IT Executive news

• Microsoft says MacBook Pro owners are switching to Surface

  12-12-2016 23:27
  
  The new Touch Bar-equipped MacBook Pros have been polarizing, to say the least. Some think the new 13- and 15-inch models are woefully underpowered for their high price tags, while others rave about the OLED strip that replaces the Pro’s function keys. Microsoft thinks there are more of the former than the latter, and that its Surface lineup targeting creative professionals stands to benefit.
  According to Microsoft, it has numbers to back up that belief. The company said in its year-in-re
  
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• 5 core topics Trump needs to address in Silicon Valley leaders meeting

  12-12-2016 23:08
  
  As some of the tech sector’s heaviest hitters prep for a meeting this week with president-elect Donald Trump, they need to make sure they get answers to critical questions about issues that could affect not only their businesses but the U.S. economy in general.
  While the meeting has been called by Trump, the Silicon Valley executives should be prepared to set some of it themselves so they aren’t blindsided by policy shifts that can affect their success. Items of interest range from
  
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• Sleeping giant Qualcomm awakens with aim to crush Intel at its own game

  12-12-2016 23:00
  
  Last Wednesday was historic for Qualcomm. In one day, the company jumped beyond its comfort zone of mobile chips and entered the PC and server markets.With the expansion, Qualcomm now has chips for most computing products. It wants to outcompete even Intel, which dominates in PCs and servers but gave up on markets like smartphone CPUs earlier this year.Qualcomm on Wednesday announced its Centriq 2400 server chips, which started shipping to test customers. Later that day, Microsoft reve
  
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• Instagram rolls out its Live video feature in the U.S.

  12-12-2016 22:45
  
  Instagram’s latest features focus more on live streaming and less on photo sharing. On Monday, Instagram started rolling out its “Live” video-streaming feature to iOS and Android users in the U.S. The company first unveiled this feature in November, as a way to “connect with your friends and followers right now.” You will also be able to find popular Live videos in the Explore page. According to Instagram, Live will be available to everyone in the next few day
  
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• Politics bog down US response to election hacks

  12-12-2016 22:33
  
  U.S. efforts to get to the bottom about Russia’s role in hacking this year’s presidential election may very well end up mired in politics, hampering any response.On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, was the latest U.S. lawmaker to call for an investigation into Russia’s possible involvement. “This simply cannot be a partisan issue,” he said during a press conference.A growing number of lawmakers, in addition to U.S. intelligence
  
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• The top 10 tech stories of 2016: Post-PC, post-reality

  12-12-2016 22:15
  
  Evolution inevitably involves the creation of new problems, and the big tech stories of the year show that this goes for IT just like anything else.  While the internet has brought the world closer together, it also paved the way for fake news and new forms of espionage. The rise of AI has humans worried about being replaced. Chip makers are consolidating and scrambling to retool to meet the demands of virtual reality and the internet of things. And while Apple removed legacy ports on its n
  
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• Disney IT workers, in lawsuit, claim discrimination against Americans

  12-12-2016 21:50
  
  After Disney IT workers were told in October 2014 of the plan to use offshore outsourcing firms, employees said the workplace changed. The number of South Asian workers in Disney technology buildings increased, and some workers had to train H-1B-visa-holding replacements. Approximately 250 IT workers were laid off in January 2015.
  Now 30 of these employees filed a lawsuit on Monday in U.S. District Court in Orlando, alleging discrimination on the basis of national origin and race.
  The Disney IT
  
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• Microsoft brands new MacBook Pro 'disappointment,' touts boost in trade-ins for Surface

  12-12-2016 21:49
  
  Microsoft today boasted that more customers than ever before had traded in an Apple laptop for one of its own Surface-branded devices.
  "Our trade-in program for MacBooks was our best ever," said Brian Hall, a Microsoft marketing executive, in a post to a company blog Monday. "The combination of excitement for the innovation of Surface coupled with the disappointment of the new MacBook Pro -- especially among professionals -- is leading more and more people to make the switch to Surface."
  Hall d
  
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• BrandPost: 2016 CEO Outlook: Engage in External Partnerships

  12-12-2016 21:29
  
  In today’s aggressively competitive business environment, fostering innovation is a top strategic priority for CEOs, who know they can’t go it alone as disruptive technologies — from automation and data analytics to robotics — evolve at warp speed. According to the KPMG 2016 CEO Outlook, two-thirds of CEOs are turning to partnerships as they implement the technologies that can give their products and services a competitive edge. They are also building alliances with exter
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Leveraging the Value of Data-Centric Processes

