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Solus, an independent Linux distro based in Ireland, is built from scratch on the Linux kernel and the flagship Budgie desktop. This week's release brings the KDE Plasma desktop to the growing Solus family. Solus uses a rolling release that frequently updates system files and software packages to eliminate the need to periodically reinstall the operating system when new ISO or installation files are issued. Updated ISOs are available on a predetermined developmental cycle so new users have immediate access to the most recent content. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2GGF8tp

The World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus a global health emergency in recognition that the disease risk no longer is confined to China. United Nations member countries may decide to close their borders, cancel flights, implement special screenings at airports, or take other steps in response to the notice. U.S. health officials earlier this week announced they would fast-track work on a coronavirus vaccine, with the goal to have an early-stage trial within three months. That timeline is considered optimistic. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/31dkJFZ

Perhaps technology operates at its most profound level when we don't notice it -- when it simply becomes woven into the fabric of our daily lives. We asked ECT News Network's roundtable of industry insiders to pause and reflect on their own personal tech preferences, to speculate on what popular gadgets may vanish from use in the next decade, to consider the role of wearable health tools -- and then to expand the discussion to the health of the planet, tech advances in traveling on it, and the prospect of leaving it altogether. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2tb1X5h

A new iPhone app allows you to capture two high-quality video streams simultaneously from any of the mobile device's cameras. Called "DoubleTake," the free software is produced by FiLMiC, which also makes a pro style video capture and editing app for the iPhone. With DoubleTake, you can shoot two 1080p video streams at the same time, in either landscape or portrait mode, using any of the cameras in an iPhone 11 Pro Max, 11 Pro, 11, Xs Max, Xs or Xr. To make choosing a camera easier, the app contains a camera picker view. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/37CTqXU

The Free Software Foundation wants Microsoft to keep Windows 7 alive as a free operating system. Microsoft stopped providing free security patches and support for Windows 7 earlier this month. Although the popular operating system reached its 10th birthday last fall, some 200 million PCs around the globe still run it, according to industry estimates. Users include small business owners, some larger companies, government agencies, and hordes of consumers worldwide. Microsoft expects most Windows 7 users to migrate to Windows 10. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2RSRxj8

Motorola is taking orders for its $1,499 Razr foldable smartphone, and units are expected to start shipping on Feb. 6. Motorola made its mark on the mobile handset business with the original Razr, introduced in 2004, which ushered in the era of flip phones. The new Razr is a flip phone, too, but with a foldable display. The 6.2-inch OLED screen folds in half to create a compact package that comfortably fits in a shirt pocket. That's a departure from the recent crop of foldable phones that expand from phones to tablets. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/38QuFI1

When it comes to any merger, you often can't trust the reason the firms are merging, particularly if financial rather than operational managers are driving the process. When it comes to hostile takeovers, you can bet you are being misled, because the rhetoric will address synergy and the power of the two firms together, but the folks driving the effort know the more likely goal is to destroy the acquired company. Carl Icahn, who is one of the most feared corporate raiders in the world -- possibly the most feared -- is behind this one. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/36q8PcI

Peach OSI's Patriot OS is a vibrant example of how a software developer can create a distribution that stands apart in the crowded Linux OS field of lookalikes. This evolving Linux OS distro, once known as "Peach OSI" but now called "Patriot OS," delivers a Linux computing platform that injects new functionality and offers something different. It is worth checking out, especially if you want to supercharge older computers. Patriot OS is a fully loaded release that exceeds most computer users' expectations. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2RKHbBO

A digital forensic analysis conducted by business advisory firm FTI Consulting concludes with "medium to high confidence" that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' smartphone was hacked through a malicious file sent from the WhatsApp account of Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. The malware was in an MP4 file attached to a WhatsApp message. UN special rapporteurs released technical elements of the report. "It makes you wonder how many other U.S. citizens are being spied on," said tech analyst Rob Enderle. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2RLORnx

Cybersecurity and privacy threats aren't confined to the tech world. They've cast their pall on the world in general. Computer viruses, malware and data leaks have become commonplace, personal privacy has become a bad joke, and cyberwar looms like a virtual mushroom cloud. What sometimes gets lost in the gloom are the many ways security professionals have been working to shore up cyberdefenses and rebuild some semblance of personal privacy. ECT News Network's roundtable of technology insiders recently discussed some of that progress. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2uouvZw

