Bing News now connects related stories to give readers better context
Always-connected mobile devices make it easier than ever to plug into the news and keep abreast of what is going on in the world. But reading on the move means that it is very easy to fall into the habit of skim-reading articles, or just reading part of a story which can mean failing to grasp the wider context of the news.
To try to help with this problem, Microsoft today announces a new feature for the mobile version of Bing News. Smart labels have been added to stories to give readers an at-a-glance way to see how a particular story relates to other stories and topics. It helps to, as Microsoft puts it, "connect the dots between news stories so you get the bigger picture".
Amazon UK ends Trade-In program that no one seemed to know about
Amazon has announced that it is ending its Trade-In program in the UK. What's that? You didn’t know about it? You're not alone, and this could well be part of the reason for the closure; it was hardly a well-advertised operation.
As you'd guess from the name, the Trade-In program gave people the option to exchange games, consoles, accessories, and books they no longer wanted for Amazon gift cards. Very little notice has been given as the program is set to close on 31 August 2015. If you are one of the people who has been making use of Amazon Trade-In, you need to act quickly so you don’t miss out on your earnings.
Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 3 brings container support
As promised by Gabe Aul just over a week ago, Microsoft today releases Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 3. One of the biggest new additions to this build is native support for Windows Server Containers, Microsoft's take on Linux containers.
Developers have been begging for container support in Windows Server for some time now, and the introduction of this feature could be the start of Microsoft offering up some serious competition to Linux server software. This is not the only new feature to be found in Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 3, there's also software-defined datacenter enhancements and new Nano Server functionality.
Windows 10 Build 10525 breaks Chrome; here's how to fix it
Chrome users who rush to install the latest build of Windows 10 have found that their favorite browser is broken. Build 10525 of Windows 10 prevents Chrome from working properly -- launch the browser and you'll be greeted by a series of notifications saying that plugins have crashed.
Additionally, when attempting to visit any website, all that is displayed is an error message that reads "Aw, Snap! Something went wrong while displaying this webpage. Closing the apps and tabs that you don't need may help by making more memory available". The compatibility issue has been reported to Google so a patch will be forthcoming soon, but in the meantime you can use this workaround.
New AudioEffect vulnerability affects every version of Android back to 2.3
Stagefright was one of the biggest and most worrying security vulnerabilities to be discovered in Android for quite some time. Affecting the mediaserver component, Stagefright allowed for the remote bricking of devices with nothing more than a message. Now a new, yet-to-be-named vulnerability has been discovered in the same component, specifically the AudioEffect element.
Known as CVE-2015-3842, the vulnerability allows a hacker to run their own code on a phone using whatever permission they want. Security researchers at TrendMicro discovered the vulnerability and explain that it can be implemented by simply tricking users into installing a specially-designed app that has no permission requirements and is therefore unlikely to raise suspicions.
This (!) is precisely why phones without removable batteries are a terrible idea
When looking for a new phone, people place importance on numerous things -- different strokes for different folks, and all that. Two things that are frequent bones of contention are the absence of a microSD slot, and a battery that cannot be replaced by the user. It used to be the case that every phone out there (well, let's ignore the iPhone for now) had a battery that you could easily be replaced if needed. Or perhaps you wanted a spare battery so you could use your phone for longer.
But recently there has been a worrying move towards delivering phones that are sealed units -- if your battery gives out on you, you have no option but to send it back to the manufacturer for a replacement. This takes time and money, but the problem of batteries that can't be replaced by users runs deeper than this. Just look at the image above.
Microsoft releases free Windows 10 virtual machines
If you're wary about going the whole hog and installing Windows 10 as your main operating system, you might consider going down the dual boot route, or installing Windows 10 in a virtual machine. Virtualization is a neat option and Microsoft has released a trio of readymade virtual machines that let you test out Windows 10 with Microsoft Edge.
The downloads are provided with web developers in mind -- they're meant to be used to test how websites function under different versions of Microsoft's web browser and these latest releases see the dropping of the beta tag from Edge. But these downloads are not going to just be of interest to developers as they give anyone the chance to try out Windows 10 in a safe environment.
How to uninstall Windows 10 and go back to Windows 7 or 8.1
As Windows 10 is free, it's hard not to be tempted into upgrading. But just because the operating system is free, it does not mean it is necessarily right for you. You may have tried Windows 10 for a few weeks and come to the conclusion that you hate it. Perhaps you yearn to move back to the comfort of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.
