Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » septembre 11, 2015

BetaNews.Com (24 non lus)

Happy birthday Mario! Nintendo's iconic game character turns 30 [Infographic]

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 9:19pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Mario

30 years ago today, iconic Italian plumber Mario made his first appearance in the legendary Super Mario Bros.

Created by Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario remains Nintendo’s most enduring -- and recognizable -- creation, and while the hardware his games appear on might have changed considerably over the past three decades, Mario himself is still the same lovable character he’s always been.

Whether you’re a fan of Mario, or not, you will know of him, and be familiar with at least some of the many games he’s appeared in. But there’s probably quite a lot you don’t about Nintendo’s most famous character, including that he’s held numerous jobs in his 30 years. Aside from being a plumber he’s been a soldier, doctor and even a boxing referee.

You probably also don’t know that in Japan Mario was originally called simply Jumpman, or Mr. Video. It was someone at Nintendo of America who actually coined the name Mario.

HalloweenCostumes.com has put together a fun infographic detailing the story behind Mario as told in the words of creator Shigeru Miyamoto.

Are you a Mario fan? Share your memories of the plumber and his games in the comments below.

Making Mario

WARNING! Sony decides its waterproof Xperia phones are not actually waterproof

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 9:13pm CEST par Mark Wilson

underwater_camera

Sony seems hell bent on confusing its customers by giving very conflicting advice about its Xperia smartphones. If you're familiar with the range, you'll no doubt be aware of the advertising material that appears to show users taking photos in the rain and even (seemingly) underwater at the pool.

Take a look at the picture above and you'd probably assume that a) it depicts someone shooting a video or taking a photo in a swimming pool, and b) you can do the same with your phone. But you'd be wrong (at least on b) because Sony has changed its mind about what waterproof means. Or it doesn't know. It really depends on where you look on the Sony website.

The picture accompanying this article is taken from the Water and dust resistance section of Sony's support pages. The company quite rightly says that "before you dive into the action with your waterproof or dust-resistant Sony device, you should check its capabilities and limits". Seems reasonable enough... let's find out more.

Sony's advice regarding water-based use of a phone is as follows:

If your Sony device has an IP58 rating, as well as being resistant to dust (but not dust-tight), it is also waterproof to IPX8 standard. That means it’s protected against immersion for up to 30 minutes in fresh (non-saline) water at depths of around 1.5 metres. The exact depth and other details will be specified in your user guide.

The company handily explains the IP (Ingress Protection) rating system. The first digit after the letters covers 'resistance to solid objects and dust', and the second is 'resistance to water', the highest possible rating being 6 and 8 respectively. OK… so let's imagine that you have a Sony Xperia X3. The product page has a helpful section about its waterproofness:

With the waterproof Xperia Z3, you can take pictures with the best smartphone camera while swimming in fresh water for up to 30 minutes. You can even dive down to 1.5 metres with it. Just remember that all the covers for the micro USB port, the micro SIM slot and the memory card slot must be firmly closed.

Cool... so you can take photos while swimming and diving, right? You could re-enact the scene picture above if you want, couldn't you? (After all, the Z3 "has an impressive IP65/68 rating"). This is where things start to get confusing. Head over to the Basic care section of the waterproof advice pages and we learn:

The IP rating of your device was achieved in laboratory conditions in standby mode, so you should not use the device underwater, such as taking pictures. Do not use the device to take photos while performing any type of activity underwater, including diving or snorkeling.

So we can't take photos underwater? Who knows? Sony seems undecided, so it's very hard to say for sure (we have, of course, reached out for comment). The advice to not use the phone underwater is rather at odds with the Z3 promotional video which very clearly shows sub-aqua use:

As Xperia Blog says, it is very much a case of mixed messages. The testing procedure described by the company does not really seem to replicate real world scenarios, and hardly instils confidence:

Sony devices that are tested for their waterproof abilities are placed gently inside a container filled with tap water and lowered to a depth of 1.5 metres. After 30 minutes in the container, the device is gently taken out and its functions and features are tested.

It seems that even in testing, the device is not used underwater. It's merely placed underwater... and gently at that. The language used to describe the waterproof capabilities of the upcoming Z5 range is slightly different. Writing on the Sony support forums, a company representative says:

Our new Xperia Z5 is protected from water ingress according to the IPx5/x8 standard, which is the highest water protection featured in mobile handsets. The tests for this rating also include the slow submersion in a fresh water tank up to 1.5m for a duration of 30 minutes. Moving or operating the device while it is submerged is not tested during the laboratory tests. There are also many environmental factors which we could not assess (e.g. water movement or water pressure changes during the movement), if a device is used underwater. Therefore we recommend not submerge our Xperia Z5 in water.

So this highly waterproof phone should not be submerged in water, let alone operating whilst submerged. Most confusing.

You might not be happy that Sony appears to be moving the goal posts. Tough; the company already has a get-out clause in place:

All claims were verified at the time of testing. However, as the mobile landscape changes quickly and new phone models are released on a continuous basis, we cannot guarantee that all claims are still valid as you read this.

Don't like it? Bad luck.

The rise of telecommuting: 45 percent of US employees work from home

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 9:07pm CEST par Sam Pudwell

student coffee cafe laptop woman

The traditional 9-5 working day of driving to an office, sitting in a cubicle for hours and then forgetting all about work at the end of the day is all but extinct.

Thanks to telecommuting and the rise of millennials on the workplace, employees are now able to work from pretty much anywhere at any time of day, with little or no disruption or sacrifice in productivity.

The New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Online MBA program has created the infographic below to take a closer look at the rise of telecommuting and how management styles are evolving as a result.

According to the report, 45 percent of US employees work from home and 53 million people work as freelancers, contributing $715 billion (£464 billion) annually to the American economy. Of these freelancers, 40 percent are independent contractors, 27 percent are moonlighters, 18 percent are diversified workers, 10 percent are temporary workers and five percent are freelance business owners.

But just which companies are hiring these remote workers? Well, Teletech comes out in first place and the likes of Amazon, IBM and SAP all feature in the top ten.

The infographic also offers advice on how to manage your virtual team, with tips for hiring freelancers -- such as picking a dedicated freelance site and checking for positive reviews -- and some of the top collaboration and communication packages on offer.

The full infographic can be found below.

Age of the telecommuter

Photo Credit: Vasiliy Koval/Shutterstock

How DirecTV tried and failed to get me to uncut the cord

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 7:40pm CEST par Alan Buckingham

cord-cutting

Almost a year and half ago I said goodbye to my long-time satellite provider. It was nothing personal, I always had good service, but I simply decided I was paying too much for the amount of TV I watch -- or don't watch, which is more the case.

