IT Executive news

• Obama advisors: Encryption backdoors would hurt cybersecurity, net infrastructure vendors

  16-09-2015 23:36
  
  Making encryption backdoors available to law enforcement would be bad for cybersecurity in general and hurt vendors that make encryption gear, a presidential advisory group says.
  While the FBI argues that it needs legislation to require access points into encryption platforms, the National Security Council is preparing to tell President Obama that the downsides include weakening the privacy of Internet communications, according to a draft NSC report obtained by the Washington Post.
  “[B]ec
  
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• Demo Traction: This startup can read your poker face

  16-09-2015 23:16
  
  BOSTON -- The cameras inside a McDonalds recently captured the facial expressions of customers and employees. Every tick, twitch, smile or frown was fed into a computer algorithm.
  The algorithm, from start-up Emotient, determined how everybody was feeling about the service: Employees who were stressed out during the lunch hour rush transmitted their stress to customers. Customers were also more unhappy while waiting for their order than when they were waiting to order in the first place.
  Emotie
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Apple releases Move to iOS app for Android

  16-09-2015 22:30
  
  Apple has made no secret of wanting to convert as many Android users as possible over to the iOS platform. Toward that end, the company has released an Android app called Move to iOS that is designed to make it easy for Android users to switch to iOS.
  I have to give Apple credit for doing this, it's a rather bold gesture. But it's also a good thing for the Android users who really are considering a move over to iOS. Apple has gone out of its way to make it easy for Android users to switch to th
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Android: Apple's Move to iOS app released

  16-09-2015 22:30
  
  Apple has made no secret of wanting to convert as many Android users as possible over to the iOS platform. Toward that end, the company has released an Android app called Move to iOS that is designed to make it easy for Android users to switch to iOS.
  I have to give Apple credit for doing this, it's a rather bold gesture. But it's also a good thing for the Android users who really are considering a move over to iOS. Apple has gone out of its way to make it easy for Android users to switch to th
  
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• Apple seduces Android users with switch-to-iOS app

  16-09-2015 22:12
  
  AppleAimed at Android switchers, Apple's 'Move to iOS' app transfers some of their data and content to an iPhone or iPad.
  Apple today made good on a June promise by placing an Android-to-iOS migration app in the Google Play Store.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• CIO hits college fairs to court tech talent

  16-09-2015 21:35
  
  It wasn’t a trip down memory lane that brought Diane Schwarz to her alma mater, the University of Notre Dame, last week. The global CIO of Textron, a $14 billion maker of anything from helicopter engines to golf carts was looking toward the future – specifically, to cultivate potential hires in computer science and other crucial areas.Schwarz spent three days in South Bend, Indiana, for the school’s career fair, explaining to students that Textron is a desirable place to work.
  
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• Apple releases iOS 9 as early download attempts fail

  16-09-2015 21:21
  
  Apple released iOS 9 today at 1 p.m. ET, but in the first hour users reported that they were unable to grab the 1GB download.[ Related: 7 tips and tricks for iOS 9 ]"Software Update Failed," the message read on iPhones and iPads. "An error occurred downloading iOS 9." Computerworld confirmed the problem, initially seeing it on multiple iOS 8 devices. But after several subsequent attempts, the download successfully started about an hour after Apple issued the upgrade.Some users, including Compute
  
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• BrandPost: What Keeps IT Up at Night Part 2: Enemies at the Gates

  16-09-2015 21:00
  
  We recently heard insights from IT experts about the dangers presented by vulnerabilities in their internal user base and processes, such as password weakness and the challenges of balancing flexible work and BYOD with creating secure systems.However, the other very real side of the security coin is external threats and data breaches. How do CTOs and CIOs protect against ever-evolving enemies and malicious technologies designed to hold your data hostage?In part two of our series on what keeps IT
  
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• Facebook moves beyond the 'like' button

