Tag: newstrack

Outlook gloomy for notebook PCs

Posted on October 28, 2014 by - News

notebooksThere’s darkness at the end of the tunnel for vendors of notebooks, it appears.

Digitimes Research said that while notebook sales in 2014 fell by 2.1 percent in 2014, next year isn’t going to be too brilliant either.

It expects a further decline of 1.7 percent worlldwide in 2015, with shipments amounting to 168 million units.

The research outfit said that Microsoft Windows 10 is unlikely to bump up demand and efforts made by Microsoft to stimulate demand by reducing licensing fees aren’t going to turn things round.

It predicts declines in shipments of notebooks all the way through to 2018.

But every cloud has a silver lining because at least it will mean the price of notebooks will fall in 2015, partly due to Microsoft’s cunning plan to make machines with 11.6-inch notebooks sell for under 2015.

Chromebooks are expected to make additional depradations on the traditional Wintel notebook.

Met Office spends £100 million on computer

Posted on October 28, 2014 by - News

metcrayStung by criticism that its weather forecasts aren’t quite as accurate as they could be, the UK Met Office has decided the answer to the whingers is to buy a supercomputer that cost it £97 million.

How will the Cray supercomputer help?  The Met Office helpfully explains that it’s 13 times more powerful than the current system and has 120,000 times more memory than a top end smartphone.

That means it can deliver incorrect forecasts 13 times faster than it does now.

Of course, it’s all in the software or as the Met Office explains “sophisticated forecasts are anticipated to deliver £2 billion of socio economic benefits to the UK”.

Politician Danny Alexander, who is chief secretary to the Treasury,  said: “We are a country fascinated by the weather.”

The supercomputer is based at the Exeter Science Park and the Met Office says it weighs the equivalent of 11 double decker buses.

But we’ll have to wait nearly a year before the 16,000 trillion calculations a second supercomputer grinds into action.  The first phase will be operational in September 2015 and it won’t reach full capacity until 2017.

IBM brings in the clouds

Posted on October 28, 2014 by - News

Pic Mike MageeBig Blue said it has released or is just about to release a slew of cloud and Big Data analytics to the IT party.

It said that Cognos Business Intelligence, SPSS predictive analytics and Watson Analytics will soon be available on its Cloud marketplace. Currently the Cognos offering is in beta, and won’t be ready for action until the first quarter of next year.  And SPSS Modeller won’t be available for another 30 days.

What’s the Cloud marketplace?  It’s one place you can go to, or in IBM speak it’s “the digital front door to cloud innovation”.

Big Blue said that 25 percent of new business analytic installations will be as subscriptions to cloud analytic or application services by next year.

IBM wants a slice of that lucrative cake.

The giant said that it has five answers to five common problems for businesses including understanding customers, understanding operations, security, compliance and data warehouse modernisation.

IBM makes Ebola initiatives

Posted on October 27, 2014 by - News

ibm-officeGiant vendor IBM said it is offering a number of initiatives in a bid to help the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in Africa.

It has donated IBM Connections technology to Nigera in a bid to help preparedness for future outbreaks of the disease and has created a global portal to share Ebola data.

IBM has worked with Sierra Leone’s Open Government initiative, Cambridge Uni’s Africa Voices project, telco Airtel and startup Echo Mobile.

The Sierra Leone system lets people report Ebola problems and worries using SMS or voice calls. That, it says, will help the government improve its strategies for containing the outbreak.

Using IBM supercomputers and analytics in the cloud, the system will identify correlations and emerging concerns across the entire data set of messages. SMS and voice data are location specific.

According to IBM, the system has already identified regions with growing numbers of suspected cases and helped provide faster response times for body collection and burials.

The system uses radio broadcasts to encourage people to get in touch with the project.  Cambridge Uni’s Dr Sharath Srinivasan said: “We are working with IBM to offer people across Sierra Leone a channel to voice  their opinions and to ensure the data is rapidly analysed and turned into insights about the effectiveness of public service announcements and public misconceptions about Ebola.”

