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Canonical has released the Ubuntu 18.04 LTS platform for desktop, server, cloud and Internet of Things use. Its debut followed a two-year development phase that led to innovations in cloud solutions for enterprises, as well as smoother integrations with private and public cloud services, and new tools for container and virtual machine operations. The latest release drives new efficiencies in computing and focuses on the big surge in artificial intelligence and machine learning, said Canonical CEO Mark Shuttleworth. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2rb1dbk

I spent a day with BlackBerry last week and it brought back memories of how Apple displaced the company around a decade ago. I, like a lot of folks at the time, thought what Apple was attempting was impossible. However, after the fact, it didn't even look difficult. BlackBerry largely has completed its pivot to software and services, but a wave of new phones from its partners apparently will be coming to market shortly. Now, BlackBerry isn't even going to try to displace Apple, so what follows is "what if" speculation. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2I4Lo0i

Snap, the company behind Snapchat, on Thursday released the second generation of its Spectacles, a wearable video camera that captures short clips that can be synced to a smartphone. The new version also takes still photos and is designed to be water-resistant. The new Spectacles sport the same basic Ray-Ban style design as the first iteration, but they have been slimmed down and are less bulky -- a good thing both for wearing the glasses and transporting them. In addition, users have more color options. They include the ever-fashionable onyx, as well as ruby and sapphire. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2I5q8p1

Canonical on Thursday released Ubuntu Linux 18.04, which utilizes live patching and a new metric data collection system. Notably missing is the Unity desktop that had distinguished the distro but was poorly received. Canonical last year made the switch from Unity 7 to upstream GNOME as Ubuntu's default desktop environment. Unity is not an option in Ubuntu 18.04 and will not be available in desktop offerings moving forward. "The overall response was positive," said Will Cooke, engineering director for desktop at Canonical. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2Fk3TIO

Google has rolled out a number of new features designed to make its G Suite collaboration and productivity apps more efficient and safer to use. G Suite currently has more than 4 million paying business customers, according to Google. The updates include a new design, enhanced security and artificial intelligence components, and better integration of G Suite apps -- including Gmail, which is getting a brand new look. The overhaul already has been rolled out to some businesses via the G Suite Early Adopter Program. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2vOnIZ5

Devices built on Nvidia's Tegra X-1 mobile processor are at risk of attack from a flaw security researchers have revealed. The exploit chain discovered by Katherine Temkin and others affects any device running the chip, including the Nintendo Switch gaming console and some Chromebooks. Called "Fusée Gelée," the vulnerability allows anyone to run code on the chip by overloading a critical buffer when a system boots. "Fusée Gelée isn't a perfect 'Holy Grail' exploit -- though in some cases it can be pretty damned close," Temkin wrote. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2KfKCf9

Amazon plans to bring a home robot to market as early as 2019. Codenamed "Vesta," after the Roman goddess of home and family, the project is several years old, but hiring for it recently has ramped up with an eye toward placing prototypes in employees' homes by the end of the year, according to a report. The robot could be a mobile smart speaker. Some versions of the product apparently have cameras and computer vision software that allow them to travel through a home like a self-driving car. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2vHv2pn

What we do about fake news today could have a major impact on our future. Two new initiatives -- a concerted effort by Apple and a massive educational effort called the "Pro-Truth Pledge" -- could help eliminate much of the fake news BS that is really messing up the United States at the moment. On another front, President Donald Trump's plan to meet with Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader of North Korea, reminds me a bit too much of a pivotal meeting between Carly Fiorina, who was CEO of HP at the time, and Steve Jobs, who was then CEO of Apple. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2HnfrB1

Amazon has introduced Alexa Skill Blueprints, adding personalization capabilities to its smart speaker devices. The new tool provides pre-crafted templates for users to create customized experiences. Among the possibilities are answers to specific questions, or skills for particular users. With Alexa Skill Blueprints, users can build into their devices experiences that are personalized for themselves, their friends and their families. The experiences they create will appear only on the devices registered to their Amazon account. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2HeQqnn

NixOS is a modern and flexible GNU/Linux-based distribution that is both archaic to install and maddening to set up. That combination makes NixOS a reach too far for new users. That result may be an unintended consequence for a Linux operating system that is built around a very novel design approach. It is far more complex than other innovating options such as Qubes Linux, which is designed for heightened security, and rigid Arch Linux distros that lack a graphical user interface for managing installations. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2qKIdRI

Facebook has unveiled a comprehensive series of privacy enhancements designed to extend protections required by Europe's GDPR to all of the social media company's users around the world. The updates, which include major changes to the company's terms and data policies, fulfill promises CEO Mark Zuckerberg made to House and Senate members in Washington D.C., Facebook officials said. The congressional grilling followed disclosures that Facebook had allowed political data firm Cambridge Analytica to gain unauthorized access to user data. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2HwenKe

