Canon fans have a lot to look forward to in April, with the camera maker announcing a major live stream event to be held on April 20 at 1pm EDT (that would be 6pm on the same date in the UK and April 21 at 3am AEST in Australia).
There's no mention of what the event is for exactly, except to say it's to "[introduce] new products and technologies". We're hoping that would include the highly anticipated EOS R5 full-frame mirrorless flagship and it's much-rumored entry-level EOS R6 sibling.
This announcement comes less than 24 hours after online publication Canon Rumors reported that the company was not planning on delaying the launch of both mirrorless cameras.
What makes it even more exciting is that the company has managed to work through these challenging times, despite reports that Canon would delay either the launch of the cameras or the their shipping date after the spread of the Covid-19 virus led to the temporary closure of some of Canon's Japanese factories.
However, Canon USA has listed the live stream event under the 'Professional Video Solutions' section of its website, which could imply the manufacturer might reveal new broadcast and cinema equipment – i.e. the products Canon would have announced at the canceled 2020 NAB Show in Las Vegas.
Don't take our word for it though – we're just speculating and eagerly awaiting the reveal on April 20, be it a new cinema shooter or the 8K marvel that is the EOS R5 that we got to ogle at recently.
HUAWEI P40 is an entry point in the company's new flagship lineup and rivals the iPhone 11. This HUAWEI P40 vs iPhone 11 comparison assess the two phones.
As the looming threat of Covid-19 intensifies, many Australians have rightfully taken the government's advice onboard by practising self-isolation and social distancing in an effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Whether you're staying home under self-imposed lockdown or under a doctor-ordered state of quarantine, self-isolation can be quite boring – particularly if you're usually a very outgoing person.
Thankfully, technology has made it easier than ever to keep yourself entertained while stuck inside your home. With that in mind, we've taken the liberty of putting together a helpful guide on how to keep yourself entertained during self-isolation.
Read on to learn more about how you can stave off boredom via Australia's available streaming services during this especially trying time in our history.
Australian movie & TV streaming services
For most people, being stuck at home will be a less-than-ideal situation. That said, it does present the perfect opportunity to catch up on all the TV shows and movies you haven't gotten around to. In fact, you could even choose to re-watch the ones you loved.
Thankfully, Australia has a number of excellent streaming services on offer which will allow you to watch (almost) anything your heart desires without having to leave your couch.
Netflix
The most popular option is Netflix, which offers a never-ending supply of original shows and movies from around the world, along with constantly-changing licensed content. Pricing starts at AU$9.99 per month for the entry-level tier (one screen in standard definition), all the way up to $19.99 for the full Ultra HD package with four simultaneous streams. Unfortunately, Netflix no longer offers a free-trial period. That said, we can't imagine you'll have difficulty finding something to watch on the service. Here here to sign up to Netflix. Here's how to watch Netflix with friends while self isolating.
Stan
Similar to Netflix in its pricing tiers, Australia's first major streaming service Stan starts at AU$10 per month for its one SD stream, followed by AU$14 per month for two HD streams and AU$17 per month for four 4K streams. It too offers original content, along with a large selection of first-run international shows that aren't available to stream elsewhere – though not quite as many as Netflix. That said, it does have a vast back catalogue of classic shows like Friends, Seinfeld and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If that sounds good, you can sign up for Stan's free 30-day trial from its website.
Disney Plus
The newest streaming service to hit the Australian scene, Disney Plus offers an incredible back catalogue of the Mouse House's TV shows and movies – we're talking everything from the Mickey Mouse's original appearance in Steamboat Willy, all the way to modern Marvel blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame. Disney Plus has already started showing original content, such as the much-loved Star Wars series The Mandalorian, and you can expect plenty more in the near future. For a flat fee of only AU$8.99 per month for everything it has to offer, we highly recommend you sign up to Disney Plus for a free 7-day trial.
