Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » avril 23, 2015

BetaNews.Com (21 non lus)

Acer unveils new products -- Windows, Chromebooks, Android devices, and Predator gaming

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 7:38pm CEST par Brian Fagioli

Acer held a massive press conference today in Manhattan to unveil its new product lineup. BetaNews was there, live, at 4 World Trade Center. The views from the 60-something-th floor were magnificent, but even more awe-inspiring to a tech nerd like me, were the Acer products.

Acer is one of my favorite manufacturers because it focuses on value. Not only are the company's computers beautiful and powerful, but affordable too. While the company kept its focus on the affordable segment with Windows, Chromebooks and Android products, it also introduced its new Predator gaming computers. The star of the show? A small gaming-tablet running Google's mobile OS.

Acer explains that it introduced "two 2-in-1s -- Aspire Switch 10 E and Aspire Switch 10; an 11-inch convertible -- Aspire R 11; three new notebooks -- Aspire V 15, Aspire E and ES Series -- offering strong performance and stylish design for work and play; the new Chromebook 15 with 11.5 hours of battery life, currently the longest in the 15-inch Chromebook segment; and the Iconia Tab 10 tablet for education and Iconia One 8 with advanced touch capability".

The Iconia One 8 was very impressive to me, due to its unique touch capability. You can actually draw and write on the screen using any object, including a pencil. No, this is not some special pencil, just a regular run-of-the-mill writing utensil. In my testing, it worked flawlessly.

One of the more bizarre products is the abTouchPhone. It is essentially an Android tablet strapped to a landline phone. While I do not see consumers embracing it, there may be an opportunity in the enterprise.

The Acer Liquid X2 is one of the most impressive Android phones I've seen in a long time, but sadly, it will not reach the USA. It will feature a 64-bit octa-core processor for great performance, and 3 sim slots for world-travelers. The most impressive aspect, however, is the 4,000 mAh battery. A battery of this size should give incredible longevity.

The second generation 2-in-1 Switch devices have an updated hinge, which allows easier docking and undocking of the tablet/display. While the hinge was successful in this regard, I found myself accidentally removing it without trying. Maybe it is a bit too easy?

Also exciting is the new Predator gaming line of computers. Acer unveiled concepts for a Windows laptop, desktop and Android tablet. It even unveiled a 35-inch Predator gaming display! Unfortunately, the company was not forthcoming with specs, but did promise something extraordinary in the future. The Android tablet was notable for having four front-facing speakers.

Windows Phone fans will be happy to know that Acer will be releasing a Windows 10 for phones device, which I got to demo. While the build quality is great, featuring a fabric-inspired rear, it felt like a low-budget affair from a specs perspective. The device was a bit sluggish and the screen was sub par. With that said, it was running pre-release software.

The Revo One gets a software-based update, in the way of some Acer software, but the hardware apparently remains the same. The cute computer still uses 4th-generation Intel processors and not Broadwell, sadly.

Overall, however, the theme of the event was Windows 10. It is clear that the company is planning to go all-in on the operating system. True, it has seen much success with Chromebooks, but the excitement was all about Windows. In fact, Joe Belfiore, Corporate Vice President, Operating Systems Group, at Microsoft recorded a special video praising the company.

What do you think about Acer's strategy? Tell me in the comments.
Celebrate YouTube's 10th anniversary by going back to where it all began -- the zoo

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 6:00pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Google’s video service celebrates a very special milestone today -- it’s ten years to the day since the first video was uploaded to the site. "Me at the Zoo", in all its 240p glory, has racked up close to 20 million views, which isn’t bad (especially as it wasn’t made public initially), although it pales into insignificance when compared with the likes of "Charlie Bit My Finger -- Again", with its 817 million views.

A lot has happened to YouTube in that time. It officially launched in May 2005 (so expect another birthday post next month) and was acquired by Google in 2006. It has spread across a wide range of platforms, batted off numerous legal challenges, and become a massive part of our lives.

Under Google’s stewardship, the video service has grown and grown, with YouTube trying new things and embracing new technology. Google recently launched a Kids’ version of the service, and is planning a paid ad-free version too.

Facebook is providing a challenge to YouTube’s crown however, and yesterday, just to sour any potential celebrations, announced that its users are now watching 4 billion videos a day. That’s a huge number, although YouTube reached the same figure back in 2012, so Zuckerberg’s company likely has some way to go to catch up. It’s believed YouTube is now serving around 8 billion videos daily.

That day at the zoo certainly proved to be a catalyst for something incredible. It’s a good thing the site's co-founder Jawed Karim took a camera with him.
How mobile is changing the way we communicate at work

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 5:38pm CEST par Ian Barker

The rise of mobile device use and of BYOD policies in the workplace is bringing about a major shift in the way people communicate at work.

Email solutions provider Newsweaver has produced an infographic looking at the rise of mobile devices for business use. It also looks at how bring your own app (BYOA) and enterprise app use have different effects.

Findings include that 41 percent of employees do not believe that the tools their company provides actually meets their needs. They therefore choose to 'go rogue' and use their own apps instead. This is acknowledged by IT teams where three out of four workers say they are delivering outdated enterprise tools which don’t meet employee needs.

The adoption of enterprise apps is a more effective approach as it boosts work productivity by over 34 percent. Over half of employees say that enterprise apps help them to do their job more effectively.

There are concerns though, 46 percent of IT departments are not confident in their own mobile security systems effectiveness to protect company data. Cost is also a major issue with the average enterprise app costing $100,000 plus to design, develop and launch.

You can see the full infographic with additional findings below.

Image Credit: Syda Productions / Shutterstock
Samsung announces Gear VR Innovator Edition for Galaxy S6 and S6 edge

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 4:39pm CEST par Brian Fagioli
The virtual reality hype is real. In years past, promised virtual reality systems were expensive and did not meet expectations. Ultimately, it never really took off in the mainstream. Low-cost electronics have birthed a renewed interest, however, as seen from Facebook's Ocluus Rift and Samsung's Gear VR.

