Top Features Of iPhone XR

Apple’s latest iPhone XR is expected to be available from 19th October. Here are some exclusive features you need to know about this amazing smartphone.

Lets find out what are they:

What are the best features on the iPhone XR?

The iPhone XR offers an all-screen design that looks very similar to XS versions.

However, to keep costs down Apple has ditched the OLED panel found on the more expensive XS for an LCD screen.

But that doesn't mean a poor viewing experience.

Apple says its 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display is the most colour accurate in the industry, with wide colour support and True Tone for a more natural viewing experience.

Along with this big display, Apple has tucked the new A12 Bionic processor under the glass and metal body.

This is the fastest processor the US technology firm has ever created and is also much more efficient meaning an extended battery life.

In terms of batteries, the XR can be charged wirelessly via a standard Qi dock.

With the screen covering the entire front of the phone there's no Touch ID home button with users now unlocking the XR with their face.

Face ID is faster and more secure with the front-facing TrueDepth camera system using precision depth-sensing technology to unlock iPhone.

No dual-lens camera but there's not chances of frustration for your photos.

Unlike the more expensive Xs and Xs Max there's no dual-lens snapper on the XR.

Instead, this device features a single 12-megapixel f/1.8 aperture wide-angle lens with an all-new sensor which Apple says delivers faster auto-focus, while larger and deeper pixels improve image fidelity and low-light performance on photos and videos.

Without that double camera, you may think this phone won't be able to produce stunning images with depth of field.

However, there's some clever software and algorithms on the XR which enable portrait photos with that all-important bokeh effect.

Smart HDR also brings better highlight and shadow detail across pictures taken on the device.

Plus the new Depth Control allows users to adjust the depth of field both in real-time preview and even after the image has been taken.

Selfies also get enhanced Portrait mode on the front-facing TrueDepth camera and there's Portrait Lighting for dramatic studio lighting effects.

What colours can you buy?

iPhone XR comes in six new finishes: white, black, blue, yellow, coral and (PRODUCT)RED.

A seven-layer colour process gives the glass back beautiful nuanced hues, and the aluminium band and camera trim are colour matched to give a sophisticated finish.

How much does it cost?

There’s three options to choose from with a 64GB, 128GB and 256GB of storage all available at launch.

Prices start from £749 for the 64GB model and rise to £899 for the fully-loaded 256GB version.

However, the contract phone prices has not fixed yet.

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New Features Of iPhone XS

Apple finally unveiled of its latest product iPhone XS. Here are some important features you need to know.

1. Welcome to the big screens

Super Retina in two sizes — including the largest display ever on an iPhone. Even faster Face ID. The smartest, most powerful chip in a smartphone. And a breakthrough dual‑camera system. iPhone XS is everything you love about iPhone. Taken to the extreme.

2. Super Retina. In big and bigger

The custom OLED displays on iPhone XS deliver the most accurate colour in the industry, HDR and true blacks. And iPhone XS Max has Apple’s largest display ever on an iPhone.

3. Exceptional materials

The most durable glass ever in a smartphone. A beautiful new gold finish, achieved with an atomic-level process. Precision-machined, surgical-grade stainless steel bands. And a new level of water and dust resistance.

4. Advanced Face ID

Security is simple when your face is your password. You can unlock your iPhone, log in to apps and pay for things with a glance. It’s the most secure facial authentication ever in a smartphone. And now it’s even faster.

5. Intelligent A12 Bionic

This is the smartest, most powerful chip in a smartphone, with Apple’s next‑generation Neural Engine. For amazing augmented reality experiences. Incredible portraits with Depth Control. And speed and fluidity in everything you do.

6. Breakthrough dual-camera system

The world’s most popular camera is defining a new era of photography. Where an innovative sensor works with the ISP and Neural Engine to help you create photos like never before.

7. Highest download speed

iPhone XS delivers 4G LTE Advanced for super-fast download speeds.5 And up to 512GB of storage, making this Apple’s highest-capacity iPhone yet.

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Top 10 Features Of Galaxy Note 9

Samsung finally released its latest Galaxy Note 9 of Note series.

There are 10 important features you should know about Note 9:

1. Charge ahead with the most powerful battery yet

With a battery that charges faster and lasts longer, the Note9 is up for whatever you are. Whether you’ve got back-to-back meetings or you’re heading off on an adventure without a socket in sight, the Note9 can keep up with you. Less down-time waiting for your device to catch up and a long-lasting battery that will help you power through.

2. Store everything you want, delete less of what you love

Nobody wants to miss out on a great shot because their device memory is full. And where do you start in deciding what to delete to free up space? Thanks to the choice of a huge 128GB or 512GB of storage, you can snap away on the Note9 with no worries. From selfies, to eBooks to chunky 4K videos, store it all safe and sound without having to delete any of your favourites. You can even top it up with additional external memory* cards to ensure you'll never run out of room again.

