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éléments par Tom Phelan

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• 

  Employees much prefer working for startups than corporates

  Publié: novembre 4, 2014, 8:46pm CET par Tom Phelan

  

  New research by Tyba.com has revealed evidence that double the number of people working in corporates want to leave their jobs compared to those in startups.

  65 percent of corporate workers also said that working in a startup would be their dream job.

  When asked what they hated about working for a corporate, "office politics" (53 percent), "lack of recognition" (45 percent) and "lack of career progression and purpose" (37 percent), were all flagged by survey participants.

  Those in startups said how they loved the team morale and creative environment (77 percent), great social life (60 percent) and "shared enthusiasm for the business" (56 percent), all afforded to them by working in small company. 45 percent also said that a "a relaxed atmosphere and no dress code" was a positive aspect.

  When asked what they loved about working in a corporate, participants valued the more traditional career rewards of a pension (59 percent), a well-recognised name to put on one's CV (37 percent) and annual pay increases (25 percent).

  Eric Huang, co-founder and managing director of Tyba.com, interpreted the results:

  "This research shows that traditional corporates are losing the battle for talent. What matters more to people now is a sense of purpose and being part of something, which is where startups do so well," he said.

  "Over 1,000 jobseekers have applied for startup jobs through us in the last 30 days and we've had over 6,000 applicants in the last three months. We've also had more than 500 new companies join us in the last three months and expect to have 1,000 companies by the end of the year".

  Nearly a third of people working in startups surveyed said they were pleased they switched from working in a corporate. The reason most cited was feeling valued (34 percent), with 57 percent of those in startups saying that they'd never consider moving to a corporate company.

  The survey was conducted amongst 1,027 employees in companies with 500+ employees, from 21 October 2014 – 27 October 2014. Another survey was conducted amongst 93 startups, from 22 October 2014– 27 October 2014.

  Do you agree with the findings? Let us know in the comments section below.

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

  
• 

  Taiwan could ban Xiaomi smartphones over data security concerns

  Publié: septembre 25, 2014, 9:31pm CEST par Tom Phelan

  

  Xiaomi has found itself under scrutiny due to concerns that it may be a security threat, with the Taiwanese government expected to make a decision on the smartphone company within three months. It is unclear whether this could lead to a ban on Xiaomi's low-priced smartphones in Taiwan.

  A statement on the website of Taiwan's executive branch on Tuesday referred to the fact that some of the company's smartphones automatically send user data back to the Xiaomi servers in Beijing, resulting in a risk of security breaches.

  Both Chinese businesses and government are regularly accused of cyber and industrial espionage, and the move by Taiwan is another case of this.

  Taiwan -- a breakaway province -- is a subject of debate amongst commentators concerned with its over reliance on the mainland. Critics of Beijing claim that China's expanding economic ties give the growing power influence over its smaller neighbor’s staunchly democratic politics.

  Japanese instant messaging service Line, owned by South Korea's Naver Corp, will also be banned on government work-related computers due to security fears, the report said.

  While a Line spokeswoman based in Tokyo told Reuters that the company is investigating the issue, Xiaomi declined to comment.

  It's not the first time Xiaomi has been implicated in concerns over data access. Accusations that surfaced recently drove the firm to upgrade its OS and to give users an opt-out option of data collection from address books.

  Although its consumer base mainly resides in China, the low-cost smartphone maker now has a presence in India, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, with further expansion earmarked for Thailand, Mexico and Brazil.

  Taiwan is seen by Beijing as a renegade province, though trade ties have increased dramatically between the two regions in recent years.

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

  
• 

  5 quick ways to speed up your Android smartphone

  Publié: septembre 15, 2014, 8:24am CEST par Tom Phelan

  

  Remember the halcyon days of your HTC One/LG G3/Samsung Galaxy S5? How you ran your fingers across the screen and marveled as it transitioned smoothly between apps? You were together, taking on the world in ergonomic bliss.

  Now though, with a few scratches to the screen and some scuff marks to the casing, your beloved phone has become sluggish and as you browse the web, your eyes guiltily move towards the gleaming fascias of the latest models.

  Don't chuck your beloved yet though, read this five step guide on how to speed up your Android phone.

  1. Clear the app cache

  Having lots of apps can be really useful and really fun, but over time they write to the app cache on your phone, consuming valuable system resources and slowing the phone down. Go to Settings and you can wipe the cache of any app, but with lots of apps, that's going to be a bit of a task.

