For those that have yet to hear about the Mullvad Browser (which would probably be most of you), it’s a rebuild of the Firefox browser, available for Linux, MacOS, and Windows, that enhances online privacy and security by reducing your browser fingerprint. Also: The best browsers for privacy What is a browser fingerprint? It’s a way to identify you by collecting data about your online activity. These fingerprints can be used to either partially or fully identify users and devices… even when cookies are turned off....

The red and white bank closed the 2021 financial year with net profit of AU$5.46 billion, a 138% increase over last year, while revenue came in 5% higher year-on-year to AU$21 billion. “Despite another challenging period, cash earnings rose, the balance sheet remains strong, and I am pleased with our progress on making Westpac a simpler, stronger bank,” Westpac boss Peter King told shareholders on Monday. Total expenses came in at just over AU$13 billion, which King said was reflective of the bank directing more resources to fixing issues, including IT network and domain consolidation, customer process digitisation, and reducing third-party spend....

Will you be able to squeeze another year out of your devices, or will this fall be the end of the road for your shiny Apple gadgets? It all depends on how old your devices are. Note that while your device may still be compatible with the upcoming release, some older devices may not get all the features of the release. iOS 14 Let’s start off with the iPhone. If your iPhone currently runs iOS 13, then it’s good news, because it will run iOS 14....

Microsoft released Windows 11 to the masses this week. It got a major visual refresh but also is mostly restricted to newer hardware, which improves security benefits but also means a slower rollout. Despite a year of testing with Windows Insiders, AMD and Microsoft have now disclosed that there may be as much as a 15% hit on performance after installing Windows 11 on AMD processors, such as its EPYC and Ryzen line....

Microsoft has long faced accusations from rivals like Vivaldi and Firefox-maker Mozilla over Windows 10 making Edge the default browser. Vivaldi in 2017 complained that Windows 10 upgrades made Edge the default even though users had previously selected another browser as the default. But, as spotted by The Verge’s Windows watcher, Tom Warren, Windows 11 in its current preview form makes it more complicated than it is in Windows 10 to change the way the default browser is assigned....

The Xbox Series S allows you to game across four generations of Xbox with thousands of games. When you’re not gaming, you can stream Disney+, Netflix, Hulu, Microsoft Movies & TV, and more on your console. Additionally, you can buy an all-access gaming pass for $25 per month for 24 months to play those same thousands of games without having to purchase every single one. With 512GB of storage built into the gaming console, you’ll have plenty of space to add games to your library....

The good news is that Apple is lining up a software update that should resolve the problem, according to a new support document. “You might see “Unable to Communicate with Apple Watch” if you try to unlock your iPhone while wearing a face mask, or you might not be able to set up Unlock with Apple Watch,” Apple notes. It says this will be fixed in an upcoming software update....

Nvidia’s latest work in this area is noteworthy because it not only has to collaborate with competitors in order to achieve its goals, but also because the work is part of a broader set of initiatives called Max Q, a “capstone suite of technologies focused on laptops” that now uses AI to optimize system design. While much has been written about how AI is becoming more adept at developing software (such as DeepMind’s AlphaCode’s recent progress), there’s been less focus on AI use to optimize computing architectures where there are still thorny problems to address....

Colin Born, head of corporate development at Zoom, said building out a venture investing effort has allowed Zoom to bring an entirely new dimension of support to their developer ecosystem. “Providing support around fundraising allows our app partners to focus more on innovation, which will increase the quality and variety of apps available to Zoom’s customers around the world,” Born said. “It is critical we drive the growth of solutions that meet the needs of our customers....

Law enforcement across 20 nations made the arrests between June and September, which involved various forms of online fraud crime, including romance scams, investment fraud, and money laundering linked to online gambling. Some 2,350 bank accounts were seized as part of Interpol’s Operation HAECHI-II. “Far from the common notion of online fraud as a relatively low-level and low stakes type of criminality, the results of Operation HAECHI-II show that transnational organized crime groups have been using the Internet to extract millions from their victims before funneling the illicit cash to bank accounts across the globe,” the international criminal police organisation said....

