IT Executive news

• The weirdest, wackiest and coolest sci/tech stories of 2016

  21-12-2016 23:16
  
  A significantly zany yearImage by Reuters/ Thomas PeterAs we close out the year and look at some of the, shall we say more interesting, stories of the year we find quite a tech collection. Everything from NASA’s poop challenge and the most significant advances in Ethernet’s illustrious history to the rise of robot doctor overlords. Take a look at 30 of the year's weirdest, wackiest and coolest sci/tech stories.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• 3D NAND set to dominate SSDs, kill off traditional flash

  21-12-2016 23:16
  
  Three dimensional NAND (3D NAND) is expected to dominate the solid-state drive (SSD) industry beginning next year, as suppliers reduce their shipments of flash storage based on traditional 2D or planar NAND, according to a new report.
  According to DRAMeXchange's latest forecast, NAND flash manufacturers are focusing their efforts on converting fabrication plants to 3D NAND, which is denser, faster and less expensive to produce than traditional 2D NAND.ToshibaToshiba will begin manufacturing new
  
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• 2016's top trends in enterprise computing: Containers, bots, AI, and more

  21-12-2016 22:54
  
  It's been a year of change in the enterprise software market. SaaS providers are fighting to compete with one another, machine learning is becoming a reality for businesses at a larger scale, and containers are growing in popularity.Here are some of the top trends from 2016 that we'll likely still be talking about next year.Everybody's a frenemy
  As more and more companies adopt software-as-a-service products like Office 365, Slack, and Box, there is increasing pressure to collaborate for compani
  
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• Nokia and Apple trade accusations in patent lawsuits

  21-12-2016 22:24
  
  An international patent dispute has broken out between Apple and Nokia over the Finnish mobile network vendor's licensing terms for the widely used H.264 video codec and other technologies.Nokia on Wednesday filed lawsuits against Apple in Germany and in the U.S., alleging that the smartphone giant has infringed 32 of its patents.Nokia's five lawsuits follow an Apple lawsuit filed in California Tuesday. The U.S. company accused Nokia of working with patent assertion firms Acacia Resear
  
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• Are strain, stress at Twitter driving out top execs?

  21-12-2016 22:08
  
  With Twitter struggling to fuel its user and financial growth, the strain may be showing as several top executives head out the door.
  Twitter Chief Operating Officer Adam Bain left the company last month, and on Tuesday,  Adam Messinger, the company's chief technology officer, and Josh McFarland, vice president of product, announced that they too are leaving the social network.
  Messinger, who joined Twitter five years ago, tweeted on Tuesday, "After 5 years I've decided to leave Twitter an
  
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• Google Drive offers sweet prepaid subscriptions for 100GB and 1TB users

  21-12-2016 21:48
  
  If you’re a heavy user of Google Drive, there’s an early holiday gift waiting for you in your account: up to 17 percent off annual subscriptions.
  Subscribers to the 100GB and 1TB plans can now prepay for a full year of Google Drive for $19.99 and $99.99, respectively, effectively getting in two months for free. Previously the plans cost $1.99 a month and $9.99 a month with no option for paying up-front. The discounts do not apply to the higher 10TB, 20TB, and 30TB plans, and it&rsqu
  
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• Need a holiday recipe? AllRecipes and Microsoft Azure cloud have you covered

  21-12-2016 21:38
  
  Wondering what to have for Christmas dinner? AllRecipes.com will be a popular site to check this holiday season … and this year it’s using Microsoft Azure’s cloud.
  AllRecipes, founded in 1997 and owned by Meredith Corp., has undertaken a two-year migration to Azure, the IaaS public cloud. AllRecipes services 1.5 billion visitors each year who view an average of 95 recipes per second, 66% of which are done on mobile devices.
  The company’s load is cyclical: On a Sunday af
  
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• Top 4 big data and analytics trends of 2016