3. Download or upload quicker than ever before

Internet speeds are getting faster all the time, but you won't benefit from it if your device can't handle it. That’s why the Note9 has a cutting-edge processor that was built to thrive off speedy connections. Download a huge presentation or upload a high-resolution video without having to wait around staring at spinning wheels.

4. Take perfect shots any time, in any light

When you spot a great photo op, you don’t want anything to ruin it. Worried about poor lighting? Worry no more. The Note9 has Dual Aperture which adapts like the human eye to give you crystal clear pics day or night - from a dazzling bright beach to a dark atmospheric bar. Or prone to blinking? No problem. Flaw Detection will give you a heads up to imperfections, including closed eyes or blurring, so you can take another shot before the moment’s lost. Focus purely on your subject and frame it beautifully with bokeh blur in the background and foreground.

5. Shoot with a camera that sees your vision

The Note9 doesn’t just capture scenes, it sees them. Its built-in Intelligent Camera detects your surroundings and adjusts settings accordingly. So whether you’re shooting a dark sunset on the horizon or a bright portrait close up, you’ll always snap perfectly balanced and detailed shots that are worthy of a professional.

6. Write, shoot or present with just a click

The redesigned, Bluetooth enabled S Pen is the ultimate extension of you, so you can use it to take photos from up to 10m away with a simple click for perfectly posed, fullbody selfies.Or impress in the boardroom and give a presentation on your device using the S Pen as a sleek slide clicker. And when inspiration strikes, you can scribble down any thoughts or sketches instantly with the Screen Off Memo feature.

7. Enjoy limitless entertainment on an Infinity Display

Lose yourself in a large 6.4” screen with absolutely nothing to interrupt your view. If you’re into movie marathons or boxset binges, the Infinity Display was made for you. Plus, it’s easier to multi-task between tabs, split the screen of fully focus on an important presentation. The possibilities are infinite.

8. Keep what matters safe and sound

When you can achieve so much on the Note9 you’ll want to ensure everything on it is secure. Thanks to Samsung Knox, which meets the industry’s toughest security requirements, you’ve got total peace of mind that all your personal data is kept private. Plus, you can even lock specific sections of your device - perfect for managing work and play files separately.

9. Unlock top notch security features

You can choose to unlock your device in a way that’s completely unique to you. Opt for a quick and simple tap of your finger with the Fingerprint Scanner. Choose to keep your device for your eyes only and secure your device using the Iris Scanner. Or make security as simple as taking a selfie and unlock the Note9 with futuristic Face Recognition technology. When you’re the key, you can rest assured that all your files are safe.

10. Power up a desktop in the palm of your hand

No matter how much your phone can do, sometimes you just need a PC to get the job done. That’s why the Note9 can be transformed to power a desktop like experience. With jus a single cable you can connect your Note9 to a monitor, Bluetooth keyboard and mouse* - perfect for typing up and reviewing documents or even responding to your phone notifications on the big screen.

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Samsung Galaxy S8 Iris Scanner Hacked Using Contact Lens

The Samsung Galaxy S8’s iris scanner has been tricked by a group of hackers.

The South Korean company has made a big deal about the handset’s iris scanner, which is supposed to be a highly secure and convenient way to unlock the S8 and authenticate payments.

However, Chaos Computer Club, a German hacking collective that has also conquered the iPhone’s TouchID fingerprint sensor, has fooled the system with a dummy eye.

The group managed to unlock an S8 using a picture of the owner’s eye with a contact lens placed on top of it, to mimic the curvature of a physical eyeball.

“If you value the data on your phone – and possibly want to even use it for payment – using the traditional pin-protection is a safer approach than using body features for authentication,” said Dirk Engling, Chaos Computer Club’s spokesperson.

“The security risk to the user from iris recognition is even bigger than with fingerprints, as we expose our irises a lot. Under some circumstances, a high-resolution picture from the internet is sufficient to capture an iris.”

According to the hackers, you can dupe the iris scanner with a picture taken from social media sites, but digital photographs taken in night mode work best.

They also took the opportunity to have some more fun at Samsung's expense, claiming: “Ironically, we got the best results with laser printers made by Samsung.”

While the Galaxy S8 is a highly impressive device, the poor placement and design of its fingerprint sensor damages the user experience significantly.

It’s small, shallow, difficult to reach and positioned right next to the camera lens. Unfortunately, the high-tech alternatives aren’t perfect either.

The iris scanner fails on a regular basis, as it struggles to work in bright light and when you’re moving. The phone’s facial recognition system, meanwhile, was tricked by a photograph almost immediately after launch.

