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• 

  Microsoft shows what gamers can expect from the New Xbox One Experience

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 9:29pm CET par Mark Wilson

  

  The New Xbox One Experience is just around the corner. We already know that the rollout starts on 12 November, and that means that there are just ten days until Windows 10 comes to Xbox One gamers. Today Microsoft shows off what there is to look forward to in a couple of new videos.

  This is not a small update by any stretch of the imagination -- it sees the arrival of the New Xbox One Experience. Not everyone has been keeping up to date with the snippets of news that have crept out over recent months, nor have they all been taking part in the preview program. But whether you've kept abreast of what's to come or you haven’t got a clue what to expect, the videos serve as an excellent introduction.

  Presented by Larry Hryb and Richard Irving, the videos show Xbox 360 backwards compatibility, the new Xbox One Home, and vertical scrolling to access content. Just like Windows 10 on the desktop, Xbox One also gains Live Tiles which include "contextual items that allow you to easily see messages straight from the developer, see which friends are playing games, and share your latest game clips and screenshots".

  There's also the new Guide which, Microsoft explains, provides instant access to:

  1. Profile: You can add and manage profiles on your console, switch users, view your profile, and view your achievements here.
  2. Friends: You can easily see which friends are online, see the games they are playing, and invite them to join your game. This is the default section of guide that first opens. In game, you will be able to check your friends’ status up to 10x faster.
  3. Party: You can easily start or manage a Party, which can now include 12 active participants, making it 3x as fast to start a party and 6x faster to join a party while playing a game.
  4. Messages: Easily access all of your messages and group text chats via the new guide -- starting November 12.
  5. Notifications: Your Notifications will also be included in the guide and we made improvements to group your Notifications together by type, separating social notifications from game-related notifications from the developers.
  6. Settings: We’ve redesigned Settings based on feedback to make the most commonly used items easy to access.
  7. Snap: Easily snap an application, like achievements, from the guide.

  The first video serves as a guide to Home on the New Xbox One Experience:

   

  The second video highlights what's new in the Guide:

  
• 

  Anonymous begins releasing details about Ku Klux Klan members (maybe)

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 8:28pm CET par Alan Buckingham

  

  The hacker group Anonymous is almost synonymous with attacks and data leaks, but while they tend to strike fear into some people, the truth is, if you aren't doing anything wrong then don't be scared. The group tends to stand up against bullies and human rights infractions -- witness its attack against ISIS.

  Anonymous has threatened to release details about one the most feared hate groups in the United States, the Ku Klux Klan. The organization was conceived in 1865, just after the Civil War, It was quickly suppressed but reemerged in 1915, though the current incarnation began in 1946. Thankfully, after a long reign of terror, membership numbers have dwindled in recent times.

  That fall-off hasn't stopped Anonymous from going after a perceived evil. Like many such releases this one is going through Pastebin, though Anonymous itself is not yet backing up the names, phones numbers and addresses listed. The purported list contains several politicians including mayors and senators. The organization, however, is claiming that it still needs to verify this.

  A more complete announcement is expected to be coming in the next few days and people can follow the Twitter account set up especially for this. Anonymous promises "We are ahead of schedule. JOIN US: 10:00am (Central) Nov. 5 2015".

  Image Credit: Everett Historical /Shutterstock

  
• 

  Google says Chrome OS is going nowhere

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 8:25pm CET par Mark Wilson

  

  Google has scotched rumors that Chrome OS could be ditched. There had already been some doubts about the truth behind suggestions that Android and Chrome OS could be on the verge of merging. Google has already gone to some lengths to stress how committed it is to Chrome OS, and today goes a step further in stating in very plain language:

  "Chrome OS is here to stay".

  The news comes from Android, Chrome OS and Chromecast SVP Hiroshi Lockheimer, who waxes lyrical about the virtues and successes of the operating system in a blog post. Far from planning to kill Chrome OS, Google wants to take it further, developing new form factors and working with new partners.

  Lockheimer says:

  There's been some confusion about the future of Chrome OS and Chromebooks based on speculation that Chrome OS will be folded into Android. While we've been working on ways to bring together the best of both operating systems, there's no plan to phase out Chrome OS.

  So what's in the pipeline for Chrome OS fans? "A new media player, a visual refresh based on Material Design, improved performance, and of course, a continued focus on security". Chrome OS is going nowhere. In a good way...

  Photo credit: Funny Solution Studio / Shutterstock

  
• 

  Collaboration software is email's savior, not its killer

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 8:22pm CET par Gemma Church

  

  Email is the go-to platform for business communication, but is it about to be dethroned by a collaboration software successor?

  Many businesses have become disenchanted with email, viewing it as an outmoded communications tool that causes frustration and zaps productivity. Recent research found the average employee spends more than a quarter of their working week just reading and responding to email.

  Email may have its strengths, being a short and one-time communication, but it often falls down when businesses seek to communicate effectively with a group of people and distribute information.

  This has led many companies to turn to conversational tools to better share information and collaborate with co-workers and customers. Tayfun Bilsel, CEO of collaboration software house Clinked, said: "Better solutions than email now exist to facilitate group collaboration and organize conversations and topics".

  The Problem With Email

  Email is a great tool for brief communication where you want an immediate response. But if you begin to collaborate on a project, email buckles under the pressure.

  Organizing emails is another challenge, whether you use labels or folders, and finding that important email or putting it in the right location is a time consuming task.

  Other issues include forwarding long email threads from multiple recipients, collaborating within working groups, introducing new team members to a project which requires access to past email chains and retaining focus after reading one email and then moving onto another topic. Research revealed that employees take, on average, 15 minutes to return to serious mental tasks after responding to an incoming email or instant message.

