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BetaNews.Com (15 non lus)

Developers have a new Windows 10 Anniversary Update SDK Preview to play with

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 9:21pm CEST par Mark Wilson

With the new big update to Windows 10 just around the corner, Microsoft is pulling out all the stops to make sure that developers have access to the tools they need to take advantage of the new features. Windows 10 Anniversary Update is due for release in July and ahead of the big day Microsoft has released a new SDK. Having open-sourced the Xamarin iOS, Android and Mac SDKs, the launch of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update SDK Preview gives developers a chance to make sure their code works ahead of the update rollout. It is compatible with Build 14332… [Continue Reading]
Quality control and pet monkeys: My search for a decent laptop continues

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 8:21pm CEST par Randall C. Kennedy

What the hell is going on with quality control these days? It seems like every new PC I buy or test has something wrong with it right out of the box. Whether it’s a strange hardware failure, a bizarro software glitch, or something less easily definable, the new machine will undoubtedly go belly up in some fashion within the first six months. Take Dell’s Inspiron 13, for example. In my quest to find a replacement for my HP Envy x2 (abandoned by Microsoft/Intel/HP) and, later, my Surface 3 (destroyed in an incident involving a moving vehicle, alcohol, and an undomesticated… [Continue Reading]
Human rights group Liberty rips into Snooper's Charter with video highlighting privacy issues

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 8:01pm CEST par Mark Wilson

The Snooper's Charter -- or the Investigatory Powers Bill -- is a highly controversial piece of legislation the UK government is trying to bring into force to allow for the bulk collection of data, NSA-style. Outside of government, it is widely regarded as a massive invasion of privacy, and the human rights group Liberty is just one of the organizations that is very vocally opposed to it. The bill will require ISPs to record customers' browsing histories for an entire year, and will permit the government to remotely hack phones and computers, as well as requiring tech companies to provide… [Continue Reading]
IT pros feel overworked and underappreciated

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 8:00pm CEST par Anthony Spadafora

A new poll from Kensington, which produces computer accessories, has found that IT professionals feel undervalued and overworked in their organizations. Enterprises are under increasing strain to keep pace with the digital world and 32 percent of the IT decision makers that participated in the poll were frustrated that they were not provided with enough time to increase employee productivity and well-being through the use of technology. Rather, they often felt like firefighters in their organizations as they were constantly drawn away to deal with issues that arose and were rarely ever able to devote the necessary time to provide… [Continue Reading]
Apple's iPad Pro beats Microsoft's Surface... again

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 7:14pm CEST par Mihăiță Bamburic

The tablet market has seen better days. In the first quarter of 2016 shipments totaled just 39.6 million units, which represents a 14.7 percent decline year-over-year. However, while the market is shrinking there is a category of slates which is gaining more interest from consumers. That category is made up of so-called detachable tablets. Microsoft basically created it with the original Surface and Surface Pro four years ago, but now it is Apple which is reaping the benefits of its rival's efforts with the iPad Pro line. In fact, this is the second straight quarter when iPad Pro obliterates the… [Continue Reading]
HP Chromebook 13 is a business-focused Chrome OS laptop with USB-C

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 6:41pm CEST par Brian Fagioli

In the grand scheme of things, Chrome OS is hardly a major player from a desktop market share perspective -- for now. With that said, the Linux-based operating system has captured the hearts and minds of many consumers. It has matured quite a bit too, becoming a viable Windows alternative for home users. Actually, it is a great choice for some businesses too -- depending on needs, of course. Today, Google announces the latest business-focused laptop running its desktop operating system -- the HP Chromebook 13. Not only is this Chrome OS laptop powerful, affordable, and beautiful, but very secure too. It… [Continue Reading]
UK government looking to implement blockchain technology

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 6:38pm CEST par Anthony Spadafora

The UK government is exploring the potential use of blockchain technology to aid it in dealing with the managing and distribution of grants. This technology first gained notoriety through its use in the bitcoin currency. Now many governments and financial institutions are interested in using blockchain as a decentralized ledger which can be verified and shared by a network of computers. It can also be used to store data and can keep track of how assets are exchanged. In a speech at London’s Digital Catapult, Cabinet Office minister Matt Hancock highlighted the ways blockchain technology could be implemented to improve… [Continue Reading]
Financial services lead the way in BYOD adoption despite security concerns