  16-09-2015 20:06
  
  By Sharon GaudinWant to quickly react to a friend's Facebook post about an accident or a sick relative but don't want to hit the like button?
  Facebook may soon have another option for you.
  Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Facebook, said in a town hall forum on Tuesday that the world's largest social network is working on enabling uses to hit a button and express more than just a simple "like."
  Company programmers are working on adding a dislike button and possibly other options and are ge
  
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• At Demo, Hadoop inventor calls NSA snooping a cautionary tale for devs

  16-09-2015 19:47
  
  BOSTON -- The creator of Hadoop said web app developers must put public trust first and argued that actions by the National Security Agency (NSA) offer a cautionary tale for the future of big data.
  Doug Cutting, who in 2004 developed the open-source implementation of the Map-Reduce framework, said big data analytics has opened the floodgates for capturing new consumer data as well as analyzing vast stores of historical information.
  The NSA, for example, uses Hadoop for big data analytics relate
  
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• iOS 9 release spurs upgrade of JAMF's Apple management suite

  16-09-2015 19:45
  
  With the release of iOS 9, enterprises can expect an influx of user devices that have been upgraded to Apple’s newest mobile OS. As these upgraded iPhones and iPads are brought to work, it becomes IT’s job to support, secure and manage them.[ Related: 7 tips and tricks for iOS 9 ]With most enterprise technologies, an IT organization has an opportunity to investigate a new release and choose whether or not to deploy it, says Jason Wudi, CTO at JAMF Software. “Because of the user
  
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• Data-aware infrastructure: It’s about time!

  16-09-2015 19:43
  
  2015 has been my year of nonstop ranting about the need for us to get out of the IT Stone Age and into the 19th century. Dumb infrastructure will be our demise.
  But it’s not too late. There are signs of life starting to appear. All hope is not lost.
  A highway is dumb infrastructure. It’s great — it lets us humans make decisions and plot a course to take us where we want to go. Point A to Point B, pull over to relieve ourselves at Rest Stop 6, then continue on to our destinatio
  
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• Bottom line: Yes, you should upgrade to iOS 9

  16-09-2015 19:11
  
  “Should I upgrade to iOS 9?” is the question I hear the most around launches like this, even more than, “Should I buy a new iPhone?” People generally know if they want the new hardware, but whether or not to put a new OS on a device they already own seems like more of a gamble.I’m here to tell you: iOS 9 is a pretty safe bet.[ Related: 7 tips and tricks for iOS 9 ]First of all, it runs on every device iOS 8 runs on, going all the way back to the iPhone 4s. (And when
  
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• How the ‘gig economy’ is changing enterprise IT

  16-09-2015 19:02
  
  CIOs already struggling to keep Boomers, GenXers and millennials happily productive in their organizations could soon have a new challenge on their hands: Managing a tech workforce in the age of the "gig economy."All these different types of talent are turning the corporate talent management model on its head.Increasingly, workers 35 and under are indicating that they prefer to work as independents on a project-by-project basis. "Millennials are adopting [freelancing] at a faster rate than what
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: iOS 9 reviews: The critics give it a thumbs up

  16-09-2015 18:59
  iOS 9 reviews: The critics like Apple's new mobile OSiOS 9 launches today, and many of you might be wondering if it's worth it to upgrade to the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system. I've been running the beta version for quite a while now, and I love it.[ Related: 7 tips and tricks for iOS 9 ]But don't take my word for it, check out a sampling of reviews from Apple critics around the Web below. The consensus among the critics seems to be that iOS 9 is indeed worth upgrading to on y
  
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• Microsoft discounts Surface Pro 3 as successor approaches

  16-09-2015 18:05
  
  Microsoft has discounted its Surface Pro 3 by as much as 19% in a sale that ends today, likely trying to reduce its inventory as it prepares to launch the successor in three weeks.
  The Surface Pro 3, available in Microsoft's retail outlets and on its e-store, was discounted between $100 and $200, depending on the model, representing reductions of between 8% and 19%.
  The sale began Tuesday and ends today at midnight PT.
  An entry-level Surface Pro 3 -- the model powered by an Intel Core i3 and eq
  