  New Generation, New Communication

  Social media and texting are key communication tools in today’s world. Email is slowly becoming an outmoded technology that fails to meet the current tech generation’s expectations.

  This is where collaboration software can pick up the online communication gauntlet. Conversations are organized before they have even begun as users can send messages only after setting up a topic, channel and users.

  Collaboration software encourages the sharing of ideas using familiar tools. Bilsel said: "Some collaboration software uses formats inspired by social media ideas, such as the hashtag from Twitter or the ability to tag a user into a conversation".

  Bilsel added: "We are experiencing a natural cultural shift to collaboration software as it mimics the immersive and collaborative nature of social media. Businesses can easily expand conversations and share information to co-workers and customers, improving their reach within a secure environment".

  These new communication tools are not just aimed at big organizations, many small and medium-sized businesses and start-ups are turning to collaboration software to increase productivity, according to Bilsel.

  Conclusion

  The functionality and ease of use of collaboration software cannot be beaten, but it is unlikely to ever completely replace email communication. Emails are still an easy tool for short communication and should be used to complement collaboration software.

  Bilsel said: "The advantage collaboration software has over email is its ability to adapt and evolve with customer demands and market trends. Functionality can easily be added to match expectations, making collaboration software adept at surviving the ever-changing technical landscape".

  By using email to focus on short, time pressured communication and collaboration software to focus on large, more complex projects, businesses can find a winning balance between old and new technology. Collaboration software is not an email killer, it’s actually its savior.

  Gemma Church is the ‘freelance writer who gets tech’, a specialist freelance writer for the science and technology sectors.

  Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.

  Photo Credit:  2jenn/Shutterstock

  
• 

  Firefox 42 tightens privacy with Tracking Protection, revamps Control Center

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 8:21pm CET par Nick Peers

  

  Mozilla has made Firefox 42 FINAL available for download ahead of its official release, with Firefox 42 for Android due to follow later this week.

  Both builds implement a new Tracking Protection feature to tighten web privacy, while the desktop version adds a new Control Center. Android users also gain a number of new features, including a login manager and the ability to queue up links from other apps.

  Firefox 42 opens with its headline Tracking Protection feature, which has been added to its Private Browsing tool and is enabled by default. It’s designed to prevent user browser data being collected across multiple sites.

  The feature is shown to be working on offending websites via a Shield icon in the Address bar, and is accompanied in the desktop build by a new Control Center, which is accessed by clicking the padlock or globe icon next to a web address.

  The new dialog has been streamlined, providing basic information about a site’s content in terms of its security, plus informing the user if Tracking Protection is enabled for the site in question.

  Users now click the > next to the security information to view certificate information (if applicable) and access the More Information dialog with site-specific controls.

  Other new features in Firefox 42 see various improvements to the Login Manager, including improved heuristics when saving usernames and passwords, the ability to edit and show all logins in line, with support for copy and paste via the context menu. Finally, the migration tool can now import passwords from Windows, Chrome and IE -- users can access the feature from about:logins and import at any time.

  A number of WebRTC improvements have also been implemented including IPV6 support, and an indicator has been added to tables that play audio along with one-click muting, echoing similar moves in other browsers.

  The new Android release adds a number of new features: users can now open external URLs from Android apps in the background, effectively allowing them to queue up links without having to switch back and forth between applications.

  Firefox 42 for Android also allows users to scan URLs from a QR code directly from the search panel, and offers family friendly browsing to those users who create restricted profiles on tablets.

  Scrollable tabs have been implemented for panel navigation and there’s now support for searching using direct voice input from the URL bar.

  One final new feature sees a new login manager -- accessed via about:logins -- make its bow, allowing users to view, edit and delete all saved logins.

  Developer gains in version 42 include the ability to perform remote website debugging over Wi-Fi. Desktop developers can now also view a page’s HTML source in its own tab, and access a configurable Firefox OS simulator in WebIDE mode.

  Firefox 42 FINAL for Windows, Mac and Linux is available now as a free, open-source download. Firefox 42 for Android should be in the Play Store shortly.

  
• 

  How to find the Windows Experience Index in Windows 8/ 10

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 6:52pm CET par Mike Williams

  

  First appearing back in Windows Vista, the Windows Experience Index is a performance rating covering your CPU, RAM, disk, 2D and 3D graphics.

  The WEI disappeared from Control Panel in Windows 8.1, but if you need a quick benchmark -- or are just curious how your new PC compares to the old one -- it’s easy to find.

  Although the WEI isn’t visible any more, the underlying Windows System Assessment technology (WINSAT) is still present. Even Windows 10 runs the benchmark occasionally (although it doesn’t show you the results any more).

  Fortunately the results are saved in local files. The official reports are in XML files in the \Windows\Performance\WinSAT\DataStore folder, but it’s usually simpler to check \Windows\Performance\WinSAT\winsat.log.

  Scan up from the bottom of the log file, looking for a line ending like this: "…. > Wrote CRS score to the registry 59".

  The final number is your overall WEI score, and this line will be followed by others with the score for your memory, CPU, dwm (2D graphics), D3D (3D graphics) and storage.

  If you can’t find the score, or would just like to recalculate it, then you could launch the benchmark manually by opening a command prompt and entering winsat formal

  Another option is to run a copy of the freeware ExperienceIndexOK. It’s a tiny 48KB download, so won’t exactly take long, just unzip it and and watch as ExperienceIndexOK finds and displays your current scores.

  Click "Re-run the assessment" and the program runs WinSAT for you. There’s no attempt to hide this -- a command window opens and you can watch as WinSAT displays its progress messages -- and when it’s finished, ExperienceIndexOK extracts your scores from the report file and displays them in a simple GUI.