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 3:04pm CEST par Ian Barker

BYOD is becoming increasingly popular across all industries, but it's the financial sector that's leading the way according to a new report. The findings come from data protection company Bitglass which surveyed more than 800 cybersecurity professionals across five major industries, including financial services, technology, healthcare, government and education. It finds that 72 percent of all organizations support BYOD for all or some employees, but the figure is 74 percent for the financial sector. However, relatively few organizations are able to control access to corporate data, with only 14 percent having successfully deployed mobile application management (MAM) solutions. "The threat of data leakage… [Continue Reading]
Enterprise Microsoft Azure users get free one-year support

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 3:01pm CEST par Anthony Spadafora

In order to hasten the transition from its traditional retail products to its cloud based products, Microsoft has just announced that it will be offering one year of free technical support to Azure users. From May 1, 2016 through to June 30, 2017 users who purchase Azure Services under an Enterprise Agreement (EA) will receive a year of free support from the company. According to Microsoft: "This upgrade is designed to give you an additional level of support on your journey to the cloud, and it comes at no charge". Customers who are eligible for this offer but choose not… [Continue Reading]
9 out of 10 office workers suffer technology stress in meetings

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 12:36pm CEST par Ian Barker

A new survey of office workers in the UK shows that a majority suffer stress in meetings when struggling with tasks like sharing screens and finding the right cables in order to give presentations. The study by visualization specialist Barco finds that for 93 percent, this meeting stress has serious knock-on effect on every aspect of their work. Presentations were of a poorer quality, time was wasted, deadlines were missed, and for 12 percent, it even resulted in lost promotions and lost business. People's heart rates reached 179bpm when struggling with technology during a meeting, compared to resting heart rates… [Continue Reading]
FBI won't tell Apple how it hacked San Bernardino iPhone as it doesn't understand the technique

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 11:43am CEST par Mark Wilson

Apple had been hoping that the FBI would come clean about how it managed to gain access to the San Bernardino iPhone, but that's just not going to happen. The agency managed to crack the iPhone 5C at the center of the case after getting help from a third party rather than Apple. But now the FBI has confirmed that it doesn't really know how the cracking tool works. Or, more precisely, it did not buy the rights to the technical details of the tool. After a very public battle with Apple, the FBI ultimately resorted to getting help from… [Continue Reading]
Outdated Java, QuickTime installations on the rise in UK

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 11:40am CEST par Sead Fadilpašić

UK’s citizens are getting more diligent when it comes to patching and updating their Windows-operated computers, new survey by Flexera Software’s Secunia Reports team says. QuickTime users, on the other hand, aren't as vigilant. According to the team’s Country Reports, the number of unpatched Microsoft Windows operating systems is on the decline. At the end of the first quarter of 2016, the number sits at 6.1 percent, where last year at this same time, it was at 11.5 percent. QuickTime 7.x users, on the other hand, are lagging behind. The number of users with unpatched software is now at 61 percent,… [Continue Reading]
Amazon held to account for billing parents for in-app purchases made by their kids

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 11:17am CEST par Mark Wilson

A federal judge has ruled that Amazon is liable for sending out bills to parents of children who made in-app purchases without permission. Amounting to millions of dollars, the bills have now been deemed unauthorized, and Amazon faces having to pay back a large percentage of the money. The case has echoes of similar legal action brought against Google and Apple for purchase made by children in the App Store and Google Play. Amazon, Apple and Google have all implemented system to prevent unauthorized purchases since being investigated by the FTC back in 2014. The FTC is seeking full refunds… [Continue Reading]
Skype for Business now available on OS X

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 10:27am CEST par Anthony Spadafora

In an attempt to entice enterprise Mac users, Microsoft has just released a preview of its new Skype for Business for OS X. This new version of Skype will be business-focused and is centered around creating an experience tailored to enterprise users. From today, you can request access to the preview from Microsoft. The company will be sending the Skype for Business Mac Preview out to IT administrators in order for them to familiarize themselves with the software before extending the preview to more users. Microsoft’s roll out of the new client will occur in three stages. The first of… [Continue Reading]
Oculus brings Microsoft's Minecraft to Samsung's Android-powered Gear VR

Publié: avril 28, 2016, 2:46am CEST par Brian Fagioli

Minecraft is a surprisingly popular game. The design pays homage to block-like graphics of games from earlier days -- a time when a large amount of Minecraft fans weren't even born! We have the technology to make more lifelike environments, with curved edges and circles, but that would be blasphemy to the Minecraft community. "What's old is new" as some folks say, I suppose. Today, The Oculus Team announces that it has worked with Microsoft to bring Minecraft to Samsung's smartphone-powered virtual reality platform, the Gear VR. Owners of this solution can now experience a more-immersive Minecraft experience, by leveraging Samsung's heasdset and… [Continue Reading]