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Nov 23, 2020
Microsoft last week released Edge 87, debuting automatic IE-to-Edge redirection of specific sites and beefing up the new tab page with customizable feeds which display business-related content.
The Redmond, Wash. company also patched at least 19 security vulnerabilities, the most serious marked as "High," the second level in a four-step ranking system. (Google's Chrome 87, which like Edge was built on the open-source Chromium project, included fixes for 33 flaws when it was released Nov. 17.)
Although Edge will update automatically in the background, to force an upgrade, select "About Microsoft Edge" from the Help and Feedback menu under the ellipsis at the upper right; the resulting tab shows that the browser has been updated or displays the download process before presenting a "Restart" button. People new to Edge can manually download version 87 for Windows or macOS. The Linux version is available in Dev Channel form from the Insider website, while the Android and iOS browsers can be found in the Google Play and App Store markets, respectively.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 23, 2020
In the U.S., we're quickly coming up to the start of holiday season, meaning it's time for, well, time off. I typically add technology maintenance jobs to the monthly mix of patching and maintaining servers and workstations. This month, I'm also taking time to better understand the impact of one specific security bulletin — I honestly can't figure out exactly what I'm supposed to do to keep my network secure.
The good news: for most readers, none of these concerns apply to you. I'm ready to give the all-clear to go ahead and install Microsoft's November updates on laptops, desktops and workstations — especially if you are running the Windows 10 1909 feature release. That said, do your Thanksgiving Zoom get-together first and then install any updates. I'd hate to have you see nothing but the spinning wheel of Windows updates instead of your family and friends.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 23, 2020
Apple believes in your right to privacy. Here is some advice on how to use the privacy tools it provides on your Mac. We have a guide for iPhones and iPads here.
Use a strong passcode
To secure your Mac, all your data, and your privacy it is essential to create a strong alphanumeric login password.
The temptation to use something short or easy to remember is completely understandable, but if your Mac goes missing your life is on show, so visit Security & PrivacyGeneral and tap Change Password to pick something more challenging.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 23, 2020
A well-crafted resume will attract recruiters, HR pros and hiring managers, but getting it just right is a daunting task. To jump start the process, Insider Pro has assembled this collection of real resumes revamped by professional resume writers. (Watch this space for new templates.)
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Nov 23, 2020
Windows 10 has always offered multiple methods for attempting OS recovery. But with the release of Windows 10 version 2004 on May 27, 2020, one of those recovery methods disappeared from its previous home in Settings Update & Security Recovery.
In Windows 10 versions 2004 and 20H2, you will no longer see the "More recovery options" item with subsidiary text that reads "Learn how to start fresh with a clean installation of Windows" in version 1909. Here's a screen capture from 1909 that shows this information (boxed in red, at bottom of image):
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(Insider Story)
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Nov 20, 2020
Regional IT events
Africa
Australia
Middle East
Southeast Asia
Global security events
Computerworld has compiled a list of upcoming technology events for the IT industry taking place in the following weeks and months.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 20, 2020
With a new "5G Fleet Swap" scheme in association with Verizon Business, Apple is pushing the iPhone 12 hard for the U.S. enterprise market, as both partners rapidly build mind-share as enterprises worldwide explore the transformative potential of 5G networks.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 20, 2020
Google this week released Chrome 87, boosting performance with "the largest gain ... in years" and featuring a reworked user interface for the browser's built-in PDF viewer.
The Mountain View, Calif. company also paid out more than $42,000 in bounties to security researchers who reported some of the 33 vulnerabilities addressed in Chrome 87. Ten of the bugs were marked "High," Google's second-most-serious threat level. (Critical vulnerabilities are very unusual in Chrome.) A large number of the bounties — seven of the 10 tagged High — had not been yet given a dollar amount, so the actual payout will certainly be significantly higher than the acknowledged amount.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 20, 2020
When we shifted rapidly from working in offices to working from home early this year, we weren't at all ready. I've heard stories of employees who stripped their offices of everything but their phones because they lacked office furniture at home; workers who got thousands of dollars to buy home office equipment; and employees who got nothing other than a "good luck."
But tech companies have been watching, and in 2021 we will see several new trends affecting laptops and the arrival of some exciting product bundles. I want to talk about the three most interesting to me this week.
Branded office bundles
One problem with the rush to work and study from home is that support organizations have been hammered by problems resulting from that lack of consistency. To address this problem, vendors are putting together bundles that — at a minimum — include a router (where many support problems originate) to meet company standards regarding security, management, and reliability. Other than that, it isn't yet clear what the bundles might contain and whether they will be packaged together (more likely from an online vendor than in a store) or connected by brand, so employees can build their bundle from approved parts. (The latter would more likely be in-store.)
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 20, 2020
Being able to install Linux apps on Chrome OS opens up some fascinating new possibilities — particularly if you're an advanced user.
After all, while a Chromebook's standard combo of web apps, Chrome apps, and Android apps is more than sufficient for most folks' needs, some of us still require (or maybe just prefer) traditional local programs for certain specific purposes. The presence of Linux apps on Chrome OS means we can have our cake and eat it, too — by enjoying the speed, simplicity, and security of a Chromebook while also embracing the occasional heavy-duty desktop app.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 19, 2020
If you asked a normal user what they dislike most about Windows 10, the answer would likely be related to patching, rebooting and the generally confusing update process. Entire web sites have sections devoted to explaining the updating process and how to manage it — and I've written my fair share about the topic.
In addition to writing about Microsoft patches here (and about Windows security for CSO), I'm also a moderator on the Patchmanagement.org listserve. We have many people who rely on various patching tools to deploy updates and maintain workstations. There are a number of options, so it's important to understand how they work (and how they vary) so you can get the most out of them.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 19, 2020
With their new processor, Apple's M1 Macs deliver ground-breaking performance, but applications built to run on Intel chips may need to use the all new Rosetta translation technology in order to run. What is it and what does it do?
Supporting the journey to Apple Silicon
Apple's decision to migrate to Apple Silicon is history in action. The company now controls the future of all of its platforms and the fact is that its processors are already impressing everyone with their performance and stability.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 19, 2020
Work management platform Asana has added new and extended integrations for Atlassian Jira (Server Edition), Microsoft Teams and Slack and boosted admin capabilities on its platform in a bid to help enterprise customers more effectively deploy and manage its software at scale.
The updates, announced earlier this week, come after Asana research earlier this year found that, on average, employees switch between 10 apps 25 times per day, leading to missed communications, reduced efficiency and duplication of work.
"It's not good enough," said Alex Hood, the company's chief product officer.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 19, 2020
Sometimes, a few carefully chosen words can go a long way.