The United States Congress made some significant progress this session when it comes to data privacy, but cybersecurity remains a blind spot for lawmakers. Congress currently is considering a national privacy law that mirrors legislation enacted in the European Union. It would allow people to access, correct and request the deletion of the personal information collected from them. Though there are several ideas as to the final form the bill should take, a path became clear during the Senate Commerce Committee's privacy hearing last month. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2NRZBiY

When we watch a work of fiction, we enter an understanding with its makers. We agree to suspend our disbelief, and they agree to entertain us. If it's a particularly good work, perhaps it inspires us by communicating some kernel of wisdom about human nature. Its story may touch our emotions deeply, but we know it's the product of imagination and artistry. It's not bound by facts. Cosmos: Possible Worlds delivers everything a great science fiction movie delivers, except the fiction. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/38vklos

Canonical is deploying a scalable Android-based operating system for mobile and desktop enterprise applications from the cloud. The company just announced its Anbox Cloud containerized workload platform. Anbox Cloud allows apps to be streamed to any operating system or form factor. Its uses include cloud gaming, enterprise workplace applications, software testing and mobile device virtualization. "Anbox Cloud is the first commercially available mobile cloud computing platform," said Galem Kayo, product manager for Ubuntu at Canonical. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2REecQc

Facebook recently promised that it would increase efforts to remove so-called "deepfake" videos, including content that included "misleading manipulated media." In addition to fears that deepfakes -- altered videos that appear to be authentic -- could impact the upcoming 2020 general election in the U.S., there are growing concerns that they could ruin reputations and impact businesses. A manipulated video that looks real could convince viewers to believe that the subjects in the video said things they didn't say, or did things they didn't do. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2G7UNlc

Who is most deserving of the title "CEO of the Decade"? Historically the focus in choosing CEO of the decade has been on their financial accomplishments, but that approach has left us in a world lacking diversity and empathy in positions of power -- particularly noticeable in the tech industry -- and one where global climate change may end the human race. I think the criteria for CEO of the decade should change. The focus should be on diversity and inclusion, empathy, security and environmental protection. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2RCVyb8

The current version of TROMjaro is as close as it gets to being a Manjaro clone. However, a much different philosophy gives users something more than the Manjaro distro itself offers. The latest ISO release, issued Nov. 11, is labeled "version 11.11.2019" and is based on Manjaro 18.1.2 "Juhraya." As such, TROMjaro is part of the Arch Linux family. However, thanks to TROMjaro's frequent rolling release update schedule, the distro already has advanced beyond the features baked into the almost three-month old ISO. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/375w3WL

Cybersecurity risks for 2020 stretch far beyond the alarming spike in ransomware. In addition to the daily concerns of malware, stolen data and the cost of recovering from a network intrusion, there is the very real danger of nefarious actors using cyberattacks to interfere with the 2020 U.S. general election. Today, every company that has a computer or any connected devices or software should see itself as a "tech company." Every individual with a smart TV, virtual assistant or other IoT device could be at risk as well. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2u5s3a2

If you're a small business owner or a key member of an enterprise executive team, you want your firm to succeed. If you're a customer, you want to be treated well. Those goals are not diametrically opposed, but very often it seems that companies and customers are at cross-purposes. ECT News Network recently gathered together -- virtually, that is -- five technology experts who did some hard thinking on some of the issues businesses and consumers confront on a daily basis, and some valuable insights were the payoff. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2RkBvhI

Apple and the DoJ are at it again. This time it's over cracking a brace of iPhones owned by the Saudi Air Force cadet who killed three sailors in a shooting spree last month at the naval air station in Pensacola, Florida. At a news conference to announce the findings of an investigation into the Pensacola incident, U.S. Attorney General William Barr called out Apple for refusing to help the FBI recover data on the phones owned by the cadet. Barr's comments provoked Apple to issue a statement of its own on the subject. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/35U63vW

After 10 years of fully supporting Windows 7, Microsoft ended its official support for the out-of-date Windows operating system on Tuesday. The popular classic Windows 7 OS still runs on some 200 million PCs around the globe, according to industry estimates. Users include small business owners, some larger companies, and hordes of consumers holding onto aging personal computers. Microsoft committed to providing 10 years of product support when it released Windows 7 in 2009. The company's focus now is on supporting new user experiences. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/3a5ILqt

