Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » novembre 5, 2014

BetaNews.Com (17 non lus)

Run Windows and OS X programs directly from the Chrome web browser

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 7:01pm CET par Brian Fagioli

With the increased popularity of the cloud, lines are becoming blurred between what is local and what is stored online. One of my favorite cloud services is Google Drive, as it integrates perfectly with Chrome OS, while also working well with both Windows and OS X.

It can be problematic though, when I am navigating Drive in the browser, and want to open a file. Sure, I can save the file locally, but this is tedious and messy -- my desktop is full of such files. Today, Google blurs the lines even further, allowing both Windows and OS X programs to be launched directly from the Chrome web browser with an extension.

"When it comes to browsers and installed applications working well together, they aren't quite on the same page. To change that, today we're launching a new extension for Chrome that lets you open files from Google Drive directly into a compatible application installed on your computer. This includes apps like advanced image and video editing software, accounting and tax programs, or 3D animation and design tools. So, no matter what you keep in Drive, using the web to access and manage files doesn't mean you're limited to using applications that only work in your browser", says Rachel Barton, Product Manager, Google Drive.

Barton further explains, "to get started, install the latest version of the Drive app for Mac or PC (version 1.18) and sync your files. Then, visit Google Drive in your Chrome browser (make sure you're on the new Google Drive). Finally, right-click on the file and select 'Open with' to see a list of compatible applications on your computer that can open it. For example, you can choose to open a PDF file with Adobe Reader, or a .psd with Photoshop, make your edits and save back changes to Drive which will sync across all your devices and other collaborators".

From a productivity and organizational standpoint, this move is huge. Every time someone saves a file locally to open in a program, it can lead to confusion between collaborators as the files become out of sync. Most importantly, it simply saves time, and as we all know, time is money. It is such a simple feature, yet it makes a world of difference.

Unfortunately, it seems you cannot install the extension directly; it will instead be installed automatically in a gradual roll-out. Don't worry though, it should be available to everyone over the next "several days".

Photo Credit: Boris Ryaposov / Shutterstock
Backupify adds HIPAA compliance to enterprise security features

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 5:26pm CET par Ian Barker

Cloud backups are all the rage at the moment, but they do raise security concerns, particularly for businesses that deal with sensitive information.

Cloud to cloud backup specialist Backupify has added some new features to its service to make it more secure. These include HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliance as well as new features for admins.

"Given all the changes in the regulatory landscape, Backupify wanted to get independent verification that we meet the required standards for HIPAA compliance," says Ben Thomas, VP of Security at Backupify. "We now have third party validation through an independent audit which should help customers feel even more comfortable entrusting their data to Backupify. As we build innovative backup solutions, data security remains a core focus. It always has been and always will be".

All companies dealing with protected health information (PHI) must ensure the right security measures are in place and followed. While Backupify doesn’t interact with PHI directly, the company does have many healthcare organizations as customers and therefore felt it necessary to meet HIPAA compliance requirements.

In addition to HIPAA, Backupify is self-certified in compliance with the US Department of Commerce Safe Harbor program. It also allows customers to store data in Amazon's VPC (Virtual Private Cloud), and goes beyond using Amazon's built-in bucket-level encryption, with every Backupify account receiving a unique AES 256-bit encryption key. Backupify has also renewed its SOC 2 Type II compliance which reviews Backupify's backup and recovery system to ensure that controls are suitably designed to protect financial information.

You can read more about Backupify's security on the company's blog.

Photo Credit: jörg röse-oberreich/Shutterstock
5 things your CIO needs to know about identity

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 5:24pm CET par Patrick Harding

When CIOs talk security they often use words like "firewall" and "antivirus." Here's why today's technology landscape needs a different vocabulary.

Modern businesses are more open than ever before, but that doesn't mean they are more secure. On the business side, companies are taking advantage of cloud computing by focusing on their internal competencies and outsourcing what they can to third-party vendors. On the consumer side, employees armed with devices are increasingly demanding flexible and frictionless access to data from anywhere.

When a CIO thinks about security he or she likely thinks "firewall" and "antivirus." While these security technologies are still relevant, the changing technology landscape to cloud and mobile require today's CIOs to embrace a new set of security technologies. Security professionals will need to make sure that "identity" enters the lexicon of every CIO's vocabulary.

