Author: Alfonso Maruccia

The big picture: Google unexpectedly released a firmware update for the Pixel 4a smartphone earlier this year. Many users reported that the update made their devices unreliable or even unusable, leading them to question whether it was truly necessary. Now, an Australian organization has revealed the real reason behind the update. Google launched a so-called “battery performance program” in January, stating that some Pixel 4a phones required new battery management features to prevent performance degradation. The company warned users that the update could reduce battery capacity on certain devices and offered limited compensation options to affected customers. After the update…

Facepalm: Unscrupulous resellers are still trying to hawk used Seagate hard drives as brand new. After tinkering with the SMART system, the fraudsters have found a new way to clean usage logs and make worn-out drives appear as new. Users can still protect themselves against this scam but must be vigilant. It is still a big problem that is not going away. A recently updated report by Heise online found that fraudsters are still finding ways to pass off used Seagate hard disk drives as new. Emails from deceived buyers sharing their unfortunate purchase experience have not ended since Heise…