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One of the trickiest problems organizations face with securing their software supply chain is making risk decisions without really understanding where the biggest threats lie in their software, whether open source or commercial. Even with a full slate of application security testing (AST), without modernizing your approach with software supply chain security (SSCS) tools, it can be difficult to get a sweeping view of how all of the different deployed components and packages play into an overall threat posture. The post Threat modeling and binary analysis: Supercharge your software risk strategy appeared first on Security Boulevard. View the full article

I love adventure watches, from analog Casio G-Shocks to the Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin’s Instinct and Fenix ranges. But there hasn't really been any of the best Android smartwatches in that space: the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro are there, but they use Wear OS filtered through Samsung’s One UI Watch 6 interface. Now, Mobvoi’s latest TicWatch, the Mobvoi TicWatch Atlas, looks like a rugged adventure watch designed to challenge Garmin and the Ultras, and it runs on Wear OS. This means it could be a natural choice for users of the best Android phones looking for a tough, durable watch to see them through hikes, trail runs, and all manner of other outdoor adventures. With a 90-hour battery life in smartwatch mode and 45 days in 'essential' or low-power mode, it also uses fast charging: 30 minutes on the charger gives you another two days of use. The Ticwatch Atlas packs an AMOLED display overlaid with an “ultra low-power display” detailing time via a digital watch face, steps, heart rate, notifications, alarms and battery life. Sort of a souped-up Casio: it’s a feature that’s shared by the well-reviewed Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5, although it seems a more natural fit here. The AMOLED display looks ideal for displaying topographical maps of your surroundings, along with the usual navigational toolsets: compass, barometer and altimeter (ideal for climbing), GPS and four other GNSS systems (likely Glonass, Galileo, Beidou and QZSS). It’s also got a heatmaps feature for ball games like soccer, showing you where you’re most active on the pitch, alongside Fall Detection and automatic workout detection, which Mobvoi refers to as 'TicMotion'. The watch retails at $349.99 / €359.99 Euros in Black and Silver, with pricing for other regions TBC, and is available to order now. (Image credit: Mobvoi) Analysis: a watch to get excited about The TicWatch Pro 5 received 4.5 stars in our review, with the writer stating it was “one of the best Wear OS smartwatches around". That ran Wear OS 3, and the TicWatch Atlas is stated to run Wear OS 4. It’s unknown at this point whether it’ll receive a Wear OS 5 rollout, but as even Google is struggling with it right now, I wouldn't bet on that happening anytime soon. Nevertheless, for Wear OS fans, this might be a Garmin-beating watch, earning its place alongside contemporaries like the OnePlus Watch 2 and Google Pixel Watch 3. Stay tuned for a full review. You might also like... Raycon releases first pair of bone conduction headphonesNew Xiaomi smartwatch leak shows a ludicrously cheap Apple Watch SE rival could be on the way I ran an entire marathon with a Garmin, an Apple Watch, and Strava – here are all the differences View the full article

Intel is laying off 1,300 workers from its Oregon facility as part of its 15% workforce reduction. View the full article

Yesterday we noted that the new iPad mini 7 does not come with a charger in the box when sold in European countries, and it turns out that the same now also applies to entry-level iPads sold by Apple across the continent. Since its release in 2022, Apple's most affordable iPad has come with a USB-C charger in Europe, but the debut of the new iPad mini on Tuesday would have left it as the only remaining device in the lineup to do so. The latest iPad Pro and iPad Air models, introduced earlier this year, do not include a charger in the box when purchased in Europe. All of these devices only include a USB-C cable. The change brings parity to Apple's iPad lineup, and is likely in response to forthcoming EU regulations regarding electronic waste, though Apple has also removed the charger from iPad and iPad mini boxes in the United Kingdom, which is not in the EU. However, the British government has just launched a consultation to explore the possibility of mandating USB-C as the standard charging port for electronic devices, and it's hard to imagine it won't largely reflect EU legislation. In tandem with the change, Apple also quietly reduced the price of the iPad in many European countries to €409, shaving €30 off its original €439 price. Meanwhile in the United Kingdom, Apple's cheapest iPad got a £20 cut and now starts at £329, down from £349. The price of the entry-level iPad remains unchanged in the United States, but customers there still get a 20W USB-C charger as part of the package. Related Roundup: iPadTag: EuropeBuyer's Guide: iPad (Caution)Related Forum: iPad This article, "Apple Cuts Entry-Level iPad Price in Europe, Removes Charger From Box" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

