Technology Simplified

There's a lot to like about the Google Nest series of devices: they're polished, they're reliable, and they can all be controlled via a chat with Google Assistant on your phone or on your smart speaker. Now you've got even more of a reason to go Google with your next smart home purchase, because John Lewis is knocking £59 off the price of a Nest Cam Outdoor and a Nest Hub when you buy them both together – if you're looking for a bargain in the January Sales , this could be the one. The Nest Cam Outdoor will keep a careful eye on your property, enabling you to view a live feed and get motion detection alerts on your phone at any time, wherever you are in the world. The Nest Hub (previously known as the Home Hub), meanwhile, is a compact 7-inch smart display that brings you all the magic of Google Assistant and a screen – you can watch YouTube videos, control your other smart home devices, get weather reports, and much more besides. We'd advise you to act fas...

PS4 bundles have been crashing in price well ahead of January sales this year, and we've been tracking all the best discounts right here. With the holidays just around the corner, these PS4 deals show no signs of slowing down, however. We're still seeing prices on PS4 Pro consoles crash down to £249 with some amazing games packaged in for free, and the Slim version of the console is still even cheaper at £199.  These PS4 bundles are offering fantastic value for your cash this week, so whether you've been waiting until the last second to pick up a cheap console before the holidays, or if you're yet to give the PlayStation a try - these prices are pretty convincing at the moment. We've got all the best cheap PS4 bundles just in time for those final weeks before Christmas.  You're in for a great time too, as so many of the best PS4 games are super cheap nowadays. You've got plenty of great titles to enjoy for far less than they originally sat on store shelv...

We've got cheap laptop deals for days this week as retailers hit low prices in the January sales . There's a fantastic range of price cuts on offer right now, so whether you're looking for a cheap Chromebook for everyday computing or something more powerful for demanding software, you'll find an excellent price on some of our favourite laptops going. These laptops are all offering the processing and storage you'd need to at least get some everyday work done, and cheaper models are all fully supportive of updates to come, so there's no need to worry you're not getting your money's worth with a sub-£200 laptop here. That said, we're still seeing strong discounts on the higher end of the spectrum, with massive savings to be had on larger Asus, HP, and Lenovo laptops.  We've got laptop deals all the way from £139 to £1,000, so whether you're looking for a quick stop-gap or cheap laptop for small everyday tasks, or a powerhouse of multi-tasking a...

The January sales have begun, and we're looking to these fantastic Fitbit deals to hit 2020 running straight from the off. Across the US and UK, these Fitbit Versa fitness trackers (and a few other devices) have already seen price drops over the holiday sales, and there's still time to pick up your own. The excellent Fitbit Versa deals below can land you a nifty little fitness tracker for far less than you'd usually part with, and span the full Versa range so you can find the perfect wrist piece for you. The Fitbit Versa is a good choice for someone looking for a top fitness tracker for a lower price - these have been slashed in cost ahead of the sales, making them a far more palatable choice if you're hoping to get a screen to go with your tracker. Coming in cheapest is the Fitbit Versa Lite. It's a pared-down version of the fully-fledged Fitbit Versa, but ideal for anyone looking to track their fitness without spending over $100 / £100 and getting bogged down ...

SplashData has released its annual list of the most commonly-used passwords across the world, uncovering that old security habits really do die hard. The security firm investigated over five million leaked passwords over the past twelve months, and found that many of the most common logins would be easy to guess for even the most incompetent hackers. In perhaps the most surprising news, "password" has for the first time been knocked out of the top two spots, being replaced by the painfully simple "123456" and "123456789". The best password manager 2020: store all your logins securely Facebook data breach sees millions of user personal details leaked online Apple wants to make iPhones safer than ever Complex SplashData estimates almost 10 percent of people have used at least one of the 25 worst passwords on this year’s list, with nearly three percent using "123456". The company noted that while many computer programs now prevent such si...

Star Wars is dead… long live Star Wars? The Skywalker saga may have ended with The Rise of Skywalker, but the galaxy lives on, with The Mandalorian and the upcoming Obi-Wan series on TV and a new Star Wars film arriving in 2022 .  But what will that movie be? At the moment, no one outside of Lucasfilm and Disney has a clue. We know that MCU mastermind Kevin Feige is down to produce something , that The Last Jedi’s Rian Johnson may (or may not) still be developing a series of Star Wars films and that Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss definitely aren’t, but until an announcement (strongly rumored to be early next year), we’re all in the dark. Still, it’s fun to speculate. Here then are five directions the saga could potentially go in… The Next Generation of Jedi One of the open goals that The Rise of Skywalker misses is in picking up the loose threads from The Last Jedi. If you’ll recall, Episode 8 ends with the implication that the Force is growing once m...

