PSA: Time to leave Windows Vista behind -- extended support ends in April
Windows Vista is probably the least-liked version of Windows that Microsoft has ever released, but, fact of the matter is, the 10 year old operating system has its fans, as it still runs on many PCs today. And that's a problem if you're part of the crowd, because next month it will stop receiving any kind of official support, leaving you exposed.
Mainstream support for Windows Vista actually ended on April 10, 2012, but Microsoft has since continued to offer support options and updates as part of its extended support phase. That will come to an end in less than 30 days from now -- on April 11. Here's what happens after that.
Microsoft Teams rolls out to Office 365 users around the world
As we reported last week, Microsoft is today launching its own business collaboration tool in an effort to fend off the challenge from Slack.
Teams is now available to Office 365 users in 181 markets and 19 languages. Where Teams is likely to score over its competitors is in its close integration with other Office products and with Skype for Business.
Google Chrome's background tabs now use less power
Chrome isn't the most energy efficient browser around, but Google has been working hard to make things better. The latest improvement focuses on background tabs, which are now said to use less power.
The lower power consumption in background tabs is actually one of the main changes that are part of Chrome 57, which Google released earlier in March. The latest version of the popular browser also gained WebAssembly support and dropped the ability to disable plugins, to name a few.
Canonical announces Ubuntu Linux 12.04 ESM (Extended Security Maintenance)
On April 25th, Ubuntu Linux 12.04 LTS will no longer be supported by Canonical. Why? That is the 5 year anniversary of the release, which is the amount of support time given to an LTS (Long Term Support) version of the Linux distribution.
For many home users, this really doesn't matter, as they have probably already upgraded to a newer version. Unfortunately, some businesses do not upgrade as regularly. In fact, some organizations may not be ready to move on from Ubuntu 12.04. Tough luck? Not at all. Today, Canonical introduces Ubuntu Linux 12.04 ESM. This "Extended Security Maintenance" release is not free, however -- organizations must pay for the extended support.
IT security pros expect a rise in Industrial Internet of Things attacks
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is used in many businesses, including critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, utilities, government, healthcare and finance. No surprise then that it's a likely target for attack.
A new survey from security and compliance specialist Tripwire of more than 400 IT security professionals shows that 96 percent expect to see an increase in security attacks on the IIoT in 2017.
mrViewer is a quirky but powerful media player
While most PC media players are identikit clones which bring nothing new to the playback, mrViewer is a rare exception. A program that has the courage to do things differently. Very differently…
This starts less than impressively with an oddball interface. Menu bars, ribbons, standard toolbars? MrViewer doesn’t have any of the usual UI chrome, and leaves you looking at tiny buttons with such informative text as "F" and "W".
Happy Pi Day: Microsoft offering Pi-related savings on select PCs and Xbox One games
It’s Pi Day -- March 14 or 3/14 -- and to celebrate, Microsoft is offering money off select PCs and Xbox One games both in-store and online.
The deals being offered are all Pi-related, so the sale price, or discount, is some variation of Pi's opening digits -- 314.
Traditional endpoint protection ineffective in fighting ransomware
Ransomware continues to be the most lucrative business model for cyber crime, and a new study indicates that existing endpoint protection methods may not be enough to guard against it.
The survey from security awareness training organization KnowBe4 questioned more than 500 organizations about the current state of their ransomware protection, whether they were a victim of ransomware, the impact of a successful breach and their remediation tactics.
[Giveaway] Happy Pi Day! Enter to win a Raspberry Pi 3 and Eleduino case
Happy Pi Day, dear BetaNews readers! What, you've never heard of the holiday? Well, it is a nerdy play on Pi, which is 3.14 (and so on). In other words, since Pi is 3.14, Pi Day is on March 14th, or 3/14. True, it only really makes sense in countries, such as the USA, that use MM/DD date formatting, but everyone around the globe can still celebrate.
In recognition of Pi Day, we here at BetaNews are giving away a Raspberry Pi 3 and a really cool case from Eleduino. Get it? A Raspberry Pi for Pi Day? Yeah, we are very witty! You can see the prizes in the video below. Not only can you use the Linux-friendly System on a Chip (SoC) for neat projects, but it can even be made into a media player thanks to Kodi.
