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Microsoft simplifies its service agreements and privacy statements

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 11:50pm CEST par Mark Wilson

signing_document

When signing up for an online service or installing new software, it's common to be confronted by a privacy statement as well as a service agreement. It goes without saying that few -- if any -- people bother to read through these as they are not only lengthy, but also packed to bursting with legalise. Microsoft wants to change that.

Starting at the beginning of August, the Microsoft Services Agreement and the Microsoft Privacy Statement will be updated so they are easier to understand. Microsoft stresses that the essential content of the documents will not change, just the way it is presented, and the language in which it is written. Covering products as diverse as Bing, Cortana, Microsoft accounts, OneDrive, Outlook.com, Skype and Xbox Live, this is Microsoft's latest bid to be more transparent to customers.

Rather than using confusing terms, Microsoft's new documents are clear and "don't require a law degree to read". The aim is not just to make agreements and statements easier for users to understand, but also to earn the trust of more people. Introducing the changes, Microsot's Horacio Gutiérrez reveals how this will be noticeable:

Simplicity: These changes bring together a number of previously separate – and often repetitive – documents to make it easier for customers to find and understand the information. Instead of agreeing to separate terms and statements for each service, customers who use more than one Microsoft service will be able to accept once for multiple services and review one privacy statement.

Transparency: Although we’ve simplified and consolidated the terms and policies, we didn’t want to over-simplify, either. We want to give consumers meaningful information about how we collect and use personal data. Thus, the privacy statement still provides the service-level details our customers need in order to understand the privacy implications of the services they use.

Privacy: These statements reiterate what we’ve said in the past: We don’t use customer communications to serve targeted ads to customers and we are committed to putting customers in control of their information.

The changes will be implemented before two months is up, so you can expect to receive a series of emails from Microsoft relating to the various services you use.

Photo credit: Sergei Gontsarov / Shutterstock

Facebook Lite gives a social fix without eating mobile data

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 10:39pm CEST par Mark Wilson

facebook_lite

With its Internet.org project, Facebook is trying to not only spread into new parts of the world by bringing the internet to places where it is not currently available. With a focus on minimal data usage to help keep down costs, it was only a matter of time before a stripped down version of the Facebook app appeared.

Today is the day that Facebook Lite arrives. As the name suggests, this is a data-light version of the familiar Facebook app, and it starts its life on Android devices. It is designed with developing markets in mind, and today it starts the rollout process in Asia before it spreads further around the globe.

The app itself weighs in at a meagre 1MB and has been built from the ground up for limited data connections. Facebook acknowledges that on slower networks it can be a frustrating experience to use the main Facebook app for Android, and Facebook Lite is the answer. It is described as "a new version of Facebook for Android that uses less data and works well across all network conditions".

There is a far simpler look than the full blown version, but it still provides access to all of the essential features that users have come to know and love -- news feeds, status updates, photos, and notifications. Facebook says that in the coming weeks the app will spread to Latin America, Africa and Europe, but for now it is limited to Asia.

Yahoo kills Pipes, Maps, and some TV and Music services in prioritization drive

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 9:40pm CEST par Mark Wilson

yahoo_building

Yahoo today announced that it is fine-tuning its focus moving forward, and this means that some products and services are being dropped. In its Q2 2015 progress report, the company explains that it looking to dedicate its energy and resources to "search, communications and digital content."

One of the most surprising casualties is Yahoo Maps -- the site will close at the end of June. Despite the closure, maps will still be supported by other Yahoo products such as Flickr, but it illustrates Google's dominance in this arena. Other victims of the cull include Yahoo Pipes, Yahoo Mail on old versions of iOS, as well as Yahoo Music and Yahoo TV in some regions.

From 15 June, Yahoo Mail will no longer be supported for the built-in mail apps for iOS 4 and older -- the mobile web site has to be used instead. From the same date, the syncing of Yahoo Contacts for Mac users is going to be limited to machines running OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and newer. Yahoo Pipes -- the delightful, visual tool for filtering news feeds and other online data -- will not be supported post-30 August, although existing Pipes will remain available in read-only mode until 30 September.

In the middle of this month Yahoo TV will close in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Canada, and Yahoo Music in France and Canada; Spain also stands to lose Yahoo Movies. Yahoo Autos is being shuttered in the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy, and the Yahoo Philippines homepage will start to redirect to Yahoo Singapore.

Yahoo's Chief Architect, Amotz Maimon, explained the need to focus on core products:

Part of that focus includes taking a hard look at our existing products and services, and ensuring our resources are spent smartly and with a clear purpose. Ultimately, we want to provide you with the best products, platforms and experiences possible.

Will you mourn the loss of any of these services?

