SOFTWARE FIRMS NEED TO EARN USERS’ TRUST ON DATA

This requires a makeover in entering contracts with clients, even during trail runs

When it comes to data and privacy breaches, small companies are just as vulnerable as larger ones. Protecting customer information is now a matter of business survival.

UAE small businesses must redo their accounting ways

Dubai: Small businesses are considered the economic backbone for most economies. They are drivers of growth as they help generate jobs for millions, contribute to the GDP gains, and have a powerful impact on the local economy.

U.S. Charges North Korean in Sony Hack and WannaCry Virus Attack

(LOS ANGELES) — A computer programmer working for the North Korean government was charged with devastating cyberattacks that hacked Sony Pictures Entertainment and unleashed the WannaCry ransomware virus that infected computers in 150 countries and crippled parts of the British health care system, federal prosecutors said Thursday.

Tomorrow’s supermarkets will be a lot different

Walk into a grocery store 10 years from now, and you’ll see more prepared meals, personalised recommendations and perhaps even an in-house restaurant.

What you probably won’t see is a random stockpile of food and a long line at the register. Time-consuming trips and a cumbersome checkout process are some of the top challenges that grocery stores aim to tackle in coming years, and the stakes are high. Online delivery services and deep-discount chains are threatening to upend supermarkets’ long-held perch in the food landscape.

Microsoft aims to make artificial intelligence mainstream

Microsoft, whose campus is shown in this 2014 picture, has told developers at its annual Build conference it wants to bring artificial intellience into the mainstream.

UAE is second most targeted country in Middle East and Africa for ransomware

The UAE is the second-most targeted country for ransomware after Saudi Arabia in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), according to Symantec's Internet Security Threat Report Volume 22.

Hussam Sidani, regional manager for Symantec Gulf, told Gulf News that Saudi Arabia is ranked 20th and the UAE is ranked 26th globally for ransomware attacks. Saudi Arabia represents 0.7 per cent and the UAE about 0.5 per cent of all global detections.

Hack attacks disrupt PayPal, Twitter, other sites

Cyber attacks targeting a little known internet infrastructure company, Dyn, disrupted access to dozens of websites on Friday, preventing some users from accessing PayPal, Twitter and Spotify.

Etisalat to launch e-SIM within six months

The days of "traditional" SIM cards may soon be over. Embedded cards, also known as e-SIM or electronic SIM, will be coming to a smartphone near you soon.

Microsoft wants to take ownership of the office

Microsoft's acquisition of the social network LinkedIn is not easy to understand. Both companies' chief executives, Satya Nadella of Microsoft and Jeff Weiner, have described the $26.2 billion (Dh96.23 billion) all-cash deal - one of the largest in tech history - in the blandest corporate-speak, with memos that sounded as if they were part of LinkedIn’s mega-boring attempt to create a commentary platform for business celebrities.

Getting Google to boost your street credentials

Local businesses fretting about their poor visibility online can call on some additional help from Google... and specifically its Google Street View.

VAT an inevitable transition for UAE economy

The introduction of Value-Added Tax (VAT) in the UAE is a step in the right direction for the country's economy and an inevitable transition, analysts said.

Dubai's ruler meets Microsoft CEO Nadella, discusses smart city plans

Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum met with Microsoft’s chief executive officer Satya Nadella in Dubai on Monday and discussed ways of collaboration for the emirate’s smart city plans.

Legacy Big Data Analytics, IoT Tools Unable to Meet Demand

Only twenty-seven percent of executives believe that big data analytics infrastructure installed five years ago will still be able to meet demands five years from now.

An end to email shame? Gmail's 'Undo Send' comes to the masses

If you've ever drunkenly emailed your devotion to a former partner or accidentally used reply-all on an email thread to thousands of colleagues, good news: Gmail's "undo send" feature has come to the masses.

An Insight Beyond HR Policies and Procedures

There is nothing right or wrong in certain circumstances. You can follow the principles and practices that will fulfill your commercial needs, but common sense should also be applied in HR. If you do not have such sense, you cannot drive performance.

RTA embarks on study of using driverless cars

Driverless vehicles could soon be travelling alongside you on the city's roads as the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced the commissioning of a study on using 'autonomous cars' in Dubai.

Who needs an ID card when you have... you?

Biometrics is progressing at a rapid pace and the day when your own body will be all the identification you need is fast approaching. It’s good news for those concerned about safeguarding their data – but the biggest winners could be the ad industry, says Mike Peake Your pockets are empty. There’s no handbag hanging from your shoulder – and yet you are out for an afternoon’s shopping.

Start- up aspires to be Facebook of clothing

It's an Internet Age- old riddle: How do you know if clothing you buy online is going to fit and— more important — flatter you? Christian Wylonis wants to solve it with Fitbay, his Copenhagen- based start- up, which matches you online with people of similar size and shape to see how clothing looks in real life.

