Apple launches smaller, cheaper iPhone SE
It has been rumored for some time now, but at its Let us loop you in event in Cupertino Apple finally took the wraps off the iPhone SE. It's a new iPhone, perhaps not the new iPhone everyone wants, but a new iPhone nonetheless. Speculation has been rife about what corners would be cut to keep the price down -- and, indeed, what the price would be -- and now we know.
As expected, the iPhone SE is a 4-inch handset and it blends features from the iPhone 5s and iPhone 6s to create a mid-range device that Apple hopes will not only appeal to new markets, but also help to retain existing customers put off by the price of higher-end iPhones. But what's inside the case? (And, no... there's no word on the iPhone 7 yet.)
Is Microsoft considering launching a digital market for second hand Xbox One games?
The gradual move from physical media to digital downloads has taken its toll on one section of the video games business -- the second hand market. The idea of selling back a digital copy of a game may seem as strange as the idea of selling an MP3 you no longer listen to, but it could be something that Microsoft is considering.
In a survey apparently being shown to Xbox gamers, Microsoft asks whether they would be interested in the idea of selling back their digital purchases. Presented in the way it is -- it's suggested that games could be bought back for 10 percent of their original price -- it may not seem like a great deal, but it's interesting to see that Microsoft is thinking about testing the water in this area.
iPhone SE could rejuvenate Apple and encourage growth in new markets
We're living in the age of the smartphone and Apple has managed to carve itself a decent-sized chunk of the pie. But while each new iPhone is greeted with rapturous excitement, growth has declined recently to the point that a drop in sales in expected next quarter. Later today Apple is expected to launch the iPhone SE to counter this decline.
This smaller, cheaper handset would see the company venturing into new territory in a couple of ways. It would not only be the second time Apple has tried to appeal to the cheaper end of the smartphone smart -- the iPhone 5c being the first attempt -- but the iPhone SE could also see the company making in-roads into China as well as India and emerging markets.
Snowden: I couldn’t trust Microsoft so I used free software like Tor, Tails and Debian
At the Free Software Foundation's LibrePlanet 2016 conference, Edward Snowden credited free software with enabling him to blow the whistle about government surveillance. Speaking via video link from Russia, the former NSA contractor said that "what happened in 2013 couldn't have happened without free software".
But as well as indicating his preference for free, open source software, Snowden revealed that he refused to use Microsoft software because he "couldn't be sure" that there weren't backdoors built in.
TeslaCrypt 4 ransomware now features unbreakable encryption and is even more dangerous for victims
Apple might be currently talking about its unbreakable encryption and how it's a good thing for privacy, but the FBI ruing it. The privacy arguement certainly stannds up to scrutiny, but strong encryption can also be used as a weapon, as demonstrated by countless examples of ransomware. There are numerous breeds of ransomware out there, but one of the most prolific is TeslaCrypt.
It's just a year since the first version of TeslaCrypt appeared on the scene, and it's gone through various updates and iterations over the ensuing months. Now it's hit version 4 and as well as continuing to threaten victims with sharing their files online, it also boasts what is being referred to as 'unbreakable encryption'.
Microsoft is working on a tool to port Chrome extensions to Edge
Microsoft has been keen to consigne Internet Explorer to the history books, but for a long time there has been a glaring issue with its successor, Microsoft Edge: a lack of extensions. With the release of Windows 10 Redstone build 14291 this finally changed.
While Microsoft Edge may now have extensions, it's still very early days and it's likely you'll find that most of your favorites are yet to make an appearance. But Microsoft has a plan. To make developers' lives as easy as possible, the company is working on a tool that will make it possible to port Chrome extensions to Edge.
Just Google it: Anyone could have 'hacked' and doxxed Trump like Anonymous
Shortly after hacking into Donald Trump's voicemails and leaking messages, Anonymous declared all-out war on the presidential candidate. Earlier this week, the hacktivist group launched #OpWhiteRose and doxxed the republican candidate.
Personal information about Trump -- his cell phone number, social security number and other details -- were released last week, with the group saying they were provided on the understanding that "you alone are responsible for your actions, as always". But rather than being the fruit of an elaborate hacking operation, anyone with the nous to use Google and Wikipedia could have gathered exactly the same information for themselves.
Apple's fight with the FBI is about LGBTQ issues as well as privacy
As the battle between the FBI and Apple rumbles on, the debate about encryption has intensified, bringing with it renewed discussion about privacy. There are few people who would want to give up their right to privacy and allow unrestricted access to their personal communication, but there are some for whom privacy is even more important.
