2021 Prediction #3: Get ready for more GameStops as hedge funds are no longer the only bullies in town
Today is my birthday. Thirty-five years ago today I was drinking coffee in my Palo Alto kitchen when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on TV. Thirty years ago today my father fell over, instantly dead of a heart attack while walking between gates in the American Airlines terminal at DFW. I was expecting a call, just not that one. Life is full of surprises and some of them aren’t good, as hedge funds are learning this week while their fortunes are determined by millennial traders in shares of GameStop, the venerable video game retailer. This is all part of the new normal.
Day Trading of stocks and options was a big deal during the dot-com era 25 years ago. "Traders" intent on closing-out their positions at the end of each day would hype this stock or that on Internet discussion boards, counting on artificial volatility and good timing to both buy and sell (or sell and buy) before the other guy -- one trader against the world. That’s NOT what is happening here with GameStop, AMC, Bed Bath & Beyond, Blackberry, etc. This is coordinated action of thousands of traders toward a specific and guaranteed profitable end.
Best Windows 10 apps this week
Four-hundred-twenty-three in a series. Welcome to this week's overview of the best apps, games and extensions released for Windows 10 on the Microsoft Store in the past seven days.
Microsoft published a workaround for the Conexant ISST audio driver issue in Windows 10 this week. There is also a third-party patch for the drive-corrupting Windows 10 issue.
Disney+ is bringing back The Mighty Ducks
Disney+ has been a huge success, thanks in part to original content like The Mandalorian, Mulan, Soul and, most recently, WandaVision.
Now the media and theme park giant is announcing the return of The Mighty Ducks. Although based on the movie from 30 or so years ago, this time around it's going to be a TV series.
CORSAIR launches MP600 CORE and PRO M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe solid state drives
Solid state drives are one of the best computing innovations in years, as they provide a huge performance boost without breaking the bank. By simply upgrading from a mechanical hard drive to an SSD, your computer will feel brand new. Best of all, SSD manufacturers are not resting on their laurels, but instead, continually pushing performance boundaries.
Currently, PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSDs are all the rage with enthusiasts, and today, CORSAIR launches two new models -- the MP600 CORE and MP600 PRO. There is even a "Hydro X Edition" variant of the latter, which utilizes water-cooling to reduce temperatures.
Business mobile app use up by 200 percent
A switch to remote working has resulted in a 200 percent surge in the use of business-related mobile applications and a 25 percent boost in mobile device screen time compared to the previous year.
A new report from reimbursement solution Motus also shows many professionals resorted to using mobile hot spots to offset the strains that reduced home internet speeds, which contributed to a near 20 percent spike in mobile data traffic.
Poor remote endpoint visibility puts organizations at risk
Most organizations have a severe lack of visibility into remote endpoints according to a new report, which poses additional risks as more people work from home.
In addition, few have a way to stop ransomware from spreading throughout their network after an initial breach, according to the study from zero trust specialist Illumio.
Consumers worry about privacy but don't want to change their habits
A survey released to coincide with Data Privacy Day reveals that although 80 percent of consumers are concerned about their data privacy, few are willing to change their habits.
The study from Entrust, based on responses from 500 adults in the US and 500 in the UK, shows 64 percent of consumers are willing to some degree to share personal information with an app in exchange for more relevant, personalized and/or convenient services.
International law enforcement effort takes down Emotet from the inside
Law enforcement authorities in the Netherlands, Germany, the US, the UK, France, Lithuania, Canada and Ukraine have collaborated to disrupt Emotet, one of the most significant botnets of the past decade.
The effort, coordinated by Europol the joint European policing agency, gained control of the Emotet infrastructure and took it down from the inside. Infected machines of victims have been redirected towards this law enforcement-controlled infrastructure.
Set aside some extra time, Sling DVR Plus space quadruples
If you’re an avid Sling user then you likely pay the extra $5 per month for the cloud DVR Plus service. It works like any other DVR, except recordings just aren’t on your hard drive. The TV service has been providing this for a couple of years and it’s been a big frustration for many users because the limit was a bit stingy.
No longer -- the company has upped the space in a big way and, if you haven’t already, you’ll be getting a notification the next time you sign in.
Industry expert views for Data Privacy Day
Depending on who you talk to today is either Data Privacy Day or Data Protection Day. But whatever you want to call it the idea is to focus attention on the importance of best practices for looking after sensitive information.
In the current environment with distributed workforces and more transactions taking place online, this is more important than ever. We've rounded up opinions from some leading industry figures on the current state of data privacy and what can still be improved.
Feel the need for two layers of tabs in your browser? Vivaldi has you covered
It is very difficult for web browsers to be able to honestly make the claim that they have an exclusive feature these days -- the likes of Chrome, Edge, Firefox et al have started to become all but indistinguishable from one another. Looking to stay ahead of the pack, however, Vivaldi has launched a new feature which is unique.
While the likes of Google have been experimenting with tab grouping and pinning to make room for more open tabs in a browser window, the latest version of Vivaldi has taken a new approach. With the new release you have two layers of tabs to play with, doubling your browsing opportunities.
Facebook apologizes after Plymouth Hoe falls victim to Scunthorpe problem
Facebook has issued an apology after posts relating to Plymouth Hoe were erroneously flagged up for containing offensive language.
Plymouth Hoe is an area of the South Western English city of Plymouth, and it caused the same problems as places such as Cockermouth, Scunthorpe and Devil's Dyke for obscenity filters. The social network not only removed posts for using the word 'Hoe', but also closed down groups relating to the area.
TP-Link unveils KL125 Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Multicolor Light Bulb
A smart home is a happy home as far I am concerned. Since going all-in on smart devices in my house, my life has been much improved. I can control my thermostat without getting out of bed, and when I leave a room, I can tell Google to turn off the light. If I hear a bump in the night, I can pull out my phone or tablet to monitor my Wi-Fi cameras. We are living in the future, and it is great.
For my smart lighting, I have outlet adapters connected to lamps, and for the most part, this works well. If I could do it over, however, I would probably just get smart bulbs. Today, TP-Link unveils its latest such product; the KL125 Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Light Bulb. This 800 lumen bulb is notable for being both dimmable and multicolor, meaning you can change the color and the brightness of the light -- something you cannot do with a smart outlet adapter.
Microsoft releases Windows 10 Build 21301
Last week, Microsoft rolled out Windows 10 Build 21296 to Insiders on the Dev Channel, introducing improvements to the clipboard history and Storage Spaces, as well as a number of fixes and improvements.
Today, Windows 10 Build 21301 arrives on the Dev Channel and brings with it improvements to the touch keyboard design.
Four ways to build a zero trust mindset
When the coronavirus first appeared, organizations everywhere were forced to accelerate digital transformations to comply with stay-at-home orders and maintain business continuity. Now, thanks to the heroic efforts of IT and security teams to adapt to new challenges, we have a luxury we didn’t just over a year ago: time.
Today we can proactively think through new technologies and make long-term, strategic decisions about how they affect organizational strategy. And one of the most valuable ways that security pros can get ahead of the next challenge is by thinking through and scaling up their organization’s zero-trust mentality. Let’s look at what we mean by 'zero trust' and some tips for implementing it effectively:
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