  21-12-2016 21:28
  
  Like mobile and cloud, big data and advanced analytics have been reshaping organizations and business processes. In 2016, organizations increasingly moved data analytics projects into production as they sought the capability to better interrogate internal and external data to better understand their customers and drive efficiencies.[ Analytics 50 winners for 2016 ]Here are our picks for the most significant big data and advanced analytics trends in 2016, as illustrated in 15 stories from the pas
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Linux Mint, please stop discouraging users from upgrading

  21-12-2016 21:04
  
  The new version of Linux Mint has been released so I went ahead and downloaded it and reviewed it on my latest Dell XPS 13 Kaby Lake machine. That’s when I came across the persistent Linux Mint messaging to its users that discourages software updates. That spreads a very dangerous notion that once you get everything working, you shouldn't touch it.
  Linux Mint has experienced some security breaches lately, so they should not be encouraging such behavior. Linux Mint project leaders seem to
  
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• AT&T now offers spam call blocking for free

  21-12-2016 21:03
  
  AT&T customers now have another way to fight against spam calls.
  This week, AT&T revealed a new service that automatically blocks robocalls and identifies other suspicious spam calls for users on a voice and data contract with a smartphone that supports HD Voice.
  The free service, Call Protect, comes with a companion mobile app for iOS (free) and Android that lets users setup temporary call blocking and get notifications about what’s been auto-blocked. AT&T’s Call Protec
  
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• Nokia accuses Apple of infringing 32 of its patents

  21-12-2016 20:31
  
  Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia has filed lawsuits against Apple in Germany in the U.S., alleging that the smartphone giant has infringed 32 of its patents, including the widely used H.264 video codec.The patent infringement lawsuits, filed with the Regional Courts in Dusseldorf, Mannheim and Munich in Germany and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, cover patents related to displays, user interfaces, software, antennas, chipsets, and video coding, Nokia said Wednesda
  
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• 10% off Oster Cordless Electric Wine Bottle Opener with Foil Cutter - Deal Alert

  21-12-2016 20:16
  
  This cordless electric wine opener from Oster removes the cork in seconds with one-button operation, and opens up to 30 bottles before needing to be recharged. It features a foil cutter for easily removing seals and a comfortable soft-grip handle. Currently averages 4 out of 5 stars from over 4,300 people (read reviews). It's discounted 10% on Amazon, so you can get it right now for just $17.99. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Resolve to improve your software estimating in 2017

  21-12-2016 18:26
  
  Here’s a resolution for enterprise executives and IT leaders: This year – as you build your software products and solutions – resolve to give software estimating the focus it deserves. Any improvements your team makes will surely pay off by keeping your software on target.If you’re not familiar with software estimating, it means specifying the time needed to create a software-based business product or service, which in turn informs and impacts go-to-market schedules and r
  
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• BrandPost: Assess Your Organization’s DevOps Maturity

  21-12-2016 18:22
  
  Portions of this post were originally posted on the Puppet blog, and republished here with Puppet's permission.DevOps practices and cultural norms positively impact IT and organizational performance. Our annual State of DevOps Report demonstrates how DevOp improves operational efficiency, creates space for innovation and increases employee engagement.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• BrandPost: 2 Manufacturing Quality Challenges Solved with Cloud ERP

  21-12-2016 18:17
  
  As an ISO/TS certified manufacturer, HK Metalcraft knows all too well the challenges of delivering high quality on time, every time. The company is a manufacturer of high-quality precision metal stampings, spring washers, formed products, and related assemblies for all industries worldwide.To meet its challenges head on, Joshua Hopp, President of HK Metalcraft, decided to run his business on cloud ERP, one that his peers in the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) rely on: the Plex Manufactu
  
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• Asus, T-Mobile have CES surprises in store for Android users

