Eternalromance, one of the hacking tools dumped by Shadow Brokers. Photo: Matthew Hickey
A new batch of classified NSA data was leaked today by the hacker group called Shadow Brokers, revealing malware used by the government agency to break into PCs and servers running Windows.
The leaked software is so powerful, it could give nearly anyone with a bit of technical knowledge the ability to hack millions of Microsoft users.
Windows 10 is more popular than Mac, but don't feel too sorry for Apple. Photo: Microsoft
According to official figures released by both companies, Windows 10 has 4x the number of active users of macOS — with 400 million users for Windows 10 versus 100 million for Mac.
While Microsoft’s figures have been available for a while, Apple’s 100 million figure is newly published, as part of Apple’s efforts to prove it still cares about Mac.
Tim Cook has repeatedly dissed Microsoft’s Surface tablets by comparing them to a toaster-refrigerator, but during his trip to China this week the Apple CEO was forced to spend some up-close time with the convertible tablet.
The Microsoft Band 2 never caught on. Photo: Microsoft
The Microsoft Band may have just met its demise.
Microsoft’s online store has officially stopped selling the Band 2 which was positioned as a competitor to the Apple Watch. The company also revealed today that it will not release a new Microsoft Band 3 this year.
Xiaomi plans to ripoff the MacBook next. Photo: GizmoChina
Like most of the products in its lineup, Xiaomi’s next big thing will be inspired by Apple. But it won’t be another iPhone clone. Instead, the Chinese firm is building its very own MacBook rival, and leaked specifications suggest it will be a tiny powerhouse.
You won’t have to go all the way to San Francisco to watch Apple’s big WWDC keynote as it happens.
Apple revealed today that it will offer a live stream of the event, which will be held June 13 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. The company is expected to unveil iOS 10, OS X 10.12 and much more at the software-oriented keynote in front of thousands of lucky developers.
A tablet that I can actually work on. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
The 9.7-inch iPad Pro was titled the ‘Ultimate PC replacement’ by Apple, and for a lot of people it is. But for myself, mainly working within the creative world designing graphics, editing videos and conjuring up visual effects — this isn’t really possible on the iPad Pro yet.
But I think I’ve found the solution in the form of Wacom’s latest tablet, the Cintiq Companion 2.
Windows 10 is almost a year old, and Windows 7 still rules. Photo: Microsoft
I like Windows 10. There, I said it. But unfortunately for Microsoft, millions of others have no interest in it.
Despite being free for almost a year, the company’s latest upgrade hasn’t been able to put any significant dent in Windows 7’s user base. It has only just overtaken the universally despised Windows 8.1 release.
Coming soon to a Windows PC near you. Or to Macs back in 2014. Photo: Reddit
The latest Windows 10 “Redstone” build looks like it’s “borrowing” a concept very similar to iOS and OS X’s Handoff feature — allowing users to seamlessly switch devices as they work, such as moving from a desktop to a smartphone.
As this, err, slow-moving creepy crawly shows. Photo: Microsoft
The rivalry between Apple and Microsoft may not be as fierce as it once was, but that’s not stopped the long-time Apple frenemy from firing shots in Cupertino’s direction in its latest series of ads for Windows 10.
Presented by two insect educators called “The Bug Chicks” (because, obviously, Windows and bugs go together perfectly!), the ads look at various features that Apple computers just don’t offer yet. You know, like that whole “blue screen of death” lark.
It's on many devices, but we still don't know what kind of devices. Photo: Microsoft
Microsoft is excited, as it’s almost got as many installs of Windows 10 as there are iPads. Of course, the Redmond-based tech company didn’t put it in as many words, rather shouting out that Windows 10 is on now on a ton of devices.
“As of today,” writes Microsoft on its website, “there are more than 200 million monthly active devices around the world running Windows 10.”
That’s surely a lot of installs, showing significant growth.
Cortana has arrived on Android and iOS. Photo: Microsoft
Microsoft Cortana is now officially available on Android and iOS following its beta run. The digital assistant, which has long been baked into Windows Phone and now Windows 10, hopes to compete with Siri and Google Now for a place on your device.
Xiaomi pic1 Photo: XiaomiSounds like iPad, looks like iPad. Photo: Xiaomi
Xiaomi latest iPad mini clone got its grand unveiling today, and it has a neat trick up its sleeve. The 7.9-inch Mi Pad 2, which would look right at home in the Apple Store, can run either Android or Windows 10 — and it starts at just $156.
