New authentication methods help companies to ditch passwords
Most people now recognize that passwords alone are flawed as a means of securing systems. The problem is that there are lots of options when it comes to finding a better way of doing things.
Access control specialist SecureAuth is helping the move towards a passwordless world with the introduction of additional multi-factor authentication (MFA) methods, including Link-to-Accept via SMS or email, and YubiKey, the FIDO Universal Second-Factor (U2F) security key by Yubico.
Ashampoo Music Studio 7 is your one-stop music center
They say everyone has a book in them. Using this theory, everyone should have a song, too. But, it’s not as easy to create a track from scratch. You can lay down a beat, but you really need a keyboard to control input and also some basic composition understanding, such as how to create a chord.
An easier way is to, well, borrow from other people. Effectively that’s how a DJ will learn his trade. They take songs created by other bands and add their own components or simply mix together for one continuous track. Obviously, it goes without saying that you need permission if you use their songs commercially, but having the right tool helps too.
Alexa and Cortana will be able to talk to each other
Digital assistants can do many things well, but no single one can do everything that we need. That's why we use different ones, depending on what we want to do and what device we are using. But what if they could talk to each other, so we wouldn't have to switch between them anymore?
Amazon and Microsoft have decided to do just that, announcing that Alexa and Cortana will soon be able to work together to help users do what they want much more quickly and easily. Here's what that means for the two tech giants' customers.
How enterprises are using data to get work done
A new study by content management and collaboration specialist Egnyte has analyzed 25 Petabytes of customer data and four billion of the activities they performed.
This has been used to uncover unique insights about the way businesses are managing their data and how their employees are collaborating on it.
Sophisticated phishing attacks target Office 365
With over 100 million monthly subscribers, it's not surprising that Office 365 is a popular target when it comes to attempting to steal credentials.
A new report from Barracuda Networks looks at how phishers are sending out authentic-looking emails purporting to be from Microsoft asking users to reactivate their accounts.
Happy 35th birthday email, you've changed our lives
On August 30th 1982, Dr VA Shiva filed the first copyright for an email system. That means email turns 35 today, but though it's all grown up it's proved to be a bit of a problem child.
A new survey released to coincide with the anniversary by Edison Software, makers of an AI mail app, finds that email has grabbed a dominant role in many of our lives and this shows no signs of abating.
Intel announces Xeon W processors for AI and VR applications
Intel has revealed a new series of its Xeon processors aimed at businesses that deal with data-hungry processes such as Artificial Intelligence and and Virtual Reality.
The new Intel Xeon W processors are aimed at mainstream workstation devices, but thanks to their high performance levels, will be able to offer major productivity advantages for businesses using tools such as 3D rendering and modelling.
Improving the measurement of cyber threats before they turn into attacks
Cyber attacks are a major problem for companies and they can be made all the more devastating if a long time elapses before they're discovered.
A new report by the Cloud Security Alliance looks at helping enterprises develop metrics and processes to measure threats before they become cyber attacks.
Google Play Protect branding to be added to certified Android devices
Google Play Protect is the company's latest attempt to prevent Android users from being tricked into installing malware or insecure apps. As an extension of this, Google is introducing a branding program that will see the Google Play Protect logo added to certified Android devices.
The certification of Android phones and tablets is not a new concept -- it's something that Google has been doing for a while. But the new branding on packaging will help buyers identify devices that Google has approved, and it should also encourage more manufacturers to submit their hardware for certification.
Verified accounts are coming to WhatsApp
On various social media platforms, attaining a verified account is a major goal for users. It's something that's been available on Facebook for a while, and Twitter users from all walks of life are able to apply for verification. Soon to be added to this list is WhatsApp.
The messaging app -- owned by Facebook -- has not only started to verify certain business accounts, but is also planning to release a standalone app that will allow companies to chat with customers.
YouTube rolls out redesign and unveils new logo
Redesigns are tricky beasts, almost inevitably dividing opinion and leading to questions about why things couldn't have just been left alone. Running the risk of a double whammy of complaints, YouTube has rolled out not only a redesign of its sites, but also a brand new logo.
Both the desktop and mobile versions of YouTube have been treated to a new look. It's the redesign that has been beta tested on users for a few months, and with a few extra tweaks, the company is ready to give everyone access to it. While a fresh lick of paint for the site and apps was expected, the new logo is rather more of a surprise.
Verizon donates a jaw-dropping $10 million for Hurricane Harvey disaster relief
While Hurricane Harvey has been devastating, there has been one positive aspect -- it has shown that people are still willing to help their fellow man. After the tragedy in Charlottesville, it felt like humanity was on the decline, but the outpouring of donations and support for the affected people in Texas has warmed my heart and renewed my faith. Not only have both people and organizations donated money, but time and resources too. Google, for instance, has been helping in many ways.
Today, Verizon also pledges money to the folks affected by Harvey, but its donation dwarfs those made by many other companies. The company is not only promising a jaw-dropping $10,000,000, but it will help the people of Texas in other ways too.
HP and Deloitte team up to give 3D printing a boost
Deloitte and HP are joining forces to give their digital manufacturing services and 3D printing services a little push. The partnership will see HP’s 3D printers become part of the digital supply chain in more large-scale manufacturing environments.
The goal of the joint effort is to help businesses speed up product design, as well as to create a more flexible manufacturing supply chain and production services (for example, prototyping).
Microsoft releases Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16278 for PC with yet another feature removed
The Windows Insider Program might still be fun for some members, but for others it is getting to be a confusing chore. Don't get me wrong, it is cool that Microsoft lets fans try these pre-release builds of Windows 10, but lately there have been too many builds, requiring too much user effort, with little to no payoff. Remember folks, the operating system should never be the star of the show -- it should fade into the background as you do things with it.
Today, Microsoft releases yet another Windows 10 Insider Preview Build -- 16278 for PC. Sorry Windows 10 Mobile users -- you are being left out of this party. Unfortunately for PC users, this new build is quite bland, once again focusing on fixes. This shouldn't be surprising, however, as the company is now focusing on making things stable for an upcoming gold version of Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. To make things worse, the company has also removed yet another feature from the upcoming version of the OS -- taking HDR screenshots with the Xbox app.
Microsoft loses its damn mind and offers seven months of Groove Music Pass for $10
Microsoft's Groove Music Pass is an exceptional streaming music service. If you spend a lot of time on Windows 10, it is the best music experience on the platform. The app is well designed, and it fits in with the overall Windows 10 motif. It can even be used on Xbox One. Groove offers a really good selection of tunes too -- right up there with its competitors.
Believe it it not, Microsoft's service is cross-platform, also working natively on Android and iOS. The mobile apps are decent, but not fantastic. Fans of macOS and Linux-based desktop operating systems, such as Ubuntu and Chrome OS, can also use the service thanks to the brilliant web-based player. If this all sounds good to you, I have some great news. As part of a Labor Day promotion, Microsoft is offering an insane seven months of the service for the price of just one month. Yes, really.
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