Big data is a big opportunity, but current IT thinking needs to change
Hitachi Data Systems has just revealed the results of its "Information Innovation Index," which is a study that aimed to measure how businesses are able to tap into and make good use of big data. And the short answer is that many feel they're not making best use of the swathes of data they're sat on.
The study was conducted by Vanson Bourne across 200 Chief Information Officers and IT decision makers in the UK, and almost half (46 percent) of respondents felt that their current IT setup was hindering their ability to effectively crunch big data for valuable insights.
Samsung's 'Gear Solo' smartwatch could let you make calls without a smartphone
Samsung could put a SIM card inside its next smartwatch so that customers without a Galaxy smartphone are able to step aboard the company’s burgeoning wearables bandwagon.
Not content with its current smartwatch offering, the Gear Solo will offer owners the chance to have a device that has its own SIM card slot and allows it to connect to a mobile network without the need for a smartphone connection.
Samsung design chief replaced following Galaxy S5 disappointment
Samsung has a new man in charge of its mobile design team, following criticism of its new Galaxy S5 flagship smartphone.
Chang Dong-hoon will be replaced by Lee Min-hyouk, who was the vice president for mobile design, Reuters reports. Samsung didn't have any comment to make about the move, though apparently Chang Dong-hoon offered to resign himself last week (likely under pressure by the sound of things).
Snap happy -- Google Camera app for KitKat is a winner [Review]
I was never a big fan of the camera interface that came with KitKat on my Nexus 5. Having to roll my finger about on the screen to get to the various menu options never really appealed. It felt awkward, and I was always missing the selections I wanted.
Anyone running KitKat may have come across the fact that the camera app has changed. My Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 both got it as an automatic download, but if you are running KitKat on a handset or a tablet and don't have the new camera app, you can pop along to the Play store and download it. It's called Google Camera.
Soon police will be able to trace photographs back to the camera that took them
Forensic experts have long been able to match a series of prints to the hand that left them, or a bullet to the gun that fired it. Now, the same thing is being done with the photos taken by digital cameras, and is ushering in a new era of digital crime fighting.
New technology is now allowing law enforcement officers to search through any collection of images to help track down the identity of photo-taking criminals, such as smartphone thieves and child pornographers.
Why 'Look Up' is just a load of nostalgic nonsense
Whether you like poetry or not, you've probably seen or heard about Gary Turk's "Look Up" -- a video that laments Generation Y's constant lust for information from Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and other social media on mobile devices.
Since being uploaded to YouTube on 25 April, Look Up has racked up over 29 million views and divided opinion across the net as to whether we're drowning ourselves in a pool of useless notifications, or actually an empowered and more socialized society due to our circles of Internet friends.
Microsoft working on a smartwatch according to new patent
Apple's iWatch is becoming more strongly rumored as the months pass, but Microsoft could also enter the smartwatch arena -- we've previously heard plenty of speculation on this front, and now a patent for such a watch has been spotted.
The watch has fitness and health capabilities -- heart rate monitoring and all the usual gubbins such as calories burned -- and there's a twist to the design whereby the watch body can be detached from the strap, and then used with other hardware. For example, it could be docked with other fitness-related devices to share data.
Is it time to 'Reset the Net'?
A new campaign called "Reset the Net" has been gaining ground in recent days, with major privacy pressure groups coming out in full support of its mission.
More than 30 of the groups, including Fight for the Future, Demand Progress, Reddit, Free Press and the Libertarian Party, have set June 5 as the day to "Reset the Net" by deploying new privacy tools and enhanced security solutions.
Symantec: Antivirus software is 'dead' and only catches 45% of cyberattacks
Symantec has declared antivirus software "dead" as it finally gets ready to take the fight to the new breed of cyber security threats that are plaguing companies across the globe.
Brian Dye, Symantec senior VP for information security, told the Wall Street Journal that antivirus is no longer a "moneymaker in any way" for Symantec or any other firm and that technology is being developed that will limit the effect future cyber attacks have.
