TikTok says no to Microsoft, but what about Oracle? [Update]
In a brief statement issued late last night, Microsoft revealed that it was out of the running to buy TikTok’s US operations.
US President Donald Trump claims that TikTok (and other Chinese apps) pose a threat to national security and his administration has set a September 15 deadline for ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese owner, to either sell US operations or shut them down.
Your DNA didn’t change, Ancestry.com’s science did
Where did you come from? It’s a question many people never consider, but some are curious and the best answer to that, aside from lots of time in archives, historical societies, libraries and cemeteries, is a DNA test.
You have multiple options, but the leader is Ancestry.com and it is always updating the science behind its tests so you receive the latest information.
Arch Linux-based Manjaro 20.1 Mikah is here with Xfce, GNOME, and KDE
Manjaro is one of the most popular Linux-based operating systems these days, and it isn't hard to see why. It is based on the rock-solid Arch, but unlike that distro, Manjaro is very easy to install and use. In other words, it has all the benefits of Arch, but without the hassles and headaches. This makes it a great choice for both Linux experts and beginners.
Manjaro 20 "Lysia" was released back in April, and it was very well received by the Linux community. Today, the first point update, Manjaro 20.1 "Mikah," becomes available for download with a trio of desktop environment options -- Xfce (4.14), GNOME (3.36), and KDE Plasma (5.19). All three DEs are excellent, but Xfce is what the developers consider the "flagship." The Xfce variant comes with an all-new theme called "Matcha." All versions of Manjaro 20.1 come with Linux kernel 5.8, Pamac 9.5.9, and ZFS installation support.
Zoom boosts security with 2FA for all users
After suddenly hitting the big time during the coronavirus pandemic, video conferencing tool found itself the center of attention for both good and bad reasons. While people welcome the app facilitating remote working, Zoom's security and privacy credentials were called in to questions in a series of incidents.
The company subsequently promised to take action to improve things in these areas, and over the summer there have been ongoing updates to Zoom. Now two-factor authentication (2FA) has been made available to all users.
Best Windows 10 apps this week
Four-hundred-and-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 released new Intel microcode updates this week to address certain flaws in Intel processors.
Debian-based deepin Linux 20 is here, and it's prettier than Windows 10 and macOS
Back in April, we told you about the deepin 20 Beta. That Linux distribution is very special because of just how beautiful it is. No, the operating system is not only about appearance (it is excellent overall), but it shows that Linux can be just as pretty as macOS and Windows 10. Hell, it is arguably more attractive than Microsoft's and Apple's desktop operating systems.
And now, the stable version of deepin 20 is finally here! This version of the operating system is based on Debian 10.5 and is loaded with new features and bug fixes. For instance, it has enhanced biometric support, allowing you to use your fingerprint -- a fairly rare thing in the Linux world. The new installer should be easier than ever, and if you have an NVIDIA GPU, you can opt to install closed-source drivers. Best of all, the app manager is simplified further, improving the discovery and installation of apps.
Jabra Speak 750 portable speakerphone is certified for Microsoft Teams
Whether you are working remotely from home or working in an office, a time will probably come where video chat will need to happen. This is particularly true during the pandemic, but even before COVID-19, businesses were increasingly having employees work remotely or from satellite locations. While many businesses and employees have functional webcams built into their smartphones and laptops, the integrated microphones are usually subpar. Quite frankly, when it comes to meetings, clear audio is far more important than webcam video quality.
Today, Jabra launches its latest full duplex portable speakerphone, and it looks like a winner. Called "Speak 750," it can connect via a USB or Bluetooth. Don't have Bluetooth in your PC? Don't worry -- Jabra includes a USB dongle in the box. The Speak 750 should provide far superior call experience than any integrated laptop or smartphone microphone. There are two models from which to choose -- a Microsoft Teams Certified variant and a UC model.
ADATA unveils XPG PRECOG ANALOG gaming headset
Headsets are an essential part of the online multiplayer gaming experience these days. They allow you to communicate with teammates -- or opponents -- depending on the game. Hell, even for offline single player games, a quality headset can usually provide superior audio compared to many chintzy computer speakers. They can also be used for music and movies, of course.
