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Found 365 results

  1. Omer Dursun
    Google celebrates its 25th birthday with a doodle featuring its nostalgic logo by Omer Dursun The world's most popular search engine and tech giant Google is celebrating its 25th birthday today. To mark the occasion, Google has posted a nostalgic doodle showing the evolution of its logo over the past 25 years. The doodle features an animated GIF that transforms the logo from 'Google' to 'G25gle', signifying the tech giant's 25th anniversary. Clicking on the doodle triggers virtual confetti on the page. In a blog post, Google wrote; Twenty-five years ago we launched Google Search to help you find answers to questions big and small. Since then, billions of people have turned to our products to do just that — to satisfy their curiosity. To start a business. To start a journey. To cut a pineapple. Google CEO Sundar Pichai marked the milestone birthday in a blog post last month, expressing gratitude for the people and partners who have contributed to the company's innovations over the past quarter century. It's a huge privilege to reach this milestone, made possible by the people who use our products and challenge us to keep innovating, the hundreds of thousands of Googlers past and present who have given their talents to building those products, and our partners who believe in our mission as much as we do. On September 4, 1998, Google was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two PhD students at Stanford University. The company was officially incorporated as Google Inc. on September 27, 1998. While Google celebrated its birthday on September 4 for the first seven years, it later decided to move the festivities to September 27 to align with the announcement of the record number of web pages the search engine was indexing. Over the years, Google has expanded its services, including Gmail, Docs, and Maps. The company also acquired YouTube for $1.65 billion in 2006. According to Statista, YouTube is valued at nearly $30 billion, while Google's current market capitalization is $1.65 trillion.
  2. John Callaham
    The US FCC is looking like it might try to restore net neutrality rules for ISPs by John Callaham In December 2017, in a 3-2 decision made along political party lines, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to classify internet service providers (ISPs) as information services under Title I guidelines. Now there's new hope that the decision will be reversed and allow ISPs to operate under "net neutrality" rules. In a proposal on the FCC website, the commission's chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel stated that ISPs should once again be regulated until Title I guidelines, which are the same as the the ones that regulate utility companies such as power. This would allow the FCC to set up regulations that would give them more control over ISPs Rosenworcel stated several reasons for switching back to "net neutrality": Openness – Establish basic rules for Internet Service Providers that prevent them from blocking legal content, throttling your speeds, and creating fast lanes that favor those who can pay for access. Security – Reclassify broadband internet access to give the FCC and its national security partners the tools needed to defend our networks from potential security threats. Safety – Allow the FCC to enhance the resiliency of broadband networks and bolster efforts to require providers to notify the FCC and consumers of internet outages. Nationwide Standard – Establish a uniform national standard rather than a patchwork of state-by-state approaches, benefiting consumers and Internet Service Providers. The reason this proposal is being floated is that the FCC recently got a new commissioner, Anna Gomez, which gives the Democrat-approved board a 3-2 voting advantage. That means previous decisions made under Republican-approved FCC could be reversed like the net neutrality ban. The FCC plans to vote on October 19 to see whether or not this new proposal should go to the next stage, which is getting feedback from the general public. If that happens, those comments will be taken until mid-December, followed by public replies until January 2024. the FCC could finally vote on the proposal later that year but it's possible ISPs could try to derail the proposal in court.
  3. zikalify
    US announces $42 billion program for affordable high-speed broadband by Paul Hill The US government has announced the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program that plans to deliver reliable, affordable high-speed internet to everyone in the country by the end of the decade. $42.45 billion has been allocated to the program. The White House said that it’ll award states anywhere from $27 million to $3.3 billion, based on the areas’ needs. 19 states will be given more than $1 billion with the top ten states being Alabama, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. Aside from states, Washington DC and the territories, such as American Samoa and Puerto Rico, will also be given money. To see how much your state or territory will receive, check out the table on this page. The program is the largest internet funding announcement in history according to the administration. Over a three-week period, President Biden, Vice President Harris, First Lady Jill Biden, Cabinet members, and Senior Administration Officials will “fan out” across the country to highlight the benefits of the program including investments, jobs, and new projects. “Put simply, high-speed Internet is a necessity in today’s society,” said Mitch Landrieu, Senior Advisor to the President and White House Infrastructure Coordinator. “Just like President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Rural Electrification Act made a historic investment in rural areas bringing electricity to nearly every home in America, President Biden and Vice President Harris are committed to leaving no community behind as we connect everyone in America to high-speed Internet.” The BEAD funding will be used to deploy or upgrade broadband networks across all of the country and territories so that everyone has access to decent internet. The completion date for this upgrade is expected to be 2030 and any remaining funding will be used “to pursue eligible access-, adoption-, and equity-related uses".
