IT Executive news

• Follow Santa's hijinks in Google's latest interactive Spotlight Story

  22-12-2015 23:23
  
  It’s almost Christmas, and while everyone is settling down on the living room couch to watch their twelfth viewing of It’s a Wonderful Life, you’ll be in the corner watching Google’s latest Spotlight Story through Cardboard, Google's low-cost, phone-powered virtual reality solution.
  Google has published its newest Spotlight Story, called Special Delivery, directly to YouTube. You can watch it on your phone, tablet, or computer via a web browser. Or, you can pop in your s
  
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• 10 amazing algorithms

  22-12-2015 23:03
  
  Figuring out mysteriesImage by FlickrCyber technology couldn’t get by without algorithms to encrypt, analyze metadata and find traffic anomalies, but they are used more and more widely in other fields. Here are 10 algorithms that perform functions as varied as scanning for disease genes, catching classroom cheats and figuring out murder mysteries as well as Agatha Christie’s heroine Miss Marple.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• Looking back on 2015, Microsoft's biggest year ever

  22-12-2015 22:51
  
  With major product announcements and a number of big bets on the future, 2015 is in the running to be one of Microsoft's most important years on record.Topping it was the launch of Windows 10. First previewed a year earlier, 2015 was the year we finally got to see the new operating system in full. Microsoft unveiled key features, including its virtual assistant Cortana reaching beyond Windows Phone and onto the desktop, and its new Edge web browser.Windows 10 also brought a new Windows Univ
  
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• How Slack and Hipchat made collaboration cool in 2015

  22-12-2015 22:45
  
  Here’s something you probably didn’t think you’d see in 2015: Collaboration software became cool. Confounded by labyrinthine email threads, employees turned to messaging platforms such as Slack and Atlassian's Hipchat to conduct online conversations and share content with colleagues, partners and clients."These tools allows persistent group chat, which is really important to corporate teams," says Adam Preset, a Gartner analyst who researches cloud collaboration tools. They pro
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: 9 Biggest open source stories of 2015

  22-12-2015 22:26
  
  Year of open sourceImage by Swapnil Bhartiya2015 was an extremely good year for open source, in general. Enterprise customers embraced open source at an unprecedented rate. Not only that, arch rivals came together to work on shared technologies like Cloud Foundry and OpenStack. And we saw traditional proprietary companies like Microsoft and Apple release their software as open source. It was an exciting year.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• Quick look: History-making Space X rocket launch/return

  22-12-2015 22:03
  
  The FirstImage by Reuters/Joe SkipperThey have talked about it for years and had a couple failures but SpaceX this week did what no one has done before – they launched a multi-stage rocket into space, delivered 11 satellites into low-Earth orbit and landed the first stage of the spacecraft back on the launching pad. The Falcon rocket becomes the first of what SpaceX hopes will become a family of reusable launcher systems. Take a look.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, plea
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Applications of predictive analytics in healthcare

  22-12-2015 21:27
  
  Looking ahead at 2016 and beyond, two major applications of predictive analytics in healthcare stand out:Financial performance management—the ability of healthcare organizations to navigate tumultuous market and regulatory shifts, and not be forced to scale costs exceeding their revenue.Clinical performance management—the operational- and communications-associated processes that support and measurably impact outcomes and patient experience across the continuum of care. Population hea
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: How to build a better, safer artificial intelligence

  22-12-2015 21:22
  
  Some of today’s smartest people are scared of smart machines.In a BBC interview, experimental physicist Stephen Hawking said: “I think the development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.” Entrepreneur and visionary Elon Musk was more pointed. “With artificial intelligence, we are summoning the demon,” he said.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• Soon you too can have 'X-ray vision' for just $300

  22-12-2015 19:03
  
  It may not be ready for gift-giving this year, but come 2017 this could be the hottest item on wish lists around the world: a $300 device that enables "X-ray vision."The technology has been under development for more than two years, and now a group of researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) is spinning off a company to market it.Dubbed RF Capture, the technology senses wireless reflections off the human body and can thereby "see" the silhouette of a human
  