Here are five new truths every CISO should teach the CIO about identity:

Truth 1: Identity is the new perimeter

The traditional approach to enterprise security has focused on keeping users out by employing firewalls as security perimeters. Today, businesses inundated with mobile, cloud, and SaaS, along with access demands from partners and customers, can no longer survive on that approach. Businesses today must validate users based on identity along with specific attributes such as role, privileges, location, and device regardless of where the request originates and where the data resides. As a result, traditional security perimeters are giving way to a virtualized world where trusted and federated identities are shaping a new security perimeter.

Truth 2: Cloud makes identity management easier

CIOs can use modern identity tools to add the word "anywhere" to their authentication vocabulary. They can take users from any repository anywhere and attach them to any authentication/security infrastructure anywhere, then connect them to any application anywhere. Current internal identity management systems and end-user directories can be integrated with cloud-based IAM services, allowing enterprises to outsource IAM for non-critical user populations and applications, while managing critical identities and privileges internally. Features such as multi-factor authentication are now add-ons that sit in the cloud, making them convenient and inexpensive to add.

Truth 3: The identity experience needs to be consistent across all channels

Many businesses invest heavily in a security regime that works for web applications, but it doesn't necessarily extend to mobile apps. New identity standards such as OpenID Connect and OAuth 2.0 offer a consistent experience for user authentication across web and mobile applications. OpenID Connect allows you to always send your users to the same place to authenticate, so that you see what your users are doing under all circumstances, and you can apply the full force of your security tools. Users get a consistent experience everywhere. In addition, the same standards can be used to secure identity-based API access to applications.

Truth 4: Deep subject matter experience is no longer a requirement

It used to be that if you wanted Internet Single Sign-On (SSO), you had to understand the Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), or hire somebody who does. These days, wizard-based options let anyone on staff quickly make an industry-best practice connection in a very short period of time.

Truth 5: Compliance and usability go hand-in-hand

When you use Internet-grade security to connect your user community to their apps, your compliance story becomes very easy to tell. Your employees are less likely to put your corporation at risk by reusing their corporate credentials in the cloud. And because the corporation agrees to every cloud application access on behalf of the employee, control and visibility becomes much stronger. Meanwhile, your users spend less time remembering and resetting passwords, and their application access "just works".

These days, identity and access management is a moving target shaped by the forces of cloud and mobile. By understanding these new realities, your IT execs will be positioned to make decisions that will benefit your organizations now and in the future.

Patrick Harding is responsible for the Ping Identity product and technology strategy. He brings more than 20 years of software development, networking infrastructure, and information security to the role, which includes oversight of the Office of the CTO and Ping Labs.

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
Badly secured routers leave 79 percent of US home networks at risk of attack

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 4:40pm CET par Ian Barker

As many as four out of five internet-connected households in the US could be at risk of attack through their wireless router.

This is among the findings of a study by security specialist Avast which found that more than half of all home routers are poorly protected using default or easily hacked password combinations such as admin/admin or admin/password.

It also found that 25 percent of consumers use their address, name, phone number or other easy to guess items as their router passwords. "Unsecured routers create an easy entry point for hackers to attack millions of American home networks," says Vince Steckler, chief executive officer of Avast. "Our research revealed that the vast majority of home routers in the US aren't secure. If a router is not properly secured, cybercriminals can easily gain access to an individual’s personal information, including financial information, user names and passwords, photos, and browsing history".

Among the biggest threats to any Wi-Fi network is DNS hijacking. This involves malware being used to exploit vulnerabilities in an unprotected router to redirect the user from a known site, such as a bank website, to a fake site designed to look like the real thing. When the user logs in, hackers capture the user’s login credentials and can then use them to access the real site.

Less than half of Americans strongly believe their home network is secure, according to the survey and 16 percent of respondents said they had fallen victim to hackers. This is despite being aware that a breach can lead to their bank or financial information being stolen (42 percent were concerned about this), losing personal information (33 percent), having their browsing history stolen (11 percent), and getting their photos hacked (9 percent).

"Today's router security situation is very reminiscent of PCs in the 1990s, with lax attitudes towards security combined with new vulnerabilities being discovered every day creating an easily exploitable environment. The main difference is people have much more personal information stored on their devices today than they did back then. Consumers need strong yet simple-to-use tools that can prevent attacks before they happen," says Steckler.

You won't be surprised to learn that the recently launched Avast 2015 is able to identify and protect against network threats including DNS hijacking and weak passwords.