  But don't worry, there's an app for that -- App Cache Cleaner. Just tap Clear and it's all gone. There's also an Auto Clear feature, which can clean up your cache at intervals set by you.

  

  2. Lose those old, useless and unused apps

  Chances are, your smartphone's got a stack of apps on it that you never use. So rather than continually hoarding these little life hacks, send them back into the Web ether. Many run in the background, using valuable system resources.

  You can disable preloaded apps in Settings, and if you have rooted your phone you can remove them entirely. Android "crapware" can be a bit trickier to dump, but it can be done.

  3. Get a new app launcher

  Each Android smartphone is preloaded with its own app launcher and this controls the desktop, lock screen apps menu, and other integral parts of the UI. Third party apps exist too though, and these can speed up navigation and affect the look and feel of the device. Have a browse in the app store for one of these handy apps, such as Nova, Apex or Lightning Launcher eXtreme.

  When prompted, select the new app launcher as default. If there is no automatic prompt, go in to the app and select your default home launcher.

  

  4. Do away with unnecessary shortcuts and widgets

  Shortcuts and widgets use precious phone memory space, so the less you have, the smoother your mobile experience. You can remove widgets with a long press and a drag off screen, so it's worth going through your desktops and having a clear out.

  

  5. Streamline your background data usage

  Unless you modify your settings, all your apps will look to regularly connect to the Internet for updates, and this uses up not only battery, but also system resources. I for one prefer to check my email and WhatsApp manually, and you too can customize which apps automatically update.

  Follow these steps to disable all apps' background data:

  1. Navigate to Settings.

  2. Hit Data usage

  

  3. Launch the context menu via the three dots in the top right corner of the screen (or via the menu button on LG and Samsung models).

  

  4. Uncheck the Auto-sync data box.

  To disable background data for Gmail, Google+ and other Google Services:

  1. Go to Settings

  2. Hit Google in the accounts list

  

  3. See the account name? If it's green, it's synced; if it's gray, it isn't. Just tap it to change it over.

  

  Of course, if you'd rather tailor your apps' background data usage you can do just that, by accessing the settings of each individual app.

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

  
• 

  Here's what you can expect to see at IFA 2014

  Publié: septembre 1, 2014, 10:19am CEST par Tom Phelan

  

  The rejuvenation of the tech scene at this time of year is heralded by one of the oldest and largest trade shows on the circuit, with Germany taking centre stage for Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin -- known simply as IFA.

  At IFA 2013, ITProPortal witnessed the unveiling of the Sony Xperia Z1, realized that convertible laptops are here to stay, and learned that no-one is impressed by Samsung's Galaxy Gear. This year we're looking forward to seeing the year's developments in wearable tech. And I'm not just talking smart watches. This year we're talking infrared thermometers, Bluetooth home cinema speakers and something called the "D30 Smart Skin".

  Wearable, Dareable Tech

  And it's the latter that's piqued our interest. D30 is a smart, rate sensitive material, meaning that the harder the impact on the garment, the greater the resistance to the force. The company aired one of its first creations to the world back in 2006 at the Winter Olympics, when the US and Canadian ski teams wore D30's soft armor. The product range now extends to the motorcycle, sport, footwear, electronics, military and workwear sectors.

  According to the D30 website, the smart materials in their raw state flow freely when moved slowly, but on shock, lock together to absorb and disperse energy, before instantly returning to their flexible state.

  D30 is exhibiting its Smart Skin at IFA, so I'm looking forward to seeing it in action and potentially wearing it if I'm allowed.

  

  Samsung Takes Note

  Forgive me for not getting to this sooner, but probably the biggest launch at IFA 2014 is the debut of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, a phablet that we'll be eager to catch a glimpse of. Will the screen reach the 6-inch mark? The original Note, the Note 2, and the Note 3, were 5.3-inches, 5.5-inches and 5.7-inches, respectively, so it'd make sense to push the phablet's display size even further.

  Rumour has it that Samsung's new tablet may have a curved, wraparound screen. We'll be expecting a version of Android 4.4 as the OS, with Samsung's custom TouchWiz UI running on top.

  There's also the Galaxy Mega 2. This big size/mid spec phone could also have a 6-inch screen, if you believe the rumor mill, and it could be a great option for phablet lovers who can't afford the Galaxy Note 4. It'll be great to compare the two side-by-side at IFA, if the Samsung team does indeed bring the Mega 2 with them.