  4. rahul.naskar
    Microsoft testing reorder buttons in Edge Sidebar, a widely-requested feature by Rahul Naskar Last year when Microsoft launched the Sidebar feature in Edge, users were divided on how useful it could be. Luckily for Microsoft, it wasn't one of the scenarios where the company was criticized for adding new functionalities, as the Sidebar was and still is optional. For those who like Sidebar in Edge, Microsoft is taking concrete steps to improve the experience and not just listening to feedback but also acting on them. Microsoft is working on a new Edge Sidebar feature to allow for more customizations. Many users have complained that they should have the option to reorder buttons in Edge Sidebar. It will let users put the Sidebar buttons in whatever order they like. To address this issue, Microsoft is currently working on the ability to reorder buttons in Edge Sidebar. Reordering buttons in the Sidebar will be easy. You will be able to drag the button using your mouse cursor and drop it where you like it to be on the Sidebar. Microsoft is currently testing it with select users in Edge Canary, which means there is no guarantee that we will be able to use it right after installing the browser on your PC. However, if you are one of the lucky ones to see the new Sidebar functionality in Edge Canary, remember that there are some bugs in it, as pointed out by Leopeva 64-2 on Twitter. This is understandable, given that it's in the early stages of development. We are hoping that things will only improve from here. In Edge Canary Microsoft is already TESTING the option to reorder the Sidebar buttons (the feature has some bugs right now), many users had requested this option:https://t.co/YrvDXMCo2k . pic.twitter.com/9baiQa4UVW — Leopeva64 (@Leopeva64) May 18, 2023 Besides the ability to reorder Edge Sidebar buttons, Microsoft is also working on thumbnail options for Edge's "Favourites" hub to allow users to preview a small image representation of a larger web page image. It is also in the early stages of development and is limited to select Edge Canary users. Meanwhile, you can download Edge Canary here from the official Microsoft Edge Insider website.
  5. Aditya Tiwari
    Ookla speed test report: These countries have the fastest internet in 2023 so far by Aditya Tiwari Internet speed analytics company Ookla has released its latest internet performance report for the first quarter of 2023. The report gives an overview of the median internet speeds in various countries across the globe in both fixed broadband and mobile internet categories. Speaking of broadband, the median global download and upload speeds were recorded at 79 Mbps and 34.92 Mbps respectively, meanwhile, the latency was 9ms. Here Singapore, UAE, Chile, China, and Denmark have taken the top five positions on the list of countries with the fastest fixed broadband. On the other hand, the global median download and upload speeds for mobile internet are 41.54 Mbps and 10.42 Mbps respectively with a latency of 28ms. Here UAE, Qatar, Norway, Kuwait, and Demark are in the top five positions with the highest median mobile download speeds. The Ookla report also reveals internet performance for individual cities, where Beijing has the fastest fixed broadband median speed of 264.92 Mbps with 9ms latency and Qatar's Ar-Rayyan leads the mobile race with 223.87 Mbps and 18ms latency. Ar-Rayyan has recorded a big jump of 9 positions from its previous position in Q4 2022. When talking about device-specific numbers, the top two spots in the U.S. were acquired by Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold4 followed by Pixel 7 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. The report also notes that Samsung overall has the fastest median mobile download speed of 91.57 Mbps in the U.S., beating Apple's 76.92 Mbps. On the contrary, the leader of mobile download speeds, UAE, has Apple iPhone 14 models in the top three positions followed by S23 Ultra in the fourth. However, the report says that "there was no statistical winner during Q1 2023." Source: Ookla
  6. Anushe Fawaz
    Google shares plans for child safety online in Europe, announces a 5 million euro funding by Anushe Fawaz Now that children have greater access to the internet, they have become more vulnerable to its harmful effects too. In the UK, there have been constant discussions about online safety where laws like the Online Safety Bill, discussing the protection of children from online abuse and harm, come into play. Following the idea of child safety online, Google has announced a 5 million euro commitment through Google.org to NGOs in Europe that work for the internet safety of children. According to the company, these organizations have not only helped children become aware of online risks, but parents, youth workers, and teachers as well. The commitment is part of Google’s philanthropic funding in 2023 and will be divided among the select NGOs through the Be Internet Awesome curriculum which helps spread online safety and media literacy across Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe. Google is also hosting a summit called the Growing Up in the Digital Age Summit today. The panel is taking place at Google’s Safety Engineering Center in Dublin. The company blog post describes it by saying: “Through interactive panels, Q&A sessions and keynotes, we'll discuss the latest developments on designing age-appropriate products, effective tools to help families manage their children's relationships with technology, and what more can be done — through collaboration, policies, protections and programs — to help keep children safer online.” Google added that the attendees will include NGOs, content creators, and regulators, among others, and they will be discussingg the safety of youth online at the event.
