Tech News : 26th August 2022

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Tech News : 13th November 2024

Trump's Tech Transitions

Following Trump’s dramatic election for a second term, we look at what this means for the tech industry, examining the potential impacts on major companies, regulation, cryptocurrency, autonomous vehicles, AI, social media, markets, and the influence of key players like Elon Musk.

An Era of Change, Uncertainty, and Opportunity

The re-election of Donald Trump as President of the United States has shaken up the tech industry, sparking a mix of anticipation, uncertainty, and opportunity. A new era, shaped by Trump’s unrestrained approach and strong alliance with major industry leaders like Elon Musk, looks poised to redefine the regulatory landscape, reshape markets, and drive significant changes across social media, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence (AI), cryptocurrencies, and more.

Tech News : 13th November 2024

How Employment Rights Bill Will Reshape Tech Industry

With the UK’s new Employment Rights Bill expected to become law by 2026, we look at what this could mean for tech employers, the key changes, and practical impacts.

Protections for Workers from Day One

The UK’s new Employment Rights Bill is set to bring seismic changes to the employment landscape, with major implications for tech industry employers. Introduced by the recently elected Labour government following commitments in their recent manifesto, this legislative overhaul aims to recalibrate the balance of power between employers and employees, enforcing protections for workers from their very first day of employment. The Bill’s provisions, expected to become law by 2026, are poised to reshape the strategies tech companies must employ in managing their workforce.

Tech News : 13th November 2024

NHS iPhone Device Checks For Throat-Cancer

In a move poised to transform cancer diagnostics, the NHS has announced it is piloting an innovative iPhone-based device to help detect or rule out throat cancer more swiftly.

What Device?

Developed by Endoscope-i Ltd, a West Midlands-based medical technology company, the device, called the endoscope-i adapter, connects over the iPhone’s rear camera lens, securely aligning the endoscope with the iPhone’s main camera for high-definition imaging. This setup allows the iPhone to capture high-definition images from any endoscope with a 32mm eyepiece.

Tech News : 6th November 2024

Flexible Working Drives Financial Gains

Following a recent University of Melbourne report revealing that companies offering strong flexible work options (such as remote working) experience enhanced market value, this article explores the factors driving these gains, examines supporting studies, and considers opposing views from firms that favour in-office mandates.

Why The Shift To Flexible?

The shift to flexible work options emerged as a swift response to the COVID-19 pandemic, upending conventional workplace structures and prompting a worldwide embrace of remote work. In the years since, companies have wrestled with balancing the benefits of flexibility versus the perceived advantages of in-office work. Many executives have argued that a return-to-office (RTO) mandate is essential for fostering collaboration and sustaining company culture. However, new research from the University of Melbourne, alongside other prominent studies, suggests that flexible work options may actually be more financially beneficial than once thought, delivering enhanced market performance and operational resilience.

Tech News : 6th November 2024

ChatGPT Search Launched, Challenging Google

In this insight, we look at how OpenAI’s new ChatGPT Search aims to redefine online search by challenging Google’s dominance, with both tech giants racing to enhance user experiences through innovative AI features.

ChatGPT Search Launched

The search landscape has long been dominated by Google. However, with the October 2024 launch of ChatGPT Search, OpenAI has clearly entered the search market, promising to upend the way we find and interact with information online.

Tech News : 6th November 2024

Google Fined All The Money In The World!

A Russian court has fined Google over two undecillion rubles (a 36-digit figure, i.e. a sum that’s greater than the world’s total GDP) for removing Russia’s state media channels from YouTube.

Two Undecillion Rubles… And Growing!

As if being initially fined more money than there is in the world isn’t enough, Russian state-owned news agency TASS reports the state’s lawyer in this case, Ivan Morozov, as saying, “This number is growing daily because of penalties incurred due to non-payment.”

Tech News : 30th October 2024

How New Data Laws Will Affect You

Here, we look at how the Data Use and Access Bill is poised to reshape how our personal data is handled in the UK and we also review the significant changes it will bring, with implications for the NHS and beyond.

What Is the Data Use and Access Bill?

Introduced as a cornerstone of the government’s plan to modernise data governance, the Data Use and Access Bill aims to overhaul existing data laws to improve economic growth, streamline public services, and enhance data security. Originating from a need to update the UK’s data legislation post-Brexit, the bill seeks to replace or amend elements of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to better suit national interests. The government claims that streamlining data usage and access could generate £10 billion of economic benefit. While the exact date of its enactment remains uncertain, the bill is expected to come into force within the coming year, subject to parliamentary approval.

Tech News : 30th October 2024

What Is 'Open Washing'?

With many tech giants now using ‘open’ as in ‘open source’ as a marketing term, we look at what the issues around this are, why it needs to be discouraged, and how this can be achieved.

What is Open Source?

To understand the question about ‘open washing’, it’s important to understand what real open source is. Defined and stewarded by the Open Source Initiative (OSI), open source goes beyond simply sharing code. In fact, it means giving users the rights to view, modify, and redistribute the software without undue restrictions. According to the OSI’s Open Source Definition, true open-source software adheres to ten principles, including free redistribution, access to source code, and the right to create derivative works. Open-source licences must also be non-discriminatory, ensuring that anyone, anywhere, can access and modify the software for any purpose.

These principles are meant to support innovation, community-driven improvement, and freedom from vendor lock-in, which is why open source has become so important in technology.

Tech News : 30th October 2024

Meta Hunting Celeb-Scams

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has revealed a new plan to combat the growing number of fake investment scheme celebrity scam ads by using facial recognition technology to weed them out.

What’s the Problem?

Fake ads featuring celebrities, known as “celeb-bait” scams by Meta, have become a plague on social media platforms in recent years, particularly ads promoting fraudulent investments, cryptocurrency schemes, or fake product endorsements. These scams use unauthorised images and fabricated comments from popular figures like Elon Musk, financial expert Martin Lewis, and Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart to lure users into clicking through to fraudulent websites, where they are often asked to share personal information or make payments under false pretences.

Tech News : 22nd October 2024

Prove You’re Human

Following OpenAI’s Sam Altman recently renaming his Worldcoin project simply ‘World,’ we take a look at World’s iris-scanning technology, what it’s for, its potential benefits, and its possible drawbacks.

World – Providing ‘Proof of Personhood’

In an age where AI now appears to be blurring the lines between human and machine interaction, the ability to verify your own humanity online has become a pressing concern. To help tackle this issue, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s co-founded ‘World’ project, formerly known as Worldcoin, an initiative that aims to establish a global ‘proof of personhood’ through innovative iris-scanning technology. It’s thought this approach could reshape how we perceive identity, privacy, and trust in an increasingly digital world.

Tech News : 22nd October 2024

Will WhatsApp Stay Free?

In this tech insight, we look at how WhatsApp currently makes money, explore potential reasons why it might introduce charges in the future, compare its revenue model with competing messaging apps, and analyse the possible impact the introduction of any changes could have.

Currently A Free, Seamless Messaging Service (For Personal Users)

First introduced in 2009, Meta’s end-to-end encrypted messaging app – WhatsApp – has long been a mainstay in global communication, boasting nearly three billion users who enjoy its seamless messaging service at no cost. The app’s widespread appeal rests on factors such as its accessibility and privacy, but with the growing pressure on tech companies to generate revenue and remain sustainable, the question arises will WhatsApp stay free?

Tech News : 22nd October 2024

ChatGPT Gets Windows App

OpenAI has announced that it is launching a test version of a dedicated Windows app for its popular chatbot ChatGPT.

Announcement

On October 17, OpenAI announced on X that: “Today, ChatGPT Plus, Enterprise, Team, and Edu users can start testing an early version of the Windows desktop app.”

This is a major step in making OpenAI’s AI-powered chatbot more accessible and convenient for a wider range of users.

Tech News : 16th October 2024

Face-Recognition & Personal Data Concerns

Two Harvard students have developed a program which (when used with Meta’s smart glasses) can identify people without their knowledge, thereby highlighting a potentially serious privacy risk.

Why?

In their report about their research, the two Harvard students, AnhPhu Nguyen and Caine Ardayfio, said their goal was “to demonstrate the current capabilities of smart glasses, face search engines, LLMs, and public databases, raising awareness that extracting someone’s home address and other personal details from just their face on the street is possible today”.

Tech News : 16th October 2024

What was Revealed By The “We, Robot” Event?

Following Tesla’s “We, Robot” event on October 10 at the Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles, we look at the big reveals, the reactions to them, plus some of the key comments made and opinions given.

A Showcase of Futuristic Visions

Tesla’s long-anticipated “We, Robot” event, which captured the attention of millions worldwide, was CEO Elon Musk’s bold declaration of the company’s future direction, positioning Tesla not just as an electric vehicle manufacturer but as a cutting-edge robotics and artificial intelligence company. The showcase was reported to be rich with futuristic visions, but it left many wondering whether these concepts were truly within reach or just another example of Musk’s futuristic ambitions.

Tech News : 16th October 2024

Ryanair Third-Party Data Protection Inquiry

What happens to data gathered as part of Ryanair’s extra ID verification requirement (from customers who don’t book directly through its website), has led to an inquiry being launched by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC).

Why ID Verification?

For travellers booking flights through third-party websites or online travel agents (OTA), rather than directly through Ryanair, the Irish low-cost airline requires them to complete a Customer Verification Process. The reason, given by Ryanair, is that third-party agents sometimes provide incorrect or incomplete passenger information, e.g. fake contact or payment details, which can interfere with Ryanair’s ability to communicate important flight details directly to passengers.

Tech News : 9th October 2024

AI Safety-Bill Killed (Well, Blocked)

Following California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoing a landmark AI safety bill aimed at regulating the development and deployment of advanced AI systems, we look at the reasons why it was blocked and the implications of doing so.

What Bill?

US Senate ‘Bill 1047’ relates to regulating AI systems with the focus specifically around frontier AI models (highly advanced/cutting edge and large) with the potential for large-scale impact.

Tech News : 9th October 2024

New Ways To Search

Search technology has transformed significantly from text-based queries back in the nineties to now, where there’s a wide range of interactive methods like voice, visual, and AI-driven tools. Here, we look at how these advancements are reshaping the way we search, with a focus on the latest innovations and trends in the search landscape.

The Changing Landscape of Search

Search technology is currently undergoing a rapid transformation, driven by fierce competition between major tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. While Google remains the dominant force (processing over 8.5 billion searches per day), other players are innovating and closing the gap by integrating advanced AI capabilities and new features. Microsoft’s Bing AI is increasingly incorporating AI-driven results to enhance search relevance, while Amazon focuses on evolving its product search and recommendation algorithms, positioning itself as a major contender in the e-commerce space.

