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éléments par Charlie Boon

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• 

  VPNs might leak your user information

  Publié: juillet 1, 2015, 11:50am CEST par Charlie Boon

  

  If you thought that you can avoid all that mass surveillance by using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), think again. A study shows that even the VPNs leak user information.

  Of course it does make it hard for law enforcement agencies to monitor people, but it does not prevent them from accessing the required information. VPNs are currently used by approximately 20 percent of the European internet users.

  A recent study discovered the above after researching 14 of the most popular VPNs on the market. They found out that at least 11 of them leaked user information due to the vulnerability which is known as the IPv6 leakage.

  The leaked information consisted of various things, such as a user interacting with a website, for instance leaving a comment, or replying to comments on forums. No financial information was leaked.

  The primary reason for this leak, is due to the new protocol used by the network operators, which is called the Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6). This version replaces the previous protocol version 4 (IPv4). And you guessed it right, many VPNs were designed to protect IPv4 users.

  Gareth Tyson, the co-author of this study from Queen Mary University of London said that "There are a variety of reasons why someone might want to hide their identity online and it’s worrying that they might be vulnerable despite using a service that is specifically designed to protect them".

  Furthermore, "We’re most concerned for those people trying to protect their browsing from oppressive regimes. They could be emboldened by their supposed anonymity while actually revealing all their data and online activity and exposing themselves to possible repercussions".

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

  Photo Credit: dizain/Shutterstock

  
• 

  Doing business overseas: The hidden risks

  Publié: juin 3, 2015, 5:25pm CEST par Charlie Boon

  

  Startups are a lot easier than stay ups. Within the first 18 months, 50 to 70 percent of new, small businesses crash and burn. Only a fraction of that number ever make it to the ten year mark. That is what happens to US businesses started by US citizens. They know the language, the geography, understand the money and finances, are familiar with the weather patterns, and are fully assimilated into society. With all those advantages, they still fail at an alarming rate.

  The risk of failure is even higher when setting out to do business overseas, in a land that is completely foreign. The language is Wookie-speak. And the currency might just as well be monopoly money. Then, there are the politics and laws. It is hard enough to keep up with ours own here in the US. What about taboos and social mores? It is all too easy to cross lines you don’t know are there. While a risk is nothing more than a challenge, to some, consider these challenges before setting up "shoppe" abroad.

  Exchange Rates

  If you are going to set up shop in, say... Cameroon, you are going to have to be able to translate currency as well as language. If a work order is going to run you XAF 113,458.00, you are going to need to know that you are dealing with about $200, at least, right now. It may be different by the time you read this. That is how currency goes in many of the developing places where you might find opportunity.

  The same challenge presents itself when it is time to send money. Not only do you need a good unit converter, you need a trustworthy source that can help you streamline the process. When you are dealing with something like paying your workforce in their local currency, it is imperative that you get it right.

  The risk is that you invest with the expectation that your dollar means one thing, only to find out that it means another after a major currency fluctuation. Places where the opportunity is greatest may also pose the greatest risk with regard to exchange rates and currency fluctuations.

  Unfair Competition

  In the US, and elsewhere, there are laws regulating competition. In developing nations, you might find that it is more like the wild west where anything goes. If you manage to carve out a niche for yourself, provided that it is a big and successful enough niche, you might just find yourself in direct competition with the government.

  Apple and Google are experiencing something like this in Russia right now. It seems Russia is planning a national operating system to escape Android and iOS dependence. Rather than thanking you for bringing innovation to their shores, they just might decide to take over from here. Thank you very much. Now, you can go back home. Know the competitive and political landscape before breaking ground.

  Political Uncertainty

  The winds of political change can wipe out a business overnight. Apple, Google, and others have been using certain countries like Ireland, as a tax haven. This is not to suggest in any way that they have done anything wrong. All evidence points to the opposite. They have used favourable accounting rules to maximize their position in various countries.

  But wealth is a target. You can follow every local law where you do business. And when you become too wealthy, they will decide that you are not giving them a big enough piece of the action. Political change has swept through these tax havens. And now, all of those companies will find themselves owing back taxes as a result of a retroactive change in the political climate.

  None of this is to say that you should not do business in these places. The same article that presented the dire state of startups, also said that entrepreneurs are not dissuaded from forging ahead with new opportunities regardless of the risks. That is the American spirit that brought us Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and whatever business you have in store.

