Gregarius » BetaNews.Com » mars 16, 2016

BetaNews.Com (17 non lus)

Third-party encryption renders iPhone backdoor useless

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 8:37pm CET par Paul Bischoff

Let’s assume for a minute that the FBI got its way. It coerces Apple into disabling the self-destruct function on the San Bernardino terrorist’s iPhone, allowing it to brute force the password. Effectively, the FBI and Apple create a backdoor that theoretically works the same across all iPhones. Police even uses the same tactic on the dozens of other iPhones that are currently involved in active investigations. People across the world sacrifice their privacy, while the police has a new tool to fight terrorists.

Except they don’t, really. Sure, iMessage and other iCloud services could be decrypted without a password, but what Apple critics often fail to realize is the abundance of third-party encryption tools widely available. Free, open-source alternatives exist to encrypt chats, phone calls, files, and even entire hard drives. That pesky self-destruct function the FBI is so eager to remove? Alternatives for that exist as well, and they are all easily accessible with nothing more than a Google search. By removing the default encryption built in iPhones, the FBI isn’t stopping terrorists. It’s merely inconveniencing them.

Alternative Encryption Methods

Want to encrypt live phone calls? The Signal app does that for free. Encrypted, burn-after-reading messaging? Try Signal, Cryptocat, TorChat, and Burn Note. Anyone can use file encryption apps like Boxcryptor and CloudFogger to encrypt files before sending them to someone else or uploading them to the cloud. Email encryption is made possible through PGP and S/MIME protocols, which have been around for years and have great track records for never being cracked.

VPNs encrypt Internet traffic and mask the original IP and location of the user, preventing surveillance. The good ones don’t even log user activity, so they have nothing to give to authorities.

An entire hard disk can be encrypted using FileVault and Bitlocker, which come pre-installed on Mac and Windows machines, respectively. If you don’t trust Apple or Microsoft, then use a third-party option like DiskCryptor or VeraCrypt. Many Android phones come with flash memory encryption built in, and those that don’t can still use a third-party app like Whispercore.

Let’s not forget about Tor, which is compatible with a whole suite of apps for anonymous web browsing, chat, and even an entire operating system that can be run from a USB drive.

Toshiba now makes self-destructing hard drives, or you can use any of the many disk wiping tools like Darik’s Boot and Nuke and Eraser. Secure Drives, a British company, makes solid state hard drives that self-destruct when you text them a specific pass code.

"Good job, Paul. You went and made a how-to guide for terrorists", you might say. But again, all of these tools are not much more than a Google search away, complete with documentation, support, Github repositories, and user forums. It’s easy.

These are not tools solely used by terrorists and drug dealers, either. Lawyers, journalists, business people, scientists, and of course government officials are but a few of the professions where encryption is vital.

A Sisyphean Endeavour

"Let’s ban all encryption!", say the politicians and activists with little to no technical expertise. "Put backdoors on everything!"

They fail to realize that encryption uses but a handful of the same open-source, free protocols worldwide. Banning encryption would be like trying to create a master key for every lock that has ever existed and ever will exist. It’s impossible, and even trying would put them at a major competitive disadvantage to competing economies. It also leaves a huge security gap to be exploited by hackers. Not only is it a big gap, but the hackers will also know where and what to look for.

The point is, if you think terrorists will no longer be able to secretly communicate and keep authorities out of their devices because Apple leaves a backdoor open for the FBI, you are mistaken. Most of these encryption tools are free for anyone to download, be they a terrorist or a school teacher, and they aren’t difficult to learn.

If you want an example of what happens when encryption is compromised, just look at the recent Drown hack. Drown made about one-third of all servers worldwide that use the HTTPS protocol vulnerable to attack and breach. HTTPS, for the uninitiated, is what keeps your credit card details, email, and passwords safe when doing pretty much anything that requires security on a web browser. It’s often represented by a padlock icon in a browser’s URL bar.

We tend to think of the FBI-Apple case as a choice between security and privacy. But even if law enforcement gains access to valuable data on a few iPhones in the short term, backdoors threaten privacy for all of us in the long term and do relatively little to improve security. This is a Sisyphean endeavour for law enforcement. The free market will fill in the security hole left by the FBI and Apple. The third-party encryption tools we have now will continue to improve and become even easier to use.

Terrorists can and will learn to adapt. If the FBI wins its case against Apple, perhaps we all should.

Paul Bischoff is a technology writer and consultant for Comparitech.com

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

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/ymgerman
Symantec introduces website encryption service

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 8:30pm CET par Sead Fadilpašić

Symantec today announced the global release of a new product which will help companies encrypt user data on their websites.

The new product is called Encryption Everywhere, and it will be offered through hosting providers. According to a press release following the announcement, there will be a couple of levels of encryption and general protection the new service will offer, but Symantec would love to see every "legitimate" website in the world have at least the basic level of encryption by 2018.

The security firm says there are a couple of reasons why webmasters should encrypt the data on their sites: first, it will help protect their customer data, which should be enough in its own right. But besides keeping the business safe, it will also do good for the company brand. Also, Symantec says Google and "other browsers" have announced they’ll push unencrypted websites down in search ranking results.