  ChrisPC Win Experience Index is a free (for personal use) WEI tool. It’s larger, and requires installation so isn’t quite as convenient to use.

  The interface is a little more polished, but essentially the same, listing the scores and providing a "re-run the assessment" button.

  ChrisPC Win Experience Index also runs WinSAT to do the calculations, but this time progress information is displayed in the program’s own dialog, which looks more professional.

  When it’s finished, your WEI scores are displayed, and ChrisPC Win Experience Index offers a useful set of sharing options: you can save an image, export the figures as a text file, or copy them to the clipboard.

  Which is best? ExperienceIndexOK’s portability makes it our winner for casual use, but if you need to check and share your WEI regularly then ChrisPC Win Experience Index’s sharing features might just make it a better choice. Check them out.

  
• 

  ASUS releases the unlocked and affordable ZenFone 2 Laser Android smartphone

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 6:34pm CET par Brian Fagioli

  Both iOS and Android are lovely operating systems. They have both matured into great choices for consumers. While the iPhone may arguably be the better all-around device, it is also quite expensive. For those on a budget, Android smartphones are the way to go.

  Today, ASUS releases an unlocked and affordable smartphone -- the ZenFone 2 Laser. The phone is quite gorgeous and has great specs. The most impressive aspect, however, is the insane $199 starting price. You won't believe what you are getting here, folks.

  "ASUS today releases the unlocked ZenFone 2 Laser for users seeking a premium phone with an excellent camera, dual active SIM, expandable storage and removable battery. The latest addition to the ZenFone 2 lineup features an ergonomic design for greater comfort and a 5.5-inch 1080p display protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 for unprecedented damage protection", says ASUS.

  The company further explains, "expandable memory and a removable battery makes the ideal for enthusiast users that want greater control of storage and power. A micro SDXC slot supports 128GB memory cards for quick and easy storage expansion to accommodate music, movies and select applications. The removable 3000mAh high-capacity battery ensures the ZenFone 2 Laser gets excellent battery life that lasts through the entire work day. Power users that desire longer runtimes can quickly swap out a fully charged battery for extended periods away from a power source".

  To recap, the phone has a huge 5.5 inch 1080p display, a large removable battery and expandable storage for the super-low starting price of $199. Surely the processor and RAM sucks, right? Not so, dear Android fans -- it features a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor and 3GB of memory. Amazing.

  The rear camera is equally impressive; it has 13 megapixels, Dual LED flash and laser focus. While it is not guaranteed, it should, at least on paper, take great photos. Sadly, there is no 4K or 60fps video recording, but 1080p 30fps is totally acceptable.

  Wow, this thing is a beast at a great price. For $199 you get 16GB of onboard storage, while $249 gets you 32GB. Keep in mind, however, it is a GSM-only affair; it will not work on Sprint or Verizon.

  Will you buy it? Check out the specs below and tell me in the comments.

  CPU	64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core (quad-core 1.7 GHz ARM Cortex A53 + quad-core 1.0 GHz ARM Cortex A53)
  GPU	Adreno 405
  RAM	3GB RAM
  Storage	16GB or 32GB
  Micro SD	SDXC (up to 128 GB)
  Connectivity	802.11n Wi-Fi, BT 4.1 with AptX, Wi-Fi Direct, Micro-USB (USB OTG), 3.5 mm headphone/microphone jack
  Network	Dual Antennas for better signal receptionCat 4 LTE up to 150Mbp, 3G /HSPA+/DC-HSPA+ up to 42 MbpsGSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz)WCDMA Band 1/2/4/5/8FDD-LTE Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/17/20 Compatible with GSM Networks including AT&T, T-Mobile and MVNO’s on the same network such as Straight Talk, Walmart Family Mobile, MetroPCS, Simple Mobile, Brightspot, Net10, h20 Wireless, Cricket Wireless and many more This device is not compatible with CDMA networks such as Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular and MVNO’s that rely on CDMA networks
  SIM Card	Dual Active Micro-SIM Support (Selectable 4G LTE data)
  Navigation	GPS, BDS, GLONASS
  Display	5.5 inch IPS FHD 1080x1920 with 178’ wide view angle, 401 PPIASUS TruVivid Full Screen Lamination TechnologyCorning Gorilla Glass 4Ultra-sensitive touch panel with glove touchASUS ZenMotion touch and motion gestures (Double tap to wake up)
  Video	Video Recording MPEG-4 1080 @30fpsPlayback MPEG-4 up to 1080p
  Battery	Removable Lithium-Polymer 3000 mAh
  Rear Camera	13 Megapixel laser autofocusF/2.0 aperture, 5 element Largan Lens, dual LED real tone flash
  Front Camera	5 Megapixel, F/2.0, 85˚ wide angle
  Sensor	Accelerometer/Ambient Light/Proximity/E-Compass/Hall Sensor
  Audio	Dual Microphone for Noise CancellationASUS SonicMaster for better sound clarity and deeper bass
  OS	Android 5.0 + ASUS ZenUI 2.0
  Dimensions	6.00" x 3.04" x 0.43"
  Weight	6 oz
  Color	Silver
  Price	$199 (16GB) / $249 (32GB)

  
• 

  Windows 10 fans will lose their (User)Voice in a fortnight

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 5:25pm CET par Mark Wilson

  

  As Microsoft has released numerous preview builds of Windows 10, testers have been able to provide feedback and make suggestions via the UserVoice website. In two weeks, this feedback system dies completely.

  The killing of UserVoice actually took place on 30 October, but the site remains accessible until 16 November -- almost coinciding with the expected release of Threshold 2. Before you start to panic that Microsoft is killing the feedback that has been provided, there is a contingency plan.

