sincity

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/cloud_services/Perzo/perzo-safelock-470-75.JPGBrian, for the uninitiated, what exactly are 'admin rights' and privilege management?For most purposes, admin rights can be loosely defined as being the set of rights granted to either a root user (Linux, Unix, Mac OS X) or an administrator account (Windows), as opposed to standard user rights. One of the biggest security issues in organisations is that admin rights are given too often and for a couple of common reasons: first, many users want to have control over their own desktops (who wants to wait until the IT department can get around to installing that vital piece of application software that you need?). Second is the perception that putting the onus on the user also reduces overall IT support costs (for example, fewer calls to the IT helpdesk), but the truth here is actually quite the opposite. Privilege access or privilege identity management is the name given to the process of managing those rights: in other words, who has access to what. It matters because admin rights open up gaping security holes, however careful a company might think it is being. It's one thing to have a multi-layered investment in security software, but if Miss Jones in accounts is allowed to download a piece of software that turns out to contain malware that wreaks havoc all over the organization, then those big investments are in vain. Do you have any insight into what the scale of the problem is?Over 70% of known vulnerabilities in Windows 7 require admin privilege to be exploited. In a survey by BeyondTrust in late 2013, it was discovered that 44% of respondents knew that there were users in their company with excess account privilege, 65% had implemented so kind of control for this privilege and 54% knew that their users could circumvent those controls. Forrester reported a couple of years ago that around 43% of data breaches are from internal sources. A Verizon report states that in 2011, 98% of data breaches came from external agents, but goes on to suggest those attacks were successful because they were enabled in part by human error or ignorance. By 2012, this had only dropped 6% to 92%. In short, as long as there are users with excessive privilege, companies are leaving the door wide open for this to happen each and every day. Of course, those figures are going to vary but I'd argue we haven't seen much improvement. There have been some pretty high profile examples of where admin rights or excessive privilege have enabled data to be leaked or security breached, Target being one of the most recent examples. Can you provide some examples of what actually goes wrong?A hacker gaining access to a company network has to be extremely lucky to find themselves with access to a system with sensitive or valuable data as their initial point of entry. Most exploits happen on a system that has lower security, usually because it's not holding any sensitive data. Once on that system the hacker needs to find a privileged account to allow them to make lateral moves through the system until they find some useful data. Once they've got that privileged account they aren't hacking any more: they start acting like an internal employee. So they're inside the organisation and behaving like – and treated like – anyone else with that level of admin rights. It's a bit like allowing a guest into the company foyer, not bothering with a security pass and while you're at it, giving them a set of keys to all of the doors, desks and file cabinets in the building. All this can stem from just a simple innocuous action, such as downloading an unauthorised application that brings in malware and gives the attacker a way into the organisation. And of course, let's not forget that the 'insider threat' isn't just about allowing external attackers to imitate internal users: there have been some cases where employees have abused their privilege to access or distribute sensitive and confidential information. So what are the barriers to companies dealing with this better?Many feel they left with little option other than to give admin rights. The security systems we have to work within Windows, Linux, Unix and Mac OS X give us two options primarily: standard user and super user (root or administrator). When you exceed the capabilities of the standard user we are only left with giving them admin rights to keep them productive. IT is there to help our employees be more productive. A secure environment is currently seen as being one in which productivity is impacted by the coarse level at which we can apply user rights. Many companies have invested time and effort in tooling and processes to help them manage the excess privilege through direct controls through to user training and assessment. User rights management is ingrained in many organisations and it's hard to let go. What do you think needs to change?Quite simply, we need to stop trying to manage the problem and start eliminating it. At the base level, it isn't the user that needs the additional rights/privileges, it's the applications and processes they are running. We need to move away from thinking about user privilege and move toward managing application privilege. Allowing us to move to a place where privilege is explicit, not implicit as it is with admin rights. That would remove a wide variety of vulnerabilities straight away. So what kind of practical processes could companies look at adopting – can you share some best practice suggestions?Privilege management becomes more digestible when you think more in terms of applications, rather than users. Even in big organisations, there are probably only a couple of thousand apps and the need to apply privilege to these probably only applies to a small number. The privileges around that application are likely to be fairly constant, whereas privilege around users – who change jobs or leave the company – is more fluid. The principle of Least Privilege, as first stated by Jerome Saltzer in 1974 ("Every program and every privileged user of the system should operate using the least amount of privilege necessary to complete the job."), gives us an approach that we can actually deliver on today. By starting with a standard user, adopting the approach of application privilege (the least privilege necessary for the application or process to run productively) and looking to assign the ability to run privileged applications explicitly we reach control through empowerment. Without plugging any of your own software, how can tools help companies manage privilege better?The complexity of our IT environments only seems to be increasing, but within that we do see very important technologies that can help us manage privilege better. Single-sign-on allows us to have a consistent single identity across many applications within our working environment. Technologies that allow you to use a single identity across multiple operating system platforms further reduces the number of identities we need to operate and manage. This reduction in the number of identities in the environment aid in the most important aspect that tooling can deliver: visibility. The more clear the visibility we have across our environments, the better the decisions we can make to move them forward, to make them more secure while still giving our customers (our users) the facilities they need to be productive. We cannot lose sight of the objective of the technology it's not there for its own sake, its there to help deliver productivity. How might this fit into an overall security and IT risk management strategy?Privilege management is one element of having a solid security strategy. Vulnerability management is another (hackers use vulnerability and privilege to exploit company networks) and good configuration management is also vital. These all contribute to building a solid foundation on which to construct your broader technology services and security. There's no point investing in lots of technology tools to manage security if you haven't got the foundations right. Companies need a solid base of the right policies and processes, together with different security tools (there is no silver bullet) that don't just deal with security problems as they arise, but help to prevent them happening in the first place. Brian Chappell is Director of Technical Services for BeyondTrust in EMEA and APAChttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/412d5240/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612506025/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412d5240/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612506025/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412d5240/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612506025/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412d5240/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612506025/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412d5240/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612506025/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412d5240/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Windows%20Phone/Windows%20Phone%208/Cortana/windows_phone_halo_cortana-470-75.jpgThe latest rumor regarding Cortana in Windows 10 is that the virtual personal assistant might first pop up there in January 2015. With a Windows 10 Technical Preview that includes Cortana supposedly right around the corner, you'd think an example or two of her in action would leak - and as of today you'd be right. Windows news site WinBeta seems to have got its hands on a test version of Windows 10 with a very unfinished Cortana built in, and they published the video below. Looking good"Before we dive in I must stress that this is an in-development version of Cortana running on pre-release software," the video's narrator says. "That means the user interface isn't finished and features are very buggy." " width="420">YouTube : As the video demonstrates the Windows 10 version of Cortana can do almost everything the Windows Phone version can do, from placing Skype calls to setting reminders and much more. The site doesn't seem to have any more clues as to when Cortana will actually arrive in a public build of Windows 10, but the existence of this mostly-functional test version suggests that January might be a good guess after all. Is Sprint ditching Windows Phone?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/412bbc12/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612463469/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412bbc12/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612463469/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412bbc12/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612463469/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412bbc12/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612463469/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412bbc12/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612463469/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412bbc12/sc/21/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/av_accessories/Amazon%20Fire%20TV/amazonfiretv-main-470-75.jpg Our 'try harder next time' picksIf you're only here because you want to cut the cord and stop the rich, monopolistic cable overlords from siphoning your hard-earned dollars every month, I only have one thing to say to you: You've come to the right place. Look, we believe that paying for great TV shows and movies shouldn't cost more than your groceries, and that there's no better way to save some green every month than ripping that money-sucking cord out of the wall and delivering that long-winded "you're fired" speech to the cable company. We're here to help you make that next buying decision the best one possible by ranking the five best set-top boxes from worst-to-best and, in very clear writing, tell you which one will feel right at home in your home entertainment center. From the gold-standard Roku 3 to the recently released Fire TV Stick, all the set-top players have come out for the final showdown, but only one (OK, maybe two) can leave with the crown. