data overload

Can IT rise above the data deluge?

Data center teams face one crisis after another, but at least one has remained constant over recent years. The tidal wave of data, especially related to the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data, continues to grow at phenomenal rates, threatening to overwhelm operations for many enterprises. IT teams are struggling to keep their heads above this deluge of digital information, scale storage and processing resources to handle the data, and simultaneously provide the ubiquitous connectivity required for today's Internet of Things.

Fortunately, data center equipment providers have been evolving the data center foundations. IT and facilities teams have the life vests and rafts that they need, if they know how to use them.

By Jeff Klaus -
cloud security

New cloud framework addresses data privacy concerns

Data privacy is a growing concern and a number of countries including Germany, France and Russia have recently adopted new data protection regulations to protect their citizens' information.

Add in regulations like HIPAA and FINRA in the US and it's clear that businesses need to have an infrastructure to meet the various requirements or face possible legal consequences.

By Ian Barker -
BitdefenderAdwareRemovalTool200-175

Bitdefender Adware Removal Tool updated to remove Superfish

Bitdefender has announced that its stand-alone Bitdefender Adware Removal Tool has been updated to remove the Superfish root certificate, while also "disinfecting drivers or executables that have been affected by the malware".

It’s not even a week since news broke that the adware had been bundled on Lenovo systems for some time, and already bigger scares are appearing, but if you’ve not yet checked your computer for problems then the new build does at least make it very easy.

By Mike Williams -
students celebrating

Students worldwide: check your eligibility for free Microsoft Office

Microsoft has been a tireless proponent of education -- the company has many schools on its operating system and Office suite, sometimes at very big discounts. But the best discount of all is always "free", which is exactly what some students will pay for Office. The software giant has even instituted a way for students to check their eligibility.

This comes on the heels of New York City announcing that its students and teachers will be running Microsoft's Office programs. The city isn't alone either, as many other educational bastions move to the platform.

By Alan Buckingham -
Win-Q1000-Product-Page-Banner

More affordable Windows Phone 8.1 devices are coming from Kazam, TrekStor and Xolo

The vast majority of consumers who embrace Windows Phone buy low-end smartphones, so it should not come as a surprise to see manufacturers launching even more inexpensive devices running the tiled operating system. After all, as I said a few months back, Windows Phone is synonymous with the low-end.

The latest such offerings come from Kazam, TrekStor and Xolo, vendors which may not have established brands across the globe, but which are better known in their home markets, UK, Germany and India respectively, for their affordable solutions.

By Mihăiță Bamburic -
Java code

Machine learning speeds up web application load times

The increase in web application use means that we're loading more code than ever into our browsers. According to httparchive, the amount of JavaScript used by the top 100 websites has almost tripled in the last three years whilst HTML has almost doubled. This has performance implications because larger page-sizes mean end users have to wait significantly longer for web pages to load.

California-based cloud delivery service Instart Logic is hoping to improve things with the launch of SmartSequence, a new technology that employs machine learning to optimize how HTML and JavaScript code is loaded in browsers.

By Ian Barker -
Android One

Android One handsets start receiving Lollipop update in India

Google has finally begun to seed out Android Lollipop, the latest update to its mobile operating system, to Android One handsets in India. In a post on Google+, the Android maker notes that all of the three Android One handsets in the country -- Karbonn Sparkle V, Micromax Canvas A1, and Spice Dream UNO -- should be able to snag the update any time now. The update is rolling out in a gradual way so it may take a while before it hits your handset, the company notes.

Announced at the Google I/O event last year, Android One is an initiative by the Mountain View-based company wherein it makes cheap-Android smartphones with reasonably decent hardware specification for consumers living in emerging markets, starting with India. Priced at $100, the handset doesn’t require carrier’s approval and push to receive the new software release, as it directly gleans it from Google.

By Manish Singh -
DriverBackup200-175

View, back up and restore PC drivers with DriverBackup!

The average PC user doesn’t need to pay much attention to device drivers, these days, and that’s probably a good thing. Windows supports most devices natively, locates plenty of drivers on its own, and a driver disc (or a download) should add support for everything else.