  7. Aditya Tiwari
    These countries had the most internet shutdowns in 2022 by Aditya Tiwari Source: Access Now Global internet shutdowns are increasing as we speak, according to Access Now's latest report. It reveals there were 187 internet shutdowns in 35 countries in the year 2022. These shutdowns were not because someone chopped the internet cables, but because governments and other actors decided to limit access. The country leading the list of most internet shutdowns is India which single-handedly faced 84 disruptions in 2022. The next countries in the line are Ukraine (22) and Iran (18) which also have double-digit shutdowns. The report notes that all shutdowns in Ukraine were "imposed by Russia during its invasion." As per the data, the number of shutdowns is again on the rise after a considerable dip recorded during the pandemic year. If we talk about the reasons, while protests, active conflicts, and elections accounted for a major chunk, there were eight shutdowns in six countries "to prevent exam cheating." The report also says that 33 of 35 nations that imposed shutdowns are repeat offenders since 2016. Parts of Myanmar have witnessed the longest ongoing shutdown of 540 days by March 2023. A new entrant on this list is Armenia which has had its first recorded shutdown. What's more shocking is "people in Tigray, Ethiopia had endured 2+ years of full communications blackout, and many remain disconnected," the report reads. Speaking of India, the South Asian nation has had the most recorded shutdowns globally for five consecutive years. However, the count fell to 84 in 2022 from 107 in 2021. Here, a big number of shutdowns happened in the Jammu and Kashmir region which saw at least 49 internet disruptions. The report also throws some light on social media disruptions revealing Twitter and Facebook faced the most blackouts among popular platforms. Each of them was blocked 13 times in 11 and 12 countries respectively. Source: Access Now
  8. branfont
    Arc isn’t perfect, and it takes some getting used to. But it’s full of big new ideas about how we should interact with the web — and it’s right about most of them. Switching to the Arc browser is hard. You should know that right up front. It’s not that it’s technically difficult: Arc has some simple tools for importing bookmarks, it runs the same underlying engine as Chrome, and the onboarding process is actually thoroughly delightful. It’s just that Arc, the new browser from a startup called The Browser Company, is such a divergent idea about how browsers should work that it takes some time, and some real effort, to get used to. The Browser Company’s CEO, Josh Miller, talks a lot about operating systems and browsers. The difference is subtle but important. Browsers, traditionally, have mostly just tried to show you the web without getting in your way; they provide tabs and a URL bar and maybe a way to add extensions, but not much more. Operating systems, on the other hand, are deeply involved in how things work. Think of the way Siri and Apple Pay operate across apps on your iPhone or how Google’s Material You changes the look and feel of everything on your phone. Even the share menus or simple drag-and-drop between apps — that’s all operating system stuff. Arc wants to be the web’s operating system. So it built a bunch of tools that make it easier to control apps and content, turned tabs and bookmarks into something more like an app launcher, and built a few platform-wide apps of its own. The app is much more opinionated and much more complicated than your average browser with its row of same-y tabs at the top of the screen. Another way to think about it is that Arc treats the web the way TikTok treats video: not as a fixed thing for you to consume but as a set of endlessly remixable components for you to pull apart, play with, and use to create something of your own. Want something to look better or have an idea for what to do with it? Go for it. https://www.theverge.com/23462235/arc-web-browser-review
  9. zikalify
    Ofcom proposes weakening net neutrality rules in the name of innovation by Paul Hill Ofcom has said it’s looking to revise guidance on net neutrality to give broadband and mobile providers more power, the changes could see zero-rating packages introduced, traffic management used at peak times, and the launch of “premium quality” retail broadband and mobile packages. Net neutrality is the principle that users can access any websites they want without special exceptions, but these proposed changes could threaten that. Commenting on the proposals, Ofcom’s Director of Connectivity, Selina Chadha, said: “The net neutrality rules constrain the activities of broadband providers, and could be restricting their ability to develop new services and manage their networks. We want to make sure they can also innovate, alongside those developing new content and services, and protect their networks when traffic levels might push them to their limits. We believe consumers will benefit from this.” One of the interesting notes about the proposals is that they could allow providers to start charging content providers for carrying traffic. It said it has not seen sufficient evidence that this change is actually needed, but has set out its views on the matter anyway. Vodafone CEO Nick Read has been complaining this year about big tech benefiting from infrastructure but not contributing to the cost of upgrades, and has since entered Vodafone into merger talks with Three UK. Ofcom’s proposals are now in the consultation phase, if you’d like to comment on what is being planned, check out Ofcom’s dedicated webpage where it has a consultation response form available for you to fill in. The e-mail address that you need to send the form to is inside the form, and cited documents in the form are available to download on the dedicated webpage. Source: Ofcom
  10. zikalify