Now, mind you, I'm not talking about interpersonal relations here. (You're on your own there, pal.) I'm talking about the timeless art of talking to your technology — an act that may make you feel ridiculous, and rightfully so, but that can be a true time-saver and efficiency-enhancer in the right situation.
Android has long excelled at voice control, and these days, there's little you can't accomplish by whispering the right sweet nothings into your phone's pretty virtual ear. Google Assistant is overflowing with voice command possibilities, the ever-so-slowly-rolling-out new version of Assistant adds even more options into the mix, and other new additions are showing up constantly.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 19, 2020
As the world's knowledge workers continue to work from home due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, using a videoconferencing application is as common as checking your email or opening a spreadsheet. Since many decisions regarding technology tools for remote workers at the start of the pandemic were made based on urgency, ease of use, availability, and cost, many companies turned to free or inexpensive videoconferencing tools such as Zoom or Google Meet for their immediate needs, with some larger organizations ponying up for enterprise versions of those applications.
To read this article in full, please click here
(Insider Story)
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Nov 19, 2020
Data may be the new oil, but do you know how to drill for it? There are many stages in a data lifecycle, which is why you need a way to deal with the entire lifecycle - from drilling to production.
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Nov 18, 2020
Mozilla this week upgraded Firefox to version 83, adding an "HTTPS-Only Mode" that tries to connect to all websites through the more secure HTTPS protocol and, after failing to do so, warning users of with a can't-miss-it, in-your-face alert.
Company engineers also patched 21 vulnerabilities, four marked "High," Firefox's second-most-serious label. Firefox 83 did not include fixes for any bugs marked "Critical."
Firefox 83 can be downloaded for Windows, macOS and Linux from Mozilla's site. Because Firefox updates in the background, most users need only relaunch the browser to get the latest version. To manually update on Windows, pull up the menu under the three horizontal bars at the upper right, then click the help icon (the question mark within a circle). Choose "About Firefox." (On macOS, "About Firefox" can be found under the "Firefox" menu.) The resulting page shows that the browser is either up to date or displays the refresh process.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 18, 2020
A year after the introduction of Spaces, Dropbox has revamped its team collaboration workspace with a stronger project management focus and the creation of a separate, dedicated area for colleagues to work together on shared projects.
The launch of "Spaces 2.0" follows the initial rollout of the "smart workspace" interface last year, which itself came after an overhaul of Dropbox's file-sharing app in June 2019.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 18, 2020
Microsoft has begun forcibly upgrading Windows 10 PCs running version 1903 with that same year's 1909 faux upgrade as the former's retirement deadline waits just weeks away.
Windows 10 1903, the operating system refresh that Microsoft launched in late May 2019, will fall off the support list Dec. 8. On that date, Microsoft will issue the final set of security updates for 1903.
[ Related: Troubleshooting Windows 10 with Reliability Monitor ]
"To keep you protected and productive, we will soon begin updating devices running Windows 10, version 1903 to Windows 10, version 1909," Microsoft said on the Windows release health dashboard in a Nov. 9 message. "This update will install like a monthly update, resulting in a far faster update experience."
To read this article in full, please click here
(Insider Story)
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Nov 17, 2020
Microsoft Teams users can now access a range of third-party and custom applications during video meetings, removing the need to switch screens mid-conversation.
Among the 20 apps available with Teams Apps for Meetings are task management apps from Asana and Monday.com, polling tools Slido and Polly, and video interview software from HireVue and Talview. Microsoft's own Forms app is also accessible and the company is encouraging developers to build their own integrations for Teams video, according to a Microsoft blog post Monday.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 17, 2020
Apple's first M1-powered Mac mini is short on flaw and big on promise, it absolutely sells the company's migration to its own Apple Silicon processors on its own.
What is the Mac mini?
Apple announced three Macs powered by Apple Silicon: The MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro and the Mac mini.
All three use an M1 chip, running an optimized operating system (Big Sur) and equipped with features such as unified memory, which helps boost and improve graphics performance.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 17, 2020
Every time a new Android version arrives, a new game begins: Which of the lovingly described fresh platform features will fail to live up to its hype and then end up fading out of the foreground — either to be phased out completely or just brushed aside and consigned to oblivion?
It seems like a funny thing to say, but when you look back at Android's history, you realize how many once-transformative-sounding features ended up fizzling and being forgotten soon after their grand debuts. Some remain buried in the software while others quietly vanished after a period of inertia, but they all share the fact that they're nowhere near the center-stage-worthy elements they once appeared to be.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 17, 2020
The web is rife with rumors that for the first time in years, Windows 10 will get 'a major OS upgrade' in 2021. The upgrade, code-named Sun Valley, is expected to offer "new Start menu and Action Center experiences…, an updated Taskbar built with modern code, and an improved UI for the legacy File Explorer." In addition, expect more rounded-off windows, better dark mode support, and more consistent use of Microsoft's Fluent Design rules.
Be still my beating heart! Can you stand the excitement?
To call those features a "major OS upgrade" shows just how low expectations have sunk for anything new in Windows 10. Once upon a time, they would be considered minor tweaks. But these days, you find barely any new features in Microsoft's twice-a-year upgrades. So an updated Taskbar, tweaks to the Start menu and Action Center and subtle design changes sound like big breakthroughs to a tech press wanting something to sink their teeth into.
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Nov 16, 2020
Verizon and Apple have scheduled a special event Thursday to showcase how iPhones and 5G networks canwork together to boost enterprise IT.
Every business is a mobile business
The event will see Apple and Verizon pay particular attention to how the device with 5G can be used across manufacturing, field services and healthcare, a Verizon statement explains. The release takes particular note of use of the device in support of augmented reality and machine-learning applications.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 16, 2020
A Microsoft executive is urging enterprises to abandon the most popular multi-factor authentication (MFA) method — one-time passcodes sent to mobile devices via text or voice — for different approaches, including app authenticators, that he claims are more secure.
"It's time to start your move away from the SMS and voice Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) mechanisms," asserted Alex Weinert, director of identity security, in a Nov. 10 post to a Microsoft blog. "These mechanisms are based on publicly switched telephone networks (PSTN), and I believe they're the least secure of the MFA methods available today."
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 16, 2020
Last week, Apple unveiled new versions of the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini running on Apple silicon, the name Apple has given its in-house designed processors and other chips. The new Macs are powered by the M1 system-on-a-chip, an ARM-based processor that combines components typically found in discrete chips in most PCs and previous Intel-based Macs.
The new M1 chip offers incredible performance and battery life as well as instant wake from sleep. It also brings the ability to run iOS and iPadOS apps on the desktop for the first time. These Macs are the outcome of years of work behind the scenes at Apple and the most significant change Apple has made to any of its platforms in many years.
To read this article in full, please click here
(Insider Story)
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Nov 13, 2020
After another busy WFH week, once you finally manage to install Big Sur despite Apple's launch-day problems with downloads, here are nine things to try first.
