Ransomwhat? 43 percent don't know what ransomware is
A new report shows that 43 percent of consumers in the US and Canada don't know what ransomware is. A similar number (44 percent) say they don’t know what data or information could be stolen in a ransomware attack.
The study by Kaspersky Lab surveyed 4,000 US and 1,000 Canadian consumers aged over 16 and found that only 16 percent mentioned ransomware as a cyber threat they were worried about, compared to their concerns about viruses, spyware and Trojans.
People want safer alternatives to passwords and they want them now
As the recent leak of LinkedIn data shows, passwords are an increasingly vulnerable and flawed way of securing systems.
A new survey from identity management specialist Gigya reveals that consumers are beginning to recognize this and that 52 percent would choose anything but a traditional username and password account registration when given the option.
Brands fail to meet mobile communication expectations
Brands aren't doing enough to meet their customers' expectations for mobile communication, according to a new survey.
The study, by web convergence company tyntec and technology research specialist Ovum, of 1000 people in the US and Germany finds that customers prefer to interact with customer service agents using different communication channels depending on where they are in the transaction process, and that they expect service providers to be effective using mobile.
Stylish protection from the latest Inateck laptop sleeves [Review]
The world is a harsh place and if you carry your laptop around with you it's almost inevitably going to pick up knocks and scrapes.
We've looked at Inateck's range of protective sleeves in the past and the company has just launched three new versions aimed at keeping your kit in peak condition.
Brands are not ready to meet consumer mobile expectations
New research shows that a majority of brands are unprepared when it comes to implementing a mobile strategy and aren't allocating enough resources to improve the mobile experience to meet consumer expectations.
The study by experience management software company Sitecore shows that although 97 percent of brands believe a good mobile experience impacts customer loyalty, 41 percent of respondents have either no mobile strategy in place at all, or have a mobile strategy that has yet to be implemented. In addition, 70 percent of these brands believe that their organization will not deliver on a mobile experience strategy for at least another six months.
New digital wallet links to loyalty cards and offers
Digital wallets make payments easier, but you still need a separate app or card to take advantage of loyalty schemes or coupon offers.
London-based mobile consultancy and messaging provider Veoo is launching a new mobile wallet that brings everything together by harnessing current Apple Wallet and Android Pay functionality, but also letting marketers engage with their customers.
9 out of 10 office workers suffer technology stress in meetings
A new survey of office workers in the UK shows that a majority suffer stress in meetings when struggling with tasks like sharing screens and finding the right cables in order to give presentations.
The study by visualization specialist Barco finds that for 93 percent, this meeting stress has serious knock-on effect on every aspect of their work. Presentations were of a poorer quality, time was wasted, deadlines were missed, and for 12 percent, it even resulted in lost promotions and lost business.
Frustration with conventional password management leads to risky behavior
One in three Americans indulges in some form of risky password practice, such as writing them down, according to the results of a new survey.
The report from access control specialist SecureAuth finds that Americans are exasperated with conventional online password management. It reveals that 74 percent rely on means other than memory to manage their online passwords, 35 percent write passwords down and 25 percent use the same password across several accounts.
Businesses need to use text messages to reach millennials
Millennials have an overwhelming preference for texting according to new research. In fact, when given the choice between only being able to text or call on their mobile phones, 75 percent of millennials would rather lose the ability to talk.
Respondents to the survey from enterprise mobile specialist OpenMarket say texts are preferred because they're more convenient and on their own schedule (76 percent), texts are less disruptive than a voice call (63 percent), they prefer to text rather than call in general (53 percent) and because they never check voicemails (19 percent).
Employees opt for Apple when given a technology choice
It's becoming increasingly common for companies to offer their employees a choice of technology devices. And according to a new survey when they do have a choice people are more likely to choose Apple devices.
The study by device management company JAMF Software shows that ease of use is the main reason given by people for selecting Mac (75 percent) and iOS (79 percent) as their work device of choice.
Jewelery meets gadgetry in the Oukitel A8
Bluetooth tracking devices to help stop you forgetting your phone have been around for a while, but they've generally been quite functional in design, looking like a remote car key.
Chinese smartphone maker Oukitel is launching its own take on the lost phone finder with a new gadget that looks like a piece of jewelry but also functions as more than just an alarm to tell you you've left your phone behind.
The future of developer recruitment [Q&A]
Recruiting developers is often a problem for organizations as the skills required are different from those in other sectors and can be hard to assess. Development often has a great deal in common with more creative fields, where suitability for a job is not so much about qualifications but about what you can do and how you can communicate.
So what can companies do to discover the developer talent they need? We spoke to Mike Bartlett, CEO of developer community site Gitter to get his perspective.
The Internet of Things gets its own day (and lots more Things)
The idea of connected devices is nothing new, the University of Cambridge had a connected coffee pot, to save on trips down the corridor to see if it had finished brewing, as early as 1991.
But as more and more devices go online we've come up with the idea of the Internet of Things. This, apparently, is such a good idea that it also now has its own day on April 9.
Work-life balance gains importance as tech worker salary expectations fall
What are the trends driving the careers of tech professionals? A new report based on information gathered from the Woo platform, which allows workers to find jobs with companies that offer the things they really want, reveals what has changed in the first quarter of 2016.
The Woondex (Woo Index) shows there has been a 12.6 percent drop in salary expectations compared to the final quarter of last year. However, there's an 8.2 percent increase in the number of workers looking for a better work-life balance over the same period.
An Apple 40th birthday reflection
Summer 1984, Chapel Hill, N.C., I learned something about prejudice and discrimination in America and saw my first Macintosh. Strangely, looking back at Apple, which celebrates its 40th birthday today, the two things connect.
As I reflected in Jan. 18, 2004, personal post: "Racism and Naiveté", I never thought much about skin color growing up in a region of America where most everyone is Caucasian. Northern Maine is a white wonderland for more than abundant snowfall. Strangely, though, my best friends had last names like Chung and Zivic. The local Air Force base, Loring, added color to the populace, and when it came to people I was decidedly colorblind.
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