Since then I've got by just fine with a compilation of Sling TV (with the sports pack), Hulu Plus and Amazon Prime. That hasn't stopped DirecTV from trying to win me back, though I'd steadily ignored the offers. But one was different.

It offered me a great monthly price, only $5 more than I pay Sling. That's not bad. But they also sweetened the deal by throwing in NFL Sunday ticket. I happen to be a fan of a team that is not in my market, so it was perfect. There was a catch, I'd be agreeing to a two year contract, but I could live with that.

Then the next day the installer showed up and things went downhill quickly. I already have a perfectly capable, and still hooked up, HR23 box. It's HD and DVR. So the company would turn it back on, right? No. That would cost an additional $20 per month -- $10 each for HD and DVR. Are these costing you anything? You're broadcasting HD anyway and DVR storage is on my hard drive.

But no, they were insisting on switching the box to a new non-HD, non-DVR one. It also only came with a composite connection, meaning my HDMI switch couldn't be used with it. Not the end of the world, you may think, but it was the end of my rope.

So as much as I wanted to see my team play every game this season, I could no longer justify the problems they were creating.

And yes, I know there are ways to watch games, though I won't be describing them here, you can find them on your own. For now DirecTV and I remain separated.

Image Credit: zimmytws / Shutterstock

Remove unwanted Windows 10 upgrade files from Windows 7 and Windows 8.x

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 6:56pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Delete Keyboard Key Button

Microsoft has reportedly been downloading Windows 10 installation files on to computers running Windows 7 and 8.x, regardless of whether the users plan to upgrade to the new OS or not.

If you’re thinking of making the switch, and have requested an upgrade, that is fair enough. But if you’re more than happy to stick with your older OS for now, you might not be too happy about Microsoft cluttering up your hard drive with junk install files you don’t want. Fortunately, removing these files is easy enough.

Browse the root of your system drive, and you may find one or two sizable directories -- $Windows.~BT, and $Windows.~WS. These are hidden folders that contain the Windows install files (make sure Windows is set to show hidden files if the folders aren't visible). While you can just delete large folders, the best way to remove them and regain space is by using the built in Disk Cleanup tool.

Click Start and search for Disk Cleanup. Right-click the application that appears, and select Run as administrator. Select the drive you want to clean up -- this should be your system drive -- and click OK.

Click on Clean up system files, and select the drive again. In the list you’ll see Temporary Windows installation files. If this contains a sizable number of files, select it and click OK to remove the contents. This will clean out everything in the $Windows.~BT folder, but not in the $Windows.~WS directory (Disk Cleanup doesn’t target this particular folder at the moment). You can delete it manually though.

As for preventing the files being downloaded again, go to Start > Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall or change a program. Click View installed updates on the left. Use the search box to locate the following updates: KB3035583, KB2952664, and KB3021917 (Windows 7) or KB3035583 and KB2976978 (Windows 8). Right-click each one and select Uninstall. When done, go to System and security in the Control Panel, and select Windows Update > Check for updates. Right-click each of the above updates in turn and select Hide update.

Image Credit: Duc Dao / Shutterstock

ASUS ROG G20CB gaming PC has Intel Skylake Core i7, GeForce GTX 980, and Windows 10

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 6:52pm CEST par Brian Fagioli

ROG-G20_KV

There is a big place in my heart for gaming PCs. Unfortunately, there isn't a big place in my home for one. As more and more people share homes with their extended family (damn, economy!) space can be an issue. Zotac recently announced a small gaming PC, showing that it is possible to have a small footprint, which is very cool.

Today, ASUS announces the ROG G20CB -- a refresh of the existing G20. While not diminutive, it is certainly svelte compared to conventional towers. The specs look incredible, as it features an Intel Skylake Core i7 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 4GB. Other configurations are available too, of course, and AMD fans can opt for a Radeon R9 380.

"ROG G20CB is designed to be a one-stop gaming and entertainment system. Its 9.5-liter chassis houses a 6th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 graphics. The former delivers a 10 percent performance boost and 23 percent more efficiency over previous-generation Intel processors to give ROG G20CB the power to take on the most demanding of tasks, allowing users experience today’s games at their highest settings. NVIDIA GeForce-powered graphics draws gamers into an immersive world of colors and 4K/UHD resolution visuals; it even supports output on up to three HD displays, while a fourth display can be added via a HDMI connection", says Asus.

The company also shares, "cooling performance is often an issue when it comes to small-form-factor desktops, and the G20CB’s use of high performance components requires exceptional thermal management to ensure stable performance for gaming marathons. Despite its compact 9.5-liter chassis, ROG G20 is designed with no visible exterior side exhaust vents, and features an integrated thermal design that takes advantage of natural convection. It has a hidden airflow channel that ensures efficient heat management, while two internal fans and copper pipes further help dissipate heat. G20 isn't just powerful; it runs whisper-quiet at just 22dB at idle -- quieter than a typical library".

The chassis is absolutely gorgeous -- the red and black color scheme should be attractive to the average gamer. With that said, it is stylish too, meaning it would not look out of place in an executive's office or at a local LAN party.

Price and availability are not yet known, but the degree to which your wallet will be hurt depends on configuration. Obviously, a Core i7 is most desired, but depending on your needs or budget, a Core i3 or i5 could be fine. Quite frankly, a Core i5 and R9 380 will probably be the best bang for your buck.

Check out the specs and available configurations below. How would you configure it? Tell me in the comments.

