What Is Data Modeling? Types, Techniques & Examples
Data modeling comprises the methodologies of creating data representations for data visualization, which allows users to better understand the global values and associations that create the datas potential underlying value. Data modeling is used to define and analyze the data requirements to support data mining and data analytics. The data modeling process involves professional data [] The post What Is Data Modeling? Types, Techniques & Examples appeared first on eWEEK .
Theory: Were running out of time if we ever want to meet aliens
It seems like just yesterday the dinosaurs were frolicking about the canyons of Pangaea, living their last few oblivious moments before an asteroid changed everything. You dont really notice it while its happening, but 65 million years goes by pretty fast. At least it does in the grand scheme of things. The universe has been around some 14 billion-or-so years according to the Big Bang Theory. In that context, 65 million years is just a few flakes of sand in a giant hourglass. And that makes it all the more scary to read a pre-print research paper suggesting that our This story continues at The Next Web
Google Cloud to offer up to $100K in support for early-stage startups
After focusing on growing its enterprise customer base for the past few years, Google Cloud is returning to its roots and stepping up its engagement with startups.
EV charging software goes open source with Project Everest
The development and expansion of the EV charging software ecosystem is a critical component to the mainstream adoption of electric vehicles. However, the industry has become complex and fragmented, with multiple isolated solutions and inconsistent technology standards. This slows and threatens the adoption of EVs. In response,PIONIXhas developed a project calledEVerest, an open-source software stack designed to establish a common base layer for a unified EV charging ecosystem. EVerest has gained some serious cred in the developer world, with its biggest support LF Energy (the Linux open-source foundation for the power systems sector). I spoke to the projects brainchild, Dr. This story continues at The Next Web
Streaming platforms have become a way for artists to make their voices heard
Neil Young has given Spotify an ultimatum: remove the Joe Rogan Experience podcast or Neil Young walks. In a letter to his management team and label, the 79-year-old rocker lambasted Spotify for spreading Rogans misinformation about COVID vaccinations. I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform, said Young to his management team and record label. They can have Rogan or Young. Not both. Young is the first high-profile artist to condemn Spotify for its handling of COVID misinformation, but far from the first person to single out Rogans podcast on This story continues at The Next Web
US manufacturing faces critical shortage of semiconductors, says Department of Commerce
Industry has less than 5 days of supplies, compared with 40 in 2019 The US Department of Commerce has warned of a critical shortage of semiconductors. The federal agency says that the country holds only 5 days worth of inventory, compared with 40 in 2019. This follows a government study into supply chain issues published in September. The Department has raised this issue now in an effort to push legislation through Congress, which would release billions of dollars of support for the domestic semi-conductor manufacturing market. Even prior to the pandemic, semiconductor supplies to US industry were already dangerously low, the Department of Commerce assesses, with industry experiencing shortages of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and components used in electronic assembly such as diodes, capacitors and substrates. At the same time, demand for these supplies grew, including for 5G equipment and electric vehicles. Among the study's findings were: Median demand for chips highlighted by buyers was as much as 17 per cent higher in 2021 than 2019. The median inventory of semiconductor products was less than 5 days in 2021, and even smaller in some key industries. The primary bottleneck across the board appears to be wafer production capacity, which requires a longer-term solution. In the event of a shock, such as a surge in Covid cases, a natural disaster or political disorder further disrupting the semiconductor supply chain, could force some US manufacturers to pause production and lay off employees, the report warns. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo urged Congress to pass the US Innovation and Competition Act (USICA), which includes $52 billion to fund the domestic semiconductor industry, as soon as possible. The bill has bipartisan support and was approved by the Senate in June but amendments are being considered in the House of Representatives. With sky-rocketing demand and full utilization of existing manufacturing facilities, it's clear the only solution to solve this crisis in the long-term is to rebuild our domestic manufacturing capabilities , said Raimondo in a statement. President Biden has proposed $52 billion to revitalize our domestic semiconductor industry, and every day we wait on this funding is a day we fall further behind. But if we address this problem, we can create good jobs, rebuild American manufacturing, and strengthen our supply chains here at home for years ahead. There is currently a global shortage of semiconductors and components caused by extreme weather events, factory fires and increased demand, with analysts and industry insiders predicting the situation will not improve until 2023 or 2024.
I found out why metaverse avatars dont have legs
Its hard to escape the hype of the metaverse even if you cant experience much of it. Last year, both Microsoft and Meta (rebranded from Facebook), demoed their virtual worlds of the future. In the videos depicting these dreamlike spaces where you could work with your colleagues or hang out and play games I had a burning question about the avatars representing users: WHERE ARE THEIR LEGS? Hit the play button in Satya Nadellas tweet below to watch a clip of Microsofts metaverse demo: The metaverse is here, and its not only transforming how we see the world This story continues at The Next Web
European Commission penalised Intel in 2009 on the basis that the firm had unfairly tried to block rival Advanced Micro Devices The Luxembourg-based General Court, Europe's second-top court, has overturned a $1.2 billion (about 0.90 billion) antitrust fine that was levied against the US chipmaker Intel in 2009. The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, penalised Intel on the basis that the firm had unfairly tried to block rival Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) by offering rebates to computer makers Hewlett-Packard Co, Dell, Lenovo and NEC for buying most of their chips from Intel. The EC had claimed that the Intel abused its dominance in the worldwide market between 2002 and 2007, by implementing a strategy that aimed to exclude rivals from the market. However, the General Court rejected the EC's claims, stating that the regulator didn't conduct a proper analysis of the rebate scheme and made critical errors when finding against Intel. The (European) Commission's analysis is incomplete and does not make it possible to establish to the requisite legal standard that the rebates at issue were capable of having, or likely to have, anticompetitive effects, judges said in their decision[ pdf ]. In 2014, the same court had upheld the Commission's decision; however, it was told by the Europe's highest court, EU Court of Justice, in 2017 to examine all of Intel's claims regarding a test to see if the company's rebates were capable of damaging competition. Intel had argued that the General Court's 2017 decision failed to take into account the broader circumstances of the case. An Intel spokeswoman said the company was reviewing the decision. The European Commission said it would study the judgment and consider possible options. The General Court's ruling came on the same day as the chip company posted record fourth-quarter earnings, ending 2021 on a high note. Intel said its fourth-quarter sales were $20.5 billion (about 15.3 billion), up 3 per cent from the year-earlier period. The firm generated net income of $4.6 billion (about 3.45 billion), which was down 21 per cent year-over-year. Revenue from Intel's data centre business increased 20 per cent to $7.3 billion (about 5.45 billion), a record high for that category. The company expects $18.3 billion (about 13.7 billion) in adjusted sales in the first quarter of 2022, beating consensus analyst expectations of $17.62 billion (about 13.17 billion). In recent years, Intel has lagged behind competitors in chip manufacturing following slip-ups, enabling rivals to gain market dominance in some semiconductor categories. Pat Gelsinger, who became Intel CEO in 2021, has been trying to reverse the decline. In December, the Intel chief said that getting everything perfect and healthy again was a five-year assignment. Speaking of global chip shortage, Mr. Gelsinger said on Wednesday that the situation was beginning to ease in certain areas, although it might last until 2024. It's still challenging, he said. You're just going to see incremental improvements quarter by quarter. Over the past year, Intel has also expanded its chip-making capabilities in different regions. Last week, the company announced that it was investing $20 billion for two chip factories in Ohio that could eventually become the world's largest chip making complex. In May last year, the firm announced a $3.5 billion investment in its existing chip fab in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, to develop its 'Foveros' chip-stacking technology. Earlier in March, Gelsinger said that the company would invest about $20 billion (14.6 billion) on two new fabs in Arizona as part of plans to make processors for other chipmakers based on their own designs.