Photo credit: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com

Microsoft updates Office 2016 on Windows Preview with new features

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 8:06pm CEST par Mark Wilson

office_logo

Microsoft has released an update for Office 2016 on Windows Preview. It's only a month or so since the public preview of Office 2016 appeared, and Microsoft says that there are already one million people using it. Today's update brings a few new features with a focus on collaborative work.

We first heard about plans for Office 2016 a few months ago, and we've already seen the release of Office 2016 for Mac Preview, as well as Office 2016 IT Pro and Developer Preview. This update sees Microsoft making good on its promise to keep delivering new feature to the Office suite.

One of the collaborative features to be found in this update is Real Time presence. This is a taster of the Real Time Typing feature which is still to be added, and makes it possible to keep an eye on which sections of a document teammates are editing. OneDrive for Business subscribers get to try this out first, but it will be rolling out more widely soon.

Word and Outlook both gain the Bing-powered Insights feature which can be used to look up information about the text in your document online. File sharing has been improved so that it is now easier than ever, and improvements have been made to file version histories.

If you're yet to try out Office 2016, you'll need to sign up to join the preview program -- just as with Windows 10, Microsoft is looking for feedback from preview testers.

New ransomware says you've been watching porn on your Android device

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 6:27pm CEST par Alan Buckingham

mobile security

Ransomware has become big business these days, with high-profile cases affecting computer users. Up until now though, mobile users have remained relatively safe from that particular form of infestation and only had the "garden variety" version of malware to contend with. That landscape is changing rapidly, it seems.

Security researchers at AVG have uncovered what they dub "Porn Droid". The infected device is locked by the "FBI" and the user gets a message demanding money in exchange for restoring the phone or tablet. To make the message particularly scary, it claims the offense is for child pornography.

Perhaps the worst part is that the user has to walk through steps to infect their own device. According to AVG, the scenario goes like this -- "After masquerading as a Google patch update, the malware then asks for a number of powerful permissions including 'Erase all data' and 'set storage encryption'".

AVG recommends that all users pay careful attention to the list of permissions an app asks to be granted, plus it thinks you should always maintain up-to-date security software. The security firm has produced a video guide to help point out the danger signs and you can watch that below. That or you can pay the $500 being demanded by the scammers.

Photo Credit: lucadp/Shutterstock

Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 10130 headed for Slow ring soon

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 6:18pm CEST par Wayne Williams

win10

Windows Insiders on the Fast ring were able to update to Build 10130 last Friday, and in my experience it’s a solid, and reliable release. Microsoft is mostly focusing on tweaking and stabilizing the OS now, but the new build comes with some noteworthy improvements, including new icons, new taskbar animations, and other general UI enhancements.

The Build is good, and stable enough that Microsoft is getting ready to release it to the Slow ring. This will be the first release there since Build 10074 back at the end of April, and its arrival on that ring will also herald the release of new ISO files.

As to when Build 10130 will arrive for more cautious testers it’s hard to say. According to Microsoft's Operating Systems Group general manager Gabriel Aul, the company is working on fixing one particularly thorny issue, and then it will push it out.

The issue is being worked on at the moment, but Microsoft currently has no ETA to share. It’s possible it might arrive tomorrow, or early next week.

@CJStevo 10130 will go to Slow ring, working on 1 more fix for it first.

— Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul) June 4, 2015

As always we’ll keep you informed when the new build is made available.

If you’re currently on the Slow ring and would like to switch to the Fast one, you can do so by going to Settings > Update & Security. Click on 'Advanced options' and make the change there.

F-Secure does a Symantec and shuts down its failed cloud storage service

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 5:15pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Warning Sign Sky Cloud Cloudy

Storing your personal data in the cloud makes a lot of sense. It provides a handy backup, and you can access your content from anywhere. I write about a lot of cloud storage services, but I only really use established ones from the likes of Google and Microsoft.

I would consider, and use, storage services from other companies, but the problem is they can’t be trusted. So many of the sites I sign up to -- usually purely to write about -- shut down within a year or so. These aren’t storage services from firms you’ve never heard of either. Today’s discontinued service is Younited by F-Secure.

Younited isn’t a straightforward cloud service, what it does -- or rather did -- is aggregate content from all your devices and cloud services and let you access it securely from anywhere. You could access the service on the web, and there were apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Windows Phone (yes, Windows Phone!). It was a decent service, and although I only tried it out briefly, I liked it.

The email I received from F-Secure said:

We are sorry to inform you that we are shutting down our personal cloud storage service on October 1, 2015. We are refocusing our product portfolio, and younited by F-Secure will not be developed further.

Younited by F-Secure and younited events by F-Secure will no longer be available after October 1, 2015.

Users need to transfer all of their content to another storage solution by October 1, 2015, at the latest, after which any files left in Younited will be deleted in accordance to F-Secure's Privacy Principles.