Processor	6th-generation Intel Core ‘Skylake-S’ i3/i5/i7 processors
Operating system	Windows 10
Chipset	H170
Memory	4GB, upgradable to 32GB Dual Channel DDR4 at 2133Mhz – 2 x SO-DIMMS
Graphics card	NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX™ 980 4GB GDDR5 (1HDMI,1DVI,3DP)NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX™ 970 4GB GDDR5 (1HDMI,1DVI,3DP)NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX™ 960 2GB GDDR5 (1HDMI,1DVI,3DP)NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX™ 950 2GD5 (1D-SUB,1HDMI,1DVI)NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX™ 745 4GD3 (1D-SUB,1HDMI,1DVI)AMD® R9 380 2GD5 (1 HDMI,2 DVI,1 DP)
Storage	Up to 3TB SATA 6Gbit/s hard drive 7200RPMUp to 256G SATA 6Gbit/s SSD drive
Drive bay	1 x 2.5in, 1 x 3.5in
Adapter	230W and 180W
Primary CD/DVD drive	9.0mm Slimtray Super Multi DVD burner9.0mm Slimtray Blu-ray Combo9.0mm Slimtray BD Writer
Wireless	Built-in Wi-Fi 802.11ac Bluetooth 4.0
Audio	ASUS SonicMaster technology ROG AudioWizard7.1 Channels
Keyboard	Wireless backlit gaming keyboard with multimedia keys
Chassis	9.5-liter chassis
I/O ports	Front mounted: 2 x USB 3.0 x 21 x Mic1 x EarphoneRear panel:1 x RJ45 LAN1 x 8-channel audio1 x HDMI-Out2 x USB 3.12 x USB 3.02 x USB 2.02 x Power jack
Size	104 x 340 x 358mm
Weight	6.38kg

Health insurer discovers hack half a year too late

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 6:43pm CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

surprise shock woman laptop

A health insurer in upstate New York was hacked, and more than 10 million of its members might have had their data stolen, Reuters reported on Thursday.

The Rochester-based insurer Excellus BlueCross BlueShield said it and its affiliates had been the target of a sophisticated cyberattack. It is offering free identity theft protection services to the affected.

According to a Reuters report, Excellus said it learned of the cyberattack on August 5 from experts it had hired to perform a forensic assessment of its computer systems.

The assessment was done after other health insurers were attacked. A subsequent investigation found that the initial hack occurred in December of 2013.

Attackers may have gained access to members’ information, including names, date of birth, Social Security number, mailing address, telephone number, member identification number, financial account information and claims information, the company said.

"We are taking additional actions to strengthen and enhance the security of our IT systems moving forward", the company said in a notice posted on its website.

"The investigation has not determined that any such data was removed from our systems and there is no evidence to date that any data has been used inappropriately", Excellus spokesman Jim Redmond said.

"The FBI is investigating a cyber intrusion involving Lifetime Healthcare Companies, which include Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, and will work with the firms to determine the nature and scope of the matter", the FBI confirmed in an emailed statement.

"Individuals contacted by the companies should take steps to monitor and safeguard their personally identifiable information and report any suspected instances of identity theft to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center", it added.

Bryan Lillie, Chief Technology Officer, Cyber Security at QinetiQ has commented: "This hack identifies the importance of regular monitoring for intrusions. This hack was going on for over a year and half before it was found which is a long time".

"While current reports haven’t found evidence of data theft or misuse, a year and a half gives a party with an ulterior motive a huge amount of time with which to adversely impact a company’s IT systems. To prevent this kind of intrusion, protective monitoring is a must; this will spot unusual activity and move security from a background function to a proactive, key part of the business".

"Often people deploy security in wrong way. They install a software package or appliance but don’t think about how it works. Few people change their password regularly let alone modify their firewall or check logs to see if there is anything odd going across boundary, or something has been trying to get in. If you’re not looking, you’re not going to find it".

Photo Credit: Lighthunter/Shutterstock

The spooks' guide to choosing a strong password

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 5:32pm CEST par Ian Barker

Bond-style spy

Britain's electronic intelligence agency GCHQ has released new guidelines to help individuals and businesses choose strong passwords.

In a report issued in conjunction with the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure it suggests that the use of complex passwords is no longer required.

It advises using password managers but warns that, "...like any piece of security software, they are not impregnable and are an attractive target for attackers". It also recommends that businesses make life easier for their users by only applying passwords when they're really necessary and only insisting they're changed when there's evidence of compromise. It suggests using alternatives like hardware tokens or RFID badges too.

The report warns of the limitations of common user techniques such as substituting letters for numbers, and of machine generated passwords -- principally that they're hard to remember. Instead it recommends using schemes that are more memorable such as combining four random dictionary words or adopting consonant-vowel-consonant constructions.

It also advises some common sense measures such as always changing default passwords on any new devices and never letting users share passwords. It suggests that administrator and remote user accounts be prioritized for stronger passwords.

Whilst much of the advice given is sensible, users may be forgiven for taking a negative view of security advice offered by GCHQ. The organization has in the past pushed for the introduction of back doors in software and a weakening of encryption. Cynical commenters on the Guardian website suggest that the advice is to ensure passwords are compatible with the agency's latest cracking algorithm.

At the risk of adding your IP address to a secret government database, the full guide is available to download from the gov.uk site.

Image Credit: Richard Peterson / Shutterstock

Upgrade to Windows 10 and win a trip to New York

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 4:45pm CEST par Wayne Williams

NYC

If you haven’t already upgraded to Windows 10, Microsoft has another incentive for you to make the switch. The tech giant is offering upgraders the chance to win a trip for two to New York, with flights and hotel accommodation included.

The competition is to celebrate the grand opening of Microsoft’s flagship store and the winner will have front of line access to the store, and also VIP concert tickets with a meet and greet with the (as yet unnamed) band at the grand opening concert. They’ll also receive Microsoft hardware including Surface Pro 3, Xbox One and Microsoft Band.

So what do you have to do to enter the competition? Simply upgrade to Windows 10, and submit your online entry using the form here. Share on social media and you’ll get additional entries.

The competition is only open to residents of the United States (or D.C.) and Canada (excluding Quebec), who are 18 years or older.

To enter online you need to be on Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 at start of promotion and upgrade to Windows 10 during the promotion period.

The sweepstake ends on the 30 September and you can view the official rules here. [PDF]

Bitdefender 2016 brings new ransomware protection

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 4:45pm CEST par Mike Williams

Bitdefender

Bitdefender Labs has unveiled its 2016 consumer line, including Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2016, Bitdefender Internet Security 2016 and Bitdefender Total Security 2016.

New ransomware protection prevents untrusted applications from tampering with your personal documents, while enhanced behavioral monitoring looks for any ransomware-like activities.

Bitdefender’s engine has been extended with "machine learning-based technologies", enabling it to detect even brand new threats faster than ever.

The new firewall delivers better performance, and there are enhancements for the password manager, parental controls, file encryption and antitheft tools.

All three packages also have a strong set of core features, including phishing protection; vulnerability detection; a USB immunizer; Rescue Mode, a secure and isolated environment, outside of Windows, to remove even the most stubborn threats; and a desktop widget for quick scans and to monitor your security status.

It’s not yet clear how the update will affect Bitdefender’s accuracy, but then that’s already very highly rated by independent testing labs, with the previous engine scoring a second place in AV-Comparatives’ latest Real-World Protection tests.