  

  The Xperia Z3, Plus a Little Brother?

  We can also look forward to the unveiling of the Sony Xperia Z3 -- the follow up to the Z1 and Z2. With speedy performance, a good camera and some decent Sony extras, we were impressed with the Z2 at ITProPortal, and leaks suggest a small rise in spec for the Z3.

  As if all this wasn't riveting enough though, Sony will apparently launch a 4.5-inch little brother for the Z3 called the Z3 Compact. The idea harks back to the Z1 Compact, which was launched alongside the Z1 and packed a punch for a device of its size. Word on the grapevine is that the little guy will have a 2.5GHz processor, 2GB RAM and a 20-megapixel camera. See a leaked image of the Z3 below.

  

  Panasonic's white goods

  Finally, I'm intrigued to see what Panasonic comes up with for its "smart kitchen appliances" and "connected home entertainment" -- both mentioned in a press conference invite. Reports also claim that new cameras could be unveiled with wireless connectivity or interoperability with other smart devices.

  So what will impress? What will fall flat?

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

  
• 

  Super-secure Blackphone rooted at DefCon conference

  Publié: août 12, 2014, 8:59am CEST par Tom Phelan

  

  The Blackphone, billed as a super-secure consumer alternative to standard smartphones, has been successfully hacked.

  The hack comes not long after Blackphone sparred with BlackBerry after the latter called the secure device "unacceptable" for enterprise and petty customers.

  At the recent DefCon hacking conference @TeamAndIRC hacked the phone and gained root access within five minutes, without unlocking the bootloader. The hack comes hot on the heels of research aired at the Black Hat security conference that showed a serious vulnerability within Google's Nest Thermostat.

  Luckily, one of the flaws is pretty innocuous, since it requires user consent. The other, Blackphone has now patched.

  Blackphone is a joint venture between Silent Circle and Geeksphone, who created the phone with personal data protection in the forefront of their minds.

  The phone's setup has worried many though, since rather than having a unique OS, the Blackphone's PrivatOS is built atop Android technology, which is renowned for being easy to breach.

  Blackphone isn't the only consumer-oriented smartphone with security as a selling point though. Back in March we reported on a rival handset -- affectionately named the "Snowden Phone" but officially named the Privacy Phone -- which promises private communications, anonymous Internet access, and online security to users, who can even pay anonymously in Bitcoins for the device.

  DefCon took place in Las Vegas, USA, 7-10 August 2014.

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

  
• 

  Spreadsheets causing problems for small businesses -- according to Intuit

  Publié: août 6, 2014, 10:26am CEST par Tom Phelan

  

  Some people love spreadsheets, it's a fact. It's also a fact that a lot of people dislike spreadsheets, and for companies that use them every day, their less-than-efficient aspect can be a hindrance to growth.

  Or so says research from Intuit -- an online accounting software provider -- in an investigation of 200 UK small businesses.

  The research suggests that an over reliance on inefficient spreadsheets is distracting SME owners from actually running and growing their business, half the respondents admitting that they waste somewhere between 30 minutes and six hours a week dealing with spreadsheet issues.

  More than 50 percent of participants admitted frustration at not having more time to focus on their families, and on the future growth of their business.

  "Financial management should be quick and easy; it should be more about gaining insights and adding value to identify new opportunities. It shouldn't be a hassle," said Rich Preece, VP and MD of Intuit UK.

  "As a small business owner, it's imperative that you get an insight into how your business is performing, particularly into cash flow. Spreadsheets just weren't designed for this; you need to be an accounting wizard to get the most from them," he continued.

  Of course, accounting software like Intuit QuickBooks exists for non-Excel masters, but with a workforce that is largely Microsoft-dependent through years of usage, many companies may not wish to rock the boat.

  Would you make the switch?

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

  
• 

  Connected cars will help to make our roads safer

  Publié: juillet 1, 2014, 6:11pm CEST par Tom Phelan

  

  As a young Londoner, I'm not much of a driver, but boy do I see some congestion. Our capital's streets are bursting at the seams with cars, buses, bikes and trucks, and the majority are completely unconnected to each other.

  So it was with interest that I attended NXP's Innovation Day in Eindhoven, Holland, to witness a range of technologies developed by the semiconductor company, including the latest automotive innovations. Falling under the ever-expanding category that is the Internet of Things, the connected car is seen by many to be the future of sustainable transport.