Samsung's solution is rather genius, as it utilizes a users exiting smartphone to cut costs and reduce redundancy. Unfortunately, creating a one-size-fits-all mask for smartphones can be problematic, as the sizes and dimensions can change with every upgrade cycle. If you are the owner of a Galaxy S6 or S6 edge, however, you are in luck; Samsung today announces a refreshed Gear VR for you, with the "Innovator Edition" moniker.

"The Gear VR Innovator Edition for S6, compatible with both the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, will be available for preorder starting Friday, April 24 at BestBuy.com, and available for purchase online at Samsung.com/GearVR and BestBuy.com on Friday, May 8. Powered by Oculus, the latest Gear VR broadens the reach of mobile virtual reality and offers Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge users the opportunity to immerse themselves in new worlds and experiences", says Samsung.

Max Cohen, head of mobile at Oculus says, "expanding Oculus virtual reality to the innovative Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge is a huge step towards helping tech enthusiasts get involved in this new revolution. The beautiful screen really makes VR worlds pop, whether you're playing a game like a new, full version of Herobound, watching streaming movies in Oculus Cinema, or seeing amazing vistas in high-quality photos and videos that convince your brain into thinking you're there".

Samsung shares the following benefits that the Innovator Edition offers.
- Unmatched Viewing: Featuring the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge industry-best 577 ppi and Quad HD Super AMOLED displays, users can view videos, short films, games and other content on the Gear VR like never before and with less pixelation.
- Improved Headset: With a reduction in size, redesigned straps, improved airflow and a built-in fan for better ventilation, the Gear VR is even more comfortable to wear.
- Smoother Performance: With a powerful new octa-core, 64-bit processor, the Galaxy S 6 and Galaxy S 6 edge allow for more computing power, better graphics and more efficient battery usage -- giving users a more robust VR experience.
As someone who has experience using the originl Gear VR, I can say it works wonderfully. The concert that I viewed felt real, and I was truly immersed in the experience -- it was like I was really there. As cool as it is, however, it is certainly not a necessary purchase, but instead a luxury.

Galaxy S6 and S6 edge owners, will you buy the Gear VR Innovator Edition? Tell me in the comments.
DevOps salaries rise as the skill set becomes more recognized

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 4:02pm CEST par Ian Barker

A new study by website security specialist Incapsula and community site DevOps.com shows that DevOps is rapidly becoming one of the hottest technology career paths.

DevOps -- a hybrid of development and operations -- is a recent field, recognizing that software development, quality assurance, and IT operations all depend on each other. It aims to help organizations rapidly produce software products and services and to improve operational performance.

The survey aims to find out more about this rapidly expanding field and polled hundreds of DevOps professionals across the world on their salary, title, daily duties, and level of education required for the job.

Writing on the Incapsula blog Dori Harpaz, director of marketing says, "As this is a relatively new field, we thought it would be enlightening to see how DevOps professionals define their own roles within their organization. Taking this one step further, we decided to not only explore what DevOps professionals do, but also how much they earn and the various factors that affect salaries in this field".

Findings include that 52 percent of respondents have a bachelor's degree, while 25 percent have a master's. However, the level of education completed doesn't affect salary, the results showed professionals with high school diplomas could earn salaries comparable to those with master’s degrees.

Those salaries are also increasing. More than 76 percent of respondents reported that their salaries increased in 2014 and 85 percent expect a further increase this year. Almost half of respondents also received a bonus last year.

There's also a direct correlation between the size of the DevOps team and median salary. Perhaps not surprisingly larger teams pay higher salaries. Companies of all sizes place strong value on DevOps though. The median salary for professionals working at companies with revenues less than $1m was $87,058, and at companies with more than $1b in revenue $118,867.

Other findings include that 65 percent of respondents work for North American companies, and that the field is overwhelmingly male dominated with 96 percent of respondents being men.

The full survey report is available to download from the Incapsula website.

Image Credit: Nata-Lia / Shutterstock
How to customize Windows 10 Build 10061's new Start menu

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 3:53pm CEST par Wayne Williams

The new Start menu included in the latest build of Windows 10 -- available to Windows Insiders on the Fast ring -- is a marked improvement over previous versions. It’s resizable, and customizable. It’s also, like the build itself, rather buggy. It’s a bit like a fair-weather friend -- sometimes it’s there for me, other times it’s nowhere to be seen. Hopefully the issues with the menu will be sorted shortly.

If you’re running the new build, or planning to, then it’s worth customizing the Start menu to suit your tastes. There’s quite a lot you can do.

The obvious first step is to resize the Start menu. You can do this by clicking and dragging on the edge of the menu. You call pull it upwards, or sideways. The tile groups reposition themselves automatically. You can also expand the menu to full screen by clicking in the top right-hand corner. The tiles themselves can be resized via the right-click context menu. You can also reorder them by clicking and dragging.

Some changes can be made to the menu’s behavior by right-clicking the taskbar, and opening Properties. Click the Start Menu tab, and from here you can manage privacy options, choose the number of recent items to display in Jump Lists, and show suggestions in the Start menu.

In the new build, AutoColor is enabled. The Start menu will pull its color scheme from your Windows wallpaper. To change this -- to choose the colors for yourself -- click the Settings link, and then click Personalization. Click on Colors.

To disable AutoColor, turn off the "Automatically pick a color from my background" option. Windows will display a grid of colors you can use instead. Select one, and the thumbnail above will preview it. The color scheme will also be applied to Windows itself, so you can see the changes for real.

Scroll down, and you can choose whether or not to show this color on the taskbar and Start menu. If you turn this option off, you’ll get the standard dark theme.

The Colors screen also lets you enable or disable the Start menu transparency effect. Personally I like the effect, but a solid block of color works well on some desktops.

All of the changes are actioned immediately, no need to click on an "Apply" link or button to make them.

In the very first build of the Windows 10 Technical Preview, removing all of the tiles from the Start menu caused it to shrink down to a Windows 7-style tile-free design. What happens if you do the same thing in the new menu? You end up with a lot of blank space where tiles should go. This will hopefully be fixed in a future build.
New platform gives one-person developers the tools for faster app creation

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 3:10pm CEST par Ian Barker

Businesses and development teams are under ever more pressure to produce new apps to meet tight deadlines, this can lead to the creation of apps that fail to meet user requirements.

