Windows could get design language overhaul

Microsoft is reported to be working on a new design language, which affects how the UI looks and functions, that will eventually be rolled into one of the major Windows 10 updates coming out next year. Windows Central said Microsoft is working on what it called Microsoft Design Language 2 (MDL2), or Project NEON. A design language is a term that refers to a language for how controls, fonts and iconography in the desktop and mobile versions of Windows 10 are controlled. It manages things such as switches, toggles, pickers and dialog windows. You know and hate MDL1 already. It was Metro, introduced in Windows 8 and Windows Phone 7. It introduced the flat, dull UI instead of the more 3D-looking skeuomorphism that iOS and Android were adopting. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

ABI Research Names Top Vendors for Virtual Evolved Packet Core

Spending for virtual mobile packet core will top $8 billion by 2021.

DARPA building space consortium to set standards for safe robotic maneuvers

DARPA next month will talk about a proposed consortium of industry players that will research, develop, and publish standards for safe commercial robotic servicing operations in Earth’s orbit.Specifically, DARPA said it wants to create the Consortium for Execution of Rendezvous and Servicing Operations or CONFERS that looks to establish a forum that would use best practices from government and industry to research, develop and publish non-binding, consensus-derived technical and safety standards for on-orbit servicing operations. In doing so, the program would provide a clear technical basis for definitions and expectations of responsible behavior in outer space. In the end the ultimate goal is to provide the technical foundation to shape safe and responsible commercial space operations to preserve the safety of the global commons of space, DARPA stated.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

DARPA building space consortium to set standards for safe robotic maneuvers

DARPA next month will talk about a proposed consortium of industry players that will research, develop, and publish standards for safe commercial robotic servicing operations in Earth’s orbit.Specifically, DARPA said it wants to create the Consortium for Execution of Rendezvous and Servicing Operations or CONFERS that looks to establish a forum that would use best practices from government and industry to research, develop and publish non-binding, consensus-derived technical and safety standards for on-orbit servicing operations. In doing so, the program would provide a clear technical basis for definitions and expectations of responsible behavior in outer space. In the end the ultimate goal is to provide the technical foundation to shape safe and responsible commercial space operations to preserve the safety of the global commons of space, DARPA stated.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: The metrics that matter for your private/hybrid cloud

So you want a private/hybrid cloud strategy for your company. Great idea. Now, how do you ensure that your cloud strategy will be successful? Well, this requires understanding how to measure success. Let me suggest the following criteria: Your constituents (generally the business and applications owners) can voluntarily decide to adopt your cloud or not. You need to be able to prove to them that it is to their advantage to run their applications in your cloud. MORE ON NETWORK WORLD: How to build a private cloud Now, to do the above, you need to be able to provide cloud operational metrics that mirror what the business uses. Let’s review what the business uses as metrics:To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

HPE Discover Spotlights ‘The Machine,’ Synergy & Azure

The Machine is here! In prototype form, anyway.

5 tips for succeeding with a virtual workforce

With the rise of technology, the availability of instant communication and collaboration tools that bring the virtual world into the boardroom, the face of the modern office is rapidly changing. According to Gallup's most recent Work and Education poll, 37 percent of U.S. workers say they have telecommuted. And with GlobalWorkplaceAnalytics.com reporting that at least half of all jobs in the U.S. lend themselves to telecommuting that number is likely to continue to rise. Already, in Fortune 1000 companies, increasingly mobile employees “are not at their desk 50-60 percent of the time,” according to GlobalWorkplaceAnalytics.com.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)

How to defer Windows 10 updates

Forced updates in Windows 10 have their appeal. For Microsoft, it helps keep the majority of its users on the same build of Windows 10, reducing legacy support issues. For users, it keeps your system up-to-date and reduces the chances of getting hit with malware that takes advantage of unpatched systems.But some folks resent the idea of having updates forced on them—especially when some of those updates cause problems or won’t install properly. If you’re running Windows 10 Home you’re at the mercy of Microsoft’s update schedule (though we have some tips for you at the end of this article). Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise users, however, have the opportunity to defer certain types of updates.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

FireEye’s Helix Platform Automates Security

The company says its platform reduces manual processes and false alarms.

The Changing Landscape of Selling in the Age of SDN

There are massive waves of technology upheaval taking place in the marketplace, causing disruption and providing a challenge to technology salespeople who are used to selling in the traditional ways. Cloud, Automation, Mobility, Adaptive Security and the Internet of Things are just a few of the major changes affecting the landscape right now. And while these technologies are certainly challenging in their own right, there is one technology that stands on it’s own, not only in terms of how technology decisions are made, but also how technology is bought.

That technology is Software Defined Networking (SDN). SDN is causing a fundamental shift in the way that technology is procured. There is a major shift away from buying point products and technologies which only meet a specific need and instead looking at the bigger picture with an aim of technology procurement fitting into a larger ecosystem that is providing broader solutions, enabling shorter ROI and better business agility.