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• Apple delays watchOS 2 launch due to bug

  16-09-2015 17:31
  Apple will not be releasing watchOS 2, its next-generation Apple Watch software, today as planned.
  “We have discovered a bug in development of watchOS 2 that is taking a bit longer to fix than we expected,” the company said in a statement to the press. “We will not release watchOS 2 today but will shortly.”
  Apple didn’t specify what the problem was, exactly, and didn’t give any further detail on when Apple Watch owners can expect to upgrade.To read this artic
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: How Curves Jenny Craig CIO Abe Lietz successfully transformed the IT business relationship

  16-09-2015 16:57
  
  From the context of enterprise applications, how do CIOs achieve success? I asked Abe Lietz, CIO and VP, Service Operations at Curves Jenny Craig about his challenges and successes, particularly from the perspective of IT delivering value to the business. This article shares his insights.Providing guidance
  Key to providing technology guidance to the business is transitioning from an order taking role to a business advisory role. In the order taking role, the business decides how to solve a probl
  
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• AT&T unlimited data plans now allow 22GB per month without throttling

  16-09-2015 16:52
  
  AT&T customers who’ve hung onto their unlimited data plans now have a lot more full-speed data to play with.
  According toAT&T’s website (via DSLReports), users with legacy unlimited data plans can use up to 22GB of data per month without getting throttled. After that, users will see slower speeds in congested areas, with the degree of throttling depending on the amount of congestion. (Users will also get a warning when they’ve exceeded 16.5GB, which is 75 percent of 22
  
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• Cloudcomputing geeft lucht voor innovatie

  16-09-2015 16:38
  Het aantal Nederlandse organisaties dat processen vernieuwt en optimaliseert met behulp van cloudoplossingen is toegenomen blijkt uit de resultaten van de Nationale EuroCloud Monitor 2015 die eind augustus gepubliceerd werd. Er is de afgelopen drie jaar veel veranderd toen een eerdere versie van de monitor uitgebracht... lees meer
  
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• Windows RT update brings a Windows 10-like Start menu to Surface tablets

  16-09-2015 16:21
  
  As promised, Microsoft is rolling out an update that brings the Start menu to Windows RT 8.1, the operating system that powers the first two generations of Microsoft's non-Pro Surface tablets, as well as a smattering of other early Windows tablets.
  Or at least a Start menu. It’s not quite the same Start menu found in Windows 10, hey, but it’s better than nothing. The new feature comes as part of Microsoft’s Windows 8.1 RT Update 3—the Start menu update is speci
  
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• IBM and HCL announce partnership, unveil IoT plans

  16-09-2015 16:12
  
  IBM and global IT services provider HCL Technology today announced they have formed a strategic initiative to accelerate adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT). Next month the partners will also open an Incubation Center in Noida, India, where they will jointly develop IoT solutions."IBM and HCL see a huge market transformation in process," says Chris O'Connor, general manager of Offerings, Internet of Things, IBM. "It's not a single industry or a single space. The notion that sensors and the
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: 5 things your CEO should know about cybersecurity

  16-09-2015 15:49
  
  I’m pretty sure by now that executives in organizations – especially organizations with some sensitive data to secure – are paying at least some cursory attention to cybersecurity and cybercrime. If not, then they need a wake up call and then a swift call to action in order to ensure that they don’t lose grounds and future lawsuits over a cyberattack that could have possibly been avoided or at least mitigated.[ Related: Why startup leaders need to set the tone for securit
  
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• Top 10 computer science schools based on potential salary

