Microsoft renames Windows Holographic to Windows Mixed Reality as dev kits start to ship
It seems like a little while since we heard anything about Windows Holographic, and that's not something that's going to change any time soon. Microsoft is not killing off the project (and HoloLens lives on), but has revealed that it is now going under a new, more descriptive name: Windows Mixed Reality.
The company says that the change of name is a reflection of the fact that there is a broader vision for the platform. It also helps to convey the idea of virtual-reality-meets-augmented-reality that Windows Holographic/Windows Mixed Reality represents. Microsoft also says that the Acer Windows Mixed Reality Development Edition headset is on the verge of shipping.
Google increases Gmail attachment limit to 50MB for recipients
Over the years, as the number of megapixels boasted by cameras spirals upwards, file sizes have generally increased. Despite this, many email providers still place a strangely low limit on the size of files that can be sent and received as attachments. With Gmail you can now receive attachments up to 50MB in size.
It's important to note that the new attachment limit only applies to incoming email. Google would much rather you make use of Google Drive if you want to send large files to people.
Google Chrome users on Apple macOS get enhanced Safe Browsing protection
Thanks to its Unix foundation, macOS is a rock-solid desktop operating system. While it is not infallible, there are far fewer malware threats for Apple's OS compared to, say, Windows 10. With that said, Microsoft's desktop offering is more targeted due to its monstrous market share.
As more and more consumers buy Mac computers, evildoers will have increased incentive to write malware for macOS. Luckily, users of Apple's operating system that choose to use Google Chrome for web surfing will soon be safer. You see, the search giant is improving its Safe Browsing initiative to better warn macOS users of malicious websites and attempts to alter browser settings.
Twitter cracks down on eggs as part of its anti-abuse measures
Twitter's assault on abusive accounts and its famous problem with trolling was stepped up a gear today as the company announced a series of new measures designed to crack down on harassment.
Having recently introduced account timeouts and refinements to blocking and muting, the company today said it was making it possible to block tweets from Twitter eggs -- those with no profile picture which therefore default to an image of an egg. Other filtering options are available, and algorithms are to be used to automatically identify abusive content.
Windows 10 Creators Update will offer users 'more choice and control' -- and fewer update reboots
Windows 10 Creators Update is expected to launch in April, and will deliver a wealth of new features and improvements. While a lot of the focus is on 3D creation, gaming enhancements, and security, Microsoft has also made a lot of welcome changes to the user experience.
Michael Fortin, CVP of Windows and Devices Group Core Quality, reveals today that the Creators Update will give users much greater control over privacy, security, and updates.
Microsoft donated more than $650 million in cash, software, and services to nonprofits in 2016
When a company earns huge amounts of profits, there is a lot that it can do with them, such as expand the business, spend lavishly, or just sit on stacks of money. There is something much more noble that can be done, however -- it can donate some of its bounty to people and organizations in need.
Microsoft is a company that has historically been very generous with its money, something likely inspired by the philanthropic actions of its founder Bill Gates; at least partially. Even more impressive is the company's Employee Giving program, where Microsoft matches donations of both time and money that is given by its workers. 2016 was yet another successful giving year for the Windows-maker, as it donated more than $650 million in cash, time, software, and services to nonprofit organizations. A good portion of that was from its employees.
Latest Windows 10 Creators Update build has secret settings for pausing and deferring updates
One of the most requested Windows 10 features to find its way into the forthcoming Creators Update is the ability to pause updates. That means if Microsoft pushes out a bad update, you don’t have to simply accept it any more.
The Creators Update will let you pause updates for up to 35 days, but there’s an option that gives you much greater control over what -- and when -- updates get installed. The intriguing thing is, this isn't visible to everyone, and even if you manage to get to see it, it may suddenly vanish the moment you look away. Here's what it does, and how to enable it.
Why security will always be a people problem
We've heard the phrase, "users are the weakest link," more than we can count. Building a more resilient cyber security strategy means flipping the model on its head and making people part of the solution. Instead of starting with a technology-based strategy, Absolute discusses how and why organizations can take a people-first security strategy.