  Microsoft now wants people to provide feedback using the aptly-named Windows Feedback in Windows 10. This has been running alongside UserVoice for a while now, and a streamlining operation means that the two feedback systems will be consolidated. The belief is that the dedicated feedback app is a more effective way of enabling people to communicate with Microsoft engineers:

  Windows Feedback gives all engineers in Windows access to the complete set of raw feedback that users provide in the tool. Because it is plugged directly into our engineering system, it not only makes it easy for the engineers to find user feedback, but also makes it easy for them to act on it. Windows Feedback also enabled two-way conversations between engineers and our more than seven million Windows Insiders.

  The closure does not only affect Windows 10. The Windows Phone UserVoice site has suffered the same fate and Windows Phone Insiders are encouraged to use the mobile version of the Windows Feedback app.

  Photo credit: chrisdorney and tanuha2001 / Shutterstock

  
• 

  Mobile threats continue to grow with banking Trojans still a major concern

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 5:11pm CET par Ian Barker

  

  Security company Kaspersky Lab has released its latest quarterly threat evolution report for the third quarter of this year which shows over 300,000 new mobile malware programs detected, a 10.8 percent increase over Q2.

  Displaying intrusive advertisements to consumers remained the main method of profiting from mobile threats. Mobile adware has continued to increase and accounts for more than half of all detected mobile threats in the quarter.

  Some mobile attack methods are using superuser privileges (root access) to conceal their presence in the systems folder, making them hard to combat. Some good news is that SMS Trojans have decreased, accounting for only 6.2 percent of mobile threats during the quarter.

  Attacks on mobile banking remain a major problem despite being down slightly, 5.68 million notifications compared to 5.9 million in the previous quarter. Kaspersky Lab solutions blocked almost 626,000 attempts to launch malware capable of stealing money via access to consumers' online banking, 17.2 percent lower than in the previous quarter. Users in Austria were most likely to be attacked by banking Trojans with five percent of Kaspersky users in the country facing the threat during the quarter. Trojan-Downloader.Win32.Upatre is the most most common threat, used in 63.1 of attempts to steal payment details.

  "The developments in Q3 demonstrate that the global threat landscape is continuing to evolve at a fast pace. Malicious mobile programs are on the rise and in countries where online banking is popular, people are at considerable risk from Trojans looking to target them. With 5.6 million cases of attempted theft from online bank accounts, and cybercriminals continually developing sophisticated attacks, the use of high quality cybersecurity products has never been more important. It's vital that all those using the Internet -- both individuals and organizations -- protect themselves from these growing threats," says David Emm, Principal Senior Security Researcher at Kaspersky Lab's Global Research and Analysis team.

  Kaspersky Lab also says it's been investigating a number of targeted cyber attacks including Turla which uses satellite communication to manage its command and control servers, the Darkhotel APT which infiltrates hotel Wi-Fi networks to place back doors on target computers, and the Blue Termite APT which focuses on stealing information from organizations in Japan.

  Much more information is in the full report which is available to download from Kaspersky's Securelist website.

  Image Credit: DeiMosz / Shutterstock

  
• 

  89 percent of Americans fail to recognize the threat posed by stolen health records

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 4:38pm CET par Ian Barker

  

  Most people worry about the risk of their financial information being stolen, but a new survey from data security platform supplier Vormetric reveals that many are unaware of their vulnerability to medical data theft.

  Of over 1,000 US adults polled by Wakefield Research on behalf of Vormetric, only 11 percent included medical records in their top three selections for personal data they would be most concerned to have lost in a data breach.

  "Healthcare data sets contain extremely detailed personal information. Enough to not only apply for credit cards or loans, but also to generate huge sums from fraudulent medical charges," says Tina Stewart, vice president of marketing for Vormetric. "The public's lack of awareness of their potential exposure to this is troubling. Few seem to realize that having their medical data lost is much more dangerous to their financial health than a stolen credit card number and address".

  Top concerns are social security numbers (84 percent), credit card data (73 percent) and financial account information (71 percent). Other categories of information people were concerned about using are, personal contact information (24 percent), social media usernames and passwords (11 percent), home Wi-Fi or internet login information (10 percent) and fingerprint information (9 percent).

  The survey also shows a lack of understanding of the benefits of encryption. A surprising 91 percent of respondents would still be worried if their personal data was stored in an encrypted file that was stolen as a result of a hack.

  "Our survey with Wakefield also shows that there is a disconcerting lack of understanding among the general public about how encryption works," adds Stewart. "Essentially, it makes data totally inaccessible to those without the key required to decode it. Without the key, encrypted data is meaningless to hackers, and when combined with strong access controls, encryption is one of the best tools available for safeguarding sensitive data in this environment".

  More information on the findings can be found on the Vormetric blog.

  Image Credit: Rob Hyron / Shutterstock

  
• 

  Symantec unveils new unified business services security solution

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 4:35pm CET par Sead Fadilpašić

  

  Symantec has released a new solution promising to unify corporate security, something that’s becoming increasingly harder to control.

  The Symantec Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) is, according to the press release, "the first solution that can detect and remediate advanced threats across control points, from a single console with just a click, all with no new endpoint agents to deploy".

  The problem with today’s security measures, according to Symantec, is that with all the different types of malware, security professionals can no longer rely on using individual point products at each control point to stop them. Also, the process of uncovering threat data across endpoint, network and email gateways is manual and time-consuming, which gives attackers an edge.

  The Symantec ATP can correlate suspicious activities across all control points, which is its main selling point.

