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New submitter Zorro writes: A ransomware attack sweeping the globe right now is launching about 8, 000 different versions of the virus script at Barracuda's customers, Eugene Weiss, lead platform architect at Barracuda, told Axios, and it's hitting at a steady rate of about 2 million attacks per hour. What to watch out for: An incoming email spoofing the destination host, with a subject about "Herbalife" or a "copier" file delivery. Two of the latest variants Barracuda has detected include a paragraph about legalese to make it seem official, or a line about how a "payment is attached, " which tricks you to click since, as Weiss puts it, "everyone wants a payment." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Your choice of web browser can have a tremendous effect on your laptop's battery life, and Microsoft is determined to prove that its Edge browser the most efficient of them all... at Google's expense, of course. The crew in Redmond has posted battery tests showing that Edge lasted longer in web video playback and standardized surfing tests than any other browser (including Opera in low-power mode ), and over 3 hours longer than Chrome in the video test. And this is with the current version of Windows 10, Microsoft notes. Edge in Windows' Anniversary Update should be downright miserly thanks to lower resource usage and tighter restrictions on Flash. Of course, it's a wise idea to take this (and any other company-run benchmark) with a grain of salt. Most people don't spend all day watching Netflix on the web, and Microsoft doesn't mention exactly how long the browsers lasted in the generic browsing test. Also, it conducted the tests on Surface Books . Your mileage is likely to vary with third-party hardware. The company does point to lower overall power consumption based on data from "millions" of Windows 10 PCs, but that will only tell you so much about your own experience. Still, it's no secret that Chrome is relatively power-hungry. Google's attempts to improve Chrome's battery efficiency have only gone so far, and it's practically common wisdom that you use another browser if you need an extra hour or two of runtime. It's just important to remember that Microsoft has a strong incentive to trash talk Chrome, and that battery life isn't always the most important factor. Via: The Verge Source: Windows Experience Blog

What if, the next time you played a video game, the main character not only looked like you but had the same body, same clothes, same everything? How would it change the way you related to the game? How would it change the way you relate to the other characters in it? I found out. Read more...        

If you live in San Francisco or New York , you likely know you can connect to free WiFi in certain locations. Your cities' governments partnered with Madrid-based provider Gowex to make that happen -- the same company that has recently admitted to doctoring its accounts for the past four years. Gowex might be an unknown to most of us, but it was considered a success story in Spain and performed really well at Madrid's Alternative Equity Market, a stock exchange for small companies. A few days ago, though, a short seller named Gotham City Research published a report that claims 90 percent of the company's revenues are falsified and that it actually earns only 10 percent of what it says it does. While Gowex initially denied the accusation and even announced that it earned 182.6 million Euros ($248 million) in 2013, company president Jenaro Garcia ultimately admitted the allegations and resigned from his position. On his Twitter page, Garcia wrote: I made the deposition and confession. I want to collaborate with the justice. I face the consecuencies. - Jenaro Garcia (@jero_net) July 6, 2014 The company used to claim that it makes its money from partnerships with local governments that want to use its free WiFi services, carriers that use its hotpots to offload data and from premium fees, among other things. It's unclear what will happen to its hotspots in NYC and San Francisco, but the cities will likely have to look for another provider now that Gowex has filed for bankruptcy. Filed under: Wireless Comments Via: Fierce Wireless , Bloomberg Source: AFP , Fierce Wireless , Bloomberg , Euronext

When director James Gunn revealed that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 would be the first movie shot with Red's 8K Weapon camera , he triggered a bit of speculation: what prompted the move beyond the incredibly high resolution? You might have a better answer today. Red has posted a behind-the-scenes look at the movie that, to no one's surprise, talks a lot about why the Vol. 2 team shot with such relatively exotic gear. And no, it's not just about that picture quality. As director of photography Henry Braham summarizes: the Weapon is a "large format" camera that's simultaneously "tiny." That let the crew shoot very detailed imagery regardless of the shot -- important for a CG-heavy movie, since it maintains a consistently sharp look. They could use the same cameras for handheld close-ups or unusual rigs, such as a spider rig that flies along a wire. In short, they didn't have to switch cameras or resort to convoluted setups. The behind-the-scenes video is undoubtedly a puff piece meant to sell you on both the camera and the movie. However, it's also a hint as to where movie technology is going. You can expect 8K digital cameras to become more commonplace, of course, but they also promise more elaborate cinematography that might have been difficult just a few years ago. Source: Red

There's a new iPhone. Well, to be completely accurate there are two new iPhones. But the new iPhone 5S is Apple's flagship phone and it's the best iPhone you can buy. It looks exactly like how the iPhone 5 looked last year but with improved internals and guts that will make everything run even faster. Read more...        

Bikers interested in going green have reason to rejoice today. Harley-Davidson has already shown off its prototype Livewire electric bike, and it's promised to offer you a real one in the next five years . Today, the motorcycle manufacturer said it has plans to make 100 new motorcycles over the next 10 years, including an entire range of electric vehicles. Vice president Bill Davidson confirmed that electric bikes are Harley-Davidson's future to Drive magazine while in Sydney to celebrate the brand's 100th anniversary in Australia. While an electric Harley won't have the signature engine boom that its combustion-powered bikes have, Davidson said that the company is working on a sound that he likens to a jet engine. "It is an amazing motorcycle, " he told Drive . "While it doesn't have a 45-degree, pushrod twin-cylinder engine it has the performance expected from a Harley Davidson even if it won't sound the same, " he said. So far, we've only seen the one Livewire concept model with a limited top speed and range, it's likely thHarleyely-Davidson will create both sport and cruiser-style bikes to appeal to both the speed freaks and the touring bikers. Davidson noted that as automated cars become more ubiquitous, driving enthusiasts may turn to motorcycles to get their manual fix, telling Drive , "I think the more automatic cars [happen], motorcycling will become more appealing. I see it as a huge opportunity." Via: Autoblog Source: Drive

Janet Knox’s Baton Rogue home is now just a shell of its former self. The recent floods in Louisiana have forced her to tear out the waterlogged walls of her house and begin the rebuilding process. But Knox has had at least one pleasant surprise during the clean up. She found a time capsule dating back to 1942 stuffed inside one of the walls in her home . But there’s something that doesn’t add up. Read more...

Mac: Microsoft Office for the Mac hasn't been fully updated since 2011, but Microsoft just put the training wheels on its preview build for Office 2016, and you can check it out for free right now. Read more...

 Internet hyperbole (and financial analysis) have rendered HTC, a once high-flying mobile brand, essentially valueless. In short, the company is trading below cash on hand which means if you bought all HTC stock the company would have to pay, you, the buyer to take it over. This means the company’s factories, stock, and brand are worth nothing, at least on Wall Street. Furthermore, the… Read More