30 day trial builds of Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2016, Bitdefender Internet Security 2016 and Bitdefender Total Security 2016 are available now for Windows 7 and later.

SMBs in the cloud -- managed services or in-house IT?

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 4:19pm CEST par Anna Beletskaya

businessman on cloud

The cloud has become a truly winning innovation for companies of all sizes, causing a significant upturn within the IT sector and business as a whole. Previously, companies went to great lengths to scale their own in-house IT infrastructure, as it was seen as a great benefit to run the business through technology maintained on-site. Now however, there is a push toward an online service delivery model, leaving organizations wondering which setup is best for them.

In many aspects, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) stand to benefit the most from cloud-based technologies. Dealing with limited budget, it has not always been easy to for small companies to take advantage of information technology -- the purchase, upkeep, and eventual replacement of hardware is extremely expensive, not to mention the salaries paid to the IT professionals that maintain it. Fortune 500 companies can afford this type of capital costs, whereas SMBs could have travel outlaying that much cash.

But this has changed with the emergence of the implementation of cloud-based technologies. Instead of purchasing hardware and maintain their IT in-house, the option of managed hosting services now exists to give SMBs a cheaper alternative that will allow them to dedicate resources to other areas of need.

So just what are the benefits of managed services as compared to in-house IT? Let’s take a look:

Reduction of Costs: Cloud-hosted servers enable mass-scale computing power and minimize IT requirements and physical storage, providing a substantial savings. Cloud solutions are also much faster to deploy than traditional hardware, which also allows businesses to have minimal project start-up costs and predictable ongoing operating expenses.
Flexibility: As long as employees have access to the Internet, they can work from anywhere. You can be sure every user has an up-to-date picture of how the business is doing, no matter where he/she is.
Ease of Collaboration: Saving and accessing files through the cloud allows everyone to work with the same set of content, according to access and permission controls implemented by administrator.
Reduces Risk: When everything is stored in the cloud, data can still be accessed no matter what happens to a machine. Moreover, the cloud adds security for its users by backing-up data off-site, decreasing the potential for hackers, viruses, and other cyber-security issues.
Improves Efficiency: After migrating to the cloud, companies should no longer worry about space considerations, power requirements, software updates etc. Using solutions provided by a reliable and presentable cloud service provider gives the ability for SMBs to use the latest solutions on offer in their field, which is giving the small companies the chance to be more competitive.

The cloud enables your IT infrastructure to progress as quickly as your business does. Moving forward with cloud solutions will bring your small business many benefits that at first-hand impact productivity and security. No matter what brunch of business you represent, cloud computing is a practice that you will want to integrate and after all adopt it.

Photo Credit: R Peshkova/Shutterstock

Anna Beletskaya is a Support Engineer at PlexHosted, having joined the PlexHosted team in early 2014 and in a short term has gained a high-level expertise in SharePoint hosting cloud solutions, as well as a number of other Microsoft products (Exchange, Lync) and McAfee SaaS email protection service. Anna is a qualified member of the company’s support team, which provides expert customer support for superior customer satisfaction. PlexHosted, founded in 2010, is a cloud based hosting company that specializes in managed SharePoint site deployments and associated infrastructure applications.

Apple's shares expectedly drop after 'Hey Siri' event

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 4:18pm CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

apple_logo_glass_building

Apple’s shares went down some two percent following Wednesday's event which saw the unveiling of a couple of new products.

Apple unveiled the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus, as well as the new iPad Pro, Apple TV and a couple of new features for the Watch.

Cynics will say investors were not pleased with what Apple had to offer which is why shares slid 1.92 percent to close at $110 (£71.5), however The Independent says investors tend to be cautious in the immediate aftermath of an Apple product launch.

"We believe that Apple has plenty of additional growth drivers which can propel earnings ahead of 2016 street estimates", analysts at JPMorgan said in a note to investors.

Shares were trading around $111 in the run up to the launch, down on the previous day. Apple’s new iPhone features a reinforced casing to prevent any possible #Bendgate problems, and a new 3D Force Touch technology which allows the user to interact with the device in new ways.

The Apple TV product has been built from the ground up with the latest hardware and will feature Siri, the digital assistant, as well as apps for the TV.

"We view this next generation Apple TV as the tip of the iceberg", said David H Ives, analyst at FBR. Apple TV is a “core foundation” for the future of Apple content. The introduction of TV streaming services, expected in early 2016, will clear the path for a lucrative content business in the future, he said.

Photo credit: TK Kurikawa / Shutterstock

Android/Lockerpin.A ransomware holds victims hostage by changing their PIN

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 2:52pm CEST par Mark Wilson

The latest ransomware to hit Android users attempts to force victims into coughing up $500 by changing the PIN used to lock the device. Disguising itself as a system patch and then a message from the FBI suggesting that 'forbidden pornographic sites' have been viewed, the Android/Lockerpin.A malware differs from previous examples of ransomware that encrypted data.

The malware is impossible to remove without root access or by performing a factory reset. An interesting feature of the PIN change is that even the attacker is unware of what the new code is -- handing over money really makes no difference. But also worthy of note is the way in which Android/Lockerpin.A manages to gain Device Admin privileges.

Lukas Stefanko from security firm ESET explains that the ransomware initially appears as a software patch featuring a Google logo. Anyone agreeing to 'install' the update -- as many people will -- unwittingly grant the malware administrative rights so it is free to do just about anything, and that includes changing the PIN. Android/Lockerpin.A goes a step further, making sure that it is all but impossible to retract these privileges:

When users attempt to deactivate Device Admin for the malware, they will fail because the Trojan will have registered a call-back function to reactivate the privileges when removal is attempted.

In addition to this, Android/Lockerpin.A blocks deletion and attempts to kill antivirus software that may be installed. At the moment the ransomware is found primarily in the US, often in the guise of porn video app called Porn Droid. The malware is not, currently, found in Google Play, but is distributed through third-party sites, torrents and warez outlets.

If you fall victim on a rooted device, you are in (some) luck. Stefanko reveals how to remove the changed PIN:

The only way to remove the PIN lock screen without a factory reset is when device is rooted or has a MDM solution capable of resetting the PIN installed. If the device is rooted then the user can connect to the device by ADB and remove the file where the PIN is stored. For this to work, the device needs to have debugging enabled otherwise it’s not possible (Settings -> Developer options -> USB Debugging). Users can use the following set of commands to unlock the device:

> adb shell

> su

> rm /data/system/password.key

After running the above commands, the PIN or password lock screen will be removed and the user can get to the device.

On unrooted devices, however, a reset involving a loss of data is the only other option.