  16-09-2015 15:23
  
  Top computer science schoolsImage by ThinkstockA career in computer science is a rewarding, fulfilling option for STEM-focused students, and it’s also a great choice for maximizing your earning potential. However, not all schools and programs are created equal."Computer science majors have incredible earning potential, no matter the school, but in some cases, it's about where you study as much as what. Colleges and universities located in close proximity to tech hubs like Silicon Valley or
  
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• Corebot cleverly written botnet malware with growth potential

  16-09-2015 15:10
  
  There's a new botnet malware on the loose, called Corebot, that researchers believe has the potential to develop into a significant threat.
  The malware was first spotted by IBM Security X-Force, and Damballa followed up with a deep dive into how the malware works, and what else the malware's author is working on.
  The malware itself is particularly clever, said Loucif Kharouni, senior threat researcher at Damballa, in that it is written from scratch to be modular, making it easy for the author t
  
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• 6 ways to blow your technical job interview

  16-09-2015 15:04
  
  How to avoid the pitfalls of a technical interviewImage by ThinkstockIf you're looking for a job as a software developer, information systems manager, network engineer or any other hands-on role in IT these days, chances are you'll have to pass a technical screening as part of the interview process. While soft skills and the experience you've listed on your resume are a great starting point for landing an interview, don't assume it will be enough to land you a new role. Competition is fierce for
  
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• BrandPost: BYOD, aka Opportunity

  16-09-2015 15:00
  
  The buzz around BYOD has come and gone. However, BYOD still surfaces as a meaningful priority for organizations, and for good reason: There is much more that they can do to expand their BYOD use.According to the recent CIO Survey, 52 percent of IT executives across all industries say their current progress with BYOD is very good or excellent, suggesting that quite a few feel they already have this trend in hand and are ready to move forward. But while some still see BYOD primarily as a more cost
  
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• SYNful Knock router exploit isn’t going away soon

  16-09-2015 14:52
  
  The SYNful Knock compromise of routers can implant software that creates backdoors to let attackers return over and over, a sophisticated endeavor that demonstrates the ingenuity of its creators, according to a member of the team that discovered the attack in the wild.
  The software has features that enable it to stay hidden within networks so it can be updated and new attack modules can be downloaded for long periods of time, according to FireEye researchers.
  “The impressive portion of th
  
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• Why startup leaders need to set the tone for security

  16-09-2015 14:30
  
  Federal consumer-protection authorities have called on the entrepreneurs building tech startups to prioritize cybersecurity from the earliest stages of the development process.[ Related: Tech startups need to get serious about security ]But a variety of factors -- cost, lack of technical expertise, rush to market, etc. -- can make security seem like more of a burden or an impediment to the startup's growth than anything else.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• Is Virtual Reality finally ready for business use?

  16-09-2015 14:13
  
  Virtual reality (VR), one of the technologies that always seems to be waiting in the wings, is finally ready for business prime time. Several new products are available for viewing content from Samsung, HTC, and even Google. Companies like WordViz and Giant Spoon helping generate content. While the initial uses might have more to do with a first-person shooter or a Hollywood movie, business uses are starting to emerge. 
  Edwin Rogers, a virtual reality expert who makes tours of apartment bu
  
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• A guide to Docker container networking

  16-09-2015 14:11
  
  Despite all the hype about containers, the application packaging technology is still evolving, especially as relates to networking.
  In the past year though there have been significant advancements to Docker container networking functionality. At the same time Docker has built a plug-in architecture that allows more advanced network management tools to control containers.
  +MORE AT NETWORK WORLD: Cisco’s “open” data center OS embraces containers +
  Meanwhile, startups have develo
  
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• 8 ways to fend off spyware, malware and ransomware

  16-09-2015 14:10
  
  Spyware, malware, phishing and, more recently, ransomware -- the list of online threats can be confusing and daunting. Knowing what you’re up against is half the battle. Each of these types of attacks have specific characteristics:Spyware – software that collects information about you or your computer without your knowledge.Malware – a broad category of software (including viruses, worms, Trojan horses, etc.) that damages your computer, in either a minor or major way.Phishing &
  
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• Where does security fit in bi-modal IT departments?

