Techno-News Blog

By Corinne Bernstein, eWeek

Overall IT recruitment activity is holding its own—not falling off a cliff, but just edging up 1 percent year-over-year as of Oct. 1, an analysis of job listings at online IT employment site Dice shows. Despite this plateau, some tech skills are in record demand, according to Dice, which took a snapshot of job requests it received as of Oct. 1 and listed skills that reached monthly highs. Not surprisingly, Android was on the list of skills in record demand. Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS continue to be neck-in-neck when it comes to the actual number of job listings, but iOS listings weren’t at an all-time high on Oct. 1. Windows 7 made the list, which is interesting, considering that Windows 8’s official release is Oct. 26. Reflecting high demand for open-source programming skills was the surge in listings for Python and Ruby on Rails, which reached record levels in six of the first 10 months of 2012. Also in the open-source camp, JBoss made the list as well. It’s a good time for IT pros who have skills that are in high demand—but who have been reluctant to change jobs because of concerns about the global economy—to pursue some of these opportunities, said Alice Hill, Dice managing director. “Also, hiring managers should look at hiring strategies and compensation in these areas to make it attractive to recruit new talent with these skills,” she said. Take a look at these sought-after skills that made Dice’s list.

http://www.eweek.com/it-management/slideshows/it-recruitment-activity-on-an-even-keel-some-skills-at-all-time-highs/

By Darryl K. Taft, eWeek

The Sept. 30 deadline for the IPv6 government public-facing server transition has passed, and the U.S. government is behind, costing taxpayers down the road and inviting the potential for a network disaster. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently released results showing 58 percent of agencies had made little-to-no progress toward moving to IPv6 from IPv4. There are signs that the United States is leading the cause for IPv6 adoption, but with government agencies working with various countries lacking in IPv6 adoption, there are questions on network compatibility. One of the companies keeping a close eye on the move to IPv6 is Akamai Technologies. To date, more than 20 different government agencies have contracted with Akamai to help with the switch to IPv6 and to ensure their data and their networks are secure under the new protocol. Akamai handles more than 2 trillion Web requests a day, giving them a unique vantage point from which to assess IPv6 adoption and traffic levels. On World IPv6 Launch in June, Akamai tracked real-time traffic data, noting a 460-times increase in the number of IPv6 requests as compared to those received on IPv6 day the year prior. Additionally, Akamai charted a 67-times jump in observed IPv6 addresses. This eWEEK slide show looks at some of the issues involved in the move from IPv4 to IPv6.

http://www.eweek.com/networking/slideshows/ipv6-transition-key-dates-services-and-issues-for-the-move/

by MARK HACHMAN, ReadWriteWeb

How well does Microsoft expect Windows 8 to do? Oddly enough, the company doesn’t want to talk about it. And while maybe the company just being careful, this is not an encouraging sign. On a conference call Thursday afternoon, Wall Street analysts pressed Microsoft executives for specifics about expectations for the forthcoming version of Windows. But Microsoft refused to make any predictions. Analysts have reason to be concerned. Windows 8 represents a radical overhaul of the company’s flagship operating system, one that that some fear may be so radical that it will turn customers off. “We’ll see how it goes,” Microsoft CFO Peter Klein said when pushed for specifics on how the company expects Windows 8, Windows RT or its Surface tablet to sell.

http://www.readwriteweb.com/enterprise/2012/10/how-is-windows-8-going-to-do-microsoft-doesnt-want-to-talk-about-it.php

by MARK HACHMAN, ReadWriteWeb

Google Thursday announced a new $249 Samsung Chromebook, finally delivering a Web-optimized computer at a price that makes sense for consumers. The “new Samsung Chromebook,” as Google executives officially refer to it, will complement the existing $449 Chromebook and the $329 Chromebox computers, both of which are also manufactured by Samsung. Sundar Pichai, senior vice president of Chrome and apps for Google, told a San Francisco press conference full of analysts and reporters that the new Chromebooks were the first of many more to be launched with a number of partners. Google will sell the new Chromebooks at Best Buy beginning next week, Pichai said. The new netbooks will also be available via Google’s Google Play online store.
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/finally-a-properly-priced-google-chromebook.php

