IT Executive news

• Cisco to shed 5,500 staff in refocus on IoT, security, and cloud

  17-08-2016 23:19
  
  Cisco Systems plans to lay off about 7 percent of its global workforce in a restructuring that will see it further focus on hot IT areas such as the internet of things, security, collaboration, next-generation data centers, and the cloud.The move will cost the company around $700 million in redundancy payments to the roughly 5,500 staff who will be out of jobs in the coming months. The layoffs will hit some of Cisco's smaller and more mature business areas where long-term growth prospects are lo
  
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• Cisco, Fortinet issue patches against NSA malware

  17-08-2016 23:08
  
  Customers of certain Cisco and Fortinet security gear need to  patch exploits made public this week after a purported hack of NSA malware.
  Both companies have issued fixes to address exploits that were posted online and after they found the exploits represent real threats to some of their products, including versions of Cisco’s popular PIX and ASA firewalls and versions of Fortinet’s signature Fortigate firewalls.
  Other exploits may affect Watchguard and TOPSEC products, but th
  
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• Lack of a high-quality GPU may hold Intel back in its AI and VR chase

  17-08-2016 23:04
  
  In 2009, Intel gave up on developing Larrabee, a homegrown discrete GPU, targeted at PC gaming systems.Now, some analysts are questioning whether Intel needs its own high-performance GPU, a driving force behind the fast-growing gaming, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence markets.GPUs aren't a big presence at the ongoing Intel Developer Forum, which is centered around the chip maker's AI and VR strategy. Intel is highlighting its CPUs and FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays) for those
  
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• Median IT wage is $10K higher for men than women

  17-08-2016 22:57
  
  Men in IT earn a median of $82,370 a year compared to $72,035 for women, according to new data by the U.S. Census Bureau.
  The wage gap is perhaps is the most disquieting finding in a study of 2014 data by the Bureau, which also found that IT workers are younger than those in other occupations, more likely to have an advanced degree and more often work from home.
  Women comprise 25% of the IT workforce, which U.S. officials put at 4.6 million, a figure roughly in line with private estimates. In 1
  
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• Microsoft Rewards is how Microsoft will pay you to use Edge, Bing and more

  17-08-2016 22:50
  
  Years back, Microsoft began paying people to use its Bing search service via a program called Bing Rewards. Now, Microsoft will do the same with its Edge browser and other products.
  Microsoft announced Wednesday that over the next few weeks, Bing Rewards will become Microsoft Rewards. The concept remains the same: The more you use or buy Microsoft products, the more freebies you’ll receive in return. With the debut of Microsoft Rewards, you'll also be able to accrue points by br
  
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• Cisco to jettison 5,500 jobs, will reinvest in cloud, IoT & more

  17-08-2016 22:47
  
  Cisco today confirmed it will lay off about 7% of its workforce – about 5,500 jobs.
  Or as Cisco put it: "Today, we announced a restructuring enabling us to optimize our cost base in lower growth areas of our portfolio and further invest in key priority areas such as security, IoT, collaboration, next generation data center and cloud. We expect to reinvest substantially all of the cost savings from these actions back into these businesses and will continue to aggressively invest to focus o
  
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• NASA to send spacecraft on 1.2B-mile journey to asteroid

  17-08-2016 22:17
  
  NASA is less than a month away from launching a spacecraft designed to return a sample of an asteroid to Earth for the first time.
  Scientists are hoping the seven-year mission, set to launch on Sept. 8 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, will give them information about the makeup of the solar system, about life on Earth and the potential of life elsewhere in the universe, and about asteroids and how they could affect Earth.
  “This mission exemplifies our nation’s quest
  
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• 33% off Hibermate Sleep Mask with Integrated Headphones - Deal Alert