Image Credit: Piotr Adamowicz / Shutterstock

AOC Q2770PQU: A fantastic, and surprisingly affordable 27-inch WQHD monitor [Review]

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 4:14pm CET par Wayne Williams

608495-602732-800

If you’re considering buying a 27-inch monitor, you really need to be looking at one which offers WQHD resolution (2560 x 1440), rather than the standard Full HD (1920 x 1080) found in a lot of models. The pixels per inch difference (108.79 PPI vs 81.59 PPI) will result in a much greater level of detail and clarity which, if you’re working with images, you’ll definitely notice and appreciate.

The problem with buying a 27-inch WQHD screen is cost, but AOC’s offering is a lot more affordable than most -- just £360 from Ebuyer including VAT and delivery -- and it offers an awful lot for the money, including a fully adjustable stand, so you can use the screen in both landscape and portrait modes.

First impressions aren’t immediately favorable, it has to be said. When you get the AOC Q2770PQU out of the box, it feels cheap. Savings have been made, and it’s with the chassis and stand. Both feel plasticky and lightweight. The stand doesn’t seem very stable, and at that point you may be wishing you’d spent a little extra on a different model. However, once it’s all set up (and the process takes seconds), you’ll realize there’s a benefit to the lightweight nature of the stand -- it can be adjusted easily, and there’s a lot of flexibility with positioning, which is important in a large monitor. You can adjust the height by 130mm, tilt and swivel the screen as you like (it tilts from between 5 and 25 degrees), and as I mentioned earlier, you can rotate the screen and use it in portrait mode. It can be wall-mounted as well, if you prefer.

The monitor comes with DisplayPort, Dual Link DVI, HDMI and old-school VGA inputs on the rear, as well as 3.5mm audio input and outputs. There are also two USB 2.0 ports at the back, and two USB 3.0 ports on the right edge, including one with fast charging that you can use to charge a phone, tablet or other USB device when the monitor is on standby. There are two 2w integrated speakers as well. These are passable, but you may not want to listen to a rousing symphony on them.

While the casing might feel cheap, the screen certainly doesn’t. It’s a Samsung Super PLS (Plane-to-Line Switching) panel (which is similar to IPS technology), and offers a bright, sharp display with natural colors and consistency at wide viewing angles. Depending on the environment where you’ll be using the monitor, you may want to make some adjustments to the display settings. The buttons on the underside of the front edge let you switch between inputs, enable and adjust Clear Vision (you can choose from Off, Weak, Medium or Strong), and tweak the luminance, color, picture boost and more. Adjusting the settings is a little tricky, as you have to feel around under the frame to find the buttons and work out what they do, but that’s a minor quibble and you’ll likely only need to do it once or twice.

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I had no issues with dead pixels, or back light bleed (BLB), and the color was excellent and uniform across the panel. In fact I have no complaints about the quality of the display at all. Games and movies look fantastic, and it’s great for photo and video editing.

The size of the display is perhaps a little daunting if you're used to smaller screens (I've been using it as part of a three monitor set up, which led to a major workout for both eyes and mouse!) but the bundled Screen+ software lets you split the PC workspace into four self-contained panes, which makes it easier to run and view multiple applications at the same time.

As well as the screen itself, the box contains a UK power cable, USB lead, DVI, VGA and HDMI cables and an audio lead.

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Verdict

It took me a while to find the optimal viewing positioning and configure everything to suit my eyesight and environment, but once that was all sorted, I couldn’t be happier with the results. At £359.99, AOC Q2770PQU offers excellent value for money and if you’re in the market for a large WQHD display, this should be at the top of your shopping list.

You can buy it direct from Ebuyer.com.