If you're looking to capture the best moments of 2020, these GoPro deals are offering a fantastic price cut on some of the cheaper GoPro models in the January Sales . You can save over £100 on the Hero 7 Silver (down to just £169 ) and the Hero 7 Black ( £278 ), or if you want the cheapest version possible, the Hero 7 White is reduced to just £118.30 this week.  With the Hero 8 model releasing just two months ago, we've been looking to the Go Pro Hero 7 Silver and Black models for some hefty discounts in the 2020 sales.  These two models represent the mid-range and higher end of the Go Pro Hero 7 range, so you're getting an excellent action camera for your cash whichever version you pick up. Both offer the hardy outer shell on which GoPro has based its name, but the Silver is slimmed down version of the high-tech Black model with the price cut to match. While you can still shoot 4K 30fps footage with video stabilization and a wide lens on the Silver, there are a few feat...

We've tested and ranked the best free screen recorders that make it easy to record everything that's happening on your PC, complete with commentary and annotations if you want. It's important to choose the right free screen recorder depending on what you intend to do with the footage you capture. Different recorders offer a range of differing features, can save captures in varying formats, or capture footage from external sources such as a webcam – and some even give you the opportunity to upload to the internet directly from within the program. Some run nicely on average hardware, while others are more demanding. The point is that there is plenty of choice. No matter what you're hoping to do with footage captured from your computer, you need the right tool for the job. And this is where our look at the best free screen recorders can help – take a look and see which one is best for you. The best free screen recorders at a glance OBS Studio FlashBack Express Apowe...

To think, we're about to wrap up another year and enter 2020. So what's the perfect way to celebrate? A big party? Celebrations with the entire family? Or maybe you just want to watch the Doctor Who New Years Special online - surely the best way to start a new year! And considering Whovians have had to hold out an entire year since the last time they got to see a new dose of Doctor Who action, this will be at the top of most people's festive TV watching plans. And some even better news - this episode is set to be one of the biggest and longest in the show's entire history, so big in fact that they've split it into two parts just to fit all of that action. Of course, Doctor Who is normally somewhat of a Christmas tradition, moving from its Christmas Day slot into the New Year. So for those losing their favorite Christmas past-time, this double bill action will be just the news you were looking for. We've done the research, tracked down times, locations and e...

A constant flow of information in business is more like a firehose than any of us want to imagine. It’s a steady stream, often bursting at the seams, and it doesn’t let up. Tracking and managing that firehose of data can be a Herculean task because you’re always playing catch-up -- analyzing the data after it has been transmitted and generating reports at a later date. The problem, of course, is that “the later date” never comes and sometimes we process reams and reams of data, store it and archive it, without ever really analyzing it. Amazon Kinesis is a real-time cloud analytics engine that collects, analyzes, and reports on data transmission in your company as it happens, using the power of cloud computing services . You can think of it as a pipe that connects two firehoses -- the data comes in, Amazon Kinesis can analyze it as it transmits, and then the data keeps flowing. Instead of using an analytics dashboard or generating that are only helpful later, you can make business dec...

If you own a Windows phone, you might want to look for a replacement in the January sales , because WhatsApp is ending support for Windows 10 Mobile imminently. You won't just stop receiving updates and new features. According to Facebook (WhatsApp's parent company), after December 31 you will be unable to use the app on your device at all. Looking for a new handset? Here are the best phones of 2020 Dark mode for WhatsApp : everything you neeed to know How to enable dark mode for Facebook There's no need to panic, though. While it's not as convenient, you will still be able to log into WhatsApp by visiting the site in your phone's web browser. You could also use Telegram or Skype to wish your loved ones a happy 2020. Bad news for older phones As MSPowerUser reports, WhatsApp is also ending support for older iOS and Android devices, though owners of these phones have a little longer to upgrade. Handsets running iOS 7 or older, and Android 2.3.7 and older, w...

The internet can be a hostile environment. The threat of cyberattack is ever-present as new vulnerabilities are released and a commodity of tools are produced to exploit them. Therefore, the pressure on organisations (and their employees) to protect customer data and defend against attacks, is mounting. But aside from using Firewalls and antivirus software , how can we expect businesses, especially smaller businesses with limited security budgets and skills, to keep on top of evolving threats?  As our 2019 Nastiest Malware List highlights, cyberattacks are becoming more advanced and difficult to detect. From ransomware strains to cryptomining campaigns – that deliver the most attack payloads beyond phishing – cybercriminals are making better use of stolen, personal information available to craft more convincing and targeted attacks. Ultimately, what this means is that doing nothing is no longer an option. It’s time that organisations step up, learning how to spot potential thr...