  17-08-2016 22:10
  
  Unlike most other sleep masks, this one from Hibermate has integrated speakers, allowing you to drift off in complete darkness while drowning out the world with relaxing music, sounds or white noise, without disturbing those around you. Fully adjustable and made from super-durable materials, the mask features a generous 3.3 feet of high quality Kevlar-coated cable for maximum reliability, durability and tangle free listening. Its speakers are super flat, fully removable, and produce loud, r
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Businesses brace for cost-cutting measures as the use of wireless data expands

  17-08-2016 21:19
  
  Wireless data spending is growing for U.S. businesses as workers increase their use of smart devices on the go for everything from communication, collaboration and other business uses to shopping and watching videos. Wireless and wireline data, along with apps, are IT areas where spending is on the rise. Spending is flat or declining in other IT areas, including voice communications, personnel and hardware. With free or low-cost Wi-Fi available, U.S. businesses will increasingly look to shift wi
  
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• NASA $1M contest intent on sending robots to Mars

  17-08-2016 20:58
  
  NASA engineers want humanoid robots to help astronauts living and working on Mars to help build habitats, grow food and make potablewater.
  The space agency on Tuesday opened registration for teams to compete for a $1 million prize purse in what it’s calling the Space Robotics Challenge.
  The contest is intended to encourage development of robots that are capable of working in the harsh environment of Mars and that have enough strength, precision and autonomy to be useful to human teammates
  
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• 7 cool Internet of Things companies to watch

  17-08-2016 20:48
  
  Industry watcher CB Insights earlier this month showed that venture capital funding of internet of things companies is actually on the decline after years of growth. But we've still seen enough fresh funding in the months since we rounded up 10 Internet of Things companies to watch back in April, to justify doing this follow-up with 7 additional firms, most of them startups.
  As always, we’ve narrowed down our list -- which is not intended to be all-inclusive -- by restricting it to those
  
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• 19% off Goal Zero Yeti 400 Electric Power Generator with Solar Charging - Deal Alert

  17-08-2016 20:48
  
  Quiet, portable power for when you're off-the-grid or faced with an unexpected outage. The Goal Zero Yeti 400 Generator produces a ton of juice without the noise and fumes of traditional back-up generators. The Yeti 400 gets charged from either a wall outlet, a vehicle's 12V port, or an optional solar panel (see the "frequently bought together" section on Amazon for the solar package). Once fully charged, it can power everything from an inflatable mattress to a CPAP machine. It can rec
  
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• Report: New Nokia smartphones and tablets are coming in late 2016

  17-08-2016 20:43
  
  The resurrection of the Nokia brand may happen in the fourth quarter of this year, which could make for some really nostalgic holiday gifts.
  According to Chinese site ThePaper, Nokia executive Mike Wang confirmed that three or four Nokia-branded Android devices are on the way for the fourth quarter of 2016. The comeback effort would include both phones and tablets.
  There is a chance, however, that the timeline could get pushed back depending upon how things progress. It wouldn’t be a terr
  
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• It's time to say goodbye to Linux 4.6

  17-08-2016 20:43
  
  If you're using a version of Linux based on the 4.6 series of the kernel, the software's lead maintainer has a message for you: It's time to upgrade.Greg Kroah-Hartman on Tuesday announced the arrival of Linux 4.6.7 and made it clear that it will be the last in the kernel's 4.6 series. Version 4.7.1 made its debut on Tuesday as well, and that's where the future lies, Kroah-Hartman said."This is the LAST 4.6.y kernel to be released," he wrote in the 4.6.7 announcement. "Please move to 4.7.1 now,
  
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• Death to copper cables: Intel turns to light for fast data transfers

  17-08-2016 20:39
  
  Intel believes the days of using copper wires for data transfers, both between computers and inside of them, are numbered because optical communications are on the horizon.The chipmaker has started shipping silicon photonics modules, which use light and lasers to speed up data transfers between computers.The silicon photonics components will initially allow for optical communications between servers and data centers, stretching over long distances, said Diane Bryant, executive vice presiden
  
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• AT&T wants big mobile players to form a 5G dream team