  12-12-2016 21:24
  In previous articles, we talked about three of the five capabilities needed to turn data into insight. The fourth key capability is to have “data-centric processes.” What we mean by this is two-fold:
  There are processes embedded into the organization that are focused on data and data management and optimization.
  There is a recognition that data is an input and a valuable output of other processes in the organization, and these inputs and outputs are understood and retained to extend
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: How CIOs can kickstart digital transformation programs

  12-12-2016 21:05
  
  What is your 2017 digital transformation strategy and priority list? It’s December, so surely you have spent the last few months updating strategic plans, evolving a digital strategy, and identifying the 2017 strategic initiatives. I am sure your organization is looking to improve customer experiences, develop new products for new segments, and deliver insights and conveniences that will drive growth.Or maybe not. Maybe you’re working for the one in three enterprises that is not read
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Blockchain is busting out of its britches

  12-12-2016 20:16
  
  It seems like an eon ago, but it was actually just last March that I added my momentum, via an article in Techonomy, to the growing body of opinion that behind Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency, was a larger, less-well-understood narrative, the story of blockchain, the technology framework Bitcoin was running on. Since then, this viewpoint has been adopted by the mainstream, and hundreds of blockchain applications are in pilot.Over the past few months, the flood of blockchain announcements has been al
  
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• IPhone screen maker said to buy major OLED venture

  12-12-2016 20:04
  
  One of Apple's major suppliers of iPhone displays is poised to make a major investment in OLED screens. Japan Display plans to acquire Joled, a joint OLED screen maker owned by Sony and Panasonic, according to Japan's Nikkei newspaper.The deal will be completed this year and also includes an additional 75 billion yen (US$650 million) investment from the Japanese government-backed Innovation Network Corp. of Japan.Japan Display itself was formed out of the LCD manufacturing operations of Sony, To
  
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• 8 big data predictions for 2017

  12-12-2016 19:10
  
  Market research and advisory firm Ovum estimates the big data market will grow from $1.7 billion in 2016 to $9.4 billion by 2020. As the market grows, enterprise challenges are shifting, skills requirements are changing, and the vendor landscape is morphing. The coming year promises to be a busy one for big data pros. Here are some predictions from industry watchers and technology players.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Kodak Alaris CIO's IT strategy pays off big time

  12-12-2016 19:04
  
  Remember the photo you emailed to your local drug store to be printed on a 5x7 matte finish so you could frame it and surprise a friend of loved one with a memorable moment? If so, you probably used the Kodak Print Place solution from Kodak Alaris, the 2013 Eastman Kodak Company (EKC) global spinoff, whose mission is to unlock the power of images and information for businesses.A major challenge for a spinoff is to establish an independent technology infrastructure, organization and strategy as q
  
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• Top communication skills future leaders need to succeed

  12-12-2016 18:53
  
  It is remarkable how many leaders seem to overlook the undeniable correlation between mastering communication and successfully occupying a position of leadership.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: The CDO's first 100 days: Expanding the agenda

  12-12-2016 18:36
  
  Just as with any new presidential administration, new chief digital officers have to pack a lot of work into the first 100 days on the job. My first post in this two-part series focused on one key priority for CDOs to focus on in those early weeks — people. In this second half of the series, we are going to expand the executive agenda and explore the importance of evaluating processes and technology in the CDO’s early foundation-building days.Processes: Are they fueling or foiling in
  
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• Survey: Despite costly attacks, 85% of business leaders confident in preparedness

  12-12-2016 17:53
  
  Eighty-five percent of organizations believe they have the right controls in place to protect against such attacks. Yet, 40 percent of them have been victims of cyber attacks within the last six months.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Super Mario Run: Nintendo disappoints with ham-handed piracy protection

  12-12-2016 16:55
  
  When news that Mario was coming to iOS was released at one of Apple's events, many gamers were overjoyed. Finally, after all these years, iOS gamers were going to get to play a Mario game on their iPhones and iPads.Alas that initial burst of happiness and excitement has been clouded (and in some cases outright ruined) by news that Super Mario Run will require an Internet connection to play.Adam Rosenberg reports for Mashable:
  Series creator and Super Mario Run producer Shigeru Miyamoto sat down
  
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• Microsoft Ventures launches AI-focused fund

