Preventive maintenance: Fine-tuning your warning system
Imagine that you’re driving your car. Everything is running normally when, out of the blue, your check engine light blinks on and off from your dashboard. At this point, the best course of action would be to stop driving and call a tow service, as a flashing check engine light signals that you have a serious problem that, if ignored, could cause serious damage.
And, despite the momentary inconvenience, you’ll likely be thinking: Good thing I had that signal. Now imagine the same scenario but without the warning light. In time, your easy fix can quickly escalate to a smoking engine and a hefty auto repair bill. Such is the case when businesses fail to implement the technology, personnel, and processes to support preventive maintenance.
Sorry, Americans, but you can't buy this amazing Xiaomi Mi 11 Android smartphone
Being an American is pretty great. After all, we get to live in the best country in the world. We have many freedoms that other countries do not, such as speech, press, and religion to name a few. And when it comes to tech products, we usually get access to the best. Thanks to the xenophobic Donald Trump we can't have Huawei products, but I digress.
With all of that said, China gets some amazing tech exclusives -- especially when it comes to smartphones. For instance, Xiaomi phones are quite beautiful and powerful, but rarely destined for the USA -- unless you import one. Today, that company unveils its latest Android-based flagship. Called "Mi 11," it is gorgeous with impressive specs, but it will not come to America officially.
Best Windows 10 apps this week
Four-hundred-eighteen 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.
More than 84 percent of all Windows 10 users use Windows Hello to sign-in to the system according to Microsoft. What about you? Do you use Windows Hello?
Encryption, zero trust and the quantum threat -- security predictions for 2021
We've already looked at the possible cybercrime landscape for 2021, but what about the other side of the coin? How are businesses going to set about ensuring they are properly protected next year?
Josh Bregman, COO of CyGlass thinks security needs to put people first, "2020 has been incredibly stressful. Organizations should therefore look to put people first in 2021. Cybersecurity teams are especially stressed. They've been tasked with securing a changing environment where more people than ever before are working remotely. They've also faced new threats as cyber criminals have looked to take advantage of the pandemic: whether through phishing attacks or exploiting weaknesses in corporate infrastructure. Being proactive, encouraging good cyber hygiene and executing a well thought out cyber program will go a long way towards promoting a peaceful and productive 2021, not least because it will build resiliency."
More automation, earlier security and 'Switzerland platforms' -- development predictions for 2021
The switch to remote working and the surge in online shopping during 2020 has seen a greater focus on the experience that software provides.
There have of course been other pressures on developers too, but what can we expect to happen in the next year?
ADATA announces ICFP301 CFexpress Type B memory card
If you are into photography, you have probably seen many types of memory cards over the years, such as CompactFlash, Memory Stick, and Secure Digital (SD). I recall owning an Olympus camera that used the now-defunct xD, but I digress.
One of the most cutting-edge memory cards these days is CFexpress, thanks to its blazing fast read and write speeds. It is used by high-end cameras, such as the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR. Today, ADATA announces the ICFP301 card, which is a Type B variant of CFexpress. While very fast, it should prove rather durable too, as it is technically designed for industrial applications.
Firmware attacks, sophisticated ransomware and ID fraud -- cybercrime predictions for 2021
2020 has seen cybercriminals step up their efforts to exploit the surge of people working from home, as well as seeking to exploit news and information about the pandemic.
This is a notoriously difficult area to predict, but what do experts think we’ll see happening in 2021?
2021 will be the year we redefine innovation
Most people will be glad to see the back of 2020. It caused stress for workers in many industries around the world, as well as hardship for businesses, and forced people out of routines they had been used to operating in for years. It also forced the hand of businesses to innovate and roll out technology projects faster than usual. Whether it was COVID-19 contact tracing applications or contactless grocery orders, we saw the strength of IT teams working closely with the rest of the business to bring about change.
But now comes the next stage. 2021 will be a time to build on what took place in an unprecedented year and discover ways to uncover value. We’ll know exactly what outcomes our innovations are generating and thus we’ll be better informed for the steps we take in years to come. As we look to the new year, here are the top trends that will be most critical to the IT industry.
Cybersecurity predictions for 2021
No one could have predicted the madness of 2020. From a cybersecurity perspective, adversaries hit a German hospital with ransomware that resulted in a fatality, voting equipment manufacturers opted to work with security researchers to find bugs in their networks and websites, and other governments around the globe began to lean into vulnerability disclosure programs (VDPs) to even the playing field with increasingly sophisticated attackers. As a result, these events paved the way for continued change in the new year.
Read on for a glimpse of what we can expect to occur from a security perspective.
Cryptocurrency becomes mainstream and new digital standards arrive -- fintech predictions for 2021
In recent years we've seen some significant shifts in the financial sector, with newer businesses using technology to challenge more established players.
Much of this has centered around the use of blockchain, although cryptocurrency still hasn't entered the mainstream. What do experts think we'll see in the fintech space next year?
Ten predictions for applications and application delivery in 2021
We’ve become an application-centric society. We use apps to help us do our work, to communicate, to stream entertainment, to monitor our health, and to do a whole lot more. Over the years, the number of desktop and mobile apps has grown dramatically. Where we deliver them from has changed too. The cloud has played a huge role as we move away from strictly on-premises data centers to a hybrid cloud and multi-cloud approach. And, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on how we built, delivered, and consumed our applications in 2020. But what will 2021 bring?
Here are 10 predictions for applications and application delivery in the coming year.
System Mechanic 21 unveils major facelift alongside new network and process scanning tools
iolo Technologies has unveiled System Mechanic 21, a landmark new version of the venerable -- but still acclaimed -- system tune-up tool for Windows PCs. It’s a noteworthy release thanks to a major user interface update, but also boasts two new scanning tools, step-by-step guides and -- in the Pro release -- improved antivirus protection.
The new redesign is immediately apparent the first time the product is run, accompanied by a streamlined install process, clean and simplified dashboard, and pop-up guides that can steer users through their first run with major parts of the program.
Enabling the edge, more IoT devices and more risks -- 5G predictions for 2021
As the worldwide roll out of 5G networks gathers pace, what do industry experts believe will be the opportunities and threats that they will bring?
Verizon Media's chief business officer Iván Markman expects 5G to push more computing to the edge, "As 5G deployment grows across networks, offering much faster data speeds and low-latency, and computing is increasingly done at the edge of the cloud instead of inside a device, it will in turn lead to new form factors for devices as they don't need such huge computing power as they require right now to deliver XR experiences. We have already seen great strides forward in 2020 with live events across music, sports and beyond with new immersive XR experiences for audiences both at home and within venues."
Facebook explains why millions of users are losing access to key features
If you've logged into Facebook, launched Instagram, or fired up Facebook Messenger recently, you may well have seen a message reading, "some features not available". So, what's going on?
Various restrictions have come into force because of new privacy laws that Facebook must comply with. It means that some "advanced options", such as creating polls, are no longer available to millions of users. Facebook has revealed just what is happening.
All about Kubernetes and why you need more
Kubernetes is a platform for managing containerized workloads. Over recent years, it has pushed out alternative platforms and become a defacto standard.
All major cloud vendors now offer managed Kubernetes services, and there are no emerging competitors poised to unseat it. This article gives an overview of the rationale behind the emergence of Kubernetes and related technologies, and their place in an overall automation strategy.
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