Photo credit: Paket / Shutterstock

How to find the wallpapers and lock screen images in Windows 10

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 2:20pm CEST par Wayne Williams

Windows 10 lock screen

I quite like the look of Windows 10, and the images that come with it, but like all previous versions of Microsoft’s operating system it’s easily customizable.

Changing the look of the wallpaper and lock screen is done through Start, Settings, Personalization, and you can spice things up with your own photos. But what if you want to view the default images? Windows 10 stores them in a less-than-obvious place.

To find the wallpaper and lock screen images, open File Explorer and go to C:\Windows|web.

You’ll see 3 folders there:

4K
Screen
Wallpaper

4K is where you’ll find the default Windows 10 wallpaper. Rather than just the one image there are nine variations in various resolutions.

Screen contains all of the lock screen images and Wallpaper is where you’ll find all of the available wallpapers.

Best Windows apps this week

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 2:18pm CEST par Martin Brinkmann

One-hundred and forty-five in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps and games released for Windows 8.x/10 in the past seven days.

This week saw the release of several high profile games and updates for existing popular apps.

The new NFL on Windows application is my pick of the week as it offers excellent content that is not even geo-restricted.

Twitter, Minecraft and Microsoft's Remote Desktop application were all updated this week with new functionality.

As always, if I missed an app or game that has been released this week that you believe is particularly good, let me know in the comments below or notify me via email instead.

Discounts This Week

Red Stripe Deals are back. Microsoft added them to the new Windows 10 Store. You find them listed under Collections when you open the store.

Blazblue Calamity Trigger, a great looking 2D fighting game for $3.99
Lucky's Tree of Puzzles, an educational app for kids for $1.99
PixelDefense, a tower defense game for $0.99
Grim Legends 2: Song of the Dark Swan, an adventure game for $2.99
Dino the Beast: Dinosaur Game, a jump and run game for $0.99
Enpass, a password manager for $4.99

Disney is having a sale as well on the store currently:

Where's My Perry, a puzzle game for $0.99
Where's My Water, another puzzle game for $0.99
Temple Run: OZ, an "endless-running" game for $0.99
Temple Run: Brave, another running game for $0.99
Disney Solitaire, a solitaire game for $0.99
Where's My Mickey XL, a puzzle game for $0.99

Best app of the week

NFL on Windows

NFL on Windows is a game day companion application that enables you to track teams and players, and receive personalized notifications that inform you about highlights and big plays as they happen.

Another interesting feature of NFL on Windows is Next Gen Replay. It provides you with detailed information about plays, not only as recordings for you to watch but also as tactical information displayed on the screen as they happen.

The replay feature supports three different camera angles, statistics, and options to break down plays using the built-in slow-motion feature.

There is also videos that you can watch, and since these videos don't appear to be geo-locked, you may watch them from everywhere right now.

NFL's official fantasy league is integrated into the app as well. If you sign in to your account you may track your fantasy matches using the application.

Other apps

Toke2Shell/MD ($0.99, free trial available)

This is a SSH client for Windows which supports session tabs, terminal emulations and TCP and Telnet connection types.

The app ships with a quick connect option, an address book to save servers permanently in, command macros that you can add and lots of other features.

[Inside]

Inside is a news application that provides you with summaries of news stories as they are published around the web.

Summaries link to the actual stories on the Internet with no option to read them in full using the application.

Registered users may follow topics such as lifehacks, science, or business that they are interested in which are then pushed to the personal feed as they become available.

The top 100 list on the other hand features trending and important news everyone is talking about.

miCoach train & run BETA

Adidas miCoach is an interactive training platform that provides users with training plans, real-time coaching and performance tracking tools.

Use it to access your workout history, sync data between devices, or to read the integrated blog.

Divine Academy

Divine Academy is a strategy game in which you develop a city in ancient Greece.

The game uses the same mechanics as other "empire-building" games so that you will feel at home if you played similar games in the past.

It is a free to play game that uses time as a central element as each action costs time to complete.

As is the case in all of these games, you may either wait for actions to complete or speed things up with premium currency.

All in all a well-designed game that you will like if empire-building is one of your favorite genres.

VeraMobile BETA

The app requires a VeraSmart Home Controller. It enables you to control your home by linking it to the controller.

Use it to control doors and lighting, monitor your home using security cameras, adjust the temperature and to receive security alerts and notifications.

Notable Updates

Achievement Art -- Initial release for Windows 10 that improves the application significantly.

Microsoft Remote Desktop Preview -- While still in preview, the most recent update introduces support for high DPI, improved handling of resolutions, and several crash fixes.

Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta -- It is now possible to play multiplayer across platforms.

n7pplayer Music Player -- The music player update introduces OneDrive music support.

Twitter -- The official Twitter app for Windows was updated this week introducing new features such as groups for direct messaging, multi-account support, options to subscribe to lists and other improvements.

Enabling a global workforce to realize their potential with technology

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 2:10pm CEST par Karine Allouche Salanon

tongue flags world countries language speak

An organization is only as good as its talent. As companies become more global they find themselves having to manage a distributed workforce across many continents and time zones, while speaking many languages. Whether gender, age or race based, a workforce’s diversity contributes to a variety of insights and advantages to general corporate culture. Most leaders would agree in principal that it’s imperative to create an environment where employees are able to play to their strengths, while supporting their areas of challenge to achieve mutually beneficial goals. One immediate way to leverage the diversity of a global workforce is through selecting and adopting a common business language.

Many companies have publicly expressed their choices; The Le Tour de France’s official language is English, Rakuten in Japan publicly committed to a new strategic initiative, "Englishnization", or the process of using English to break down linguistic and cultural boundaries. Getting your team to learn how to communicate and collaborate in business English might be a golden opportunity. The question isn’t so much about if this is a good idea, but rather how do you do it when your workforce is spread around the world, and when talented native trainers are so rare in developing countries.

The truth is, there aren’t many tools available that fit the bill. However, Pearson English Business Solutions specializes in offering business solutions focused on enabling talent to communicate, collaborate and operate in English. Implementing learning strategies for large workforces is no easy feat. Simultaneously, the technology, the product, and services have to be aligned throughout the talent management lifecycle. This correlates with an employee’s pre-hire screenings, a detailed onboarding curriculum, and career development learning packages that are unique to each person.

The personalized curriculum, determined by the platform, depends on if you are using a self-study platform where you select your areas of interest and pass a placement test based on your personalized learning path, or if you work with a private coach who can tailor the learning experience to your specific needs and speed of development. Companies already using this approach include HSBC and Volvo in Brazil.

