Technology news

• Exclusive: KKR, Thoma Bravo, Vista eye $4 billion Dell assets - sources

  01-12-2015 23:59
  
  Buyout firms KKR & Co LP , Thoma Bravo LLC and Vista Equity Partners Management LLC are competing for $4 billion worth of Dell Inc's assets, people familiar with the matter said, as the computer maker steps up asset sales. Divesting these assets would help Dell bolster its balance sheet after it agreed in October to buy data storage company EMC Corp for $67 billion. The three private equity firms are vying for Dell's Quest Software, which helps with information technology management, as well
  
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• Toymaker VTech hit by largest-ever hack targeting kids

  01-12-2015 23:44
  
  A cyber attack on digital toymaker VTech Holdings Ltd exposed the data of 6.4 million children, the company said on Tuesday, in what experts called the largest known hack targeting youngsters. Security experts said they expected the size of the breach would prompt governments to scrutinize VTech and other toymakers to review their security. "The disclosure of the scope of the breach is disturbing," said Jaclyn Falkowski, a spokeswoman for Connecticut's attorney general.
  
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• What's free on PlayStation and Xbox: December 2015 video - CNET

  01-12-2015 23:39 via cnet.com
  
  Check out the free games of December 2015 available on PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live's Games with Gold services.
  
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• Zuckerberg to give away 99% of shares

  01-12-2015 23:36 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and wife Priscilla Chan say they will give away 99% of their shares, as they announce the birth of their daughter Max.
  
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• The 18 best Cyber Week deals of 2015 - CNET

  01-12-2015 23:32 via cnet.com
  
  Black Friday and Cyber Monday are over, but the deals aren't stopping. Check out the best sales during Cyber Week right here.
  
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• Facebook's Zuckerberg to give 99 percent of shares to charity

  01-12-2015 23:32
  
  SAN FRANCISCO/BENGALURU (Reuters) - Facebook Inc Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg and his wife said on Tuesday they will give away 99 percent of their Facebook shares, currently worth about $45 billion, to a new charity in a letter addressed to their daughter, Max, who was born last week. The plan mirrors a move by other high-profile billionaires like Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates, who have pledged and set up foundations to give away their fortunes to charity. On his Facebook
  
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• Zuckerberg's newest Likes: A daughter, and a $45B foundation - CNET

  01-12-2015 23:15 via cnet.com
  
  The social-networking giant's co-founder announces that his wife, Priscilla Chan, has given birth to their first child. The pair also says they're establishing a new philanthropic foundation with 99 percent of Zuckerberg's Facebook shares.
  
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• New patents reveal Samsung's foldable and scrollable smartphone future video - CNET

  01-12-2015 23:13 via cnet.com
  
  Samsung's looking at smartphone designs we've never seen before. The Gear VR is getting a controller and Fossil's Android Wear watch is the real deal.
  
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• From start to finish: Fan's 'Game of Thrones' vid shows characters' first close-ups, last breaths - CNET

  01-12-2015 23:12 via cnet.com
  
  Take in the first and final scenes for 35 major "Game of Thrones" characters in this 2-minute-long fan film. Plus, some wise words from Littlefinger.
  
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• Meet our son, Earlybird: Parents naming kids after Instagram filters - CNET

  01-12-2015 22:37 via cnet.com
  
  Instagram-addicted parents are taking their love of moody photo filters and attaching them to their unsuspecting children.
  
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• The 404 Throwback: Ep. 1479 w/ Marc Maron (5/6/14) - CNET

  01-12-2015 22:24 via cnet.com
  
  This week's special rerun episode takes us back to May of 2014 when Jeff welcomed Marc Maron back to the show for the second time.
  
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• The 17 best Cyber Week deals of 2015 - CNET

  01-12-2015 22:24 via cnet.com
  
  Black Friday and Cyber Monday are over, but the deals aren't stopping. Check out the best sales during Cyber Week right here.
  
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• Bilenkin will turn a BMW M3 into an awesome retro ride - CNET

  01-12-2015 22:22 via cnet.com
  
  This Russian car company will transform a modern Bimmer into something decidedly more old-school without losing any modern creature comforts.
  
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• The Bilenkin Vintage is a retro Russian ride with BMW M3 underpinnings (pictures) - CNET

  01-12-2015 22:21 via cnet.com
  
  Russian car company Bilenkin aims to create classic cars using modern parts, at a surprisingly affordable price point.
  
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• How to quickly toggle night mode on Tweetbot 4 - CNET

  01-12-2015 22:13 via cnet.com
  
  A simple gesture makes it easy to switch between default and night mode.
  