Amazon Prime Video Included with every subscription to Amazon Prime, this streaming service offers a growing library of Amazon Original shows and movies, along with access to a countless number classic shows and movies. Of course, an Amazon Prime subscription much more than just another streaming service – for a flat fee of AU$6.99 per month, you'll get a number of additional bonuses for shopping on Amazon Australia. These include access to Prime Reading, Prime Music and Twitch Prime, free two-day delivery on domestic purchases, early access to discounts and deals, huge savings on Amazon Prime Day and more – all things that will come in handy during your home quarantine period. Here's where you can sign up for Amazon Prime in Australia.
Foxtel Now While it's far more expensive than competing streaming services, particularly if you want to opt for every package on offer, Foxtel Now does offer many shows and movies that aren't available to stream anywhere else. For instance, the only place to stream HBO's extensive catalogue, including the likes of Game of Thrones and Westworld, is via Foxtel Now. Luckily, you can get started from only AU$25 per month (following a 10-day free trial) for mandatory Pop and Lifestyle packages, and if you're willing to spend more additional packages you can also access a huge selection of movies, sports and much more.
Apple TV Plus
While Apple's new subscription-based video streaming service is unable to compete with the likes of Netflix and Disney Plus when it comes to the size of its content library, it makes up for it by offering a very high quality shows from big-name talent across the board. At only AU$7.99 per month after 7-day trial, it's also fairly inexpensive, and if you happen to have bought a major Apple product recently, such as an iPhone or iPad, you will receive 12-months of Apple TV Plus for the fantastic price of 'free'.
Kayo Sports
Are you a sports nut? Well, you're going to love Kayo Sports – a streaming service dedicated to all things running, kicking, throwing, racing, jumping and... you get the idea. With Kayo, you get almost everything sports-related that's available on Foxtel for less than half the price. The Kayo Sports Basic Package provides two simultaneous streams for only AU$25 per month, while for AU$35 per month, you can sign up to the Kayo Sports Premium Package, which provides three simultaneous streams. Best of all, there are no lock-in contracts and you can try before you buy with a free 14-day trial.
10 All Access
The local Australian version of America's CBS All Access streaming service, 10 All Access offers a growing number of premium television shows (including originals) as soon as they're released. We're talking complete and up-to-date shows like The Bachelor, NCIS, Hawaii Five-0, Masterchef Australia, Survivor and Neighbours, along with exclusive originals like The Twilight Zone. You can even watch some before they've premiered on Network 10, and with the added bonus of absolutely no ads. Additionally, the services a live streaming 24/7 news service in the world-renowned CBSN, all for AU$9.99 per month. Join now and get your first month free.
Tubi
Trying to save money during these uncertain times? Tubi just might be the service for you. Relatively new to the Australian streaming landscape, the ad-supported Tubi is 100% free and offers an enormous number of C-grade movies and shows, cult classics and trashy gems, along with a selection of honest-to-goodness mainstream films from years gone by. All you need is a Facebook or Gmail account to login with and you're good-to-go. Of course, you will have to suffer the occasional pre-film 30-second advertisement, but you won't see any more ads for the remainder of the film or show you're watching. Check out Tubi for free right now.
Of course, there are also a large number of free streaming and catch-up services which offer ad-supported content. These include apps from all the major Australian networks, such as 7Plus, 9Now, SBS On Demand, ABC iview and 10play.
As for the rest of the paid streaming services we've covered, you'll find several comprehensive guides to the best shows and films they offer below.
If there's one thing the Covid-19 lockdown has given us, it's plenty of time to catch up on the latest video game releases. Luckily, the last couple of months have seen the arrival of some truly excellent games, which should help greatly during this difficult time.
On top of that, our time indoors has also afforded us the opportunity to conquer that growing pile of shame that every gamer has amassed.
You know exactly what we're talking about – that large collection of games that have for one reason or another been pushed to the side and neglected in favour of the next big blockbuster release that came out right after it.