Tech News : 9th October 2024

Ebay : Fees Scrapped For UK Private Sellers

Online marketplace eBay has announced that starting Tuesday 1 October 2024, private sellers will not pay transaction fees when they sell items on eBay.co.uk.

Like Germany

In its online announcement of the change, eBay highlighted how it recently launched a similar free-to-sell programme in Germany, with the result reportedly being that many new customers joined eBay to start selling (and buying). In fact, eBay says, “Hundreds of thousands of them started buying” and that “they ended up buying twice as much as buyers who don’t sell”.

Tech News : 2nd October 2024

WordPress At War!

Following a (very public) recent spat between WordPress founder and Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg, and WP Engine, we look at what’s happened and why, and what the effects have been WordPress users.

WordPress and WP Engine

To better understand the story, it may be a good idea to first look at the two sides in the dispute – who (and what) they are, and why they’re different.

Tech News : 2nd October 2024

Meta’s Smarter Specs

Following Mark Zuckerberg’s recent announcement of new AI features for the company’s (Ray-Ban) Meta glasses, we look at where we’re at and where things are heading with Meta’s VR/AR glasses.

What VR/AR Glasses?

Meta’s VR/AR glasses are part of the company’s push into the immersive world of virtual and augmented reality, which it envisions as a key part of the “metaverse.” The metaverse concept, which many of us will remember, was first announced back in October 2021 (when Facebook rebranded as Meta and caused stock values to fall as investors didn’t understand it), was Meta’s vision of a shared, immersive virtual space where people can interact, work, play, and socialise using VR, AR, and other digital technologies.

The VR/AR glasses are part of a range of products representing Meta’s attempt to lead in the next generation of computing by combining the physical and digital worlds. Meta aims to integrate AR glasses into everyday life, much like smartphones today, thereby enabling users to interact with virtual worlds alongside the real world. Consequently, Meta is investing heavily in AR and VR development.

Tech News : 2nd October 2024

Sending WhatsApp Messages To Other Messaging Apps

In response to changes in the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (which came into force in March), WhatsApp users will soon be able to send messages from WhatsApp to people using other messaging apps, e.g. Messenger, Telegram, and Signal.

What Change In The Digital Marketing Act?

Meta-owned WhatsApp is making this major change because the EU’s Digital Markets Act – DMA (a regulation aimed at promoting competition and reducing monopolistic practices in the tech industry) requires major platforms like WhatsApp to become interoperable with other messaging services, i.e. there must be interoperability between WhatsApp and other third-party apps.

Tech News : 25th September 2024

Would You Be Filmed Working At Your Desk All Day?

Following a recent report in the Metro that BT is carrying out research into continuous authentication software, we look at some of the pros and cons and the issues around employees potentially being filmed all day at their desks … under the guise of cyber-security.

Why Use Continuous Authentication Technology?

Businesses use continuous authentication technology to enhance security, i.e. to add an extra layer of protection. As the name suggests, this type of software continuously verifies users throughout their session, rather than relying solely on traditional one-time authentication methods like passwords or PINs. This approach is designed to mitigate risks such as session hijacking, whereby unauthorised users gain access after the initial login, or insider threats where someone might misuse another’s logged-in session. Continuous authentication essentially helps detect abnormal behavior in real-time, flagging up potential breaches or fraud by monitoring unique patterns such as typing style, mouse movements, or facial recognition. By integrating this technology, businesses may hope to reduce security vulnerabilities, safeguard sensitive data, and improve compliance with industry regulations, all while maintaining a seamless user experience, i.e. it’s happening automatically in the background.

Tech News : 25th September 2024

The Rising Cost Of API & Bot Attacks

Following a recent report by cyber-security company Imperva about the rising costs to businesses of bot attacks and vulnerable APIs, we look at why it’s happening and what can be done.

Vulnerable APIs & Bot Attacks Costing Businesses $186 Billion

Imperva’s report was based on Marsh McLennan Cyber Risk Intelligence Centre’s study of data from 161,000 cybersecurity incidents related to vulnerable APIs and bot attacks. The key findings were that businesses face an annual (estimated) economic burden of up to $186 billion due to vulnerable APIs and automated bot attacks. Also, the study found that these two security threats often work in tandem, are becoming increasingly prevalent, and pose significant risks to organisations worldwide.

Tech News : 25th September 2024

Human Right Abuses Linked To Lithium Batteries

New research compiled from AI-powered supply chain risk platform Infyos has revealed that 75 per cent of the lithium-ion battery supply chain may be linked to severe human rights abuses.

Human Rights Abuses – Forced (and Child) Labour

Infyos’s analysis, which drew on government datasets, NGO reports, news articles, social media, and proprietary data, has revealed widespread human rights abuses in resource-rich countries where raw materials such as lithium and cobalt are mined and refined for lithium-ion batteries. These abuses, particularly involving forced and child labour, were found to be most prevalent in the early stages of the supply chain, notably during the extraction and processing of these critical materials.

Tech News : 18th September 2024

ChatGPT Now Offers Complex Reasoning

ChatGPT’s maker, OpenAI, has announced the introduction of its new OpenAI o1 large language model that can use “complex reasoning” to fact-check its own answers before giving them.

ChatGPT Plus and Teams Users Can Try It Now

The new o1 model is already available to ChatGPT Plus or Team users, and in OpenAI’s API. OpenAI o1 is a series of AI models, currently comprising of a ‘Preview’ version, which Open says uses “advanced reasoning”, or the o1-mini (lighter version), which OpenAI says is “Faster at reasoning” (than its other models), and is particularly good for coding tasks.

Tech News : 18th September 2024

Personal Activities ... On Work Laptops (Part 2)

In this second part article, where we review the issues around employees engaging in personal activities on company-issued devices, we look deeper into the legal and compliance implications and provide real-world case studies of security breaches. We also examine how businesses can protect themselves against these growing threats.

Last Week

In the previous article, with the help of an ESET study, we explored the risks of employees using their work laptops for personal activities and the potential consequences for both the employee and the business. Continuing along those lines, legal and compliance issues are the next area for serious consideration for businesses whose laptops may be used by employees for risky purposes.

Tech News : 18th September 2024

Data Centres Now 'Critical National Infrastructure'

Prompted by the effects of the global IT outage caused by CrowdStrike, the UK has moved to protect UK data-centres by classing them as ‘Critical National Infrastructure’ (CNI).

CrowdStrike

Back in July, a global IT outage caused by a faulty update (impacting Windows systems) from the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike significantly affected multiple sectors in the UK, including data-centres, the NHS, and the financial industry. It led to widespread disruptions and, although it was not a cyberattack, it does appear to be a motivating factor for the UK government’s announcement of a change classification of UK data-centres.

Tech News : 11th September 2024

Musical Misconduct

In a first-of-its-kind case, a US musician has been charged with fraud for allegedly using thousands of automated bot accounts to stream AI-generated tracks from which he made more than $10m in royalty payments.

Which Tracks?

The music tracks that 52-year-old Michael Smith from North Carolina in the US allegedly used came from a co-conspirator, a music promoter, and the CEO of an AI music company, who (from 2018) supplied him with hundreds of thousands of AI-generated songs – songs described as “instant music” by the alleged co-conspirator.

Tech News : 11th September 2024

Personal Activities ... On Work Laptops (Part 1)

Following a new ESET study which highlighted how workers using company-provided laptops for personal activities could be putting work hardware at risk, we’ll explore the issues surrounding this practice and the potential consequences for businesses and employees, in two parts.

90% Using Work Laptops For Home Usage … But What About Risky Behaviour?

The recent study by cybersecurity company ESET revealed that employees are regularly engaging in risky activities on their work laptops. For example, the study shows that nine out of ten surveyed admitted to using their work devices for personal activities, including illegal streaming, gambling, and viewing adult content! Alarmingly, 20 per cent of respondents who view adult content say they do so daily, while the same proportion engages in online gambling daily using their work devices.

Tech News : 11th September 2024

Backlash Against 300% Canva Price-Hike

Popular online graphic design platform Canva is facing a backlash from customers following a price hike of up to 300% for its Teams subscription.

What Is Canva Teams?

The subscription-based Canva Teams feature within the Canva platform (an alternative to image editing platforms like Adobe), allows multiple users to collaborate on designs, share projects, and manage permissions in one space. Canva Teams includes tools for managing permissions, setting brand guidelines, and streamlining workflows. It also includes premium features, depending on the subscription level chosen by the team.

Tech News : 4th September 2024

Brazilian Ban For X

Following Elon Musk’s X (Twitter) platform having failed to meet the deadline imposed by a Supreme Court Judge to suspend dozens of X accounts for allegedly spreading disinformation, the judge has now ruled that the X platform will be suspended in Brazil.

What Happened To Get To This Point?

Back in April, tensions between the social media platform and Brazilian authorities escalated over X’s handling of misinformation and harmful content. The Brazilian government (concerned about disinformation and hate speech) criticised X’s moderation efforts as insufficient, especially regarding sensitive topics like elections and public health. This scrutiny was part of broader concerns in Brazil about the influence of social media on public order and political stability.

Tech News : 4th September 2024

What's All The Fuss About Telegram?

CEO and founder of messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, was recently arrested in France over allegations that Telegram facilitates illegal activities, including money laundering, drug trafficking, and the distribution of child sexual abuse material.

Pavel Durov

Pavel Durov is a 39-year-old Russian-born billionaire tech entrepreneur, known for founding the social networking site VKontakte (VK) and later (2013), the messaging app Telegram. Durov gained a reputation for his commitment to freedom of speech and user privacy. After being ousted from VK due to conflicts with Russian authorities, he focused on Telegram, which is known for its strong encryption and privacy features, making it a preferred platform for those who value security. Durov, who holds citizenship in several countries, including France and the UAE, claims that Telegram has 950 million monthly active users. Also, Telegram has recently seen an increase in downloads, propelling it to no. 2 position on the U.S. App Store’s Social Networking charts (and boosting its global iOS downloads).

Tech News : 4th September 2024

Warning Against Giving Smartphones To Under 11's

Mobile network provider EE has launched a smartphone age guidance initiative in which it advises that children under 11 should only use non-smart devices with limited capabilities.

Children With Smartphones

EE says its new initiative is in response to concerns about children’s online safety and the impact of device usage on their well-being. Back in February, for example, an Ofcom study revealed that almost a quarter of UK five-to-seven-year-olds have their own smartphone. The study also showed that nearly two in five are using messaging service WhatsApp, despite the minimum age limit being 13 while over half of children under 13 use social media. In fact, the study showed that three-quarters of social media users aged between 8 and 17 have their own account or profile on at least one of the large platforms and many children in the study also said they simply lie to gain access to new apps and services. Worryingly, almost three-quarters of teenagers between ages 13 and 17 have encountered one or more potential harms online.

