Google releases Android 15 Developer Preview

Today, Google releases Android 15… sort of. You see, it is not a stable release, but instead, it is the official Developer Preview. And most likely, you cannot run it on your phone or tablet either. Right now, it is only available for certain Google Pixel devices -- the Pixel 6 series, Pixel 7 series, Pixel 8 series, Pixel Fold, and Pixel Tablet. Got a different Android device? Sorry, you must wait.

Android 15 continues to focus on elevating developer productivity while introducing new capabilities for creating superior media experiences. The platform is designed to minimize battery impact and maximize app performance, all while maintaining a strong emphasis on user privacy and security.

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Employees tricked into downloading remote monitoring software

New research from Malwarebytes reveals that employees are being tricked into downloading remote monitoring and management tools like AnyDesk to open up back doors to corporate networks.

In a standard phishing technique potential victims are targeted via an email or SMS message, personalized to match their roles within the organization. The link in the email goes to what looks like a legitimate bank website with a link to open a chat support session.

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Get 'The Self-Taught Cloud Computing Engineer' (worth $35.99) for FREE

The Self-Taught Cloud Computing Engineer is an all-inclusive guide for IT professionals to master cloud computing concepts by building a broad and deep cloud knowledge base, developing hands-on cloud skills, and achieving professional cloud certifications.

If you’re a beginner with basic computer hardware and software understanding, this book provides the means to transitions into a cloud computing career. Starting with a focus on the Amazon cloud, you’ll be introduced to fundamental AWS cloud services, followed by advanced AWS cloud services in the domains of data, machine learning, and security.

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Kodi 21 'Omega' hits a big development milestone -- download it now! [Updated]

Watching Kodi TV

Kodi 21 -- codenamed 'Omega' -- is the next version of the hugely popular home theater software. The Kodi Foundation released the second beta version of the program two months ago, introducing a number of new features, fixes, and cleanups.

Today, a brand new build arrives, which will be much more appealing to those users seeking greater stability from the software.

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Microsoft pushes KB5034848 update so more people can try Windows 11 Moment 5

Windows 11 logo on a laptop

Anyone signed up to the Release Preview Channel has a little treat from Microsoft. The company has just released the KB5034848 update to Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2 giving the first proper look at what appears to be the Moment 5 update which is due for release later this year.

KB5034848 is a big update, bringing a host of new features to Windows 11. As well as fixing a series of problems with the operating system, the update also includes major improvements and additions to Voice Access, the arrival of WhatsApp support for sharing, and new suggestions in Snap Layouts.

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Unlocking business potential through outcome-based security [Q&A]

Traditionally, organizations have focused on measuring the results of their cyber security strategies in terms of threat events or security incidents to determine how effective their security controls are.

However, in today's fast-paced world, the real game-changer is aligning security outcomes with business objectives and this is where 'outcome-based security' plays a huge role. It's a shift in focus for organizations, but one which can empower security teams to add even greater value to the strategic goals of the business.

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Windows 11 users complain of taskbar, Start menu, and performance issues with KB5034765 update

Woman exasperated with laptop

If you were waiting for another problematic Windows update to brighten up your week, Microsoft has come up with the goods again.

The KB5034765 update was released for Windows 11 earlier this week and it seems to be causing more than its fair share of issues for a lot of people who have installed it. Microsoft is yet to acknowledge any problems, but users on Reddit have a litany of complaints.

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RIP DTP: Microsoft Publisher support is ending

Microsoft Publisher on laptop

After decades of service, Microsoft Publisher is reaching end of life and will be dropped from Microsoft 365. For fans of the desktop publishing tool, there's still time left on the clock.

And there is more good news. Microsoft says that it is "exploring modern ways to achieve other common Publisher scenarios across applications like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Designer".

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Google releases open source Magika content type detection tool on GitHub

Google has decided to make Magika open source, but what exactly is it? Well, it is an innovative AI-powered system that the search giant designed to revolutionize the way binary and textual file types are identified. Magika stands out for its ability to deliver precise file identification within milliseconds, even when operating on a CPU.