Tim Cook calls iPhone 6 'biggest advancement in history of iPhone'

Apple Inc. Chief Executive Tim Cook unveiled the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus Tuesday in what he said was "the biggest advancement in the history of iPhone".

The barcode turns 40

Forty years ago today (Thursday), the purchase of a 67-cent package of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum at an Ohio supermarket, received what may have seemed like an undue amount of attention.

Oracle adds Micros for $5.3b to boost cloud effort

Business software giant Oracle said on Monday it was buying rival Micros Systems for $5.3 billion (Dh19.5 billion) in a deal to expand its big data efforts in key retail sectors.

Big Data and analytics gaining traction in the oil and gas sector

Big Data is no longer just a buzzword — it is becoming reality for an increasing number of companies in the UAE and other GCC countries.

Apple Agrees With Google to Drop Smartphone Patent Suits

Apple Inc. and Google Inc. (GOOG) have declared a cease-fire in their intellectual-property wars.

Region's online retail on cusp of breakthrough

Growth, mobility, trust, diversification, customisation and engagement... or, in a nutshell, the direction e-commerce is taking in 2014. A fast-evolving landscape with huge potential, the region’s e-commerce market is developing into its maturity phase, driven by a young, connected, enthusiastic and tech-savvy population.

UK retailer expects all sales to be online

Shop Direct sees all transactions on its site as being mobile- led starting next year Very. co. uk nowhas an annual turnover of about £ 700 million ( Dh4.2 billion), lifting the online business to the same level as rival retailer Asos, which had annual turnover of 760 million last year.

Top India Bitcoin operator halts trade after bank warning

India's biggest Bitcoin trading platform said on its website Friday it had suspended operations after the central bank warned against the risks of using virtual money.

Phone data: Tracking them tracking me

Personal data has been transformed into a valuable new currency in the digital age, with revelations over government surveillance and how companies are able to commercially exploit our data at the forefront of the debate.

Broadband take-up to influence e-commerce

"Internet access and usage – especially broadband – influences consumer choice and behaviour and is increasing the importance of online retailing," according to Euromonitor International, the research firm.

Online vendors in Middle East battle buyer insecurity

As one of the fastest growing categories within the region’s retail space, e-commerce is punching in the right numbers. A 45 per cent growth over the past year is what the Internet payment services firm PayPal has estimated, and take-up rates are such that the Middle East’s e-commerce marketplace could be valued at $15 billion by 2015 against the 2011 tally of $5 billion.

Perspective of the IT industry in DUBAI

The IT industry in Dubai is the most developed in the MENA region, with a strong presence of services over production of software. UAE ICT spending is expected to reach AED12.25 bn by 2011. Many IT companies in Dubai are regional sales offices of international firms.

Gulf Middle-east Region confronts simplicity in online shopping

"It is vitally important that organizations understand where their customers are most likely to be influenced along the path to purchase and ensure communications are kept simple and understandable."

Getting Online Products to Their New Owners

Like many small-business owners, Hanna and Mark Lim gave little thought to fulfillment until they had no choice.

The Microsoft takeover of Nokia handset business for Euro 5.4 Billion helps a sudden increase in Nokia’s Market shares.

Microsoft has announced the cash purchase of Nokia’s Mobile phone business and patent licenses for a whopping 5.44 billion Euros (equivalent to 7.2 billion US Dollars; 4.6 billion Pounds). This has caused an immediate surge of Nokia’s shares by around 35.05 %.

Market Share Comparison of Mobile OS

Android is now the leader in terms of its market share among the mobile operating systems. The Q2 share is 79 percent as published by Gartner. Apples iOS is in the second place with its share which has dropped from 18.8 percent to 14.2 percent.

Make over to the Yahoo corporate logo

Next months, Yahoo is intending to have a change of its corporate logo. The beginning of this week the Web Company decided with a series of new logos to finally decide on one logo. This change was initiated by Marissa Mayer (CEO – Chief Executive Officer) due to the inspiration of “a renewed sense of purpose and progress at Yahoo”.

Microsoft cuts the price of its Surface Pro tablet price by $100

Microsoft had slashed the price of its Surface Pro Tablet discounting its prices in the first week of August, 2013. The company offered $100/- price slash on the intel-powered tablet with the full version of Windows 8. This offer on Surface Pro was available till August 29, 2013 at all Microsoft Stores.

Internet Explorer zero day exploit may have targeted nuclear workers

Late last month, security scientists discovered that Microsoft’s internet explorer 8 was been subjugated. The invader would remotely send malicious executable codes on a targeted computers.

Windows Blue from Microsoft

Julie Larson Green from Microsoft confirmed about the Windows next mile stone "Blue". A preview of this Windows Blue will be available for the public from 26th June to 28th June at the Build, 'Microsoft's Annual conference' and the final release of Windows 8.1 would be this year end.

Messaging app for PC and Mac by Viber

Because of the expensive text messaging plan offered by carriers, third party messaging applications are cashing in on the costly text messaging plans. WhatsApp is likely the most common apps.