Amazon Faces Antitrust Case

John Lister — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 16:51:53 +0000

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed an antitrust lawsuit accusing Amazon of "illegally maintaining monopoly power." Critics argue the lawsuit is too vague, while redacted sections make it hard to assess in full. The FTC has filed the complaint alongside 17 state attorneys. It says Amazon "violates the law not because it is big, but because it engages in a course of exclusionary conduct that prevents current competitors from growing and new competitors from emerging." It also alleges that Amazon acts illegally to "wield monopoly power to inflate prices, degrade quality, and stifle ... (view more)

X (Twitter) 'Drops' Electoral Misinformation Tool

John Lister — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 17:12:19 +0000

X, formerly known as Twitter, appears to have scaled back a tool for reporting election misinformation. The tool appears to now only be available in Europe. The BBC notes the tool launched in Australia, South Korea and the United States in 2021 and expanded to other countries last year. However, a non-profit group says it's now only available in European Union countries. (Source: bbc.co.uk ) Users on the former Twitter can report posts which they believe breach the site's guidelines, but must choose a specific category. That includes breaches such as spam or hate speech, but no longer ... (view more)

iPhone iOS17 Update Switches On Tracking

John Lister — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 17:24:54 +0000

The latest update for iPhones has switched on sensitive tracking, even for users who've actively switched it off. It appears to be a bug rather than conspiracy but users may want to check their settings. The change comes with iOS17, the latest version of the operating system, which started rolling out last week. It should eventually come to most models of iPhone released in the past five years. The problem is with two settings on the iPhone, namely iPhone Analytics and Significant Locations. A small minority of users have spotted the settings switched back on after the update, even though ... (view more)

Windows 11 Update Gets Poor Response

John Lister — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 16:57:32 +0000

The latest Windows 11 update has led to complaints of all manner of problems. That's particularly troubling as it's a mandatory security update. The update in question has the codename KB5030219. It's a cumulative update, meaning it brings together several updates which were previously optional, though will have been downloaded automatically for most people with Windows 11 on the default settings. It's not unusual to get reports of glitches, but both tech site readers and message board users have reported a particularly wide range of significant problems. The most serious include users ... (view more)

Google Fined $93M for Deceptive Location Tracking

John Lister — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 16:24:20 +0000

Google is to pay $93 million following claims it misled people about location tracking . The company allegedly deceived users about their ability to opt out of tracking. The payment will settle a case brought by California's Attorney General. The terms of the settlement do not require Google to make any admission of wrongdoing or illegal activity. The case was based on two main allegations. The first is about the way Google "collected, stored and user a person's location data." The claim is that Google continued doing this for people who has turned off a setting labeled "Location History." It ... (view more)

Chromebook Support Extended to 10 Years

John Lister — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 16:11:59 +0000

Google has committed to keeping Chromebooks updated for 10 years. It's an increase of two years, though a key catch remains. The change applies to all devices running Chrome OS, which also includes the Chromebox (a small box which comes without a keyboard or screen), Chromebase (an all-in-one PC with monitor) and Chromebit (a computer on a stick which plugs into an HDMI port). Security Guarantee For Longer Previously such devices were only supported for eight years. After this time they stopped getting performance, feature and security updates, making them somewhat risky to use. That annoyed ... (view more)

iPhone 12 Withdrawn Amid Safety Fears

John Lister — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 16:45:53 +0000

Electromagnetism fears mean Apple can no longer sell the iPhone 12 in France. The company rejects government claims that the phone exceeds safe emission limits. The government agency which made the ruling stands by its claims. Officials say that if Apple doesn't fully withdraw the handset from sale, the country may demand a recall of handsets from customers, a costly and embarrassing outcome for Apple. The move has proven particularly controversial as its disputed whether exposure to electromagnetic fields at the levels a phone could put out cause any risk to humans. Close Range Emissions Too ... (view more)

Tech Giants Cry Fowl Over EU Competition Rules

John Lister — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 15:58:54 +0000

Apple and Microsoft have disputed claims that some of their key services are so big they require additional regulation. The European Commission will now reassess whether they qualify as holding "gatekeeper" status. The status matters because of the new Digital Markets Act, designed to boost competitions. A "gatekeeper" status means the service needs to follow tighter rules to make it easier for customers to switch to rivals. It's particularly aimed at cases where one business controls software and hardware in multiple areas, for example an operating system and a browser. The assessment is for ... (view more)

Samsung and Apple Working on Smart Rings

John Lister — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 17:47:33 +0000