  The ATP will allow security experts to uncover a full range of threats, prioritize what matters most by correlating the threat intelligence from across local control points with all that Symantec sees globally through its telemetry, remediate the threats fast through containment of endpoints and blocking new instances across control points and leverage existing investments in Symantec Endpoint Security and Email Security.cloud, without deploying any new endpoint agents.

  The ATP solution will be available before 2015 ends, the company said, adding that it will cost $40 (£26), $60 (£39) and $70 (£45) per user annually to secure one, two or three control points, respectively.

  Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.

  Photo credit: Gil C / Shutterstock

  
• 

  OnePlus introduces accidental damage coverage -- will you get it?

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 4:08pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

  

  No matter how careful you are with your smartphone, accidents can happen. And when bad luck strikes, having accidental damage coverage can make the difference between a huge repair bill -- or, even worse, being forced to buy a new smartphone -- and having it replaced with a new one, typically after paying a much easier to swallow deductible.

  In trying to make its smartphones more appealing and give its prospective customers some peace of mind, OnePlus has announced a new accidental damage coverage for those who purchase its OnePlus 2 flagship and OnePlus X mid-ranger.

  OnePlus has teamed up with two insurance companies so far. The option is available for European and Indian orders, and is expected to be extended to North American and Canadian purchases as well in the coming period.

  In Europe, simplesurance offers accidental damage coverage for OnePlus 2. Called On-Guard, it includes breakage, liquid damage and vandalism, among other things, and can be acquired either at purchase or within the first 15 days after it, according to the information posted by OnePlus. It costs €39.99 for one year, and €64.99 for two years.

  In India, OnePlus 2 insurance is called B2X Protect, offering similar coverage as the aforementioned plan. It costs INR1,299, offering coverage for a year. Prospective buyers can buy B2X Protect within the first 10 days of purchase, and register the plan within seven days at B2X Care.

  In India, OnePlus also offers an extended warranty now, which adds one more year of typical coverage in the country. This option costs INR999, and can be purchased in the first 30 days of buying OnePlus 2 and registered in the first seven days after getting it with B2X Care.

  OnePlus says that these services will be available for OnePlus X as well, after it goes on sale later this month. For OnePlus 2, both are available as of today.

  Image Credit: FuzzBones/Shutterstock

  
• 

  Welcome to the holiday shopping season, Amazon begins its Black Friday deals

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 3:22pm CET par Alan Buckingham

  

  Halloween is now behind us, the ghosts and goblins have all hid for another year. And for retailers that means one thing -- holiday shopping. The season begins earlier each year and stores are already displaying decorations, in some cases before All Hallow's Eve was even past.

  Amazon is no exception, today announcing it is beginning its run up to Black Friday, which is the official kickoff of the money-spending frenzy.

  The Black Friday Deals store is going live and it's accompanied by a gift guide for electronics. Amazon has even sweetened things a bit for the more regular customers. "This year, Prime members can access more than 30,000 Lightning Deals 30 minutes early and all customers will find tens of thousands of deals on more of the items they want. In addition, the curated Electronics Holiday Gift Guide and Gift Finder tool take the guesswork out of shopping and make it easy to discover all of the right gifts".

  The retailer is announcing a few things customers may find appealing -- a $170 savings on the Sony a6000 camera, an Optima HD37 front projector for under $800 and savings on big name Kitchen brands including Rubbermaid, KitchenAid, Paderno, and Instant Pot". Those are only a select few of the items planned, though.

  Customers can also expect "more than 600 of this year’s hottest items, organized by category and gift recipient, the Electronics Holiday Gift Guide and Gift Finder tool help customers discover the right gift for everyone on their list -- from the Photographer who wants the latest gear from GoPro and Canon, to the Gadget Guru who is eyeing the latest innovations from the Amazon Launchpad program like the Electric Objects Digital Art Display and Bluesmart Smart Carry-On Luggage".

  Yes, it's getting to be that time of year and many people will need to be breaking the wallet out and blowing the dust off of Abe Lincoln or any number of other luminaries from the past.

  Image Credit: Minerva Studio / Shutterstock

  
• 

  How to enable Windows Spotlight in Windows 10

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 2:36pm CET par Wayne Williams

  

  Microsoft’s search engine Bing comes baked into Windows 10 in several ways. It’s the default search choice in Edge and Cortana, and you can even use its image of the day as the wallpaper for your lock screen via the Windows Spotlight feature.

  As well as displaying a new image on a regular basis, Windows Spotlight lets you "like" photos which appeal to you. The more pictures you like, the better idea Windows will have of the sort of imagery you want to see, and it will customize the content accordingly.

  Windows Spotlight is currently only available in Windows 10 Home, but Windows Insiders running Windows 10 Pro Build 10547 onwards also have it, and it will be available to all in the big November update coming soon.

  Spotlight is disabled by default. To enable it, open Settings, click Personalization and select Lock Screen. Select Windows Spotlight in the Background drop down.

  Lock the screen by pressing Win+L and you should see a new image from Bing.

  At the top of the screen it will say "Like what you see?" Hover over this, and select either "I want more", if you want to keep that image and see more like it, or choose "not a fan" if you'd prefer to see something different.

  

  
• 

  Highlight (and share) the web with Highly for Chrome

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 2:26pm CET par Mike Williams

  

  Web highlighters can be a handy addition to bookmarks, highlighting blocks of web text so they’re easier to find later.

  Highly is a free Chrome extension which takes the process to the next level, by making it easy for users to share their highlights with others.

  The basics are much like any other highlighter. Click an icon on your address bar, click and drag to select some text, and it’ll be highlighted whenever you visit the page.

  Hover your mouse over the text, though, and a Share icon allows you to share your selections on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or by email.

  Alternatively, just pass your Highly account URL to friends, family or colleagues and they’ll be able to view and search your highlights as you create them (here’s an example).