  This is not to say though that you'll be seeing a Johnny Cab pull up at your door tomorrow. Maurice Geraets, senior director business development automotive, NXP, was keen to make this clear. The great shift into autonomous driving lies years ahead, he insisted. In the meantime we shall see a period where assisted driving will coexist with traditional vehicles. Bringing in-car data real time to the cloud is hoped to improve traffic safety and reduce congestion and emissions.

  Safety

  The safety benefits of cars that effectively talk to each other are easy to imagine. Whereas the traditional driver relies on human senses to avoid collision, the assisted driver is aided by the vehicle's connection to others around it. The connected car can warn all those behind it, should it be involved in an accident, thus preventing a pile-up. In January 2013, both NXP and Cisco invested in Cohda Wireless to this end, in a move to advance automotive connectivity.

  Mobility

  Likewise, removing the human element presents opportunities for congestion reduction and maximized mobility. If in 2030, as the World Health Organization predicts, six out of every ten people will live in urban areas, then more efficient road usage will be welcome to many-a city. "Car-to-X communications," as NXP has so termed them, will provide traffic jam management and rerouting options that will streamline our cities' streets, and hopefully help cope with projected population influxes.

  Human error

  A car is more than just a machine to many though. The tangibility of being in control of one's vehicle is a beautiful thing that some drivers will cling to. Therefore one can foresee a potential conflict on the country's roads, between the connected and the disconnected, and this includes cyclists and pedestrians. I posed the issue to Maurice.

  "The highly automated vehicles -- not to call it fully autonomous yet -- will have to anticipate what is happening with the other traffic," he said.

  "On pedestrians we have a project... which is called VRUITS (vulnerable road user intelligent transport systems) to really see how we can also incorporate the technology into the pedestrians, because the vulnerable road users are a quite important role in road safety and road faculties".

  "You could imagine that you have, for example, cameras on dangerous intersections that monitor what's happening and do warn cars that are approaching, in the beginning not even with a specific instance, but just with the warning: 'Ten children are playing around here.' Then the driver can take over the control of his highly automated vehicle more so that he can carefully steer his car through that situation".

  Clearly, working out how to deal with us unpredictable human road users is still in the development stage.

  

  NXP faces competition from Google, whose driverless cars can sometimes be seen on the roads of California and Nevada. The search giant's vehicles have now logged 700,000 miles of accident-free autonomous driving, and the cars can react to cyclists, sensing when they are turning left or right or approaching from behind. Hesitant to focus on full autonomy yet, NXP has aligned itself with market leaders such as Audi to develop interfaces for the connected car.

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

  
• 

  LG G3 vs HTC One M8 -- How do they compare?

  Publié: mai 28, 2014, 8:45am CEST par Tom Phelan

  

  LG is shouting about its new G3 smartphone in a pretty big way. With events across the globe to ring in the new handset, expectations were running high for the Korean company's new flagship phone, since its predecessor the G2 was awarded the ITPP "Best Buy" accolade.

  Read on to see how the G3 compares to the HTC One M8.

  Display

  Smartphone displays are swelling year on year, and LG is no stranger to the trend, having built the G3 with a 5.5in screen. This gives it that little bit more display room than the 5in HTC One M8, and with that extra screen comes a 2,560 x 1,440 pixel resolution -- again outmatching its Chinese competitor.

  CPU, GPU and RAM

  Processor-wise, the G3 and the M8 are evenly matched, the quad-core models both packing a Krait 400 CPU, a 2.3Ghz clock speed, and a Snapdragon 801 processor. LG is offering a 3GB RAM version of the standard 2MB device though, rendering the premium model a whole 1MB faster than the G3.

  Size and weight

  Despite a larger screen and a consequently wider body, the G3's weight does not exceed that of the M8. It even packs a higher spec within a slimmer body. Both the G3 and M8 would be classed as mid-sized smartphones, with dimensions of 146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9mm and 146 x 70.6 x 9.4mm, respectively.

  Battery

  With a 3,000mAh battery, compared to the M8's 2,600mAh, the G3 could potentially break the 24-hour power mark. With its higher display requirements though this may well balance out. The G3 also features wireless charging support enabled via an optional wireless charger.