A year ago, Symantec shuttered Norton Zone. This gave users 5GB of online storage and promised to keep them safe from malicious content. Like F-Secure, Symantec trusted its name -- and the promise of strong security -- would be enough to pull in users, but of course it wasn’t.

Photo Credit: bahri altay/Shutterstock

Apple Watch available from retail stores in two weeks

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 4:53pm CEST par Mark Wilson

apple-watch-thee-models-900x506_contentfullwidth

When the Apple Watch first went on sale, there was a huge rush to get hold of them. This led to frustration with delayed deliveries, but this could be set to come to an end. Apple’s wearable is due to hit retail stores before the end of June.

Starting on 26 June, in addition to existing countries, the Apple Watch will be available to purchase in Italy, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Taiwan from Apple stores, some Apple Authorized Resellers, as well as online.

In a press release, Apple says that 'some' models of the Apple Watch will be available to buy from Apple retail stores. The company does not elaborate on precisely which version of the strap-on will be on sale, but there’s good news for anyone who is still waiting for their order to ship -- as long as they did not order the 42mm Space Black Stainless Steel model.

Jeff Williams, Apple’s senior vice president of Operations said:

The response to Apple Watch has surpassed our expectations in every way, and we are thrilled to bring it to more customers around the world. We’re also making great progress with the backlog of Apple Watch orders, and we thank our customers for their patience. All orders placed through May, with the sole exception of Apple Watch 42 mm Space Black Stainless Steel with Space Black Link Bracelet, will ship to customers within two weeks. At that time, we’ll also begin selling some models in our Apple Retail Stores.

70 percent of consumers lack confidence in passwords

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 4:50pm CEST par Ian Barker

passwords

When we regularly hear stories of personal details being stolen through data breaches and hacks, it's not surprising that people are losing faith in the ability of passwords to protect them.

A new report from mobile ID provider TeleSign reveals that 70 percent of consumers lack confidence that their passwords can adequately protect their online accounts. In addition, about the same amount (72 percent) are in search of additional means to secure accounts.

Commissioned by TeleSign and conducted by Lawless Research, the survey polled 2,000 consumers in the US and the UK and reveals that while concerns around online security and password strength persist, 'password fatigue' among consumers is widespread.

Not changing passwords is common, 21 percent of consumers use passwords that are over 10 years old, pre-dating the launch of Twitter, YouTube and many online banking services. Almost half (47 percent) rely on a password that hasn't been changed for five years. Password reuse is widespread too with 73 percent of online accounts using duplicated passwords and an average of just six unique passwords being used to protect 24 online accounts. This trend leaves people vulnerable to the 'domino effect' where a hacker compromises a user's password for one service and can then access all of their accounts.

On a positive note the findings show that consumers are eager to learn about online security. In fact, 72 percent would welcome advice on how they can better protect their online accounts. The majority (68 percent) would like companies to provide an extra layer of security to keep their online accounts safe. Yet in spite of this desire to learn and improve their online security, six out of 10 are still not making use of the stronger security that two-factor authentication can offer. The top reasons consumers give for not enabling 2FA are that they don't know how to set it up, don't know what it is or that companies simply don't offer it.

"The number one tip most experts give for increasing account security and stopping the fallout from data breaches is to turn on two-factor authentication," says Steve Jillings, CEO of TeleSign. "Yet our research shows that the majority of consumers (61 percent) do not know what two-factor authentication is, even though it's available on almost every account, free to the consumer and just waiting to be turned on".

In order to help with this confusion TeleSign is launching a Turn It On campaign offering guide to 2FA and providing step-by-step instructions for turning it on for popular social networking and other sites.

The full report is available to download on the TeleSign website and there's a summary of the findings in infographic format below.

TeleSign_Final

Photo Credit: JMiks/Shutterstock

BlueData adds support for Docker containers

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 4:09pm CEST par Ian Barker

Box file image

Big data infrastructure specialist BlueData has announced that it's introducing support for Docker containers in its BlueData EPIC platform.

It will allow organizations to quickly and easily deploy Apache Hadoop or Apache Spark in a lightweight container environment making it simpler to deploy big data infrastructure.

"Container technology is disrupting the IT market, and Docker is seeing rapid enterprise adoption," says Kumar Sreekanti, co-founder and CEO of BlueData. "There are now thousands of applications running on Docker, but until today there were only a few applications supporting containers for Big Data analytics. Together with Docker, we're disrupting the Big Data market and leveraging the power of containers for enterprises deploying Hadoop and Spark on-premises".

Docker containers create new possibilities to streamline infrastructure deployment for big data analytics. By integrating the EPIC software platform with Docker, BlueData is providing the benefits of virtualization for big data applications, while delivering the simplicity of containers and the performance of bare-metal servers.

