Microsoft to kill off Lync and rebrand as Skype for Business
As part of the simplification of its portfolio, Microsoft is dropping the Lync name as it rebrands the business messaging and conferencing tool. The name will change to Skype for Business in the first half of 2015, and interface tweaks will see the business version of the tools closely mimicking that of the consumer Skype product.
The aim is to create a more uniform experience for people using Microsoft's communication tools at home and in the office. After a decade of Skype, and bearing in mind the success of Lync, it was almost inevitable that the two products would ultimately become one, and that day is now almost here. As Microsoft puts it: "The magic of Skype and the power of Lync are coming together".
Can't send SMS, browse the web on 4G? This is why
For a whole weekend, I thought the new smartphone I had just bought was defective. Because why else could it not send any SMS messages to any of my contacts nor connect to the Internet via 4G? It was the only logical explanation at the time, as everything else -- my monthly plan, the 4G coverage in my area, the settings -- was in order. While that was happening, I could receive SMS messages, calls were working fine. Getting a defective device is not impossible, after all. I am also not the luckiest person in the world. These things happen.
The problem, however, was not with the device, or even the SIM as some may think. As it turns out, whenever this happens, you just happen to be in the wrong place. Literally. Some may be lead to believe that their setup is to blame, when it is actually the carrier's 4G network in the area that is at fault. You may find that it works great in some places, and only have problems at work, for instance.
Brainstorm at speed with Edraw Mind Map
In theory, mind mapping software should help you generate ideas, then organize and arrange them for easier sharing with others.
But then you launch your chosen package, stare at a blank screen, and are left wondering exactly how to begin. The end result is you’re wasting time dealing with the mechanics of the program, rather than thinking about the core issue you’re trying to address.
IT service problems are a weekly occurrence for over half of businesses
We all experience the frustration caused by IT issues from time to time, but a new survey by Forrester on behalf of operations performance specialist PagerDuty reveals that 55 percent of IT and business decision makers in the US experience IT service problems at least once a week.
What's more worrying is that 53 percent found out about the problems via users or external customers rather than through internal monitoring tools. Also 54 percent of respondents said their companies lacked adequate incident and problem management processes or didn't provide enough information to identify where the problem comes from.
Artweaver Free adds new brush engine, improves file-saving options
German developer Boris Eyrich Software has released Artweaver Free 5.0, a major new version of its painting tool for Windows. The app, also available in a more fully featured Plus version, boasts a number of new tools and improvements.
These include a new high precision 16-bit brush engine, better file-saving mechanism, support for the OpenRaster file format and support for exporting all presets. Plus users also gain a new Mirror Painting tool.
Outdated companies are falling behind start-ups, here's why
Technology is changing our lives at an unprecedented pace. We're shopping on our phones, watching Netflix on our tablets and posting selfies to Instagram.
From a business perspective, technology is forcing a new approach. The massive, grindingly slow corporates of old, the likes of Blackberry, Blockbusters, Nokia, Navteq and Kodak, are being superseded by two guys in a garage with a start-up leveraging new, innovative technologies. Welcome WhatsApp, Oculus Rift, Twitch, Netflix, Instagram, Waze and Xiaomi.
Security breach reveals personal details of USPS employees and customers
The latest high-profile security breach has exposed the personal details of hundreds of thousand of USPS workers, as well as customers. The attack, which is suspected to originate from China, took place in the middle of September, but details are only just emerging. An investigation by the FBI started straight away and is still on-going.
USPS says that employee information such as "names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, addresses, beginning and end dates of employment, emergency contact information" was compromised. The security breach also affects customers as call center data was obtained by the attackers, including "names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses".
Secure mobile platform helps smaller businesses adopt BYOD
Allowing employees to use their own devices for work is increasingly popular, but it can present problems for smaller businesses when it comes to implementing the technology and keeping it secure.
California-based hopTo has an answer for small and medium businesses in the form of its mobile productivity platform hopTo Work. The platform provides instant BYOD functions with a flexible and secure mobile workspace.
Pi-Top launches: Get your own DIY Raspberry Pi laptop for $285
The Pi-Top, which is a do-it-yourself Raspberry Pi laptop, has now been launched, and has already easily surpassed its crowd-funding target.
If you missed this one when it first hit the headlines back in September, the invention is a 3D-printable full laptop built around the famous tiny and inexpensive Raspberry Pi computer.
SAP helps business embrace the internet of things
A recent report by Gartner predicts that there will be 4.9 billion connected 'things' in use in 2015 and as many as 20 billion by 2020.
There’s little doubt that the internet of things is set to have a big impact which will be felt across enterprises and homes. Business systems specialist SAP is keen to be at the forefront and is using its TechEd conference in Berlin to announce three new IoT solutions.
LinuxLive USB Creator 2.90 arrives
Thibaut Lauzière has announced the release of LinuxLive USB Creator 2.90, his one-stop distro download and Live USB key builder.
As usual, there’s support for the latest distributions: CentOS 7.0, Ubuntu 14.10, Debian Live 7.6.0, KNOPPIX 7.4.2 and more. The program now offers OpenMandrivaLX, CDLinux, even ReactOS if you’re interested, and Lauzière says there’s "improved support for 64-bit variants" for whatever you choose.
Elon Musk plans to launch 700 satellites to deliver global internet access
Elon Musk is apparently set to bring about a plan to launch a bunch of satellites into space with the intention of delivering internet access around the world.
The entrepreneur who is now more famous for his electric cars via the firm he co-founded, Tesla Motors, is no stranger to space shenanigans given that he also founded SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corporation) back in 2002 to explore and perfect rockets and space transport in general.
The Microsoft Lumia 535 is officially official! Nokia fades to black
Windows Phone is a fantastic mobile operating system, hindered only by a lack of apps. To be more specific, Google's lack of support makes Microsoft's mobile operating system a non-starter for many. Hell, my colleague Joe Wilcox recently declared his disdain for the platform, even though he loves the hardware. It's unfortunate, really.
Today, Microsoft officially announces the Lumia 535 -- notably missing the Nokia branding. The first handset featuring "Microsoft Lumia" branding is a low-end affair that will do nothing to sway Windows Phone detractors, or woo users of the popular iPhone. Instead, it represents affordability and style, targeting cost-conscious consumers in emerging markets.
Obama enters net neutrality debate with four rules for a free and open internet
The net neutrality debate has been raging for some time and Barack Obama has stepped into the fray, voicing his support for a free and open internet. More than this, the president is calling for broadband to be reclassified under Title II of the Telecommunications Act which would give the FCC greater powers of regulation. His statement has come as bad news for cable companies who have expressed a desire to create a two-tiered internet.
But while some providers have suggested that they would like to be able to offer a faster service to customers willing and able to pay more money each month, Obama is calling for a largely unfettered internet. As well as eliminating the idea of fast lanes, he calls for no blocking of legal content, no throttling, and greater ISP transparency.
Netflix unveils October Speed Index Report, Comcast still middle of the pack
Every month streaming video provider Netflix announces its speed results for the biggest ISPs in the US and other nations. The report is aimed to let customers know why their video may be dodgy and also to praise those that get it right. The order tends to vary each and every time, but there is some relative consistency seen in the results.
This time around, the October report reveals that Verizon Fios remains in the top spot. Comcast also retained its position, though sixth is still not great given the provider is getting paid by Netflix to provide the best service. In between those positions you will find Cablevision, Bright House, Cox and Charter.
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