  Cameras

  The HTC One M8's camera capability is pretty unique, what with its dual 5-megapixel rear cameras, even if the second lens's necessity is debatable. The G3 boasts a whopping 13-megapixel rear camera though, which could well blow the M8 out of the water. Selfie fans will be disappointed with the G3's 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera though, considering the M8 snaps at 5-megapixels from the front.

  Network connectivity

  On the connectivity front, both the LG G3 and the HTC One M8 offer 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac Wi-Fi.

  	LG G3	HTC One M8
  Display
  Screen size	5.5in	5in
  Resolution	2,560 x 1,440 pixels	1,920 x 1,080 pixels
  Pixel density	534PPI	441PPI
  Type	TBC	Super LCD3
  Processor and battery
  Family	Snapdragon 801	Snapdragon 801
  CPU	Krait 400	Krait 400
  Cores	Quad-core	Quad-core
  Clock speed	2.3GHz	2.3GHz
  Battery	3,000mAh	2,600mAh
  Claimed 3G talk time	TBC	Up to 20h
  Storage and memory
  RAM	2GB / 3GB	2GB
  Internal storage	16GB / 32GB	16GB / 32GB
  microSD	Yes	Yes
  Camera
  Rear	13-megapixel	Dual 4-megapixel
  Video	2160@30fps / 1080@60fps	1080@60fps / 720@60fps
  Front	2.1-megapixel	5-megapixel
  Wireless
  Standard	4G LTE	4G LTE
  Wi-Fi	802.11 a / b / g / n / ac	802.11 a / b / g / n / ac
  NFC	Yes	Yes
  Bluetooth	v4.0	v4.0
  Integrated wireless charging	Yes	No
  Dimensions
  Size	146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9mm	146 x 70.6 x 9.4mm
  Weight	149g	160g
  Operating System	Android 4.4.2 KitKat	Android 4.4 KitKat
  Price (SIM-free)	TBC	£535
  Availability	TBC	March 2014

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

  
• 

  Why 'Look Up' is just a load of nostalgic nonsense

  Publié: mai 8, 2014, 1:47pm CEST par Tom Phelan

  

  Whether you like poetry or not, you've probably seen or heard about Gary Turk's "Look Up" -- a video that laments Generation Y's constant lust for information from Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and other social media on mobile devices.

  Since being uploaded to YouTube on 25 April, Look Up has racked up over 29 million views and divided opinion across the net as to whether we're drowning ourselves in a pool of useless notifications, or actually an empowered and more socialized society due to our circles of Internet friends.

  Turk makes his point through a sentimentalized love story, where the male protagonist meets his future wife asking her for directions, having seemingly ignored Google maps and opted for a -- clearly far less dangerous for our future well-being -- printed map for directions. We then see an alternate outcome where he stares down at his phone and she walks past.

  Many have picked up on the irony of Turk's offering. The virality of Look Up entirely contradicts the message held within, since the prime reason for its rapid spread is those "looking down" at their mobiles and sharing.

  Some pointed out how our beloved map-reading Luddite might just as well have been messaging his future wife on Tinder, rather than accosting unsuspecting women in the street.

  If "looking down" is indeed a problem, then it's rife within the modern BYOD office. The mobile worker can pick between a plethora of devices to gets things done.

  Cloud-based work processes have streamlined traditional information management and data processing, and social media even has its place within the workplace.

  Even established enterprise software providers, such as SAP, now offer specifically work-oriented social media. But does WhatsApp make us lonelier than when we used fax machines? Doubtful.

  My main issue with Turk's argument is its misplaced nostalgia for a time when people talked to each other in the street and made small talk at bus stops. Sorry mate, but I'd wager that that hasn't happened in London for a very long time. Before iPhones it was the Walkman. Before Walkmen, it was the book. Before books it was... well books have existed longer than bus stops, but you get the gist. With Facebook Messenger I can have all my friends at my fingertips if I'm out on my own, whereas without it I merely have millions of detached strangers walking past.

  Likewise, with LinkedIn and Twitter, I can maintain an extended professional network so that work extends beyond the company intranet. Each day I can break through the four walls of the office, so to speak, just by sending out a tweet.

  I am no longer a cog in a machine -- I'm a cog within a grid of machines, all within the same industry, working towards a common goal.

  So rather than look up, I'd suggest we look past. Look past this obsession with reclaiming the good ol' days of paper 'n' ink, cassette tapes and Microsoft Encarta, and use the incredible devices we hold in our hands to further ourselves, our understanding, and our connection with others.

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