Platform as a service company WaveMaker is looking to streamline the development process for enterprise developers and non-programming users with the announcement of WaveMaker Desktop, a free, open source, browser-based, single-developer version of its recent WaveMaker Studio 7 release.

WaveMaker Desktop is based on open standard technologies including Java, Spring, Hibernate, AngularJS, and Bootstrap. It allows users to quickly evaluate the rapid API application development (RAAD) capabilities of WaveMaker Enterprise using live data behind the firewall and without having to involve the IT department.

WaveMaker Desktop improves on other SaaS-only solutions for app development, which prevent developers from accessing data behind the firewall. It also provides enterprises with the permanent assurances of open source software and doesn't lock them into proprietary technology.

"Speeding app creation speeds innovation. Many enterprises need their apps to access private data and work with an increasing myriad of devices. WaveMaker's Enterprise platform solves these and other related challenges for the enterprise. Before that can be done, developers first want to quickly evaluate WaveMaker's RAD capabilities on live data and WaveMaker Desktop makes that very easy," says Samir Ghosh, CEO of WaveMaker. "We also know that enterprises want a thriving ecosystem of service providers around WaveMaker. WaveMaker Desktop enables an extensive range of large and small SIs, VARs, and ISVs to thrive. Plus, we’re also seeing more SaaS ISVs, or ISVs wanting to move to SaaS looking for an open-standards-based RAD solution to not only build their apps, but to OEM as a UI customization option for their users".

WaveMaker Desktop is available to download now from the company's website. You can also sample the product's enterprise capabilities at WaveMakerOnline.

Image Credit: alphaspirit / Shutterstock
Outlook for Android comes out of preview

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 2:57pm CEST par Mike Williams

Microsoft has dropped the "preview" tag from its free Outlook for Android app, following a host of recent updates and improvements.

The interface has received a colorful revamp, and been redesigned to better follow Android design principles. The app now supports IMAP accounts, as well as Office 365, Exchange, Outlook.com, iCloud, Gmail and Yahoo! Mail.

A far more capable People section displays all contacts from all your email accounts. Select someone and you’re able to launch a new email or start a phone call with a tap. Which is good news, although we’re more surprised that you weren’t able to do this before.

A three-day Calendar view shows more of your schedule, while a "remove from calendar" action makes it easier to revise your plans later.

You can now customize the left or right swipes to delete, move, archive, flag, mark as read/unread or schedule a message: whatever works for you.

Other additions include Global Address List searching and the ability to permanently delete items from the deleted items folder, which apparently "was one of our top requested features from users" (and something else which really should have been there all along).

Microsoft’s Outlook app is still relatively basic and scores only 3.5/5 at Google Play right now, but it’s been receiving plenty of updates recently and we’re still optimistic about its prospects.
Xiaomi launches Mi 4i, its latest affordable smartphone with LTE support at Rs 12,999 ($200)

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 2:05pm CEST par Manish Singh

Regardless of where on the planet you reside, you must have heard of Xiaomi. The Chinese electronics giant may not be selling its products in your region (yet), but the company’s flagship stature devices priced at dirt-cheap cost have gleaned attention from everywhere. At its first global event today in New Delhi, the company launches a new smartphone called Mi 4i. If the name didn’t give it away, the Mi 4i is a stripped down, and a cheaper -- Rs 12,999 ($200) -- variant of last year's Mi 4 smartphone.

As with Xiaomi’s other smartphones, the Mi 4i shamelessly resembles Apple’s iPhone. Wrapped around a unibody polycarbonate body, the phone certainly looks nice. On the specifications front, the Mi 4i carries a 5-inch fully laminated OGS display. Hugo Barra, the VP of Internationals at Xiaomi says that it is a special solution customised by Corning. With a 7.8mm waistline, it is quite thin, and weighing just 130 grams, the phone is reasonably light too. (For comparison, the Nexus 5 also weighs 130 grams, and the iPhone 6 is ever so lighter at 129 grams.)

Other features of the handset include a 3,120mAh battery (up from 3,080mAh in Mi 4). Barra says that it is good enough to last one and a half days on normal usage. Additionally, the Mi 4i also supports Quick Charging, which is always a plus. The company says that the device could get 40 percent charge in just one hour. Truth be told, that doesn’t seem like a feat to me -- there are a couple of handsets including Motolola’s Moto Turbo which offer faster charging.

On the camera front, the Mi 4i doesn't disappoint. It packs in a 13-megapixel sensor at the back with two-tone flash, and a 5-megapixel shooter upfront for all you selfie enthusiasts. It comes with a feature called 'Beautify', which identifies and works with different face profiles. "We take top of the line hardware and combine it with really good software," Hugo Barra says regarding Xiaomi's approach to photography.

The Mi 4i is powered by 64-bit capable Snapdragon 615 processor, with 2GB of RAM and 16GB internal memory. The company says that the processor was produced entirely in India. The handset runs on Android 5.0 with MIUI 6 on top of it. It comes with a number of improved features, including Visual IVR that lets users select options from better handling of voice controlled systems. It also supports six Indian languages -- Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.

On the connectivity front, the dual-SIM capable Mi 4i supports 4G LTE on both SIM cards. The handset also supports 3G. Wi-Fi and the other usuals. As for the availability, Xiaomi Mi 4i will be available for purchase on Flipkart and other e-commerce portals including the company's own Mi.com from April 30.

Additionally, Xiaomi also launched Mi Band, its fitness tracking band, in India today. It is priced at Rs 999 ($18), and will be available in many colors.

Do note that the Mi 4i isn’t a flagship smartphone. The Mi Note and Mi Note Pro smartphones that the company launched earlier this year hold that title for now. The Note Pro, for a refresh, offers top-of-the-line specifications, including a 5.7-inch QHD display, coupled with Snapdragon 810 chipset and 4GB of RAM. The Mi 4i instead is a successor to Mi 4. A cheaper variant, I would say. Given the humongous success of the Mi 3 and Mi 4 smartphones, this should sell very well. We'll see.
New app set to streamline small business accounting

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 1:40pm CEST par Ian Barker

Many small business owners see accounting as a necessary evil. They know they need to stay on top of their sales, cash flow and so on but the actual process of doing so is a chore.