  You can even follow other Highly users, or have them follow you, meaning you’ll see their highlights in your own feed.

  Highly worked well for us, and it looks like there’s much more to come, with an iOS app, Safari and Firefox extensions coming soon.

  
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  Inateck BH1001 Wireless Sport Headset [Review]

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 12:50pm CET par Ian Barker

  

  Bluetooth headsets with Sport in the title usually feature a plastic band which goes around the back of your neck. This not only makes you look a bit strange it can also be uncomfortable.

  Inateck's headset does away with this and just has a thin wire between the two earpieces. There's a control unit on the right-hand side to allow you to adjust the volume, accept calls, pair with your phone, etc, and this also houses the built-in mic.

  The earpieces are magnetic, so when you're not listening to them you can attach the two together and carry them safely around your neck, which also avoids the cable getting tangled. They come with a soft fabric carrying pouch, a USB charging cable and a couple of spare silicon ear buds.

  On the technical side they feature Bluetooth 4.1 and a 100mAh battery. A three hour charge gives you up to 8 hours of listening time. Overall they have a quality feel and the design is nicely thought out, so how well do they work?

  Pairing is straightforward, press the power button until the LED flashes red and blue and you're good to go. The unit can only pair to one device and will automatically reconnect to the last one used when turned on. Sound quality is very good with decent bass response and clear higher frequencies too. They also do a reasonable job of shutting out other sounds. Taking the ear buds out and snapping the magnetic ends together automatically pauses the music which is a neat touch.

  There are a few niggles, the cover over the USB port seems a bit flimsy, and the earpieces are rather bulky compared to wired units so they don't feel particularly secure -- that could be a fault of my ears but for something that's aimed at sports use it's not reassuring.

  At $32.99 from Amazon (£30.99 in the UK) the BH1001 offers decent value, if you have the right sized ears, more information can be found on the Inateck website.

  
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  HP details new Helion OpenStack cloud platform

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 12:36pm CET par Sead Fadilpašić

  

  Hewlett-Packard recently announced HP Helion OpenStack 2.0, the second iteration of the company’s customized version of OpenStack. During the OpenStack Summit Tokyo 2015, HP announced the "production ready, open source based cloud platform designed to meet enterprise requirements".

  HP Helion OpenStack 2.0 offers an enterprise grade cloud platform, the company said in a press release, adding that it now offers new features to address organizations’ lifecycle management and security challenges.

  Among the new features are the easy provisioning of new infrastructure and the ability to repurpose existing infrastructure to meet scalability needs without impacting availability, rolling upgrades which facilitate entire cloud environment software upgrades without requiring planned or unplanned downtime, as well as continuous patch management allowing security patches and updates without application interruption.

  The company said Helion OpenStack 2.0 has an easy to use administrator interface, centralized logging and monitoring at scale across a cloud environment, network configuration flexibility to enable connectivity with existing IT environments and strict OpenStack API adherence which enables cross-cloud compatibility and ability to leverage the upstream ecosystem of third party plug-ins.

  "Enterprises want to benefit from the powerful capabilities of OpenStack technology, but they must have the enterprise-grade capabilities required to support their businesses", said Bill Hilf, senior vice president and general manager for HP Cloud.

  "The configuration, security and scalability advances in HP Helion OpenStack 2.0 enable organizations to deploy OpenStack technology into production with the confidence that they are backed by the experience and support of a trusted end-to-end technology partner".

  Helion OpenStack 2.0 is now available worldwide, and pricing varies by configuration and individual customer requirements, the company said.

  Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.

  Photo Credit: Dragan Jovanovic/Shutterstock

  
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  Amazon’s cloud monopoly

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 12:15pm CET par Robert X. Cringely

  

  Earlier this year two different research reports came out describing the overall cloud computing market and Amazon’s role in it. Synergy Research Group saw Amazon as by far the biggest player (bigger in fact than the next four companies combined) with about 30 percent market share. But Gartner, taking perhaps a more focused view of just the public cloud, claimed Amazon holds 82 percent of the market with cloud capacity that’s 10 times greater than all the other public cloud providers combined. I wonder how these disparate views can be possible describing the same company? And I wonder, further, whether this means Amazon actually has a cloud monopoly?

  Yup, it’s a monopoly.

  Amazon has monopoly power over the public cloud because it clearly sets the price (ever downward) and has the capacity to enforce that price. Amazon is the OPEC of cloud computing and both studies actually show that because both show Amazon gaining share in a market that is simply exploding.

  The way you gain share in an exploding market is by exploding more than all the other guys and we can see that at work by comparing IBM’s statement that it would (notice it is speaking about future events) invest $1 billion in cloud infrastructure in the current fiscal year, versus Amazon’s statement that it had (notice is is speaking of events that had already happened) spent $5 billion on cloud infrastructure in the past fiscal year.

  Maybe $1 billion against definitely $5 billion isn’t even a contest. At this rate Amazon’s cloud will continue to grow faster than IBM’s cloud.

  Wait, there’s more! Only Amazon can really claim it has a graphical cloud. While not all Amazon servers are equipped with GPUs, enough of them are to support millions of simultaneous seats running graphical apps. No other cloud vendor can claim that.

  Having a graphical cloud is important because it is one of those computing milestones we see come along every decade or so to determine who are the real leaders. Think about it. There were mainframes with punched cards (batch systems) then with terminals (interactive systems), then interactive minicomputers, then personal workstations and computers, then graphical computers, mobile computers, networked computers, Internet computers and now cloud computers. Each step established a new hierarchy of vendors and service providers. And it is clear to me that right here, right now Amazon is absolutely dominant in both cloud and graphical cloud computing. It set the price, it set the terms, it has the capacity, and everyone else just plays along or goes out of business.

