Researchers from the University of Sussex and Universal Quantum have announced that they have made a major breakthrough in quantum computing that could help solve the most complex real-world problems. What Are Quantum Computers? Quantum computers can carry out complex calculations at high speed. Whereas traditional computers store data in binary ‘bits’ (ones and zeros) and work by creating…
Hull-based company iHelios has developed a system of using temperature controlled, energy-efficient electric infrared ‘wallpaper’ to heat homes and businesses which may have the potential to replace traditional central heating systems. Heating Film The ‘smart’ heating system from iHelios uses a wafer-thin heating film that is placed within the ceiling, under floors, or in panels, and is linked up…
Social news and discussion website Reddit has reported being hit by a “sophisticated phishing campaign that targeted Reddit employees” whereby a single employee’s credentials were obtained, and an attacker gained access to internal documents and code, as well as some internal dashboards and business systems. Following several days of investigation, Reddit has announced “we have no evidence to suggest…
If you don’t want to drain your Windows 11 laptop’s battery while out and about, Firefox can show you how much power specific websites use up. Here’s how it works: – In Firefox, go to the website you want to measure and click the three dots top right. – Select ‘Tools’, then ‘Web Developer Tools’, and open the ‘Performance’…
The inevitable monthly subscription for ChatGPT is a step closer following the introduction of a trial ‘ChatGPT Plus’ service in the US priced at $20 (circa £16) per month. Just The US For Now OpenAI say that the new ChatGPT Plus service is just available to customers in the United States but will be made available by invite over…
Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichia, has announced that Google will be launching its rival to OpenAI’s ChatGPT called ‘Bard’ “in the coming weeks” following its final testing stage. What Is Bard? Referred to as ‘Apprentice Bard’ during its development stages, Bard is Google’s conversational AI service which uses Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA), Google’s family of conversational neural language models. LaMDA…
Following news that hackers have stolen encrypted backups from the parent company of popular password manager LastPass, we look at what password managers are, plus the implications of the attack for businesses. Password Challenges We are all used to using passwords but without extra measures (e.g. 2FA) they are now recognised as having security limitations as well as others….
In this insight, we look at what a virtual machine is, where to get one, what it can be used for, plus a few of the main pros and cons. What Is A Virtual Computer? A virtual machine/virtual computer is a software-based simulation of a computer system, generally created and run on cloud-based infrastructure, and managed and maintained by…
Engineers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) say they have modified a conventional diesel engine to run on mostly on hydrogen which could lead to CO2 emissions being cut by up to 85 per cent. Engine Converted The UNSW Sydney engineers have reported taking an automotive-size inline single-cylinder diesel engine, and modifying it to install an additional…
Royal Mail has reported that following their hit by 10 major LockBit ransomware attacks in January, some services have still not recovered, plus it is still using alternative solutions and systems. Despite making progress, Royal Mail reports being unable to process new Royal Mail parcels purchased through Post Office branches, that the delivery of international items may take slightly…
