What can the IT industry expect this year? More of the same -- change
As the age-old saying goes: Change is the only constant in life. The same is particularly true for the IT industry. New technologies birth newer technologies and the cycle of exploration, innovation, and mastery continues on repeat. In my opinion, it’s one of the many perks of working in IT. Variety is the spice of life, to quote another cliche.
The last two years have been, let’s just say, especially spicy -- with all sorts of unexpected challenges and advancements. The year ahead is sure to bring about more of the same. While hindsight may be 20/20 when it comes to 2020 (and 2021), the trick for IT professionals, and the organizations that employ them, will be trying to stay ahead of the ever-changing curve in 2022.
Microsoft Edge for Windows 11 is getting Dynamic Refresh Rate to boost performance and reduce power consumption
While still a long way from being the most popular browser on the market, Microsoft Edge continues to be where some of the most interesting developments are to be found. A great example of this can be seen in the latest Canary build of the browser.
In Edge 99, Microsoft has added a new setting that can be configured to use higher refresh rates only when scrolling. This not only means that scrolling looks nicer, but also that the lower refresh rates used the rest of the time will help to reduce power consumption, thereby improving battery life on laptops.
Microsoft acknowledges that the KB5008212 update breaks Outlook search in Windows 10
Microsoft has acknowledged an issue following the installation of the KB5008212 update. The problem causes email searching in Outlook to break, and no fix is currently available.
To let people know about the issue, and to provide details of a workaround, Microsoft has published a support document entitled "Outlook Search not showing recent emails after Windows update KB5008212".
Install Linux Mint 20.3 'Una' this weekend if you have absolutely nothing better to do
Well, folks, we finally made it; the weekend is officially here! Hopefully you have some exciting activities planned. Maybe you are going to a party or taking someone out for a romantic dinner date. Or maybe, just maybe, you have absolutely nothing planned. You know what? That's OK. A lot of people are lonely and/or have no prospects. And for them, Linux exists.
Thankfully, Linux Mint 20.3 (code-named "Una") has finally exited beta, giving countless computer nerds around the world something to do this weekend. And yes, this includes me -- I had nothing planned other than a trip to Costco on Saturday and watching my New York Jets lose on Sunday. But now I will be installing the stable version of Linux Mint 20.3 "Una" as well. Huzzah!
Digital transformation: Recovering the meaning behind an overstated concept
The phrase 'digital transformation,' or DX, in short, is thrown around at an alarming level in the promotional and marketing materials of large tech companies and consultancies. But what does digital transformation really mean?
Digital transformation in today’s tech world is a buzzword, fashionable jargon that’s often thrown around without seeing any real value or understanding. The term assumes that everyone who creates something new is innovative, but that simply isn’t the case. Many industries have turned to modern tech to rejuvenate or enhance their business solutions. But, that doesn’t mean they’re undergoing a digital transformation. The wording and ideologies used to describe digital transformation have caused the term to be lost in translation. How do we recover the meaning behind an often overstated concept?
How control system vulnerabilities can threaten the oil industry [Q&A]
The Colonial Pipeline attack in 2021 highlighted how vulnerable industrial control systems, and in particular energy supplies, can be to cyberattacks.
The oil and gas sector is particularly at risk as it often relies on older devices that don't receive timely firmware updates. We spoke to Mark Kerzner, CEO and co-founder of ElephantScale and Scaia AI who has worked with many oil industry leaders, to find out more about the risks and how they can be addressed.
Best Windows apps this week
Four-hundred-seventy-two in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 and 11 on the Microsoft Store and elsewhere in the past seven days.
The first big Windows 11 update may come earlier than expected. Microsoft released the first Windows 11 build of the year to the public this week.
Malware and ransomware set to be a larger threat over the next year
Over half (55 percent) of organizations see malware and ransomware as an 'extreme' threat and 75 percent believe it will get bigger over the next year.
This is among the findings of the 2021 Malware and Ransomware report from Bitglass (which was recently acquired by Forcepoint). A joint venture with Cybersecurity Insiders, the report is based on a survey of hundreds of cybersecurity professionals across industries to better understand how the growing malware and ransomware problem has changed the way they protect their organization.
Microsoft releases PowerToys v0.53.1 and adds new Always On Top utility
The first PowerToys release of 2022 is here, and it is a strong start to the year. With the release of PowerToys v0.53.1, Microsoft has not only added a new utility in the form of Always On Top, but has also made lots of fixes, changes, additions and improvements to the existing tools in the suite.
Among the other notable additions to this release are new supports options in the File Explorer preview pan, and the arrival of web searching from PowerToys Run. Microsoft says that "the v0.53 release cycle was designed for a maintenance sprint but with some amazing community support, it is loaded with greatness" -- and there certainly is a lot of greatness to explore.
Satechi announces 2-in-1 Headphone Stand with Wireless Charger for Apple AirPods Max
If you're like me, having a neat and tidy desk is a must. Look, I understand that things can get a bit messy sometimes when under a heavy workload, but for the most part, keeping a clean and organized workstation can be key to success.
And that is why many people buy headphone stands. Whether for wired or wireless headphones (or headsets), these stands can keep them out of the way, freeing up your desk for other things. Such a stand can also protect your expensive headphones when not in use, so they aren't accidentally knocked off the desk or ruined by a spilled beverage.
Microsoft releases Windows 11 Build 22526 with improved file search
Having taken a break for the holidays, the Windows development team is back in business with the first new Windows 11 Dev Channel build of 2022.
Build 22526 comes with a decent number of fixes, as well as some welcome changes and improvements.
Google Docs comment flaw exploited by attackers
A flaw in the comments feature of Google Docs is allowing attackers to target users with phishing emails.
Security researchers at email security company Avanan have observed what they call, "a new, massive wave of hackers" using the comment feature in Google Docs during December to launch attacks, mainly against Outlook users.
5 data warehouse myths that hold development back
Businesses now live and die by data. From managing resources and analyzing performance to hyper-targeted marketing and behavioral analytics, data has become essential to the way companies operate. The demand for data has never been higher -- and it’s only increasing.
This pressure passes directly onto the people who help meet this demand. Data warehouse (DW) and analytics professionals are having to develop new data sets and produce insights at a record pace, all whilst keeping costs down. It’s clear DW acceleration is critical and this is acknowledged across the industry: according to WhereScape and TDWI’s research published this year, 63 percent of data warehouse professionals consider DW acceleration extremely important.
Quantum is the future say enterprise execs
Those who fail to adopt quantum computing are in danger of falling behind, according to 75 percent of enterprise executives in a new survey.
The study, carried out by Wakefield Research for Zapata Computing, surveyed 300 leaders at large enterprises and finds that 69 percent either have adopted or plan to adopt quantum computing the near future.
The chronological feed is coming back to Instagram
The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has revealed details of tests that are currently underway that will change the way feeds are displayed on the platform. Among the options that are on the way is the much-requested ability to see a chronological feed.
In all, there are three feed viewing options that are undergoing testing -- something Mosseri describes as giving "you more control over your Instagram experience". Of the three views, two of them allow for chronological scrolling through posts.
© 1998-2024 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.