If you've decided that you simply do not like Windows 10, you can downgrade with ease. Of course, this is not possible if you have performed a clean installation of Windows 10, but it's an option that's available to you if you upgraded from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. So, are you ready to ditch Windows 10? Here's what you need to do.
Two decades in the making... was Microsoft Edge worth the wait?
Today marks the twentieth anniversary of the launch of Internet Explorer. First making an appearance in the Windows 95 era via the Microsoft Plus! Add-on pack which featured the excitingly-named Internet Jumpstart Kit and version 1.0 of the browser people love to hate and hate to love.
Two full decades later we have slowly but surely worked up to Internet Explorer 11 -- Chrome, for comparison has hit the 40s in less than half the time -- and now IE has been all but retired. With the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft Edge is the new kid on the block. Twenty years is a long gestation period. Was it worth the wait?
Samsung shows us what's new in Android Marshmallow [Infographic]
OK... for now it's still Android M, but there have been sufficient rumors and hints for us to safely guess that the follow up to Lollipop will be called Marshmallow*. Google has started to tease us with videos, and Samsung has unveiled its Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ which will be in line for an Android M update in due course.
But it's not just handsets that Samsung has produced. The company has also put together a handy infographic that highlights some of the new features of Android. Just what is in store? Quite a lot, actually.
Apple Watch welcomes fat wrists... for a price
Not everyone has svelte wrists -- some hand hinges are as thick as thighs. Apple has decided that those with chunkier wrists no longer need to develop anorexia to be able to strap on an Apple Watch, releasing larger bands for the larger customer.
As well as a Sport band that comes in that all-important L/XL sizing, there's also an extender kit available for the metal bracelet. If you over-estimated the size of the Link Bracelet, or under-estimated the size of your wrist, you can slip in a few extra links to up the size to 245mm.
New Snowden documents show AT&T helped the NSA spy on internet traffic
The NSA has been helped by AT&T for decades in spying on huge quantities of internet traffic new-disclosed documents reveal. The astonishing relationship between the National Security Agency and the telecoms company goes far beyond any sort of arrangement or co-operation that came from other firms.
Evidence published by the New York Times shows that the NSA had arrangements in place with AT&T and Verizon, but the partnership with AT&T proved particularly lucrative. The communications giant added surveillance equipment to at least 17 of its web centers and was used as a testing ground for new spying technologies and techniques. All this is revealed in a new batch of documents provided by Edward Snowden.
Microsoft stands accused of deleting Windows 10 Insider feedback it doesn't like
With Windows 10, Microsoft asked for an unprecedented level of feedback. The Windows Insider program not only provided keen users with access to preview builds of the operating system, but also gave a direct line to Microsoft to point out problems, make suggestions, request features, and so on.
In fact, the Windows Insider program is still running as Microsoft continues to ask for feedback. But the company faces accusations of not only failing to listen to the feedback it asks for, but deleting from the Feedback app and forums any suggestions it does not like. Highlighted for particular attention are suggestions about tabs in File Explorer, and requests to remove email addresses from Windows 10's lock screen. We decided to take a look and find out what is going on.
Firefox stealthily loads webpages when you hover over links -- here's how to stop it
Pre-fetching or caching of web pages is a technique used by many web browsers to improve perceived performance -- it's nothing new. But Firefox takes a slightly sinister and stealthy approach. Simply hover your mouse over a link and the browser fires off requests to the associated website in the background.
While this sounds potentially helpful, it is also something of a privacy and security concern -- not to mention a waste of bandwidth. You might hover over a link simply to check out the destination in the status bar; if there is a link to a malicious or unsavory website, you probably don’t want these stealthy connections being made in the background. If you're worried about your security or privacy, or just want to be back in control of your web connection, there are steps you can take.
Windows 10 could disable pirated games and unauthorized hardware
Cries of "FUD!" ring out whenever potential issues and concerns with Windows 10 are pointed out, but there's no denying that the launch of this version of Windows has been more blighted than any other. The latest controversy finds Microsoft updating its EULA so that it is able to block pirated games and unauthorized peripherals.
While on one hand this seems entirely reasonable -- few people would argue too strongly that they should be permitted to play pirated games -- on the other it is confusing and worrisome. It is yet another example of Microsoft causing trouble for itself by failing to properly communicate with its customers, being insufficiently transparent and clear in meaning. Just what is an 'unauthorized peripheral'?
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.