  21-12-2016 18:15
  
  As the end of December approaches, visions of sugar plums are dancing in Android fans’ heads as they await the big event. Not Christmas—we’re talking about CES 2017. While there are more rumors than you can shake a stocking at, several companies have already begun to promote their upcoming announcements.
  As the Jan. 5 kickoff date draws ever closer, Android phone maker Asus has teased what looks like two phones set to be unveiled at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las
  
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• Nmap security scanner gets new scripts, performance boosts

  21-12-2016 17:41
  
  The Nmap Project just released the Holiday Edition of its open source cross-platform security scanner and network mapper, with several important improvements and bug fixes.
  New features in Nmap 7.40 include Npcap 0.78r5, for adding driver signing updates to work with Windows 10 Anniversary Update; faster brute-force authentication cracking; and new scripts for Nmap Script Engine, the project’s maintainer Fyodor wrote on the Nmap mailing list.[ Give yourself a technology career advant
  
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• VMware removes hard-coded root access key from vSphere Data Protection

  21-12-2016 17:01
  
  VMware has released a hotfix for vSphere Data Protection (VDP) to change a hard-coded SSH key that could allow remote attackers to gain root access to the virtual appliance.VDP is a disk-based backup and recovery product that runs as an open virtual appliance (OVA). It integrates with the VMware vCenter Server and provides centralized management of backup jobs for up to 100 virtual machines.According to a VMware support article, the vSphere Data Protection (VDP) appliance contains a static SSH p
  
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• Growing crop of Nexus 6P users report serious battery drop-off issues

  21-12-2016 16:53
  
  One of the best reasons for buying a Nexus phone has always been the promised timely updates to the latest version of Android, but Nougat hasn’t been as sweet as some Nexus 6P users thought it would be. For months, there have been widespread complaints over decreased battery life, and even after the 7.1 update, things haven’t gotten any better.
  In a detailed report by Android Police, it seems that users have taken to Google’s forums to register their complaints, with hundreds
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Super Mario Run: Cheapskate gamers upset by $10 price

  21-12-2016 16:23
  
  There’s a huge problem with mobile gaming on iOS, gaming content has been so devalued with “free to play” games that many people don’t want to pay much or anything at all. This has become apparent with the reactions by some gamers to the reasonable $10 that Nintendo is charging for the full version of its Super Mario Run game.These gamers have been flooding the Super Mario Run page in the iOS App Store with one star "reviews" that complain endlessly about Nintendo chargin
  
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• BrandPost: Outsourcing IT Services: Reduce the Risk of Privileged Credentials

  21-12-2016 16:09
  
  In an effort to reduce costs, free up staff, and acquire skills they don’t have in-house, IT organizations are outsourcing more and more of their operations. However, outsourcing can create a significant security risk: the proliferation of privileged credentials. As the number of privileged credentials increase, the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches also increase. Fortunately, a single identity platform can help IT organizations reduce these vulnerabilities.Research by Forreste
  
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• Facebook streamlines the login process with Instant Verification

  21-12-2016 15:58
  
  Facebook users everywhere know that their account is the key to unlocking all sorts of apps and services on their phones, but remembering lengthy passwords and entering one-time SMS codes can be a pain. A new login process is about to make it a whole lot easier for Android users.
  Called Instant Verification, Facebook is giving developers the ability to streamline account logins by eliminating the need to type or remember anything other than a phone number. The exclusive Android feature is 
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: The growing importance of the technology economy

  21-12-2016 15:42
  
  Technological advances have significantly improved operations and lowered the cost of doing business. Currently, as an example, just a few technicians controlling robotic systems can operate an entire manufacturing plant, and innovative inventory systems are capable of supplying needed parts within a short time for assembly. Advancements in the computer industry, coupled with advancements in telecommunications, have increased job opportunities and strengthened economic growth.All physical barrie
  
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• Has VMware found a cloud strategy savior in AWS?