That leaves the PIN as the most reliable way of unlocking the phone. Unfortunately, according to a recent study, PIN codes can be exposed simply by watching how a phone moves when it is being held.

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Carphone Warewhouse Reports Consumers Spending Is Record High

In a trading update ahead of its annual results, the Currys and PC World owner said total sales including those at newly opened stores jumped 9%.

It enjoyed strong growth in southern Europe, particularly at its Kotsovolos chain in Greece.

Dixons now expected annual pre-tax profits to be between £485m to £490m.

Chief executive Seb James said Brexit had not changed consumer behaviour.

"We're very vigilant because there's lots of chatter about how the UK consumer is gloomy or isn't gloomy ... so far it seems that customers continue to shop in our stores," he said on a conference call.

In the last three months of its financial year, UK sales were hit by the five-week delay for Samsung's new S8 smartphone. Revenues for that period fell 1%.

Mr James said: "We anticipate no let-up in [consumers'] very rational view that price and service are critical factors in deciding where to shop."

Shares in Dixons Carphone rose 3.6% in morning trading in London but have fallen by a quarter over the past 12 months.

Analysts at Liberum described the trading update as "solid" and that Dixons Carphone remained their top pick in the UK retail sector with a "buy" rating.

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Don't Use This New Feature IN Whatsapp

Millions of WhatsApp users across the planet are being warned not to be fooled by a new fake message.

The shocking scam, which was first spotted by reddit user yuexist, attempts to trick fans of the popular service by suggesting a range of new customisable colours are now available.

The fake message, which is not from WhatsApp, states that, “Now you can change your WhatsApp and leave it with your favourite colour.”

It seems that once the message is received users are then asked to share it with 12 friends to activate and verify the new custom colour feature.

Once users have ‘verified’ themselves, they are then told that WhatsApp’s colours can only be used via a desktop and, to make the new feature work, they are asked to install an extension called BlackWhats from the Chrome Web Store.

However, the message and extension are actually fake and could end up with users installing nasty adware along with infecting 12 of their friends at the same time.

This isn’t the first time WhatsApp users have been victims of scam messages.

Earlier this year a message was sent millions of times stating that, from today, "WhatsApp will become chargeable."

It then went on to warn users that the only way to stop the daily fee is to forward the message to "at least 10 contacts."

With WhatsApp revealing it will always remain free this message was clearly a hoax and users were warned not to forward it on to their friends.

Having given advice on how to avoid such hoaxes, WhatsApp suggests users don't interact with messages that instruct you to forward the message on, those which promise rewards or any which claim to be from WhatsApp itself.

"We always advise you to block the sender, disregard the message and delete it," the company said.

Although this latest colour changing feature might be fake there is a new WhatsApp extension that is 100 per cent real.

The Opera browsing software, has just rolled out a major update which now includes Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Telegram icons within the browser.

This allows users to access these apps with one simple click.

After you log in to the social sites, there are two ways of using this feature: you can open it in overlay or pin it side-by-side with your current tab. Pinning a communicator allows you to combine online chatting with a full browsing experience.

You can also decide which of the messengers to enable in your sidebar by selecting them under ‘Customise start page.’

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Facebook Will Not Delete Videos Of Violent Death, Self-harm Or Abortion

With the social media giant under pressure from world leaders to remove controversial content, the extensive guidelines used by Facebook employees has been revealed to the Guardian.

Facebook will allow users to lifestream self-harm attempts because it “doesn’t want to censor or punish people in distress who are attempting suicide”, according to the leaked documents.

The footage will be removed “once there’s no longer an opportunity to help the person” – unless the incident is particularly newsworthy.

One document says: “Removing self-harm content from the site may hinder users’ ability to get real-world help from their real-life communities.

“Users post self-destructive content as a cry for help, and removing it may prevent that cry for help from getting through. This is the principle we applied to suicidal posts over a year ago at the advice of Lifeline and Samaritans, and we now want to extend it to other content types on the platform.”

Facebook’s head of global policy management, Monika Bickert, defended leaving some suicide footage on the site.

She said: “We occasionally see particular moments or public events that are part of a broader public conversation that warrant leaving this content on our platform.

“We work with publishers and other experts to help us understand what are those moments. For example, on September 11 2001, bystanders shared videos of the people who jumped from the twin towers. Had those been livestreamed on Facebook that might have been a moment in which we would not have removed the content both during and after the broadcast.

“In instances where someone posts about self-injury or suicide, we want to be sure that friends and family members can provide support and help.”

With Facebook’s global reach still growing at a rapid rate, the social media giant faces constant difficulties in determining how to deal with new challenges, such as ‘revenge porn’.

Facebook is set to hire an additional 3,000 content moderators to maintain control of its content, although the social media giant has acknowledged that they have a “challenging and difficult job”.

