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Wordle clones have jumped the S_ARK
Four Wordle puzzles at once? That was so five hours ago.
Firefox's Total Cookie Protection aims to stop tracking between multiple sites
Mozilla is adding a 'total cookie protection' feature to Firefox aimed at stopping tracking across multiple websites as part of its latest browser release.
Canon is the latest to be hit by a possible ransomware attack
After Garmin reportedly paid millions to get its systems online, Canon might also be victim to a ransomware attack, according to Bleeping Computer. More than 20 Canon domains, including its main US site, are affected or down, and attackers may have stolen up to 10TB of data.
Most websites don't follow European cookie consent laws, study shows
Websites that operate in Europe are supposed to follow GDPR rules that let consumers to opt out of cookie-type tracking. However, most are making it "substantially more difficult" to reject all tracking than to accept it, according to a new study called Dark Patterns after the GDPR, by researchers from MIT, UCL and Aarhus University. In fact, only 11.8 percent of the 10,000 websites they checked "meet the minimal requirements that we set based on European law," the team wrote.
Hackers breached some of the web's most popular domain registrars
Attackers have breached Web.com and two top domain name registrars that it owns, NetworkSolutions.com and Register.com, according to Krebs on Security. Web.com issued a security notice advising customers that they will be forced to reset their passwords the next time they log on. Such breaches are particularly worrying, because domain name registrar customers are website owners, and around 8.7 million of them are registered with those companies, according to Krebs.
Apple tries to clear up Google's claims about iOS vulnerabilities
Apple has taken issue with Google's findings about exploit-laden websites injecting malicious code into iPhones. Last week, Google published a blog post describing how a handful of hacked websites had taken advantage of an iOS vulnerability. Today, Apple shared a rebuttal.
Google isn't killing 'www' in Chrome just yet
Google's grand plan to rethink the URL has suffered a temporary setback after it was forced to reinstate the axed "www" in Chrome's address bar following user outrage. It now wants the public to weigh in on the change but claims it will correct course again with the release of Chrome 70.
Google fixes one of Chrome's biggest issues with scroll anchoring
If you've ever viewed a page on a mobile device, you've probably suffered through the frustration of having your view suddenly jump to another point in the webpage halfway through reading something. These kind of page jumps happen when a site is progressively loading additional content in the background that tweaks the layout of the page. It could be a slideshow, a video or a high resolution image -- but the result is always the same: a page jump. It's an annoying glitch that muddles an otherwise smooth experience, and Google says it's stamping it out.
UK apps and websites that'll save you time this Christmas
With so much to do around Christmas time, any app or website that can save you time and help you plough through that 'to do' list is always welcomed. Fancy outsourcing some of those projects? Here's a few suggestions. An app that writes your Christmas cards Inkly lets you write and send real cards from your smartphone or tablet. Choose your Christmas card design; add a photo, if you choose; and take a photo of your handwritten message or write it straight on to your tablet with a stylus. Then choose the envelope, decide who you're sending you cards to and Inkly prints it all out and sends it off. The app is free, but there is a charge for the cards and delivery. Still, it'll save you a trip to the shops to buy the cards and the stamps. Christmas gift lists The Christmas Gift List Android app enables you to create gift lists, set a budget for each person you are buying for and mark the gifts as purchased as they are bought. So that you don't repeat a gift the next year, it archives your gift lists once the new year rolls around. Santa's Bag does a similar job on iOS devices. Tree deliveries No time to pick out your own Norwegian Spruce? Don't worry, with Pines and Needles you can specify the height and type of tree and have it delivered to your living room. If you're London-based they will even decorate it for you too. If you're outside London, you can ask TaskRabbit to dress it for you. Deck the halls... and the rest of the house Do you fancy a Christmas light display to rival London's Regent Street this year? Or, would you just like the interior of your home to look like a magazine Christmas at home spread. It's time to bring in the professionals. The Christmas Decorators offer a nationwide decorating service and will cover everything from the wreath on the door, to the garland on the stairs. They will create a pretty amazing illuminated display outside your home too. The Christmas food shop sorted Don't fancy negotiating a trolley through the aisles of a heaving supermarket to the piped out tune of Jingle Bells? Not a problem. At Riverford Organic you can order a full Christmas Dinner box for delivery. Their Christmas Dinner Box with Turkey and Trimmings includes festive veg, an organic turkey, pork and cranberry stuffing balls, pigs in blankets, cranberry sauce, mince pies, a Christmas pudding, clementines, oatcakes and a Cropwell Bishop stilton. Christmas Dinner Under Control Do you get in a tizz just thinking about all the preparation you need to do for Christmas dinner? The Perfect Christmas Dinner app for iOS provides expert guidance from the professional chefs at the renowned Ashburton Cookery School. There are over 25 video recipes that you can tap into, covering everything from creating canapes to preparing the turkey, delicious desserts and even drinks. Plus, there is a shopping list maker and menu list too.