Check your passwords immediately
Safari already stores your passwords and lets you know if you've re-used any of them on multiple sites and services. In Big Sur, it adds a new feature called data breach monitoring.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 13, 2020
If you're an engineer, data architect, or machine learning scientist, we'd wager that you had to learn Python at some point. And that makes sense. Python, after all, is great for most computational tasks that those jobs require. But, in some cases, another language is an option too. And, if you aren't at least familiar with it, then you could be doing yourself a disservice. We're talking about MATLAB.
MATLAB is a proprietary scripting language, developed in the 1980s, that was designed exclusively for numerical and technical computing. That should make it essential to learn for engineers and anyone else that works in the data sciences. And, good news, it's relatively easy to learn. All you need is The Complete MATLAB Programming Certification Bundle, which is available today for just $34.99.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 13, 2020
It's hard to believe that we've been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic for over half a year now. During these past several months, we saw businesses and consumers change their behavior drastically based on public safety precautions and personal confidence, but the behavioral data might surprise you.
CallRail found that businesses experienced a 26% drop in call volume on average at the start of the pandemic up until mid-April. This was largely due to the shutdown of in-person businesses, with essential businesses scrambling to optimize their services and non-essential businesses migrating online.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 13, 2020
Though we return to monthly browser updates after last month's brief respite — none of this November's browser security issues are worm-able, and we have not seen anything that would require a return to an urgent browser update cycle. The Windows platform gets the most attention this time, but no single issue requires immediate deployment — though some legacy systems may require full testing for graphically intensive applications that rely on older graphic/media conversion technology. And the Microsoft Office and associated development platforms receive some lower-rated patches, with recommendations for a standard roll-out regime.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 13, 2020
Disclosure: IBM is a client of the author.
This week in the U.S., we recognize military veterans, people who risk their lives for us but are often forgotten once they leave the service. Veterans are a unique resource that often represent deeper loyalty, greater goal orientation, stronger teams, and fewer political problems than other groups of workers.
IBM generally sets the bar when it comes to advancing the careers of women, minorities, and veterans, so I'd like to focus this week on it as an example of best practices other companies could adopt.
IBM's focus on veterans
IBM's efforts to care of veterans goes back decades, to Thomas Watson Jr. (who is like Bill Gates at Microsoft in terms of his impact on the company). Watson, prior to becoming CEO, was an Army pilot in World War II and recognized the value of veterans at IBM. He also showcased an early understanding that military officers can make great executives and proved the point with his own storied tenure. With that background, I talked with Jason Kelley, the general manager of IBM's strategic blockchain effort who is ex-Army and co-chair of the Veteran Executive Council.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 13, 2020
Congratulations! You got a new computer. If it's your work computer, your IT department probably installed all the business applications you need on it. But it doesn't have any of your files on it; those are still on your old computer. So you've rolled up your sleeves and are preparing to spend a lot of time and effort moving your files from your old computer to your new one.
Stop! There's a better way, at least most of the time, and it works whether your old and new computers are Windows PCs, Macs, or a combination of both.
[ Related: Top file-sharing options: Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, OneDrive and more ]
Traditional file-transfer methods are complicated
Those old, tried-and-true methods to transfer files from one computer to another are:
To read this article in full, please click here
(Insider Story)
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Nov 13, 2020
Old Mac, new Mac. It's great to get a new computer, but it's not so great to realize that all your stuff is on the old one.
There are several ways to transfer your old computer's files, apps, and settings to your new Mac. The best and easiest way is to use a cloud storage service as the waystation. Cloud storage works whether you are moving from one Mac to another or from a Windows PC to a Mac. Our article "The best way to transfer files to a new Windows PC or Mac" explains the ins and outs of migrating to a new computer via the cloud.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 13, 2020
Old PC, new PC. It's great to get a new computer, but it's not so great to realize that all your stuff is on the old one.
There are several ways to transfer your old computer's files, apps, and settings to your new PC. The best and easiest way is to use a cloud storage service as the waystation. Cloud storage works whether you are moving from a Windows 7 PC to a Windows 10 one, or from one Windows 10 PC to another. It even works if you are moving from a Macintosh to a Windows PC. Our article "The best way to transfer files to a new Windows PC or Mac" explains the ins and outs of migrating to a new computer via the cloud.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 12, 2020
Microsoft on Wednesday issued a preview of Office for the Mac that will run natively on Apple's upcoming ARM-based laptops.
The Redmond, Wash. company also modified its Intel-based macOS Office applications so that they run on Apple's newest, Big Sur, and have been optimized for translation by Rosetta 2 — the built-in technology that makes it possible to run older software on the ARM silicon inside the new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac Mini.
In effect, Microsoft now has two lines of Office for the Mac.
[ Related: Microsoft joins other major developers on road to Apple Silicon ]
The latest, a Universal App iteration of Office, was released to the Beta channel of Office Insider, Microsoft's preview program, on Nov. 11, according to Erik Schwiebert, a principal software engineer for Apple products at Microsoft. A Universal App is one with binaries that run on Intel-based and Apple Silicon Mac hardware.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 12, 2020
Office 365 and Microsoft 365 subscribers always have the latest version of Microsoft Office — currently Office 2019. They also get more frequent software updates than those who have purchased Office 2019 without a subscription, which means subscribers have access to the latest features, security patches and bug fixes. But it can be hard to keep track of the changes in each update and know when they're available. We're doing this for you, so you don't have to.
Following are summaries of the updates to Office 365/Microsoft 365 for Windows, with the latest releases shown first. We'll add info about new updates as they're rolled out.
Note: This story covers updates released to regular Office 365/Microsoft 365 for Windows subscribers. If you're a member of Microsoft's Office Insider preview program or want to get a sneak peek at upcoming features, see the company's "Release notes for Office for Windows Desktop (Beta builds)" page.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 12, 2020
It's tough to talk about chips without venturing deep into spec-infested geeky waters. Unless, that is, we're talking about the Cool Ranch variety of chip — in which case, I'll take two bags, please.
Salty snacks aside, though, chips are a sometimes-important, if highly technical, part of the smartphone picture. They're the hearts of our coddled and beloved mobile devices and the pieces of technology that let these modern wonders do all the incredible things they're able to do.
And while most normal folk certainly don't need to have words like "Snapdragon," "gigahertz," or "gelatinous gherkin" in their vocabularies (for obvious reasons on that last one, despite its lack of relevance to our current conversation), the notion of Google building its own custom chips to power its Pixel and possibly even Pixelbook products is something that could have a significant, practical impact on all of us — and something well worth understanding.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 12, 2020
Apple has introduced new Macs based on the M1 Apple Silicon SoC. Most major developers are now climbing aboard, including Microsoft which has published a beta of Office 2019 optimized for Big Sur that also runs on the new chips.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 12, 2020
November's updates held a few surprises.