Moderators receive a wealth of advice on how to deal with certain social media posts, with some of the controversial guidelines expected to court serious criticism considering Facebook’s enormous global influence.

Here are just a few of the guidelines Facebook moderators receive:

On threats of violence

Statements of intent to commit violence against heads of state, such as “someone shoot Trump”, should be deleted.

However, statements such as “to snap a b*’s neck, make sure to apply all your pressure to the middle of her throat”, or “f*** off and die” can be permissible because they are not regarded as credible threats.

On videos of violent deaths

Videos of violent deaths are not always deleted, although they are marked as disturbing. The reason they are always deleted is because in some instances they can create awareness of certain issues, such as mental illness.

The Facebook guidelines state: “We do not allow people to share photos or videos where people or animals are dying or injured if they also express sadism.”

On animal abuse

Photos of animal mutilation, including images showing a human kicking or beating an animal, can be marked as disturbing rather than deleted.

One slide explains: “We allow photos and videos documenting animal abuse for awareness, but may add viewer protections to some content that is perceived as extremely disturbing by the audience.

“Generally, imagery of animal abuse can be shared on the site. Some extremely disturbing imagery may be marked as disturbing.

“We allow people to share images of animal abuse to raise awareness and condemn the abuse but remove content that celebrates cruelty against animals.”

On nudity

Facebook allows users to post videos of abortions, as long as they do not contain any nudity.

Meanwhile, ‘handmade’ art showing nudity and sexual activity is permissible, but digitally-created art showing sexual activity is not.

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Soon You Will Be Able To Change Your Mobile Operator Just Sending A Text

Mobile phone customers could soon be able to dump their network provider by text.

Ofcom says people shouldn’t need to make a potentially long and uncomfortable phone call to their operator in order to switch networks, as they currently have to.

Research conducted by the regulator also shows that these calls can often be disrupted, causing further stress.

According to Ofcom, 38 per cent of people trying to switch network providers have been hit by one major problem during the process.

These include temporarily losing service, issues with keeping a number and even difficulties with getting through to the mobile provider in the first place.

The proposed new system, which is called Auto Switch, should save consumers time and money.

All they would need to do is text their current provider, which would have to respond by texting back a cancellation code, or a PAC code for customers intending to keep their number, as well as relevant account information, such as early termination charges or credit.

Customers can then pass their code to their new provider.

Ofcom says the entire switching process could be completed within one working day.

The regulator would also ban operators from charging for notice periods after the date of the switch, meaning customers will be protected from having to pay for both their old and new package at the same time.

A consultation on the proposals will run until 30 June, before a final decision is made in autumn.

Ofcom had previously been exploring a system in which a customer’s new network would be responsible for conducting the switch.

However, those plans would have cost the industry £87 million over ten years, rather than the £44 million under the new proposals.

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SoftBank Tech Fund Becomes World's Biggest With $93bn Of Capital

The world's largest private equity fund, backed by Japan's SoftBank Group and Saudi Arabia's main sovereign wealth fund, said on Saturday it had raised over $93bn to invest in technology sectors such as artificial intelligence and robotics.

“The next stage of the Information Revolution is under way, and building the businesses that will make this possible will require unprecedented large-scale, long-term investment,” the SoftBank Vision Fund said in a statement.

Japanese billionaire Masayoshi Son, chairman of SoftBank, a telecommunications and tech investment group, revealed plans for the fund last October and since then it has obtained commitments from some of the world's most deep-pocketed investors.

In addition to SoftBank and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), the new fund's investors include Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Investment, which has committed $15bn, Apple, Qualcomm, Taiwan's Foxconn Technology and Japan's Sharp Corp.

The new fund made its announcement during the visit of President Donald Trump to Riyadh and the signing of tens of billions of dollars worth of business deals between US and Saudi companies. Son was also in Riyadh on Saturday.

After meeting with Trump last December, Son pledged $50bn of investment in the US that would create 50,000 jobs, a promise Trump claimed was a direct result of his election win.

The fund may also serve the interests of Saudi Arabia by helping Riyadh obtain access to foreign technology. The Saudi economy has been severely damaged by low oil prices, and policymakers are trying to diversify into new industries.

The PIF signaled an interest in the tech sector last year by investing $3.5bn in US ride-hailing firm Uber. Saturday's statement did not say how much the PIF had committed to the fund, but previously it has said it would invest up to $45bn over five years. SoftBank is investing $28bn.

The new fund said it would seek to buy minority and majority interests in both private and public companies, from emerging businesses to established, multi-billion-dollar firms. It expects to obtain preferred access to long-term investment opportunities worth $100m or more.

Other sectors in which the fund may invest include mobile computing, communications infrastructure, computational biology, consumer internet businesses and financial technology.