Business 2020: A clear and connected vision for the future
According to Walker Information’s Customers 2020 Report, by the year 2020, customer experience will be the number one competitive differentiator for brands. With just three years to go, brands still have some work to do to get smarter about their customers, and to learn how to quickly keep pace with the numerous technology changes ahead.
From smart technology, artificial intelligence and multi-channel customer communication, technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace. As devices, customers and companies become even more connected, prioritization is the key to customer experience success. Here are five ways brands can stay ahead of the 2020 curve.
The CIA, WikiLeaks and Spy vs Spy
As pretty much anyone already knows, WikiLeaks has dropped a trove of about 8700 secret documents that purport to cover a range of CIA plans and technologies for snooping over the Internet -- everything from cracking encrypted communication products to turning Samsung smart TVs into listening devices against their owners.
Two questions immediately arise: 1) are these documents legit (they appear to be), and; 2) WTF does it mean for people like us, who aren’t spies, public officials, or soldiers of fortune? This latter answer requires a longer explanation but suffice it to say this news is generally not good for anyone, not even for spies unless they have been recently unemployed. But for some companies it will open up significant new business opportunities.
Lessons learned from a ransomware infection
Since October, Datto has been conducting testing designed to quickly detect ransomware in backup data sets. Here’s why: it has become a major threat to individuals and businesses over the past few years, and the cyber extortionists behind these attacks operate with increasing sophistication. SMBs can be particularly vulnerable to attacks and are more likely to pay a ransom to get their data back than large businesses.
In many cases, these attacks are conducted by large criminal organizations using wide-reaching botnets to spread malware via phishing campaigns. Victims are tricked into downloading an e-mail attachment or clicking a link using some form of social engineering. Fake email messages might appear to be a note from a friend or colleague asking a user to check out an attached file. Or, email might come from a trusted institution (such as a bank) asking you to perform a routine task. Sometimes, ransomware uses scare tactics such as claiming that the computer has been used for illegal activities to coerce victims. When the malware is executed, it encrypts files and demands a ransom to unlock them.
Refreshed stable Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) 2 'Betsy' ISO images now available
Linux Mint is one of the most popular Linux-based desktop operating systems. With that said, did you know there are two versions of the OS? No, I am not talking about the multiple desktop environments, such as Cinnamon, MATE, and KDE. There are actually two entirely different operating systems that share the Mint name. The normal version of Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu, while a lesser known version, LMDE, is based on Debian. Is it confusing? Absolutely. A waste of resources? Probably. But hey, that's the state of Linux on the desktop nowadays.
Linux Mint Debian Edition 2 'Betsy' launched way back in 2015, and hasn't needed a major base upgrade. Instead, LMDE has received a steady stream of updates over the last two years. The problem? The ISO images were very outdated, meaning a fresh install required a lot of updates. As a way to improve the experience, the Linux Mint team has decided to refresh the installation media. Today, refreshed stable Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) 2 'Betsy' ISO images become available, with the choice of either Cinnamon or MATE.
How AI can offer much-needed relief to UK's National Health Service
According to the Office for Budget Responsibility, the NHS budget will need to increase by £88billion over the next 50 years if it is to keep pace with the rising demand for healthcare in the UK. But with the 2017 Budget showcasing a massive leaning towards building up its Brexit reserves and allocating a mere £100 million for 100 onsite GP treatment centers in A&Es across England, the NHS is justifiably bracing itself for a painful future.
With £20billion worth of cuts scheduled by 2020, combined with fierce warnings that the UK’s health services are on the edge of an unprecedented crisis, the urgent call for solutions to be brought to the healthcare table has incontrovertibly intensified.
Updated Skype extension for Chrome brings one-click Skype integration to calendars, emails and Twitter
Microsoft is pushing out an update to its Skype extension for Chrome, bringing a host of new features to a range of online services. The update means that you can add Skype call links to emails, calendar events, and social media postings with a single click.
With support for Gmail, Google Inbox, Outlook.com, Google Calendar and Twitter, Microsoft is clearly trying to cover a lot of bases. Twitter is arguably something of a strange choice, but by embracing rival Google services, Microsoft is clearly keen to make Skype more accessible for as many people as possible.
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