Are you a digital nomad? Consider these countries for 2022
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, working from home was something that was reserved for the lucky few. Now, it is a reasonable work perk that many employees are searching for. However, working from home doesnt mean staying in your hometown. More and more people are taking advantage of this new opportunity and using it to explore different cultures, new cities and other continents. If youd like to start living as a digital nomad this year, here are the best places to visit. Portugal Portugal ticks lots of boxes for tech nomads. Its an expat-friendly country, the internet is excellent, the food This story continues at The Next Web
Big Brother goes hybrid: why organisations can't afford to rely on employee surveillance
Employee surveillance is nothing new; businesses have long used video surveillance for safety and security, including monitoring staff emails during work hours. Yet, the desire to maintain productivity in our new hybrid era is powering a fresh wave of investment in these technologies. In fact, recent research discovered that 70 per cent of companies have either already implemented, or are planning to implement, surveillance measures. Under the guise of keeping employees safe online, these technologies are monitoring activity on a new level, through web browsing and recording the amount of time spent on an application. Some businesses are even using attention tracking through webcams and keyloggers, as well as video surveillance. However, the truth is that surveillance measures often fall short of their productivity promise. At best, they are intrusive and counterproductive, negatively impacting motivation levels and business culture. At worst, they are immoral and verge on breaching employee rights - with many individuals initially unaware of the extent to which they are being watched. Hybrid watching has backfired The pandemic threw the traditional working model into chaos. As boardrooms across the world scrambled to maintain some level of business-as-usual and ensure productivity through one of the toughest periods in history, it's understandable that many would do anything to get back some level of control. However, as we emerge into our new hybrid landscape - with 84 per cent of UK businesses planning to implement some form of remote working moving forward - investment in surveillance technologies has only intensified, becoming more invasive than ever. In fact, recent research discovered that the use of webcam monitoring doubled in the six-month period between April and October 2021. In trying to emulate some form of office management in the remote setting, many businesses have achieved the exact opposite. This extreme level of tracking is seen by many as an invasion of employee privacy; both intrusive and offensive. Investing in such systems is having an adverse effect, creating a barrier of distrust between employers and their workforces. Employees feel less trusted, less creative, and less loyal to the business. The pressure to deliver often leads to teams feeling like they are pitted against each other. This is extremely bad for morale and, in the worst cases, can destroy company culture. To make matters worse, organisations using surveillance tools could also find themselves falling foul of regulations - such as the GDPR - if they are not careful. In its simplest form, most elements of employee monitoring are legal under GDPR , if employees are both aware and in agreement. That said, there are several situational factors that can make employee surveillance a minefield to navigate and those that fail to do so effectively face potentially devastating fines. Creating a culture of transparency-from-anywhere There's no doubt that working-from-anywhere takes discipline. When employees are not in the office, there are inevitably a lot more distractions. Balancing home and work life can be difficult when both are taking place under the same roof. But businesses need to trust their employees, supporting them and ensuring that they complete tasks to the highest possible standard, without monitoring their every move. The most critical step towards establishing a positive hybrid working culture is ensuring transparency throughout an organisation, regardless of where employees are based. Setting very clear, specific, and measurable objectives is a good starting point. By relaying those objectives to the organisation, everyone understands where the finish line is. Coupling that understanding of goals with the why', helps with motivation, alignment, and better decision-making along the way. And breaking those goals down into steps and tracking that progress in real time gives a success blueprint to the employees, the right level of visibility to the management, and the opportunity to be agile and pivot quickly if need be. Scrum is a great approach that hybrid organisations can leverage to accomplish transparency. Whilst originally built for teams sitting in the same room, when coupled with work management platforms and synchronous tools for daily stand-up, it fits the distributed team perfectly. There are clear objectives with each sprint; there's transparency via work management and daily stand-ups; there's cross-functional collaborative teamwork to resolve any road-blocks in sprints; and there's agile retrospective, learning and adjustment after every sprint. To carry this out, organisations should look to solutions like collaborative work management platforms that centralise work and act as a single source of truth, whilst providing 360-degree visibility into project status on one end and goal-tracking on the other. This helps to ensure that everyone within a business is on the same page, regardless of employee work location. Automated reminders, real-time dashboards, and a single view of tasks will mean that everyone can select the tools and technologies that they prefer, bringing in an element of choice and putting employees back in the driving seat. Once the solutions for collaboration are in place, it's important that employees feel empowered to use them. There needs to be clear and consistent messaging around why employees should feel able to work from wherever they want to and how the business trusts them to do so. There should also be training to ensure that all employees understand how to make the most of this new hybrid landscape. In our new hybrid world, the lure of surveillance technologies is more tempting than ever before. However, the stress and anxiety they cause for employees is only matched by the potential legal risk they pose for businesses. They are not the answer to long-term productivity; a culture that encourages transparency at all levels is. Employees need to know their goals, have a clear plan of reaching said goals, and work in a coordinated way with their peers and managers. It is only then that they will feel both engaged and empowered to go the extra mile. Andrew Filev is the founder of Wrike
Episode 356: Smart home improvement is now a thing
This weeks show starts with a healthy portion of chips, with the main course being Nvidias reported acceptance that its deal to acquire ARM isnt likely to happen. We then turn to the U.S. Commerce Departments plans to combat the chip shortage crisis, new ML chips from Silicon Labs, Googles first TinyML Coral microcontroller, and Continue reading Episode 356: Smart home improvement is now a thing The post Episode 356: Smart home improvement is now a thing appeared first on IoT Podcast - Internet of Things .
WhatsApp Moderation Feature That Lets Group Admins Delete Messages for All Users Spotted
WhatsApp is reportedly working on a feature to allow admins to delete messages from group members, which is expected to arrive in an upcoming beta version of WhatsApp for iOS and Android. Rival Telegram already supports such a feature to remove members messages, while a screenshot shared by a feature tracker shows a placeholder message on WhatsApp for deleted messa...
Apple has released iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3 that brings a fix for the bug that made Safari's browsing history and linked accounts data vulnerable to getting leaked. The bug not only affected Safari but all third-party browsers on Apple operating systems. Separately, Apple is also reportedly rolling out a fix for syncing issues in iCloud impacting third-party apps.
Best Data Modeling Tools and Software for 2022
Data modeling tools play an essential role in business, as the volume, velocity and variety of data that organizations manage has reached a tipping point. Identifying the right data at the right time, understanding relationships that extend across data points, and putting data into motion is critical for effective data analytics, and for efficient digital [] The post Best Data Modeling Tools and Software for 2022 appeared first on eWEEK .
Trumps censorship czar for TRUTH social media once sued a cow over Twitter beef
Devin Nunes, the CEO of Trumps TRUTH network, a former California politician who once sued an imaginary cow over a Twitter beef, recently declared that the upcoming conservative conversation chamber would be the most family-friendly of all social media sites. In order to accomplish this, Nunes says the companys hired the same artificial intelligence moderation firm as OnlyFans. Yes MAGA fans, Trumps TRUTH will be censored using the same technology as every other social media site. Oh the irony: Hive, the AI firm in question, serves numerous high-profile clients including Reddit, Parler, and the aforementioned OnlyFans. And, according to its This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Twitter
Data Visualization in Marketing: 5 Key Steps
Modern marketers are presented with a vast amount of data that requires careful analysis to identify new trends and offer the best customer service. The data could be from within your organization, the market, or competitors. Insight from this data guides businesses in making key decisions and gaining competitive advantage. But sifting through this [] The post Data Visualization in Marketing: 5 Key Steps appeared first on eWEEK .
Samsung Galaxy S22: All the leaks so far
Its that time of year again: Samsung is gearing up to release its latest flagship phone. Its an interesting year for Samsung, as the phone market has heated up with stronger competition from Google than ever and an increasing number of esoteric designs hitting the scenes. You can bet that Samsung is going to be trying its darndest to make the Galaxy S22 family feel relevant. Heres what we know about the phones so far based on numerous leaks leading up to Samsungs reveal. When are they coming? You wont have too long to wait Samsung announced that its This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Samsung
Escooters in the UK: Over-policing, media hysteria, and antiquated laws
When is a form of transport both legal and illegal simultaneously? In England, this is the reality for escooters, where their legality depends on whether riders own or hire them. The battle between public and private escooters has meant that their low carbon footprint in the micromobility space has been obscured mainly by police intervention and what some call over-policing. I wanted to understand the situation more. So I reached out to Dott, who is participating in Transport for Londons (TfL) escooter hire scheme, and also a private escooter retailer, Escootered. But first, lets take a walk through the legalities This story continues at The Next Web
Google Cancels FLoC Cookie Replacement, Announces Topics API for Chrome Instead
Google previously hoped to replace cookies with FLoC (or Federated Learning of Cohorts), but now it says FloC isn't happening. Instead, it plans to launch a new Topics API in Chrome. The post Google Cancels FLoC Cookie Replacement, Announces Topics API for Chrome Instead appeared first on ExtremeTech .