  17-08-2016 20:26
  
  There are many possible ways to build what 5G is supposed to deliver, but only one standard. To avoid putting money and effort into technologies that don’t make the cut, the big mobile players want to get others on their side.AT&T is hoping to collaborate with a set of carriers and equipment vendors that’s so broad and powerful it might be unstoppable. On Wednesday, the company said it’s having preliminary discussions with an A-list lineup of players to align their efforts
  
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• Microsoft's new plan to save Edge: reward points

  17-08-2016 20:01
  
  Microsoft today made a play to boost usage of Edge with an awards program that gives users points for browsing with the Windows 10 application.
  "Earn points for every hour of active browsing ... up to 30 hours a month," Microsoft announced on a promotional page.
  To qualify for points in the new program -- formerly Bing Rewards, rebranded as Microsoft Rewards -- Edge users must have the Bing search engine as the browser's default. Microsoft defined "active browsing" as meeting two conditions: Ed
  
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• Intel's Knights Mill mega-chip to take on GPUs in AI

  17-08-2016 19:45
  Intel has pulled open the curtain on a secretly developed mega-chip called Knights Mill, a key component in its artificial-intelligence strategy.The chip -- which belongs to the family of high-performance Xeon Phi processors -- gives Intel a legitimate opportunity to tackle machine learning. It is targeted at servers and workstations, and will be available in 2017.Intel was caught off-guard with the emergence of artificial intelligence as a way to analyze and present data. Knights Mill, introduc
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Forget desktop Linux, build your own $40 Android PC

  17-08-2016 19:28
  
  Pine 64 is a single board computer that is more powerful than the $35 Raspberry Pi 3. I had backed the project on Kickstarter and received a 512MB version of the board that costs $15. But I liked the board so much that I ordered the most powerful board they have: the 2GB RAM version for $29. This board is also capable of running Android 5.x.
  Here's what you need to build your own $40 Android PC:A micro SD card for OS and storage. I recommend using a 32GB micro SD card so you will have enough sp
  
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• 76% off Phaiser BHS-730 Bluetooth Sweatproof Sport Earbuds, Magnetic - Deal Alert

  17-08-2016 19:00
  
  Phaiser's BHS-730 Bluetooth Sport earbuds are both highly rated and dramatically discounted on Amazon. Averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon from over 1,100 people (read reviews), the list price of $160 has been reduced a significant 76% to just $39.  The BHS-730 uses the highest quality hardware, as well as Bluetooth 4.1 and A2DP stereo transfer protocols to produce bigger bass, lighter-than-air treble, and perfect phone call clarity every time. Bullet-shaped Comply T-400 M memory foam ti
  
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• 14 essential Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts

  17-08-2016 18:29
  
  There are plenty of ways to navigate Windows 10, but sometimes using keyboard shortcuts is the most convenient and can save time and effort.
  You can click on the start button or tap it with your finger on a touchscreen to access the power controls or you can just hit the Windows button on the keyboard without lifting a hand.
  +More on Network World: 11 hidden tips and tweaks for Windows 10+
  Once shortcuts make it into your muscle memory they require no thought and can make your time at the compu
  
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• Forget range anxiety: EVs could replace 90% of today's cars

  17-08-2016 18:26
  
  Despite their limited driving range, electric vehicles could easily meet the needs of about nine in 10 car owners and bring about a meaningful reduction in the greenhouse-gas emissions causing global climate change, a new study found.
  Researchers from MIT and the Santa Fe Institute published their four year-long study in the journal Nature Energy this week. The study amassed an enormous amount of data on millions of trips made by drivers across the U.S. The data included a highly detailed set o
  
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• 53% off J5 Tactical V1-Pro Ultra Bright 3 Mode Flashlight - Deal Alert

  17-08-2016 18:04
  
  Heavy duty, compact and tough as nails. Perhaps the last flashlight you'll ever need. That's how J5 Tactical describes their V1-Pro. A super bright 300 lumens LED produces an intense beam of light up to 600 feet with high, low and strobe modes. It can take a beating, is weather resistant, and works for hours on a single AA battery. With nearly 6,000 reviews on Amazon, it averages 4.5 out of 5 stars (read reviews). Its typical list price of $29.95 has been reduced by 53% to $13.95. See the d
  
