Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » janvier 7, 2016

BetaNews.Com (16 non lus)

Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter and Yahoo balk at UK's Investigatory Powers Bill

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 11:53pm CET par Mark Wilson
The Investigatory Powers Bill may only be in draft form at the moment, but the UK government has already come in for criticism for its plans. Today, scores of pieces of written evidence, both for and against the proposals, have been published, including input from the Reform Government Surveillance (RGS) coalition.

Five key members of the coalition are Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter and Yahoo. In their written evidence, the quintet of tech companies express their concerns about the draft bill, seek clarification from the UK government, and issue warnings about the implications of such a bill.

The evidence (document IPB0116) says that any surveillance undertaken by the government need to be "targeted, lawful, proportionate, necessary, jurisdictionally bounded, and transparent". The coalition notes that many other countries are watching to see what the UK does, and whatever form the final Investigatory Powers Bill takes, it could form the framework for countless similar bills around the world.

The group suggests a series of considerations that it believes the government needs to keep in mind:
- User trust is essential to our ability to continue to innovate and offer our customers products and services, which empower them to achieve more in their personal and professional lives.
- Governments’ surveillance authorities, even when transparent and enshrined in law, can undermine users’ trust in the security of our products and services.
- Key elements of whatever legislation is passed by the UK are likely to be replicated by other countries, including with respect to UK citizens’ data.
- Unilateral imposition of obligations on overseas providers will conflict with legal obligations such providers are subject to in other countries.
- An increasingly chaotic international legal system will leave companies in the impossible position of deciding whose laws to violate and could fuel data localization efforts.
Among the other points made are concerns about conflicting with laws in other countries. The coalition says that the UK government should not be able to require companies to comply with warrants if it doing so would break laws in other countries. There is concern expressed about encryption, and a clear statement that "we reject any proposals that would require companies to deliberately weaken the security of their products via backdoors, forced decryption, or any other means."

As well as telling the government that companies should not be required to gather and store extra data about their customers, the coalition wants to ensure that there is transparency when the bill is in action. This, the evidence says, would go some way to maintaining the user trust that the bill risks breaking:

The ultimate test we apply to each of the authorities in this Bill is whether they will promote and maintain the trust users place in our technology. Even where these authorities do not apply to overseas providers like our companies, we are concerned that some of the authorities contained in the Bill, as currently drafted, represent a step in the wrong direction. The clearest example is the authority to engage in computer network exploitation, or equipment interference. To the extent this could involve the introduction of risks or vulnerabilities into products or services, it would be a very dangerous precedent to set, and we would urge your Government to reconsider.

The Joint Committee on the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill is chaired by Lord Murphy of Torfaen. He said:

The Committee is grateful to the wide range of people and organisations who have taken the time and effort to submit evidence to the inquiry.

We are aware that the short time available to the Committee for its investigation has been a cause of concern for people who have their own concerns and questions about the draft Bill. Our timetable, set by the two Houses, is certainly a challenging one. However, our witnesses’ willingness to work with us to this tight deadline, and the range and quality of the written evidence that has been submitted, is something the Committee acknowledges gratefully. The written evidence, together with that which we have heard in oral evidence sessions, will be vital to our further work.

The full cache of written evidence can be accessed on the UK Parliament website. It includes submissions from companies, individuals, the government, law enforcement agencies, and non-governmental organizations.

Photo credit: Pixza Studio / Shutterstock
Intel Security and AirWatch team up to boost mobile protection

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 8:00pm CET par Sam Pudwell

Intel Security has expanded its partnership with VMWare’s enterprise mobility subsidiary AirWatch, placing a greater emphasis on mobile security initiatives.

The two companies aim to help organizations cope with the numerous security issues posed by mobile devices, as well as integrating enterprise protection across PCs, operating systems, networks and the cloud.

Data protection, threat detection and prevention and security management will be the three key areas of focus, with a key aspect of the partnership being to correlate threat event information in order to improve incident visibility and faster response times in the enterprise environment.

Noah Wasmer, vice president of mobile engineering and product management for end-user computing at VMWare said: "To drive mobile business transformation, organizations need the foundational security elements they already leverage across their enterprise to work seamlessly across their mobility assets".