"There are almost a billion web sites today, yet only about three percent of those sites are encrypted, which means cybercriminals have been able to make a good living off of the web’s lack of security", said Roxane Divol, senior vice president and general manager, Website Security, Symantec. "Symantec is about to change the game for cybersecurity with Encryption Everywhere. It’s time to secure every legitimate website and win back security on the internet for every business and consumer. That’s why Symantec is making it easy to secure any website from the very moment it is registered or renewed, starting with free, basic encryption all the way through to complete website security solutions".

Encryption Everywhere will be demonstrated during the World Hosting Days conference in Rust, Germany March 15-18.

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

Photo credit: jijomathaidesigners / Shutterstock
Dropbox moves away from AWS, now stores 90 percent of user data

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 6:52pm CET par Sead Fadilpašić

Look at Dropbox, all grown up and moving away from home. The company has announced that it is now using, almost entirely, its own custom-built infrastructure to hold data.

Dropbox says this is an important milestone, as it moves away from Amazon Web Services it relied on before. Still, it will continue to partner with Amazon, when "it makes sense for our users", Dropbox says.

Writing a blog post on the milestone on Monday, Dropbox’s Akhil Gupta said the company now hosts 90 percent of all data. "We’re excited to announce that we’re now storing and serving over 90 percent of our users’ data on our custom-built infrastructure".

Cloud hosting service company Dropbox keeps two kinds of files: file content and metadata about files and users. While metadata about files and users was always kept on Dropbox’s custom servers, files themselves were stored on Amazon.

But as the company grew, and more users flocked to its service, it became clear that a custom-built infrastructure was the way to go.

"As the needs of our users and customers kept growing, we decided to invest seriously in building our own in-house storage system. There were a couple reasons behind this decision. First, one of our key product differentiators is performance. Bringing storage in-house allows us to customize the entire stack end-to-end and improve performance for our particular use case. Second, as one of the world’s leading providers of cloud services, our use case for block storage is unique. We can leverage our scale and particular use case to customize both the hardware and software, resulting in better unit economics".

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
Microsoft scores rare Windows 10 Mobile win with all-new official Twitter app

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 5:52pm CET par Brian Fagioli

While financial pundits are constantly discussing the profitability of Twitter and its stock, tech geeks such as me just enjoy using the damn thing. It is without a doubt my favorite social network -- it helps me stay on top of news and trends in a no-nonsense way.

Unfortunately for Windows 10 Mobile users (yes, they exist), a proper Twitter app was not available. Today, this changes, as an official app comes to Microsoft's struggling mobile platform. Yes, the Windows-maker is experiencing a rare win with its mobile OS. This is great news, as only yesterday the popular Here Maps defected from the platform.

"In Twitter for Windows 10 Mobile, we've added features that make content discovery, as well as both public and private sharing, more seamless than ever. Explore Moments; send group Direct Messages; shoot, edit and Tweet video; share a Tweet and easily add your own commentary with quote Tweet; and check out top Tweets without logging in", says Jeremy Forrester, Technical Program Manager, Twitter.

Angela Lam, Product Designer, Twitter explains, "when bringing the app to mobile phones we carefully considered each section of Twitter and how the user interaction translates from desktops and tablets. We found that 90 percent of the UI and interaction models could be shared from these devices to mobile phones, but there were places where we decided to make adjustments to optimize for each. For example, take Moments. On mobile, the smaller screen lends itself more to a full-screen and immersive experience".

Apparently, Windows 10 desktop users have been clamoring for a dark theme for the official app, so that is now a feature of both the desktop and mobile app. While this is a personal preference, I absolutely detest dark themes -- it is depressing. I much prefer a colorful and airy theme that makes me feel good. Oh well, I guess a lot of emo kids use Windows 10.

If you want to install Twitter on your Windows 10 Mobile smartphone, you can grab it here.
Microsoft is farming your data, but it isn't what you think

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 5:10pm CET par Alan Buckingham

If you reside in the US state of Maryland then you can find plenty to be proud of -- the Chesapeake Bay is home to great seafood, including the famous Maryland Blue Crab. Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner from a ship during a battle in Baltimore Harbor. Of course, there's the sports teams like the Ravens and Orioles.

But one thing the state tries not to neglect is its history of farming. A vast majority of the state is rural and is home to agriculture, horses and cattle. The state has instituted a Farm Preservation policy to preserve these lands for future generations and even car license plates have been dedicated to the cause.

Now Microsoft is stepping in to help out one particular county -- Montgomery, which is located west of the Chesapeake Bay. The company is using its CityNext program to test innovations on four farms within the county.

"Built on our Microsoft Azure cloud platform, the testbed will rely on the expertise of our DX team to provide the high-level architecture and software to collect and analyze data from sensors that will be installed on the four Montgomery County farms participating in the project", says Jeff Friedman of Microsoft.

The company is working with the University of Maryland on this infrastructure, which includes IoT Dev Labs, FiberTower and Link Labs to help the sensors wirelessly connect and there are several companies who are providing the hardware to make all of this work.

