IT Executive news

• What businesses need to know about Privacy Shield

  04-02-2016 23:08
  U.S. businesses may take some comfort from the fact that a successor to the Safe Harbor agreement has finally been named, but at this point, they shouldn't get too comfortable.Since it was first announced on Tuesday, the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield agreement governing trans-Atlantic data transfers has elicited considerable concern, not least because it remains largely unwritten and unclear. Privacy watchdogs in Europe have cautioned that it can't be relied upon for legal protection for several months
  
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• Box makes it easier for businesses to control encryption of cloud data

  04-02-2016 22:23
  
  Box has made it easier for its customers to control how stored data is encrypted with an update announced Thursday.The company announced a new service called Box KeySafe, which allows companies to control the keys used to encrypt data stored in Box. It comes in two flavors: a KeySafe with AWS Key Management Service that's designed to be easy for small companies to handle and not require a lot of time, and KeySafe with AWS CloudHSM, which uses hardware modules to manage keys via Amazon's pro
  
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• Open source Java projects: Apache Phoenix

  04-02-2016 21:24
  
  Apache Phoenix is a relatively new open source Java project that provides a JDBC driver and SQL access to Hadoop's NoSQL database: HBase. It was created as an internal project at Salesforce, open sourced on GitHub, and became a top-level Apache project in May 2014. If you have strong SQL programming skills and would like to be able to use them with a powerful NoSQL database, Phoenix could be exactly what you're looking for!
  This installment of Open source Java projects introduces Java developer
  
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• Open Networking User Group looks to reign in ‘Wild West’ of hybrid cloud

  04-02-2016 20:52
  
  The Open Networking User Group (ONUG) announced this week the creation of a new working group that will urge cloud service providers to make interoperability between public and private cloud easier.
  “It’s a Wild West of how to engage cloud providers,” says Nick Lippis, co-founder of ONUG and an independent analyst. ONUG’s Open Hybrid Cloud committee includes members from organizations such as Cigna, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, FedEx, General Electric, Intuit, JPMorgan Chas
  
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• Apple Pay is now accepted in 2 million locations, with more retailers coming soon

  04-02-2016 20:35
  
  International expansion has paid well for Apple Pay.
  According to Bloomberg, Apple Pay is now accepted in more than 2 million retail locations around the world, with more retailers—like Crate & Barrel, Chick-fil-A, and Au Bon Pain—planning to incorporate Apple’s mobile payment system soon.
  Originally, Apple wanted to expand Apple Pay to 1.5 million retail locations worldwide by the end of 2015. In addition to surpassing that goal, Apple also saw in-app Apple Pay purchases
  
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• Edge's weak adoption contributes to Microsoft's declining browser share

  04-02-2016 20:13
  
  The failure of Microsoft's Edge to attract users of the new Windows 10 operating system has contributed to the company's overall decline in browser share, analysis of recently-published data shows.
  According to several metrics sources, Edge's share of the global Windows 10 user base was significantly lower in January than was Internet Explorer's (IE) share of all Windows users, signaling that Microsoft has not been able to maintain the historical -- or even current -- percentages of Windows cus
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: 3 steps to make project portfolio management a business process

  04-02-2016 19:44
  
  "If you can’t describe what you are doing as a process, you don’t know what you are doing"  –W.E. DemingOrganizations have a hard time to plan and execute the right initiatives, because project portfolio management (PPM) is not deployed as a business process. With an increasing need and desire to innovate and change the ways we are doing things, one would expect that organizations are keen on project portfolio management (PPM). In an ideal state, PPM is managed as a b
  
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• The FAA has banned drones from 32 miles around the Super Bowl

  04-02-2016 19:37
  
  If San Francisco Bay Area residents don't want to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday, they can forget about flying drones.The Federal Aviation Administration has banned all drones from flying anywhere within a 32-mile radius of Levi's Stadium as part of a complex and strict set of rules for all air traffic. That's a large area that includes all of Silicon Valley, San Jose, Oakland and most of San Francisco.Drones, model aircraft, model rockets, hang gliding, crop dusting and parachuting are among th
  
