Android 7.1 Nougat developer preview coming later this month
Google has just announced that a developer preview of Android 7.1 Nougat will be released before the end of the month. At the Pixel and Pixel XL launch, it was revealed that these two new handset would be running this version of Android, but a developer preview was pencilled in for some time before the end of the year.
The release schedule seems to have been sped up slightly, and this is something that will please developers and end users alike. Google promises dev that "we’ll give you access to this update so you can start getting your apps ready". Among the changes are new APIs (API level 25), and -- of course -- it's Google's own handsets that are in line to get the update first.
The analytics machine: Why contact center technology is changing the customer experience
For a long time, the contact center was nothing more than a place where customer complaints went to die. An agent’s objective was to simply note the issue and try to resolve it as quickly as possible, and metrics were nothing more than call duration and first call resolution. However, technology has changed the role of the contact center, and analytics are evolving the department into a hub of rich customer insights. Every day, agents interact with hundreds, if not thousands, of customers, and they’re hearing what they want, don’t want, or need -- right from customers’ mouths!
By feeding this information into analytics technology, contact centers can integrate into every touch point along the customer journey and fundamentally change the customer experience.
iHeartRadio 2.0 brings new features to Roku customers
Roku has been in the news several times recently, releasing a new line of set-top boxes as well partnering up with more manufacturers of smart TVs, most recently Hitachi. But the platform is about more than just video. There's also the audio experience.
One of the hot music apps these days is iHeartRadio, which pulls in a plethora of stations and genres for even the most eclectic tastes out there. Now the service is improving its features with a line of new options.
What you need to know about Docker
Considering it only came into existence in 2013, Docker has experienced a monumental rise in both the consumer and business markets. From such humble beginnings, (the earliest version of the technology was developed by founder Solomon Hykes in his mother’s basement), Docker has managed to secure a number of high-profile partners and in 2015 received a valuation in excess of $1 billion. But what exactly is Docker?
According to the company itself, "Docker allows you to package an application with all of its dependencies into a standardized unit for software development". The way in which Docker does this is through a software feature known as a container.
IT pros struggle with AI and intelligent systems
Almost nine in ten (88 percent) IT professionals say that their organization invested in some form of intelligent solutions, be it smart business apps, whole systems or bots. The information was presented in a new research report from Ipswitch.
The report also says that more than three quarters (78 percent) can’t fully grasp the challenges and threats of deploying such systems themselves. For more than two thirds (78 percent), it is challenging (58 percent say it is a challenge, and 19 percent say it is "extremely hard" to do). However, businesses aren’t giving up, as more than a third (35 percent) see it as crucial to stay ahead of the competition.
System76 updates its affordable Ubuntu Linux 'Lemur' laptop with Intel Kaby Lake
Dell recently updated its XPS 13 Developer Edition laptop with Kaby Lake processors. While that company's laptop is beautiful, it is also very expensive. For developers and home users looking for a solid laptop running Ubuntu Linux, System76's 'Lemur' has historically been a great value. Not only is the affordable machine both powerful and well supported, but it is built like a tank too.
Today, System76 updates the aforementioned Lemur with Kaby Lake processors. While Dell's XPS 13 starts at $949, the Lemur begins at a much more reasonable $649.
Shopping apps targeting women generate better profits
Marketers must target women if they are looking to succeed and make profits in the mobile sector, according to a new report.
The Mobile App Engagement Index from performance based marketing platform Liftoff analyzed 7.3 million app installs across five sectors to unearth key app trends from the first half of this year. It finds that female customers are not only more likely to make a purchase in both mobile e-commerce and gaming apps, they are also less expensive to acquire compared to their male counterparts.
WebSite X5 Evolution 13 adds parallax scrolling support, 64-bit edition to boost performance
Incomedia has released major new versions of its wizard-driven web-building tool with the launch of WebSite X5 Evolution 13.0. Website X5 Evolution is accompanied by both higher (Professional) and lower (Start) packages.
