Category: Featured

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Chrome memory issue is being fixed in December

The Chrome memory issue has been well known and long standing, even as a joke. Google has spent a while reducing Chrome’s sometimes notorious demands on your system, but it knows that its web browser still needs some work. Accordingly, the upcoming Chrome 55 will include an upgraded JavaScript engine that significantly reduces the memory footprint. Given that many modern websites thrive on JavaScript,...

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Microsoft TechRewards closing January 6, 2017

It originally started in 2012, known as DVLUP by Nokia. The purpose was a little extra something to reward developers. When Microsoft acquired Nokia the program name changed to TechRewards. Recently Microsoft sent emails out informing developers that the TechRewards program will close on January 6, 2017. With Microsoft TechRewards closing on January 6, there are alternatives that Microsoft offers to developers to further...

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Rumors about Disney buying Netflix are circulating

Walt Disney Co. is on the prowl to acquire assets to add to its Goliath media and entertainment business; at least that’s the chatter on Wall Street. Following reports last week Disney was considering a bid for the floundering but pioneering social-media platform Twitter Inc. the House of Mouse’s name was tied to interest in another buy: Netflix Inc. Shares of Netflix had moved...

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Microsoft Paint redesign coming to Windows 10

Microsoft is building a Windows 10 version of its famous Paint tool. While the software maker has barely updated Paint in recent releases of Windows, the new Paint app will be completely overhauled. Twitter user WalkingCat has discovered video demonstrations of the new app, and it’s clearly designed with Windows 10 in mind. A launch video notes that the new “Paint Preview” app includes all...

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iOS App Store ads appear by Apple itself

Apple has started showing ads in the iOS App Store for US users. Searching for popular terms like “taxi,” “calendar,” or “to-do list” delivers a banner advert for promoted apps above the search results. The company announced plans for this earlier this year, and a small number of iPhone and iPad users signed up to the iOS 10 beta have already been shown the...

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Spotify ads served malware to your computer for a brief time

Some Spotify listeners got more than just free music with their ad-supported software. Multiple users report that the streaming service was serving malware-laden ads that would pop up your default web browser in a bid to compromise your system. Reportedly, some of these didn’t even require your input to do damage. And they weren’t specific to any one platform, either — Linux, Mac and...

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Microsoft will fix KB3194496 update loop

For well over a year, Microsoft has tried to position Windows 10 as a new type of operating system — one that’s continually updated without allowing for meaningful customer intervention, with security, driver, and software updates combined together by default and updated on Microsoft’s timeline. Pro customers can delay updates for a period of time, but non-enterprise users aren’t allowed to push them off...

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Chromecast Ultra features 4K streaming coming November

During Google’s Pixel event today, Google announced the Chromecast Ultra, a 4K version of its very popular streaming device. The Chromecast Ultra will be able to stream 4K content from YouTube  Netflix, and Vudu at launch, with films from Google Play Movies gaining support in November. HDR content — both HDR10 and Dolby Vision formats — is also supported by the Ultra. Google says the...

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Amazon bans reviews tied to free or discounted products

Amazon is making a significant change to its Community Guidelines, announced today, which will eliminate any incentivized reviews, except for those that emerge from within its own Amazon Vine program. This program allows Amazon – not the seller or vendor – to identify trusted reviewers, and has a number of controls in place in order to keep bias out of the review process. Amazon has historically...

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Netflix catalog shrinks by 50% over the past few years

If you’ve felt like Netflix’s US catalog has shrunk dramatically since the company started making its own shows and movies, you’re absolutely right. Since 2012, Netflix’s selection of titles has dropped over 50%, from roughly 11,000 titles to about 5,300, according to streaming blog Exstreamist, which cites multiple former Netflix employees. Extreamist’s sources estimate the height of Netflix’s catalog size was in 2012, before the...