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In an unexpected turn of events, Apple has toppled Samsung from its long-held position as the leader of the smartphone market. This marks the first time since 2010 that a company other than Samsung has clinched the top spot. The 2023 landscape of consumer electronics saw Apple reaching an unprecedented market share, signaling a significant power shift in the industry.

Despite global smartphone shipments falling by 3.2% to 1.17 billion units in 2023, Apple's rise to prominence is a clear indicator of the market's rapid evolution. This decline, the most considerable in a decade, is attributed to macroeconomic challenges and high inventory levels at the year's start. However, a rebound is on the horizon, with the latter half of 2023 showing promising growth and setting the stage for a potential recovery in 2024. The fourth quarter of 2023 alone witnessed an 8.5% year-over-year growth, surpassing the forecasted 7.3%.

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Microsoft is set to pull the plug on Windows 10 in the near future, leaving people with the choice of upgrading to Windows 11, or hanging on for the inevitable follow up, which is expected to be Windows 12.

Although Microsoft hasn't officially announced that next-gen operating system yet, it has dropped plenty of hints, and rumors suggest we might see Windows 12 arrive sooner rather than later. If you’re wondering what the new OS might look like, we have an idea.

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Xiaomi has officially launched its Redmi Note 13 Series at an event in Bangkok, Thailand. The series introduces five new devices: Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G, Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G, Redmi Note 13 Pro, Redmi Note 13 5G, and Redmi Note 13. These models aim to bridge the gap between mid-range and high-end smartphones, offering various enhancements in camera systems, design, display, and processing capabilities.

The Redmi Note 13 Series emphasizes camera improvements, particularly in the Pro models (Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G, Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G, and Redmi Note 13 Pro), which feature a 200MP camera with optical image stabilization (OIS). This camera system includes 2x/4x lossless zoom, a large 1/1.4" sensor, and enhanced image processing capabilities. The base models, Redmi Note 13 5G and Redmi Note 13, come equipped with a 108MP main camera and offer various camera filters. All devices in the series incorporate Xiaomi's Imaging Engine, aiming to improve computational photography and image processing.

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In recent years, enterprises have increasingly turned to low-code and no-code platforms in order to streamline their development processes.

With the introduction of AI, this sector is evolving even faster and Wing To, general manager of Intelligent DevOps at Digital.ai, believes this needs organizations to develop a cautious approach. We spoke to him to find out why.

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Despite complaints from many football fans, the NFL's first-ever exclusively live-streamed playoff game, hosted on Peacock, has apparently set new records. The Kansas City Chiefs, led by two-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, triumphed over the Miami Dolphins with a score of 26-7, in what was the fourth-coldest NFL game ever recorded. This historic event took place in front of a crowd of over 71,000 fans, marking a significant milestone for both the NFL and Peacock.

The Peacock Exclusive AFC Wild Card Game reached a staggering 27.6 million total viewers, according to Nielsen data. The game peaked with 24.6 million viewers in the second quarter, and set a new U.S. record as the most-streamed event with an average audience of approximately 23.0 million viewers across various platforms. This surge in digital viewership represents a 6 percent increase from the previous year's primetime AFC Wild Card Game.

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Transcend has announced the launch of its new portable SSD lineup. The series includes five models: ESD410C, ESD360C, ESD330C, ESD320A, and ESD265C. Each model boasts unique features and designs, aimed at a diverse consumer base.

The ESD410C model stands out with its USB 20Gbps transfer rate, 4TB storage capacity, and a design that meets MIL-STD-810G standards for durability. This makes it suitable for professionals who require high-speed data transfers and a rugged storage solution.

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This year marks a pivotal moment in digital marketing. With Google Chrome recently initiating the phase-out of third-party cookies, impacting 1 percent of its users to start, a major shift is underway.

This change is particularly significant given that three-quarters of marketers currently use third-party cookies to design and implement their marketing campaigns. This begs the question: how will companies navigate this transition effectively? Fortunately, there are promising solutions to redefine marketing in this new era. Businesses don’t have to suffer a death by a thousand cuts in terms of the slow but steady decline in the utility of cookies. But to avoid it, there are a few steps that IT teams should take to help their organizations prepare.

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Love it or hate it -- and it is something that has proved incredibly polarizing -- AI is here to stay for the foreseeable future. Microsoft is just one of a stream of tech firm investing heavily in the technology, and this includes the introduction of its AI-power assistant Copilot in both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Copilot has already shown itself to be controversial and divisive, but a recent announcement by Microsoft caused such ripples that the company has been forced to go on the defensive. Plans to have Copilot launch automatically in Windows 11 elicited a vocal response from some corners of the internet, compelling Microsoft to issue an additional statement.

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Microsoft has released its first update to PowerToys for 2024. With the release of PowerToys v0.77.0 the team behind the software has started a new development cycle that focuses not only on stability and improvements but also the new features users so crave.

And, sure enough, this release includes a brand-new Command Not Found module -- and it's an absolute must for PowerShell users. Elsewhere there are loads of fixes, updates and a handful of new features.

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Lexar has announced a huge collaboration with Silicon Motion. This partnership combines Lexar’s expertise in storage products with an advanced controller chip from Silicon Motion. The controller features a USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface and four NAND channels, catering to the needs of users demanding high performance with low power consumption.

Lexar plans to introduce two new portable solid state drive (PSSD) products. These products, ARMOR 700 and SL500, boast not only impressive technical specifications but also enhanced durability and compatibility.

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Belkin has introduced an innovative accessory into its lineup -- the Auto-Tracking Stand Pro, compatible with DockKit. This product features silent, motorized camerawork capabilities, using the iPhone's built-in camera coupled with DockKit's automated subject tracking technology. This allows for an immersive 360-degree pan and 90-degree tilt functionality, keeping subjects in focus and frame during movement.

Melody Tecson, Belkin’s vice president of product management, highlighted the unique aspects of this new product. "The Stand Pro is unlike any other Belkin product we’ve created. It blends premium Belkin quality with impressively responsive robotics and advanced subject tracking technology. With DockKit, we aim to offer content creators a product that simplifies and enhances the creation process.”

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It can be a challenging proposition to navigate your first 30 days as CISO. You have the responsibility of securing an entire company on your shoulders, and you know that without robust security infrastructure and processes, the organization is exposed to external threats, service restrictions and degradation, and insider risk.

To effectively guide your organization’s security posture, tackle your first 30 days with a strategic mindset and focus on the following three key priorities: taking in information, identifying quick wins, and implementing robust processes.

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In 2017, WannaCry caused significant disruption to the UK public and private sector. The disruption highlighted vulnerabilities within corporate and government systems, most notably within the UK. It impacted hospitals, healthcare facilities and social care, causing operations and admissions to be cancelled, delayed, or postponed.

The attack exposed a lack of robust cyber security measures, failings in basic IT administration and emphasized the importance of investing in strong defenses to safeguard critical public infrastructure. It prompted a renewed focus on cyber security within the UK and initiated efforts to enhance resilience against future cyber threats.

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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.

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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.

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