Why the haters are plain wrong about the beautiful new iPhone 5c
As I write this, the ultra-new iPhone 5c has just become available to pre-order from the Apple Store, as well as from AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile.
So I figured it was a good time to address the problem(s) a lot of people seem to have with Apple’s new polycarbonate plastic-bodied iPhone, and explain -- in simple terms -- why the haters are way off the mark, and why the 5c is actually a great device, and a clever move for Apple.
Wrike aims to make online work easier and more productive
California-based project management software provider Wrike has launched a new version of its software with a simplified interface and -- no prizes for guessing -- online collaboration features.
The "Graphite" version of Wrike has a redesigned user interface along with innovative task scheduling and time management. Andrew Filev, Wrike's CEO and founder says, "Simple, clean, and lucid -- these were the key topics of our design discussions while we were working our magic on Wrike Graphite. We wanted to find the perfect balance between our users' habits and a new level of efficiency in day-to-day work, which we tried to implement in every element of the new UI".
What if Marissa Mayer went to jail?
Wednesday at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer presented her company’s side of fighting the National Security Agency over requests to have a look-see at the data of Yahoo users. It’s a tough fight, said Mayer, and one that takes place necessarily in private. Mayer was asked why tech companies had not simply decided to tell the public more about what the US surveillance industry was up to. "Releasing classified information is treason and you are incarcerated," she said.
Go directly to jail? No.
F-Secure’s 2014 lineup adds new banking, Facebook tools
F-Secure has today launched its revamped range of security products, including F-Secure Anti-Virus 2014 and F-Secure Internet Security 2014.
Top of the new Internet Security features list is probably the extended Banking Protection feature. This automatically kicks in at online banking and payment sites, and, the company says, "elevates security settings" so that "consumers can be sure that their banking transactions are safe and private".
Amazon once again gets exclusive streaming rights for Under the Dome
Many of novelist Stephen King's books and short stories have found their way to the screen either through a movie or mini-series. Some, like The Shining, have become classics in the eyes of fans, while others...well... This season a King novel has returned the author to prominence on the small screen -- Under the Dome has been the most watched show of the summer season.
Now Amazon and CBS announce that the streaming deal that was in place for season one has been renewed. "Prime Instant Video will remain the exclusive online subscription home for Under the Dome. Amazon Prime members will have unlimited streaming of all the series' episodes four days after their initial broadcast on CBS and will be able to enjoy them on hundreds of compatible Amazon Instant Video devices including Kindle Fire HD, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Roku, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the Wii U gaming console" reads a joint statement issued by the two parties.
Twitter files for IPO -- Will the stock fly like a bird or fail like a whale?
Following in the footsteps of Facebook, fellow social-media site Twitter has filed for an IPO. In other words, the company wants to sell stock in itself by going public. However, Twitter probably hopes not to follow Facebook's initial performance which was utterly abysmal and caused investors to lose money.
Predictably, the company made the announcement with a tweet, "we’ve confidentially submitted an S-1 to the SEC for a planned IPO. This Tweet does not constitute an offer of any securities for sale."
Outlook.com embraces IMAP
Earlier today Microsoft introduced IMAP support for its Outlook.com email service. The latest addition is designed to allow feature phone users and those who rely on a number of third-party email clients, such as the Mail app from OS X, to take advantage of email sync.
IMAP joins Exchange ActiveSync and POP as the supported Outlook.com protocols and falls between the two, in terms of functionality (EAS is more feature-rich compared to POP). "While we believe that EAS is the most robust protocol for connecting to your email, with syncing in near real time, and superior battery and network efficiency, there are still some devices and apps that haven't made the upgrade to EAS", says Outlook.com Protocols principal program manager lead Steve Kafka. "As an older protocol, IMAP is widely supported on feature phones and other email clients such as those on a Mac. We heard your feedback loud and clear that this was important".
How to delete or disable (almost) all of your accounts from the cloud
Over the years I have amassed a vast collection of unused accounts on websites. I am sure you have too. I have signed up for various online services -- email, cloud storage, content streaming, social networking and more -- with the prospect of trying new things or replacing old ones. The antiquated accounts got left behind, abandoned or forgotten.
The downsides, at least for me, are the constant email reminders which I receive, trying to pull me back in, or, worse, the likelihood of exposing personal information to hackers (if I don't use something then I surely will not change my password frequently or enable new security features). The solution? The unused accounts have to go. And Just Delete Me is one of the best services to help do that.