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/av_accessories/Asus%20Nexus%20Player/review/nexus-player-with-controller-420-90.jpg 5. Nexus PlayerComing in at the end of the list is the beautiful, but ultimately barren, Nexus Player. If you're an Android user you'll love the icon-heavy interface and ability to easily send web pages, videos and music directly to the big screen via Google Cast. We liked its ability to play AAA games thanks to its optional $40 controller, as well as its well-groomed storefront. It even has a great search function that makes finding the next show to watch a breeze. What ultimately hurts the value of the Nexus Player is its lack of an ethernet cable, essential for a steady connection, and missing content services like HBO Go and Amazon Instant Video. At $100 it's not the best value, either. Roku has the market cornered on sheer amount of apps, and Chromecast comes in at the top of the pile for lowest cost. Nexus Player is just a middle child that may one day find success if it manages to set itself apart from its kin. Quick verdict "Ideally, every set-top box would have access to every streaming service, game library (both iOS and Android) and music collection. Sadly, this is not a perfect world. Google, however, made the best of the situation with the Nexus Player. It gets full marks for its simplistic, it'll-fit-anywhere design and sharp-looking interface. It does a decent job of putting the right specs in while keeping cost down and making a complementary platform for Android 5.0 Lollipop. But, unfortunately, it takes a huge loss when it comes to streaming services like HBO Go and Amazon Instant Video, which are completely absent on the device." Read our Nexus Player reviewhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/av_accessories/Amazon%20Fire%20TV/Review%20Update%201/amazonfiretvupdate-1-420-90.jpg 4. Amazon Fire TVThere's a soft-spot in my heart for the Amazon Fire TV - a set-top player from the e-commerce giant that single-handedly thrust the concept of cord cutting into the limelight. It scores full points for having some of the best internal components this side of a game console (which, I'd be remiss if I didn't tell you that both the PS4 and Xbox One make for fantastic streamers, too), and plays very nicely with everything sporting the name Amazon in the title. The Fire TV is snappy, fun and probably the best bet if all you want from your system is content from Amazon Instant Video. It has more games and apps than you can shake a Fire TV Stick at, but most of them aren't worth the five to ten seconds it takes to download. And worse, while it works wonderfully with an Amazon Prime account, take it away and you're left with a lifeless plastic shell that can access Netflix and peruse the endlessly expensive Amazon Video Store. Quick verdict"The Amazon Fire TV is simple to use and works well. If you are significantly bought in to Amazon's services, it's hard to go wrong with this box. However, if you are not an Amazon customer or even an Amazon customer who doesn't have or want Amazon Prime, then you might think twice. The device is clearly tilted toward Amazon customers, and nothing short of a full UI overhaul is going to change that. We'd like to at least see Amazon allow some kind of user customization in the interface. Until then, we're calling this device great, but not perfect." If you want everything the full-size player has to offer (minus the remote with a built-in mic) at half the price, consider picking up the Amazon Fire TV Stick instead. Read our Amazon Fire TV reviewOur top 3 pickshttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/av_accessories/Chromecast/chromecast%20nexus1-420-90.jpg 3. Google Chromecasthttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/Awards%20Logos%202014/Editor's_choice_2014/tr_ed_choice_2014-120-100.jpg Too often, there's a discrepancy between a product's price (what it costs) and its value (how much it's really worth). Thankfully, Chromecast isn't one of those products: it's worth every penny. Coming in $32 (£30), the petite, USB-powered Chromecast offers all of the functionality of boxes three times it price at half the size. Like other pint-sized streamers - the Roku Streaming Stick and the Amazon Fire TV Stick - Chromecast hides behind your entertainment center by directly plugging into the TV's HDMI and USB ports. Once seated, all that's left is to pull out your phone, install the Chromecast app and before you know it you'll have HBO Go on the big screen. Plus, if you're an Android user, you'll even be able to mirror your screen via the built-in cast functionality. The product's biggest weak spot is its failure to support every app natively, and while most of the big names are all here, you won't find Amazon Instant Video or any of the niche programming that Roku has available on its platform. Quick verdict"Chromecast is an inexpensive, easy-to-use way of accessing streaming on your TV. All the major video streaming apps are compatible and you soon find yourself using it on a daily basis. If it cost more, we'd say it might be worth looking at the Amazon Fire TV or the Nexus Player, but at this price how can you possibly argue? Chromecast is fun enough, robust enough and has enough potential that thoroughly recommend it to anyone without a smart TV." Read our Google Chromecast review http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/av_accessories/Apple%20TV%20review/Hardware/P3271500-420-90.JPG 1. (Tie) Apple TVOK, OK, it's kind of a cop out by giving two products the top spot, but hear me out. If you've bought into the Apple ecosphere - i.e. owning a Macbook Air, iPhone 6 and/or iPad Air 2 - then the Apple TV is the only way to go. It simply works flawlessly with Apple's name brand-tech. In combination with any of the products mentioned above you'll be able to peruse selected Internet content natively like YouTube, Vimeo, Netflix, iCloud and Podcasts and, thanks to Apple's AirPlay system, mirror any other content you'd like to see from a Mac, PC or iOS device and play it on your television. Unlike the other sets, though, it's not the best stand-alone solution. Apple hasn't opened app development to anyone outside of the company, which means that third-party content is practically non-existent. You're essentially stuck in Apple's walled-garden (sound familiar?) until they see fit to give you more viewing options. Quick verdict"If you've already got some Apple devices in your home then Apple TV is a natural fit and at this price you should really consider getting one because it integrates wonderfully with your current setup. But until Apple sorts out integrating iPlayer, 4OD and ITV Player into the menu system and makes AirPlay a little less restrictive, the Apple TV isn't a must-have product for everyone." Read our Apple TV reviewhttp://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/av_accessories/Roku%203%20TR%20review/Roku%203%20US%20review/roku3-1-420-90.jpg 1. (Tie) Roku 3When it comes to channels, more is always better. Sure, I may never watch a spaghetti western on the Six Gun Cinema channel, but it's great that Roku gives me that option. And if the niche movies aren't your scene, you'll find every major player here as well - Netflix, HBO Go, Amazon Instant, Google Play Movies & TV, Hulu, Sky News, ESPN, MLB.TV, Spotify, Pandora...the list goes on and on. But, best of all, you're not limited to one ecosphere: Roku is the agnostic Switzerland of streaming sets. It doesn't care whether you download a video from Amazon, Google Play Movies & TV, or spend your money somewhere else, all it wants to do is get you the content you want to watch. The Roku 3 isn't perfect - it's missing apps from the ABC network as well as a decent game library. But between the almost ludicrous amount of content available out of the box and the subtle tweaks like a remote with a built-in audio jack for private listening, if you haven't bought in to any one service, there's no better player around than the Roku 3. Quick verdict"At the $100 level, the Roku 3 is your best option, unless you're significantly bought-in to Amazon or Apple's proprietary content ecosystems. It's responsive, simple and not beholden to a proprietary content library (system-level emphasis on M-Go notwithstanding). Whether you're looking for a streaming box to help you cut the cord, or augment your cable subscription, the Roku 3 has the features, build quality and simplicity you're looking for." Read our Roku 3 review What's your favorite set-top box? Should Amazon Fire TV be the king of the castle or was Roku the way to go? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/Generics/laptop_outside-470-75.jpgVendor audits are a fact of life and if anything, the expectation for this year is that they will be increasing in frequency. As soon someone in an organisation signs the 'EULA' (Enterprise Unlimited License Agreement) contract, opens the wrapping on a software box, breaks the seal on a disk, ticks the box confirming that T&Cs have been read or in some cases, even just starts using the software, an implicit agreement to be audited at some point in the future has been made. Every software contract and/or terms and conditions page contains an audit clause. According to a 2013 report published by KPMG, 90% of software vendors admitted that their compliance program is a source of revenue, with 10% using audits as a strategy to secure 10% of overall revenues. Over half of all vendors have confirmed audits help to secure 4% of their revenues and in about 59% of cases, vendor audit specialists are incentivised using sales commissions. Since an audit typically cannot be avoided entirely, the question to consider is whether or not this is a bad thing? Users are nearly always alarmed at the prospect of being audited but in reality, vendor audits are not necessarily a negative occurrence. They can be used constructively, as an opportunity to potentially save money by getting a better understanding of actual usage and potential software over spend from excess licensing. Imagine the scenario of a company that has seen rapid expansion over the last two years as a result of organic growth and M&A activities. In normal circumstances, keeping control over one organisation's license entitlement records, software purchases, software deployments and generally ensuring people adhere to official SAM processes, is a fulltime, complex task. Now add in the complexity of having to integrate the newly acquired part of the business. Collecting license entitlements and transferring these across to the new entity, potentially without the support of a software asset management (SAM) tool to assist with software discovery and building a license repository, can make obtaining an accurate picture of whether or not the organisation is compliant difficult to achieve. This is typically where the 'troubles' start and why using automated inventory technology is able to create a baseline of installed applications and then recording license entitlements within a single repository is essential. The mere fact that an organisation has been acquired or been acquisitive will have placed it on a vendor's target list for an audit. Vendors know how to take advantage of 'low hanging fruit' and this is always a lucrative one. So rather than fret about the possibility of an audit, accept it is inevitable and use it as an opportunity to obtain an agreed entitlement baseline with a vendor. Ideally this should be done proactively, as part of an internal audit focusing on reconciling software usage against entitlement prior to the vendor's own assessment taking place. Returning to the more positive aspects of vendor audits, they represent a way to test whether tools and processes are working efficiently. An organisation is rarely knowingly non-compliant, as that is illegal. However, the complexity of managing software licensing, procurement processes and license metrics contracts, whilst ensuring that day to day company operations are not affected, means that mistakes can and will happen. The main benefit of approaching software auditing in a proactive and methodical way is the potential to make significant cost savings through having a more detailed understanding of precise utilisation requirements. Just as an internal audit can highlight an under licensing issue, it frequently highlights where an organisation is over licensed or not taking advantage of the most cost-effective licensing schemes available to it. This is a surprisingly common scenario as risk averse companies have traditionally opted for unlimited licensing agreements in the belief that it is better to 'play safe' because potential audit penalties will be greater. It's a bit like avoiding a customer satisfaction survey because the results won't be complementary. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say. Jelle Wijndelts is a SAM Consultant at Snow Software.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/412373ef/sc/36/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612416893/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412373ef/sc/36/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612416893/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412373ef/sc/36/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612416893/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412373ef/sc/36/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612416893/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412373ef/sc/36/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612416893/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/412373ef/sc/36/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/HTC/8XT/Sprint_Windows_Phone_HTC_8XT-470-75.jpgSprint's disinterest in selling Windows Phone devices may have finally bubbled over, as the carrier appears to have removed all traces of the OS from its website. Maybe Sprint doesn't heart Windows Phone quite as much as we thought? A search for Windows Phone devices on Sprint.com comes up empty, and the site's menu now lists only iOS, Android and BlackBerry. We've asked Sprint to clarify its current stance on Windows Phone, but so far we haven't heard back. Meanwhile Microsoft and Amazon are still selling Sprint versions of Windows Phone devices like the Samsung Ativ S Neo and HTC 8XT. Guess they didn't get the memo. It's not a good month for Microsoft's OS, as Huawei trashed Windows Phone earlier in December. Hopefully everyone has better luck with Windows 10. Windows 10 is the next version of Windows Phone, toohttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/4122bb45/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612400521/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4122bb45/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612400521/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4122bb45/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612400521/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4122bb45/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612400521/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4122bb45/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612400521/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4122bb45/sc/15/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/logos/docker_logo-470-75.jpgIBM has announced a partnership with open app distribution platform Docker that will help businesses build and run the next generation of IBM Cloud and on-premises apps. The company says Docker's open platform will let businesses deploy next-gen IBM apps "more efficiently, quickly and cost effectively." "Enterprises can use the combination of IBM and Docker to create and manage a new generation of portable distributed applications that are rapidly composed of discrete interoperable Docker containers, have a dynamic lifecycle, and can scale to run in concert anywhere from the developer's laptop to hundreds of hosts in the cloud," IBM said in an announcement. Docker's flagship product is the Docker Hub Enterprise, a turnkey solution that lets developers focus on creating multi-container and multi-host apps and services and integrating them with the 60,000 other "Dockerized" services in the Hub. In addition developers can integrate these apps and services with IBM's other enterprise services and safeguard them with IBM security. To kick things off IBM is debuting its own Docker-based container service, IBM Containers, that it will deliver as part of Bluemix, IBM's own open cloud app development platform. My dear WatsonIBM also announced today that its Watson-powered Analytics tool for businesses is now in open beta. Enterprises can use Watson Analytics to automate processes like data preparation, predictive analysis and visual storytelling, the company says. Business users can now access the cloud-based "freemium" service beta from any desktop or mobile device at watsonanalytics.com. IBM to put Watson supercomputer in a pizza boxhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/4122b07f/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612399102/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4122b07f/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612399102/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4122b07f/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612399102/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4122b07f/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612399102/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4122b07f/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612399102/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4122b07f/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Samsung/GalaxyS5/Galaxy%20S5%20hands%20on/20140223_170649_1-470-75.jpgThe Google Play version of PayPal's Android app has been updated with support for fingerprint recognition on a handful of Samsung gadgets. With the new version users on the Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Alpha, and Galaxy Tab S can swipe their fingers for authentication when making PayPal purchases. This capability existed already in the version of Android's PayPal app distributed through Samsung's own app store, but not in the Google Play version. Samsung opened its fingerprint scanner up to third-party apps early in 2014, putting the ball in Apple's court, where it has since been completely ignored. But hopefully that changes if more big-name apps like PayPal continue to take advantage. Samsung Galaxy note 4 Android Lollipop update pictured in latest leakhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41212289/sc/15/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612416695/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41212289/sc/15/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612416695/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41212289/sc/15/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612416695/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41212289/sc/15/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612416695/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41212289/sc/15/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612416695/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41212289/sc/15/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Twitter/photo_filters_twitter_new-470-75.jpgWho needs Instagram when you can put cheesy filters over your crappy phone photos from right within Twitter itself? Twitter first began offering photo filters in 2012, and it's continued its efforts to make Instagram irrelevant ever since. Not that it's working - Instagram is still hugely popular - but maybe the set of new photo filters Twitter just added in its iOS and Android apps will help. But why?There is an argument to be made for simply posting to Twitter instead of going through Instagram. Your accounts are probably linked anyway, so your Instagram photos get tweeted automatically. And this way your photos will actually appear natively in your tweets, instead of in a link your followers have to click. But most users who care about this are probably already invested enough in Instagram that they don't want to quit, barring some moral objection to Instagram owner Facebook - which, to be fair, isn't that far-fetched. Facebook has found another new spot in your News Feed for auto-play video adshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/4120b08e/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612450278/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4120b08e/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612450278/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4120b08e/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612450278/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4120b08e/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612450278/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4120b08e/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612450278/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4120b08e/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/clouds/clouds-470-75.jpgIs it a fad, just a buzzword? While these questions have been debated, the reality is that our children are already enjoying life in an increasingly cloud-enabled world. Gaming with 'friends' on different continents and backing up smartphones online via services like Apple iCloud; major enterprises have been extolling cloud's virtues; and IT departments everywhere have been working away to achieve some of the promised technical and financial benefits of cloud solutions. If it was tempting to see this as a technology conversation two or three years ago, now is the moment to jump back in. Let me be clear: cloud computing will have as big an impact on business as factory production lines had during the industrial revolution. It's a revolution in the way computing services are delivered and will have an irreversible impact on the way virtually every industry is run. Technologists will be familiar with the three flavours of cloud, but management teams may still be trying to get their heads around them. The 'public cloud' involves a service provider making resources such as software or data storage available over the Internet either on a free or pay-per-use model. An example of this is Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) and this can be a quick, cost-effective approach for projects where information is not commercially sensitive or heavily regulated (although the process of removing your data from these platforms – should you need to manage it in-house at a point in the future – is somewhat unclear; more on this in a future post). A 'private cloud' offers similar services but does so through a business' own infrastructure, made available online via secure remote access. This is often needed for computing services that require higher performance, reliability, security and management controls. Lastly, as the name suggests, a 'hybrid cloud' offers some combination of the two and enables a company to manage more sensitive or higher value information via a private cloud, and run other operations on a public cloud to benefit from greater flexibility and scale at a lower cost. Cloud adoption is picking up pace: nearly half of EMEA decision makers think cloud architectures will overtake traditional ones in the next three years. We're seeing organisations adopt one or other variant of cloud computing as commercial pressures mount and business needs escalate in keeping with the rest of the digital universe – which anticipates storage of digital data to grow 300-fold between 2012 and 2020. Despite the hype, cloud is already reshaping corporate computing and business leaders should consider where the greatest opportunity lies for their company. For example: ScaleOne of the key benefits of the cloud is scale. Most businesses have regular times of the year when the demand for computing resource leaps, including seasonal sales trends or the end of a quarter or financial year. As cloud