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• The math of humor: Why 'snunkoople' makes you squeal - CNET

  01-12-2015 22:11 via cnet.com
  
  A mathematical formula that predicts which words people find funny might not get its own Comedy Central special, but it does offer insights into the human mind.
  
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• Cybersecurity bill would add secrecy to public records laws

  01-12-2015 22:07
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — A proposed law meant to encourage companies to share information about cyberthreats with the U.S. government includes measures that could significantly limit what details, if any, the public can review about the program through federal and state public records laws.
  
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• Trump blames 'ancient' tech for lack of video showing NJ Muslims cheering 9/11 - CNET

  01-12-2015 22:06 via cnet.com
  
  Technically Incorrect: The Republican candidate insists he saw Muslims in New Jersey celebrating 9/11. It's just that technology wasn't then what it is now.
  
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• This Nokia virtual-reality camera costs $60,000 - CNET

  01-12-2015 22:00 via cnet.com
  
  Good VR doesn't come cheap, as evidenced by Nokia's Ozo 360-degree video camera. Meanwhile, Swatch's next smartwatch has mobile payments, and Blocks lets you build your own smartwatch.
  
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• 'Thing Explainer': Fun if you enjoy puzzles, annoying if you just want to learn - CNET

  01-12-2015 21:55 via cnet.com
  
  Cartoonist and author Randall Munroe's latest book details science and technology with only a 1,000-word vocabulary. That limits its appeal, but the book is fun for those who already know the basics.
  
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• This Nokia virtual-reality camera costs $60,000 video - CNET

  01-12-2015 21:37 via cnet.com
  
  Good VR doesn't come cheap, as evidenced by Nokia's Ozo 360-degree video camera. Meanwhile, Swatch's next smartwatch has mobile payments, and Blocks lets you build your own smartwatch.
  
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• Star Wars ice cream joins the yummy side of the Force - CNET

  01-12-2015 21:30 via cnet.com
  
  Those with a geeky sweet tooth can now order Star Wars ice cream from New York-based Ample Hills Creamery. Will you go with the dark side or the light side?
  
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• Tablet buyers shift as market sag drags on - CNET

  01-12-2015 21:11 via cnet.com
  
  New twists on the traditional design could catch the fancy of consumers and businesses alike, says market researcher IDC.
  
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• Toymaker VTech says data on 6.4 million kids taken in unprecedented hack

  01-12-2015 20:39
  
  By Jim Finkle BOSTON (Reuters) - Digital toymaker VTech Holdings Ltd said on Tuesday that data on about 6.4 million children was exposed in a hack of information on customers in more than a dozen countries. The Hong Kong-based firm initially disclosed the attack on Friday, and said hackers took data of nearly 5 million adults, but it did not disclose how many children's profiles were accessed. In a statement posted on its website on Tuesday, it disclosed that the number of children affected exce
  
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• Man successfully sues Apple for wiping photos from his iPhone - CNET

  01-12-2015 20:28 via cnet.com
  
  Technically Incorrect: A British man goes to court because, he says, an Apple genius repaired his phone but disappeared all his photos.
  
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• Cybersecurity bills would add secrecy to public re

  01-12-2015 20:09
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — A proposed law meant to encourage companies to share information about cyberthreats with the U.S. government includes measures that could significantly limit what details, if any, the public can review about the program through federal and state public records laws.
  
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• Check out these Star Wars fan films to feel the Force

  01-12-2015 20:09
  
  If the teasers, trailers and hints haven't sated your appetite for all things Star Wars in advance of the latest entry in the franchise, then it's time to tap into the force of fan films. These sometimes ...
  
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• Porsche unveils the updated 911 Turbo ahead of its official launch in Detroit (pictures) - CNET

  01-12-2015 19:47 via cnet.com
  
  With a 20-horsepower bump and a whole load of standard equipment, Porsche is making sure the 911 Turbo doesn't play second fiddle to the standard Carrera, which is now also turbocharged.
  
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• 2017 Porsche 911 Turbo Release Date, Price and Specs - CNET

  01-12-2015 19:47 via cnet.com
  
  Porsche gives the 911 Turbo even more hustle and kit to further differentiate it from the base Carrera, which is now also turbocharged.
  
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• Secret way to dim iPhone screen for nighttime reading - CNET

  01-12-2015 19:45 via cnet.com
  
  Go beyond what the brightness slider allows in Control Center for an ultra-dim display for low-light situations.
  