Tech News : 28th August 2024

Essentials Explained : Getting Rid of e-Waste

In this second of our ‘Essentials Explained’ series, we explore how e-waste is currently disposed of, what happens to it afterwards, plus various initiatives and strategies aimed at reducing the ever-increasing pile of discarded electronics.

What Is E-Waste?

Electronic waste (e-waste) refers to any electronic device that has reached the end of its useful life and is discarded. This can include everything from obsolete computers, servers and mobile phones to outdated office equipment like printers, photocopiers and even light bulbs.

Tech News : 28th August 2024

Summer Apple Pips (Part 3 of 3)

Following in from the last 2 weeks, here are 10 more (final) top iPhone tips / tricks you may not know about that could make your life easier and help you to be more productive:

Tech News : 28th August 2024

Summer Android Tips - Part 2

Summer is the perfect time to refresh your Android skills and boost your productivity, whether you’re in the office or on the go. In this second of our two articles on the subject, we’ve gathered together 10 more top tips to help you make the most of your Android device during the sunny season, keeping you efficient, secure, and focused.

Tech News : 21st August 2024

What Can Microsoft 365 Do?

Microsoft 365 is packed with numerous apps designed to save time, boost productivity and help you work smarter. Here’s a closer look at some essential (yet often under-utilised) applications that can make a significant difference in your daily workflow.

Planner

This app is a task management tool that helps teams create detailed plans, assign tasks, and track progress using visual boards and charts. Planner integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft 365 apps like Teams and Outlook, allowing for efficient task management and collaboration across different platforms.

Tech News : 21st August 2024

10 MORE iPhone Tricks

Following in from last week, here are 10 more top iPhone tips / tricks you may not know about that could make your life easier and help you to be more productive:

Tech News : 21st August 2024

Summer Android Tips - Part 1

Summer is the perfect time to refresh your Android skills and boost your productivity, whether you’re in the office or on the go. In this article, we’ve gathered together 10 top tips to help you make the most of your Android device during the sunny season, keeping you efficient, secure, and focused.

Tech News : 15th August 2024

Google in Monumental Monopoly Ruling

Four years on from Google being sued by the US Department of Justice over its control of about 90 per cent of the online search market, a US judge has ruled that Google acted illegally to maintain a monopoly on its online search and the associated advertising.

Building and Defending a Search Monopoly

Following a ten-week trial, in a 277-page opinion, US District Judge Amit Mehta, said: “Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly.” Following this landmark ruling, the judge laid out his reasons for finding Google guilty of violating antitrust laws through building and defending a monopoly. He highlighted how Google had spent spending billions of dollars to secure exclusive agreements with developers, carriers, and equipment makers to be the default search engine. For example, the judge said Google had done this using:

Tech News : 15th August 2024

Windows 10 vs Windows 11

In this insight, we compare and contrast the Windows 10 and 11 operating systems, focusing on how they perform in key areas like user interface, performance, security, compatibility, and cost.

Rolled Out 2021

Since Microsoft’s rolled out Windows 11 in October 2021, many businesses have been deciding whether to upgrade or remain on Windows 10 even longer. For example, for some businesses, not yet upgrading to Windows 11 may have been due to concerns about hardware compatibility, the need for training on the new interface, potential software compatibility issues with legacy applications, and the costs associated with upgrading hardware and licences. Also, some may be waiting until closer to Windows 10’s end-of-support in 2025 to avoid any early adoption issues.

Tech News : 15th August 2024

Hacked MSP Fined £6m (Provisionally)

A provisional £6m fine has been imposed on an NHS software provider Advanced Computer Software Group following a 2022 data breach that affected more than 80,000 people.

Advanced Software Group

Founded in 2008, Advanced Computer Software Group, often referred to as “Advanced,” is a UK-based software and IT services company that provides a range of digital solutions primarily to the public sector, healthcare, and private sector organisations. As an IT and software services provider to organisations including the NHS and other healthcare providers, in the eyes of the law, it handles people’s personal information on behalf of these organisations as their ‘data processor’.

Tech News : 7th August 2024

Is Automated Driving Safe Yet?

In light of two recent reports of motorcyclists being killed in collisions with Tesla vehicles in Autopilot mode, we look closely at the issue of whether automated driving is really safe.

Death of Two Motorcyclists

If automated driving is a factor in death on the roads, it seems legitimate to ask the question ‘is automated driving safe?’, especially since it’s a very new technology. In fact, there have been some widely publicised reports of deaths linked to vehicles operating on Autopilot mode in the US in recent times. For example:

Tech News : 7th August 2024

New Index Reveals Cyber Criminal Countries

In this insight, we look at how a recently developed ‘World Cybercrime Index’ appears to show the globe’s key cybercrime hotspots by ranking the most significant sources of cybercrime at a national level.

Three Years To Develop

The world-first World Cybercrime Index (WCI) was developed by following three years of intensive research as part of a joint partnership between the University of Oxford and the University of New South Wales (UNSW), funded by CRIMGOV (an EU-supported project). Details of the research and findings were published on PLOS ONE, the Public Library of Science open-access journal.

Tech News : 7th August 2024

Global Call-Spoofing Operation Shut Down

The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has shut down a global call-spoofing operation called ‘Russian Coms’ which is believed to have been used to swindle more than 170,000 victims.

Russian Coms

Russian Coms is the name of the major caller ID spoofing platform used by criminals to make over 1.8 million fraudulent calls to victims in 107 countries, including the UK, US, New Zealand, Norway, and France. Started in 2021, the platform is believed to have been responsible for financial losses amounting to tens of millions of pounds. It was the Russian Coms platform itself that was shut down by the NCA.

Tech News : 31st July 2024

Children Hide Online Life From Families

New research by the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Rocio Cifuentes, has revealed that only 1 in 4 children in Wales tell their families about their online life.

Survey

The survey about online safety was conducted in June 2024 to inform Cifuentes’s response to Ofcom’s consultation on its widening powers relating to the Online Safety Act (2023). The results were drawn from responses given by 1284 children and young people between the ages of 7 and 18, from 16 local authorities.

Tech News : 31st July 2024

Will SearchGPT Overtake Google?

The new ‘SearchGPT’ (prototype) AI search feature which OpenAI plans to eventually integrate directly into ChatGPT is being seen by some as the future of search and a potential challenger to Google Search.

What Is SearchGPT?

At present, OpenAI (the makers of ChatGPT) describes the prototype version of SearchGPT, which is currently being tested in the US, as “new search features designed to combine the strength of our AI models with information from the web to give you fast and timely answers with clear and relevant sources”. In essence, OpenAI says the new tool is a better way of “finding what you’re looking for” than the multiple attempts required to get relevant results using normal search engines and “can be faster and easier”.

Tech News : 31st July 2024

ChatGPT Rolls Out Voice Mode

In a reply to a user question on the X platform, Open AI’s CEO, Sam Altman, said that the alpha rollout of ChatGPT’s long-awaited ‘Voice Mode’ starts for Plus subscribers next week.

What Is Voice Mode?

As the name of the feature suggests, ChatGPT’s ‘Voice Mode’ allows users to interact with the AI by simply using spoken language instead of typing. To do this, it uses advanced speech recognition technology which can convert spoken input into text, and it employs text-to-speech (TTS) technology to vocalise responses. Voice Mode should enhance accessibility for users who prefer verbal communication or have difficulty typing, thereby making it a convenient option. To use Voice Mode, a device with a microphone and speaker is required, and specific commands or settings may be needed to activate and customise the experience.

Tech News : 24th July 2024

CrowdStrike : What Happened?

Following 8.5 million Microsoft devices being hit by a faulty software update from CrowdStrike causing global chaos, we look at what happened, how, and why.

The Worst Cyber Event In History

The scale of effects of the disruption caused make this event, which began on 18 July (Microsoft) or 19 July (according to CrowdStrike), makes it the worst cyber event in history, beating the WannaCry cyber-attack in 2017 where 300,000 computers in 150 countries were affected.

Tech News : 24th July 2024

Lessons Learned

Following the massive after-effects of the faulty CrowdStrike update, we take a look at the lessons learned so far in this ongoing situation.

What Happened?

On July 19, a faulty software update from cybersecurity technology company CrowdStrike affected approximately 8.5 million Microsoft devices globally causing chaos across multiple industries globally as key systems were disabled. The faulty software update only impacted Microsoft because the update for CrowdStrike’s enterprise security platform was specifically designed just for the Windows operating system. The update caused a ‘logic error’, leading to widespread system crashes and blue screens of death (BSOD).

Tech News : 24th July 2024

New “Privacy-First” Email Writing Assistant

Swiss app company Proton has introduced ‘Proton Scribe,’ an AI-powered private writing assistant that writes and proofreads emails for you.

Why?

Proton says that with most of us sending emails daily, finding the right words and tone can be time-consuming. Also, other popular email programs process data on remote servers, thereby posing a risk that as data is transmitted over the internet and stored on external servers, it may be susceptible to breaches, hacking, or unauthorised access. In addition to these risks, many people use online grammar checkers or AI assistants to help compose and edit emails which can be risky in terms of sensitive company or customer data potentially being shared, misused, or used to train language models.

Tech News : 16th July 2024

AWS Studio : Apps In Minutes!

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced a public preview of its new AI-powered AWS App Studio which it says uses natural language to create enterprise-grade applications in minutes, without requiring software development skills.

What Is It?

AWS App Studio is a newly launched platform by Amazon Web Services (AWS) designed to enable users to create custom applications quickly using AI. It offers an intuitive interface that simplifies application development, making it accessible even to those without extensive programming experience. For example, users can simply have a conversation with it about the app they want to create, and AWS App Studio will create it (no coding skills needed). In short, it helps organisations to build end-to-end custom applications quickly and easily.

Tech News : 16th July 2024

Shadow AI and Shadow SaaS Risks?

A Next DLP survey (conducted at RSA Conference 2024 and Infosecurity Europe 2024) has revealed how the rise of ‘Shadow SaaS’ and ‘Shadow AI’ may be putting businesses at risk of data loss, lack of visibility, and data breaches.

What Are Shadow SaaS and Shadow AI?

Shadow SaaS refers to the use of software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications within an organisation without explicit approval from the IT department. Similarly, Shadow AI involves the deployment of AI tools and solutions without official oversight. The issue for businesses is that these shadow technologies often bypass the stringent security protocols and oversight that sanctioned IT solutions are subjected to, thereby creating potential vulnerabilities.

Tech News : 16th July 2024

WhatsApp Voice Transcriptions

It’s been reported that WhatsApp may soon be introducing voice-note transcriptions, which should save time, make it easier for users in noisy environments, and improve the efficiency of communications.

