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Apple founder Steve Jobs loved Bob Dylan, who sang, “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.” Microsoft seems to have listened to Dylan’s advice and has launched an Apple tech community for IT professionals.
Welcome to Microsoft Mac AdminsThe move reflects the steady growth of Macs across the enterprise, particularly in the US. Apple has done what everyone once saw as impossible, and its platforms now account for as much as 40% of enterprise PC deployments.
Here comes an entirely new kind of computer.
Events like this don’t happen often. So, we should all stop and marvel at the emergence of what I call the ARPC — the “augmented reality PC.”
The “form factor” solves the decades-old desire to maximize screen size while minimizing hardware size.
And it’s ideal for the age of remote work, digital nomad living, workcations, bleisure travel, staybaticals, hot-desking, hoteling, and every other future-of-work neologism that has emerged since the Covid plague.
Here’s the concept: You have a regular computer but with no physical display. Instead, you wear augmented reality glasses, and the display is virtual. That means you can have a display that’s gigantic with a computer that can be the size of an ordinary laptop.
As generative AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard continue to evolve at a breakneck pace, raising questions around trustworthiness and even human rights, experts are weighing if or how the technology can be slowed and made more safe.
In March, the nonprofit Future of Life Institute published an open letter calling for a six-month pause in the development of ChatGPT, the AI-based chatbot created by Microsoft-backed OpenAI. The letter, now signed by more than 31,000 people, emphasized that powerful AI systems should only be developed once their risks can be managed.
The US is working on drafting new regulations that would prohibit investments and transfer of technology to Chinese firms working on developing advanced semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing, a US Treasury official said Wednesday.
The new regulations will not only focus on Chinese firms but also its military organizations, Paul Rosen, US Treasury’s investment security chief, said at a Senate Banking Committee hearing focusing on countering China and advancing US national security, economic security, and foreign policy.
Several hundred tech and administrative workers at Amazon’s main headquarters in Seattle staged a walkout today, urging the technology and retail giant to adopt more climate-friendly policies and do away with rules mandating in-office work.
Several speakers at an event — which was broadcast on Twitter — spoke outside the company’s headquarters Wednesday morning, saying that climate change wasn’t being taken sufficiently seriously by Amazon, and arguing for a range of policies that would reduce the company’s impact on the environment. The event was organized in part by a group called Amazon Employees for Climate Justice.
Representatives from other groups — including Minneapolis labor advocacy group the Awood Center, which helped Amazon warehouse workers in that city organize for better working conditions — sent statements of support, and speakers included the director of local climate justice action group 350 Seattle, Shemona Moreno.
What do you need to go with a new cutting-edge mixed reality product? Computers to create virtual worlds on. That seems to be what Apple plans to introduce at WWDC next week.
Is Apple about to turn AR hype into happening?All eyes are on Apple in the prelude to the company’s big developer jamboree beginning June 5. AR and VR industry leaders are hoping hard that the company’s announcements will be wind beneath the wings of a business opportunity that hasn’t really manifested itself beyond the hype.
If you love finding hidden software treasures as much as I do, Google's ChromeOS operating system is a productivity playground like no other.
ChromeOS is in a constant state of evolution, y'see, with new releases landing every four weeks and fresh 'n' fancy features more or less always under development and begging to be discovered. The best part of that setup is that unlike most other platforms — including even Android — Google's latest and greatest ChromeOS features are typically tucked away behind a special switch and available on any Chromebook long before they're launched to the masses.
The metaverse has been described as the next phase of the internet: interconnected and persistent 3D spaces where we will work, play, and, so it seems, purchase virtual real estate. But metaverse-related technologies have failed to keep up with the considerable hype, the vision of ultrarealistic virtual environments offered by tech vendors miles away from the current reality of cartoony avatars and cumbersome, expensive headsets.
