Authors:Jonny Evans Abstract: The iCloud login process provides plenty of value without requiring a great deal of thought. Here's what do need to know about iCloud login and how to get the most from it.What is iCloud login'First, a swift recap of the basic concepts:Apple’s iCloud powers numerous apps and services and acts as a glue to securely enable powerful features such as document and data syncing across your Apple devices with iCloud Drive, Apple Pay and more.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Fri, 20 May 2022 10:23:00 -070
Authors:Matthew Finnegan Abstract: Salesforce is apparently the latest firm to hit the brakes on recruitment as reports of hiring freezes and layoffs affecting tech workers ramp up. Twitter, Meta, and Uber are among the companies that have slowed hiring for a variety of reasons in recent weeks, amid rising inflation and an on-going stock market sell-off.“Since the onset of the pandemic, organizations have accelerated their digital transformations to support new ways of working and reaching customers,” said Jamie Kohn, research director at Gartner’s HR practice. “Tech companies have been at the center of it all. Now, they’re taking a step back to re-evaluate what they need for future growth. Therefore, these freezes are most likely short-term pauses.”To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Fri, 20 May 2022 05:54:00 -070
Authors:Paul Gillin Abstract: Years ago, I was walking through a parking lot in Mountain View, CA, when I bumped into Scott Cook, the founder of Intuit, the software firm known for such blockbuster financial applications as Quicken, QuickBooks, and TurboTax.As we briefly chatted, I mentioned that I was a Quicken user. Cook’s eyes narrowed as he leaned toward me. “Really'” he said. “What can we do better'”It’s been over two decades since that encounter, but the exchange has always stuck with me.In my experience, tech executives are good at telling you what their companies do well but not as eager to ask for feedback.In the course of building a nearly $10 billion company over 39 years, Intuit has carved out a reputation for “customer obsession,” so when I got a chance to catch up with Nhung Ho, vice president of artificial intelligence, I jumped at the chance to find out how that obsession plays out in real life.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Fri, 20 May 2022 04:30:00 -070
Authors:Mike Elgan Abstract: Google teased translation glasses at last week's Google I/O developer conference, holding out the promise that you can one day talk with someone speaking in a foreign language, and see the English translation in your glasses.Company execs demonstrated the glasses in a video; it showed not only “closed captioning” — real-time text spelling out in the same language what another person is saying — but also translation to and from English and Mandarin or Spanish, enabling people speaking two different languages to carry on a conversation while also letting hearing-impaired users see what others are saying to them.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Fri, 20 May 2022 03:00:00 -070
Authors:Juliet Beauchamp; Ken Mingis,
Michael Simon Abstract: Not-so-breaking news: Supply chain constraints continue to challenge technology manufacturers, and Apple is no exception. While the wait for some Macs is quite short, others, like the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro face wait times of eight to ten weeks. And with WWDC looming, could hardware supply chain issues upend any hardware announcement plans' Computerworld executive editor Ken Mingis and Macworld executive editor Michael Simon join Juliet to discuss current hardware supply chain issues and how they may affect WWDC.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Thu, 19 May 2022 11:59:00 -070
Authors:Rob Enderle Abstract: Apparently, during the pandemic, I spent so much time-consuming digital content, I stopped reading print magazines. Last weekend I tried to catch up on reading my Popular Mechanics magazines — from 2021 — and one article blew my mind a bit. The story, “How the Air Force Secretly Designed and Flew a New Fighter in a Year” (here's another piece on the topic from DefenseNews), described how simulations helped designers go from concept to viable, finished product in a fraction of the time it once took to conceive, model, build, test, re-test and then risk death as pilots worked the bugs out of the design.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Thu, 19 May 2022 08:22:00 -070
Authors:Charlotte Trueman Abstract: Microsoft has outlined a set of five new European Cloud Principles in response to recent criticism from rival European cloud vendors after customers were asked to pay more to run Microsoft software in non-Microsoft cloud environments, under what were seen as restrictive cloud licensing policies.The changes come a month after Reuters reported that the EU commission had started asking European Microsoft customers questions about their cloud licensing terms.In a blog post published on May 18, Microsoft president Brad Smith outlined a set of five European Cloud Principles that Microsoft plans to adopt.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Thu, 19 May 2022 06:11:00 -070
