March, 2017 - itbusinessdirect

Google disables Gchat to foist Hangouts

March 27, 2017April 21, 2017

One of the best parts about using Gmail is Gchat, the instant-messaging function that lets you chat with other Google users and still look like you’re the most productive person in the room. Google is replacing Google Talk. Google released Hangouts back in 2013 as a more feature-filled chat service to take the place of Talk in the Gmail sidebar, but users have been able to stick with the older, more basic service if they chose. Google has been touting Hangouts features, which include group video calling and integration with…

Android O will make notification customization easier.

March 27, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Android has never been well known for having the most user-friendly settings options. Google has rolled out the first developer preview of Android O, the next version of its Android operating system. With Google’s new OS, users be able to customize ringtones, alarm, and notification settings from the phone itself with files that have been downloaded from the web, email, or a cloud storage service. The new OS is still in early stages and has been made available in the form of first developer preview for Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P,…

YouTube’s AI can now describe sound effects

March 27, 2017April 21, 2017

YouTube understands the power of video to tell stories, move people, and leave a lasting impression. One part of storytelling that many people take for granted is sound, yet sound adds color to the world around us. YouTube has had automated captions for its videos since 2009, and now it’s expanding the feature to include captions for sound effects. While those three were some of the most frequent manually captioned sounds, YouTube says it’s only in the early stages of making improvements for its deaf and hard of hearing users.…

Samsung Aims To Expand Contactless Payment Reach

March 24, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Samsung is looking to expand its contactless payment reach, as they have just announced earlier today that they’re joining the Contactless Companion Platform (CCP) initiative, along with ecosystem partners Smartlink and Ingenico. Like Android Pay and Apple Pay, CCP relies exclusively on near field communications (NFC), and not Samsung’s proprietary Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST), to deliver payment information from a user’s device to a point-of-sale payment terminal. CCP would help Samsung expand the reach of contactless payments beyond Samsung Pay-compatible devices. Potential payment devices could include anything from a payment card…

Uber Rival Grab Said Raising $1.5 Billion in New Funding Round

March 24, 2017April 21, 2017

Grab, Uber Technologies Inc.’s largest rival in Southeast Asia, plans to raise more than $1.5 billion in a new funding round backed by SoftBank Group Corp., people familiar with the matter said. SoftBank is pledging about $1 billion in the ride-sharing company backed by Tiger Global Management and GGV Capital, the people said, asking not to be named because the matter is private. It wasn’t clear if the money was coming from the Japanese company itself or its yet-to-close SoftBank Vision Fund. Grab’s financing could be a record for Southeast…

Laptop bans on Middle East flights bring mixed reactions.

March 24, 2017April 21, 2017

Fast-growing Middle Eastern airlines have been luring business travelers away from carriers in the U.S., Europe and Asia for years. But they may find the seats in the front of the plane going unfilled after the U.S. and U.K. ijucted laptop bans and other large electronics in the cabin on some flights from the region. Travelers across expressed frustration Wednesday at a ban on large electronic devices for flights to the US and Britain that has sparked confusion and speculation. Passengers on flights to the US and Britain from major…

Google announces app updates to Allo, Duo, and Photos

March 23, 2017April 21, 2017

Google has announced a slew of updates to its Duo, Allo, and Photos apps, including new calling capabilities, file transfers, and easier photo sharing. Google Duo will also offer audio-only calls on Android and iOS. The new feature is now available in Brazil and will be arriving “around the world in the coming days,” according to Google. Google reported that they are now adding audio-only calling in Duo. So in those moments when video calling isn’t an option users can stay connected with family and friends through audio calling. Duo…

Microsoft finalizes its custom version of Windows 10 for China

March 23, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Microsoft’s supremo for China has told state-owned China Daily that Redmond’s ready roll out version of Windows 10 with extra security features demanded by China’s government. “We have already developed the first version of the Windows 10 government secure system. Alain Crozier, CEO of Microsoft Greater China noted that it has been tested by three large enterprise customers. China’s government previously banned Windows 8, citing security concerns, and launched an anti-monopoly probe against Microsoft. They as well cited claims that there may be hidden back doors in the operating system. The…

Cyber crime is fastest growing economic crime

March 22, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Cyber crime is perceived as the fastest growing fraud risk (40%), followed by bribery and corruption (36%)around the globe. The UK has seen a double-digit rise in economic crime against corporates in the past two years, with 55% of organisations affected up 11% since 2014 and well above the US (38%) and China (28%). Globally, the economic crime rate has remained largely static at 36%, according to the survey of more than 6,000 respondents in 115 countries. The survey found that 60 % of economic crime in the UK was…