Sage has launched a new bean-to-cup coffee machine that helps you brew 11 different hot and cold drinks (including cold brew coffee and cold espresso), lending you a guiding hand to ensure you get the best possible results. If you've not mastered the art of using a manual espresso machine, it can be easy to over- or under-extract your coffee, spoiling the taste and wasting your expensive beans. Grinding your beans too coarsely, tamping the coffee too loosely, or using too much water pressure can cause water to flow through the grounds too fast, resulting in an under-extracted drink that tastes and feels strangely sour in your mouth. If your beans are ground too finely, the grounds are tamped down too hard, or there's not enough water pressure, your espresso will be bitter and lack depth. The new Sage Oracle Jet helps you avoid this problem, letting you choose your preferred drink via a large touchscreen, then helping you through the process of making it. Sage is known as Breville outside Europe, so this is the same machine as the Breville Oracle Jet that launched in the US back in August. Somewhat confusingly, Breville UK is an unrelated company that also makes small kitchen appliances. Select your drink using the Oracle Jet's large touchscreen, and the machine will guide you through the process of making it (Image credit: Sage) Smart troubleshooting The Oracle Jet is a semi-automatic espresso machine, which means it doesn't take over the entire process and lets you enjoy the barista experience without expert knowledge. Like the five-star rated Sage Barista Touch Impress, the Oracle Jet has a smart guidance system that lets you know whether an espresso is under or over extracted, and suggests ways to correct the problem and ensure consistently good results in future. The Oracle Jet has a built-in grinder with 45 settings, an auto dosing system to grind the correct weight of beans for your chosen drink, and an automatic tamper to help you create a perfectly even puck. Transfer the portafilter to the group head, and the machine will use water at precisely 93C and the optimum pressure to extract the espresso shot. If the shot is extracted too quickly or slowly, the display will suggest a specific tweak that you can make for a better result next time. The Sage Oracle Jet has an automatic milk frother with presets for dairy and various different plant-based milks (Image credit: Sage) The machine also has an automatic milk frother, which can be set to start foaming milk for cappuccinos and lattes so it's ready as soon as you've finished pulling your espresso. Unusually for an automatic system, the Oracle Jet's frother has presets for dairy and various different plant-based milks. Even the best coffee makers are usually optimised for full-fat dairy, and produce quite poor results if you use oat, almond, or soya instead. The best bean-to-cup coffee machines never come cheap, and the Oracle Jet is no exception with a price tag of £1,699.95. It's available to buy now direct from Sage, and from John Lewis. Hopefully we'll be able to test it soon to see how it compares to the best espresso machines we've reviewed this year. You might also like I took a barista class, and these are the most important lessons I learned for making perfect coffee at home3 coffee maker mistakes that are ruining your morning brew, according to an expertI tried Smeg’s new high-end espresso machine – and I was shocked how easy it was to brew the perfect coffee View the full article

Canon is set to expand its RF-mount lens line up with three new 'hybrid' lenses for its mirrorless cameras. In a teaser, the camera giant posted a picture (above) of its two existing hybrid lenses, the Canon RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS USM Z (launched in November 2023) and Canon RF 35mm F1.4L VCM (of June 2024), alongside three mystery lens silhouettes. From the press release we know five things for sure: there will be three new lenses; these lenses will be hybrid (designed for photo and video use); they are L-series lenses (Canon's nomenclature for its professional lenses); they will be a mix of zoom and prime lenses; and they will be fully revealed on October 30. Having intimate knowledge of Canon's best cameras and lenses and its lens roadmap, there's further info that I can draw from the picture to speculate what these three mystery lenses could be. So if you can't wait until October 30, read on to find out what you can reasonably expect from Canon's next product launch. All about hybrid Canon is certainly focusing on improving the overall user experience for video with its mirrorless cameras and lenses. Not only is the video recording capabilities of its latest cameras like the EOS R5 Mark II significantly better than before, but so too is the handling of its hybrid lenses, creating a system that's equally adept for photo and video. Its two hybrid lenses pack video-friendly features, such as a smooth aperture ring and suppressed focus breathing. Now it looks like three more hybrid lenses will join the party, and it could be Canon's design ethos for its pro RF-mount lenses moving forwards. In June this year, we had our hands on the Canon RF 35mm F1.4L VCM, which started life at a pricey $1,499 / £1,819 / AU$2,699. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman) Firstly there's the large silhouette in the teaser image, which is virtually identical to the profile of the RF 24-105mm hybrid lens, meaning it's almost certainly a zoom lens. Our sister title Digital Camera World took the press release image into an editor to brighten it up and see what could be revealed, and it turns out the large hybrid zoom lens will be a 70-200mm. That's some clever detective work – though it didn't reveal other details. That same brightened image failed to reveal any details of the two smaller lenses, both of which match the size of the RF 35mm F1.4 and are almost certainly prime lenses too. A couple of months ago, Canon Rumors tipped two new prime hybrid lenses to be in the pipeline, a so-called Canon RF 24mm F1.4L VCM and Canon RF 50mm F1.4L VCM. The lens silhouettes would tally with that rumor because it's entirely plausible they would match the size of the existing 35mm lens. Canon doesn't have F1.4 aperture lenses for the 24mm and 50mm focal lengths, which adds further credibility to that rumor. There you have it – Canon will deliver three new professional hybrid lenses on October 30 and we'll be sure to cover those launches so do tune back in then. You might also like I tried out the new Canon RF 35mm F1.4 – and it's the multi-purpose prime pros have been waiting forBest Canon RF lenses 2024: the best lenses for Canon's mirrorless EOS R camerasCanon’s new full-frame lens offers world record zoom for wildlife and sports photographers View the full article

Amazon has expanded its reverse logistics operations in Europe with its re:Cycle Reverse Logistics facilities in Dublin, with the aim of extending the life of data center equipment and reducing its environmental impacts. The facilities, which handle the testing, repairing and repurposing of hardware from AWS data centers, are part of the company’s broader strategy to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. By investing in a circular economy, Amazon hopes to eliminate unnecessary waste to reduce its operational carbon footprint as well as its reliance on manufactured goods. Amazon wants to make data centers more eco-friendly Recyclable and reusable elements include processor chips, RAM and network cards, which feature high-value materials. The Dublin factory employs robotics and specialized machines to recover precious metals like gold and silver. Specialized trolleys at the plant, powered by robots, can more up to two tonnes of equipment. Amazon also uses bespoke machines and other processes to extract valuable materials. Besides hi-tech solutions, Amazon claims to have created over 850 jobs in Ireland, employing a wide range of individuals and budding tech sector workers. Leader of the Green Party and Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O'Gorman, commented on the newly opened re:Cycle Reverse Logistics building: “We need to work together to ensure that products, whatever their shape or form, are kept in use for as long as possible through smart design, repair and reuse.” Besides recovering value from decommissioned equipment, Amazon’s three-pronged approach to promoting a circular economy in its data centers includes designing reusable and lower carbon rack systems from the outset and keeping equipment operating efficiently. Already, Amazon claims that its reverse logistics programme diverted 14.6 million hardware components from landfills globally in 2023. More from TechRadar Pro Check out the best cloud computing servicesGoogle wants to address data center power demands with nuclear powerReduce your business’s impact with the best green web hosting providers View the full article

