openSUSE Leap 42.3 Linux-based operating system is here -- download it now
Variety is both a gift and curse for Linux on the desktop. On the one hand, it is nice that there are so many operating systems based on the kernel from which to choose. On the other, it can sometimes feel like the community is very fragmented. Not only is there tribalism between users of distributions, but desktop environments too. For instance, there is Ubuntu vs. Fedora and KDE vs. GNOME -- much like Coke vs. Pepsi and Chevy vs. Ford. This is just human nature, I suppose.
With all of that said, popular Linux-based operating system, openSUSE Leap, has achieved a new point release. Version 42.3 is now available for download and it should be a good alternative to Microsoft's Windows 10. While it is fairly uneventful on the surface, that is arguably a good thing. You see, the distro focuses heavily on stability -- rather than being bleeding edge and sexy -- which many users wisely appreciate. There are many under-the-hood improvements, however.
Intel discontinues Arduino 101 development board and Curie module
Intel has revealed a significant scaling back in its hardware offerings.
The company has announced it will stop making its Arduino 101 board as well as the Curie module, both of which offered low-cost computing solutions.
Evolving Application Performance Management (APM) to Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM)
Application Performance Management (APM) tools have traditionally provided organizations with key performance metrics, including the speed, reliability, and capacity utilization of datacenter systems. But without clear visibility into the actual experience of users, these metrics mean very little. Just because your servers measure as 100 percent available, doesn’t mean users in all geographies are having a fast, reliable experience.
That’s because there are many other performance-impacting elements standing between your datacenter and your users. If an IT organization can’t effectively monitor the true user experience -- including customers, employees, partners, and suppliers -- it is impossible to know if their applications are delivering sufficient performance. The damaging results include frustrated customers which can lead to churn, decreased revenue and market share, and diminished brand perception.
Challenges faced in cloud technology adoption
The move to the cloud is something that has been high on the business agenda in recent years, but the complexity involved in moving has created significant stumbling blocks for organizations.
According to the CIF, 63 percent of businesses aim to move their entire IT infrastructure into the cloud eventually. Whilst RightScale says 95 percent of businesses use the cloud in some capacity, it’s proving difficult for organizations to move all of their applications and data into the cloud. In fact, Fuze revealed that only 10 percent of UK companies have moved entirely off site.
Windows 10 S now available for developers to download
Microsoft today announced that it’s finally making the Windows 10 Creators Update available to all, and it’s also opening up Windows 10 S to developers.
Windows 10 S is a locked down version of the new operating system that’s designed to only run Windows Store apps. It’s to be found on hardware like the Surface Laptop.
IBM shuts down Bluemix Object Storage v1, so migrate your data now!
There are a number of benefits to how quickly cloud technology has progressed, but now one of IBM's cloud products that launched in 2015 will soon become obsolete.
The company's Bluemix's Object Storage v1 which launched in December 2015 will be switched off in August 2017 after receiving two updates in total.
Windows 10 Creators Update finally available to (almost) all
The Windows 10 Creators Update rollout has been glacially slow, and -- at times -- problematic. Shortly after it began, back at the start of April, Microsoft suggested people didn’t manually install it, and three months after its official release only half of Windows 10 users were running it.
Finally, though, with the horrendously named Fall Creators Update due soon, Microsoft has made the decision to finally offer the current feature update to all -- well nearly all.
Ransomware victims paid over $25 million to recover files
Ransomware victims have paid more than $25 million in the past two years to get their data back, a new study by Google has shown.
The report, made by researchers at Google, Chainalysis, UC San Diego, and the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, followed the trail of cryptomoney through the blockchain, allowing researchers to get a birds-eye view of the ransomware world.
Cortana gets bikini ready with Fitbit skill
While the wearable market hasn't exploded as many manufacturers had hoped, it is definitely popular for fitness. Although accuracy is sometimes in question, these devices can help people count steps, monitor heart rate, and more. It is not magic, however -- you must put in the effort to get in shape. In other words, the wearable can't do the exercise for you; trust me, I know...
One of the most popular fitness wearable brands is Fitbit, and today, its devices are getting even better. You see, Microsoft's virtual assistant, Cortana, can now work bidirectionally with a Fitbit account. You can ask the assistant for data from the account and she (her gender is a woman) will tell it to you. Conversely, you can tell Cortana to update your account with accomplishments. Very cool.
Toshiba unveils TR200 64-layer 3D TLC SATA SSD
SATA solid state drives aren't particularly exciting nowadays, but they are essential for consumers looking to upgrade existing computers without breaking the bank. By purchasing a 2.5-inch SSD, a computer user can easily upgrade their laptop. Not only should the notebook get a speed boost, but it can improve battery life too. Heck, these drives are great for desktops too -- especially if they do not have M.2 NVMe slots.
Today, Toshiba announces a new SATA SSD that is aimed at upgraders. Called TR200, it is a 2.5-inch drive that features 64-Layer 3D 3-bit-per-cell TLC flash memory.
UK ransomware victims most likely to pay up
A new study from anti-malware specialist Malwarebytes reveals that UK users are most likely to pay up if hit by ransomware.
The study of over 1,000 companies across the US, France, UK, Germany, Australia, and Singapore reveals that 56.9 percent of UK businesses surveyed opted not to pay the ransom, and 46.2 percent lost files by not paying. In comparison, 84.1 percent of French businesses surveyed opted not to pay the ransom, and only 24.5 percent lost files.
Two-thirds of consumers suspect governments abuse their powers to access data
According to a new study 51 percent of people don’t believe their government can protect their personal data, and nearly two-thirds (65 percent) suspect their government already abuses its powers to access the data of citizens.
Identity protection company Venafi surveyed 3,000 consumers in the US, UK and Germany about initiatives that would grant governments more access to private, encrypted data.
WhatsApp has 1 billion daily users
WhatsApp is slowly but surely strengthening its position in the messaging space, now boasting one billion daily users. It joins a very select club that includes parent company Facebook.
WhatsApp has also seen a significant increase in the number of monthly users. It has 1.3 billion monthly users, 300 million more than early last year when it broke the one billion monthly users mark.
More than half of companies fail to measure the effectiveness of their cyber security
With businesses spending increasing amounts on cyber security, a new survey reveals that many of them are failing to measure the effectiveness of their investments.
The study from privileged account management specialist Thycotic found 58 percent of its 400 respondents scored a failing grade on a benchmark survey when evaluating their efforts to measure their cybersecurity investments and performance against best practices.
LinkedIn Website Demographics lets website owners track the type of visitors coming to their sites
The tracking capabilities of social media sites has long been a cause for concern, with Facebook being the most notable example. Now the Microsoft-owned professional social network LinkedIn has announced details of a new tracking feature that will be of interest to website owners.
LinkedIn Website Demographics does not (despite what some reports might suggest, #PrivacyKlaxon) allow for the tracking of individual users, but it does give website owners the chance to get a better idea of the demographics of their visitors. This is less about creating targeted content, and more about determining whether existing content is attracting the right audience -- although clearly one leads to the other.
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