As part of the extended partnership, Intel Security and AirWatch have joined each other’s respective mobile security initiatives, the Intel Security Innovation Alliance and the AirWatch Mobile Security Alliance.

D.J. Long, head of the Intel Security Innovation Alliance, commented: "The VMware and Intel Security partnership is an integral part of our mobile security strategy and is an important step toward improving our mutual customers’ threat defense lifecycle and providing better data protection, regardless of where that data resides or travels".

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

Photo credit: Basar / Shutterstock
Linux Mint 18 details revealed -- code name, release date, and more!

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 7:38pm CET par Brian Fagioli

When it comes to desktop computing, I love me some Linux. While Ubuntu is my favorite distro of the moment, I use many others from time to time, such as Fedora, deepin, and Linux Mint. My desktop environment preference is Unity or Gnome, but I understand the love for Mint's Cinnamon or MATE. If you are coming from Windows, and prefer the "Start Menu" approach as an interface, both of those primary Mint DEs will make you comfortable.

Since Mint is based on Ubuntu, there are tons of available packages, and online support -- no wonder it is so popular in the Linux community. Today, new details about version 18 of the operating system have made their way to the web. We now know the code name, approximate release date and Ubuntu version for its base! What is the code name? Well, if you are a fan of Sex and the City, you might be excited, as it shares the first name of the lead actress. Can you guess?

Yes, the code name is Sarah, but I don't think the Mint team had Sarah Jessica Parker in mind. Clement Lefebvre, Linux Mint leader, explains, "Sarah is a Jewish feminine given name found in many different areas of the world. Sarah is a consistently popular given name across Europe and North America, as well as in the Middle East -- being commonly used as a female first name by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, and remaining popular also among non-religious members of cultures influenced by these religions".

Lefebvre further explains, "frequently, the name refers to Sarah, the wife of Abraham in the Hebrew Bible, the Christian Old Testament, and the Islamic Quran. In Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian, it means woman of high rank, often simply translated as 'Princess'. In Modern Hebrew, 'sarah' (שרה) is the word for 'woman minister'".

OK, got that? While I appreciate the history lesson on the name "Sarah", surely Linux Mint fans would like more substantial details. Luckily, we have some. Most importantly, it will be based on the upcoming Ubuntu 16.04 'Xenial Xerus'. As an LTS release, it will be supported until 2021 -- very cool.

READ MORE: Ubuntu Linux 16.04 'Xenial Xerus' Alpha 1 available now

While we do not know a definitive date, the team is currently targeting May or June of 2016. While that seems a lifetime a way in the technology world, it will be here before you know it.

Are you excited for Linux Mint 18 "Sarah"? Should Sarah Jessica Parker be the unofficial mascot? Tell me in the comments.

Image credit: Debby Wong/Shutterstock
Harman Kardon is releasing new wireless whole-home audio system

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 6:01pm CET par Alan Buckingham

Whole-home audio has become popular recently thanks to products like Sonos making it easy. In the old days speaker wires had to be fished through walls, but those days of cables and intense labor are gone. Now it can be done via a wireless means and almost everyone has a home network -- something else that was once the domain of geeks and experts.

Now one of the top-tier makers of home audio equipment is getting in on the act as Harman Kardon announces its newest offering at the Consumer Electronics Show taking place this week in Las Vegas.

The new OMNI+ is promising true HD audio broadcast around your home wirelessly. "The Harman Kardon Omni+ line is unique in its true HD sound quality, versatility and functionality", says Michael Mauser, president of Lifestyle Division at Harman "Customers want to stream from many different sources, control their speakers from their phone or tablet and have one system to meet all of their needs. Whether they want one speaker or five, this Harman Kardon home audio system provides the best in wireless HD sound quality and access to all the content they care about".

This brings a wealth of flexibility as far as streaming services go. It can stream media stored locally, but it also offers Pandora, Deezer, Spotify, TuneIn Radio and more.

There's also an array of speaker styles to choose from, including the Omni 10+, Omni 20+, Omni Bar+, Adapt+, and the Omni 50+, which has IPX5 splashproof and outdoor capabilities.

Customers start with a small package and can add more speakers later as they see fit. It also allows for streaming both the same music everywhere or different tunes for different rooms. It can even be configured into a 2.1 or 5.1 surround system. It has support for 802.11ac 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks.