Airtel has provided a toll free number for SMS messages and anonymised by Kenyan company Echo Mobile.

Meanwhile, Big Blue volunteers are calling on organisations worldwide to contribute data as it seeks to identify and classify open data sources.

Intel readies server shifts

Posted on October 27, 2014 by - News

intel_log_reversedRoadmaps seen by sources close to chip manufacturer Intel say there’s a series of sea changes for server chips to be released in the second quarter of 2015.

According to reporters at Taiwanese wire Digitimes, Intel will release processors for servers based on Haswell-EX  as it readies other products for workstations too.

It is scheduled to introduce Skylake Xeons in the third quarter as well as Broadwell Xeons during the third quarter of next year.

That means – as is the tradition at Intel – we’ll see several processors phased out including Xeon Phis, Itaniums and other microprocessors, according to the wire.

Meanwhile the same media says that Intel will manage to ship a milllion units of its so-called “Education Tablets” this year.  The machines are largely aimed at developing markets.  Shipments will exceed three million units in 2015.

Computers will be made of DNA

Posted on October 27, 2014 by - News

DNAScientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem claim to have made a breakthrough that may well lead to the development of computer circuits based on DNA.

Physics is preventing the development of silicon based CMOS technology in the future but molecular electronics have been touted as the way forward.

Now a group led by Professor Danny Porath and Professor Paul Schankerman clailm to have performed reproducible and quantitive measurements of electricity through long molecules made of four DNA strands.

Porath said that the research “paves the way for implementing DNA based programmable circuits for molecular electronics, a new generation of computer circuits that can be more sophisticated, cheaper and simpler to make.”

The announcement comes through a collaboration with other bodies such as Tel Aviv University and groups based in Denmark, Spain, the USA, Italy and Cyprus.

Gadget accessories become big business

Posted on October 27, 2014 by - News

smartphones-genericA staggering $51.1 billion will be spent by people buying accessories for their smartphones this year.

That’s according to ABI Research which said protective cases are responsible for the biggest chunk of revenues and shipments.

The other major accessories are extra charges and memory cards, said ABI.

People, said analyst Thomas McCourtie from ABI, want extr protection for their smartphones – particularly now as they come with larger screens and so are more susceptible to damage.

And there’s a fashion element to the trend too – with some cases aving compartments for debit and credit cards and people want to carry everything valuable together rather than in wallets and purses separately.

The market for Bluetooth accessories continues with sales jumping by 18 percent over the five years between 2014 to 2019.

access

“Products such as the Beats by Dr Dre Pill and the Creative D200 have become some of the most sought after mobile accessories,” said McCourtnie.  “People are willing to pay for quality audio and highly visual brands.”

3D printers reach tipping point

Posted on October 27, 2014 by - News

3dprinterOver 217,000 3D printers will ship in 2015, but this is only the start of a headlong rush for people buying the devices.

A report from the Gartner Group estimates that 108,151 3D printers will ship this year, but shipments will double between 2015 and 2018.  Worldwide shipments then will be around 2.3 million.

It’s 30 years since the first 3D printers were invented, surprisingly, but unit shipment growth rates were trifling.  Gartner thinks that the 2.3 millin shipments in 2018 are only the beginning of the matter.

Gartner said 3D printers which use material extrusion will be the dominant technology and drivers for 3D printers include models costing less than $1,000, improved quality and a wider range of materials used to  print.

The market will be worth about $6.9 billion in 2018, it predicts as vendors add features and improve performance.

CHiPs steal nude pictures in car arrests

Posted on October 27, 2014 by - News

ss3399539_-chipsUS traffic cops  (CHiPs) have been using mobile search laws to steal naked pictures of hot women they er pull over.

According to an East Bay California Highway Patrol officer, accused of stealing nude photos of a DUI suspect claimed officers have stolen images for years.

Officer Sean Harrington of Martinez confessed to stealing explicit photos from the suspect’s phone, and said he forwarded those images to at least two other CHP officers.

Harrington called the photo stealing a “game” and said he had done the same thing to female arrestees a “half dozen times in the last several years.”