The fund aims for $100bn of committed capital and expects to complete its money-raising in six months, it added.

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London To Edinburgh Only Just 30 Minutes

Hyperloop One is a system which pushes pods “on a cushion of air” through a tunnel at speeds in excess of 500mph.

Billionaire Elon Musk, who first put forward the Hyperloop concept in 2013, described the revolutionary transport as “a cross between a Concorde, a railgun and an air hockey table”.

At its fastest, engineers reckon it could reach 760mph, which would see journeys from London to Edinburgh slashed to half an hour.

Now a selection of British teams will gather in Amsterdam to speak to Hyperloop One executives and explain why they would like to see Hyperloop on routes starting in their town.

The LA-based technology giant has invited nations to become the next city to host the train.

Proposals were submitted by teams of private investors and university academics, who will work with Hyperloop One to make the dream a reality if their route is chosen.

British semi-finalists include a team pushing for a route between Glasgow and Cardiff which cuts a journey that normally takes six hours to under 45 minutes.

Another hopes they will win a route between Glasgow and Liverpool. The three-and-a-half hour journey would take less than 27 minutes using Hyperloop One.

Another team is putting forward designs for a route between London to Edinburgh, which would take around 51 minutes (but could be shaved to half an hour if the train reaches its 760mph goal).

The four local teams hoping to bring the Hyperloop One to their region could see superfast train speeds based on travel at 500mph

The journey typically takes four hours by train.

Last, but by no means least, a team from Liverpool is also bidding for a quickfire journey to Hull which could take just 15 minutes.

Edinburgh University is behind the London to Scotland route.

There are semifinalists in 17 countries, representing every continent except Antarctica.

The US has 11 teams left, India 5 and the UK four.

But British competitors will have to wait to hear whether they have made the final cut.

The European teams, along with Hyperloop One executives and Isabel Dedring, former Mayor of London’s deputy mayor for transport will meet on June 6 in Amsterdam to learn their fate.

It's not clear when the winner would begin to construct the new tunnel, but Hyperloop claims it will cover all technology costs.

Dubai appears to be streets ahead and has announced a deal to bring Hyperloop One to the Persian Gulf.

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Girls Show The Way In Senegal Tech Battle

West African schoolgirls, some not yet teenagers, have taken a starring role at an engineering competition in Senegal, busting stereotypes with robotics expertise and innovative projects for their communities.

The Pan-African Robotics competition (PARC) in the Senegalese capital Dakar on Saturday reflects the growing consciousness of science education as a top priority for a government growing the economy and getting development off the ground.

Rows of young women from Senegal, The Gambia and Mali distinct in their various uniforms—blue headscarves, black pinafores and white polo shirts—screamed for their teams as robots picked up plastic cones and dropped them onto markers, all adamant they would win.

Senegal’s Mariama-Ba all-girls academy won the high school category for a “made in Africa” pump solution to flooding, and girls were well represented in the winning 11-15 age group on Saturday after showing off their robotics skills.

“Our generation is definitely the one,” said Umu Tarawally, a 14-year-old Gambian who aspires to be a doctor and patiently explained to an assembled audience of dignitaries how groundnut shells could be converted into fuel.

Her friends, she added, were telling her they want to become engineers following a week of robot and tech workshops.

Resembling a cross between the TV show Robot Wars and a TEDx ideas conference, Saturday’s competition is the brainchild of Sidy Ndao, an engineering professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who left Senegal for the United States as a teenager.

“(It) inspires the kids to like science, inspires them to be future engineers and scientists,” the founder said, but the World Bank-funded event now in its second year places a special importance on girls.

Saturday’s event organised by Ndao’s SENEcole project attracted 250 children, boys and girls, aged between 11 and 19.

“There’s not a lot of them, but when there are they are typically top of the class,” he said of girls studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.

“In order for any country to be sustainably developed, you have to really work on science and engineering,” he added, but Senegal’s brightest minds tend to undertake studies abroad lured by hopes of higher salaries and better lifestyles.

Senegal is trying to open the sector by backing girls’ coding clubs and maths teaching in schools, while a technology hub is being constructed near the capital for research and training as part of broader efforts to fill domestic skills shortages.

“As Senegal wants to become an emerging nation, we have to master the sciences, technology, engineering sciences and maths so we have the expertise to manage our own natural resources and also to create the innovations to construct our future,” said Mary Teuw Niane, Senegal’s minister of higher education and research.

A flood of new engineers would be timely, with Senegal on the cusp of a potential oil and gas boom from important deposits being found regularly off its coast.

Ndao emphasised the need to keep the costs of science and technology resources for schools down in a country where electricity and water, let along computers, are often lacking in rural areas.

A shortage of qualified science teachers is also a huge problem, the government has admitted.