First, for those still running Office 2010 last month was supposed to be the drop-dead date for support. No more security updates at all. None. Zilch. Zippo.
And yet, we week received updates for Excel (KB4486743), Office (KB4486737, KB4486738, KB4484534, KB4484455), and for Word (KB4486740) — all of which patch for remote code executions. (I remember when Office 2007 had its swan song, we received updates after its end-of-life notice as well.) My guess is that these updates were probably still in testing and had not yet been completed, hence the late release. So, if you are still running Office 2010, you get one more month's worth of updates. I don't expect another set next month. But then again, I didn't expect this month's either.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 12, 2020
"You have zero privacy anyway. Get over it," Scott McNealy said of online privacy back in 1999, a view the former CEO of the now-defunct Sun Microsystems reiterated in 2015. Despite the hue and cry his initial remarks caused, he's been proven largely correct.
Cookies, beacons, digital signatures, trackers, and other technologies on websites and in apps let advertisers, businesses, governments, and even criminals build a profile about what you do, who you know, and who you are at very intimate levels of detail. Remember that 2012 story about how Target could tell a teenager was pregnant before her parents knew, based on her online activities? That is the norm today. Google and Facebook are the most notorious commercial internet spies, and among the most pervasive, but they are hardly alone.
To read this article in full, please click here
(Insider Story)
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Nov 11, 2020
Apple's decision to optimize all its apps for the new M1-powered Macs should encourage other developers, including enterprise developers, to prioritize similar optimization for their own apps as doing so unlocks significant performance gains for users.
On the catwalk
In this, Apple's own apps are being used as catwalk models to show just how significant the performance gains that can be unlocked can be. The deal is that by taking this step developers can deliver significant improvements to their apps that are likely to utterly delight customers - after all, every single application user likes it when the software they use every day goes faster, right?
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 11, 2020
Apple's decision to optimize all its apps for the new M1-powered Macs should encourage other developers, including enterprise developers, to prioritize similar optimization for their own apps, as doing so unlocks significant performance gains for users.
On the catwalk
In this, Apple's own apps are being used as catwalk models to show just how significant those performance gains can be. By taking this step, developers can deliver significant improvements to their apps that are likely to utterly delight customers - after all, every user likes it when the software they use goes faster, right?
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 10, 2020
Apple Tuesday plans to release its next desktop operating system, macOS 11, on Nov. 12.
Better known as "Big Sur," macOS 11 is the first from Apple to support its in-house-designed, ARM-based silicon for the Mac, the system-on-a-chip (SoC) dubbed "M1." Apple unveiled the M1 and three new computers — two laptops and a Mac mini — that run Applie silicon today.
The OS also runs on the Intel-based Macs that Apple has sold — and will continue to sell during the expected two-year transition to the M line.
As Apple did when it migrated from the PowerPC architecture to Intel processors, the company will provide a way to run made-for-Intel software on the new M1-powered Macs. Labeled "Rosetta 2," the technology translates Intel-based code — even before it's run for the first time — into code that runs on the M1 SoC.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 10, 2020
Some of us have been waiting for years for the event Apple wrapped up in under 50 minutes (and likely spent years preparing for). Macs are moving to ARM-based Apple Silicon, and the way the company sees it, the transition should be better for everyone.
What's the M1 chip?
Apple was pretty aggressive when it introduced its new Apple Silicon Macs, which (as expected) deliver screaming performance, thanks in part to the 5-nanometer (nm) chips Apple has developed on ARM, and thanks also to the work of the company's silicon design teams.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 10, 2020
Some of us have been waiting for years for the event Apple wrapped up in under 50 minutes and likely spent years preparing for: Macs are moving to ARM-based Apple Silicon and the way the company sees it the transition should be better for everyone.
What's the M1 chip?
Apple was pretty aggressive when it introduced us to its new Apple Silicon Macs, which (as expected) deliver screaming performance, thanks in part to the 5nm chips Apple has developed on ARM, and thanks also to the work of the company's silicon design teams.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 10, 2020
Doubling down on its IT Service Management (ITSM) push, workplace management company Atlassian has launched Jira Service Management — software the company says can bring "IT operations and development teams together to collaborate at high velocity and power digital enterprises."
According to Atlassian CRO Cameron Deatsch, one of the biggest challenges facing tech teams is how to balance growth with distributed teams using entrenched, legacy technologies that don't allow people to work together cohesively. With some teams running agile, rapid delivery and others tasked with meticulous risk mitigation and line-by-line code checking, Deatsch said Atlassian wants to address the culture and systems that separate disparate teams.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 10, 2020
You might not know it from all the panic-inducing headlines out there, but Android is actually packed with powerful and practical security features. Some are activated by default and protecting you whether you realize it or not, while others are more out of the way but equally deserving of your attention.
So stop wasting your time worrying about the Android malware monster du jour and which security company is using it to scare you into an unnecessary subscription, and take a moment instead to look through these far more impactful Android security settings — ranging from core system-level elements to some more advanced and easily overlooked options.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 10, 2020
For a large construction firm such as Suffolk Construction, managing communications between 2,500 office-based and on-site workers is a challenge, even at the best of times. But keeping everyone connected in the midst of this year's COVID-19 pandemic required the company's IT team to scramble more than usual.
To keep the business running — and workers safe — Suffolk leaned on its Microsoft Teams deployment. According to Doug Myers, executive vice president and CIO at the Boston-based company, the collaboration platform helped Suffolk's staff navigate the disruptive effects of the pandemic.
"In the middle of the early days of the pandemic, when situational awareness is a real challenge, we were able to get a Teams channel stood up very quickly where we could get information out to workers," said Myers. "We recognized early on that we had to change our standard procedures if we were going to keep our workers safe, keep them working and make sure that we could continue to do what we do safely."
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 10, 2020
IT jobs lost at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic and its lockdowns continue to recover slowly, with an additional 12,700 US jobs added in October — bringing the total recovered jobs since August to 27,800. Those autumn gains bring the loss of US IT jobs to 75,100 for the year, down from a high of 102,900 job losses as of August, according to the most recent survey of IT executives by management consultancy Janco Associates.
The IT job market continues to struggle with the closure of many small- and medium-sized businesses and of many retail operations, in addition to broad cutbacks in all industries meant to preserve cash, said Janco CEO M. Victor Janulaitis.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 09, 2020
While the names are similar — Chrome and Chromium — the labels represent two different web browsers. But they are related.
One leads to the other. One is open-source, the other is not — not really. One dominates the world's browser landscape, like a single huskie dominates a team of Chihuahuas on the Iditarod. The other is used by less than 0.03 percent of all those who ran a browser last month.
