The demand for smart home devices is projected to grow steadily over the next few years. Nonetheless, consumers should think carefully before making a purchase due to a trend of manufacturers phasing out "smart" products. While it does not look good when a smart device maker abandons a product line, these actions are far from random. [More...]

Zoom gave its users a big security upgrade Monday when it rolled out end-to-end encryption for its online meetings network. E2EE puts control of the keys for scrambling data in the hands of meeting organizers. Before the E2EE rollout, encryption was done on Zoom's servers, where someone with access to those servers could intercept the data. When used correctly, E2EE can make it difficult for even the best-resourced intelligence agencies to eavesdrop on communication. [More...]

When it comes to an appetite for data, social media outfits are the most voracious, according to a recent study released by cybersecurity company Clario Tech. The analysis of nearly 50 of the world's biggest brands found that Facebook collects more than 70 percent of all the data it can collect legally about someone using its service. [More...]

The Linux Foundation and learning platform edX have released the latest open source jobs report which shows that, despite the pandemic, demand for open source technology skills continues to be strong. The 2020 Open Source Jobs Report reveals a spike in demand for DevOps talent, along with a continued lack of applicants with open source skills. [More...]

One of the most interesting parts of Dell World is the session on the future. This year, they spoke on a new branch of engineering that is solely AI-focused, the blended technology revolution surrounding food production, how AIs were intentionally corrupted, and how music, math, and the Internet create new entertainment types. [More...]

There's no question that hackers are getting increasingly ambitious -- the average ransom demand increased from about $29,000 in 2018 to more than $302,000 in 2019. U.S. law doesn't prohibit paying ransom per se; but when victims pay monies to people or organizations who have been sanctioned by the U.S. government...they get into more trouble. [More...]

The BizOps Coalition hopes to bridge the gap between technology investments and business outcomes through an effort called the BizOps Manifesto. The BizOps movement has gained traction with leading organizations, helping them to better align IT with business outcomes. But more needs to be done. That led to the Manifesto's creation. [More...]

Red Hat, a major provider of open source solutions, has never had a comprehensive document guiding associate participation in open source projects, until now. Perhaps under the influence of its recent purchase by IBM, Red Hat recently announced the external publication of its open-source participation guidelines. The company released the guidelines on GitHub under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. [More...]

Google found itself in the crosshairs of government regulators Tuesday as the U.S. Justice Department filed a civil lawsuit against the tech giant for unlawfully maintaining a monopoly in online search services and in search advertising. "This is a monumental case for the Department of Justice and, more importantly, for the American consumer," U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr said in a statement. [More...]

Healthcare records were digitized to help prevent medical errors such as misdiagnoses and mistakes with medication, but electronic health records have made it easier for bad actors to steal patients' highly personal information. Cybercriminals are further motivated by the fact that patient medical records are worth up to 10 times more than credit card numbers on the Dark Web. [More...]

A warning by Facebook and Google that they may have to curb service to Australia if a controversial law takes effect this year has the Aussies reviewing their options, including setting up a publicly-funded social network. The idea was floated in a report titled "Tech-Xit: Can Australia survive without Google and Facebook?" [More...]

We could build homes that stand up to hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and other disasters. We could build cars that are lighter and more fuel-efficient. Like the opening for the old TV show, "The Six Million Dollar Man," we have the technology. So why don't we use it? The reason is that people who build homes, cars, and other things would need to be retrained -- but the result would be a more sustainable and safer world. [More...]

The Big Tech companies have arguably done what they want over the years, arousing consumer anger and distrust, and numerous complaints by privacy and consumer rights groups. That includes cocking a snook at governments. While all of the Big Tech firms have been hit with multimillion-dollar fines at one time or another, many argue that's a drop in the bucket for companies that rake in billions of dollars annually. [More...]

Apple has refreshed its iPhone product line with four new models, as well as a downsized version of its HomePod smart speaker. All of the new iPhones are built around Apple's blazing fast A14 Bionic chip, support all flavors of 5G wireless connectivity, and are protected by a Ceramic Shield that protects the phone from damage after a fall four times better than in previous models. [More...]