  And that sounds like a monopoly, which is illegal, right?

  Not really. Apple at one time had 70+ percent PC market share and nobody talked then about Cupertino’s personal computing monopoly. That’s because first movers always have huge shares of what are, at the time, really tiny markets. And right now cloud computing is tiny enough in absolute dollars and as a percentage of any vendor’s total sales that no company is in a position to threaten the existence of another strictly through cloud pricing policies.

  If Amazon’s cloud success led to IBM getting out of the cloud business it wouldn’t be IBM going out of business, just Armonk turning its capital toward some other, more lucrative, purpose.

  But there is an important question here and that’s at what point Amazon will be in a position to use lethal cloud force? It’s a market doubling or more in size every year. How many more doubles will it take for Amazon to gain such lethal business power? I’d say five more years will do it.

  And when I say do it, think about the company we are talking about. Amazon is unique. No large company in the industry right now has a more effective CEO than Jeff Bezos. No large company has a bigger appetite for calculated risk than does Amazon. No company is more disciplined. And -- most importantly -- no large company has the ear of Wall Street the way Bezos and Amazon do. They can try and fail in any number of areas (mobile phones, anyone?) and not be punished for it in the market. And in this case that’s because the market is smart, relying on Bezos’ innate ruthlessness.

  If Amazon reaches a true monopoly at scale it’ll do all it can to make no room at all for competitors.

  And that’s why we should all probably root this time for the other guys, just to keep Amazon somewhat in check. In the coming months those possible competitors will identify themselves through significant graphical cloud investments. Microsoft will certainly be there. IBM might be there. Apple could always decide at any time to play in this new sandbox but I’m not sure it really understands the game and Amazon might already be untouchable.

  What do you think?

  Photo credit: LilKar/Shutterstock

  
• 

  Want to become an IT contractor? Consider these three things first

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 11:36am CET par Rachel Smith

  

  The transition from permanent employee to full time freelancer is filled with questions. Are you ready to make the leap? Can you succeed financially as a contractor? Will you be able to find work?

  There are many aspects to factor in when it comes to changing your job -- and contracting is no different. It may seem like a move into the unknown as the legislation and practicalities of contracting can seem confusing at first glance.

  As someone who has recently made the move, it’s not as daunting as it seems. You just need to factor in some key considerations when you set up as an IT contractor:

  1. Do a Skills Check

  As an IT contractor, your skill set is your life line. Before you hand in your resignation, check the contractor job boards to ensure your skills are in demand within the marketplace.

  Demand for time-honoured technologies such as .NET and Java remains high but also keep your finger on the pulse with new coding languages. IT contractors with a knowledge of Apple’s new programming language Swift, for example, are popular as mobile development has become one of the hottest contractor skills to have during 2015.

  Spotless syntax does not guarantee a contract though. Make sure you research popular industries within the IT sector. For example, there has been a significant rise in the number of cyber security contractors over the last 12 months -- and the value of security skills is reflected in the daily rate on offer. Your experience within the wider corporate world and your soft skill set can help you win contracts, so bear this in mind.

  Also, research the rates of pay currently on offer and come up with a rough financial plan based on these figures. There are a lot of hidden costs when working for yourself -- holiday pay, sick pay and other employee benefits are no longer available. Although, a higher rate of pay is available as a contractor, giving you the freedom to choose how to spend your earnings.

  2. Outsource the Tough Stuff

  When you become an IT contractor you have to wear a lot of hats. You are your marketer, HR department, accountant, financial advisor, facilities manager, CEO, CIO and help desk. Plus you have to find time to complete a few contracts as well.

  Make the most out of online tools and outsource as much of the peripheral work as possible. There are many cloud-based services out there to help you on your way and to offer you further flexibility in the way you work as a contractor.

  For example, an online accountant can take care of processes such as setting up as a contractor, those endless HMRC forms and maximizing your take home pay. There are many on offer but try to pick an accountant that specializes in the IT contractor market -- Nixon Williams and their Vantage service are a sound choice, offering a fixed monthly fee, easily accessible cloud-based portal and direct contact with a personal accountant.

  3. Prepare For the Rainy Days

  The IT marketplace is continually evolving so your skill set will need to shift to meet the demands of the industry. In quieter periods, invest in yourself with some training or embrace a networking opportunity to try to foster new leads. Market yourself.

  Training should focus on your existing skill set so you can build expertise in one area. For example, .NET skills are constantly in demand but, while a knowledge of C#.NET is obviously required, try adding some web-based development training on top to boost your CV.

  You will also need to build up a cash reserve for quieter periods. A good rule of thumb is to have three months worth of earnings set to one side so you can weather the storm. As contractors demand daily rates of between £500 and £750, according to the Nixon Williams 2015 Contractor Survey, this should be easily achievable and help you to prepare for the future.

  Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.

  Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Rawpixel

  
• 

  Snapchat denies it stores users' messages and pictures

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 10:24am CET par Mark Wilson

  

  As often happens, the internet went nuts over the weekend. The cause? A change to Snapchat's privacy policy. Rumors spread like a disease that the blink-and-you'll-miss-it messaging service was not only storing users' posts, but also taking ownership of them.

  Snapchat has responded to the public outcry, explaining that this is simply not the case. But having spread around the world via mainstream media, the rumor may be hard to quash -- perhaps the app's Ghostface Chillah mascot spooked people over Halloween.