The BlueData EPIC software platform works with all major Hadoop distributions as well as Spark. It integrates with the leading analytical applications, so data scientists can use the tools they prefer. It runs with any shared storage environment too, eliminating the need to move data. It also delivers the agility of Hadoop-as-a-Service in an on-premises deployment model, whilst providing the enterprise-grade security and governance that IT teams require.

BlueData EPIC Lite is available today as a free edition With EPIC Lite, data scientists and developers can easily create multi-node Hadoop clusters or standalone Spark clusters running in Docker containers. The enterprise edition of BlueData EPIC will be available in the fall of this year.

Image Credit: Marynchenko Oleksandr / Shutterstock

How to protect your business against security breaches

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 4:07pm CEST par Darren Allan

Security breach lock

As we saw in a recent Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) survey (conducted by PwC), the number of security breaches inflicted on UK businesses has increased considerably this year.

The report showed that the cost of a breach rose to an average of £1.46 million, up from £600,000 the previous year. It also revealed that 90 percent of major British organizations, and 74 percent of small to medium-sized businesses were hit by security breaches.

And David Emm, Principal Security Researcher at Kaspersky Lab, has now come forward with his thoughts on how businesses can tighten their security and avoid falling prey to breaches.

The first point Emm makes is never to assume that your company is too small or doesn’t hold anything of interest for cyber criminals -- any organization could be a target, if only for the possibility that gaining access to their network could be a stepping stone to breaching a bigger firm.

So every company should have a strategy for combating cyber attacks, which he notes should cover the following elements: "It must contain an accurate assessment of the dangers, the methods cybercriminals could utilize to infiltrate corporate systems, the tools required to mitigate the risks and actions necessary for handling the human element of security in the company".

He further advises that every staff member must be educated on the company’s security policies, as most cyber attackers make inroads onto the firm’s network by tricking an employee in some manner. Security policies must also be easy to understand, and communicated to staff in varied forms, written and verbal.

He notes: "Companies often put policies in place and have staff sign a one-off agreement of understanding, but then fail to ensure this is monitored with systematic awareness and education sessions that make imaginative use of various tools to ensure security is always front of mind".

As we have observed in a past article, the best defense against cyber crime and data breaches is to get your employees on board.

Image Credit: Sergey Nivens / Shutterstock

MicroStrategy makes powerful business analytics more accessible

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 3:09pm CEST par Ian Barker

Software analyst testing

IT departments face increasing demands for self-service applications to enable users to manipulate data themselves, but this often conflicts with the needs of the enterprise.

Enterprise software provider MicroStrategy is addressing this with the launch of its latest software which combines self-service analytics and data visualization with enterprise-grade infrastructure.

MicroStrategy 10 contains a number of new and improved features including data discovery offering enhanced exploration and visualization capabilities on both Mac OS and Windows. Users can quickly prepare data for analysis without using other tools.

New governed data discovery makes it simple to make dashboards from the desktop available to the enterprise, providing a path from self-service analytics to enterprise BI. Native Hadoop access makes analyzing large volumes of multi-structured data easy. Better in-memory performance lets users put more data on parallel-partitioned in-memory cubes, so organizations can run faster queries across larger volumes of data.

A redesigned HTML5 interface makes self-service analytics faster, more intuitive, and easier to use, so users can quickly connect to any data and drag-and-drop their way to business insights. Admins can save time too with a new Operations Manager that enables them to manage and monitor all of their environments from a single interface.

MicroStrategy's security uses biometric and multi-factor authentication to lock down every method of analytics delivery, conveniently and seamlessly. It uses Usher Mobile to instantly deploy security badges that replace passwords and ID’s with a mobile app distributed to all employees, partners and customers.

"We currently rely on the MicroStrategy Analytics Platform to track programming investments, analyze ad and affiliate sales trends, and review sales team performance," says Madhur Sawhney, Sr. Director Data & Analytics Technology at Discovery Communications. "After testing MicroStrategy 10 as an early adopter, our team really likes the new functionality, in particular, the ability to easily wrangle and parse data as well as save/import wrangling scripts functionality. The enhanced data blending features and on-the-fly data manipulations made possible with version 10 and Visual Insight provide incredible speed-of-interactivity and ease of use".

You can find more about MicroStrategy 10 on the company's website and it will be presented in a symposium series over the coming months.

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Google Maps goes underwater for World Oceans Day

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 3:06pm CEST par Alan Buckingham

google-maps-oceans

As a wise man once wrote, "I'd like to be under the sea". Now you can go there virtually, thanks to advances in technology. No, you won't be diving to the depths of the Marianas Trench, but you can get a feel for what is beneath those waves that both fascinate and terrify us.

June 8th is World Oceans Day, dedicated to protecting what we have -- the coral reefs and the life that thrives out of our sight. Google has been sending its Street View team undersea in recent times and now does so again in honor of the upcoming day.