As the hype spotlight has shifted sharply to generative AI and all its dangers and possibilities, talk of the metaverse — or “Meh-taverse” — these days largely centers on its demise. And not without reason: Meta (formerly Facebook), which changed its name in 2021 to reflect its new focus, has spent billions on VR development with comparatively little return, at least so far. Sales of VR and AR headsets have fallen short of expectations. And Microsoft shuttered AltspaceVR, the social VR platform it acquired in 2017, and has reportedly laid off workers focused on mixed reality development while making AI its clear priority going forward.
Just days after trading remarks over the implementation of AI laws in Europe, European Union’s industry chief Thierry Breton is set to meet OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in June to discuss AI regulations further, according to a Reuters report.
The meeting, which is most likely to take place in San Francisco, will see Breton seek a roadmap for implementation of EU’s AI regulations that are expected to come into effect in 2026, the news report cited unnamed EU officials as saying.
The discussion, according to officials, will focus on datasets and their use in building or managing AI and large language models.
Hundreds of tech industry leaders, academics, and others public figures signed an open letter warning that artificial intelligence (AI) evolution could lead to an extinction event and saying that controlling the tech should be a top global priority.
“Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war,” read the statement published by San Francisco-based Center for AI Safety.
The brief statement in the letter reads almost like a mea culpa for the technology about which its creators are now joining together to warn the world.
When is an iPhone not an iPhone? When it’s almost as big as an iPad mini. Is a 7-inch iPhone Ultra really on the Apple road map, and is this the gadget mobile professionals need?
A computer, a tablet, a smartphoneThe story so far is that Apple may not ship an improved iPhone SE until next year. Also next year, reputable speculation mongers claim, the company intends to launch a larger model iPhone, the 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Ultra. They also say the company will increase the size of the basic iPhone 16 Pro from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches.
Edge, sit down. We need to talk. (You too, Bing.)
Lately you’ve gone from a browser that was ignored by many but had the potential to be a very well-behaved and secure browser to one that is being, well, a bit pushy. And Bing has been taking a page from your playbook and gotten a little pushy as well.
Let’s take a recent change with Edge that is now exposed with controls. Included in Edge build 113 or later, you can now control the campaigns that will attempt to change a user’s default browser. If you disable this policy, users will not be prompted to set Microsoft Edge as the default browser, or to set Microsoft Bing as the default search engine.
When ChatGPT arrived in November 2022, it made mainstream the idea that generative artificial intelligence (AI) could be used by companies and consumers to automate tasks, help with creative ideas, and even code software.
If you need to boil down an email or chat thread into a concise summary, a chatbot such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Bard can do that. If you need to spruce up your resume with more eloquent language and impressive bullet points, AI can help. Want some ideas for a new marketing or ad campaign? Generative AI to the rescue.
The Windows 11 2022 Update has been released, but behind the scenes, Microsoft is constantly working to improve the newest version of Windows. The company frequently rolls out public preview builds to members of its Windows Insider Program, allowing them to test out — and even help shape — upcoming features.
The Windows Insider program is divided into four channels:
The Canary Channel (new in March 2023) is where platform changes (such as major updates to the Windows kernel and new APIs) are previewed. These changes are not tied to a particular Windows release and may never ship at all. Little documentation is provided, and builds are likely to be very unstable. This channel is best for highly technical users. The Dev Channel is where new features are introduced for initial testing, regardless of which Windows release they’ll eventually end up in. This channel is best for technical users and developers and builds in it may be unstable and buggy. In the Beta Channel, you’ll get more polished features that will be deployed in the next major Windows release. This channel is best for early adopters, and Microsoft says your feedback in this channel will have the most impact. The Release Preview Channel typically doesn’t see action until shortly before a new feature update is rolled out. It’s meant for final testing of an upcoming release and is best for those who want the most stable builds.The Beta and Release Preview Channels also receive bug-fix builds for the currently shipping version of Windows 11.
