John Lister

More ambitious users of trial versions of Windows 10 have now got their hands on the replacement for Internet Explorer . The consensus is that it still needs work, but displays some impressive new features. The new browser is codenamed Spartan , ... though that may not be the final name. It will be the default browser in Windows 10, with Internet Explorer only available by going through the Accessories section of the Programs menu. Internet Explorer is only being included for the sake of compatibility with very old websites that use outdated technology. (Source: networkworld.com ) For the first ... (view more)

A newly-published study shows that the average person could manage without a smartphone for many common tasks. However, for a select group, smartphones are the only realistic option for accessing online services. The report comes from the Pew ... Research Center, which brought together several surveys, each of around 2,000 smartphone users. The results provide very differing meanings, depending on how they are viewed. (Source: pewinternet.org ) Most Tasks Achievable Without Phones On one hand, the study suggests smartphones are by no means vital for many everyday tasks. Participants were asked if ... (view more)

Amazon is launching a range of physical buttons to place around your home and press when you want to reorder an item for purchase. Despite the time of year, it insists the buttons are not an April Fool's Day joke. The buttons are called Amazon Dash. ... Each is linked to one of 18 retailers or brands, and you can get hold of buttons free of charge if you are a member of Amazon's Prime program, a subscription service that includes free shipping and online video access. (Source: forbes.com ) The buttons, which appear to be about the size of a USB memory stick, have adhesive stickers so you ... (view more)

Microsoft is reportedly planning to sell two new Windows 10 laptop models for as little as $149. It's seen as yet another attempt to combat the boom in low-cost machines such as Google's Chromebook. The report comes from Digitimes, an industry ... journal for the electronics business in Asia. It's usually reputable as it has sources from manufacturers of components for computers and other devices who naturally have advance notice of machines that are in the works. (Source: digitimes.com ) Both laptops will have 11.6 inch screens, which are very small for 'fully featured' ... (view more)

General Motors is releasing a car with a series of features designed to reassure parents that their children will drive safely. It also lets them access reports about driving activity. The 'Teen Driver' system will debut in the 2016 Chevrolet ... Malibu. The system works by having multiple electronic key fobs: teens get their own set of keys which will automatically switch the system on when used. Teen Driver has two main elements. The first is monitoring, which allows the car owner to access a 'report card' about the activity while the teen was driving. This includes the total ... (view more)

Google is said to be planning a tool to let users receive bills via and email, then pay with a single click of a button - all without leaving their inbox. While it will be promoted as a service to benefit users, it could be part of a wider business ... move for Google. Leaked screenshots reveal the service is codenamed Pony Express, though it's unknown if that will be the real name if and when it launches. The current plan is to start the service in the final quarter of 2015. The plan isn't so much to replace existing electronic billing. Instead, Google is targeting companies which print ... (view more)

Last week Microsoft confirmed it will give users running pirated copies of Windows 7 and 8.1 a free upgrade to Windows 10 . Now it's revealed that offer has a big restriction, one that may undermine the entire purpose of the move. Windows 10 Upgrade ... For All Applies Worldwide The initial announcement appeared as if the piracy offer would only apply to users in China. Since then, however, Microsoft has made some clarified two main points. One is that the offer will apply worldwide, and not just in China. The move was controversial enough in piracy-ridden China, and even more so in countries ... (view more)

Microsoft is offering Chinese users of pirated Windows software a free upgrade to Windows 10. It appears to be a case of profit over principle that may also have security benefits. Virtually all users of Windows 7 and 8.1 around the world will ... already qualify for a free upgrade to Windows 10 when it's released, something Microsoft now says will be "this summer." However, in most places that only applies to legitimate users. Things are very different in China, however, which has a combination of an increasingly wealthy tech-loving population and loose government policing of ... (view more)

Yahoo has introduced an option to log in without needing to remember a password. It requires a cellphone and may trade security for convenience. Under the new system, which is optional, users can choose not to use a standard passwords for future ... log-ins. Once activated, the system will mean a button appears on Yahoo's site when the user is ready to log in to the account. When the user clicks this button, Yahoo sends a one-time only, four character password to the user's cellphone. Once the user logs in, the password field becomes inactive. The process is then repeated the next time ... (view more)

Facebook has clarified its rules on what can and cannot be posted on the site. The changes are designed to bring more common sense, but critics say the rules still have inconsistencies. The decision to remove posts, photos or videos is based on a ... set of rules known as Facebook's community guidelines. In the past, the guidelines have come under heavy criticism for being either too vague and broad, often seeming to outlaw content many people would consider acceptable, or allow content widely considered unacceptable. Three years ago, leaked documents showed the instructions for previous ... (view more)