    UK broadband speeds rise by 18% as people buy superfast packages by Paul Hill Ofcom has revealed that broadband speeds in the UK have risen 18% to 59.4 Mbit/s compared to the previous year, when the median average download speed was at 50.4 Mbit/s. In 2018, the median average download speed was 37 Mbit/s, so the figure has jumped 60% in five years. The median average is constantly rising as superfast broadband becomes more affordable and people take out a new contract. Upload speeds are much lower than download speeds, but that have been on the rise too. In 2018, they were 6 Mbit/s, and now they come in at 10.7 Mbit/s. The vast majority of residential broadband lines deliver 30 – 100 Mbit/s (65%) followed by lines that deliver between 100 – 300 Mbit/s (19%). Lines that deliver between 10 – 30 Mbit/s have really fallen off in recent years, they represented 33% of lines in 2018 but now represent just 9%. With the emergence of the smart home and streaming services, people find they need more capable connections. One of the main issues with broadband in the UK is that seven million households are out-of-contract and are therefore paying way too much for their broadband connection. By using a comparison website, much cheaper broadband deals can be found and switching providers is very easy as there’s usually no disruption to your service. Additionally, social tariffs have been introduced recently, where providers offer discounted deals to people claiming welfare. The government reported in August that people who are eligible for these social tariffs are just not aware of their existence, and has developed a scheme to help people become aware that they can get a social tariff. You can check out the full Ofcom report here. Source: Ofcom
  11. Karthik Mudaliar
    Elon Musk says SpaceX will continue funding Starlink's Ukraine operations by Karthik Mudaliar SpaceX had earlier asked the Pentagon to fund its Starlink satellite services in Ukraine. The operation has already cost SpaceX $80 million till date, which will exceed to more than $100 million by the end of the year. Now however, Elon Musk has tweeted that SpaceX will continue funding Starlink's services for free. The hell with it … even though Starlink is still losing money & other companies are getting billions of taxpayer $, we’ll just keep funding Ukraine govt for free — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 15, 2022 Elon Musk has also confirmed his statement to the Financial Times and added that SpaceX will fund Starlink in Ukraine "indefinitely". Previously, Elon Musk explained how SpaceX can simply not afford to fund the existing system while also send more terminals as the Russian army keeps destroying the existing ones. SpaceX is not asking to recoup past expenses, but also cannot fund the existing system indefinitely *and* send several thousand more terminals that have data usage up to 100X greater than typical households. This is unreasonable. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 14, 2022 Starlink's satellite internet in Ukraine is a vital source of communication for not only the citizens of Ukraine but for its army as well. The services has enabled the army to stay connected after the regular cell towers were bombed and destroyed. In addition to paying for terminals, launch, maintain, and replenish satellites and ground stations, while also paying telcos for access to the internet via gateways, Starlink is also defending its operations against cyber attacks and jamming. All this is costing SpaceX around $20 million a month. The Pentagon also confirmed that it has been discussing payments with SpaceX, while also looking for potential alternatives. Pentagon's deputy press secretary, Sabrina Singh, told reporters: "There’s not just SpaceX, there are other entities that we can certainly partner with when it comes to providing Ukraine with what they need on the battlefield.” She also added that officials understand the fragility of the Ukrainian communications system and are “assessing our options and trying to do what we can to help keep these capabilities to ensure that these communications remain for the Ukrainian forces.” Source: Financial Times (paywall)
  12. Karthik Mudaliar
    SpaceX asks Pentagon to pick up the tab for Starlink's services in Ukraine by Karthik Mudaliar Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite internet company, has been providing free services to Ukraine since early this year. Now however, SpaceX says that it could no longer donate terminals or fund the existing terminals, asking the Pentagon to fund its services instead. Starlink's satellite internet has been a vital source of communication for the Ukraine military which allowed it to stay connected even though the regular cellular towers were destroyed during Ukraine's ongoing war with Russia. Only a small percentage of Starlink's services was paid by Ukraine while the total operation has cost SpaceX $80 million already, which will exceed $100 million by the end of the year. Elon Musk had recently took to Twitter, asking his followers to vote "yes" or "no" on his proposals whether to formally allow Russia to annex Crimea. Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andrij Melnyk fired back at Musk on his poll with his own remarks. ###### off is my very diplomatic reply to you @elonmusk — Andrij Melnyk (@MelnykAndrij) October 3, 2022 Replying on Starlink's discontinuation of free services, Elon Musk tweeted that he is "just following (the) recommendation" of the Ukrainian ambassador. We’re just following his recommendation 🤷‍♂️ — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 14, 2022 According to documents obtained by CNN, SpaceX's director of government sales wrote a letter to the Pentagon saying, "We are not in a position to further donate terminals to Ukraine, or fund the existing terminals for an indefinite period of time." Ukraine military's commanding general, General Valerii Zaluzhniy had also directly requested Musk in July for 8,000 more Starlink terminals as well. “SpaceX faces terribly difficult decisions here. I do not think they have the financial ability to provide any additional terminals or service as requested by General”, an external consultant wrote. Source: CNN
  13. Karthik Mudaliar
