New Technology News

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Microsoft last week announced a large staff reduction tied to the acquisition of Nokia. There is actually a science to how to make layoffs, but much of that appears to have been lost over the last couple of decades. I have some theories as to why -- I blame the Democrats and financial analysts -- but how you carry out job cuts actually is very important, and it reflects how well the CEO understands people, which I think is a critical skill. In the context of Microsoft's layoffs, I'll offer a layoff primer this week.

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Layoffs: There's a Right Way

6:56 AM

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Microsoft last week announced a large staff reduction tied to the acquisition of Nokia. There is actually a science to how to make layoffs...

Startup GoTenna has launched its eponymously named device, which lets users communicate without the need for a cell tower. "This is an interesting concept," said tech analyst Jim McGregor. "It's like a walkie-talkie on steroids." The device uses BlueTooth LE to pair with a user's smartphone. It can exchange text messages only with another GoTenna. The GoTenna's use is further limited because it encrypts messages with the RSA 1024 public/private key encryption, which means only a GoTenna that has the decryption key can read the message.

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GoTenna Makes Wireless 'Magic'

5:14 AM

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Startup GoTenna has launched its eponymously named device, which lets users communicate without the need for a cell tower. "This is a...

Monday, July 21, 2014

Concerns about overly broad searches of digital data by law enforcement once again have emerged after a federal judge ruled that officials armed with a warrant can seize and hold a suspect's entire email account. Such an action would not violate the suspect's rights under the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, said U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel Gorenstein in support of a warrant he issued earlier this month. One worry is that police could retain email accounts and search them repeatedly, said ACLU staff attorney Nate Wessler.

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Judge Rules Police Can Stuff Entire Email Accounts Into Evidence Lockers

4:51 PM

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Concerns about overly broad searches of digital data by law enforcement once again have emerged after a federal judge ruled that officials...

Like anything in this world, the LG G Watch has its pros and its cons. It’s LG’s first venture into smartwatch territory, meaning that the company is just now figuring out its design aesthetic in the space. That said, it looks and feels surprisingly nice, with options for both black and gold. Read More

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Fly Or Die: LG G Watch

3:36 PM

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Like anything in this world, the LG G Watch has its pros and its cons. It’s LG’s first venture into smartwatch territory, meaning that the c...

It may not be a marriage made in heaven, but the cloud is pretty close. Just hours after IBM and Apple announced their strategic partnership, speculation began to spread about two of their most well-known products: What if Siri and Watson were to hook up? Siri is Apple's voice-enabled digital personal assistant. Watson is IBM's artificial intelligence software, perhaps best known for winning Jeopardy! While noting that it was too soon to talk about a future Siri-Watson hybrid, IBM hasn't ruled out the possibility.

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Siri May Be Starting a Hope Chest

12:40 PM

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It may not be a marriage made in heaven, but the cloud is pretty close. Just hours after IBM and Apple announced their strategic partnersh...

"I told you so" is a refrain that's oft-heard here in the Linux blogosphere, and more often than not it refers to some fleeting Microsoft tie with FOSS that subsequently goes wrong. The latest example? It's a doozy. Redmond not only is laying off many, many thousands -- most of them in its ill-fated Nokia unit -- but also abandoning its short-lived support of Android through the Nokia X line. "We will be particularly focused on making the market for Windows Phone," wrote Microsoft devices chief Stephen Elop in an email last week to employees.

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