Now a new mobile app called ONE UP is claiming to reduce the amount of time taken to handle accounts to just a few minutes per month. It automatically synchronizes with banks and provides suggested entries that can be validated with a single click. In addition the ONE UP suite includes automatic inventory, CRM and invoicing.

"It's as if you had a CPA on your shoulder. ONE UP is the killer app for small businesses, and with the accounting solution we literally provide hands-free bookkeeping," says Francois Nadal, CEO of ONE UP. "ONE UP gives you your free time back because you get what matters to run your business -- cash flow, profit, loss -- quickly and without the hard work. After just three months, most of your data entry is eliminated as the app learns about your business".

The app is designed to make routine tasks automatic for small businesses ranging from solo business owners up to those with 20 employees. With ONE UP Inventory, the app synchronizes with the point of sale, for example, so all that is left is to validate the suggested orders to vendors and stock can be replenished with one click.

Developed from the successful myERP product which has more than 300,000 users in 50 countries, ONE UP is in three parts. Inventory generates packing lists or delivery notes from sales orders so users can deliver to customers faster and update the status of orders. All inventory movements are posted into ONE UP Accounting, the second module, which allows an accountant to log in remotely to audit books or export financial records to their location. Finally ONE UP CRM tracks chats, calls and tasks, helps organize time with leads, creates personalized quotes with a custom template, and can turn quotes instantly into an invoice or sales order.

Pricing for ONE UP starts at $9 per month for a single user, more information and a 30-day free trial is available via the company's website.

Image Credit: EM Karuna / Shutterstock
Adobe Slate makes online document design quick, easy and effective

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 1:34pm CEST par Nick Peers

Adobe has unveiled Adobe Slate 1.0.2, a free iPad-only app that makes it possible to quickly generate online-hosted documents from a mixture of text and photos. These documents are designed to look good in any browser or device, including phones.

The app follows on from last year’s Adobe Voice, which allows users to create interactive slideshow-based presentations containing a mix of video and audio.

Fire up the app and you can immediately see what’s possible by tapping one of the examples provided: a tablet-friendly mixture of text, imagery and subtle animations to lead the reader through the piece in question.

Next, you need to log in using an Adobe ID or your Facebook account, whichever’s easier. Then tap "Create a New Story" and you’re off. First, supply a title, then import your first photo -- Adobe Voice users will know what to expect here, with options for finding and importing freely available photos from the web as well as your Dropbox folder among others.

Photos are automatically resized to fit the available space, you can then change the focal point, but you can’t zoom into or out of the image in question. Once done, you’re invited to scroll down, where you then build your story using a mixture of text, photos, photo grids and links (which are displayed as touch-friendly buttons). Tap an existing photo to replace or delete it.

It’s a shame there’s no option for importing text from another source; instead you’ll either have to manually type it in or pull in text from another app using copy and paste. You have a choice of heading styles, the ability to provide bulleted or numbered lists of information, plus include handy pull-quotes to spruce up large passages of text. Once you’ve reached the end of a section, insert a photo and select "fill screen", which makes it serve as a suitable break.

The app supports a number of themed templates, which you can easily switch between without having to rejig your entire document. Once you’re happy with your work, you can choose to upload and share it publicly, or via private link -- this link can be shared via social media or even embedded into a web page. One limitation is that the content is clearly marked at the bottom as having originated from Adobe Slate.

Adobe Slate suffers a little from a lack of fine-editing controls, but it does what it says on the tin -- in an age where attention spans are diminishing and people are more and more pressured for time, it does a brilliant job of circling the square of making eye-catching newsletters, journals and other documents without wasting hours in the process.

Adobe Slate 1.0.2 is available now as a free download for iPads running iOS 8.0 or later.
Stream video torrents instantly(ish) with Ace Stream Media

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 1:30pm CEST par Mike Williams

Ace Stream Media is an easier way to play video and audio torrents. You don’t need a separate client, or have to wait for the file to be downloaded before it can be played -- the program’s various tools will stream .torrents directly, no other software or waiting around required.

The easiest way to do this is via the bundled Ace Player HD. It’s a fork of VLC Media Player 2.0.5, so a little out of date, but what you’re gaining is the ability to open a .torrent. We tried this, there was around a 30 second pause while the player made its connections, downloaded and buffered the first part of the video, then it started to play, just as though it was a local file.

We had no glitches in playback, but the results you’ll see will vary depending on the video size and resolution, your network connection, how many peers you can find, and more.

Even when it’s playing, if you click far ahead on the video timeline -- you jump from 5 minutes to 45, maybe -- then you’ll have to wait even longer as Ace Player HD ends its current transfers, finds the new files it needs, downloads and buffers the video again (this took up to a minute for us).

The suite also includes extensions for Firefox, Chrome and Opera, which allow you to stream torrents from within a browser. We’re less convinced by these (the Firefox offering is only a "test build", not available from the official add-ons site), but they did appear to work in our brief tests.

Although updated recently, Ace Stream Media doesn’t seem a very active project; its Twitter and Facebook pages haven’t been updated since 2013. The ability to stream media torrents can be useful in some situations, though, and the suite’s Ace Player HD is a quick and easy way to make that happen.
What if Apple buys Nokia's HERE?

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 1:08pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

It is no secret that Nokia is pondering the sale of its HERE division. The Finnish company wants to focus on the telecommunications market, and HERE, which offers location services, mapping and navigation software, seems to be nothing but extra weight to lug around. Seeing as a sale is inevitable, the question is, who is going to buy it?

A rumor that's floating around now suggests that Nokia has pitched the sale of HERE to Apple, among other companies. The Cupertino, Calif.-based corporation would certainly stand to benefit from acquiring the technology that powers HERE, as its own attempt at offering navigation software to iOS users has not gone particularly well. Such a purchase, while extremely interesting for Apple, would have deep implications for HERE's current clients, which will most certainly not be favored by it. Here's what it could entail.

