Friday 30 July 2021

Android Authority: Nearly 50% of Users Turn Off 5G

WebProNews
Android Authority: Nearly 50% of Users Turn Off 5G

5G may be the next major evolution of wireless technology, but roughly half of users are still turning it off.

Android Authority is a popular website dedicated to the Android platform. The site posed a poll to its readers, asking them if they turned off 5G on their phones. The results were surprising.

Out of 1,300+ responses, 50.11% of users don’t turn off 5G. However, a whopping 39.38% of users turn it off and leave it off all the time, while 10.51% of users turn it off when they have a weak 5G signal or low battery.

5G promises to revolutionize many aspects of modern life and have far-reaching impacts on a wide range of industries. Unfortunately, Android Authority’s poll shows the technology still has a long way to go before it achieves that.

Android Authority: Nearly 50% of Users Turn Off 5G
Matt Milano



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Some M1 MacBook Screens Cracking

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Some M1 MacBook Screens Cracking

Some Macs users are reporting M1 MacBooks with easily cracked screens.

Apple’s M1 MacBook Air and Pro are some of the company’s most popular devices. The M1 chip offers revolutionary performance, combined with industry-leading battery life.

Unfortunately, it seems some MacBook screens are cracking far too easily, reports AppleInsider. A thread on Apple’s Support Communities has multiple accounts of people opening their MacBooks to a cracked screen when it had been perfectly fine the night before.

No one is exactly sure what the problem is, although there’s speculation the space between the screen and bottom half may be too small, allowing even the smallest debris to cause a pressure crack.

Hopefully the issue just an isolated one, and not indicative of a major design flaw.

Some M1 MacBook Screens Cracking
Matt Milano



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Walmart Joins List of Companies Requiring Employees Be Vaccinated

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Walmart Joins List of Companies Requiring Employees Be Vaccinated

Walmart has announced it will require some employees to be vaccinated, a response to the more contagious Delta variant.

A number of organizations have announced vaccination requirements for their employees, including AppleGoogle, the NFL and others. Walmart now joins that list, requiring some of its employees to be vaccinated by October 4.

Doug McMillon, President and CEO, announced the new policy:

As we all know, the pandemic is not over, and the Delta variant has led to an increase in infection rates across much of the U.S. Given this, we have made the decision to require all market, regional and divisional associates who work in multiple facilities and all campus office associates to be vaccinated by Oct. 4, unless they have an approved exception. This includes all new hires.

It’s a safe bet many more companies will follow Walmart’s example, especially as the Delta variant continues to wreak havoc on attempts to return to normal.

Walmart Joins List of Companies Requiring Employees Be Vaccinated
Matt Milano



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AWS Retiring EC2-Classic, Outlines How to Prepare

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AWS Retiring EC2-Classic, Outlines How to Prepare

AWS is retiring EC2-Classic, one of its oldest cloud services, one that dates back to the launch of EC2 in 2006.

EC2-Classic is a big part of what helped AWS rise to dominance in the cloud computing market. Despite its early success, the service was already deprecated, with accounts created after April 2013 using AWS’ EC2-VPC platform. The newer platform launches EC2 instances within a VPC.

Jeff Barr, Chief Evangelist for AWS, highlighted the news:

“EC2-Classic has served us well, but we’re going to give it a gold watch and a well-deserved sendoff! This post will tell you what you need to know, what you need to do, and when you need to do it.”

With Amazon retiring EC2-Classic, businesses still relying on the older service need to take steps to steps to ensure their workloads remain active. The company’s goal is to make sure there are no disrupted workflows, and has set August 15, 2022 as the date for the migration to be completed by.

Users still relying on EC2-Classic should refer to AWS’ instructions to ensure uninterrupted operation.

AWS Retiring EC2-Classic, Outlines How to Prepare
Matt Milano



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Twitter Announces Shop Module, Its Foray Into E-Commerce

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Twitter Announces Shop Module, Its Foray Into E-Commerce

Twitter is looking to help businesses bring e-commerce to their Twitter profiles with a new feature called Shop Module.

Shop Module is designed to let businesses showcase their products at the top of their profile page. Businesses will be able to use the feature to create a carousel of their products for people to browse.

Bruce Falk, Product Lead, Goldbird, described the feature in a blog post:

The Shop Module is a dedicated space at the top of a profile where businesses can showcase their products. When people visit a profile with the Shop Module enabled, they can scroll through the carousel of products and tap through on a single product to learn more and purchase — seamlessly in an in-app browser, without having to leave Twitter.

We’re starting small with a handful of brands in the United States. People in the U.S. who use Twitter in English on iOS devices will be able to see the Shop Module.

Some see Twitter’s announcement as part of the larger evolution of the e-commerce industry.

“Social commerce solves the agility challenges brands have experienced within other e-commerce platforms,” Eric Dahan, Open Influence CEO/Co-Founder, told WebProNews. “Moving forward, we don’t expect this evolution of e-commerce to slow down. 64 percent of small businesses plan to continue their new e-commerce strategies in 2021.”

Twitter plans on rolling the feature out to a handful of US-based brands. English Twitter users in the US on iOS should soon start seeing Shop Module.

Twitter Announces Shop Module, Its Foray Into E-Commerce
Matt Milano



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Amazon Hit With Record-Breaking Fine by EU Over Data Privacy

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Amazon Hit With Record-Breaking Fine by EU Over Data Privacy

Amazon has been hit with a whopping $888 million fine from the EU over how it handled private data.

The EU has been stepping up its attempts to regulate tech companies and enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), its signature privacy regulation.

The EU is accusing Amazon of not processing of personal data in compliance with the law, according to The BBC, resulting in the $888 million fine. Amazon is disputing the charges, telling The BBC there was “no data breach.”

“We believe the CNPD’s decision to be without merit and intend to defend ourselves vigorously in this matter,” Amazon said.

“There has been no data breach, and no customer data has been exposed to any third party,” an Amazon spokeswoman said. “These facts are undisputed.”

“The decision relating to how we show customers relevant advertising relies on subjective and untested interpretations of European privacy law, and the proposed fine is entirely out of proportion with even that interpretation,” she added.

Amazon’s case could set a precedent for the EU’s application of the GDPR and have far-reaching consequences for the entire tech industry.

Amazon Hit With Record-Breaking Fine by EU Over Data Privacy
Matt Milano



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New York Times Pushes Back a Return to the Office

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New York Times Pushes Back a Return to the Office

In what is becoming an all-too-familiar routine, The New York Times has announced it is pushing back its return to the office.

After more than a year of working remotely, many companies have been eager to have their return onsite. Many were shooting for sometime in September as the deadline. The Times had set September 7 as the day for employees to return to the office, at least three days a week.

Like Apple and Google, however, the Times is pushing that date back as the Delta variant of COVID leads to an increased surge in cases.

“In light of the evolution of the virus, including new trends around the Delta variant and the updated guidance from the C.D.C. this week on masking, we have decided to push out our plans for a full return at this time,” Meredith Kopit Levien, chief executive of The New York Times Company, told staff in an email on Friday.