develops, limitations around processing power, storage capacity and eventually bandwidth become less significant and it is easier for a business to 'switch' on additional computing. Corporate leaders can now plan ahead and decide which departments may need rapid access to scalable computing power, which will boost productivity. MobilityThe personal benefits of mobile working are widely accepted but cloud also opens up operational benefits. If staff are able to access systems through the cloud from wherever they are, without being limited by the processing power of a mobile device, then companies can rethink working practices. For example, does the company still need to spend as much on office space if teams can work effectively by combining mobile and cloud? Does the company need to invest as much in physical IT, as the cloud makes it possible for staff to use less expensive client devices but still access corporate systems and data? Disruptive innovationCloud is redefining agility and accessibility in the enterprise: where it would once have taken six months or more to launch a new application, the cloud means business leaders can turn on a dime, rolling-out new applications within hours. The IT-controlled and IT-limited paradigm of old has given way to a new world order that is business-controlled and self-provisioned, albeit where governance remains an open issue. Equally disruptive is the combination of the cloud and more extensive, readily available structured data from within an organisation – as well as unstructured data available online – which has the potential to create a wealth of valuable new business insight. Cloud is evolving from being solely the domain of the CIO to a topic for the entire management team. In a sense, many of the talking points around cloud migration – the questions of writing down legacy investment, of shifting operational practice, of evaluating risk in a new context – are similar to those taken by a business that's evaluating diversification or entry into a new market. Make no mistake – yesterday's cloud hype has become today's reality. New companies starting up today are building their entire IT infrastructures using cloud tools, and businesses that don't have an IT department today are unlikely to employ one in the future. For most mid-sized and large businesses, which have legacy infrastructure – or for organisations in regulated sectors – a balanced and realistic approach which tailors the different 'flavours' of cloud to a particular organisation will be vital. Adrian McDonald, President, EMEA, EMC.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/411f892f/sc/1/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612405743/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411f892f/sc/1/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612405743/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411f892f/sc/1/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612405743/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411f892f/sc/1/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612405743/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411f892f/sc/1/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612405743/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411f892f/sc/1/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/internet/Google_Chrome/Dotd-006-Google-Chrome-470-75.jpgA super speedy, lightweight browser stacked with nifty features, Google Chrome packs a mean punch. Why you need itBy many estimations it's the most popular internet browser in the world – surging past both Internet Explorer and Firefox – and with some fantastic features, slick UI and speedy operation, it's easy to see why. Chrome combines a fast and fun browsing experience with Google's search know-how and powerful tie-ins. Type a phrase into the URL bar and Chrome will search Google for it, making it quick and simple to find what you're looking for. Sign in to Chrome to get your bookmarks, history and settings wherever you are, on whichever device you're using, so you can pick up where you left off, even if you're not at your usual computer. And with such services as YouTube, Google Maps and Drive under the Google label, signing in to Chrome also logs you in to all of Google's products. So you can upload a video to YouTube or a document to Drive without having to worry about signing in multiple times; as before, the disruption caused by switching computers or locations is minimised by a handy Chrome feature. Customising the look and feel of the browser is also simple with the Chrome Web Store, which has thousands of different apps and themes to boost what is already an impressively powerful browser. And added to that, Chrome lets you specify what opens when you launch it (be that your tabs from last time, a specific list of pages or the New Tab page), while Incognito windows allow you to browse without your history being recorded. Chrome is a great browser that crams an awful lot of power into a tiny package. Download it here today. Key featuresWorks on: PC, Mac, LinuxVersions: FreeSign in: Signing in to Chrome gives you access to all of Google's services, making it easy to get things done on some of the web's most popular sitesPersonalise: Install web apps, themes and extensions to give your browser a unique feel and expand its functionalityBrowse quickly: Chrome starts up quickly and enables you to navigate the web quickly. You can also search direct from the URL bar, removing the need to visit a search engineYou'll also likeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafarFileZillahttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/411eebfa/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612442569/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411eebfa/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612442569/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411eebfa/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612442569/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411eebfa/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612442569/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411eebfa/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612442569/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411eebfa/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/4th%20Dec%2014/6dealsmain-470-75.jpgSaving you money is what TechRadar Deals is all about, and we've got some more bargains for you to consider here. Whether you're after Christmas presents for the family or simply looking for bargains for your own good self, we've got some deals for you! How about picking up a Google Chromecast? Stream iPlayer, Amazon, Netflix, BT Sport and more straight to your TV without any smart features required! And it's still just £20 at Currys. Or if you're still into old school forms of home entertainment, Zavvi is currently doing two Blu-ray movies for £12. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/4th%20Dec%2014/1akg-580-100.jpg AKG make superb headphones at Amazon currently has a great deal on the AKG Y50 foldable on-ear model. They're ideal for taking with your on trips as they'll fold nicely into a bag, and the most important thing is that they're currently just £49.95 at Amazon. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/4th%20Dec%2014/2speaker-580-100.jpg This would make a superb Christmas present for someone. The Ultimate Ears BOOM portable speakers look awesome, sound excellent and the battery lasts for up to 15 hours of constant use. Pick one up at Currys for £99. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/4th%20Dec%2014/3sndisk-580-100.jpg Everyone needs a USB stick every now and then. But did you know you can pick up a 64GB stick for under £20? Amazon currently has the SanDisk Cruzer Blade 64GB for just £19.98. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/4th%20Dec%2014/4screenpro-580-100.jpg If you're just bought an iPhone 6 you really need to look after it! First thing you should do is grab a screen protector, and the Anker Premium screen protector is currently available at Amazon for just £7.99. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/4th%20Dec%2014/5sony-580-100.jpg And how about finally clambering aboard the wearable tech revolution? The Sony SWR10 SmartBand activity tracker is currently just £39 at Amazon. When a call or message comes in, the SmartBand gently vibrates on your wrist to let you know. MORE DEALSLogitech Wireless Combo MK520 Keyboard - £29.99 TP Link Wi-Fi Extender - £52.99 Canon PowerShot SX700 HS Digital Camera - £209.99 HyperX Cloud Gaming Headset - £50.99 Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 8inch - £149 Samsung UE48H6240 49inch Full HD 3D TV - £599

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Generic/future-data-centre-470-75.jpgAs with the adoption of Hadoop in enabling more flexible data storage and analysis, discovery must take place in the context of where there is a clear understanding of how analytics can deliver against the organisation's broader objectives. Put another way, discovering nuggets of information will only be of real value if they are incorporated as part of new business initiatives. The granularity of the available data enables this to operate both at a strategic (longer-term) and, increasingly, a tactical customer or transactional level. So how can the business take this process of discovery and turn it into action – in the boardroom and on the shopfloor – as the basis of a more competitive business? First, the big data roadmap needs board-level support from the outset, from executives who understand the value of data as the driving force behind business improvement. This not only requires that they have a basic familiarity with the concept of analytics, but also they need to recognise the value of experimentation. Many of the nuggets found at the discovery phase need to be tested in a real world environment to assess their potential value, making senior buy-in critical. Businesses with a web presence tend to be better placed here, as experimentation in the web sphere is far easier. As a simple example: if an online retailer wants to trial an alternative website in a new colour, this can be made available to a controlled subset of customers and the outcome on buying behaviour and profitability assessed, with no impact on the retailer's core customer base. Although this is harder to achieve in a physical environment, in many cases performance improvement will be well worth the time and effort invested. Again, the ability to experiment is key. Retailers are especially good here, through their willingness to allow individual store or area managers to try out different initiatives. However, unlike much of the distributed power of decades past, the head office usually has full visibility of all activities. Equally important is the impact can also be tracked and monitored at individual shopper as well as at store level. There are however a number of other hurdles to be overcome: First, it is important for senior management to understand and be sensitive to the practicalities in implementing discovery at ground level. For example, it may be that all tests have shown that adoption of key phrases as part of a call centre process will deliver more effective results. However, if operatives are uncomfortable with the proposed change and are not persuaded by the scale of benefit, anticipated results will not be realised. Second, the resulting outcomes and impact must be measurable in order to determine the effectiveness of any initiative, which can then be used to build confidence and secure buy-in for broader rollout across the business. Finally, in the spirit of fail fast, the business must be brave enough to admit when things aren't working – both in existing parts of the operation and in new initiatives – and take immediate corrective action. In an iterative environment with rapid measurement of results, such decisions can be taken swiftly and repeatedly in order to optimise outcomes. Visible best practiceA