can do that by following the instructions in this detailed how-to guide, which explains all the steps that you need to take and all the tools that you need to get the job done.

As soon as more OTA update files are available, I will update this article with the download links.

Update 1: Nexus 10 OTA download link added. Thanks, Hurricane Andrew!
Mouse-Box is a complete computer… in a mouse!

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 2:12pm CET par Wayne Williams

Small computers are proving very popular these days. As well as the likes of Raspberry Pi, there are Windows 8.1/Linux devices like Intel's Compute Stick on the way, and fans of Linux Mint can purchase the CompuLab MintBox Mini. Given the size of this new generation of diminutive device, it’s perhaps surprising that no one has (successfully) tried to squeeze a PC into a mouse before.

Well, now, finally they have. Mouse-Box aims to be a complete computer inside in a fully functioning pointing device. You’ll be able to use it with your normal PC, and then switch to the Mouse-Box computer with ease. You just need access to a screen and keyboard (you already have the mouse!)

Although Mouse-Box is a work in progress, there’s a functioning prototype with a 1.4 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex CPU, Micro-HDMI, Wi-Fi B/G/N and space for an optional battery. The Mouse-Box comes with an accelerometer, gyroscope, 2x USB 3.0 ports and 128 GB flash storage, plus you'll get additional cloud storage for your files.

Mouse-Box will charge wirelessly via an inductive charging pad that can be folded away in a box when not in use.

At the moment the Mouse-Box team are just asking for video shares to get the word out there, and hopefully find backers. It’s possible they may go the crowd funding route in the future also.

Either way, this is an interesting project and it will be interesting to see what happens with it.
Of course Lumia 532 is 'Windows 10 ready' -- Microsoft isn't (that) crazy!

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 2:07pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

Microsoft has made lots of mistakes with Windows Phone. Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the biggest screw-ups is the lack of an upgrade path from Windows Phone 7 to the next major installment, Windows Phone 8. The software giant basically shot itself, and its mobile platform, in the foot there. But let's let bygones be bygones, shall we?

The reason why I am bringing this up now is that there's chatter about Lumia 532 being "Windows 10 ready". And it's not just a rumor, no. Microsoft's own landing page for the Windows Phone advertises this, when doing a search for the device. Strangely enough, some are taking this with a grain of salt, like it isn't obvious. But it is. Lumia 532 will get Windows 10. Microsoft isn't going to make the same mistake twice, otherwise it will kill the platform for good.

I have been critical of Microsoft in the past, and for good reasons. But there is nothing that would suggest that Windows 10 will not be available as an upgrade for Windows Phone 8.x devices. Microsoft has been very clear about this, and of its commitment to existing users, when it extended the support lifecycle for Windows Phone 8 from 18 months to 36 months, or three years.

Support for Windows Phone 8 should, indeed, end in mid-December -- December 14, to be exact. However, because virtually all Windows Phone 8 devices are compatible with Windows Phone 8.1 (quite a few have already been upgraded), their support lifecycle will actually be "upgraded" to match that of Windows Phone 8.1, which is June 24, 2014 - July 11, 2017 (it is also getting that three-year support lifecycle).

For this reason I believe that Windows Phone 8 devices could get an upgrade to Windows 10, although this remains to be seen. After all, some of them are not exactly properly-equipped from a hardware standpoint, although, at the same time, there is nothing to suggest that Windows 10 will be any different to Windows Phone 8.1 as far as system requirements go.

That said, Lumia 532 is a Windows Phone 8.1 device, so it is clearly better positioned, compared to older devices, to get Windows 10. It is also designed for first-time smartphone buyers, and folks in developing and emerging markets, so it is unlikely that Microsoft will want to ruin the experience for consumers who are likely first-time Windows Phone users. Also, its Windows Phone market share will likely be significant given time, and it would be, again, foolish to abandon it.

Keep in mind that by the time the support lifecycle for Windows Phone 8.1 ends, which is more than two years away, Windows 10 will be ready to be rolled out for Windows Phone 8.1 devices, with more than a year to spare. So time isn't an issue here.

Of course, the fun will have to end at some point, but I do not believe that Microsoft will again design a smartphone operating system with system requirements so high that it cannot run on existing hardware. There's already a name for that mistake, after all, and Microsoft wants to put the Windows Phone 7/8 fiasco behind it.

However, I do have to wonder whether supporting Windows Phone 8.1 for three years is sustainable. Of course that it is awesome for end-users, but for vendors it means that existing users will not upgrade as often. It's an interesting choice that Microsoft has made, and I would like to see what strategy it has to counter this.