It's that time of the week again! Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Is merging iOS with OS X a good idea? For the longest time, the answer to that question has been a resounding no from anyone who appreciates good software — but with iPad Pro on the horizon, there may well be a growing case for it.
The iPad Pro has the potential to be the ultimate 2-in-1 — a laptop that could really replace a notebook when you need to get stuff done. But in many ways, it’s being held back by iOS, which is still very much a mobile platform without many of the basics we have on our desktops — like a file manager.
So, is there now room for a new platform that delivers the best of iOS and OS X, perfectly suited to a tablet that doubles as a notebook?
Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight between Cult of Androidand Cult of Mac as we battle it out over that very question!
Microsoft is giving extra love to Mac owners. Photo: Microsoft
Looking to get a new computer this Fall? Microsoft thinks it has an unbeatable offer with its new Windows Tradeup program offers customers $200 to trade in an old PC and buy a new one at a Microsoft Store.
The deal is even sweeter if you got a Mac though, because Microsoft says it’s willing to toss you an extra $100 your way to get you to defect from Apple.
Windows phones could be about to make a comeback. Photo: MicrosoftCould you fall in love with a Lumia? Photo: Microsoft
Microsoft’s new Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL have arrived, with high-end specifications, iris recognition technology, and the latest Windows 10 software. But do they have what it takes to persuade you to give up Android or iOS?
Microsoft’s new flagships have finally arrived. Photo: Microsoft
Microsoft hopes to tempt you away from Android and iOS with a pair of flagship smartphones that boast built-in facial recognition and liquid cooling.
The Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL scan your eyes instead of your fingerprints for lightning-fast unlocking, and they’re the first smartphones on the market powered by Windows 10.
Here's where Apple's next keynote will be held. Photo: Cliff/Flickr
Apple sent out invites this morning to its iPhone 6s event on September and while event’s location is getting a lot of attention, Apple has also decided to do something completely unprecedented: allow people running Windows to watch it.
Boot Camp now supports Windows 10. Photo: Microsoft
Mac users can now use Windows 10 on their OS X machines, thanks to an update for Boot Camp released by Apple this morning.The new Boot Camp 6 update is still propagating through Apple’s servers, but some users have found the update is available on Windows partitions in BootCamp.
Hide the Mac, Fallon, or he'll rip the rest of your fingers off. Photo: NBC
If you’re going to own a Mac, you should maybe put it away somewhere if you’re expecting a visit from Clippy.
Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon learned that lesson the hard way when he was talking up the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft’s latest OS last night. As is his wont, Microsoft Word’s built-in assistant appeared at random, and everything was cordial until the talking paper clip spotted the MacBook on Fallon’s desk.
The battle between virtual assistants is about to hot up again as Microsoft Cortana prepares to go cross-platform to take on Siri and Google Now. The intelligent virtual assistant will be arriving on Android and iOS later this year, but you can get a sneak peek in the video below.
More than four years after its debut, Windows Phone still has a native app problem. Microsoft has now accepted that’s not going to change anytime soon, so in an effort to attract new users to its platform, it’s going to allow them to run Android and iOS apps… sort of.
Future versions of Windows could update like MMOs. Will Apple follow suit? Photo: Neowin
These days, Apple has one of the better cloud infrastructures in the world. Even so, the sheer demand for a new version of iOS or OS X on release day can bring Apple’s network to its knees. Apple’s servers simply can’t keep up with the demand.
But Microsoft might have found a better way. In the latest version of the Windows 10 operating system beta, there’s an option to download app and OS updates from multiple sources: not just Microsoft’s cloud servers, but all local network or PCs on the internet.
In other words? The future of updating operating systems might be a lot like updating World of Warcraft.
And the take-home message is... Buy Microsoft? Photo: Austen Allred
Microsoft showed off a few neat concepts at yesterday’s Windows 10 conference. But while looking at the stage showed a company secure about its place in the tech world, turning around and facing the audience revealed a very different picture: a room full to bursting with MacBook-wielding journos.
Grasswire co-founder Austen Allred tweeted the above image taken at the event, adding the pithy understatement “A couple MacBooks at the Windows 10 Unveiling…”
If one were needed, it’s yet another reminder for longtime tech followers about just who won the PC war in the long run, despite Microsoft’s dominance during the 1990s. We can’t say we’re brokenhearted about it, either.