business that has successfully scaled the heights of a seamless strategy – from initial experiment through analysis to final business execution – can be distinguished from a business still in the foothills of Hadoop implementation for example, in a number of ways. Although much of the effort to deliver this integrated approach takes place behind the scenes, a data-driven organisation is more likely to change visibly over time, as it responds rapidly and effectively to what competitors and customers are doing. The organisation also tends to be more willing to embrace disruptive concepts and introduce radical change within the business in order to differentiate itself and gain a competitive edge. A good example of an iterative discovery approach is Amazon - to frequent customers, Amazon's site has not changed over time, but if we compare snapshots of the website from five years ago to today, there would be a notable difference. This perception is because Amazon has taken advantage of incremental discoveries and subtly enhanced their website – delivering service innovation and improvement without dramatically disrupting their customer's experience or routine. The site has evolved with a continual drive to making the customer shopping experience as intuitive and easy as possible. Changes will be subtle so returning customers know what to do and where to go on the site, but benefit from constant enhancements. So why is a data-driven approach a key component of business success? It makes for better value-driven decisions by offering facts on which to base comparisons of relative options and accurately measure their effectiveness. Greater granularity enables greater competitive edge, through the ability to measure the value of new offerings. A Unified Data Architecture ensures the most efficient use of people, processes and technologies. It also creates an agile, future-proofed infrastructure, which can adapt and incorporate new solutions, enabling the business to evolve in time with market demands. Many of today's businesses have recognised that a good data strategy is no longer about measuring the past but instead enables management to both predict and influence future outcomes. In short, this transparency and control moves the business decisively from being at the victim of circumstance to master of its own destiny. Duncan Ross is the director of data science at Teradata UK.http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/411bb7bb/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612394000/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411bb7bb/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612394000/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411bb7bb/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612394000/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411bb7bb/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612394000/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411bb7bb/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612394000/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/411bb7bb/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/Google/inbox_google-470-75.jpgWe've all fired off that one unfortunate email only to wish we'd waited another few seconds, to realize it was sent to the wrong person or you left the subject line blank or something even worse. Now Google proposes to ensure that will never happen again - or at least that it won't matter, hopefully. That's because a new Google Inbox feature called "Undo Send," revealed during a Reddit ask-me-anything session, will let you quickly recall emails as if they were never sent in the first place. It's happeningAs GigaOM points out there are two likely ways this might work. Firstly, judging by how BlackBerry Messenger does it, Google Inbox could just let you rescind emails sent to other Inbox users. On the other hand there's also a somewhat buried Google Labs feature that lets Gmail users un-send emails no matter who they were sent to - as long as they do it within 30 seconds of actually pressing the "send" button. In the Reddit AMA Google Inbox Software Engineer Taylor Kourim said the undo button is the feature he most wants to implement, tied only with cross-browser support. And in case you think it's just a pipe dream, he clarified: "Yes, we're working on it right now. Other Inbox team members answered that they most want to add customization for snooze times and tablet support, but the ability to un-send emails is undoubtedly the most exciting feature that Google Inbox may one day boast. Google opened Inbox up to all comers for a short time today, but currently it remains a (mostly) invite-only service. Hands on with Google Inbox: what's it like to use?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/4118f5d2/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612380298/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4118f5d2/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612380298/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4118f5d2/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612380298/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4118f5d2/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612380298/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4118f5d2/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612380298/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4118f5d2/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/internet/spanningbackup-470-75.jpgSpanning, formerly Spanning Backup, will launch a Microsoft Office 365 data backup and recovery tool in the first half of 2015, Spanning President and CEO Jeff Erramouspe has revealed. Spanning was acquired by EMC in October. The SaaS backup and recovery tool is available for Google Apps, Salesforce and other products, but so far Office has been left out of the party. That will change next year, Erramouspe said. What it doesSpanning for Microsoft Office 365 will let users back up data from smartphones, tablets and desktop machines. The service is designed to provide businesses with protection from user error and hackers, among other data threats. The service will cost in the range of $40 (about £25, AU$47) per user per year, Erramouspe added, clarifying that the price hasn't been exactly nailed down yet. Similar solutions exist for Office 365, namely Cloudfinder, but Erramouspe said his service will do a better job restoring data for Office clients. "Cloudfinder does a great job on the backup side," he said. "But we do a better job on the restore side for Office 365." Responsive designSpanning for Office 365, Salesforce and Google will include a responsive design interface that will enable users to back up data with a similar experience regardless of whether they're using a mobile device or a desktop computer. Backup and disaster recovery: why it's vital to have a planhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41178964/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612409657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41178964/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612409657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41178964/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612409657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41178964/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612409657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41178964/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612409657/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41178964/sc/21/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Windows%20Phone/Windows%20Phone%208/Cortana/Cortana-470-75.jpgIt's been thought that Microsoft would release a Windows 10 consumer preview in January, and while that may still happen there's a new rumor too: that Cortana will arrive in a separate Windows 10 preview next month. That's according to CNET's sources, who said Microsoft will add Cortana to a Windows 10 Technical Preview in January 2015. The January Tech Preview will reportedly be separate from the rumored consumer preview, and it will be followed by a February Tech Preview, March Tech Preview and more into future months, the site says. In addition to Cortana, the Windows 10 January Tech Preview may also support Continuum, which alters the UI on the fly for users with two-in-one devices, letting them more easily switch between display modes. We'll likely hear more about upcoming Windows 10 versions - including the versions for tablets and smartphones - at a Windows event we're anticipating in January. Huawei vents frustration with Windows Phonehttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41178970/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612409656/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41178970/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612409656/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41178970/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612409656/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41178970/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612409656/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41178970/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612409656/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41178970/sc/21/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/printers_and_scanners/hp/HP%20LaserJet%20Pro%20300%20Color%20MFP%20M375nfw/HP%20LaserJet%20Pro%20300%20Color%20MFP%20M375nw%20top-470-75.jpgHP today announced incoming updates to its JetAdvantage printing solutions portfolio that it says will "help enterprise organizations more easily and securely print from mobile devices." One such update comes to HP Access Control, bringing it up to version 14.2 and adding end-to-end encryption while reportedly reducing unnecessary costs for businesses. HP Access Control 14.2 also adds support for HP's Officejet Pro X line as well as Unix and Linux systems. The update is available now. Meanwhile the latest version of ePrint Enterprise, version 4.0, adds support for Windows Phone 8 alongside iOS, Android and BlackBerry 10. HP's ePrint Enterprise 4.0 uses AirPrint to let users print securely from smartphones and tablets without the need for a separate mobile app. The new version will be available starting December 19. Epson introduces two new heavy-duty printers for small and medium businesseshttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/4117406f/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612348381/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4117406f/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612348381/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4117406f/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612348381/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4117406f/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612348381/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4117406f/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612348381/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4117406f/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/Fitness_tech/Misfit/Hands%20on%20Flash/DSCN2117-470-75.JPGWith $40 million (about £25.5m, AU$47.5m) in new funding, wearable maker Misfit is looking to expand its reach in China - and beyond wearables into the smart home. "People like the stuff that we've got, but we need to get more products out, and faster," Misfit co-founder and CEO Sonny Vu told Re/code. He didn't go into detail, saying only that Misfit plans to launch "several smart home products over the next few quarters." In addition Misfit will focus on its existing fitness bands, the Misfit Shine and Misfit Flash Line, as well as "advanced wearables" that aren't limited to the wrist. The funding comes from a variety of investors, chief among them Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi and Chinese retail site JD.com, where the Misfit Shine is the top-selling activity tracker. The future of smart home technology: ultimate control for who?