A video demonstrating this can also be found in our Happy Thursday campaign.

Only about seven percent of non-native English speakers in companies think that they can communicate well at work. By training employees to improve their business English skills, a company becomes a more attractive employer, and is also able to expand its pool of potential candidates for roles it is trying to fulfill in the business. Succession planning is one critical process for global companies and English is a must for most leadership roles. It’s crucial that every organization has robust recruiting resources and assessment testing in place to ensure that they have the right talent, create a strong leadership bench and are managing them effectively. It’s about confidence, the ability to develop career opportunities cross-borders, and extending their knowledge to their families.

India is an example of a country that has seen success with learning English business solutions to advance company capabilities in a global way. In a country where most talent gets about 3 to 4 offers in one day, you need to be able to make decision fast based on accurate assessment. In the BPO (business process outsourcing) sector specifically there have been many companies who have turned their recruitment practice from very poor assessments to passing fully digitalized tests comprised of four skills -- writing, listening, speaking and comprehension in English. Further, results are able to be shared in near real-time in as little as 15 minutes.

However, language proficiency is not enough to communicate and collaborate. Many companies understand that focusing on sharpening employee skills is necessary to communicate and collaborating in the language, but what will make a company truly successful on the global scale? In Asia for instance a large amount of the learning is around how to go beyond the culture barrier to converse and be active in international meetings. It is often seen rude to interrupt someone, however, knowing how and when will enable someone to change from being a silent to an active participant -- a very key skill in closing business deals in the Western hemisphere. It’s important to not only focus on the proficiency of the language but in which context do you need to use it.

However Learning will not be sufficient on it owns. Those businesses who have seen the most progress are the ones cultivating a business environment in which every employee has the opportunity to harness their best skills and apply them to something truly rewarding for both the employee and company benefit. Through peer coaching and e-learning, employees are able to receive personalized and targeted feedback playing to their strengths, while improving their weaknesses to become more successful and established in their role. In doing so, the organization can look to benefit from high productivity levels and unprecedented levels of success.

Photo Credit: Igor Petrov/Shutterstock

Karine Allouche Salanon is General Manager of Pearson English Business Solutions

The challenges facing modern sports venues

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 1:12pm CEST par Jennifer Roback

Sports venue

Today’s modern sports venues have many operational challenges. They often host multiple activities including sporting events, concerts and even the circus and rodeo. Most venues are designed to quickly change in layout and function for these different events. The faster and more efficient these changes can be made, the lower the operational costs and maybe even the more events it can host.

Fans have high expectations for using their mobile devices when visiting arenas. Almost everyone has a smartphone and expects to be able to upload pictures or even shop if the event gets boring. We all expect our mobile devices to work as data devices and be able to access all that the world offers all the time, and being at an event is no exception.

On top of this is the fact that it takes a lot of financial resources to build a facility that meets all the needs of the stakeholders. The owners have built large, sophisticated, multipurpose venues that must realize returns on their investments. Security is an important design consideration. How to keep the fans safe, protect valuable property and mitigate risk are all concerns for the modern stadium owner.

All of these challenges have a common thread, and that’s the infrastructure that supports these systems. Digital signage, cellular coverage and security are all seemingly disparate technologies yet they all get connected via structured cabling. The modern stadium must have a flexible, standards-based design that allows the stadium owner to use current technology but also be prepared for the future needs.

Many of the above technologies are rapidly changing. Innovations in Digital Signage applications in the last 3 to 5 years have been tremendous. This change has required many upgrades; if you implemented a system 4 years ago you are updating much of your infrastructure. The payoff is being able to leverage new applications with targeted messaging, not just advertisements, to enhance the fan experience. Also from an operations standpoint you are able to keep your venue flexible to all the different events you wish to host. With a connected digital platform, all signage can be easily changed for the current event taking place.

Wireless technologies, both Wi-Fi and cellular are undergoing a similar technology curve. On the Wi-Fi side, speeds are increasing to accommodate the expanded data usage. This change requires new active equipment to keep up with demands. Cellular networks are also increasing their throughput which can also require new or additional equipment. Network administrators have to balance the benefit of upgrades with the challenge of integrating new equipment with an existing infrastructure.

All of these necessary and constant upgrades are more achievable with a standards based cabling infrastructure. If you have to change your cabling with every upgrade, this can make the cost of the upgrade prohibitive. It’s not just changing out the cable but also the downtime with each upgrade that adds to the overall cost. Also, several locations within many sports venue are often difficult or impossible to re-cable due to access issues. All of these issues can be avoided by using a standards based cabling infrastructure design in the initial installation of the venue.

There are standards bodies for most marketplace technologies and cabling is no exception. The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) develops consensus-based industry standards for structured cabling in multiple industries and applications. The advantage of a consensus-based standard allows multiple manufactures of both cable and active equipment to develop common connectors and performance terms. For example, the RJ45 connector is ubiquitous in the copper Ethernet world. As more devices, such as security or building automation systems, are entering the IP world, they are using the RJ45 connector. If you haven’t installed a standards based cabling infrastructure, then you cannot use the new equipment without re-cabling. This is a given for your data network, but what about your security or building automation cable? Typically these have been separate networks with proprietary cable and special connectors. The challenge with this approach is that the infrastructure is as dated as the technology and must be replaced.

It is difficult to predict the future, but it’s safe to say that there will be more devices that require connectivity that will drive increased bandwidth requirements; we will never be happy with less bandwidth or slower speeds. Given these criteria, plus adding maximum flexibility for investment protection, it’s clear that your cabling infrastructure must support multiple upgrade cycles, often for equipment that doesn’t even exist yet. The best way to achieve all of your infrastructure and future-proofing goals is to be educated about what the cabling standards are for your application and where possible to implement those in your facility.

Photo credit: meunierd / Shutterstock

Jennifer Roback is a Regional Technical Director at CommScope. Prior to joining CommScope, Jennifer spent 15 years with Praxis Computing and PlanNet Consulting in various IT Management, Sales Engineering, Project Management and Infrastructure Design positions. She has also served on advisory boards for Cisco Systems, Ingram Micro and Apple Computer. She is a Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD), a Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA). She has written and presented on various topics in the IT industry including Intelligent Infrastructures. Jennifer holds a bachelors degree from the University of California, Riverside.

Development of as-a-service presents opportunities and threats for business

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 1:04pm CEST par Ian Barker

Business database server

The introduction of as-a-service delivery models is affecting the way companies operate as they increasingly buy services to supplement their existing systems.

