Wearables in the enterprise, the software development dilemma
Google Glass is about to end its prototype phase, yet popular opinion and the device’s app ecosystem are struggling.
This coming spring will see widespread consumer access to the much-hyped wearable computer, which will hopefully lead to an increase of intuitive apps. Analysts have stated that such technology will have trouble in the consumer space due to the lack of selection at the moment. Surprisingly, counter to the common progression of technology from consumers to the enterprise, wearable technology will potentially be more successful as a business tool than a consumer gadget.
Artweaver 4.5 extends ArtweaverTeam.com integration
Boris Eyrich Software has updated its popular paint tool Artweaver to version 4.5.
The new build improves integration with ArtweaverTeam.com, the companion site where several Artweaver users can collaborate on projects. The Uploader plugin is now installed by default, making it easier to get started, while team status messages are more clearly displayed on a separate status bar.
Microsoft wants your iPhone 4 or Galaxy S2, offers Lumia 1020 or 1520 in trade
If you are currently toting around an Apple iPhone 4 or 4s, or a Samsung Galaxy S2, then you are likely aware that it's time for an upgrade. While many on Apple and Android platforms will probably stick with what they know, Microsoft is hoping it can win a few of you over.
For a limited time the company is offering a trade-in deal. Customers who bring in an iPhone 4 or 4s or Galaxy S2 can walk out with a new Nokia Lumia 1020 or 1520 at no cost.
Detect and install missing updates with SecPod Saner
Installing a reliable antivirus package is a key part of maintaining your PC’s security, but there’s more you can do. It’s just as important to ensure you keep up-to-date with the latest software patches, blocking security vulnerabilities before malware can exploit them.
SecPod Saner is a free tool which can help automate this process by scanning applications, highlighting missing security patches, and even downloading and installing them for you.
Over 60 percent of organizations suffer security breaches in 2013
A survey of more than 750 security decision makers and practitioners in North America and Europe finds that more than 60 percent have suffered some form of security breach in 2013.
In its first Cyberthreat Defense Report the Cyber Edge Group aims to provide an all-round view of organizations’ security threats, response plans, processes, and investments.
Sony sells VAIO, cuts 5,000 jobs and exits PC manufacturing
Sony is pulling out of the PC business and is selling the VAIO brand to Japanese investment fund Japan Industrial Partners (JIP). The announcement came after industry speculation about what might be happening in Sony's future after the company responded to rumors that it was in talks with Lenovo about a possible sale by saying that it was looking to "address various options for the PC business". No details about the fees involved have yet been revealed, but it is hoped that an agreement will be reached by the end of March.
Citing "drastic changes in the global PC industry", Sony's announcement came as the company revealed its financial results for Q3 2013. Analysis of the results showed that the "target of returning the TV and PC businesses to profitability will not be achieved within the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014", hence the need for reform. This means that Sony will now concentrate "its mobile product lineup on smartphones and tablets". An estimated 5,000 jobs will be lost.
Nadella’s success at Microsoft probably depends on Gates
Microsoft has a new CEO in former cloud and server chief Satya Nadella and readers have been asking me what this means? Certainly Nadella was the least bad of the internal candidates but an external selection would have been better. Whether it works out well or not probably comes down to Bill Gates, who leaves his job as chairman to become Nadella’s top technical advisor.
You might ask why Nadella, whose technical chops are easily the equal of BillG’s (and a lot more recent, too) would even need Gates in that advisory role? I believe the answer lies in my recent column where I argued that the best new Microsoft CEO would be Gates, himself, because only he could stand up to departing CEO Steve Ballmer.
Microsoft goes for the gold -- Olympic games come to Bing
The Olympic games are a very special time, where the top athletes from around the world compete on behalf of their respective country. Sadly, this year, the winter games are tainted by terrorist threats and an anti-equality stance by the host country. Also, some visitors to Sochi, Russia are finding that the living conditions in the hotels are abhorrent -- undrinkable water, dirty rooms and more.
