Personal Tech: What Geeks are talking about from ZDNet

Microsoft makes saying no to Windows 10 update a little easier
Microsoft has changed the wording in its ‘Get Windows 10’ update prompt in a way that gives Windows 7 and 8.1 users a bit more visibility about their options.

Brazilian tech startups to join Google’s accelerator
Six local companies have been picked to take part in the development program

Soon, feds will snoop on your social networks before granting security clearance
From the “they haven’t already?” department.

Apple has fixed a bug that let hackers bypass iPhone lock screen
The software update included a number of new features and fixes to iPhones and iPads.

Stratasys rolls out 3D printing app, GrabCAD Print
Following up on the release of more sophisticated hardware, the 3D printing company now turns its attention to software.

Garmin brings GPS to an activity band with the Vivosmart HR+
Garmin continues to fill out its fitness lineup, this time by adding GPS to an activity tracker. Casual runners will appreciate this functionality, available at a reasonable price.

ServiceNow sets $4 billion revenue target for 2020, expansion plans
The cloud company best known for its IT services management tools is expanding into other functions such as customer service, HR and security.

Here’s why airport security takes so long
Travelers are told to arrive at their departure airport three hours before their flights, because TSA agents are fleeing the agency in droves.

Thinking Security, book review: The ‘how’ and ‘why’ of security
Steven M. Bellovin’s rational but readable examination of security management is a masterclass for IT managers, chief security officers and system architects.

SAP’s small business cloud platform SAP Anywhere rolls out in the US
SAP Anywhere is specifically designed for small businesses with 10 to 200 employees — a slice of the SMB pie that has so far been underserved by the German software company.

Body parts and rocket engines: The Sci-Fi case for 3D printing
“We want our machines to make anything” by 2018.

Have old PCs sitting around? Why and how to upgrade them to Windows 10 now
As the deadline ending Microsoft’s free giveaway of Windows 10 upgrades looms closer, it’s important to take stock of your hardware. Do you have forgotten hardware that should be upgraded?

Oracle CX and SAS GBF: Product-focused companies in the throes of change
Oracle and SAS have some things in common that are very apparent. These two founder-dominated companies also face similar challenges.

Fitbit remains top wearable vendor in Q1, according to IDC
The research firm said total shipment volumes increased 67 percent in Q1 to reach 19.7 million units.

Rimini Street moves to support SAP HANA
Third party maintenance and support is coming to SAP’s HANA database in a move that can boost adoption and/or ding SAP’s profit margins.

OS X 10.11.4 update causing Macs to freeze up
Is your Mac freezing up? The latest OS X 10.11.4 update could be the culprit.

Google adds a splash of color to to the dull data center
Do artists have a place in teaching people about the backbone of modern IT infrastructure?

IBM files patent for anti-pirate printer
Will printers of the future stop us printing copyrighted material without permission?

Storage vendor taps blockchain technology for data protection
Singapore-based data storage and security vendor, Acronis, says it has set up a research and development team to build data protection tools based on blockchain technology.

Nulled.OI hacking forum data breach exposes attackers in the shadows
A cyberattack levied against a hacking forum is likely a cause of delight for law enforcement.

The Greek tragedy continues: Why so many of Greece’s tech firms may abandon its shores
Although large companies are holding on, small and mid-sized tech businesses are struggling to cope with Greece’s economic environment.

NXP to demo system for autonomous vehicle advancement
NXP’s BlueBox integrated system is designed to enable automakers to bring Level-4 autonomous vehicles to market faster.

Accenture forms new business unit around IPsoft’s Amelia AI platform
Accenture said it will develop a suite of go-to-market strategies and consulting services based off of the Amelia platform.

March of the Chinese smartphones gathers pace
In a number of major markets across the world, Huawei is now solidly among the top three smartphone purchasing choices.

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett joins Yahoo bidding: Report
Buffett won’t be bidding on Yahoo alone, joining a consortium that includes Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert.