Authors:Mike Elgan Abstract: People associate Airbnb with vacation travel. But Airbnb was founded as a service for business travelers. The company began in 2007. Then called AirBed & Breakfast, its founders' business model was simple: Buy three air mattresses, and build a website at airbedandbreakfast.com. Then, invite attendees of the city's 2008 Industrial Design Conference who couldn't find a hotel room to crash at their house. To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Thu, 19 May 2022 04:30:00 -070
Authors:Jonny Evans Abstract: No matter how many iOS or macOS devices you own, Apple offers just 5GB of free storage to iCloud users – a paltry amount given what rivals offer. But there are ways you can avoid paying for more storage space, or at least limit how much extra you pay.[ Further reading: 40 tips to get the most from your Mac (and macOS 'High Sierra') ]Here are easy-to-follow tips on how to put some of the biggest iCloud data-consuming features on a diet and save money on iCloud storage.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Thu, 19 May 2022 04:00:00 -070
Authors:Evan Schuman Abstract: Apple has changed its self-repair program in ways that make a horrible option for consumers, but might make a lot of sense for enterprise IT — especially those wanting to do iOS device repairs, either for company-owned devices or BYOD user devices. It’s worth noting that the need for users to always have their phones coupled with the mass-employee distribution of a remote workforce might make this less attractive. Still, for the non-trivial number of users still in large corporate buildings, it’s an attractive option.Let’s start with the fun part, which is describing how ludicrously bad these changes are for some. MacRumors did a wonderful deep dive into the experience; here are some of my favorite lines.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Thu, 19 May 2022 03:00:00 -070
Authors:Preston Gralla Abstract: When it was first released in July 2015, Windows 10 was the best operating system to come along from Microsoft in a long time. A shape-shifter that changed its interface depending upon whether you were using a traditional computer or a touch-based one, it undid the damage wrought by Windows 8, including eliminating the awkward Charms bar and bringing back the long-mourned Start menu.Windows 10 introduced many other key features as well, including the Edge browser, the Cortana digital assistant, links to Microsoft’s cloud-based OneDrive cloud storage service, and plenty more.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Thu, 19 May 2022 03:00:00 -070
Authors:Ryan Faas Abstract: When Apple announced recently that it was discontinuing macOS Server, the move didn’t come as a huge surprise. Apple has been deprecating and removing its core services for a while, and moving others – such as Caching Service – into the macOS itself.But let’s take a moment to say goodbye and contemplate what we will do without it.MacOS Server has a long and storied history. It pre-dated Mac OS X by a year, launching initially in 1999. One of its cardinal features was Open Directory, which launched within Mac OS X Panther Server. It was Apple’s answer to Microsoft’s Active Directory and was a powerful solution for managing Macs, user accounts, and any settings on a Mac bound to it. It also integrated nicely with Active Directory, making it a solution for mixed Mac and Windows environments.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Wed, 18 May 2022 12:17:00 -070
Authors:Matthew Finnegan Abstract: Airtable has been lauded for reinventing that mainstay of office productivity software, the spreadsheet. But there’s a lot more to the company's low-code app than replicating spreadsheet functions in the cloud, according to Ilan Frank, who recently left Slack to be vice president of product at Airtable.Airtable combines the functionality of a relational database with an intuitive interface that lets users plan a team project, manage a sales pipeline, and more. Its low-code approach enables a wide range of users to customize workflows to meet their specific needs.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Wed, 18 May 2022 11:47:00 -070
Authors:Jonny Evans Abstract: Apple has overhauled the professional training and certifications it offers for IT support and management in an effort to build up the skills a growing number of enterprises now need.Can’t get the staff' Why not train them'We know that more and more companies are deploying Macs, iPhones, and iPads, which is creating a new challenge: demand for Apple-skilled tech support and staff is also growing. (The demand for Macs is growing even as the PC industry shrinks.)To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Wed, 18 May 2022 10:57:00 -070
Authors:Charlotte Trueman Abstract: Miro has unveiled a host of new features and integrations designed to support hybrid working and move the company beyond being predominantly a whiteboarding tool.The collaboration software maker has added several new features this week, including three updated frameworks for its Miro Developer Platform, new integrations with the Google Meet and Webex videoconferencing tools, and improvements to interactive presentations.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Wed, 18 May 2022 08:00:00 -070