  16-09-2015 14:05
  
  When restructuring an IT department, the recent trend has been to look at possibly breaking it into two factions. One group that handles the daily tasks by putting out fires, and one that looks ahead in trying to create a new landscape that is immune to those fires.
  The bi-modal idea has its benefits and its pitfalls but the determination seems to come down to the size of the enterprise. In the mid to smaller companies, there is not the luxury of splitting the security group out into subgroups.
  
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• Sharp will sell the world's first 8K TV from next month

  16-09-2015 13:50
  Sharp will begin limited sales of 8K televisions next month -- an important step towards planned trial broadcasts of the format in Japan next year.8K, also called Super Hi-Vision, packs a resolution of 7,680 pixels by 4,320 pixels -- equivalent to 16 times that of today's high-definition TVs, and the picture has to be seen to be believed. It's better than most movie theaters and four times the resolution of 4K, which is only just starting to come onto the market in high-end TVs.The new
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Introducing the total cost of service-risk management (TCS-R)

  16-09-2015 13:18
  
  Leading IT enterprises are migrating to all sorts of service-based digital business technologies, such as cloud, social media, Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, and xaaS. For many organizations there are financial unknowns and risks in migrating to the use of these types of digital business services.As IT is becoming a services broker (rather than asset owner), we are seeing a large gap in managing digital business service risk — a lack of risk identification, assessment, and man
  
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• 25 new iOS 9 features that are rocking our world

  16-09-2015 13:01
  Get excited about the little thingsImage by ThinkstockApple’s newest iOS is far from a drastic overhaul, and that’s OK. Sometimes it’s the most subtle tweaks that have the biggest impact. And iOS 9 proves that.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• Who needs Windows 10 Pro: 5 reasons to upgrade

  16-09-2015 12:30
  Windows 10 Professional isn’t just for cubicle dwellers who have no choice in the matter. While users who own a ‘professional’ PC like the Surface Pro 3 will automatically be upgraded to this higher-end version of the OS, smaller businesses and PC enthusiasts, as well as contractors and sole proprietors, may also weigh the benefits of the Pro version vs. Windows 10 Home. 
  Windows 10 Professional doesn’t take anything away from Home users; it simply adds mo
  
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• Review: iOS 9 delivers polish and stability

  16-09-2015 12:30
  
  Over the last couple of years, iOS has rightfully come under criticism for being less than rock-solid stable. This year's version appears to be aimed at offering better performance, increased stability and a more predictive user experience in which the operating system tries to anticipate user needs.[ Related: 7 tips and tricks for iOS 9 ]In addition, iOS 9 is packed with refinements and new features that try to anticipate and volunteer useful information to users based on what they're doing, al
  
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• The iPad Pro vs. the Surface Pro 3: We check Apple's lofty performance claims

  16-09-2015 12:00
  
  The iPad Pro will offer “desktop-class performance” and have a CPU faster than 80 percent of portable PCs shipped.
  If you just fell off your chair, it’s understandable. Those claims made by Apple about its newest tablet are truly bold. They’re also pretty hard to believe for anyone who believes in the inarguable performance supremacy of the PC and x86 over tablets and ARM.
  Let’s take a closer look at exactly what Apple’s VP of marketing Phil Schiller sai
  
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• More automation, fewer jobs ahead

  16-09-2015 12:00
  
  Within 10 years, the U.S. will see the first robotic pharmacist. Driverless cars will equal 10% of all cars on the road, and the first implantable mobile phone will be available commercially.
  These predictions, and many others, were included in a World Economic Forum report, released this month. The "Technological Tipping Points Survey" is based on responses from 800 IT executives and other experts.
  A tipping point is the moment when specific technological shifts go mainstream. In 10 years, man
  
