Tech news

Bodhi Linux is an alternative to traditional Linux OSes that can change your desktop user experience. It is one of a very few Linux distros using Moksha, a forked version of the Enlightenment desktop. Enlightenment is a Compositing Window Manager and Desktop Shell. It is radically different from other lightweight interface shells such as Xfce and LXDE. Its roots go back to 1996, when it started out as a project to build a Window Manager for X11. That project has started to transition to Wayland. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2N1jDIB

Leaders from Human Rights Watch and Harvard Law School's International Human Rights Clinic last week issued a dire warning that nations around the world haven't been doing enough to ban the development of autonomous weapons -- so-called "killer robots." The groups issued a joint report that calls for a complete ban on these systems before such weapons begin to make their way to military arsenals and it becomes too late to act. Other groups, including Amnesty International, joined in those urgent calls for a treaty to ban such weapons systems. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2Pju7At

Google has announced several new online tools designed to help former members of the military find jobs or attract new customers to their businesses. One tool allows vets to type in the search term "jobs for veterans" followed by specific military job codes to see civilian jobs with skill requirements that match their service experience. The military job code feature also has been deployed to Google's Cloud Talent solution, which is used by FedEx Careers, Encompass Health Careers, Siemens Careers, CareerBuilder, Getting Hired and others. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2LD4isX

Apple will release three new iPhones in September, according to a Monday report citing unnamed knowledgeable sources about the company's plans. Although all the phones will have edge-to-edge displays, like the iPhone X, only two reportedly will have OLED screens. Some Apple insiders have been referring to 2018 as an "S" year -- a reference to a year when most of the significant changes affect the inside rather than the outside of the iPhone. Instead of seeking to add users, Apple apparently plans to slowly increase average prices. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2MBLpMu

If Tesla should go under, it would set back the electric car industry a decade or more. At the beginning of the last century, electric, steam and gas all competed for the automotive industry, resulting in far more advancements in gas cars than electric over the decades. Thankfully, no one has brought back steam. There are some recent breakthroughs with gas cars that actually could make them more efficient than many electrics, and they are already far more convenient to use. I have skin in this game because I have a Jaguar iPace on order. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2LABHEQ

There's a rumor in circulation that Amazon has been working on a DVR that would allow users to record live TV, and then stream that content to a smartphone and other mobile devices. Amazon aims to mount a direct challenge to DVR pioneer TiVo -- a company that was at the forefront of digital video recording 20 years ago -- according to reports. The Amazon DVR, codenamed "Frank," will work with Fire TV devices. Amazon's Lab 126 research and development center has been working on the DVR. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2PAmCGw

Quirky Linux is a classic example of what makes Linux such a varied and useful operating system. Puppy Linux developer Barry Kauler earlier this month released Quirky Xerus 64 version 8.6, which comes packed with the latest innovations for doing Linux stuff differently. This latest in the "Xerus" series is a must-try if you like to push your computing experience envelope. It offers a slightly different approach to blending a traditional Linux desktop with the latest in usability options. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2o2TAmf

Facebook has removed more than 650 Facebook and Instagram pages, groups and accounts originating in Iran and Russia for "coordinated inauthentic behavior." The goal is to improve the trustworthiness of Facebook connections. Although it has been making progress in its efforts, the people responsible for the inauthentic activity are determined and well funded, Facebook said. "We identified an influence operation, not just on Facebook, but across several social media platforms," said Sandra Joyce, vice president for global intelligence at FireEye. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2MrRafr

Microsoft has torpedoed a pair of websites designed to steal credentials from visitors to two Republican Party think tanks. The malicious websites were among six the company took down last week. A group of hackers affiliated with the Russian military created the sites, according to Microsoft. The group apparently was the same group that stole a cache of email from the Democratic National Committee during the 2016 presidential campaign. A U.S. court order allowed Microsoft to disrupt and take control of the domain names for the websites. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2OUQI6c

