John Lister

New laws in Europe could mean all phones have to use the same charger plug. It's uncertain if they will take effect but they could force manufacturers to make changes worldwide. The proposal would mean most portable electronic devices sold in ... European Union countries would have to have a USB-C charging port. If manufacturers supplied a charger with a power plug, the connection to the phone could be USB-C or USB-A. The rules would apply to phones, tablets, cameras, portable speakers, headphones and portable game consoles. Specific exemptions would include ear buds, fitness trackers and smart ... (view more)

Users who upgrade "incompatible" machines to Windows 11 may have to agree to a lengthy disclaimer. Microsoft warns PCs could suffer damage, which suggests it may be trying to head off lawsuits. The disclaimer is further indication that users who ... don't meet the minimum system requirements for Windows 11 may still be able to install it. This would be through downloading and creating installation media such as a DVD or USB stick, rather than using Windows Update. (Source: neowin.net ) Verge's Sean Hollister was able to install a beta edition of Windows 11 despite his PC not meeting the system ... (view more)

Microsoft has released its Windows 11 eligibility checker tool. It now gives more detail on why a computer might not be ready to run the new system. The app in question is officially titled "PC Health Check" though that's a little misleading as it ... doesn't relate to whether the computer is currently working OK or has any serious problems. Instead it checks whether the computer is eligible to run Windows 11. It's available using this link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/windows-11#pchealthcheck The original version a few months ago didn't give much detail other than whether the PC " ... (view more)

Microsoft has removed the need for passwords to log in to a Microsoft account. Users can choose from four other options including a dedicated app. A Microsoft account can cover a range of devices and activities including Outlook, Microsoft 365 (the ... online version of what used to be called Office), settings and bookmarks in the Edge browser, Skype calls, online storage in OneDrive and purchases and downloads from the Microsoft Store. It's also the default way to log in to Windows itself for many users, though some setups let users opt for a four-digit PIN code instead. Passwords Bring Dilemma ... (view more)

Artificial intelligence may be failing thanks to human error according to a new study. That's because data AI models use to learn how to identify images is not always correct to start with. The problem affects neural networks, which are designed to ... work in a similar way to the human brain, considering multiple possibilities at the same time. The idea is to get the benefits of human thought but with the speed and reliability of computers. In principle, training these AI models is a straightforward process. Rather than humans creating a set of rules for the models to follow, they simply give ... (view more)

Apple has patched a security flaw that could compromise phones and tablets just by users receiving a message. The exploit would use an attachment in iMessages but wouldn't require the user to click or open it. It's a potentially very serious flaw ... though ironically that may be the saving factor for most ordinary users. Because it's so serious, experts believe it's most likely to be used for highly targeted attacks. The bug was discovered by researchers at the University of Toronto, who say it's an example of "zero-click spyware". While they've seen similar attacks on Apple devices before, it's ... (view more)

Mozilla has found a way to make it easier to set Firefox as a default browser in Windows. The move may raise eyebrows at Microsoft, as it involved getting past measures designed to combat malware. By default, Windows doesn't let users set an ... application as the default for a particular task (web browsing or otherwise) within the application itself. That's in principle a sensible idea as it reduces the risk of malware setting itself as a default app or tricking a user into doing so. Once established as a default app, the malware would have a big advantage as it would be opened more often, ... (view more)

Security experts have warned users to take extra care opening Microsoft Office files. An unpatched bug in Internet Explorer can affect users regardless of their preferred browser. The bug takes advantage of the way Office files can open links in ... Internet Explorer. It means that attackers can craft Office files that, once opened, automatically load an "attack" page in Internet Explorer that installs malware. Exactly what malware to install is up to the attacker. There is some protection for some users. In many cases, Office will by default open a document in Protected View, which blocks links ... (view more)

Phone and tablet makers could be forced to update devices for at least seven years. The proposed law would only affect Europe but, if passed, could change policies around the world. At the moment, how long phones get security and feature updates is ... largely up to manufacturers. In many cases it can be as little as three years. Critics say that brings several problems, including unfairly pressuring owners to buy new devices even when their existing one works well. That also creates environmental problems with users struggling to find responsible ways to recycle old devices. Spare Parts Must Be ... (view more)

Facebook has apologized after its recommendation system labeled two black men as "primates." It's the latest in a series of blunders by automated technology. The "recommendation" was shown at the end of a video posted by a British newspaper. It ... featured a white man in the United States phoning 911 to report "being harassed by a bunch of black men." The video did not include any content of references involving non-human primates. One user who watched the video shared a screenshot of a message created by Facebook that appeared at the end of the video, asking ... (view more)