Just over half of Senegal’s children complete school, and traditional expectations remain entrenched that girls should be content taking care of domestic duties, especially in poor families.

A focus on science, said Ndao, would “solve the cycle of problems in Africa,” where natural resources are still largely controlled by foreign firms, shipped abroad for processing and therefore stripped of a large amount of their value for the population living where the oil, gold or diamonds are taken.

For Aminata Ndiaye, 15, battling machines in a Senegalese stadium was a foundation of something much larger as she scooped the prize with her school in the northern city of Saint-Louis.

“It has changed my future. It is not just a robotics competition,” she said.

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How Twitter See Your Privacy

Twitter has updated its privacy policy and announced plans to collect more data about its users, and keep hold of that data for longer.

However, it’s also introduced new tools to let you see what the site and its partners think they know about you and your interests. It’s a source of both concern and amusement.

The micro-blogging site has never been profitable, and is working on changing that this year.

One of its primary objectives is to improve the reach of targeted ads by grabbing more data.

Twitter will track your activities outside its app and website, and store that data for up to 30 days. Before the privacy policy update, it was ten days.

The company will be able to collect that data from any third-party website that uses its API, for instance those that feature things like a Twitter share button or embedded tweets.

“This will allow us to further improve and personalize our services, connecting you with the stories, brands and organic content you care about most,” the company says.

However, Twitter says it will not store webpage visit data for users in the European Union and European Free Trade Association States.

What’s really interesting is the site’s new Your Twitter Data section.

It shows you all of the “interests” Twitter thinks you have, based on your activities. In my case, it’s pretty accurate, with the 59 listed interests made up of a mix of technology- and football-themed subject matter.

What’s more intriguing is the Interests From Partners section immediately below it. There are zero entries in my list, but other users have reported seeing lots of baffling and even embarrassing topics in there.

It also shows me that I’m “part of 3,559 audiences” from 1,293 advertisers (a list I have requested).

You can find Your Twitter Data by opening the Settings menu, selecting Personalisation and Data, and scrolling down to the bottom of the page.

Fortunately, Twitter is also allowing users to opt out of targeted ads.

All you need to do is navigate to Personalisation and Data in Settings and switch off all of the types of data you don't wish to share.

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Facebook And Instagram Are Moving Together Under Controversial Plan

Facebook is testing a new feature that could bring its stable of social media properties closer together.

The new feature displays notifications from Facebook-owned social networks such as Instagram and Messenger inside the primary Facebook app.

The feature was first spotted by social media analyst Mari Smith, who posted a screenshot of the new notifications setup on her Facebook profile.

In the image, the Messenger icon that normally appears in the top right-hand corner of the screen has been replaced by a profile picture and notification number.

Tapping on this will bring up a tray at the bottom of the screen, displaying the number of notifications from each social media account inside a red circle.

This is as far as the integration goes at this point. Tapping on any of the red circles will launch the app in question, so that users can see their notifications as normal.

Facebook-owned messaging app WhatsApp doesn't appear to be included in the test.

"We are conducting a very small test to make it easier for people to discover and connect with the people and things they care about," Facebook told TechCrunch in a statement.

"We're exploring ways to help people switch more easily between their Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram accounts."

The new feature could help Facebook keep users clicking around inside its ecosystem of apps, reducing the risk that they will be distracted by other apps when they return to the Home screen.

However, it is likely to rankle some users, who prefer to keep their various social media profiles and personas separate.

As the feature is only a test, it's highly possible that it may never be launched on a larger scale - we'll just have to wait and see.

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Instagram And Snapchat Harming Young People And Here Is Why

Instagram is the worst social media site in terms of its impact on the mental health of young people, a report has suggested.

The #StatusofMind survey found the photo-sharing app negatively impacted on people's body image, sleep and fear of missing out.

However, the survey of 1,479 youngsters aged 14 to 24, found Instagram was positive in terms of self-expression and self-identity.

Respondents were asked to score how each of the social media platforms they use impact upon issues such as anxiety, loneliness and community building.

The site with the most positive rating was YouTube, followed by Twitter. Facebook and Snapchat came third and fourth respectively.

The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) report said: "The platforms that are supposed to help young people connect with each other may actually be fuelling a mental health crisis.

Recommendations included introducing pop-ups on sites such as Twitter and Facebook warning users about heavy usage - which the RSPH said was supported by seven in 10 people surveyed - and social media platforms discreetly signposting help to those potentially suffering from mental health issues.

Shirley Cramer CBE, chief executive of the RSPH, said: "Social media has been described as more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol, and is now so entrenched in the lives of young people that it is no longer possible to ignore it when talking about young people's mental health issues.