All products will be available this summer and prices range from $199 to $999 depending on which models you want.
Hybrid IT systems hinder innovation

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 5:56pm CET par Alasdair Gilchrist

Research from Sungard Availability Services, a provider of information availability through managed IT, cloud and recovery services, has revealed a dark side to hybrid IT systems.

Sungard’s findings based on a study which questioned 150 senior IT decision makers in UK organizations with more than 500 employees with an average IT spend of around £36m per year, found that over half of UK organizations believe that the complexity of their IT environment is hindering their ability to innovate.

This is a worrying statistic given that hybrid systems are intended to accelerate agility rather than stifle innovation. Sungard revealed that as increasing numbers of businesses turn to the hybrid IT strategy, IT complexity is accelerating with nearly half (47 percent) of the UK IT decision makers rating their current IT environment as either very or extremely complex.

To quantify this complexity, respondents are indicating that hybrid IT is adding significant cost to the running of IT estates, with nearly a third of UK organizations (31 percent) having seen an increase in operating costs thanks to hybrid IT, adding an average of £251,868 every year. Ironically, over half (53 percent) of IT decision makers claimed that the complexity of their Hybrid IT estate is hindering innovation in their organization.

As Badreddine Laroussi, Group CIO, TDA Capital, commented: "The whole point of moving to a hybrid IT approach is to increase business agility. Technology is changing all the times, with new applications and services appearing on a weekly basis -- organizations need an approach that can take advantage of this, allowing the right solutions to be brought into the IT estate whenever they become available"

"Of course, this requires careful planning: which applications would suit a cloud environment and which would be better elsewhere? Do you have the skill sets needed to make a success of this approach?".

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

Image Credit: docstockmedia / Shutterstock
Finding the right balance between business security and employee productivity

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 4:22pm CET par Bill Evans
Don’t you wish you could give your users all the access they need, without worrying about them becoming frustrated with the increased security measures put on the business and then taking actions into their own hands to avoid those security measures in order to remain productive? Simply providing users with IDs and passwords for each application or data set will not keep your business secure…or productive…anymore. A truly successful security strategy must look at information in context, exploring the "who, what, when, where, and why" of access activities. Your strategy must understand where gaps exist, while supporting secure and convenient access to both legacy and emerging applications for users -- who expect to stay productive -- and the IT staff responsible for keeping the business secure.

The theory behind security is noble: IT should ensure that only approved users can access systems and data, that they access them only for the right reasons, and that they’re doing the right things once they’ve gained access. In practice, though, security has been a static process of IT administrators saying "no", denying access and placing barriers (multiple passwords and access protocols) between users and the resources they need to do their jobs.

In fact, a recent global security survey confirmed that common access management processes limit employee productivity, and often force them to find workarounds to get their jobs done yet expose the organization to greater risk. 91 percent of business respondents said their productivity is negatively impacted by security measures put in place by the business. If a business were to replace traditional, static access processes with a context-aware security approach, 97 percent of IT professionals say they would see improved worker productivity without compromised security.

Risks like business-destroying theft have turned security into a moving target. The advent of mobile users and increasingly sophisticated attacks are motivating organizations to enhance their security footprint by deploying a context-aware (or adaptive) approach that ensures user productivity while enforcing access rights to business assets. This approach provides a real-time evaluation of the “who, what, when, where and why” surrounding each request for network access.

Evaluating the risk of multiple pieces of security Information to make educated, real-time security decisions

One context-aware model implements a security analytics engine (SAE) that returns a risk score based on multiple factors, or contexts, of the users’ access request:
- Browser used -- Includes historical analysis of any browser use that falls outside of normal behavior for the user
- Location pattern -- Detects any requests for access originating from an abnormal location
- Specific location -- Prevents access initiated from specific locations or geographies known to foster malicious activity
- Time -- Detects any requests for access that occur outside of customary times and days for the user
- Blacklist -- Prohibits requests for access based on a list of forbidden networks or network addresses
- Typical behavior -- adjusts security requirements based on normal user behavior, if an access request falls outside of the norm, security can be adapted to reduce risk
The SAE weighs the "who, what, when, where, and why" of access requests according to the organization’s needs, user populations, threats, practices, applications, and infrastructure. It then produces a total risk score to adjust enforcement in real time, thus providing the right security in any situation.

