IT Executive news

• The world's largest solar farm contains 2.5 million solar modules

  27-01-2017 23:58
  
  With the construction of the world's biggest solar farm, India is taking a step toward its goal of generating 40 percent of its power using non-fossil fuels by 2030.
  The farm, located in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, spans 2,500 acres. That's the size of 60 Taj Mahals. The project was funded by the Adani Group and cost $679 million. It can produce 648 megawatts of electricity. The world's second-largest solar farm, in California, produces 550 megawatts. To read this article
  
  Read more

• Alt Twitter government accounts spring up to challenge Trump

  27-01-2017 23:31
  
  Alternative facts and fake news, meet Alt-Twitter. In the last few days, a growing number of Twitter accounts have been started claiming to be the "alternative" or "rogue" voices of U.S. government workers and agencies.It started with the brouhaha over tweets from two National Park Service accounts and the reaction to them from the White House.An @AltNatParkSer account quickly sprang up claiming to be the "unofficial resistance team of U.S. National Park Service" and has to-date a
  
  Read more

• Ford device lets older cars connect to smartphones, become Wi-Fi hotspots

  27-01-2017 22:23
  
  Ford is expanding wireless connectivity features for owners of older model vehicles through a new 4G LTE-enabled OBD II plug-in device.
  Ford SmartLink is aimed at customers who own 2010 through 2016 model year Ford and Lincoln vehicles that lack a modem. It will provide access to smartphone-based remote start, lock and unlock services; a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot capable of serving up to eight devices; vehicle health and security alerts; and vehicle location assistance.To read this article in full or to
  
  Read more

• 12% off Fellowes Powershred Jam-Proof Cross-Cut Paper and Credit Card Shredder - Deal Alert

  27-01-2017 22:17
  
  An ideal consideration for tax time, the Powershred from Fellowes shreds 12 sheets of paper per pass into 397 Security Level P-4 cross-cut particles. It effortlessly shreds staples, credit cards, paper clips, and CDs/DVDs, and is 100% jam-proof. Its waste bin is a generous 6-gallons, and features a simple pull-out design with LED bin-full indicator. The highly rated shredder typically lists for $158, but is currently discounted 12% to $139.99. See the discounted Powershred now on Amazon.To read
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• LeakedSource's shutdown is a blow to amateur hackers

  27-01-2017 22:09
  
  Amateur hackers are alarmed with the apparent demise of LeakedSource, a controversial breach notification site that’s been accused of doing more harm than good.U.S. law enforcement has allegedly confiscated its servers, and now some hackers are wondering if customers of LeakedSource might be next.  “All the people who used PayPal, credit card, etc. to buy membership, the FBI now have your email, payment details and lookup history,” wrote one user on HackForums.net.To
  
  Read more

• Trump’s unsecure Android phone highlights common security dilemma

  27-01-2017 22:07
  
  If President Donald Trump is still using his personal, unsecured Android smartphone, as reported, he is surely creating bucketsful of worry forWhite House communications security staff.
  As CIOs and Chief Information Security Officers already know, any organization can install strong security technology into a network or a smartphone, only to be defeated if end users don't use it or follow safe cyber practices.
  "The most vulnerable parts of communications are the people, and if they aren't takin
  
  Read more

• Intel pursues Moore's Law with plan to make first 7-nm chips this year

  27-01-2017 21:58
  
  Intel's next big Moore's Law advance will be a 7-nm pilot plant it is establishing this year to explore the upcoming manufacturing process.The chipmaker announced it was establishing the pilot plant during an earnings call on Thursday.For decades, Moore's Law has been the guiding light for Intel to make teenier, faster, and more power-efficient chips. The effort has helped PC makers continuously shrink laptops and mobile devices while adding longer battery life.Intel is trying to hang onto the l
  
  Read more

• Skills certification coming for Node.js developers

  27-01-2017 21:39
  
  The IT industry has long used professional certifications to verify proficiency in technologies from companies like Microsoft and Novell. Now, Node.js developers can have their skills certified with a program set up by the Node.js Foundation.
  With the Node.js Certified Developer program, the Foundation is attempting to establish a baseline competency certification for the popular server-side JavaScript platform. Developers and other interested people will be able take a 32-question online exam
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• IDG Contributor Network: Why you are NOT the CIO (and what to do about it)

