Technology news

• AT&T has 'extraordinary, decades-long' relationship with NSA – report

  15-08-2015 22:18 via feeds.theguardian.com
  New York Times and ProPublica cite newly released NSA documentsTelecoms giant assisted with ‘wiretapping United Nations headquarters’The telecoms giant AT&T has had an “extraordinary, decades-long” relationship with the National Security Agency, it was reported on Saturday.Citing newly disclosed NSA documents dating from 2003 to 2013, the New York Times said in a story published with ProPublica that AT&T was described as “highly collaborative” with an
  
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• Apple Watch has new extra-large bands for your fat wrists

  15-08-2015 18:00
  
  The Apple Watch is increasing its appeal by increasing its maximum band sizes, making the iPhone-compatible smartwatch fit for people with bigger wrists, too.That's wonderful news because, in letting everyone I meet try on my Apple Watch, it's been a snug fit at times. The swappable medium-large band size that comes in the box doesn't always help.The Apple Watch face is appreciably smaller than bulky Android Wear watches, but there's no reason the Apple Watch band size should be shorter.New Appl
  
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• From Alphabet to Warren Buffett: how the conglomerate was reborn

  15-08-2015 17:00 via feeds.theguardian.com
  Google’s radical restructuring seems inspired by the veteran investor’s Berkshire Hathaway empire. Suddenly, the most unfashionable of corporate models is backConglomerates have been distinctly unfashionable among investors for decades. But that may be about to change.Just as Warren Buffett put the final touches to a $37.2bn deal to add a nuts-and-bolts maker to his sprawling Berkshire Hathaway empire last week, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin unveiled a restructuring that
  
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• Did Motorola accidentally show us the new Moto 360?

  15-08-2015 14:43
  
  Spare a thought for those operating the Motorola Twitter feed who may have inadvertently given us our first proper look at the upcoming Moto 360 v2. A short promo video posted to the account and then pulled showed a watch that's definitely not the 2014 model.The button is in the 2 o'clock position rather than the 3 o'clock spot for a start, and it looks like Motorola has also changed the strap system to make it easier to swap them out.Unfortunately for fans of clean lines and aesthetics, the 'fl
  
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• Sundar Pichai: Google's rising star reaches the top (like his teacher said he would)

  15-08-2015 14:33 via feeds.theguardian.com
  The creation this week of Alphabet has put the 43-year-old in the driver’s seat of a slimmed-down Google, giving him the authority to put his ambition to the testLast weekend, one of the most glittering alumni of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Kharagpur did not show up to give a school prize as he had promised. Sundar Pichai, then head of product at Google, begged off for reasons that became abundantly clear over the next few days: he had just been promoted to chief executive,
  
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• Review: MSI Z170A Gaming M7

  15-08-2015 14:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Introduction and performanceIt's the question that just won't die. And MSI's new Z170A Gaming M7 is going to have to answer it. Is there any point in spending more on an upmarket motherboard? Not that the Gaming M7 is mega money. At £180 (around $280, or AU$380), it's far from the most expensive board you can buy that's based on Intel's new Z170 chipset. Not with mobos priced beyond £400 (around $625, or AU$850), like Gigabyte's bonkers GAZ170X-Gaming G1, it ain't. But it's still £50 more tha
  
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• Businesses delivering the most coveted perk: a better commute

  15-08-2015 14:00 via feeds.theguardian.com
  Everyone hates a rough commute. So why aren’t more companies helping their employees come up with better alternatives to driving?• Send us your tips, tales and secrets from the front lines of sustainable businessImagine that, starting tomorrow, half your company’s employees stopped driving to work. The benefits would start accruing almost immediately: less pollution, less real estate needed for parking spaces, improved quality of life and much more. So how do companies do it and
  
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• Running Man of Tech: These are the best Bluetooth running headphones I've ever used

  15-08-2015 12:58
  
  Finally! Decent wireless running headphones!It's been a rather lovely week in running terms. I've finally joined my local running club properly, my Parkrun times have started to tumble and I've been given full access to my full universe of running stats.Let's start with some news we can all enjoy though: I've been using the Plantronics BackBeat Fit Bluetooth headphones for the last week...and they've been a revelation.I get asked quite often: 'What are the best running headphones if you don't wa
  
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• Windows 10: should privacy problems worry me?

  15-08-2015 10:00 via feeds.theguardian.com
  Susan is wary of switching to the latest version of Microsoft’s operating system following recent negative publicity. Is it worth upgrading?What is your opinion on the privacy issue concerning Microsoft Windows 10? Currently I use InPrivate Browsing on Windows 7 Professional to protect myself from intrusive tracking. Continue reading...
  
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• On the road: VW Polo GTi – car review

  15-08-2015 07:00 via feeds.theguardian.com
  ‘It is a droll little drive, more like a delinquent companion than a car’The Polo GTi, a 1.8-litre engine, 190bhp – it’s as poky as a Scotch bonnet, and as ready to go as a man in a pub whose eighth pint you’ve just spilled. It comes as a surprise to your fellow road user, who might mistake you for a regular Polo driver. But a regular Polo can’t pull you out of bed, while this can get you from zero to 62 in 6.7 seconds. It is somewhat ridiculous – the fa
  
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