A new report by consultancy firm Accenture looks at how technologies such as cloud, automation, analytics, artificial intelligence and mobility have forever changed the way companies receive and deliver significant business value.

Among the findings are that 53 percent of senior vice presidents and above see as-a-service (AaS) being critical to their businesses. Yet despite this seven out of 10 enterprises don’t expect their core systems to be delivered on an as-a-service basis for five years. Interestingly small and medium businesses and Asia Pacific buyers are more likely to see AaS as critical.

"Every day our clients tell us they are under pressure to find new ways to create business value quickly," says Michael Corcoran Senior Managing Director of Accenture Operations, Growth & Strategy. "The marketplace has moved towards a new era of service delivery where applications, infrastructure and business processes are brought together and delivered 'As-a-Service'".

In order to achieve a successful transition to AaS the report says that businesses must be prepared to encounter resistance and manage change. They also need to learn to buy in new ways and focus on the leadership and talent needed to establish expertise across the business.

They need to blend analytics and automation strategies to deliver intelligent automation too. Currently 70 percent of companies have definitive plans for, or are considering, investments in analytics tools and skills. By contrast, only 40 percent are similarly advanced with their plans for robotic process automation.

Other recommendations include starting with a small AaS projetc before scaling it up to the rest of the business, and building a relationship with service providers and consultants to drive innovation.

You can find more information and the full report on the Accenture website and there's a summary of the findings in infographic form below.

5503_As_a_Service_Infographic_AW_LDM

Image Credit: wavebreakmedia / Shutterstock

Encryptr is a cloud-based password manager and e-wallet

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 1:04pm CEST par Mike Williams

encryptr

Storing personal data in the cloud makes it convenient to access, but there might be security and privacy concerns. Can anyone else access your information during transmission? On the server? Will the company get hacked one day, compromising your account details?

Encryptr is a cross-platform (Windows, Android, OS X and Linux) cloud-based password manager and e-wallet, which might offer a better way.

The system is based on the zero-knowledge Crypton framework, which means all information is encrypted and decrypted on the client, and it’s not accessible on the server, by the app’s developers, or someone who might be intercepting your web traffic (no plain text is ever sent across the network).

Surprisingly, you don’t even have to provide any personal information to create an Encryptr account. Not your name, or your Facebook account, or your email address. Just enter a user name and a password and you’re ready to go.

The Encryptr app itself is very simple. Click an Add button and you’re able to enter credit card details, a password, or some general text notes.

Your records are displayed in a list, clicking an item later shows you its contents, and pressing and holding a field -- or double-clicking it, on the desktop app -- copies it to the clipboard.

What you won’t get is anything more advanced. There’s no great integration with the rest of the system -- no automatic form filling, no drag and drop of data -- and even the Settings dialog has just a single option ("Change Passphrase").

Still, we like the ability to create an account without providing any details, and if you can live with its limited feature set, the system works very well.

Encryptr is a free open-source app for Windows, Android, OS X and Linux.

T-Mobile announces special iPhone 6s pricing for Jump on Demand

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 12:13pm CEST par Mihaita Bamburic

iPhone 6s and 6s plus edited

T-Mobile is so confident that you will be very satisfied with its cellular network that it will offer the new iPhones at a lower cost if you are willing to switch from a rival carrier soon. And if you are not happy with the quality of the service, T-Mobile promises to give you your money back in the first month or unlock the smartphone, free of charge, after that.

This "special introductory pricing", as T-Mobile calls it, means Jump on Demand customers can get an iPhone 6s for as little as $20 per month, or an iPhone 6s Plus starting at $24 per month. This is a launch deal, so "it won't last long".

After the promotion ends, the barrier of entry will be raised to $27 per month and $31 per month, respectively. (In specific, we are talking about the base, 16 GB iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.) Since the Jump on Demand program is good for 18 months, you would be saving $126 in total.

As you go up in the iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus food chain, the monthly cost decreases while the down payment goes up. For an iPhone 6s with 64 GB of storage you will be paying $19 per month and $99.99 down, while for the 128 GB model you can expect to shell out $18 per month and $199.99 down. The regular cost is $26 per month and $25 per month, respectively, but the initial cost stays the same.

Things are similar for iPhone 6s Plus. The 64 GB version can be had for $23 per month coupled with $99.99 down, while the 128 GB model costs $22 per month with $129.99 down. The regular cost will go up to $30 per month and $29 per month, respectively, with the initial cost, again, staying the same.

This is clearly not a bad deal if you are looking to make the "jump" to T-Mobile. The carrier will also pay up to $650 for early termination fees and to pay off what's left for your old phone, if you want to trade it in.

For this offer, T-Mobile is relying on recent improvements it has made to its cellular network, specifically what it calls "Extended Range LTE". It is Band 12 support, in the 700 MHz spectrum, which is designed to boost indoor coverage. T-Mobile says that this is live in 170 markets right now, but it will go up to more than 350 markets in the coming three months. Obviously, the new iPhones support Band 12, so T-Mobile is banking on it to attract and keep new customers.

Intel wants you to forget what it's like to use a password

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 11:18am CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

123456_password_sticky_note

Intel wants you to buy new PCs and laptops based on its latest, 6th generation Core processors. They were released last week, and power some of the latest Windows 10 devices.

Intel’s selling point? With the new processors, you can forget about passwords and use facial recognition software and other methods for logging in because hey, no one likes passwords any more.

"We want to eliminate all passwords from computing", Kirk Skaugen, Senior VP and general manager of Intel’s Client Computing Group said at the Citi Global Technology Conference held on Tuesday. "I can confidently say today, you can eliminate all your passwords today, if you buy a 6th Generation Core system".

For example, Microsoft’s latest operating system features Windows Hello -- facial recognition software. To enjoy the full functionality of Windows Hello, you also need Intel’s RealSense 3D Camera, which looks at multiple angles to detect the photo’s depth and heat to determine the user’s identity.

"You can do everything from measure blood pressure, blink detection, all these kinds of things... In fact, in Berlin, one of my funniest demos in my 23 years at Intel is when I brought two identical twins out on stage and I mixed them up and only one could log in with the PC, and it actually worked", he said.

Intel has become a strong advocate of the password elimination initiative, and this is not the first time it spoke openly about their abolishing.

Last year, the company acquired a startup called PasswordBox that makes it easy for users to log-in to websites and apps without having to type in passwords, and after that it released an app called True Key, which lets the user log in to multiple apps using biometric features.