The first steps have already been made. In 2021, Comcast and Broadcom showed that with full-duplex (FDX) DOCSIS 4 system-on-chip (SoC) devices, the partners could hit 4Gbps. This was done using DOCSIS 4’s echo cancellation and overlapping spectrum techniques. Comcast also completed a successful test of a complete 10G connection using a DOCSIS 4-based virtualized cable modem termination system (vCMTS). DOCSIS 4, the next generation of cable internet, combines existing cable and fiber broadband over cable’s hybrid fiber coax (HFC)....

Organizations that center diversity and inclusion for technology professionals include field-focused associations with programs designed to promote equal opportunities. There are also advocacy organizations for individuals with common ethnic, cultural, and historical backgrounds that work to advance the needs and rights of specific groups and individuals in technology. Professional organizations for diversity and inclusion unite like-minded individuals to champion a common cause. To find out more about opportunities to participate in diversity-related efforts in tech, read on to learn about the most active DEI groups in the tech workforce today....

Whether you work from home or at the office, chances are you’ve mulled the idea of buying an ergonomic mouse. Like chairs and keyboards, ergonomic mice are built upon the pillars of comfort, fit, and posture. They’re sculpted to fit the curvatures of your fingers and palm while reducing the constant tension on your wrist from clicking and gliding. In my quest to fully understand the anatomy of ergonomic mice, I met up with Peter Johnson, a Professor Emeritus who works in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Washington....

Construction accounts for 13% of the world’s GDP, but while other traditional industries, like manufacturing, have increased productivity over the years, productivity has remained almost stagnant in the building sector. According to the European Commission, construction productivity has only increased by 1% in the past two decades. And with operational profitability often being only 5%, there is little room for error. That’s one reason development dollars are pouring into the space....

Stratasys’ third-quarter earnings report hinted at an inflection point for 3D printing as supply chain issues are forcing manufacturers to rip up playbooks that have worked for decades. Offshore manufacturing doesn’t look as good as it used to. Shipping costs are killing companies’ margins, so you’ll need more manufacturing closer to the customer. And inventory forecasting is a nightmare due to hoarding. Best 3D printers 2021: Expert reviews of top brandsBest cheap 3D printer 2021: Beginner picks under $500...

In addition, the implementation of 5G could generate $20 billion in business for companies and startups based in Brazil over the next decade. This includes the productivity increases and cost reductions stemming from the Industry 4.0 approach. A set of 96 recommendations for public policies across eight different areas aimed at unlocking the opportunities, is also included in the study. This includes the creation of special economic zones focused on 5G, as well as tax relief for the purchase of equipment to support the fifth-generation technology, and tax benefits for multinationals investing in 5G in Brazil....

Digitalization is accelerating, and organizations could lose on average nearly $7 million in revenue if they fail to complete digital transformation initiatives successfully. MuleSoft’s 2022 Connectivity Benchmark Report, in partnership with Vanson Bourne and Deloitte Digital, was produced from interviews with 1,050 IT leaders across the globe. Here’s an executive summary of the report: Organizations could lose on average $7m if they fail to successfully complete digital transformation initiatives. While companies have more applications than ever, they’re becoming less successful at integrating them....

First off, it seems that Apple has three versions of the new budget handset: A2595, A2783, and A2784. This could mean that the budget handset may see a price drop. Yes, you read that right. But it could also go the other way. While the site is quite vague on other information – the new handset might look like the current iPhone SE, or might look like the iPhone XR, and might use either the A14 Bionic or the newer A15 Bionic processor – the three models listed feel legit....

Under its Cyber Hygiene Improvement Programs (CHIPs), the ACSC was able to identify vulnerable, internet-exposed MobileIron systems across Commonwealth, state and territory, and local governments. “The ACSC notified all government entities operating vulnerable devices of the device details, the critical vulnerability and the urgent need to patch or otherwise mitigate the risk,” the report said. “This timely and actionable information from the ACSC allowed some government entities to pre-empt adversary exploitation of their MobileIron devices, in one case by hours....

Orion’s fuel-burned propulsion by the moon happened about 81 miles above the surface at 6:57am CST on Monday. NASA has now tested all three thruster types in the following order: the large orbital maneuvering system engine, the small reaction control system thrusters, and the medium-sized auxiliary engines. The burn used in the flyby of the Moon increased Orion’s speed from 2,128 mph to 5,102 mph, shortly after passing 1,400 miles above the Apollo 11 landing site, Tranquility Base, where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed in July, 1969....