Application-Centricity Creates New Stakeholders

The buying process used to be relatively straightforward, and different technology groups within an organization could procure technology within their own silo with little regard to how it fit within the broader ecosystem. Often times, the technology implemented would dictate and limit what applications could Continue reading

Raspberry Pi 3 gets low-bandwith LTE with add-on chip

Raspberry Pi 3 today has only Wi-Fi connectivity, but soon it will also be able to handle low-throughput cellular communications and let users control devices over long distances.Altair has completed testing of its ALT1160 Category 1 LTE chip on Raspberry Pi, and is now making it available, a company representative said. That's significant, as it will bring much-needed, long-range communications to the popular board computer.The LTE chip is ready for sale by Altair and its partners, a company representative said. The chip will be included in various third-party add-on LTE expansion boards and sensor modules for Raspberry Pi; otherwise, Altair will take volume orders for the chip. Each chip will cost roughly $15 to $20, though prices are coming down, said Eran Eshed, co-founder of Altair.  To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Raspberry Pi 3 gets low-bandwith LTE with add-on chip

Raspberry Pi 3 today has only Wi-Fi connectivity, but soon it will also be able to handle low-throughput cellular communications and let users control devices over long distances.Altair has completed testing of its ALT1160 Category 1 LTE chip on Raspberry Pi, and is now making it available, a company representative said. That's significant, as it will bring much-needed, long-range communications to the popular board computer.The LTE chip is ready for sale by Altair and its partners, a company representative said. The chip will be included in various third-party add-on LTE expansion boards and sensor modules for Raspberry Pi; otherwise, Altair will take volume orders for the chip. Each chip will cost roughly $15 to $20, though prices are coming down, said Eran Eshed, co-founder of Altair.  To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Non-Cellular Low-Power Networks Will Dominate IoT Connections, Report says

But narrowband-IoT and LTE-M networks will see strong growth in 2018 and beyond.

Save on Steam Gaming Gear With These Active Discounts – Deal Alert

Save 60% on Steam Link The Steam Link allows existing Steam gamers to expand the range of their current gaming set up via their home network. Just connect your Steam PC or Steam Machine to your home network, plug into a TV, and stream your games to the Link at 1080p. It's a #1 best seller on Amazon where it averages 4 out of 5 stars from 800 people, and its typical list price of $50 has been discounted to $20.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

A10 Makes a ‘Cloud-Native’ Application Delivery Controller

Being in the cloud doesn't make you cloud-native, A10 says.

UK’s internet surveillance law receives royal approval

Britons hoping that a quaint historical tradition might stop a Draconian internet surveillance law in its tracks were disappointed on Tuesday morning, when the Queen gave her approval to the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.In theory, the Queen has the power of veto over all U.K. legislation as bills do not become law until they receive royal assent.In practice, though, it's just a formality: no reigning British monarch has rejected a piece of legislation since 1707. Besides, given the post-Brexit backlash against anyone than Parliament deciding British law, it would have been a daring move for a hereditary head of state.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

UK’s internet surveillance law receives royal approval

Britons hoping that a quaint historical tradition might stop a Draconian internet surveillance law in its tracks were disappointed on Tuesday morning, when the Queen gave her approval to the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.In theory, the Queen has the power of veto over all U.K. legislation as bills do not become law until they receive royal assent.In practice, though, it's just a formality: no reigning British monarch has rejected a piece of legislation since 1707. Besides, given the post-Brexit backlash against anyone than Parliament deciding British law, it would have been a daring move for a hereditary head of state.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

2016 Linux predictions: Which ones came true?

Roughly one year ago, I made a series of predictions about what would happen in the Linux world during 2016. Let’s take a look at just how wrong I was.1. We still won’t be using WaylandAh, Wayland. The eternally yearned for replacement for Xorg that never seems to ship by default on any (major) Linux distribution. I predicted that the status quo would remain the same—that the world would remain Wayland-less throughout 2016.I was wrong.On Nov. 22, 2016, Fedora 25 shipped—and with Wayland as the default display server.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Thoughts on AWS re:Invent Day 1

As I wrap up Day 1 of AWS re:Invent 2016 in Las Vegas (can I consider today to be day 1?), I wanted to capture a quick summary of thoughts about the sessions, the content, the attendees, and the event (not necessarily in that order).

First, here are some links to the liveblogs I posted from today’s sessions:

Liveblog: Scaling to Your First 10 Million Users
Liveblog: Hybrid Architectures, Bridging the Gap to the Cloud
Liveblog: Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck with EC2

Overall, the sessions have been pretty decent so far. Some portions of some of the sessions feel more like a sales pitch than an educational session, but I’m sure that’s the case at other events as well (yes, I’m talking about VMworld). I’m not yet sure if the nature of what AWS does/offers lends itself to subjectively feel more like a sales pitch or not. Case in point: how does a presenter suggest to attendees—for solid technical reasons—that they should consider using a service like Route 53 or DynamoDB or SQS (or any one of a dozen other services) without it also sounding like a sales pitch?

From an attendee perspective, I’ve been “badge Continue reading

Worth Reading: Hacking WiFi for $25

US and Chinese security researchers have discovered that it is possible to detect a user’s private information by studying the radio signals emitted to provide Wi-Fi internet coverage and how they interact with a person’s body movements. Researchers from Shanghai Jaio Tong University, the University of Massachusetts Boston and the University of South Florida have developed the WindTalker system, which can analyse sophisticated contemporary Wi-Fi networks and sneakily detect and record passwords by looking at the directions that radio waves travel to provide wireless internet coverage. —International Business Times

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