Here's a list of recent game releases to play during this period of social distancing and self isolation.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is finally here, 23 years after the release of the original version on the original PS1. If you're an OG fan who's been waiting for this release with baited breath, you're in luck – it's absolutely fantastic.
This isn't your average remaster job, either – Final Fantasy VII Remake is completely new from top to bottom, hewing closely to the classic game's original story but taking advantage of modern-day graphics and gameplay. Apart from being a faithful re-imagining of the original game, Final Fantasy VII Remake expands upon everything that made this story great in the first place, offering full voice acting and cinematic cut scenes to rival the biggest Hollywood blockbusters in terms of quality and scope.
Out now for PS4, you can pick up a copy of Final Fantasy VII Remake from the deals listed below.
Following on from 2018's truly fantastic remake of Resident Evil 2, Capcom has returned to the well once again with a remake of Resident Evil 3, which was originally released 21 years ago.
As you might expect, Resident Evil 3 is very different experience in 2020, dropping the original game's fixed camera and opting instead for the same 3rd person camera view that helped make the Resident Evil 2 remake feel like a brand new game.
On PC. we played it in 8K at over 60fps (though there are some big sacrifices), and tested its performance with today's biggest graphics cards. However, if you aren't a big PC gamer you can still pick the game up for PS4 and Xbox One.
Here are the best Resident Evil 3 Remake deals currently available.
Doom Eternal
Doom Eternal is a beautiful, but brutal reinvention of the first-person shooter series that actually makes life at the moment look... not so bad. This ride through Hell is one of the best experiences you'll have in 2020.
Get ready to rip and tear through a never-ending swarm of aggressive demons to an incredible soundtrack of fellow Aussie Mick Gordon's crushing industrial guitars. You can find the best Doom Eternal deals in Australia below.
Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is on the other end of the spectrum – it's a ready to lull you into a sense that nothing is wrong whatsoever like a good ASMR. This is fine. Everything is fine, says main character Tim Nook. Nintendo's cute social life sim is ideal for today's self-isolation situation. Read our Animal Crossing: New Horizons review and think happy thoughts.
One thing to note: while the new Animal Crossing is a must-have Nintendo Switch-exclusive, Doom Eternal is available on a wider set of platforms: PCs, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and even Google Stadia.
Sign up to Apple Arcade
Our best Apple Arcade games list now includes Crossy Road Castle, a platform title that thrives on its four-player local multiplayer gameplay (fear not, single-player is a choice, just in case confined at home alone). The frantic action reminds us of all the New Super Mario Bros. games and the old Castle Crashers game that never made its way to iOS somehow. Developer Hipster Whale provides the next best thing.
What's great about a game like Crossy Road Castle is that it's easy to get the entire family in on the multiplayer action thanks to Apple's family share feature. You're able to share this game with anyone in your iCloud family, and we just re-upped out Apple Arcade subscription (AU$7.99 a month) to do just that.
When Intel first introduced its Xeon Scalable processor family back in 2017, the data center industry welcomed it excitement. This was the company’s “biggest data center advancement in a decade,” which promised to lay “the new foundation for secure, agile, multi-cloud data centers.”
Two years later, Intel rolled out 2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processor platform that provides even greater performance efficiencies, built-in AI acceleration, and lower TCO.
2nd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors in Brief
The greatest data-centric innovation by Intel aims to address the accelerated demand for compute, storage, network, and memory. The 2nd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processor Platform includes more core and memory capacities than any previous generation, and for the first time includes Intel Optane Persistent Memory and Intel Deep Learning Boost.
Its key capabilities enable data center providers to deliver high-performance, workload-optimized services without increasing energy or hardware consumption. In addition to this, the platform provides foundation for unique deployments such as FlexServers by phoenixNAP.
Innovating upon Intel Speed Select Technology (Intel SST), FlexServers are the world’s first deployment that allows for vertical CPU scaling across multiple performance configurations with a simple server reboot. This translates into a whole new level of flexibility and scalability that enables modern organizations to optimize their IT resource consumption.