Authors:JR Raphael Abstract: As Google looks toward the future of Android and its platform-wide tablet philosophy, you can't help but be reminded of the past.'Twas a whopping 11 years ago, after all, that Google first turned its focus toward creating an optimal Android tablet experience. Back in the prehistoric era of 2011, Le Googlé launched its initial Android tablet push with the introduction of the Android 3.0 Honeycomb software and an effort to get developers on board with big-screen app interface optimizations.That effort didn't last for long, to say the least. Within about a year, Google — well, y'know, Googled. The company lost its focus, pivoted away from its vision, and ultimately just let the idea of the Android tablet languish without any meaningful movement forward or any real platform-level promotion.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Wed, 18 May 2022 03:00:00 -070
Authors:Lucas Mearian Abstract: Apple told employees today it will delay a plan to require them to come back to the office a least three days a week amid surging COVID-19 cases.The company had planned to require workers to return to the office thrice weekly by May 23, according to a memo seen by Bloomberg. Apple said the requirement is being delayed for “the time being” and didn’t provide a new implementation date; it still expects workers in the office two days a week.The company also re-instituted a mask mandate for employees at Apple Stores, but is not requiring customers do the same.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Tue, 17 May 2022 13:13:00 -070
Authors:Jonny Evans Abstract: What can humans do alone' What can computers do' And what can humans and computers do when they work together' Apple’s latest accessibility features gives us a sense of new ways in which tech and humans can augment each other.Happy Global Accessibility Awareness DayThis week, Apple is celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day with news of these upcoming improvements, and a range of special sessions, curated collections, and more.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Tue, 17 May 2022 09:09:00 -070
Authors:Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols Abstract: I’ve been a Chromebook believer for over a decade now. A week ago, I was reminded of one of the fundamental reasons I use them: when a Chromebook fails, you can buy a new one and be back to work in minutes.I was in Myrtle Beach, SC, on a semi-vacation — that is to say, I was only working six hours a day — when my old Chromebook failed. I hoped it wasn’t dead. I thought maybe it was just resting or maybe stunned. So, I tried everything: removing a USB drive, a hard reset, beating on it, and yelling, “’ELLO POLLY!!!!! Testing! Testing! Testing! Testing! This is your nine o’clock alarm call!”To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Tue, 17 May 2022 04:30:00 -070
Authors:Lucas Mearian Abstract: Under tremendous pressure to attract and retain talent, Microsoft is boosting worldwide compensation for employees to remain competitive with some of its big-tech rivals, including Amazon and Meta.The Redmond, Wash. company plans to nearly double its global budget for merit-based salary increases, and increase its range for annual stock-based compensation by at least 25% for employees at the senior director level and below, according to a GeekWire report. The news was first reported by Business Insider. To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Tue, 17 May 2022 04:07:00 -070
Authors:Jonny Evans Abstract: You have to be deeply committed to multiple forms of denial to not recognize that the world is changing. And while not every change is positive, one that makes more sense than most is the chance to create distributed. remote workforces at scale that are more flexible, diverse, and resilient than what we had before.It’s time to seize the momentFor two years, technology has supported a new era of flexibility. Many employers now recognize that remote work can be just as — and sometimes more — productive than the in-person experience, while employees have enjoyed the flexibility of working when it's most productive to them, reducing risk of burning out.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Mon, 16 May 2022 09:38:00 -070
Authors:Susan Bradley Abstract: It’s the third week of the month — the week we find out whether Microsoft acknowledges any side effects it’s investigating as part of the monthly patch-release process.First, a bit of background. Microsoft has released patches for years. But they haven’t always been released on a schedule. In the early days, Microsoft would release updates any day of the week. Then in October 2003, Microsoft formalized the release of normal security updates on the second Tuesday of the month. Thus was born Patch Tuesday. (Note: depending on where you are in the world, Patch Tuesday may be a Patch Wednesday.) The following day, or in some cases, over the next week, users and admins report issues with updates — and Microsoft finally acknowledges that, yes, there are issues.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Mon, 16 May 2022 09:00:00 -070
Authors:Evan Schuman Abstract: The emerging corporate pushback against working from remote locations (otherwise known, unfortunately, as work from home) is nothing shy of self-destructive and bizarre. I say this because it comes at the same time enterprises struggle to attract and retain the talent they need during a major talent shortage.It’s as though C-level execs argued to their boards: “This worker shortage is hurting us badly and it must be fixed. But as long as we’re here, let’s make the shortage much worse by undermining our remote worker policy.”Apple is a terrific example because the nature of its operations are perfectly suited to a distributed workforce and it has seen firsthand all of the benefits — and virtually none of the downsides — during the past two years. And yet, down the “let’s bring our workers back into corporate buildings” rabbit hole it plunged. To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Mon, 16 May 2022 05:28:00 -070
