Cuddle up with Ubuntu Linux 18.10 Cosmic Cuttlefish Beta now!
Just yesterday, we shared with you the official Ubuntu Linux 18.10 Cosmic Cuttlefish wallpaper. And yeah, while it looks cool, it's not as exciting as, say, a Beta release of the upcoming operating system. Today, that is exactly what we get.
If you like to run pre-release Linux-based operating systems for fun -- which I do -- you can download the ISO immediately. With Ubuntu, these late-stage Beta releases are usually very stable. After all, the final version will drop next month. So while you should install it at your own risk, I would say you are probably safe with it.
Best Windows 10 apps this week
Three-hundred-and-two in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Windows Store in the past seven days.
The next feature update for Windows 10 is just around the corner. Windows 10 version 1809 may be released as early as October 2, 2018. Microsoft has not yet confirmed the date but most experts believe that the feature update will be released on that day.
As always, if I've missed an app or game that has been released this week that you believe is particularly good, let me know in the comments below or notify me via email.
Consumer Reports now recommends Microsoft Surface laptops -- apart from Surface Go with its 'lag'
Last year Consumer Reports stripped Microsoft Surface laptops of its coveted "recommended" status because of concerns about reliability. But now the badge of honor has been restored, with the publication saying: "Microsoft's reliability is now on par with most other laptop brands".
While the vast majority of the Surface laptop range is now recommended by Consumer Reports, the Surface Go is not. The reason for this is that in lab tests, the device's performance was found to be subpar.
Microsoft is sending Skype classic to the software graveyard in November
The death of Skype classic (or Skype 7.0 if you prefer) was reported a number of weeks ago, but after angry and emotional outpourings from users, Microsoft said that it would (slightly) extended its life. Now the company has revealed the new execution dates.
Dates is plural because the killing off of Skype classic is going to be a two-step process. The desktop version is first for the chop on November 1, with the mobile versions following a little later.
3 questions startup founders should ask about data privacy
Modern startups are awash in information, from real-time customer insights collected via mobile applications to employee data received through online portals.
Founders are constantly making decisions about where to invest, when to hire, how to hire and, most importantly, how to grow. In the rush to cultivate clients and consider business scalability, many startups may fail to truly appreciate the immense responsibility that comes with gathering and storing data in the current digital environment, a place where cybercriminals roam and users are painfully aware of the risks that come with sharing private information online.
Your future vacation: Brought to you by AI-assisted travel planning
Thirty years ago, those of us who wanted to go on vacation or just visit friends and family for a weekend had to go through a travel agent to make arrangements. Then came the internet, and with it the launch of online travel agencies like Orbitz and Expedia, which enabled customers to research, find, and book their own vacations for the first time. Soon after that, the emergence of new "sharing economy" companies like AirBnB and VRBO transformed the travel industry by leading customers to consider new destinations and accommodations outside of a traditional hotel -- or B&B. Given how the pace of transformation has accelerated, the travel planning industry is ripe for another major transition to AI (Artificial Intelligence)-assisted travel planning.
The rise of the sharing economy, combined with increased household net worth and persistently low airfares led to record summer travel, with more than a quarter of a billion travels -- the most in TSA history. Given how the pace of transformation has accelerated, the travel planning industry is ripe for another major transition to AI-assisted travel planning.
Canonical unveils the official Ubuntu Linux 18.10 'Cosmic Cuttlefish' wallpaper
Twice a year, a new version of Ubuntu is released -- in April and October. We are currently in September, meaning a new release is just around the corner. As per normal naming guidelines (YY.MM), it will be version 18.10. In addition to a number, Canonical assigns a fun name too -- based on an animal, alphabetically, preceded by a word that starts with the same letter. In this case, Ubuntu 18.04 is using the letter "C." What is it called? Cosmic Cuttlefish.
The name and version number is only part of the tradition, however, In addition, Canonical releases a special wallpaper based on the name. The animal is often a line drawing with the background using the classic Ubuntu magenta/orange gradient color. Today, on Twitter, Canonical unveils the official Cosmic Cuttlefish wallpaper.
ESET launches cloud-based security management solution for SMBs
Smaller businesses are not immune to cyber security threats, but they often don't have the budgets or staffing resources to deal with them.
To address this, endpoint security specialist ESET is launching a new cloud-based remote security management solution specifically designed for the IT security challenges faced by SMBs.
Security is developers' top concern for open source components
Developers rate security as their top concern when dealing with open source components, above integration and functionality, according to a new study.
The report from open source security and license compliance management company WhiteSource reveals that an average developer invests 15 hours a month dealing with open source security vulnerabilities, but only a small fraction of that time (25 percent) is devoted to actual remediation.
End-user performance monitoring in the cloud and multi-cloud era
Online shoppers weren’t the only ones encountering dog images on this year’s Amazon Prime Day. Amazon Web Services (AWS) -- which supports thousands of websites globally -- experienced its own problems, as businesses attempting to access their management consoles also got puppy images.
These issues may have slipped under the radar, but they were significant -- reinforcing, once again, that even the most reputable service providers can and do experience outages (sometimes at the most inopportune times). The companies using them need to take proactive, diligent steps to insulate themselves.
Schools should offer formal information security classes
Digital threats are evolving fast and that leads to increasing demand for security professionals to tackle them. A new report from AI-driven security company Lastline looks at how existing practitioners feel about education in their field.
Among the findings are that 85.5 percent of infosec professionals believe that US schools should offer more formal classes in the field.
Apple's Device Enrollment Program can leak sensitive information about devices and their owners
Security researchers have discovered an issue with the Device Enrollment Program used by Apple to allow organizations to manage their MacBooks and iPhones. Duo Security says that using nothing more than a serial number, it is possible to gain access to sensitive data about enrolled devices and their owners.
It is even possible to enroll new devices that can then access Wi-Fi passwords, VPN configurations and more. Apple was alerted to the issue way back in May, but has not done anything about it as the company does not regard it as a vulnerability.
The changing network security landscape
The adoption of the cloud and as-a-service delivery models means that the company network, which was once a closed environment, has now expanded into a range of other areas.
Alongside this expansion comes a new range of risks and a new study from cloud-delivered security specialist ProtectWise in conjunction with Osterman Research looks at the latest network security challenges and how they are being met.
You can pre-order System76's Linux-powered open source 'Thelio' computer next month
When you buy a System76 computer today, you aren't buying a machine manufactured by the company. Instead, the company works with other makers to obtain laptops, which it then loads with a Linux-based operating system -- Ubuntu or its own Pop!_OS. There's nothing really wrong with this practice, but still, System76 wants to do better. The company is currently working to manufacture its own computers ("handcrafted") right here in the USA! By doing this, System76 controls the entire customer experience -- software, service, and hardware.
Today, the company announces that the fruits of its labor -- an "open-source computer" -- will be available to pre-order in October. Now, keep in mind, this does not mean the desktop will be available next month. Hell, it may not even be sold in 2018. With that said, pre-ordering will essentially allow you to reserve your spot. To celebrate the upcoming computer, System76 is launching a clever animated video marketing campaign.
Fortnite Season 6: Darkness Rises is here!
Today is the day -- the new season of Fortnite has arrived! With the arrival of Fortnite Season 6: Darkness Rises and the V6.00 patch, Epic Games put its servers into maintenance mode in preparation.
There's a lot to look forward to in Battle Royale and in the new Battle Pass -- new locations, pets, the power of invisibility and more. 950 V-Bucks gives you access to 100 levels and over 100 new rewards, new Shadows Stones consumables and an updated map.
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