Krsnas single Odathey Oliyathey to premiere at Chennai couples metaverse wedding
The music video of Chennai musician Krsnas single will premiere at a metaverse wedding
Google has a(nother) technology to replace tracking cookies
Topics API replaces FLoC, which in turn was designed to replace tracking cookies Google has presented a new proposal to replace invasive third-party tracking cookies in Chrome, which are used in targeted advertising, while still enabling advertisers to buy ads based on users' browsing interests. Dubbed Topics API, Google says the system will give users more control over the tracking process, while making them less individually identifiable. It builds on the lessons Google learned from its Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC) trial last year, which prompted a backlash from other tech firms and browser makers. Today, we're announcing Topics, a new Privacy Sandbox proposal for interest-based advertising, said Vinay Goel , product director for Privacy Sandbox and Chrome. Topics was informed by our learning and widespread community feedback from our earlier FLoC trials, and replaces our FLoC proposal, he added. Today, advertisers collect user information from browsers using third-party cookies, and use the data to make advertising campaigns more effective. Critics have long raised concerns that companies and malicious individuals can use cookies to track users around the Internet. Some browsers, like Firefox and Safari, have already introduced measures to block third-party cookies. Google proposed its own plan to eliminate third-party trackers in Chrome in 2019, through an initiative called Privacy Sandbox. The company said Privacy Sandbox would make web surfing more private, without killing ad tech firms' business model. As part of the scheme, Google proposed storing and processing all user data in the web browser, and using machine learning algorithms to assess users' interests to target them with relevant ads. Data would be presented to advertisers in the form of a cryptographic token that would hide identifying information. This would enable advertisers to confidently target their ads, without directly identifying individuals. However, critics saidthe scheme would remove advertising, login, and many other features from the open web and place them under Google's control. Concerns were also raised about whether Google's proposals were in line with Europe's GDPR data protection regulation. Google announced FLoC last year as part of Privacy Sandbox, hoping it would be the user tracking technology to kill cookies. FLoC was intended to allow advertisers to target groups of users, based on similar browsing history. However, among the concerns raised over FLoC was that groups could be small enough to individually track users. The backlash forced Google to rethink its strategy. Now Google says it is scrapping its old plans in favour of Topics API. Google has posted information about its new proposal in developer docs , on a GitHub page , and on a Privacy Sandbox site. Topics API will - like FLoC - enable websites serve ads to users based on their interests, without actually collecting huge amounts of data about them. For the system to work, Chrome will determine which topics best represent a user's internet activity that week, such as 'fitness', 'sports', and 'travel & transportation'. It will store the information from the past three weeks, and delete older data. The entire process is designed to take place on the user's device, without involving any external servers, including Google servers. When you visit a participating site, Topics picks just three topics, one topic from each of the past three weeks, to share with the site and its advertising partners, Goel said. Google will build user controls for the system into Chrome, allowing users to see the topics stored, remove any they don't like, or disable the feature completely. The company will launch a developer trial of the technology in Chrome soon, enabling web developers and the ad industry to try it out. The final form of Topics API and how it will work will be decided based on feedback.
Do you need to be alone to be creative? Heres what the experts say
Before the pandemic started, the debate between open office proponents and haters was as hot as ever, with a new day and a new study showing favorable results for rubbing elbows with colleagues. And the next day, one professing the evils of the incessant noise machine wed created. Little did we know wed soon all be doing our own unintentional experiment into the benefits and evils of working solo. But now, after close to two years, offices in many parts of the world are asking employees to return to work. Needless to say, this is creating some tension between those This story continues at The Next Web
Digital trends 2022: Every stat digital marketers need to know about the internet
12 trillion hours spent online, a new milestone in internet adoption, and new records for social media use If you expected digital to return to business as usual in 2022, you may want to reset those expectations. The new Digital 2022 Global Overview Report published in partnership between We Are Social and Hootsuite reveals that most of the connected world continues to grow faster than it did before the pandemic. Big stories in this years report include: Double-digit growth in social media users Big gains for YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok New insights into the worlds social media preferences The This story continues at The Next Web
Nvidia prepares to abandon Arm acquisition
Nvidia concerned about getting approvals past the regulatory hurdles the deal has faced Nvidia is allegedly preparing to abandon the $40 billion (30 billion) acquisition it had planned for British semiconductor company Arm, after making struggling to gain regulatory approval. Citing 'people familiar with the matter', Bloomberg says the American chipmaker has told partners it does not expect the deal to close. The deal has faced regulatory hurdles in many countries, including the United States, where the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit last month to block it over antitrust concerns. One source told Bloomberg that Arm's current owner, Japanese investment giant SoftBank, has begun to prepare for an initial public offering (IPO) of the company as an alternative to the Nvidia acquisition. However, no final decision on the deal has been made as both companies continue to plead their case to regulators. In a statement to Bloomberg, Nvidia spokesman Bob Sherbin said the company still believes that the transaction will provide an opportunity to accelerate Arm and boost competition and innovation in the market. A SoftBank spokesperson said they remain hopeful that the transaction will be able to get regulatory approval. Earlier this month, Nvidia discussed the benefits of the Arm transaction in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, stating that it was originally approached by SoftBank about a possible deal. The deal is under heavy scrutiny because the world's largest tech firms rely on Arm's chip designs, which are used in everything from mobile phones to cars to factory equipment. Companies including Apple, Samsung and Qualcomm use Arm technology to produce their own processors. Nearly every smartphone in the world, for example, uses Arm's chip designs. Nvidia, which is also an Arm customer, has said that fears it would give itself preferential treatment following the completion of the deal are baseless. The US chip firm has long promised that Arm would operate as a separate division within the company. Last month, the FTC filed a lawsuit to block Nvidia's acquisition of Arm, arguing that the proposed merger would give Nvidia too much control over the supply of chips and designs used by its competitors. 'The proposed merger would give Nvidia the ability and incentive to use its control of this technology to undermine its competitors, reducing competition and ultimately resulting in reduced product quality, reduced innovation, higher prices, and less choice, harming the millions of Americans who benefit from Arm-based products,' the FTC said in a statement. The deal is also under scrutiny in the UK and the EU, where regulators are concerned about the acquisition pushing up prices and limiting choice and innovation for customers. The UK government ordered an in-depth phase 2 probe in November over both antitrust and national security concerns. The inquiry will take about six months, following which the government could approve the deal, block it, or allow it to pass with certain conditions. Nvidia said at the time that it would work with the British government to address its concerns. The company added that a phase 2 probe would allow it to show how the deal would help strengthen Arm and encourage competition. The European Commission has also launched its own detailed investigation into the deal. Last year, Arm CEO Simon Segars hinted that the firm was considering an IPO, although the proposed move was under the shadow of doubt due to the fact that it might adversely impact Arm's ability to expand.
Why Google is in deep trouble for tracking your dark patterns
Googles surveillance-based business model has attracted another prominent opponent. After surviving attacks from employees, human rights groups, Harvard professors, and rival firms, the company now faces a more powerful foe: a quartet of US attorneys general. The bipartisan group of AGssued Google on Monday for allegedly deceiving users to profit from their location data. Google falsely led consumers to believe that changing their account and device settings would allow customers to protect their privacy and control what personal data the company could access, said Karl Racine, the Washington DC AG who is leading the campaign. The truth is that contrary This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Google
Rural ISPs Boost Digital Transformation in Underserved Communities
Regional electric cooperatives and service providers have long played a vital role in supplying critical power and connectivity to rural and remote communities. Currently, 260 telephone and 834 electric cooperatives serve much of rural America, which includes just 14 percent of the population, but 72 percent of the land area. Now these cooperatives and their [] The post Rural ISPs Boost Digital Transformation in Underserved Communities appeared first on eWEEK .
