IT Executive news

• Here's a look Inside Dell's strategy for Linux PCs

  18-03-2016 20:28
  
  In a world of PCs dominated by Windows and Macs, Dell's line of "Project Sputnik" laptops with Ubuntu Linux have secured a cult following.The latest Project Sputnik laptop is the XPS 13 Developer Edition, which shipped last week. With its sleek design, the XPS 13 brings a new, sexy look to otherwise dull Linux laptop designs.The XPS 13 DE is also significant because it brings new technologies from the Mac OS and Windows to Linux laptops. The XPS 13 DE models have 4K screens, Intel Skylake chips
  
  Read more

• Microsoft extends open source push with developer productivity tools

  18-03-2016 19:52
  
  Microsoft's open source push continues as the company has open-sourced its Visual Studio Productivity Power Tools and made them available on GitHub.
  First released in 2010, the tools serve as extensions for improving developer productivity. "Making the current set of tools available to the community is important to us, and we hope it will also inspire developers with concrete examples of what can be achieved with extensions of their own," said Justin Clarebert and Michael Dick, Microsoft senior
  
  Read more

• This is the droid you're looking for, and it has your pizza

  18-03-2016 19:37
  
  If data science can be used to craft a brand-new beer, why shouldn't an autonomous robot deliver the accompanying pizza? That, in fact, is exactly the premise behind a new initiative from Domino's.
  Australia-based Domino's Pizza Enterprises has created an autonomous delivery vehicle named Domino’s Robotic Unit, or DRU, and begun limited testing on restricted streets in Queensland.
  The device, announced Thursday, is a four-wheeled vehicle with compartments built to keep the customer’
  
  Read more

• Former Acer CEO to lead Lenovo's PC Group after operations shakeup

  18-03-2016 19:27
  Lenovo has restructured its operations as part of a management shakeup, and some interesting names have been promoted.Former Acer CEO Gianfranco Lanci, who is Lenovo's Group president and chief operating officer, is now in charge of Lenovo's PC and Smart Devices Group, previously known as the PC Group. Lanci joined Lenovo in 2012 after he was fired from Acer in late 2011 over disagreements about product strategy with the company's board. Acer then sued Lanci for allegedly violating a non-compete
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Microsoft relents, extending support for Skylake PCs with older Windows versions

  18-03-2016 19:21
  Microsoft said Friday that it tweaked its support options for customers who want to run the latest Intel “Skylake” processors on Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. Microsoft will extend its specialized support options for a year and offer more updates to those customers when its specialized support period expires.
  Now, the support period for Windows 7/8.1 on Skylake will end a year later than its previous target, on July 17, 2018. After that, Microsoft said all critical security updates will
  
  Read more

• IDG Contributor Network: 4 questions from the standoff between the FBI and Apple

  18-03-2016 18:50
  
  At the time I’m writing this, I am just returned from the RSA Conference on cybersecurity innovation - the world’s biggest digital security expo - where the iPhone dispute between Apple and the FBI touched every conversation. Needless to say, the situation is fluid with new developments and rhetoric appearing almost daily.The battle over access to encrypted data on an iPhone provides a lens for a bigger debate on privacy, mobile devices and the implications for technology vendors tha
  
  Read more

• Apple sees weakness in FBI hearing request

  18-03-2016 18:35
  A last-minute request by the FBI to call witnesses to next week's court hearing in the San Bernardino iPhone case indicates the agency might feel some weakness in its legal arguments, Apple says.On Wednesday evening, the FBI asked for an evidentiary hearing, which means the court will hear live testimony from expert witnesses from both sides. Apple agreed to the FBI's request on Thursday.Speaking on Friday with reporters, lawyers for Apple said the FBI's request was a surprise, and the
  
  Read more

• 5 things you need to know about SSL

  18-03-2016 18:27
  
  An uptick in cyberattacks and greater awareness about government surveillance have prompted calls for tighter security on the Internet, and a big part of that is encrypting  the traffic that flows to and from websites. Google, Facebook and Microsoft are among the many companies that have been pushing for wider use of SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) encryption, though it can be tricky and expensive to implement. Here's the basics of what you need to know.To read this
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Target CIO adds custom apps, fresh talent to fortify supply chain

  18-03-2016 17:52
  
  Target is building new supply chain software to better align inventory availability with consumer demands. To better position the retailer for online and mobile shopping, the retailer’s IT team is writing custom software to quicken the pace with which merchandise gets from its stores to consumers.  "We need to get the fundamentals in place and that's because the stress and strain we put on our supply chain today is very different to what was the case four or five years ago," says
  