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• Standaard overeenkomst voor providers biedt duidelijkheid onder nieuwe meldplicht

  22-12-2015 18:31
  De Dutch Hosting Provider Association (DHPA), de branchevereniging voor Nederlandse aanbieders van hosting en diensten in de cloud, komt in verband met de nieuwe meldplicht datalekken die vanaf 1 januari 2016 van kracht wordt met een nieuwe standaard bewerkersovereenkomst voor hosting-bedrijven. De overeenkomst... lees meer
  
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• The Juniper VPN backdoor: buggy code with a dose of shady NSA crypto

  22-12-2015 18:08
  
  Security researchers and crypto experts have spent the last few days trying to figure out the details of a recently announced backdoor in Juniper NetScreen firewalls that could allow attackers to decrypt VPN (Virtual Private Network) traffic. They believe that they found the answer: a combination of likely malicious third-party modifications and Juniper's own crypto failures.According to experts, Juniper was using a known flawed random number generator called Dual_EC_DRBG as the foundation for c
  
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• 7 must-have mobile apps and devices from 2015

  22-12-2015 18:08
  
  It's probably telling that Starbucks' mobile ordering feature is one of my favorite things from the tech world in 2015. When I prepare for a hike around San Francisco, I order fuel from my local Starbucks before I leave. After I head out, I swoop into the store, pick up my drink, and hit the road without slowing down (much).
  Of course, the Starbucks app and its instant caffeine injections are just one of seven apps and devices that gave me the biggest buzz in 2015. The remaining six best a
  
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• New Year's Resolution: How to make a new start by deleting all of your Facebook posts

  22-12-2015 17:34
  
  A New Year's resolution to change Facebook posting habits is worth considering for most people. That trail of the ups and downs of the past year could hold an unpleasant surprise that could be socially or professionally limiting.Some people pay for careless postsThe movie Minority Report predicted a future in which people are arrested and convicted for future crimes they are predicted to commit. Mark Cuban once elevated this as a possible consequence of social media postings in a video for
  
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• Microsoft is banning the adware method that caused Lenovo’s Superfish scandal

  22-12-2015 17:14
  The type of dangerous adware that Lenovo pre-loaded on PCs earlier this year will soon be banned entirely from Windows devices.
  In a post on its TechNet blog (via Engadget), Microsoft said it will no longer allow ad injection software that uses “man-in-the-middle” techniques, such as injection by proxy, changing DNS settings, and network layer manipulation. Microsoft will begin enforcing the rules on March 31, 2016.
  Once the policy goes into effect, adware will only be allowed throu
  
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• Acacia's $125M IPO filing a rarity among networking firms in 2015

  22-12-2015 17:11
  
  Acacia Communications, an optical networking company that boosts bandwidth for cloud and other service providers, Monday filed for an IPO -- a rarity during a year in which the number of tech companies going public is at its lowest since 2009, the year Acacia launched.
  The $125M filing to go public comes during a year when the rise of the Unicorn, private companies with valuations of $1 billion or more, has blown away the tech IPO market. Tech IPOs this year have included those by First Data, R
  
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• The year in security, identify theft and fraud

  22-12-2015 17:10
  
  We all like to talk about security, but sometimes words can't tell the whole the story. That's especially true in the case of cyber-threats, identify theft and fraud. It's a numbers game. And as you'll see, users weren't the winners in 2015.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• Ford, Google may join forces to build self-driving cars

  22-12-2015 16:09
  
  One of the biggest announcements coming out of the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in January may have nothing to do with laptops, smartphones, or home gizmos.
  During the show, Ford will reportedly announce a partnership with Google to build self-driving cars. The new autonomous vehicles may not carry the Ford brand, as the two companies will work on a joint venture that is legally separate from Ford, according to Yahoo Autos.
  The news comes mere days after Ford announced it would start test
  
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• Oracle settles FTC dispute over Java updates