Chrome's latest tool checks your website's security
You may never notice Chrome's green lock showing that an HTTPS site is 100 percent secure, but developers pay rapt attention to it. That's because Google prioritizes search results for sites with the strongest security, so a problematic site could find itself on the dreaded second page. The symbol also tells users that they're less likely to be victims of man-in-the-middle and other "content injection" attacks. However, many operators still aren't sure why their sites appear insecure, so Google has unveiled a security panel for DevTools in its latest version 48 of Chrome.
Chrome shows sites with minor security issues as totally insecure
Google has just launched Chrome 46, and there's a significant change in how it notifies you about web security. If you're on an HTTPS site that's 100 percent secure, you'll still see a green lock icon, and broken sites show a red "X" symbol, as before. However, when you hit a protected site with minor issues, you'll see absolutely no symbol, as if you were on a regular, unencrypted HTTP site (below). That's a big change from Chrome 45, when Google showed a lock symbol with a yellow triangle on such "mixed" sites.
This website only lets one person in at a time
As I write this, I'm waiting in line. Not at the grocery store or camping out for a superfluous wearable, but to get into a website. That only one person can visit at a time. For a total 60 seconds. It's madness. There are 3,662 people ahead of me and my ticket number is 113,664. I'm not great at math, but I estimate that it's going to be awhile before I see what's contained on Most Exclusive Website. As site designer Justin Foley tells The Washington Post, he made this website because it's the exact opposite of what the internet is supposed to be: open and accessible by anyone. As for what's in the metaphorical box (or Marcellus Wallace's digital briefcase), that isn't so clear, but WaPo thinks it's random pictures of an "internet-famous animal." So, Grumpy Cat perhaps?
Blame Canada: Google ordered to block website links worldwide
A minor Canadian court dispute has resulted in a judge's far-reaching decision that Google must block a website's search results worldwide, not just in Canada. It arose from a case involving a company that stole its ex-partner's intellectual property and fled abroad to sell pirated equipment online. Following a court order, Google Canada pulled the rogue firm's search results, but it put up new sites faster than they could be erased. As a result, a judge ordered Google to spike all its links worldwide -- an unprecedented ruling against a search company. Google said that it would appeal to BC's highest court, claiming the judge overstepped her jurisdiction. Many legal critics also found the ruling puzzling, saying it could set a legal precedent limiting the right to free speech.
CloudFlare donates tech to stop politically-sensitive sites from being knocked offline
If protecting yourself from hackers wasn't tough enough, there's another crippling internet attack that knocks websites completely offline while you're a target: a denial of service attack. That's why a company called CloudFare has launched Project Galileo, a free service that helps "protect politically and artistically important organizations and journalists against attacks that would otherwise censor their work." CloudFlare has been in the business of protecting sites for quite some time, operating as a content delivery network that offers DDoS protection, but only to paid customers.