  Read more

• Apple engineers could walk away from FBI’s iPhone demands

  18-03-2016 17:10
  
  Should the FBI prevail in getting Apple to offer a backdoor for an encrypted iPhone, the agency may have trouble getting anyone to build it.
  At least that’s the word from several current and former Apple employees—including security engineers—who spoke anonymously to the New York Times. Some said they’re refuse to do the work, or quit their jobs if necessary, rather than create what they believe is a major security compromise for all users.
  Apple is currently appealing a
  
  Read more

• IDG Contributor Network: 5 reasons Microsoft may never give up on Linux patent claims

  18-03-2016 15:35
  
  The idea for this story has been cooking in my mind for a while but I kept pushing it away. Now I strongly feel that I should talk about it.
  Last week I wrote about two of Microsoft’s recent patent deals with Linux players, bringing to the surface the criticism Microsoft gets from a certain segment of the open source community. And the thread continued this week, as I had the opportunity to talk to a lot of people from the open source 'industry' as well as the community to get a sense of
  
  Read more

• Deutsche Telekom to boost security offering for European enterprises

  18-03-2016 15:10
  
  "Bring your own device" can easily turn into bring your own disaster for corporate networks, if attackers use a compromised device as a bridgehead into a secure environment.That's one of the reasons Deutsche Telekom is partnering with two security companies to offer services to smaller companies that don't have the resources to install and operate their own MDM (mobile device management) or endpoint security systems.Internet Protect Pro and Mobile Protect Pro are rebranded versions of services f
  
  Read more

• The pros and cons of hyper-converged solutions

  18-03-2016 15:02
  
  Hyper-converged solutions (in essence a software-defined system with tightly integrated storage, networking and compute resources) are all the rage at the moment. However, while I was doing a talk on trends through the end of the decade, someone who represented an enterprise class company, explained why they didn’t work for him. They’d done extensive trials from a broad number of vendors and the results made it clear that they needed to approach their problems with a more traditional
  
  Read more

• Windows 10's Edge browser finally gets add-ons

  18-03-2016 14:35
  
  Microsoft yesterday updated its Windows 10 preview, adding support for extensions to the default Edge browser, finally fulfilling a promise it made last year that was itself a delay on a pledge to boost the browser's functionality.
  As part of Windows 10 build 14291 -- the latest in a series of test versions fed to participants in Microsoft's Windows Insider program -- Edge can now run one or more of the three extensions the Redmond, Wash. company currently offers.
  "The Windows Insider build wil
  
  Read more

• CSO Threat Intelligence Survival Guide

  18-03-2016 14:16
  
  Enterprises are trying to learn as much as they can about the threats their organizations face and how well (or not) they may be defended against them. This is one of the reasons why the threat intelligence security services spending market is set, according to market research firm IDC, to reach $1.4 billion in 2018, up from $905 million in 2014.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
  Read more

• Want to foster innovation? Get out of your comfort zone

  18-03-2016 13:07
  
  Looking to create programs designed to shake up the status quo, MIT's Sloan Executive Education department has partnered with businesses to create custom educational programs that focus on solving problems and encouraging critical-thinking skills among employees.Its workshop on innovation last week was led by Hal Gregersen, who brings years of experience working with companies to help CIOs to stay ahead of the curve.MIT's custom programs, like the one led by Gregersen, deliver a hands-on experie
  
  Read more

• New Fitbit integration means Amazon Echo knows how lazy you are

  18-03-2016 13:00
  
  Jim: "Alexa, ask Fitbit how many calories I burned so far today?"Alexa: "You have burned about 770 calories today. You have 1,730 calories left to meet your goal."That's a typical exchange between me, a dedicated Fitbit user, and Alexa, Amazon's virtual voice assistant that lives inside the company's $180 Echo, as well as an increasing number of other Amazon products. Fitbit announced on Thursday that Echo owners can now link their Fitbit accounts to the virtual assistants using Alexa'
  
  Read more

• Is the Galaxy S7 or GS7 edge right for you?