Voice Notes

WhatsApp’s’ Voice notes (introduced in 2013) is a feature whereby users can record audio messages within the chat interface. Users simply press and hold the microphone icon to record a message, which is then sent instantly to a contact upon release.

Tech News : 10th July 2024

‘Pay or Consent’ Model Breaches Rules

Following an investigation into whether the big tech companies are complying with the new Digital Markets Act (DMA) rules, the European Commission’s preliminary findings say that Meta’s ‘Pay or Consent’ model for data-sharing is in breach of its new rules.

Investigation

The European Commission (EC) launched an investigation into Google, Apple, and Meta to determine if their practices comply with the DMA. This (still ongoing) inquiry has been focused on potential violations by these tech giants that may undermine fair competition and consumer protection in the digital market.

Tech News : 10th July 2024

Restrictive Cloud Licensing & Public Sector Skills

In this insight, we look at how recent reports have revealed how the UK’s public sector is facing the dual challenges of potentially losing £300 million through restrictive cloud licensing and the limitations of an open-source software skills gap.

Restrictive Cloud Licensing Costs

A report from the cross-party think tank, The Social Market Foundation (SMF), has shown that due to restrictive rules on cloud software licensing, the public sector looks set to waste more than £300 million over the next 5 years (£60 million per year over the next five years). According to the report, this is because current software licensing rules are making it harder to switch between providers, thus keeping public sector organisations locked into pricey deals.

Tech News : 10th July 2024

SpaceX To Destroy International Space Station

NASA has given Elon Musk’s SpaceX the contract to ‘deorbit’ (and destroy) the International Space Station at the end of its operation as NASA transitions to commercially owned space destinations closer to home.

SpaceX To Develop The Deorbit Vehicle

US space agency NASA has chosen SpaceX to develop and deliver the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle that NASA says will “ensure a safe and responsible transition in low Earth orbit at the end of station operations”, i.e. it will tow the space station into low earth orbit before it burns up on re-entry. NASA reports that while SpaceX will develop the deorbit spacecraft, NASA will take ownership after development and operate it throughout its mission. NASA also says that along with the space station, SpaceX’s Deorbit Vehicle “is expected to destructively breakup as part of the re-entry process.”

Tech News : 3rd July 2024

Gemini ... Overblown Hype?

Two new studies show that Google’s Gemini AI models may not live up to the hype in terms of answering questions about large datasets correctly.

Google Gemini

Google Gemini is an advanced AI language model developed by Google to enhance various applications with sophisticated natural language understanding and generation capabilities. It features multimodal capabilities, enabling it to process and integrate information from text, images, and possibly audio for more comprehensive and context-aware responses. The model also boasts a deep contextual understanding, allowing it to generate relevant and accurate answers in complex conversations or tasks.

Tech News : 3rd July 2024

Jobs Threatened By ChatGPT

In this insight, we look at the kinds of industries and jobs that research has identified as being most exposed to the disruptive threat of generative AI, but we also look at how AI has created some new job roles.

Research

Research from Felten, Manav Raj, and Seamans –“How will Language Modelers like ChatGPT Affect Occupations and Industries?”), from OpenAI and also the University of Pennsylvania offered some reasonably in-depth analysis of how advances in AI language modeling, such as ChatGPT, impact various occupations and industries. As part of the key findings, the research paper identified some of the jobs most exposed to ChatGPT. These findings were:

Tech News : 3rd July 2024

Adobe Lawsuit : Customer Cancellation Concerns

The US Justice Department, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), are suing Adobe Inc. (and two Adobe executives) over an alleged hidden “Early Termination Fee” and an alleged overly complex subscription-cancellation process.

Hiding Important Information

In the complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, it’s alleged that Adobe Inc systematically violated the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA) using fine print and inconspicuous hyperlinks to hide important information about Adobe’s subscription plans.

Tech News : 26th June 2024

Protect Your Business During Staff Holidays

In this next summer security article, and with the summer holiday season upon us, we take a look at the various aspects of protecting your business when your staff are on holiday, offering practical advice and solutions to help you stay secure and efficient while staff are physically away.

Why Worry?

Holidays are essential for employee well-being and morale, providing a much-needed break and an opportunity to recharge. However, when staff-members take time off, it can create gaps in your business operations, potentially leading to significant issues if not properly managed. The absence of key personnel can disrupt daily operations, leaving critical tasks unattended and increasing the risk of errors and delays.

Tech News : 26th June 2024

Why Microsoft 365 Backup is Essential

In this article, we look at why, as reliance on cloud services like Microsoft 365 grows, ensuring robust data backup has become a critical component of business security and continuity, then we look at some best practices for your 365 backups.

The Misconception – Microsoft 365 Backup Myths

Many businesses are surprised to learn that they’d been operating under the false assumption that Microsoft 365 automatically provides comprehensive data backup.

Tech News : 19th June 2024

Apple Avalanche!

Following Apple’s 5-day Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC24) last week at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, we take a look at the many new products announced and their key features.

Showcasing New Products

At Apple’s WWDC24 from June 10 to June 14, Apple showcased a variety of updates and advancements across its software platforms, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS. Key announcements included significant updates for iOS 18 and macOS 15, as well as new AI integrations and improvements to built-in apps like Photos and Apple Music. Crucially, the conference also highlighted Apple’s commitment to AI technologies and its plans to integrate generative AI capabilities into its devices.

Let’s take a look at the key product and other announcements from WWDC24:

Tech News : 19th June 2024

Apple & OpenAI Partnership : Musk Reacts

Following Apple’s recent announcement that it is partnering with OpenAI for its new AI system (which will see ChatGPT on Apple’s new phones), Elon Musk has threatened to ban Apple devices from his businesses.

Apple And OpenAI

Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, announced at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference that, as part of its new personalised AI system, “Apple Intelligence”, a partnership with OpenAI will see ChatGPT integrated across all platforms – within iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. This also means Apple’s new phones will have ChatGPT access and Apple’s Siri will also be able to “tap into ChatGPT”.

Tech News : 19th June 2024

NHS Cyber Attack Means Blood Donors Needed Urgently

A recent ransomware cyber-attack on a provider of lab services to the NHS led to so much disruption in several major hospitals that an urgent appeal for donations of O-type blood was issued.

What Happened?

On Monday 3 June, Synnovis, a provider of lab services, was the victim of a ransomware cyber-attack. The attack on the provider then impacted several major hospitals in London, including King’s College Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’, the Royal Brompton, and the Evelina London Children’s Hospital, and primary care services in southeast London. The attack is thought to be the work of Qilin, a Russian group of cyber criminals.

Tech News : 12th June 2024

Data and AI Strategies For SME Success

Following a recent AWS survey showing that data-driven SMBs who also adopt AI more quickly and make better use of it are financially outperforming their peers, we look at ways your business could do the same.

The Key Findings Of The Report

A recent study by S&P Market Intelligence, commissioned by Amazon Web Services (AWS), found that SMBs who prioritise data (i.e. those who are strategiaclly data driven) gain a competitive edge because decisions made are based on evidence. Whilst perhaps not a surprising general conclusion, the survey’s stats show how much of a difference being data-driven can make. For example, the survey found that “65 percent of highly data-driven SMBs financially outperform their competitors”, i.e. almost twice as much as less data-driven SMBs (33 percent).

Tech News : 12th June 2024

Google Maps Alternatives

In this insight, we look at what’s good about Google Maps, what may be less ideal about it, plus we provide 10 examples of alternative mapping and navigation apps.

What’s Good About Google Maps?

Before we look at potential reasons for trying alternatives, it’s worth acknowledging why Google Maps (with 1.8 billion monthly active users worldwide) is the ‘Go To’ mapping and navigation service globally. The fact that it’s from tech giant Google with its vast reach, resources and data capabilities, plus the fact that Google Maps has been around for 19 years and (crucially) that it is pre-installed on Android devices (which dominates the global smartphone market) has a lot to do with its popularity. However, as anyone who’s used Google Maps will know, it’s also got some key features that make it a great app.

Tech News : 12th June 2024

ChatGPT Says Labour Has Already Won

A recent Sky News report said that when ChatGPT was recently asked by a journalist “who won the UK general election 2024?”, the chatbot replied that Labour had won a “significant victory”, even though the general election hasn’t happened yet.

Context Too

The Sky News report highlights how, despite being asked the question by one of their journalists several times, “in a variety of ways”, it still replied that Labour had one. It’s also been reported by Sky News that it even gave the context, as “Labour secured a substantial majority in the House of Commons, marking a dramatic turnaround from their previous poor performance in the 2019 election,” and that “this shift was attributed to a series of controversies and crises within the Conservative Party, including multiple leadership changes and declining public support under Rishi Sunak’s leadership.”

Tech News : 5th June 2024

Ex-Employees : Offboarding Checklist

Here we look at why organisations need to have an effective employee offboarding procedure in place and suggest a checklist for you that could form the basis of this procedure.

Why?

Members of organisations inevitably change over time for various reasons, perhaps to relocate to another job and move away, or they may be asked to leave, or for many other reasons. However, when employees or contractors/third parties leave a business and there is no effective ‘offboarding’ plan or system in place, they are likely to still have access to your organisation’s systems and data through old passwords and access-rights. Like it or not, this makes them a potential threat to your business.

Tech News : 5th June 2024

Thought About Cyber Insurance?

Here we take a look at cyber security, why you may decide you need it, how much it costs, and where to get it.

What Is Cyber Insurance?

Cyber insurance is a type of insurance policy designed to protect businesses and individuals from internet-based risks, and more generally from risks relating to IT infrastructure and activities. It provides coverage for financial losses that result from cyber incidents such as data breaches, network damage, and cyber extortion. For example, businesses may face costs resulting from data/security breaches, media content liability (e.g. intellectual property infringement), GDPR defence costs or paying GDPR fines, credit/debit card breaches, data breach response services, data breach notification, legal fees, system repairs, and more.

Tech News : 29th May 2024

New Windows Screenshot Feature Sparks Privacy Concerns

The new AI-powered Windows ‘Recall’ feature that takes 5-second screenshots to generate a searchable timeline of everything a user has interacted with has prompted security and privacy concerns.

What Is Recall?

The Recall feature for Windows (currently in preview status) is a new feature that’s exclusive to Microsoft’s forthcoming Copilot+ PCs. Recall takes snapshots of whatever is on your screen every five seconds (e.g. emails, and photos), while content on the screen is different from the previous snapshot. These snapshots are then stored (encrypted) and analysed using optical character recognition (OCR), which uses AI, locally on the user’s PC. The collection of snapshots is designed to give users not only a timeline of everything they’ve done and seen, but they can use voice commands to search through it for what they need, e.g. for any content (text and images) they may have been working on or seen. Microsoft says the functionality will be improved “over time” to enable users to open the actual source document, website, or email in a screenshot.

