Yeah, yeah, Samsung introduced the edge-to-edge and physical-home-buttonless Galaxy S8 Android smartphone this week. Now back to iPhone 8 (or iPhone X) rumors and design concepts...BUTTON ON THE BACK
A site called iDrop News (we have "obtained exclusive information from a source with intimate knowledge of Apple’s manufacturing facility") got iPhone 8 buzzers buzzing by posting concept designs of the next flagship Apple smartphone ("the iPhone Edition") with the Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the back of the device, beneath the Apple logo. The idea seems to be that the bezel-less front won't allow for the fingerprint scanner there.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
On Friday March 31 and part of April 1, visitors to kodi.tv saw a US government domain seizure notice as grabbed by the Wayback Machine. It featured logos of the Department of Justice, National Intellectual Property Rights and Homeland Security Investigations above the following message:
This domain name has been seized by ICE - Homeland Security Investigations, pursuant to a seizure warrant issued by a United States District Court under the authority of 18 U.S.C 981 and 2323.Willful copyright infringement is a federal crime that carries penalties for first time offenders of up to five years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine forfeiture and restitution (17 U.S.C 506, 18 U.S.C 2319). Intentionally and knowingly trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime that carries penalties for first time offenders of up to ten years in federal prison, a $2,000,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution (18 U.S.C 2320)To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Now through April 7th, to celebrate the Amazon Dash Button's 2nd birthday, you can buy a Dash Button for $0.99 and receive a $4.99 credit after your first button push to place an order. My math skills are rusty, but that appears to be a good deal if you're thinking of trying one out. Amazon Dash is a simple Wi-Fi connected gadget that lets you order your favorite things with just the push of a button. Keep it by your washing machine, your pet food, or in the bathroom closet. When you notice you're running low, just press the button and Amazon ships it right out. Each button gets tied to a specific product from Amazon's library of over 200 brands, in categories such as (click each category to see samples) household supplies, beverage & grocery, health & personal care, beauty products, pets, kids & baby, and more. Access this deal on Amazon and use code DASHBDAY at checkout. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
The White House announced Friday that come this summer it will be issuing commemorative safety glasses in anticipation of the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse, an extraordinarily rare event that will cast a rolling 60-mile wide swath of daytime darkness from Oregon cross-country to South Carolina.Emphasizing the danger of viewing a solar eclipse without protective eyewear (NASA explains), these safety glasses will come emblazoned with the slogan, “Make America Safe Again,” the choice of which need not be explained.The glasses will cost $9.95, with “100% of the proceeds going to charity,” according to a White House press release that included a photo of President Trump modeling a pair (above).To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
The biggest names in technology are among 185 companies urging Congress to ignore a line item in the Trump Administration’s proposed budget that would entirely defund the Legal Services Corporation, a non-profit organization that has provided civil legal assistance to the poor since 1974.The letter to Congress reads:
The undersigned 185 leaders of corporate legal departments across the country write to urge you to support the preservation of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) and provide funding at a level of $450 million for FY 2018, which would be consistent with the appropriation received in FY2010, adjusted for inflation. As the cornerstone of equal justice in America, LSC creates a level playing field for the many lower and moderate- income families who cannot afford a lawyer. By upholding the fundamental American promise of liberty and justice for all, the minimal investment in LSC generates a significant positive return for business and for the health of individuals and communities across the nation.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Office pranksI know, I know – that jerk from sales deserves it. That snippy attitude last time you showed up to fix his “slowdown problem,” which was obviously just him having like 150 Chrome windows open at once. Still, as tempting as it might be, you can’t just take revenge on the guy’s computer. Please, just go and read something else now. You’ll feel like a better person.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Verizon has hired Hans Vestberg, the CEO Ericsson bounced last summer amid cost cutting and failing financials, to head up its Network and Technology team.Network and Technology is one of three areas Verizon will focus on under a new operating structure, with the other two being Media and Telematics, and Customer and Product Operations.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
This highly efficient fan cools your laptop down in seconds. Lowering the surface and internal GPU/CPU temperature helps improve performance for gaming or long-time normal use.
A proof-of-concept exploit has been published for an unpatched vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Information Services 6.0, a version of the web server that's no longer supported but still widely used.The exploit allows attackers to execute malicious code on Windows servers running IIS 6.0 with the privileges of the user running the application. Extended support for this version of IIS ended in July 2015 along with support for its parent product, Windows Server 2003.Even so, independent web server surveys suggest that IIS 6.0 still powers millions of public websites. In addition, many companies might still run web applications on Windows Server 2003 and IIS 6.0 inside their corporate networks, so this vulnerability could help attackers perform lateral movement if they access such networks through other means.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Yes, you can save quite a bit of money taking an Uber instead of a cab in most cases, but not if you leave your smartphone, purse, guitar or engagement ring behind. Kind of gives a new meaning to the term "Sharing Economy".Uber, which does have a good system for helping you recover forgotten items, has just published a list of the most commonly forgotten items left in its cars as well as a list of the "most unique" items left behind. It also reports that Los Angeles is the most forgetful city in North AmericaMORE: Blame the cellphone — Injuries pile up, from cat bites to shocks to broken bonesTo read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
One of the biggest challenges with building connected hardware is getting from proof-of-concept (PoC) prototypes to devices that are ready for large-scale production rollout. Microsoft is aiming to help through labs that allow companies to come in and work with experts on building internet-connected hardware.Companies come into one of three Microsoft Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence (IoT/AI) Insider Labs with the hardware they’ve built so far and a plan for an intense two or three weeks of work. Visitors are paired with mentors who are experts in different areas and given access to machinery that can help them quickly work through different hardware designs.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
There are three things that are certain in life: Death, taxes and volatility in the free cloud storage market. Yes, it turns out free cloud storage comes with a price: putting up with a fickle market. Network World has a running list of the best places in the cloud to find free storage. Many vendors offer their services on a freemium basis, meaning an introductory cloud storage offering, typically of 5 GB is free, with additional storage costing a variety of prices. But businesses don’t typically like to give away their services for free. So, these offers change frequently.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
People looking for an easier path to integrating with Amazon’s Alexa virtual assistant have good news on the horizon. NoHold, a company that builds services for making bots, unveiled a project that seeks to turn a document into an Alexa skill.It’s designed for situations like Airbnb hosts who want to give guests a virtual assistant that can answer questions about the home they’re renting, or companies that want a talking employee handbook. Bot-builders upload a document to NoHold’s Sicura QuickStart service, which then parses the text and turns it into a virtual conversation partner that can answer questions based on the file’s contents.
