IT Job Growth Slows
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), job growth in the US IT industry decreased during October. The latest figures from Janco Associates showed 4,800 positions added, a drop from 8,900 positions in September. Slowdowns in the restaurant, entertainment, service, and other hospitality industries due to COVID-19 continue to decrease IT growth.… Read more
Microsoft Teams Partners with Meta
A new integration will allow Microsoft Teams users to access Meta’s Workplace updates without switching screens. The two companies also plan to enable streaming video calls directly from Workplace soon. Workplace, which has more than seven million paid subscribers, plans to support Teams on the Meta Portal video device. A Workplace app for Teams can… Read more
Top Industries Most Affected by or Vulnerable to Ransomware
Ransomware is everywhere these days. In October, Microsoft released a statement about Iranian hackers breaking into countless Office365 accounts. Google also released a threat analysis outlining phishing campaigns targeted to YouTube creators. Twitch announced on Twitter that their company had suffered a security breach. The list is extensive, but some notable attacks took place in… Read more
What is the Metaverse?
Facebook made headlines last week when it announced it would be hiring 10,000 people in the European Union to develop the “Metaverse.” But what is the Metaverse, exactly? Google the term, and you’ll find various definitions. According to Wikipedia, the Metaverse is “made up of the prefix “meta” (meaning beyond) and the stem “verse” (a back-formation from… Read more
Protecting, Hiding E-Mail Addresses on the Rise
Apple launched a feature called “Sign In With Apple” in 2019, which aimed to allow users the ability to sign up for servers or accounts privately in order to protect their e-mail addresses. Now, the service has been enhanced with a new feature called “Hide My Email.” This new feature is designed to protect users… Read more
US Plans New Ransomware Rules
The United States Department of Treasury will introduce novel penalties, rules, and strategies for ransomware payments as part of the government’s continual effort to thwart online attacks. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the Treasury plans to introduce the sanctions soon, and “Expected new anti-money-laundering and terror-finance rules will seek to limit the use… Read more
Interactive Tools on Websites Influenced by Gender, Personality
A recent study published by Penn State examined how much personality comes into play when interacting online. Factors such as being extroverted, introverted, gender, and more, help determine your online browsing behavior. According to the study, for extroverted women, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) tools helped drive certain websites to be more interactive. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI),… Read more
Race to Quantum Computing Gains Momentum
Findings were recently published in Nature, which outlined how Harvard-led physicists built a programmable quantum simulator (computer) that can operate with 256 qubits (quantum bits). The novel processor is a huge step toward creating massive quantum machines, which could lead to real-world breakthroughs. The fastest supercomputers today would easily be outperformed by a quantum computer.… Read more
Japanese Engineers Surpass Internet Speed World Record
The highest internet speed ever recorded was recently doubled by engineers in Japan. The research, called “High-Speed Direct Detection Demonstrations,” was published by the National Institute of Information & Communication Technology (NICT) and submitted to the International Conference on Optical Fiber Communications. The old internet speed world record was 178 terabits per second (Tb/s), set… Read more
Protecting Yourself from Computer Viruses, Malware, Ransomware
Computer hackers are everywhere these days – literally. These engineers can implant a “virus” in your computer that can wreak havoc on your personal information. From your program files to your bank account, viruses can infiltrate nearly every aspect of your computer. Hackers are almost always looking for ways to penetrate your security. People often… Read more