Computerworld has put Chrome and Chromium — and Microsoft's new Edge, too — under the magnifying glass to better understand what Chromium does and how it figures into the development of its offspring. Here's what you need to know to better understand them both.
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Nov 09, 2020
The all-new iPad Air is a beast. It has the power you need to get all but the highest-end tasks done. It's Apple's most adaptable system, capable of doing almost everything you need, and is the iPad to get this season.
What's inside?
The new iPad Air uses an A14X processor (Apple Silicon). It provides a 10.9-inch display and has a Touch ID sensor underneath the top and one of the side buttons. It carries a 12-megapixel rear camera. In contrast, the last generation iPad Air offered a 10.5-inch display, used an A12 Bionic chip, carried an 8-megapixel rear camera and had a familiar Touch ID Home button system.
The design marries more to the squarer design of earlier iPhones, but the tablet is light and durable with its 100% recycled aluminium frame. It has slim bezels, flat edges and is easy to hold, particularly as the tablet weighs just under a pound. That slight weight makes a real difference if you hold it for extensive periods.
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Nov 09, 2020
First a bit of an introduction. Recently, Woody Leonhard decided to take a much deserved "retirement" from both AskWoody.com and Computerworld. I put "retirement" in quotes because I find that in IT, you never really retire. You're often called on to fix anything that has a motherboard or boots up, no matter what operating system is under the hood — especially when visiting family members and even in a pandemic. Woody is back in Thailand on what he calls an extended vacation.
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Nov 09, 2020
A combination of medical concerns, family obligations … and a screaming desire to turn my attention to interests outside the computer industry have nudged me into retirement.
And it's my great pleasure to announce that "Patch Lady" Susan Bradley will be taking up the cause here at Computerworld with a new blog: Microsoft Patch Lady. She will also be major-domo of AskWoody.com, managing editor of the AskWoody Newsletters, as guiding light of the @AskWoody twitter charge — and, most importantly, as a spiritual advisor to gazillions of disenfranchised Microsoft customers.
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Nov 09, 2020
Ready or not, here comes Windows as a Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) for all users in the forthcoming Microsoft Cloud PC offering.
I've been predicting that many of us would soon be using Desktop-as-a-Service for a long time now. I can give you an approximate date now. By May 2021, most of you will be able to run Windows from Microsoft's Azure cloud using Cloud PC.
Of course, you've long been able to run Windows remotely. Citrix Systems, after all, starting back in 1989 made a multi-billion dollar business from offering just such services. Microsoft has been moving towards a subscription, Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) model for more four years. Recently, Microsoft released Microsoft 365 and Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD).
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Nov 06, 2020
Disclosure: Cisco is a client of the author.
If you're in the U.S., you've likely been thinking — as you await slow-to-arrive election results —that there must be a better way. We bank online, handle medical needs online, communicate online, run our businesses online, and now many of us in the US are sweating out the election online.
But we don't vote online. That resistance to online voting is because there was a significant attempt to vote online nearly two decades ago, and it failed badly. The technology wasn't ready.
Though it has improved, decision-makers still don't trust technology. That's where a significant effort by Cisco to bring technology into the government comes in. It's called WebEx Legislate, and it showcases how the collaboration world is adjusting to the new pandemic normal.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 05, 2020
If there's one subject we can all relate to right now, it's stress — and, by association, sanity. I'm not necessarily talking about the anxiety related to this week's political twists and turns, either, but more about the ever-present struggle of work-life balance and the way these devices in our dungarees make it consistently difficult to disconnect.
It's certainly something I've spent plenty of time thinking about and aiming to improve over the years. And one area where I've managed to make some meaningful strides lately is in the realm of Android notifications.
Notifications are one of a smartphone's greatest powers — but also one of its greatest potential downfalls, at least when it comes to our current subject of sanity. When you're focused on work, after all, having an important alert bing, buzz, or bop up on your screen takes you away from whatever else you're doing, demands your attention, and makes sure you know what's happening. But when it's the weekend or the evening — well, that same exact sequence occurs: The alert takes you away from whatever else you're doing, demands your attention, and makes sure you know what's happening.
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Nov 05, 2020
There's no shortage of options when it comes to website builders. But there's a reason the website-building platform, Wix, boasts over 180 million users in 190 countries. Wix's platform features over 500 templates and hundreds of powerful design tools and business tools, which is why CNET named the company "Best website builder overall." If you're looking for an intuitive platform with no shortage of customization, it's practically impossible to beat Wix.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 05, 2020
As Apple's major Mac event looms, more information concerning Microsoft's cunning plan to let Apple devices run Windows leaks…, and it looks as if it's all in the cloud.
Microsoft Cloud PC
As has been previously reported, Microsoft is developing a virtualized windows experience called Cloud PC. This turns whatever system you are using into a thin client that can access remote Windows desktops and software, including Microsoft Office.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 05, 2020
As Apple's major Mac event looms, more information concerning Microsoft's cunning plan that lets Apple devices run Windows leaks… and it looks as if it's all in the cloud.
Microsoft Cloud PC
As has been previously reported, Microsoft is developing a virtualized windows experience called Cloud PC. This turns whatever system you are using into a thin client that can access remote Windows desktops and software, including Microsoft Office.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 04, 2020
Society's reliance on digital technologies is only going to increase over time. Of course, those who work in IT already know this to be true. That's why we've dropped the price of The CompTIA Linux Network Professional Bundle, which had already been reduced significantly, to by a further $10 to just $19.99.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 04, 2020
Apple is expected to introduce its first Macs running on Apple Silicon on November 10, while Microsoft appears ready to make good its promise to support these new Apple-powered Apple Macs and macOS Big Sur.
ARM support for Office
Microsoft has already confirmed it will support Apple's new Mac processors in Office. Word, PowerPoint and Excel were all shown running on these new processors at Apple's WWDC event, where Apple Silicon was introduced.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 04, 2020
Windows 10 breached the 70% share barrier last month when calculated as a portion of Windows-only desktops and laptops, putting the operating system on track to account for three out of every four Windows PCs by the end of January.
According to U.S. analytics vendor Net Applications, Windows 10's share jumped by 2.8 percentage points, the most since January, and ended October on 64% of all systems. When figured as a fraction of Windows-only machines, Windows 10 accounted for 72.2%, a record for the five-year-old OS. This second number is the more important of the pair, as it provides the most accurate representation of Windows 10's position within the business universe, where runs-on-Microsoft remains central.
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Nov 04, 2020
Windows 10 breached the 70% share barrier last month when calculated as a portion of Windows-only desktops and laptops, putting the operating system on track to account for three out of every four Windows PCs by the end of January.