Static security, based on a collection of unlinked security factors, no longer suffices for 21st century security which both secures the organization and keeps users productive. A context-aware approach to security gives organizations the power to protect business without imposing burdensome authentication requirements and password schemes on users. The result is stronger security and a more productive workforce.

Imaged Credit: soliman design / Shutterstock

Bill Evans is senior director, product marketing, Dell Security
New malware attack targets WhatsApp users

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 3:10pm CET par Ian Barker

A new malware campaign is aiming specifically at businesses and consumers using the WhatsApp mobile messaging service.

Uncovered by researchers at Comodo Labs the campaign uses emails masquerading as WhatsApp content. These have an attached zip file containing a malware executable.

The emails have a variety of subject lines including, "You have obtained a voice notification," and "An audio memo was missed," each followed by a short string of random characters which are probably used to identify the recipient.

If the zip file in the email is opened and executed, the malware is installed on the PC. It's a variant of the 'Nivdort' family. When run it replicates itself into different system folders, as well as adding itself into an auto-run in the computer's registry.

"Cybercriminals are becoming more and more like marketers - trying to use creative subject lines to have unsuspecting emails be clicked and opened to spread malware," says Fatih Orhan, Director of Technology for Comodo and the Comodo Antispam Labs. "As a company, Comodo is working diligently in creating innovative technology solutions that stay a step ahead of the cybercriminals, protect and secure endpoints, and keep enterprises and IT environments safe".

More details of the attack are available on the Comodo blog.

Photo Credit: Balefire/Shutterstock
Intel's new smartphone comes with a 3D RealSense camera

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 2:58pm CET par Mihaita Bamburic

Most people may not know this, but Intel is no stranger to the smartphone world. It develops mobile processors that power a wide range of Android devices, like ASUS' ZenFone 2 line. But the company is not stopping there as at CES 2016, it just unveiled a smartphone equipped with a RealSense camera.

Virtually every smartphone has cameras on the front and rear, so what makes Intel's device special? Well, the RealSense camera allows the handset to recognize 3D objects and gestures, similar to Microsoft's Kinect.

The RealSense camera, which has the ZR300 designation, is actually comprised of a number of sensors, as Intel calls them: a RealSense R200 camera module, an accelerometer and gyroscope unit, a wide field of view camera for motion and feature tracking, an 8MP RGB camera on the back and a 2 MP RGB camera on the front.

"The Intel RealSense Camera ZR300 supports Google Project Tango specifications for robust feature tracking and synchronization via time stamping between sensors. Combined with its low power consumption the camera can provide versatile experiences, such as indoor mapping and navigation, as well as area-learning capabilities that naturally complement applications in 3D scanning as well as immersive virtual and augmented reality usages on top of drones and robotics applications", Intel explains. "The Intel RealSense Camera ZR300 provides high-quality and high-density depth data at VGA-resolution of 60 frames per second".

The rest of the smartphone is actually pretty interesting as well. It has a 6-inch QHD screen, Atom x7-Z8700 processor, 2 GB of RAM, 64 GB of internal storage, but only 3G connectivity support, among other specs. And, of course, it runs Android.

The 3G network support is actually the least impressive thing about it. The omission of 4G LTE support is probably because Intel's smartphone is actually aimed at developers, and not the general public. This is a device meant to be in the hands of users who want to create apps that can take advantage of its RealSense camera.

The smartphone will be available for $399.99, and can be pre-ordered from Intel's site.
Intel's RealSense camera used in first 'intelligent consumer drone'

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 2:22pm CET par Barclay Ballard

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich has revealed his company’s entry into the burgeoning drone market during a keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Yuneec's Typhoon H drone utilizes Intel’s RealSense camera and infrared lasers to instinctively avoid collisions, making it the world’s first "intelligent consumer drone" according to Krzanich.

The Telegraph reports that during the address the drone demonstrated its evasive abilities by following a cyclist on stage whilst dodging fake trees as they fell. Krzanich also revealed that the device would cost less than $2,000 (£1,300) and be available in the first half of 2016.