Magika employs a custom, highly optimized deep-learning model that has been meticulously designed and trained using Keras. This model is remarkably lightweight, weighing in at just about 1MB. For inference, Magika utilizes Onnx as an engine, ensuring that files are identified swiftly, almost as quickly as non-AI tools, even on a CPU.

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Lenovo collaborates with Anaconda to elevate ThinkStation and ThinkPad workstations for AI and ML advancements

Lenovo has announced a strategic partnership with Anaconda Inc., the leading provider of the world’s most popular artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and data science platform. This collaboration aims to empower Lenovo’s renowned ThinkStation and ThinkPad workstation product portfolio by integrating Anaconda’s enterprise strengths in open-source leadership, security, and reliability.

The partnership comes at a time when the world of AI, deep learning, and generative AI is rapidly evolving, presenting new opportunities for businesses and data scientists. With the majority of AI innovation driven by open-source software and cloud-based solutions, and Python being a leading software language for AI applications, there is a growing need for secure and cost-effective AI development solutions.

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Roku surpasses 80 million active accounts

Roku has achieved a significant milestone, boasting over 80 million active accounts worldwide! This achievement highlights the shifting consumer preference towards streaming, with Roku being at the forefront of this transformation.

In an unprecedented feat, Roku users streamed more than 100 billion hours of content in 2023, averaging a record 4.1 hours per day per account in the fourth quarter. In the United States, Roku's active account base now surpasses the combined subscribers of the six largest traditional pay-TV providers.

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Leveraging threat intelligence for regulatory compliance

The US Government recently announced that state-sponsored Chinese cyber group Volt Typhoon has compromised multiple critical infrastructure organizations’ IT networks in the US and is preparing “disruptive or destructive cyber attacks” against communications, energy, transport, water and waste water systems.

The announcement, which was supported by national cybersecurity agencies in Australia, Canada, UK, and New Zealand, is a sobering reminder that modern life relies on digital networks. From healthcare, banking, and socializing, to energy, water, local and national government -- everything has a digital aspect. But while digitization has delivered great leaps forward in convenience, speed, and efficiency, it has also introduced risk. Malicious forces wanting to disrupt economies, governments, and people, know that targeting digital networks is the quickest route to maximum cross-border disruption.

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Putting a value on open source -- how much is free software worth?

According to a new report by Harvard Business School and University of Toronto researchers,open source contributes trillions of dollars to the global economy. If you look at the direct supply-side valuation for widely used open source software, the valuation is $4.15billion. If you look at the demand-side figures, which cover all the indirect value generated by use of open source, open source software is worth $8.8trillion. When global gross domestic product for 2024 is estimated to be $109trillion, the value of open source comes into far sharper view.

Alongside this valuation, the report authors estimate that -- if open source did not exist -- companies would have to spend around 3.5 times more on their IT and technology investments to get the same results.

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Can Linux run on Nintendo’s ancient NES game console? Someone decided to try

Inspired by the age-old question, "Can it run Linux?", an intrepid YouTuber called DeCrAzYo successfully managed to get a "Unix-like" operating system up and running on that classic 1980s Nintendo games console, the NES. There was no cheating involved either. He didn't take any shortcuts by modifying the console's internal components or by sneaking a Raspberry Pi into the mix.

His goal was to have the operating system's code executed directly via the NES processor using no more hardware than a typical game cartridge would offer, and that's exactly what he managed.

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Ransomware declined in January -- but don't celebrate just yet

The latest ransomware report from GuidePoint Security shows a decline in activity in January compared to the final quarter of last year, with a drop in the total number of posted victims by 33 percent and 60 percent relative to December and November 2023.

However, this is consistent with the trends of January of 2022 and 2023, both of which also followed heightened Q4 activity from the previous year.

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