Computing

The word "hacking" has had a rather tumultuous history. Originally associated with trees and plants, the word took on a more playful tone in the 60s before becoming synonymous with "cracking" in more recent times. Although it now carries largely negative connotations, hacking is sometimes described with different shades, some of which make security-oriented activities like penetration testing sound more interesting and more fun. It is perhaps in the spirit of the latter that a few hardware geeks have banded together to create the Flipper Zero, described appropriately as a Tamagotchi for hackers.

Continue Reading

Dell isn't short on displays, but the new 40-inch UltraSharp 40 Curved WUHD Monitor stands out in the PC-maker's new CES 2021 range. Apparently the world's first 40-inch ultrawide curved 5K2K monitor, it's not quite as expansive as some of the desk-dominating screens we've seen in recent months, but still promises a considerable productivity (or entertainment) boost.

Continue Reading

In the early days of PCs and the Internet, Microsoft conquered not only the productivity space with its Office suite but even the now-passé Personal Information Management or PIM market with Outlook. Today, Microsoft Outlook is almost like a distant memory and its disparate and disjointed versions on different platforms aren't doing it any favors. Microsoft apparently hasn't given up yet in trying to reclaim that prestige and is now working to make a new version of Outlook the only version for both Web, Macs, and especially Windows 10 PCs.

Continue Reading

Apple's chargers have become the center of attention a few months back and not exactly in a good way. The company's decision to exclude the power adapter from iPhone packaging didn't sit well with everyone but that doesn't mean Apple isn't innovating its charging technology anymore. On the contrary, that actually means it can aim even higher for something consumers might want to buy, especially if they end up being more portable as this report seems to imply.

Continue Reading

According to a job listing released over the weekend, Microsoft is planning a "sweeping visual rejuvenation of Windows experiences." The last time we heard Microsoft speak about changes of this magnitude, it was before the switch from Windows 7 to Windows 8. One would hope that this next set of sweeping changes would be more accountable to the users that wish for incremental changes, rather than one foul swoop - but we shall see!

Continue Reading

Security researchers discovered that more than 100,000 Zyxel firewalls had a hardcoded, backdoor admin-level account baked in that could've given hackers root access to the devices. Security researchers say that the backdoor accounts could've given hackers access via the SSH interface or web administration panel. The team from Eye Control says this is as bad as vulnerabilities get.

Continue Reading

While the mobile market seems to be fixated on flexible screens that can fold or roll, the possibilities for futuristic displays go beyond just those. LG, in particular, has been toying with all of those and more, particularly screens that can let you see through the panel, at least the parts that aren't displaying anything. That may sound like a non-functional movie prop but LG plans on making it available in real-world establishments, like sushi restaurants and even your bed.

Continue Reading

Another Google product will be biting the device right at the turn of the year. Granted, there are indeed some products and services that are long overdue their retirement, it's still somewhat notable when Google adds another body to its notorious graveyard. This time, it will be Google Cloud Print that will be signing off after the last day of the year, forcing its remaining users, if they do still exist, to connect directly to printers in their network.

Continue Reading

There have been a lot of retro projects and products over the years, especially on crowdfunding platforms, that try to bring the past forward to the present. A few of those let you actually relive that past as it was back then, but even fewer actually let you use technologies and objects long gone. That is one of the things that makes this "LimaTek Diskmaster" project intriguing and, to be honest, hilarious as it tries to cram a feature-length film inside an ancient 3.5-inch floppy disk.

Continue Reading

Computer keyboards haven't really changed that much over the decades. Some keys have grown additional functions and the Fn and Ctrl keys on laptops keep switching places but that standard set of keys and their arrangements are pretty much set in stone. That makes it difficult and even wasteful to have different keyboard layouts and different languages, as different models have to be made for different kinds of keyboards. Sure, you can configure a key to produce something different but what's printed on the keycap remains the same, at least until Apple makes its latest patent a reality.

Continue Reading

There's a new Minecraft map and adventure available for no cost whatsoever as part of the current Minecraft Community Celebration. That celebration is in the mix for 2020, leading up to the end of the year. In this latest release, users have the opportunity to drop down into the heated depths of our planet with the Terra Swoop Force - it's about to get WEIRD in here.

Continue Reading

We're counting down the days to the end of the year but that won't be the only thing that will end after December 31, 2020. While we probably wish a certain pandemic will magically end at the stroke of midnight, it will be some other lingering malady that will be ceasing at the turn of the year. Adobe will be ceasing support for Flash, something that has been years in the making, and it is now making sure Windows 10 users know about it before that time comes.

Continue Reading