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An anonymous person living in the village of Aberhosan, Powys, was found to have caused broadband outages for the whole village for the last 18 months every time they switched on their old television. Investigation An exhaustive investigation by frustrated Openreach engineers found that the disruption to broadband for the whole village, which mysteriously began…

In an open letter to Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon and Microsoft, MPs, academics, and campaigners have asked the big tech companies to stop targeting children with personalised advertising. Global Action Plan The letter has been published online by Global Action Plan (GAP) which is a charity that campaigns on primarily environmental issues but also believes…

The online environment can be a dangerous as well as a fun place for young people so here are some tips and tools to help keep kids safe online. The Risks Children face many risks online including seeing/watching things they shouldn’t, arriving on websites that contain content not suitable for them, making contact with/being contacted…

Airbus has announced that a zero-emission, hydrogen-fuelled commercial aircraft could be a reality by 2035. Targets The dramatic drop in air pollution levels during the global pandemic lockdown reminded many people of the pressing need to meet global greenhouse gas reduction targets and how commercial aircraft have been significant contributors to pollution worldwide.  It is…

If you are using Windows 10 and you want to multi-task and make the most of your single screen Snap Assist enables you to split your screen between two open windows.  Here’s how: – Hold down the Windows key on the keyboard and use the < or > arrows. – Snap Assist will then move…

An FT investigation appears to have uncovered an estimated 20,000 Amazon reviews where the reviewers were suspected of being paid to give a five-star rating. Reviews The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK estimates that £23 billion a year of UK consumer spending is potentially influenced by online reviews.  This makes them especially…

In a bid to raise awareness of responsible behaviour concerning COVID-19 among the younger age groups, the UK government is reported to be paying freelance social media influencers and reality TV stars to promote test and trace. Test and Trace Test and trace in the UK is branded as NHS but is actually outsourced to…

With a vast and growing number of business, industry, consumer and civic IoT devices and systems now being used, we look at their advantages, the threats to the IoT and how we move forward in a way that maximises the benefits and security. The Internet of Things (IoT) IoT devices are those devices that are…

If you are using Windows 10 and need some simple, handy reminders about work, appointments, calls and more, synced across all your devices and other apps, Microsoft’s Sticky Notes app can help. Here’s how it works: – Open the Sticky Notes app (type Sticky Notes in the Start menu). – When you first launch Sticky…