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• Maker of web monitoring software can be sued, says court

  17-08-2016 18:02
  The maker of so-called spyware program WebWatcher can be sued for violating state and federal wiretap laws, a U.S. appeals court has ruled, in a case that may have broader implications for online monitoring software and software as a service.The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit rejected WebWatcher vendor Awareness Technologies' motion to dismiss a lawsuit against the company. The appeals court overturned a lower court ruling granting the motion to dismiss.The appeals court, in a
  
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• How Adobe uses machine learning to drive marketing success

  17-08-2016 18:00
  
  Earlier this year, Adobe took the wraps off its new Adobe Marketing Cloud, touting new data science capabilities like Adobe Analytics' Segment IQ, which uses machine learning to help marketers gain deep insight into audience segments. On Wednesday, Adobe advanced Segment IQ another step with the release of Segment Comparison for Analysis Workspace.Segment Comparison for Analysis Workspace is the first in what Adobe promises will be a series of audience analysis and discovery tools within Segment
  
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• Jurrie van Rooijen, bol.com: Af van de gebaande paden

  17-08-2016 17:48
  Bol.com groeit al jaren gestaag, maar de laatste jaren wordt vanuit het sfeervolle hoofdkantoor in Utrecht echt de versnelling ingezet.In het kader van een snellere groei en innovatief vermogen is de organisatie gemodelleerd naar het voorbeeld van succesvolle techbedrijven: kleine, crossfunctionele teams met een... lees meer
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Will Apple release the iMac Pro in 2016?

  17-08-2016 17:47
  When Apple released a pro version of the iPad, it might have been a harbinger of things to come in other products. Rumors about an iPhone Pro have been circulating for a while, and now there are rumors that a pro version of Apple’s iMac might be released in 2016.Dennis Sellers reports for Apple World Today:
  A new rumor says a new iMac will launch in the last quarter of the year with either the latest Intel chipset, Kaby Lake, or AMD’s Zen processor, as well as AMD’s Polaris Gra
  
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• How Lyft gets a lift from Amazon’s cloud

  17-08-2016 17:43
  
  Back in 2012, two engineers built the first prototype of ride-hailing app Lyft over the course of three weeks. They hosted it on three virtual machines in Amazon Web Services’ cloud and on May 31 of that year the first-ever Lyft ride was processed.
  Today, Lyft provides nearly 14 million rides per month and the company continues to run its infrastructure operations from AWS’s cloud, according to CTO Chris Lambert. “The only difference now… We’re taking advantage of
  
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• BrandPost: Next-Generation IT: The New Operating Model for a Digital World

  17-08-2016 17:11
  
  In a constantly evolving digital playing field customer expectations are rising, and the technology sophistication of many consumers (customer as well as business stakeholder) is growing, IT knows it has to change its game. After all, tech-savvy business users are increasingly sourcing and provisioning their own solutions these days, encroaching on IT’s traditional domain. At the same time those decisions are disrupting how IT operates and the value it provides to the business.According to
  
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• $39 for 54 Hours of Training with the Linux Essentials Bundle - Deal Alert

  17-08-2016 15:49
  
  These 5 courses will take you from newbie to Linux pro. Complete with two classes designed for Linux beginners, the Linux Essentials Bundle is the first step to a system administrator career, or to making a lateral move to your IT department.The classes in your bundle include:
  Fundamentals of Unix & Linux System AdministrationLearn Docker from ScratchLinux Shell Programming for BeginnersTo read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• iPad Pro, Apple Pencil users need the Nebo note app (now)