Even though it is used by many companies across the globe, and touches a significant number of consumers, HERE is not hugely profitable. In the final quarter of 2014, net sales topped just $292 million, with an operating profit of a mere $20 million. For a company as hugely profitable as Apple, that is chump change. Let's put things into perspective.

During the same time last year, Apple posted record revenue and profit of $74.6 billion and $18 billion, respectively. The $20 million that HERE generated as profit is about 0.11 percent of Apple's profit for the quarter. The reason why I am mentioning this is this: Apple has (virtually) nothing to gain by running HERE in the same way as Nokia.

Unless Apple wants to conquer the location and mapping market -- which doesn't make sense, given the irrelevant financial gains and Apple's business model -- it will have no interest licensing HERE technology to all current HERE customers. And it will also have no interest keeping HERE available for those not using Apple products.

Currently, prominent HERE customers and partners include the likes of Amazon, Microsoft (Bing), SAP and Yahoo. Also, Nokia notes that in Q4 2014 alone it had sold licenses for 3.9 million new vehicles. Those contracts likely stipulate that HERE must provide map updates, something which Apple would have to take upon itself to provide.

Given that Apple is pushing CarPlay in the automotive market, what would make sense for the company is to bundle HERE with CarPlay, which could boost sales of iPhones in the process. This is a desired outcome. It would certainly make more sense than simply licensing HERE and earning just enough money to change the lightbulbs in its new campus when they break (I may be over-exaggerating).

But, let's go back to the customers and partners bit. Apple being Apple, it would want to eliminate any advantage that its rivals have from leveraging HERE. And that would mean cutting any ties with Microsoft, among others. Bing, Windows and Windows Phone (and the future Windows 10 for phones) make use of HERE technology to power core functionality, like mapping and navigation.

While Siri does use Bing to power search results, I do not see Apple allowing Microsoft to strengthen its dominance in the PC market and gain more market share in the mobile market with the help of HERE. It makes little sense for Apple to set itself up for shooting itself in the foot.

Someone might be tempted to bring Beats into discussion. While it is indeed true that Beats is an Apple-owned service that is also available on a rival platform, being integrated into a future iOS release and removed from Google Play afterwards is not out of the question.

Apple wants consumers to focus on the added value/benefits of its products, and one way it is doing that is by not launching products on rival platforms. iTunes is an exception, not the rule. How many fresh products has Apple launched on Android or Windows in recent years? Zero.

Moving back to HERE again, the way that I see Apple taking advantage of it is by integrating the new technology in its Maps apps on iOS and OS X, and providing better location services to developers to integrate into their iOS and OS X apps.

Instead of going with Google's Maps, and paying the search giant for this, they could have the solid, quite possibly free, option that is HERE technology. Apple would directly gain/lose little, financially speaking, from this, but it would certainly be a major benefit for developers, which could see their profits go up as a result.

Meanwhile, users would have more confidence in using Apple's own mapping and navigation software, which would certainly make them rely less on Google and its Maps. Come to think of it, if Apple would buy HERE, this might hurt Google more than Microsoft. It's certainly food for thought.
Conficker remains top of the threats as existing malware for Windows dominates

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 12:38pm CEST par Ian Barker

Though we're constantly being warned about the threat offered by new malware it seems that, for Windows systems at least, the old favorites continue to catch us out.

The latest threat report from security company F-Secure shows that Conficker continues to be the number one Windows threat, kept alive by the number of unpatched legacy systems still around.

Android is still the main target for mobile malware, with 61 new families discovered compared to only three for iOS. The fastest growth has been in malware that sends premium SMS messages. Ransomware is still growing too, the Koler and Slocker trojans being the largest ransomware families on Android.

Mikko Hypponen, F-Secure's Chief Research Officer says, "Criminals use ransomware to extort people by locking them out of their own devices unless they pay a ransom. Because of virtual currencies, it's becoming a lot easier for criminals to use ransomware, making it more profitable and more useful for them. For end users, ransomware is now the most prominent type of digital threat".

When it comes to spreading malware social networking sites are popular, using routes such as Kilim, a family of browser extensions that post unwanted content (messages, links, 'Likes,' etc) to the user’s Facebook account and alter browser settings. Kilim is ranked second in the top 10 threats.

Looked at geographically, most threats reported by F-Secure users in the second half of 2014 originated from Europe and Asia, but in the last six months the company saw more activity reported in South America.

The top 10 threats identified by F-Secure in the second half of 2014 are:

1 Conficker/Downadup -- a worm exploiting a vulnerability in Windows to spread via the web, network shares and removable media.

2 Kilim -- Browser extension that posts unwanted content to Facebook.

3 Sality -- A virus family that infects exe files and hides its presence to kill processes, steal data and perform other actions.

4 Ramnit -- Infects EXE, DLL and HTML files. Variants may also drop a file that tries to download more malware from a remote server.

5 Autorun -- A family of worms that spread mostly via infected removables and hard drives, and can perform harmful actions like stealing data and installing backdoors.

6 Majava -- A collection of exploits against Java vulnerabilities, a successful attack can, among other things, give the attacker total system control.

7 Rimecud -- A family of worms that spreads mostly via removable drives and instant messaging. Can install a backdoor that allows a remote attacker to access and control the system.

8 Anglerek -- A collection of exploits for multiple vulnerabilities. At worst can give the attacker total system control.

9 Wormlink -- Specifically-crafted shortcut icons used to exploit the critical CVE-2010-2568 vulnerability in Windows to gain system control.

10 Browlock -- A police-themed ransomware family that steals control of the users’ system, allegedly for possession of illegal materials then demands payment of a 'fine' to restore normal access.

Much more detail is available in the full report which can be downloaded from the F-Secure website.

Image Credit: underverse /Shutterstock
Windows 10 Build 10061 -- buggy, but a huge leap in the right direction

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 11:06am CEST par Wayne Williams

I’ve been playing around with the latest build of Windows 10 Technical Preview that was released yesterday, and I have to say I'm liking what I'm seeing so far.

I have been critical of previous Windows 10 releases, opining that the OS wasn’t going to be what I was hoping for, and calling the previous build, 10049, dull, boring and bland. Fortunately, with Build 10061 Microsoft addresses a lot of my concerns and you can now see the operating system’s true potential. Here’s what I like about the new build.