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/DOWNLOADS/audio/Audacity/Dotd-005-Audacity-470-75.jpgA powerful free audio editor, converter and recorder, Audacity takes the pain out of manipulating audio. Why you need itAudio editing can be an intimidating process, especially for the uninitiated. For those looking to get started, however, Audacity is an ideal solution. It comes loaded with a full manual, a devoted Wiki site, a useful Quick Help Guide, plus a devoted forum full of experienced users. Getting started is a breeze and there's a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips. When it comes to features, Audacity boasts support for most audio formats, as well as handy filters to cut out noise and other distractions from your recordings. It comes loaded with a ton of other features too, with functions for compressing, levelling, amplifying and more. All this in a free package makes Audacity an impressive program, one that can hold its own against some of its flashier rivals. Brimming with useful features and effects, it should take pride of place on any audio enthusiast's PC. Key featuresWorks on: PC, Mac, LinuxVersions: FreeRecord: Audacity can record live audio and computer playback up to 192,000 Hz and 24-bit depthImport: Import a wide range of formats, including WMA, MP3, FLAC, AIFF, MPEG and moreEdit: Cut, copy, paste and delete portions of tracks, and use the envelope tool to fade volume up or down smoothly. Multiple clips can be edited per track, tracks can be labelled and their sample points editedEffects: Audacity has a range of effects that can be applied to tracks, while it also works with a large number of independent pluginsYou'll also likemp3DirectCutCDexHardcopySharePodMP3Gainhttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41153185/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612398306/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41153185/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612398306/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41153185/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612398306/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41153185/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612398306/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41153185/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612398306/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41153185/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Software/sprout%20social-470-75.jpgManaging social media in a large company can often seem futile. Short messages, comments, customer complaints, and brand mentions seem to fly in all directions at once – and it can be impossible to stay on top of things. Not without some help, anyway… Fortunately, these social media dashboards bring some sanity to the effort for an entire team. Each one allows you to post to multiple services like Twitter and LinkedIn at the same time, track and schedule posts, and monitor the number of new followers for a brand or profile. They are not all created equal. Each one has a few key differentiators to help you stay on top of social, and we'll explore what those are in this article. 1. Hootsuite ProWeb: https://hootsuite.com/plans/pro The well-known consumer social media manager also offers a Pro version for business use. You can schedule up to 350 posts to go live at a future date, which is a key part of a social media strategy. (By scheduling posts, you can time the content around major product launches or news events and make sure there is a wide sweep of social media activity.) Using a column-based approach, team members can quickly see Twitter and Facebook activity and even track trending topics right from this dashboard. Hootsuite Pro lets managers assign tasks to multiple team members and even set permissions about what they can post. One perk for companies that use alternative browsers like Google Chrome is that there's a Hootlet app that makes it easier for end-users in a large company to post content. The tool supports 50 social media profiles and up to ten users. And this tool also offers detailed social media analytics reports that can be organised around marketing efforts, teams, and profiles. Key differences: The typical Hootsuite user has an array of columns on their screen at any one time related to a brand mention, another user, or a social media profile. Because of this unique column approach, you can scan through multiple posts and accounts quickly. For some, it can look a bit overwhelming in a browser, but it's easier to use on a mobile device. 2. Sprout SocialWeb: http://www.sproutsocial.com Designed as a brand management platform, Sprout Social provides a host of business-oriented tools for social media. One of the key differentiators is the ability to flag brand keywords (say Pepsi or BBC) and then track mentions on social media through a Smart Inbox. When there's an incoming message, a metric shows all team members the average response time before someone responds to a request or comment on social media. Tasks can be assigned to team members like having someone schedule posts related to a new product launch. All scheduled posts can be viewed on a team schedule. If someone on the team identifies a problem that requires customer support, that person can create a ticket from Sprout Social directly in support tools like ZenDesk. Because of the team support features, managers can get involved if they need to approve draft posts before they go live. Key differences: Sprout Social is a well-designed dashboard with a single Smart Inbox view that doesn't look like an email listing. It's easy to spot brand mentions and respond to issues. The trendier look and feel makes it easier for team members to use the tool. 3. SendibleWeb: http://sendible.com Sendible looks like an email app but is intended to help you manage social media through one dashboard. Like Sprout Social, there's a simple team-based calendar you can use to see all scheduled posts and even reprioritise and reschedule them as needed. One unique feature is the ability to optimise posts. The app can monitor when you post social media content related to your brand and then look for ways to improve your messaging based on audience response. (For example, if messages are often retweeted in the late afternoon.) You can assign "incident" responses to team members. If there's a negative comment, you can make sure someone follows-up with the social media poster to deal with the issue. There's tight integration with the Sendible Social CRM (Customer Relationship Management) app so you can record customer info, sales leads, and contacts directly from Sendible. For generating reports and analysing company social media efforts, the analytics engine includes 200 modules for seeing the total number of retweets, comments on Facebook, and other variables. Key differences: Sendible looks like an email inbox and that's an advantage for new team members who have not used a social media dashboard before. The integration with Sendible Social CRM is indispensable for companies using social media to track customer issues. 4. Buffer for BusinessWeb: https://bufferapp.com/business Buffer has grown from a basic social media manager used to schedule posts into a full-fledged dashboard for business. The Buffer for Business version lets you have up to 150 social media accounts. As with the other social media managers, you can schedule posts to go live at a later date, assign tasks to team members, and generate reports on social media successes that show the number of new followers, retweets, and comments. Buffer is highly extensible. It works with third-party apps like Bottlenose, Feedly, and IFTTT (If This Then That). For example, with IFTTT integration, expert users can write scripts that trigger a post automatically based on an event like sending an email. The scripting is incredibly powerful for advanced users. Admin features provide a way to approve and monitor posts from team members. The tool also offers a Chrome extension for easier posting, and the dashboard has a clean, easy-to-understand inbox look. Key differences: Buffer started as a simple Twitter scheduling tool and now offers robust business features. The key differentiator is in how it connects to third-party apps to extend the tool, allowing unique functionality like scripting with IFTTT to trigger posts automatically. You might also want to read: Social media for business – what can it do for you?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/4115318a/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612398305/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4115318a/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612398305/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4115318a/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612398305/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4115318a/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612398305/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4115318a/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612398305/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4115318a/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/other/Generics/laptop_outside-470-75.jpgConvincing your manager and the rest of your company to invest in the software it really needs brings you face to face with two sobering facts. Money and resources are finite and if you want a piece of them, you have to prove how important your project is. Your ability to plead your case will ultimately decide whether or not you get that prized software your team so desperately needs. If anything, the economic ups and downs of the last six years have made companies' approval processes more stringent than ever. This means you need to come ready to clearly demonstrate how your work management software will equal a solid return on investment. Of course, to pull this off, you'll need to put yourself into the shoes of your manager, Finance, and IT and speak their language. Your chances of success will be greatly increased if you address the solution's benefits in term of the following categories, which are listed in order of impact: Increased RevenueIf your team does directly influence revenue, then consider this your number-one weapon in estimating your work management solution's potential ROI. After all, while cost savings and time savings can be passed off as overly optimistic estimates, it's hard to argue with teams that deal directly with revenue. For example, program management teams at product manufacturing companies can say that their ability to manage their work better got products to market on time and, therefore, sold more products and drove higher sales revenue. Saved MoneyWhen it comes down to showing ROI, there is no more