Version 13.0 adds support for parallax scrolling, includes new features like a Sticky menu and promises up to 50 per cent better performance thanks to a new 64-bit build.
Fedora 25 Beta open source Linux distribution now available for download
Fedora is the operating system of choice of Linux founder Linus Torvalds -- that says a lot. Despite the fact that he uses a Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition laptop that ships pre-loaded with Ubuntu, it is unlikely that he kept that OS on it. While there is nothing wrong with Canonical's offering, Fedora is a very wise choice for those who want a no-nonsense Linux distro with a focus on free and open source software.
Today, Fedora 25 Beta becomes available for download. There are many things to get excited about, such as the implementation of Wayland and the pre-release 3.22 version of the GNOME desktop environment.
Oculus drops support for Samsung Galaxy Note7 to keep users safe
It is tough being a Galaxy Note7 user. First, Samsung tells customers to exchange their units for a safe one, following reports of exploding batteries. Next, the "new" Galaxy Note7 devices start catching fire too, after it was revealed that their batteries have issues as well. And, now, Samsung decides to stop production altogether, discontinuing its latest Android flagship across the globe.
What's more, because the Galaxy Note7 is clearly not safe to use, Oculus has dropped support for the Android flagship, introducing a forced update for the app that enables the Gear VR headset to work with the device.
YouTube makes it easier to create video ads
YouTube has announced a new platform which will make creating video ads for the site easier. The number of visits, as well as visit duration, have gone up lately, and the company wants to cash in on the momentum. The new offering is called YouTube Director -- a solution to help businesses create a professionally-looking ad in no time.
There are two ways to do it: the YouTube Director for Business app and the YouTube Director onsite service. The former, free and currently only available in iOS, helps businesses create an ad through a custom template. With a step-by-step walkthrough, the app will "help the business understand not only what to film, but what to say and when".
Yahoo locks in users by disabling email forwarding to other accounts
Yahoo has had a dramatic fall from grace in the last couple of weeks. While far from the most popular email service out there, it maintains a relatively healthy user base -- but all of this changed with news of a security breach resulting in the theft of 500 million account details, and the revelation that the company secretly scanned emails for the NSA.
While there has not exactly been a mass exodus away from Yahoo, many users have started to question their loyalty to the company and investigate the alternatives. If you are thinking about abandoning Yahoo, the company has put something of an obstacle in the way -- it has disabled email forwarding, saying the feature is now 'under development'.
The high cost of NOT buying Apple
Call me a cheapskate, but I’ve always been a bit stingy when it comes to spending on technology. Maybe it’s all those years spent testing and reviewing hardware for myriad trade publications (and the parade of free "extended loaners" I received). Or maybe it’s my insider knowledge of tech trends that makes me hesitant to pay top dollar for something I know will be obsolete inside of a year. But regardless of the motivation, I’ve steadfastly resisted the "urge to splurge" on high-profile technology products.
Case in point: Apple. When the original iPhone came out, I dismissed it as a toy and stuck with my feature phone. And when the iPad debuted, I ignored the tablet sector entirely for nearly two years before investing in what I thought was a technically superior (and by that time, heavily discounted) Blackberry Playbook.
Samsung permanently discontinues Galaxy Note7
The troubled Galaxy Note7 is being killed off completely. The news comes after Samsung's statement yesterday that it was asking carriers and retail partners to cease sales and exchanges while an investigation is carried out into handsets catching fire or exploding.
But now the company has filed papers with South Korean regulators in which it says it will permanently cease sales of the beleaguered smartphone. The decision follows earlier reports that production was on hold temporarily.
Enterprises increase reliance on public key infrastructures
A new report released by data protection company Thales and the Ponemon Institute shows that the use of cloud services and the IoT has led to greater dependence on public key infrastructures (PKIs) in today's businesses.
The survey of more than 5,000 companies across 11 countries shows that PKIs -- used to create, distribute, store, and revoke digital certificates and manage public-key encryption -- are increasingly relied on to support applications.
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