The healthcare cloud has been growing incredibly, becoming an ever-more-important element of health information technology, or HIT. There are many reasons why the HIT cloud has been becoming more prominent, such as research and development and collaboration. Since the cloud has been expanding so rapidly, this may be a good time to reconsider security -- and that means understanding the threat, reviewing best practices, and heightening awareness of emergent approaches. First, realize the cloud is only getting bigger. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2Bxihkt

When I read the book Ready Player One , I really got excited about the future of virtual reality, but the movie really didn't do the book justice. Some blockbusters have succeeded in interspersing computer graphics with real people and making it hard to tell the difference. Still, a totally rendered movie still looks like animation and you just don't get the film quality you get from, well, film. This was disappointing with Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow , which was all done with actors in front of blue screens and rendered. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2w0xJ33

Oracle has open-sourced GraphPipe to enhance machine learning applications. The project's goal is to improve deployment results for machine learning models, noted Project Leader Vish Abrams. That process includes creating an open standard. The company has a questionable relationship with open source developers, so its decision to open-source GraphPipe might not receive a flood of interest. Oracle hopes developers will rally behind the project to simplify and standardize the deployment of machine learning models. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2BfRtF7

Among my reporting beats are advances in TV production and the technology that brings TV to our homes. In my lifetime I've seen some of the most significant advances in television, and unlike many who take it for granted, I have a very deep respect for TV. My actual birthday is in January, but Aug. 21 is a date that is much more momentous to me. Back in 1980, it was the date on which my family was first connected to cable TV. This might seem like a silly date to note in one's life, but how important TV has been to me can't be overstated. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2weTEmq

Microsoft and Amazon have announced the release of a public preview of the integration of their Cortana and Alexa voice assistants. Cortana will be available on amazon Echo devices, while Alexa will be available to U.S. customers on Windows 10 devices and on Harman Kardon Invoke speakers. "Our ongoing goal has been to make Cortana your intelligent assistant, wherever you need assistance, and across many devices and platforms, from Windows 10 PCs to iPhone and Android," a Microsoft spokesperson said. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2KYg5l7

Nvidia has announced a powerful new graphics architecture with the potential to blur the line between virtual and actual reality. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang unveiled the new chips at the company's SIGGRAPH 2018 event in Vancouver, Canada. The Turing architecture enables a new generation of hybrid rendering that can be used to create cinematic-quality interactive experiences, effects powered by neural networks, and fluid interactivity on highly complex models. A wide variety of lighting effects that mimic real life can be rendered with Turing. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2KYE4Rg

"If you think about Internet threats like phishing and botnets and malware -- all of those start with a DNS -- a domain name system. And so every kind of nefarious act leaves footprints and fingerprints in the DNS. That's something that cannot be faked," said Farsight Security COO Alexa Raad. For example, "a lot of the new domain names that are registered are typically registered with bad intent, meaning criminals are going to use them to commit some sort of act, like phishing attacks, etc." from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2MNsfzk

Tesla is trending to fail spectacularly. It has been burning cash at an unsustainable rate, and it keeps making avoidable mistakes that weaken it. Here's what is weird: You'd think the firm's biggest problem would be that every large car maker was working behind the scenes to kill it. However, with the exception of the dealerships, the car companies for the most part appear to have worked harder to emulate Tesla than to destroy it. I expect that if Tesla fails, all fingers will point to Musk and the executive team. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2B9775f

The call came in less than an hour before the 8 a.m. shift was scheduled to start: A family emergency meant the regular caregiver for an elderly client couldn't make her shift that day, so a replacement caregiver was needed ASAP. Homewatch CareGivers of San Juan Capistrano had to quickly send a substitute from its pool of licensed, trained and security-bonded caregivers. Once confirmed to cover the shift, the substitute caregiver tapped into the Homewatch CareGivers "Care+" mobile system to access the client's medical information. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2vzjK4c