Samsung and Apple are both reportedly working on "smart ring" fitness trackers. They're designed as an alternative to smart watches, though with some inherent limitations. Several companies already sell smart rings to wear on the finger, but none are household names. The likes of Apple and Samsung getting into the market could be a breakthrough, particularly for people with the relevant brand mobile phones. The logic behind the devices is that some people want to track fitness measures such as step count and heart activity, but don't want to wear a special watch. For example, they may already ... (view more)

Google Accused of Fueling Inflation

John Lister — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 16:48:19 +0000

Google faces a legal claim demanding more than $9 billion for allegedly contributing to inflation. It's fair to say the claim is somewhat ambitious. The claim has been filed in the United Kingdom by Hereford Litigation, which describes itself as a "third-party litigation funder." It's filed a claim with the Competition Appeal Tribunal, which hears cases that specifically relate to alleged breaches of competition law. Technically the claim is on behalf of every person aged over 16 in the UK, meaning the demand is for around $140 per person. If the claim was successful, it's not obvious how the ... (view more)

iPhone To Switch To USB-C

John Lister — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 16:26:17 +0000

Apple looks almost certain to switch to a USB-C charging port for the next iPhone. It could spell the beginning of the end for its exclusive Lightning port format. The iPhone 15 debuts next week and is widely expected to feature the USB-C format. That's the latest version of USB and has a symmetrical plug that fits either way round. Bloomberg lists several factors Apple is expected to market as good reasons for making the switch, though it's not clear if these are based on inside info or simply a logical assumption. The plus points include increased compatibility with other chargers, faster ... (view more)

WordPad to Disappear from Windows

John Lister — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 16:26:29 +0000

Microsoft is to finally ditch WordPad after nearly three decades. It will add a few new features to Notepad for lighter word processing tasks. WordPad first appeared as a free tool in Windows 95. Microsoft says it will no longer update WordPad and will remove it in a "future release of Windows." It's not clear if that means a potential Windows 12 or simply one of the major updates to Windows 11. Announcing the move, Microsoft perhaps unwittingly pointed out one of the major flaws of WordPad. It says: "We recommend Microsoft Word for rich text documents like .doc and .rtf and Windows Notepad ... (view more)

iPhone Thieves use Passcode to Drain Bank Accounts

Dennis Faas — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 18:08:40 +0000

An increasingly prevalent method of seizing control over an individual's iPhone and permanently locking them out of the device is causing concern. As outlined in a recent report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), certain iPhone thieves are exploiting a security feature called the recovery key. This technique makes it exceedingly difficult for owners to access their photos, messages, and other data. Disturbingly, some victims have reported unauthorized access to their financial apps, resulting in drained bank accounts. (Source: wsj.com ) How the iPhone Recovery Key Exploit Works It's important ... (view more)

Windows 11 Update Leads to BSoD Crashes

John Lister — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 16:41:20 +0000

Microsoft is looking into claims a Windows update is causing the dreaded Blue Screen on Death (BSoD) on some machines. The company says it doesn't yet know if Windows itself is the cause. The Blue Screen of Death is the informal name for a system crash in which Windows has a problem so significant that it can no longer operate safely. In earlier versions of Windows, users had to manually restart their computer before attempting a fix. Today, Windows can automatically reboot in some situations. User have been reporting seeing the blue screen with the usual message that "Your device ran into a ... (view more)

Windows 11 SSD Slowdown 'Fixed'

John Lister — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 16:53:36 +0000

Microsoft appears to have fixed a bug that slowed down solid state drives (SSDs) in Windows 11. Despite the fix, some users are upset that the company doesn't appear to have publicly acknowledged that anything went wrong. Solid state drives don't use any moving parts like old-style drives which use both a spinning mechanism and an arm, a little like a vinyl record player. That means that SSDs should last longer without physical wear and can access data faster. The downside is that they tend to be more expensive. As a result, a common setup is to use an SSD to run Windows and applications and ... (view more)

AI Struggles to Write Malware

John Lister — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 18:41:34 +0000

Artificial Intelligence tools aren't as useful for writing malware as it first seemed. However, they may be useful for phishing scams and other social engineering. Two recent security company reports covered by The Register explored how malware scammers are particularly interested in AI tools that generate material. The theory goes that such tools could write code designed to exploit vulnerabilities in software and websites. (Source: theregister.com ) It's not a completely outlandish theory as some users have found such tools can efficiently write code for a particular task. It can take ... (view more)