If the Instagram app on your phone has been acting up since updating to Android 15 then you’re not alone. The app is randomly freezing for users, and Stories aren’t working as they should – though thankfully there’s a fix if you’re happy to sideload an update. Disgruntled Instagram users have taken to platforms like Reddit (spotted by Android Authority) to highlight the problems. One earlier suggested workaround was to click on the send message button and then go back to the story, though this had mixed success, another had users suggesting you shake your phone to send an error report to Meta in the hope it would encourage the company to fix the app faster. There’s a much quicker and reliable fix however; you just need to update your Instagram app to the latest version: 353.1.0.47.90. You can check which version of the app you currently have installed by going to your phone’s settings, going to the Apps menu, selecting Instagram, and reading the string of numbers displayed on this info screen. At the time of writing, to download Instagram 353.1.0.47.90 if you aren’t on it already, you’ll need to sideload the update from APKMirror. The Play Store doesn't currently offer the update. Sideloading isn’t too tricky; you just need to download the APK file for Instagram version 353.1.0.47.90, change your phone’s settings to allow app installs from unknown sources, then find the APK in your phone’s files, tap on it, and install the app by following the onscreen instructions. If you aren't comfortable sideloading then you'll need to wait for Meta to roll the updated app via the Play Store. Hopefully that won't be too long away given how widespread this Stories bug appears to be. You might also like iPad mini 7 is officially here – and it's built for Apple IntelligenceHow to print from AndroidSonos' Arc Ultra soundbar is official, with revolutionary new speaker tech View the full article

Arm's Total Design ecosystem is now a year old and has grown to include 30 participants all working on AI chiplet platforms based on Arm's Neoverse CSS V3 View the full article

Some of the best password managers have teamed up with the FIDO Alliance to set new standards for secure passkey storage, even when switching between providers. The new draft set of specifications were published by the Alliance’s Credential Provider Special Interest Group, which included major names in the password and identity management game, including 1Password, Apple, Bitwarden, Dashlane, Enpass, Google, Microsoft, NordPass, Okta, Samsung and SK Telecom. Passkeys are a more secure and phishing resistant alternative to passwords, and are widely expected to replace passwords altogether in the near future. Enhancing security, choice, and competition Passkeys remove the need to type in a password, and instead use an authenticator app on a dedicated device, such as your phone, to check that the person attempting to log in is actually you, usually through some form of biometrics. According to statistics presented by the FIDO Alliance, passkey adoption has been widely successful with 12 billion online accounts currently taking advantage of passkeys to log in. Moreover, passkeys significantly reduce the risk of phishing and improve log in speeds by 75%. The new specifications hope to ensure users have a free choice of providers and are free to transfer their passkeys and passwords between their choice of service. This is the first standard of its kind to be introduced to the credential management industry. The draft specifications can be viewed on the FIDO Alliance blog. Currently, the specifications are in a community review and feedback phase with regular updates to be published publicly for review until the final specifications are approved and implemented. More from TechRadar Pro Take a look at the best free password managersBitdefender's new tool should help to protect your digital life from scams and fraudThese are the best password generators View the full article

Amazon has prematurely announced the new Kindle Colorsoft, the first Kindle with a full-color display, alongside three more new Kindle products in a now-withdrawn Spanish press release. The Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition was unveiled in a Spanish-language announcement through an official Amazon blog. It’s likely the reveal was a mistake, as no English announcement has been made, some product links don't work, and the whole page has now been taken down. (Image credit: Amazon) The Kindle Colorsoft was announced alongside a new AI-powered Kindle Scribe, an updated Kindle Paperwhite, and a refreshed entry-level Kindle, with US pricing and availability information given for each. (Image credit: Amazon) The release stated that the Kindle Colorsoft offers “rich, paper-like color” in either standard or vibrant styles, a “custom-designed oxide backing layer”, new algorithms to enhance color and increase brightness, eight weeks of battery life, and the fast page-turns and high contrast that Kindle users have come to expect. It'll seemingly be available for preorder at $279.99 (which is around £215 / AU$420), with the first units shipping on October 30. The release also says that users will be able to “search for color covers in your Library or Kindle Store, view photos and images of books in color, or highlight text that you can easily search for later” thanks to the custom Colorsoft display, new light guide, and nitride LEDs. You'll also apparently be able to “zoom in on images without worrying about pixelation”. As mentioned, the Kindle Colorsoft also boasts eight weeks of battery life with support for wireless charging, and is waterproof. AI comes to Kindles (Image credit: Amazon) The new Kindle Scribe, meanwhile, refreshes the design of Amazon’s writing tablet, with new white borders, a 300ppi display with a "smooth, paper-like texture", and all-new AI tools. The new Scribe's AI capabilities will include summarizing “pages and pages” of notes into bullet points and converting handwritten notes into font, though the latter feature is currently only available in English. The Kindle Scribe also brings the new Active Canvas feature that keeps book notes in place when you change the layout or font size. The ereader will seemingly ship with the Premium Pen stylus, which comes with a "soft-tip eraser". If the leaked release is acccurate, the Kindle Scribe will be available starting at $399.99 (which converts to £310 / AU$600), with the first units shipping on December 4. (Image credit: Amazon) The new 7-inch Kindle Paperwhite is the “fastest Kindle ever” according to the release, with 25% faster page turns and the highest contrast ratio of any Kindle display. It’s going to be the thinnest Paperwhite model yet and boasts a three-month battery life and waterproofing. The release says the new Kindle Paperwhite will be available at $159.99 (about £125 / AU$240) for 16GB of storage in the Raspberry, Jade Green, and Charcoal color options, and the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition at $199.99 (around £155 / AU$300) for 32GB of storage in the Raspberry Metallic, Jade Green Metallic, and Charcoal Metallic color options. (Image credit: Amazon ) The release also detailed a new base-model Kindle, which seemingly comes equipped with a 300ppi display with a 25% brighter front light on the max setting, which matches the brightness of the Kindle Paperwhite. It comes in the new Matcha color and has “weeks” of battery life. The release lists the new Kindle at $109.99 (£85 / AU$165). The announcement also suggests two new Kindle Kids products could be on the way, a new entry-level Kindle Kids and new Kindle Paperwhite Kids. As GoodEReader reports, UK retailer John Lewis began listing the new Kindle 12 Gen Kids Edition, with a 6-inch display, higher contrast ratio, glare-free display, and faster page turn than its predecessor. We’re still light on official details, though the pulled Amazon announcement suggests the two new Kindle Kids products will come with a free cover with either an original design or branded design based on popular kids books. For the moment, none of these announcements can be considered properly official as the press release has been taken down, but it seems we can expect official confirmation soon – and we'll update this story as soon as we get that. For the latest official updates as we hear them, be sure to keep up with our ereader coverage. You might also like Looking for a Kindle alternative? This new super-thin rival has the Google Play Store for Android apps Onyx Boox Go Color 7 review: this Android ereader isn’t the page-turner I expected The best Amazon Kindle deals in October 2024 View the full article

