Smartphone growth remains flat, with iPhones down 12% this year

Growth in smartphones will only reach 1.6% for all of 2016, mainly because of sales declines in developed markets like the U.S., Japan and Western Europe, IDC predicted Thursday.The analyst firm also said that iPhone shipments for the entire year will decline by 12% globally compared to 2015, while Windows Phone shipments will decline by 75%. Sales of Android smartphones produced by a number of manufacturers will increase by 6.7%, and grab 85% of the global market for all of 2016.The iPhone decline was partly attributed to Apple customers waiting to purchase the next-generation iPhone, IDC said. That phone, probably in a couple of sizes, is widely expected to be announced along with an upgraded Apple Watch at an event next Wednesday.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Apple’s Cook calls European tax ruling ‘total political crap’

The European Commission's decision to force Apple to pay Ireland billions of dollars in back taxes is "total political crap" and a reflection of anti-U.S. sentiment, company CEO Tim Cook told the Irish Independent in an interview published Thursday."No one did anything wrong here," Cook said. "Ireland is being picked on, and this is unacceptable."The EC ruled on Tuesday that Ireland gave Apple illegal tax benefits by not collecting €13 billion (US$14.5 billion) in taxes owed to it over a 10-year period. It was the culmination of a two-year investigation into the company's tax affairs that found Apple's effective tax rate on profit reported in Ireland was just €500 per million euros in profit, falling to €50 per million in 2014.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Iris scans as ID grow in use

Iris scanner technology is emerging in smartphones, including the new Samsung Note 7, but is expected to come soon to cars and ATM machines to verify a user’s identity.Experts say an iris scan can be more reliable than a fingerprint scan, which is a big reason it is expected to be used in more devices in coming years. Each iris, the colorful part of the eye that forms a ring around the pupil, is unique and therefore a good biometric indicator.Samsung’s Android 6-based Note 7, which shipped on Aug. 19, takes advantage of the technology as well as the Windows 10 Mobile-based HP Elite X3.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Windows 10 growth slowdown has bright side

Although Windows 10's growth slowed in August, the one-year-old operating system didn't slam on the brakes as expected, according to data from multiple analytics sources.The smaller-than-anticipated slowdown may signal the start of enterprise deployments, a move that would vindicate Microsoft's efforts to nudge businesses to adopt the OS faster than they had earlier editions.According to U.S.-based metrics vendor Net Applications, Windows 10 gained 1.9 percentage points of user share during August, putting its mark at 23% of all personal computers for the month.INSIDER Review: Enterprise guide to Windows 10 Windows 10 powered 25.4% of all machines running Windows: The difference between the user share of all PCs and only those running Windows stemmed from the fact that Windows powered 90.5% of all personal computers, not 100%.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Regular password changes make things worse

Security experts have been saying for decades that human weakness can trump the best technology.Apparently, it can also trump conventional wisdom.Since passwords became the chief method of online authentication, conventional wisdom has been that changing them every month or so would improve a person’s, or an organization’s, security.Not according to Lorrie Cranor, chief technologist of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), who created something of a media buzz earlier this year when she declared in a blog post that it was, “time to rethink mandatory password changes.” To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

10 reasons why Apple could announce a partnership with Oculus on Sept. 7

Apple’s absence in the virtual reality (VR) market could be lethal. Mobile VR is going to sell expensive top-tier phones. And without a dog in the fight, Apple will cede mobile VR to Google’s Android.Recent activity leads me to believe, however, that an Apple/Oculus partnership could be announced at Apple’s Sept. 7 media event. Here are 10 reasons why I think it could really happen:1. UploadVR reported that Apple filed a patent on a head-mounted display (HMD)Apple filed a patent on an HMD and hand trackers similar to what are being sold today. It’s likely a defensive patent to prevent a damages award in patent litigation with the innovators such as Oculus, HTC and their predecessors. Apple’s claim in its patent reads: “A head-mounted device that is worn on a user's head and configured to integrate with a cellular telephone…”To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

23% off Tripp Lite 12 Outlet Surge Protector With Tel/Modem/Coax/Ethernet & 8ft Cord – Deal Alert

Protect your home theatre equipment, computers, and other expensive equipment with Tripp Lite's TLP1208SAT surge suppressor. This highly rated model has 12 outlets, an 8-foot cord with space-saving right-angle plugs, and diagnostic LEDs. The unit has a surge suppression rating of 2880 joules to handle the strongest surges. Built-in RJ11, RJ45, and Type F coax jacks prevent surges from damaging your modem/fax/cable/satellite equipment. Coaxial jacks provide digital broadband quality and can handle 2.2 GHz bandwidth. 8 outlets are regularly spaced, while 4 are widely spaced transformer outlets with safety covers. 4 keyhole mounting slots included as well. The TLP1208SAT averages 4.5 out of 5 stars from 700 people (read reviews) and its list price of $39.59 has been reduced to $30.54.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Take a look at the cool 2-in-1s and laptops from IFA

See the cool laptops and 2-in-1s introduced at IFAAn impressive array of 2-and-1s and laptops were shown at this year's IFA show in Berlin. A common thread was innovation; devices with boom-or-bust features stood out. Sleeker laptops and 2-in-1s used Intel's latest Kaby Lake chips, which were launched just ahead of the show. Feast your eyes on our selection of IFA's best PCs.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

33% off Energizer Ultra Compact DC to AC 100W Vehicle Power Inverter – Deal Alert

On a road trip, camping, or during a power outage or emergency, this adapter plugs into your vehicle's power socket and, more or less, mimics a household wall power outlet. The fanless inverter quietly and safely delivers 100 watts of continuous power to your laptop, fan, DVD player, musical instrument, video game system and much more (just be mindful of the wattage requirements on your device). Dual USB ports are built-in, and with a max power output of 2.1A, the power inverter is also ideal for charging your iPhones, iPods, iPads, tablets, Samsung Galaxy, and other mobile phones or USB powered devices. Currently averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 580 people on Amazon (read reviews), its typical list price of $29.99 has been reduced 33% to $19.99. See the discounted Energizer 100W power inverter now on Amazon.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

IDG Contributor Network: Consumer drones get fixed wings

As holiday gadget season kicks in, we are about to be inundated with gift ideas. And for those used to seeing, or indeed flying quadcopter drones, looking as one would imagine aerial food mixers to appear with four motors and props at the end of four arms, there’s a new form-factor—tailless, single-wing drones.At hobbyist flying fields, more of the fuselage-lacking wing-style drones, reminiscent of Northrop’s B2 stealth bomber, are appearing. And while multi-rotors are by no means off the field, some of the more experienced flyers have taken to piloting and/or building flying wings.Existing model aircraft designers include TBS and Zeta.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Regular password changes make things worse

Security experts have been saying for decades that human weakness can trump the best technology.Apparently, it can also trump conventional wisdom.Since passwords became the chief method of online authentication, conventional wisdom has been that changing them every month or so would improve a person’s, or an organization’s, security.Not according to Lorrie Cranor, chief technologist of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), who created something of a media buzz earlier this year when she declared in a blog post that it was, “time to rethink mandatory password changes.” To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Microsoft sets Windows 10 subscriptions at $7

Microsoft announced in July that it planned to offer a version of Windows 10 on a monthly subscription rate for enterprise customers, and today it officially launched Windows as a Service through its Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) network.Businesses of any size can now subscribe to Windows 10 Enterprise E3, its official name, for $7 per user per month. In its announcement, Microsoft described E3 this way: "Windows 10 Enterprise E3 was designed for businesses that handle sensitive customer data (such as credit card or social security numbers), operate in regulated industries, or create and monetize intellectual property. These businesses need enterprise-grade security and management capabilities found in the Windows 10 Enterprise edition, such as Device Guard, Credential Guard and Managed User Experience." To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

FairWare ransomware infects servers through exposed Redis instances

Days after reports that a new ransomware attack was deleting files from web servers, security researchers determined that some of the affected servers were hacked through insecure deployments of the Redis database.Over the past week, reports popped up on support forums about web servers being wiped clean and hosting a ransom note through which attackers offered to return the deleted files in exchange for two bitcoins (around US$1,150). Experts from tech support forum BleepingComputer.com dubbed the new threat FairWare.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

FairWare ransomware infects servers through exposed Redis instances

Days after reports that a new ransomware attack was deleting files from web servers, security researchers determined that some of the affected servers were hacked through insecure deployments of the Redis database.Over the past week, reports popped up on support forums about web servers being wiped clean and hosting a ransom note through which attackers offered to return the deleted files in exchange for two bitcoins (around US$1,150). Experts from tech support forum BleepingComputer.com dubbed the new threat FairWare.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Unrest in Gabon leads to Internet shutdown

A second day of rioting in Gabon after the recent election is accompanied by an Internet blackout. Residents of the capital, Libreville, reported that Internet access had been cut and we can confirm that we saw a sudden shutdown of Internet access from Gabon to sites that use CloudFlare.

These three graphs show the major networks inside Gabon shutting off suddenly with a minuscule amount of traffic making it through.

The charts show that Internet access shutdown at different times for different networks. At the time of writing the Internet appears to be almost completely cut off in Gabon.

Panne d'Internet au Gabon après l'élection

Un deuxième jour d'émeutes au Gabon après l'élection récente est accompagnée d'une panne d'Internet. Les résidents de la capitale, Libreville, ont indiqué que l'accès à Internet avait été coupé et CloudFlare peut confirmer que nous avons vu un arrêt brutal de l'accès Internet du Gabon vers nos sites.

Ces trois graphiques montrent que les grands réseaux à l'intérieur du Gabon étaient coupé soudainement.

Les graphiques montrent que l'arrêt de l'accès à Internet à des moments différents pour les différents réseaux. Au moment de la rédaction de l'Internet semble être presque complètement coupé au Gabon.

Romanian hacker Guccifer sentenced to 52 months in US prison

A Romanian hacker known as Guccifer has been sentenced to 52 months in prison after breaking into internet accounts of about 100 U.S. citizens, including government officials.The 44-year-old Marcel Lehel Lazar was sentenced on Thursday. He was extradited from Romania and brought to court in the U.S., where he pleaded guilty to the hacking-related charges in May.From Oct. 2012 to Jan. 2014, Lazar targeted the email and social media accounts of his U.S.-based victims, as a way to steal their personal information and email messages. That included hacking a family member of two former U.S. presidents and several former U.S. officials.  “In many instances, Lazar publicly released his victims’ private email correspondence, medical and financial information and personal photographs,” the Department of Justice said in a statement.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Romanian hacker Guccifer sentenced to 52 months in US prison

A Romanian hacker known as Guccifer has been sentenced to 52 months in prison after breaking into internet accounts of about 100 U.S. citizens, including government officials.The 44-year-old Marcel Lehel Lazar was sentenced on Thursday. He was extradited from Romania and brought to court in the U.S., where he pleaded guilty to the hacking-related charges in May.From Oct. 2012 to Jan. 2014, Lazar targeted the email and social media accounts of his U.S.-based victims, as a way to steal their personal information and email messages. That included hacking a family member of two former U.S. presidents and several former U.S. officials.  “In many instances, Lazar publicly released his victims’ private email correspondence, medical and financial information and personal photographs,” the Department of Justice said in a statement.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

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