IT Executive news

• Oracle outlines plans to take on Amazon in cloud

  17-01-2017 23:54
  
  Oracle executives today revealed the results of years’ worth of engineering and development efforts on its IaaS public cloud and announced a new bare metal cloud database service and an international geographic expansion.
  Oracle is typically not considered one of the top IaaS public cloud leaders, but the company has hopes of competing in the market by combining its infrastructure services – which focus on its core database services – with a suite of application development an
  
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• App Store prices will be higher in the U.K. to reflect post-Brexit exchange rates

  17-01-2017 23:28
  
  The Brexit vote is beginning to have an impact on iOS users in the U.K.
  Apple is raising App Store prices by about 25 percent to reflect exchange rate fluctuations following the Brexit vote in the U.K. According to 9to5Mac, $0.99 apps in the US will cost £0.99 in the U.K., up from £0.79. An app previously priced at the £1.49 tier will now costs £1.99. Prices in the U.K. App Store already include a 20 percent VAT sales tax.
  In-app purchases will also be affected, for exam
  
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• Free Software Foundation shakes up its list of priority projects

  17-01-2017 23:00
  
  Free Software Foundation
  The Free Software Foundation Tuesday announced a major rethinking of the software projects that it supports, putting top priority on a free mobile operating system, accessibility, and driver development, among other areas.
  The foundation has maintained the High Priority Projects list since 2005, when it contained just four free software projects. Today’s version mostly identifies priority areas, along with a few specific projects in key areas:To read this article i
  
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• New report says Google watches made by LG, to be released Feb. 9

  17-01-2017 22:08
  
  Hot on the heels of revealing that Google is planning to launch Android Wear 2.0 on Feb. 9, a VentureBeat report by Evan Blass has now completely removed the veil from Google’s first wearables. According to the ever-reliable tipster, the watches will be made by LG and are set to make their debut in a matter of weeks alongside the release of the new OS.
  Much as Apple sells two sizes of its watch, Google and LG are reportedly set to release Sport and Style variations of their new wearable,
  
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• Microsoft labels Windows 7 'outdated' as it stumps for 10

  17-01-2017 21:54
  
  Microsoft on Monday reminded customers running Windows 7 that they have just three years of support remaining, told them that the aged OS was "long outdated" and urged them to upgrade to Windows 10.
  Windows 7 will exit what Microsoft calls Extended Support on Jan. 14, 2020; at that point, the company will stop all security updates.
  Microsoft used the three-years-and-counting milestone to simultaneously denigrate Windows 7 and promote its successor. "Windows 7 is based on long-outdated security
  
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• Leaked Windows 10 build shows Microsoft filling a major content hole: Ebooks

  17-01-2017 21:50
  
  For years, Microsoft has sold movies, TV shows, and music, in addition to apps—but not ebooks. A leaked Windows 10 build, however, shows Microsoft plans to shore up that gap in an upcoming release.
  The leaked build obtained by MSPowerUser reveals a dedicated section of the Windows Store where Microsoft plans to sell ebooks alongside its other content. According to the site, there doesn’t seem to be a dedicated Books app yet, just integration with Microsoft’s Edge bro
  
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• Think employers must protect workers’ personal info? Think again

  17-01-2017 20:58
  
  There’s good news for security pros worried that their organizations may be liable if their employees’ personal information gets hacked: a panel of judges in Pennsylvania says workers can’t collect damages from their employer if things like Social Security numbers, bank account information, birth dates, addresses and salaries are compromised in a data breach.
  Even though the stolen data was used to file phony tax returns in order to get the refunds, the workers at University o
  
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• OS X EL Capitan gets a supplemental security update

  17-01-2017 20:45
  
  Still using OS X El Capitan on your Mac? If so, then you should know that Apple has released a supplemental security update for your Mac. According to Apple, the update “fixes a kernel issue that may cause your Mac to occasionally become unresponsive.”
  The update originally was released in December 2016, but on Tuesday it was reissued. Users can get the update by launching the App Store app and then checking for updates. You can also download the update from the web; users who did n
  
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• AI should enhance, not replace, humans, say CEOs of IBM and Microsoft