CES is the show I look forward to returning from, and the primary reason is that getting around Las Vegas during the event is a nightmare. One evening I wanted to go to the In-N-Out Burger place, and even though it was only a mile or two from my hotel, the traffic was so bad that I doubted I'd make there and back before midnight -- and it was only 6 p.m. CES would benefit either from Elon Musk's Boring Company or from aggressive use of autonomous technology so that the traffic could be better optimized. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2FY8xPD

Arduino announced a new low-code Internet of Things application development platform at CES 2020 in Las Vegas. It also introduced the low-power Arduino Portenta H7 module, a new family of Portenta chips for a variety of hardware applications. Arduino's open source microcontroller platform simplifies the creation of modular hardware to power everyday objects that are smart and connected. Arduino chose a good time and venue for its announcement, noted Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2TbGG6g

Ransomware tops the list of cybersecurity threats for 2020. While there have been efforts to convince individuals, corporations and municipalities not to pay ransoms, the simple fact is that whenever one is paid, the attack becomes a success that encourages cyberthieves to try again. Ransomware attacks increased 18 percent in 2019, up from an average 12 percent increase over the past five years. It accounted for 40 percent of all manufacturers' cyber claims, and for 23 percent of cyber claims for smaller businesses last year. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2t4nFIb

CES is in full swing in Las Vegas this week, and the show for all things high-tech -- from gizmos and gadgets to cars and entertainment gear -- has attracted attendees from around the world. The first CES, or "Consumer Electronics Show" as it originally was known, took place in June 1967 in New York City. It was a spinoff of the Chicago Music Show, which previously served as the main trade event for consumer electronics. That first show attracted 17,500 attendees and more than 100 exhibitors. Today that number has grown tenfold. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/36P61Hf

If you're turned off by the mere thought of talking heads vying to speak the loudest or the longest in a TV "discussion" of some pressing issue of the day, read on for a refreshing dose of sanity. ECT News Network recruited five smart people with plenty to say about the state of technology, and we gave them plenty of time to say it. The result is a far-ranging intercourse touching upon the most critical technology-related issues facing individuals, small businesses, enterprises and governments at the dawn of this new decade. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2uye7pr

Feren OS now is built around Ubuntu Linux 18.04 and the KDE Plasma desktop instead of Linux Mint. The Cinnamon desktop version could retire later this year. The Feren OS community has released a mostly maintenance snapshot update for the Feren OS Cinnamon version. This new Feren OS release meets the goal of mixing the Cinnamon desktop with the more capable KDE Plasma 5 to make a better distro. It comes with a transition tool that literally rolls the updated system components in the snapshot release into the modified KDE desktop. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2Fvz0n6

Samsung introduced a high-end Galaxy Chromebook at CES 2020 in Las Vegas. The new model could serve as an extension of the company's smartphone lineup and spawn a premium device demand in the category. Samsung aims to position it as the company's flagship Chromebook to meet potential demand for a more useful and powerful multipurpose premium mobile device. That could amount to little more than wishful thinking, suggested Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. Demand for ultra powerful Chromebooks has yet to develop much traction. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2Fw7Jko

Every year I look forward to CES being over. That's not because it isn't interesting -- it is. It's because the place is a nightmare to get around, thanks to some incredibly stupid decisions that turn Las Vegas into a gridlocked mess. Coming right after the holidays, it is oddly timed, ensuring that it destroys more family vacations than any other event short of a long driving trip with very young children. A lot of the most interesting products won't be on the show floor, but will be shown under NDAs to buyers, analysts and reporters. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/2QueM3w

With the rise of electric cars, it was only a matter of time before electric trucks hit the market. Several electric vehicle startups -- including Bollinger, Lordstown Motors, Rivian and Workhorse -- have been working on developing electric pickup trucks for several years, but none have come to market yet. However, it was the announcement of the Cybertruck by Tesla that ignited interest in the market. Tesla received more than 200,000 reservations, at $100 each, in the first few weeks after announcing the Cybertruck. from TechNewsWorld https://ift.tt/39CSJ2f