Microsoft developer David Makogon adds "While we have all these devices that are capable of sending their information, reporting what their readings are -- somewhere you need to store this information. I’m helping set up the data model and building interfaces to databases".

It's a major undertaking and also the reason only four farms are currently involved. The company will need to do a lot of research and work to perfect this system. However, when it's all done, the sensors should begin providing important data, such as moisture content in the soil, weather models for precipitation and much more. All things that are the lifeblood of these farms.
Ads are eating your mobile data allowance

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 4:52pm CET par Mark Wilson

A new study has revealed that ads on smartphones account for between 18 and 79 percent of downloaded data. The astonishing statistic gives mobile users another reason to despise ads on top of the annoyance, security and privacy concerns they already bring about.

With most mobile users having to stick to a monthly allowance, the suggestion is that it's time for mobile pages to go on a diet. The research carried out by Ender Analysis also found that JavaScript accounted for between 6 and 68 percent of downloaded data.

The findings are important not only because ad-blocking is very much a hot topic at the moment, but also because more and more web traffic comes from mobile devices. Enders Analysis' research says that content providers need to adapt to take this into account:

The move from desktop to mobile, from banner to native and from web to apps provides advertisers and publishers with the opportunity to provide an acceptable advertising experience, ensuring that blocking of these new formats and properties never reaches the threatening levels currently on desktop.

As reported by the Guardian, Enders also says:

On the basis of this investigation, an estimate that says advertising accounts for half of all data used by publisher pages on iPhones does not look unreasonable. Publisher mobile pages are bloated, and advertising is an enormous part of that.

Photo credit: ra2studio/ Shutterstock
IT teams choose between performance and security

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 4:04pm CET par Ian Barker

Although security breach stories regularly make the headlines, a new survey shows that the biggest worry IT teams have with current security solutions is that they slow down the system.

The study from endpoint security specialist Barkly also reveals that while only half of respondents are confident in their current endpoint solution, 80 percent believe that effective endpoint security is possible.

When asked about the downfalls of their security solutions, 41 percent of respondents say they are dissatisfied with their current solution because it slows down their system. If security products are slowing systems, and by extension lowering productivity, it may be that users are taking insecure shortcuts to improve efficiency, such as using unauthorized third-party apps or connecting unsanctioned devices to the network. In addition the survey reveals that the other major issues IT teams have with current solutions are that they require too many updates (36 percent), are too expensive (33 percent) and provide no protection against zero-day attacks (33 percent).

In spite of increased spending on security, only 50 percent of respondents say they are confident in their current solution. More than half of respondents (54 percent) don’t believe their organization can effectively measure security return on investment, and only 25 percent have confidence in their colleagues’ cybersecurity awareness.

The research also shows a difference of opinion between IT pros and the C-suites on security. Respondents indicated that they believe IT teams prioritize security higher than the C-level, with nearly 40 percent of respondents saying that IT teams believe it to be an essential priority, compared to only 27 percent of C-level executives. There's also a disconnect between IT teams and the C-level when it comes to their biggest concerns -- while the C-level is more worried about insider threats, IT teams feel that careless, uninformed employees are a higher risk. When asked how they would improve security within their organizations, C-suite respondents say they would rather buy new software while front-line IT pros would prefer to educate their colleagues.

"This report proves that from the CISO to the entry-level IT pro, organizations must be better aligned when it comes to security. When there's a disconnect in priorities, level of understanding and measurement, even a seemingly strong security initiative is destined to fail," says Jack Danahy, co-founder and CTO of Barkly. "Once teams understand each other's priorities and concerns around security, they can implement the tools they really need, that will best protect their endpoints from ever-increasing, complex threats".

The full 2016 Cybersecurity Confidence Report can be downloaded from the Barkly website.

Photo credit: dencg / Shutterstock
Create and search file lists with File List Maker

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 4:03pm CET par Mike Williams

Windows Search is great at locating files on the current PC, but what if you also want to check CDs, DVDs, USB keys, even other computers?

File List Maker is a free tool which offers probably the simplest and most lightweight solution available.

The program arrives as a single portable executable, only 176KB. That’s impressive programming, but it also means you can run it from a USB key on any PC where you’ve files to be searched.

The core idea is that you create static text lists containing the contents of any folder tree. This worked just as we expected: choose a target drive and folder, scan the files in that folder, and save the list locally.

Some handy settings allow you to reconfigure the search, including the scan depth (no subfolders/ 1 level/ 2 levels/ 3 levels/ all subfolders), and whether you want to list empty folders.

Repeat this process for optical discs, USB keys, network drives, anywhere you’ve a reasonably static set of files which you’d like to be searchable.

When it’s time to find a file, click the "Find in lists" tab, type a keyword in the search box and press Enter. File List Maker displays any matching file names, along with their source folder and file list name.

Or, if you prefer to use some other search program, that’s possible too. File List Maker saves its lists in plain text, making them easy to reuse elsewhere.