Tim Cook is just one of the voices shouting that a backdoor for the government would be a backdoor for anyone. Most people and companies have sided with Apple saying that rather than backdoor access, what's needed is stronger encryption, greater security, even more robust privacy. It's something that has the support of people from all walks of life, but it's an issue that's very close to the hearts of the LGBTQ community.
Chelsea Manning: Insider Threat document shows US government employees are under surveillance
The US government is busy putting thousands of its own employees under 'permanent surveillance' according to a document obtained by Chelsea Manning. In the wake of leaks by the likes of Edward Snowden and WikiLeaks, the government set up the Insider Threat program in an attempt to nip future leaks in the bud.
It's a while since Manning was in the news, the last notable appearance being when the solider formerly known as Bradley Manning joined Twitter from prison. But the latest document released by Manning -- obtained using a freedom of information request -- shows that the government is not afraid to use NSA-style tactics on its own employees.
Apple vs FBI: Tim Cook concedes helping authorities is a theoretical possibility
In the Apple vs FBI fight, the issue is very black and white for many people; you support Apple's position of standing firm against the FBI, or you believe the FBI should have unfettered access to whatever data it wants, regardless of the consequences.
Tim Cook has been steadfast in his position, but in an interview with TIME the Apple CEO admits that the situation is not entirely binary. Presented with a thought experiment Cook appears to concede there are gray areas, opening up the possibility of assisting the FBI to break into the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone.
How to play Facebook's secret basketball game
Who doesn't love a good Easter egg? Apps, games and websites have all manner of hidden secrets, and Facebook is no different. It's not all that long ago that we showed you how to play the chess game secreted in Facebook Messenger and now another gem has been unearthed.
Also hidden away in Facebook Messenger you'll find a basketball game -- just in time for March Madness. Be warned, it's quite addictive but shooting some hoops is a great way to kill some time with a friend. All you need is an Android smartphone or an iPhone.
Twitter sneakily enables new algorithmic feed -- here's how to disable it
Twitter is forever tinkering with timelines, and it's not all that long ago that the #RIPTwitter hashtag was trending after it was suggested that a new algorithm-powered timeline was to be introduced. Twitter users lashed out and Jack Dorsey stepped into the fray to try to allay fears.
A month ago Dorsey said that "we never planned to reorder timelines next week". He wasn’t wrong. It's happened now instead. Gone is the sensible, logical, chronological timeline, replaced instead with an algorithmic feed that's home to tweets Twitter thinks you want to see first. It's not only been launched with little fanfare, but now it's enabled by default.
Huge Windows 10 Redstone update will 'change everything'
While it is widely expected that Windows 10 Mobile will launch today, it is the desktop version of the operating system that still attracts the most attention. The first major update to Windows 10 -- dubbed Redstone -- has already been rolled out to Insiders in the form of an early preview build, but there are some big changes on the way.
The first time we'll get to see what Microsoft has been working on is likely to be at Build at the end of the month, but the company's PR machine has already kicked into action. Product managers at Microsoft already have access to new and exciting features which it is promised will 'change everything' and cause users to 'freak out'.
Ads are eating your mobile data allowance
A new study has revealed that ads on smartphones account for between 18 and 79 percent of downloaded data. The astonishing statistic gives mobile users another reason to despise ads on top of the annoyance, security and privacy concerns they already bring about.
With most mobile users having to stick to a monthly allowance, the suggestion is that it's time for mobile pages to go on a diet. The research carried out by Ender Analysis also found that JavaScript accounted for between 6 and 68 percent of downloaded data.
Malvertising campaign targets Americans through major websites including BBC and New York Times
Top news websites including the BBC, the New York Times and MSN were hit over the weekend by a co-ordinated malware campaign. Delivered through the advertising networks used by the sites, the malvertising attack aimed to install ransomware on victims' computers.
On-site ads are far from loved, hence the prevalence of ad-blocking tools. But as well as being an annoyance, online ads can also pose a serious security risk -- something highlighted by this attack. The infected ads redirected people to servers hosting the Angler exploit kit and was engineered to target US-based web users.
Sofia Elizabella's Bio
Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson is a queer, transgender journalist based in Poland. She has been writing about technology for more than two decades, and after years working for magazines, her writing moved online. She is fueled by literature, music, nature, and vegetables. You can find her on Bluesky and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
© 1998-2026 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.