by Edudemic

You’ve all seen it before, or maybe you’re guilty of it: A lovely couple (or family) out to dinner. Both of them with their heads buried in their smartphones, not even looking or talking to one another. We all know that the world is more connected now than it ever has been, and that will only grow as technology continues to develop. But just how connected are we? Take a look at this infographic for some surprising numbers regarding mobile usage. The number of mobile subscriptions in the world averages out to one for 85% of world residents.

• In the UAE, the number of mobile subscriptions averages 2 cellphones per resident.
• The average American sends 15,145 text messages per year.
• 200 cellphones are left in NYC taxis per day

http://edudemic.com/2012/10/just-how-mobile-are-todays-students/

by Edudemic

Whether you’re a Facebook fan, Twitter lover, Stumbleupon … uh … stumbler, you know there’s something addictive to sharing things online. It’s not just you. Millions of people are seemingly addicted to social media in its many forms. Thanks to a new infographic from Marketo, we now know the 10 common types of social media addicts. Do you fall into one of these categories?

http://edudemic.com/2012/10/social-media-addiction/

by Jessica Leber, Technology Review

On an earnings call with analysts and investors today, Google CEO Larry Page pegged the search giant’s future to “multiscreen” experiences that make it easy for a user to switch from, say, an Android mobile device to a Chromebook computer to an Internet-connected television. That consumers might want this seems obvious. But it’s tricker where advertising is concerned, which is still mainly how Google makes money. And, as Page emphasized today on the call, Google is paying close attention to the advertiser experience as the world of computing changes. “As we transition from one screen to multiscreens, Google has enormous opportunities to innovate and drive ever higher monetization. Just like search in 2000,” said a hoarse-voiced Page, who spoke publicly this week for the first time in months.

http://www.technologyreview.com/view/429692/more-screens-more-money-for-google/

by Rachel Metz, Technology Review

Back in the 1990s, AOL’s “You’ve Got Mail” greeting was synonymous with e-mail. That association faded as users moved on to mail systems from Google, Microsoft, and others, but AOL hasn’t given up on the medium. Its new focus? So-called “in-box fatigue”—the overwhelming feeling of weariness you get when staring at an in-box overflowing with daily deals, newsletters, social-network alerts, and spam, not to mention the occasional personal message. On Thursday, AOL announced a new online service called Alto that attempts to solve this problem by allowing users to aggregate several e-mail accounts and sort different types of messages into stacks, much as you might sort snail mail on your kitchen counter. Since Alto is simply organizing your e-mail, it doesn’t require you to set up a new e-mail account. It supports Gmail, Yahoo Mail, AOL Mail, and iCloud accounts.

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/429649/youve-got-mail-overload/

by Rachel Metz, Technology Review

Phone home: A dimmer switch, wall outlet, and plug from Ube can all be controlled by the company’s companion app for the iPhone. In the not-so-distant future, Glen Burchers believes, the gadgets in our homes—not to mention our homes themselves—will be replete with microprocessors, enabling the automation and remote control of everything from your lights to your laundry. Until this is a widespread reality, he’d like to sell you a wall outlet. Not any old wall outlet, though. It includes an ARM processor, runs Google’s Android mobile operating system, and can connect to the Internet. This means anything you plug into it can be controlled via your smartphone, and it will also track how much power your devices are consuming.

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/429588/is-your-dishwasher-really-yearning-for-the/

by David Talbot, Technology Review

Computerized hospital equipment is increasingly vulnerable to malware infections, according to participants in a recent government panel. These infections can clog patient-monitoring equipment and other software systems, at times rendering the devices temporarily inoperable. While no injuries have been reported, the malware problem at hospitals is clearly rising nationwide, says Kevin Fu, a leading expert on medical-device security and a computer scientist at the University of Michigan and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, who took part in the panel discussion. Software-controlled medical equipment has become increasingly interconnected in recent years, and many systems run on variants of Windows, a common target for hackers elsewhere.