The news comes a day after President Biden addressed the nation, urging individuals to get vaccinated. Biden emphasized that vaccination is not a political issue, but one of “life and death.”

New York Times Pushes Back a Return to the Office
Matt Milano



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Tesla Settles Battery Voltage Lawsuit for $1.5 Million

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Tesla Settles Battery Voltage Lawsuit for $1.5 Million

Tesla has agreed to pay $1.5 million in a lawsuit over claims the company reduced the battery voltage in some vehicles via software.

Tesla has been under fire for software updates that have reduced the range of some models, slowed the charging rate or reduced battery voltage. The company was hit with a fine of $16,000 per owner in Norway, and now the company has settled another lawsuit in the US.

According to Reuters, Tesla is paying $1.5 million over claims an over-the-air software update temporarily reduced battery voltage in 1,743 Model S vehicles. Later updates largely reversed the issue, but not in time to prevent the lawsuit.

Tesla Settles Battery Voltage Lawsuit for $1.5 Million
Matt Milano



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Thursday 29 July 2021

Better Late Than Never: Amazon Fire TV Cube Supports Zoom Two-Way Calling

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Better Late Than Never: Amazon Fire TV Cube Supports Zoom Two-Way Calling

Amazon has announced its Fire TV Cube now supports two-way Zoom video calling.

Zoom has become one of the most popular videoconferencing solutions since the onset of the pandemic. While it was already popular in the enterprise, the platform is now widely used by remote workers, remote learners, individuals and families.

Given its popularity, it’s somewhat surprising Amazon’s Fire TV Cube is only now supporting Zoom two-way calling. The devices previously supported Zoom two-way calling via another camera-enabled Alexa device. With this update, however, the Fire TV Cube now supports Zoom natively.

We are excited to announce that starting today you can video call friends, family, and business colleagues with the Zoom app on Fire TV.

Users will still need to connect a USB webcam.

Better Late Than Never: Amazon Fire TV Cube Supports Zoom Two-Way Calling
Matt Milano



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Google Revenue is Increasing Due to Online Advertising

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Google Revenue is Increasing Due to Online Advertising

Google Inc., reported its strongest quarter ever in sales and profit. This was due to a flood of online advertising by businesses competing for customers in reopened countries.

These strong results showed that Google has come out of a Covid-19 epidemic, which accelerated ecommerce purchases, online food orders, and streaming video consumption. Companies invested millions of dollars in advertising across Google Search, Maps, and YouTube to highlight the superiority of their products.

Alphabet Inc. reported second quarter revenue of $61.88 million, an increase 62% over a year prior, when it lost its unassailable advertising business to the coronavirus, which crippled the economy. Per-share earnings exceeded analysts’ expectations and profit more than doubled, to $18.53billion.

Sundar Pichai, Chief Executive, stated that there was a “rising tide” of online business and consumer activity. He stated that digital publishers and YouTube partners earned more during this period than at any other time in the company’s history.

The company made $50.44 billion from advertising. This 69% increase was due to a hot U.S. market, where ad spend is expected to be the highest in postwar years. YouTube’s advertising business generated $7 billion in revenue last year, an 84% increase over the previous year.

After-hours trading saw Class A shares rise by more than 3% The stock closed Tuesday at $2638

Other tech companies have also benefited from the booming digital advertising market. Snap Inc. reported last week that its revenue increased more than twice due to strong user growth. Twitter Inc., however, reported sales increases of 74% thanks to increased advertising.

Google’s expected sales growth is a return to form. This is a return to form from a money-making machine that has reported revenue increases every quarter over a decade. Sales fell 1.8% in June last year due to major advertisers cutting spending in the travel sector, which accounts for 15% of all sales.

Google has seen a quarterly increase in revenue every quarter since then. Travel and leisure companies are investing big to attract customers who will fly after being away for a year with vaccinations.

Philipp Schindler, Chief Business Officer, stated that retail was the most important advertising sector for the quarter. He stated that Google’s decision to include brands that were not paid advertisers in its Shopping Tab last year increased sales and improved listings. He cited Bed, Bath & Beyond, as an example of a company which had a program in place for online shopping and in-store pickup during the pandemic. This was promoted by the retailer across YouTube and Google.

Google and its competitors should see a rise in digital advertising throughout the remainder of the year. GroupM recently increased its global advertising sales forecast to $749 billion, a 19% increase over last year and above its previous expectation of 12% growth. The company did not forecast future revenue due to uncertainty following the recent increase in Covid-19 cases.

Legislators in the U.S. as well as abroad have expressed concern that Google’s resilience is a reflection of the strength of its products. Google is the largest digital advertising company in terms of revenue. Google’s search engine holds 92% of all global internet searches, while its Maps services have 89% of digital navigation services.

Google paid $270 million to French regulators in June to settle a case claiming it had abused its position as the leader in digital advertising. The European Union launched a formal investigation into Google’s digital advertising business. It also alleged that it excluded competitors from buying ad space on YouTube. Three dozen states have filed an antitrust suit in the U.S. District Court for Northern California alleging that the company has an illegal monopoly over its Play app store.

The Justice Department is also suing it, alleging that it uses exclusionary deals to protect its search engine monopoly. The trial, along with two other state lawsuits, is scheduled to start in 2023.

Google claims that it operates in a highly competitive market, where customers choose to use its services and ads because they are efficient. Google claims that its Play store is an open operating system, where customers can directly download apps from developers.

The suits, settlements, and investigations have been ignored by investors, which has led to shares rising more than 50% through Tuesday’s close. Analysts believe that Google, which reported $135.86 million in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments at June’s end, has sufficient resources to pay any fines.

Google Revenue is Increasing Due to Online Advertising
Brian Wallace



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T-Mobile Delivers Record Q2, Raises Guidance

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T-Mobile Delivers Record Q2, Raises Guidance

T-Mobile continued its assent in the US wireless industry, turning in a record-breaking Q2 and raising guidance across the board.

The magenta carrier added 1.3 million customers, and led the industry with 627,000 postpaid phone net additions, 2.5x more than last year. The company had $20 billion in revenue, a 13% growth year over year.

Net income came in at $978 million, 8x more than last year, representing earnings per share of $0.78. In contrast, analysts were expecting $19.34 billion, with $0.53 per share earnings.

T-Mobile also continued its 5G dominance, covering 305 million people and 1.7 million square miles with its Extended Range 5G. The company was quick to point out that this represents more coverage than Verizon and AT&T combined.

At the same time, T-Mobile’s Ultra Capacity 5G, with average speeds of 350 Mbps, covers 165 million people. The company says it is on track to cover 200 million by year’s end.

“Stellar postpaid customer gains and industry-leading service revenue growth translated into industry-best growth in profitability and cash flow, and drove another beat and raise quarter – all fueled by unprecedented synergies that only T-Mobile can deliver,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile. “As we capitalize on our 5G leadership, it’s increasingly clear that our unmatched network, outstanding value and customer-centric experiences are setting the Un-carrier apart from everyone else.”