  27-01-2017 21:15
  
  There are many outstanding technology leaders throughout the United States. Quite a few of them are excellent managers with tremendous potential. Yet, when it comes to career progression and earning that corner office, a large number of these leaders fail to make that final ascension. Some of this failure can be attributed to the scarcity of opportunities, but most often these individuals lack in other areas.Some assembly is required
  Unlike the IT shops of the past, which mostly consisted of int
  
  Read more

• Microsoft gets unexpected bump in Windows revenue

  27-01-2017 21:12
  
  Microsoft yesterday said revenue during the December quarter for its More Personal Computing (MPC) group, which includes Windows and the Surface hardware portfolio, was down 5% -- the third straight quarter of year-over-year declines and the sixth shrinkage in the last seven earnings periods.
  But Windows revenue was up 3% to approximately $5.1 billion, or about 43% of the group's total.
  "This quarter, we saw growth across Windows broadly," said CEO Satya Nadella in a Thursday call with Wall Str
  
  Read more

• IDG Contributor Network: Why Amazon Echo will become the dominance home assistant player

  27-01-2017 21:12
  
  As home assistants slowly start to become an everyday part of our homes, discerning customers will naturally compare which products will be the best home assistant. So far, the two main competitors are the two year old Amazon Echo and its newer rival Google Home.A lot of tech columnists have declared the Google Home to be superior, citing its superior AI and ability to answer questions as Google is at the forefront of AI development and machine learning. But a home assistant is not just going to
  
  Read more

• 33% off H&R Block Tax Software Deluxe Federal and State 2016 - Deal Alert

  27-01-2017 20:55
  
  Step-by-step interviews guide you through a customized experience relevant to your tax situation. Everything you need to prepare your federal and state taxes in one complete program. Additionally, the H&R Block Refund Bonus program offers you the option of using some or all of your federal individual income tax refund to purchase electronic gift cards from Amazon.com, and as a special bonus they'll add up to 10% to your e-gift card. The PC download is available on Amazon now for 33% off its
  
  Read more

• Five arrested for hacking into ATMs and stealing $3.2 million

  27-01-2017 20:44
  
  Law enforcement authorities from Europe and Asia have arrested five members of an international cybercriminal group that specialized in hacking into automated teller machine (ATMs).The investigation began in early 2016, according to Europol. Three suspects were arrested in Taiwan, one in Romania, and one in Belarus. Most of them had multiple citizenships and could travel easily between countries, the agency said Friday.Hacking into ATMs to steal money is nothing new, and there are malware progra
  
  Read more

• Fragmentation nixed a Cisco-Android network partnership

  27-01-2017 20:39
  
  Cisco Systems tried to give Android devices the same kinds of integration it later provided for iPhones and iPads but gave up because the Android ecosystem was too fragmented.A Cisco-Apple partnership announced in 2015 gives iOS devices capabilities that other wireless clients don’t have on Cisco-based enterprise networks. Among other things, enterprises can designate work-related applications like videoconferencing for priority on the wireless link between iOS devices and a Wi-Fi access p
  
  Read more

• Toshiba sells off a stake in its memory business to WD

  27-01-2017 20:19
  
  Toshiba today officially announced it will sell a yet-undisclosed portion of its flash memory business, including the SSD business of the Storage & Electronic Device Solutions Division, to Western Digital (WD).
  Toshiba, which invented NAND flash memory in the early 1980s, said it is giving "full and careful" consideration about which assets will be transferred in the company split, so as to "not interfere with the operation" of the memory business after the transaction is finalized.
  It deci
  
  Read more

• Trump, May agree to take on ISIS in cyberspace

  27-01-2017 20:17
  
  The U.K. and U.S. are planning to work more closely to combat the spread of extreme Islamist ideology in cyberspace, British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday.May was speaking at a White House news conference, alongside U.S. President Donald Trump, held to outline the results of talks between the two leaders. May is in Washington as the first foreign head of state to meet Trump.She noted the conventional military fight against ISIS is working and the group is losing territory but no
  
  Read more

• Apple collaborates with rivals to advance AI research

  27-01-2017 19:14
  
  Apple has joined rivals as it takes a step ahead to advance research and development of artificial intelligence technologies.After months of collaborating, Apple is joining the Partnership on AI, with other founding members including Google, IBM, Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon.The Partnership of AI was founded in September last year to also steer debate on best practices on AI. The group believes AI could help in the areas of health care, transportation, and automation in factories.Apple's most
  