Right now, building Alexa skills is a fairly manual process that requires programming prowess and time to figure out Amazon’s software development tools for its virtual assistant. People who want to change the way that a bot behaves have to go in and tweak code parameters.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
The rush by Republicans in Congress to kill still-pending Obama-era rules that would put curbs on the ability of ISPs to collect and sell our personal Internet usage data has been met with howls of protest from privacy advocates and citizens.And the outrage is no wonder, as the idea of our browsing habits and histories being hawked to the highest bidder is an affront to any understanding of personal privacy rights.It’s also an affront to public opinion, as a Pew Research Center Survey last year shows:
93% of adults say that being in control of who can get information about them is important; 74% feel this is “very important,” while 19% say it is “somewhat important.”
90% say that controlling what information is collected about them is important—65% think it is “very important” and 25% say it is “somewhat important.”
Despite such overwhelming public sentiment, Republican majorities in both the House and Senate have voted in recent days to scuttle the privacy protections authorized last October by the Federal Communications Commission, protections that were scheduled to take effect later this year. That FCC measure passed on a 3-2 party-line vote, with then-Chairman Tom Wheeler and two Continue reading
Each of us has access to more than 10 million products from anywhere at any given time via smartphones and other devices. And companies don’t miss any opportunities to tell us what we personally are supposed to need and use.Typically, this boils down to this: “Many people who are your age or have similar shopping habits were interested in these products or services.” Sometimes, this approach to personalization is helpful, but most of the time, it falls short because it doesn’t get to the bottom of why something is truly relevant to the individual customer.+ Also on Network World: The big picture of digital transformation +
In today’s digital world, companies no longer need to rely on this segment-centric and wisdom-of-the-crowd approach. With the technologies at hand, we have the ability to instead look at how individual customers interact with specific products and services and what features they prefer.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
This vendor-written tech primer has been edited by Network World to eliminate product promotion, but readers should note it will likely favor the submitter’s approach.In the gap between plug and play unmanaged Ethernet switches and fully managed enterprise switches, vendors added the so called “smart switch,” which offer light management features to unmanaged gigabit Ethernet devices. Today, smart switches targeted at small-to-medium-size business run the gamut in terms of manageability and feature sets. The appeal of basic network management features for a small business stems from the need for performance and security. Plug and play and start right away—that’s what every start up wants—then later on, they need basic configurations and features to accommodate growth as needed.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Coworkers can make or break a good job. For IT pros, it’s all about their peers, managers, and end users.“I tossed out money as a contributor to happiness a long time ago,” said IT pro Michael Studte. “Although my salary, work hours, and vacation time are important to the equation, I’ve been the happiest in companies where management will listen and take my recommendations seriously, and where I’m able to build a good rapport with my users.”Spiceworks shared Studte’s comments along with results of its latest survey, which polled IT pros from the U.S. and U.K. on the topic of job satisfaction. (Related: 10 reasons to look for a new job)To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Google’s Calendar app is making a long-awaited move to a new device: Apple’s iPad. You read that right: Until Wednesday, the tech titan hadn’t optimized its marquee calendar application to run on Apple’s tablets.The app provides users with a view of the calendars that they have and that are shared with them through Google’s service. In addition, they get a handful of features Apple’s native calendar app doesn’t have, like the ability to more easily find time and space for a meeting with other people inside their organizations.Making iPad users wait for a native Calendar app is hardly a surprise coming from Google, considering that it’s the company behind Android, and frequently ships new features first to apps for devices running its mobile operating system.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
I practically kick myself every time our Verizon FiOS cable bill arrives because I still haven't acted on my intention to cut the cord in some way that won't drive my family nuts and will allow me to watch local sports.Re-energizing my focus of late, I've created a Google Alert on "cord cutting" to force myself to read up on the topic and latest statistics daily. But if I was confused before, I'm even more so now.MORE: Father of the web cites 3 big concerns about his 28-year-old babyDeloitte, in its 11th annual Digital Democracy Survey of U.S. consumers, found that three quarters of more than 2,100 consumers surveyed online said they still subscribe to pay TV, such as cable or satellite, most because it comes bundled with internet service. Nevertheless, almost half of consumers subscribe to a paid streaming video service like Netflix, and nearly 60% of generation Z, millennials and Gen X do so. And more services, like YouTube TV announced last month, keep coming.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Compared to other corporate functions, women are significantly underrepresented in IT leadership positions. According to CEB data, women currently represent 38 percent of all functional leaders in North America. However, they represent just 28 percent of IT leaders.The potential for negative public scrutiny is a primary concern stemming from this gender gap, but there is another often hidden concern: An IT gender gap can create challenges in effectively delivering on customer services. As IT shifts from serving as builders of internal IT products towards builders of customer-facing digital service experiences, it’s critical to have IT leaders reflect the customer base that they serve.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here