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

  Photo credit: Olivier Le Moal / Shutterstock

  
• 

  Gender equality remains a Silicon Valley sore spot

  Publié: mai 25, 2015, 5:21pm CEST par Charlie Boon

  

  For those of you who are not in the know (and you really should be) Startup Grind is a global startup community designed to educate, inspire and bring together like minded entrepreneurs and provide a space to network in. Last night, the inspiring President and CFO of Mind Candy, Divinia Knowles, took to the stage at Google Campus, London for a fireside chat with Zomato UK CEO, Kimberly Hurd.

  Divinia is one of the driving forces behind Mind Candy and along with Michael Acton Smith, guided the company from a small startup to one of the most successful tech companies, responsible for the behemoth that is Moshi Monsters. Moshi Monsters is a phenomenally successful website for 6-14 year olds with over 80 million users registered in over 150 territories worldwide. The website was so successful that a movie and mobile games have all since been released. Interestingly, Divinia hinted at the potential to move the brand onto new platforms such as Smart TV and, once they have matured, both VR and the Apple Watch Platform, so watch this space!

  Although delving into what makes Mind Candy such a successful company in the early part of the night, the overarching themes of the night was celebrating female founders, and women in tech. Gender equality in tech startups and in the tech industry in general is pretty bad, with Silicon Valley being notorious for its sexism and perceived "boys club" and work hard/play hard ethos that is unwelcoming to women.

  Typical figures for women in the technology sector are similar to those reported by Facebook and Apple at 15 to 20 percent. These figures tend to get worse for startups, with very few checks and balances of the larger companies in place. This is down to the founders of small startups which are almost always men, to hire from within their own circles and networks.

  This is a very worrying trend and is something that needs to be addressed, and was acknowledged by both Kimberley and Divinia on the stage. To point out how bad it is, Kimberley read out a couple of statistics. I was shocked to learn that only one percent of startups in Silicon Valley are founded by a woman, and only 6.2 percent are COOs of startups.

  With such small numbers of women making it to the top, Kimberley then gave some more hard hitting figures, revealing that on average it takes only two years for women to lose confidence and or ambition in the work place. Commenting on this stat, Divinia seemed to fully understand the issue, calling for women to become more vocal in their company and to stand out and urging them not to silently float along at their place of work.

  Continuing along the theme of the gender disparity in the tech industry, Kimberley asked Divinia what she thought of quotas put in place to try and resolve gender disparity. The question was passionately received with her strongly saying that they are "insulting" and that women should be hired for their worth and expertise, not simply to fill a role because of a quota.

  From what we have learned, Divinia has earned her place at the top, after overcoming some difficult hurdles such as being young and unproven, gender discrimination and sexism.

  I will leave you with one last little piece of advice I heard from last night. When starting up your own company, it is not about how big you make it, it is all about the mindset of that company, and that is perfectly proven by both Kimberly and Divinia.

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

  
• 

  Tips on staying safe when using free Wi-Fi hotspots [Infographic]

  Publié: mai 4, 2015, 8:59pm CEST par Charlie Boon

  

  We’ve come along way since 2000. Just think, the only way most people could get online was by hooking up their computers to a phone line or an Ethernet cable. It might surprise you to know then, that the first portable computers were released way back before we learned to unshackle ourselves from all of those annoying cables. The first laptops were released in the 1980s and one of the first was Apple’s Macintosh Portable, weighing in at a lap crushing 7kg. It’s is safe to say we’ve come along way since that inauspicious beginning.

  Although Wi-Fi has been around since 1985, it is was only in the 2000s that it became increasingly popular. Today, Wi-Fi is an integral part of our lives, and is often the first thing that we ask for when checking-in at a hotel, or going for a coffee. I’ve even heard children as young as six or seven demanding a Wi-Fi connection whilst at a hotel!

  When we realize how prolific Wi-Fi usage is, and how much it is taken for granted, we sometimes overlook the security vulnerabilities.

  When was the last time you used a public Wi-Fi? Maybe you’re using one now? What sensitive data did you have saved on your device? What did you send over the network? Many unsecured public Wi-Fi hotspots leave you vulnerable and wide open to hackers looking to steal your data.

  Before you connect to a public Wi-Fi hotspot again, it may be worth reading through these tips, and make sure you stay safe while using public Wi-Fi.

  

  Infographic embedded from StudyWeb.com.

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

  Photo Credit: D. Hammonds/Shutterstock

  
• 

  Specs showdown: Sony Xperia Z4 vs Samsung Galaxy S6

  Publié: avril 22, 2015, 12:23pm CEST par Charlie Boon

  

  Recently, the Japanese giant Sony announced the Xperia Z4, the latest in its line of premium Z-series Smartphones for its home market. Consumers and critics alike are baffled as to why the phone exists. With no global launch announced, and the phone decidedly questionable on its hardware priorities, it can be understandable why some are seeing the device as a regression from the Z3. This all comes in the background of Sony looking to restructure and streamline its smartphone offerings, looking to focus primarily on the high end of the market.