DMV Investigation Prompts 50% Cut in Robotaxi's

Dennis Faas — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 16:58:07 +0000

Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, is set to reduce its robotaxi fleet by 50% in San Francisco, according to information from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). ( Source: cnbc.com ) The decision follows a series of mishaps involving Cruise's autonomous vehicles in the city. These incidents include instances where the self-driving cars halted in intersections and a collision with a fire truck. The move is a setback for Cruise, as it had recently launched a paid robotaxi service in San Francisco, operating alongside Google parent company Alphabet's Waymo. Driverless ... (view more)

'Don't Charge iPhone Overnight' Claim Overblown

John Lister — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 18:24:07 +0000

Apple has issued a warning about safely charging iPhones. However, reports in which the company said users should never charge their phone while they sleep are incorrect. At least one newspaper reported the story with the headline "Why you shouldn't charge your iPhone while you sleep." Another site used the slightly more accurate but still potentially misleading "Apple warns people should never sleep next to their phone while its charging." From those headlines you might think Apple is making a surprisingly open revelation about handsets spontaneously combusting and taking out everything in a ... (view more)

'Holy Grail' UltraRAM Blends RAM and Flash Memory

John Lister — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 18:11:36 +0000

A new form of computer memory has won an award for innovation. UltraRAM combines the performance of ordinary computer memory with the long-term storage of flash. Most memory in a computer is DRAM (dynamic random access memory). This holds data that the computer processor is most likely to need to access imminently. It's a little like having paper documents on a desktop rather than in a filing cabinet: the cabinet has much more room, but it takes some time to walk to the cabinet to get the information, versus having it right on the desktop. One of the key drawbacks of DRAM is that it stores ... (view more)

New Smartphone Touchscreen Works When Wet

John Lister — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 17:09:43 +0000

A high-end smartphone may solve one of the main problems with touchscreens. The OnePlus Ace 2 Pro works even in the rain or when the user has wet fingers. A touchscreen works by passing a very low-powered (and safe) electrical charge across the screen. When a finger touches the screen, the charge is diverted to run across the finger. The device can then see which part of the screen "lost" charge and thus where the finger pressed. (Source: iop.org ) This is why touchscreens don't work well with most gloves, which are made of various materials that work as insulators and don't conduct ... (view more)

Google Admits Play Store Security Loophole

John Lister — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 16:37:17 +0000

Google says malware creators are using a simple workaround to bypass security on the official Play Store for Android apps. The problem is that the simplest fix would undermine one of the key differences between Android and closed systems such as Apple. In theory, all apps in the Play Store are vetted for security, including malware checks. That's one of the reasons Google recommends only using the Play Store, while still giving users the choice to get and install Android software from other sources. The problem is that scammers are using an extremely simply workaround called "versioning". ... (view more)

Keyboard Sounds May Reveal Secrets

John Lister — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 18:03:27 +0000

Researchers say they can accurately figure out what somebody is typing from the sound of their keyboard. The "technique" has some significant practical flaws but is a useful reminder of good password practice. The researchers looked into a theory that seems to get tested every few years: that different keys make different sounds. That's partly because they are differing distances from the device recording the audio and partly because the gaps between pressing different letters may vary depending on the typing style. The main difference with this latest test was using deep learning, which aims ... (view more)

MS Publishes Internal Windows 11 Tool by Mistake

John Lister — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 17:25:43 +0000

Microsoft has accidentally leaked a tool that lets users try out every new feature that's in development. It's grabbed the attention of tech enthusiasts but is very much not a good idea for the average user. The tool came to light when Microsoft promoted an event called "Bug Bash". Normally that's an internal "all hands on deck" process where developers are told to hold off their normal work for a set period and instead concentrate solely on finding bugs in software. Microsoft opened this process up to members of the Windows Insider program that lets the public access in-development version ... (view more)

Android to Warn of Nefarious AirTag Tracking

John Lister — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 19:19:25 +0000

Android users can now get alerts if a tracking device such as an Apple AirTag may be targeting them. The alerts were already available on iPhones, but Google and Apple are now working together, albeit with some holdups. An Apple AirTag is a small device that emits a Bluetooth signal. The idea is to attach it to valuable or important items such as keys, purses or luggage. Around a billion Apple devices are set to scan for the signals and anonymously report the location and identity of the AirTags, meaning that owners can track down lost items with varying degrees of precision. Like most tech, ... (view more)

Google: 0-Day Bugs Down, But Risk Still High

John Lister — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 18:16:41 +0000