Yes. It’s true. This is just about as basic and low-tech as search tools get. And if you really need to access files from anywhere, then it would probably make more sense to back them up to cloud storage or some other central location.

Still, if you have collections of files -- pictures, videos, documents -- scattered across multiple storage devices then File List Maker does provide a simple way to track them down. Check it out.

File List Maker is a free application for Windows XP and later.
Microsoft: 'Exciting update' coming for Windows 10 Maps app

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 3:46pm CET par Mihăiță Bamburic

There is no doubt that HERE's decision to leave Windows 10 in its rear view mirror is a serious blow to the platform, as it leaves users with fewer options in terms of top-notch navigation apps. Microsoft is well aware of this though, promising an "exciting update" to beef up its own offering, Windows Maps.

As Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile users may be well aware of, HERE apps and Windows Maps share the same maps -- created by HERE -- but their functionality is currently different, with the former offering a more mature feature set. Question is, what will that hyped update bring new to the table?

Microsoft is well known for promising great changes in new updates, and then disappointing users when they learn that the software giant had not packed any new features. Things appear to be different with the upcoming update for Windows Maps, which packs at least one noteworthy change.

Responding on Reddit to the news of HERE abandoning Windows 10, a Microsoft employee has revealed that users should expect "a better Drive UI" as well as other changes that address feedback that it has received through the Windows Feedback app.

"We are exploring options around the arrow on the location marker (compass). Being able to search along the route is a great suggestion that I will bring back to the team. I will take your other feedback to the team as well!", added Microsoft's employee.

HERE will pull its apps from Windows Store on March 29, so Microsoft clearly does not have much time to match their functionality. It will remain to be seen whether Windows Maps will be good enough to fill in the gap left by HERE's offerings in time for Windows 10 Mobile's rollout.

Windows 10 Mobile users are going to be the most affected by HERE's decision, as many of them have gotten used to apps like HERE Maps and HERE Drive while using Windows Phone 8.1. A step in the wrong direction when it comes to critical functionality such as navigation is no reason to be excited by the prospect of upgrading to a new operating system, so Microsoft will have to do its best to fix that as quickly as possible.

There is no word on when that update will be officially available to Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile users. It will first be tested in Insider Preview builds, so it may take some time before users can enjoy the changes.

Image Credit: Syda Productions / Shutterstock
Most IT professionals believe current privacy and consent tools are inadequate

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 3:11pm CET par Ian Barker

The regulatory environment for data is in a state of change at the moment with many countries introducing legislation to control the flow of information. This combined with growth of the IoT and digital economy is posing major challenges for business.

A new survey by identity management company ForgeRock finds 96 percent of surveyed IT professionals agree that there is an increasing need for dynamic and flexible privacy tools. And that these need to be adaptable to future borderless regulatory requirements and consumer expectations.

The study of more than 300 IT professionals across 38 countries also finds that only nine percent believe current privacy and consent methods are adequate. Emerging European regulations for data protection are creating a need for better tools and standards for ensuring personal data protection, privacy and consent according to 96 percent.

In the US 84 percent of respondents (and 87 percent of Asia Pacific and Japan-based respondents) believe the US will eventually adopt similar personal data protection regulations to Europe. However, only 66 percent of EMEA-based respondents believed that the US will eventually adopt similar personal data protection regulations.

95 percent of respondents agree that individuals are becoming more concerned about their personal data privacy and their ability to control, manage and share data about themselves online. They also agree that organizations want to build trust by giving customers the ability to consent to data sharing and control over where their personal data is shared.

"As our survey illustrates, coping with regulation -- privacy or otherwise -- is no longer just a cost center for organizations. As connected devices and technologies take on a greater role in public and private life, there are massive business benefits to building in new identity and data privacy solutions that can scale over time," says ForgeRock's CEO, Mike Ellis. "Organizations clinging to legacy identity management technologies -- which are currently inadequate -- will be at a major disadvantage".

You can read more about the survey's findings on the ForgeRock blog.

Photo credit: Ivelin Radkov / Shutterstock
Malvertising campaign targets Americans through major websites including BBC and New York Times

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 2:23pm CET par Mark Wilson

Top news websites including the BBC, the New York Times and MSN were hit over the weekend by a co-ordinated malware campaign. Delivered through the advertising networks used by the sites, the malvertising attack aimed to install ransomware on victims' computers.

On-site ads are far from loved, hence the prevalence of ad-blocking tools. But as well as being an annoyance, online ads can also pose a serious security risk -- something highlighted by this attack. The infected ads redirected people to servers hosting the Angler exploit kit and was engineered to target US-based web users.

With a footprint measured in billions of readers, the sites -- including MSN, the BBC, the New York Times, AOL and Newsweek -- were hit with a rash of malicious traffic from two rogue domains, TRACKMYTRAFFIC.BIZ and TALK915.PW. the malvertising campaign affected four major ad networks -- Google, AppNexus, AOL and Rubicon -- and caused what MalwareBytes calls a "huge spike in malicious activity".

Researchers from Trustwave say that those behind the attack had managed to take control of an ad delivery domain, thereby making it possible to hit so many high-profile websites in one fell swoop.