Specifications

Panel size	27 inch
Screen Ratio	16:9
Response Time (Typical)	5ms
Recommended Resolution	2560x1440 (HDMI/DisplayPort/Dual-link DVI),1920x1080 (Analog)
Contrast Ratio	1000:1 (Typical) 80000000:1 (DCR)
Brightness (Typical)	300 cd/m²
Display Color	16.7M
Viewing Angle (H/V)	178/178
Viewable Image Size (mm)	686
Display Area (mm)	597.89 (H)×336.31 (V)mm
Pixel Pitch (mm)	0.233(H)×0.233 (V)mm
Scan Frequency (H/V)	30-99KHz/ 50-76Hz
Pixel Frequency	300MHz
Input Signal	DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 1.4, Dual Link DVI, Analog
Input Connector	DisplayPort, HDMI, Dual Link DVI, Analog
Cable	Analog, DVI,HDMI, Audio & DP( By region)
Built-in Speaker	Yes
HDCP Compatible	Yes
Input Power	100-240VAC, 50/60Hz
Power Supply	Built in
Operating Mode (W)	65
Standby Mode (W)	<0.5W
Wall Mount	VESA 100x100mm
Cabinet Color	Black
Size w/Base (W×H×D) mm	642.2 x 558 x 245
Package Box (W×H×D) mm	759 x 486 x 286
Weight (Net/ Gross)(Kg)	TBC
Tilt	-5°~25°
Pivot	-5°~25°
Height Adjustment	130mm
Swivel	TBC
Kensington lock	YES
Temperature Operating	0°C ~+40°C
Temperature Non-Operating	-25°C - 55°C
Humidity Operating	10% to 85%
Humidity Non-Operating	5% to 93%
Altitude Operating	12,000 feet
Altitude Non-Operating	40,000 feet
Plug & Play	VESA DDC2B™ & DDC2B/CI
User Control	Source/Auto/Exit,left/Clear Vision, Right/Volume+, Menu/Enter,Power
USB plug	N/A
OSD Languages	16 languages
Safety Regulation	CCC/CQC/C-Tick/CB/CE/FCC/C-Tick N26268 cTUVus/EPA/TUV-GS/ISO9241-307/Win8/CECP ERGO/EU RoHS Doc/ SASO/BSMI/VCCI / J Moss e-Standby/CU/J-moss/TCO6.*/ KCC/KC REACH DoC/RoHS/WEEE/TUV-S EU Energy Label w/ Test report/Ukarin Safety/EUP

Rare Apple-1 sold by Steve Jobs is going to auction

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 4:11pm CET par Barclay Ballard

A working Apple-1 computer, sold by Steve Jobs out of his parents' garage in 1976, is to be auctioned in December, with estimates suggesting it will sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Earlier this week, Christie's claimed that the machine could reach more than half a million dollars, with an auction last month seeing another Apple-1 device sell for $905,000.

The Ricketts Apple-1, named after its original owner Charles Ricketts, is fully operational, having been tested by expert Corey Cohen last month.

The computer is accompanied by the canceled check from the original garage purchase on 27 July, 1976 made out to Mr Ricketts for $600. The device is the only known Apple-1 currently in existence that was sold directly from Jobs' family home.

Christie's Andrew McVinish said that the Apple-1 is a landmark device for technology fans.

"When you see a child playing with an iPad or iPhone, not too many people know that it all started with the Apple-1," he said. "So to be able to own a machine that started the digital revolution is a very powerful attraction".

The device is currently owned by Robert Luther, a collector who purchased the computer from a police auction in 2004.

The Apple-1 is extremely rare, with less than 50 original models believed to have survived and only six known to be in working condition. The computer was created by Apple founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976 and priced at $666.66, reportedly due to Wozniak's preference for repeating digits.

The Apple-2 was introduced in April 1977 and included several expansion slots, a plastic case and an integrated keyboard. The original Apple-1 was discontinued in October the same year, meaning only an estimated 200 were ever produced.

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
Faster cloud deployments with Metalogix

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 3:34pm CET par Ian Barker

Many businesses are put off moving their systems to the cloud by the complexity and time involved to complete the transfer process.

To help overcome this problem management tools specialist Metalogix is launching a Cloud Acceleration Suite along with a Partner Program to help businesses deploy collaboration abilities on their chosen cloud platform.

It works with Office 365, Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services, as well as hybrid and private cloud systems. By bringing together migration and management tools from Metalogix with Microsoft qualified cloud deployment partners it offers organizations a start-to-finish solution to rapidly migrate email, files and SharePoint content to the cloud.

The Cloud Acceleration Suite uses expert tools to provide IT professionals with a single, unified solution for the migration of email, files and SharePoint content into OneDrive for Business, Office 365 and other cloud-based platforms. Employees are also given simple and secure tools to move business content from their personal cloud storage into their corporate cloud accounts. Once migrated to the cloud, the suite then provides tools for the on-going management of sites, security, users, content and metadata.

"Successful cloud deployments combine the right set of tools and the right expertise to accelerate migration to and adoption of cloud-based collaboration platforms," says Steve Murphy, CEO of Metalogix. "So today, we are launching the Cloud Acceleration Suite and Partner Program to provide clients the tools, training and expertise they need to overcome the unique deployment and user adoption challenges of rolling out a cloud-based collaboration platform".