6 reasons to love blockchain technology
Blockchain technology is coming to the business mainstream, with some surprising benefits.

Microsoft’s R Strategy
Microsoft bought Revolution Analytics just over a year ago. With the impending release of SQL Server 2016, integration of the data science-oriented R programming language into Microsoft’s stack is nearly in full swing. But why is Redmond doing this?

How to fast-charge your smartphone when you’re in a hurry
You’re leaving your home or office in 20 minutes and your smartphone’s battery is almost dead. You want to get the maximum charge into it in the least amount of time possible. What do you do?

Dell’s holding company releases unofficial quarterly results
The company can’t provide final results for Q1 2017 because it’s still the sale of certain businesses fund the EMC acquisition.

The iPhone is boring, and I’m OK with that
Despite using my iPhone more than any other device I’ve ever owned, I also understand why sales are falling. The iPhone has become boring. And I’m OK with that.

Adobe finds Chrome is popular everywhere, even on Apple’s iPhone
Desktop or mobile, Adobe’s numbers show that Google’s Chrome web browser is becoming the most popular web browser on any and all platforms.

European Court advisor: Dynamic IP addresses are personal data
Dynamic IP addresses are subject to privacy protection rules, the Advocate General said in a non-binding opinion.

#DisrupTV: Defensive Incumbent Innovation at IMS Health
Chief Digital Officer at IMS Health, Richie Etwaru, discusses how to counter competition from startups without disrupting seven million existing customers. Anshu Sharma, partner at Storm Ventures on why ‘fake’ SaaS companies should be scared; and Mila D’Antonio discusses the latest customer experience news stories.

Marine Corps battle Windows 10 migration woes
Because the DoD purchases “yesterday’s technology tomorrow,” the Marine Corps is having problems installing Windows 10 onto brand new systems.

Microsoft is building a ‘digital memories’ service in its new Evoke Studio
Microsoft’s Evoke Studio is working on a new digital memories service that is designed to change the way people preserve, organize and access photos and videos.

Brazil’s interim president merges sci&tech ministry with communications
Former São Paulo mayor gets appointed for the role; technology industry condemns the decision

Five lessons Walt Disney and Steve Jobs can teach us about innovation
There are startling parallels in the lives of Walt Disney and Steve Jobs. Their dedication to product quality and innovation transformed industries.

Inside Microsoft’s grand plan to sell more Windows 10
Microsoft officials gave PC and phone makers their latest Windows 10 marching orders at WinHEC 2016. Here’s where Microsoft is hoping its partners push the envelope the rest of this year.

OkCupid user account data released for the titillation of the Internet
Can researchers unmask the identities of OkCupid users through their usernames, sexual preferences and turn-ons?

Severe 7-Zip vulnerabilities cause top security, software tools patch panic
The open-source file archiver’s security flaws have ramifications which go all the way up to the top.

Is there a wearables market for kids? A UK firm bets yes.
Screen time is a real concern for parents. A wristband may win over skeptics.

Europe lags US on productivity – so can living labs help bridge the innovation gap?
Europe trails behind the US in productivity, which is why work is under way to put collaborative research at the heart of European innovation.

Google open sources its English language parser, Parsey McParseface
Parsey McParseface is the English language plugin within Google’s open-source neural network framework SyntaxNet.

Evernote adds Google Drive integration
The note-taking service promises “even tighter integration” with Google.

Nvidia handily tops Q1 targets, credits sharp growth in deep learning tech
Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang said he expects the company’s Pascal GPU architecture to get a major boost from future gaming and virtual reality systems.

Tumblr discloses email security breach
Hackers obtained access to a set of Tumblr user email addresses with salted and hashed passwords from early 2013.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.8 has landed
The latest version of the most popular server Linux, RHEL, is now ready to be deployed in your business.

National Bike Month: Using mobile tech to enhance my bike-to-work commute
May is National Bike Month and in WA it’s focused on commuting to and from work. Of course our Mobile Gadgeteer is using mobile technology to navigate, track, and motivate for his bike commute in May.