  17-01-2017 19:40
  
  Artificial intelligence should enhance human workers, not replace them, at least according to the CEOs of IBM and Microsoft.
  Ginny Rometty and Satya Nadella made clear their view of the role of AI in a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, just a few hours after Rometty circulated IBM's three guiding principles for the development of cognitive technologies to company staff.
  Less dramatic and snappily expressed than Isaac Asimov's three laws of robotics,
  
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• Sensitive access tokens and keys found in hundreds of Android apps

  17-01-2017 19:10
  
  Many developers still embed sensitive access tokens and API keys into their mobile applications, putting data and other assets stored on various third-party services at risk.A new study performed by cybersecurity firm Fallible on 16,000 Android applications revealed that about 2,500 had some type of secret credential hard-coded into them. The apps were scanned with an online tool released by the company in November.Hard-coding access keys for third-party services into apps can be justified when
  
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• Microsoft's first tethered Windows 10 VR headsets to ship in March

  17-01-2017 19:06
  
  Microsoft will ship its first PC-attached mixed reality headsets for Windows 10 PCs to developers starting in March at the Game Developers Conference.
  The first Windows 10 VR headsets from Microsoft will be units for developers to write and test applications based on the Windows Holographic platform.
  The headsets will work with Windows 10 Creators Update, said Vlad Kolesnikov, senior program manager at Microsoft, during a webcast on Friday.
  GDC is being held from Feb. 27 to March 3 in San Franc
  
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• Terrorists are winning the digital arms race, experts say

  17-01-2017 18:31
  
  Terrorist groups are embracing a huge number of digital tools to recruit members and plan attacks, putting them a step ahead of governments trying to combat them, a group of counterterrorism experts said.Twitter removed about 250,000 accounts connected with ISIS in one year, but the terrorist group uses 90 other social media platforms, Rob Wainwright, the director of Europol said Tuesday. Terrorist groups have begun to live stream their attacks, and they are using the internet to launch "innovat
  
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• CIOs walking digital tightrope between opportunity and risk

  17-01-2017 18:04
  
  A few years ago, most CIO searches entailed looking for IT leaders who could juggle Big Bang projects, such as data center consolidations and ERP overhauls. Companies asked prospective candidates how many people they’ve led and inquired about their management style.Those traits remain important but most CEOs today seek CIOs who can harness digital technologies to transform their businesses and boost revenue growth, says Heidrick & Struggles partner Matt Aiello. They demand forward-thin
  
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• IT and the forever revolution

  17-01-2017 17:58
  
  In this still young century, the IT industry has become obsessed with transformation and disruption. These two terms are little more than new labels for a centuries-old phenomenon that normal humans refer to as “revolution.” IT is all about revolution. It may seem paradoxical, but moving forward, organizations need to add revolutionary thinking and revolutionary behavior to standard operating procedure. In the future, to be sustainably successful, IT executives will have to become r
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: No texting in healthcare!

  17-01-2017 17:48
  
  Over the past few years, The Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 U.S. health care organizations and programs, has had a change of heart about the use of texting patient orders.In 2011, the organization banned the transmission of HIPAA protected health information (PHI) via text message by personal mobile devices. Specifically, physicians and licensed independent practitioners (LIP) were not allowed to text any orders regarding
  
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• 43% off TP-Link Smart LED Wi-Fi Light Bulb, Dimmable and Alexa Compatible - Deal Alert

  17-01-2017 17:29
  
  TP-Link has discounted its 50W smart bulb 43% to just $19.99. Use the Kasa app to turn on/off or dim from anywhere in the world. Set up a schedule, set the mood, and even control with your voice via an Alexa-enabled device such as Echo or Dot. Reviewers rate 4 out of 5 stars (see reviews) on Amazon, where you can get yourself one (or more) for just $20, a good deal considering it typically lists north of $20 and sometimes $30 with various online retailers. See the discounted TP-Link smart LED bu
  
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• Android Wear 2.0's long-awaited release could happen February 9

  17-01-2017 17:26
  
  For a while, it was beginning to look like Android Wear 2.0's delays would turn it into Android Wear 3.0, but after a leak last week revealed that Google was planning to release it in early February, a new rumor pins a date on the long-awaited update.
  According to serial Android leaker Evan Blass, Google is targeting Feb. 9 as the release date for Android Wear 2.0, bringing a bunch of features that were first announced at Google I/O in May, including Android Pay support, third-party compli
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: The technological foundation for the age of the customer