It's not clear how many people were adversely affected by the malware, but anyone who fell victim will have found their data encrypted and held to ransom until a Bitcoin payment was delivered to the perpetrators.

Photo Credit: lolloj/Shutterstock
The Linux Foundation announces free 'Intro to Cloud Infrastructure Technologies' edX course

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 1:58pm CET par Brian Fagioli

One of the most important things any human can do is learn. Keeping your mind sharp and active is very healthy. While formal education, such as college, is a great investment in yourself, it is understandably too expensive for many. While I cherish my degree, I don't love my monthly student loan payment.

Luckily for current learners, massive open online courses are becoming increasingly popular. While these MOOCs may not carry the same panache as a university diploma, they can enable you to learn new things for free. Today, the Linux Foundation announces the totally free 'Intro to Cloud Infrastructure Technologies' course. This will be offered through the reputable edX.org.

"Understanding cloud technologies tops the list of most important skills for any developer, sysadmin or emerging DevOps professional. LFS151, an Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure Technologies, will provide a primer on cloud computing and the use of open source software to maximize development and operations. It will cover next-generation cloud technologies like Docker, CoreOS, Kubernetes and OpenStack; it will provide an overview of software-defined storage and networking solutions; and a review of DevOps and continuous integration best practices", says The Linux Foundation.

Anant Agarwal, edX CEO and MIT Professor explains, "The Linux Foundation's Intro to Linux is among our most popular courses of all time. It's clear Linux and open source software are key to a fruitful future in tech. As we see with edX itself, cloud technologies have become a part of daily life. We're excited to see learners from around the world take advantage of this unique educational opportunity".

While the course is totally free, you can upgrade to a verified certificate for $99. This is not necessary, but can look better if you intend to put the course on a resume or linkedin. Speaking of the latter, edX even offers a way to easily import a verified certificate into your LinkedIn profile.

Even though the course is free, the instructors -- Chip Childers and Neependra Khare -- are actually very impressive people. Childers is a current member of The Apache Software Foundation and is a Cloud Foundry Foundation VP. Khare is an expert on Docker, having written the book 'Docker Cookbook'.

If you are ready to sign up for this free course, you can do so here. Will you take advantage? Tell me in the comments.

Photo Credit: Syda Productions /Shutterstock
Sizing Up Google Pixel C [Review]

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 1:14pm CET par Joe Wilcox
If you're thinking about buying Pixel C, Google gives two good reasons to do so now: Android N beta program and developer discount on the hardware. The tablet normally sells for $499 (32GB) or $599 (64GB) but you could instead pay $375 or $449, respectively. Keyboard is another $149. The discount and beta OS are meant for developers, but anyone can get them.

Pixel C is the best Android tablet I have ever tested, but that's acknowledging prejudice against Samsung tabs, which are worthy contenders, but I dislike TouchWiz UI. Sammy's hardware hums, particularly the stunning screens. But only Google serves up a Marshmallow feast in Android 6.0, and the hardware design and construction are preemo to the max. For less than $400, Pixel C might as well be free, there is so much value here.

The bigger competitor in the size category, Apple's iPad Air 2, costs more: $499 with 16GB storage capacity. There are rumors of a successor, borrowing features from iPad Pro, being announced on March 21st. But that's not what you can buy today. However, if there is a smidgen of truth to Internet rumors, capabilities will be closer to Pixel C -- if not superior.

Pixel C specs: 10.2-inch LTPS LCD touchscreen, 2560 x 1800 resolution, 308 pixels per inch, 500-nit brightness; nVidia Tegra X1 processor with Maxwell graphics; 3GB RAM; 32GB or 64GB storage; 8-megapixel rear and 2MP front cameras; four microphones; two speakers (sideways of screen in portrait mode on the bezel); USB Type-C port; WiFi AC; Bluetooth 4.1; accelerometer; compass; gyroscope; ambient-light, half-effect, and proximity sensors; Android 6. Enclosure is anodized aluminum that measures 242 x 179 x 7 mm and weighs 517 grams.

The design is recognizably reminiscent of Chromebook Pixel. The screen, shape, styling all are derivative. The tablet even adorns the distinctive color bar and adopts USB C. Owners of Google's pricier PC will find no better companion.

Alphabet Spells Business
Pixel C is more than an Android tablet. It's a placeholder in a broader go-to-market strategy. In case you hadn't noticed, Gmail, Google Apps, and related software/services are accelerating updates. Blink your eyes, and you will miss a new feature's addition. Among the goodies that Google unveiled just within the past 30 days:
- Smart Reply for Inbox on web
- Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
- Gmail rich-text formatting and RSVPs
- Google Docs voice editing and formatting
- Inbox by Gmail natural-language snooze features
- Gmailify, for bringing competing service inboxes to Gmail
- Business-oriented Google Apps templates, including QuickBooks.
It's no coincidence the timing around Pixel C's initial launch, developer discount, and Android N beta. Alphabet, Google's parent company, is massively moving into the corporate, educational, and government segments with ferocious vigor.