Humans Will Be the Story of AI in 2022: 4 Predictions
With increased literacy and understanding and increasingly publicized failures the curtain is falling on the publics perception of artificial intelligence as a mysterious, unmanageable or independently evolving intelligence. We begin a new episode, in which we as individuals and corporate entities firmly acknowledge and embrace our inalienable role as the architects [] The post Humans Will Be the Story of AI in 2022: 4 Predictions appeared first on eWEEK .
NTT Addresses the Why and When of Private 5G
NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation) is one of the worlds leading telecom providers. The conglomerate is deeply rooted in the mobile space, providing cellular services across Japan through its subsidiary NTT Docomo. More recently, NTT has shifted its focus to building innovative solutions that utilize next-gen mobile technologies to help organizations deploy networks specifically [] The post NTT Addresses the Why and When of Private 5G appeared first on eWEEK .
Google Accused of Using Dark Patterns to Trick Users
As with any lawsuit against a massive tech corporation, Google denies the claim. The post Google Accused of Using Dark Patterns to Trick Users appeared first on ExtremeTech .
Mini joins the EV restomod craze with reversible conversions
During the past few years, theres been a flurry of electrified classic vehicle unveilings from newly launched independent firms, such asLunaz,Electric Classic Cars, andElectrogenic, as well as an arrayfrom automotive giants. The latest carmaker thats putting an electric motor into a classic model is Mini. Meet the Mini Recharged The idea was born when the brand showcased a one-off classic Mini Electric at the New York Autoshow back in 2018. According to the company, the reactions were so positive that now a team of engineers at MINIs Oxford plant have devised an EV conversion package for the iconic hatchback to This story continues at The Next Web
Are VPNs legal? Can you get in trouble for using them?
Wondering whether or not VPNs (virtual private networks) are illegal? We have you covered with this comprehensive guide. Check it out.
How to easily set up a wallet for cryptocurrency and NFTs with MetaMask
Welcome toTNW Basics, a collection of tips, guides, and advice on how to easily get the most out of your gadgets, apps, and other stuff. If you want to experience a metaverse, buy NFTs, or trade in cryptocurrency, its essential to have a wallet thats easy to create and use. MetaMask is a pretty popular choice these days. Its free to use, and is available as a desktop browser extension and a mobile app. You can sign up to create a wallet to store your digital assets in just a few seconds, and it will also let you connect like This story continues at The Next Web
Shein is reviving plans to list in New York this year and its founder is considering a citizenship change to bypass proposed tougher rules for offshore IPOs in China, two people familiar with the matter said.
Disappearing from the internet
Here are a few things you can do to get off the interwebs
Canada's foreign ministry suffers cyber attack amid tensions with Russia
There is no indication that any other government departments were impacted by the incident Canada's foreign ministry was hit with a cyber attack last week affecting 'some access to internet and internet-based services,' officials said on Monday without disclosing who the government believed was behind the attack. In a statement on Twitter, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) said that the attack targeting Global Affairs Canada (GAC) was detected on 19th January, following which appropriate measures were taken to mitigate the risk. GAC is the Canadian government department responsible for managing the country's diplomatic relations, promoting international trade and providing consular support. According to TBS, critical services are currently available via Global Affairs Canada's (GAC) online systems, while some access to Internet and internet-based services is not available as computer systems continue to recover from the attack. . @TBS_Canada & @SSC_CA , can confirm they are working with #GC partners, including @cse_cst & its Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, in response to a recent cyber incident involving @GAC_Corporate . (3/9) TBS Canada (@TBS_Canada) January 25, 2022 There is no evidence to suggest that any other government departments were impacted by the incident. 'There are systems and tools in place to monitor, detect, and investigate potential threats, and to take active measures to address and neutralize them when they occur,' TBS explained. The cyber attack against GAC came a day before Canada's Cyber Centre advised Canadian organisations, especially network operators of critical infrastructure, to bolster their defences against Russian state-sponsored threats. '(The CSE) is aware of foreign cyber threat activities, including by Russian-backed actors, to target Canadian critical infrastructure network operators, their operational and information technology,' the CSE said in its cyber threat bulletin. The agency also urged network defenders to 'be prepared to isolate critical infrastructure components and services from the internet and corporate/internal networks if those components would be considered attractive to a hostile threat actor to disrupt'. Network operators were advised to have a cyber incident response plan and a continuity of operations plan and be prepared to use those plans. The GAC hack also comes at a time when Russia-Ukraine tensions continue to escalate, with Canada taking a strong line against Russia's troop build-up on the Ukrainian border. Last week, Canada's government announced a $120 million loan to the Ukrainian government and re-committed Canadian soldiers to train Kiev's security forces. We're going to continue to be there to respond in ways that we can, to support Ukraine, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday. This is something that matters deeply to us. Earlier this month, multiple Ukrainian government websites came under a sustained hacking attack , with the attackers leaving menacing messages apparently aimed at intimidating aimed at Ukrainian citizens. The attackers targeted websites belonging to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Cabinet of Ministers, the ministries of energy, education, and agricultural policy and the 'Diia' platform. Microsoft later warned that it had discovered a highly destructive form of malware in dozens of government and private computer networks in Ukraine that appeared to be waiting to be triggered by an unknown threat actor. Microsoft said that the malware was designed to look like ransomware, although its ultimate aim was likely to wipe out sensitive data at the hackers' direction.
Nvidia Preparing to Walk Away From $40-Billion Arm Acquisition: Report
Nvidiais preparing to abandon its purchase of Arm from SoftBank Group after offering about $40 billion (roughly Rs.2,99,130 crore)for the British company in 2020, Bloomberg News reportedon Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Cyber Safety Review Board: Delay in Creating New US Cybersecurity Body Prompts Concern
Its a key part of US President Joe Bidens plans to fight major ransomware attacks and digital espionage campaigns: creating a board of experts that would investigate major incidents to see what went wrong and try to prevent the problems from happening again.
5G Rollout Race: European Union Asked by Watchdog to Pick Up Pace
As the US grapples with the 5G rollout affecting airlines, a European Union watchdog warned the EU faces much bigger economic and security threats unless member countries step up cooperation.
Google Accused of Tracking Data Without Users' Permission by US Justice Officials
A group of top US justice officials accused Google in lawsuits of tracking and profiting from users' location data, despite leading consumers to think they could protect their privacy on the tech giant's services.
Heres why Googles leaked 1080p Chromecast makes a lot of sense
A report by Protocol today claimed that Google is working on a new Chromecast HD with a remote and the Google TV platform. Its expected to be the first model to support the AV1 codec. Yes, the company just launched a new Chromecast in late 2020, but this rumored one has a trick up its sleeve: its almost certainly going to be dirt cheap likely around the $30 price range, and perhaps even less. Its also going to be just 1080p, which might seem weird in 2022. But from where Im standing, a super cheap Chromecast makes a whole This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Google
How NASAs space research ends up in earthly products
NASA is best known for exploring space, but the agencys technology is also touching down on Earth. A new book, called Spinoff 2022, shines the spotlight on the products that have emerged from NASAs research. They include an air purifier thats on tech for growing plants in space;blankets crafted from a substance that NASA created to chill rocket fuel; and underwear for race car drivers that uses material originally developed for spacesuits. Credit: Credit: SITKA GearTech developed for insulation in space is keeps people warm in the great outdoors The book also explores 20 recent NASA innovations that are ripe This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: NASA
Best Google Chrome extension 2022: Don't miss out on these useful tools
Here are our favorite Google Chrome extensions. There's something for everyone -- from managing passwords to screen recording.