  17-01-2017 17:23
  
  According to Forrester Research, we are now firmly entrenched in The Age of the Customer. Their research shows that during the 20th Century and the New Millennium, companies that have outperformed their peers have been linked together by a core competence. From the 1900s through 1960, it was the age of manufacturing. Companies that mastered mass production, such as Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and U.S. Steel, rose to the top. From 1960 to 1990, we moved into the Age of Distribution during
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Inevitability of IoT creates new challenges for manufacturers

  17-01-2017 17:15
  
  The big message coming out of CES 2017 is that the Internet of Things (IoT) is coming into your life whether you like it or not. Appliance manufacturers are following television manufacturers and making “smart” a standard feature, not an upsell. Home Automation and IoT aficionado Stacy Higginbotham reported that she saw everything connected at CES but was surprised that “connected grooming products appears to be a theme.” The real theme here is that manufacturers are
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Pornhub: iOS lagged slightly behind Android in 2016

  17-01-2017 17:12
  
  Pornhub is one of the biggest and most popular porn sites on the web. Each year the site releases a very detailed report about its users (don’t worry it’s anonymous data) that provides some very interesting statistics about porn use.The report about 2016 showed that iOS and Android users are almost even in terms of accessing the Pornhub site, but Android is still ahead by 3 percent. Mac users weren’t forgotten in the report either and it showed that macOS traffic to Pornhub was
  
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• Low-end Android phones could get VR with new Imagination GPU

  17-01-2017 17:00
  
  The company that provides GPUs to Apple's iPhones now wants to shake up the Android landscape by bringing high-quality VR experiences to low-end phones.
  GPUs from Imagination Technologies are used in both iPhones and Android handsets. The company's latest PowerVR Series8XE Plus GPU will be installed in Android handsets priced between US $200 and $400.
  The use of virtual reality in Android devices is growing fast. But most VR-capable phones, like the ones supporting Google's DayDream platform, a
  
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• Twitter's Vine dies today, so download your videos pronto

  17-01-2017 16:49
  
  It’s the end of the Vine. On Tuesday, January 17, Twitter’s video-sharing platform is morphing from the popular social network spin-off to an integrated part of Twitter.
  As part of the changeover, the Vine app will become Vine Camera. With the new app you’ll be able to record and edit six-second videos, and then save them to your phone’s camera roll or upload them to Twitter.
  The impact on you at home: January 17 is the last day you’ll be able to download your
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: Get your company ready for artificial intelligence

  17-01-2017 16:30
  
  Your next step is simple. You are the first domino. – Gary W. Keller
  It looks like artificial intelligence (AI) has outranked all other technologies in popularity in 2016. It was a year where a broad audience became aware of its potential and risk. There are thought leaders who compare AI to innovations like electricity and the internet. The thinking is that AI is augmenting people in executing tasks. With that in mind, how does a company get ready for artificial intelligence?AI has enter
  
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• Report: Samsung probe blames Galaxy Note7 fires on faulty batteries

  17-01-2017 16:29
  
  After months of recalls, scares, and device-killing software updates, Samsung is finally ready to reveal the results of its investigation into the exploding Galaxy Note7s. According to a report from Reuters, the electronics giant will detail its findings on Jan. 23, and to the surprise of no one, it has concluded that the battery is the culprit.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: How A.I. and blockchain are driving precision medicine in 2017

  17-01-2017 16:12
  
  The healthcare headlines this year have been dominated by the imminent repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, against the backdrop of a long-term transition to value-based care (VBC), a handful of emerging technology initiatives are quietly making news in advancing precision medicine in healthcare.Healthcare is concerned primarily with three things today:Unlocking the value of data for insights that will drive precision medicine and population health.
  Improving efficiencies by enablin
  
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• 69% off Phaiser BHS-730 Bluetooth Sweatproof Sport Earbuds, Magnetic - Deal Alert

  17-01-2017 16:12
  
  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 7,800 people (read reviews), the list price of $160 has been reduced a significant 69% to just $50.  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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• Tackling cybersecurity threat information sharing challenges

  17-01-2017 15:29
  
  There’s been considerable talk in recent years about the importance of cybersecurity information sharing. After all, few organizations can really work in a vacuum and no single organization can see all of the threats laying in wait on the internet.
  And many CISOs find it helpful to share notes with others in their industry to compare which strategies and practices work best and compare program maturity levels. But the nearly two-decade effort to share such information hasn’t been sm
  