According to U.S. analytics vendor Net Applications, Windows 10's share jumped by 2.8 percentage points, the most since January, and ended October on 64% of all systems. When figured as a fraction of Windows-only machines, Windows 10 accounted for 72.2%, a record for the five-year-old OS. This second number is the more important of the pair, as it provides the most accurate representation of Windows 10's position within the business universe, where runs-on-Microsoft remains central.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 03, 2020
In mid-October, Microsoft announced the availability of Windows 10 version 20H2, known as the October 2020 Update. But the launch of a major Windows 10 update isn't the end of a process — it's really just the beginning. As soon as one of Microsoft's twice-yearly feature updates is released, the company quickly gets to work on improving it by fixing bugs, releasing security patches, and occasionally adding new features.
Here we've summarized what you need to know about every Windows 10 update being released to the public. First come updates to version 20H2, with the most recent updates on top. Next come updates to version 20H1, known as the May 2020 Update; then updates to version 1909, the November 2019 Update; and so on. For each build, we've included the date of its initial release and a link to Microsoft's announcement about it.
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Nov 03, 2020
Microsoft never sleeps. In addition to its steady releases of major and minor updates to the current version of Windows 10, the company frequently rolls out public preview builds to members of its Windows Insider Program, allowing them to test out — and even help shape — upcoming features.
Microsoft numbers Windows 10 releases using a YYH1/YYH2 format, with the YY standing for the last two numbers of the year and H1 or H2 referring to the first or second half of the year. So the most recent version of Windows is officially referred to as Windows 10 version 20H2, or the October 2020 Update. The next feature update, due in the spring of 2021, will be version 21H1.
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Nov 03, 2020
Mac using enterprises must now double check preparedness for the installation of the next iteration of macOS, Big Sur, release of which must now be imminent as Apple prepares for what is expeted to be a Mac-focused special event November 10.
Test and check
For larger Mac deployments, the release of the new (and free) operating system is likely to be a little more challenging than is customary, given so many are now working from home using Macs deployed early on in the crisis.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Nov 03, 2020
The next generation of mobile broadband will neither solve all our problems nor cause new ones.
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Nov 03, 2020
Smart security, just like autumn attire, is all about layers. The more effective pieces you have working to protect you, the less likely you'll be to let a burst of cold air — whether a metaphorical one or a literal one — catch you off-guard. (Also, the more flannel, the better. I'm not entirely sure how that applies to the tech side of things, but I'm stickin' with it.)
When it comes to browsing this wild ol' web of ours, after all, potential threats are a-plenty. Shady sites sit in wait to try to trick you into doing something dangerous, passwords are compromised constantly, and ghoulish virtual boogeymen who look curiously like Gary Busey crouch behind dark corners and prepare to pounce.
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Nov 02, 2020
Microsoft's Edge last month posted its first ever double-digit browser share, while Google's Chrome slid for the third month straight.
Mozilla's Firefox once again held steady, keeping its head above water.
According to data published Sunday by California-based metrics company Net Applications, Edge's October share climbed by 1.4 percentage points, ending the month at 10.2%, the first time Microsoft's browser broke through that psychologically important barrier. The gain was the largest ever for Edge in a single month, almost double that of the previous record set in December 2019.
The increase was so large that it immediately raised suspicions that it was a miscount by Net Applications rather than a reflection of reality. Bolstering that was an even greater boost to the share of Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE), the obsolete browser the Redmond, Wash. company has started to strip of some of its support. IE's share for October — 5.6% — was 1.7 points higher than the month prior, a jump so out of character as to be unbelievable.
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Nov 02, 2020
Apple has announced its third special event in three months, with the company expected to announce new Mac — including the first models equipped with Apple Silicon processors.
‘One more thing'
The invitation features a large, dark Apple logo lit in dark, ambient colors. The title of the invite is that Apple-famed expression, "One more thing," which likely references this to being the last big announcement of 2020.
The event is scheduled to take place earlier than had been anticipated on Nov. 10. (Speculation had centered around Nov. 17 as the likely date.) Once again, this event will be streamed from Apple Park, where the company will make its announcements.
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Nov 02, 2020
The "black screen" phenomenon in Windows 10 shows poignantly how nothing sometimes matters quite a lot. Seeing nothing except black screen where the desktop and its applications normally appear is disconcerting for users, because they literally can't see what the PC is — or isn't — doing.
When experienced Windows users encounter a black screen, they know at least two things immediately. First, they know that something is wrong with their PC. And second, because nothing (or nothing much) is visible, they can surmise that the graphics subsystem is likely involved, based on the absence of information on display.
That's a good start, but what users really want is to get their desktops back. In this story I'll guide you through the different types of black screen in Windows 10 and the surest methods I've found to fix them.
To read this article in full, please click here
(Insider Story)
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Nov 02, 2020
After an initial partnership announced in April, Otter.ai has again collaborated with Zoom to offer users live video captioning for conference calls and webinars. As with the earlier live meeting notes integration, this feature will only be available to Otter for Business and Zoom Pro subscribers.
As many workers continue to conduct business via video calls, live video captioning can make meetings more accessible for those with hearing impairments. (In September, UK public sector agencies were required to provide captioning for all video content moving forward.)
In addition to enabling organizations to comply with accessibility guidelines, the latest integration also aims to support international organizations using English as their official business language.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 30, 2020
Apple management took a few moments during the company's record-setting Q4 earnings call to mention iOS device deployment at Vestas. I thought you may want to learn more about how Apple's solutions are being used at one of the world's leading wind turbine manufacturers.
The future for power production
Based in Aarhus, Denmark, Vestas employs over 25,000 staff worldwide building turbines that generate over 117GW of power across 76 countries. It has installed wind turbines in a variety of terrains, from Mongolia's Gobi desert to the arctic winters of Lapland.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 30, 2020
It was yet another patch roller coaster ride this month with the usual crop of one-off bugs, a Malwarebytes-associated assault on networking, a promised Flash killer that doesn't — and that announced Dynamics 365 Commerce patch, CVE-2020-16943, still isn't out.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 30, 2020
It was yet another patch roller coaster ride this month with the usual crop of one-off bugs, a Malwarebytes-associated assault on networking, a promised Flash killer that doesn't — and that announced Dynamics 365 Commerce patch, CVE-2020-16943, still isn't out.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 30, 2020
Editor's note: Microsoft is a client of the author.
Every vendor that has ever briefed me on a productivity product has argued that it will significantly improve employee productivity. Few vendors have proven that outcome, however, so the claim has become something of a bad joke over the decades. That's not to say that there are never any productivity benefits, but when you make an employee more productive, it is almost impossible to measure by how much — and whether the product made a difference. When you free up time, it's not as if employees suddenly don't have things to do; they just move on to other tasks. And if they are salaried, you may not even see a difference in output because they may be working longer hours to get their tasks done.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 30, 2020
IT admins can now force a feature upgrade onto a Windows 10 machine even in the face of a Microsoft attempt to block the system from receiving the refresh.