  17-08-2016 15:44
  
  I'd been meaning to try MyScript's innovative handwriting-to-text technology, called Interactive Ink, for some time. I'd seen a lot of positive feedback, including a 2014 review from Engadget.com. I finally got around to checking it out, and I can say without a doubt that the company's new, free Nebo app for iPad and Windows 10 is a real winner.Nebo is great for converting handwriting into text on the fly
  MyScript's Interactive Ink does an excellent job converting handwritten notes into edi
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Customer loyalty programs make for a marketer’s secret weapon

  17-08-2016 15:30
  
  If you look around at the leading companies and brands in your industry, you’ll notice that just about every one has some sort of customer loyalty program in place. This isn’t a coincidence. If you want to maximize your marketing efforts, you need to have one as well.The “why” behind customer loyalty programs
  If your business has failed to invest in a customer loyalty program up until this point, you need to ask yourself a simple one-word question: why? Virtually every su
  
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• Free course: Responding to Cybersecurity Incidents

  17-08-2016 14:42
  
  Let's face it, a data breach at your organization seems inevitable. And the response should be managed "in such a way as to limit damage, increase the confidence of external stakeholders, and reduce recovery time and costs," according to a Harvard Business Review article.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• 7 tips for future CIOs

  17-08-2016 14:30
  
  Thomas Lord Thomas Lord, CIO of UGI UtilitiesI caught up with Thomas Lord, CIO of UGI Utilities, after he had just been asked by a CIO forum to deliver a keynote about the evolving role of the CIO. As Lord was already in a reflective mood, I asked him for words of advice for the next generation of CIOs.Here are Lord's seven tips for up-and-coming CIOs.1.  Focus on the fundamentals, not distractions
  It is easy to get distracted by innovation, technology, consumerism and cloud, so Lord remind
  
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• 10 content marketing tips for ecommerce success

  17-08-2016 14:00
  
  Most modern brands understand the importance of content marketing. That doesn't mean, however, it's easy or that those companies good at it. In fact, the reality is often the opposite. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• Our favorite fitness apps for Apple Watch, Apple TV, and iPhone

  17-08-2016 13:19
  Stay in shape with your Apple devicesImage by monkeybusinessimagesRaise your hand if you enjoy exercise but hate paying for a monthly gym membership. Even worse, are you paying for that gym membership but can’t manage to actually get yourself to the gym to use it?We’ve all been there. But I’m assuming that if you read Macworld, you have at least one Apple device at your disposal, and fortunately, those Apple devices are the perfect workout companions. Who needs the gym when you
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: How to revive a dying automation project

  17-08-2016 13:00
  
  What would you expect when the top executives in a Fortune 500 company decided to embrace robotic process automation (RPA) aggressively across their services lines and even go so far as to signal to Wall Street and the investor community the substantial benefits from this initiative? Would you expect that the project would fall flat and the organization would stifle progress though passive-aggressive behavior? Well, that’s exactly what happened, leaving the executives embarrassed and angry
  
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• How to build web interfaces with learnability in mind

  17-08-2016 13:00
  
  Learnability is key to keeping users on your siteA key element of website usability is learnability, which refers to how quickly users learn an interface. This subject may be a no-brainer when it comes to simple blogs. But complex sites such as Facebook with many features pose greater obstacles to new users. It is thought that learnability affects websites’ growth.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• Review: Chef 12 fires up devops

  17-08-2016 12:00
  
  Two of the most important tasks in a data center are server provisioning and configuration management. At one time, administrators spent a significant amount of time physically deploying servers and network infrastructure, followed by even more minutes and hours manually configuring hundreds or even thousands of nodes. Then they spent an additional chunk of the day troubleshooting and fixing the errors they introduced by configuring all of these systems with their fat fingers.
  Chef clients are
  
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• New SVG spec irons out overlaps with HTML, CSS

  17-08-2016 12:00
  
  SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), the stalwart XML-based language for describing 2D vector graphics, is getting a renewal, with an upgrade focused on closer alignment with HTML and CSS.
  The World Wide Web Consortium has authored SVG 2, which is now feature-complete. It's moving to a security review phase en route to becoming a formal standard.[ The art of programming is changing rapidly. We help you navigate what's hot in programming and what's going cold and give insights into the technologies t
  