Let’s dig deeper into what this unprecedented agility can enable data center users to achieve.
Vertical CPU Scaling with a Reboot
The key innovation that FlexServers brought to the data center market is the ability to switch among seven different CPU core-count and frequency configurations without having to change any hardware components. This is made possible by Intel SST, the technology that allows for multiple configurations to be made on a single server. That way data center providers can better meet fluctuating workloads, while users benefit from optimized performance.
The seven different CPU settings can support varying performance demands and each include built-in AI acceleration fueled by Intel DL Boost, enabling users to quickly scale processing power and seize opportunities whenever they arise. No additional hardware or software installations are needed, which eliminates provisioning bottlenecks.
Users can request a reboot at any point and the server is reset the same day, while the charges are applied accordingly.
This model is ideal for organizations handling highly dynamic workloads or projects with high performance demands. They can use more powerful CPUs at peak times or for projects that grow quickly and shift to a less powerful one when their performance demand changes.
The servers were released in late 2019 and have generated a great interest among users with high performance demands. They are available on phoenixNAP’s multiple global locations and can be bought at competitive prices that scale with the performance supplied.
By allowing for easy performance optimization, FlexServers also allow for significant cost-savings. Without having to upgrade the server every time their demand for performance changes, organizations can more efficiently allocate their IT budgets.
Intel Optane Persistent Memory
Besides the vertical CPU scaling capability, the 2nd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable platform supports Intel Optane Persistent Memory .
With unprecedented capacity of 512 GB/per module , this solution provides a whole lot of opportunities. It has high read/write speeds and is non-volatile, combining the efficiencies of DRAM and persistent data storage of SSD. With high data density and low latency, it is just the type of hardware component that today’s organizations need in order to process big data, AI workloads, and streaming services.
Custom Options with phoenixNAP
The vertical CPU scaling and support for Intel Optane Persistent Memory are the two major aspects that differentiate FlexServers from many cloud servers out there.
Working with phoenixNAP, Intel demonstrated how innovations on its latest processor platform can enable more flexibility and value for customers. As Jason Grebe, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of the Cloud Platforms and Technology Group at Intel, said in the associated launch announcement:
“Intel strives to introduce capabilities in our platforms that increase value for cloud service end-users and simplify their IT operations. phoenixNAP is now offering our new, unique software-configurable 2nd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors that enable users to precisely dial in the optimal performance level for their workloads and budget on the same server.”
phoenixNAP is a global Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) provider with 16 data centers and network PoPs in the U.S., Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Its portfolio of services includes dedicated servers, public, private, and hybrid cloud solutions, colocation and hardware-as-a-service, as well as backup and disaster recovery services.
phoenixNAP’s and Intel have collaborated for years and have successfully deployed multiple innovative solutions.
Intel, the Intel logo, Optane and Xeon are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries.
When Intel first introduced its Xeon Scalable processor family back in 2017, the data center industry welcomed it excitement. This was the company’s “biggest data center advancement in a decade,” which promised to lay “the new foundation for secure, agile, multi-cloud data centers.”
Two years later, Intel rolled out 2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processor platform that provides even greater performance efficiencies, built-in AI acceleration, and lower TCO.
2nd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors in Brief
The greatest data-centric innovation by Intel aims to address the accelerated demand for compute, storage, network, and memory. The 2nd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processor Platform includes more core and memory capacities than any previous generation, and for the first time includes Intel Optane Persistent Memory and Intel Deep Learning Boost.
Its key capabilities enable data center providers to deliver high-performance, workload-optimized services without increasing energy or hardware consumption. In addition to this, the platform provides foundation for unique deployments such as FlexServers by phoenixNAP.
Innovating upon Intel Speed Select Technology (Intel SST), FlexServers are the world’s first deployment that allows for vertical CPU scaling across multiple performance configurations with a simple server reboot. This translates into a whole new level of flexibility and scalability that enables modern organizations to optimize their IT resource consumption.
