PC Pro No.286 - August 2018

AS THE THERMOMETER tipped over 30°C in the shade, my regular conference combo of jeans and jacket was proving overkill. But this is the problem of a work trip abroad: you’re there for the briefest of times, you’re normally in a mad hurry to pack, and you anticipate spending most of your time in an air-conditioned conference centre. Instead, I was wandering the sun-scorched New York streets in search of interesting tech and gaudy souvenirs – although I spent almost as much time people-watching. Aside from the tourists, everyone in New York is locked in their own world, cocooned by earphones. Most frequently, the faintly ridiculous Apple AirPods, which at least Londoners have had the good sense to ignore. Indeed, it’s aptly named the Big Apple. The brand’s dominance was…

Darien Graham-Smith Ever wondered how to get the most from the Windows Registry? We asked Darien to go explore, and he came back with over 20 hacks. See p30 Kevin Partner Long-time contributor Kevin makes a welcome return to our pages with three underrated Google tools, along with tips on how to use them. See p116 Davey Winder Davey for president? Sadly, it will never happen, which is a shame as – with the help of experts – he puts together a convincing case for smart guns from p38 Nik Rawlinson The Raspberry Pi has plenty of rivals – see p113 – but we love its latest incarnation. Find out how to turn it into a home server from p42…

THE BARRAGE OF GDPR emails looks set to continue, despite the regulation’s drive to reduce inbox clutter. In the run-up to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into effect at the end of May, people were overwhelmed with emails asking them to re-consent to ensure companies could continue to send them marketing emails. “Don’t lose your discounts – let us stay in touch,” was a common refrain, but according to experts, companies that sent these messages and failed to get a response could still follow up with further requests or continue with marketing messages regardless. “I expect what we’ll really see is a lot of companies come grovelling in the next few weeks saying: ‘Actually, we asked you to re-consent – sorry about that – we’re just going to…

1 Chip flaws strike again Security researchers at Google and Microsoft have uncovered a fourth flavour of a processor flaw similar to Spectre and Meltdown that could be exploited by scripts within software such as JavaScript. The newly discovered speculative execution vulnerability (CVE-2018-3639) could be used to sniff data by malicious software or anyone logged into systems using many modern Intel, AMD, ARM and IBM processors. 2 Researchers warn of major router malware threat Researchers from Cisco’s Talos labs have uncovered a possibly state-level malware targeting home and small office routers, claiming it was already installed on 500,000 devices. Primarily targeting Ukraine, the researchers say VPNFilter has been spotted in 54 countries and that it can steal website credentials, kill infected devices and “has the potential of cutting off internet…

HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3 HP has updated its Elite and Envy ranges, with the most interesting features appearing in the business-centric HP EliteBook x360 1030 G3. Featuring four form-factor modes, the lightweight convertible is aimed at professionals who work in a range of light conditions, with the EliteBook x360 1030 G3 offering several different screen options. The five available 13.3in touchscreens all feature Gorilla Glass 4, but there are key differences that set them apart. The flagship option is a glossy 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160) screen with a respectable brightness of 500cd/m2, but more interesting for anyone that works outdoors is the anti-glare 1,920 x 1,080 option that throws out 700cd/m2. The brighter displays feature HP’s Sure View privacy system, which enables users to switch the screen…

AMAZON’S PRESENCE IN the smart home has been called into question after it emerged the company was working with police forces and governments to provide face recognition. Rights groups have questioned the desirability of having camera-equipped devices such as the Echo Show and Echo Spot in the home when the company is developing such technologies for the state. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has launched a campaign trying to get Amazon to rein in its Rekognition tool, which is run through the company’s Amazon Web Services arm. “With Rekognition, a government can now build a system to automate the identification and tracking of anyone,” said the ACLU. “If police body cameras, for example, were outfitted with facial recognition, devices intended for officer transparency and accountability would further transform into…