Overlooked testing conditions that affect mobile app quality and performance
Building a mobile app is difficult -- it takes a lot of time, money, and some luck. Success not only depends on the content and functionality of the app, but also on how your app performs on real devices under real user conditions. Tools and SDKs for mobile app development have improved these last few years, but often the development and testing process misses the rigor and attention to detail that is required to give your app a fighting chance.
First and foremost, you cannot rely solely on post-launch crash reporting and monitoring tools. In the web world, companies learnt the hard way that bugs that caused sites to crash or payments to fail ultimately led to unsatisfied customers and lost revenue opportunities. As a result, a culture of pre-release testing is now ingrained in web development. So why shouldn’t the same apply for mobile and apps?
iOS 7 security flaw leaves email attachments vulnerable
A glaring bug in Apple’s iOS 7 mobile operating system has resulted in every email attachment on iPhones and iPads being left completely unencrypted, according to new disclosures.
According to the official support documentation provided by Apple, iOS provides data protection on all devices that offer hardware encryption -- specifically the iPhone 3GS and later, all iPads, and the third-generation iPod touch and later.
Acer Liquid Z5: You get what you pay for [Review]
Acer has come up with a low-cost 5in handset in the Liquid Z5, and one with a neat chassis design, too. However, it needs some distinguishing characteristics to make it stand out, as things are competitive in every segment of the handset market these days. So does the Liquid Z5 have what it takes to be a winner?
The Liquid Z5 comes in a Duo version -- that’s one which supports two microSIMs. That’s why the cover for the SIM slot on the single SIM model (which I was sent for review) is so very long. The dual SIM version is currently available online for £140, while Asda has my single SIM version for £95 as I write (the phone isn't currently being sold in the US). That is an attractive price for a handset with a 5in screen. Leading budget handsets cost more -- Motorola’s Moto G comes in at £150, and Sony’s Xperia M is around £135. So how has Acer managed to get down to this sub-£100 price?
How to secure a great job in big data
Big data jobs are some of the most well-paid jobs across all sectors, and in honor of Big Data Week 2014, we thought we'd put together a guide on how you can get in on the action.
There's been a predicted shortfall of 243 percent of skilled individuals needed to fill big data analytics jobs in the UK alone, and companies and organizations are currently scrambling over each other to recruit emerging talent. What's more, a data scientist can emerge from just about any field. Most analysts will tell you that it's misleading to describe big data simply in terms of a set of tools or programming languages. The common thread is the need for data-savvy professionals who have the ability to draw meaningful insights from the flood of data pouring into the modern organization.
iPhone users are the biggest sexters
If you own an iPhone, you're more likely to be sending risqué messages to your significant other -- or at least that's the finding of a new survey.
The poll, conducted by YouGov and commissioned by insurance2go.co.uk, found that a third of iPhone owners -- over 30 percent -- had sent a rude text to their partner (or indeed, to someone else instead of their partner for one of those truly foot-in-mouth moments).
HP Omni 10: A good-value Windows 8.1 tablet [Review]
So far HP’s approach to tablets has been pretty clear cut, choosing Android for its low-cost 7-inch to 10.1-inch tablets, and Windows for its more premium-priced 11.6-inch and 13-inch convertibles. With the Omni 10, however, the company is really shaking things up. First, it’s a 10.1-inch tablet at the kind of price point where you used to find Android models only. Second, it’s running full-fat Windows 8.1, not Windows RT, with a quad-core Bay Trail processor and a full HD screen.
It’s as if HP has realized what other Windows 8 tablet manufacturers have struggled to come to terms with: That it’s not enough to produce a tablet with low-end specs and high-end pricing, and expect that people will buy it just for the chance to run Windows and use Office. You need to produce something that competes with its Android rivals on every level, including the screen, the performance and the price.
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