Rising tensions between China and the U.S. have led to growing concerns that a tariff war will have a negative impact on the electronics industry. Amazingly, the industry has been spared thus far, and with good reason. However, even if tariffs aren't imposed, there is a silent battle between the two countries that already has impacted the global electronics ecosystem. Watching the countries levy their recent tariffs has been like watching two opponents playing chess. Each has made a move intended to weaken the other's political position. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2J8ELab

About 20 percent of the most popular Android Apps available through the Google Play Store contain open source components with known security vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers, according to a report Insignary will release next week. The findings are the result of the company's recent comprehensive binary code scan of the 700 most popular Android Apps on the Google Play Store. Insignary leveraged its fingerprint-based binary scanning technology to analyze APK files for known open source security vulnerabilities. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2JUi9vg

Microsoft, Oracle and Facebook, along with 31 other companies, have signed the Cybersecurity Tech Accord, an agreement aimed at defending against cyberattacks, whether coming from rogue hackers or nation-states. The 34 tech firms committed to stronger defenses, no offensive attacks, capacity building and collective action. The accord is designed to protect the integrity of the 1 trillion connected devices that could be in use around the world within the next 20 years. Security remains a major issue in the tech world. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2EYaacX

Not content with furnishing every other aspect of our homes, IKEA has continued its push into smart home territory with its first Bluetooth speaker. The Eneby comes in two sizes: 8 x 8 and 12 x 12 inches. You can use it as a portable speaker with up to 10 hours of battery life with the optional $20 battery, and there's a handle for added portability. There are design options too, with black or gray fabric covering black or white plastic casing. For those who have yet to experience Bluetooth speakers, it could prove a good entry-level choice. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2HFtO0r

After I considered Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's testimony before Senate and House committee hearings last week, it became very clear to me -- and I expect many in Congress -- that social media companies need to be regulated. However, I think this is only a step in the path that governments -- and I do mean more than the U.S. -- will take to ensure their effectiveness and protect their people. I'm not suggesting the U.S. Congress, whose members currently appear to be woefully out of step, could run these companies better. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2J14qSd

Disney has introduced EPSN+, an all-in-one, direct-to-consumer premium streaming service that offers thousands of live sporting events as well as original series and films. ESPN+ is the first such premium service from The Walt Disney Company's Direct-To-Consumer and International Group through a partnership with ESPN. The release of ESPN+ coincides with the release of the free ESPN App, which features five primary navigation menus. Viewers can catch live events; check scores; watch news and analysis; view video clips; or listen to ESPN Radio content. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2Hj3w6l

Red Hat has announced the general availability of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.5, which targets the needs of both Linux server and cloud deployment users. With the goal of providing a consistent foundation for hybrid cloud environments, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.5 includes enhanced security and compliance controls, tools to reduce storage costs, and improved usability, as well as deeper integration with Microsoft Windows infrastructure, both on-premises and in Microsoft Azure. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2HwOcRo

Fear mongering about killer robots and the recent deaths connected with Uber and Tesla autonomous vehicles have rekindled concerns about AI. We are well beyond answering Alan Turing's question, "can machines think?" There is now good reason to ask how we should think of AI, and what we should expect from it. There have been phenomenal advances in just the past few years. They are due in part to advances in processor technology. We now can train artificial neural networks in the time it would take to make a cup of coffee. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2v6K5Zs

A Web standards milestone could point to the end of the road for pesky passwords. The new standard, WebAuthn, has won near-final approval from the World Wide Web Consortium. WebAuthn defines a standard API that can be incorporated into browsers and Web infrastructure. It opens the door for new ways for users to authenticate themselves on the Internet that are more secure and convenient than passwords. "Security on the Web has long been a problem which has interfered with the many positive contributions the Web makes to society," said W3C CEO Jeff Jaffe. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2ED8ntN

"People have a fear that if they show any type of vulnerability, that's a bad thing," said Palo Alto Networks Sales VP Amy Slater. "But I've learned over time that people want to work with and learn from humans. I've modified the way that I was leading, and in doing so I've become more approachable. Instead of being stiff and by-the-book, I started to create my own brand of being human. We all need to be human at work. If you're human at work, you can drive so much more productivity and loyalty and interest in your company." from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2HbP28l

Microsoft has rummaged deep into its archive for its latest contribution to the open source community: Windows File Manager. Originally bundled with Windows in 1990, File Manager was a replacement for the command-line interface in MS-DOS. The program was used to search, open, copy and delete files until it was replaced by Windows Explorer, which followed the introduction of Windows 95. Craig Wittenberg, a veteran of Microsoft, has maintained the code since 2007, after copying it from the Windows NT 4 source tree in November of that year. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2IEZ6E0