Shards Online opens website with 24 hours left on Kickstarter
As of this writing, Shards Online has 24 hours remaining on its Kickstarter program and has yet to break a quarter of its funding goal. Odds are that it's not going to hit that marker, although fans are encouraged to jump in and donate while the campaign is still running. But the team at Citadel Studios isn't giving up on the project and has launched a website for the game devoted to all things related to Shards Online. Despite what you may have suspected from the last paragraph, the page is not currently fishing for donations. The team will be holding the game's first community roundtable discussion on June 13th, starting at 8 p.m. EDT, when the developers will discuss what comes after Kickstarter and why there are no plans to ask for funding on the site directly. It'll be worth watching if you're a fan of the game -- and if you're a fan and still haven't donated, now is the time to do so. [Source: Citadel Studios press release]
Final Fantasy XIV launches beta version of the Lodestone
Alongside the third phase of beta testing, Square-Enix is also testing another aspect of Final Fantasy XIV's relaunch -- the new and improved Lodestone. The original Lodestone served as a combination community site and data aggregator, but it had some system issues and deserved a revamp along with everything else connected to the game. Players are encouraged to log in to the site now and try out its improved functionality, as well as explore the things that can be done from the site with and without fully logging in. The new site features all of the functionality of the original incarnation, including character blogs and a surfeit of information about your character even when logged off. It also allows players to search for characters, linkshells, and free companies freely. And it features a mobile version for times that you want to check your character data while you're on the road. Anyone in the game's test (which includes all former players of the first incarnation) are invited to test out the improvements for themselves.
Google unveils 'Save to Drive' button for websites, streamlines content delivery to cloud storage
Google Drive may be playing catch-up to its competitors in some ways, but the cloud storage team in Mountain View is forging ahead in others. Today, Big G announced a 'Save to Drive' button that allow users to save content directly from websites to Google-fied cloud lockers. Adding the button's easy, as it only requires a few lines of HTML, and a JavaScript API allows web admins to control their behavior. Folks looking to take advantage of the new button can learn more about it on the Google Developers portal, and as for the rest of us, we'll just enjoy the fruits of your labor.
What are your favorite WoW blogs? Let's see them all!
One of the best parts of the WoW experience is the community. Players from the very most pro to the very casual "have fun when I can" crowd get inspired, start blogs, create art, and share their Azerothian experiences with the world wide web. It enriches our skills, creates friendships, and generally makes the world an awesome place. So, let's put a list together. Tell me all of your favorite WoW blogs -- from the roleplaying lists to theorycrafting -- and I'll put them together in a later post. We do projects like this all the time, of course, but this is my first time for the new year. Just leave a comment in this thread and let me know the name of the blog, the URL, and why you love it. Here's hoping we all get the chance to find someone new and get them some attention. Stuff like this takes time and effort, so let's reward that work with a little attention!
Vevo's website redesign simplifies the video watch page, adds artist pages
Chances are you've enjoyed Vevo's music video catalogue in one form or another, and purists who prefer .com access are being rewarded today with a fresh website design. The "video watch page" was previously littered with related clips, a playlist and other distractions, which have now been dispatched for greater focus on the tune at hand. Much of this has been moved to "artist pages", a new pop-up hub (pictured above) which is full of extra info on your chosen act. Head over to Vevo to see the enhancements for yourself, and with impending OUYA support, you might want to consider it your primary dispensary for that daily dose of Biebzilla.
Grooveshark circles back again, swaps app for HTML5
It's hard to keep up with whether Grooveshark is in the Google Play store, or out again, but now it doesn't matter. The music streaming service has decided to ditch its yo-yoing app, and instead opt for a flashy new HTML5 website for all devices. It's gone live in the US with an international launch "in the coming months", although this London-based editor didn't have any trouble using it. If you've been missing your favorites list, then jump over to Grooveshark.com and get listening -- after all, you might see it disappear again soon if a fresh lawsuit from EMI has any impact.