The number of 0-day bugs, which give hackers a dangerous advantage, fell in 2022 according to Google. However, the company warns this may risk misleading complacency that forgets other factors. The figures come from Google's Threat Analysis Group, which aims to track, identify and report security bugs, regardless of the software or hardware concerned. The logic is that the better Internet security is overall, the better it is for an Internet-dependent business such as Google. For the past nine years, it's put together an annual tally of 0-day bugs. While definitions vary, Google classes them ... (view more)

FCC Proposes to Redefine Broadband

John Lister — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 16:34:25 +0000

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says 25Mbps is no longer fast enough to count as "broadband." It's proposed increasing the standard to 100Mbps for downloads. The figures matter because the "broadband speed standard" is the measure the FCC uses to assess whether broadband is becoming available "on a reasonable and timely basis" to the entire US population. If it isn't, the FCC has the authority - and legal responsibility - to take action to correct the shortfall. This could include changing rules to promote competition or make it easier for companies to invest in new infrastructure ... (view more)

FTC Considers 'Age Estimation' Scanning Tools

John Lister — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 20:32:37 +0000

The FTC is asking the public whether facial "age estimation" is a smart way to make sure games companies don't break privacy rules for children. The tool would be used to check the age of adults giving consent, not to check the age of the player. The proposal originally caused some major confusion as it comes from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), which rates games for age suitability in a similar way to the Motion Picture Association's movie ratings. However, this proposal has nothing to do with checking whether somebody is old enough to play a game. Instead, it's to do with ... (view more)

Why Modern PCs May Feel More Sluggish

John Lister — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 17:24:30 +0000

Software engineers have been debating whether today's operating systems are slower to respond than their predecessors. It led one site to experiment with running Windows XP on a new computer. After some hassles of getting it going, it turned out that XP felt extremely fast to use, albeit with a serious risk of malware infection. The debate started when Julio Merino put together "real-time videos" of an old machine running Windows NT 3.51 (a business version roughly equivalent to Windows 95 for consumers) and a modern machine running Windows 11. (Those of us of a certain age may have to ... (view more)

Google to Block Internet for Some Employees

John Lister — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 17:21:58 +0000

Google will stop some of its employees accessing the Internet. It's a bold experiment to see if it can reduce security threats without affecting performance. The idea is reduce the risk of hackers getting access to employee machines, either to get hold of data on those machines or to use them as an entry point into Google's network. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Google's internal data is particularly attractive to attackers, whether they are seeking financial gain, political or commercial advantage, or plain old mischief making. For example, attackers being able to find out how Google ranks ... (view more)

Windows 11 Reinstalls May Get Easier

John Lister — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 17:08:44 +0000

Windows 11 should soon have an option to repair a broken system without a complete reinstall. The feature will work through Windows Update. If it works as described, users will be able to fix problems by switching to a stable and working version of Windows 11 without the two major hassles that often come with a reinstall. For example, it won't require users to download an entire copy of the Windows 11 and write to USB, then boot from the USB in order to perform the install; but, most importantly, it won't wipe out installed applications after the reinstall has completed. The new feature is ... (view more)

Two Steps Forward for Quantum Computers

John Lister — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 19:02:51 +0000

Two sets of researchers into quantum computing have announced very different sets of results. One claim they've already achieved more powerful performance than a traditional computer, while the others say they've confirmed the potential for performing genuinely useful tasks. Quantum computing aims to take advantage of the way particles can exist in more than one state at a time. That compares with traditional computers which store data in bits, each of which is either a 0 or a 1. In principle at least, a quantum computer could be made up of "qbits" and perform calculations dramatically faster ... (view more)

Google VPN Gets Key Tweak

John Lister — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 18:44:41 +0000

Google is to give users of its VPN service more control over the location they want their traffic to appear to come from, rather than just selecting a country. It should overcome a problem with localized webpage information. A virtual private network (VPN) is designed to overcome problems with an inherent aspect of the Internet: that both Internet data and its origin are readily accessible by default. One analogy likens it to vehicles passing through a giant glass tube. Even when the data itself is encrypted, the origin and destination can still be discovered. In the analogy, a VPN is like ... (view more)

Windows 11 'Moment 3' Update: Minor But Useful

John Lister — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:42:06 +0000

The latest Windows 11 update brings a host of new features. The emphasis appears to be very much about minor improvements rather than a major overhaul. All users who have the latest edition of Windows 11 (codenamed 22H2) will now get the "Moment 3" update. Those on older editions will only be getting the regular security patch. "Moment 3" doesn't include any dramatic changes but rather includes new and tweaked features that will have small but meaningful benefits. For example, File Explorer and the desktop will get "access keys," designed to bring the benefits of shortcut keys without the ... (view more)

