Raspberry Pi roundup, Star Wars edition: Holochess, blasters, and, obviously R2-D2

Tomorrow is the 40th anniversary of Star Wars, the second of the two “star” franchises that form such a foundational part of nerd culture. Consequently, this is a special Star Wars edition of your faithful Raspberry Pi roundup.It’s easy to see what Star Trek “means” as a part of nerdery – it’s a mostly hopeful vision of the future, where the adults mostly act like adults and the better angels of our natures win out much more often than our demons. Star Wars is harder to pin down. As lots of people have said, it’s really more fantasy than sci-fi, but it’s one where many have chosen to let their imaginations roam freely.+ALSO ON NETWORK WORLD: Cool ways to celebrate Star Wars Day + Raspberry Pi roundup: Searching for Pi, steampunk laptops, Code Angels, and a visit to Competitor CornerTo read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Raspberry Pi roundup, Star Wars edition: Holochess, blasters, and, obviously R2-D2

Tomorrow is the 40th anniversary of Star Wars, the second of the two “star” franchises that form such a foundational part of nerd culture. Consequently, this is a special Star Wars edition of your faithful Raspberry Pi roundup.It’s easy to see what Star Trek “means” as a part of nerdery – it’s a mostly hopeful vision of the future, where the adults mostly act like adults and the better angels of our natures win out much more often than our demons. Star Wars is harder to pin down. As lots of people have said, it’s really more fantasy than sci-fi, but it’s one where many have chosen to let their imaginations roam freely.+ALSO ON NETWORK WORLD: Cool ways to celebrate Star Wars Day + Raspberry Pi roundup: Searching for Pi, steampunk laptops, Code Angels, and a visit to Competitor CornerTo read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Vodafone Taps Mirantis for Managed Open Cloud Services

Mirantis will update the software weekly to reduce downtime.

Open-source chip mimics Linux’s path to take on closed x86, ARM CPUs

If you're buying a PC or server, you've likely considered chips based on x86 or, perhaps less often, the ARM architecture.But like Linux in software, an open-source chip project is out to break the dominance of proprietary chips offered by Intel, AMD, and ARM.The RISC-V open-source architecture, created by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2010, is open to all who want to use it. The RISC-V design can be modified for PCs, servers, smartphones, wearables, and other devices.A startup called SiFive is the first to make a business out of the RISC-V architecture. The company is also the first to convert the RISC-V instruction set architecture into actual silicon. The company on Thursday announced it has created two new chip designs that can be licensed.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

The BlackBerry KeyOne – a surprising phone with a hardware keyboard

Here's a surprise: BlackBerry is back with a new handset and it's pretty good.I know, I know, you've heard this before. Several times over the last few years BlackBerry has attempted to make a comeback and each time it's come to nothing, so what's different now?For the first time the iconic BlackBerry hardware keyboard has been married with Android in the BlackBerry KeyOne. Combine those with several software apps from BlackBerry and the KeyOne is worth a look if you're shopping for a new smartphone, particularly if you spend a lot of time on email, social media or messaging.The handset is produced by TCL, a Chinese phone maker that recently acquired rights to the BlackBerry brand for smartphones. BlackBerry, based in Canada, is still responsible for the software.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

The BlackBerry KeyOne – a surprising phone with a hardware keyboard

Here's a surprise: BlackBerry is back with a new handset and it's pretty good.I know, I know, you've heard this before. Several times over the last few years BlackBerry has attempted to make a comeback and each time it's come to nothing, so what's different now?For the first time the iconic BlackBerry hardware keyboard has been married with Android in the BlackBerry KeyOne. Combine those with several software apps from BlackBerry and the KeyOne is worth a look if you're shopping for a new smartphone, particularly if you spend a lot of time on email, social media or messaging.The handset is produced by TCL, a Chinese phone maker that recently acquired rights to the BlackBerry brand for smartphones. BlackBerry, based in Canada, is still responsible for the software.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Dell EMC Launches Hybrid Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure Stack

Enterprise should use public and private clouds, Dell EMC says.

The BlackBerry KeyOne: A surprising phone with a hardware keyboard

The BlackBerry KeyOne packs in productivity features and is worth a look if you're in the market for a new phone. It's the first time BlackBerry's iconic keyboard has been paired with Android.

Apple joins ‘Made in America’ trend with $1 billion fund to promote U.S. manufacturing

Manufacturing jobs (any jobs, really) are a hot-button topic these days, and our President has made no secret of his desire for big companies, and Apple in particular, to make more products here. In a Wednesday interview with Jim Cramer on CNBC’s Mad Money, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that Apple is creating a fund to promote advanced manufacturing in the United States, and seeding it with $1 billion to start.CBNC.com has the video and a complete transcript of the wide-ranging conversation, and it’s worth a watch. These are the points that most piqued our interest—OK, and one that just made us laugh.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

How Facebook plans to bring Messenger to business

NEW ORLEANS -- As the head of product for Facebook Messenger, Stan Chudnovsky is responsible for one of the most popular consumer products in the world. And yet, despite Messenger’s 1.2 billion monthly active users, he’s convinced that the app can continue its growth and add more functions if users and business embrace the app as a channel for business-to-consumer communications.More than 60 million businesses have a presence on Facebook and at least 20 million are active on Messenger today, but Facebook continues to develop APIs, bots and other means to expedite connections between people and business, Chudnovsky said this week at the Collision conference. “We need to make it obvious that you can make a connection between people and businesses,” he said.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Phone smarts: 6 essential tips for Android users

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in all my years of covering Android, it’s that most people don’t know half the stuff their phones can do—even when it comes to the platform’s most basic features.For business users in particular, some of Android’s foundational options can enhance productivity and eliminate annoyances. So look over this how-to collection and see if there’s anything you’re missing or maybe forgot—then hang onto it as a reference for friends, family members, and colleagues who ask for advice in the future.[ Android is now ready for real usage in the enterprise. Read InfoWorld’s in-depth guide on how to make Android a serious part of your business. | Get the best office apps and the 38 best business-worthy apps for your Android device. | Keep up on key mobile developments and insights with the Mobile Tech Report newsletter. ] 1. How to find and manage files on your phone IDG Solid Explorer File Manager offers advanced features for managing your phone’s files.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

4 Chrome extensions that make you more productive in Gmail

While Gmail alone can dramatically improve your email efficiency, Gmail and Chrome together make a one-two productivity punch that’s hard to beat. Here are four Chrome extensions that help reduce the time you spend in your inbox so you can focus on the work that really matters.Send from Gmail Typically when you click on an email address link, it will open your default email client and you have to toggle between it and your browser to compose your message and cut-and-paste any links. Send from Gmail saves you time and keystrokes by streamlining this process.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

How to strike ransomware out

Swing and a missImage by Victor GrigasMost businesses are ill prepared to handle a ransomware attack. In fact, according to a new study released by Carbonite, 68 percent of survey respondents believe their company is “very vulnerable” or “vulnerable” to a ransomware attack. Respondents stated that if their company didn’t pay ransom, it was because they had a full and accurate backup. Without backup, they have no other way to get their most valuable asset back.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

How to strike ransomware out

Swing and a missImage by Victor GrigasMost businesses are ill prepared to handle a ransomware attack. In fact, according to a new study released by Carbonite, 68 percent of survey respondents believe their company is “very vulnerable” or “vulnerable” to a ransomware attack. Respondents stated that if their company didn’t pay ransom, it was because they had a full and accurate backup. Without backup, they have no other way to get their most valuable asset back.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

How to strike ransomware out

Swing and a missImage by Victor GrigasMost businesses are ill prepared to handle a ransomware attack. In fact, according to a new study released by Carbonite, 68 percent of survey respondents believe their company is “very vulnerable” or “vulnerable” to a ransomware attack. Respondents stated that if their company didn’t pay ransom, it was because they had a full and accurate backup. Without backup, they have no other way to get their most valuable asset back.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: How companies make money from digital transformation

Several years ago, I was asked, “How do we actually make money from digital transformation?” In response, I tactfully answered with a question: If you want to put away more money in your retirement fund, how do you do that? The answer is simple: Make more money while spending the same (or even better, spend less), and put the difference into your retirement account.Deriving financial value from a digital transformation is simply leveraging digital capabilities to drive more revenue and saving on your operating expenses.      How digital can drive incremental revenue The first way to grow a business is to acquire new customers who will bring new revenue.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: How companies make money from digital transformation

Several years ago, I was asked, “How do we actually make money from digital transformation?” In response, I tactfully answered with a question: If you want to put away more money in your retirement fund, how do you do that? The answer is simple: Make more money while spending the same (or even better, spend less), and put the difference into your retirement account.Deriving financial value from a digital transformation is simply leveraging digital capabilities to drive more revenue and saving on your operating expenses.      How digital can drive incremental revenue The first way to grow a business is to acquire new customers who will bring new revenue.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: Unified communications is a marketing Camelot

A while back I wrote my feelings about the term unified communications. My point in different words is that unification regarding enterprise communications technologies is a type of marketing Camelot. Paraphrasing The New Arthurian Encyclopedia, like the legendary city, an imaginary enterprise communications environment is said to exist with some “impressive architecture … and the chivalry and courtesy of its inhabitants.”To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Cloud Portability and Predictability

Upcoming Webinar: Open Networking

I’m doing a webinar over at IP Space next week—

Most modern data centers are still using vendor-driven “future proof” routers and switches with offering lots of (often unnecessary) capabilities. To build large, however, it is often better to build simple—radically simple. This webinar will cover the design components involved in building a data center or cloud fabric using a single, disaggregated device—the way some hyperscale and web scale operators build their networks. The first live session of the webinar will consider the benefits of disaggregated switch, focusing on the components, sources, and challenges in using disaggregated hardware and software in data center fabrics. The second live session will focus on the topologies and design concepts used in large scale data center fabrics using a single switching device as a leaf, spine and superspine switch.

This should be a fun time, and a good introduction to the disaggregation space.

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