If you’re managing a lot of systems, though -- or maybe you’d like to skip the usual driver installers and their unwanted extras -- then you might want to simplify the process with the open-source DriverBackup!.

By Mike Williams -
Cloud fail

UK businesses don't all have their heads in the cloud

Although as we reported last week more businesses are turning to the cloud it seems that some UK companies are lagging behind the trend.

According to a new Service Provider and Performance Satisfaction survey by audit and accounting specialist KPMG 71 percent of UK organizations are spending 10 percent, or less, of their IT budget on cloud services.

By Ian Barker -
No sex on Blogger please, we're Google

No sex on Blogger please, we're Google

Blogger users risk having their blogs removed from public listings if they feature graphic nudity or explicit content. Starting on March 23, any Blogger blog found to contain offending pictures or videos will be converted into a private blog that can only be seen by the owner and those, erm, explicitly invited to see it.

Google emphasizes that no content will be deleted from blogs created before March 23, 2015, but is encouraging blog owners to take action. It's a different story for any blog set up after this date.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
mobile-security

Securing enterprise mobile systems [Q&A]

The use of mobile devices for business presents a new set of challenges both for IT departments and the broader enterprise. This is leading many companies to turn to enterprise mobility management (EMM) solutions to secure their data and devices.

But how effective are enterprises at looking after mobile data and how will they need to adapt to the needs of new legislation? We spoke to Ryan Spence, Director of Enterprise Mobility Management for managed service company MOBI to find out.

By Ian Barker -
Audi-smartwatch

A third of Brits embarrassed by wearables

Over a third of the people in the UK would feel embarrassed or self-conscious if they wore wearable tech as it currently appears, new research has found. As a result, businesses and app developers are being urged to do more if they want to improve uptake

The study was conducted by the UK mobile app developer Apadmi to form part of its new report looking into the public’s view of wearable technology, such as smart glasses, watches and fitness trackers.

By Sead Fadilpašić -
money war hand exchange

Google Wallet declares war on Apple Pay -- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile join fight

Google Wallet far predates Apple Pay, but even with the head start, the Android-owner has failed to impact the mobile-payment market. Meanwhile, the fruit-logo company has made a serious dent, gaining the support of many partners. Even in popular culture, Apple Pay is featured in many TV commercials, while the average consumer probably has no idea what Google Wallet even is.

Today this changes, as Google announces a strategic agreement with AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile to pre-load Wallet on all Android handsets. Clearly, this is a declaration of war against Apple Pay, but can Google realistically win?

By Brian Fagioli -
Twitter lends its support to Net Neutrality campaign

Twitter lends its support to Net Neutrality campaign

Many prominent groups and figures have given their backing to the fight for net neutrality. Today Twitter reveals why it supports the proposals put forward by the FCC chairman Tom Wheeler, just a few days ahead of a vote that will decide whether they will be adopted by the FCC. The aim is to "protect the open Internet as a place for innovation and free expression".

Twitter's public policy manager, Will Carty, says that protecting the open architecture of the internet is essential for the US to remain competitive and to allow freedom of speech. He says that providing a voice to those who would not otherwise have a platform is at the heart of Twitter, and this is just one of the reasons for supporting the net neutrality proposals.

By Sofia Elizabella Wyciślik-Wilson -
Internet_of_Things_fridge_contentfullwidth Internet of Things IoT

Internet of Things can change our daily lives -- but without identity it's just noise

As the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) wrapped up in Las Vegas last month, one thing became abundantly clear: 2015 is going to be a big year for connected devices. From toothbrushes that can schedule check-ups with dentists to yoga mats that can analyze poses in real-time, 3,000+ companies launched more than 20,000 new products at CES this year.

Collectively referred to as the "Internet of Things" (IoT), this concept of connected devices is obviously nothing new. In fact, Gartner predicts that the number of Internet-connected devices will inflate to more than 25 billion by the year 2020.

By Victor White -
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