China is urging Japan to repeal restrictions on the export of chip-making technology, citing violations of international and trade regulations.
Beijing’s condemnation is the latest development in the ongoing chip war between the US and China, which has seen moves from both nations to thwart each other’s semiconductor manufacturing prowess.
The Japanese government’s move to impose a ban on chip exports comes days after China banned the use of semiconductors manufactured by US-based chipmaker Micron, citing a cybersecurity issue.
Google Chrome is the default browser on Android phones. But maybe you want to use another browser because you prefer to avoid Google apps, you’re looking for stronger privacy safeguards, or other reasons. Or maybe you simply want to keep a secondary browser on your phone to serve as a backup or for specific tasks.
There are a lot of alternative browsers that you can download from Google Play, but when using a browser for business, it’s best to stick with the most trusted, well-known brands: DuckDuckGo, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Opera. This guide highlights the main features that set five business-friendly alternative browsers apart from Chrome, along with a few tips for getting the most out of each one. Unless otherwise noted, these browsers are free.
Days after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company might have to cease operations in Europe if the EU’s AI Act regulations passed in their current form, he has has seemingly rolled back on his comments.
Despite recently telling US lawmakers he was in favor of regulating AI, when speaking to reporters in the UK earlier this week, Altman said he had “many concerns” about the EU’s AI Act and even accused the bloc of “over-regulating.”
OpenAI is the Microsoft-backed firm that has developed the groundbreaking but somewhat controversial ChatGPT generative AI system.
OpenAI shipped its ChatGPT app for iPads and iPhones just a week ago, but it has already become one of the most popular applications in the last two years, with over half a million downloads in the first six days. That’s a real achievement, but also a challenge — that’s half a million potential data vulnerabilities.
Not to rest on its laurels, this year’s favorite smart assistant (so far) is now also available in 41 additional nations. There’s little doubt that this has been one of the most successful software/service introductions of all time, but that doesn’t change the inherent risk of these technologies.
Microsoft is seeking the formation of a new US agency to govern AI while expressing its concerns over the safety and security aspects of the latest technology and laying out a blueprint for public governance of AI.
“We would benefit from a new agency. That is how we will ensure that humanity remains in control of technology,” Microsoft President Brad Smith said while delivering an address in Washington, according to Bloomberg
Smith’s call to build an agency whose sole purpose would be to look at governing AI and AI-based tools comes days after OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman voiced his opinion over setting up an agency that would set ground rules for AI implementation.
The heart of making strategic IT decisions relies on what is supposed to be an accurate and complete global data map, along with a similarly correct and comprehensive asset map. Sadly, no enterprise has that today and, to be candid, probably never did.
There are always problems gaining full visibility today into anything IT-related, but as the enterprise environment has changed in recent years, the age-old IT nemesis, shadow IT, is still a major factor.
This problem has gotten a lot worse during the last few years because of several issues. Beyond the growth of IoT and OT devices, and partners and customers gaining network privileges, the biggest change is the avalanche of home offices and the lack of consistency or standards across those remote sites. Routers can be from any vendor and associated with any carrier. Hardware firewalls may or may not exist — and may or not ever get patched if they do exist. Most LANs are wild west, with access granted to anyone (like, perhaps, the boyfriend of the employee’s teen-age daughter).
Apple is expected to provide a first glance at the mixed-reality headset, or perhaps just the operating system that runs it, at WWDC 2023. The first big new product from the company in a while means interest in the new systems is likely to be high. What do we think we know?
It’s an enterprise product (really)Apple is a consumer company and inevitably plans to turn its new headset into a consumer product. Despite dispiriting sales estimates from people who’ve never seen the device, thousands of consumers will probably buy one, but that’s not really the audience — yet.
Look, this is slightly awkward, but I'm not gonna sugarcoat it: Reading stuff on the web these days can be a pretty painful experience.
