Java’s browser plugin, the software attackers just love to exploit, is going away. Oracle, who owns Java, is retiring the plugin a year from now in their next SDK update.
The Java browser plugin is infamous for its security problems. It is a common entry point for trojans and other attacks on Windows computers and Macs alike, and security experts frequently recommend disabling it entirely. Even the US Department of Homeland Security told people to turn the plugin off to protect their data.
Oracle has always patched problems, but never quickly enough to satisfy security experts. So browsers started to force the issue, by removing the plugin capability from their products entirely.
Oracle’s announcement comes after Mozilla’s Firefox, Google’s Chrome, and Microsoft’s new Edge browser all indicated the end of support for browser plugins that use the ancient Netscape Plugin Application Programming Interface (NPAPI). This means that, even if Oracle kept updating their browser plugin, only Apple’s Safari and Microsoft’s legacy Internet Explorer browsers would support it.
Responding to this, Oracle announced the end of the plugin in a blog post.
“With modern browser vendors working to restrict and reduce plugin support in their products, developers of applications that rely on the Java browser plugin need to consider alternative options,” the post said, adding that the company “plans to deprecate the Java browser plugin in JDK 9” later this year.
With or without support, it’s likely that the Java browser plugin will live on in corporate environments. Many custom-built applications used by businesses and government still depend on the plugin to function, and can’t be easily replaced. Oracle’s announcement means people at those companies will need to keep the plugin around, without the security of software patches.
At the same time, knowing that the security patches will stop working a year from now — and that major browsers will also stop working with legacy versions of the plugin — might be just enough motivation to finally replace the software.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.