Report: 5G Could Be Battery Killer

John Lister — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 17:48:19 +0000

5G data use drains batteries quicker than 4G connections, according to new research. However, improved performance in newer processors could make up the difference. The figures come from Ookla, the company behind Speedtest, which measures broadband connections. Its worth nothing that the sample group in the study may not be representative of the overall 5G population, as those who use the Speedtest service are typically interested in the speed of their connections. Ookla spotted the difference when analyzing data originally collected to compare the performance of different Android processors ... (view more)

Windows 95 and 98 Get Updates Again

John Lister — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 17:05:20 +0000

Users of Windows versions dating right back to Windows 95 can now get updates for their system. It's thanks to an enthusiast project and is absolutely not meant to be a sensible alternative to using modern version of Windows. The Windows Update Restored site aims to recreate the official Microsoft web pages for getting feature and security updates for older versions of Windows. Those pages were used by people who chose to manually download and install updates rather than use automatic updates. Understandably, Microsoft has long since taken down the pages for updating many Windows versions ... (view more)

Smartwatches Could Predict Parkinson's Disease

John Lister — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 18:09:31 +0000

Researchers say smartwatches could predict people getting Parkinson's disease up to seven years before they developed symptoms. The next steps could be as much an ethical challenge as a technical one. The finding came from researchers who looked at data from the UK's Biobank project. That's a database that tracks anonymized health data from half a million volunteers. The idea is that the sheer amount of data makes it easier to spot patterns and connections between different health factors and conditions. As part of the project, just over 100,000 people agreed to wear a smart watch for a seven ... (view more)

SSDs May Slow After Windows Update

John Lister — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 17:51:50 +0000

Windows 11 users are continuing to report hard drives performing more slowly after mandatory system updates. The problem appears to affect solid state drives rather than traditional older model hard drives with moving parts. The Windows Latest website gathered together reports from its own forums, discussion site Reddit, and Microsoft's support forums. It concluded that the "performance issue doesn't appear to be widespread, but it is real." (Source: windowslatest.com ) One piece of evidence that something is actually amiss rather than it just being a fluke pattern is that those complaining ... (view more)

'LetMeSpy' Spouse Spying App Hacked

John Lister — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 17:02:40 +0000

An app for spying on a partner or employee has been hacked. It means victims of the spying could face further data security threats. LetMeSpy is what the makers call a "parental control" and "employee control" and what critics call "stalkerware" or "spouseware". Once installed on a phone, it lets the person who installed it remotely access text messages, call logs and precise location. (Source: techcrunch.com ) The marketing is somewhat inconsistent with what the company says its intended use is for, suggesting people might put it on their own phone so that they can find the phone when lost, ... (view more)

Internet Solar Storm May Peak Soon

John Lister — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 16:26:14 +0000

A period of increased risk to communication and the Internet could hit earlier than expected. The dangers of a solar storm are genuine, though one expert says she regrets using the term "Internet apocalypse." The risk is that intense solar activity could increase the levels of electromagnetic radiation hitting the Earth's atmosphere. That could damage Internet infrastructure such as undersea cables. The risk increases during a period called "solar maximum" where the sun's magnetic field reverses. During this process, the magnetic field around the sun becomes inconsistent, leading to ... (view more)

Microsoft Sued for $1.75M Over Email Bug

John Lister — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 17:08:34 +0000

A lawyer is suing Microsoft for $1.75 million after being locked out of his email account. David M Schlachter says a bug meant he couldn't verify his identity, making the account useless. According to Schlachter, the problem was with his paid Office 365 account. After using it for six years, he was locked out in May by a two-step verification check. The check would send a verification code to his phone, either via a text message or an automated voice call. However, when Schlachter tried to choose one of these options and initiate the check, he'd simply see a message reading "Sorry, we're ... (view more)

More iPhones Eligible For Self-Repair

John Lister — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 18:41:55 +0000

Apple and Samsung have both extended their self-repair programs, reducing the need to get devices fixed by the manufacturer or authorized repairers. However, both programs still have significant limitations. The Apple program now covers the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro, the MacBook Air (M2, 2022 model) and MacBook Pro 14-inch (2023 model). These are all the latest models of the relevant devices. Meanwhile the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 Self Service Repair now covers the top speaker and the TrueDepth camera, components which were previously exempt from the program. In each case, users can order official ... (view more)