The essential 2016 back-to-school technology shopping guide
Holy cow. The end of August is approaching, signaling the end of summer vacation for many students around the USA. This is the time when those learners, and -- depending on student age -- their parents, begin shopping for back-to-school items.
If you aren't sure what to buy, I am going to help you out. Keep in mind though, BetaNews is a technology site -- I won't be advising on pens, pencils and binders. What I will help with, however, is smartphones, tablets, laptops, and more.
Amazon 'Kindle Reading Fund' makes books more available to those without access
The ability to read is something many of us take for granted. At a young age, you probably had tons of books in your homes and schools, enabling you to learn to both read and write. Believe it or not, not everyone has access to books. Isn't that sad?
Luckily, Amazon is looking to change this. Today, the famed retailer launches a new literacy initiative called 'Kindle Reading Fund". The company is aiming to get books into the hands of those who don't normally have access. How? It will be distributing free Kindle e-readers, Fire tablets, and Kindle e-books to those that need them.
Hate the software you have to use at work? You are not alone
Are you frustrated with clunky workplace systems? Do you wish that you could work with a more modern streamlined solution?
You're in good company, a new study by app platform specialist Sapho in conjunction with research firm Forrester reveals that 91 percent of employees agree simplified enterprise apps would increase their efficiency and productivity. In addition 75 percent of employees say they have a hard time accessing information in their enterprise systems and applications.
'Touch Disease' breaking Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus screens -- millions of devices at risk
The iPhone is a great device, but a growing number of users are reporting a problem that affects the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
Nicknamed "Touch Disease" by repair specialists iFixit, the problem starts with a flickering gray bar at the top of the screen and reduced touch functionality. Over time the bar spreads and eventually the whole screen stops responding to touch.
Most US IT practitioners earn $100k annual salaries
Automated software delivery specialist Puppet has released the result of its latest DevOps Salary Report which shows that most IT practitioners in the US earn a $100,000 annual salary.
It also finds that 43 percent of IT managers earn $150,000 or more, up from 26 percent last year. The report is based on data gathered from more than 4,600 respondents to the survey.
Why can't you open that EPUB?
You’ve found an ebook you need, downloaded the EPUB, tried to open it, but your viewer won’t display it properly. Or maybe at all.
You might assume it’s the viewer, and try something else, but the problem could also be the file. A converter or publishing program might save something with an EPUB extension, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be a valid EPUB file.
Cloud-based identity service streamlines SaaS adoption
SaaS application adoption is growing fast and with it comes increasing expectations to be able to access any application from anywhere on any device.
Consequently organizations want login solutions that can help them reduce risks in their environment, deliver a better experience for their end-users, and adapt to the complexities of existing infrastructure and new applications.
Report shows wide variation in privileged access management practices
As we reported yesterday, privileged users can represent a significant risk to enterprise security. A new report from cyber security company BeyondTrust underlines this with findings that show organizations adhering to best practices for privileged access management are much better at mitigating the risks of a data breach.
The survey of more than 500 IT, IS, legal and compliance experts split its overall scores into top- and bottom-tier groups and finds that top-tier companies were much more likely to have a centralized password management policy -- 92 percent in contrast with just 25 percent of bottom-tier organizations.
Amazon now offers Brits unlimited cloud storage
There are lots of cloud storage services available, offering varying amounts of free space, and additional storage for a fee. OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox are all great services.
Amazon wants you to consider storing your files in its cloud, and today it introduces unlimited storage for people in the UK -- and you don’t have to be a Prime subscriber to get it.
Biometrics are less secure than passwords -- this is why
Many technology pundits talk about biometrics as the ultimate authentication solution -- the technology that will make the 'imperfect' password obsolete. Despite the hype, most companies are approaching with caution. In fact, CEB found that there are varied degrees of biometrics adoption globally, as around 20 percent of firms have actually deployed the technology.
A big reason for low adoption could be that they are less secure. And while many are touting the security of biometrics, there are four issues to consider when evaluating the technology.
Samsung Z2 is the world's first 4G Tizen smartphone
Android and iOS are the only two mobile operating systems that matter. That's a problem for consumers. Why? Well, while duopolies at least give them some choice, being limited to just two options isn't ideal. Sure, there are other options like Ubuntu for phones and Windows 10 Mobile, but neither are lighting the world on fire.
Consumers aside, phone manufacturers don't have access to Apple's iOS, leaving Android as the only viable option. In other words, for OEMs, there is almost no choice. Samsung is apparently not satisfied with being limited to Google's mobile operating system. The company has been experimenting with devices running a different Linux-based open source mobile OS -- Tizen. Today, it launches the first ever 4G smartphone running that OS. The catch? Besides a small 4 inch screen and 5 megapixel camera, it is only available in India.
Sony focuses on PC with PlayStation Now and DualShock 4 USB Wireless Adaptor
Sony's PlayStation line of home consoles have been wildly popular over the years. The fourth version, the PS4, is obviously the best from a hardware perspective, but overall the quality of games per console is matter of opinion. Obviously the PS4 will offer the best graphics, but from a gameplay and enjoyment perspective, hardware is not the final word.
Today, the console maker takes a strange turn by focusing on the PC. You see, it is bringing its existing 'PlayStation Now' cloud gaming service to Microsoft Windows. This will give PC gamers the opportunity to play some PlayStation titles on their gaming rigs. In addition, Sony is delivering a USB dongle for Windows and Mac which will enable the DualShock 4 to be used on computers running those operating systems.
Windows 10 cumulative updates rolling out for Anniversary Update
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update hasn’t gone as smoothly as Microsoft would have liked. Despite extensive testing from Windows Insiders, users have reported problems with the OS causing their systems to freeze, reinstall previously removed apps, and kill webcams.
Microsoft is today pushing out two cumulative updates that bring the Anniversary Update to 14393.82.
I've switched from Amazon Fire TV to Roku 3 and I like it... for now
Its been two and half years since I parted ways with DirecTV. It wasn't them, I honestly loved the service, but I was paying for countless channels I never watched. I replaced it with Hulu Plus and Sling TV and now pay much less for fewer channels I don't watch. I have the same few I flick between, but without al-a-carte this is the best I can do.
Recently a system problem eliminated one of my options -- not the TV channels, but how I view them. I'd been predominantly using an Amazon Fire TV along with a Harmony remote. The remote stopped connecting to its hub and no fix I could think of worked. The batteries in my Fire TV remote were dead and I had no spare AAA ones lying around. Similarly, the Roku 3 batteries were also history, but I did have the required AA ones.
Microsoft launches 'Xbox One S Madden NFL 17 Custom Console Sweepstakes'
The Xbox One is the best console of the current generation -- according to me, that is. Of course, some folks -- such as my colleague Wayne Williams -- think that PlayStation 4 is best. This is hardly an argument that will end anytime soon. Look, the PS4 is cool, but Microsoft's console runs Windows 10, making it have, arguably, more potential -- am I right? Oh well, to each his/her own.
Microsoft recently released the more powerful and svelte 4K capable Xbox One S and I totally want one -- I am sure you, dear readers, want one too. Luckily, if funds are tight, you can maybe win one from the Windows-maker. Microsoft is giving away 32 customized NFL consoles -- each featuring the logo of one team -- which will be extremely rare. Why? Because they will not be sold -- the limited consoles are exclusive to this sweepstakes!
Most Commented Stories
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.