On a sobering note, the search giant points out, "Home to the majority of life on Earth, the ocean acts as its life support system, controlling everything from our weather and rainfall to the oxygen we breathe. Yet despite the ocean’s vital importance, the ocean is changing at a rapid rate due to climate change, pollution, and overfishing, making it one of the most serious environmental issues we face today".

For the latest update Google partnered with XL Catlin Seaview Survey, NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the Chagos Conservation Trust to add 40 more locations around the world to enhance its offering.

There are also many creatures included in the imagery, from sea turtles and humpback whales to the great white shark. You'll visit exotic locations like the Cook Islands, Bali and Australia, to name a few.

Jennifer Sullivan of the Google Maps Ocean program concludes "This World Oceans Day, we hope that you’re inspired to learn more about ocean change. So dive into the deeps of the sea and become engaged to protect the ocean and understand how it supports us, so that all of us can better support it in return".

The cost of cyber attacks is rising dramatically

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 2:13pm CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

Widespread security flaw affects hundreds of UK news sites

The cost of a cyberattacks to businesses has more than doubled in the past year, a new report by PWC says.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) commissioned the survey which has shown that not only has the cost doubled, but the number of security breaches has increased.

To make things even worse, 11 per cent of respondents changed the nature of their business as a result of their worst breach.

The average starting costs for a major security breach at large organizations rose to an average £1.46 million, up from £600,000 last year. Smaller firms were no less immune to the financial drain caused by a cyberattack. The minimum they could expect to pay last year for the most extreme breaches jumped to £310,000 from £115,000 in 2014.

The costs include covering business disruption, lost sales, recovery of assets, fines and compensation.

Speaking to The Telegraph as the report was launched, Ed Vaizey, Digital Economy Minister, said: "The UK’s digital economy is strong and growing, which is why British businesses remain an attractive target for cyberattack and the cost is rising dramatically. Businesses that take this threat seriously are not only protecting themselves and their customers’ data but securing a competitive advantage".

The survey also found that 90 percent of large organizations suffered a cyberattack over the year, a rise of nine percentage points. For small businesses the figure was 74 percent, up from 60 percent a year ago.

Among the greatest areas of vulnerability are our growing dependence on mobile devices, as well as human error.

Photo credit: arda savasciogullari / Shutterstock

Microsoft: SSH support coming to Windows

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 1:45pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

Victory Winner Free

Windows users who want to access another device via SSH (Secure Shell) have to rely on third-party tools to get the job done, as there is no built-in support for it in the popular operating system. Azure CTO Mark Russinovich has revealed that he uses PuTTY for such tasks, which is also the SSH tool of choice for plenty of other folks, myself included.

As such, the fact that SSH support is one of the most popular feature requests that the PowerShell team has received should not surprise any Windows power users. And since Microsoft is actively trying to cater to its users' needs, it just announced that it is currently working on making the much-requested feature a reality.

This is not the first time that folks at Microsoft have tried to add SSH support to Windows, but it is the first that that this proposal was accepted. "The first attempts were during PowerShell V1 and V2 and were rejected. Given our changes in leadership and culture, we decided to give it another try and this time, because we are able to show the clear and compelling customer value, the company is very supportive", says PowerShell Team group software engineering manager Angel Calvo.

This is not something that we get to hear every day from someone writing on behalf of Microsoft. Under Satya Nadella it looks like things are changing in the right direction. You do not need to go as far as SSH support in Windows to realize this, as there are more consumer-centric changes, like the return of the Start menu in Windows and the focus on mobility and cross-platform support, that speak volumes.

Just this week, Microsoft bought my favorite to-do app for iOS (also available on Android and Windows Phone), Wunderlist. Before it, also this year, Microsoft acquired Accompli (rebranding its app as Outlook) and Sunrise, both of which also reside on my iPhone's home screen as my go-to email and calendar apps, respectively.

In bringing SSH support to Windows, Microsoft will not come up with an entirely in-house solution. Instead, the software giant has decided to "adopt an industry proven solution". "I'm pleased to announce that the PowerShell team will support and contribute to the OpenSSH community -- Very excited to work with the OpenSSH community to deliver the PowerShell and Windows SSH solution!", reveals Calvo.

Of course, OpenSSH will be adapted to work in Windows, but, again, this is not something that the Microsoft of old would have proudly announced on one of its blogs. For those of you wondering when you can test SSH support in Windows, there is no estimated availability date for this feature yet.

Photo Credit: Andresr/Shutterstock

Microsoft now carries Lumia 535 Windows Phone, but should you get it?

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 12:48pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

Cortana shown on Microsoft Lumia 535 Windows Phone

Microsoft announced Lumia 535 back in mid-November 2014, but the software giant is only now making this entry-level Windows Phone available through its online and brick and mortar stores in US. Lumia 535 is offered unlocked, without any carrier markings.