You know what I'm talkin' about, right? (Insert awkward pause here.) On most modern websites, you're bombarded with an army of over-the-top pop-ups, promos, and other assorted ads every time you try to open up an enticing article. (Insert awkward eye-darting here.) Media is a business, of course, but still: As a mere mammal trying to ingest interesting info, it can sometimes get to be a bit much. (Insert forced awkward smile here.)
The business part is what makes the whole thing especially tricky — 'cause for better or for worse, online publications and the lowly internet scribes who power 'em rely on revenue from all that advertising in order to exist. That means if you use some sort of aggressive ad-blocker, you're hurting that company's odds of survival and potentially also jeopardizing the content creators' ability to earn a paycheck.
A Windows launch isn’t the end a process — it’s really just the beginning. As with Windows 10, Microsoft continually works on improving Windows 11 by fixing bugs, releasing security patches, and occasionally adding new features.
In this story we summarize what you need to know about each update released to the public for the most recent version of Windows 11. For each build, we’ve included the date of its release and a link to Microsoft’s announcement about it. The most recent updates appear first.
The easiest way to install updates is via Windows Update. Not sure how? See “How to handle Windows 10 and 11 updates” for full instructions. Note that Windows 11 version 22H2 is being released as a phased rollout and may not be available to you in Windows Update yet.
The launch of a major Windows 10 update isn’t the end of a process — it’s really just the beginning. As soon as one of Microsoft’s feature updates (such as Windows 10 version 22H2) is released, the company quickly gets to work on improving it by fixing bugs, releasing security patches, and occasionally adding new features.
In this story we summarize what you need to know about each update released to the public for the most recent versions of Windows 10 — versions 22H2, 21H2, 21H1, and 20H2. (Microsoft releases updates for those four versions together.) For each build, we’ve included the date of its initial release and a link to Microsoft’s announcement about it. The most recent updates appear first.
Enterprise admins handling fleets of Macs take note: there's a new security management tool from Apple device management firm Addigy.
The MDM Watchdog Utility monitors the MDM framework on devices and automatically forces software patches to be installed if they're not already in place. This is designed to help solve a specific problem in which some (not all) managed Macs do not properly install Apple’s Rapid Security Response updates.
When security isn’tIn today’s fast-moving threat environment, Apple has introduced Rapid Security Response (RSR) as a key front line against new threats. The defense is intended to be distributed and installed across Apple’s platforms as swiftly as possible once new threats are identified. The idea is that by expediting distribution and making installation a quicker process, it will be easier to maintain security across Mac fleets. That’s important as the scale of Apple deployments grows and enterprises move to support employee choice.
Amid the numerous AI-related announcements at its Build developer conference this week, Microsoft also delivered updates on key aspects of its vision of a workplace “metaverse,” with the release of avatars for Teams and private previews of its Mesh mixed-reality tools.
Microsoft unveiled its Mesh concept in 2021, promising a range of tools and features, including a development platform to build mixed-reality apps, a virtual collaboration app, and avatars for Teams.
What’s the king of the note-taking apps?
There are two leading contenders for the crown: Microsoft’s OneNote and the independent Evernote. Launched in 2003, OneNote was added to the Microsoft Office suite (most versions of which are now called Microsoft 365) in 2007. OneNote is now also bundled with Windows 10 and 11 and offered for free as a standalone product.
Evernote launched in 2008 and has enjoyed steadily increasing user numbers since then; the company says it has 225 million users worldwide. (Microsoft hasn’t released user numbers for OneNote, but between Microsoft 365 and Windows 10 and 11, more than a billion users likely have a version of it installed on their machines.)
Microsoft will let customers connect its Microsoft 365 Copilot to other applications via “plugin” integrations, effectively giving the generative AI assistant access to data from thousands of third-party software tools, the company announced today at its Build developer conference.