Following the smart drone reveal, Intel unveiled a number of its other plans for the year ahead, with wearable technology clearly a key focus for the company. Intel will work with Oakley on smart eyewear dubbed Radar Pace to provide athletes with real-time coaching based on their performance. A partnership with New Balance will also see the two organizations develop footwear that comes with customizable 3D-printed soles.

Intel even showcased something for armchair sports fans with Curie, a low-power computer that will provide more detailed statistics and further replay options during sports broadcasts. As part of the proposal, Intel also confirmed deals with ESPN and Red Bull Media House.

Intel has traditionally been thought of as a semi-conductor manufacturer, but its announcements at CES 2016 clearly indicate that it has set its sights on emerging, innovative consumer technologies.

"There is a rapidly growing role for technology that is at once transformative, unprecedented and accessible", Krzanich explained. "With people choosing experiences over products more than ever before, Intel technology is a catalyst to making amazing new experiences possible, and ultimately improving the world in which we live".

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
Run fuzzy content-aware searches on your PC with AIKIN Desktop Search

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 12:14pm CET par Mike Williams

The average desktop search tool doesn’t exactly have much initiative. Run a search for "Stephen" and it doesn’t matter how many Steves or Stevens you’ve got, records with the original spelling is all that you’ll see.

AIKIN Desktop Search ($99) uses fuzzy searching to take this further. Search for Stephen here and you might get hits for Steven, Steve, Stevie, Stephanie, right down to Staten Island any anything similar, all neatly organized with the best results (usually) at the top.

The program installs easily on Windows XP or later, optionally integrating with Outlook so that you can run searches directly from the ribbon.

On first launch there’s a delay while AIKIN Desktop Search indexes your Outlook emails, tasks, calendar items, file names and contents. There’s no complex document parsing engine here, it’s just using standard Explorer IFilters, but if you can see the contents of a document in Explorer’s Preview pane then AIKIN Desktop Search should be able to index it.

Once the setup is complete, type a keyword or two in the search box and watch as the results appear almost immediately.

This is much more than just simple wildcard searching. When we searched for "multimedia", for instance, the program didn’t only return exact matches and a single mis-spelling. It also understood that we might be interested in results containing just the word "media", and that those would probably be more useful than hits containing "multi", so placed them much higher in the results list.

Semantics-aware content searching can take this much, much further, providing matches to what you meant, rather than whatever you typed. The developer gives an example of a search for "discordant tones" automatically running searches on similar phrases, then telling you if, say, "inharmonious sounds" generates more results.

However you’re searching, results are presented as names, Outlook emails, or content hits in documents, web pages and more. You can filter these in various ways, single-click to view more details (see text hits in context, say), or double-click to open the source file or record in its default application.

The program runs as a $99 Pro version for the first 30 days of the trial. After that, you can run it as a Free edition, but with major restrictions: Outlook searches are limited to 10,000 emails, it only searches default document and file locations, fuzzy content search only works on the first 150 -- 500 words of the document (depending on type), and more.

AIKIN Desktop Search is available for Windows XP and later.
Predictions #2 (and 3?): Microsoft and Apple hit walls

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 12:07pm CET par Robert X. Cringely

It isn’t easy being huge as both Apple and Microsoft are starting to realize. Both companies are incredibly successful and I’m not here to say either is in real danger, but both are suffering major structural challenges that will hurt them in 2016. What’s key for these predictions is how they respond.

I’ll deal with Microsoft first because there the challenges and solutions are both clearer than they are with Apple. I’ve been very impressed with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella who I think hasn’t saved the company, because it didn’t need saving, but he’s a real improvement over Steve Ballmer. Nadella has done the best he can to get Microsoft in order and reinvigorated, not an easy job. His major remaining challenges involve Windows Phone and Windows 10.

Windows Phone is a failure and Microsoft has had enough hacks at gaining that #1 or #2 spot it needs in the mobile market that it is probably time to give up. We’re seeing movement in this direction as Microsoft increases its support for iOS and, especially, Android. If there’s a prediction here it is that Windows Phone will die in 2016 and Microsoft will remake its mobile effort more along the lines of what IBM has been trying to do in its so-called partnership with Apple. There’s plenty of opportunity helping businesses with mobile applications so that’s where Microsoft will logically head. In the meantime there remains the headache of what to do with Ballmer’s final failed acquisition, Nokia’s phone business. Sell it? Write it off? Spin it off? Beats me.