Consider Chromebook, which continues its successful sales push into the education market, bumping out OS X and Windows systems. Hehe, Apple CEO Tim Cook's alma mater, Robertsdale High School, is replacing student MacBook Pros with Lenovo N21 Chromebooks.

Pixel C can be tablet, or with attached keyboard, an Android PC -- potentially vying for some of the same buyers looking for alternatives to iOS, Linux, OS X, or Windows. Unlike Apple and Microsoft, which bet on larger tablets for office- and school-usage scenarios, Google goes 10 inches rather than 12 or 13. Is smaller bigger? For some customers it will be, but based on my testing not the majority.

Tablet Extraordinaire

Given this context, the question every prospective buyer should ask: For what would you use Pixel C? As a tablet or something more?

Apple and Samsung offer split-screen modes that extend functionality on their 10-inch-class and larger tabs. Google gives similar capability with Android N. The benefit, matched to multitasking functionality and keyboard, open up business-use scenarios -- as do the rapid-fire enhancements the company bangs into its cloud stack of apps and services.

Much as I like Pixel, and its finger-friendly keyboard, I see limited business or educational use cases; for now. Caveat: Android N beta brings business-case finesse that looks to get lots more appealing as final release approaches. For now, Pixel C is more promise of laptop utility for many, but by no means all, potential users.

As a tablet, Pixel C is best of class. Key points:

Screen. The 10.2-inch display is crisp by every measure that matters and magnificently bright. DisplayMate puts iPad Air 2 at 415 nit, which is excellent. Google claims 500 nit, and whatever the rating, the display is plenty bright and is caress-tempting gorgeous.

The resolution is close to Chromebook Pixel, and a bit finer -- 2560 x 1800 compared to 2560 x 1700, respectively. Likewise, visual quality is similar between them. Many smartphone or tablet screens, particularly those AMOLED, present bold colors and rich contrast that looks good but isn't natural; they're not what the eyes see. Like the Chromebook, Pixel C presents more muted but pleasingly rich color and contrast that aren't over-saturated. Photographers, this tab could be for you.

The aspect ratio is what Google calls √2, or stated another way 1:1.41, or about the same as A4 paper. This makes the tablet more squarish than rectangular in both landscape and portrait orientations and surprisingly more comfortable to hold and to use.

Web content pleasingly presents, as do Google's homegrown apps (and presumably soon those from third-parties). The aspect ratio is closer to Chromebook Pixel's 3:2 (another sign of the shared design legacy), which is superb for photography. Google Photos app presents fantastically with the √2 aspect ratio. Pixel C could be a shooter's dream tablet, much more than any iPad other than the Pro.

Audiovisual. Content consumption is fabulous -- that is for apps optimized for the screen size and aspect ratio, and there aren't enough of them. Google's discounted Pixel C developer program and early Android N beta release are essential to making the overall tablet experience more consistent and more immersive. That is, if app creators can get the schtick with platform-optimized apps.

The √2 aspect ratio presents 16:9 or 16:10 video content pleasingly. The viewing window is plenty large. As for accompanying audio, Google places the speakers on Pixel C's bezel to each side rather than facing front. They give great soundstage and separation.

Where content consumption comes up short is formatted, editorial stuff, such as magazines or the news apps. The iPad experience is superior in both categories. Reading is more immersive in most magazines, and the Apple News app presents content more pleasingly and with more meaningful curation.

The Android experience excels with respect to context, by providing information you need where and when you want it. iOS is deficient, by contrast, and the difference glares more brightly when using Android N's refined Notifications feature, for example.

Handling. Pixel C feels heavy in the hand, but the heft isn't unbearable or even tiring when used as a tablet. iPad Air 2 weighs less than a pound (437 grams), while Pixel C climbs to 1.1 pounds (517 grams). The solid construction contributes to the sense of weightiness, which, to reiterate, isn't uncomfortable.

Regardless the orientation, Pixel C holds well, particularly as a traditional tablet longways vertical. The physical benefit is balance. The aforementioned extra heft is easily ignored because Pixel C balances so well in the hand(s) whether held in landscape or portrait orientation -- and the squarish shape is major reason. Handling the tablet feels familiar, like holding a book, and handles much better than any iPad. How funny if Pixel C's killer application turns out to be the aspect ratio and physical shape.

Productivity Toolkit

Pixel C isn't as good for general PC-like usage as it is an Android tablet. In many respects, the device is proof-of-concept for future tab hybrids -- as Alphabet broadens strategic ambitions, subsidiary Google refines the mobile OS for daily productivity usage, and applications are optimized for the platform.

As a daily productivity tool Pixel C is more about the future than the present. Key points:

Keyboard. Google's extra-cost, $149 keyboard is surprisingly satisfying. The keys feel good, give great travel, and are responsive to the touch -- like I would expect from a device branded Pixel. They look fantastic too, adding to the tablet's classy appearance. I can type effortlessly and, coming from Chromebook Pixel, am not put off working in one app at time.