You probably know by now – the best VPN services encrypt internet connections while spoofing your real IP address and location to give your online privacy a boost. As digital threats get more diversified, however, VPN providers often upgrade their software with tools like malware and ad-blockers to protect you against different cyberattacks. But, what if these digital dangers were prevented from reaching your device altogether? This is the idea behind IPVanish's new tool: Secure Browser. A two-year in-the-making project, it comes as both a standalone app and browser extension to operate all your activities entirely in the cloud. All browsing information promises to be completely detached from your device to keep it safe. According to the provider, this means: "no local data stored, no trackers monitored, and no malware risks." IPVanish's security upgrade doesn't end there, though. Secure Browser is now available as part of the new Advanced plan alongside its no-log VPN, Threat Protection tool, and a newly launched 1TB of encrypted Cloud Storage powered by Livedrive. From a VPN to security suite "Secure Browser is something unique, which we don't see any other major VPN or antivirus players putting on the market," Subbu Sthanu, Chief Commercial Officer for Consumer Security at Ziff Davis (IPVanish parent company) told me. The key idea here is to move your "window to the world," as Sthanu put it, from your device to a sandbox in the cloud on IPVanish servers. Users interact with it through a video feed directly through the browser, while their activities remain isolated in the virtual environment. This approach promises to "drastically improve" your security and anonymity online. Your device would never know your browsing history, for instance, with all the information supposedly deleted from the cloud after any session. Your device won't be vulnerable to malicious links, viruses, spyware, and other type of malware as these would never reach it in the first place. It also prevents third-party cookies from tracking your activity and habits. IPVanish has the advantage of operating within Ziff Davis' wider areas of expertise in security tools – from consumers to enterprises, from antivirus software to cloud backup solutions. The company now seeks to bring it all together. "We are moving from being a VPN provider to a security suite," Sthanu told me. "Secure Browser is a core part of it." Secure Browser comes both as a web app and a browser extension. All you need to do is download the software, log in with your IPVanish credentials, and turn it on. You'll notice that all the tabs you'll open after that will be labeled and later saved locally as "Secure Browser." Besides this, you can use the browser as usual without even noticing it. Being a standalone app, you can use Secure Browser with or without an active VPN connection. It comes with 10 different locations to choose from, at the time of writing, which include the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and some EU countries. This means you will be able to bypass geo-restrictions even when you aren't connected to its VPN software. At this point, you might be wondering: why should I even use a VPN in the first place? Sure, Secure Browser shields you from browsing fingerprinting and targeted ads – which a virtual private network cannot. Its malware and tracker protection is also expected to be more efficient than the IPVanish Threat Protection feature. However, a VPN is still necessary to enjoy an encrypted internet connection and prevent your ISP from monitoring what you do online. Secure Browser is meant to be used in tandem with the VPN, Sthanu explained. So, you'll have privacy and anonymity from the VPN, while Secure Browser will protect your device and boost your online security. Put simply, "We're taking online protection to the next natural level, beyond the VPN," he added. (Image credit: IPVanish) You might not want to use Secure Browser each time you access the internet. Let's say that you want to keep track of your browsing history, for example, which is why you have the option to open suspicious links through Secure Browser (by right-clicking them) and do the rest of your day-to-day browsing as usual. All in all, as Robert Custons, Head of Product Marketing at Ziff Davis, put it, Secure Browser is a proactive solution that seeks to stop security problems before they happen rather than trying to fix them afterward. "It's not this continuing cat-and-mouse game anymore [between the software and attackers]," he told me. "Everything is in the cloud. It is not connected to your device." As mentioned earlier, IPVanish's security upgrade also includes 1TB of encrypted cloud storage from the provider's sister brand Livedrive. This allows backup for one PC or Mac computer and up to five mobile devices and tablets, for both Android and iOS systems. The subscription even includes an external online drive with unlimited device connections, allowing you to easily offload and share large files. Secure Browser and Cloud Storage come alongside IPVanish VPN and its Threat Protection tool with the new Advanced plan, starting from as little as $4.49 per month. View the full article