Lumia 535 is one of the eight unlocked Windows Phones that are available on Microsoft Store, but, even though it is an entry-level offering, it is not among the least-expensive offerings.

Microsoft sells Lumia 535, in black, for $149. For the money, prospective buyers can also get a BLU Win HD, which comes with a higher-resolution screen, dual-SIM capability and higher-resolution main camera (8 MP instead of 5 MP).

Lumia 535 tops it with a higher-resolution front camera (5 MP instead of 2 MP). The core specs are shared: 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal storage, microSD card slot (128 GB for Lumia 535, 32 GB for Win HD), and 5-inch display.

Win HD is also available in a variety of colors, including gray, orange, pink, white and yellow. And for $50 more there is also a 4G LTE version, which will deliver a better experience while browsing or streaming.

The best bang for your buck looks to be Yezz Billy 4.7 which, even though has a smaller 4.7-inch display, its screen is of the HD variety (resolution of 720 by 1,280), has the same processor and RAM, just as much internal storage and also a microSD card slot, higher-resolution main camera (8 MP instead of 5 MP), dual-SIM support on top, and it only costs $99 at the moment.

If you want a Windows Phone that is even cheaper, there is the AT&T version of Lumia 635 for just $49. On T-Mobile, you can go for a Lumia 530 for $49 or Lumia 435 for $70. For Sprint there is no cheaper dedicated option, and neither is there for Verizon.

Basically, if you have your heart set on an unlocked Windows Phone that does not break the bank, you might want to go with the better-specced Blu HD or the cheaper Billy 4.7. I should point out that Microsoft mentions that unlocked Windows Phones will not work on CDMA networks, like Sprint and Verizon have. If you are fine with using AT&T's network, the $49 Lumia 635 is hard to beat as is the $49 Lumia 530 for T-Mobile.

On a different note, when Microsoft photoshopped Lumia 535 next to a grid of app icons for its online store listing, the software giant showcased the Android version of Vine, with the stock Android navigation buttons, on its screen.

Microsoft Lumia 535 Android Vine app photoshop mistake

Microdia unveils 512GB microSD card, might cost $1000

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 11:42am CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

microdia 512GB microSD card

Only day has passed since I wrote a story about SanDisk squeezing an impressive 128GB into a USB drive the size of a penny, and now Microdia has to come to steal the limelight.

Cnet visited the Computex event in Taipei and came across the Microdia stand. There it saw a microSD card "that stuffs 512GB worth of storage space into a piece of plastic smaller than your fingernail".

Of course, the card of such capacity won’t come cheap -- Microdia says it estimates the Xtra Elite will cost around $1,000 -- which converts to around £655 -- when it goes on sale in July, though that’s not the final retail price.

The Xtra Elite will use version 4.0 of the Secure Digital standard, and feature an Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus with data transfer rates of up to 300MBps.

Using SD 4.0 means the card will feature an additional row of pins below the standard ones.

However, even though you might like what you see and don’t mind whipping out the thousand, if you’re not a professional photographer, Microdia is not targeting you with this product.

As Cnet writes, Microdia expects the card to be mostly used by professional photographers who will appreciate the fast transfer speeds. Because of its diminutive size, you’ll want to be extra careful it doesn’t go missing.

A few days ago SanDisk unveiled its dime-sized drive capable of storing 128GB of data (the same as the latest MacBook Air or a top-end iPhone). The SanDisk Ultra Fit costs $120 (£78).

The best 5 running apps

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 9:31am CEST par Barclay Ballard

Runner

While you certainly don’t need technology to get the blood pumping, there are a huge number of fitness apps out there that can help encourage and focus your exercise regime.

If you do need some help getting your running shoes on, then we’ve listed five of the best apps for motivation, technique and fitness monitoring currently available.

Runkeeper (Android, iOS)

Runkeeper is perfect for budding athletes who want a no-frills running app that provides all the essential information they need. Using your smartphone’s GPS to track your exercise, Runkeeper monitors your speed, distance run, exercise time, calories burnt and a number of other fitness metrics.

Users can also download popular running routes in the local area or upload ones of their own. They can also view their previous activity to check if their making progress and how often they’ve run. As a nice bonus, the app also enables runners to take and tag pictures and upload them to their route.

PUMATRAC (Android, iOS)

Runners who are looking for a more detailed analysis of their activity may want to try out PUMATRAC. The app includes the usual running metrics, but also analyses the weather and times of your run to see if this has an effect on your performance. PUMATRAC can also gather insights from your Spotify playlists to see if the music you listen to has an impact.