While some users will want split-screen view or even separate windowed apps, I'm not convinced of the utility on a tablet this small. Apple, Microsoft, and Samsung are right to offer one or both capabilities on tabs with 12-inch or larger displays.

The keyboard magnetically attaches to the the tablet, serving as either cover or stand. The latter role offers tremendous utility. The user can pivot the screen to any angle, even flat-to-surface. The magnetic attachment is strong. The keyboard can also be used as a protective cover, and the combo feels good to hold and looks handsome in the hand.

However, Aluminum all-the-way-around makes the touch more cold feeling, and combined weight jumps by 399 grams to 916 grams (2.02 pounds). For comparison, the 12-inch MacBook weighs 920 grams (2.03 pounds). Point: This isn't a light kit, and some people will find it to be too heavy for the limited productivity utility compared to the Mac or other thin-and-light laptop.

Other Controls. Whether or not used with a keyboard, the touchscreen is the major means of interaction. Responsiveness is excellent, as it should be for a tablet branded Pixel. But user experience is bigger than touch, bolstered by balance of hardware and software. The nVidia Tegra X1 processor, Maxwell graphics, and 3GB RAM matched with Marshmallow make this aluminum beauty one smooth operator. Touch wouldn't feel as fast otherwise, and the experience is consistent, whether apps are homegrown, third-party, or tuned for the display size.

Buttons and ports are laid out for landscape orientation; placement may disorient some users' muscle memory. Held in portrait fashion, power button is upper-right side, volume controls on right-topside, USB C port top-left side, and audio jack lower-right bottom. Turned sideways: power left-topside; volume upper-left side; USB C lower-left side, audio upper-right side.

Landscape placement is convenient, particularly for accessing volume buttons or for USB C charging. Webcam is top-front facing in this orientation, unlike iPad where iSight is left-side front. Meaning: Apple poorly places the webcam for video chats or Hangouts. Google gives better. The placement of controls and webcam is more like a laptop than a tablet, and fits better with using Pixel C with a keyboard.

However, the tablet is also meant for the browser and some other apps in portrait mode, where the layout of buttons and ports is inconvenient. You design primarily for one orientation or the other. For Apple, it's portrait and for Google it's landscape. The difference illuminates design usage philosophies, and both companies compromise.

On iPad Pro, which Apple intends to be used often in landscape mode as a laptop replacement, controls and webcam are placed like the smaller sibling tablets, which, to repeat, controls are laid out better for portrait use. Google's layout, while not as good for portrait use where web browsing (and with it all those ads Big G wants you to click), better suits both orientations than Apple's.

Today and Tomorrow

For my tastes, Pixel C is the ideal Android tablet. Features finely balance, and the device balances beautifully in the hands. However, as a PC-like productivity alternative, the tab is too small and the range of necessary apps isn't big enough. That said, If I were a college student, Pixel C would be the near-perfect carryall. The keyboard pairing turns the tablet into a fantastic tool for taking notes, doing research, and completing homework. The apps are there, if from no other developer than Google. As important: The keyboard covered screen turns Pixel C into an easily and comfortably carried daily device.

It's too bad there is no LTE model because many niche iPad Air 2 or Samsung Galaxy Pro users would benefit more from Pixel C and all the information and cloud services Google wraps around it. Among them: insurance agents, Lyft and Uber drivers, medical professionals, realtors, and other on-the-go contractors, small business owners, or sole-proprietors.

That said, anyone buying Pixel C today as a tablet can expect better PC-like productivity utility at escalating pace. Take a look at Android for Work, the aforementioned shot-list of recent business customer enhancements, and Android N capabilities like always-on VPN. Like the Chromebook sharing the same name, Pixel C will get better as Alphabet/Google grinds out more productivity goodies for Android users.

Later this year look for tighter ties between Chromebook, tablet, and smartphones. Nexus 5X and 6P also support Android N, and they share some go-forward features with the Pixel family; such as USB C. I use one charger for Google laptop, smartphone, and tablet.

Google Pixel C is a great tablet and a pretty good Android PC that can only get better.

Photo Credit: Joe Wilcox
The most disruptive business technologies

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 11:40am CET par Ian Barker

You'll quite often hear talk of how technology can disrupt business. A survey carried out at Microsoft's 2015 Global CIO Summit in October suggests that CIOs believe 47 percent of their company's revenues will be under threat from digital disruption in the next five years.

But what does this disruption really mean? Microsoft has produced an infographic looking at the five major technologies that are doing most to disrupt the business world.

These include mobile computing, with 5G and other developments expected to boost growth in coming years. Additional automation is expected to provide timelier access to information, leading to faster decision making.

Big data is expected to make a major difference to business intelligence and become a driving force in the global economy. This will be supported by the Internet of Things which is expected to grow five fold to 250 billion devices over the next decade.

Finally although the cloud has been around for may years it's still a major disruptive force and its economic influence is expected to rise to $6.2 trillion.

You can see the full infographic below or on the Microsoft website.

