Microsoft brings AI-powered background blurring to Skype
A few months after adding background blurring to its Teams tool, Microsoft has brought the same option to Skype on the desktop.
The feature serves two purposes. Firstly it helps to focus attention on the person that is speaking, but secondly -- and perhaps more importantly -- it hides any untidiness (or secrets) that may be going on behind the speaker. It's another push from Microsoft to move people away from Skype Classic to Skype 8.
Flickr extends deadline, gives free users longer to download their photos
Under Yahoo, Flickr gave free users a whopping 1TB of storage for their photos, but new owner SmugMug was never going to be as generous. Three months ago the site announced its free plan would be changing, and non-paying users would be limited to storing a maximum of 1,000 photos online.
The cutoff for users to download their images or risk losing them forever was yesterday, February 5, but there’s some good news for anyone who failed to take action prior to then, as well as those who found themselves struggling to complete the export by the deadline as a result of Flickr only allowing 500 images to be saved at a time.
TP-Link unveils RE220 AC750 Wi-Fi Range Extender
Mesh networking is very popular these days, and for good reason -- its use of several access points makes it possible to blanket a home in Wi-Fi. The problem? If you already have a good router, it would be foolish to replace it entirely with a mesh system -- that would be a costly affair. Instead, if you need to deliver wireless access to a dead zone in your home, you should opt for a range extender. They are fairly inexpensive, and best of all, will work with your current router.
Today, TP-Link unveils its latest range extender -- the RE220. This little dual-band 802.11ac access point simply plugs into a power outlet. Then, with the help of a smartphone app, you can configure it to connect to your router. Also cool? It has a gigabit Ethernet port, so it can do double-duty as a wireless adapter for an internet-connected device that doesn't have Wi-Fi -- such as a desktop computer. Performance aside, it also has a striking white design with a gray crisscross pattern.
Failover clustering in the Azure cloud: Understanding the options
A number of options are available for providing high availability protection for applications running in the Azure cloud. Some of these options are cloud-based services. Some are in the operating system or application software. And some are purpose-built by third-parties. The numerous permutations and combinations available can make it extraordinarily difficult to choose the best and most cost-effective solution for each application.
In general, failover clusters are the best option for assuring high availability. Historically, failover clusters were relatively easy to configure and test in the enterprise datacenter using shared storage and standard features built into Windows Server. But in the Azure and other public clouds, there is no shared storage. This creates a need to find other options for running mission-critical applications in a public or hybrid cloud environment. This article examines the options available for providing high availability (HA) for applications running within the Azure cloud. Special emphasis is given to SQL Server as a particularly popular application for Azure.
KeySteal: huge macOS vulnerability can be exploited to reveal keychain passwords
A disgruntled security researcher has revealed a one-click exploit that takes advantage of a macOS vulnerability to reveal all of the passwords stored in a Mac's keychain.
Linus Henze developed an exploit tool called KeySteal that uses a 0-day bug to extract keychain passwords on macOS Mojave and older. He stresses that neither root access nor administrator privileges are required, and no password prompts are generated by the tool. Henze is not going to help Apple to fix the problem because the company does not offer a bug bounty program for macOS.
Airline e-ticketing systems put passenger data at risk
Airlines could be putting the personal data of their passengers at risk by using unencrypted links, according to a new report.
Researchers at security and data management company Wandera have uncovered a vulnerability affecting a number of e-ticketing systems that could allow third parties to view, and in some cases even change, a user's flight booking details, or print their boarding passes.
Two-thirds of organizations bypass IT for digital transformation projects
According to a new report released by The Economist Intelligence Unit and sponsored by BMC software, 66 percent of organizations bypass IT when buying new technologies for digital transformation.
But despite this, 43 percent of firms still hold IT accountable if something goes wrong with their digital transformation initiatives.