A group of nonprofits have agreed to fund an initiative to study Facebook's role in elections and democracy. The organizations will pay the expenses of researchers, and Facebook will give the scholars access to proprietary data that has met the company's new standards for heightened user privacy protection. "This is a critical first step toward a deeper understanding of how social media is used to sow distrust and spread disinformation that threatens American democracy," said Larry Kramer, president of the Hewlett Foundation. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2IIveGO

The YouTube shooting last week had less to do with guns than with the failure of the police to act on information in a timely way and the inability of social media to be anything but part of the problem. Google has been giving this issue little more than lip service, but I expect it has become motivated to do more -- funny how personal risk can change perspectives. However, in both the Parkland and YouTube events, social media seemed to help inflame the attackers, or at least did nothing to reduce their anger or eliminate the threats. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2GOIgFW

Facebook has announced an update to its policies for restricting data access on its platform. CEO Mark Zuckerberg also discussed some of Facebook's new efforts to shore up user privacy protections in a 45-minute long Q&A with the media. Facebook's changes will allow users to set privacy levels and limit automatic data sharing. The changes will affect the Events API, Groups API, Pages API, Facebook Login, Instagram Platform API, Search and Account Recovery, Call and Text History, Data Providers and Partner Categories, and App Controls. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2GGD0QT

Using most any Arch Linux distro usually involves balancing the desire for hands-on control of the operating system from scratch against the attraction of convenient installation and maintenance processes. Bluestar Linux is one of the few Arch distros that gets the balancing act right. Bluestar Linux is a GNU/Linux distribution that features up-to-date packages, an impressive range of desktop and multimedia software in the default installation, and a live desktop DVD. The live session capability is one of Bluestar's more enticing qualities. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2GDDyLu

Gesture control and a curved body may be in the iPhone's future. Apple has been experimenting with those features for the iPhone, and they could be ready for prime time in two to three years. Gesture control would allow a user to execute tasks without touching the screen. The technology could be used for more than just answering phone calls and opening apps, noted Gartner analyst Tuong Nguyen. "It could be folded into an umbrella of multi-modal user experiences -- understanding what you want through a gesture, a touch, voice or a biometric." from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2Ix27Gr

Intel has unveiled its latest family of 8th generation Core processors. "As with previous new-gen Core launches, these initial solutions are aimed at customers who value high-end performance and dynamic market segments," said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. The 8th Gen processors incorporate Intel Octane memory, a smart and adaptable system accelerator for desktop and mobile platforms using SATA-based storage technology. Intel also has released a new Data Drive Acceleration feature that boosts a large secondary HDD hard drive. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2q9vd7b

The Mozilla Foundation has unveiled its plans for Firefox Reality, a browser designed specifically for mixed reality headsets. The browser combines the beneftis of Mozilla's existing Firefox browser with its experimental Web engine. Using Servo, Mozilla plans to experiment with entirely new designs and technologies for seeing and interacting with the immersive Web. "We believe that the future of the Web will be heavily intertwined with virtual and augmented reality, and that future will live through browsers," wrote Mozilla's Sean White. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2GyulQi

A female suspect is dead and at least three people were wounded in a mass shooting incident Tuesday at YouTube headquarters in California. Hundreds of company employees fled the chaotic scene. San Bruno police swarmed the YouTube offices after receiving numerous emergency calls reporting shots fired. Police Chief Ed Barberini said that officers encountered one victim with an apparent gunshot wound in front of the business and soon thereafter encountered a female who was dead of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2GRG67U

An online service "was a great business opportunity to combine nutrition with technology," said Jackie Elnahar, CEO of TelaDIetitian. "I'm also very passionate about making nutrition information mainstream. I don't think seeing a registered dietitian should be a luxury. Anyone who needs to see a dietitian should see one, and it should be easy to." Adding the tech element to nutritional counseling supports "cutting healthcare costs and providing more accessible nutritional care for many that need it." from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2EgFkfo

One of the most powerful political organizations in the U.S. is the NRA. The president of the United States recently claimed he wasn't afraid of the NRA, only to have an NRA spokesperson -- not the president himself -- later announce that the president had changed his mind. It was painful to watch the most powerful man in the free world be treated like a small child. The cornerstone of the NRA's platform to sell more guns is the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Its original intent has been perverted over the years. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2GMPXMd

Microsoft has released an open source tool that makes it easier for programmers and developers to run Linux on Windows 10. The new tool also helps Linux distribution maintainers bring their distros to the Windows Store to run on Windows 10's WSL. Microsoft developed the project for distribution maintainers and for developers who want to create custom Linux distributions to run on WSL. The development team hopes open-sourcing this project will help increase community engagement through bringing more distros to the Microsoft Store. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2EetphV