powerful language than that of money. You want to be able to show in dollars how the benefit from your new solution will far outweigh the cost. You get this. But what if your team isn't necessarily a revenue-generating team within your company? You need to find the potential savings within your team's work. For example, project failure and delays aren't just discouraging—they're expensive. Therefore, being able to sum up the costs of those problems and show how your work management solution will put a stop to them is an instant win. Also, your new solution might cost less than your existing tools, and you can count that savings under ROI. Time SavingIf you were shopping for a work management solution, odds are pretty strong that your team was struggling with time wasted on gathering data manually, updating spreadsheets, or sitting in way too many status meetings. To your manager and your friends in Finance, all of this represents poorly used company resources. Understanding this, you need only show how your work management solution—if it's worth its salt—will eradicate or dramatically reduce this wasted time. In other words, how much time will it give back to your team for real, value-generating work? You might want to quantify this as a percentage of your team's time (Ex: "Our team members will get back 25 percent of their time"). Or you might be able to sum it up in actual dollars of team member salaries for all those lost hours. Increased ProductivityGetting more out of your existing team members is always important for the decision-makers. This means that, whenever possible, you want to be able to show how your work management solution will boost your team's productivity. Usually, this figure will look like this: "Solution X will increase our work capacity by 125 percent." Keep in mind: productivity is also closely tied to time savings. If your team is spending less time on administrative tasks, the time that they're gaining is assumed to go to increased productivity. So make sure that gets factored into your productivity estimates. Reduced Implementation Costs/ResourcesIs your new solution going to be cheaper to implement than other options, in terms of money or resources? You'd be surprised just how important this question can be when getting to approval. Often, new software proposals get turned down because they will require IT resources for an extended period of time to get up and running. Unwilling to spare their resources, IT managers kill the proposal, regardless of the other benefits. However, you can use this to your advantage if your solution: • Will take a relatively short time to implement. • Will require little or no handholding from IT. • Can be implemented by the vendor at a low cost. If your solution falls into this category, mention this advantage as you make your case. It will eliminate those inevitable objections from IT, and get you that much closer to 'yes'. Easier AdoptionThis may seem like a minor consideration when trying to sell your decision-makers on your work management solution, but imagine this scenario. What if your company decided to move ahead with a piece of software, spent thousands on licenses, education, and implementation, only to have few or no team members adopt the software? That would be a lot of money and momentum down the drain, not to mention management's credibility. Managers will always be little wary of this. In light of this, if your work management solution has a track record of high adoption rates with other customers, please include this in your business case. Better Collaboration and Morale Now we come to all the qualitative factors that are difficult, if not impossible, to quantify, but are still just as important to your team's success. You can say, for instance, that your work management solution will increase collaboration or reduce team member stress, but it might be hard to apply an actual number to those. While these benefits might not be as powerful in communicating to managers, Finance, or IT as the benefits above, you still want to include them in your business case. Whenever possible, draw connections between these more intangible benefits and more tangible outcomes. Less overtime and higher morale, for example, equal lower turnover and higher productivity. Do your homeworkAs you can probably tell, if you've done your homework in selecting a work management solution, that research should feed directly into your proposal. By clearly and convincingly laying out the ROI, and other intangible benefits, of your work management solution, your success will be greatly improved. Bryan Nielson is the work management evangelist at AtTask where he Bryan is focused on helping teams eliminate the unending chaos of work that kills productivity, drains motivation, and stifles creativity. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/4115318c/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612398304/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4115318c/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612398304/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4115318c/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612398304/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4115318c/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612398304/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4115318c/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612398304/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/4115318c/sc/4/a2t.img

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/mobile_phones/Samsung/GalaxyNote4/note4_lollipop_phonearena-470-75.jpgAndroid 5.0 Lollipop has been rolling out here and there, on Nexus devices like the Nexus 6, the LG G3 and others - but there's been little word of Lollipop for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. These new pictures change that, and provide a glimpse at what the Note 4's UI will look like with the new Android update on board. We've also caught a glimpse of the Note 3's Lollipop update, and it's worth noting that it looks pretty similar to what we're seeing in these two images. It's not much, but it does indicate that while the Samsung Galaxy S5 might get its Lollipop update this month, the Note 4 probably won't be far behind. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/mobile_phones/Samsung/GalaxyNote4/note4_lollipop_phonearena2-420-90.jpg And now you're wondering: when can I get Android 5.0 Lollipop?http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/410d92e4/sc/5/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612306329/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/410d92e4/sc/5/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612306329/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/410d92e4/sc/5/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612306329/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/410d92e4/sc/5/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612306329/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/410d92e4/sc/5/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612306329/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/410d92e4/sc/5/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/WXCavCgd0Bo

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/2nd%20Dec%2014/6dealmain-470-75.jpgBlack Friday and Cyber Monday have been and gone now but competition at online retailers is still very tough. And of course, cyber week continues! This all means lots more great deals to be had between now and Christmas. And how's this for an excellent Christmas present? A 24-inch Samsung TV available at Currys for just £129.99. Absolutely perfect for a bedroom screen or a TV for the kitchen. Today's deals... http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/2nd%20Dec%2014/2pureradio-580-100.jpg Digital radios are always a great present and Pure are the best in the business. The Pore One Classic Series II portable DAB/FM radio is now available on Amazon for just £29.97. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/2nd%20Dec%2014/1seagate-580-100.jpg Portable storage is in high demand these days - everyone needs it! This high capacity 2TB Seagate portable hard drive is just £59.99 at Currys at the moment. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/2nd%20Dec%2014/4harrry-580-100.jpg You must know someone who'd like this one. Every Harry Potter movie on Blu-ray at Amazon for just £16.99. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/2nd%20Dec%2014/5satnav-580-100.jpg Know someone who's always getting lost? Maybe getting them a sat nav for Christmas would be a good idea. The TomTom Start 25 5-inch sat nav is currently £10 off at Halfords - you pay just £89.99. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/2nd%20Dec%2014/3tree-580-100.jpg It's December now so it's time to put up the Christmas tree! Avoid the hassle of lugging a real one into your living room by picking up a nice artificial one. The 7.6ft Classic Eiger Chritstmas tree is currently just £38 at B&Q. MORE CYBER TUESDAY DEALSBreaking Bad: The Complete Series [DVD] - £40.00 Assassin's Creed: Unity Bastille Edition PS4 / Xbox one £36.99 @ Amazon Pre-order Halo 5: Guardians £39 @ amazon.co.uk Far Cry 4 Kyrat Edition - Xbox One and PS4 £44.99 @ Amazon Fujifilm S8650 16MP Bridge Camera - Red - £99.99 HGST 4TB Touro Desk USB 3.0 5400RPM 3.5" Desktop Hard Drive - £99.99 Draper 43853 4-Piece Funnel Set - £0.96 SAMSUNG T24D391 24" LED TV - White - £129.99 Count Duckula - The Complete Collection [DVD] [1988] - £9.99 Falk Excavator Power Shift L100 Sit and Ride (2-5 years) - £45.61 Google Nexus 5 (16GB, White) - £239.99 De'Longhi F26237 Deep Fryer with Total Clean System - £29.99

