Ubuntu Budgie - Ultra Minimal version of Ubuntu Linux distribution

The Ubuntu Budgie developers are working on an Ultra Minimal version of their Linux distribution that’ll consume less than 220MB RAM. This version is expected to ship without any standard applications or a RAM-intensive desktop environment.


Back in November, Many sources have mentioned that Ubuntu Technical Board’s decision that granted budgie-remix an official Ubuntu flavor status. It was also revealed that 17.04 will be the first release of the distro under a new name Ubuntu Budgie.

Now, the Ubuntu Budgie developers have teased something that’ll surely get you excited. A recent tweet has shown an “ultra minimal” version of Ubuntu Budgie that utilizes just “220MB or less of RAM.”

While the RAM usage for 64-bit version will be 220MB, the 32-bit release will consume something under 200MB.

You can follow the updates on Twitter on https://twitter.com/UbuntuBudgie

 
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Linux Kernel 4.9 Released

Biggest Ever” Linux Kernel 4.9 Released

Short Bytes: Linus Torvalds has released Linux kernel 4.9. It’s the biggest ever Linux version in terms of commits. A lot of bulk in this release comes due to AMD GPU register definition files and Project Ara’s “greybus.” Torvalds has also announced that Linux kernel 4.10 merge window will be shorter due to Christmas weekend.


Back in October, many sources mentioned that Linux 4.9 is expected to arrive as the biggest ever Linux release in terms of the number of commits. This news was shared by Linus Torvalds with the announcement of Linux 4.9-rc2. Well, the wait is finally over as Linux 4.9 is here in all its glory.

In the announcement post, once again Torvalds talked about the number of lines of kernel code. This is due to some specific issues like lots of code from AMD GPU register definition files. A lot of lines also comes from “greybus”, the portion of Google Project Ara code that managed to slip into this release.

Breaking down, two third of Linux 4.9 code consists of drivers. Rest are arch updates, documentation, generic networking, and filesystems.

Brief feature overview — Linux kernel 4.9
Apart from a couple of additions mentioned above, the significant features shipping with Linux kernel 4.9 are:

  •     Intel DRM fixes
  •     Better Raspberry Pi Zero support & other 28 ARM devices
  •     Better security, thanks to Vmapped stacks
  •     Memory protection keys implementation
  •     Filesystem improvements

The release of version 4.9 automatically opens the merge window for kernel 4.10. However, due to Christmas weekend, it’ll be shorter than usual. “I will certainly stop pulling on the 23rd at the latest, and if I get roped into xmas food prep, even that date might be questionable,” Torvalds added.

Read the complete Linux kernel 4.9 release announcement here. Grab the latest release from Kernel.org.
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IObit Uninstaller Saves Windows 10 Users



The rollout of Windows 10 was interesting, to say the least. While a lot of Microsoft devotees eagerly anticipated the new operating system before its launch, the reality of it left a lot of tech users reaching for their torches and pitchforks. They felt arm-twisted into accepting automatic updates and upgrades, while mourning the loss of some of even the most basic features, like good old-fashioned Solitaire.

 Uninstaller 6 helps rid your Windows machine of those additional features that slow things down or chew up space.

But here’s the problem: uninstalling built-in programs can leave your system operating at less-than-ideal functionality if you don’t know what you’re doing. That’s why IObit gives you a complete list of programs to remove before you check them off, meaning you’re less likely to delete something critical and end up ruining your operating system.

What else is new in version 6?

Besides the ability to target Microsoft Edge plug-ins and extensions for removal, this version contains a larger database of known malicious and ad-based plug-ins so you can wipe those out, too.

 The uninstaller keeps a close watch for program features that you might not want, then alerts you to their presence so you can take action

IObit Unisntaller can download here
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Google Changes How AdWords Works

Google has made the announcement that its AdWords is getting a makeover, and has been rebuilt from the ground up, in order to fully accommodate the fact that for most of us, mobile devices are the way we access the World Wide Web.

Essentially, they’ve decided to make a bunch of updates that will make its ad tools more suitable for mobile technology.

The major, or most prominent change, is to see a much greater emphasis on location related mobile searches. The new changes were announced at the Google Performance Summit in San Francisco and followed the news that of the trillions of Google searches every year, over half are now made from mobile devices.


Google has claimed that searches made from mobile devices are currently growing 50% faster than in any other area, so this new direction makes sense.

Significantly, the move will separate desktop and mobile devices in the way AdWords operates for each type of device.

Advertisers will be given the option to make mobile the primary focus of their campaigns, and also allow them to set different bids for desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
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DROWN can crack HTTPS In Less Than A Minute

Expert have warned that Websites could be exposing themselves to an attack that can break and exploit HTTPS encryption protections in less than a minute.