The Partner Program gives clients access to experts in cloud deployment who can help at each step of their cloud transition including developing a migration road map, establishing governance and management processes and ensuring sensitive content stays secure.

You can find out more about both the Cloud Acceleration Suite and the Partner Program on the Metalogix Website.

Photo Credit: IdeaStepConceptStock/Shutterstock
Zoom Player Free improves full-screen navigation, optimized for touchscreen and mouse use

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 3:33pm CET par Nick Peers

Inmatrix has released Zoom Player Free 9.5, a major new build of its lightweight, format-friendly media player for Windows.

Version 9.5 revamps its full-screen navigation interface to make the player friendlier to use with mice and touch-screen displays, plus adds a new text file viewer and includes various other tweaks and improvements.

Zoom Player 9.5 opens by changing the way the full-screen navigation interface index is drawn -- by switching to an icon grid array as opposed to a basic list, it’s designed to be more touch- and mouse-friendly, with arrow controls also made larger and more accessible.

A dedicated close button has also been added to all full-screen interfaces, again with touch device usage in mind. Other interface improvements allow users to click or tap to select the hour, minute or seconds fields, while users can now paste the current position into these fields simply by clicking or tapping the desired position on the timeline slider.

Zoom Player also adds a new text-file viewer, allowing users to open and view csv, css, ini, json, log, nfo, txt, xml and yaml files. Files with the nfo extension are designed to open using the Terminal font at a fixed size of 9 points to preserve ASCII art. This new viewer is accessed by selecting the new 'Text & HTML' option from the File Open dialog’s Format list.

When the text-file viewer is open, the up/down navigation keys and mouse scrollwheel change their function to scroll through the currently open document.

Other improvements include being able to rename files directly from the playlist full-screen navigation interface’s function menu.

A number of new settings have been added to the Advanced Options menu to configure the new interface settings, while a new button has been added to the Install Center’s open dialog to provide quick access to the cache folder via Windows Explorer.

The new update is packed with changes and tweaks, but also sees a number of bug fixes implemented as well as removing the 'Press & Hold' windows touch-input feature to ensure smoother operation on tablet devices.

Zoom Player Free 9.5 is a free, bundleware download for PCs running Windows XP or later. Some options are disabled in this version -- Pro and Max versions are also available.
Samsung details all the freebies you get by buying Galaxy Note 4, Edge

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 3:13pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

When you buy a Galaxy Note 4 or Galaxy Note Edge you don't just get a great phablet. On top of all the powerful features that Samsung packs in its stylus-toting flagships, it also throws in a lot -- and I mean a lot -- of freebies, most of which you may not even be aware of.

And by freebies I mean freebies that you may want to take advantage of, not free stuff that is nice to have but hardly useful. This is something that Samsung has been doing for quite some time, as it applies to other flagships in its portfolio like Galaxy S5, but is only now detailing the freebies for its Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge customers. The best known perk is probably the 50 GB of free Dropbox storage, which is good for two years.

But there are other value-adding freebies that you may want to claim. Samsung has partnered with prominent news publications Bloomberg Businessweek, New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, to give you free subscriptions to Bloomberg Businessweek+ (12 months), New York Times Breaking News (12 weeks) and The Wall Street Journal (six months).

You also get free subscriptions to popular services like Audible (three months), OnLive (three months), Parallels Access (six months) and Pocket (six months), a free eBook per month through Samsung's Book Deals (using Kindle for Samsung), unlocked paid features in some apps like AmpliTube LE and SketchBook for Galaxy, among other perks -- hit the link for the complete list.

To claim some of the perks, you only need to log in the respective app, which may likely come preinstalled on the device. Others may require an extra step, of downloading the app from Google Play or Samsung's Galaxy Apps. Personally, if I were to buy a Galaxy Note 4 or Galaxy Note Edge, I would immediately want to take advantage of the Dropbox offer for my photos, as 50 GB of free cloud storage is nothing to sneeze at when you consider the service only offers a mere 2 GB for free. The Parallels Access deal is also nice, as it opens up remote access to PC apps on up to five PCs.
Electronic Frontier Foundation finds Skype, WhatsApp and more are disappointingly insecure

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 2:20pm CET par Mark Wilson

Secure communication is something we all crave online, particularly after Edward Snowden's NSA revelations increased public interest in privacy and security. With dozens of messaging tools to choose from, many claiming to be ultra-secure, it can be difficult to know which one to choose and which one to trust. Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has published its Secure Messaging Scorecard which rates a number of apps and services according to the level of security they offer.