Then there’s Windows 10, which has been a fantastic success almost entirely because it is a free upgrade. Apple can get away with making OS upgrades free because Apple makes lots of money on the hardware on which that OS runs. But Microsoft is a software company and at some point it probably expects to start charging for Windows 10. My gut says that won’t work well enough to fit Microsoft’s business plan, which means a crisis will ensue.

Microsoft is almost unique in its historic ability to leverage an operating system as a driver of market dominance. The only other company that even comes close in this regard is Red Hat. Some reversion is probably in order here and Windows may cease to be the business driver it has been in the past. I’m not saying Windows is going away, but the trend of Microsoft extracting a greater and greater percentage of the profit from every new PC sale is probably over. There just isn’t that much profit to be shared, for one thing. And for another the entire PC market has probably peaked. Microsoft’s business is shifting, possibly to the cloud. It will be interesting to see how it reacts as this unfolds in 2016.

Now to Apple, a company that appears from the outside to be entering a management crisis. Apple needs to pioneer new market categories because the international expansion that has driven the company’s growth for the past five years is almost complete. But Apple is not like other companies so here’s where we have to ask a fundamental question: does Tim Cook give a damn about Wall Street? I simply don’t know. Every other business writer would say that he does give a damn because, well, that’s what CEOs of huge public companies are supposed to do. But I’m not sure Cook does care. Nor am I even sure he should care. In fact I’m pretty sure he shouldn’t.

If Tim Cook does care about Wall Street then he should step up his game, do something dramatic, and show the world anew that he is the logical successor to Steve Jobs. But you know it wouldn’t surprise me if Cook gave up his CEO job this year, moved to chairman, and let someone else worry about Apple day-to-day.

More likely, though, we’ll see 2016 as a year when Apple responds to this growth challenge not through new products or cutting costs (Apple’s sales-per-employee are so high that cutting costs is close to useless) but through financial engineering. Cook isn’t going to be rushed into anything. And if we ignore products and markets for a moment Apple’s greatest challenge is that $200 billion in cash it holds, mainly offshore. Cook and Apple hope for a tax amnesty of sorts because they don’t want to pay an $80 billion tax bill. President Hillary is unlikely to give such a gift to Apple so some other strategy will probably be required.

Let’s think of this in a different way. Forget that the company is Apple. If any company with that much money stashed overseas went to Goldman Sachs for help what advice would they get? The rocket scientists at Goldman would come up with some complicated scam involving derivative securities and special purpose entities to serve the dual purpose of lowering Apple’s tax exposure while satisfying shareholders through share buybacks and rising dividends. IBM has shown how to play these games, propping-up its stock for years and Apple can easily do the same. Which is to say for Apple 2016 is likely to be a year of such shenanigans while waiting for new products that will actually come in 2017.
Microsoft explains how it uses Windows 10 Insider feedback with 'Made by you' articles

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 12:00pm CET par Mark Wilson

The Windows Insider program was designed to help anyone test driving preview builds of Windows 10 to provide feedback and help shape the future direction of the operating system. But what happens with all of the feedback that's submitted?

Microsoft is starting to publish a new series of articles to the Insider Hub that seek to assure people that their feedback is not just disappearing into a black hole. The 'Made by you' sees Microsoft providing feedback on feedback, and helps to give Insiders some reassurance that their input is valued. The first article is about how Windows 10 handles display scaling.

The feedback program for Windows 10 has had its share of controversy, as Microsoft was accused of ignoring -- even deleting -- feedback it doesn’t like. The 'Made by you' articles are surprisingly detailed, and are much more than just a checklist of what has been done. Instead, Microsoft details exactly what has changed and why, lists any problems that still exist, and explains what work is still to be done.

In an update that appears in the Insider Hub app, Microsoft says:

Today we are introducing a new series of articles titled 'Made by you'. If you have feedback on this type of content or other aspects of the Windows Insider Program, please let us know via the Feedback App.

'Made by you' highlights how we are addressing feedback from Windows Insiders, how we investigated this feedback to shape Windows, and why we have made these improvements.