  21-12-2016 15:28
  
  Adversity makes strange bedfellows, and in the case of VMware — a company that has made its fortune selling server virtualization software — that bedfellow is Amazon Web Services (AWS), the  public cloud leviathan.Let's rewind to the middle of October, when Mark Lohmeyer, a VMware cloud business unit vice president,  announced that the company was forming a strategic partnership with AWS so that VMware's server virtualization and other software could be run in the AWS publi
  
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• 6 good reasons not to buy Huawei's Fit wearable

  21-12-2016 15:03
  
  I'm a big fan of wearables, and I generally like some feature or functionality in nearly every one that I test.With the new Huawei Fit (See it on Amazon), however, I had to work hard to find anything to make it worth a recommendation. Fit is a new, $130 wristband activity tracker and watch with only a few valuable features and plenty of shortcomings.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• 2016's biggest social media stories

  21-12-2016 14:00
  
  Social media had a big 2016. The medium and all of the leading social companies reached new heights of influence … but not without consequence. These are the stories that shaped the conversations and intrigue around social media during the past year.Social media and the 2016 presidential election
  The American public is still grappling with all the ways social media shaped the 2016 presidential campaign. However, CIO.com uncovered how social media brings out the darker side of digital intr
  
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• No more communications data retention, top EU court tells UK

  21-12-2016 13:59
  
  European governments must not oblige network operators to indiscriminately retain bulk customer communications data, the European Union's top court reaffirmed on Wednesday.The ruling by the Court of Justice of the EU came in response to a question from the U.K.'s Court of Appeal, which is examining the legality of the U.K.'s 2014 Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act, and a similar question from the Swedish telecommunications regulator.But the ruling also calls into question the validity o
  
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• No more bulk communications data retention, top EU court tells UK

  21-12-2016 13:59
  
  European governments must not oblige network operators to indiscriminately retain bulk customer communications data, the European Union's top court reaffirmed on Wednesday.
  The ruling by the Court of Justice of the EU came in response to a question from the U.K.'s Court of Appeal, which is examining the legality of the U.K.'s 2014 Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act, and a similar question from the Swedish telecommunications regulator.
  But the ruling also calls into question the validit
  
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• The best Android apps of 2016

  21-12-2016 13:00
  
  These are the best new apps of the yearImage by Ryan WhitwamTrying to keep track of every app that comes to the Play Store would be a complete impossibility. There are so many apps being uploaded every day that it can be easy to miss the good stuff hidden by all the mediocrity. We pay close attention to the Play Store, so here's your chance to catch up on all the best apps to hit Android in 2016. Every app on this list is worth trying—they're the best of the best.To read this article in fu
  
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• 5 digital retail trends that will be big in 2017

  21-12-2016 13:00
  
  If Black Friday and Cyber Monday are any indication, 2017 should be a good year for ecommerce. Indeed, in the United States alone, shoppers made an estimated $3.34 billion in online purchases on Black Friday and a whopping $3.39 billion the following Monday, breaking previous records.[ Related: 8 keys to ecommerce success ]Besides offering hard-to-resist deals, retailers took advantage of a variety of technologies and apps to help drive sales this season. And analysts and online retail watchers
  
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• Cybersecurity confidence gets a C- . How to improve your grade in 2017

  21-12-2016 12:51
  
  The City of San Diego seems to have all the building blocks in place to make the smart city an exceptionally safe one when it comes to cyber attacks. Deputy director and CISO Gary Hayslip has built out the city’s security operations center, he’s partnering with innovative security vendors and startups, and conferring with law enforcement to keep up with the latest threats. He has the backing of the mayor and city executives, with plenty of funding, and he’s hiring more staff.
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Four IT workforce dimensions to assess before your next M&A deal closes

  21-12-2016 12:30
  
  Authors: Seth Van Winkle, McCree Lake and Daniel McCarthy.Global M&A transactions are projected to exceed $3 trillion in 2017 as companies continue on the quest for growth. However, completing a merger or acquisition deal is a complex process, and there are a few critical activities necessary to optimize value capture of M&A activity. One area that is often overlooked is the IT workforce.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• The 10 biggest hacks, breaches, and security stories of 2016