    UK is extending its high-speed gigabit broadband to the middle and east of the country by Karthik Mudaliar The UK is all set for a multimillion-pound nationwide investment to extend high-speed fibre across the nation. The UK government as well as private companies are working in partnership to enable high speed internet. There are two private companies, CityFibre and MS3, that have announced their plans to roll out fibre services in the UK. The companies will start serving Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, as well as the East Rising of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. By 2025, CityFibre will reach up to eight million premises in 285 cities, towns and villages, as well as 800,000 businesses, 400,000 local authority sites and 250,000 5G access points. In Wellingborough specially, CityFibre is set to invest £14 million that will bring fast an reliable full-fibre-enabled internet services within the reach of almost every home and business. CityFibre is also working across the UK with Vodafone to supply full-fibre infrastructure on selected Vodafone Pro Broadband plans. The company has also partnered up with TalkTalk, IDNet, Giganet, and Zen Internet. MS3 Networks, which is a wholesale-only fibre network operators, has also agreed on a new long-term contract with Zone Broadband. This allows MS3 to deliver gigabit broadband services to the residents of Hull, Grimsby, and Scunthorpe. CEO of MS3 Networks Guy Miller said: “We’re very excited to be extending our relationship with Zone Broadband. They are a fantastic, well-established ISP in the UK and by working together there will be significant benefits for many households. Our partnership with Zone Broadband means that together we’re able to help thousands of households access the fastest broadband speeds in the UK and save them money in the process, which is a very powerful message amidst the current economic situation.” The UK government has also recently outlined new guidelines for broadband and mobile companies. This is to ensure data protection and also the protection for any software and equipment that is used to analyze the networks. Source: ComputerWeekly
  14. Usama Jawad96
    Microsoft Teams users in China may face a degraded experience throughout September by Usama Jawad Microsoft Teams is used all over the world for online collaboration, especially in this era of hybrid work. It is typically the top choice of organizations which already use a Microsoft tech stack including Windows, Microsoft 365 Commercial, Outlook, Dynamics 365, Power BI, and more. However, Microsoft has issued an advisory today (along with MC422140 for IT admins), stating that Teams users in China may face a degraded experience throughout the month of September 2022. For those unaware, Teams users in China utilize the software services through the dedicated China Premium network using the public internet. However, Microsoft is in the process of upgrading this network and it scheduled a maintenance window that actually began on August 24 and will complete on September 30. During this rather wide window, Teams users in China joining a meeting being hosted on a data center outside of Asia Pacific will have to use China's regular cross-border network service, which may result in a degraded experience. One rather interesting workaround that Microsoft has shared is that if Teams users in China are the first to start a cross-region meeting, the meeting will be hosted on an Asia Pacific data center and they will have a decent Teams experience. Failure to do so may result in poor audio and video quality, along with screen-sharing issues. Microsoft has also outlined several ways in which IT admins can validate if their tenants are experiencing Teams issues, you can check out all the configuration and administration details here.
  15. zikalify
    UK awards first Project Gigabit contract to connect hard-to-reach homes by Paul Hill The UK government has announced that it has awarded the first major contract through Project Gigabit to Wessex Internet. The £6 million contract will see 7,000 hard-to-reach homes in around Dorset. Specifically, target areas for an internet upgrade include Sherborne, Verwood, Shaftesbury, and Blandford Forum. The government said it expects to sign a “flurry” of Project Gigabit delivery contracts in the coming months, and that it has set aside £690 million for the job. It wants to cover 498,000 premises in remote areas of Cornwall, Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, and areas in the north-east, by year’s end. Commenting on the news, Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “Today we enter an exciting new phase of our £5 billion Project Gigabit digital connectivity programme by signing our first major contract in Dorset. Thousands of hard-to-reach homes and businesses in the region will get access to faster connections and join the 20 million properties we’ve helped connect over the last three years. The benefits of better broadband connectivity cannot be underestimated and this work will mean those living in rural areas can enjoy 21st century speeds in the home and workplace, making their lives easier and more productive” With the contract now awarded, the government said work on the infrastructure upgrade will begin in the coming weeks. Once work is complete, these areas will have gigabit-ready infrastructure ready in-place, so they can keep up with the rest of the country, where laying gigabit infrastructure is economically viable for the private sector.
  16. zikalify
    Which? says millions of Brits are missing broadband savings of up to £250 per year by Paul Hill The consumer group Which? has stated that millions of people in the UK are missing out on a £250 per year saving when it comes to broadband because providers are not sufficiently promoting their social tariffs – plans designed for people with lower incomes on welfare. Which? decided to see how well these plans were being promoted to potential customers. It checked popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and found that only one of seven providers which offer a social tariff was advertising theirs. During May, only KCOM had mentioned its social tariffs while BT, G.Network, Hyperoptic, NOW Broadband, Sky, and Virgin Media failed to do so. It pointed out that TalkTalk nor Vodafone offer these tariffs. Which? also found that none of the providers asked users if they were in receipt of benefits when they were signing up for broadband. By mentioning to customers that they could save if they’re on benefits, Which? believes that more customers would join up on a social tariff. While providers could do more, they are not doing nothing. They told Which? that they were working with local authorities and housing associations to raise awareness, they’re advertised on their websites, they show up in Google searches, they’re training staff about these tariffs, and they’re working on ways to directly target eligible customers. The social tariffs on offer range in price from £15-20 and deliver speeds between 15 Mbps and 67 Mbps. While these deals are certainly decent, customers looking to save money should also check comparison websites. When you factor in things like reward cards that some companies offer, then you could save more money than on the social tariffs and these offers are open to everybody regardless of whether you receive welfare or not.