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• A.I. and virtual reality may propel future of retail (+video)

  04-02-2016 19:32
  
  As retailers look ahead to the way consumers will shop in the next five to 10 years, it's likely they'll be using technologies like artificial intelligence and virtual reality to keep customers interested.
  Retail is no longer about having the latest products on the shelves in brick-and-mortar stores or having a cool website. It's becoming much more than that.
  Some retailers already are working to merge their in-store and online efforts, which provides more information about their customers, all
  
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• CIOs wary of sharing cyberthreat data

  04-02-2016 19:15
  
  Despite a new law encouraging companies to share more information about cybersecurity attacks, only 58 percent of CIOs polled say the new law would make it more likely they would cooperate with the government in the event of a data breach. The results, collected in a live audience poll at the Wall Street Journal’s CIO Network show Tuesday, suggest the U.S. government has a ways to go to fostering trust with the corporate sector.Andy Ozment, the Department of Homeland Security's assistant s
  
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• IBM doubles down on data with four new cloud tools

  04-02-2016 18:42
  
  Data is what makes today's business world go 'round, and IBM on Thursday launched a suite of new tools designed to help companies make the most of what they've got.Targeting developers and data scientists, the four new offerings are part of IBM's Cloud Data Services portfolio.First, IBM Graph is a fully managed graph database service built on the open-source Apache TinkerPop graph-computing framework. Developers can use it to extend business-ready apps with real-time recommendations, fraud detec
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Ubuntu tablet is here. Can it reboot the tablet market?

  04-02-2016 18:20
  
  Canonical, the company behind the Ubuntu operating system, has been working on its ‘convergence’ strategy for quite some time. The idea is to run the same code-base across devices, including desktops, tablets, smartphones and even TV sets.
  Finally, the idea is becoming a reality. Today the company announced its first Ubuntu tablet.
  One of the clear advantages for Canonical with this approach is that it reduces development overhead as they have to maintain only one base operating sys
  
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• Google Chrome will flag deceptive download buttons in ads as a security threat

  04-02-2016 17:59
  
  Google is taking another aggressive step towards correcting deceptive practices on the web.
  The company recently announced Chrome will throw up a warning page if it detects a user heading to a webpage with deceptive download buttons attached to an ad. The new warning is in line with the company’s social engineering policy announced in November, Google said in a blog post.GoogleAn example of a deceptive download button contained in an ad.To read this article in full or to leave a comment,
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Day One 2 journaling app released for iOS and OS X

  04-02-2016 17:21
  Day One has long been regarded as one of the best journaling apps around. Many people use it each day to write about what's going on in their lives. Day One has proven to be quite popular among iOS and OS X users, and now there's an entirely new version of it called Day One 2.Since Apple still doesn't offer upgrade pricing, the Day One developers have opted to create Day One 2 and have dubbed the first version Day One Classic. Don't let the naming confuse you, Day One 2 offers much more than Day
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Day One 2 journal app loses iCloud and DropBox syncing

  04-02-2016 17:21
  Day One has long been regarded as one of the best journaling apps around. Many people use it each day to write about what's going on in their lives. Day One has proven to be quite popular among iOS and OS X users, and now there's an entirely new version of it called Day One 2.
  Since Apple still doesn't offer upgrade pricing, the Day One developers have opted to create Day One 2 and have dubbed the first version Day One Classic. Don't let the naming confuse you, Day One 2 offers much more than D
  
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• Vaio's sleek debut Windows 10 phone is all business

  04-02-2016 16:37
  
  Critics say Windows mobile is (or could soon be) dead, but don’t tell that to Vaio. The former Sony property that’s now run an independent company recently released its first Windows 10 phone for the Japanese market, the Vaio Phone Biz. As its name suggests, Vaio sees this mid-range phone as the perfect companion to its business-focused PCs.
  With Windows 10 at its core, the Phone Biz integrates with Windows 10 PCs with little set-up. The phone also supports Continuum, allowing users
  