  Read more

• IDG Contributor Network: Win the war for talent by improving employee experience

  27-01-2017 18:01
  
  This is not the first time I’ve heard this story. An acquaintance of mine questions whether she is in the right job, in the right industry and working for the right employer. She recounts the story of her 20-year career in different roles and divisions with the same enterprise. She has reported to several different supervisors.She views her career as spotty. She’s been promoted, and she’s been overlooked or set up to fail, depending on the day. She's doubting her skills and cho
  
  Read more

• BrandPost: Banking on Bots: The Move towards Digital Labor in Financial Services

  27-01-2017 17:45
  
  Over the last two decades, banks and financial institutions have achieved significant efficiencies through outsourcing, offshoring and labor arbitrage. Those levers can only go so far, however, when it comes to further cutting costs and simultaneously growing revenues — particularly at a time when disintermediation is increasing and budgets are diminishing.To address this, enter the “bots”: Financial services institutions including retail banks, investment banks, custodians, co
  
  Read more

• IDG Contributor Network: How to protect your online privacy in the Trump era

  27-01-2017 17:25
  
  Despite being a heavy user of Twitter, president Trump is not supporter of the open internet or net neutrality. In 2014, he criticized the FCC for ruling in favor of net neutrality and tweeted, “Obama’s attack on the Internet is another top down power grab. Net neutrality is the Fairness Doctrine. Will target conservative media.”
  Back then, Trump was aspiring to run for the presidency. Now he is the 45th president of the United States. His appointment of net neutrality critic
  
  Read more

• How San Diego’s CISO battles cyberthreats

  27-01-2017 17:10
  
  Things are getting ugly out there. I had a chance this week to chat with Gary Hayslip who is the first CISO for the City of San Diego.   He also co-authored the book the “CISO Desk Reference Guide” about the changing roles of the CISO and how to be prepared for today’s current threat landscape.   This discussion came on top of a Forrester Report [Disclosure: The report was funded by Varonis, a client of the author] detailing just how poorly prepared private
  
  Read more

• Trump’s executive order won’t destroy Privacy Shield, says EU

  27-01-2017 17:05
  
  Fears that U.S. President Trump has destroyed the Privacy Shield Transatlantic data transfer agreement with one of the many executive orders he has signed this week are unfounded, the European Commission said Friday.On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order entitled "Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the U.S.," one of several he has issued since taking office on Jan. 20. Such executive orders are used by U.S presidents to manage the operations of the federal government.To read this
  
  Read more

• Cisco starts patching critical flaw in WebEx browser extension

  27-01-2017 16:59
  
  Cisco Systems has started to patch a critical vulnerability in its WebEx collaboration and conferencing browser extension that could allow attackers to remotely execute malicious code on computers.The company released a patched version of the extension -- 1.0.7 -- for Google Chrome on Thursday and is working on similar patches for the Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox versions.The vulnerability was found by Google security researcher Tavis Ormandy and stemmed from the fact that the WebEx ext
  
  Read more

• IDG Contributor Network: Does your digital program suffer from an aspiration gap?

  27-01-2017 16:36
  
  The ongoing digital revolution is exciting, but it’s not exactly firing on all cylinders. Technology innovations, such as blockchain, the internet of things (IoT), cloud computing and machine learning, are impressive, but innovations in technology management — vital for realizing tangible business outcomes from emerging technologies — are grossly lagging. In my previous post, “The Weakest Link in Digital Transformation,” I explained why the multitrillion-dollar ent
  
  Read more

• IDG Contributor Network: Meet Karen Sandler, a force in open source

  27-01-2017 16:32
  
  Karen Sandler is one of the most influential voices in the open source world.
  I met with her last year and we talked about how free software affected and changed her life and how she is working to change the lives of others. It was a wide-ranging and inspirational conversation.First encounter of the computer kindSandler started programming at an early age. She wrote a lot of BASIC programs and attended engineering school. The first classes that she took were FORTRAN and C.  
  In our convers
  
