Toshiba unveils 16TB MG08 CMR HDD
As consumers use less and less local storage because of the cloud and streaming media, you would expect manufacturers to stop focusing on massive hard disk drives. After all, solid state drives are faster, albeit much more expensive from a capacity standpoint. And yeah, long gone are the days where PC manufacturers touted massive local disk capacity as a selling point. But still, there is a need for cost effective hard drives for data centers, servers, and more. Hell, there are professionals -- such as media creators -- that can benefit from a roomy hard drive as well.
Thankfully, companies are still pushing the boundaries of what is possible with a 3.5-inch form factor. Toshiba, for instance -- with the help of helium -- has reached yet another milestone for its traditional hard drive portfolio. Its new MG08 drive is a 3.5-inch conventional magnetic recording hard disk drive with an impressive 7,200 RPM speed and a massive 16TB of storage capacity -- making 12TB, 14TB, and 15TB models look like "old hat."
NSA plans to release tool for reverse-engineering software
It feels like it has been a while since we've had any NSA-related news -- interest in mass surveillance has been overtaken by other concerns. After a series of Vault 7 leaks from WikiLeaks about the organization, the NSA is now planning to release its GHIDRA framework, designed to reverse-engineer malware and other software, later in the year.
The framework will be available for Windows, macOS and Linux, and it is set to be demonstrated and publicly released at the RSAConference in March. While it might seem like a bad idea to release a tool that can be used to break down malware and see how it works -- and, therefore, create other similar attack tools -- the idea is actually to help increase security.
Microsoft now lets everyone create unlimited private GitHub repositories for free
Since Microsoft bought GitHub last year there have been a few changes here and there, but the company has just announced something pretty major. While it previously cost $7 per month to create a private repository, now it is possible to create an unlimited number free of charge.
There is a slight caveat, of course. Private projects are limited to up to three collaborators before a charge is applicable. Microsoft has also announced a new service, GitHub Enterprise, which brings together Enterprise Cloud (previously known as GitHub Business Cloud) and Enterprise Server (previously, and confusingly, known as GitHub Enterprise).
Samsung's affordable 'Notebook Flash' Windows 10 laptop is adorably cute
The 2019 Consumer Electronics Show hasn't officially started yet (it begins tomorrow), but there are already tons of new products being announced in anticipation. Quite frankly, there is too much stuff being unveiled lately, making it not much more than a bunch of noise. Trying to keep up with all the new products is an exercise in frustration -- I wouldn't be mad if CES was canceled forever.
There are so many new Windows 10 laptops this year, for instance, that it can be hard to get excited over them. And yet, one has managed to tickle my fancy. No, it isn't some hardcore gaming machine. It doesn't have a unique form factor or any bells and whistles. Actually, I am attracted to its affordability and cute design. Called "Notebook Flash," it is a basic laptop from Samsung with a textured body, rounded keys (Samsung calls them "typewriter"), and speckled paint-job on the rear. It makes me smile for some reason.
Email: Year in review 2018
2018 is has come to a close. Many experts are making predictions for 2019, but I think it’s important to learn from the past. Let’s take a look back at all of the major email industry events of 2018.
There were plenty of changes amongst mailbox providers that kept marketers and deliverability professionals busy. Providers like Gmail and Oath (AOL, Yahoo and Verizon mail) went through significant changes this year, including:
How AI will -- and won't -- dominate customer service in 2019
Is artificial intelligence the future of customer service, or is it the jump-the-shark moment that slows our society’s reliance on technology and automation? It’s fair to say that 2018 didn’t make the answer any more evident. In 2019, most businesses will seek a balance between the added efficiency and responsiveness that AI customer service can provide and the human touch that customers still value.
There are two significant areas where businesses are finding success with AI in customer service: chatbots and data. Expect to see both areas grow in 2019 as companies look for ways to serve their customers more efficiently and intelligently.
Android Q could well have a native, system-wide dark mode
If you want to be part of the in-crowd, adding a dark mode to your software is essential. Google has already shown a lot of love for gothic hues, and it looks set to continue this with Android Q -- or Android 10, if you prefer.
Over on the Chromium Bug Tracker, Google worker Lukasz Zbylut appears to confirm that Android Q will feature a system-wide dark mode, with all preloaded apps offering the option natively.
Roku reaches impressive milestone -- more than 27 million active accounts
In 2019, streaming media is ubiquitous. It seems like everyone has a Netflix account -- not to mention Hulu, Spotify, YouTube, and more. Hell, as more and more people cut the cord, even live TV is being streamed over the internet. If you are a big fan of consuming media, you are definitely alive at the right time. Of course, to enjoy streaming media, you need hardware to do so. Many TVs are "smart" these days, meaning they have the ability to access services without the need of a media box.