Deloittes David Linthicum on Optimizing Your Multicloud
I spoke with David Linthicum, Chief Cloud Strategy Officer at Deloitte Consulting, about his advice for handling the key pain points that companies face with multicloud. Among the topics we covered: Whats the current state of multicloud, in terms of how comfortable companies are with their deployment? Generally okay, or confused and challenged, somewhere in [] The post Deloittes David Linthicum on Optimizing Your Multicloud appeared first on eWEEK .
This Slovakian startup claims we will own flying cars within 2 years
Most electric vertical take-off and landing (EVTOL) aircraft owe their design to futuristic flying robots and insects. But theres a more humble kind of flying innovation the flying aircar. As the name suggests, these shape-shifting machines go from road cars to flying in the sky in minutes with only the need for a short landing strip. Overnight they were in the news, with an announcement fromKlein Visionthat their AirCar flying car had received a Certificate of Airworthiness from the Slovak Transport Authority, making it legal to fly. The news follows 142 successful landings in Bratislava. At yesterdays landing, inventor This story continues at The Next Web
EV charging stations can be hacked heres what you need to know
As the number of EVs on the streets grows, so does the number of electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) needed to juice them up and along with them the number of the internet-connected managing systems within those stations. These management systems offer an array of valuable capabilities like remote monitoring, scheduling, and user billing. However, they come with a significant drawback: as with virtually every device connected to the internet, theyre prone to cyberattacks. An EV charging station in Threy, Germany A team of researchers led by Elia Bou Harb, director of the University of Texas Cyber Center for This story continues at The Next Web
13 tough lessons I learned switching jobs as developer
Toward the end of 2021, I was one of the countless tech workers who left one job and took another. The process surprised me in a number of ways. I needed to update my priors about a few things, and by writing this, maybe Ill update yours, too. First, I thought it would be easy. My reasoning was as follows: I know how hard it is to hire great developers I know Im a good developer Everyones desperate to fill roles So it should be a walk in the park. It turns out it wasnt. It wasnt radically hard, but This story continues at The Next Web
The best VPN services for 2022
It's scary knowing your data might not be private. VPNs help shield your online activities. To help you pick the right one, these are our favorite VPN services.
Oh great AI can not only be racist and sexist, but ageist too
We have accepted the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in complex processes from health care to our daily use of social media often without critical investigation, until it is too late. The use of AI is inescapable in our modern society, and it may perpetuate discrimination without its users being aware of any prejudice. When health-care providers rely on biased technology, there are real and harmful impacts. This became clear recently when a study showed that pulse oximeters which measure the amount of oxygen in the blood and have been an essential tool for clinical management of This story continues at The Next Web
Online Safety Bill not robust enough to tackle harmful online content, MPs warn
It is the second warning from MPs about the bill in as many months The UK government's proposed Online Safety Bill, which would give Ofcom more power to regulate the internet, does not guarantee freedom of speech and fails to do enough to tackle the sharing of illegal and harmful content online. That is the conclusion of a report by the Commons' Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee which is reviewing the draft bill. In the report, MPs called on the government to overhaul the bill to ensure that it is effective and able to stop the most 'insidious' images of child abuse and violence against girls and women from being shared online. MPs said content which is currently technically legal - such as deepfake pornography, parts of child abuse sequences known as 'breadcrumbing' and tech-enabled 'nudifying' - still has to be addressed. They say such content should be declared illegal 'either through primary legislation or as types of harmful content covered by the duties of care'. Committee chair Julian Knight said the Online Safety Bill has the potential to be world-leading, landmark legislation but represents a missed opportunity in its current form. He said the government needs to take urgent steps to ensure that some of the most pernicious forms of child sexual abuse do not go undetected because of a weakness in the law. These are matters of important public debate to which we will return as the Bill makes its way through Parliament, Knight added. On the issue of child sexual abuse, the committee said the bill should address predatory behaviour meant to escape content moderation. 'One starting point should be to reframe the definition of illegal content to explicitly add the need to consider context as a factor, and include explicitly definitions of activity like breadcrumbing on the face of the bill.' This is the second committee report in two months to demand changes to the Online Safety Bill. Last month, the joint committee dealing with the bill said it should cover more offences , including content promoting self-harm, 'cyberflashing' and fraudulent advertising. MPs also recommended making it illegal to intentionally send flashing images to people with photosensitive epilepsy, and to give porn sites a legal obligation to keep children away. The joint committee also advised that Ofcom should have more powers to make digital platforms responsible for protecting users from child abuse, racist content and other harmful material. The regulator should have the ability to investigate, audit and fine tech companies, and define mandatory codes of practice for ISPs - with an accountable 'safety manager' if a service fails to protect users. A revised form of the legislation is expected in the coming months. In a statement to Sky News , a DCMS spokesperson said the Department does not agree with the committee's criticisms . The bill will make the UK the safest place to go online while protecting freedom of speech, they said, addingthat the bill includes provisions such as a duty of care to prevent child sexual exploitation, grooming, and the dissemination of illegal and harmful content.
Twitter launched NFT profile pictures people are hella mad
I envy your internet if you dont come across NFT once a day. Its not enthusiasts; even large tech companies want to explore and integrate this new tech into their services. Last week, Twitter became the first major platform to introduce NFT-based profile pictures. The trouble is it didnt go down well with its user base at large. Heres how this feature works on the bird site: If you have bought or minted an NFT on an Etherum-based marketplace, you can set it as your profile picture, and itll show up in the hexagonal shape. Tap on the tweet below This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Twitter
Rent, food, and other nice things I cant afford can fintech solve our money problems?
In her ode to the big apple, Alicia Keys said, if I can make it here, I can make it anywhere. Only to sing a verse later, someone sleeps tonight with a hunger thats more than an empty fridge. The song is 12 years old, but the message is current. Major cities like New York, London, and Hong Kong have become symbolic of making it. The wins are big, the falls are crushing. Innovation thrives, and so does inequality. This polarity has caused chaos for young people. Armed with expensive educations, low credit scores, and limited access to loans, young This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Fintech
Philips Says Supply Chain Issues May Get Resolved in Second Half of 2022
Philips said it expects sales to recover strongly in the second half of the year, while a steep decline due to global shortage of parts is likely to persist in the coming months.
The Ultimate Guide to Java Programming & Reference:
[size=+2]The Ultimate Guide to Java Programming & Reference[/size] Hey Guys in this post, I'm going to give you the list of the best books & resources on the Web to study Java Programming, plus I'm going to give you some programs written by me to help you understand Java programming better. I have more than 15 years experience programming in Java. I have written tons of programs from Image processing, accounting , e-commerce, database management, Media player, photo browser, File Manager... Read more
Reining in the power of tech giants
What is the American Innovation and Choice Online Act? How does it aim to break the e-market monopoly?
Activist Investor Blackwells Capital Pushes Peloton to Fire CEO John Foley
Activist investor Blackwells wants exercise equipment maker Peloton to fire its chief executive and consider selling itself to a fitness or technology company, two sources familiar with the matter said.
WhatsApp Testing Two-Step Verification on Desktop, Chat Wallpaper for Voice Calls: Report
WhatsApp is reportedly adding a couple new features and functionalities. On them is said to be new two-step verification on the desktop app. The second is the addition of chat wallpapers for the upcoming interface for voice calls.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrisons account on WeChat was taken over and renamed, and a lawmaker accused China's leaders of political interference.
U.S. House bill on China competitiveness, chip investment, coming soon: Pelosi
President Joe Biden's administration is pushing to persuade Congress to approve funding to help boost chip production in the United States.
iPhone maker Foxconn seals EV partnership with Indonesia
Foxconn aims to provide components or services to 10% of the world's EVs by 2025 to 2027.
Google asks judge to dismiss most of Texas antitrust lawsuit
Google asked for four of the six counts to be dismissed with prejudice, which means that it could not be brought back to the same court.