Is this a good move on Microsoft's part?

Photo credit: mamanamsai / Shutterstock
Intel Curie arrives this quarter, costs under $10

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 10:25am CET par Alasdair Gilchrist

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich announced new details today at CES 2016 in Las Vegas regarding the button-sized wearable hardware module, Curie. The Intel Curie module features 32-bit Intel Quark SE SoC, (system on a Chip) and runs for extended periods on a coin-sized battery.

Intel unveiled the Curie SoC module a year ago, and demonstrated it through a partnership with BMX to develop the first smart BMX bike. Curie was able to measure through sensors on the seat and handlebars of the bike the speed and movement metrics. However, now the button sized SoC module is being used on athletic sports clothing to bring the same analytical capabilities to all athletes. "We believe it will change how athletes are judged, how they train", Krzanich said.

However, it isn’t just athletes that Intel are targeting the Curie to, as they have also entered a collaboration partnership with Lady Gaga in a bid to advance its role in the next generation of computing. Krzanich said, "this project will showcase technology through creativity at the highest level" that will be shown off during the Grammy Awards in February 2016. "You will all literally be blown away".

Intel were more specific regards another sporting collaboration effort with ESPN, which will start with the X Games in Aspen in 2016. Intel plans that the low power Intel Curie module will be integrated into the Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle and Men’s Snowboard Big Air competitions, where it will help to provide real-time data on athlete performance on in-air rotations, jump height, jump distance, speed, and force on landing.

The Intel Curie module features Bluetooth Low Energy and a 6-axis combo sensor that includes accelerometers and gyroscopes. Furthermore, The Intel Curie module comes with a complete software platform that includes Intel IQ Software kits to make it easier to create applications even faster.

Intel says that Curie, the button sized module, will begin shipping this quarter and will cost less than $10.

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

Photo Credit: Rose Carson/Shutterstock
Nexia brings voice control through Amazon Echo, adds upgraded Windows 10 app

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 6:26am CET par Alan Buckingham

Amazon Echo continues to add features of all sorts. There's now integration with IFTTT, sports news and a growing number of home automation capabilities. The latest company to announce its plans with the Amazon device is Nexia.

The company is unveiling its latest products and integrations this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

"A lot of gadgets profess to be helpful for the smart home but instead make many people wonder when they would ever use them," said George Land, general manager of Nexia. "Our goal is to continue developing and advancing smart home solutions that fit into the rhythm of most people’s daily lives, solving everyday problems, and that work as promised month after month, year after year".

Windows 10 is a big part of this. The app is already available, only being slightly improved. The company claims that its one of platforms most popular apps. It's built on Microsoft's Universal Windows platform, meaning it can run on all devices.

The biggest feature being added is the ability to control through Amazon's Echo device. Known more popularly as Alexa, the device takes voice commands from anywhere within range. From your couch you can tell it to play music, ask for the weather or turn lights on and off, depending on the system you are using.

"Users can talk right to their smartphone to execute all their programmed automations or control individual devices, giving them greater versatility and access than through Siri or other virtual assistants. With Amazon Echo, users can ask the hugely popular device to act as another easy-to-use way to control their smart home and control major household systems with simple voice commands", the announcement reads.

Like many CES announcements, there's no word on availability so we'll just have to wait and see.
Samsung unveils curved 1080p gaming monitors with AMD FreeSync over HDMI

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 3:19am CET par Brian Fagioli

In 2015, AMD owned the PC gaming world. Its brilliant cards were not only powerful, but reasonably priced too. Hell, they were downright beautiful; the Fury X and R9 Nano specifically, were engineering marvels and works of art.

My favorite trend of the year, however, was the acceptance of AMD's FreeSync technology -- which reduces lag and tearing -- by monitor manufacturers. Unlike Nvidia's G-SYNC, it is an open technology, and better for both consumers and the gaming industry alike. Today, Samsung announces three curved gaming monitors that all feature AMD FreeSync over HDMI.