  In complete contrast, Samsung has found a new gear with the release of the S6, following the plastic-clad disaster that was the S5. In this specs showdown, we pitch the forthcoming Xperia Z4 against the Samsung Galaxy S6.

  Design

  The designers at Samsung have clearly set out to create a standout phone, in fact, Samsung went as far as replacing key members of its design team to make sure that was going to happen.

  The device has shed the plastic of its predecessors and has been cased in metal and glass. Yes it looks very similar to what else is out there, but it is nowhere near its ugly little brother the S5 in the looks department. For those looking for a unique design, then the S6 edge is the phone for you.

  In the hand the phone feels premium, but still does not feel like the most expensive on the market either.

  The metal bezels on the phone are a nice touch, but again are very similar to the iPhone, along with the headphone jack and speaker positioned extremely similar to Apple’s device, it could be a risky path to tread.

  Where the galaxy S6 has made great strides to distinguish the phone from its predecessors, the Xperia Z4 looks very similar to the Z3, however is now lighter and thinner. In order to achieve this slimmed down phone, it seems Sony has sacrificed battery quality.

  One positive for the Xperia Z4 in terms of design is the waterproofing and dustproofing. The Xperia Z4 boasts an IP6X dustproof rating and is certified IPX5 and IPX8, meaning that it is both splash proof and waterproof.

  Display

  The Xperia Z4 has a slightly bigger full-HD screen, and although it has a lesser pixel density than the Galaxy S6, is still an extremely sharp display, and beats notable devices such as the iPhone 6 in terms of pixel density.

  Again, the S6 is in a class of its own with super AMOLED display that is clear, crisp and offers extremely deep blacks, and is the sharpest display on the market. There is a catch though, and this is of course the power drain on the battery.

  Camera

  Sporting a 20.7 megapixel rear camera, and a 5.1 megapixel camera on the front of the phone, there is no denying that the Z4 is a serious heavyweight when it comes to the camera specs. Always praised for its cameras, Sony again offers high quality.

  The S6 too is of high quality, vastly superior to the iPhone 6, and although it still slightly struggles in low light, you still will get the desired image in most circumstances.

  One great thing about the camera is the HDR feature, which displays on the screen, in real time, what the photo will eventually look like.

  Under the hood

  The Xperia Z4 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, running a quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU clocked at 1.5GHz and a quad-core Cortex-A57 CPU clocked at 1.4GHz. This is the latest offering from Qualcomm, and it has been known to kick out excessive amounts of heat, so that could become a problem with this phone.

  The Galaxy S6 employs an octa-core Exynos 7420 SoC, comprising of twin quad-core CPUs clocked at 2.1GHz and one at 1.5GHz and a MaliT760 GPU. All of this gives the phone a very sharp and responsive feeling, and no matter what you throw at it, the phone handles it all. Whether it’s a hefty web page or browsing Google Maps it performs faultlessly, and doesn’t get too warm through heavy use.

  The full table of specs can be found below. 

  	Sony Xperia Z4	Samsung Galaxy S6
  Display
  Screen Size	5.2- inch	5.1- inch
  Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels	2,560 x 1,440 pixels
  Pixel Density	424ppi	577ppi
  Type	IPS LCD	Super AMOLED
  Processor and Battery
  Family	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801	Exynos 7420
  CPU	Quad-core Cortex-A53 / Quad-core Cortex-A57	Cortex-A53 / Cortex- A57
  Cores	Octa-core	Octa-core
  Clock Speed	2GHz / 1.5GHz	1.5 GHz / 2.1 GHz
  GPU	Adreno 430	Mali- T760
  Battery	2,930mAh	2,550mAh
  Claimed 3G Talk Time	Up to 14 hours	Unconfirmed
  Storage and Memory
  RAM	3GB	3GB
  Internal Storage	32 / 64 GB	32 / 64 / 128GB
  MicroSD	Yes up to 128GB	No
  Camera
  Rear	20.7 megapixel	16 megapixel
  Video	2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR	2,160p@30fps, 1,080@60fps
  Front	5.1 MP, 1080p@30fps	5-megapixel
  Wireless
  Standard	4G LTE	4G LTE
  Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot	WiFi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac
  NFC	Yes	Yes
  Bluetooth	V4.1	V4.1
  Integrated Wireless Charging	No	Yes
  Dimensions
  Size	146 x 72 x 6.9 mm	143.4 x 70.5 x 6.8 mm
  Weight	144g	138g
  Operating System	Android 5.0 Lollipop	Android 5.0 Lollipop
  Price	Unconfirmed	Unconfirmed

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

  
• 

  HP wants to replace data centers with The Machine

  Publié: avril 1, 2015, 6:20pm CEST par Charlie Boon

  

  The Machine is the name of a project HP is developing for data centers based on several novel technologies. At this distance, The Machine seems like a fantasy as it’s still at least two years from its launch as a unified product.