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• New Windows 10 Insider preview build brings bug fixes and a ninja monkey

  04-02-2016 16:15
  
  Microsoft has issued a new preview build for Windows 10 Insiders, but it’s light on noticeable changes.
  That’s partly because Microsoft has quickened the pace at which it updates the “Fast ring” of preview builds, according to Gabe Aul, vice president of the company’s engineering systems team. Microsoft also has a big feature update coming (likely codenamed Redstone), and the latest build is largely about laying the foundation, Aul said.To read this article in full
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Internet of Things deployment speed bumps

  04-02-2016 15:57
  
  I pay close attention to technology adoption trends. As a CIO, you undoubtedly do the same. Have you noticed the many articles and blogs that provide advice on how to monetize ideas for products and services in the Internet of Things (IoT) and claim the return on investment in customer satisfaction and new competitive advantages can be huge? Have you also noticed the reality of slow adoption and deployment of these IoT ideas? Is this the case in your organization too?The use cases for the IoT sh
  
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• Dell is stepping in to protect the boot layer of PCs, tablets

  04-02-2016 15:00
  
  Dell's business laptops and tablets will get an extra layer of protection from hackers with a new security tool being loaded into the company's portable computers.The new Dell security tool focuses on protecting the boot layer so PC hardware or software don't malfunction. It secures the low-level UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), which sits in a protected layer above the OS. An attack on this firmware can compromise a system at boot time.Hacking the firmware can cause the OS and hard
  
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• 3 reasons to buy Fitbit's new Alta band, and 2 reasons not to

  04-02-2016 14:48
  
  Fitbit this week announced, in essence, an upgraded version of its Flex wristband activity tracker and an eventual replacement for its Charge device. The new Fitbit Alta wristband will retail for $130 and will be available in March.I don't have an Alta yet, but I know a thing or two about Fitbits. Based on details the company announced, I came up with three things about Alta that are sure to appeal to Fitbit fans, as well two things that may give potential buyers pause.3 things to
  
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• Big data projects on the rise (but data use could be better)

  04-02-2016 14:08
  
  The good news it that about half of U.S. companies say they now have some form of big data initiative in place, according to a recent study. The bad news:  Few have  managed to reach their data-related goals.
  "The amount of data crossing the wires and airwaves is mind-boggling," says Seth Robinson, senior director, technology analysis, with the nonprofit Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) trade association. "So while individual pieces of a holistic data solution may b
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: How to support field employees efficiently and effectively with the 3 P's

  04-02-2016 13:45
  
  The current economy is driving companies to find ways to mine value from key revenue generating functions. The most value typically comes from reorganizing the sales and service functions while implementing new, efficient processes. Another way to find value is by focusing on operational excellence, which can reduced costs as a result of improved safety and reliability programs. Many companies quickly realize a need to implement field service systems to support the new processes and programs.&nb
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: 4 things CIOs need to know about the FCC, broadband and innovation

  04-02-2016 13:38
  
  CIOs should take notice of recent developments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC has long required that all cable operators, satellite carriers, telecommunications carriers, and providers of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services act in a “just and reasonable” manner. Since much of the last two decades of information technology innovation has flowed through similar advances in communications networks, the recent addition of the FCC to the regulatory land
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Don't let a fear of public speaking hold you back!

  04-02-2016 13:36
  
  Anyone who tells you that they are not nervous as they get up to deliver a presentation are either lying or haven’t prepared.I am a professional speaker. I've been presenting to large audiences and group events for more than 15 years and I promise you that I still get nervous before I start.Last month I was invited to give the keynote presentation at a major IT conference, my 25th speaking engagement of the year (not including the private workshops and team events I facilitate). It was jus
  
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• 7 inexpensive Surface Pro 4 alternatives

  04-02-2016 13:35
  
  Surface Pro 4 alternatives that will cost you lessImage by Surface Pro 4 AlternativesThe Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is a sleek and powerful device, but the high-end design and specs carries a hefty price tag. The Surface Pro 4 with an i5 processor will cost you $999, that's without the keyboard. If you're looking to get a hybrid device, but perhaps already have a dedicated notebook or don't need a device with a lot of power, there are plenty of cheaper alternatives to the Surface Pro 4. Here are se
  