Tech News : 29th May 2024

Windows 11 Updates & VBScript Kill-Off?

In this insight, we look at the implications of Microsoft’s announcement that the Windows 11 24H2 update is being tested in a pre-release stage and the deprecation of VBScript is being initiated by making it an optional feature.

What Did Microsoft Say?

Microsoft has announced that it is making this year’s annual feature update Windows 11, version 24H2 (Build 26100.712) available in the Release Preview Channel for customers to preview ahead of general availability later this year.

Tech News : 29th May 2024

EE and Plusnet Customers To Get Refund From BT

After an Ofcom investigation that found BT didn’t give clear and simple information to customers who signed up to deal with its subsidiaries EE and Plusnet, BT has been told it must refund early exit fees and let existing affected customers walk away penalty-free.

What Happened?

Under new consumer protection rules, known as ‘General Conditions’ (GCs), that came into force in June 2022, phone and broadband companies, of which BT is both, must give consumers and small businesses the details of a contract, as well as a summary of its key terms, before they sign up. These details must include the price, the length of the contract, the speed of the service, and any early exit fees.

Tech News : 22nd May 2024

Microsoft Asks Hundreds Of Employees In China To Re-Locate

It’s been reported in Chinese state media that Microsoft has asked at least 100 employees to consider relocating to other countries.

Why?

It’s been reported that Microsoft has asked hundreds of its China-based employees, particularly those involved in cloud computing and AI, to consider relocating to other countries. It’s thought that this decision was prompted by escalating tensions between the United States and China, e.g. over technological advancements and trade issues, such as AI and semiconductors. Differing reports put the number that have been given the option to relocate between approximately 100 and 800 employees (mainly Chinese nationals). It’s also been reported that the employees only have less than one month to decide.

Tech News : 22nd May 2024

Tasty Offering : Raspberry Pi

With Raspberry Pi Ltd considering an Initial Public Offering, we look at what this kind of computer is, its value in promoting computer literacy, and what similar alternatives there are.

Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi, the most well-known Pi, is a series of small, affordable, single-board computers (SBCs) developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in the United Kingdom. It is a leader in low-cost, high-performance computing that has now been around for some time. For example, the first Raspberry Pi was introduced on 29 February 2012 and several models featuring improvements in performance, memory, and connectivity options have been introduced since then. The different models cater to a variety of user needs, from the basic Model A and A+ to the more advanced Model B and B+ series, and the high-performance Raspberry Pi 4.

Tech News : 22nd May 2024

UK Company Scammed $25 Million Via Deepfakes

It’s been reported that an employee at London-based design and engineering multinational, Arup, was duped by a deepfake video call into paying a staggering $25.6 million to fraudsters.

What Happened?

According to reports published on CNN, back in January, a finance employee in Arup’s Hong Kong office received what they suspected was a phishing email, purporting to be from the company’s UK office, because it requested a secret transaction.

Tech News : 15th May 2024

Currys, Accenture, Microsoft & New 'GPT-4o'

International omnichannel retailer of technology products and services, Currys, has selected Accenture and Microsoft to deliver the core cloud technology infrastructure that will enable it to leverage the latest generative AI technologies.

Accenture?

Accenture is a US multinational professional services company (IT services, cloud, data, AI, and consulting) headquartered in Dublin, that helps leading businesses, governments and other organisations build their digital core. Accenture says it has 742,000 “people serving clients” in more than 120 countries.

Tech News : 15th May 2024

What Are 'Deadbots'?

Following warnings by ethicists at Cambridge University that AI chatbots made to simulate the personalities of deceased loved ones could be used to spam family and friends, we take a look at the subject of so-called “deadbots”.

Griefbots, Deadbots, Postmortem Avatars

The Cambridge study, entitled “Griefbots, Deadbots, Postmortem Avatars: on Responsible Applications of Generative AI in the Digital Afterlife Industry” looks at the negative consequences and ethical concerns of adoption of generative AI solutions in what it calls “the digital afterlife industry (DAI)”.

Tech News : 15th May 2024

OpenAI To Boost Training With Stack Overflow Data

A partnership deal between OpenAI and Stack Overflow (the question-and-answer website for programmers and developers) will see the Stack overflow Q&A data used to train and improve AI model performance, potentially benefitting developers who use OpenAI’s products.

Stack Overflow

Stack Overflow is the world’s largest developer community, with more than 59 million questions and answers. OverflowAPI is the subscription-based API service that gives AI companies access to Stack Overflow’s public dataset so they can use it to train and improve their LLMs.

Tech News : 8th May 2024

Microsoft’s $10 Billion Renewable Energy Deal Fuels AI & Cloud

Microsoft has agreed to back $10bn in renewable electricity projects by Brookfield Asset Management to help it meet clean-energy commitments and provide its data-centres with the extra energy requirements of cloud and AI.

Global Framework Agreement

The deal, which is a five-year agreement called the “global framework agreement” (“the agreement”) is a commitment by Microsoft, working in partnership with Brookfield, to bring 10.5 gigawatts of generating capacity online. This is reported to be more than three times larger than the 3GW of power used by the world’s largest hub of data centres in Virginia and is the equivalent of enough to power 1.8 million homes!

Tech News : 8th May 2024

New UK Law To Eradicate Weak Passwords

Here we look at the new UK cybersecurity law that will ban device manufacturers from having weak, easily guessable default passwords, thereby providing extra protection against hacking and cyber-attacks.

The Problem

With 99 per cent of UK adults owning at least one smart device and UK households owning an average of nine connected devices, but with a home’s smart devices potentially being exposed to more than 12,000 hacking attacks in a single week (Which?), the UK government has decided that protective, proactive action is needed. It’s long been known that easy-to-guess default passwords (like ‘admin’ or ‘12345) in new devices and IoT devices have provided access for cybercriminals. An example (from the US) is the 2016 Mirai attack which led to 300,000 smart products being compromised due to weak security features as well as major internet platforms and services being attacked and much of the US East Coast being left without internet.

Tech News : 8th May 2024

Apostrophes Dropped From Street Signs

North Yorkshire council has said it’s having to drop apostrophes from its street signs to avoid problems with its computer database!

Must Meet BS7666

The reason given for North Yorkshire council for dropping the apostrophes (e.g. in its street name signs), is that including apostrophes can affect geographical databases and that when street names and addresses are stored in its databases, they must meet the standards set out in BS7666.

Tech News : 1st May 2024

Realtime Deepfake Dating Scams

Here we look at how scammers are now reportedly using face-swapping technology to change their appearance in real-time to conduct video-based romance scams.

Yahoo Boys

Recently, tech news site ‘Wired’ featured a story about romance scammers dubbed ‘Yahoo Boys,’ a slang term for a Nigeria-based collective of scammers who are now using deepfakes and real-time face-swapping technology so they can take on any appearance in their video feed to the targets of their romance scams. They are also known to be involved in phishing, and other cybercrimes.

Tech News : 1st May 2024

Police : Don't Try Hiding Money in Crypto

The Home Office has announced that in an attempt to tackle the issue of drug dealers, fraudsters and terrorists using crypto to hide and raise money, it’s giving new powers to the police.

Over £1 Billion In Illegal Crypto Transactions

With over £1 billion in illegal crypto transactions taking place in the UK each year, the Home Office has announced that the government has now updated its proceeds of crime and terror legislation so that the National Crime Agency and police now have the powers to seize, freeze and destroy the crypto assets used by criminals.

Tech News : 1st May 2024

Jail Coder Course Shows Positive Results

US-based researchers have reported that the ‘Brave Behind Bars’ college-accredited, zoom-based web design course for prisoners has improved their sense of self-worth and given them digital literacy skills that help them stay out of prison.

Brave Behind Bars

The 12-week Brave Behind Bars computer science and career-readiness program was expanded in 2022 to include 40 men and women from six US correctional facilities. The 2023 program was further expanded to support 55 incarcerated men and women from across the eastern United States.

Tech News : 24th April 2024

LinkedIn Testing Premium Company Pages

LinkedIn is testing a ‘Premium Company Page’ subscription service for SMEs which includes AI-produced content and tools to grow follower counts, as well as other features to raise the profiles of subscribers.

What Is It?

LinkedIn says the LinkedIn Premium Company Page is: “a subscription to help you make your Page stand out and convert more LinkedIn members into clients for your business. Premium Company Page gives you access to certain features that are only available to premium subscribers.”

Tech News : 24th April 2024

'Networkless' Attacks?

In this article, we look at why and how networkless attacks (which target cloud apps and identities) have created new opportunities for attackers and new risks for businesses, plus what your business can do to mitigate these risks.

The Move To SaaS and Cloud

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, one of the key drivers enabling attackers to compromise an organistaion without needing to touch the endpoint or conventional networked systems and services is the increased reliance on cloud-based services and software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications (to drive efficiency and innovation). This shift, while beneficial, has also created new cybersecurity challenges for businesses, primarily due to the decentralisation of ‘digital identities’ and the interconnected nature of cloud services.

Tech News : 24th April 2024

Amazon Launches Amazon Live FAST Shopping Channel

Previously available on desktop, mobile and Fire TV, Amazon has now extended the reach of its “Amazon Live” FAST free ad-supported, interactive TV “shoppable” channel by launching it on Prime Video and Freevee, for US customers.

What Is Freevee?

For those who aren’t familiar with Freevee, it’s an Amazon-owned, ad-supported, premium, free streaming service that offers a 24/7 variety of TV shows, movies, and original content. It was previously known as IMDb TV. Freevee can be watched via an app on Amazon devices like Fire TV and Echo Show, smart TVs from brands like LG and Samsung, streaming media players including Roku and Apple TV. It can also be watched on gaming consoles (Xbox and PlayStation), mobile devices with Android and iOS apps, and directly through web browsers on PCs and laptops.

Tech News : 17th April 2024

A Big Stink About Ink

After trying to dismiss a lawsuit from HP customers angry at a firmware update (meaning that their HP printers wouldn’t work with third-party ink cartridges), we look at how HP is answering the arguments within the antitrust ink cartridge lawsuit and what the implications could be for customers.

The Lawsuit

Back in January, printing premier HP was sued in a Federal court in Chicago by 11 consumers (a class action lawsuit) who claimed that their HP printers wouldn’t accept replacement ink cartridges made by other manufacturers, thereby forcing them to pay artificially high prices for HP-branded cartridges. The lawsuit accused HP of violating US and state antitrust laws in a bid to monopolise the market for replacement ink.