Could some features be disabled for low-spec Windows Phone 8.x devices? We'll just have to wait and see, as tomorrow's when Microsoft will talk about Windows 10 for smartphones. We'll keep you in the loop.
WWE network now available on Roku in the UK and Ireland

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 1:59pm CET par Alan Buckingham

Wrestling fan? Many folks are, which is what has made the WWE such a lucrative business. The organization recently launched its own network -- subscription-based, of course. After all, it's about making money in exchange for sport...ah....entertainment. Now the network is expanding, moving to set-top boxes.

Roku, perhaps the top name in this category, is announcing that the WWE has arrived on its boxes in the UK and Ireland. While we aren't sure how popular the "sport" is there, it's certainly set to get some viewers.

"With the WWE Network channel, fans can sign up for the first-ever 24/7 streaming network featuring all 12 WWE Network live pay-per-view events -- including WrestleMania, ground breaking original programming, reality shows, documentaries, classic matches and a massive video on demand library. Go to wwe.com to sign up for the WWE Network for £9.99 in the U.K. and €12.99 in Ireland. There is no commitment, cancel anytime", the announcement reads.

It isn't a bad deal if you are in search of additional entertainment. The organization continues to be a top draw for viewers, as it has now been for generations.
A smartwatch for under $50 -- Rwatch R5 [Review]

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 11:36am CET par Ian Barker

Like any new technology, smartwatches when they first appeared were fiendishly expensive. Now that budget manufacturers are getting in on the act however prices are starting to tumble.

The R5 from Chinese company Rwatch costs less than $50 and will work with most Android phones, but can it compete with the pricier offerings from big name manufacturers?

First impressions are pretty good. The R5 comes in a nice sturdy, white cardboard box which you wouldn't be ashamed to hand over as a gift. What you get in the box is the watch, a USB cable and some basic instructions. The watch itself is quite stylish (it's available in silver, gold or the black of the review unit) and it looks very similar to the Samsung Gear 2. It has a rubbery plastic strap and a shiny surround to the screen.

You only get one button on the front of the device which is used to turn it on and off and wake it from standby. There's a cover over the USB port on the left side which feels a little bit flimsy. The R5 has a 1.5-inch touch screen with a 240 x 240 resolution and the makers claim 120 hours of standby or three hours of talk time from a full battery charge.

Plug it into a USB port and leave it to charge for a while then you can get started. To sync it with your Android phone you need to download an app -- there's a QR code in the instructions to allow you to do this -- once connected with Bluetooth it allows you to sync various phone functions. There's all of the usual stuff related to calls and messages, plus you can control your phone's media player and camera remotely.

There's also an 'anti lost' function which will vibrate the watch to alert you if the phone goes out of range and some basic health monitoring in the form of a sleep monitor and a pedometer. Being a watch of course it also tells the time and you can choose between a digital or analogue-style display and there are stopwatch and alarm functions.

The R5 may look like a Gear 2 but it's a lot cheaper than it or any of the big name smart watches. It has a capacitive screen which proved to be quite responsive and with decent viewing angles. You need pretty accurate fingers to access some of the settings or to dial numbers though. If you look closely the display is a little pixellated but it's good enough for day-to-day use. It's not as if you're going to be watching movies on it.

There are only a limited number of rather weedy ring tones, but for most people the vibrate function is probably more useful as an alert anyway. As with a lot of Chinese devices the instructions are written in somewhat mangled English but most of the functions are easy to use anyway.

The device feels a bit chunky compared to a normal wristwatch, but given its price the R5 has a surprisingly good range of features and is nicely usable. You're also not tied to a particular make of phone, it should work with anything running Android 4.3 or above. If you want to give smartwatches a try without spending a lot of money it's worth a look.

Our review sample was supplied by GearBest.com and currently sells for $43.19. BetaNews readers can use coupon code: RWR5CN at the checkout to get it for $38.99. The coupon expires on March 3rd.
Anvi Ultimate Defrag now free

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 11:09am CET par Mike Williams

Anvisoft has released Anvi Ultimate Defrag 1.2, and announced that the program -- once an eye-watering $29.98 -- is now free.

Unsurprisingly, that does introduce some other issues. Setup now installs another Anvisoft product by default (you can avoid this with a click), and Ultimate Defrag’s interface is now spoiled by an "Anvi Slim Toolbar PRO" ad (this can be hidden, but returns when you next launch the program).

The company has to sponsor its free releases somehow, of course, and Ultimate Defrag does offer a little more control than some defrag programs. You can choose to show or ignore SSDs or removable drives; defrag multiple drives simultaneously; schedule boot defrags, or run various aspects of the program as scheduled tasks (optionally turning this off if your system is on battery power).

There’s also the ability to delete junk files before the defrag process begins, which may speed it up a little, and an unusually detailed Logs page lists every action taken.

Anvi Ultimate Defrag 1.2 doesn’t do very much on its own (it uses chkdsk to scan your drive for errors), but the program is easy to use and offers more control than the standard Windows defrag tool. Downloads are available now.
Brits are ready to be 'digital by default'

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 9:42am CET par Sam Pudwell

A new study from Fujitsu has revealed that UK consumers are ready for a nation that is digital by default.