  Read more

• Compliance focus, too much security expertise hurts awareness programs

  27-01-2017 16:30
  
  Security awareness teams aren't getting the support they need to be successful, according to the SANS Institute. But some unexpected factors can cause programs to fail as well, including a focus on compliance -- and too much security expertise on the team.
  "Most organizations actually have a security awareness program," said Lance Spitzner, director of the Securing the Human Program at the SANS Institute, looking back at what the industry learned in 2016. "Yet we continue to have problems."To r
  
  Read more

• IDG Contributor Network: Top 3 practical innovations from Yale healthcare hackathon

  27-01-2017 15:00
  
  The Yale Healthcare Hackathon was presented by the Yale Center for Biomedical Innovation and Technology (CBIT) and the Yale School of Medicine Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging. Over 200 innovators participated in the hackathon held Jan. 20 to 22 at the Yale School of Medicine. Ideas ranged conceptual ideas five or more years out to innovations based on virtual reality which is surprisingly is already here.In April 2016, the first rirtual reality surgery was performed by Dr. Shafi A
  
  Read more

• AI-based typing biometrics might be authentication's next big thing

  27-01-2017 15:00
  
  Identifying or authenticating people based on how they type is not a new idea, but thanks to advances in artificial intelligence it can now be done with a very high level of accuracy, making it a viable replacement for other forms of biometrics.
  Research in the field of keystroke dynamics, also known as keyboard or typing biometrics, spans back over 20 years. The technique has already been used for various applications that need to differentiate among computer users, but its widespread adoption
  
  Read more

• That Heartbleed problem may be more pervasive than you think

  27-01-2017 14:46
  
   That lingering Heartbleed flaw recently discovered in 200,000 devices is more insidious than that number indicates.
  According to a report posted by Shodan, the Heartbleed vulnerability first exposed in April 2014 was still found in 199,594 internet-accessible devices during a scan it performed last weekend.
  But according to open-source security firm Black Duck, about 11% of more than 200 applications it audited between Oct. 2015 and March 2016 contained the flaw, which enables a buffer ov
  
  Read more

• 69% off Omaker M4 Portable Bluetooth Shower and Outdoor Speaker with 12 Hour Playtime - Deal Alert

  27-01-2017 14:17
  
  The M4 speaker from Omaker is IP54 rated, so its rugged splash, shock and dustproof design makes it ideal for shower and outdoor use. The latest Bluetooth 4.0 technology helps it pair quickly with your device (tap-to-pair with NFC capable devices) and maintain a long 33-foot connection range. Crystal clear sound quality and robust bass is realized through a 3W audio driver and passive subwoofer. The M4 is capable of producing 12 hours of music at 80% volume, up to three times long
  
  Read more

• Subscriptions nourish Microsoft while its hardware businesses go hungry

  27-01-2017 14:01
  
  For several years, Microsoft truly believed that a fleet of hardware devices could carry its software into homes and businesses. Based on news around the company's  fourth-quarter earnings report, though, it feels a little like Microsoft’s landed safely on the shores of a new world, and is burning the ships that took it there.
  That a software company should make its money from software and services certainly isn’t news. And Microsoft still continues to sell hardware—the S
  
  Read more

• 36% off iHealth Oxygen level, Pulse rate, and Perfusion Index Monitor - Deal Alert

  27-01-2017 13:50
  
  This handy meter gives fast and reliable readings of your oxygen level, pulse rate, and perfusion index, wirelessly on your smartphone or tablet. Using the iHealth app, easily record and save your data to the secure, HIPPA compliant iHealth cloud for meaningful results you can track over time for yourself or a caregiver. This iHealth monitor typically lists for $69.95, but is currently discounted 36% to $44.79. See the discounted item now on Amazon.To read this article in full or to leave a
  
  Read more

• How to protect your data, your vehicles, and your people against automotive cyberthreats?

  27-01-2017 12:37
  
  Modern vehicles increasingly connect to the rest of the world via short range wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, wired interfaces such as OBD-II and USB, long range wireless communications such as 4G and the coming 5G for internet, and services such as OnStar, LoJack, and Automatic, to name only some. That world includes your enterprise and the criminal hackers and cyber carjackers who want to undo your data, your corporate fleets, and your people.To read this article in full or
  
  Read more

• New iOS app Don't Leave It! does one thing well

  27-01-2017 12:36
  
  There are Bluetooth trackers and GPS chips to help us locate missing items. But Don’t Leave It!, a recent iOS-only app, takes a preventative approach. The free app reminds you not to forget something.Let’s say you’re notorious for leaving home for the gym without your earbuds. While at home, choose the ‘earphones’ icon in the app. Choose the distance, from 30 to 240 feet, at which you want to be reminded. Anytime you move beyond that distance (with iPhone in tow, of
  
  Read more

• What privacy profile do you fit?