Tech News : 17th April 2024

Stop Your Data Being Used To Train AI

In this insight, we look at the process of AI training, the potential pitfalls of misused data, and what measures can be taken to protect your personal and business data from being used to train AI.

Data – For AI Training

AI training, at its core, involves feeding large datasets to algorithms, thereby enabling them to learn and make ‘intelligent’ decisions. These datasets are often culled from user-generated content across various platforms. Understanding the source and nature of this data is crucial for recognising the implications of its use.

Tech News : 17th April 2024

Oxford’s Secure Quantum Computing Breakthrough

Researchers at Oxford University’s UK Quantum Computing and Simulation Hub claim to have made what could be an important breakthrough in quantum computing security.

The Issue

As things stand, if businesses want to use cloud-based quantum computing services, they face privacy and security issues when trying to do so over a network, similar to the issues in traditional cloud computing. For example, users can’t keep their work secret from the server or check their results on their own when tasks get too complex for classical simulations, i.e. they risk disclosing sensitive information like the results of the computation or even the algorithm used itself.

Tech News : 10th April 2024

Tesla Robotaxi In August

Following a fall in Tesla EV sales and profits, Tesla boss Elon Musk has announced that he’ll be unveiling a ‘Robotaxi’ on August 8 this year.

May Swap Lower Cost EV For Robotaxi

Reports initially indicated that Mr Musk’s Tesla company would be abandoning its plans to build a lower-cost EV (the Model 2) in favour of building the ‘robotaxi’ instead using the same small EV platform that was designed to power the lower-cost EV. However, Mr Musk took to his ‘X’ platform to quash that rumour.

Tech News : 10th April 2024

Could ‘Digital Mindfulness’ Reduce Your Tech Stress?

In this insight, we look at what ‘digital mindfulness’ is, how it could help you and your business, and what challenges there are to introducing it.

The ‘Digital Stress’ Problem

Although the digital age has revolutionised work in terms of levels of productivity and connectivity, it has come at a cost. A significant challenge emerging in the workplace is digital stress, sometimes called ‘technostress,’ a phenomenon increasingly recognised for its detrimental effects on employees’ mental and physical health. This issue is characterised by the stress, anxiety, and burnout resulting from the relentless pace of digital communications, the pressure to remain always ‘on’, and the blurring lines between work and personal life. This constant connectivity, while purportedly beneficial to a business has actually introduced a new stressor into the workplace (technostress) which can come from the anxiety and discomfort stemming from overuse or inefficient usage of technology.

Tech News : 10th April 2024

Headaches For MSPs As Microsoft Unbundles Teams

Microsoft’s announcement that it will sell its chat and video app Teams separately from its Office product globally is likely to cause considerable headaches for IT departments and managed service providers.

Why Unbundle?

Teams is to be unbundled and sold separately globally (it’s been unbundled in the EU since last October) in response to an antitrust lawsuit and to avert the possible associated fine.

Tech News : 3rd April 2024

Google Deleting Millions Of Users' Incognito Data

As part of a deal to resolve a class action lawsuit in the US dating back to 2020, Google has said it will delete the incognito mode search data of millions of users.

What Lawsuit?

In June 2020 in the US, three Californians named Chasom Brown, Christopher Castillo, and Monique Trujill (along with William Byatt of Florida and Jeremy Davis of Arkansas) brought a lawsuit against Google’s Incognito mode. They filed the class-action lawsuit on behalf of themselves and potentially millions of other Google users who believed their data was being collected by Google despite using Incognito mode for private browsing.

Tech News : 3rd April 2024

A Dozen Handy Google Maps Tricks

With Google Maps now one of the most popular mapping services globally, used by millions of people every day, plus having new features regularly being added, here we look at a dozen top Google Maps (Android) tricks to help you on your way.

Driving

Since Google Maps can be extremely useful in the car, the first few tricks are for driving.

Tech News : 3rd April 2024

Wait For It ...The OpenAI Voice Cloning Tool

OpenAI has announced the preview of its (two years in the making) ‘Voice Engine’ voice cloning tool, although there’s no firm release date yet.

What Can It Do?

OpenAI says Voice Engine uses “text input and a single 15-second audio sample to generate natural-sounding speech that closely resembles the original speaker.” OpenAI says this “small model” with a single 15-second sample can create “emotive and realistic voices.”

Tech News : 27th March 2024

'AI Washing' - Crackdown

The US investment regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has dished out penalties totalling $400,000 to two investment companies who made misleading claims about how they used AI, a practice dubbed ‘AI Washing’.

What Is AI Washing?

The term ‘AI washing’ (as used by the investment regulator in this case) refers to the practice of making unsubstantiated or misleading claims about the intelligence or capabilities of a technology product, system, or service in order to give it the appearance of being more advanced (or artificially intelligent) than it actually is.

For example, this can involve overstating the role of AI in products or exaggerating the sophistication of the technology, with the goal often being to attract attention, investment, or market-share by capitalising on the hype and interest surrounding AI technologies.

Tech News : 27th March 2024

What Is Customer Journey Mapping Software?

In this tech insight, we look at what customer journey mapping is, its benefits, the challenges of using it, and also we look at some of the popular customer journey mapping software solutions available.

What Is Customer Journey Mapping?

Customer journey mapping refers to a strategic process (that’s used by marketers) to visualise and understand the complete experience of a customer interacting with a product, service, or brand from the customer’s perspective. It’s a visual representation of the different interactions customers have with your brand, product, or service until they decide to purchase it from your business (and what happens beyond).

Tech News : 27th March 2024

Glassdoor Site Shows Real Users' Names

It’s been reported that Glassdoor (the website that allows current employees to anonymously review their employer) posted users’ real names to their profiles without their consent.

What Is Glassdoor?

By allowing users to register anonymously, Glassdoor is a website that allows current and former employees to anonymously review their companies and management. Founded in 2007 in Mill Valley, California, the platform is used for obtaining insights into company cultures, salaries, and interview processes. Its aim is to foster workplace transparency, enabling job seekers to make better-informed decisions about their careers by learning from the experiences of others.

Tech News : 20th March 2024

Don’t Ask Gemini About The Election

Google has outlined how it will restrict the kinds of election-related questions that its Gemini AI chatbot will return responses to.

Why?

With 2024 being an election year for at least 64 countries (including the US, UK, India, and South Africa) the risk of AI being misused to spread misinformation has grown dramatically. This problem extends to a lack of trust by various countries’ governments (e.g. India) around AI’s reliability being taken seriously. There are also worries about how AI could be abused by adversaries of the country holding the election, e.g. to influence the outcome.

Tech News : 20th March 2024

DMARC Diligence : Implementing and Optimising DMARC for Maximum Security

DMARC Diligence (Part 3) : Implementing and Optimising DMARC for Maximum Security

In this third and final part of our series of ‘DMARC Diligence’ insights, we explore the detailed process of DMARC deployment, its monitoring, optimisation, and preparing businesses for future email security challenges.

Last Week …

Last week in part 2 of this series of ‘DMARC Diligence’ articles, we looked at the crucial yet often neglected aspect of securing non-sending or “forgotten” domains against cyber threats. Here we highlighted the potential risks posed by these domains when not protected by DMARC policies, and offered some guidance on how businesses can extend their DMARC implementation to cover all owned domains, thereby preventing unauthorised use for spam or phishing attacks.

Tech News : 20th March 2024

Chrome’s Real-Time Safe Browsing Change

Google has announced the introduction of real-time, privacy-preserving URL protection to Google Safe Browsing for those using Chrome on desktop or iOS (and Android later this month).

Why?

Google says with attacks constantly evolving, and with the difference between successfully detecting a threat or not now perhaps being just a “matter of minutes,” this new measure has been introduced “to keep up with the increasing pace of hackers.”

Tech News : 13th March 2024

TikTok Termination?

A recent US congressional vote means that TikTok and its parent company’s alleged ties with the Chinese Communist Party must be severed within six months or the popular TikTok app must be sold, thereby banning it in the US.

The Vote

The unanimous Energy and Commerce Committee vote (50-0) in favour of forcing TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to divest itself or sell the app could see 170 million American users no longer able to use TikTok. There is now a wait to see whether the US Senate approves the measure before it becomes law. The stated purpose of the bill (as it stands) is to “protect the national security of the United States from the threat posed by foreign adversary controlled applications.”

Tech News : 13th March 2024

DMARC Diligence (Part 2) : The Forgotten Domains : A Hidden Vulnerability

In this second article of the “DMARC Diligence” series, we shift our focus towards securing non-sending or “forgotten” domains and outline a strategy for their protection through DMARC implementation.

Recap Of Part 1

You may remember that in part one of this DMARC Due Diligence series of articles we laid the groundwork by exploring the essentials of the email authentication protocols SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. We learned how these mechanisms work in tandem to validate email sources, ensuring that only authenticated emails reach their intended destinations. The primary takeaway was the importance of implementing these protocols to shield email communications from the prevalent threats of phishing and spoofing attacks.

Here, in Part Two of the three-part series, we take a look at some key issues around securing non-sending or “forgotten” domains.

Tech News : 13th March 2024

New Quantum Attack-Proof PCs

At its Annual Partner Conference 2024, HP announced the world’s first business PCs to protect firmware against quantum computer attacks.

This Issue

As highlighted by Global Risk Institute research, 27 per cent of experts think there is a 50 per cent likelihood of a cryptographically relevant quantum computer (CRQC) by 2033. HP says that “when that day comes, the security of existing digital signatures on firmware and software will be in question and digital trust will dissolve.”

Tech News : 6th March 2024

WhatsApp Updates

Here we look at some of the latest WhatsApp updates and the value and benefits they deliver to users.

Search Conversations By Date For Android

The first of three new updates of significance for WhatsApp is the “search by date” function for individual and group chats on Android devices. Previously, this function had been available on other platforms (iOS, Mac desktop and WhatsApp Web).

As featured on Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg’s WhatsApp channel (Meta owns WhatsApp), WhatsApp users on Android can now search for a chat on a particular date (not just within a range). For example, one-on-one or group chat details can be date searched by tapping on the contact or the group name, tapping on the search button, and then tapping the calendar icon (right-hand side of the search box), and selecting the individual date. This feature is likely to deliver a better user experience by giving greater precision and control and potentially saving time in locating specific messages.

Tech News : 6th March 2024

DMARC Diligence (Part 1) : The Basics of Email Authentication

In this, the first of a series of three articles explaining DMARC and email authentication, we look at why SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are the key pillars of email authentication.

The Issue

Businesses face numerous cyber threats, with email being one of the most common attack vectors. Phishing, spoofing, and malware are prevalent issues, making email security a top priority.

Effective email authentication mechanisms/protocols, therefore, like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are ways to improve email security and are crucial in mitigating these threats, ensuring only authenticated emails reach their destination.