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• 50% off J5 Tactical V1-Pro Ultra Bright 3 Mode Flashlight - Deal Alert

  17-01-2017 15:21
  
  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 50% to $14.95. See the d
  
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• How to handle security vulnerability reports

  17-01-2017 15:00
  
  If there’s a flaw in your IT security — and there probably is — you can’t assume that someone in your organization will be the first to find it. But if you’re lucky, instead of ending up with ransomware or a data breach, you might hear about it from a security researcher or even a smart customer who’s spotted the problem and wants to warn you. Are you ready to listen?To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• BrandPost: Why Security-as-a-Service is Poised to Take Off

  17-01-2017 14:41
  
  There is a growing shortage of cybersecurity resources — skills, tools and processes — while at the same time the threatscape, both internal and external, is expanding. “Companies are worse off by 100% [with cybersecurity] compared to 10 years ago because the world is more complicated now,” said Gartner analyst Avivah Litan.
  Trillions of dollars are at stake, as well as intellectual property and national security considerations. With the evolution to a 24x7, anywhere, an
  
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• 10 Evernote tips to organize your info in 2017

  17-01-2017 14:40
  
  How to make Evernote work for youImage by ThinkstockIt's not too late to set new business goals for 2017. In fact, with the hectic holidays behind us, now is a great time to focus on what you hope to achieve this year.One of my goals is to learn new ways to use Evernote for productivity. It's already my go-to app for clipping web articles and organizing them into notebooks. But the cross-platform, freemium service is capable of much more. So I asked Evernote power users for tips on how to get be
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: 4 ways angel investing can be fun for CIOs

  17-01-2017 14:02
  
  What is the biggest challenge for entrepreneurs launching new startups? It’s not money or access to clients. It’s coming up with the next big idea worth spending few years of life on.The best ideas emerge from the biggest pains for consumers or businesses. Investors constantly tell startup founders, “Listen to your customers”, but arranging a meaningful conversation with real customers is a challenge.If you plan to solve billion-dollar problems for large international cor
  
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• This Wi-Fi alternative rides on LTE rails

  17-01-2017 14:00
  
  A group that sees enterprises and even consumers setting up their own LTE-like networks now has a formula to work from.On Tuesday, the MulteFire Alliance announced MulteFire Release 1.0, which defines an LTE-like network that can run entirely on unlicensed spectrum like the frequencies Wi-Fi uses. In some cases, it may be an alternative to Wi-Fi with more capacity, better security and easier handoffs from carrier networks, Alliance President Mazen Chmaytelli says.Users could include businesses t
  
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• IDG Contributor Network: 3 ways you can combine print and digital marketing campaigns

  17-01-2017 14:00
  
  While digital marketing is clearly the wave of the future, don’t start believing that print marketing is dead. For savvy companies, the key is to find opportunities to merge print and digital efforts for a cohesive brand experience.Print marketing is alive and well
  As marketing has clearly shifted to digital, there’s been a lot of conversation regarding print marketing’s legacy. In other words, where does it go from here? And while digital marketing has certainly taken center s
  
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• Report: Attacks based on open source vulnerabilities will rise 20 percent this year

  17-01-2017 13:58
  
  As open source code becomes more prevalent in both commercial and home-grown applications, the number of attacks based on its vulnerabilities will increase by 20 percent this year, predicted Black Duck Software, which collects statistics about open source projects.
  The number of commercial software projects that were composed of 50 percent or more of free, open source software went up from 3 percent in 2011 to 33 percent today, said Mike Pittenger, vice president of security strategy at Black D
  
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• Baidu names former Microsoft Office head Qi Lu as its COO

  17-01-2017 12:58
  
  Chinese search giant Baidu has named former Microsoft business group head Qi Lu as its COO and group president.Until last September Lu was head of Microsoft's Applications and Services Group, where he managed products including Microsoft Office and Office 365, Bing search engine and Cortana personal assistant.At Baidu, Lu will be in charge of products, technology, sales, marketing and operations.A key strategic focus for the company over the next ten years will be artificial intelligence, Baidu
  
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• The unseemly world of Darkweb marketplaces

  17-01-2017 12:49
  
  The genesis of underground markets goes back to when communication used to take place via Internet Relay Chat channels. Fast forward to the 21st Century with the evolution of cryptocurrencies and anonymous communications the underground market ecosystem has evolved.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here(Insider Story)
  