  22-12-2015 15:20
  
  Oracle promises to give customers tools that easily uninstall insecure older versions of Java SE that may still lurk as vulnerabilities within Web browsers.
  That promise comes in a consent decree with the Federal Trade Commission that is currently up for public review before taking effect in January.
  +More on Network World: After Juniper security mess, Cisco searches own gear for backdoors+To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• How to pay less for TV and get much more

  22-12-2015 15:13
  
  How much money do you spend on TV each month? If you're an average consumer, you probably funnel a $100 or more to Comcast, DishTV or another similar provider. You could "cut the cord" and go all in on streaming video, though that route has some notable drawbacks. A better option may be to get your current cable or satellite provider to charge you less — or switch to a competitor.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Use the Messages app to share your Mac's screen in OS X

  22-12-2015 14:44
  OS X has many useful but nearly unknown features that are missed by many users. And one of the most helpful is the ability to share your Mac's screen via the Messages app in OS X. Yes, it's actually possible for the family member or friend you are chatting with in Messages to see your Mac's screen or vice versa.This can be particularly useful if your friend or family member is having trouble with something on their Mac, and wants your advice on how to use it or fix it. They can show you their sc
  
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• 15 most-important Apple stories of 2015

  22-12-2015 14:14
  
   Apple went after enterprise customers in its most meaningful way to date in 2015. The company generated $25 billion in revenue from its enterprise business during the 12 months ending in June, according to CEO Tim Cook. “This is not a hobby, this is a real business,” he said during an interview in September. Apple changed its enterprise tune in myriad ways in 2015 with the release of new devices like the iPad Pro and its ongoing warming of relations with IBM and Microsoft.It wa
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: What enterprise IoT will look like in 2016

  22-12-2015 14:06
  
  How will the enterprise Internet of Things (IoT) market in 2016 help enterprises evaluate IoT solutions? Let’s start by taking a look at some of the key developments of enterprise IoT in 2015.Key developments of enterprise IoT in 2015
  2015 was an incredibly active year for IoT in the enterprise. The emergence of new platforms and solutions, the decline of others and the increase of M&A activity dominated the headlines of 2015. In general, 2015 can be seen as a year in which the enterpr
  
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• After Juniper security mess, Cisco searches own gear for backdoors

  22-12-2015 13:26
  
  While it says it has no reason to think there are backdoors in any of its products, Cisco has started an additional code review looking for “malicious modifications” after Juniper’s announcement that its ScreenOS operating system has been vulnerable for years.
  Anthony Greico
  “Our additional review includes penetration testing and code reviews by engineers with deep networking and cryptography experience,” according to the Cisco Security blog written by Anthony Grie
  
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• The software behind the scenes at Food Network and HGTV

  22-12-2015 13:07
  
  It's a beautiful corporate campus in Knoxville, Tenn., sitting behind a sign for a company you might not have heard, although Scripps Networks Interactive is the home of a few cable TV channels you have heard of – Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, DIY Network, Cooking Channel and Great American Country. Scripps Networks Interactive's Knoxville headquarters.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• Interview questions to throw you off guard

  22-12-2015 12:51
  
  Sure there are those boilerplate questions such as do you work well with others or what are your strengths and weaknesses, but there are a few questions that interviewers ask that they hope will set you apart from the others.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• What is ‘infrastructure as code’ and why should you embrace it?

  22-12-2015 12:50
  
  One of the major trends in IT over the past few years has been increased automation and a concurrent decrease in the need for human or manual intervention. Virtualization has made it possible to spin up a virtual server space for developers to do their work in isolation of the production systems, and hypervisors like VMware and Hyper-V make it possible to get one running in under 20 minutes. Of course, provisioning a virtual workspace isn't always so simple. The process may be a lot longer,
  
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• Can collaborative security work?