The Start menu

It is finally resizable once more. As well as being able to toggle between Start menu and Start screen modes, as you could in the last few releases, you can now properly resize the menu by clicking and dragging on an edge. Pull on the upper edge and the menu will stretch upwards. It doesn’t quite reach to the top, so you can can’t have it like a sidebar, but it works well.

Pull it out to the side and the tiled panels automatically arrange themselves to fit. The menu’s transparency effect makes it all look very classy. You can toggle transparency off if you're not a fan, and customize the menu’s color scheme to suit your tastes.

It’s a marked improvement all round, although I’ve experienced some weird bugs whereby the Start menu sometimes won’t appear when you click the Start button. Signing out and back in again seems to fix the issue.

Dark Theme

The light theme, which looked awful and boring in the last build, has been replaced by the dark theme which looks much, much classier. You’ll be able to switch between light and dark themes in the finished build but you can’t do so at the moment. Some of the apps included in this build (including Settings) still use the light theme, which looks odd, but Microsoft's "housekeeping" should fix that soon.

The Icons

The childlike recycle bin has been replaced with a square, familiar, and much better icon. It’s the sort of icon you could happily leave on your desktop now and not try and cover up with small windows, unlike the previous bin. You honestly have to wonder if Microsoft made some of the changes in earlier builds just to upset users. Make the OS look so bad that when it fixes the problems everyone’s much happier. But the company couldn’t be that devious, right?

New Apps

There are new Mail and Calendar apps in the latest build, both of which have a new UI that matches the new universal Office apps. The layout changes as you resize the apps, and they look great. There’s also a new People app which looks like it might be good, but as it only stays visible for a few seconds before crashing it’s hard to say for certain.

Task View

Virtual desktops is a feature I’m looking forward to in Windows 10, even though I have three screens attached to my main PC. It will be handy for keeping things organized, and it will be really useful on my laptop. The new build allows for unlimited workspaces, and also makes some cosmetic improvements. You can customize its behavior in Settings -- choose whether the taskbar should show windows that are open in all desktops, or just the one you’re currently in and using.

There are of course other changes in the new build, including improvements to Tablet mode, but those are the standouts for me. I’m really liking the new version, and it does give me hope for the finished release, although given the vast amount of quite nasty bugs in this build (expected in a Fast ring release), it seems incredibly unlikely Microsoft will have got everything tidied up and ready for that rumored July launch.

What’s your view on the new build?
Confirmed: An Android 5.0 and Windows 10 dual-boot capable smartphone with 2K display to launch in June

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 9:44am CEST par Manish Singh

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Elephone is working on a feature-rich flagship smartphone which will ship in two variants -- one running on Android 5.0 Lollipop, and the other one offering dual-boot capability with Windows 10 for phones, the company confirms to BetaNews. The Android counterpart will launch next month while the dual-boot capable phone will launch in June.

Windows Phone enthusiasts will be pleased to know that the upcoming smartphone will carry high-end hardware modules. As reported by Chinese tech portal GizChina -- and confirmed to us by the company -- the smartphone will feature a 5.5-inch 2K display. As of now, there is no flagship smartphone with 2K display running Windows OS. Other features of the handset include a mammoth 4GB RAM, and the touch ID fingerprint security. On the camera front, the smartphone will carry a 21-megapixel Sony IMX 230 shooter at the rear end. The dual-boot version will have a 20.7-megapixel sensor.

As for the processor, the Android 5.0 Lollipop variant will be powered a 64-bit capable Mediatek chipset while the dual-OS capable version will pack in a quad-core Intel chipset. Both the variants will ship with more than 3,800mAh battery, according to slide shows obtained by Neowin.

The smartphone was recently demonstrated at a trade show event in Hong Kong. We’ve asked the company for more details and will update the post when we hear from them.

Are you excited about the dual-boot capable version of the phone? Do you think this will help Microsoft attract more users towards its mobile operating system?
BlackBerry unveils CHACE, a new Internet of Things security initiative

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 8:16am CEST par Darren Allan

BlackBerry has announced the launch of a new initiative called the BlackBerry Center for High Assurance Computing Excellence, or CHACE for short, which aims to further bolster security in the Internet of Things age.

The idea of CHACE is to reverse the current fail-then-patch approach to security, BlackBerry notes, with the development of security tools that offer a far better level of security protection than is now available -- a proactive approach to vulnerability prevention which is far more cost effective.

Bob Egan, CEO, Sepharim Research Group, commented: "As the number of connected devices multiplies, so do the threats to security and privacy. Organizations need to rethink the way they approach security and transition from a reactive posture to one that is proactive and promises the greatest defense against sophisticated cyber-attackers".

In a press statement, BlackBerry further commented that it has a "long history in high assurance techniques" in the security world, including deep vulnerability analysis and extremely thorough automated testing, all of which expertise will be applied when it comes to CHACE’s vulnerability prevention mission. CHACE promises a "nation-state level sophistication" in terms of vulnerability assessment, and the likes of ethical hacking.

David Kleidermacher, Chief Security Officer, BlackBerry, commented: "There’s a belief that the key to the world’s security issues is to patch faster, but this hamster wheel fails to address the root issue. Systems that require regular patching always contain vulnerabilities unknown to developers, and some of these vulnerabilities are in fact known by would-be attackers. It’s clear we must build systems that are provably devoid of security flaws. The software and security engineering required to meet this objective is sadly rare today and must become commonplace. CHACE is BlackBerry’s initiative towards this goal, and we welcome all who wish to join the fight".

A number of leading organizations are already supporting the CHACE initiative, BlackBerry contends, and key partners will include industry groups and academic institutions among others.

Those interested in joining up with CHACE should check out this web page.

Photo credit: Olivier Le Moal / Shutterstock

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
Google Project Fi is calling -- will you answer?

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 2:48am CEST par Joe Wilcox

The waiting begins. This afternoon I asked the great Google god to bless me with an invite. If my homage is accepted, someday soon I can pay for the privilege of using the company's new piggyback cellular phone service. The thing is so exclusive, only one smartphone is supported. It's Nexus 6, or nothing, baby. I own one, so happens.

