Best Windows apps this week
Five-hundred-and-seventy-seven in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.
Microsoft plans to remove the WordPad application from future versions of its Windows 11 operating system. While WordPad is going away, Microsoft is working on adding AI to the plain text editor Notepad.
Linux Mint 21.3 'Virginia' now available for download
Linux Mint, the very popular Linux distribution, has just released its latest version, 21.3, codenamed "Virginia." Linux Mint 21.3 runs on a Linux kernel 5.15 and is based on Ubuntu 22.04.
This long-term support release promises updates until 2027, featuring a ton of enhancements and new functionalities aimed at providing a more comfortable desktop experience. While Xfce and MATE desktop environments are available options, Cinnamon is clearly the star of the show.
How AI is set to transform the legal sector [Q&A]
The use of generative AI is becoming common across many industries, but while it undoubtedly offers benefits it can lead to problems too.
Legal firms in particular can fall foul of poor results, one firm was fined $5,000 after a court found that one of its lawyers had used ChatGPT to write a court brief which included false citations.
Windows 10 users with KB5034441 update failure need to manually resize partitions to fix the problem
When Microsoft released the recent KB5034441 update for Windows 10, the aim was to fix a security vulnerability that could allow attackers to bypass BitLocker encryption by using Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). Unfortunately, the update itself proved problematic for many users.
Microsoft has now acknowledged the issue, noting that users may not be able to install the update and may encounter an error message that reads "0x80070643 - ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE" or " Windows Recovery Environment servicing failed. (CBS_E_INSUFFICIENT_DISK_SPACE)". The company has a solution, but it's a bit of an awkward one.
Microsoft launches Retail Media Creative Studio to give advertisers the power of generative AI
Microsoft has announced a series of new artificial intelligence tools, options and capabilities which the company is using to empower retailers.
From copilot templates designed to help retailers provide personalized experiences for customers to generative AI tools for creating ads, Microsoft continues to push hard with AI. Of particular interest in the latest batch of tools is Retail Media Creative Studio, currently in preview.
Windows 11 test build introduces support for latest generation USB standard
USB4 is the latest USB standard, offering a maximum data transfer speed of 40Gbps. Backward compatible with previous USB versions and compatible with Thunderbolt 3, it supports versatile connections for data, power, and video signals.
The standard is currently receiving major version update called USB 80Gbps (also known as USB4 Version 2.0) that -- as you can guess from the name -- increases performance from 40Gbps to 80Gbps and enables the next generation of high-performance displays, storage, and connectivity.
Why data will be the foundation for AI innovation in 2024
As we enter 2024, the data landscape is witnessing a surge of transformative changes, building on the significant advancements made in 2023. We’ve seen breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms, Large Language Models (LLMs), enhanced data analytics capabilities, and notable strides in cloud computing.
These developments have not only reshaped how organizations are using data, but also started to redefine how organizations operate and strategize. Now, as we look forward to this year, the data landscape is set to evolve further, set against the backdrop of continuous AI innovation. From the consolidation of the AI market to revolutionary changes in data management, we're entering an era where data is not just a tool or a nice-to-have, but a driving force. With another year of revolutionary change ahead of us, here are the developments that will dictate data strategy in 2024.
Cyber Awareness Month needs an upgrade in 2024
Cyber awareness and Cyber Awareness Month (CAM) have faced allegations of fearmongering in the past, but this isn’t -- or shouldn’t be -- the case. At times, some vendors or individuals arguably exploit worries about cyber threats to market their products or convince people of their necessity.
But this is a delicate balance to strike. While it is true many security professionals are already struggling under the weight of their responsibilities, Cyber Awareness Month is a time for home truths. The grim reality is that cybercrime is getting worse. According to the Veeam Data Protection Trends Report 2023, 85 percent of organizations suffered at least one cyber-attack in the preceding twelve months, an increase from 76 percent experienced in the prior year. So, in many ways, our current approaches are failing. Does that mean Cyber Awareness Month is failing too?
Satechi launches 145W USB-C 4-Port GaN Charger for world travelers at CES 2024
Satechi has unveiled its latest charging product at CES 2024: the 145W USB-C 4-Port GaN Travel Charger. This new charger harnesses the power of GaN (Gallium Nitride) technology to offer a compact yet powerful charging solution.
The charger boasts four USB-C PD ports, supporting a combined power output of 145W. With two USB-C PD 3.1 and two USB-C PD 3.0 ports, it can safely power up to four devices simultaneously, including high-powered devices like the 16-inch MacBook Pro and Lenovo Legion Slim 7i.
IBM and SAP team up to offer consumer goods and retail AI solutions
Industry giant IBM is today announcing a collaboration with ERP specialist SAP to develop solutions to help clients in the consumer packaged goods and retail industries enhance their supply chain, finance operations, sales and services using generative AI.
This involves embedding IBM's watsonx enterprise-ready AI and data platform and AI assistants, into SAP solutions to create new generative and traditional AI solutions focused on addressing the complexities of the direct store delivery business process and product portfolio management.
Generative AI use in the workplace leads to added risks
More than 10 percent of enterprise employees access at least one generative AI application every month, compared to just two percent a year ago, but there are security risks as a result.
New research from Netskope shows ChatGPT was the most popular generative AI application in 2023, accounting for seven percent of enterprise usage. The number of cloud apps the enterprise accessed also increased by an average of 19 percent per year, with users jumping from 14 to 20 different apps in just two years.
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AI and security: It is complicated but it doesn't need to be
AI is growing in popularity and this trend is only set to continue. This is supported by Gartner which states that approximately 80 percent of enterprises will have used generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) application programming interfaces (APIs) or models by 2026. However, AI is a broad and ubiquitous term, and, in many instances, it covers a range of technologies.
Nevertheless, AI presents breakthroughs in the ability to process logic differently which is attracting attention from businesses and consumers alike who are experimenting with various forms of AI today. At the same time, this technology is attracting similar attention from threat actors who are realising that it could be a weakness in a company’s security while it could also be a tool that helps companies to identify these weaknesses and address them.
How to maintain contact center operations during a crisis
As the prevalence of natural disasters and cyberattacks increases, it becomes essential that leaders prioritize robust infrastructure. Oftentimes, communications capabilities, including contact centers and customer service support lines, are the most vulnerable during emergencies -- which is exactly when these functions become most necessary.
Well-maintained and protected infrastructure is even more important when you consider the ramifications of an outage. Organizations take 212 days on average to detect a breach and 75 more days to contain it -- that means nearly a year of interrupted operations post-attack. During this time, consumers may be unable to receive critical, even life-saving information.
Satechi updates Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub Pro and Stand & Hub for Mac mini
Satechi has just rolled out refreshed versions of two popular devices -- the Stand & Hub for Mac mini (and Mac Studio) and the Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub Pro. These upgraded gadgets, being showcased at CES 2024, are already up for grabs.
The revamped Stand & Hub for Mac mini and Mac Studio now boasts an NVMe SSD enclosure -- it is no longer limited to SATA M.2 drives. This feature could be a game-changer for users looking for swift data transfer speeds and additional storage -- all streamlined through a single cable.
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