"The Samsung CF591 is the world's first frameless curved monitor. Designed for an even more immersive and realistic experience, the CF591 display draws the eye in with an 1800R curvature and makes it easy to see the monitor from multiple places in a room with 178-degree viewing angle. By offering greater viewing angles and premium color accuracy, the display brings even the smallest details to life. Images have a presence not felt on a traditional 4000R curved screen, making users truly feel like they're a part of the action. The monitor is also equipped with built-in dual 5W speakers that seamlessly integrate to deliver enriched sound quality, completely transporting users into the concert hall when listening to music or into the thick of battle when playing combat games", says Samsung.

The manufacturer further says, "the Samsung CF390 and CF391 are stunningly curved monitors (available in 27-inch and 32-inch, respectively) featuring an 1800R curvature for a greater viewing experience. With thoughtful design and engineering to match, the displays can be used for a variety of opportunities, including gaming, data analysis, or internet browsing. With ergonomic tilt and swivel components, users can easily adjust their screen to the perfect height and angle to accomplish anything, from the most demanding task to simply checking email".

Samsung shares the following specs.

Unfortunately, while 1080p is still great for gaming, that resolution is a bit poor for monitors of this size overall. Above 24-inch, text may appear blurry when doing other things, such as surfing the web or writing papers. In other words, if your aim is 1080p gaming only, these may be passable displays, but as an all-purpose monitor, you will be disappointed. Sadly, if it wasn't for FreeSync, these displays should probably be ignored altogether.

Pricing and availability are a bit of a mystery for now. Hopefully we will learn more and see additional images soon.
Intel Compute Stick gets refresh -- pricey Skylake Core M or less expensive Atom

Publié: janvier 7, 2016, 1:37am CET par Brian Fagioli

The economy may be better for some, but for many, it is still bad, leading to downsized homes or moving in with relatives. Of course, this means smaller work spaces; the idea of having a dedicated computer room with large desk and PC is slowly disappearing. While consumers' bank accounts continue to shrink, luckily, so too do computers.

The Intel Compute Stick, for instance, takes up very little space, while historically being affordable too. Unfortunately, even though the tiny stick could run full Windows, it was a bit under-powered. Today, however, this changes. The Compute Stick receives a Skylake Core M processor refresh, making it a much more powerful -- and expensive -- affair. For more conservative budgets, however, Intel announces an upgraded Atom model too.

"Building on the success of the Intel Compute Stick introduced last year, at CES 2016 Intel unveiled new Compute Sticks based on 6th Gen Intel Core M and the latest quad-core Intel Atom processors. A tiny device about the size of a pack of gum, the Intel Compute Stick can transform any HDMI TV or display into a complete computer and improves upon the first generation in processing and graphics performance, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and additional USB ports. Both devices will be available in Q1 2016", says Intel.

Pricing and configurations for the Core M model is a bit odd (and pricey). Regardless of processor, you get 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM. If you want the Intel Core m3-6Y30 processor, it will come with Windows 10 pre-installed for $399. The more powerful Core m5-6Y57 vPro option is $499, but comes with no operating system! While the more powerful chip is certainly worth the extra money, it is very disappointing to see the Windows license stripped. You can always buy a Windows license or install a free Linux-based OS, of course.

For wireless connectivity, the Core M models have Intel Dual Band Wireless AC 7265 and Bluetooth 4.1. These Compute Sticks even get three USB ports, making them very capable -- keyboard, mouse, and USB storage drive make this a very attractive desktop replacement.

Obviously, the starting price of $399 makes the Core M variants too expensive for many -- especially for those looking to leverage it as a secondary PC. Don't worry, the Atom x5-Z8300 quad-core processor model is only $159, and yes, it comes with Windows 10. While less powerful than Skylake Core M processors, this newer Atom chip is quite capable. Unfortunately, both the RAM and storage are halved compared to the more expensive models, as 32GB and 2GB, respectively. It also loses a USB port. It has the AC 7265 Wi-Fi, but strangely, Bluetooth 4.0 rather than 4.1.

While I appreciate Intel creating more powerful Compute Stick models (surely there was demand), the prices make them a hard sell. Heck, you can get a decent laptop for $399, and it comes with a display. I expect the Atom processor variant to be more popular with consumers, while the Core M models will attract businesses and tinkerers with very specific powerful small computing needs.

What do you think about the Core M Compute Sticks? Are they too expensive? Tell me in the comments.