Paul Proctor, chief of research for risk and security at Gartner was quoted as saying: "we are facing a cultural disconnect [...] executives believe that IT risk and security is a technical problem." Of course, that’s wrong. Deep down, we know it’s wrong. Security, is, and always will be, a people problem. At least until the robots fully take over. Until then, though, we have to come to grips with the simple fact that with the way security is typically deployed in enterprises today, users will continue to click on things they shouldn’t, visit sites they shouldn’t, or make other uninformed or careless choices leading to breaches, incidents, or loss in availability of systems and data.
New security offering to guard against account take overs
Data breaches caused by account take overs (ATOs) are a growing problem, partly due to people reusing passwords so that when a high profile breach -- such as the recent one at Yahoo -- occurs other accounts are put at risk.
User behavior specialist Sift Science is taking on this threat and expanding into the cyber security market with a new tool to detect ATOs.
Digital transformation must be a priority in a cloud-first world
As the UK enters an uncertain economic future, the issue of falling productivity is once again center stage. Since the 2008 financial crisis, studies measuring how much output is produced per hour or worker have been constant disappointments when compared to the country’s global counterparts. According to the latest reports from the Office of National Statistics, UK productivity rose by 0.4 percent between July and September 2016. However, this figure is still far below the 2.1 percent average being achieved before 2008.
In response, UK Prime Minister Theresa May has announced plans to launch a national industrial strategy aimed at creating a prosperous post-Brexit Britain through the development of STEM skills investments in science and innovation, and infrastructure upgrades across every sector and in every corner of the country. With this plan the UK government has sent a clear signal: organizations of every size and within every industry must prioritize digital transformation if they are to succeed in a cloud-first world.
Informatica uses behavioral analytics to spot and protect high risk data
With increasing amounts of sensitive data stored in the cloud and accessed on mobile devices, protecting that information presents a major challenge.
Data management specialist Informatica is adding to its Secure@Source platform with behavioral analytics to detect high risk data and ensure it's properly protected.
Windows 10 Creators Update Build 15042 ISO images available now
If you’re thinking of joining the Windows 10 Insider program, or you just want to do a clean install with an up to date version of Windows 10, the good news is Microsoft has released a new ISO image.
The image, for Build 15042, is available to all, and you can download it now. This build rolled out to Insiders on the Fast ring last Friday. It's not the very latest release -- that would be Build 15046, which Microsoft released yesterday -- but it includes a lot of important bug fixes, and some welcome additions to Edge and Cortana.
Database-as-a-service platform introduces encryption-at-rest
While storing data in the cloud is undoubtedly convenient it also introduces risks and encryption is increasingly seen as a way of helping combat them.
Database-as-a-service company mLab is introducing encryption-at-rest as an opt-in data security measure for customers of its most popular plans, at no additional cost.
Desktop Dimmer takes Electron-based RAM-hogging to a whole new level
We’ve always been fans of ultra-lightweight programs, anything which measures its RAM requirements in kilobytes rather than megabytes. Other people see that as old school, and in some ways they have a point. If your PC has 16GB of RAM, do you really care whether a program uses 500KB or 5MB?
That view is partly why Electron apps are now so popular. They’re great for cross-platform development, building native applications with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, so it doesn’t really matter that you’re running a copy of Chromium in the background… Right?
Facebook ramps up its suicide prevention tools and Messenger chat support
Facebook is updating the tools it offers to help try to prevent suicide. Aimed both at those thinking of suicide, and friends and family who are concerned about loved ones, the revamped support tools make use of artificial intelligence and real people to offer help when it is needed most.
This is not the first we have heard about suicide prevention tools from Facebook, and the latest announcement sees the social network taking its "unique position" even more seriously, seeing it as a way to offer help and a means of intervention. It comes after a number of suicides have been streamed via Facebook Live.
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