  27-01-2017 12:33
  
  In an era of constant likes and shares, where is the privacy line drawn? Are you someone who worries about being watched as you purchase an item online? Or do you consider loss of privacy the price you pay for having the world at your fingertips.
  Forrester recently released a report that reveals the characteristics of users and the factors that go into how much – or how little – each category of user shares. “We frequently hear that Millennials don’t care about privacy &
  
  Read more

• Trump eyes an H-1B visa aimed at ‘best and brightest’

  27-01-2017 12:01
  
  President Donald Trump is considering a new way of distributing the H-1B visa to ensure they go to the "best and brightest."
  The phrase "best and the brightest" has long been used by tech industry groups to champion the H-1B program. It's greeted with derision by critics, who say the program's mostly entry-level workers are used to displace U.S. workers.
  But some critics of the visa, a group that now includes top officials in the Trump administration, are adopting the phrase to advance the idea
  
  Read more

• Microsoft puts more team into Visual Studio Team Services

  27-01-2017 12:00
  
  Microsoft's Visual Studio Team Services cloud-based application lifecycle management service is being fitted with improvements in team alignment and deployment, mobile access, Git repos, and Node.js capabilities.
  The enterprise agile Delivery Plans feature previewed this week helps align teams by overlaying several backlogs onto a delivery schedule, or iterations. Users can tailor plans to include the backlogs, teams, and work items they want to view, and interactive plans allow for adjustments
  
  Read more

• Worst idea ever: Buying wireless service from Comcast

  27-01-2017 07:38
  
  I don’t need to use many words to describe Comcast’s customer service when one will do: awful. The cable giant has long been one of the most disliked companies in the country and its bad service is legendary. So what consumer in her or his right mind would opt to get wireless service from Comcast?
  I’d say probably very few, but Comcast thinks otherwise. The cable giant confirmed yesterday what it has been hinting about for some time: It is going to launch wireless phone servic
  
  Read more

• Intel ships first Optane memory modules for testing

  27-01-2017 03:01
  
  Intel's Optane technology is already shipping in the form of storage, but you'll have to wait until next year to buy Optane memory modules.
  Optane is a new class of nonvolatile memory and storage based on 3D Xpoint, which was developed jointly by Intel and Micron.
  Intel's first Optane products, announced this month at CES, are low-capacity SSDs that fit into the storage slots of PCs.
  Optane memory DIMMs are different. They're intended to replace DRAM in servers and PCs. The DIMMs will fit into
  
  Read more

• Trump administration is giving us a good lesson on Twitter security

  27-01-2017 02:57
  
  Several recent incidents involving U.S. President Donald Trump's administration can teach users something about IT security -- particularly about Twitter and what not to do with it.
  It turns out that several White House-related Twitter accounts -- including the president's official account, @POTUS -- until recently were revealing sensitive information that hackers might be able to exploit.
  The problem revolves around the service’s password reset function. If the account holder doesn't tak
  
  Read more

• Cloud growth continues to boost Microsoft's financials

  27-01-2017 02:03
  
  Microsoft’s focus on the cloud continues to pay off. The tech titan showed growth across all its cloud-based businesses during the last quarter ended Dec. 31, including Office, Dynamics and Azure.Reporting financial results for its fiscal second quarter on Thursday, the company said its Commercial Cloud business is pulling in revenue at the rate of $14 billion per year. During the previous quarter, that rate was $13 billion.Azure growth was especially strong. Azure compute usage more than
  
  Read more

• BrandPost: Growing Towards the Future

  27-01-2017 01:19
  
  Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of growth in converged infrastructures. Essentially, a converged infrastructure is any type of infrastructure that takes two or more discrete pieces of technology and consolidates them into one information system solution. Traditional converged systems, ones that are packaged solutions, take existing technology and consolidate it into a repeatable, standardized deployment framework. But the new model of converged systems takes that disparate technology and co
  
  Read more

Follow @ITExecutiveNews on Twitter!