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• iPhone 7 rumors: It's all about the camera

  04-02-2016 13:30
  
  We have about seven more months of iPhone 7 rumors to deal with until Apple CEO Tim Cook takes the stage to show off the newest and greatest smartphone. Yes, that is a long time. But there are so many rumors swirling about what Apple is working on that we decided to put them all in one place and assess whether they seem legit or absurd.
  What would you want to see in the iPhone 7? (Yes, longer battery life is on our wishlist, too.)Any differences between the 7 and 7 Plus?The iPhone 7 Plus might
  
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• What did we learn about cybersecurity in 2015?

  04-02-2016 13:29
  
  A data breach can be the biggest kind of crisis an IT leader will have to face. And when an incident occurs, it’s an emergency situation – typically an all-hands-on-deck moment.After the dust settles, however, it’s time to determine what lessons were learned from the experience. Your organization may have escaped 2015 without a data breach. But that’s no guarantee that hackers, cybercriminals and others won’t turn their attention to your business soon.2015 by the nu
  
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• 4 things employees hate about IT (and how to fix them)

  04-02-2016 13:24
  
  Every company is an IT company these days, but some organizations seem to squeeze more value out of their IT departments than others. What's the secret? Simon Chapleau, CEO and founder of management consulting and user satisfaction survey software company Green Elephant, wanted to find out. Chapleau's team used its PÜLS software, which delivers monthly user satisfaction surveys, to poll nearly 100,000 IT users globally, at all levels of responsibility, to find out what their biggest IT comp
  
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• 12 Facebook flops to commemorate its 12th birthday

  04-02-2016 13:07
  
  The social network, which turns 12 years old this week, has seen its fair share of successes: Messaging app WhatsApp, which it acquired in 2014 for $19 billion, recently hit the 1 billion users threshold, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. And Messenger, which it famously uncoupled from its flagship, reached 800 million users. But not all of Facebook’s business decisions and product launches have been hits – and it’s never shied away from failure. Facebook’s at times
  
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• In search of IBM Verse

  04-02-2016 12:54
  
  IBMIBM Verse cloud-based mail system
  It’s been almost exactly 10 months since IBM formally launched its analytics-infused messaging system called Verse, and while the company’s announcement of “software for a new way to work” initially generated a relatively positive blast of press and analyst coverage, buzz about the cloud-first product has dwindled since. So I went in search of signs of excitement, or even signs of life, for Verse at the IBM Connect conference this
  
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• Windows 10 quick tips: 5 ways to speed up your PC

  04-02-2016 12:30
  
  Want Windows 10 to run faster? We've got help. Take a few minutes to try out these tips, and your machine will be zippier and less prone to performance and system issues.1. Disable programs that run on startupOne reason your Windows 10 PC may feel sluggish is you've got too many programs running in the background -- programs that you may never use, or only rarely use. Stop them from running, and your PC will run more smoothly.
  Start by launching the Task Manager: Press Ctrl-Shift-Esc or right-c
  
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• GitHub’s Scientist puts Ruby rewrites to the test

  04-02-2016 12:00
  
  GitHub this week began offering a 1.0 version of Scientist, a Ruby library that helps developers rewrite critical code.
  In a blog post, GitHub engineer Jesse Toth talked about the need to replace or rewrite part of a system and how GitHub has had many systems that scaled far beyond their original design. Eventually a large component of the application has to be redone, and Scientist was built to help test production data and behavior to ensure correctness.[ Get the most out of collaborative pro
  
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• 10 hurdles to Windows 10 adoption

  04-02-2016 12:00
  
  10 hurdles to Windows 10 adoptionImage by B4bees via FlickrIt’s been six months since Windows 10 hit the rails, and 200 million people (or so, depending on how you count) have taken the plunge and now run the “last” version of Windows.There’s no question Windows 10 is the future for Windows users. But there’s room for doubt among those who are holding out for something a bit better than the Windows 10 we have now.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, p
  
