Workspot offers secure access to workplace data on personal devices
Mobile workforces present a number of challenges in terms of accessing data and keeping it secure. Mobile solutions company Workspot believes it has a new approach to enterprise mobility with its Workspace as a Service solution.
Workspot Enterprise supports Windows, Android and iOS access and allows users to get to their work desktop applications and work files from any PC or mobile device via the Workspot app.
Smartphone owners aren't as privacy minded as they think they are
A Pew Research study published last week on Americans' awareness of government surveillance programs revealed just 15 percent of American adults have changed their mobile phone habits in the wake of Edward Snowden's revelations.
Security firm Lookout has just released the findings of its study on mobile device use, and that echoes Pew Research’s findings, showing that while many mobile phone users claim to be highly aware of privacy issues, few actually do enough to safeguard their data, and many are willing to trade privacy for convenience. There’s bad news for businesses too, as a huge percentage of smartphone owners admit to not caring too much about protecting work data on their devices.
Opera acquires VPN firm SurfEasy to boost browsing security
Opera Software, the company behind the web browser of much the same name, has acquired SurfEasy, a provider of VPN security. SurfEasy's software bolsters the security of internet users by adding a layer of encryption that helps to protect privacy.
More than this, the software also makes it possible to bypass some online restrictions and to access sites that are region locked. Few details have been revealed yet, but it's possible we could see VPN features integrated into future versions of the desktop and mobile Opera browser.
Apple MacBook vs Google Chromebook Pixel
Two new laptops launched this week, both pioneering USB-C and packing 12-inch displays. The likenesses stop there, and the distinctions can't be overstated. One computer you can buy now, the other comes next month. Should you consider either? My primer will help you decide.
Apple unveiled the new MacBook, which measures 1.31 centimeters at its thickest and weighs less than a kilogram, two days ago. Sales start April 10. This morning, Google launched the second-generation Chromebook Pixel, which is immediately available for purchase. Both laptops adopt USB Type-C for power and, using adapters, hooking up to other devices. USB-C puts both computers at the bleeding edge for charging and connectivity, But their approach to ports couldn't be more different.
Samsung Animal Edition battery charger alerts to endangered species, but does it help protect them?
Species have been going extinct for millennia, with larger events occurring periodically. We find ourselves living in one such epoch, though it mostly goes unnoticed because these events don't happen overnight. However research quickly points out the trend, and it's one we'd rather avoid.
To do so there are endangered species acts and restrictions of other sorts to help preserve the wildlife we have left. Individuals can get involved, both physically and financially, and Samsung is releasing a new line of battery chargers to get a few specific creatures to the public attention.
New MacBook's single port isn't the problem
Across tech sites and forums there are rumbling complaints about Apple choosing to provide just one port on the 12-inch MacBook and the compromises the design presents. The flawed approach is much bigger, and the laptop line has been this way before—where thinning down means giving up something many users want, which is why I am so surprised that little of the discussion focuses on the original MacBook Air.
Stated simply before the long explanation: If you don't mind paying $1,299 or $1,599 for the performance equivalent of a souped-up tablet, running OS X but lacking touchscreen, Apple's tiny laptop is a good choice. Otherwise, stop whining and buy something else. There is no shortage of choices in the slim-and-portable category.
Website CAPTCHAs are a big turn off for users
We're all familiar with CAPTCHAs, those images you have to retype as text to prove that you're a real person and not a bot. The bad news for businesses that use CAPTCHA on their sites is that it seems they're pretty effective at deterring humans too.
New research from bot detection specialists Distil Networks suggests that CAPTCHA use is bad for business as it makes surfers more likely to abandon a page.
Apple returns to its core
Today's splashy media event takes Apple back to its roots (no pun intended). For example, the new MacBook, which weighs less than a kilogram (2.2 pounds) and is 1.31 centimeters at its thickest, reminds of the design and engineering qualities that made iPod nano so breathtaking and innovative 10 years ago in September. Apple CEO Tim Cook paid a little homage to predecessor Steve Jobs when remarking about the laptop: "Can you even see it?" Small size mattered when Jobs unveiled the nano, too.
Innovation—and nothing resembling the cliché overuse of the word today—went into iPod nano and was demonstrated this morning in the new MacBook, which goes on sale April 10, starting at $1,299. Lust-worthy design is an Apple prerogative that is core to today's crop. But there is much more: Real cohesion around an Apple vision long lost in the distraction of Steve Jobs' illness and death and the transition that followed.