How I scaled my freelance business to $10,000/month
When I quit my full-time job and started freelancing five years ago, I figured it was just a stop-gap until I landed my next marketing job. I had never fancied myself a business owner and didnt think I could command a freelance income that rivaled a full-time salary. But as time passed and I kept procrastinating my real job search, I started taking freelancing as a permanent career move more seriously. Id always valued independence and had come away burnt out from my last job, so the flexibility and autonomy that freelance writing gave me was appealing. Coming from a This story continues at The Next Web
How to create offline installer for visual studio community 2022
Hi I am Rupesh from India and I have bought a new PC and I have tried to install visual studio community 2022 and I have succeeded but I can't create offline installer for future needs. I have downloaded latest visual studio community 2022 installer and after that I have selected option install only after downloading all necessary files and I have specified d drive for installation and downloaded folder. The installation has been completed and the downloaded packages are present in... Read more
TinyML is bringing deep learning models to microcontrollers
This article is part of our reviews of AI research papers, a series of posts that explore the latest findings in artificial intelligence. Deep learning models owe their initial success to large servers with large amounts of memory and clusters of GPUs. The promises of deep learning gave rise to an entire industry of cloud computing services for deep neural networks. Consequently, very large neural networks running on virtually unlimited cloud resources became very popular, especially among wealthy tech companies that can foot the bill. But at the same time, recent years have also seen a reverse trend, a concerted This story continues at The Next Web
Why your small business should make use of Instagram collections
Instagrams users flood the app with millions of posts every day. Theres always fresh content, but a lot of great stuff gets lost in the shuffle. When youre using Instagram for your business, you cant afford to doomscroll the day awayso you need to use Instagrams collections feature. Save posts for later, create custom collections, and spend less time trying to find what you need. Instagram collections: Your Pinterest board to-do list Instagrams Saves isnt a public featurethe user who posted wont be notified when their post has been saved, nor can a users saved posts be seen from their This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Instagram
UK startup to build flying taxi hubs in 65 cities
This article was originally published byChristopher CareyonCities Today, the leading news platform on urban mobility and innovation, reaching an international audience of city leaders. For the latest updates, follow Cities Today onTwitter,Facebook,LinkedIn,Instagram, andYouTube, or sign up for Cities Today News. UK start-upUrban-Air Port(UAP) has announced plans to establish 200 hubs for flying taxis and cargo drones across 65 cities globally over the next five years. The firm is set to launch its firstvertiport, dubbed the worlds smallest airport, in Coventry in April, and says a significant investment from Hyundai Motor Groups urban air divisionSupernalwill enable expansion to further sites. We This story continues at The Next Web
Big Tech: New Step to Curb Firms Power Advanced by US Senate Panel
Bipartisan legislation advanced by a Senate panel would bar the dominant online platforms from favouring their own goods and services over those of rivals.
US House Bill on Chip Investment, China Competitiveness Coming Soon: Nancy Pelosi
The US House of Representatives will soon introduce a bill to increase US competitiveness with China and boost federal spending on semiconductors, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said as the Biden administration seeks to boost domestic chip production.
Zscaler Brings a New Approach to Experience Management
Understanding user experience has been somewhat of a Holy Grail for the IT industry for decades. Many vendors have tried, yet none have managed to crack the code. Think back to names like Micromuse, Computer Associates, Riverbed and Netscout, which all tried to take their underlying management tool and adapt it to understand what a [] The post Zscaler Brings a New Approach to Experience Management appeared first on eWEEK .
4 threats posed by Elon Musks Starlink satellites
Elon Musks Starlink is a divisive project. The satellite internet constellation aims to provide low-cost internet to remote locations, but its producing some alarming side effects. Here are the biggest problems posed by the SpaceX network, from spoiling views to damaging the ozone layer. Causing collision threats SpaceX recently fired the 2,000th Starlink satellite into orbit. The vast number of these devices has raised concerns of collisions with other objects in space. The issue caused uproar in China after the Tiangong space station reportedly had two near misses involving the satellites. For safety reasons, the China Space Station implemented preventive This story continues at The Next Web
Dell APEX: Increasing Consistency in Multi-Cloud Deployments
As enterprises have increasingly chosen multi-cloud deployments over single vendor engagements, the need to define and address complexity has never been greater. Dell Technologies new APEX services and DevOps capabilities for multi-cloud applications offer a prime example of how vendors can proceed. Dell expressed two goals in launching APEX as-a-Service solutions in May 2021: to [] The post Dell APEX: Increasing Consistency in Multi-Cloud Deployments appeared first on eWEEK .
The unbearably cute Microlino EV is almost ready to hit European streets
Say hello to the Microlonino 2.0, the adorable EV that wants to bring bubble cars back. And its coming to Europe very soon. Small and compact, its designed for the urbanites who might want a mini city-vehicle without the hustle of finding (or paying for) a large parking space. The electric two-seater measures 2.4m long, 1.5m wide, and 1.4m high (Credit: Microlino) Technically, the Microlino is a quadricycle, but we can definitely call it a retro electric bubble car, mainly due to its resemblance with the 1950s Isetta. The 1955 Isetta. Unlike the Isetta, the Microlino 2.0 is powered by This story continues at The Next Web
9 tips to perfect your working from home morning routine
If you work from home, getting your morning routine down to a teewill have a huge impact on how you work and feel for the rest of the day. Ultimately, its about doing what works for you, but here are a few pointers that will hopefully help you start your day right. Wake up at the same time When you work from home, it can be tempting to stay in bed until the very last minute possible. While its OK to treat yourself and do this on the odd occasion, I would advise you to be more disciplined This story continues at The Next Web
Third times the charm: Googles reportedly making another headset
Meta has already announced its plans torelease an AR headset, while several reports have suggestedApple might release a mixed reality device in 2022 or 2023. And the latest entrant to hop on this bandwagon? Well, thats Google. According to a report by The Verges Alex Heath, the Big G is working on a new headset under the Project Iris codename with a target shipping date of 2024. In this story, well look at what to expect from this new device, and Googles history with headsets. What will the device be like? The Verges report notes that Project Iris will This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Google
Attacking end-to-end encryption will jeopardise children's safety, ICO warns
The warning comes following a government-backed campaign that urges social media sites to delay the rollout of E2EE in their apps The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has criticised a government-backed campaign against the rollout of end-to-end encryption (E2EE) feature in messaging apps by social media firms, warning that delaying its introduction will put everyone at risk including children. The No Place to Hide campaign , which is backed by the Home Office, warns that social media sites are willfully blindfolding themselves to child sexual abuse by adding E2EE feature on messaging services. It claims that about 14 million reports of suspected online child abuse could be lost each year if E2EE goes ahead on popular messaging apps. The campaign urges Facebook and other sites not to add encryption until they have technology in place to ensure that children will not be put at greater risk as a result. The campaign wants social media companies to show that introduction of strong encryption will not make it easier for child sex abusers to groom children; make, share or view sexual images of children; and avoid detection by law enforcement agencies. We are not opposed to end-to-end encryption, as long as it is implemented in a way that does not put children at risk. We are in favour of both strong privacy and children's safety and urge social media companies to protect both, the webpage of No Place to Hide campaign states. The government has reportedly allocated about 534,000 for the campaign , which is being run by advertising agency M&C Saatchi. The ICO, which oversees the safety of people's data in the UK, differs from the government on the issue of encryption, and believes that E2EE is one of the most trustworthy ways of protecting the privacy of people who use big messaging platforms. The discussion on end-to-end encryption use is too unbalanced to make a wise and informed choice, Stephen Bonner, the ICO's executive director for innovation and technology, told BBC News . There is too much focus on the costs without also weighing up the significant benefits, he added. According to Bonner, the E2EE technology can help keep children safe online by not allowing abusers to send them unsafe content or access their location or pictures. Facebook-owner Meta already uses encryption technology in its WhatsApp messaging service. The company had also revealed plans to incorporate the feature into Facebook Messenger and Instagram in 2022, but was forced to delay the plan until 2023 , following warnings that feature could shield child abusers from detection. Child safety campaigners have long warned that introducing E2EE in Facebook Messenger and Instagram would make it difficult to identify child abuse images in private messages as Facebook would no longer use algorithms to flag illegal content, and no person other than the sender and receiver would be able to view the messages. In April, Home Secretary Priti Patel urged Facebook to ake the safety of children as seriously as it does the business of advertising on the internet. She warned that Facebook's plan to roll out end-to-end encryption across all its messaging platforms could jeopardise the ongoing work to combat child abuse. In September, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said that tech companies' focus on E2EE technology was making it harder - if not impossible - to identify and stop terrorists . Bonner, however, says that accessing encrypted content is not the only way to catch abusers and criminals. Law enforcers have other methods such as listening to reports of those targeted, infiltrating the groups planning these offences, using evidence from convicted abusers and their systems to identify other offenders, he noted. The data watchdog says the government should continue to maximise use of law enforcement techniques rather than seeking to weaken encryption. Until we look properly at the consequences, it is hard to see any case for reconsidering the use of E2EE, Bonner said.
