Google Maps offers voice guidance for those with impaired vision
It can sometimes feel like technology is focused on the superficial, but there are constant technological advances that are improving lives too -- especially those with handicaps. For instance, a person unable to speak can be given a voice thanks to text to speech software, and a paralyzed person unable to walk can gain mobility by using an exoskeleton. Microsoft once helped a woman with Parkinson's Disease write again.
Today, Google is potentially improving the lives of people that are blind or have other visual impairments. You see, the Google Maps smartphone app for iOS and Android can now provide enhanced voice guidance for those with diminished or nonexistent sight. The search giant included one of its own employees -- a visually impaired business analyst named Wakana Sugiyama -- in the testing of the new feature.
Enhanced platform expands AIOps and multi-cloud monitoring
AIOps SaaS platform OpsRamp is launching an updated version that delivers enhancements to its OpsQ event management and intelligent correlation machine learning models.
In addition it introduces new multi-cloud infrastructure monitoring capabilities for Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform, along with new synthetics capabilities to improve digital customer experiences.
Fear and loathing in artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence inspires intrigue, fear and confusion in equal measure. But to thrive in the new era, organizations need to reduce the risks posed by AI and make the most of the opportunities it offers.
This is the conclusion of a new report from the Information Security Forum aimed at helping business and security leaders to better understand what AI is, identify the information risks posed and how to mitigate them, and explore opportunities around using AI in defense.
Emotet botnet comes back to life with new spam campaigns
The Emotet Botnet has started spreading several new spam campaigns again after a three-month break, according to research from Check Point.
Researchers first reported the notorious botnet taking a break in June 2019, but that the infrastructure had become active again in August. Some of the spam campaigns featured emails which contained a link to download a malicious Word file, and some contained the malicious document itself.
TP-Link brings Wi-Fi 6 to the masses with affordable Archer AX3000 and AX1500 802.11ax wireless routers
While 802.11ax (also known as Wi-Fi 6) is the future of wireless internet, it is currently too expensive for the typical home user. It just doesn’t make sense for many consumers to spend hundreds of dollars on a router, especially when there aren’t yet many devices that can take advantage of Wi-Fi 6.
Well, TP-Link is changing all that by bringing two new affordable Wi-Fi 6 routers to the market. These are priced shockingly low, starting at under $70. No, that is not a typo -- 802.11ax for less than 70 clams! This changes everything.
BullGuard launches new security tool for smaller businesses
Small businesses are frequently a target for attack because they lack the resources to protect their systems as effectively as larger enterprises.
BullGuard is addressing this problem with the launch of Small Office Security which provides robust endpoint protection for desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones, making it possible to safely on devices in the office, at home, or while hot desking or traveling.
UK tech startups confident of growth in spite of Brexit worries
A new survey of 100 business leaders in early stage, UK-based technology companies finds that 73 percent are confident or very confident they will increase their turnover in the coming 12 months.
Although this is seven percent down on the previous quarter, 79 percent say they intend to hire more staff (up six percent) and 66 percent hope to raise investment (up seven percent) according to the latest Tech Tracker report from Studio Graphene.
Issa Rae is the latest celebrity Google Assistant voice
Google is bringing the vocal talent of actress and comedian Issa Rae to Google Assistant.
As with the John Legend voicing, Rae is only making a cameo as an Assistant Voice, and will only speak up in response to certain commands and queries. She can be found piping up on iOS and Android handsets, as well other devices that support Google Assistant such as Next Hub and Google Home smartspeakers.
New solution speeds up identity verification for enterprises
Due to the potentially crippling effect of security breaches and data loss on both the bottom line and a brand’s reputation it's vital for organizations to protect their users.
Increasingly, identity management has become central to building seamless, secure digital engagement platforms, differentiating products, and winning long-term loyalty. However there can be a trade off between security and performance.
Leaked email shows Microsoft-owned GitHub renewing controversial ICE contract
GitHub will continue to sell software to ICE (the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency), a leaked memo shows.
Despite both Microsoft and the GitHub team having voiced concerns about some of the Trump administrations policies -- and disagreeing with them quite publicly -- the decision has been taken to renew a contract to supply ICE with a GitHub Enterprise Server license.
Apple Store now selling Microsoft Xbox One controller
The Apple Store is selling Microsoft hardware. Let me repeat. The Apple Store is selling Microsoft hardware! It's crazy, but true. Starting today, you can buy the Xbox One controller from Apple's online store. The world has seemingly gone mad these days, as this news follows Microsoft's announcement that it will use the Linux-based Android for its upcoming smartphone -- the Surface Duo.
Why would an Apple user want such a thing? It is quite simple -- the Bluetooth Xbox One controller is compatible with Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. With Apple Arcade now available to all, it makes sense for Apple to offer up such a wonderful controller to its customers.
New threat monitoring service helps businesses protect their digital footprint
Traditional cyber defenses are designed to protect assets that exist within an organization's network. But with the growth of the cloud, IoT and more, assets now extend far beyond the network perimeter, increasing the risk of exposure or theft.
FireEye is launching a Digital Threat Monitoring tool that automatically collects and analyzes content on the dark and open web, alerting defenders whenever a potential threat is detected.
Now is the time to embrace Just-in-Time learning
End user adoption of enterprise software, such as the highly prevalent Office 365, should be a top priority for any IT organization. However, it can sometimes be hard to achieve max adoption through the use of traditional training or eLearning methods alone, which take employees away from their daily tasks for lengthy education sessions. Instead, companies could benefit from implementing tools and policies capable of providing "Just-in-Time Learning" (JITL) that provide workers with answers to their technology questions within their normal workflow. JITL addresses the performance and training needs of the modern technology-focused workplace and the stringent, on-demand information requirements of a rising millennial workforce.
Staying on top of training can be arduous, especially when we consider worldwide spending on information technology is expected to reach near-$4 trillion by the end of 2019 (Gartner). That’s a lot of new tech for employees to learn and leverage, just to get their jobs done. What’s more is that traditional training methods can quickly monopolize annual budgets. In fact, average training expenditures for large companies increased from $17 million in 2017 to $19.7 million in 2018 alone.
Virgin Voyages cruise line lets you order champagne by shaking your phone
I'm not a rich man, but I appreciate the finer things in life. For instance, going on cruises is one of my favorite things -- I love to be treated like an important person by the ship's staff for a week or so. I can feel unremarkable for the rest of the year.
Speaking of traveling by sea, Virgin Voyages is a new cruise line from British billionaire Sir Richard Branson. So far, he only has a single ship, but he will undoubtedly expand that if it proves popular. Today, Virgin Voyages announces a fancy feature for those that book travel on its ship -- you can order champagne by shaking your smartphone!
Avoiding expense overpayments in the NHS
With increasing innovation and investment in technology, the UK's National Health Service, the NHS, is currently in the throes of real digital transformation. The move to a paperless NHS is one part of the process that has been well documented but so have the doubts about when it will happen. While many industry voices agree that the NHS needs to cut out the paper, drive efficiencies and harness digital technology, there is a lack of consensus around when this will be achieved -- estimations vary from 2020 to 2027.
However, it’s important to put this into context. As the nation’s single biggest employer, with 1.7 million workers across the UK, the NHS is the fifth-largest workforce in the world. With this size and scale comes a myriad of processes which all need to be automated and digitized, especially for back office functions such as HR and payroll.
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