"It's interesting to see Instagram and Snapchat ranking as the worst for mental health and wellbeing - both platforms are very image-focused and it appears they may be driving feelings of inadequacy and anxiety in young people.

"As the evidence grows that there may be potential harms from heavy use of social media, and as we upgrade the status of mental health within society, it is important that we have checks and balances in place to make social media less of a wild west when it comes to young people's mental health and wellbeing."

Dr Becky Inkster, honorary research fellow at the University of Cambridge, said: "Young people sometimes feel more comfortable talking about personal issues online.

"As health professionals, we must make every attempt to understand modern youth culture expressions, lexicons, and terms to better connect with their thoughts and feelings."

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Google Android OS Reaches Unique Milestone

Google's Android operating system has reached a milestone by powering 2 billion monthly active devices around the world, the company said.

Google's vice president of engineering Dave Burke that Android has "the largest reach of any computing platform of its kind", Xinhua reported on Thursday.

Based on the Linux kernel and designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices, Android was first unveiled in 2007. It is now the operating system, namely the software platform that manages hardware and software , including applications, or apps, for more than 80 per cent of the world's smartphones.

With its latest version released in August 2016, Android has been claimed by Google officials to be "across all screens:" watches, cars, television sets, Internet of Things (IoTs) and chromebooks, a class of low-coast laptop computers comprising nearly 60 per cent of laptops sold to K-12 schools in the US.

Promising to make Android "even more useful," Burke announced a beta release of the operation system's newest version, Android O. Its formal release is scheduled for "later this year."

Google also said its voice-powered digital assistant, known as Google Assistant, is available on Apple's iPhones starting immediately, in addition to its availability on more than 100 million devices.

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HTC Releases New Phone That Will Take Pictures When It Is 'Squueze' Mode

A short or long squeeze on the side of the HTC U11 can be set up to trigger different actions – such as firing up the camera or launching Google Maps or messages.

And within apps the same gestures can be used for shortcuts such as taking a photo, zooming in on a map or dictating a message.

Bosses say a key use of the feature, known as Edge Sense, will be in taking selfies where holding the phone and trying to press a button is tricky – compared to squeezing the device.

The U11, which will cost £649 or around £35 a month on contracts, was unveiled in Taiwan and is the tech giant’s challenger to the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and the iPhone 7.

The device, which does also has a touchscreen, has a string of other innovations – including letting users unlock it with their voice.

In fact, HTC has made voice control a key element with four microphones that can pick up your commands from across the room even when the device is locked.

The U11 has two voice assistants built in – including Amazon’s popular Alexa, which is like Apple’s Siri but more advanced.

Dubbed “virtual butlers”, voice assistants are becoming more popular and allow users to, for example, ask for the weather forecast, play music or dictate a message.

Elsewhere, the gadget is not only waterproof but the touchscreen works even when it's wet - an issue with other devices.

And there is a clever feature when recording videos - dubbed Acoustic Focus.

Thanks to the four microphones, as you zoom in on a person, for example, it will make what they are saying more prominent.

There are also improvements to the camera and battery life.

The main camera comes with optical image stabilisation - which smoothes shaky photography - and the front-facing “selfie” camera is 16 megapixels - more than the seven on the Samsung S8 and iPhone 7.

The earphones have noise cancellation - meaning they are able to filter out background noise - which is another first for a smartphone.

It comes in five colours - silver, blue, black, white and red.

A mainstream smartphone featuring a "squeezable" interaction has not been attempted before.

The HTC One, the firm’s flagship from 2013, won multiple "phone of the year" awards, but since then the Taiwanese giant has failed to come up with another hit.

It hopes the U11 will change that.

The manufacturer has come under increased pressure from Samsung and Apple, as well as emerging Chinese firms such as OnePlus and Huawei.

The tech firm has enjoyed more notable success in the last year with the launch of its virtual reality headset, Vive.

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BT Sport To Broadcast Champions League And Europa League Finals For Free

The Champions League final between Juventus and Real Madrid will be free to watch on TV and online.

The Europa League final in Stockholm will similarly be available to watch at no cost as Manchester United bid to book their place in Europe’s elite competition.

All sports fans can watch both games on BT Sport 1 or online via BTSport.com or the BT Sport app, as well as on YouTube which will be showing the fixtures in 4K UHD.

The Champions League final will also be available in 360° virtual reality, via the BT Sport App, allowing fans to choose between a 360° produced programme with commentary and graphics or select their own camera viewpoint.

United and Ajax lock horns on 24 May at the Friends Arena in Stockholm while Juventus and Real go head to head at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on June 3.

“Making the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League available for free to everyone in the UK shows that BT really is serious about making sport much more accessible to the public,” said BT Consumer CEO John Petter.

“These are two of the biggest club football tournaments in the world and showing them live on social media and on mobile devices makes it more readily available to a younger audience as well as available to traditional TV viewers.