  17. zikalify
    UK set to upgrade thousands of schools, hospitals, and libraries with gigabit broadband by Paul Hill As part of efforts to modernise internet connections around the country, the UK government has announced that 5,000 schools, hospitals, libraries, and other public buildings are being equipped with gigabit broadband. It will also give nearby homes and businesses access to faster speeds. The government said that 5,000 public buildings will get these faster speeds, which includes 1,200 schools, 340 libraries, and 50 hospitals. To upgrade these premises, the government is spending £164 million. It’s hoped that the expansion of gigabit will make it easier for companies to provide faster speeds to nearby homes and businesses too. Commenting on practical benefits derived from the gigabit upgrades, the government said: “It means doctors and police officers will save time waiting for large files such as x-rays and CCTV footage to download, teachers can make better use of digital technologies to bring their lessons to life and care home residents can get better access to online services for improving health and wellbeing.” Other public places that will be getting gigabit include GP surgeries, council-owned offices, community centres, leisure centres, fire stations, and ambulance stations. The upgrades will happen across the whole of the UK to ensure a wider spread of gigabit broadband.
  18. Usama Jawad96
    Microsoft is now OK with Domain Controllers having some internet access by Usama Jawad Many organizations have recently transitioned to cloud-based identity platforms such as Azure Active Directory (AAD) to leverage the latest authentication mechanisms such as passwordless sign-in and conditional access, and to phase out Active Directory (AD) infrastructure. However, other organizations still use Domain Controllers (DCs) in hybrid or on-premises environments. For those unaware, DCs have the ability to read and write to Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), which means that if a DC is infected by a malicious actor, essentially all your accounts and systems are compromised. Microsoft issued an advisory about an AD privilege escalation attack just a few months ago. Microsoft already offers detailed guidance on how to set up and secure DCs, but now, it is making some updates to this process. Previously, the Redmond tech firm had emphasized that DCs should not be connected to the internet in any case. Given the evolving cybersecurity landscape, Microsoft has modified this guidance to say that DCs should not have unmonitored internet access or the ability to launch a web browser. Basically, it is OK to have a DC connected to the internet as long as that access is strictly controlled with proper defense mechanisms in place. Image via Trend Micro For organizations currently operating in a hybrid landscape, Microsoft recommends that you at least secure on-premises AD through Defender for Identity. Its guidance notes that: Microsoft recommends cloud powered protection of those on-premises identities using Microsoft Defender for Identity. The configuration of the Defender for Identity sensor on domain controllers and AD FS servers allows for a highly secured, one-way connection to the cloud service through a proxy and to specific endpoints. A complete explanation on how to configure this proxy connection can be found in the technical documentation for Defender for Identity. This tightly controlled configuration ensures that the risk of connecting these servers to the cloud service is mitigated, and organizations benefit from the increase in protection capabilities Defender for Identity offers. Microsoft also recommends that these servers are protected with cloud powered endpoint detection like Azure Defender for Servers. That said, Microsoft still recommends no internet access at all for organizations that are operating in air-gapped environments due to legal and regulatory reasons. You can check out the firm's guidance for DCs here.
  19. zikalify
    Sky wants to tackle digital inequality in the UK with a £10 million fund dubbed Sky Up by Paul Hill Sky has announced a new programme called Sky Up which aims to reduce the level of digital inequality in the United Kingdom. Backed by a £10 million fund, the programme will establish 100 new Sky Up hubs where people can come to improve their technical know-how and young people will receive grants that get devices and reliable internet connectivity into their hands. The Sky Up programme is not aimed at the whole of society, rather it focuses on two groups: under 25’s in low-income areas and over 65’s. It’s addressing these age groups specifically because under 25’s that are digitally excluded end up falling behind in education and over 65’s make up the majority of those that lack digital skills, lack trust in technology, and don’t have a reliable internet connection. To reach the over 65’s, Sky is working with Age UK centres around the country to deliver training and advice about going online safely and showing participants what services and opportunities there are online. Those between 16 and 25 who have left the care system will be helped by a Sky Up Tech Grant of £550. They will receive a device loaded with relevant software, a Sky internet connection, and access to skills training. Commenting on the Sky Up programme, Sky’s Group CEO, Dana Strong, said: “Digital connections can unlock opportunities for those who are most excluded. Sky Up will give people in need a chance to create a better future.” The Sky Up programme is a part of a Project UP run by Sky’s parent company Comcast. Project UP will see a total of $1 billion invested to make sure more people get connected to the internet through affordable connections.