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• Bizarre chin-rest arm holds your face in place while you work - CNET

  01-12-2015 19:42 via cnet.com
  
  Give your tired head a helping hand with a robotic-looking arm that keeps your noggin in a comfortable position while you toil away at your computer.
  
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• New 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' trailer has more blood, explosions - CNET

  01-12-2015 19:37 via cnet.com
  
  Grab your corsets and 19th-century formal wear. Sony Pictures has released a new trailer for "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" that tells how the zombie apocalypse came to 19th century England.
  
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• Amazon gadget sales more than triple over Thanksgiving weekend

  01-12-2015 19:31
  
  (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc said sales of its electronic gadgets more than tripled over the Thanksgiving weekend from last year, with the Fire tablet the top-selling product.
  
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• Sylvester Stallone's Rambo returns with TV series 'New Blood'

  01-12-2015 19:30
  
  The greatest soldier of the 1980s -- Sylvester Stallone's John Rambo, in case you were in any doubt -- is making a comeback, with a new television series called Rambo: New Blood in the works.By: Matt Kamen, Continue reading...
  
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• Lamborghini to roll out new model to celebrate founder's 100th birthday - CNET

  01-12-2015 19:27 via cnet.com
  
  Customers have already seen the renderings of the small-batch hypercar that will likely bear the Centenario badge.
  
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• Microsoft tries to make peace with Apple - CNET

  01-12-2015 19:26 via cnet.com
  
  Technically Incorrect: In a new holiday ad, Microsoft takes the idea of peace and goodwill to all men a long way.
  
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• GPS-equipped Moto 360 Sport arrives in the US on Jan 7 for $299 - CNET

  01-12-2015 19:24 via cnet.com
  
  Motorola's fitness-focused smartwatch will arrive a few weeks earlier in the UK on December 18.
  
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• Meg Whitman on what it took to split HP into two companies

  01-12-2015 18:41 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  HPE CEO reveals the scale of the work needed to cleave HP in two and claims the experience has left it better prepared to help transform businesses.
  
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• Windows 10 continues to crawl its way onto desktop PCs - CNET

  01-12-2015 18:40 via cnet.com
  
  The latest version of Microsoft's operating system is making baby steps in its effort to win over users, according to Web tracker NetMarket Share.
  
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• Why some Apple Watch owners don't like the device - CNET

  01-12-2015 18:23 via cnet.com
  
  Research firm Wristly gets a grip on why a sampling of buyers sold or returned Apple's first wearable or simply abandoned it to a drawer.
  
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• At cloud tipping point: How SaaS is becoming the status quo

  01-12-2015 18:18 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Firms are choosing SaaS to serve core business needs, rather than just using it to augment existing on-premise software.
  
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• Research: Enterprise software rising with 69 percent usage

  01-12-2015 18:17 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  A recent Tech Pro Research survey shows that 69 percent of businesses are currently using enterprise software, a 19 percent increase compared to 2014.
  
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• Executive's guide to enterprise software trends (free ebook)

  01-12-2015 18:16 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Spending on enterprise software is on the rise, bringing big changes in how applications are developed, consumed, and supported. This new guide looks at what you need to know about the shifting enterprise application landscape.
  
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• The 10 apps that will own the future of the enterprise

  01-12-2015 18:15 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  It's no secret that the enterprise app landscape is changing. Here are 10 apps that are poised to lead the future of work.
  
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• The Latest: Negotiators take heart at Obama comments

  01-12-2015 18:14
  
  LE BOURGET, France (AP) — The latest news from the U.N. climate conference in Paris, which runs through Dec. 11. All times local:
  
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• The good and bad: How enterprise apps are changing the role of IT

  01-12-2015 18:14 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  A new wave of business applications are being introduced to improve overall productivity. But what does that mean for the IT department?
  
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• What are Oracle and SAP's vision of the future of enterprise apps?

  01-12-2015 18:13 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Despite considerable headwinds, Oracle and SAP have their own strategies for the future of applications. Here's how the two giants are approaching enterprise apps.
  
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• Beware these pitfalls when moving enterprise applications to the public cloud

  01-12-2015 18:13 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  While the public cloud represents an opportunity for new cloud-native apps, organizations should tread carefully before placing traditional enterprise apps in the cloud.
  
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• Cloud-first enterprises can cut costs with these best practices

  01-12-2015 18:12 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  For startups and organizations without dependencies on classic enterprise applications, the cloud offers significant savings over traditional software deployments.
  
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• The trade-offs of cloud migration: Be careful what you give up

  01-12-2015 18:11 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Cloud has become the de facto choice for hosting enterprise apps. However, there are some trade-offs that are often underestimated.
  
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