Eye On Tech

MD5 stands for Message Digest version 5 . The MD5 algorithm takes a file (the “message”) of any size, and reduces it down to a code that looks like this: “ac30ce5b07b0018d65203fbc680968f5″ (the “digest”). The brilliant thing about the MD5 algorithm is that if the message changes by so much as a single byte, it will produce a completely different digest. An MD5 sum is a string of letters and numbers that acts like a fingerprint for a file. If two files have the same MD5 sum, the files are exactly alike - which is why MD5 "fingerprints" can verify whether or not your downloaded file got corrupted in transit, hence it is used to verify the integrity of files, as virtually any change to a file will cause its MD5 hash to change. MD5 digests have been widely used in the software world to provide some assurance that a transferred file has arrived intact. For example, file servers often provide a pre-computed MD5 (known as md5sum) checksum for the files, so that a user can compa

Last week, Microsoft made a pretty surprising announcement. The company revealed that it would bring its Edge browser to iOS and Android, making it easier for existing Edge users (and possible converts) to take their browsing history, bookmarks, and other data with them. Now the beta app is available for download from the Play Store for some countries. But others can download the APK to give it a try. So how is the browser itself? Well, it feels like a mix of desktop Edge and mobile Chrome. The start page has your frequently-visited pages with a search bar, along with stories from MSN below that (which you can turn off). The UI is split into an address bar and Reading List/History/Bookmarks button at the top, and everything else at the bottom. Both bars pull away as you scroll down the page, and re-appear when you swipe up. Familiar Microsoft Edge features like the Hub allow users to organize the web in a way that cuts through the clutter, making it easier to find, view and ma