T-Mobile Delivers Record Q2, Raises Guidance
Matt Milano



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SAP Partners With Google Cloud to Accelerate Customer Cloud Adoption

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SAP Partners With Google Cloud to Accelerate Customer Cloud Adoption

SAP and Google are tightening their working relationship, with the two companies partnering to help customers move to the cloud.

Google switched from Oracle Finance to SAP in April, and now Google Cloud and SAP are partnering to help accelerate cloud adoption.

“Google Cloud and SAP share a commitment to supporting customer success and growth. We’re delighted to partner with SAP to accelerate business’ digital transformations with SAP on Google Cloud and with next-generation cloud capabilities,” said Rob Enslin, President at Google Cloud. “Through support for RISE with SAP and in-depth integrations between SAP and Google Cloud, this new partnership will enable customers to seamlessly bring their most critical business systems and applications to a future-proof, secure, and low-latency environment and to run them sustainably, on the industry’s cleanest cloud.”

“RISE with SAP has been adopted by customers who want to accelerate their journey toward becoming an Intelligent Enterprise. We are now expanding our partnership with Google Cloud to further customer success,” said Thomas Saueressig, member of the Executive Board of SAP SE and responsible for SAP Product Engineering. “Offering integration between SAP solutions, SAP BTP, and Google Cloud infrastructure and capabilities in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and analytics gives customers both the choice they desire as well as the innovative portfolio they seek to transform their businesses in the cloud.”

The partnership is not particularly surprising, given Microsoft Azure stopped being SAP’s preferred cloud partner in May. At the time, SAP said they were making the decision due to their customers wanting more choice.

SAP Partners With Google Cloud to Accelerate Customer Cloud Adoption
Matt Milano



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Dell Cancels Some Alienware Shipments to Certain States

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Dell Cancels Some Alienware Shipments to Certain States

Alienware customers in specific states are in for a disappointment, as Dell is cancelling some shipments.

First noticed by Marie Oakes, Dell’s website contains a disclaimer regarding shipping to certain states.

The issue revolves around legislation passed in those states governing computer energy efficiency.

“This product cannot be shipped to the states of California, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Vermont or Washington due to power consumption regulations adopted by those states,” the website says. “Any orders placed that are bound for those states will be canceled.”

Dell has confirmed the issue in a statement sent to the The Register:

Yes, this was driven by the California Energy Commission (CEC) Tier 2 implementation that defined a mandatory energy efficiency standard for PCs – including desktops, AIOs and mobile gaming systems. This was put into effect on July 1, 2021. Select configurations of the Alienware Aurora R10 and R12 were the only impacted systems across Dell and Alienware.

Dell Cancels Some Alienware Shipments to Certain States
Matt Milano



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Wednesday 28 July 2021

Biden Promotes High-Speed Internet Provision of Infrastructure Bill

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Biden Promotes High-Speed Internet Provision of Infrastructure Bill

President Joe Biden is talking up the high-speed internet provision of his signature infrastructure bill.

Rejuvenating America’s infrastructure was a major point of Biden’s campaign, and he has been working to pass comprehensive infrastructure legislation. His plans received a big boost when a bipartisan group of senators announced a deal to push the bill forward.

An important part of the infrastructure bill is a provision aimed at improving broadband for American households. The US has long suffered from a “digital divide” — the disparity between the quality of internet in cities, versus what is available in rural communities. The infrastructure bill includes funds designed to help close that divide and provide high-speed access to more households than ever before.

“This bipartisan deal is the most important investment in public transit in American history and the most important investment in rail since the creation of Amtrak 50 years ago,” Biden said in a statement. “It will deliver high speed internet to every American.” (italics ours)

That statement is good news for individuals and households that have dealt with subpar internet speeds for far too long.

Biden Promotes High-Speed Internet Provision of Infrastructure Bill
Matt Milano



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Deja Vu: Twitter Shuts Offices Amid COVID Surge

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Deja Vu: Twitter Shuts Offices Amid COVID Surge

Twitter has closed its San Francisco and New York offices amid surging COVID cases.

A return to the office will have to wait, at least for Twitter employees, as the company is shuttering offices and delaying any further openings.

“After careful consideration of the CDC’s updated guidelines, and in light of current conditions, Twitter has made the decision to close our opened offices in New York and San Francisco as well as pause future office reopenings, effective immediately,” a Twitter spokesperson said, according to CNBC.

Much of the blame lies with the Delta variant of COVID, which is far more contagious and has even been infecting some vaccinated individuals. As Twitter acknowledged, the CDC has been forced to update its guidelines in an effort to combat the aggressive variant.

Deja Vu: Twitter Shuts Offices Amid COVID Surge
Matt Milano



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Google Pushes Back Return to Office, Will Require Vaccination

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Google Pushes Back Return to Office, Will Require Vaccination

Google has joined Apple in pushing back its return to the office date, and confirmed it will require onsite employees to be vaccinated.

Apple became the first major company to push back its plans to return to the office amid surging COVID cases, thanks to the Delta variant. Google has now joined its Cupertino rival, pushing back its return to the office date to mid-October. Like Apple, Google had originally been shooting for September.

CEO Sundar Pichai informed employees in an email, according to the Boston Globe.

“This extension will allow us time to ramp back into work while providing flexibility for those who need it,” Pichai wrote.

Pichai also revealed the company will require employees to be vaccinated, once its facilities are reopened and employees are working onsite. Pichai said the vaccine mandate would follow local laws, and be flexible to account for medical and other “protected” reasons for not being vaccinated.

Nonetheless, Google’s vaccination stand is one of the strongest yet from a large company.

Google Pushes Back Return to Office, Will Require Vaccination
Matt Milano



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FBI Has More Than 100 Ransomware Groups on its Radar

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FBI Has More Than 100 Ransomware Groups on its Radar

The FBI is currently keeping tabs on more than 100 ransomware groups in the wake of multiple, high-profile attacks.

Bryan Vorndran, assistant director of the FBI’s cyber division, was testifying before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing when he divulged the statistic, according to NBC News. Ransomware gangs have already cost untold damage in recent times. Hackers targeted managed software provider Kaseya; shut down JBS, one of the world’s largest meat processors; and crippled fuel supplies on the US East Coast by attacking Colonial Pipeline.

Some ransomware gangs have gone dark, most notably REvil, the gang behind the Kaseya attack. Similarly, the gang behind the Colonial Pipeline attack have disbanded their Ransomware as a Service (SaaS) operations.

Assistant Director Vorndran’s revelation echoes what other experts have said, warning that organizations should not get complacent just because some gangs have shut down.

FBI Has More Than 100 Ransomware Groups on its Radar
Matt Milano



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Lumanu raises $12M to simplify business for the creator economy

Lumanu lets creators create and it handles business for them.
Lumanu has secured $12 million in funding to simplify the business of the creator economy as they disrupt traditional media.Read More

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Tim Cook: 5G Is in ‘Very Early Innings of’ Rollout

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Tim Cook: 5G Is in ‘Very Early Innings of’ Rollout

Following a record-breaking quarter, Apple CEO Tim Cook says 5G rollout still has a long way to go and will continue to drive iPhone sales.