Yep, that’s right. There’s another branded exploit out there, and this one is causing more concern than most. More than 33% of servers worldwide are vulnerable to an attack that can decrypt secure HTTPS protocol communications, such as credit card numbers and passwords, in less than a minute.

http://www.geekyharsha.in/2016/03/drown-can-crack-https-in-less-than.html#

“DROWN stands for Decrypting RSA with Obsolete and Weakened eNcryption, allows an attacker to decrypt intercepted TLS connections by making specially crafted connections to an SSLv2 server that uses the same private key.”

 It works against HTTPS by sending specially crafted packets to a server, or if the certificate is shared on another server, effectively performing a Man-in-the-Middle attack.

Unfortunately, there’s little to nothing that end users can do to protect themselves against the effect of a DROWN attack, as the issue is server based in nature.
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eSim and its Affects

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What is an eSIM?
When the eSIM becomes available, it’s going to be an electronic SIM card that is not going to depend on the old method of introducing it to a device to work; it will already come built into the device. It’s a new standard from the GSMA, and the information it has is going to be rewritable or submissive by all operators.

Advantages of the eSIM
The advantages that the eSIM is going to offer users is that it is going to make things a lot easier when we want to switch carriers or data plans within our current carrier. You will also save a lot of time if you ever wish to change your carrier since it can be done with a simple phone call.

Upgrading devices is also going to be a lot easier. For example, let’s say that your current device uses micro SIM, but the device you want to get uses nano SIM. In this situation switching devices and info can be a real fuss. With eSIM all you have to do is register the new device, and you’re done!

Telco Profiles in the eSIM
The eSIM is going to hold the profiles of all of the associated companies, but only the ones you are using will be activated. Each profile will be a different company, just like every traditional SIM has its own carrier. It’s these profiles that are going to allow you to also have lines from a different carrier, just like you would in a device with two or even three SIM cards in the same device. For now, you can only have one profile activated, but the idea is to have multiple profiles running simultaneously.

The End of Roaming
You can also say goodbye to roaming because once you land in a foreign country, you can easily get a local line while still having the line you’ve always had back home.

The eSIM craze is going to have two parts. The first part is going to affect the wearables, tablets, and other devices, while the second part is going to be exclusively for the smartphones. Thanks to the eSIM, you are going to be able to connect multiple devices to a single plan with the carrier you have chosen. We still have to wait and see when the second part starts, but some say that it will start in June while others say that it will begin by the end of 2017.


Conclusion
Everything seems to indicate that the eSIM is something that is going to benefit us all, but only time will tell if there is something to fear about it. Do you think that the eSIM is something that will make things easier, or do you think it’s all part of an evil plan to keep us under control? Let us know in the comments.
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How to Enable the Hidden Chess Game in Facebook Messenger

http://www.geekyharsha.in/2016/02/how-to-enable-hidden-chess-game-in.html#


You do not need a third-party app or anything like that to unhide the game; all you need to do is fire-up a command, and it will activate the game for you.

1. Launch a conversation with a friend you would like to play the game with.

2. When the conversation panel opens, send them a message that says “@fbchess play” (without quotes), and the game of chess will begin.

3. As soon as you send the above message to your friend, the conversation window will immediately show you the chess board to play the game.
http://www.geekyharsha.in/2016/02/how-to-enable-hidden-chess-game-in.html#
It will also tell you whose move it is; making a move is not as difficult as you may think. For instance, if you wish to move the Queen, simply use the letter Q, and the tile where you want to move it to. To move the Queen to B4 tile, use the following command: " @fbchess Qb4 " 

Similarly, you can move the other pieces you wish by using the first letter of the piece’s name and the location of the tile you want to move them to.

If you would like to maximize the chess board, then you can do so by clicking on the Settings icon in the chat window and selecting the “See Full Conversation” option. That should help you get a little larger view of the game.
http://www.geekyharsha.in/2016/02/how-to-enable-hidden-chess-game-in.html#
While many of us may not be experts in making a chess move, Facebook also helps you with that by letting you view the full information about how you can make a move. You can get access to that helpful information by typing in the command “@fbchess help” (again, without quotes), and that should show you all the related information about the secret game you are playing.

If things are not working well and you wish to offer a draw, you can do so by sending in the command “@fbchess draw offer” and the opponent will receive your request. Lastly, if you do not want to play the game anymore and wish to resign, then send in the command “@fbchess resign.”
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Are Hackers Taking Over Your Phone?

