Refracta 8.0 Is a Pint-Sized Powerhouse

Refracta is a somewhat obscure Linux distribution that offers exceptional functionality and stability. Obscurity is not always a bad thing when it comes to Linux distros. You can find some very worthwhile alternatives to your current operating system. Refracta is a big surprise in a small package. Many look-alike desktop distros are difficult to distinguish from run-of-the-mill garden varieties. Others offer new adopters something unique that makes using them fun and productive.

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Apple Drone Fleet to Gather Maps Data

Apple reportedly has assembled a group of robotics and data-collection experts who will use drones to obtain data for updates to its Maps app. Apple, Google and others in the cartography space currently collect a lot of their data using motor vehicles equipped with high-tech gear. "That's a very expensive and time-consuming process," said Sam Abuelsamid, a senior research analyst at Navigant Research. "Doing it with drones provides the potential to gather the same kind of data in a much more cost-effective manner and do it more rapidly."

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Gooligan Ransacks More Than 1M Android Accounts

More than 1 million Google accounts have been breached by Android malware dubbed "Gooligan," Check Point reported Wednesday. The malware roots infected devices and steals authentication tokens that can be used to access data from various Google apps including Gmail, Google Docs, G Suite and Google Drive. It potentially affects devices running Android 4 and 5. Devices are infected when their users download infected apps or click on poisoned links, Check Point said.

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Reddit Has Had It With Trolls

Reddit has announced reforms designed to crack down on trolls and punish the most abusive members of its community. Reddit has identified hundreds of the most "toxic users," said CEO Steve Huffman, and it has devised a plan to take action against them. Consequence for unacceptable behavior could range from warnings to timeouts to permanent bans. Reddit's latest move serendipitously mirrors the current plotline of Comedy Central's hit animated series South Park, which depicts Internet trolls as having become a serious global issue.

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Docker, Canonical Team on Enterprise Support

Docker and Canonical on Wednesday announced a commercial agreement to integrate support for Docker Engine. The partnership gives Canonical customers a single path for support of the Ubuntu operating system and CS Docker Engine in enterprise Docker operations. It provides a streamlined operations and support experience for joint customers by splitting the service obligations in four ways. First, Docker will publish and update stable snap installation packages on Ubuntu, which will enable direct access to the Docker build for all Ubuntu users.

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Gadget Ogling: Smarter Slumber and Pod-Free Coffee

In a previous column, I revealed how terrible a sleeper I am. My mattress is old, and there's a sizable dent on my side of the bed. It's probably time to find a new mattress, so perhaps it's time to consider one that connects with the rest of my home. Eight's smart mattress gives you a little more incentive to get out of bed, as you can set up a string of IFTTT recipes to improve your morning routine. The mattress's IFTTT channel offers recipes, for instance, that can start brewing coffee when you hit the snooze button, or turn down your connected lights.

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It's All Aboard for Linux Gamers at The Final Station

Recognizing the growing market for The Final Station in the open source community, the developers have made their hot-selling title available for the Linux OS. The indie game, which Do My Best Games and TinyBuild launched for PC, Mac, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 this summer, became available for Linux last week. Although the post-civilization genre is fairly crowded space, the zombie-killing horror ride has earned generally positive reviews from veteran games critics, who appreciated its narrative and level of detail.

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Here's Looking at You, Alexa

Amazon is developing a premium version of its Alexa-powered Echo speaker, which will have a 7-inch touchscreen, in a bid to stave off competition from Google and other companies developing rival offerings, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. Designed for use in the kitchen, the new device would have an upward-tilting touchscreen that would permit a user to swipe controls from a standing position. The development would mark an important moment for integrating artificial intelligence with automated home devices.

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iPhone 8 Dreaming in Full Swing

Apple's latest iPhone was barely out of the gate when rumors began percolating about the company's next new phone. Although the iPhone 7 garnered mostly tepid reviews, initial inventories sold out quickly, and the company had to scramble to meet demand. That demand may have peaked, though, which may be why chasers of the next big thing are looking down the road. "Next year being the 10th anniversary of the original iPhone, Apple will come out with something special," said tech analyst Wayne Lam.

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Facebook Denies Ransomware Infiltration

Facebook has denied that its network and Messenger app were being used to spread ransomware to its users, contradicting the claims of Check Point researchers Roman Ziakin and Dikla Barda. The two researchers last week reported they had discovered a new method for delivering malicious code to machines, which they dubbed "ImageGate." Threat actors had found a way to embed malicious code into an image, they said. Due to a flaw in the social media infrastructure, infected images are downloaded to a user's machine, Ziakin and Barda explained.

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