“We believe that VR can offer our viewers an immersive second screen view which will enhance our coverage. We’re excited to be broadcasting what we believe to be the biggest multi-camera live 360° sporting event ever for the first time to our customers.”

BT Sport have broadcast a number of Champions League fixtures for free throughout the current term.

Barcelona’s stunning comeback against PSG in the last-16 was made available without charge – though a lack of advertising meant many fans were unaware of this.

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This Is The Man Who Saved NHS From Cyber Attack

The man who accidentally saved the NHS from its huge cyber attack has been revealed.

Marcus Hutchins is a self-taught computer genius who works in cyber security. The 22-year-old surfer lives with his parents and didn’t attend university.

He also managed to save the entire world from one of the most damaging cyber attacks in history. And mostly by accident.

Mr Hutchins was praised over the weekend after it emerged that he had found a “kill switch” in the WannaCry malware that was spreading like wildfire across the internet.

He came across the vulnerability while attempting to understand the malware, which brought hospitals across England to a standstill. He found that it appeared to be referencing a URL at which there wasn't a website – so he bought that URL as a way of checking how many times the ransomware had installed itself.

It was then that he realised that he could actually kill the ransomware, simply by using that URL.

In doing so, he helped put a stop to an attack that was by then sweeping across the world. It hit huge numbers of computers in almost every country across the world before Mr Hutchins stepped in.

Mr Hutchins work was part of his employment at a private cyber security firm, which he does from his own house.

Some had suggested that the young analyst was afraid that he would be hunted down by the people who he had foiled. But he said on Twitter that he didn't fear for his safety, and was just annoyed that the extra attention was getting in the way of cleaning up the problems from Friday's attack.

That had included providing information to the UK's National Cyber Security Centre, to help the Government fight against the effects of the attack. Mr Hutchins and other experts had worried that the virus could come back in a zombie form on Monday when people returned to work and started using their computer again – but that appears to have been prevented, with few reports of the attacks after the weekend.

Mr Hutchins mocked the extra attention he was receiving after his act of unintentional heroism. In particular, he pointed to the fact that a number of papers had written at length about his liking for pizza, demonstrated through posts on his Twitter account.

“Still so confused about the whole pizza thing,” he wrote on Twitter. “There's an entire paragraph on an articles dedicated to the fact I like pizza.”

He then posted a poll, jokingly suggesting that maybe liking pizza wasn't as normal as he'd realised. It received more than 4,000 votes, mostly from people who chose "Omg yes" rather than the alternative: "Yes".

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EE: Thousands Of People Without Internet After Mobile Phone 4G Crash

Mobile phone users complained of being unable to send messages, emails or use the internet after the data outage hit on Tuesday morning.

London, Birmingham and Glasgow were some of the worst areas affected by the network failure, website Down Detector reported.

Thousands of people complained of a data outage lasting for hours.

In London, one EE user Susan Yan Mach complained: “Haven’t been able to connect to 3G all morning. Error message ‘Could not connect to mobile network data. PDP authentication failure.”

@EE no data signal across Soho, what's going on??

— Toppy (@TopHat_247) May 16, 2017

@EE getting the message "could not activate mobile data network: PDP authentication failure". Iphone SE in central London - any ideas?

— Ste Phenmaxwell (@StephenMaxwell1) May 16, 2017

Lynda Athey Watson said she also experienced a similar message on her iPhone 6S.

Reports of a network outage in London began flooding in from 6am on Monday, with hundreds of complaints being made by 9am.

One of the worst affected areas in the capital was Streatham but people across the city complained of apps and internet failing to load on their mobiles.

At 11.10am, an EE spokesman said a full data service was restored for customers.

He added: "Phone calls and text messages were unaffected, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused."

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Disney Is Affected By The Latest Ransomware Attack

Disney CEO Bob Iger told ABC employees about the demand at a town hall meeting on Monday, The Hollywood Reporter said.

He did not name the film, but Deadline reports that it is Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

Mr Iger said Disney is refusing to pay, and that the studio is working with federal investigators.

He added that the hackers had demanded the ransom in bitcoin and that they would release the film online in a series of 20-minute chunks unless it was paid.

It is not the first film studio to be threatened with online leaks.

Last month, a group of hackers uploaded the fifth season of Orange is the New Black after Netflix refused to pay a ransom.

Dead Men Tell No Tales is the fifth instalment of the Pirates franchise and will see Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow return to the ocean alongside Geoffrey Rush and Orlando Bloom.

It is due to be released in cinemas in the US on 26 May.

Mark James, security specialist at IT security company ESET, said: "Anything that has a value will always be a potential victim of theft, either digital or physical. If someone has it and someone wants it then in theory there's a market for it."

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