But enough about the bad stuff, Microsoft wants to help you focus on the positive things -- the actual sporting events, with the help of Bing. It may get the silver medal when it comes to search-engine market share, but that won't stop it from going for the gold in this respect.
Save web page pictures automatically with SavePictureAs
If you're browsing the web and find an image you'd like to keep, then the procedure is almost always the same: right-click, select "Save image as", and choose your preferred destination. That's simple enough, too, but if you’re saving lots of pictures in the same session then it can get a little tedious.
SavePictureAs is an open-source tool which speeds up the image saving process (in all the main browsers, and most of the minor ones) by automating most of its steps. All you have to do is move the mouse cursor over a picture, press a customisable hotkey, and watch as the program simulates a right-click, selects "Save image as", points the browser at your favorite folder, and saves the picture with its default file name.
Xbox One set to receive its first update on February 11th
The Xbox One hit the market late last year, just in time for the big holiday shopping season, and only one week behind rival Sony’s PS4. Now, only a few scant weeks after the big launch, the company is announcing the first update to the system.
The news is released through Xbox Live chief Larry Hryb, who many know better as Major Nelson. Today Hryb stated "on February 11, the first update will be delivered to customers who sign into their Xbox One. It features many new improvements -- including lots of behind-the-scenes updates for developers building apps and games for Xbox One, several new features we believe Xbox fans will love, stability and product updates to improve the customer experience, and continuous improvements to the quality of Kinect voice so commands become more fluid and responsive over time".
37signals becomes Basecamp and drops all but its eponymous product
The name 37signals may not mean much to people outside of tech and business circles. This is a company that produces something that is better known than its own name: Basecamp. The very fact that 37signals is primarily, or even solely, associated with Basecamp seems as good a reason as any to consider a rebrand, and this is precisely what the company is doing. While some people content themselves with blowing out candles on a cake, 37signals celebrates its tenth birthday by renaming itself Basecamp.
But it does not end there. In addition to taking a new name from its popular online collaboration and project management tool, the company is switching its focus so that Basecamp is its only product. The announcement appears on the company's website, explaining that the decision will allow all energies to be channeled into the tool that gained greatest success:
VirusTotal adds AegisLab as a file scanning engine
VirusTotal has announced the addition of AegisLab as a new file scanning engine. The Taiwanese company was already working with VirusTotal on its URL scanner, but this should raise its profile significantly.
The good news continued in AV Test’s latest Android Security report, where AegisLab’s Antivirus Premium 1.1 and AhnLan’s V3 Mobile 2.1 were the only packages to score maximum marks for protection.
VLC Media Player increases stability, fixes bugs and regressions
VideoLAN has released VLC Media Player 2.1.3, the latest minor release of its open-source, cross-platform media player for Windows, Mac and Linux. Version 2.1.3 comes with the promise of fixing multiple bugs and regressions introduced in previous 2.1.x releases.
Important fixes involve improving audio and video output management across most platforms, and also include decoder and dexmuxer improvements too.
Geo-Tag Mapper plots geotagged photos on an interactive globe
Geotagging photographs sounds great, at least in theory. You buy a camera with GPS, and it records exactly where you take every picture, very useful when you’d like to return there later (or just if you’ve just forgotten where you saw that amazing sunset).
This isn’t quite as easy as it should be, because most image viewers and graphics tools don’t recognize or use positional data. There are some exceptions, though, and the latest, Geo-Tag Mapper, provides a very easy way to visualize your photos by their location.
DirecTV joins the HBO GO party on Roku
HBO GO for Roku set-top boxes launched back in late 2011, but, like many streaming networks, users are required to prove they subscribe to the channel through a participating cable or satellite provider. It's a frustrating problem that hopefully will slowly go away -- the Super Bowl was just streamed by Fox Sports without this restriction.
One major provider that wasn’t part of the Roku family was DirecTV, but that is now changing. The device maker and TV service have reached an agreement to make HBO GO available to those who enter DirecTV as their television service.
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