Microsoft announces Sport Red Special Edition Xbox One Wireless Controller
Special edition video game controllers aren't very special anymore. Look, they are still cool, but there are so many different styles and colors being released, it can be hard to get excited each time one is announced. Microsoft even offers the ability to create a custom controller with its neat Xbox Design Lab.
With all of that said, I find myself smitten with a new Xbox One controller. Called "Sport Red Special Edition," it should not surprise you to know it is red. It isn't merely a red paint job, however -- it has different shades of red for the thumb sticks and buttons. The D-pad is a metallic red, and the face features a beautiful design of black crossing lines that create a series of triangles. It's definitely a stunner.
The Notifications Widget for Google Photos, Hangouts Chat and Google+ dies in March
Google+ is nearing the end of the line, and ahead of this Google has announced that its Notifications Widget is also to be killed off.
The widget -- which appears in the upper right-hand corner of various Google products including Gmail -- lets users know when there are notifications for various services such as Google Photos, Hangouts Chat and Google+. But when March rolls around, you'll have to rely on alerts for individual services instead.
Microsoft reveals pricing for Windows 7 Extended Security Updates
Windows 7 may be creakingly old now, but it is still widely used. While large numbers of consumers have migrated to Windows 10, there are still plenty of organizations that are clinging to the old operating system out of a sense of nostalgia, an unwillingness to upgrade, lack of funds for upgrading, or legacy requirements.
As of January 14, 2020, Microsoft will no longer be providing support or security updates for Windows 7 -- apart from for those who are willing to pay for it. The company is offering up to three years of Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU), and pricing has just been revealed.
DuckDuckGo reminds ignorant users that many websites ignore browsers' Do Not Track privacy requests
In an increasingly-connected world where data is collected and shared, privacy has become ever-more important to people. If you are of that mind, you may have enabled the Do Not Track (DNT) setting in your web browser in the hope that it will stop the websites you visit from tracking your online activities. Bad news: it probably makes no difference whatsoever.
This might be something you knew already, but research by privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo -- which famously does respect DNT requests -- found than more than three-quarters of people were not aware of that that many sites ignore DNT settings.
Microsoft Studios rebranded Xbox Game Studios
Microsoft's in-house game development division has undergone a rebranding. Previously known as Microsoft Studios, the division's new moniker is Xbox Game Studios.
Made up of a total of 13 game studios purchased by Microsoft over the years, and the division's corporate vice president, Matt Booty, promises that they are all "working hard to deliver incredible exclusives, original IP and all-new chapters from your favorite franchises".
System76 'Darter Pro' laptop finally here -- support the Linux community and buy it!
At the end of last month, BetaNews shared with you that System76 was preparing to release a refreshed version of its Darter Pro laptop. This computer features a large 15.6-inch display and a rather thin and light body. There are many useful ports too, such as USB-C/Thunderbolt 3, USB-A, gigabit Ethernet, an SD Card slot, and both HDMI and DisplayPort for video. If you are a Linux user, the new Darter Pro really looks like a home run. System76 even managed to fit a number pad on the right side of the keyboard -- a much desired feature for many consumers.
We reported that the laptop would become available for purchase on February 5, and thankfully, that proved to be correct. Yes, dear Linux users, you can finally buy the new Darter Pro. Pricing is very competitive, starting at just $999! Best of all, by purchasing a System76 computer, you are supporting a longtime contributor to the Linux community.
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What's in a name? Artificial Intelligence or Data Science?
If you are like me, there is a good chance that you are confused as well about the most recent terminology to use in the field of data science … pardon, artificial intelligence … no, I mean data science. No, I mean artificial intelligence. Please, somebody tell me what I should call it and what the difference is!
Isn’t artificial intelligence just a new cool name to label the old traditional data science? Don't both concepts cover the same algorithms? And isn’t it all machine learning anyway? This is what I used to think until I took a pause to write this post. During this breather, I went back in time and tried to remember all the names that used to be used to label this field of what essentially is data analytics. Let’s see …
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