The AI assistant, unveiled in March, uses OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4 large language model (LLM) to automate processes in Word, Outlook, Teams, and other apps in the M365 suite. In recent weeks, Microsoft has continued to add new ways customers can access the Copilot across M365 apps and extended a private preview to 600 businesses.
Despite falling revenue from online sign-ups, videoconferencing company Zoom remains positive about its future outlook, posting a 5% year-on-year increase in total revenue for the three months to April 30.
The company saw unprecedented levels of growth during the COVID-19 pandemic but since the end of global lockdown orders has sought to pivot to connect workers both inside and outside the office to stabilize its long-term growth.
Reporting results for the first quarter of its 2024 fiscal year, Zoom said revenue from enterprise customers—those engaged with its direct sales team or partners—represented the biggest growth area, up 13% year on year and accounting for 57% of the total revenue. The number of enterprise customers grew 9% year on year to approximately 215,900.
What do you think about when you hear the words “the future of finance?” For most people, images of mobile payments, online banking, and other cutting-edge technologies come to mind. But what about decentralization? If you’re unfamiliar with the term, decentralized finance (DeFi) is a subset of blockchain technology that focuses on financial applications powered […]
The post How DeFi is Reshaping the Future of Finance appeared first on IT Business Edge.
While financial markets have rallied in recent weeks, there are still many enterprise software companies that are trading at depressed levels. It’s common for there to be losses of 50%+ for the past year. Just a few include Okta, Twilio, and DocuSign. This has also put tremendous pressure on funding for startups. During the second […]
The post Enterprise Software Startups: What It Takes To Get VC Funding appeared first on IT Business Edge.
RPA Tools automate repetitive time consuming tasks using machine learning (ML) and AI. Compare RPA Software now.
The post Top RPA Tools 2022: Robotic Process Automation Software appeared first on IT Business Edge.
The enterprise landscape is changing, and along with it cybersecurity needs. Employees are increasingly remote, applications are moving to the cloud, and IT infrastructure is becoming more complex, with IoT and mobile devices and branch offices among the many connection points outside of traditional firewalls. To keep up with all these changes, enterprises need a […]
The post Top Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Solutions appeared first on IT Business Edge.
In a world where data breaches are becoming increasingly common, it’s essential to take steps to protect enterprise information. That’s where data loss prevention tools come in. These tools can help companies protect their data from hackers, accidental deletion, insider threats and more. Businesses need to ensure the tools they use are practical and effective […]
The post Best Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Tools appeared first on IT Business Edge.
Analysis of data fed into data lakes promises to provide enormous insights for data scientists, business managers, and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. However, governance and security managers must also ensure that the data lake conforms to the same data protection and monitoring requirements as any other part of the enterprise. To enable data protection, data […]
The post Data Lake Governance & Security Issues appeared first on IT Business Edge.
Last year, Match Group – which operates online platforms like Tinder, Match.com and Hinge – shelled out $1.725 billion to acquire Hyperconnect. This was a play on the metaverse. Unfortunately, Match had challenges in making the strategy work. In the latest shareholder letter, Match CEO Bernard Kim noted: “I’ve instructed the Hyperconnect team to iterate […]
The post Metaverse’s Biggest Potential Is In Enterprises appeared first on IT Business Edge.
Keeping up with the ever-changing IT needs of a growing business can be a logistical nightmare. That’s why so many organizations have outsourced IT management to managed service providers (MSPs). Managed services continue to grow at a steady pace, boosted by remote work and the challenges of staffing an IT team with talent in high […]
The post Top Managed Service Providers (MSPs) 2022 appeared first on IT Business Edge.
The metaverse can be an intimidating term conjuring up visions of some futuristic virtual world, but it’s perhaps best viewed as virtual experiences brought to the internet, something akin to an interactive video game. There are huge obstacles to creating a larger world that spans individual virtual platforms, so for now it’s perhaps best to […]
The post The Value of the Metaverse for Small Businesses appeared first on IT Business Edge.