Today, Google Public Sector is gathering customers and partners in Washington, D.C. for its annual Google Public Sector Summit, an event focusing on the “art of the possible” in AI, cybersecurity, and data analysis for government customers. In 2023, we gathered the government technology community to explore and share best practices on how to get started with AI. This year, we’re seeing incredible momentum among our customers who are digitally transforming with AI to support their missions -- ranging from using gen AI for language translation, to building an AI-powered microscope to identify cancer, to helping identify underground water leaks. We are thrilled to showcase some new innovations that will help more public sector organizations on their AI journeys, as well as new authorizations that will help us expand our offerings to more agencies. In addition, we have expanded partnerships that will enable organizations to prototype, create, and deploy AI-powered solutions faster, as well as upskill their workforces. Read more below for all of the details. Gemini in Google Distributed Cloud Coming to Secret and Top Secret Workloads in Early 2025 We’re excited to announce that Gemini in Google Distributed Cloud (GDC) will be available for Secret and Top Secret workloads in early 2025. Gemini in GDC empowers public sector agencies to build next-generation AI agents designed to improve efficiency and effectiveness across departments. These workloads could include agents built to help government employees streamline workflows and code development, gain deeper insights from data to drive better decision-making, and enhance the agency's cybersecurity posture to navigate evolving threats. Gemini in GDC is air-gapped, empowering agencies to adhere to the highest standards of security, compliance, and privacy, with enterprise-grade security built in to protect sensitive government data. With a focus on data privacy and high availability, Gemini in GDC ensures reliable access to critical AI capabilities that can improve public services, increase productivity, and ultimately better serve citizens. Google Achieves IL4/5 ATO for Air Force Cloud One Today, we are also announcing that Google Public Sector has achieved Impact Level (IL) 4 and IL5 Authorization to Operate (ATO) for Air Force Cloud One, a contract vehicle that provides innovative cloud technologies to the Department of the Air Force. This milestone underscores our commitment to providing the DoD with secure and reliable cloud solutions for sensitive workloads. Google's use of a Zero Trust security architecture – where the assumption is that no part of the network is inherently secure, and constant verification of access is required – along with logical traffic separation in its commercial cloud infrastructure, sets it apart from other vendors. The U.S. Air Force now has access to Google Cloud’s scalable, flexible cloud services to support critical government applications. Google is a pioneer in Zero Trust security, and this achievement builds on our existing FedRAMP authorizations and further solidifies our position as a trusted partner for the DoD's digital transformation journey. A Playbook for Minting the New Chief AI Officer According to the White House Executive Order on AI, every federal agency will need to fill the role of Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO) by the end of this year. That’s why we commissioned leading analyst firm IDC to produce The Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO) Playbook: A Practical Guide for Advancing AI Innovation in Government, offering guidance for U.S. federal agencies navigating the evolving CAIO role¹. The playbook explores challenges and opportunities, drawing comparisons to similar roles, and emphasizes the importance of clear role definition, stakeholder engagement, and early project success. Some key findings from IDC’s research include: More than two-thirds of federal agencies believe in the power of the ecosystem and working with more than one trusted partner outside of government, such as cloud providers, gen AI model vendors, and systems integrators.Federal agencies that have high levels of AI maturity are four times as likely to explore multiple gen AI use case pilots, compared with those that are at the beginning of their AI journey.36% of federal agencies identify the lack of in-house AI skills and expertise as a major challenge, highlighting the crucial need for developing the AI workforce.Google Accelerates Government Upskilling with $15M AI Grants According to Apolitical’s research, only 15% of public servants have received training in AI. That’s why today, we’re announcing $15 million in new Google.org funding to two leading public sector organizations — the Partnership for Public Service and InnovateUS — to further upskill the U.S. government workforce in responsible AI. The grants will be used to both establish a Center for Federal AI, a hub dedicated to cultivating AI leadership and talent within the federal government, and to offer no-cost, at-your-own-pace AI training courses, workshops, and coaching programs tailored to the needs of the public sector organizations. Google Launches National Institute of Health STRIDES Marketplace Today at the Summit, Google Cloud and 11 independent software vendors are launching a curated Google Cloud NIH STRIDES Marketplace to provide a one-stop shop for researchers under the National Institute of Health (NIH) Science and Technology Research Infrastructure for Discovery, Experimentation, and Sustainability (STRIDES) initiative. The Marketplace will allow scientists to find, purchase, and deploy cloud-based tools and services from Google Cloud partners to accelerate biomedical research. Google Cloud is already the preferred platform for researchers around the world because of its scalability, ease of use, and openness. The new Google NIH STRIDES Marketplace will offer easy access to a wide range of tools and services that benefit researchers and scientists, including compute resources, data storage and analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and scientific tools. The inaugural cohort of Google Cloud partners includes Redis, Box for Life Sciences, Augmedix (a Commure company), Sorcero, Egnyte, MongoDB, Weka.io, Form Bio, Red Hat, Rhino Health, and Aiforia. Our Partners, Our Key to Success At a pivotal time for innovation in the public sector, Google Public Sector continues to focus on accelerating growth, fostering deeper collaboration, and maximizing profitability for our valued partners. Yesterday, at the Public Sector Partner Connect 2024 event, we announced a number of enhancements to our Partner Advantage Program to help our partners more seamlessly scale their resources and services offerings to help public sector organizations solve their biggest challenges. We also announced two expansions to existing partnerships: Accenture Federal Services and the Google Public Sector’s Rapid Innovation Team have launched a new “AI Federal Solution Factory” to speed the prototyping and piloting of AI-powered solutions purpose-built for federal agencies.Slalom Solution Factory announced an expanded partnership with Google Public Sector, which will focus on the development of cutting-edge AI solutions, leveraging Google Public Sector's Rapid Innovation Team and professional Google Career Certifications to help drive customer success via U.S. state and local government and education (SLED) initiatives.Our commitment to the public sector continues to be a source of pride as we work with our industry partners to explore the “art of the possible” with our customers. See how Google Public Sector can help your organization use technology to become more connected, secure, and responsive to the needs of your constituents. ¹IDC Signature White Paper, The Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO) Playbook: A Practical Guide for Advancing AI Innovation in Government, sponsored by Google Public Sector, Doc# US52616824, October 2024 View the full article