Social features are also a major part of PUMATRAC allowing users to interact with other runners and see where they stand on a virtual leaderboard. And, for those days when the weather outside is just too bad to face, the app includes a treadmill toggle, enabling users to track their indoor runs.

Run with Map My Run (Android, iOS)

Map My Fitness has been in the exercise business for nearly a decade now, so it knows what it’s doing when it comes to running apps. Run with Map My Run may not be the catchiest name, but don’t let that put you off.

The app measures your distance travelled, time taken and average speed and gives runners access to real-time measurements as well as completed totals. The paid version also comes with a few additional features such as voice coaching and locations sharing.

For those of you out there that use a smartwatch, Run with Map My Run also comes with Android Wear and Apple Watch support.

Zombies, Run! (Android, iOS)

Zombies, Run! takes a slightly more unusual approach to motivation, using the threat of being eaten alive by hordes of the undead to give you a little extra push.

The app essentially turns your workout into a game by adding a zombie apocalypse narrative to your run via headphone audio. Runners are given a number of missions that when completed grant them access to items that can be used to develop your base. The app is currently in its fourth season, with more than 200 missions currently available.

You can also share your progress online, with over one million other players of Zombies, Run!

UP by Jawbone (Android, iOS)

Jawbone may be best known for its wearable fitness trackers, but the California-based firm also makes an excellent running app for Android and iOS handsets. UP uses your smartphone’s built-in sensors to monitor important fitness metrics, but it also allows users to input nutritional information and details about their sleeping patterns manually.

The app also comes with its own intelligent fitness guide, called Smart Coach, which will give you advice on how to improve your workout and ultimately turn running data into valuable insights.

Photo Credits: ostill/Shutterstock

ffDiaporama: not just another video slideshow builder

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 9:21am CEST par Mike Williams

ffDiaporama

If you've used one or two video slideshow builders then you'll know they tend to work in a very similar way. Open a set of pictures or videos; drag or drop to rearrange them; optionally add transitions, titles or a soundtrack, then export the results as a movie.

Install the free ffDiaporama, and you might start in much the same way. The results aren't bad, either, with a reasonable set of transitions and plenty of video export options (MP4, FLV, 3GP, AVI, MKV, MPEG, WEBM, OGV).

But start to explore, and you’ll find the program has much more to offer.

Take backgrounds, for instance. You're not stuck with the developer’s preferred shade: it's possible to define your own solid color, gradient, images from the program’s excellent library, or any picture of your own.

Then there's the soundtrack. While other slideshow builders expect you to be impressed by the ability to drag and drop an MP3 file, ffDiaporama accepts multiple files, and can switch them, pause them, or adjust their volume on a slide-by-slide basis.

The extras continue with the titles. Instead of a normal "pick a font and type some text" box, you get a choice of predefined slides for the project, chapters or credits, in either static or animated form, or you can build something new from scratch.

If you'd like to get really creative, ffDiaporama can even present your images and videos in custom shapes, with several on the screen at one time, and optionally animating them in various ways. You could have four jigsaw shapes, each with a separate picture, come together, for example. Or slide 9 shapes into a 3×3 grid, display a video in the center and stills in all the others. This DailyMotion video has some examples of what can be done.

It’s not all good news, unfortunately. The program doesn't use native Windows dialogs, and we found even simple file browsing options could be very slow.

Some operations can also less than intuitive. You might tell the program to add a predefined title with scrolling credits, for instance, but there’s no obvious way to enter any text. We tried to create a "Custom credit titles" slide, only to be asked to "select a model first" (there were no models to select). And when you finally figure out that you need to convert it to a "standard slide", you’re confronted with so many positioning, animation and configuration options that they need a manual all on their own.

Being different isn't always a good thing, then, but there’s no doubting ffDiaporama's power, and if you need to get really creative with your video slideshows – and you’re ready to spend time mastering the interface -- then we'd give it a try.

NFL and Yahoo plan to live stream a game free of charge

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 4:05am CEST par Alan Buckingham

NFL

Football season is coming, despite that it isn't even officially summer yet. The draft is behind us and OTAs are underway. Training camp is just around the corner in July. But one thing has lacked with the National Football League, and that's live streaming games. Thanks to a deal with DirecTV, the league has been locked up while other sports like MLB have thrived in this market. Things are changing though, but the wheels turn slowly.

The NFL has inked a deal with Yahoo -- yes, the also-ran search competitor -- to live stream a game for free, It's a start and we'll see where things go from here. In the meantime write down the date October 25th. That's the day the Buffalo Bills take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sound like a boring game? It isn't, because it will test this new plan.

"Both the NFL and Yahoo have long shared a passion for bringing the best experiences to football fans around the world. We’re thrilled the NFL has selected us to be their partner for this historic event and proud that we can offer it to our global users", Yahoo announces.