Project Fi switches between Sprint and T-Mobile cellular networks for core connectivity alongside wireless hotspots. That's why I call it a piggyback service; Google is not building out its own infrastructure. Fi is contextually conceived and consumed. Nexus 6 switches networks based on location and availability. Your phone number traverses devices, providing access on laptops and tablets, too. Context is what differentiates this service from every other.

The concept extends to data. Google charges for what you consume, no more. Initially, data is available in 1GB blocks for $10 each. You start by choosing an expected monthly amount. Use more, and Google gives you more. Use less, and the difference is credited. In other words, you don't pay for what you don't use.

Basic service costs $20 a month, for "unlimited domestic talk and text", "unlimited international texts"; "low-cost international calls"; "WiFi tethering"; and "coverage in 120+ countries". So, if in a month you call within the United States and sign up for 2GB data, you pay $40 minus the credit for leftover data.

Data fees are consistent everywhere, but speed isn't. Stateside, subscribers can expect 4G and LTE speeds, without throttling. Internationally, they get 256kbps, but keep the same $10 per gigabyte fee. That's a bargain. For example, Verizon data roaming costs an additional $25 per month per line with 100MB limit. There is a pay-as-you-go option that works out to $20.48/MB.

International calling rates vary depending on method, location, and calling destination. The flat-rate for cellular roaming calls is 20 cents per minute. WiFi calling costs less, but varies depending from where to where.

Google doesn't charge extra to set up phones as WiFi hotspots, so, yes, you can tether. Data consumed over WiFi does not count against your allotment.

Contextual network roaming might make some people worry about security. Your phone will switch from cellular to "WiFi networks that do not require any action to get connected (such as, enter a password, watch an ad, or check-in). We use a network quality database to help determine which networks are high quality and reliable". Google uses VPN to protect data and calls over open hotspots.

There is no annual contract, but there could be obligation for the smartphone. Customers can bring there own Nexus 6 or buy own from Google. Either of two ways: Full price (32GB, $649; 64GB, $699) or 24 monthly payments (32GB, $27.04; 64GB, $29.12). Only the Midnight Blue color is available.

Project Fi reveals alternative purpose behind Nexus 6's design. The smartphone is the first in the series that qualifies as a global phone, by supporting CDMA and GSM networks. For Americans using Sprint or Verizon that's a benefit. But the capability also enables the network-hoping Google uses for its own service.

I plan to sign up for the service's invite-only Early Access Program, assuming Google god blesses my request. I will port my number to the service, which at this stage is only available to individuals. There are no family plans. We are BetaNews, and what's more beta than this, eh?
Microsoft releases Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 10061 -- get it now

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 1:51am CEST par Brian Fagioli
While Windows 8 was a very polarizing operating system, Windows 10 is much less so. In fact, many users testing the operating system under the Technical Preview program find it to be wonderful. Quite frankly, I think when the dust settles, it will be the best version of Windows ever.

Today, Microsoft releases yet another Windows 10 build under the preview program -- 10061. While the foundation and style is very much the same, there are some new features and apps to be found. Unfortunately, this release also has some significant bugs. Still, if you are committed to the preview program, you should not hesitate to jump head-first into 10061.

"This build introduces the new black system theme across the Start menu, Taskbar, and Action Center. The Start menu and Taskbar now have transparency and you can also resize the Start menu. We’ve also enabled support for AutoColor which pulls the primary color from your desktop background. In the Settings app under Personalization, you can adjust the color of Start, Taskbar, and Action Center as well as transparency. Check these settings out and let us know what you think. And based on your feedback, we have moved the power button to the bottom left from the top right of the Start menu to make it more accessible", says Gabe Aul, General Manager OSG Data and Fundamentals team, Microsoft.

Aul gives details about the tablet experience by saying, "the Taskbar is now more optimized for tablets. Entering Tablet Mode causes the Start button, Cortana, and the Task View buttons to all grow in size and space out to be more touchable. Items in the Notification area also widen to improve touchability. Also, pinned and running apps are removed by default to reduce clutter and simplify the experience. Start and Task View remain available for launching and switching. If you still prefer to see apps on your taskbar, there is an option under Tablet Mode in Settings to turn them back on. We also now offer a setting to boot directly into Tablet Mode. For tablets under 10 inches, this is the default behavior".

For many owners people of small-screen devices -- including myself -- it has felt like Microsoft has been neglecting the tablet experience. To be honest, previous builds have been a disaster on my 8 inch Dell. Thankfully these tablet-focused enhancements should make things much better. Booting directly into tablet mode should have been a no-brainer. It is strange that it is only being implemented now, but I'll gladly take it.

If you are a fan of the native Mail and Calendar apps (I am), you are in for a treat. Both are getting significant updates with new features. Experienced email users will appreciate the three-pane interface, bringing the app more in line with a professional-grade client. Mail even learns some new swipe gestures, making organizing and sorting more intuitive. Unfortunately, Mail and Calendar also contain some nasty bugs, but more on that later.

One of the biggest additions to Windows 10 is virtual desktops, something you may also know as work spaces. Linus users have been enjoying this functionality for a long time, but Microsoft is better late than never, I suppose. This build removes the limitations on the number of virtual desktops a user can run at once. Yes, it is now unlimited; go nuts, y'all!