The UK government has launched a consultation to explore the possibility of mandating USB-C as the standard charging port for electronic devices, potentially aligning with similar regulations recently adopted by the European Union. The Office for Product Safety and Standards, part of the Department for Business and Trade, is seeking input from manufacturers, importers, distributors, and trade associations on the potential benefits and challenges of implementing a common charging standard across the UK. This move comes after the EU passed legislation in 2022 requiring most portable electronic devices to use USB-C for charging by December 2024. The EU's decision aimed to reduce electronic waste and improve charger interoperability. The UK government, which previously stated it was not considering similar rules, is now exploring whether adopting USB-C as a standard would benefit businesses, consumers, and the environment. The consultation will run for eight weeks, ending on December 4, 2024. Key points under consideration include: Standardizing USB-C as the common charging port Implementing harmonized fast-charging technology Allowing consumers to purchase devices without chargers Introducing labeling requirements for charging information The government acknowledges that many manufacturers of smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, and laptops have already adopted USB-C for the UK market voluntarily to avoid supply chain complexities. For example, Apple, which long resisted changing its proprietary Lightning port, adopted USB-C for new iPhones last year, while the last few Lightning products are likely to make the transition next year. However, the government says it seeks to understand the implications of formally implementing such requirements. Notably, the new iPad mini, announced on Tuesday, will not include a charger in the box for several European countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands. The change is likely in response to EU regulations regarding electronic waste, but even some European countries that are not part of the EU are impacted.Tags: United Kingdom, USB-C This article, "UK Considers Adopting USB-C as Common Charging Standard" first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums View the full article

The PS5 Pro version of Dragon Age: The Veilguard will have some enhancements compared to the version on the base console, developer BioWare has confirmed. The news comes from a blog post on EA's official website written by studio technical director Maciej Kurowski. In addition to global release times and system requirements for its PC version, Kurowski broke down what enhancements players can expect from Dragon Age: The Veilguard on PS5 Pro. "The game’s Fidelity and Performance modes will both see improvements on the hardware," Kurowski wrote, "including improved resolution in 30fps Fidelity and 60fps Performance modes. Additionally, there will be various improved visual settings across 30fps Fidelity and 60fps Performance mode." So far it's all things we expected from an enhanced PS5 Pro version, then, but Kurowski goes on to suggest the team is leveraging tech exclusive to Sony's beefed-up $700 console. Here, Dragon Age: The Veilguard will feature "upgraded image quality thanks to Sony’s new AI-based upscaler, PSSR." Kurowski also confirmed the team has "enabled Raytraced Ambient Occlusion (RTAO) in the 60fps Performance mode, which previously was only available on the base PlayStation 5 with 30fps Fidelity mode." In summary, Dragon Age: The Veilguard players on PS5 Pro will not only be able to make use of Pro-specific features like PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution for a bump in image quality. They'll also benefit from having technically demanding features like RTAO available at higher framerates. Seemingly, then, you could be getting an experience on PS5 Pro that's similar to that of a fairly high-end PC. Do take this with a pinch of salt, though; it remains to be seen just how well the game runs on PS5 Pro with all these extra enhancements enabled. There's still a chance for uneven performance even on more powerful hardware; hopefully, BioWare is able to provide an experience fitting of the pricey mid-gen upgrade. You might also like... PlayStation: The Concert is a new video game music show coming in 2025There could be bad news if you placed a PS5 Slim 30th Anniversary Edition bundle pre-order at ArgosPS5 Pro pre-order guide: the latest and best places to find stock View the full article

UPDATE: Multiple GCP products impacted in us-west2 region / us-west2-a zoneView the full article

Something weird might be happening with Nvidia’s next-gen GPUs, because if the rumor mill is to be believed, we’re going to get a whole bunch of Blackwell GeForce graphics cards in the near future – including RTX 5070 and RTX 5060 models. As you may recall, all the chatter on Blackwell was about the flagship RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 until recently when the RTX 5070 came into the conversation, apparently set to be revealed at CES alongside the other two next-gen GPUs. Now we have word from the Board Channels over in China (via VideoCardz) – not always the most accurate source of rumors, we should note, so add plenty of skepticism – that Nvidia will be introducing RTX 5060 flavors early in 2025. Nvidia’s plans, as outlined by the leak, involve the firm releasing the RTX 5090 and 5080 in January (presumably shortly after the revelation of these GPUs), and then in February, the RTX 5070 will follow – apparently with an RTX 5070 Ti in tow. Then, in March, we will see an RTX 5060 hit the shelves, along with an RTX 5060 Ti. So basically, the entire Blackwell line-up, or the core GPUs anyway, will be out by the end of the first quarter of 2025 (apply salt very liberally now). (Image credit: Future) Analysis: Does this make any kind of sense? What on earth’s going on here? As noted, all the focus has been on the RTX 5090 and 5080, then suddenly the RTX 5070 seemingly pops out of nowhere, and now the RTX 5060 as well (complete with matching Ti flavors of both). Actually, regarding the RTX 5070, the theory is it’ll run with 12GB of VRAM – which has meant this purported GPU has already been flamed considerably as not remotely future-proofed – but we’ve also heard that there could be a version with 18GB of video RAM. Is this graphics card the rumored RTX 5070 Ti mentioned here? We guess that particular piece of the puzzle fits, kind of, but what about the RTX 5060? We’ve heard literally nothing about that desktop GPU, and what’s more, we had to wait quite some time for the release of the RTX 4060, which didn’t arrive until eight months after the RTX 4090 (to be fair, the 4060 Ti turned up after seven months). To see the RTX 5090, 5080, 5070, and 5060 – plus variants – all turn up in the space of three months seems like a very unlikely prospect. Why would Nvidia take this route? We can’t figure out a decent answer to that question – unless perhaps it’s tied up in taking on RDNA 4 mid-rangers (which are expected to arrive in Q1 2025). Frankly, though, we’ll have to see a lot more than this relatively thin rumor from said Chinese forum before we can entertain this notion. After all, if the RTX 5060 GPU is so close at this point, why have we heard nothing about it yet? Except for the laptop version of the 5060, mind, which brings forth another idea – are there some crossed wires here between desktop and mobile launches? Another rumor is that Nvidia will reveal mobile Blackwell GPUs at CES 2025, and it’s much more believable that a full range of those graphics cards for gaming laptops could turn up together. Surely the source wouldn’t make that kind of basic mistake, though, so for now, we’ll just have to remain somewhat mystified by the turn of the rumors here – and wait for any further clarification that Nvidia really is planning to spring an early RTX 5060 launch on us. You might also like Nvidia’s RTX 5090 now rumored to have superfast clock speeds – as well as being super-slim – could this GPU be too good to be true?Top gaming PCs: great rigs for serious PC gamingWe could be witnessing the death of the graphics card in real time right now, and I couldn’t be happier about it View the full article