Authors:Lucas Mearian Abstract: The tech industry has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic and the Great Resignation, leaving organizations facing a dearth of qualified job candidates for more than 1 million openings.For all US jobs, the number of openings was at a high of 11.5 million at the end of March, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Meanwhile, in each of the past six months, more than 4 million people have quit their jobs, according to the agency.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Mon, 16 May 2022 03:00:00 -070
Authors:Greg Lambert Abstract: This past week's Patch Tuesday started with 73 updates, but ended up (so far) with three revisions and a late addition (CVE-2022-30138) for a total of 77 vulnerabilities addressed this month. Compared with the broad set of updates released in April, we see a greater urgency in patching Windows — especially wiith three zero-days and several very serious flaws in key server and authentication areas. Exchange will require attention, too, due to new server update technology. To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Sat, 14 May 2022 05:51:00 -070
Authors:Blair Pleasant Abstract: The debate is over — and the cloud won. Most businesses have left their quaint PBX phone systems behind and moved to a unified communications system (UC) that exists entirely in the cloud, because they don’t want to be tied to a particular location to communicate. For today’s distributed and hybrid workforce, cloud-based business communications and collaboration tools make sense.If your team is clinging to the phones on their desks or your IT team is reluctant to support yet another cloud solution, it’s time to let go, especially if your company is embracing a hybrid work model. Not only is that phone likely to gather dust, but UC has become the technical glue that holds people together when in-person collaboration is a challenge. Failing to deploy it is likely to hold the entire business back.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Fri, 13 May 2022 11:01:00 -070
Authors:Jonny Evans Abstract: Enterprise purchasers should expect to become frustrated when purchasing new hardware in the coming months, as supply chain logistics continue to deteriorate. When it comes to Apple kit, you may have the budget, but Macs are becoming increasingly difficult to find.Constraint is not better than constrainedApple recently announced record-breaking second fiscal quarter revenue of $97.3 billion, but warned supply-chain challenges could cost the company $4 billion to $8 billion in future quarters.“Right now, our main focus is on the supply side,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook.“For Q2…, we had constraints, but they were significantly lower and driven by industry wide chip shortages. Looking ahead, there are two causes of constraints: Covid disruptions and silicon shortages. These (COVID-19 lockdown) constraints are primarily around the Shanghai corridor… almost all of the affected factories have now restarted. We’re encouraged that the COVID case count in Shanghai has decreased over the last few days.”To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Fri, 13 May 2022 08:56:00 -070
Authors:Paul Gillin Abstract: As the maker of one of the world's best-selling hand sanitizers, you would expect GOJO Industries to take special care when bringing people back safely to the workplace. The firm's methodical approach could serve as a guidebook for any company facing the same challenges. The Akron, OH maker of Purell prides itself on collaboration, so the forced isolation of COVID lockdowns was a blow."Prior to the pandemic, we were almost entirely an in-person culture," said Emily Esterly, vice president of work ecosystem and employee experience. "We were super collaborative with no closed offices." The company wanted to maintain that culture while respecting new needs for social distancing and the wishes of employees who had taken a shine to remote work.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Fri, 13 May 2022 04:30:00 -070
Authors:Charlotte Trueman Abstract: Video conferencing giant Zoom has announced it is acquiring Solvvy, a California-based startup which specializes in conversational AI and automation solutions for the contact center.Founded in 2013, Solvvy offers an AI-powered self-service customer support agent aimed at easing the load on customer support teams by dealing with simple requests before handing over to a human agent. Customers include technology companies like Calendly, Calm, Seat Geek, and Scribd.The financial terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed and the deal is expected to close in the first half of 2023, with Zoom incorporating Solvvy’s software and team into its contact center platform offering.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Fri, 13 May 2022 03:46:00 -070
Authors:Preston Gralla Abstract: Windows 11 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 three channels: 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.To read this article in full, please click here PubDate: Mon, 02 May 2022 13:30:00 -070
Free journal
[1 journal]