"Microsoft uses quality and compatibility data to identify issues that might cause a Windows 10 feature update to fail or roll back," Microsoft confirmed in an Oct. 23 post to a company blog. "When we find such an issue, we might apply holds to the updating service to prevent affected devices from installing the update in order to safeguard them from these experiences."
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Oct 29, 2020
Need to get up to speed on the latest features in Excel? Wrestling with an old version of Word? Looking to get more out of Windows 10? Computerworld's cheat sheets are easy-to-use guides to help you navigate Microsoft's core productivity apps.
Here's a one-stop resource where you can find in-depth stories on several generations of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook for Windows, focusing on what's new in each major release. We've also got guides for Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, OneNote, Planner, and Windows itself.
Microsoft's subscription-based office suite, called Office 365 or Microsoft 365 depending on your version, is continually updated with new features, and its latest non-subscription office suite is Office 2019. We're working on publishing new cheat sheets to cover those products, but we're willing to bet that many companies and individuals will stay on older versions of the standalone software for some time to come. We've got you covered here.
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Oct 29, 2020
I spent a little time watching some of the developer-focused presentations given at the recent Swift Heroes event, but thought an insightful explanation of the benefits of modular iOS app development from JustEat principal developer, Alberto De Bortoli may be worth flagging up.
Fast growth? New problems...
Since inception, JustEat has grown fast, and this eventually led it to adopt a modular approach to development quite early on, De Bortoli explains.
The move followed a couple of years during which the company operating two distinct teams to handle development of its apps: One team was dedicated to the UK, where the company began, while the other handled apps for international markets.
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Oct 29, 2020
Hi. I'm writing this in the Microsoft Word app for Windows...on a Chromebook. I've got Microsoft Edge open, too, all within the standard Chrome OS interface — complete with my usual set of web apps, Android apps, and even Linux apps in the mix.
Worlds are colliding, in other words. And if my first official taste of this wild new reality tells me anything, it's that the traditional boundaries we tend to think about with platforms and operating systems no longer apply. At least, not when you're using a Chromebook.
Let me back up a sec and set the stage for my surreal little experiment here: Back in June, Google announced it was working with a company called Parallels to bring Windows app support into the Chrome OS environment. The magic works via a virtual machine that's installed on the Chromebook and then made to run locally on the device, which means you can use virtually any Windows program as if it were a local app — whether you're online with an active internet connection or not.
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Oct 29, 2020
In the midst of a pandemic that's led to unprecedented levels of remote working, digital tools to monitor employees in real time are gaining popularity among companies looking for new ways to track employee productivity. At the same time, the trend raises concerns about employee privacy and how far companies should be allowed to go to keep tabs on their workers.
Applications such as StaffCop, Teramind, Hubstaff, CleverControl, and Time Doctor include real-time activity tracking, can take screenshots of workers' computers at regular intervals, do keystroke logging, and record screens. In some cases, the tracking tools can be installed without the knowledge of employees. Companies say they're focused on transparency and productivity, but privacy groups decry draconian "Big Brother" moves made possible by technology. (Computerworld reached out to several of the vendors for comment; they either did not return messages or could not provide someone to discuss their software.)
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Oct 28, 2020
Whether you're scouting out a new job or looking to fill a key IT role, access to salary data is an important tool. Help us help you by taking our 10-minute IT Salary Survey.
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Oct 28, 2020
Digital marketing is a tough way to earn a living. Let's face it, when you build a business online, you're not just competing with one or two shops across town. Instead, you're up against dozens of competitors from around the globe. To earn market share, customers must be able to find your website more easily than those of your rivals. But, good news, that's not an impossible feat to accomplish, especially when you have expert knowledge in search engine optimization.
The Ultimate Google Ads and SEO Certification Bundle is exactly what you need to make sure your website ranks as high as it can with Google and other search engines, thereby increasing web traffic. It's a highly rated course package, valued at $1,794, that takes this technical skill and lays it out in plain language so that virtually anyone can understand it. And, since it's offered with lifetime access, there are no deadlines which makes it perfect for people with busy schedules.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 28, 2020
We've experienced what could be the fastest and vastest global transformation in working practices in human history as enterprises changed their businesses this year to support remote working in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It hasn't been without pain, and the impact of that change continues to be felt.
What's happened in IT?
With these shifts affecting thousands of companies, I've been trying to build a picture of how they've impacted other areas, such as tech support. I spoke with Interlaced.io CEO Justin Wells.
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Oct 28, 2020
Have you ever worked with several other members of your organization on a single project? You probably have, in which case you know that as soon as more than two or three people get together and start planning things, staying organized is difficult. Tracking who is responsible for what, what deadlines exist, what the objectives of the project are, and all of the attendant supporting documentation and materials can be very difficult — or perhaps just time-consuming. Either way, it's not a pleasant task.
Teams working on projects together need a central place not only to store documents and files but also to provide a "single version of the truth" when it comes to distributing work through tasks and tracking progress. Microsoft Planner, a relatively new tool available exclusively to Office 365/Microsoft 365 subscribers under most business and education plans, is meant to solve this problem by helping teams plan projects, assign tasks, share information, and collaborate.
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(Insider Story)
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Oct 27, 2020
Microsoft will amp up its damnation of Internet Explorer (IE) and solidify that very aged browser's second-rate status by soon forcibly redirecting more than a thousand websites to the much newer Edge.
According to an Oct. 19 support document, as of the release of Edge 87 — expected Nov. 17-19 — IE will refuse to render hundreds of sites, automatically closing the tab in IE and then displaying a message asserting that they don't work in the obsolete browser.
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Oct 27, 2020
Gather 'round, gang, 'cause Granpappy Writerman's got a saucy little story to share.
The other day, y'see, I was sitting and staring at my computer screen — as one does — when a page came along that made my mouth go agape. Agape, I tell you. Agape! And it wasn't just because it was dangerously close to lunch time and I detected the scent of hoagie in the air (though if we're being completely honest, that might've had something to do with it).
No, siree — the main reason was that I had stumbled onto an official Google announcement of a fancy new phone widget for its Photos service...on iOS.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 27, 2020
Apple will be using a superpowered version of the A14 chips used inside iPhones and iPads that are already eviscerating all competing performance data inside future Apple Silicon Macs, a report claims.
Apple's A14 chip has a superpower version
While we wait for macOS Big Sur, take a moment to consider Apple's plans to field a more powerful A-series chips inside future Macs, due to be introduced next month.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 27, 2020
Microsoft Teams is a collaborative workspace within Microsoft 365, that acts as a central hub for workplace conversations, collaborative teamwork, video chats and document sharing, all designed to aid worker productivity in a unified suite of tools.