  22-12-2015 12:39
  
  At a web conference meeting with IT security professionals in early December, IT advisory services firm Wisegate polled the small group about how comfortable they were with sharing cyberthreat information with industry peers and with government agencies.
  When “sharing” included giving information to the government, about half of the group thought it was a bad idea. But when 'government' was taken out of the sharing equation, some 80 percent of respondents were at least 'somewhat com
  
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• The year in tech: 2015's biggest fails, flops and faux pas

  22-12-2015 12:30
  We can't all be winnersImage by WikipediaThe worst fails always start with good intentions. Maybe you want to improve the status of artists on streaming music services, find a DVD player solution for Windows 10 users, or create a great TV service for cord cutters.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• U.S. expects drop in programming jobs, but gains in IT jobs overall

  22-12-2015 12:15
  
  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says IT jobs will grow 12% over the next decade, except for programmers. That occupation will shrink as more work is shifted to lower wage countries, according to the government.The government counted 328,600 computer programmers in 2014, but over the next 10 years this number is expected to decline by 8% or 26,500 jobs, the BLS said in its biennial update of its Occupational Outlook Handbook released Friday.Software developers, the largest occupational
  
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• The 10 biggest security stories of 2015

  22-12-2015 12:00
  
  The threats were everywhereWhat a year in security 2015 was. We saw major cyberespionage groups uncovered, the most embarrassing data breach in history, an unbelievable Android flaw, and incredibly stupid decisions from two major PC makers.If you thought 2014 was bad with Heartbleed and the Sony hack, just look at the big stories from 2015. It was a year when, more than ever, major data breaches and security flaws had very real world implications.To read this article in full or to leave a commen
  
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• Surface Pro 4: Everything you need to know

  22-12-2015 12:00
  
  The Surface Pro 4 is a tablet that at minimum roars, and if you go the max, screams. All models have a 12.3-inch brilliant display featuring 10-point touch sensing. There’s an accelerometer for motion detection along with a gyroscope. It senses ambient light, although we found that dim light can cause it to flicker.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• How to train your Surface Pro 4: Tips and tricks

  22-12-2015 12:00
  
  Impressive performanceMicrosoft’s Surface Pro 4 tablet is not inexpensive – the configuration we tested ran $1,800, and that’s without the $130 keyboard. But the Surface Pro 4 is extraordinarily light and very, very fast for its ultra-slim dimensions and weight. The Pen is more useful than we’d imagined, and its vivid display and serious performance are impressive. Here are some tips and tricks to get the most out of your new Surface.To read this article in full or to lea
  
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• Get ready for virtual digital assistants in the enterprise

  22-12-2015 12:00
  
  Apple’s Siri, Google Now and other virtual digital assistants (VDA) are becoming increasingly useful as they move beyond mere dictation to undertake administrative tasks. Some can do things like book hotel rooms that meet the user’s parameters for price, proximity to a specific location and amenities. Some can monitor a user’s calendar, calculate the travel time (including traffic) to get to a meeting, and then prod the user to depart. Others can schedule meetings with partici
  
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• Etihad Airways gaat samenwerken met Cognizant

  22-12-2015 09:25
  De nationale luchtvaartmaatschappij van de Verenigde Arabische Emiraten, Etihad Airways, heeft een driejarige overeenkomst gesloten met Cognizant voor zijn digitale transformatie. De specialist in business process outsourcing-services gaat de luchtvaartmaatschappij helpen haar digitale strategie aan te passen... lees meer
  
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• Kim Dotcom's extradition to the US to be decided on Wednesday

  22-12-2015 08:16
  A decision on a request by the U.S. government for the extradition of Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom is scheduled for Wednesday in a court in Auckland, New Zealand.The Courts of New Zealand information service said through its Twitter account that a decision in the case will be delivered Wednesday by District Court Judge Nevin Dawson.Dotcom has held that he was running a cloud storage firm like any other, and had made efforts to remove infringing content.He and three colleagues, and two companies
  
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• SolidFire deal gives NetApp the season's hottest gifts: flash and cloud

  22-12-2015 03:02
  
  NetApp wants to be at the intersection of two hot trends in a rapidly changing storage industry with its planned US$870 million acquisition of startup SolidFire.The five-year-old company has an all-flash architecture for distributed web-scale data centers of the kind that service providers and now some enterprises have adopted so they can grow quickly and efficiently. That idea, along with the separate trend of hyper-converged systems that combine all the components of a data center into one box
  
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