If you're curious about entering the world of virtual reality in 2020, you'll want to start with these excellent Oculus Go deals. The cheap VR headset is currently £50 less on Amazon, with the deal spanning both the 32GB and 64GB models, meaning you can pick up an Oculus Go deal for just £149 in the January Sales .  You're getting access to an amazing world of virtual reality experiences, though you won't find the entire Oculus store available on the Go. This is a slimmed down experience with the price tag to match, so you'll still be playing fantastic games and have access to a wide range of virtual experiences and streaming but don't expect the full library of the Quest or Rift straight from the off.  Instead, this headset is geared towards the curious or simply those who don't want to splash out on an expensive PC to run their virtual reality - which makes these cheap Oculus Go deals even better. Today's best Oculus Go deals for January sales It...

As our lives become increasingly dependent on the internet, establishing trust becomes vital to society. Yet, the old ways of documenting and verifying trust are no longer fit for purpose: documents get faked; static data gets hacked; and consumers continue to opt for convenience over security. Hackers and malware remain ever present threats and consumers still need to use antivirus software . Close your eyes, and picture Britain in 1939. Bracing for a Second World War, the country introduces military conscription and the National Registration Bill, requiring every citizen to carry a national identity card at all times. One single document – one piece of information – to verify that you are who you say you are.  Fast forward 80 years, past multiple technological breakthroughs: the industrialisation of fossil fuels; commercial aviation; smart grids and electricity storage; global telecommunications; and of course, the internet. The march of technology never stops, and we’re now pr...

In many ways, this Scandinavian crossover is a delight, but the as-tested price seems a bit hard to justify. from CNET Reviews - Most Recent Reviews https://ift.tt/2ZJRQQP

By BY NELLIE BOWLES AND NOAM SCHEIBER from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/368GacK

On Technical Writing 4 by ming13 | 0 comments on Hacker News.

Ben Stokes, Olivia Colman, Margaret Atwood/Bernardine Evaristo. They all took home some prestigious prizes in 2019. And phone network Three joined in the back-slapping fun when it won the prize for 'Phone Deal of the Year' at October's Mobile Choice Consumer Awards. Its unlimited data SIM only deal took home the gong for the second time in three years, which is obviously great news for Three. But the even better news for you is that you can still get the offer now. So that means absolutely unlimited data, calls and texts for a mere £18 per month . In a SIM only deals market that seems to get fiercer and fiercer by the day, Three's all-you-can-eat offer remains our favourite of the lot. We've got more details about the offer below or, if monthly bills of £18 still sound a bit on the high side, keep scrolling to see what other SIM only deals are out there right now. More like this: The best early January sales and deals for 2020 Three's award winning S...

With 2019 been a challenging and a transition year, how is 2020 going to be for the information and communications technology in the UAE and what the top trends are that will shape the industry. Jyoti Lalchandani, vice-president and regional managing director for research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), told in an exclusive to  TechRadar Middle East   that ICT spending in the UAE is expected to increase by 3.80% to $16.84b compared to $16.22b a year ago. The research firm has revised its forecast for this year from $16.7b due to a slowdown in the telecommunications sector. He said that telecom services are feeling the impact of weak consumer confidence and a slowdown in mobile data services. Even in 2020, the telecom sector is expected to grow the slowest at 1.01% while devices and infrastructure sectors are expected to grow close to 6% and software and IT services (hardware and support services, consulting services, training, education, system integration servi...

Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of the UAE will unveil the “UAE 5G Strategy” for the next five years soon. Speaking to TechRadar Middle East on the sidelines of the “UAE 5G Conference” on Sunday, Tariq Al Awadi, Executive Director of Spectrum Affairs at TRA UAE, said the strategy will chalk out the roadmap to accommodate and implement 5G for the next five years. “We will announce what kind of frequency bands will be assigned to operators every year based on use cases and verticals. By 2025, we will have 100% coverage of the UAE with 5G millimetre wave (24.25GHz to the 86GHz),” he said. Telecom operators in the UAE, etisalat and du, are offering 5G services in the C-band (3.3GHz-3.8GHz). When the technology is ready from the vendors, he said that telecom operators will provide the network and TRA will provide a good spectrum. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, said that some verticals will get more priority if they ha...

Although the widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI) in business is still in its infancy and questions remain open about the pace of progress, the lack of adequate skills to support AI projects, immature market ecosystem, lack of clean data and regulatory implications are the key challenges which might slow down the adoption in the Middle East, an industry expert said. Speaking to TechRadar Middle East , Manish Ranjan, Program Manager for software and cloud at research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), said that there are a lot of AI-centric initiatives and mega projects in various stages in the Gulf countries. In the UAE, there is UAE AI Strategy and various AI research labs by public and private sectors (ADDA, Dewa, Huawei and Smart Dubai), and AI university. Saudi Arabia recently unveiled a new National Centre for AI, a national AI regulator, a National Data Management Office and is already delivering its first AI college. “Organisations, especially from governme...