Over a fifth of us will always opt for a digital-first approach, when a digital service is offered. Driven by a desire to speed up (66 percent) and simplify (62 percent) everyday processes, the results show a digitally confident nation, one that is seeking to move faster towards a digital future (39 percent) and that would vote for a political party if it focused on digital policies (20 percent).

Financial services was the standout sector when it came to digital services currently offered, topping the table in terms of importance of (62 percent) and satisfaction with (64 percent) according to consumers.

This was followed by retail where satisfaction in the services offered is 60 percent. When examining individual digital services used in our everyday lives, online banking and online shopping reign supreme as the most used (67 percent and 66 percent respectively) and valued (63 percent) across the nation; but also in the importance placed on them by consumers.

The research suggests a burgeoning confidence amongst Brits getting to grips with digital services, with nearly two-thirds (63 percent) commenting that they were comfortable with the digital services offered to them by organizations overall.

"We are speeding towards a digital-first Britain. From click and collect through to renewing our road tax online, the wealth of digital services available has driven great behavioral change in the UK," said Michael Keegan, Chief Executive Officer UK & Ireland, Fujitsu.

"We are now more confident in our ability to use the services offered, we understand the benefits and as such, it is consumers themselves pushing organizations to create a digital future".

There are, however, still many barriers which are preventing the UK becoming a truly digital-first nation. Brits were quick to point out those they would like to see further improvement in, with both Local (24 percent) and, to a lesser extent, Central Government (20 percent) named as the two key sectors that must improve quickly to remain relevant.

While vertical sectors have work to do on their digital offerings, talking to those who never use digital services (12 percent) a myriad of issues blocking a digital future appear. Over a third (37 percent) simply prefer human interaction, while one in five had concerns about security and 15 percent felt they were too complicated and didn’t know how to use them.

"While Britain is on the right path for digital greatness, the message here is clear -- education is essential. For Britain to become truly ‘digital by default’ organizations from the Government to private organization bodies, must work together to ensure digital inclusion is a reality for all", said Neil Crockett, CEO, Digital Catapult.

"Only by collaborating and facing this issue head-on can we ensure Britain becomes a digital-first nation, taking its place on the world stage as a leader in digital services and an example to the rest of the world".

Education is key to ensuring the future of digital is secure in the UK, and for many, is something that is currently lacking.

Only a quarter (26 percent) felt that enough was being done across the UK to educate citizens on digital services, while 54 percent said they would like to see the Government do more to prepare us for a digital future.

A third of respondents said they believe the organization providing the service should be the one to educate them.

"The UK’s digital future is, in some ways, just beginning. For it to continue at this pace, organizations have a responsibility to continue creating digital services that simplify the customer experience", continued Keegan.

"At the same time, there is little evidence to suggest that the UK will become a digital-only nation; instead, citizens have shown a desire for access to a wealth of services, across all channels, enabling them to make their own decisions on the digital services they adopt and when they chose to do so".

Photo Credit: ra2studio / Shutterstock

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
Poetic Justice -- DDoS service operated by Lizard Squad gets hacked, user data leaked

Publié: janvier 20, 2015, 2:56am CET par Alan Buckingham

The past few weeks have not been kind to hacking group Lizard Squad. They've managed to raise the ire of the last possible group of folks you'd wish to anger -- Anonymous. The organization is also experiencing arrests of its members, thanks to poor procedures put in place for identity protection. But the latest blow may come as poetic justice to many people.

The loosely-knit hacker communicative has been trying to sell its wares online -- namely DDoS for hire services. Unfortunately for it, and rather fortunately for the rest of us, the offering has been hacked. According to multiple reports LizardStreeser.su was compromised.

Security firm Sophos reports that "The site is home to the group’s LizardStresser tool which relies on thousands of hacked home routers to launch DDoS attacks".

The group, which took down Playstation and Xbox networks on Christmas day, has bigger problems though. Three members have been taken into custody and identities of others are apparently known. Sophos reports that "Given how a Lizard Squad spokesman recently claimed that part of the group’s motivation for its recent attacks was the highlighting of poor security practices, it is ironic to note that its own database of users was not encrypted -- usernames and passwords were apparently stored in plaintext which, in terms of poor security mistakes, is about as big as they come".

Meanwhile, security researcher Brian Krebs states that "A copy of the LizardStresser customer database obtained by KrebsOnSecurity shows that it attracted more than 14,241 registered users, but only a few hundred appear to have funded accounts at the service".

It seems that crime continues to not pay, or at least for those who think it's a game and don't watch what they're doing. Though, we hope it pays for nobody, not even the expert criminal.

Photo Credit: ra2studio / Shutterstock