His reasoning is that others were doing it so why should he be the only one punished.

Photos were discovered missing when a suspect said she synced her phone after her arrest and noticed when six photos were sent from her phone to another account.

Richard Madsen, the victim’s attorney said that the pictures were private and should not be seen by anyone.

In a written statement to KPIX 5, CHP Commissioner Joseph Farrow said, “The allegations anger and disgust me. We expect the highest levels of integrity and moral strength from everyone in the California Highway Patrol and there is no place in our organization for such behaviour.”

What would Ponch say?

 

A load of meatballs? Italians might get free wi-fi

Posted on October 27, 2014 by - News

Spaghetti_and_meatballs_(cropped)The Italian government has come up with a novel way of fixing its aging and creaking broadband – it is going to introduce free wi-fi for tourists.

Italy has a problem in that its fixed line system is run by Telecom Italia which is broke and can’t afford to make any changes. The Telco is pretty much a monopoly which does not sit well with regulators.  At the same time no one really wants to fix it because that would take time and money.  Meanwhile there are American tourists shouting in the middle of Roma that they can’t stream their movies to their loved ones back in the Land of the Free.

Italian MPs’ answer is to provide free Wi-Fi in thousands of public places where foreigners are likely to hang out.  People will still not get it in their homes, but if they nip down to the local square with their mobile they might get a connection, along with a loud bloke wearing a Hawaiian shirt who is telling everyone how old the buildings are.

Under the plan, large shops, taxis, airports, law courts and other public places would have to set up an Internet connection and offer no-password wireless access free.

The plan is being pushed by Sergio Boccadutri, a member of the ruling Democratic Party  and has the backing of 100 MPs.

“Free Wi-Fi would have a big cultural impact and help the economy recover, starting from industries such as tourism.”

It will cost $6.3 million over three years as a contribution to buying equipment. The proposers aim to bring the bill before parliament by mid-2015.

In a recent study, penetration of broadband services with a speed exceeding 30 Megabits per second in Italy is lower than 1 percent, well below the European average of 6 percent.

Amazon is an illusion claims mystic Ballmer

Posted on October 27, 2014 by - News

SteveBallmerMouthAgapeIt seems that since he has left Microsoft, the shy and retiring former Vole Steve “there is a kind of hush” Ballmer has been taking some time out to consider the nature of reality.

Now when Buddha hit the same level in his meditations, he concluded that death and suffering was all an illusion, but Ballmer contemplated his navel, he concluded that the online retailer Amazon is not real.

Sharing his spiritual realisations on the Charlie Rose Show, Ballmer said that he didn’t  know what to say about Amazon before explaining why he’s wary of the company.

He said that the company made no money and in his world, you’re not a real business until you make some money.

“I have a hard time with businesses that don’t make money at some point.”

Amazon came up short of analyst expectations and on Thursday posted a $437 million loss for the third quarter, or a loss of 95 cents a share. That followed a net loss of $126 million during the second quarter. Its stock has fallen eight percent today as a result.

Ballmer said it’s OK for a company not to make money for a few years, but he’s perplexed with Amazon, which had yet to post a profit in two decades.

“If you are worth $150 billion, eventually somebody thinks you’re going to make $15 billion pre tax,” Ballmer said. “They make about zero, and there’s a big gap between zero and 15.”

Ballmer said that every business is expected to have is the capability to make money, and it requires  discipline and a certain kind of mindset.

“As a businessman, if you ask me what I’m proud of, I’m proud of the fact that I made $250 billion under my watch as CEO.”

So St Steve still has a problem working out that materiality is also an illusion.

British Queen uses Twitter

Posted on October 24, 2014 by - News

Queen Elizabeth IIQueen Elizabeth II took advantage of opening a new technology gallery at the London Science Museum this morning by getting down and dirty and tweeting the world.

The first tweet by the Queen said: “It is a pleasure to open the Information Age exhibition today at the @ScienceMuseum and I hope people will enjoy visiting. Elizabeth R.”