Amazon Set to Open its First High Tech Apparel Store in Los Angeles
The company's first physical apparel store will offer smartphone and touchscreen interfaces for shopping and browsing, among other innovations. The post Amazon Set to Open its First High Tech Apparel Store in Los Angeles appeared first on ExtremeTech .
BT to increase prices by 9 per cent for millions of UK customers
Affected users will pay an extra 42 annually on average for their phone and broadband bills BT announced on Thursday that a price hike of more than 9 per cent would occur for most of its customers from the end of March. The changes will affect millions of UK homes as the telecoms giant said that it is increasing prices to keep in line with latest inflation figures. Price rises are never popular, but are sometimes a necessary part of business, if we're to keep up with the rising costs we face, Nick Lane, BT's managing director for consumer customer services, wrote in a blog post . He added that the price hike will ensure that the BT continues to deliver a brilliant network experience as customers usage of data grows month on month. In 2019, BT announced a change in the way it raised bills for customers. The company said that it would make only one change each year at the end of March that will see bills increased by 3.9 per cent plus inflation, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI) to reflect increasing costs to the business. We've thought long and hard about how we make sure that any pricing changes are predictable, clear, and not unfairly focussed on our existing customers, but reflected in our new prices too, Lane noted in his post. This month inflation increased to 5.4 per cent, its highest level since March 1992. BT says its broadband and phone bills will increase by 9.3 per cent from 31 st March, meaning that the affected customers will now pay an extra 3.50 a month - or 42 annually - on average for their phone and broadband bills. However, vulnerable customers, including those on the company's Home Essentials, Home Phone Saver and Basic plans, will not see an increase in prices, according to BT. BT said the price hike is a ecessary part of business as the company battles to keep up with surging costs of its own, following a major increase in bandwidth use driven by a surge in online education, work from home, online gaming and TV streaming services. Data usage on BT's network has increased by 90 per cent since 2018, according to the company, while mobile phone usage has surged by 79 per cent since 2019. BT competitors are also set to increase bills for customers. Consumer group Which? said that TalkTalk is gearing up to increase bills for as many as 4 million customers by 9.1 per cent in April, while Vodafone's 940,000 broadband customers face a 9.3 per cent increase from the same month. Virgin Media also announced earlier this month that it would increase prices for broadband customers from the beginning of March. Price comparison site Uswitch said the hike would see millions of customers paying extra 56 per year on average to the company. In May last year, BT reduced its fibre broadband prices for people receiving state benefits such as Universal Credit, with more than 4 million households able to apply for the package. The move after a similar offer from Virgin Media, which launched its 15 Mbps Essential Broadband service in November 2020 to existing customers on Universal credit.
Instagram Expands Remix Feature to All New Videos, TikTok Working on Paid Subscriptions
Instagram has updated its video remix feature to allow users to Remix any video shared on the platform, which will work in a similar fashion as rival TikTok. Meanwhile, TikTok has announced it is working on paid subscriptions, to allow creators to monetise their content on the service. The announcement comes days after Instagram announced it is testing paid subscripti...
Facebook-Parent Meta Removes Iran-Based Fake Accounts Targeting Instagram Users in Scotland
Facebook-parent Meta removed a network of fake accounts that originated in Iran and targeted Instagram users in Scotland with content supporting Scottish independence, the company's investigators said.
Nutanix CEO Rajiv Ramaswami on the Future of Multicloud
I spoke with Rajiv Ramaswami, President and CEO of Nutanix, about key trends and issues in multicloud computing, including the future of this emerging technology. Among the topics we addressed: We know that the Nutanix Enterprise Cloud Platform delivers the advantages of public cloud to company data centers. The Nutanix solution lives in on-prem datacenters, [] The post Nutanix CEO Rajiv Ramaswami on the Future of Multicloud appeared first on eWEEK .
The Urgent Need to Align Business Strategy with ESG
One-off sustainability initiatives and short-term goals just dont make the cut in todays ESG-focused market. Consumers now demand greater transparency into business operations, supply chains, and social impacts. Additionally, theyre on the lookout for organizations making investments into the circular economy; that is, the infrastructure dedicated to recycle and reuse. In fact, a survey found [] The post The Urgent Need to Align Business Strategy with ESG appeared first on eWEEK .
Ethereum inventor wants to replace pregnant women with synthetic wombs
Crypto bros never tire of sharing their utopian visions, but their big brain ideas arent always embraced by the proles. Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder and inventor of Ethereum, has become the latest victim of this insolence. The 27-year-old had pitched a bold solution to the gender pay gap: synthetic wombs. Synthetic wombs would remove the high burden of pregnancy, significantly reducing the inequality, he tweeted on Tuesday. The proposal gained support from several tech bros but incurred the wrath of feminists. They argued that biological gestation isnt the main barrier to gender equality. Instead, they pointed to the high This story continues at The Next Web
Nuclear quantum computing: Its coming
A trio of separate research teams from three different continents published individual papers indicating similar quantum computing breakthroughs yesterday. All three were funded in part by the US Army and each paper appears to be a slam dunk for the future of quantum computing. But only one of them heralds the onset of the age of nuclear quantum computers. Its about damn time Maybe its the whole concept of entanglement, but for a long time its felt like we were suspended in a state where functional quantum machines were both right around the corner and decades or more away. But This story continues at The Next Web
GMs betting its hydrogen fuel cells will revolutionize electric generators
While some automakers have bet on hydrogen to power up their transition to renewable energy, GM is following another approach: its going all in on EVs and its using its HYDROTEC fuel cell technology to replace traditional gas or diesel generators. On Wednesday, they company announced its plans to introduce three Mobile Power Generators (MPGs), using its HYDROTEC fuel cell power cubes. Simply put, MPGs can produce large amounts of electricity anywhere, without burning fossil fuels, or expanding a local power grid. In the case of GM, the generators can put out power ranging from 60kW to 600kW, but what This story continues at The Next Web
Industry Voice: Top considerations for IAM innovation and deployment
For the financial services sector, trust, security and identity are critical. These factors must be considered by IT leaders when adopting systems that permit user access. Identity & Access Management (IAM) is the framework of technologies ensuring user identities are effectively managed. IAM systems guarantee the right users have the right access to resources through identification, authentication, and controlled access. Computing's latest survey, featuring 150 IT leaders from medium-sized enterprises emphasises the biggest challenges for managing and deploying IAM solutions. Driving change Survey respondents recognise that IAM is capable of combating cybersecurity risks, and aiding regulatory compliance, IT workload, and competitive advantage. Amongst those surveyed, Cybersecurity risks were seen as the most important driver of IAM adoption and competitive advantage as the least. This reflects the current global security context. In total, 81 per cent of companies surveyed had experienced cyber attacks since the beginning of the pandemic, with 38 per cent reporting at least a weekly attack on their digital platforms. But IAM adoption has technical, management, and cultural dimensions which all need to be understood by IT leaders, especially in the financial sector where valuable sensitive data is managed. Fitting in Survey respondents said the most important factors when choosing an IAM solution are chiefly integration with current or future technology environments, followed equally by seamless user experience, an auditable solution and whether it is suited to hybrid environments. For managing IAM systems the biggest challenges were seen as integration, privileged user and identity management, staff acceptance and compliance, data protection, and cost. It is clear IT teams place high value on creating and assisting smooth secure processes for both consumers and employees. Customers experiencing complicated authentication processes may be encouraged to take their business elsewhere. Employees experiencing high friction services or barriers to their daily workflow will be less agile and less productive. Maintaining reliable and robust protection is crucial for the financial sector. When choosing an IAM vendor, respondents reported suitable licensing models as the most important factor, followed by product roadmap and ongoing support, technical support, and initial or ongoing costs. The research demonstrates IT leaders are experiencing challenges in identity management in the context of rapid digital transformation. Friction implications such as dealing with separate IAM solutions could be an issue. 27 per cent of enterprises said they operate a single IAM solution, with 31 per cent operating two, and 25 per cent three. This has the potential to create complexities for staff and IT leaders managing IAM systems and resonates with survey respondents highlighting technical support as a key factor in choosing a vendor. However, respondents currently operating IAM systems described high confidence in the security of their solutions, with most responses falling into quite confident' and very confident'. This appreciation emphasises IAM practicality. Computing's research underlines IAM solutions as an opportunity for innovation within the financial sector, ensuring cyber-vigilance and low friction experiences for users. For IT leaders choosing the right vendor and solution must consider a range of factors. Providing safe secure access, for customers and employees alike, requires a security strategy focusing on identity. To find out more about how IAM is driving innovation in the financial services sector, read the full report Find out more about innovation through IAM This article is sponsored by Okta