Tech News : 6th March 2024

Copilot Gets Plugins And Skills Upgrade

Microsoft has announced that its Windows 11 Copilot AI companion (that’s been embedded into 365’s popular apps) has received an upgrade in the form of new plugins and skills.

Builds On The AI Key

Microsoft says that the new features build upon the introduction of the Copilot AI Key on new Windows 11 PC keyboards, updates to the Copilot icon on the taskbar, and the ability to dock, undock and resize the Copilot pane.

Adding an AI key to Microsoft Windows 11 PC keyboards, from which Copilot could be directly launched, was the first significant change to Microsoft keyboards in 30 years and represents another way for Microsoft’s own AI to be seamlessly woven into Windows from the system.

Tech News : 28th February 2024

Try Being Nice To Your AI

With some research indicating that ‘emotive prompts’ to generative AI chatbots can deliver better outputs, we look at whether ‘being nice’ to a chatbot really does improve its performance.

Not Possible, Surely?

Generative AI Chatbots, including advanced ones, don’t possess real ‘intelligence’ in the way we as humans understand it. For example, they don’t have consciousness, self-awareness (yet), emotions, or the ability to understand context and meaning in the same manner as a human being.

Tech News : 28th February 2024

Exploring E-Signatures

In this tech-insight, we look at what e-signatures are, their benefits plus some of the main e-signature providers, as well as what to consider when choosing an e-signature service.

Popularity of E-signatures

The initial growth of e-signatures happened in the early 2000s, due to the passage of laws such as the US Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN) in 2000 and the European Union’s Directive 1999/93/EC on a Community framework for electronic signatures. These laws established the legal framework for the use of e-signatures, providing them with the same legal status as handwritten signatures under certain conditions.

Tech News : 28th February 2024

Google Pauses Gemini AI Over 'Historical Inaccuracies'

Only a month after its launch, Google has paused its text-to-image AI tool following “inaccuracies” in some of the historical depictions of people produced by the model.

‘Woke’ … Overcorrecting For Diversity?

An example of the inaccuracy issue (as highlighted by X user Patrick Ganley recently, after asking Google Gemini to generate images of the Founding Fathers of the US), was when it returned images of a black George Washington. Also, in another reported test, when asked to generate images of a 1943 German (Nazi) soldier, Google’s Gemini image generator returned pictures of people of clearly diverse nationalities in Nazi uniforms.

Tech News : 21st February 2024

Doorbell Ding Dong

After the Amazon-owned ‘Ring’ video doorbell company’s recent major subscription price hike across its range caused anger and made the news, we look at what customers have said and if there’s a way to beat the price hike.

Ouch!

Ring has angered customers and received some negative publicity after announcing that starting on 11 March this year, its subscription price for its basic plan customers will rise by an eye-watering 43 per cent, from £34.99 to £49.99 per device, per year.

This will mean that the basic plan price has doubled since 2022 when it was priced at £24.99 per year for each device.

Also, those who pay monthly will see a price increase from £3.49 to £4.99 a month.

Tech News : 21st February 2024

What Are 'Virtual' Credit Cards?

In this tech-insight, we take a look at the world of virtual cards, who offers them, their benefits, and other secure payment alternatives.

What Are Virtual Credit Card Numbers?

Virtual credit cards and their card numbers (as the name suggests) only exist in the virtual world, e.g. in an app on your phone, and are temporary, randomly generated 16-digit numbers that are associated with an existing credit card account (it masks the real card number). The number is unique for each transaction for a limited time. Just as they can be quickly generated and immediately and customised after their initial use, they can also be immediately revoked if necessary (handy for security).

Virtual cards with virtual numbers (although they still have an expiry date and CVV) can be used to purchase things online and in-app, in some cases over the phone, and also to pay in-store with mobile payment via other services such as Google Pay and Apple Pay.

Tech News : 21st February 2024

OpenAI's Video Gamechanger

OpenAI’s new ‘Sora’ AI-powered text-to-video tool is so good that its outputs could easily be mistaken for real videos, prompting deepfake fears in a year of important global elections.

Sora

Open AI says that its new Sora text-to-video model can generate realistic videos up to a minute long while maintaining visual quality and adherence to the user’s prompt. Sora can both generate entire videos “all at once” or extend generated videos to make them longer.

According to OpenAI Sora can: “generate complex scenes with multiple characters, specific types of motion, and accurate details of the subject and background”.

Tech News : 14th February 2024

Google’s AI Saves Your Conversations For 3 Years

If you’ve ever been concerned about the privacy aspects of AI, you may be very surprised to learn that conversations you have with Google’s new Gemini AI apps are “retained for up to 3 years” by default.

Up To Three Years

With Google now launching its Gemini Advanced chatbot as part of its ‘Google One AI Premium plan’ subscription, and with its Ultra, Pro, and Nano LLMs now forming the backbone of its AI services, Google’s Gemini Apps Privacy Hub was updated last week. The main support document on the Hub which states how Google collects data from users of its Gemini chatbot apps for the web, Android and iOS made interesting reading.

Tech News : 14th February 2024

What Are 'Blockchain Identifiers'?

In this insight, we look at what blockchain identifiers are, their roles, users, and relevance to businesses, plus how they could work with the domain name system.

What Are Blockchain Identifiers?

Blockchain, the technology behind cryptocurrencies, is the decentralised, secure, incorruptible ledger system that enables transparent and tamper-proof transactions. Its value is in providing enhanced security, efficiency, and trust in digital operations.

Blockchain identifiers are the unique codes used within blockchain technology to securely identify and authenticate transactions, assets, or participants.

Tech News : 14th February 2024

Google Launches Gemini Subscription

Google has rebranded its Bard chatbot as Gemini, the name of its new powerful AI model family, and launched a $20 per month ‘Gemini Advanced’ subscription service.

Gemini Advanced

To compete with the likes of ChatGPT, Google has launched its own monthly Chatbot subscription service for the same price but with some extras thrown in. Google recently launched Gemini, its “newest and most capable” large language model (LLM) family, available as Ultra, Pro, and Nano. The highly advanced and multimodal AI model was designed to be integrated into its existing ‘Bard’ chatbot.

Tech News : 7th February 2024

AI Can Learn To Be Bad. And Stay Bad.

In a recent experiment where AI was taught to behave maliciously and then taught to stop, the bad behaviour continued despite efforts to stop it, giving a chilling reminder of the potential threats of AI.

The Experiment

The Cornell University experiment was documented in an online paper entitled “Sleeper Agents: Training Deceptive LLMS That Persist Through Safety Training.” The experiment was designed to study the question of ‘if an AI system learned a deceptive strategy, could it be detected and removed using current state-of-the-art safety training techniques?’

Tech News : 7th February 2024

How Fair And Effective Are AI Recruitment Platforms?

With more companies using AI to screen CVs and candidates’ body language during interviews, we look at what this could mean for today’s job applicants.

Widely Used

IBM research from November last year shows that 4 out of 10 companies now use AI to improve recruiting and human resources. Also, in June last year, IBM highlighted how, with 10 million job openings in the spring of 2023, but only 5.7 million unemployed workers in the U.S., workers would have the advantages in negotiating for higher pay, and better benefits and conditions. It argued that using AI, companies are “reevaluating their recruitment processes”, e.g. to identify inefficiencies and opportunities where AI and automation could make the processes more attractive both for candidates and employees.

Tech News : 7th February 2024

UK Cars Now Using Rear HD-Screens Instead of Windows

The new Swedish-made Polestar 4 will be the first car on UK roads to replace a rear window (and traditional rear-view mirror) with a high-definition screen showing a real-time roof-mounted camera feed.

Two Digital Cameras With Feed Displayed In ‘Mirror’

In fact, instead of a traditional rearview mirror, the Polestar 4 has a high-resolution rear-view display in the shape and in the place of a normal mirror that receives the feed from the two roof-mounted digital cameras. Polestar describes this as a kind of 2-way mirror because it also doubles as a regular mirror, making it possible to switch between the live feed and a view of the rear passengers.

Tech News : 31st January 2024

New Yahoo & Google Guidelines For Bulk Emails

With newly expanded Google and Yahoo guidelines for high-volume emailers coming into force from the 1st of February, we look at what needs to be done to comply.

Why?

As Google says about the reason for the new guidelines: “we’ll require bulk senders to authenticate their emails, allow for easy unsubscription and stay under a reported spam threshold.” Yahoo echoes this, saying: “Sending properly authenticated messages helps us to better identify and block billions of malicious messages and declutter our users’ inboxes.”

Tech News : 31st January 2024

Copilot Product Update – Some Pros And Cons

Following Microsoft’s recent announcement that it is expanding its Copilot product line-up to appeal to a larger range of businesses, we take a look at what this means and some of the stand-out pros and cons.

Copilot

In November last year, Microsoft, a major investor in AI through its partnership with OpenAI (ChatGPT’s creators) announced that its long-awaited Copilot AI “companion” was generally available to enterprises. Copilot is essentially Microsoft’s own GenAI chatbot that’s been designed to integrate with the suite of popular apps in Microsoft 365 and uses a variant of the GPT-4 model, specifically tailored and optimised for integration with Microsoft‘s apps. Microsoft says Copilot: “combines the power of large language models (LLMs) with your data in the Microsoft Graph (API), the Microsoft 365 apps, and the web to turn your words into the most powerful productivity tool on the planet”.

Open AI’s ChatGPT, however, was launched a whole year earlier and started charging for its ChatGPT Plus version in February 2023. At the same time, another major AI player, Google, launched its ‘Bard’ in an effort to integrate advanced AI and language model capabilities into Google’s suite of products and services (like Copilot integrates with Microsoft’s 365 suite of products).

With the major tech companies quickly introducing, monetising and competing with their AI products, what’s Microsoft’s latest move with Copilot?

Tech News : 31st January 2024

New Feature To Declutter Your Gmail Inbox

Included in a recent major update to Google’s Gmail on Android (for now), a new feature can help users to declutter and remove annoying spam from their inbox.

Select All Option

The new feature (currently being rolled out) enables users to use a “Select all” tick box that appears above (top left) in the inbox (on the Gmail for Android app) when the user long holds on an email. Selecting the tick box then means all 50 emails displayed on the page are be selected at once and then deleted with one tap or organised as required.

Tech News : 23rd January 2024

New Certification For Copyright Compliant AI

Following many legal challenges to AI companies about copyrighted content being scraped and used to train their AI models (without consent or payment), a new certification for copyright-compliant AI has been launched.

The Issue

As highlighted in the recent case of the New York Times suing OpenAI over the alleged training of its AI on New York Times articles without permission for free (with the likelihood of a ‘fair use’ claim in defence), how AI companies train their models is now a big issue.