Samsung has unveiled its much-anticipated Galaxy Note9. The company made several other announcements as well, as it presented its vision for a seamlessly connected world. "We are creating a galaxy of experiences that span not just devices and locations but platforms and brands," said DJ Koh, CEO of Samsung Electronics, at the event. These experiences are "built on a foundation of intelligence that learns, adopts and anticipates -- not to control your choices but to enhance human capabilities and expand human possibilities." from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2OZSXpW

CVS Health'a retail MinuteClinic on Wednesday announced MinuteClinic Video Visits, a new virtual healthcare offering designed to assist people with minor illnesses and injuries, skin conditions, and other wellness needs. The telehealth offering will provide 24/7 access to healthcare services via mobile devices. It is available for both Android and iOS in nine states: Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire and Virginia. It also is available in Washington, D.C. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2vU13Yt

The Document Foundation has announced the availability of its second major release this year, LibreOffice Fresh 6.1, with enhanced editing on Desktop, Cloud and Mobile platforms. One of its most significant new features is Notebookbar, an improved experimental user interface option that resembles the ribbon interface popular with Microsoft Office users. The developers hope to release a fully refined ribbon-style interface in the next major release, according to Italo Vignoli, spokesperson for the foundation. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2OouUQg

AI plays a big role in Android 9, the latest version of Google's mobile OS. Called "Android Pie," it is designed to learn from its users' behavior, and apply those lessons to simplify and customize their phone experiences. "From predicting your next task so you can jump right into the action you want to take, to prioritizing battery power for the apps you use most, to helping you disconnect from your phone at the end of the day, Android 9 adapts to your life and the ways you like to use your phone," noted Google VP Sameer Samat. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2nlogi8

A computer virus over the weekend disrupted the operations of the Asian manufacturer that makes chips for the iPhone and other devices offered by top shelf high-tech companies. The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. said that a virus outbreak Friday evening affected a number of computer systems and fab tools at its facilities in Taiwan. The incident likely will cause shipment delays and create additional costs, the company said, as well as a 3 percent reduction in revenue and a 1 percent decline in gross margins in the third quarter. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2M2c44M

Apple is one of the most popular and powerful companies in the United States, and last week it became the most valuable as well. That news brought back some personal memories of my time at IBM, when it was the most powerful and valuable technology company in the world. For a long time, it seemed virtually untouchable. However, IBM went off the rails in the late 1980s, and by the early 1990s the stock had collapsed, the CEO had been fired, and the company had announced massive, historic layoffs. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2OP2dwU

Early reviews of the Microsoft Surface Go two-in-one, now available in stores, mainly have been positive. "This Surface Go is far closer to what people seem to want in a small product that's more focused on productivity than the iPad has yet been able to deliver," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. Reviewers have compared it favorable to Apple's iPad and Google's Chromebook. Education "and perhaps millennials" will be the strongest markets for the Surface Go, suggested Enderle. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2AC6b8W

The latest release of the ExTiX Linux distro is a major disappointment. ExTiX 18.7 has several shortcomings that make it troublesome to use. The flaws easily might be fixed in a patched follow-up release. Still, to a new Linux user, the problems inherent in ExTiX 18.7 give the Linux OS in general a black eye. New releases of any software platform never come with guarantees. Sometimes, an earlier release works almost flawlessly while its upgrade down the line fails to impress. That was my experience revisiting the ExTix distro. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2veXn3I

We've all been there: scrolling through a seemingly never-ending carousel of shows and movies available on Netflix, trying to find the one thing we might want to sit down and enjoy. Except we often end up spending more time looking for something to kick back and view than actually watching the thing itself. But fear not! You too can optimize your Netflix viewing experience, both in terms of finding something you want to watch, and amplifying how you watch it. Here's how. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2MgeWXX

The Homeland Security Department has announced the National Risk Management Center, part of a new effort to combat cyberthreats to the U.S. The new agency's mission will be to defend the critical infrastructure through greater cooperation between the public and private sectors. The center will bring together government experts and industry partners to work out ways that the government can support the partners. The idea is to create a single point of access to all government resources that can be used to defend against cyberthreats. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2n3nc2w