Microsoft has squashed some bugs too. The company shares the following fixes.
- We have fixed have fixed the issue where Indexing of new email in Outlook was not working.
- We have fixed the issue with Hyper-V preventing you from enabling it.
- Visual Studio will no longer crash when creating a new Universal app project.
- We fixed a few issues in Project Spartan. You can now double-click on the titlebar to maximize. We have also made some tweaks to the alignment of the Favorites Bar so that the text and icons no longer appear partially below the bottom of the Favorites Bar.
Unfortunately, the known issues outnumber the fixes -- d'oh!
- We know this one will be a bit painful but there is a bug with this build in which Win32 (desktop) apps won't launch from the Start menu. The workaround is to use search to find and launch these apps and pin them to your taskbar for quick access.
- The Windows Store Beta (grey tile) and Project Spartan get unpinned after upgrading. You can re-pin them to your Taskbar from All apps on your Start menu.
- The version of the Mail and Calendar apps included in this build (17.4008.42281.0) have a known issue that causes every typed letter to appear twice. Which might be funny if it weren't so irritating. We have fixed this issue with updated versions of the apps (17.4016.42291.0) available in the Windows Store Beta (grey tile). If you don’t open the Mail and Calendar apps within the first 15 minutes after logging in to your device for the first time after upgrading and your device is connected to the Internet, the apps should update automatically. You can also go into the Store Beta and check for updates manually at any time.
- Cortana will highlight things it will be able to help users with, but some of these features are not yet implemented and we are working to deliver them soon.
- There is a known issue where you might see a black screen with only your mouse cursor during login/logout. We have a fix for this coming via WU.
- Downloading music in the Xbox Music and Music Preview apps is currently broken. We also have a fix for this coming via WU.
- When you minimize an app playing audio, it may stop playing once its minimized.
- In Project Spartan, no selection highlight appears when selecting text in the address box. You can right click in the address box to cut/copy/paste and it will work as expected. We also have a fix for this coming via WU.
- Magnifier does not work when you put it into docked mode. We will also have a fix for this coming via WU.
Goodness gracious, Microsoft -- these are some very significant issues! Every letter typed in Mail will show twice in emails? That doesn't sound ready for release, even in a preview program. While the Win32 app issue is annoying, the workaround is reasonable. Gee whiz...

To upgrade to Build 10061, all you must do is be on the Fast Ring and check for updates. With that said, I can understand your hesitation in doing so with the above issues. Still, the point of the preview program is to both test the OS and find bugs. If you are scared of issues, you shouldn't be in the Technical Preview program -- true story.

Tell me how you like the new build in the comments.

Photo Credit: Matt Antonino/Shutterstock
Groupon refuses to pay security expert who found serious XSS site bugs

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 1:24am CEST par Mark Wilson

Bounty programs benefit everyone. Companies like Microsoft get help from security experts, customers gain improved security, and those who discover and report vulnerabilities reap the rewards financially. Or at least that's how things are supposed to work.

Having reported a series of security problems to discount and deal site Groupon, security researcher Brute Logic from XSSposed.org was expecting a pay-out -- but the site refuses to stump up the cash. In all, Brute Logic reported more than 30 security issues with Groupon's site, but the company cites its Responsible Disclosure policy as the reason for not handing over the cash.

The story starts a few days ago when Brute Logic discovered 32 XSS (cross-site scripting) issues affecting Groupon. He says they were particularly serious as they existed at the root of the site and could be easily exploited with a malicious URL. Brute Logic says that the security issue is all the more serious because Groupon stores credit card details, and it would be incredibly easy to craft a spoof Groupon-related URL to trick victims into visiting a fake site.

On April 17 he contacted Groupon to report the problems and heard back almost immediately with a note saying that the company would investigate and report back shortly. The security team then got back saying that it has managed to isolate the issue and would be back in touch once a patch has been produced.

Brute Logic enquired about the level of financial reward that might be offered, and Groupon responded by saying that the bounty was calculated on a case by case basis, promising to "circle back" with details of what could be offered in this instance.

As a contributor to XSSposed.org Brute Logic spoke with people at the site and a reference to one of the security issues ended up being published. This only appeared online for a few moments, and was removed after it was realized it has been published in error. But Groupon is using this as a reason for refusing to pay out.

Groupon's Bug Bounty Program terms say:

We value your input. When properly notified of a security issue we are committed to working with you to understand and remediate verified problems. If you believe you find an issue on our site, we encourage you to report it to us in a private and responsible way. In order to encourage this, we have established a reward program which will pay a bounty for verifiable security issues reported to us through the proper channel.

Brute Logic argues that that an additional 30 problems still existed and very scant details of the security flaw were published for only a very short time. In a further email, Groupon said:

Unfortunately we won't be able to offer you a bounty for this submission. In the future we ask that you respect our responsible disclosure policy and not publicly disclose the vulnerability without properly notification. We noticed that you submitted the vulnerability to xssposed.org.

Understandably Brute Logic is not happy, as his tweets make clear:

32 @Groupon sites affected. They patched them. They refused to pay me. #Bullshit #PleaseRT pic.twitter.com/4j3w2FGFt4

— Brute Logic (@brutelogic) April 22, 2015

He also points out that another company, Sucuri Security, was happy to pay out even after a tweet revealed some details of a security flaw in their product.

Does Groupon's decision seem fair to you, or does it smack of wriggling out of making a payment on a technicality?

Photo credit: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock
Bag yourself $15,000 as an Azure or Project Spartan bounty hunter

Publié: avril 23, 2015, 12:35am CEST par Mark Wilson

It's not unknown for technology companies to run bounty programs that reward bug hunters for unearthing problems with software. Discover a security vulnerability and you could be in line for a nice cash bonus. Microsoft is one firm that runs such a program, and today the Microsoft Bounty Program is being expanded -- with a particular focus on Azure and Project Spartan.

Microsoft has already been asking for feedback about Windows 10 Technical Preview, but this is the first time a financial reward has been offered for pointing out security issues with any of its components. The maximum pay-out has been increased to $15,000 USD, so there's more incentive than ever to seek out problems and report them to Microsoft.

As well as Project Spartan and Azure, the bounty program is also opening up to Sway.com. While the online idea-sharing tool and the Azure cloud platform are sure to gain a good deal of attention, the fact that the Internet Explorer replacement is included is especially interesting. This is more than just looking for feedback in the usual sense of the Technical Preview for Windows 10, and it makes it clear just how important Microsoft views Project Spartan.

Announcing the bounty program expansion Microsoft refers to its newest browser as "the onramp to the internet for millions of users" and says that, this time around, security is a top priority. The Spartan bounty program is only running from April 22 to June 22, so you have two months to track down issues. The more severe the bug, the higher the pay-out, and Microsoft also says that the bounties "are tiered by the criticality of the issue reported, as well as the quality of the documentation and how reproducible the issue is".

Photo credit: NLshop / Shutterstock