UK companies look overseas to bridge the IT skills gap
With digital transformation projects currently flavor of the month, businesses are facing increasing difficulties in finding the talent needed to carry them out.
A new study of UK IT leaders by cloud and networking company Interoute finds 96 percent believe that the cost of professionals with expertise in digital transformation is higher than for other IT initiatives, and nearly half (48 percent) see the skills shortage as a problem.
Xiaomi announces Mi Notebook Pro, new rival for 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro
Xiaomi last year decided to take on Apple in the laptop market, introducing the Notebook Air as a rival to the MacBook and MacBook Air. And today, Xiaomi announces its answer to the 15-inch MacBook Pro as well: the new Mi Notebook Pro.
Xiaomi has applied its usual recipe for the Mi Notebook Pro, creating an alternative to the 15-inch MacBook Pro that is significantly less expensive but still really well equipped for this segment. So, what does it have to offer?
Carbon Black launches streaming protection against ransomware
Ransomware remains one of the most serious threats to organizations of all sizes, but traditional signature-based detection methods can struggle to identify the latest attacks.
Endpoint security company Carbon Black is launching its latest Cb Defense next-generation anit virus (NGAV) solution using 'Streaming Ransomware Protection' designed to detect and prevent attacks, even if the ransomware employs fileless techniques or unknown tactics.
Xiaomi announces Mi Mix 2 flagship smartphone
Featuring a massive edge-to-edge display and high-end internals, the Mi Mix was perhaps the most impressive smartphone that Xiaomi released last year. Things are no different with the newly-announced Mi Mix 2, which uses the same recipe in terms of design and performance, but packs everything in a more manageable package.
The Mi Mix 2 makes the transition to a 5.99-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, which is substantially smaller than the 6.4-inch screen used on the original model. The "chin" is also smaller, by 12 percent, says Xiaomi. Overall, the smaller footprint should make it a more attractive proposition in today's market compared to its predecessor.
Microsoft has finally fixed some game performance issues in Windows 10 Creators Update
Although Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is only just around the corner, Microsoft is still fixing problems with the current Creators Update. The update still may not yet have rolled out to everyone, but there have been plenty of complaints about gaming performance.
Some five months ago, users started to complain about a drop in framerate and stuttering performance in a number of popular games. Microsoft has now finally acknowledged that there is a problem, and has issued a fix for one of the issues.
Keep up with the latest terms and conditions or risk contract breaches
Software providers increasingly refer to general, standardized conditions on their website in their contracts. Oracle is a good example of this. In the case of cloud software, there is a reference to an URL for almost all conditions. It goes without saying that you read the online terms before you sign a new whale of a contract.
Only then you know exactly how you are entitled to use the software you purchase. However, it is equally important to monitor the online terms after signing the contract.
Twitter is testing a tweetstorm feature to allow for longer tweets
There are two features that Twitter users constantly ask for -- the ability to edit tweets, and the ability to send tweets that are longer than 140 characters. Tweet editing is not likely to come any time soon, and longer tweets are also an uncertainty, but Twitter could be about to make tweetstorming much easier.
Tweetstorms are the alternative to longer tweets: messages that won't fit into 140 characters are simply manually split up over multiple tweets. Manually doing this is a chore, but there is hope on the horizon. A hidden tweetstorm composer has been unearthed in the Twitter Android app, indicating that the feature is undergoing internal testing.
PewDiePie is back with his own brand of casual racism
The N word is undeniably inflammatory -- particularly when used by the wrong person in the wrong situation. An example of the word being used by the wrong person in the wrong situation? PewDiePie (yep, him) casually spitting out the epithet as an insult during a gaming session.
During a live stream of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, PewDiePie -- real name Felix Kjellberg -- ejaculated "what a f***ing n***er!" when one of his teammates was killed in the game. The incident has been somewhat polarizing on social media, and it's not the first time the most popular YouTuber in the world has caused controversy with a racially charged statement.
New mobile-friendly Google Dashboard simplifies privacy settings
Google and privacy are not really happy bedfellows, but the company likes to at least give the impression that its users have a semblance of control over what the company does with their data. To this end, the new Google Dashboard aims to simplify the act of taking control of your data.