  12-12-2016 16:47
  
  Microsoft Ventures has launched an artificial intelligence investment fund, signaling its parent company's growing focus on the emerging technology.
  The VC arm of Microsoft has also funded Element AI, an incubator to help organizations embrace an AI-first strategy, Nagraj Kashyap, corporate vice president of Microsoft Ventures, said Monday in a blog post.
  "AI holds great promise to augment human capabilities and improve society by tackling some of the world’s biggest proble
  
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• Gates, Bezos, others launch energy tech VC fund

  12-12-2016 16:15
  
  Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos, and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son are investors in a new clean energy technology venture firm launched Monday.Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a US$1 billion venture capital fund, will focus on "next generation technologies to provide reliable, affordable, zero-carbon energy, food, and products to the world," according to its website.Other investors include Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, Alibaba Group Exe
  
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• JetBlue CIO drives innovation through IT’s ‘toolkit’

  12-12-2016 16:12
  
  On a JetBlue flight in November from Fort Lauderdale to New York, a man dressed in business-casual attire walked the aisle, chatting up passengers while collecting their garbage.Eash Sundaram wore blue latex gloves and carried a clear plastic garbage bag. The only thing missing was the flight attendant uniform.The scene was captured by a LinkedIn user who posted a story with a photo displaying JetBlue’s CIO and Executive Vice President for Innovation in this unusual role. But if you know S
  
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• What you need to know about Alexa on Amazon Fire tablets

  12-12-2016 15:58
  Amazon's Fire tablets are difficult to resist. They're inexpensive, well built and even have a dash of style. The new Fire HD 8 model, which comes in four colors, is especially good looking. Now the Fire tablets support Alexa, Amazon's virtual assistant.Here are two things you should know about Alexa if you're in the market for a Fire tablet.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• An unpatched vulnerability exposes Netgear routers to hacking

  12-12-2016 15:26
  
  Several models of Netgear routers are affected by a publicly disclosed vulnerability that could allow hackers to take them over.
  An exploit for the vulnerability was published Friday by a researcher who uses the online handle Acew0rm. He claims that he reported the flaw to Netgear in August, but didn't hear back.
  The issue stems from improper input sanitization in a form in the router's web-based management interface and allows the injection and execution of arbitrary shell commands on an affec
  
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• BrandPost: Juniper CIO: Cloud Migration ‘Inevitable’

  12-12-2016 15:09
  
  What are the advantages to enterprises of moving to the cloud?
  For me they’re all around agility and time to market. Most legacy IT organizations have a lot of shackles in terms of old ERP systems and old custom-built applications that are really hard to maintain. Moving to the cloud gives IT organizations the ability to throw out the old and start anew, and get some of the speed that the cloud and Internet technologies bring, which is a real game-changer.
  Another benefit of moving to the
  
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• BrandPost: Bob Worrall, Juniper CIO: Cloud Migration ‘Inevitable’

  12-12-2016 15:09
  
  What are the advantages to enterprises of moving to the cloud?
  For me they’re all around agility and time to market. Most legacy IT organizations have a lot of shackles in terms of old ERP systems and old custom-built applications that are really hard to maintain. Moving to the cloud gives IT organizations the ability to throw out the old and start anew, and get some of the speed that the cloud and Internet technologies bring, which is a real game-changer.
  Another benefit of moving to the
  
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• Now you can try Microsoft's supersized Surface Hub before buying

  12-12-2016 15:05
  
  Microsoft's Surface Hub large-screen PC isn't your regular computer, and it takes a bit of practice to fully exploit it. With that in mind, Microsoft is starting a program in which users can try the Surface Hub for 30 days before buying it.No such program is offered for other Surface devices. The supersized Surface Hub -- which comes in screen sizes of 55-inch and 84-inches, is mostly designed as a centerpiece for conference rooms to be used for video conferencing, collaboration, and digital whi
  
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• 6 strategies for becoming a digital business

  12-12-2016 15:05
  
  If your company’s digital transformation has stalled, gone off-track or hasn’t even started, it’s time to kick it into high gear. According to a Forrester Research report, “by 2020, every business will become either a digital predator or digital prey.” To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• AMD chases the AI trend with its Radeon Instinct GPUs for machine learning

  12-12-2016 15:00
  
  With the Radeon Instinct line, AMD joins Nvidia and Intel in the race to put its chips into AI applications—specifically, machine learning for everything from self-driving cars to art. The company plans to launch three products under the new brand in 2017, which include chips from all three of its GPU families.
  The passively cooled Radeon Instinct MI6 will be based on the company’s Polaris architecture. It will offer 5.7 teraflops of performance and 224GBps of memory bandwidth, and
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: How happiness breeds success

  12-12-2016 13:42
  
  There are a million ways to define what “success” actually means. We know when we are successful at something, and we know when we are failing at something. However, we can’t put this into words, and the way we judge success is going to be different from how others judge it. So if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or an entrepreneur looking to attain a higher level of success, you need to stop what you’re doing and ask yourself: What is success to me?Most people
  
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• Singapore’s ‘city brain’ project is groundbreaking -- but what about privacy?

