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The tiny BBC micro:bit mini-computer just got a big upgrade

A new version of the pocket-sized BBC micro:bit computer is coming to schools worldwide, packed with new features designed to keep young students up-to-date with the latest hot trends in technology. 

New hardware will help young coders make experiments with artificial intelligence, and build applications running machine-learning systems. The micro:bit 2.0 also includes, for the first time, a built-in speaker and microphone, so that sound-based projects no longer have to be connected to exterior audio systems – while also letting the device respond and react to sounds like clapping. 

And in a nod to big tech and the industry’s privacy headaches, an LED will flash to make it clear when the microphone is on and sensing sound, to encourage young users to reflect on the pervasiveness of listening devices.

SEE: Technology in education: The latest products and trends (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

“We want to support teachers teaching or taking their

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Commercially Available Silicon Quantum Computer Moves Forward With Quietest Bits On Record

KEY POINTS

  • Physicists achieve a noise level 10 times lower than the previous record
  • Demonstration proves to take a major step closer to a full-scale silicon quantum processor 
  • Next step could be a 10-qubit prototype quantum integrated processor by 2023

The lowest noise level on record for a semiconductor quantum bit has been demonstrated by a team of quantum physicists, bringing the development of a commercially available silicon quantum computer one step forward to possibility. 

In a study published in Advanced Materials, the physicists said they were able to achieve a noise level 10 times lower than previously recorded for any semiconductor qubit. Specifically, they demonstrated a low-level charge noise of  S0 = 0.0088 ± 0.0004 μeV2 Hz−1. 

As a next step, the team is now looking forward to demonstrating the capability required to produce a reliable 10-qubit prototype quantum integrated processor by 2023. 

“Our team is now working towards

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How to update or reinstall your drivers in Windows 10 to keep your computer running smoothly



an open laptop computer sitting on top of a table: You'll need to manually update your drivers in Windows 10 if automatic updates aren't enabled. Hollis Johnson

© Hollis Johnson
You’ll need to manually update your drivers in Windows 10 if automatic updates aren’t enabled. Hollis Johnson
  • To update your drivers in Windows 10, open the Device Manager and right-click the device you need to update.
  • The most important drivers on your computer will likely be updated automatically along with other Windows updates, but you can still check for updates manually.
  • Drivers are essential software that keep the various devices and components in your Windows computer working properly.
  • Visit Business Insider’s Tech Reference library for more stories.

Drivers are software that various devices on your Windows computer, such as the sound and graphics cards, rely on to work properly. Without these drivers, most of your computer would break down.

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And like other pieces of software, they occasionally need to be updated. However, it’s not always easy to figure out how to update them.

Many drivers

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Judge denies motion to extend Florida’s voter registration

A federal judge has denied a motion to extend voter registration in Florida even though a computer meltdown on the final day of registration might have prevented thousands of potential voters from taking part in November’s presidential election.

In a 29-page ruling on Friday morning, U.S. District Court Judge Mark E. Walker said his decision was “an incredibly close call” but added that “the state’s interest in preventing chaos in its already precarious — and perennially chaotic — election outweighs the substantial burden imposed on the right to vote.”

Walker noted the historical problems that the state seems to have with elections.

“Notwithstanding the fact that cinemas across the country remain closed, somehow, I feel like I’ve seen this movie before. Just shy of a month from election day, with the earliest mail-in ballots beginning to be counted, Florida has done it again,” Walker wrote.

Data filed by the state

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Why a computer desk that’s also a PC is my latest obsession

Gallery: Best tech gifts under £20 for Christmas 2020 (Pocket-lint)



a close up of a piece of cake on a table: Christmas is coming around again, just like it does every year, and once again some of us will get well ahead of things, while others make emergency plans late in the day. If you're looking for a nice, easy gift for someone in your life who loves a bit of technology, look no further - we've got a whole range of gift guides that you could use this year, but this one's for those operating on a tight budget. Everything on this list should come in under £20/$20 or so, conversion rates notwithstanding.  There are some superb hidden gems to be uncovered, so read on to find out more. 