The iPhone 12 was the first model to support 5G. Wireless carriers around the world are racing to deploy the next generation of wireless technology, although different countries and carriers are proceeding at drastically different paces.

A key element of Apple’s success this last quarter was a 50% growth in iPhone sales, long-considered Apple’s biggest cash cow. Cook doesn’t see that changing for some time, as 5G’s relative infancy still leaves plenty of room for growth.

“We’re in the very early innings of 5G,” Cook said during Apple’s earnings call, according to AppleInsider. “There are only a couple of countries that are in the double digits.” 

“We feel really good about the future of the iPhone,” Cook added, in regard to its future growth.

Tim Cook: 5G Is in ‘Very Early Innings of’ Rollout
Matt Milano



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Cisco May Need to Open the Coffers to Remain Competitive

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Cisco May Need to Open the Coffers to Remain Competitive

Analysts believe Cisco may have to spend big on acquisitions if it wants to remain competitive in a changing tech landscape.

Cisco built its business on networking equipment for the enterprise, the kind of equipment companies need to run data centers and on-premise networks. As Business Insider’s Aaron Holmes argues, however, Cisco is facing an existential crisis: the cloud.

Cloud computing is on the rise now more than ever. While the transition was already well underway, the pandemic and rise of the remote workforce sent the transition into overdrive. As more and more companies rely on cloud computing to handle their basic operations, the need for expensive, enterprise-grade equipment to support on-premise networks and data centers drops precipitously.

As a result, many analysts believe Cisco will need to make additional acquisitions to remain competitive and adapt to the changing industry. Such an acquisition could be of an up-and-coming startup that offers a product or service complimentary to Cisco’s ambitions, or it could be a larger acquisition of an established rival.

Fortunately, as Holmes points out, this is nothing new for Cisco. The company has a long history of making acquisitions and isn’t shy about ponying up when the need arises. Hopefully, company leadership realizes the current cloud transitions represents one of those times.

Cisco May Need to Open the Coffers to Remain Competitive
Matt Milano



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Tuesday 27 July 2021

Apple No Longer Listed Under NAB Attendees

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Apple No Longer Listed Under NAB Attendees

Following news Apple would be attending its first NAB Show in a decade, the company has been pulled from the list of attendees.

The National Association of Broadcasters hosts the NAB Show, a trade conference aimed at the broadcasting industry, as well as supporting media and tech industries. Apple’s last appearance was a decade ago, leading to quite a bit of excitement when the company was listed as one of this year’s attendees.

According AppleInsider, however, Apple is no longer listed. No reason was given for the company’s sudden disappearance from the attendee list, so it’s unknown whether Apple is still planning on attending, had a change of plans or was never planning on attending and was listed accidentally.

Apple No Longer Listed Under NAB Attendees
Matt Milano



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Instagram Accounts Will Default to Private for Teens Under 16

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Instagram Accounts Will Default to Private for Teens Under 16

Facebook has announced it will make new Instagram accounts for teens under 16 private by default.

Social media companies are under increased pressure to do more to protect their youngest users. Numerous studies have shown the detrimental impact social media can have on young ones, and that’s without the threat of predators using such platforms to find victims.

Facebook is trying to offer an additional layer of protection, following research showing most teens under 16 actually prefer their accounts to be private.

Wherever we can, we want to stop young people from hearing from adults they don’t know or don’t want to hear from. We believe private accounts are the best way to prevent this from happening. So starting this week, everyone who is under 16 years old (or under 18 in certain countries) will be defaulted into a private account when they join Instagram. 

The move is already being welcomed by experts in the industry.

“These new updates represent important progress towards creating a safer, more private experience for young people on Instagram,” said Larry Magid, CEO, ConnectSafely. “In particular, using machine learning to understand when it might not be appropriate for an adult to interact with a teen puts teens in the driver’s seat as far as who they interact with, and defaulting teens under 16 into private accounts helps young people keep their content less visible to adults.”

The company says it won’t force existing accounts for teens under 16 to go private, but will display a notification informing them of the benefits.

Instagram Accounts Will Default to Private for Teens Under 16
Matt Milano



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Google Cloud Retail Search to Address $300 Billion E-Commerce Search Abandonment

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Google Cloud Retail Search to Address $300 Billion E-Commerce Search Abandonment

Google is trying to help the e-commerce industry address a $300 billion abandonment issue with Google Cloud Retail Search.

According to Inc. search abandonment — where a user searches for a product but doesn’t click through to the results — costs the e-commerce industry a whopping $300 billion a year. Google is working to address that with its new tool, which has been in private preview, but is now available to all.

“Search abandonment is a costly industry-wide issue, but for startup founders and small business owners, it can be devastating,” Carrie Tharp, Google Cloud’s vice president of retail and consumer, told Inc. “With Retail Search, we’re able to help convert site traffic to sales and keep startups and small businesses from leaving money on the table.”

The tool brings the power of Google Search to a company’s own sites.

Retailers now have the ability to provide Google-quality search and recommendations on their own digital properties, helping to increase conversions and reduce search abandonment. 

Cloud Retail Search should help Google as it continues to fight for cloud market share against its larger rivals, AWS and Microsoft Azure.

Google Cloud Retail Search to Address $300 Billion E-Commerce Search Abandonment
Matt Milano



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FTC May Target Google and Facebook’s Data and Algorithms

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FTC May Target Google and Facebook’s Data and Algorithms

The Federal Trade Commission may target Google and Facebook’s data, and the algorithms they rely on, as part of a larger antitrust crackdown.

Big Tech has been under increased scrutiny around the world, with regulators in the US and EU poised to take aggressive action to tackle antitrust issues. Google and Facebook, in particular, are facing some of the most intense scrutiny, and are already fending off lawsuits.

The FTC may have one of the most novel solutions, and the one that should terrify Google and Facebook the most. FTC Chief Technologist Erie Meyer said companies that abuse privacy and collect user data illegally could be forced to pay fines, disclose data and turn over “algorithms that were juiced by ill-gotten data,” reports the Washington Examiner.

The latter penalty should be especially concerning to both companies, as well as any other data-driven platforms. The algorithms companies use are often some of their most well-guarded secrets. When the US was trying to pressure ByteDance to sell TikTok, one of the issues that torpedoed a sale was China classifying algorithms — such as the one TikTok uses to drive engagement — as sensitive information that could not be exported. Indeed, much of TikTok’s success is believed to be the result of the algorithm it uses.

If losing algorithms is on the table as a possible penalty, it may well be the single biggest motivation for Big Tech to straighten up and get its act together.

FTC May Target Google and Facebook’s Data and Algorithms
Matt Milano



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Apple Reports Record Third Quarter

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Apple Reports Record Third Quarter

Apple reported its third-quarter results, turning in a record quarter and smashing expectations.

All eyes were on Apple, especially given how much the company has been impacted by the global semiconductor shortage. It appears the company has managed to navigate the shortage better than expected, and has the results to match.