It's a fairly exhaustive list that includes numerous well-known names, as well as several more niche products. What is concerning, however, is that many of the most popular tools -- WhatsApp, Yahoo Messenger, Skype, SnapChat, and Facebook chat -- received very low ratings for failing to protect users and their communication data.

EFF's Technology Projects Director Peter Eckersley says: "Many new tools claim to protect you, but don't include critical features like end-to-end encryption or secure deletion. This scorecard gives you the facts you need to choose the right technology to send your message".

The findings of the EFF are worrying. It highlights, for instance, that the desktop version of Yahoo Messenger uses no encryption whatsoever, but many other popular chat tools also scored very poorly.

In testing the tools and services, EFF asked seven key questions: is data encrypted in transit?; is the encryption key accessible to the service provider?; can the ID of the person being spoken with be confirmed?; in the event of encryption keys being stolen, is past communication safe?; can source code be independently reviewed?; is the cryptography used well-documented?; has an independent security audit been performed?

Facebook chat only checked a couple of boxes (in-transit encryption and code auditing), and it was the same story for Google Hangouts and SnapChat. Skype scored points for not only encrypting data, but also keeping it from Microsoft's eyes, but failed in the remaining five categories. Apple's FaceTime fared very well, missing out only on contact identity verification and independent code review. Signal, TextSecure, Silent Phone, CryptoCat, Silent Text, and ChatSecure + Orbot all passed every test, while QQ and Mxit failed on every single count.

The lengthy list of communication tools was chosen to represent those used most frequently. EFF Staff Attorney Nate Cardozo said:

We're focused on improving the tools that everyday users need to communicate with friends, family members, and colleagues. We hope the Secure Messaging Scorecard will start a race-to-the-top, spurring innovation in stronger and more usable cryptography.

Will the findings prompt you to switch to a more secure messaging tool, or are you already confident in the choice you have made?

Photo credit: PathDoc / Shutterstock
Oculus Rift VR headset to go on sale in time for Christmas 2015

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 1:08pm CET par Wayne Williams

If you’re desperate to get your hands on a consumer version of Oculus VR’s flagship virtual reality headset, there’s good news and bad.

Speaking at the Web Summit technology conference in Dublin on Tuesday, Brendan Iribe, founder and CEO of Oculus VR, said that it would be "months, not years" before the highly anticipated product is made available to buy. But before you get too excited, Iribe clarified his statement by adding he meant "many months" -- so not any time soon.

From that information, it’s realistic to suggest that Oculus VR is hoping to get a version of its flagship Oculus Rift headset into consumers’ hands (and over their eyes) in time for next Christmas, which would be perfect timing.

Iribe admits he’s worried about the number of low quality rival virtual reality products that are already available, expressing concern that a poor experience with one of those will put people off trying -- and buying -- the Oculus Rift.

"We're a little worried about bigger companies putting out products that aren't ready. Disorientation and motion sickness is the elephant in the room. We're encouraging big companies not to put out a product before it’s ready," he said.
Jawbone announces UP Move, UP3 activity trackers

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 12:43pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

Jawbone is expanding its collection of activity trackers with the newly-announced UP Move and UP3. The two new devices target different ends of the market, with the former being designed as a clip-on for basic activity tracking, while the latter is a fitness band meant for demanding users, who wish to have access to a comprehensive feature set.

UP Move is, as you might expect, the cheapest of the two, being priced at just $49.99. Its low cost makes it an attractive first choice for folks on a budget who wish to get into activity trackers. In fact, undoubtedly because of the low asking price, Jawbone markets Up Move as a "great option for anyone at the beginning of a fitness or weight loss journey".

For the money, users can track their steps, burned calories and sleep information, among other features. In conjunction with Smart Coach, part of Jawbone's UP mobile app, it will provide in-depth information, like tailored guidance to help you achieve your goals and the ability to compare your progress with your friends.

Pressing the front of UP Move will tell you your progress, using the built-in LED display. It can also display the time or sleep from last night. Battery life is estimated to be up to six months. The battery is said to be easy to replace, as it is similar to watch batteries.

UP Move goes on sale later this month, but prospective buyers can pre-order starting today, November 5. It will be available from Jawbone's online store as well as Amazon, Apple, Best Buy and Target. Wrist straps, which are recommended for tracking sleep information, will be offered as well for $14.99 a piece, or $29.99 for a pack of three.