  The privacy policy change didn't actually happen this weekend, but last week. It took a day or two for people to take the time to read through the changes and subsequently misinterpret them, all leading to this weekend's hullabaloo. Snapchat took to Twitter in an attempt to reassure people:

  We are not stockpiling your private Snaps! Our updated Privacy Policy & Terms of Service explained [https:]

  — Snapchat (@Snapchat) November 2, 2015

  In a separate blog post, the company confirmed that any messages "are automatically deleted from our servers once we detect that they have been viewed or have expired":

  Of course, a recipient can always screenshot or save your Snaps or Chats. But the important point is that Snapchat is not -- and never has been -- stockpiling your private Snaps or Chats. And because we continue to delete them from our servers as soon as they're read, we could not -- and do not -- share them with advertisers or business partners.

  The post also explains that the Live Stories feature -- in which Snaps are shared around the world -- requires permission from users, hence Snapchat's privacy policy making reference to use of posted content. It also clarifies why there were revisions to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use documents:

  • The main thing we did was to rewrite the Terms and Privacy Policy so that they'd read the way people actually talk. We always try to be upfront and clear with our community.
  • We added language to the Terms of Service regarding in-app purchases. We needed to do that now that we're selling Replays -- and have some other cool products and services we’re looking forward to bringing to you soon.
  • To make it a little easier for friends to find you on Snapchat, we’ve clarified what info -- like your name -- will be visible to other Snapchatters and how you can modify that info.

  Will it be enough to calm the fears of those whose paranoia has been piqued?

  Photo credit: 360b / Shutterstock.com

  
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  OpenELEC 6.0 is here -- download the HTPC-focused Linux distribution now

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 2:10am CET par Brian Fagioli

  

  If you want to watch media in your living room or bedroom, there are many options nowadays. The easiest, of course, is to buy a box like Roku, Amazon Fire TV or the popular AppleTV. Some "smart" televisions even have this capability built in.

  The more hands-on alternative, however, is to build a HTPC (home theater PC). The problem with that? Windows 10 no longer supports Media Center. While this is a huge pain-point for the HTPC community, the good news is that Linux is -- once again -- here to save the day. Whether you choose to build a computer, or buy a compatible device like the low-cost Raspberry Pi, the mature OpenELEC Linux distribution will give you an amazing media experience.

  "The most visible change is Kodi 15.2 (Isengard). Beginning with Kodi 15.0 most audio encoder, audio decoder, PVR and visualisation addons are no longer pre-bundled into OpenELEC but can be downloaded from the Kodi addon repo if required. PVR backends such as VDR and TVHeadend will install needed dependencies automatically", says the OpenELEC Team.

  The team further explains, "we now officially support WeTek's WeTek_Play device with a build that installs to internal NAND and dual-boots with Android on an SD Card. The iMX6 build extends support to all Solidrun CuBox-i/TV, Solidrun Hummingboard devices and the OSMC Vero. We recommend CuBox-i2eX / Hummingboard-i2eX or better devices".

  The OpenELEC Team shares the following updated packages.

  • ffmpeg 2.6
  • mesa 10.6
  • Xorg-1.17
  • libva 1.6
  • systemd v219
  • binutils 2.25
  • Glibc 2.22
  • libressl 2.1.7
  • LLVM-3.6
  • Kernel 4.1

  

   

  If you want to download the OpenELEC Linux distribution, you can get it here. If you don't wan't to build a HTPC, but still want to try it, you can buy the inexpensive WeTek Play here -- just be sure to select "MicroSD Card pre-loaded with OpenELEC" when ordering.

  Photo credit: annanizami / Shutterstock

  
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  Google makes 'CODEGIRL' film free on YouTube for a limited time -- watch it here

  Publié: novembre 2, 2015, 1:23am CET par Brian Fagioli

  

  As a trained Sociologist who has a few sisters, yet no brothers, I have a keen eye for recognizing sex and gender inequalities -- especially when it comes to females (at least I like to think so). Truth be told, many such claims of girls and women being excluded or underrepresented in certain industries aren't always the case of purposeful oppression. In other words, a certain gender having a larger role in something could be organic -- men and women are different, and that is OK.

  When it comes to STEM ( Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), however, it has largely been a boys-club, due to years of arguably intentional exclusion based on ignorant thoughts regarding the minds and capabilities of women. Actually (and obviously), girls and women can absolutely thrive in the sciences, and Google has long been a proponent of its encouragement. Today, the company continues it its positive focus by making the documentary "CODEGIRL" free for 5 days on YouTube. The film shows thousands of girls competing in a coding competition, which should not only be inspiring for other girls, but all people regardless of sex or gender.

  "When it comes to computer science, millions of girls are being left out of the conversation. Despite earning the majority of bachelor's degrees in the U.S., women earn fewer than 20 percent of computer science degrees, with serious implications for our economy and for women at large. The problem of getting girls more interested in tech has many sources, but according to Google’s own research, one of them is optics. Girls don’t see positive role models of other girls and women in popular culture. In a study of popular films in 11 countries, fewer than 20 percent of computer science or tech roles were held by women", says Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube.

  

  Wojcicki explains that the film "follows the story of 5,000 girls from 60 countries as they compete in a global entrepreneurship and coding competition by Technovation. The girls have three months to develop an app that attempts to solve a problem in their local community. In the film, they size up their competition, interact with teachers and local mentors, learn to code, and pitch their ideas all in hopes of winning $10,000 in funding and support".

  You can watch the full film by clicking "play" above. Seriously, the film is entirely free and clocks in at an hour and 48 minutes. Sadly, it will not be free forever; you can only watch it without paying starting today, November 1, through November 5th. Yes, you have five full days to watch the film, and I encourage you to watch it with your children if you have any; both boys and girls can benefit from seeing these girls participating in coding.

  If you watch the film, tell me what you think of it in the comments below.