Google Store sent me kicking and screaming back to Apple
Part 1 of three. Google Store's bureaucratic ineptitude is beyond belief. My recent, unresolved customer crisis is an experience in artificial unintelligence. For a parent company whose core competency is supposed to be indexing, crunching, and disseminating information, it's inconceivable that something so simple as fixing a single order error could escalate into a tragically comic Catch-22. I should have abandoned all efforts long before reaching the point of penning this post and looking back to the Apple Way.
To summarize: I received the wrong Pixel phone nearly a month ago. Google Store struggled to process a return authorization, because the device in hand didn't match the one in the order. I eventually agreed to keep the thang, so long as the retailer could transfer the extended warranty -- so-called "Preferred Care" -- that I had paid for. But the process proved to be complicated, then necessity, after I unexpectedly needed to file a damage claim. You'll have to read on for the sordid punchline, but suffice to say it all ends in a comedy of compounding errors.
Sector 5 launches affordable E3 Chromebook
For many consumers, Windows 10 is total overkill. If most (or all) of your tasks are web-based, a Chromebook is probably a much better option. After all, the Linux-based Chrome OS is fast and stable, while also being extremely secure. Why bother with all the malware and lag of Windows if you don’t have to?
Today, a company called Sector 5 launches a new Chromebook model. Called "E3," it has an attractive design, decent specs, plenty of ports, and an affordable asking price. Best of all, it supports both Android apps and traditional Linux desktop programs too.
Phishing emails with .com payloads target finance departments
There has been an increase in the use of .com extensions in phishing emails that target financial service departments, according to a new analysis.
In October alone, anti-phishing company Cofense Intelligence analyzed 132 unique samples with the .com extension, compared to only 34 samples analyzed in the nine months before. Four different malware families were utilized.
Zoho boosts its CRM capability with AI
Business software specialist Zoho is launching the latest version of its Zoho CRM Plus suite, an all-in-one customer experience package that enables sales, marketing, customer support, and operations teams to work as one.
Using Zia, Zoho's intelligent assistant, and Zoho Analytics, the company's business intelligence and reporting engine, the package helps users to understand customer sentiments, provide better experiences across channels, and enable actions to keep customers content throughout their journey -- all from one place.
91 percent see hybrid cloud as the ideal model
Enterprise cloud use is increasing, with with 91 percent naming hybrid cloud as the ideal IT model, yet only 18 percent say they have that model today.
This is one of the findings of a new study by Nutanix to create the first of what is planned to be a global Enterprise Cloud Index, measuring enterprise plans for adopting private, hybrid and public clouds.
New software capability helps manage third-party cyber risks
With digital transformation enabling supply chains to become ever more integrated, businesses no longer have to worry just about the risks posed by their own systems, they must consider those they are connected to as well.
Vendor monitoring solution RiskRecon is launching a new tool that enables enterprises to automatically produce assessments and action plans based on their unique risk requirements, allowing risk professionals to easily understand and act on their third-party risk.
deepin 15.8 Linux distribution available for download -- replace Windows 10 now!
As more and more people wake up to the fact that Windows 10 is a giant turd lately, computer users are exploring alternatives, such as Linux-based operating systems. First impressions can be everything, so when searching for a distribution, it is important that beginners aren't scared off by bewildering installers or ugly and confusing interfaces.
Linux "n00bs" often opt for Ubuntu, and while that is a good choice, there are far more pretty and intuitive options these days. One such operating system that I recommend often is deepin. Why? It is drop-dead gorgeous and easy to use. It is guaranteed to delight the user, and its intuitive interface will certainly impress. Today, the newest version of the excellent Linux distro, deepin 15.8, becomes available for download.
Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ launches! 1.4GHz 64-bit quad-core processor, dual-band wireless LAN, and just $25
The Raspberry Pi was very much inspired by the BBC Micro -- a popular British computer of the 1980s. The BBC Micro was available in Model A and B forms, and shortly after the Raspberry Pi Foundation introduced the original Pi 1 Model B+ in 2014, it followed it up with a cut-down A+ model.
It didn’t offer an A+ version for the Pi 2 or 3 unfortunately, but today, it finally rights that wrong and brings back the popular bare-bones system’s smaller brother.
How to get Windows 10 19H1's gorgeous Light theme wallpaper now
Microsoft rolled out a new Windows 10 19H1 build earlier today, and the standout new feature is a Light theme -- the perfect antidote for those who don’t really like the dark themes that seem to be everywhere nowadays.
As well as the theme itself, the build comes with a new, Light default wallpaper. If you don’t want to install a potentially buggy Insider build (like the original Windows 10 October 2018 Update), and you don’t want to wait until next spring when the 19H1 update is set to arrive, the good news is you can get the wallpaper now -- and in resolutions of up to 4K.
Fix for Windows 10 file association problem now in testing
Microsoft has finally fixed many of the myriad problems with the botched Windows 10 October 2018 Update, but one issue it hasn’t yet addressed, is the one to do with file associations.
With this problem, Windows fails to remember which programs you want to use to open certain files with by default. This was a problem Insiders reported to Microsoft back in May, but which -- like the file deletion issue -- got missed. The company previously announced that it is working on a fix, which it hopes to roll out by the end of the month.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 19H1 Build 18282, with new Light theme and new wallpaper
Microsoft has finally begun to roll out a new, and hopefully improved version of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, meaning it once again only has the one major feature update in development.
Today the software giant releases Build 18282 on the 19H1 branch, and introduces some interesting new features. For 2018 most software companies have been giving us dark themes. For its next feature update, due out in spring 2019, Microsoft will be introducing a Light alternative.
Kingston unveils IronKey D300S hardware-encrypted 'serialized' USB flash drive
About two years ago, Kingston launched the IronKey D300 USB Flash Drive. This drive was extremely impressive, as it featured FIPS 140-2 Level 3 256-bit AES-XTS hardware encryption.
Today, Kingston takes the drive to another level. The D300S, as it is called, is essentially the same exact drive, but now, it has a serial number and barcode on the body. This will make it easier for a company to manage the drives, saving both money and time. It is also getting a new software keyboard for safer decryption, hopefully protecting from hidden keyloggers.
PDF24 Creator 8.7 adds a quick-display PDF reader
There are some tasks we take for granted. One of these is creating and sending PDF files when issuing invoices or providing documents in a readable format you know will be accessible by most users.
With Windows, you can use the built-in Print to PDF function, or save the document as a PDF in Microsoft Word. Similarly, whenever you print any document in macOS you can choose to save the file as a PDF.
These are all the fixes in the NEW Windows 10 October 2018 Update
Yesterday, Microsoft began re-releasing the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (aka Windows 10 1809), with a string of fixes. This time around, the software giant advises waiting until you’re offered the new update, rather than forcing the install, which is a wise move. There’s no guarantee you won't encounter issues after installing it if your system isn’t fully compatible.
While I disagree with my colleague Brian Fagioli’s description of Windows 10 as a "smelly turd", there’s no question that the October 2018 Update was something of a mess, and released without proper quality control. The latest iteration of the update fixes a large number of problems (all of which should have been addressed before its initial release), and if you installed it first time around, you’ll want to grab the update as quickly as possible. This is what’s different in this release.
SnapLogic launches self-service machine learning platform
Increasing numbers of organizations are interested in the opportunities offered by machine learning, but their efforts are often hindered by a lack of data science talent.
California-based SnapLogic is launching a new self-service solution to help break down the barriers to implementing machine learning.
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