Being a high-end offering, UP3 packs fancier technologies. It has sensors which can measure bioimpedance, ambient temperature and your skin temperature. The wearables can also give you detailed information about your sleep stages, to have a better understand of your sleep quality and how to improve it.

"Our advanced, multi-sensor platform delivers a huge amount of new health data, backed by our smart algorithms and our highly personalized Smart Coach system", says Jawbone's Travis Bogard. "And because the technology is fully updateable, we’re able to unveil great new features and experiences in the coming months".

UP3 can keep track of your heart rate at rest, so it can tell you how it evolves over time and how you are affected by external factors before waking up. Like with UP Move, the full potential of UP3 is unlocked when using Smart Coach. Jawbone says the more data it collects the more information and recommendations its system can give you.

UP3 will be available before year's end from Jawbone's online shop, Apple and Best Buy.
The Internet Arcade lets you play 900 gaming classics in your browser

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 11:14am CET par Darren Allan

Fancy a spot of retro gaming? Never mind faffing around with emulator software, these days you can play the oldies and goldies right in your browser -- and a new site which has just launched offers almost a thousand arcade classics.

The Internet Arcade boasts some 900 arcade games, and runs them via a modified version of the JSMESS emulator, which was tinkered with by the site curator Jason Scott.

Scott does warn, however, that the large library of games hasn't been fully vetted, and some may be broken to various degrees. He states: "Of the roughly 900 arcade games (yes, nine hundred arcade games) up there, some are in pretty weird shape -- vector games are an issue, scaling is broken for some, and some have control mechanisms that are just not going to translate to a keyboard or even a joypad".

But the good news is that most are "good enough" or better, with Scott claiming that many feel close to a perfect emulation of the arcade game in question. It helps if you have a speedy machine, and what browser you use will also make a difference -- as Eurogamer, which spotted the launch of the site, notes, the best bet is apparently Firefox. Chrome should be fine, though, albeit with a more sluggish rendering in some cases (to the tune of 20 percent slower on average).

Games which are incorporated into The Internet Arcade include Defender, Moon Cresta, Tron, Pitfall II, PacMan, Outrun, Street Fighter II, Zaxxon, and one of our favorite button bashers of all time, Track & Field.

We had a quick dash on the latter, with our 100 meters sprint threatening to destroy the keyboard (and we only managed an 11 second time somehow -- bah). You can check what the keys for a game are using the menu accessed with the Tab key, incidentally -- or better still, plug in a joypad.

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
TeamViewer 10 beta adds cloud storage support

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 9:41am CET par Mike Williams

TeamViewer has unveiled TeamViewer 10 beta, the latest edition of its popular remote access and control tool.

New integration with Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive and Box makes it quicker and easier to share files in meetings or remote control sessions.

You’re now able to launch video calls with a click (no need to start a meeting first), while the ability to add a profile picture gives your activities a more personal touch.

Meetings have gained a "door lock". No-one get in until you unlock the door, perfect if you’re running late and still have some preparations to make.

A new Chat History not only maintains a complete history of all your conversations, but forms the basis of "persistent chat groups" where you can discuss topics over time.

Corporate users will appreciate the ability to set, distribute and enforce policies from the Management Console.

You can also give users access to all your devices from a single master whitelist, a real time-saver, while the Computers and Contacts API helps integrate your computers and contacts into any software.

There are also a stack of more fundamental improvements which should appeal to just about everyone: multicore CPU optimizations, better voice quality, 4K support, a BlackBerry Remote Control app and (on Mac OS X Yosemite) an integrated remote control toolbar, and many others, all wrapped up in a revamped, streamlined interface.

Amazingly, the program remains free for personal use. But there’s no catch for commercial users, either: if you need a license, anything you purchase now will also be valid for the final release of version 10.

TeamViewer 10 beta is available now.
Tinder CEO Sean Rad steps down as sexual harassment fallout continues

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 9:11am CET par Barclay Ballard

Tinder CEO Sean Rad will be stepping down from his position to become president of the dating app as it searches for a replacement.

According to Forbes, Rad will remain as CEO until the firm can find "an Eric Schmidt-like person" to succeed him.