Apple reported $81.4 billion, up 36% year over year, representing $1.30 per share earnings. In comparison, the company was expected to turn in $73.3 billion, or $1.01 per share.

iPhone sales grew 50% from last year, something analysts look for, given how important the iPhone is to the company’s bottom line. The company’s services business — which analyst have been watching as a way for the company to diversify its income beyond the iPhone — grew 33% to $17.49 billion. The growth was driven by the company’s 1.65 billion installed devices.

“This quarter, our teams built on a period of unmatched innovation by sharing powerful new products with our users, at a time when using technology to connect people everywhere has never been more important,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We’re continuing to press forward in our work to infuse everything we make with the values that define us — by inspiring a new generation of developers to learn to code, moving closer to our 2030 environment goal, and engaging in the urgent work of building a more equitable future.”

“Our record June quarter operating performance included new revenue records in each of our geographic segments, double-digit growth in each of our product categories, and a new all-time high for our installed base of active devices,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO. “We generated $21 billion of operating cash flow, returned nearly $29 billion to our shareholders during the quarter, and continued to make significant investments across our business to support our long-term growth plans.”

Apple Reports Record Third Quarter
Matt Milano



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Microsoft Tops Forecasts on Strong Cloud Results

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Microsoft Tops Forecasts on Strong Cloud Results

Microsoft has announced its quarterly results, topping forecasts on strong Azure performance.

Microsoft has been firing on all cylinders, recently becoming just the second company to cross the $2 trillion valuation mark. Multiple analysts have raised the company’s stock target, citing its cloud business, which benefits from the Microsoft’s strong legacy business.

The latest quarterly results bear out that optimism, with the company reporting $46.2 billion in revenue, an increase of 21%. Significantly, the company’s Intelligent Cloud revenue came in at $17.4 billion, up 30%. Azure growth, in particular, was a whopping 51%. Overall net income for the quarter was $16.5 billion, an increase of 47%.

The company’s revenue for Fiscal Year 2021 was $168.1 billion, up 18%. Net income was $61.3 billion GAAP, an increase of 38%.

“We are innovating across the technology stack to help organizations drive new levels of tech intensity across their business,” said Satya Nadella, chairman and chief executive officer of Microsoft. “Our results show that when we execute well and meet customers’ needs in differentiated ways in large and growing markets, we generate growth, as we’ve seen in our commercial cloud – and in new franchises we’ve built, including gaming, security, and LinkedIn, all of which surpassed $10 billion in annual revenue over the past three years.”

“As we closed out the fiscal year, our sales teams and partners delivered a strong quarter with over 20% top and bottom-line growth, highlighted by commercial bookings growth of 30% year over year,” said Amy Hood, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Microsoft. “Our commercial cloud revenue grew 36% year over year to $19.5 billion.”

Microsoft Tops Forecasts on Strong Cloud Results
Matt Milano



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WeChat Halts New Subscriptions

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WeChat Halts New Subscriptions

Popular chat and social media app WeChat, known as Weixin in China, has announced it is suspending new subscriptions as it deploys a security upgrade.

WeChat is wildly popular in China, and among Chinese populations around the world. Owned by Tencent, the app was the target of the Trump administration over security concerns, before earning a reprieve under the Biden administration.

The company says the security upgrade is necessary to bring the app into compliance with local laws and regulations, and will prevent new subscriptions while in progress. The upgrade is expect to be finished in August.

“We are currently upgrading our security technology to align with all relevant laws and regulations,” the company told Reuters.

“During this time, registration of new Weixin personal and official accounts has been temporarily suspended. Registration services will be restored after the upgrade is complete, which is expected in early August,” it added.

WeChat Halts New Subscriptions
Matt Milano



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Amazon Loses $13.5M Lawsuit Over Paying Employees During Bag Search

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Amazon Loses $13.5M Lawsuit Over Paying Employees During Bag Search

Amazon has lost a lawsuit over whether it has to pay employees for time their bags were being searched, to the tune of $13.5 million.

At the heart of the issue was whether time spent in security lines, waiting for bag checks, counted as time worked. Obviously, Amazon was arguing it did not, and only the time actually spent working should count.

“Employees are only paid for their labor — to pack boxes, but not to stand at a security checkpoint, which does not involve labor or toil,” argued Amazon’s lawyer, according to Business Insider.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court disagreed, ruling 5-2 that employees should be compensated for that time.

“The PMWA plainly and unambiguously requires payment for ‘all hours worked,’ … signifying the legislature’s intent that any portion of the hours worked by an employee does not constitute a mere trifle,” Justice Debra Todd wrote.

Amazon will now pay some 42,000 workers a total of $8.67 million, while the attorneys will receive an additional $4.5 million in fees. The single biggest payout among the 42,000 is $5,760.

The decision is a big loss for Amazon, and follows another settlementwith the FTC, in which the company was found to have stiffed its delivery drivers a whopping $62 million in tips. This latest case is sure to add even more fuel to recent Teamsters’ efforts to unionize Amazon workers.

Amazon Loses $13.5M Lawsuit Over Paying Employees During Bag Search
Matt Milano



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Why data makes the difference in health and wellness marketing

Three woman sit outside in the sun and hold their smart phones. They all look at their screens, while using fingers and thumbs to type. Conceptual with space for copy.
Learn how to leverage data and A/B testing to connect with consumers in the tricky health and wellness vertical in this VB Live event.Read More

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Monday 26 July 2021

Intel Scores Amazon and Qualcomm as Foundry Client

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Intel Scores Amazon and Qualcomm as Foundry Client

Intel has scored a big win in its efforts to rebuild its semiconductor manufacturing, with Qualcomm and Amazon set to use its foundries.

New CEO Pat Gelsinger is determined to reverse Intel’s recent fortunes, and is betting big on the company doubling down on its own manufacturing. The company made headlines when it announced plans to build two foundries in Arizona, to the tune of $20 billion. Intel has also been rumored to be trying to buy GlobalFoundries.

According to Reuters, Intel has scored a major win, with Amazon and Qualcomm set to use the company’s new foundries. Qualcomm, in particular, will use Intel’s 20A chipmaking process, ideal for the company’s mobile chips.

Intel is clearly intent on gaining ground against TSMC, which has long-since eclipsed Intel and poached major customers, such as Apple. The company sees close partnerships with the likes of Amazon and Qualcomm as a key component of that goal.

“There have been many, many hours of deep and technical engagement with these first two customers, and many others,” Gelsinger said.

Intel Scores Amazon and Qualcomm as Foundry Client
Matt Milano



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Amazon Denies Bitcoin Rumors

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Amazon Denies Bitcoin Rumors

Amazon has denied it plans on accepting Bitcoin as payment, despite a job posting that seemed to indicate the contrary.

Amazon made headlines last week when it post a job for a “Digital Currency and Blockchain Product Lead.” Most significantly, the job listing is for a role in the Payments Acceptance & Experience team:

The Payments Acceptance & Experience team is seeking an experienced product leader to develop Amazon’s Digital Currency and Blockchain strategy and product roadmap. 