Photo credit: shutteratakan / Shutterstock

Verizon launches NETGEAR Jetpack AC791L -- the carrier's first 4G LTE-A mobile hotspot

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 2:23am CEST par Brian Fagioli

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With the loss of unlimited mobile data, consumers need to be more mindful of their behaviors. With that said, the one decent byproduct of data caps is that sharing the data can be both easy and affordable. Often, for a minimal monthly fee, you can add a tablet, or hotspot device to access your data pool.

While portable hotspots are a dime a dozen, many of them are unreliable and flaky. Not to mention, you can typically tether directly from your phone. Using your phone, however, can quickly drain the battery -- a separate unit is preferable. Today, Verizon announces the NETGEAR Jetpack AC791L. This is Verizon's first-ever 4G LTE Advanced (LTE-A) Mobile Hotspot. Not only is it fast, but it has other goodies too. Not to mention, NETGEAR's reliability.

"The smart, powerful features of the Verizon Jetpack AC791L leverage carrier aggregation technology along with simultaneous dual-band 802.11ac WiFi for top speed (5GHz band) and greater range (2.4GHz band), while minimizing interference from nearby devices. The future-ready Jetpack AC791L is capable of supporting faster speeds as the network upgrades and expands, and offers 3G fallback in regions where 4G is not yet available", says Verizon.

The company further explains, "for busy professionals, the Jetpack AC791L is ideal for online conferencing, sending email, and keeping clients up to date while on the go. With the Jetpack AC791L, you reduce downtime and stay productive while commuting or visiting client offices. A single mobile hotspot provides a secure, virtual private network in a temporary office or for teams in transit to share a data plan and avoid expensive, ad hoc airport and hotel WiFi expenses. With no software to install, the Jetpack AC791L is easy to set up and use and minimizes compatibility issues with corporate applications"

Believe it or not, the Jetpack AC791L can operate for up to 24 hours non-stop -- your hotspot-enabled smartphone can't do that. On standby, however, it can keep a charge for up to 650 hours, which is about an entire month. Holy cow. Oh, and the 4,340 mAh battery is user-replaceable too!

What I like about a device like this too, you see, is that you can change DNS and VPN settings on it. This means anything that connects to it will also use those settings. In other words, you do not need to change settings on all the machines that connect to it individually.

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Yes, the Jetpack AC791L features 4G LTE Advanced, making it the fastest hotspot on Verizon. If you go the 2-year contract route, it is quite affordable at $49 after rebate. Off contract, however, is a hefty $199.

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What makes this stand out beyond speed, however, is the awesome accessories seen above. The MIMO Antenna on the left can be mounted in say, a motor home or outside location, to increase the reach of the Wi-Fi while on battery. You can use third-party antennas too, as the Jetpack AC791L features dual TS-9 connectors. Awesome.

The unit on the right is the AirCard Signal Boosting Cradle with Ethernet, so you can plug it in and use it without battery -- including hardwired with Cat 6. Depending on your needs, this could potentially replace your home ISP.

Both accessories really enhance the usefulness of the Jetpack AC791L. The cradle costs $69.99 and is available now, while the MIMO Antenna pricing and availability is not yet known.

But wait, there's more! It also doubles as a USB battery pack. In other words, if your smartphone battery needs a charge, you can connect it to the Jetpack AC791L. This is done using a micro USB to full-size USB cable, which is included in the box. You can even set a timer for how long to charge. Check out the video above.

If you want to buy it, there is no waiting needed. You can buy the Jetpack AC791L now here.

Samsung Pay attracts 25,000 new users every day

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 12:24am CEST par Phoebe Jennelyn Magdirila

Samsung-Pay

Following Samsung Pay’s launch in South Korea last month, the company is now seeing that an average of 25,000 people are signing up to use the service daily.

Samsung Electronics executive vice president and the development lead for Samsung Pay Injong Rhee, says that the payment platform’s usage has increased rapidly since its launch and is bringing in daily transaction volumes of KRW 750 million (~$630,000) on average.

During the open beta, the number of active users who made more than one payment with Samsung Pay represented 80 percent to 90 percent of all Samsung Pay users.

Samsung Pay is also in beta testing in the US and is set to formally launch on September 28. In addition, beta tests will also be conducted in other countries including the UK and Spain, Rhee says. Samsung has previously talked about expanding the payments service to countries across Europe as well as China later this year.

Samsung intends to provide the ability to make payments using credit cards, reward cards, department store cards, gift cards and store-brand cards -- which won’t work with conventional plastic debit cards -- as an incentive for people to use the payment service.

The company is also looking to provide other features in the future, including a location-based service.

Microsoft forcibly downloads Windows 10 whether you want it or not

Publié: septembre 11, 2015, 12:05am CEST par Mark Wilson

windows_10_bubble

Microsoft has started to download Windows 10 to the computers of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users regardless of whether they reserved a copy of the operating system upgrade. Eagle-eyed Windows users have noticed the sudden appearance of a folder called $Windows.~BT, occupying up to 6GB of space.

For anyone who reserved Windows 10, this would make sense, as this is the folder used as a temporary storage location during installation. But it seems Microsoft is trying to foist the operating system on everyone, regardless of whether they have expressed interest in it. On one hand it's a pre-emptive move that could be seen as speeding things up for someone if they should later decide to upgrade, but on the other it is slightly more sinister.

Delivered through Windows Update, the massive download is a burden for anyone with a slow or metered internet connection. If you've noticed that your slow connection has been even slower, this could very well be the reason why. You may have absolutely no interest in Windows 10, and not even the slightest urge to upgrade, but Microsoft still thinks it should help you out by downloading the necessary files 'just in case'.

The download is delivered through Windows Update -- the place you would normally expect to find patches, bug fixes, and driver updates, not 6GB of unwanted data. What's particularly interesting is that Microsoft does not even try to pretend that it is not happening. The company really is downloading Windows 10 behind people's backs.

In a statement to The Inquirer, a Microsoft spokesperson said:

For individuals who have chosen to receive automatic updates through Windows Update, we help upgradable devices get ready for Windows 10 by downloading the files they’ll need if they decide to upgrade. When the upgrade is ready, the customer will be prompted to install Windows 10 on the device.

We have reached out to Microsoft for further details and we'll update this post when we hear back. In the meantime we'll just ponder what on earth the company thought it was doing. Did it really think that -- in an age where suspicion and privacy concerns abound -- people would be OK with this?

Have you noticed Microsoft trying to force Windows 10 on you?

Photo credit: Stanislaw Mikulski / Shutterstock