At least that's the idea. In Google's own words, "Data helps improve our products, keep them safe, and -- with your permission -- tailor them to match your interests." Data is Google's business. It's not in the company's interest for you to have too much control over your privacy settings.
iPhone 8 and iPhone X leaks: firmware reveals a lot about Apple's upcoming smartphones
Ahead of just about any smartphone launch, there are usually endless leaks -- but Apple is different. While there are often rumors about what the next iPhone will be like, photo leaks and confirmable details of features are rare. Ahead of Tuesday's big event at the Steve Jobs Center in Cupertino, however, there have been some pretty major revelations.
A leak of the iOS 11 gold master has crept online, and analysis of the code seems to confirm that Apple is planning to launch an iPhone 8, an iPhone 8 Plus and an iPhone X on September 12. As well as this, the leak has also given us an insight into the features we can expect to see unveiled, including Face ID, Portrait Lighting, True Tone display and animated emoji called animoji. We are now almost certain that the LTE Apple Watch will be revealed too.
Apple donates $5 million to 'Hand in Hand' hurricane relief telethon
If you are a resident of Florida, I hope you have evacuated by now. Remember folks, you can replace things, but not your life. Hurricane Irma is looking like a monster -- it will almost certainly cause severe destruction in the state. I pray that there are no further fatalities -- some people living in the Caribbean have already died as a result of Irma. It is heartbreaking. This storm follows Hurricane Harvey which left a path of sadness in Texas.
Thankfully, individuals and organizations have both big hearts and big wallets. There has been a huge outpouring of support for those impacted by these natural disasters. In fact, on September 12, there will be an hour-long, commercial-free, star-studded telethon called "Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief" which aims to raise money for folks affected by Irma and Harvey. Today, Apple pledges an impressive $5 million to the initiative.
Want to switch from Windows 10 to Linux? Download Zorin OS 12.2 with Microsoft Office support
Windows 10 isn't a bad operating system, but understandably, not everyone loves it. You know what? That is OK. People have different likes and needs, and sometimes an alternative to Microsoft's operating system, such as Ubuntu, macOS, or Chrome OS can be a better fit.
If you want to switch to Linux, there is no shortage of operating systems based on the kernel. With that said, many of them aren't very user friendly. If you have lived your life using Windows, it is wise to choose a Linux distro that caters to your habits and expectations. One such operating system with a very inviting user interface is Zorin OS, and today, version 12.2 sees release. If you have been on the fence regarding Linux, now might be your time.
Samsung Galaxy Note8 already a huge success
If you want to buy an Android smartphone, you really can't go wrong with Samsung's Galaxy line of devices. The company's "Note" variants in particular are well respected for their elegance, features, and top specifications. Yeah, the Note7 was problematic, but the company took ownership of that dilemma and has successfully moved on.
We all knew that the latest such flagship from the company, the Galaxy Note8, would be very popular, but as it turns out, its pre-orders are breaking records. According to Samsung, Note8 reservation sales are far exceeding any Note smartphone before it.
Why should Google buy HTC?
Rumor has it that Google is about to buy HTC's smartphone business. The search giant has the money and the hunger to make it in this market, and the Taiwanese maker has the know-how it needs to come up with the great products that it needs to make a splash -- just look at the Pixel for example. It looks like a match made in heaven.
But, looking at Google's history with Motorola it is hard to understand why the search giant needs to buy another smartphone business. After all, it does not need to own one to make its Pixel smartphones, so why go through all this trouble?
Kodi no longer free? If trolls get their way, you might have to pay!
Kodi is a tool used for piracy. So are television sets, the Windows 10 operating system, laptops, smartphones, and other things. In other words, almost anything can be used for bad purposes. A knife, for instance, can be used to cut food in a restaurant, but also used as a weapon in a robbery. Ultimately, the user is responsible for how they use a tool, and Kodi is no different. It shouldn't be vilified.
The makers of the software formerly known as XBMC have long fought this battle in the court of public opinion. Unfortunately, because of developers that create piracy-related addons, such as Covenant and Exodus, it is hard to sway the hearts and minds on the subject. To make matters worse, Kodi is apparently fighting on another front too -- it is battling what it calls "trademark trolls." Yes, apparently some people are looking to exploit the open source software's name for profit. This could potentially lead to people having to pay a fee when selling or buying Kodi devices.
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