  If the project is successful, it may replace what we consider computers now; the promised changes to server power draw alone would be revolutionary. It’s initially intended for data centre use, but established, expensive technologies tend to trickle down to individual consumers eventually. Examples of the trickle down effect of technologies first widely implemented on a business level are numerous, and include tech such as solid state disks, 64 bit operating systems, and multiple cores. It may be that the technologies HP is developing will become ubiquitous in the industry for both consumers and businesses.

  HP has already begun rolling out technologies related to the Machine, intending to base its specialized cores on its Moonshot technology.

  To understand the breadth of HP’s ambition, here’s an overview of the technologies they intend to implement in the Machine:

  • Replace Von Neumann architecture with a flatter architecture
  • Replace generalized processors with clusters of specialized processors
  • Utilize memristors for caches, storage and main memory
  • Utilize photonic interconnects
  • Create new operating systems tailored for the new hardware architecture

  HP also intends to increase security at the hardware level, which would be a relief considering the firmware issues present right now.

  As yet, some of these technologies have no functional consumer models. HP has competition in some of these endeavors, but it appears to be alone in attempting to replace the system from top to bottom.

  As it stands, the only major companies that create x86 processors are AMD, Intel and VIA, making them integral to most home computers. AMD and Intel compete heavily to introduce new processor technologies and AMD is heavily involved in HSA (Heterogeneous System Architecture). Among HSA’s goals is one similar to the Machine’s intent to flatten architecture, although less drastic. HSA is intended to more efficiently orchestrate the processing power of GPUs and CPUs to utilize their strengths more effectively. The scope of this project is fairly large; the HSA Foundation (HSAF) created to promote HSA has a distinguished list of members and weight in the industry. The HSAF it has to both replace hardware and engage developers at the same time. HSA uses existing parts more efficiently; the Machine intends to replace those parts entirely.

  That’s the first of the Machine’s hardware challenges. The second is that it’s rethinking the physics behind computing. This research isn’t brand new, but it hasn’t seen mass market production yet. Memristors utilize ions to create durable solid state memory and HP intends to replace all functional memory with it. HP intends to launch memristors as a separate product later this year.

  HP also intends to use photonic interconnects seen in fibre-optic networks on a computer level, which requires reducing the size of the beam even further. It’s not the first developer to tackle this project, but if successful, HP believes photonic interconnects would reduce power consumption considerably.

  The next challenge is building new operating systems while involving 3rd party developers in creating software for those operating systems. HP appears to be developing both a desktop-oriented OS as well as a mobile one. These are familiar challenges as both Apple and Google have successfully created markets for mobile devices. The mobile marketplace is extremely lucrative, making it a success for both developers and their hosts, although not every company has succeeded in reproducing the success of the trailblazers.

  Far from the mobile marketplace, the home computer marketplace hasn’t had any major shake-ups since cloud computing took off. Considering the lack of shake-ups in the marketplace, it is no wonder that home computer users are slow to migrate between versions, let alone platforms. Because of the slow migration of users, Microsoft has had trouble convincing its users to upgrade, while Apple has tried to approach the issue by offering upgrades for free.

  Many consumers have invested thousands in services like Steam, Origin or the App store, anchoring users to a particular platform. To ease the pain of transitioning between platforms, Apple introduced Boot Camp and there are several emulation services available to use Windows in an OS X environment. Consumer loyalty inspired by investments tied to a particular platform may prove a deterrent to any new operating systems for individual consumers, not to mention the difficulty of relearning basic tasks and simple inertia. Despite these expected problems, HP’s project doesappear to be progressing.

  For the Machine to be successful, all of those technologies would have to succeed and companies would have to adopt it. To be adopted by typical consumers, the hardware would have to fall in price, and consumers and developers would have to embrace the new OS. Only time will tell if HP’s holistic approach will seize the market, or if the technologies it intends to introduce will be absorbed by the dominant market forces and integrated into existing systems one breakthrough at a time.

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

  Image Credit: Eugene Kouzmenok/Shutterstock