The above description led many to conclude Amazon was on the verge of accepting crypto as payment. It appears that is not the case, however, as a spokesperson has denied any such plans.

“Notwithstanding our interest in the space, the speculation that has ensued around our specific plans for cryptocurrencies is not true,” said a spokesperson from Amazon, according to Reuters.

“We remain focused on exploring what this could look like for customers shopping on Amazon.”

Amazon Denies Bitcoin Rumors
Matt Milano



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Box Unveils Native E-Signature Capabilities

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Box Unveils Native E-Signature Capabilities

Box is rolling out native e-signature capabilities, in the form of Box Sign.

Box has been under increased pressure to improve its standing in the market. Unlike some of its competitors, Box has not experienced as much pandemic-fueled success as other cloud platforms, despite being the perfect platform for remote work.

The company is rolling out Box Sign, in an effort to help grow its reach. The new feature is based on the company’s SignRequest acquisition in February. The native e-signature features will be included in all business plans.

“Every day, more transactions are moving from paper-based manual workflows to the cloud, and we will only see this trend accelerate as companies shift to a hybrid work environment,” said Diego Dugatkin, Chief Product Officer at Box. “With the addition of natively embedded e-signatures, Box customers will be able to manage the entire content lifecycle in the cloud, realizing the value of their content — at no additional cost. From the moment a file is created to when it’s shared, edited, published, approved, signed, classified, and retained, the entire content lifecycle can now happen in the Box Content Cloud.”

Box Unveils Native E-Signature Capabilities
Matt Milano



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Google Cloud Promises Product Stability With Enterprise APIs

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Google Cloud Promises Product Stability With Enterprise APIs

Google is working to convince its cloud customers they can count on it for product and feature stability with Google Enterprise APIs.

Google has a long history of killing off its own products suddenly. App Maker, Loon, Google Hangouts, Google Play Music, Game Builder, Google Jump, Google+ and Chromebook Pixel are just a few of the projects and products Google has killed. 

Unfortunately for the company, having a reputation for killing off its own products is not conducive to gaining cloud market share, a core goal of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian. The company is now taking steps to address its reputation, with its new Enterprise APIs.

At Google Cloud, we’ve been implementing programs to enhance your trust in our platform; for example, we introduced Mission Critical Services, a consultative offering for customers with top-tier Premium Support, and simplified launch stages, for greater predictability of our product roadmap. 

Today, we’re taking it one step further by introducing designated Google Enterprise APIs, a label applied to the vast majority of APIs across Google Cloud, Google Workspace, and Google Maps Platform (not inclusive of our consumer APIs). Built for higher stability, Google Enterprise APIs are governed by new tenets, a stringent set of requirements about how and when we make changes to them. 

Given Kurian’s goal of becoming the number two cloud provider in five years, in terms of market share, Enterprise APIs are a step in the right direction. In fact, it makes one wonder why the company didn’t take such a step sooner.

Of course, if Google wasn’t so kill-happy with its own products, it wouldn’t need to do anything to convince customers it won’t kill its own products.

Google Cloud Promises Product Stability With Enterprise APIs
Matt Milano



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EU Gives Google Two Months to Clean Up Hotel and Flight Searches

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EU Gives Google Two Months to Clean Up Hotel and Flight Searches

Google has once again earned the ire of the EU, being given two months to clean up its flight and hotel search results before being penalized.

The EU has taken issue with how Google displays the prices for hotels and flights in its search results. The EU’s consumer watchdog agencies want Google to show fees and taxes as part of the final price, as well as clearly identify reference prices that are used in promotional discounts, Reuters reports.

“EU consumers cannot be misled when using search engines to plan their holidays. We need to empower consumers to make their choices based on transparent and unbiased information,” EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said.

Google is being given two months to make the necessary adjustments. If it fails to do so, there may be further discussion and possible sanctions.

EU Gives Google Two Months to Clean Up Hotel and Flight Searches
Matt Milano



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Jefferies Raises Microsoft Stock Target on Fundamentals

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Jefferies Raises Microsoft Stock Target on Fundamentals

Jefferies analyst Brent Thill has raised his price target for Microsoft’s stock on what he sees as strong fundamentals.

Microsoft has been on a tear in recent quarters, boosted by its Azure cloud computing platform. The company is currently in second place in the cloud industry, behind AWS, but many experts see Microsoft’s cloud platform continuing to benefit from its legacy business. Given how much of the business world runs on Microsoft, migrating to Azure is a no-brainer for many Microsoft-based shops.

With the company set to announce its quarterly results tomorrow, Brent Thill has raised his target price for the stock from $310 to $335, according to TheStreet.

“Microsoft been a significant outperformer year to date, up 30% vs the software index, setting the bar slightly higher for MSFT shares going into the” earnings report, Thill said.

“Key items to watch are fiscal 2022 margin pressure, elevated expectations and more color on recent merger acquisition and broader aspirations,” Thill added.

Jefferies Raises Microsoft Stock Target on Fundamentals
Matt Milano



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Elon Musk: ‘Dogecoin Is Money’

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Elon Musk: ‘Dogecoin Is Money’

Elon Musk is once again touting the merits of Dogecoin, proclaiming the cryptocurrency is money.

Dogecoin started out as a meme, but has become a serious force in the crypto market recently. The Dallas Mavericks now accept it as payment, SpaceX accepted it as payment for delivering a satellite to the moon and the crypto even reached the fourth-largest valuation of any cryptocurrency.

In recent weeks, Doge’s price has plummeted in recent works, but has been gaining ground in the last few days. Ever the champion of Dogecoin, Musk has once again touted its validity, tweeting a Matrix-inspired meme proclaiming “Dogecoin is money.”

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1419151233739378689?s=20

Elon Musk: ‘Dogecoin Is Money’
Matt Milano



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Firefox 90 Ends FTP Support

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Firefox 90 Ends FTP Support

Mozilla has ended support for FTP in Firefox 90, citing security concerns with the aging protocol.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is one of the oldest protocols, dating back to the early days of the internet. Unfortunately, unlike newer protocols, basic FTP has no encryption and transmits data in plain text, including usernames and passwords. Mozilla highlights the danger this poses to users.

The biggest security risk is that FTP transfers data in cleartext, allowing attackers to steal, spoof and even modify the data transmitted. To date, many malware distribution campaigns launch their attacks by compromising FTP servers and downloading malware on an end user’s device using the FTP protocol.

As a result of FTP’s security risks, Mozilla has decided to end support for it.

Removing FTP brings us closer to a fully-secure web which is on a path to becoming HTTPS only and any modern automated upgrading mechanisms such as HSTS or also Firefox’s HTTPS-Only Mode, which automatically upgrade any connection to become secure and encrypted do not apply to FTP.

The FTP protocol itself has been disabled by default since version 88 and now the time has come to end an era and discontinue the support for this outdated and insecure protocol — Firefox 90 will no longer support the FTP protocol.

Mozilla is to be commended for its ongoing push to protect user privacy and security, even if that means dropping venerable protocols like FTP.