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• IT leaders share their strategy for creating authenticity

  17-08-2016 12:00
  
  With technology, it's becoming harder to remain inauthentic at work, according to Todd Horton, founder and CEO of KangoGift. With the modern culture of sharing, thanks to social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, there's a sense of openness that might not have existed in companies a decade ago. "For better or worse, the digital age maintains a snapshot of everything and leaders are more sensitive to how they are perceived. It's on leaders to take inventory of how they are percei
  
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• Intel doubles down on Project Alloy as the savior of the PC

  17-08-2016 12:00
  
  Your PC is bored. Your smartphone is, too. While you’re reading this story, your digital device is twiddling its thumbs, waiting for you to do something. When a smartphone can offer enough computing power for most tasks without breaking a sweat, you can understand why PC sales are tanking—and why Intel’s so enamored with virtual reality.
  Intel announced the Project Alloy virtual-reality headset on Tuesday at its Intel Developer Forum, as well as the ne
  
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• After the Anniversary Update: What’s next for Windows 10?

  17-08-2016 12:00
  
  The Windows 10 Anniversary Update may have just been released, but Microsoft never rests: It's well into work on the next two major updates for Windows, code-named Redstone 2 and Redstone 3. (Redstone 1 was the code name for the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.) Why Redstone? In the popular game Minecraft, which Microsoft bought in May 2014, redstone is an ore you mine and then use as a power source.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• 10 tips for being healthier and more productive at work

  17-08-2016 12:00
  
  Over the years, we have developed work styles and adopted habits that are detrimental to our physical, mental and emotional health.This has impacted our engagement and our performance in negative ways and has stood in the way of the most effective ways to increase both of those in the workplace, says Leigh Stringer, a workplace design specialist, writer and researcher as well as author of "The Healthy Workplace."
  "It's not that we're bad people, or that we aren't working hard. The problem is tha
  
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• Is Cisco set to cut 14,000 jobs?

  17-08-2016 07:07
  
  Industry reports have it that Cisco will soon – possibly as early as today -- cut as many as 14,000 jobs – or about 20% of its 73,000 member workforce.
  +More on Network World: Cisco: IP traffic will surpass the zettabyte level in 2016+
  According to a report from tech site CRN the cuts emphasize the Cisco’s growing emphasis on software which is requiring staff with a different set of skills, CRN reported. Early retirement plans have already been offered to employees as well.To
  
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• US says transfer of internet governance will go ahead on Oct. 1

  17-08-2016 05:58
  
  The U.S. will go ahead with its plan to hand over oversight of the internet's domain name system functions to a multistakeholder body on Oct. 1, despite fierce opposition from some lawmakers and advocacy groups.The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers operates under contract with the U.S. Department of Commerce the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions that enable the efficient operation of the internet domain name system (DNS). These include responsibility for the
  
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• With slick Omen PCs, HP makes a splash in high-end gaming

  17-08-2016 01:00
  
  HP said it would return to the high-end gaming PC market with a bang, and it sure has, with fully loaded Omen PCs.The funky looking Omen X desktop and Omen 17 laptop are equipped with the latest CPUs and GPUs for the best gaming and virtual reality experiences. These are among HP's most expensive PCs outside of the professional Z workstations.The Omen X is a cube, with two stands holding the chassis upright. The desktop combines air and liquid cooling to dissipate heat, and the unique chassis de
  
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• Here's how to get the Windows 10 Mobile Anniversary Update

  17-08-2016 00:07
  
  Microsoft has begun rolling out its big Anniversary Update for smartphones running Windows 10 Mobile. Users who want to get their hands on it will be able to do so through their phone, according to a blog post update by Microsoft on Tuesday. To check for the update, users should open up the Settings app, then navigate through Update & Security > Phone update > Check for update. After that, the phone should download the update and install it. However, Microsoft notes that actually
  
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