Panduit partners with Hyperview to replace its SmartZone Cloud software product offerings with Hyperview’s cloud-based DCIM platform TINLEY PARK, Ill. & Vancouver, British Columbia – October 16, 2024: Panduit, a global leader in innovative electrical and network infrastructure solutions, and Hyperview, the leading cloud-based data center infrastructure management (DCIM) platform, are excited to ... The post Panduit Partners with Hyperview to Offer Clients Modern DCIM Software Tools appeared first on Hyperview. The post Panduit Partners with Hyperview to Offer Clients Modern DCIM Software Tools appeared first on Security Boulevard. View the full article

RESOLVED: Multiple GCP products impacted in us-west2 region / us-west2-a zoneView the full article

UPDATE: Multiple GCP products impacted in us-west2 region / us-west2-a zoneView the full article

UPDATE: Multiple GCP products impacted in us-west2 region / us-west2-a zoneView the full article

UPDATE: Multiple GCP products impacted in us-west2 region / us-west2-a zoneView the full article

UPDATE: Multiple GCP products impacted in us-west2 region / us-west2-a zoneView the full article

As applications have migrated to the cloud and employees have demanded the flexibility to work from anywhere, maintaining a secure, efficient, and scalable network infrastructure, while providing a consistent user experience, has become a top priority for IT leaders. However, many organizations find themselves facing a patchwork of security tools and struggling with the convolutedness and vulnerabilities of legacy Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which were designed for a very different era of remote access computing. Network leaders are looking for clarity on how to enable them to support their businesses to scale and grow while reducing the attack surface exposing their data to risk. Complexity brings vulnerability VPNs have long been the backbone of secure remote access, allowing employees to connect to corporate networks from outside the physical security perimeter. In the past, when most applications were hosted on-premises within the company's data center, this approach made sense. However, as businesses increasingly rely on cloud-based applications and services, the traditional VPN model has begun to show its design limitations. One of the biggest challenges with legacy VPNs is that they can overcomplicate infrastructure. Modern enterprises are no longer confined to a single data center or geographic location. Employees access applications and data from multiple devices and locations, creating a web of connectivity that legacy VPNs struggle to manage. The traditional model of routing all traffic through a central VPN concentrator adds unnecessary complexity, slowing down network performance due to inefficient routing and creating bottlenecks that frustrate users. This is compounded by the fact that many CIOs are forced to maintain existing legacy technology due to budget constraints or resistance to sweeping changes. As a result, IT leaders often find themselves relying on expensive point products to address specific issues, rather than implementing a more holistic platform solution. This patchwork approach can be costly and inefficient, leading to a fragmented infrastructure that is difficult to manage and prone to security vulnerabilities. Many IT leaders’ careers can hinge on their ability to maintain network performance while keeping pace with the demands of the modern enterprise. Balancing these often competing priorities is no small task. To remain competitive and secure in today's digital landscape, organizations must be willing to rethink their approach to network security and infrastructure. From patchwork to platforms IT leaders are aware that they need to remove dependency on outdated hardware. This shift involves adopting cloud computing platforms that integrate networking and security into a single, cohesive solution, rather than relying on disparate single-purpose solutions to patch up legacy systems. By embracing a platform approach, IT leaders can streamline their infrastructure and improve overall performance. This shift not only alleviates the burden of maintaining legacy hardware but also positions the organization to better adapt to the evolving needs of the business. Cloud-native platforms are designed with modern networking in mind, offering features like dynamic routing, load balancing, and traffic optimization that are critical to support today’s distributed workforce. Moreover, these platforms are built to scale with the organization, allowing IT teams to easily accommodate growth without the need for constant hardware upgrades. This agility is particularly important in a world where the pace of business is accelerating, and the ability to quickly respond to new challenges can be a key differentiator. A key advantage of switching to a cloud-native platform is simplifying cloud access for the end user. In the traditional VPN model, all traffic is routed through a central concentrator, which can lead to inefficient traffic patterns and latency. By contrast, a cloud-native approach allows traffic to be routed more directly, improving performance and providing a better user experience by moving the cloud on-ramp closer to the user. This is especially important in a hybrid work-from-anywhere environment. Visibility brings trust One of the most compelling advantages of a cloud-native platform is the enhanced visibility and control it provides to IT leaders. In a legacy VPN environment, it can be difficult to gain a clear understanding of network traffic and to diagnose issues or identify potential security threats when the ultimate destination is somewhere outside the corporate network. The visibility over data, advanced analytics and reporting tools available through cloud-native platforms help monitor all traffic, not just the traffic passing through the VPN, and plays a critical role in security. A zero trust security approach operates on the principle that no user or device should be trusted by default, even if they are inside the network perimeter. Instead, access is granted based on a verification process that considers contextual factors, including the user's location, device, role and behavior. By giving continuous visibility, cloud-native platforms can provide unmatched contextual awareness, enforce dynamic security policies and allow for adaptive access to users, devices, applications, and data, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches. It delivers on the principle of only giving the right amount of access, to the right people, under the right conditions through a continuous validation model. As businesses bump into the limitations of legacy VPNs and outdated infrastructure, IT leaders must be willing to embrace a transformative platform approach that brings cloud access closer to the end user, enhances visibility and control, and supports a zero-trust security model. By doing so they future-proof their digital infrastructure and create a platform that enables their business to thrive. We've featured the best network monitoring tool. This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro View the full article