Around half of mobile app demand comes from hobbyists and startups
Companies increasingly want to take their business to new consumers by using mobile sites and apps. But it seems that it's startups and hobbyists that are driving a big chunk of app demand.
ContractIQ, which offers a service that matches developers to software projects, has produced its latest report on app development trends and pricing, offering some interesting insights into the market.
Xiaomi Mi 4 flagship riddled with malware and uncertified Android version, or is it? [Update]
Updated at 18:00 IST: Bluebox and Xiaomi are now confirming that the handset the security firm tested was a counterfeit product purchased through an unofficial channel. You can read Xiaomi's full statements below.
Xiaomi’s Mi 4 is one of the best smartphones you cannot purchase so easily -- but it might be for the best, it seems. Don’t get me wrong: The Mi 4 packs in top-of-the-line specifications, the latest Android-based operating system, and is incredibly cheap, but if data security firm Bluebox's latest report is to be believed, it also comes with malware and a host of other issues. The handset seems to have been tampered with by an unidentified third party, however. We’ll have more details on this later today.
Did you miss MWC? Microsoft has a highlight reel to catch you up
Mobile World Congress has wrapped up in Barcelona, Spain and now we're left to sort through the torrent of information that came out of the event. There were countless announcements made for all manner of mobile news, with new phones taking center stage in the midst of the chaos. Microsoft was prominent at the event, with several things to reveal.
There was the unveiling of the Lumia 640XL, a mid-range device that qualifies as a "phablet" with its 5.7 inch screen. It even comes with a 13 MP rear camera, a feature that the Lumia line is famous for. It's a step up from the Lumia 640, which is a scaled down version. The screen is still large at 5 inches, while the rear camera is a solid 8MP. Both phones are expected to be available soon via AT&T.
Of course, Chromebooks matter
Yesterday, commentary "Do Chromebooks matter anymore?" popped up in my social network feeds. Preston Gralla rightly wonders, when looking at how the laptops have fallen off Amazon's top-seller lists, IDC shipment forecasts, and what happened with netbooks. While being a Chromebook fan, I must admit to similar misgivings.
So today, I emailed Stephen Baker, NPD's vice president of industry analysis: "Are Chromebooks just the next netbook wave? Low-cost, lean configurations, and education adoption all look similar to me. Do you see any parallels to suggest Chromebook is little more than the next netbook and it's headed for the same destination: Short-term appeal that vanishes? Or is there longevity here, based on sales numbers?" His answer is reason for this post.
WorksPad aims to streamline enterprise mobility
Businesses are increasingly keen to turn to mobile solutions, but this often presents problems in terms of integrating functions and keeping corporate data secure.
Launched at this week's Mobile World Congress, MobilityLab's WorksPad combines enterprise file sync and sharing, a fully-featured office package (Polaris Office Enterprise core) and a corporate email client in one app.
Microsoft teams up with Deutsche Telekom to expand the Lumia market
Microsoft is now in firm control of the Lumia brand of Windows Phone, which it purchased from Nokia last year. Aside from a slight rebranding, not much about the handsets has changed, and that's a good thing as far as the hardware goes. Perhaps not so much for other aspects, such as apps, but that's not what we're looking at right now.
With Mobile World Congress winding down in Barcelona, Microsoft has announced a potentially important partnership with mobile giant Deutsche Telekom. The deal is aimed towards bringing the phones, as well as cloud services such as Office 365 and OneDrive, to more markets.
Yu Yureka successor -- Project Caesar -- with Android Lollipop-based Cyanogen OS 12 to launch in India in April
YU Televentures, a Micromax Mobile-owned smartphone brand, grabbed headlines late last year for launching the Yureka smartphone. The Yureka packs in mid-range specification and runs on Cyanogen OS while maintaining an enticing affordable Rs 8,999 ($140) price point. The company is now working on the second iteration of the popular Yureka smartphone, YU’s co-founder Rahul Sharma confirms to BGR India.
Codenamed “Project Caesar”, the smartphone will come with improved specification, which Sharma doesn't want to reveal just yet. On the software front, it will run on Android Lollipop-based Cyanogen OS 12. Sharma noted that the smartphone will be launched in April.
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