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• Bob Papenhuijzen wordt directeur Logius

  16-09-2015 11:55
  Bob Papenhuijzen gaat per 1 oktober aan het werk als directeur van Logius, de dienst digitale overheid van het ministerie BZK. Hij volgt Steven Luitjens op die kwartiermaker wordt voor de nieuw te vormen directie Digitalisering en Informatisering Overheid.Papenhuijzen werkt sinds oktober 2012 als directeur Doc-Direkt... lees meer
  
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• Comcast Business pushes into the national services market

  16-09-2015 06:01
  
  Comcast Business, which began offering communications services to small businesses in its regional footprint in 2007 and broadened its portfolio in 2010 to appeal to larger organizations in that local realm, today announced an Enterprise Services unit that will go after Fortune 1000 companies regardless of geography.
  “We have the right services in our portfolio now, the right performance levels, the right metrics, so we can target businesses outside of our footprint,” says Bill Stem
  
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• BrandPost: 2016 IT Budget Predictions - A Cloud on the Horizon

  16-09-2015 03:56
  
  Let’s talk everyone’s favorite subject: budgets.In order to start getting a picture of what IT budgets might look like in the coming year, we polled a wide variety of IT leaders across various industries and verticals. What stood out in their responses wasn't so much the differences as it was the similarities: the move to the cloud is still largely ruling the day, as legacy systems are deprecated and support and other expenses reclaimed in the name of transferring mission-critical op
  
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• BrandPost: Identifying vulnerable entry points

  16-09-2015 03:38
  
  The digital transformation is definitely changing how businesses operate. And, as businesses continuously gravitate towards cloud, mobile and even the Internet of Things, how organizations ultimately define – and ultimately protect – networks is evolving and expanding.The potential impact of this evolution is crystal clear when looking at recent analyst predictions that anticipate significant growth in the amount of corporate data bypassing perimeter security and flowing between mobi
  
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• HP to cut up to 30,000 jobs, mostly in services

  16-09-2015 02:35
  
  Hewlett-Packard is cutting 25,000 to 30,000 jobs in its enterprise division because of revenue declines. Most of the personnel cuts will be in its enterprise services unit, whose employees often work directly with HP corporate customers.
  An HP official, who asked not be named, disputed any notion that customers would be affected by the cutbacks. "We think we are actually improving our ability to serve our customers and partners by focusing on cost," he said. The customer relationship "is the mo
  
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• Forza open-source: Italian military to adopt LibreOffice

  16-09-2015 02:06
  
  The Document Foundation’s Italian subsidiary, LibreItalia, said Wednesday that the Italian Ministry of Defense has agreed to adopt LibreOffice, the open-source productivity suite, in October, and that it will create its own online training courses for the new software by the end of 2016.
  The move was prompted, in part, by an Italian law that mandates the consideration of open-source alternatives to proprietary software for government use, which was originally passed in June 2012. LibreIta
  
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• Facebook is finally building a Dislike button

  16-09-2015 02:05
  The fabled, long-request Facebook “Dislike” button may finally become reality, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said during a Q&A session on Tuesday. But instead of being a catch-all “This sucks” identifier used to brand clickbait and racist memes from Uncle Homer with a scarlet letter, the social network’s considering rolling out the Dislike button for a more nuanced use: Empathy.
  Facebook wants to limit use of the Dislike button to situations where the standard “Lik
  
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• Cloud computing, data center consolidations save feds $3.6B

  16-09-2015 02:04
  
  A five-year-old effort by the U.S. government to cut IT costs through data center consolidations, cloud computing and other technology changes may be paying off, according to a report Tuesday by a government watchdog agency.
  In 2010, the federal government embarked on a plan to cut IT spending by consolidating data centers, moving to cloud computing and sharing more services among agencies. The government budgets about $80 billion annually on IT.To read this article in full or to leave a commen
  
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