Facebook closes Social Fixer's page -- owner warns other businesses
Social Fixer is a browser extension available for Chrome, Firefox and others. It exists to make Facebook a more pleasurable experience, by ironing out annoyances and adding extra features. In theory this means Facebook users are happier and therefore use the site more -- everyone's a winner. The tool is free and over the course of four years its developer, Matt Kruse, built up a following of hundreds of thousands of users. Now Facebook has wiped that out.
The Social Fixer tool still exists and still offers the same options as it did before, but it no longer has a Facebook presence. Back on 2 September the Social Fixer Facebook Page (which is still inaccessible) was "unpublished" by Facebook. The reason specified was that the page had been flagged up for spam -- this is something Matt vehemently denies ever engaging in.
All Aboard! Google Street View sails to the Galapogos
You will not be the first to explore the islands' biodiversity, and you won't be arriving on the HMS Beagle, but you also no longer need to face the hardships of a long sea journey to visit the Galapogos. Google Street View has made the trip for you and, as the team always does, it recorded every moment so that you can visit without leaving your computer.
The search giant partnered with the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park and Charles Darwin Foundation in order to capture panoramic imagery of the small island group. The company hopes the data will not just be a source of enjoyment for Street View users, but also "play an instrumental role in the ongoing research of the environment, conservation, animal migration patterns, and the impact of tourism on the islands".
AVG CrowdControl aims to protect your Facebook privacy
I use Facebook daily to stay in touch with friends, family and colleagues. However, despite my heavy usage, I am concerned about my privacy. Facebook is notorious for changing its policies and settings and it can be difficult to stay on top of it. Today, popular security and anti-virus company AVG announces a solution called AVG CrowdControl, which the company calls "its first privacy app built on the Facebook API".
"CrowdControl is designed to make Facebook experiences safer by customizing who can view a status, videos and photos posted on a personal timeline. AVG’s goal is that this will make privacy and online security, a more front-of-mind issue for users", says the company.
BullGuard Identity Protection safeguards your personal data
Where once malware was aimed at disrupting your computer, today it's more likely to be out to steal your personal information and get access to your finances. BullGuard has a track record of guarding against this type of threat with products like Premium Protection 13 its complete security package.
But the company's latest release, BullGuard Identity Protection, is designed to work alongside your existing security suite -- of any brand -- and ensure that your personal information and social networking activities are protected against threats.
Smartphones to cannibalize tablets, but it's the PC getting eaten
Tablets are where the growth is right now, with sales of touch devices eating away at the market share of traditional PCs. But that’s not the only cannibalization going on in the tech world. The iPad mini certainly impacted on sales of the standard-sized iPad upon launch. And with the line between tablets and smartphones becoming increasingly blurred, market analysis firm IDC predicts large-screen (5+ inch) smartphones will start to gnaw away at the smaller (7-8 inch) tablet market from 2014.
"The device world has seen several iterations of cannibalization impacting different categories, with the last few years focused on tablets cannibalizing PC sales," Bob O'Donnell, Program Vice President, Clients and Displays, observes. "Over the next 12-18 months, however, we believe the larger smartphones, commonly called 'phablets', will start to eat into the smaller-size tablet market, contributing to a slower growth rate for tablets".
Huddle aims to connect workers via the cloud
Content collaboration specialist Huddle has launched its Connected Desktop experience aimed at streamlining team working by linking the desktop with the company's content collaboration system.
Groups of people can work together, editing and saving files from their desktops into a secure cloud. This aids productivity regardless of where workers are located or what type of device they're using. The latest release offers five new capabilities.
Apple burnishes while we wait for another breakthrough
Some readers have asked me for a post on the new Apple iPhones announced two days ago. I’ll get to that in time but prefer to do so when I actually have an iPhone 5S in my hands because I have a very specific column in mind. And no, it’s not the column you think it is. But this is still a good time to write something about Apple in general, which is how Cupertino appears to now stand at a crossroads.
There is a world of difference between Microsoft and Apple but one way they are similar is in facing a generational change. Another way they are similar is in having robust legacy businesses that both put a drag on such change (who needs change, we’re doing great!) and make it easy to wait or at least to go slowly. But no matter how much money they have in the bank, each company must eventually come to terms with how it is going to move forward in an evolving market. Neither company has.
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