It gets better, as anyone in the world can watch this game, location doesn't matter. The internet broadcast will be exclusive to Yahoo. The game itself takes place in London, so it was already a bit international to begin with. Let's hope this begins a trend.

Want a career in Linux? Take this edX course

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 4:03am CEST par Brian Fagioli

schoolpeng

There comes a point in every person's life when they must grow up and plan for their future. It is important to remember that you can be anything you want if you try hard enough. Of course, some jobs such as astronaut, President of the USA or NBA player are harder to get than others!

A smart choice in today's world is to be involved with Linux. There are many careers in Linux that are in demand nowadays. If you want to be a Linux Systems Admin, I have good news -- you can now become qualified online thanks to a partnership between edX and the Linux Foundation.

To sign up and learn more, you can check it out here.

"LFS201 is the second course The Linux Foundation has made available on the edX platform. The first, a free course, was Introduction to Linux (LFS101), which to date has enrolled over 400,000 learners, making it one of the largest courses available on the edX platform. The new course, which is appropriate for those who have completed LFS101 and want to take the next step, as well as individuals who have worked in IT positions but not directly with Linux, will be offered for a fee of $499, which includes a Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator exam attempt, a $300 value which includes one free retake if not passed on the first attempt. The course will be offered at an introductory price of only $399 for two weeks from today", explains The Linux Foundation.

The foundation further explains, "LFS201 enrollment is open now on edx.org, and students will be able to begin taking the course on August 3, 2015. This exam is offered online and can be taken anytime, from anywhere, making it a convenient option for individuals around the globe. It is completely performance based, so tests skills rather than rote memorization, which makes these certifications attractive to potential employers. As the jobs report found that 54 percent of hiring managers expect a certification or evidence of formal training from applicants, certified professionals will have a leg up on the competition".

According to the course page, you will learn the following.

Edit text files on the command line
Manipulate text files from the command line
Archive and compress files and directories
Assemble partitions as LVM devices
Configure swap partitions
File attributes
Find files on the filesystem
Format filesystems
Mount filesystems automatically at boot time
Mount networked filesystems
Partition storage devices
Troubleshoot filesystem issues
Create backups
Create local user groups
Manage file permissions
Manage fstab entries
Manage local users accounts
Manage the startup process and related services
Manage user accounts
Manage user account attributes
Manage user processes
Restore backed up data
Set file permissions and ownership
Access the root account
Use sudo to manage access to the root account
Write basic bash shell scripts
Install software packages

Unlike many other edX courses, this one is not free. With that said, it is far more in-depth and valuable than the typical course found on the site. Quite frankly, $399 is a steal to become a Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator. Remember, the best investment you can make is in yourself.

Photo Credit: Julien Tromeur/Shutterstock

Japanese porn sites may infect your iPhone and iPad with malicious apps

Publié: juin 4, 2015, 2:22am CEST par Brian Fagioli

uhohphone

If you are an adult that likes to visit Japanese porno websites on your iPhone or iPad, I will not judge you. It is your life and you can do with it what you want. Quite frankly, watching x-rated videos is safer than visiting sex workers, as you cannot catch a virus from your Apple device.

Or can you? While not a virus per se, Symantec has discovered a malicious app in the wild that is targeting iOS users that search for Japanese sex videos and visit certain spam links. Unfortunately, wearing a condom on your finger will not protect you -- here is how to stay safe.

"This is the first time we've seen a malicious iOS app being used for one-click fraud purposes. The scammers are likely taking advantage of the iOS Developer Enterprise Program for their campaign, though we have not confirmed this. If the app is installed on the user's device, then it tells the user that they have agreed to become a member of the site and demands that they pay 99,000 Japanese yen (approximately US$800) now or 300,000 yen (approximately $2,400) after three days", explains Joji Hamada, Symantec.

Hamada further explains, "in this campaign, the user may arrive at the scammers' fraudulent site either by clicking on a link in a spam message or by stumbling across the site during an online search for adult videos. If the user clicks on the play button on the site, then they are presented with a pop-up message asking the user to install an app. The user can install the app on their iOS device, even if they haven’t jailbroken it".

Wow, this can impact users that aren't even jailbroken? Scary stuff indeed. Luckily, the app itself is not harmful -- Symantec assures everyone that it will not cause any damage or steal information. The malicious nature of the app is just the user believing the request for money and willingly paying it. Simply uninstalling the app will cure the woes.

one click OS app 2 edit

To avoid such nonsense, never install an app unless it is from Apple's App Store. As you can see in the above image, you have to explicitly tap that you trust the bad app before it will be installed. As long as you remember to always tap "Don't Trust", you will be golden.

Have you encountered any sites that have prompted the install of untrusted apps? Tell me in the comments.

Photo Credit: T.Dallas/Shutterstock

Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » juin 4, 2015

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