Industry Voice: How user expectations are shaping IAM innovation for financial services
Today, users expect intuitive, frictionless experiences for personal banking, payment services, and apps. For financial services security is paramount, but a balance must be struck with low-friction, straightforward, omnichannel experiences. On top of this, the pandemic has pushed customers and employees to work from home, accessing their funds and data remotely. In today's world, travelling to public in-branch services is far from ideal. These services can be time-consuming, slow, and create public health concerns. As more services become available online and remotely, ensuring the right party is gaining access to the right content is crucial. Identity and Access Management (IAM), the group of technologies for user identity management, achieves this. Computing's latest survey, featuring 150 IT leaders from medium-sized enterprises highlights what fintech and financial services want from IAM. Great expectations 80 per cent of respondents agree, either strongly' (40 per cent) or somewhat' (40 per cent) that expectations for a frictionless experience are higher than pre-pandemic time, two years ago. When dealing with large volumes of sensitive data, both customers and employees expect trustful and secure capabilities. Customers do not want complicated clunky interfaces that stand between them and the consumption of a product or services. Nor do employees want complicated MFA barriers obstructing their daily workflow. Offering seamless, secure customer experiences is important. If accessing personal data or funds is arduous for users, demanding they jump through too many hoops, they may take their business elsewhere. Rapid digital transformation has kept pace with expectations for remote, device-agnostic access, affording many businesses a competitive advantage if they can provide suitable services. Authenticating remote staff and ensuring they can only access appropriate data and applications is an overriding concern as remote working and mobility have become commonplace. Respondents identified that IAM can overcome such concerns and aid their business model. Our survey found cybersecurity risks are of the greatest concern for IT leaders, followed by regulatory compliance, IT burden, and competitive advantage. Security & compliance Leaders for the financial sector reported the same order of importance, rating cyber security as the key driver of IAM adoption and competitive advantage as the least important. A proliferation of ransomware and cybercrime attacks during the pandemic has seen 38 per cent of respondents experiencing either daily (13 per cent) or weekly (25 per cent) cyber-attacks on their digital platforms. 81 per cent of companies have experienced attacks since the pandemic began. The financial sector must conform to stringent regulations, prioritising security, trust, and identity for users. Respondents from this sphere place greater emphasis on the importance of IAM internally and externally, with 44 per cent rating internal identity and access management as extremely important', and 38 per cent rating customer identity and access management extremely important.' Accelerating change in financial services 35 per cent strongly agreed' the pandemic has increased the need for capable IAM solutions at their organisation. However, this recognition does not correspond to market maturity. Less than 30 per cent of survey respondents had adopted IAM solutions. However, 28 per cent were actively rolling systems out, 13 per cent trialling its use and 17 per cent planning their deployment. Flexible, intuitive and secure access for customers and employees is becoming increasingly important in uncertain times. User expectations demand innovative solutions to remote data access. From Computing's research, it is clear that IAM is an opportunity for innovation and can improve trust, reduce risk, and enhance customer experience. IAM is critical for collaborative working, secure access and low-friction services, in financial services and beyond. To find out more about how IAM is driving innovation in the financial services sector, read the full report Find out more about innovation through IAM This article is sponsored by Okta
Throughout the pandemic financial crime, fraud, ransomware and phishing have all been on the rise. Employees working from home and users accessing their data remotely have meant user credentials have been regularly stolen or compromised. Cyber criminals have regularly played on fears and uncertainties around the pandemic as part of their social engineering strategies, taking advantage of new ways of working and unfamiliar applications. The barebones security of most home networks and poor cyber hygiene amongst employees - such as sharing devices with family members - compounds these issues. Every organisation is at risk from cyber threats and the financial sector especially must provide secure, dependable services. Identity & Access Management (IAM), systems providing user identity management, facilitates secure remote access. Computing's recent report into the subject, which surveys 150 IT leaders from medium-sized enterprises, explores challenges in the current security landscape and how IAM can have an impact. The research shows the current global security context is of concern to financial services. The rapid rise of remote and homeworking demanding round the clock access, combined with the exponential growth of cybercrime, necessitates a security strategy with identity at the forefront. IAM is a critical factor for comprehensive secure digital platforms capable of supporting collaborative working, remote access, low-friction services, and sector innovation. Cyberthreats: a symptom of the pandemic 81 per cent of respondents have experienced cyber-attacks since the pandemic began, with 13 per cent reporting a daily occurrence, and 25 per cent facing weekly incidents. The pandemic demanded transformative changes in the ways financial services organisations interacted with both their customers and employees, simultaneously introducing new vulnerabilities. Accessing sensitive data remotely requires user authentication and definitive access controls to ensure users - customers, employees, or third parties - are who they say they are and are only able to access permitted data and applications. 75 per cent of respondents agree, either strongly' (35 per cent) or somewhat' (40 per cent), that the pandemic increased the need for capable IAM solutions at their organisation. Notably, 85 per cent of respondents agreed that increasing security threat frequency and sophistication mean IAM is ever more important for their company. Security concerns IAM solutions improve secure access to privileged, private data in a time of insidious cybersecurity threats. Users must continuously validate their identity under hybrid working conditions to prevent sophisticated unauthorised access to both customer and employee accounts. Of course, the financial services sector also has to comply with stringent regulations. A security failure or slip-up could have large-scale devastating consequences. In an industry where trust is paramount, the reputational damage often cuts deeper than the immediate interruption to productivity and regulatory fines. Internal identity and access management are deemed extremely important' by 44 per cent of financial sector respondents, highlighting its critical importance to IT leaders. Authenticating partners and customer IAM are also viewed as extremely important' by around 15 per cent of all respondents. However, despite the recognised need for businesses to strengthen cybersecurity, and the awareness that IAM can support this, adoption is not yet widespread in the financial sector. Less than 30 per cent of respondents had fully implemented an advanced IAM platform, with less than 28 per cent in the process of rolling one out. Despite this, the sector looks set to mature rapidly over the next couple of years, with near universal interest in such technology. Innovative impact of IAM Identity and authentication are vital for sustaining integrity and trust within financial organisations. Enterprises that have already adopted IAM systems reported high confidence in its security, with most responses being spread between quite confident' and very confident'. Today, with the increasing emphasis on rigorous industry rules, partially fuelled by the recently developed Strong Customer Authentication regulations, IAM is an opportunity for innovation in professional markets. IAM is a proven approach to improving trust, reducing risk, and enhancing customer experience. To find out more about how IAM is driving innovation in the financial services sector, read the full report Find out more about innovation through IAM This article is sponsored by Okta
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