With that said, smart TVs are often quite dumb in this regard -- they can be outdated (abandoned by the maker) and offer deficient user interfaces. That's why many people still buy things like Apple TV and Roku even when they have a TV with similar functionality. While I love my Apple TV, Roku remains the best value -- its hardware is very capable and affordable, while having access to many popular services -- including free movies! That's why it should come as no surprise that Roku has reached an important milestone -- more than 27 million active accounts! Wow.
DuckDuckGo denies using fingerprinting to track its users
Responding to a forum post that accused it of "fingerprinting users", privacy-centric search engine DuckDuckGo says that fears are unfounded and that it is not tracking its users.
The allegation was made after the Firefox extension CanvasBlocker showed a warning to users. The suggestion of fingerprinting -- gathering as much information as possible about a user through their browser to create a unique identifier that can be used for tracking -- is clearly something that would seem to sit in opposition to what DuckDuckGo claims to stand for. The company CEO says the accusation is simply wrong.
HyperX announces premium Cloud Orbit gaming headsets for audiophiles
When playing video games online, a headset can really enhance the experience. True, a lot of it is unfortunately having trolls insult you while using foul language, but overall, voice communication is a positive experience that can make online gaming more fun. Not to mention, the headset allows you to hear in-game audio without annoying other members of your home. Hell, wearing headphones can arguably give you an edge over speakers, as you should be able to better hear enemy movements, for instance.
Today, HyperX announces a pair of new premium headsets -- the Cloud Orbit and the Cloud Orbit S. Both are quite similar, except the latter utilizes Waves Nx technology, which tracks the gamer's head movements for a more immersive audio experience. With that exception, the hardware and specs are identical.
Is the QA lab dead?
Quality assurance is changing. Internal teams too often don’t have the resources necessary to get releases to market on time, on budget, and without bugs. And offshoring comes with its own share of issues like irrelevant results and inefficient testing. In its current form -- with traditional lab and outsourced testing -- traditional QA is dying.
There are more than 45,000 unique mobile device profiles on the market today. And that’s just the mobile devices. Forget about desktop computers, connected devices, or any of the other places apps can live and be used on a day-to-day basis. Then add in all the different operating system and browser variations and it becomes clear internal teams need help to test on a massive breadth of devices.
Acer unveils affordable 15.6-inch AMD-powered Chromebook 315 with Radeon graphics
Many home consumers don't really need Windows anymore. With so many things being web-based nowadays, it is much wiser to opt for the more secure Linux-based Chrome OS. Not satisfied with only using web-based solutions? Chromebooks can now run Android apps too, giving the user a huge library of quality apps. In addition, Google is currently testing the ability to run traditional Linux programs on Chrome OS. Even though the feature is technically in beta, it works wonderfully -- I have successfully installed and used GIMP, for instance.
Since more and more consumers are choosing Chrome OS, computer manufacturers are increasingly offering quality Chromebooks. In other words, these laptops are no longer just meant to be low cost. With that said, there is no reason a great Chromebook can't be affordable, and today, Acer unveils a beautiful such product. Called "Chromebook 315," the 15.6-inch laptop is powered by AMD's excellent APUs (a combination CPU and GPU). So yes, this is a Chromebook with Radeon graphics! There are three display options from which to choose, with one of them offering touch -- a nice option for Android apps. The top-firing speakers should make it great for consuming media too.
New Apple support page addresses the issue of bent iPad Pros
A number of complaints came to light recently from iPad Pro owners who were unhappy to discover that their expensive Apple tablets were bent. Apple responded to these complaints by saying that the iPad Pro's unibody design "meets or exceeds" all of its high standards.
Now the company has gone further, publishing a support page explaining the manufacturer and testing process of the iPad Pro, and explaining that the way the tablet is made is the reason some people see a bend. Apple insists, however, that an bend should be within a tiny 400 micron tolerance.
Add an additional layer of website security with the Emsisoft Browser Extension
Although we’d regard ourselves as technically proficient, even we can get caught out online. Over the New Year period we were searching for a product from a reputable brand, seeking the best price available through Google search.
Browsing through the shopping results, we found an official store which sold this brand and was offering a discounted new year sale. Looked legit. But the discount was too high and it was tricky to find any definitive location information. The online store was either selling fake products or simply extracting funds with no intention of shipping. Most people trust sources such as Google Search, but unless individuals report fake or phishing websites, it’s easy to get caught out.
Marriott hack update: attackers accessed fewer user records than first thought, but 5.3 million passport numbers were unencrypted
Back in late November, Marriott International went public with news that its Starwood Hotel reservation database had been hacked. At the time, the company suggested that up to 500 million customer records had been put at risk as a result, but now it has provided an update with a reduced estimate.
The company now says that it believes up to 383 million guests may have been affected; but the news is not all good. Marriott also reveals that over 5 million unencrypted passport numbers were stolen by hackers.
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