59135521
submission
jfruh writes:
Windows XP is by far the most popular OS in China, which is a problem considering that Microsoft is no longer providing security support for it. But is it a crisis or an opportunity? Chinese security vendor Qihoo 360 is releasing a Windows XP security offering, and other vendors are seeking to do so as well.
59135449
submission
jfruh writes:
While Intel is going after low-end Android tablets in a big way chipmaking x86 rival AMD is taking a more judicious approach, looking to focus on the high end. "This idea of contra revenue is foreign to us," said AMD's CEO, referring to Intel's strategy of selling chips at a loss to boost market share. But will Intel's vast resources keep AMD in its niche?
59047985
submission
jfruh writes:
In the world of petty tech annoyances, laptop power bricks are among the most annoying: they either take the form of something big and heavy that gets tangled up underfoot, or a huge plug that blocks other outlets. A group of MIT grad students think they've found a better way, a slimmer, lighter alternative that includes a USB port as well that so you can charge your laptop and phone at the same time. They're crowdfunding the project on Kickstarter.
59047857
submission
jfruh writes:
Over the past few years, the growth rate in Detroit tech jobs has been twice the natural average. The reason is the industry that still makes Detroit a company town: U.S. automotive companies are getting into high tech in a big way, and need qualified people to help them do it. Another bonus: the rent is a lot cheaper than it is in San Francisco.
59015483
submission
itwbennett writes:
Oracle is gearing up for a fight with officials in Oregon over its role developing an expensive health insurance exchange website that still isn't fully operational. In a letter obtained by the Oregonian newspaper this week, Oracle co-president Safra Catz said that Oregon officials have provided the public with a 'false narrative' concerning who is to blame for Cover Oregon's woes. In the letter, Catz pointed out that Oregon's decision to act as their own systems integrator on the project, using Oracle consultants on a time-and-materials basis, was 'criticized frequently by many'. And as far as Oracle is concerned, 'Cover Oregon lacked the skills, knowledge or ability to be successful as the systems integrator on an undertaking of this scope and complexity,' she added.
59010277
submission
itwbennett writes:
When you think about tech products these days, you probably think 'refresh cycle' more than 'built to last.' But as it turns out there are plenty of tech products that put up with hard, daily use year after year. ITworld dug into the BuyItForLife subreddit to suss out 10 such products (some more strictly 'tech' than others). Among those with the strongest recommendations for their ability to outlast their peers: Logitech MX510 mouse, Brother black & white laser printer, Casio G-Shock watch, Alvin Draf-Tec Retrac mechanical pencil, Sony Dream Machine alarm clock. What's your longest-lasting, hardest-working device?
59009989
submission
jfruh writes:
Just because you're great at software development or system administration doesn't mean you know the ins and outs of a job search, and things that might seem unimportant to you might be holding you back. The reality is: spelling matters, resume organization matters, and personalized pitches matter.
58955069
submission
itwbennett writes:
If you haven't heard of Quark, you're not alone: 'It was introduced last minute at the most recent Intel Developer Forum and Intel people were literally pulling analysts aside minutes before the keynotes to give them the word, and then Intel proceeded to tell them nothing,' according to Jim McGregor, president of Tirias Research. 'They made the announcement but didn't give us any details, which is really unusual for them. You kinda got the impression the thing was half-baked at the time,' he said. 'Since then, a clearer picture has emerged,' writes blogger Andy Patrizio. 'Quark is a lower performance version of Atom designed for everything from industrial and automotive to wearables and the Internet of Things. This week, Intel added three more chips to the line: the X1001, X1011 and X1021D, which are the old chips but certified to operate from -40C to +85C while offering the same performance and feature sets as the prior models. The temperature certifications mean these chips will be going into industrial equipment, cars, and other mechanical devices that experience extreme temperature.'
58954633
submission
itwbennett writes:
Apparently Amazon thinks we want 3D screens on our phones. Yesterday Boy Genius Report leaked images of what is supposed to be a phone coming from Amazon (BGR has all the nitty-gritty — and not yet official in any way — specs). The phone apparently has six cameras.... One on the back and one on the front for traditional photos and selfies. Then there are 4 more on the front that are intended to do facial tracking in order to properly display a 3D user interface. As blogger Peter Smith points out, 'that's an improvement over the 3DS which requires you to hold the device in the 'sweet spot' for the 3D effect to work properly.' But it also sounds like an expensive system both in terms of hardware and processing cycles.
58952119
submission
jfruh writes:
The Wintel cartel appears to be well and truly dead, as Intel chases after ARM with grim determination into the rapidly growing world of Android tablets. "Our mix of OSes reflects pretty much what you see in the marketplace," the company's CEO said, a nice way of saying they see more potential growth from white-box Chinese tablet makers than from Microsoft Surface. Intel managed to ship 5 million tablet chips in the first quarter of the year, although plunging PC sales meant that company profit overall was still down.
58951637
submission
jfruh writes:
Were you thinking of buying your own Google Glass, now that it's available for anyone willing to pony up $1,500? Well, you didn't move quick enough: Google sold out its entire stock in a day. The company is not indicating when more will be available.
58901577
submission
jfruh writes:
Back in Februrary, after a lengthy dispute, Netflix agreed to pay Comcast for network access after being dogged by complaints of slow speeds from Comcast subscribers. Two months later, it appears that Comcast has delivered on its promises, jumping up six places in Netflix's ISP speed rankings. The question of whether this is good news for anyone but Comcast is still open.
58901407
submission
jfruh writes:
Some surveys from the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project have found, not suprisingly, that Americans are concerned about the privacy and safety of their personal data, worrying about everything from securtiy breaches to corporate misues of it. Perhaps the most striking data point from the survey: 79% of respondents want tighter government regulations that would restrict how their personal data is shared.
58814435
submission
jfruh writes:
'So-and-so is about to release a smartphone' is one of the oldest tech rumors around, and most of the time nothing comes of it. But Stephen Lawson of the IDG News Service argues that if anyone non-phonemaker were going to dip their toes into that treacherous water, it'd be Amazon. The company hasn't been afraid to take on incumbents in the tablet and TV set-top box markets, and the financial rewards for breaking out of the content ecosystem imposed by other providers are too great to ignore.
58814203
submission
jfruh writes:
Tech blogger Kevin Purdy is a pretty tech-savvy guy. Why, just the other day, he remotely logged into a small server at my office yesterday, restarted it from the command line, then opened a server function in a screen session. But he still hasn't figured out a way to use his car's Bluetooth system to send the pre-written text message replies he's programmed into his phone. And he argues that, if we aim to end the epidemic of distracted driving that literally kills people every day, we need phones that make features like that much, much easier to use.
