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Microsoft Expands Artificial Intelligence Footprint in Montreal

January 19, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Microsoft has plans to double the size of its local AI research group and aswell give the University of Montreal $6 million and McGill University $1 million over the next five years to help spur artificial-intelligence research. The moves were announced Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos by Microsoft president Brad Smith; Navdeep Bain, Canada’s minister of innovation, science, and economic Development; and other officials. The news also comes just days after Microsoft announced its acquisition of Maluuba, an AI startup founded by University of Waterloo grads. That business was founded…

Internet of Things based DDoS attacks to rise in 2017

January 17, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Cyber criminal networks are increasingly taking advantage of the Internet of Things era to spread malware and create zombie networks, or botnets, unbeknownst to their device owners. According to the Indian express the cyber-criminals will use the distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks in 2017 to extend their reach as there are now several Internet of Things (IoT) devices containing outdated codes and operating with well-known vulnerabilities as reported by a global security firm. The writer says that the criminals will use ever more sophisticated and convincing targeted attacks to lure…

Apple is increasing the price of apps in the UK by 25% because of Brexit

January 17, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Apple is raising prices on its UK App Store by almost 25% to reflect the sharp depreciation of the pound following June’s vote to leave the European Union The Guardian Reports. The new prices enshrine parity between the dollar and the pound, at least for apps on the iOS and Mac app stores. An app that costs $0.99 in the US, and used to cost £0.79, will now cost £0.99. According to the Business Insider, It’s not the first time Apple has increased its prices in the UK to adjust for…

Apple’s AirPods have taken 26% of the online market for wireless headphones

January 12, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Apple finally launched the wireless Bluetooth powered AirPods. Already, AirPods own 26% of the online wireless headphone market, cementing what Apple CEO Tim Cook has called “a runaway success.” Wireless headphones accounted for half of the entire online U.S. headphones market for the first time in December 2015. Three out of every four headphones sold online in the states were of the wireless variety. Besides Apple, Samsung has its Gear IconX wireless ear buds that compete with the AirPods. But Apple does have the benefit of having sold millions of Apple iPhone…

Marissa Mayer to exit after Verizon acquisition as Yahoo becomes Altaba

January 11, 2017

Yahoo Inc. said on Monday that it will cut down its board after completing acquisition deal with Verizon Communications Inc., it is reported also that several executives including Chief Executive Marissa Mayer and co-founder David Filo, will step down as directors. After the sale of its core internet business, the company will change its name to Altaba Inc. from RemainCo, Yahoo said in a regulatory filing. Altaba’s remaining assets include Yahoo’s stake in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Yahoo Japan. The name is a combination of the words “alternate” and…

British Government Launches Cyber Security Review

January 9, 2017January 10, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Cyber security has become one of the priority risks to be dealt with by organisations given that the number of cyber-attacks is on the rise. They are increasingly sophisticated and have an enormous economic and reputational impact on organisation. Governments are not immune to this threats. According to Reuters, the British government said on Monday it is launching a national inquiry into cyber security to assess the extent to which the UK is protected from an ever-increasing tide of attacks worldwide. Cyber-attacks in the UK have been on the rise, with businesses…

Facebook artificial intelligence technology lets blind people ‘see’ photos

January 9, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

As the internet becomes dominated by images, Facebook is launching a system which can “read” photos and tell visually impaired people what appears in them using the Artificial Intelligence technology. Using artificial intelligence (AI), Facebook’s servers can now decode and describe images uploaded to the site and provide them in a form that can be read out by a screen reader. The new accessibility technology is intended to allow blind and visually-impaired people to share and take part in photos on Facebook. As the internet is changing from a medium based…

Russia Requires Apple and Google to Remove LinkedIn from Local App Stores

January 9, 2017

Russian authorities have required Apple and Google to remove the LinkedIn app from the App Store and Google Play in Russia, reports The New York Times. The move comes a couple weeks after Russia blocked LinkedIn’s website. When LinkedIn’s website was blocked, the apps stopped functioning properly. Removing them from the Google Play store and Apple’s App Store may not have cut off access to content, but it sent a signal that countries can push the tech giants to remove the apps. The New York Time Reports that Direct blocking of websites has been done by…