She sent the tweet via the Palace’s @BritishMonarchy account.

The new gallery at the Science Museum includes Sir Tim Berner-Lee’s NeXT computer – he’s the chap who invented the World Wide Web.

The main theme of the gallery is communications and includes old kit such as business computer Leo, how mobile phones work, and how the digital revolution is changing the world.

British sponsors of the exhibition include plucky chip designer ARM and BT.

Networks compromised by Backoff malware

Posted on October 24, 2014 by - News

Huntsman spider, Wikimedia CommonsSecurity company Damballa said it had recorded a 57 percent increase in Backoff Malware between August to September.

It compiles its reports from enterprise customers and global ISPs.

The biggest challenge for IT security teams is to find genuine attacks on networks from an avalanche of security alerts typically received.

During the third quarter of this year, Damballa noted the most affected enterprises received 138,000 events daily, up 32 percent from the second quarter. Enterprise customers said that’s an average of 37 infected devices per day.

But Damballa noted that Backoff, which is targeted POS (point of sales) malware infected 1,000 businesses.  The type of enterprises that suffered showed the malware had managed to bypass network prevention controls and while active, was hidden in networks.

Brian Foster, the CTO of Damballa, struck a pessimistic note saying the figures show prevention controls can’t stop malware infections.  “POS malware and other advanced threats can, and will, get through so we can’t completely build the walls around the network highter,” he said.

Enterprises need to look to build better better intelligence to idenify real threats.  “We’d advise enterprises to be prepared, to get ahead by assuming they will be compromised, and take proactive measures,” he added.

Intel revises its pay outs for vendors

Posted on October 24, 2014 by - News

Intel-logoIt looks as if Intel will stop providing pay outs – in euphemistic terms – subsidies, for people making mobile phones using its technology.

According to Taiwanese wire Digitimes, while Intel had an apparently sparkling set of financial results recently, it is going to restrict these payouts to all but the biggest players

It is significant that despite these sparkling results, Intel’s mobile unit, as we reported yesterday, was a loss making venture.  Intel beancounters don’t like making losses.

Digitimes said that Intel is concentrating on reducing costs for the bill of materials making up smartphones.  The writing on the wall for Intel has been clear to the chip giant for quite some time.  Vendors using ARM chips and non-Windows operating systems feel a little bit freer to pursue their own path.

According to the same report, Asustek, one of the bigger Taiwanese vendors, ordered over seven million Intel Atom processors but the level of rebates remains unclear.

Asustek will almost certainly continue getting pay offs from Intel because it’s estimated it will soak up at least fifteen million processors during the calendar year 2015.

Apple apologist hack hit by instant karma

Posted on October 24, 2014 by - News

burke

Samuel Burke

Just when you thought that Apple’s super bendy, overpriced, low spec iPhone 6 could not be a bigger lemon, it turns out that using its Pay function will cost you an arm and a leg.

It seems that not just the design geniuses at Apple need firing for the iPhone 6, but the programmers should also get a written warning and a lecture from HR.

Jobs’ Mob’ much over praised Apple Pay double charges users for no apparent reason. Multiple users have reported being charged twice for a single purchase when using the new NFC-based mobile payments system, which just went live on October 20.

Fortunately, at least one person who suffered from having their bank accounts emptied by their shiny toys were the same people who had been praising it to the skies when the iPhone 6 was launched.

The Tame Apple Press’s appropriately named CNN Tech reporter Samuel Burke  who rushed to Apple’s defence during bendgate by insisting that the iPhone 6 did  not bend found himself dealing with some instant karma for telling people about how brilliant the product was.

Burke moaned he was billed twice for every Apple Pay purchase he made with his Bank of America card via Apple Pay. Multiple Twitter users reported the same problem, and most complaints are coming from those Bank of America cards.

The Bank of America claims that the problem is with Apple Pay and not the bank, according to Burke’s report, and said in a statement that all duplicate charges will be reimbursed.

Apple of course trotted out its usual line that only a small number of users were affected and insisted it was a Bank of America problem.