Mark Zuckerberg introduced Facebook’s rebranding to Meta at the company’s annual Connect event last year to reposition the company for the “new internet,” the metaverse. The metaverse has been around for some time as a kind of urban legend, perhaps aptly described in the 2011 science fantasy book Ready Player One. That was until some […]
The post How Revolutionary Are Meta’s AI Efforts? appeared first on IT Business Edge.
The Internet is largely unsafe unless you possess some technical acumen and the ability to identify online threats. And it’s often difficult to differentiate between a legit error and a scam. An example here is the Microsoft Defender error 0x80016CFA pop-up. The pop-up appears when you browse the web and states that a serious malfunction […]
The post 0x80016CFA Windows Defender Error: How to Fix it appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
The Hidusb.sys file is related to the Microsoft USB miniport driver and is a system file that is often known to cause multiple issues on a Windows PC. In this guide, we will share with you the reasons that could trigger the errors associated with Hidusb.sys file and how you can easily resolve this BSoD […]
The post Hidusb.sys BSoD: What is it & How to Fix it appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
Many of our readers complain about running into Error 8018000a: Something went wrong. The device is already enrolled. It occurs when attempting to enroll in Intune. Hence, this guide will discuss ways to resolve the error. Also, you may be interested in what to do if your device is missing important security and quality fixes. […]
The post 8018000a Enrollment Error: Best Ways to Fix it appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
Many of our readers complained about PDFs opening in Chrome instead of Adobe. The issue can occur for many reasons. However, you can fix it by following the steps outlined in this article. Alternatively, you can check our detailed review of the best PDF reader software for Windows 11. Why does my PDF open in Chrome […]
The post PDFs Opening in Chrome Instead of Adobe? How to Change it appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
We recognize the need to install the most recent OpenGL drivers to guarantee optimum performance and compatibility. So that you may use the full capabilities of your graphics hardware, we will guide you step-by-step through installing and upgrading OpenGL drivers on your Windows PC in this article. What is an OpenGL driver? The rendering of […]
The post OpenGL Driver for Windows: How to Download & Update appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
IoT devices are everywhere, so it’s no wonder that Microsoft has its own OS called Windows 10 IoT that runs on these devices. In case you’re not familiar, IoT boards are cheap, and they can provide all sorts of functionality to their users, as long as users are ready to configure them manually. Today we’ll […]
The post Windows 10 IoT: What is it & How to Use it appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
The WRkrn.sys driver is a kernel-mode driver used by Webroot SecureAnywhere, and it may sometimes trigger a Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) error. However, the fixes are not always complicated. So, in this guide, we have put together some easy-to-follow steps to rid your computer of the blue screen error. What causes the WRkrn.sys BSoD? […]
The post WRkrn.sys Blue Screen: How to Fix This System Error appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
While Chrome, the default browser for Chromebook, does a pretty good job, users still seek other options. One of the options users are exploring is the possibility of installing Microsoft Edge on a Chromebook. In this detailed guide, we will show you how to download and install the browser without breaking a sweat. Can I […]
The post Microsoft Edge for Chromebook: How to Download & Install appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
Microsoft Excel is one of the most used apps by students and companies alike. However, like every other software, there are times when users face issues, with some complaining that Excel files are opening in Notepad. This problem can be pretty frustrating, as it makes your document disjointed. Fortunately, there are ways to fix this […]
The post Excel Files are Opening in Notepad? 4 Ways to Fix That appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
The messages failed to load error on Discord, prevents users from reading new messages on their subscribed servers. When this error occurs, users see only empty bubbles instead of the latest chats in their channels. This frustrating issue can be due to different factors, including server downtime. Irrespective of the cause of this problem, this […]
The post Messages Failed to Load: How to Fix this Discord Error appeared first on Windows Report - Error-free Tech Life.
![Here’s everything new in Microsoft Teams [May 2023]](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/475488iCA762981CF4BA973/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999)