BBC has a report on a bug in VoIP phone software that lets hackers in with just a few lines of code. They can then use the phone system to make expensive calls, and even listen in on your phone conversations.

http://www.geekyharsha.in/2016/02/are-hackers-taking-over-your-phone.html#

The mechanism is frighteningly simple: VoIP users–whether they’re residential or commercial–typically use the same internet connection to run their computers and their phones. By finding some specific lines of code in a site that the user has visited via the computer, the hackers can then apply those lines of code to the software running the phone. This is a massive oversimplification of the process, but never fear, scammers have it down pat.

Then, one of two processes occurs, both if you’re extremely unlucky. The hackers can eavesdrop on your phone conversations, and they’re able to rack up phone charges to charge-per-minute phone numbers. In an even funnier twist, the premium phone services can hire hackers to break into your VoIP phone system and quietly make these calls, thereby lining the premium service’s pockets and leaving you or your company to foot the bill. This becomes a lot less humorous when you factor in a company’s potential response to finding out your desk phone was used to make thousands of dollars’ worth of phone sex calls.
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Apple Trade-in Program Will Replace Broken iPhones with New Ones

iPhones are delicate and it’s no big secret. But if you are an iPhone user, you are not alone in worrying about the safety of your device. Clearly Apple has been giving it some thought and seems to have come up with a solution. According to reports, Apple is about to launch a program that would allow customers to exchange their broken iPhones in return for credit to but a new one.

http://www.geekyharsha.in/2016/02/apple-trade-in-program-will-replace.html#

The models to be made part of this scheme include iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, as of now. Older models won’t be able to get their devices exchanged. The company would offer $50 against 5s and about $200 and $250. This trade-in program includes broken screens, buttons and cameras.

The trade-in program would be rolled out in the US soon, but no news on when it would be made available in India. We can expect it here in the next couple of months though, before the end of 2016.
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How to Find Your Lost Computer with Windows 10

Before you get started, make sure that your computer has Windows 10 version 1511 or higher, let Microsoft record your device’s regular intervals and make sure that you are the administrator on your device. 
http://www.geekyharsha.in/2016/01/how-to-find-your-lost-computer-with.html#
How Finding Your Lost Computer Works

This feature is very easy to use, and what it does is that it sends your exact location from time to time to your Microsoft account. For this to work you will need to sign in with your Microsoft account. If you don’t have one you will be given the option to set one up since you need one to use the feature. To gain access to this feature you need to follow the below steps.

1. Go to “Settings.”

2. Go to “Update and Security.”

3. In the menu on the left, find and select “Find My Device.” Windows 10 doesn’t save your device’s location on a regular basis. To change this you will need to click on the “Change” button that is located in the “Find my Device” section.

http://www.geekyharsha.in/2016/01/how-to-find-your-lost-computer-with.html#

4. After clicking on the Change button, turn on “Save my device’s location periodically.” Once you have completed this the feature has been turned on.
Finding Your Device with Windows 10

If you ever need to find your device, the first site you will want to visit is the Device page on Microsoft’s official site. Remember to use the same login credentials that you are using on the device you are looking for.

Find your Windows 10 device in the listing of the devices that you have registered to your account, and select “Find my Device” located right next to the device you are looking for.

http://www.geekyharsha.in/2016/01/how-to-find-your-lost-computer-with.html#
After a moment you will receive the information about the last location of your device, and it will also provide you with a map. That obviously makes finding the device a whole lot easier. Keep in mind that the location may not be exact if your lost device does not have a built-in GPS.
Conclusion

Windows 10 has its pros and its cons, but this features that allows us to find our devices is definitely a good one. This feature will help many users find their lost or stolen devices and give them a happy ending to their story. If you found this information useful, don’t forget to give it a share, and let us know in the comments if you plan on activating this feature on your Windows 10 computer.
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Microsoft plans to launch own SIM Card

http://www.geekyharsha.in/2016/01/microsoft-plans-to-launch-own-sim-card.html#

The software giant Microsoft is soon going to launch its own SIM card. The SIM card can be used only on Microsoft devices that have a SIM slot, which will allow the user to connect to various mobile networks through the app from Microsoft store without any contract. The project is currently under testing. The app is being designed to work on operating system ‘Windows 10’ and requires a Microsoft SIM Card. The user should have a Microsoft account to enable this feature.

It is not known which market the company has focused on and the pricings are yet to be revealed. It is said that Microsoft is planning to launch its own virtual mobile network to allow its users to connect to partner carriers. Though the app is currently available in the store, it will be of no use without the upcoming ‘Microsoft SIM Card’. So the company will soon come up with the updates.
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