Launched in 2017 as a rival to collaboration pioneer Slack, Microsoft saw use of Teams rocket to 75 million daily active users as the COVID-19 pandemic worsened, according to stats released by Microsoft in April. The company called Teams the fastest growing business app in its history.
Since launch — and spurred on by the push for work-from-home connectivity — Teams has moved further into the spotlight as a key part of Microsoft's workplace productivity and collaboration strategy.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 26, 2020
America's digital transformation to become a remote first economy continues to accelerate and this is driving rapid adoption of Apple technologies, MDM vendor Addigy has confirmed.
‘Record breaking demand'
Demand for mobile device management solution in the Apple space is surging, the company said, as the pandemic drives forward the transition even as an increasing number of enterprises move to adopt Macs, iPhones and iPads in their business.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 26, 2020
The inbox sure ain't what it used to be.
It's hard to even remember now, but way back in the prehistoric internet era of the early 2000s, an inbox was quite literally just an inbox — a place where your incoming email landed and waited for you to answer (or, perhaps more likely, ignore) it.
Now, following Google's recent repositioning of Gmail as a collaboration-friendly productivity hub, email is only one small part of what the inbox represents. The new Gmail setup is a mashup of email, one-on-one messaging, channel-driven team chat, individual and group video meetings, and even multiperson document work. It's a "new home for work," as Google puts it, and there's really no single point of focus — as the website's newly expanded left-of-screen sidebar makes immediately apparent.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 23, 2020
Reviewing all of the material Apple released about its iPhone 12 Pro line, it's clear that Apple has some of the best marketing talent anywhere. But when it comes to whether enterprise IT should consider buying these phones — for those operations where BYOD hasn't already alleviated the need to buy phones — it doesn't make sense.
Apple's great at making something irrelevant sound fantastic and a must-have feature. The biggest bogus claim for this year's rollout involves greater network speeds in the form of 5G support. Others have done a wonderful job of debunking that claim. The upshot of the 5G problem is that the 5G infrastructure simply doesn't exist yet in any meaningful way. That means the carriers can't deliver better speeds for almost all interaction points.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 23, 2020
The way Apple runs its business is widely seen as the lodestar for good business management, and the people in charge of the company's internal leadership college know more about it than most.
8 keys to Apple's business leadership
Writing in the Harvard Business Review, Apple University Dean and Vice President Joel Podolny and faculty member Morten Hansen provide some glimpses into how Apple business management works.
Here are the keys to Apple's business leadership.
1. Expertise matters
Apple doesn't operate in conventional business siloes. Instead, it organizes itself in complementary teams. The hardware team may work with the software, marketing and machine learning teams to develop one set of product features.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 23, 2020
The 2019 calendar year will long be remembered in the eyes of public market watchers as the year of WeWork. Once billed as the most valuable startup in the United States, the company unraveled in dramatic fashion after filing its S-1 with the SEC, thanks to numerous issues with the company's business model and management practices.
This event, along with a succession of dud listings from such big names as Slack and Uber, spooked the markets, with IPO registration withdrawals up almost 50 percent in 2019, according to research firm Renaissance Capital. This left a sizeable backlog of potential listings for 2020, with the holiday rental company Airbnb headlining that list.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 23, 2020
Mozilla, maker of Firefox, this week issued a carefully-worded statement that implied it might be harmed by "collateral damage" if the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) wins its recently-revealed antitrust lawsuit against search giant Google.
"The ultimate outcomes of an antitrust lawsuit should not cause collateral damage to the very organizations — like Mozilla — best positioned to drive competition and protect the interests of consumers on the web," Amy Keating, the Mozilla general counsel, wrote in an Oct. 20 post to a company blog.
To read this article in full, please click here
(Insider Story)
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Oct 23, 2020
Editor's note: Dell is a client of the author.
Like most tech events this year, Dell Technologies World is virtual. And like most companies, Dell is adjusting to the New Normal where most employees are still — and may remain — working from home. During the opening keynote of this year's event, Dell CTO, John Roese presented a blended view of the future for several of the vertical markets Dell serves.
For instance, he implied that medical care in the future would likely, at least in some cases, arrive in some autonomous vehicle/office as a more efficient and safe way to provide services in the post-pandemic world.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 22, 2020
Here's an amusing little disconnect to wrap your musty ol' mammal-brain around: Right now, when you're looking at new phones, 5G is everywhere. You can hardly avoid it!
And yet, if you find yourself holding one of those fancy new 5G-capable contraptions, you'll quickly be confronted with a competing reality: Out in the real world, when it comes to actual usage and availability, 5G is practically nowhere.
Gee whiz.
As we've been thinking through Google's 2020 Pixel lineup (and as our Apple-adoring amigos begin pondering a similar "To 5G or not to 5G?" decision on the iDevice front), I've heard lots of questions about the value of buying a smartphone with 5G today and whether it might be a smart long-term strategy — even if the value of 5G at this particular moment is questionable (at best).
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 22, 2020
Microsoft has been rolling out useful updates for its Apple-facing Office 365 apps, and has introduced a slew of software updates for Teams, Microsoft Remote Desktop and Yammer that should be of use to iPad or iPhone productivity workers.
What is Microsoft introducing?
Microsoft shipped an important update to Outlook for Mac in mid-October. This introduced a far more Big Sur-like user interface and valuable features, including a message-snooze function.
To read this article in full, please click here
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Oct 22, 2020
October 2020 brought a lighter-than-usual crop of patches. For the first time in recent memory, there were none at all for Internet Explorer or the (Chromium-based) Edge browser. The cumulative updates went in with few reports of problems, although there were many complaints about printers not working after the update.
Strange things happened, though, outside the usual monthly patching schedule. The day after Patch Tuesday, Microsoft announced a(nother) fix for a security hole in the HEVC codec — CVE-2020-17022 — distributed, once again, only through the Microsoft Store.
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Oct 22, 2020
You've probably noticed something strange about many of the latest phones, tablets and laptops at your company: The familiar rectangular Type-A USB ports are gone, replaced by smaller oblong connectors. USB-C has taken over at work, at home and at school.
While many iPhone and iPad models stick with Apple's proprietary Lightning connector, USB-C is now part and parcel of most laptops, phones and tablets made today. Even the latest MacBooks and Chromebooks are part of the movement to USB-C.
[ Related: How to use a smartphone as a mobile hotspot ]
What is USB-C?
USB Type-C, usually referred to as just USB-C, is a relatively new connector for delivering data and power to and from computing devices. Because the USB-C plug is symmetrical, it can be inserted either way, eliminating the frustrations of earlier USB ports and putting it on a par with Apple's reversible Lightning plug.
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