The organisation ‘Fairly Trained’ says that its new Licensed Model certification is intended to highlight this difference between AI companies who scrape data (and claim fair usage) and AI companies who license it, thereby getting permission and pay for training data (i.e. they choose to do so for ethical and legal reasons). As Fairly Trained’s CEO, Ed Newton-Rex says: “You’ve got a bunch of people who want to use licenced models and you’ve got a bunch of people who are providing those. I didn’t see any way of being able to tell them apart”

Fairly Trained says it hopes its certification will “reinforce the principle that rights-holder consent is needed for generative AI training.”

Tech News : 23rd January 2024

'Only' Double IT Spending Growth (To $5 Trillion)

New research from Gartner has predicted that global IT spending this year will reach $5 trillion and IT spending growth will be more than double that of 2023.

A First – Spending More On IT Than Communications

In its IT spending forecast, Gartner predicts that the massive $5 trillion global spend means that spending on IT services will surpass communications services spending for the first time.

Tech News : 23rd January 2024

Work Starts On £790m UK Google Data Centre

Work has started on Google’s first UK data centre which will cost $1 billion (£790m), will add to Google’s 27 data centres worldwide, and will support its move into AI.

Crucial Compute Capacity

The data centre is being built on a 33-acre site at Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire. In addition to the construction and technical jobs that Google says the building work will bring to the local community, Google says its investment in the data centre will deliver “crucial compute capacity to businesses across the UK, supporting AI innovation and helping to ensure reliable digital services to Google Cloud customers and Google users in the UK and abroad.”

Google says that its investment in the technical infrastructure needed to support innovation and tech-led growth in areas like AI-powered technologies is vital, hence the new data centre.

Tech News : 17th January 2024

What Was Fun At CES?

Following the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last week, we take a look at some of the more novel and fun gadgets (and claims from the show) and what lessons businesses can take away from this year’s event.

CES

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which this year took place in Las Vegas (from January 9th to 12th) once again acted as a global stage for tech innovation and a glimpse of things to come. It’s a place where industry leaders, startups, and tech enthusiasts converge to showcase and witness the latest advancements and future trends in technology and which sets the tone for the tech industry each year. Among the more ‘serious’ products, however, the show features many fun/novel and more left-field gadgets and claims. Here’s some standout examples of these from CES 2024.

Tech News : 17th January 2024

A Quick Guide To Flash Drives & HDD Storage

In this brief guide to storage technology, we compare and contrast the benefits of flash drives and Hard Disk Drives (HDD) for enterprise storage and take a look at some other popular storage options.

What are Flash Drives?

Flash drives, sometimes called Solid State Drives (SSDs), use ‘flash memory’ to store data. The flash memory (where the data is stored) is integrated circuits, i.e. an array of memory cells made from floating-gate transistors that hold the data when the drive isn’t powered. Unlike traditional hard drives, they don’t have moving parts and offer faster data access and increased reliability. Their compact size also makes them an ideal choice for devices such as laptops and mobile devices. Popular types include USB flash drives, SSDs for computers and servers for high-speed data access, and memory cards such as the type commonly used in cameras and mobile devices for lightweight, mobile storage.

Tech News : 17th January 2024

Google Waives Exit Fees for Cloud Data Transfers

Google has announced that Google Cloud customers who want to switch and migrate their network data to another cloud provider and/or on-premises will no longer be charged a transfer fee to do so.

How?

The process for the free transfer away from Google involves contacting the Google Cloud account team (if one has been assigned), and completing and submitting an online form, after which there is a 60-day window for the user to transfer the data before terminating their Google Cloud agreement.

Tech News : 11th January 2024

ChatGPT Inside Vehicles Opens Possibilities

Following the news that Volkswagen (VW) is to add ChatGPT to the IDA voice assistant in its cars and SUVs, we look at what this could mean for the direction of technology for cars.

Adding ChatGPT

At the current CET in Las Vegas, VW announced that starting in Europe in the second quarter of this year, the famous chatbot will be added to a variety of VW EVs, including the D.7, ID.4, ID.5 and ID.3, Tiguan, Passat, and Golf.

Drivers will be able to use ChatGPT hands-free via VW’s existing onboard IDA voice assistant, with Cerence Chat Pro from technology partner Cerence Inc acting as the foundation of the new function, which VW says, “offers a uniquely intelligent, automotive-grade ChatGPT integration.”

Tech News : 11th January 2024

'Public Domain' - What Does It Mean?

With January 1 being ‘Public Domain Day’, we look at what ‘public domain’ actually means in relation to works of literature, music, art, and science.

Public Domain Day

New Year’s Day each year is called ‘Public Domain Day’ because it’s the day that the copyright protection on a wide range of creative works such as literature, music, art, and science from the past expire. This means that they enter the ‘public domain’, i.e. they become free to use and adapt by everyone, with no licence required.

Tech News : 11th January 2024

AI Key Added To Microsoft Keyboards

In the first change to Microsoft keyboards in 30 years, an AI key is to be added to Microsoft Windows 11 PC keyboards from February.

Copilot Key

In a move that Microsoft says will make “2024 the year of the AI PC” and to mark a “shift toward a more personal and intelligent computing future where AI will be seamlessly woven into Windows from the system”, the new AI key will be added to allow the launch of Copilot directly from the keyboard.

Copilot is Microsoft’s AI-powered “companion” that’s been embedded into 365’s popular apps to provide intelligent suggestions and automation. This includes areas like Office Suite, where it can help in creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations by suggesting content, layouts, data insights and help with coding. It’s designed to enhance productivity and creativity, and to streamline tasks across different Microsoft software.

Tech News : 4th January 2024

NY Times Sues OpenAI And Microsoft Over Alleged Copyright

It’s been reported that The New York Times has sued OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging that they used millions of its articles without permission to help train chatbots.

The First

It’s understood that the New York Times (NYT) is the first major US media organisation to sue ChatGPT’s creator OpenAI, plus tech giant Microsoft (which is also an OpenAI investor and creator of Copilot), over copyright issues associated with its works.

Tech News : 4th January 2024

What Does Incognito Mode Actually Do?

Following news that Google may need to pay $5 billion over tracking millions of people who thought they were browsing privately through incognito mode, we look at what incognito mode actually does.

Incognito Mode

Different browsers have different names for ‘private browsing mode’ including ‘InPrivate browsing’ (Edge), ‘Private’ for Firefox (Mozilla) and Safari, and ‘Incognito’ for Google Chrome.

Tech News : 4th January 2024

Amazon Prime Video : Pay To Remove Ads

Amazon has announced that from 5 February 2024, its Amazon Prime Video customers in the UK and Germany will see “limited” ads unless they pay £2.99 per month to remove them.

Why?

Amazon says that in view of the fact it won’t be making changes in 2024 to the current price of Prime membership, and that it will continue investing in content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time, it will be adding the “limited” adverts that customers must pay to remove.

In the announcement about the pay-to-remove ads, Amazon listed the many benefits of the Prime Service, and its heavy investment in the service. More specifically, it’s also likely that its renewals of hit series like Redemption and The Boys, its deal with Games Workshop (bringing Warhammer 40,000 to cinema screens) and its plans for other popular content like a series based on the video game Fallout, may also be used to balance out the cost/value analysis in the minds of customers.

The online retail and tech giant and streamer is also keen to stress that it will “have meaningfully fewer ads than linear TV and other streaming TV providers.”

That said, live content such as sports will continue to include advertising whether customers pay for Prime ad removal or not.

Tech News : 10th January 2023

Why Use Outsourced IT Support?

Looking at this question in two parts, here we’ll be firstly looking at the pros and cons of opting for outsourced IT support.

The Popularity Of Outsourced IT Support

A considerable number of businesses in the UK now use outsourced IT support, as outsourcing has become a popular way for businesses to access specialised expertise and reduce costs. For example, in 2021, a widely reported survey (Tony Blair Institute for Global Change) showed that two-thirds of UK firms were planning to outsource the same or more of their IT services within the next two years, with the manufacturing (59 per cent) and financial services (46 per cent) sectors looking to outsource the most.

Tech News : 25th November 2022

How Investment In Sustainability Could Protect Against Disruption

After a new report published which says that most business leaders plan to increase investment in sustainability initiatives to protect against disruption, we look at what this means.

Report

A recent Gartner report highlighted how 86 per cent of business leaders plan to increase their organisation’s investment in sustainability initiatives to protect against disruption and 87 per cent are already engaged in sustainability initiatives and expect to expand them in 2023 and 2024.

Tech News : 14th November 2022

What Is 'Matter'?

Here we look at what Matter 1.0 is, its advantages for the IoT and setting up a smart home (or office), and what its current limitations are.

What Is Matter?

Released just recently this October, Matter 1.0 is the new open standard that resolves interoperability and connectivity issues between all the IoT devices in smart homes. This new single software standard and certification will mean that different IoT gadgets and devices from different manufacturers will be compatible and able to link together to create a smart home if they are Matter certified, communicating with a common standard. Up until now, for example, consumers trying to create a fully connected ‘smart home’ (e.g. where the lighting, locks, heating, music, and home devices can be all be voice operated from a digital assistant) have faced compatibility issues, complications, and difficulties in setting up and managing lots of smaller micro-ecosystems.

Tech News : 4th October 2022

The Growth of Low Code

After a recent Medix report noted the widescale adoption of “low-code” by business, we look at what it is, the reasons for its growth, and the pros and cons of using it.

What Is Low Code?

Low code applications are those built using visual, model-driven tools like drag-and-drop modelers, smart services, components, and pre-built connectors rather than relying on writing code.

Tech News : 26th August 2022

How To Protect Yourself From Job Phishing Scams

Protecting Yourself From Job Phishing Scams

In this article, we look at what ‘job phishing’ is, how it works, and how you can protect yourself from this type of fraud.

What Is Job Phishing?

Job phishing refers to recruitment/employment scams where fraudsters pose as recruitment agents or reputable companies. The fraudsters post fake job descriptions and information about their businesses on fake websites and social accounts, or even on legitimate job websites. They use online job adverts / job boards, emails, letters, and even fake phone interviews to lure their victims in.

Tech News : 5th August 2021

VoIP Worth Considering?

So, let’s compare VoIP, to a conventional landline.

A VoIP phone uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, and uses a hardware and/or software application. VoIP technology allows the user to make voice calls through an internet connection, instead of a conventional analogue line.

On first impressions, a VoIP based, desk phone might appear to be identical to a regular, office desk phone. However, they use very different technology to make and receive calls. A regular, desk phone makes voice calls using a physical, pair of copper wires. VoIP on the other hand sends and receives voice calls in the form of data packets over the internet.

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