  12-12-2016 12:30
  
  You've read about cities installing smart parking meters and noise- and air-quality sensors, but are you ready to embrace the idea of a city brain?
  The residents of Singapore are on track to do just that.
  Creating a centralized dashboard view of sensors deployed across a distributed network is nothing new, but it takes on a bigger -- perhaps ominous -- meaning when deployed across a major city.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• IBM MaaS360 delivers powerful, easy-to-use mobility management

  12-12-2016 12:06
  
  Fiberlink MaaS360 won our Clear Choice test of mobile device management tools in 2011. IBM bought Fiberlink in 2013, so we wanted to see how the product has evolved over the years.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• Get started with Azure Machine Learning

  12-12-2016 12:00
  
  Machine learning is fast becoming the go-to predictive paradigm for data scientists and developers alike. Of the many tools available for tapping neural networks, Microsoft’s Azure ML Studio offers a quick learning curve that won’t take deep data or coding chops to get up and running.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• And the coolest robots of 2016 are...

  12-12-2016 12:00
  
  Robots are becoming more and more ubiquitous in our daily lives, but these seven bots stole the show in 2016.The Zenbo personal assistant robot can be a caretaker and entertainer. While Boston Dynamic's SpotMini will help you do the dishes, preserve the planet by recycling, and even bring you a coke. Got a pile of clean laundry? Laundroid will fold it for you...just make sure to give it a few hours to finish the job.
  Feeling lonely on that long road trip? Kirobo Mini will chat with you, as long
  
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• Why Azure’s cloud chief believes Microsoft is in prime position

  12-12-2016 11:34
  
  In Satya Nadella’s first press conference as CEO of Microsoft in 2014, he laid out a vision for the company to be a mobile-first, cloud-first company.
  On the cloud side, Microsoft has a broad portfolio of products that includes market-leading SaaS productivity applications, highlighted by Office 365. On the IaaS and PaaS side, Microsoft has Azure, a public cloud that has turned into one of the most prominent cloud platforms in the market and is considered the chief rival to market-leading
  
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• 5 enterprise-related things you can do with blockchain technology today

  12-12-2016 11:00
  
  Diamonds. Bitcoin. Pork. If you think you've spotted the odd one out, think again: All three are things you can track using blockchain technologies today.
  Blockchains are distributed, tamper-proof, public ledgers of transactions, brought to public attention by the cryptocurrency bitcoin, which is based on what is still the most widespread blockchain. But blockchains are being used for a whole lot more than making pseudonymous payments outside the traditional banking system.
  Because blockchains
  
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• Career Roadmap: Systems admin role isn’t dead

  12-12-2016 10:46
  
  With the ubiquity of cloud technology and the availability of modern systems administration tools that allow anyone from developers to administrative assistants to procure and provision servers and services, it's tempting to think that the role of the system administrator, or sysadmin, is obsolete.The sysadmin role isn't dying off, however. It's simply evolving along with the rest of the technology industry and becoming less focused on hardware and infrastructure and more on services delivery --
  
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• 4 tips for job searching this holiday season

  12-12-2016 10:35
  
  You may have heard that it's not worth your time to look for a new job during the hectic holiday season.But according to Ford R. Myers, author of Get the Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring, and president of the career consulting firm Career Potential, there are a number of ways to make the holiday season work for your job search.
  "Many job seekers don't realize how important it is to keep their search fully active during these holiday months. There is little to no competition. Companies are
  
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• Trump, tech executives may try to untangle relationship

  12-12-2016 06:46
  
  U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is meeting this week in New York with top tech executives, including Oracle CEO Safra Catz, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Alphabet CEO Larry Page and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, according to news reports.Invitations to the meeting were signed by Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, chief of staff Reince Priebus, and billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley figure who came out openly early on in favor of Trump.The rela
  
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