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• Flinke groei voor IT-sector verwacht

  04-02-2016 10:37
  De economische ontwikkelingen pakken zeer positief uit voor de sectoren technologie, media en telecom (TMT). De vooruitzichten voor 2016 zijn gunstig: de bruto toegevoegde waarde van de drie sectoren zal met 4,5% kunnen groeien en daarin speelt IT een grote rol. Dat verwacht ABN AMRO. De groei in de drie... lees meer
  
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• WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange will 'accept arrest' if UN panel rules against him

  04-02-2016 07:20
  
  WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange will accept arrest by the British police if a UN panel on arbitrary detention rules against him, according to a tweet by the whistle-blowing website.
  The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention is widely expected to announce its decision on Friday on an application by Assange over his confinement in the Ecuador embassy in London since 2012.
  The move late Wednesday by Assange apparently aims to bring his detention at the embassy to an end, whatever be the outcom
  
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• MIT's 168-core chip could make mobile devices, robots smarter

  04-02-2016 03:37
  
  Unlike Facebook, a smartphone can't recognize and tag you in a selfie. A new brain-like chip developed by researchers at MIT could change that.The 168-core prototype chip called Eyeriss will be able to tap into memory to instantly recognize faces, objects and even sounds. The chip is designed for use in smartphones, self-driving cars, robots, drones and other devices.Eyeriss is among a handful of chips being developed so devices can do more things without human intervention. Qualcomm is making c
  
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• Cisco-Jasper deal should make enterprise IoT safer

  04-02-2016 03:21
  
  Cisco Systems' planned US$1.4 billion acquisition of Jasper Technologies could make it easier for enterprises to build businesses around services instead of products.
  While the Internet of Things includes sensors and devices that enterprises can use to better run their operations and cut costs, it can also give them whole new business models.
  Much of Jasper's business is connecting the products companies make to mobile networks. It sits between enterprises and mobile operators, doing the compli
  
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• Microsoft launches IoT Hub to ingest data from the physical world

  04-02-2016 02:02
  
  Microsoft's Azure IoT Hub for managing fleets of devices that collect data about the the physical world will be made generally available on Thursday.The product, which was announced in September, allows companies to provision, manage and ingest data from millions of devices that are part of the internet of things. It's designed to help companies ignore the messy business of figuring out how to handle a fleet of IoT devices and focus on the hardware and software. At its core, Azure IoT
  
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• Google expands Chrome's Safe Browsing defenses to sniff out ad scams

  04-02-2016 01:29
  
  Google today said it is expanding its Safe Browsing technology to take into account online ads that try to scam users into divulging personal information or downloading malware masquerading as name-brand software in need of an update.
  Safe Browsing is the name of both the backend technology Google created and the API (application programming interface) that developers, including other browser makers like Mozilla, can call to intercede when a user steers toward a website that may contain malicio
  
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• Here’s how Nintendo will get people to use its smartphone apps

  04-02-2016 01:00
  
  Nintendo is planning a new rewards program to go along with its first smartphone game next month.
  Dubbed “My Nintendo,” the program will reward players both for playing games and for making purchases. Those rewards will then carry across smartphones, tablets, and Nintendo game consoles.
  Nintendo plans to split rewards into two types of points. “Platinum Points” will be awarded for playing the company’s mobile apps, logging into the Nintendo eShop, or meeting certai
  
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• Microsoft imagines future NFL games played out on your coffee table, via HoloLens

  04-02-2016 00:00
  
  If Microsoft has its way, future Super Bowl viewers will watch the game play out live on their coffee tables, as players outfitted with helmet cams provide up-close-and-personal views of the game. And on the field, coaches and players will see the same video the fans see—and adjust their game plans accordingly.
  NFL executives and players joined Microsoft executives on Tuesday in a panel billed as the “Future of Football”—a look at novel new ways to incorporate techn
  
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