  21-12-2016 12:15
  
  Biggest badsImage by ThinkstockIt’s been a long, depressing, breach-filled year in the world of computer security.Yahoo broke the record for allowing the largest hack in history—twice. Millions of zombified webcams and DVRs took down the Internet for users in the United States. Russia was accused of “hacking the vote,” and a new type of malware earned a tidy profit extorting unsuspecting users for Bitcoin. What was it John Oliver said about 2016 (NSFW), again?To read this
  
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• Tech companies like Privacy Shield but worry about legal challenges

  21-12-2016 12:00
  Privacy Shield, the new international framework allowing companies to transfer customer data between the EU and the U.S., is getting good reviews so far, but some companies aren't betting on it for the long term.Companies using Privacy Shield worry that it may face the same fate as long-used predecessor the Safe Harbor Framework, which was overturned by the European Court of Justice in October 2015 after revelations of mass surveillance by the U.S National Security Agency. Digital
  
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• Q&A: Puppet CEO sees devops going mainstream

  21-12-2016 12:00
  
  Puppet has become synonymous with devops, and Sanjay Mirchandani, CEO of Puppet since late September, says the Puppet Enterprise platform for automating software delivery is now being used in more than 70 percent of the Fortune 100. InfoWorld Editor at Large Paul Krill recently spoke with Mirchandani about where the company is headed and devops' progress these days.[ Give yourself a technology career advantage with InfoWorld's Deep Dive technology reports and Computerworld's career trends repor
  
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• Obama White House’s final tech recommendation: Invest in A.I.

  21-12-2016 12:00
  
  One of the most important things that the U.S. can do to improve economic growth is to invest in artificial intelligence, or A.I., said the White House, in a new report. But there's a dark side to this assessment as well.
  A.I.-driven, intelligent systems have the potential to displace millions, such as truck drivers, from their jobs. But potential negative impacts can be offset by investments in education as well as by ensuring there is a safety net to help affected people, the White House argu
  
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• 5 rock-solid Linux distros for developers

  21-12-2016 12:00
  
  Developers love things their way and no other way. To that end, Linux stands to be the ultimate developer’s desktop environment. Linux is endlessly customizable, and it provides easy access to nearly all the software a developer might need. But a good Linux for developers must have other key attributes—like a comfortable work environment, good documentation, and useful features that a developer can benefit from generally.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please cli
  
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• How Microsoft rebounded to outshine Apple

  21-12-2016 10:00
  
  Microsoft claims that more people are switching to Surface devices from Macs than ever before. That's a concept that would have been hard to picture when Microsoft first released the Microsoft Surface RT and Surface Pro in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The Surface RT suffered from a watered-down version of the new -- and generally disliked -- Windows 8 operating system and, while the Surface Pro featured the full desktop version, it came with hardware limitations and a high price tag.In a sea of
  
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• Google sued by employee for confidentiality policies that 'muzzle' staff

  21-12-2016 07:48
  
  A product manager at Google has sued the company for its allegedly illegal confidentiality agreements, policies and practices that among other things prohibit employees from speaking even internally about illegal conduct and dangerous product defects for fear that such statements may be used in legal discovery during litigation or sought by the government.The alleged policies, which are said to violate California laws, restrict employees' right to speak, work or whistle-blow, and include restric
  
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• Congressional report sides with Apple on encryption debate

  21-12-2016 01:55
  
  The U.S. is better off supporting strong encryption that trying to weaken it, according to a new congressional report that stands at odds with the FBI’s push to install backdoors into tech products.On Tuesday, a bipartisan congressional panel published a year-end report, advising the U.S. to explore other solutions to the encryption debate.“Any measure that weakens encryption works against the national interest,” the report said.The congressional panel formed back in March, ami
  
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