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• Crate and Barrel works to balance online and offline sales

  17-01-2017 12:02
  
  Even though more and more people are shopping online, executives at Crate and Barrel say they're not ready to give up on brick-and-mortar stores.
  What the retailer has realized is that it's not about replacing offline sales with online, or about mobile apps replacing a website. It's about using each to support the others.
  Call it the new retail balance.
  "If you cut stores, you're ecommerce sales will go down," Michael Relich, COO of Crate and Barrel, said in an interview. "They're tied inextric
  
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• Why Linux users should worry about malware and what they can do about it

  17-01-2017 12:00
  
  Preventing the spread of malware and/or dealing with the consequences of infection are a fact of life when using computers. If you’ve migrated to Linux or Mac seeking refuge from the never-ending stream of threats that seems to target Windows, you can breath a lungful of fresh air—just don’t let your guard down.
  Though UNIX-like systems such as Mac OS X and Linux can claim fewer threats due to their smaller user bases, threats do still exist. Viruses can be the least of your p
  
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• The war for cybersecurity talent hits the Hill

  17-01-2017 12:00
  
  Many analysts and business leaders believe there is a severe need for qualified cybersecurity professionals in the U.S., something that has caught the eye of at least one key congressman.
  U.S. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) on Wednesday said more needs to be done to address the cybersecurity labor shortage.
  "I agree 110% that we need to strengthen the workforce" of cybersecurity professionals, McCaul said during a meeting with reporters at the National Press
  
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• Stop now: Don't become a dead-end developer

  17-01-2017 12:00
  
  If you’re getting unclear direction from the boss, working long hours without proper compensation, or feeling like you can’t speak up, your career may already be accelerating toward a dead end. These are only a few of the symptoms of an engineering job gone wrong.
  Or maybe you feel like you’ve been pegged: the invisible developer, the awkward communicator, the underachiever. You’re juggling multiple projects, chasing bugs, learning new skills, but you don’t feel li
  
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• New tool forces JavaScript code correctness

  17-01-2017 12:00
  
  With a tool called Prettier, JavaScript formatting will get a consistent style.
  An opinionated JavaScript formatter inspired by the refmt tool for formatting code, Prettier removes original styling and ensures outputted JavaScript conforms to a consistent style.[ Find out how to get ahead with our career development guide for developers. | The art of programming is changing rapidly. We help you navigate what's hot in programming and what's going cold. | Keep up with hot topics in programming wi
  
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• 6 tips for negotiating your next raise

  17-01-2017 11:43
  
  In a recovering economy and a tight IT talent market, you have more leverage when angling for a raise. And the beginning of a new calendar year is a great time to ask for more money, as budgets are new and organizations begin to execute on their strategy and goals for the upcoming year.After the 2008 financial crash and during the ensuing recession, many people were happy to have a job at all -- any job, at any salary, says Lydia Frank, vice president of content strategy at PayScale.com. As the
  
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• How core values shape these 5 tech giants

  17-01-2017 10:53
  
  Growing from a startup to a large business requires consistent focus and dedication, and you can typically find those driving principles in a company's mission statement. While mission statements are usually more for investors or employees, they're a great way to find out what your favorite companies value.These five companies have embraced strong corporate values, each operating under a unique set of guidelines that have helped these once, small companies grow into the tech giants they are toda
  
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• Indian privacy case against WhatsApp gains momentum

  17-01-2017 08:53
  
  A privacy lawsuit against WhatsApp in India over its new data sharing policy has got momentum with the country’s top court seeking responses from Facebook, WhatsApp and the federal government.The privacy policy of WhatsApp at launch in 2010 did not allow sharing of user data with any other party, and after Facebook announced its acquisition of the messaging app in 2014, it was “publicly announced and acknowledged” by WhatsApp that the privacy policy would not change, according
  
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• Intel thinks IoT will have a firm place in the stores of the future

  17-01-2017 01:47
  
  Intel wants to level the playing field between online retailers and brick and mortar shops by introducing IoT technologies into physical stores. Currently, online retailers have access to information on what sorts of merchandise consumers look at, what they purchase, and what they don't. And Intel argues physical stores should have the same information. 
  In a Monday editorial on the company's site, Intel CEO, Brian Krzanich wrote:To read this article in full or to leave a comment,
  
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