  18-03-2016 13:00
  
  Today, you can walk into any of the Big Four U.S. wireless carriers' retail stores and purchase a sleek new Samsung Galaxy S7 or GS7 edge smartphone. Both new devices are without question two of the hottest and most capable Android smartphones on the market. And though the two GS7 phones share many similarities when it comes to hardware and software, they have a number of important differences. 
  The Galaxy S7 edge has a display with curved sides, for example. It's larger and has a bigger d
  
  Read more

• IDG Contributor Network: 15 great video and audio editing apps for the Mac

  18-03-2016 12:40
  
  The Mac has long been regarded as one of the best platforms for video and audio editing. Many professionals use OS X as their preferred platform for creating and editing video and audio content. And one of the best places to to get the tools to do such work is the Mac App Store.Unfortunately, it can be somewhat daunting to sift through all of the video and audio editing apps currently in the Mac App Store. Not to worry though, I've made it easy for you to get started without having to spend a lo
  
  Read more

• What to expect from your Windows 10 Mobile upgrade

  18-03-2016 12:00
  
  If you own an older Windows phone, you may finally be able upgrade it to Microsoft’s most recent operating system, Windows 10 Mobile—for free. Microsoft began offering Windows 10 updates to most Windows Phone 8.1 phone owners on Thursday. The process can be a bit quirky in spots, though, which is why we’re here to walk you through it.Our Windows 10 Mobile review should introduce you to the high points of the new OS, such as Windows 10’s close ties
  
  Read more

• A kinder, gentler Microsoft says you can 'just say no' to Windows 10 Mobile upgrades

  18-03-2016 12:00
  
  Windows Phone users who might have been nervously awaiting Windows 10 Mobile have been told they can relax. Unlike Microsoft’s aggressive tactics to migrate users from Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 (which have ticked off customers), Windows Phone users won’t have to accept Windows 10 Mobile upgrades if they don’t want to.
  Microsoft began rolling out upgrades from older Windows Phone 8.1 phones to Windows 10 Mobile on Thursday, with a list of about a dozen eligible phones. So
  
  Read more

• 5 Android keyboard apps for easier typing

  18-03-2016 11:30
  
  Quick: What are the most important apps on your phone when it comes to getting stuff done?
  If you're like most people I've asked, "the keyboard" probably wasn't one of the first things that came to mind. When you stop and think about it, though, the interface that lets you input text plays a critical role in your mobile productivity. Whether you're editing documents or simply sending an email, it has more of an impact on your on-the-go efficiency than almost anything else on your device.
  And ye
  
  Read more

• The 10 Windows group policy settings you need to get right

  18-03-2016 11:00
  
  One of the most common methods to configure an office full of Microsoft Windows computers is with group policy. For the most part, group policies are settings pushed into a computer's registry to configure security settings and other operational behaviors. Group policies can be pushed down from Active Directory (actually, pulled down by the client) or configured locally.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
  Read more

• Geen backdoors voor Duitse rijksoverheid

  18-03-2016 10:29
  De Duitse regering heeft gisteren nieuwe regelgeving voor de koop van hardware voor de rijksoverheid bekendgemaakt die er in het kort op neerkomt dat apparatuur geen backdoors mag bevatten. Waarschijnlijk zullen veel deelstaten en gemeenten de regels eveneens in hun contracten met ICT-leveranciers opnemen.De lat ligt... lees meer
  
  Read more

• Vehicles 'increasingly vulnerable' to hacking, FBI warns

  18-03-2016 06:25
  The FBI and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warned on Thursday that the rising use of computers in vehicles poses increasing risks of cyberattacks.
  The warning comes eight months after a high-profile demonstration published by Wired showed how a Jeep Cherokee could be remotely controlled over the Internet. Fiat Chrysler later recalled 1.4 million vulnerable vehicles.
  Manufacturers see great promise in designing vehicles with advanced networking capabilities for everythin
  
  Read more

• New Stagefright exploit puts millions of Android devices at risk

  18-03-2016 03:24
  
  Millions of Android devices are at risk yet again after researchers found a new way to exploit an older vulnerability that was previously patched by Google.NorthBit, based in Herzliya, Israel, published a paper outlining Metaphor, a nickname for a new weakness they found in Stagefright, Android's mediaserver and multimedia library. The attack is effective against devices running Android versions 2.2 through 4.0 and 5.0 and 5.1, NorthBit said.The company said its attack works best
  
  Read more

• Can't have SDDC without SD-WAN: Nuage

  18-03-2016 01:25
  
  SANTA CLARA -- SDN can’t be done on an island, according to Nuage Networks.
  If an enterprise is doing a software-defined datacenter, it must also do a software-defined WAN to ensure consistent policy across the IT infrastructure, said Sunil Khandekar, Nuage CEO and co-founder.
  “You can’t view SDDC and SD WAN as two separate puzzles,” Khandehar said during a presentation at the Open Networking Summit here. “If you do you’ve created islands of automation.&rdquo
  
  Read more

Follow @ITExecutiveNews on Twitter!