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/2nd%20Dec%2014/6dealmain-470-75.jpgBlack Friday and Cyber Monday have been and gone now but competition at online retailers is still very tough. And of course, cyber week continues! This all means lots more great deals to be had between now and Christmas. And how's this for an excellent Christmas present? A 24-inch Samsung TV available at Currys for just £129.99. Absolutely perfect for a bedroom screen or a TV for the kitchen. Today's deals... http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/2nd%20Dec%2014/2pureradio-580-100.jpg Digital radios are always a great present and Pure are the best in the business. The Pore One Classic Series II portable DAB/FM radio is now available on Amazon for just £29.97. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/2nd%20Dec%2014/1seagate-580-100.jpg Portable storage is in high demand these days - everyone needs it! This high capacity 2TB Seagate portable hard drive is just £59.99 at Currys at the moment. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/2nd%20Dec%2014/4harrry-580-100.jpg You must know someone who'd like this one. Every Harry Potter movie on Blu-ray at Amazon for just £16.99. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/2nd%20Dec%2014/5satnav-580-100.jpg Know someone who's always getting lost? Maybe getting them a sat nav for Christmas would be a good idea. The TomTom Start 25 5-inch sat nav is currently £10 off at Halfords - you pay just £89.99. http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/techradar/TechRadar%20Deals/2nd%20Dec%2014/3tree-580-100.jpg It's December now so it's time to put up the Christmas tree! Avoid the hassle of lugging a real one into your living room by picking up a nice artificial one. The 7.6ft Classic Eiger Chritstmas tree is currently just £38 at B&Q. MORE CYBER TUESDAY DEALSBreaking Bad: The Complete Series [DVD] - £40.00 Assassin's Creed: Unity Bastille Edition PS4 / Xbox one £36.99 @ Amazon Pre-order Halo 5: Guardians £39 @ amazon.co.uk Far Cry 4 Kyrat Edition - Xbox One and PS4 £44.99 @ Amazon Fujifilm S8650 16MP Bridge Camera - Red - £99.99 HGST 4TB Touro Desk USB 3.0 5400RPM 3.5" Desktop Hard Drive - £99.99 Draper 43853 4-Piece Funnel Set - £0.96 SAMSUNG T24D391 24" LED TV - White - £129.99 Count Duckula - The Complete Collection [DVD] [1988] - £9.99 Falk Excavator Power Shift L100 Sit and Ride (2-5 years) - £45.61 Google Nexus 5 (16GB, White) - £239.99 De'Longhi F26237 Deep Fryer with Total Clean System - £29.99 http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/410f051d/sc/28/mf.gif

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/TRBC/Software/sumallfinal-470-75.jpgIntroduction and Cyfe, Domo, HootsuiteBusiness runs at the speed of light, but keeping track of data can be a monumental challenge. How do you know whether that sales forecast from marketing is matching up with reality? When you launch a new corporate website, is there any way to see if users are sticking around reading about your new products? Plunging into the data takes hours. These business intelligence dashboards present data using some visual flair to help managers make sense of complex data with just a glance. They are highly configurable so the dashboard only shows the data most relevant to your business without inundating you with too much data. What can they do? In the complex world of business management, a dashboard presents data in a way that encourages action and decision making. Good data means good decisions. These tools provide a quick glance at complex data like sales orders at an e-commerce site or how long visitors stay at a corporate site so managers can act quickly and correct problems. Without them, managers and employees have to drill into data sets and try to understand the summary, which can take hours longer when the goal is to understand performance and action items. 1. CyfeWeb: http://www.cyfe.com Billed as the "all-in-one" business dashboard, Cyfe seems to live up to that claim. It allows you to monitor websites including analytics like traffic and how long a new customer stays online, plus you can keep tabs on sales progress and support issues by department, and pull data from multiple sources like Salesforce.com or Google Analytics. It's the rare tool that focuses both on business intelligence (sales and support) and web success (number of users engaged) at the same time. Best feature: Clear presentation in a dashboard to help understand complex data streams. This means no wading through complex data or poorly contrived thumbnail views. 2. DomoWeb: http://www.domo.com Domo is a powerful business intelligence dashboard which aims to help companies run their operations using a visual thumbnail approach. You can connect sources like spreadsheets, cloud apps, data warehouses, CRM databases, and social media activity. The dashboard is highly visual and shows large numeric data points like total sales, cash balances, sales order on record, and year-to-date expenses across the entire organisation. Best feature: Focus on business intelligence data to manage sales, CRM, and social media. It means employees do not need to use as many dashboards. 3. Hootsuite ProWeb: https://hootsuite.com/plans/pro Hootsuite is focused on social media management, and the columnar dashboard presents a wealth of information in one main view. You can quickly see mentions for a brand, track multiple social media profiles, and respond to customer issues. The dashboard supports multiple team members, scheduled posts, and admin approvals to help a large company track social media. Reports show detailed info about social media follows, mentions of a brand, and how many people are viewing a post about that new product launch. Best feature: The columns that present social media data in one glance. This means those tasked with managing social media have more data to act on in one view. Tableau, Geckoboard, GoSquared and SumAll4. Tableau DesktopWeb: http://www.tableausoftware.com This enterprise-grade business intelligence app does it all. The dashboard shows analytics for every conceivable part of business, from sales orders to customer support issues to web page visits. If there's data available – from sources like Oracle, SAL, Salesforce, and many others – you can pull the visual representation into Tableau. The high-end app goes even further by integrating with cloud platforms like Cloudera Hadoop, Google BigQuery, Amazon Red Shift, and many others, yet the data is represented in a more digestible format. Best feature: The all-encompassing nature of the dashboard that syncs with almost any source. It means more of the business can be managed even at large companies. 5. GeckoboardWeb: https://www.geckoboard.com One of the most useful web analytics interfaces, Geckoboard shows a summary of website and business data in a highly visual, colourful format. The dashboard integrates with many sources of data like Google Analytics, accounting apps, CRM, and many more. A unique feature is the ability to run Geckoboard in a full-screen HDTV mode. If there isn't an existing connector available, an API lets developers create one for custom integrations. Best feature: The API that lets developers create connections to almost any custom source. It means the dashboard is "infinitely" extensible. 6. GoSquaredWeb: https://www.gosquared.com For companies that need to do a deep dive into web analytics, GoSquared is the best choice. It presents data in a highly visual and "personal" format. The personal touch is a unique feature in that you can track individual visitors and see how long they stay at a site, the pages they visit, and if they come back for more. You can even track how people click, type, and scroll. The Now dashboard shows in one view a graph of web visitors, page views, and even info about which devices people are using to visit your site. You can even see links to your site from sources like Twitter and then engage with those potential site visitors outside of GoSquared. Best feature: The ability to see incoming links from Twitter posts so you can act on them and engage with customers who are creating the links. 7. SumAllWeb: https://sumall.com SumAll is a social media manager along the lines of HootSuite but infused with powerful new features. The dashboard lets you track mentions of a brand on social media sites, and some social ad campaign data like clicks and website visits. However, it also links to Google Analytics, email management tools like MailChimp, and e-commerce platforms like Square. The interface looks like an engaging chart with a few boxes that contain summaries to help you make decisions. Best feature: The ability to connect to the Square e-commerce platform so you can see how your sales are progressing in real-time. http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41084c98/sc/4/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612299549/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41084c98/sc/4/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612299549/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41084c98/sc/4/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612299549/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41084c98/sc/4/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612299549/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41084c98/sc/4/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612299549/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41084c98/sc/4/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/kowdyK6MsBc

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/software/passwordbox_intel-470-75.jpgIntel has purchased password management company PasswordBox, although the terms of the deal - and Intel's full intentions here - were not disclosed. PasswordBox is a cross-platform tool that sets up tough-to-crack passwords for all the apps and websites you use. Intel says it wants to extend PasswordBox's reach to more customers, and it's adding the company to the Intel Security Group's Safe Identity organization. That group "is committed to delivering solutions that reduce the pain of passwords, simplify and strengthen security and providing consumers with easy access to their digital lives," reads an Intel press release, and no doubt PasswordBox will help further those goals. Big plansIntel laid out its general plan for PasswordBox, but failed to mention anything concrete. PasswordBox generates passwords and then fills them in automatically for users on mobile and desktop devices, and Intel says it plans to "extend and expand" that capability. Intel will also use PasswordBox's inherent simplicity to make the authentication process more simple, the company's announcement says. "Intel Security and PasswordBox share the same goal of improving digital identity protection across all devices and platforms," Intel Security Group Senior Vice President and General Manager Chris Young said in the announcement. "We believe we have the technology, expertise and reach to bring simple, secure access to consumers worldwide." 6 password management tools for the enterprisehttp://rss.feedsportal.com/c/669/f/415085/s/41040eb9/sc/21/mf.gif http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612263068/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41040eb9/sc/21/rc/1/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612263068/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41040eb9/sc/21/rc/2/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612263068/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41040eb9/sc/21/rc/3/rc.img http://da.feedsportal.com/r/214612263068/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41040eb9/sc/21/a2.imghttp://pi.feedsportal.com/r/214612263068/u/49/f/415085/c/669/s/41040eb9/sc/21/a2t.imghttp://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/software-news/~4/Q4_0-TZOaSw