Since working from home these past few months, I’ve spent a lot of time at my computer desk. Normally, I’d only be seated at my desk when streaming on Twitch or doing a bit of design work – all of my actual gaming is usually enjoyed from the comfort of my couch.



a desktop computer sitting on top of a table: null

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Make no mistake – my desk is a bit of a behemoth, supporting not only my mouse and keyboard at a comfortable typing level, but also a digital piano and two monitors on a dual-monitor arm. It’s a decent setup for streaming and for getting my work done, rather than tapping away on my MacBook while curled up on the couch (and eventually falling asleep). It’s also a desk that I had custom built a little over two years ago, just because I

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Need a computer? 5 reasons why you need iMac 27-inch for WFH and 2 reasons why you don’t



a desktop computer monitor sitting on top of a desk

In a sea of laptops and smartphones, there are times when you do need a desktop computer. This is a need that is particularly felt nowadays as we all work from home. And when it comes to computers, the recently updated iMac 27-inch is a fabulous option. It is the kind of machine that goes beyond its purpose. It adds something extra to the user experience. Like the way Google Pixel phones do. Or like how some iPhones do. Or like home some of the smart speakers function. These are the products that are more than the sum of their parts, and the Apple iMac 27-inch is in the same league.

But why? Well, reasons. If you are looking to get a high-end desktop computer for regular use at home, the iMac 27-inch should be in your shortlist. That is if you don’t mind paying its high price, which if

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‘Shopping around is impossible when you don’t have a computer’

Christine Chapman and Stephen HarrisImage copyright
Stephen Harris

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Christine Chapman was helped by her brother-in-law Stephen Harris

With little more income than the state pension, Christine Chapman is careful with her money.

The 70-year-old keeps paperwork meticulously in a filing cabinet and knows what is coming in and going out.

Her bills were cut by hundreds of pounds a year, simply by switching insurance, phone and mobile suppliers.

It all sounds like an advert for competition and the benefits of shopping around.

But Mrs Chapman was lucky.

Misplaced trust?

The widow, from County Durham, does not have a computer and does not know how to operate one. Her smartphone is only used for calls and messages to family and friends. She had no way of shopping around for better deals.

What she does have is a caring brother-in-law who taught IT and, after a conversation at a family gathering, realised Mrs Chapman

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England lost 16,000 new coronavirus cases, blames computer glitch

The glitch was no mere rounding error in the government’s accounting, but another serious stumble at a crucial moment, when the British government is daily trying to decide where to tighten regional lockdowns to slow a second wave of the virus.

After the error was spotted and the lost cases accounted for, the government’s report of new daily infections nearly doubled — from 12,872 on Saturday to 22,961 on Sunday — sparking renewed angst among officials in London and England’s north, where most of the new cases were centered.

Michael Brodie, the interim head of Public Health England, said the issue was identified late Friday in the computer process that communicates positive results from labs to the country’s reporting dashboards. Some data files containing positive results had exceeded the maximum file size, he said, according to the BBC.

“We fully understand the concern this may cause,” Brodie added, “and further

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U.S. patchwork of state, county election computer networks still vulnerable to cyberattacks

WASHINGTON — In a little-noticed episode in 2016, an unusual number of voters in Riverside, California, complained that they were turned away at the polls during the primary because their voter registration information had been changed.

The Riverside County district attorney, Mike Hestrin, investigated and determined that the voter records of dozens of people had been tampered with by hackers. Hestrin said this week that federal officials confirmed his suspicions in a private conversation, saying the details were classified.

Last year, a cybersecurity company found a software flaw in Riverside County’s voter registration lookup system, which it believes could have been the source of the breach. The cybersecurity company, RiskIQ, said it was similar to the vulnerability that appears to have allowed hackers — Russian military hackers, U.S. officials have told NBC News — to breach the voter rolls in two Florida counties in 2016.

RiskIQ analysts said they assess

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IonQ announces development of next-generation quantum computer

IonQ announces development of next generation quantum computer claiming it is the most powerful to date
Credit: IonQ

IonQ, a College Park, Maryland-based quantum computing hardware and software company has announced that it has launched its next generation quantum computer. As part of its announcement, the company is claiming that its new machine is the most powerful quantum computer built to date based on IBM’s quantum volume metric. The company has also announced that the new computer will be made available to customers soon.


Despite the headlines claiming that the age of quantum computers is upon us, they are still very much in their infancy. In most ways, conventional computers still outperform them by a wide margin. But the promise of future capabilities is fueling an ever-increasing competition between established companies like IBM, Microsoft and Google, and recent startups like IonQ.

Because the technology is still so new, quantum computer makers are working on different approaches to building them. IBM and Google, for example, use superconducting

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