As the transformative power of Generative AI reaches new heights, the technology is reshaping the way nearly every organization around the world works, collaborates and innovates. However, adoption and progress is uneven, with two cohorts emerging: those organizations that stalled in adopting AI tools, versus those who making progress towards realizing the opportunity. According to a recent study from BCG, only 10% of organizations are scaling AI across one or more enterprise functions, while 40% of organization have taken no action. The BCG study notes that the benefits are clear, as those organizations who are further along in the adoption of AI are observing 2.6x increases in revenue growth and 38% in EBIT growth across three years, as well as substantive increases in market share and customer satisfaction. There are a range of ways that AI can be applied to simplify and streamline parts of the day to day working process, as well as supporting creative content creation and complex problem solving. However, to truly harness these new capabilities, organizations will need to rethink traditional ways of working and adapt to new paradigms to achieve the business impact noted above. Through our discussions with leading enterprise customers, numerous analyst briefings and our own independent research, we have found that organizations exhibit a common set of characteristics as they mature their understanding and adoption of AI. Through understanding the indicators, incubators, and inhibitors, organizations can accelerate their path towards realizing the benefits of AI. Let’s walk through these phases to help supercharge the ways organizations leverage AI. Phase 1: Exploration Known as the nascent phase where organizations are beginning to understand what AI is and how it can be applied within their context, the exploration phase is entrepreneurial and opportunistic. For every organization, building a strong foundation with AI emphasizes educating the team with the basics of AI and machine learning, being strategic with the existing IT infrastructure and data, focusing on the forward momentum in a responsible way and evaluating the existing policies. This approach ensures that the integration of AI aligns with your established protocols for data security, privacy and ethical standards, minimizing risks and maintaining regulatory compliance. By grounding AI initiatives in familiar governance practices, organizations will have the opportunity to create a solid foundation for responsible AI deployment while facilitating smoother transitions and fostering trust among stakeholders. It means you’ll also be able to identify gaps or necessary adjustments in policies to better accommodate AI technologies as they evolve. Phase 2: Experimentation At this stage, organizations may begin experimenting with AI technologies to upskill their teams and put knowledge into action. It’s a good idea to run pilot projects and proof-of-concept initiatives, encouraging targeted use of AI to address specific opportunities. This user testing will also help teams get first-hand experience of working with AI aligned with their business’ policies and governance in mind. Some processes to consider trialing include: 1. Upskill AI “champions” with critical knowledge - these are the key employees that will be the core AI team, providing support across departments and ensuring business-wide alignment 2. Fund targeted AI applications to address specific challenges or opportunities - by being selective and prioritizing key projects, you can scale up AI implementation and ensure it is fit for purpose. 3. Either set up or brief the governance team to identify risk, ensure data integrity, and foster accountability throughout AI projects. Communication is key in this phase so ensure teams and pilot project groups are aligned and led with a central vision or set of objectives. This might include streamlining client communications across the organization so there is full transparency of the developing changes and inclusion of AI to the business, while highlighting how it will benefit the business and the services provided. Phase 3: Innovation The innovation phase is arguably the most exciting one. This is when the groundwork and testing is put to good use. Here, organizations may consider establishing new AI roles and reskilling team members, upgrading the existing infrastructure to support long-term adoption of AI, re-engineering the work process and continuously monitoring and updating policies as new processes are officially brought online. This phase will also demonstrate the immense benefits and learning development opportunities that come with AI adoption. A comprehensive reskilling program is essential to empower existing employees with the knowledge and skills needed to work effectively with AI technologies. It is also well worth investing in some high-performance computing resources, cloud computing platforms, and advanced data storage solutions that can handle the increased processing demands of AI workloads. Phase 4: Realization This next phase is about fully integrating AI into decision-making and operational processes to unlock new opportunities, drive innovation, and maintain a strong competitive position in the market. This is where all that has been learned through the previous phases is formally embedded into day-to-day ways of working. Similar to the innovation phase of reskilling employees, here, organizations should make sure that their employees are fully equipped with the technology and leadership skills that are necessary to leverage AI technologies. This will be a case of making sure that all employees are skilled to adapt to the new ways of working by benchmarking skills, identifying competency gaps, and implementing training programs to address them accordingly. Organizations should also evaluate the consolidation or decommissioning of legacy infrastructure and tools, scale work processes across all business functions and units, and empower the governance team to actively monitor progress and update policies. Overall, as your organization begins adopting AI business-wide, it’s important to remember that it’s not just about using AI to make things faster and more efficient, but about leading with empathy and understanding. If we as leaders focus on emotional intelligence we create working environments where both people and technology can thrive. We list the best free cloud storage. This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro View the full article