Earlier this year, Tinder was rocked by a sexual harassment scandal, with Whitney Wolfe accusing co-founders Rad and Justin Mateen of subjecting her to sexist abuse. The suit was settled out-of-court in September, but insider sources suggest that the case is partly responsible for Rad's change of role.

According to reports, Rad was not ready to give up his position as CEO, considering the sexual harassment case to be dealt with.

"The board thought the best path was to bring in a CEO, thinking if we opened up the role it would attract better talent," he said. "I strongly disagreed".

However, it seems that Tinder's owner IAC has sought to make a clean break following the messy legal battle.

A company insider is reported to have said that "the lawsuit gave [IAC] an out," providing the opportunity to remove Rad.

The Tinder co-founder will remain heavily involved in the search for his replacement, and is keen to stress that the dating app remains on track.

Its first-ever revenue generator, Tinder Plus, is set to launch "imminently," as a premium service that can be used to add extra features to the otherwise free app. Tinder Plus will include a travel feature, enabling users to swipe through matches in other cities, as well as an "undo" option.

In the Forbes interview, Rad also goes on to detail a number of other ambitious projects that he has planned for the Tinder platform, but it remains to be seen if he will get the opportunity to implement them following his enforced departure as CEO.

Image Credit: JD Lasica

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
BullGuard Internet Security 2015 now available

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 8:37am CET par Mike Williams

BullGuard has announced the release of its all-in-one security suite, BullGuard Internet Security 2015.

Additions since the 2014 release include an "unwanted application" tool which detects and blocks browser hijackers.

New "resource monitoring" technology sees the package adjust its activities to match what you’re doing. Play a 3D game, for instance, or switch to battery power, and the suite automatically uses less resources.

Regular weekly reports keep you up-to-date on everything BullGuard has been doing for you. As many attacks will be blocked in the background without you ever realizing, that can be surprisingly useful.

There’s also an improved antivirus engine, and the interface has been optimized for usability.

Assessing the quality of the finished product isn’t easy. It all depends who you ask: BullGuard has had a poor run of results in recent AV-Comparatives Real-World Protection Tests, but AV-Test generally scores it highly in every area.

Still, there are plenty of features: antivirus, firewall, antispam, phishing protection, parental controls, PC optimization, an online backup tool with 5GB free storage, the list goes on. And while the suite wouldn’t be our first choice, if you’ll use all that functionality then it’s worth a look.

Trial builds of BullGuard Internet Security 2015 are available now.
Mozilla and the GSMA explore bringing a relevant mobile web to emerging markets

Publié: novembre 5, 2014, 1:44am CET par Brian Fagioli

As an American, I often take for granted the benefits and opportunities I am afforded. It is easy to get caught up in iPads, the NFL and junk food and forget that many people in the world go to bed hungry. Yes, there are people that have no food and are forced to drink dirty water. Hell, I am a fat guy who has trouble losing weight -- that sounds pretty lame in the grand scheme of things. If it wasn't for the periodic television commercial asking for donations to stop hunger, American's might never think of the plight of the less fortunate.

The Internet in particular is something that improves our lives immensely; we are so lucky to have high-speed access that can deliver the answer to almost any question in seconds. Shockingly, there are still 4 billion people on this Earth that have never even tried the Internet. Think about that for a moment; there are people that have no access to something we consider to almost be a right. Today, Mozilla announces a partnership with the GSMA, that will focus on bringing a relevant mobile web to emerging markets. All I can say to that is, hallelujah!

"At present, there's a shortage of digital content that has a sufficient understanding of specific cultural contexts, local conditions and the needs of local populations. It's one of the reasons Mozilla is teaming up with the GSMA to explore ways to catalyze the creation of locally relevant content and unlock the promise of the Web for the next wave of users", says Mozilla.

Mozilla further explains, "over the next 6-12 months, we'll be exploring projects focused on low-cost smartphones, digital literacy training and local content. Initial field tests in Bangladesh, Kenya, Brazil and India are currently underway. We are looking to build a coalition of mobile operators, device manufacturers, educators, international development donors, and NGOs who are interested in positively shaping the future of the mobile Web".

This is definitely a step in the right direction, and both Mozilla and the GSMA deserve major kudos. While the world will likely never see true social economic parity across borders, inexpensive access to a relevant mobile web will at least begin to level the playing field when it comes to information and learning. The next big idea may come from a small village in an emerging market, thanks to the mobile web and its associated knowledge.

If you would like more information, or are interested in participating, you can email Mozilla here.

Photo Credit: fotostory / Shutterstock