Image Credit: Peshkova / Shutterstock
Google's Single Sign On adds support for Microsoft Office 365, Facebook at Work, Slack and more

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 10:26am CET par Sead Fadilpašić

Besides being the super poplar search engine, email provider, work and collaboration services provider, Google is also used, by a number of different services, as an identity provider.

It allows people to register and log into different online services using their Google account. Now, the company announced it’s expanding the feature to add a number of new services, some of which are direct competitors.

There’s a total of 14 new pre-configured options, including Microsoft Office 365, Facebook at Work, New Relic, Concur, Box, Tableau, HipChat and Slack. You can find out more on this link.

The company says it’s not just about being able to log into services with Google, it’s also about using the company’s security measures, especially when going mobile.

"Google’s identity services provide even more security on mobile when combined with Google Apps enterprise mobile management controls like password strength, lock screen requirements and app management", says Shashank Gupta, a product manager for Google Apps for Work.

"These can work in tandem with the increasing number of mobile security options, from hardware such as fingerprint readers, to software such as Google’s Smart Lock. Our Google Smart Lock features are available to all Google Accounts, including those used at work, and we provide identity services and enterprise mobility management (EMM) as part of Google Apps for Work at no additional cost".

Published under license from ITProPortal.com, a Net Communities Ltd Publication. All rights reserved.
Fossil unveils luxurious Q Marshal and Q Wander Android Wear smartwatches

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 12:52am CET par Brian Fagioli

When the Apple Watch was announced, I was a bit dubious. While I was sold on the smartwatch concept, and liked the devices that beat Apple to market, I wasn't sure that consumers would want luxury -- and premium prices -- mixed with their tech. The first Android Wear watches were not stylish, but as time marched on, manufacturers started to follow Apple's wise luxury-focused lead. Watches based on Google's platform can look nice!

Today, Fossil announces two new Android Wear smartwatches -- the Q Marshal and Q Wander -- and they are both luxurious and attractive. Should Apple watch out? Pun intended.

"Like our existing Q Founder smartwatch, both Q Wander and Q Marshal feature always-on displays, so you’ll continuously have access to important information like time, calls and alerts. You can also respond to messages from your watch by tapping the screen or by using voice commands. These smartwatches also let you stay on track with your commute info, flights, and timely reminders thanks to Google Now cards. Q Wander and Q Marshal can be personalized with customizable watch face designs, including exclusive Fossil dials, and interchangeable straps", says Fossil.

The company further says, "with their touchscreen displays, refined steel, and classic leather accents, our newest display smartwatches -- Q Wander and Q Marshal -- pack the power you need to efficiently accomplish all your daily tasks in a smaller, sleeker package. Thanks to customer feedback, the cases are now 44mm and 46mm and have a silicone strap option giving the latest Q devices a versatile edge and making them the perfect addition to your everyday style".
Click to view slideshow.
Fossil promises that both watches will be available later this year -- which tells us almost nothing. Continuing the trend of sparse details, the company also hasn't shared prices. What we do know, however, is that both will charge wirelessly only, so there will be no unsightly ports.

Since Android Wear watches are iOS compatible, both the Q Marshal and Q Wander will work with the iPhone -- meanwhile, the Apple Watch is not compatible with Android. In other words, Fossils offerings are not only luxurious enough to appeal to Apple users, but they can actually use them too.

Will you buy either of these new Fossil smartwatches? Tell me in the comments.
Embracing Internet of Things will help businesses stay relevant

Publié: mars 16, 2016, 12:12am CET par Anthony Spadafora

The Internet of Things (IoT) has quickly gained a great deal of momentum and buzz amongst companies in a variety of fields over the past year. Up until now, the idea that all of our devices would be connected to one another and sharing data seemed like a far off idea that would take many years to come to fruition.

However due to new technologies quickly becoming more cost-effective and advances in the amount of environmental data that sensors are able to collect, the potential of IoT will likely come to be realized much sooner than many of us originally expected.

Morgan Stanley is projecting that within the next five years, as many as 75 billion devices will be communicating with each other using IoT technologies. As a result of this many companies are trying their best to prepare themselves to harness the power that a hyper connected world could bring to their businesses.

Nitin Rakesh, the CEO and president of the global IT and business solutions provider Syntel, believes that a tremendous amount of pressure is currently being put on companies to modernize and replace their legacy systems, because if they fail to do so they will be unable to handle growing consumer demand.

Rakesh sees legacy modernization as a means for companies to remain relevant as we shift towards a truly connected world. A gap will likely emerge between those companies that rely on legacy systems that are quickly becoming obsolete and those that have made the necessary investments to harness the power of the IoT in their businesses. This "Digital Disconnect" will make it especially harder for companies involved in healthcare, online insurance and manufacturing.

Syntel recommends a three-pronged approach for enterprises looking to modernize their operating systems and adopt new platforms. They should begin by evaluating legacy systems to see if automation can be applied to help manage business critical programs that can only be run on those machines.

Next, they should attempt to move all non-critical applications and assets to new more modern platforms. Finally in order to modernize their entire application environment the latest digital technologies should be overlaid on top of the entire environment.

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

Image credit: Gustavo Frazao / Shutterstock