Today, ADATA unveils its newest gaming headset under its "XPG" gaming brand. Called "PRECOG ANALOG," it is designed to be a less expensive version of the company's regular PRECOG. This new version seems to forgo the USB control box and associated virtual 7.1 surround. Otherwise ,they seem almost identical, including the handy removable microphone.
Making the case for Trust in Zero Trust
As WFH continues and bad actors and cyberthreats thrive, it is more critical than ever before for organizations to have a robust cybersecurity strategy in place. The best way to get started? Leverage Zero Trust.
The chief concern security teams have is keeping threats and attacks out of their organizations. This is why CISOs make significant investments in security controls that protect important vectors like the network, data center, cloud, email and endpoint. This defense-in-depth approach is essential to detect and block threats, but they need to be bolstered with Zero Trust capabilities. Why? Simply put, because attacks and breaches continue to occur. In fact, we know that 64 percent of CISOs believe their organization is more likely to experience a data breach due to COVID-19, and an additional 30 percent of CISOs have seen more attacks on their IT systems as a direct result of COVID-19.
Windows 10 Build 20211 lets you access Linux filesystems in Windows and WSL 2
Dev Channel Insiders are in for a treat this week. Windows 10 Build 20211 introduces a number of new features, including adding Search to the Default Apps pages in Settings.
There’s a big new change for users of Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL 2) too -- you can now attach and mount a physical disk inside of a WSL 2 distro.
Fast growth leads to challenges as pandemic drives eCommerce to an all-time high
The fastest-growing eCommerce companies share a number of key characteristics, among them being able to keep up with technology change, shipping orders in a timely manner, and providing real-time insights on the status of an order.
This is among the findings of a new report from API transformation company Jitterbit, which also shows that as the number of applications requiring integration and the number of integration challenges rises, so does businesses' reliance on integration vendors.
Size matters when it comes to cybersecurity
Research from Coalfire Labs based on over 800 penetration tests finds that company size has a direct bearing on how effectively a business is able to fend off would-be attackers.
The study shows large and small companies see more than three times the year-on-year improvement of medium-sized companies. Although mid-size companies hit the cybersecurity sweet spot in 2018, they scrambled to keep up last year, and in 2020, improving only four percent year-on-year in fending off attackers compared to their bigger and smaller counterparts.
I’m never going back to my old school: Musings on the fallout from COVID-19-related school closures
With all due respect to Donald Fagan -- front man for beloved jazz-rock duo Steely Dan -- I don’t think we have to wait until "California tumbles into the sea" before we all agree that the idea of a traditional university education is now anachronistic. With COVID-19 disrupting and, in some cases cancelling, in-person learning at leading institutions, many higher-ed students are realizing they can get the skills and knowledge they need without ever stepping foot on campus. In fact, some are discovering that life in "Virtual-U" is better -- easier, more productive, less stressful -- than the real thing.
Case in point: My daughter, who was attending an Ivy League women’s college until the Coronavirus sent her and her classmates packing in the middle of their Spring semester. Since then, her school has cancelled on-campus classes for the Fall, forcing their nearly 3,000 students online. And while time zone differences (Mauritius is 9 hours ahead of the U.S. East Coast) make for some odd virtual classroom hours, she is definitely enjoying the freedom from stress and worry that were part of her traditional, campus-based education experience: Finding food she can eat/tolerate in the cafeterias; fighting for shared bathroom space in her dorm; and dealing with catty, College-aged girls and all the drama that that entails.
These 5 trends in employee payments show the advance of American businesses
Businesses must constantly adjust to innovation. This year, American companies have incorporated new digital currency trends like never before. From cryptocurrency to AI, these offerings have revolutionized how employee payments operate.
Here are the top five trends in employee payments.
Zoho launches new platform to boost collaboration and productivity
Business suite company Zoho is launching a new software platform that brings together collaboration, productivity, and communications tools and integrates them into other business processes.
Zoho Workplace is based around a fully-featured business mail and cloud office suite. It includes nine applications built on a common data model and unified through common search and AI across a single dashboard.
Most Commented Stories
© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.