Firefox 90 Ends FTP Support
Matt Milano



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Macs Could Gain Face ID in a ‘Couple of Years’

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Macs Could Gain Face ID in a ‘Couple of Years’

A new report says Apple’s Mac computers could gain Face ID “within a couple of years.”

Apple’s Mac lineup currently uses the older Touch ID biometric security. While still offering a high degree of security, Touch ID is not as secure as the Face ID technology currently used in high-end iPhones and iPads.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, via Apple Insider, Apple is preparing to bring the newer tech to the Mac lineup as well. Gurman believes the more expensive Mac models may even move the camera underneath the display, eliminating a notch or dedicated place in the display’s frame.

Gurman has a well-earned reputation for being one of the more accurate Apple prognosticators. Should his latest information be correct, the Macs will finally gain one of their most requested features.

Macs Could Gain Face ID in a ‘Couple of Years’
Matt Milano



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Friday 23 July 2021

Major Websites Flooded With Hardcore Porn

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Major Websites Flooded With Hardcore Porn

Major websites, including The Washington PostNew York Magazine and the Huffington Posthave been flooded with hardcore porn.

Readers of many major websites and news sources received an eyeful, starting Thursday, when hardcore porn started showing up, embedded in otherwise family-friendly sites. The issue appears to be the result of the Vidme domain — a brief competitor to YouTube that went out of business in 2017 — being bought by 5 Star Porn HD.

The most likely explanation is that, since the porn company bought Vidme’s expired domain, any embedded links to Vidme now forward to 5 Star’s website. The sites in question may have had outdated links embedded in their code.

Interestingly Gizmodo says it’s also possible the whole thing could have been a marketing stunt. 5 Star may have paid to have Vidme links embedded, and then forwarded them to its main site — unbeknownst to the mainstream victims — in an effort to boost its own popularity.

Either way, the whole fiasco illustrates the benefits of having a good adblocker installed in your browser of choice.

Major Websites Flooded With Hardcore Porn
Matt Milano



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Windows 11 Will Ship With Light Mode on by Default, Not Dark Mode

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Windows 11 Will Ship With Light Mode on by Default, Not Dark Mode

Despite an announcement to the contrary, Windows 11 will ship with the more traditional light mode activated by default.

At a recent event, a Microsoft employee had announced the company would ship Windows 11 with dark mode on by default. Dark mode is a popular choice across platforms, supported by macOS, Windows, iOS, Android and Linux.

Users who were excited about such a visibly obvious refresh are in for a disappointment, as Microsoft has backtracked in a statement to BetaNews.

We are aware that inaccurate information about Windows 11 shipping in dark mode on by default to all commercial SKUs was recently shared and apologize for the confusion. To clarify, Microsoft will ship Windows 11 SKUs in light mode on by default. However, OEMs can choose to ship their devices in dark mode and customers will have the choice to easily customize their experience in Settings to dark mode or light mode. As with all of our products, we will continue listening to customer feedback to ensure Windows 11 meets customers’ needs, wherever they are in their computing journey.

At least dark mode will still be available on Microsoft 11, but it will require manual activation, unless a specific OEM choose to ship their computers with it on by default.

Windows 11 Will Ship With Light Mode on by Default, Not Dark Mode
Matt Milano



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Amazon Hiring a ‘Digital Currency and Blockchain Product Lead’

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Amazon Hiring a ‘Digital Currency and Blockchain Product Lead’

Amazon is getting in on cryptocurrency, posting a job opening for a “Digital Currency and Blockchain Product Lead.”

Cryptocurrency has been gaining mainstream support, with companies across a range of industries accepting it as payment. Its increased acceptance makes it somewhat strange that Amazon has yet to fully adopt it.

That appears to be changing, if a job posting is any indication. Amazon is looking for a Digital Currency and Blockchain Product Lead:

The Amazon Payment Acceptance & Experience Team is responsible for how Amazon’s customers pay on Amazon’s sites and through Amazon’s services around the globe.

The Payments Acceptance & Experience team is seeking an experienced product leader to develop Amazon’s Digital Currency and Blockchain strategy and product roadmap. You will leverage your domain expertise in Blockchain, Distributed Ledger, Central Bank Digital Currencies and Cryptocurrency to develop the case for the capabilities which should be developed, drive overall vision and product strategy, and gain leadership buy-in and investment for new capabilities. You will work closely with teams across Amazon including AWS to develop the roadmap including the customer experience, technical strategy and capabilities as well as the launch strategy.

If Amazon does embrace crypto, it would likely have major implications and help drive even more widespread adoption.

Amazon Hiring a ‘Digital Currency and Blockchain Product Lead’
Matt Milano



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Oracle’s Cloud Unit Gears Up for ‘24×7’ Work in Fight for the Cloud

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Oracle’s Cloud Unit Gears Up for ‘24×7’ Work in Fight for the Cloud

Oracle has told employees on various cloud projects to prepare for “24×7” work as the company fights for cloud market share.

Oracle is currently behind the market leaders — AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud — in the cloud market. The company has had some major wins, however, as it offers a complete end-to-end solution.

The company is now telling employees it will be redoubling its efforts, in a leaked memo seen by Business Insider. The memo emphasizes the need to focus on cloud projects and goals for the next few quarters, even if it means putting other projects on pause.

“Other feature and development work is paused to assist in this effort,” the memo reads.

“Region bootstrap, across regions, will need to happen on a 24×7 basis in order to hit our delivery dates. All teams will need to resource appropriately to accommodate this expectation,” the memo continued.

Oracle is even willing to reallocate personal from other projects, if needed, to help it meet its goals.

“This means, in some cases, temporarily reallocating personnel from other projects, teams, or orgs,” the memo added.

The memo is one of the clearest signs yet of how seriously Oracle is taking the cloud market, and the lengths it will go to advance its position in the market.

Oracle’s Cloud Unit Gears Up for ‘24×7’ Work in Fight for the Cloud
Matt Milano



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Daimler/Mercedes-Benz Joining Electric Vehicle Revolution

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Daimler/Mercedes-Benz Joining Electric Vehicle Revolution

Daimler and Mercedes-Benz are going all-in on electric vehicles, planning on spending 40 billion euros ($47 billion) by 2030.

Most automakers are working to transition toward all-electric vehicles, with many committed to doing so within the next decade. Daimler and Mercedes-Benz join the list of automakers shooting to make that transition by 2030, even building eight battery plants to help power its ambitions.

“We really want to go for it … and be dominantly, if not all electric, by the end of the decade,” Chief Executive Ola Källenius said in an interview with Reuters.

Källenius’ statement comes with an asterisk, however. Daimler plans to spin off its truck division — one of the most difficult classes of vehicles to transition to electric — and rename itself Mercedes-Benz. As a result, the company’s plans don’t include whatever happens with the truck division.

Källenius also cautions against focusing too much on a hard line when no gasoline or diesel engines will be manufactured.

“We need to move the debate away from when you build the last combustion engine because it’s not relevant,” Källenius said. “The question is how quickly can you scale up to being close to 100% electric and that’s what we’re focusing on.”