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/429616/computer-viruses-are-rampant-on-medical-devices/

by Tom Simonite, Technology Review

Last week U.S. defense secretary Leon Panetta warned that critical infrastructure such as power grids or chemical plants could be inactivated or destroyed by a cyber attack, and he pledged that the U.S. would “defend the nation in cyberspace” as it does on land and sea, in air and space. But with the art of cyber detection and defense lagging far behind the sophistication of attacks (see “Hey, Hackers: Defense Is Sexy, Too”), the U.S. and other nations appear largely unprepared to rapidly detect and respond to an attack on critical infrastructure. That would make it difficult to respond with “decisive action” as Panetta promised, or even to know whom to retaliate against. Working out the nature and source of an attack is particularly challenging for critical infrastructure systems, which are operated by tried, trusted, and consequently outdated software.

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/429621/preparing-for-cyber-war-without-a-map/

by Mike Orcutt, Technology Review

It looks like this is the year that Internet advertising revenue finally surpasses ad revenue in print media. In the first half of the year, U.S. Internet sites collected $17 billion in ad revenue, a 14 percent increase over the same period of 2011, according to a new report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau. In the second half of last year, websites had $16.8 billion in ad revenue. So even if growth were to slow in the second half, digital media this year could exceed the $35.8 billion that U.S. print magazines and newspapers garnered in ad revenue in 2011.

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/429638/online-advertising-poised-to-finally-surpass/

By Zack Whittaker, ZDNet

Leaked pricing details of the expected iPad mini suggest the device will cost in-between the iPod touch and the fully-fledged iPad. A leaked inventory system screenshot has purportedly leaked the pricing scheme behind Apple’s upcoming 7-inch tablet, dubbed the iPad mini. The base price of the iPad mini (8GB storage, Wi-Fi only) is set at €249, or $320 at the current exchange rate, according to German site MobileGeeks (via GigaOm). The leaked screenshot is reportedly from a widely used inventory system in Europe and Asia used by mobile firms and cellular networks.

http://www.zdnet.com/alleged-ipad-mini-models-pricing-leaks-online-7000005732/?s_cid=e539

By James Kendrick, ZDNet

Apple has dominated the tablet space that it single-handedly created with the iPad. As the Windows 8 launch draws near, it’s logical to think that they will be competition for the iPad. That may be, but the biggest tablet segment at risk of losing sales to the new Windows 8 tablets are running Android. It’s not a coincidence that all of the major Android tablet makers are readying Windows 8 products for sale. Microsoft did Android tablet makers a favor in producing the version of Windows 8 to run on ARM-equipped devices. Windows RT by design will run on ARM tablets pretty much the same as all of the Android tablets. That makes it pretty straightforward for Android tablet-makers to shift production to Windows 8 models. Think of Android tablets as training wheels for Windows RT tablets.

http://www.zdnet.com/android-tablets-training-wheels-for-windows-8-tablet-makers-7000005739/?s_cid=e539

By Ed Bott, The Ed Bott Report

Microsoft has finally spilled most pricing details for Windows 8. But buying and upgrading is still confusing. Use this guide to find the cheapest, best way to upgrade. Oh, and be sure to read this if you plan to stick with Windows 7. You can avoid a big gotcha if you know your rights. With Windows 8, Microsoft has reduced the number of editions it’s selling. In theory, that makes the buying and upgrading process easier than it was before. But easier is not the same as easy. There are still plenty of gotchas in the process. If you’re planning to upgrade to Windows 8, these are the current answers to the questions you’re most likely to have.