  20. zikalify
    Amazon will launch internet space satellites with Arianespace, Blue Origin, and ULA by Paul Hill Amazon has announced that it has secured 83 launches with Arianespace, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance (ULA) to put its internet satellites into low Earth orbit at a relatively low cost. The launches will span a five-year period and will see Amazon deploy up to 3,236 satellites to make up the Project Kuiper constellation. The company noted that it's the largest ever commercial procurement of launch vehicles in history. The three rocket models that will carry these satellites into orbit include: Arianespace's Ariane 6 Blue Origin's New Glenn United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur Commenting on the news, Dave Limp, Senior Vice President for Amazon Devices & Services, said: “Project Kuiper will provide fast, affordable broadband to tens of millions of customers in unserved and underserved communities around the world. We still have lots of work ahead, but the team has continued to hit milestone after milestone across every aspect of our satellite system. These launch agreements reflect our incredible commitment and belief in Project Kuiper, and we’re proud to be working with such an impressive lineup of partners to deliver on our mission.” The service is envisioned to work just like SpaceX’s Starlink satellites and OneWeb’s internet satellites. Amazon wants to provide high-speed broadband to all sorts of customers including individual households, schools, hospitals, businesses, governments, disaster relief operations, mobile operators, and anyone in areas with bad or no internet connectivity. While no pricing has been revealed, the company says its receivers will be affordable – for comparison, Starlink receivers are £529 in the UK with connectivity costing £89 per month. The launch procurements will help the launch industry refine its processes so that it can bring down the cost of launching satellites, opening the path for more services in the future. It will also drive job creation in the United States and Europe, giving those economies a boost. Be sure to keep an eye on Neowin's rocket launch series, This Week In Rocket Launches, as we will be sure to cover these launches!
  21. zikalify
    UK porn age check law comes to parliament for first reading by Paul Hill The UK government has introduced the Online Safety Bill to the House of Commons where it will go through its first of two readings before being voted on. The bill is a wide-ranging piece of legislation that aims to make the internet safer; given its sprawling nature, there’s a chance it could still be bogged down with the need for amendments. The construction of this law has been going on for years and since May 2021, even more items have been added, these include tackling paid-for scam ads, making sure porn sites have checks in place to ensure users are 18 or over, it now calls for anonymous trolls to be countered on social media, companies have to more swiftly deal with illegal content and activity quicker, and cyberflashing (sending unsolicited pictures) will be made illegal. The new measures would be up to Ofcom to enforce. It would be given powers to fine companies up to ten percent of their annual global turnover, force them to improve their practices, or block them if they continue to refuse to comply with the law. Commenting on the bill, Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “The internet has transformed our lives for the better. It’s connected us and empowered us. But on the other side, tech firms haven’t been held to account when harm, abuse and criminal behaviour have run riot on their platforms. Instead they have been left to mark their own homework.” One important point that the government has made is that news content will be completely exempt from any of the regulations under the bill. It’s doing this to ensure that news outlets can continue fully reporting stories without being reprimanded.
  22. zikalify
    Elon Musk switches on Starlink in Ukraine to bolster connectivity by Paul Hill Elon Musk has announced that SpaceX has switched on Starlink in Ukraine to help keep people in the country connected to the internet as Russia conducts an invasion. Musk was asked directly on Twitter to switch on the service in Ukraine by Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation, to which, Musk agreed to get the service running in the country. Aside from beaming internet connectivity down to the country, Fedorov asked Musk to send the country more Starlink stations so that connectivity could be received. Musk confirmed that SpaceX was sending the terminals and that they were en route. It’s impossible to say when the hardware will arrive but hopefully, it won’t take too long. Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 26, 2022 If you don’t pay attention to the Starlink constellation, it’s essentially a network of thousands of satellites that is added to on an almost weekly basis. With hardware on the ground, the satellites can beam internet connectivity down to the planet without the need for broadband cables or mobile masts. Starlink is becoming increasingly useful in disasters; it helped out Tonga a while back after the volcano and now it’s helping in Ukraine amid a war. One of the main issues with Starlink right now is the cost of the hardware for ordinary people and the cost of the service. In the UK, the hardware costs £439, shipping and handling costs another £56 and the service costs a whopping £89 per month which is about four times more expensive than a broadband connection.
  23. zikalify
    Google to invest $1 billion in Bharti Airtel for a 1.28% ownership stake by Paul Hill Bharti Airtel, one of India’s communication companies, has announced that Google is making a $1 billion investment as part of a partnership that will expand affordable access to smartphones. In exchange, Google secures a 1.28% ownership stake in the Indian company and multi-year commercial agreements. Broken down, $700 million of the total will be used as an equity investment in Bharti Airtel at a price per share of INR 734 while the remaining $300 million will go towards implementing commercial agreements. Despite the companies having agreed between themselves on the terms of the deal, it will still be subject to scrutiny from the country’s regulators. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, said: “Airtel is a leading pioneer shaping India’s digital future, and we are proud to partner on a shared vision for expanding connectivity and ensuring equitable access to the Internet for more Indians. Our commercial and equity investment in Airtel is a continuation of our Google for India Digitization Fund's efforts to increase access to smartphones, enhance connectivity to support new business models, and help companies on their digital transformation journey.” Fundamentally, both companies will benefit from this deal. The lower cost of devices will help Bharti Airtel get more customers who will go on to top up their phones each month and Google will benefit as more people will be online to interact with its services and ads.
  24. zikalify
    Elon Musk asks Tonga if it wants Starlink terminals shipped over following tsunami by Paul Hill Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has replied to a Reuters article discussing the loss of internet in Tonga due to a tsunami to ask if the nation would like to receive Starlink terminals to get some connectivity back. A New Zealand politician, Dr. Shane Reti, sent a letter on the platform to Musk to ask for the assistance of Starlink but Musk said it would be difficult so he’s asking for definite confirmation on the matter. Could people from Tonga let us know if it is important for SpaceX to send over Starlink terminals? — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 21, 2022 According to Musk, Starlink doesn’t have enough satellites with laser links in the region yet but there are geo sats in the area. Whatever happens, action will need to be taken quickly because many in the country do not have a connection to the internet which makes it hard to keep in touch with family, for news to spread, or for people to receive remittance payments. Havoc struck last week after an underground volcano triggered a tsunami destroying whatever got in its way. One of the items that got in the way was an undersea cable which was knocked out and caused huge communication problems for the country. I guess Elon Musk can only say no and if you don't ask you don't know. After the Minister told me in a phone call on Monday that the telecommunications cable to Tonga was down I immediately sent a letter to Elon to see if he would contribute Starlink to the emergency pic.twitter.com/Upg9WijWrq — Dr Shane Reti (@DrShaneRetiMP) January 21, 2022 Provided Elon Musk can quickly get assistance to the Tongans, it would show that these controversial satellites are necessary. Starlink and OneWeb, which both have these internet satellites, continually receive criticism due to astronomy and space junk worries but this episode shows they’re not just offering a luxury service.
  25. segaboy81
    HaDEA proposes DNS4EU, a secure DNS for EU member states by Dean Howell The European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) has put forth a proposition to create an EU-wide, secure DNS solution that adheres to the GDPR. According to their objective, they are seeking to deploy a “European DNS resolver service infrastructure” that serves “public, corporate and residential internet end-users in the EU”. Interestingly, this does not seem to be laid out entirely as a public service. According to article five of the proposal, HaDEA hopes to offer “opt-in paid premium services for enhanced security (e.g. ad hoc filtering, monitoring, 24x7 support), tailored to specific sectorial needs (e.g. cloud, finance, health, transport), as well as wholesale resolution services for other digital service providers, including ISPs and cloud service providers.” From this description, it would seem that HaDEA wishes to compete with the likes of CloudFlare. On a more positive note, article six mentions residential services, such as “strictly opt-in and fully transparent parental control filtering services”. This is similar to premium services offered by OpenDNS's Family Shield. It is unclear if residential services are intended to be state-sponsored or subscription-based. Also of note, HaDEA proposes “Filtering of URLs leading to illegal content based on legal requirements applicable in the EU”, which could potentially give the EU the right to censor or strike content from the web. Unsurprisingly, it pledges to adhere to the many guidelines of the GDPR. HaDEA’s objective in their bid for funding from the European Commission is as follows: This topic will support the deployment of a recursive European DNS resolver service infrastructure (hereafter DNS4EU) serving socio-economic drivers, public, corporate and residential internet end-users in the EU, and offering very high reliability and protection against global cybersecurity threats and those specific to the EU (e.g. phishing in EU languages). This is a key policy action announced in the 2020 “Joint Communication: The EU’s Cybersecurity Strategy for the Digital Decade”. Such a critical service infrastructure is currently not available at European level with the level of performance, resilience, security and privacy envisaged, and the market will not invest in it alone given the lack of a business case (DNS resolution is normally provided for free). As stated the EU’s Cybersecurity Strategy, citizens and organisations in the EU increasingly rely on a few public DNS resolvers operated by non-EU entities. The deployment of DNS4EU aims to address such consolidation of DNS resolution in the hands of few companies, which renders the resolution process itself vulnerable in case of significant events affecting one major provider. Moreover the lack of significant EU investment in the field hampers the development of infrastructures that favour the detection and filtering of local cyber-threats that nonetheless could have significant socio-economic impacts. In addition, the processing of DNS data can have an impact on privacy and data protection rights. Their bid for funding from the European Commission, according to the source, has a deadline of March 22, 2022. Source: European Commission