Even with the asterisk, however, Mercedes-Benz’s announcement is good news for the electric vehicle industry.

Daimler/Mercedes-Benz Joining Electric Vehicle Revolution
Matt Milano



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Google Looks to Reinvent Industrial Robots With Intrinsic

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Google Looks to Reinvent Industrial Robots With Intrinsic

Google has launched Intrinsic from X, its moonshot factory, in an effort to reinvent industrial robots.

Intrinsic CEO Wendy Tan-White made the announcement via a blog post.

Intrinsic is working to unlock the creative and economic potential of industrial robotics for millions more businesses, entrepreneurs, and developers. We’re developing software tools designed to make industrial robots (which are used to make everything from solar panels to cars) easier to use, less costly and more flexible, so that more people can use them to make new products, businesses and services.

Alphabet and Intrinsic see easier-to-use, less expensive robotics as a way to help countries around the world improve their manufacturing processes.

By unlocking access to these incredible productivity tools, we hope to support a shift towards a more sustainable and equitable way of making things. Currently just 10 countries manufacture 70% of the world’s goods. This means most things are made far away from their end consumers, which drives global transport emissions, and many countries and businesses miss out on economic opportunities. Even countries with strong manufacturing sectors need help meeting demand: the US manufacturing industry alone is expected to have 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030.

While Alphabet’s X division has a mixed track record, in terms of building successful companies, Intrinsic certainly seems poised for success, addressing a viable need.

Google Looks to Reinvent Industrial Robots With Intrinsic
Matt Milano



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Thursday 22 July 2021

HBO Forces Apple TV Users to HBO Max, Shuts Down Apple TV Channel

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HBO Forces Apple TV Users to HBO Max, Shuts Down Apple TV Channel

HBO has shut down its Apple TV Channel, forcing users to embrace HBO Max instead.

Apple TV Channels is the company’s premium channel service, allowing users to subscribe to premium channels and watch them via the Apple TV app. The billing is also handled via Apple’s ecosystem, rather than paying the content channel directly.

As 9to5Mac reports, HBO had already stopped accepting new subscribers via Apple TV Channels once HBO Max launched. Now the company has even blocked existing subscribers from accessing content, forcing Apple TV users to use HBO Max instead.

Warner Media clearly sees HBO Max as the future of its streaming efforts. Unfortunately, that seems to mean promoting HBO Max exclusively, even at the expense of partnerships that benefit the end user.

HBO Forces Apple TV Users to HBO Max, Shuts Down Apple TV Channel
Matt Milano



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Intel Beats Expectations on Q2 Results

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Intel Beats Expectations on Q2 Results

Intel reported its Q2 results, beating expectations on strong semiconductor demand.

Intel reported GAAP $19.6 billion in revenue for the second quarter, coming in at $1.24 per share. Much of the revenue was the result of a 33% year-over-year increase in PC platform volumes.

The company also raised its full-year 2021 guidance to $77.6 billion GAAP, and $73.5 billion non-GAAP. This is an increase of $1 billion over original guidance.

“There’s never been a more exciting time to be in the semiconductor industry. The digitization of everything continues to accelerate, creating a vast growth opportunity for us and our customers across core and emerging business areas. With our scale and renewed focus on both innovation and execution, we are uniquely positioned to capitalize on this opportunity, which I believe is merely the beginning of what will be a decade of sustained growth across the industry,” said Pat Gelsinger, Intel CEO. “Our second-quarter results show that our momentum is building, our execution is improving, and customers continue to choose us for leadership products.”

The company still has many challenges ahead, not the least of which is the semiconductor component shortage.

Intel Beats Expectations on Q2 Results
Matt Milano



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Twitter Beats Q2 Expectations

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Twitter Beats Q2 Expectations

Twitter posted its Q2 earnings, beating expectations on $1.19 billion in revenue.

Once the darling of the social media market, Twitter has been surpassed in recent years by newer upstarts. The platform showed it still has room to grow in its latest report, however, posting $1.19 billion in revenue, an increase of 74% year-over-year.

Advertising revenue came in at $1.05 billion, an 87% increase year-over-year. The company also posted an 11% year-over-year growth of the coveted Monetizable Daily Active Usage (mDAU).

“As we enter the second half of 2021, we are shipping more, learning faster, and hiring remarkable talent,” said Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s CEO. “For example, our increased shipping cadence contributed to reaching 206 million average monetizable DAU (mDAU) in Q2, up 11% year over year and 3% quarter over quarter. There’s a tremendous opportunity to get the whole world to use Twitter.” 

“We delivered better-than-expected performance across all major products and geographies while growing our audience,” said Ned Segal, Twitter’s CFO. “We continued to make significant progress on our direct response and brand products with updated ad formats, improved measurement, and better prediction. We are driving more value for advertisers with our strong push into performance-based advertising and expanded offerings for small and medium-sized businesses.”

Twitter Beats Q2 Expectations
Matt Milano



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Kaseya Has Obtained Ransomware Unlock Key

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Kaseya Has Obtained Ransomware Unlock Key

The target of the largest ransomware attack in history has obtained the key to unlock impacted systems.

Kaseya makes IT management software used by companies around the world. As a result, it’s a tempting target for hackers, since compromising its software can potentially compromise thousands of its clients and their clients. This most recent attack compromised as many as 1,500 customers around the world.

REvil, the gang believed to be behind the ransomware, went dark in the aftermath of the attack. According to The Washington Post, Kaseya has now received the unlock key from a “trusted third party.” The company has verified the universal decryptor key works, and is rolling it out to customers.

The news is a welcome relief to the victims of the attack, and should speed up their recovery.

Kaseya Has Obtained Ransomware Unlock Key
Matt Milano



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Akamai Service Disruption Takes Down Major Websites

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Akamai Service Disruption Takes Down Major Websites

Some of the biggest websites on the internet were down, thanks to a service disruption at Akamai Technologies.

Users (including yours truly) started getting DNS errors when visiting common websites. The list of impacted sites include Airbnb, Delta, FedEx, McDonald’s, UPS and many more.

Akamai has said the issue was the result of a service disruption, and has already taken steps to fix the it.

The company also confirmed the issue was not due to a cyberattack.

Akamai Service Disruption Takes Down Major Websites
Matt Milano



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UAE Using Drones to Spark Rainfall

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UAE Using Drones to Spark Rainfall

The United Arab Emirates is using drones in a unique way: to help generate rainfall.

Like may parts of the world, the UAE is suffering from heatwaves, exacerbating the already arid climate. The country is looking to drones for the answer, using them to fly into clouds and electrically shock them in an effort to simulate rainfall, according to USA Today.

Cloud seeding, or the process of forcing cloud to produce rainfall, is not a new technology. The UAE’s approach of using electricity, rather than salt flares, is what’s new. Electricity does not have the same environmental concerns as salt flares.

If successful, the UAE’s efforts could be a boon for drought-stricken areas.

UAE Using Drones to Spark Rainfall
Matt Milano



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