http://www.zdnet.com/what-are-the-cheapest-and-easiest-upgrade-paths-to-windows-8-7000005702/

by the BBC

Cyber-attacks could inflict as much damage on the US as the physical attacks on 11 September 2001, the US defence secretary has warned. Leon Panetta said the country was preparing to take pre-emptive action if a serious cyber-attack was imminent. He said US intelligence showed “foreign actors” were targeting control systems for utilities, industry and transport. Advanced tools were being created to subvert key computer control systems and wreak havoc, said Mr Panetta.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19922421#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

By Robert Lemos, eWeek

Capital One and SunTrust came under attack this week using denial-of-service techniques that are evading defenses meant to blunt such attacks. Capitol One and SunTrust Banks have become the latest targets of hackers who have leveled attacks at U.S. financial institutions in alleged retaliation for the posting of a movie on YouTube that has offended some Muslims. On Oct. 8, a group calling itself the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Cyber Fighters posted a message on Pastebin stating that Capital One, SunTrust Banks and Regions Financial would each suffer an eight-hour attack starting with Capital One the next day. Even with the advanced warning, the financial institutions suffered outages, with Capital One’s site frequently inaccessible during the eight-hour period.

http://www.eweek.com/security/more-banks-come-under-denial-of-service-attack/

By Robert Mullins, eWeek

With just two weeks until the launch of Windows 8, the Surface tablet and other devices Oct. 26, enterprises face a host of difficult decisions about what devices and operating systems to support in their organization given pricing and compatibility issues with the various new offerings. The expression “May you live in interesting times,” can be a Chinese proverb or a Chinese curse, depending on your perspective and the launch of Windows 8 and its potential impact in the world of Android and iOS is expected bring interesting times to enterprises in 2013.

http://www.eweek.com/mobile/windows-8-will-bring-turbulent-times-to-mobile-device-market-in-2013/

by FRUZSINA EÖRDÖGH, ReadWriteWeb

YouTube is still the pesky younger sibling of television, which is the wicked uncle of Hollywood. But the social video site is slowly becoming a formidable medium in its own right, creating new business models and spheres of influence for – literally – a million rising stars. OpenSlate, which describes its services as delivering “actionable information about the value of online video to advertisers,” recently put together an infographic analyzing the top 1,000 YouTube channels. Some of the findings are mind-blowing, like the fact that over one million YouTubers run ads on their content. To put it another way, YouTube writes checks to more than one million people monthly. That’s more than the U.S. television industry employs. The highest-performing 1,000 make a cool six figures a year. According to OpenSlate, the average revenue for the top 1,000 channels is $23,000 a month for an average annual payout of $276,000. (Contrary to popular belief, YouTube money is not easy money. Many of the top YouTubers have been at it for years. They produce content regularly, and employ cameramen, editors, researchers, managers and writers.)

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/infographic-youtubes-top-1-000-channels-reveal-emerging-power-of-social-video.php

By THOM SHANKER and DAVID E. SANGER, NY Times

American intelligence officials are increasingly convinced that Iran was the origin of a serious wave of network attacks that crippled computers across the Saudi oil industry and breached financial institutions in the United States, episodes that contributed to a warning last week from Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta that the United States was at risk of a “cyber-Pearl Harbor.” After Mr. Panetta’s remarks on Thursday night, American officials described an emerging shadow war of attacks and counterattacks already under way between the United States and Iran in cyberspace.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/14/world/middleeast/us-suspects-iranians-were-behind-a-wave-of-cyberattacks.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

By NATASHA SINGER, NY Times

Do Not Track mechanisms are features on browsers — like Mozilla’s Firefox — that give consumers the option of sending out digital signals asking companies to stop collecting information about their online activities for purposes of targeted advertising. First came a stern letter from nine members of the House of Representatives to the Federal Trade Commission, questioning its involvement with an international group called the World Wide Web Consortium, or W3C, which is trying to work out global standards for the don’t-track-me features. The legislators said they were concerned that these options for consumers might restrict “the flow of data at the heart of the Internet’s success.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/14/technology/do-not-track-movement-is-drawing-advertisers-fire.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss