Microsoft acquires analytics startup Metanautix
Microsoft has announced that it has acquired Metanautix, a startup company that was developing its Quest data compute engine which aims to help large enterprises filter through their vast amounts of in-house data.
Metanautix, which was co-founded in 2012 by Theo Vassilakis and Toli Lerios, was launched in September 2014 after raising $7 million of funding after Quest had been two years in development.
If you installed this game from Google's Play Store, your Android phone may be infected!
While many detractors of iOS point to Apple's strict access to the App Store, others -- like me -- applaud it. While it might be harder to get an app approved for download in Apple's store, it is arguably more secure. Conversely, Google's Play Store can sometimes feel like the wild west. Sure, Apple's process is not infallible either, but many consider it to be the gold standard. Apple's stronger and more stringent screening process not only helps to block malicious apps, but weeds out low-quality offerings too. Overall, neither process is perfect.
Today, a startling discovery was made in the Google Play Store for Android. You see, a malicious app masquerading as a game made it past Google's security screeners, putting millions of users at risk. Had anti-malware company Lookout not discovered it, there is no telling how many Android users could have installed it.
Microsoft cops Talko for Skype stuff
Both Skype and Skype for Business (formerly known as Lync) are good communication tools. The standard Skype is particularly great for being cross-platform. You can depend on the software being available on all major platforms such as OS X, Windows, Android, Ubuntu, iOS and Windows Phone. Skype for Business is a solid business tool, focusing on not only communication, but sharing and collaboration too.
It is imperative that Microsoft continue to improve its Skype solutions -- "evolve or dissolve", as some say. In other words, the company cannot simply rest on its laurels. Well, today, Microsoft bought a company, Talko, to bolster its famed communication solutions. Yes, Talko, a mobile communication company, is being integrated into the Skype family.
Upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Pro using this product key
If you’re running Windows 10 Home and want to know whether it’s worth moving on to Windows 10 Pro, there’s a straightforward way of switching between the two versions of Microsoft’s latest operating system.
All you need to do is swap your current Windows 10 Home product key for the default Windows 10 Pro one which Microsoft has made available to all users.
Bvckup 2 is a hassle-free backup tool [Review]
Let’s face it, backups are pretty boring, which is probably the reason why they often get overlooked and people find themselves staring into the abyss of lost data. Part of the reason why so many of us hate backups is that the software used often seems to overcomplicate things with lots of options that many people never use.
Bvckup 2 aims to change all of this with a backup solution that’s clean, simple to use, elegant and fast. Produced by Swiss company Pipemetrics, Bvckup 2 is small -- the installer is less than 2MB in size - but packs in a surprising amount of sophistication.
Cortana for Android loses its raison d'être
When Cortana made its way to the Windows 10 desktop, lots of users were excited by the prospect of a Microsoft version of Siri. Moving to Android as well as Windows 10 Mobile devices, Cortana could really compete with not just Siri's voice control options, but also OK Google.
Now this has changed -- at least for Android users in the US. The latest update to the app strips out the voice activation options leaving users questioning whether or not there is any point in having the app installed.
What you need to know about VPNs
A virtual private network (VPN) brings additional security to anyone using a public network, such as the Internet. Using a variety of security methods, such as encryption, the VPN is able to safeguard any data transmitted across the network, which may be at risk if it simply used the underlying public network infrastructure.
VPNs are often employed when it would not be practical to use a physical private network, usually due to financial reasons. As businesses embrace mobile working and face increasing pressure to protect sensitive information, many are employing virtual private networks to improve their network security.
Get Driver Booster 3.1 PRO, worth $22.95, FREE at Downloadcrew Giveaway!
Are your PC’s drivers up-to-date? It’s not always easy to find out, but worth checking -- there could be a pile of performance enhancements and bug fixes just waiting to be installed.
IObit Driver Booster 3.1 PRO takes away all your driver management hassles by checking for new releases, downloading and installing driver updates, all with a single click.
Ericsson suckles on Apple's massive teat thanks to multi-billion dollar patent deal
Some companies innovate, while some imitate. Other businesses make money from patent deals. There is nothing wrong with protecting patents, but sometimes a company that truly moves the dial ends up paying a lesser company as a result.
The latest such case of this, is Ericsson signing a patent deal with Apple, ending years of legal battles. The latter company is forward-thinking and one of the most important tech companies in the world; the former, while important, is not on the same level as Apple. I am not saying Ericsson doesn't deserve to profit from Apple's arguable use of its patented technology, but the deal is yet another another example of a company seemingly suckling at Apple's massive teat.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 is a great iPad Air 2 alternative [Review]
Tablets are often seen as a consumer device, allowing you to update Facebook from the sofa while you watch TV, or catch up with iPlayer in bed. But they’re increasingly finding a place in the business world too, allowing mobile workers to catch up with emails or update documents on the move. They can also be a viable laptop replacement for tasks like making sales presentations.
The iPad remains popular, since it popularized the tablet format, but of late, Android devices have been catching up in terms of quality and capability. Samsung has long been one of the biggest players in the Android tablet market and its latest premium tablet, and the Galaxy Tab S2 is clear evidence of the company’s intention to park its tank on the iPad’s lawn. But how well does it succeed and what does it have to offer to tempt business users away from buying the Apple device?
Motorola Droid Turbo 2 can survive a 900ft drop, putting all other smartphones to shame
Modern phones are not designed to be durable. If you take a current-generation smartphone and you drop it, chances are you will end up with a shattered screen and a dent in the frame. Or, if you're not careful enough, it can develop massive scratches. Considering how expensive they can be to repair, it might be cheaper to just buy a replacement. We've been slowly eased into this, no doubt helped by carrier contracts which allow us to get a newer handset every two years or even sooner.
But not all modern phones are this fragile. Take Motorola's Droid Turbo 2 for example. It's a top-of-the-line smartphone, with a price lower than the typical players in that segment, but with a display that still works after the device is dropped from 900 feet. In fact, the handset itself looks pretty good after that, all this considered.
The enterprise trends of 2015
Businesses tend to be quite conservative in their approach to technology, so it's always interesting to look at what's been sparking their interest.
Identity and mobility management specialist Okta has released a new report, based on analysis of its customers, looking at the big winners and losers in the enterprise over the past year.
Shut down Windows 10 telemetry with Win10 Spy Disabler
Windows 10 brought us Cortana. Edge. A brand new Start Menu. Oh, and a host of new and extended ways for Microsoft to capture data on your activities.
Fortunately 2015 has also seen the growth of a whole new market for programs to turn these technologies off again, and Win10 Spy Disabler is the latest example.
Please, sir, I want some porn
UK consumers of porn will have to ask their ISP to provide them with access to X-rated content. As the government continues its futile bid to sanitize the web, new customers signing up for internet access with Sky will find that an adult content filter is enabled by default.
This means that anyone wanting to view content that has been deemed 'adult' will have to contact Sky to lift the block. The decision to make the content filter opt-out rather than opt-in was taken after it transpired that a mere 3 percent of existing users had taken the step of switching it on in the first year since its introduction in 2013.
New HTTP 451 error indicates pages have been blocked or censored
It's not every day that a new HTTP error code is introduced -- there are, after all, a limit to the number that could possibly be needed -- but it may not be long before you encounter a 451 error. The code has been made a new standard by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) to indicate when sites have been taken down for legal reasons.
Described as an 'HTTP Status Code to Report Legal Obstacles', it is hoped that 451 errors will introduce a new level of transparency about sites that have been killed by governments or law enforcement agencies. In some ways it is an extension of the 403 (Forbidden) error, but it provides a little more information as to why a particular site cannot be accessed.
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