Let’s dig deeper into what this unprecedented agility can enable data center users to achieve.
Vertical CPU Scaling with a Reboot
The key innovation that FlexServers brought to the data center market is the ability to switch among seven different CPU core-count and frequency configurations without having to change any hardware components. This is made possible by Intel SST, the technology that allows for multiple configurations to be made on a single server. That way data center providers can better meet fluctuating workloads, while users benefit from optimized performance.
The seven different CPU settings can support varying performance demands and each include built-in AI acceleration fueled by Intel DL Boost, enabling users to quickly scale processing power and seize opportunities whenever they arise. No additional hardware or software installations are needed, which eliminates provisioning bottlenecks.
Users can request a reboot at any point and the server is reset the same day, while the charges are applied accordingly.
This model is ideal for organizations handling highly dynamic workloads or projects with high performance demands. They can use more powerful CPUs at peak times or for projects that grow quickly and shift to a less powerful one when their performance demand changes.
The servers were released in late 2019 and have generated a great interest among users with high performance demands. They are available on phoenixNAP’s multiple global locations and can be bought at competitive prices that scale with the performance supplied.
By allowing for easy performance optimization, FlexServers also allow for significant cost-savings. Without having to upgrade the server every time their demand for performance changes, organizations can more efficiently allocate their IT budgets.
Intel Optane Persistent Memory
Besides the vertical CPU scaling capability, the 2nd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable platform supports Intel Optane Persistent Memory .
With unprecedented capacity of 512 GB/per module , this solution provides a whole lot of opportunities. It has high read/write speeds and is non-volatile, combining the efficiencies of DRAM and persistent data storage of SSD. With high data density and low latency, it is just the type of hardware component that today’s organizations need in order to process big data, AI workloads, and streaming services.
Custom Options with phoenixNAP
The vertical CPU scaling and support for Intel Optane Persistent Memory are the two major aspects that differentiate FlexServers from many cloud servers out there.
Working with phoenixNAP, Intel demonstrated how innovations on its latest processor platform can enable more flexibility and value for customers. As Jason Grebe, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of the Cloud Platforms and Technology Group at Intel, said in the associated launch announcement:
“Intel strives to introduce capabilities in our platforms that increase value for cloud service end-users and simplify their IT operations. phoenixNAP is now offering our new, unique software-configurable 2nd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors that enable users to precisely dial in the optimal performance level for their workloads and budget on the same server.”
phoenixNAP is a global Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) provider with 16 data centers and network PoPs in the U.S., Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Its portfolio of services includes dedicated servers, public, private, and hybrid cloud solutions, colocation and hardware-as-a-service, as well as backup and disaster recovery services.
phoenixNAP’s and Intel have collaborated for years and have successfully deployed multiple innovative solutions.
Intel, the Intel logo, Optane and Xeon are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries.
Saudi Arabia has reportedly been exploiting weaknesses in the global mobile telecoms network to track the movements of its citizens as they traveled around the US, according to a new report from The Guardian.
The news outlet spoke with a whistleblower who presented millions of alleged secret tracking requests which appear to show a systematic spying campaign conducted by the kingdom.
According to the data, millions of secret tracking requests came from Saudi Arabia over a four-month period which began in November of last year. These requests, which tried to establish the locations of Saudi-registered phones in the US, appear to originate from the country's three largest mobile phone operators.
In a statement to The Guardian, the whistleblower explained that they could find no legitimate reason for the high volume of requests for location information, saying:
“There is no other explanation, no other technical reason to do this. Saudi Arabia is weaponising mobile technologies.”
SS7 global messaging system
The data shows requests for mobile phone location data that was routed through the aging SS7 global messaging system which allows mobile operators to connect users around the world. When someone tries to call another person in a different country, the SS7 network is used to connect them to one another.
However, the SS7 system also enables mobile phones to be tracked. When a mobile carrier in the US receives a Provide Subscriber Information (PSI) SS7 message from a mobile phone operator in another country, they are essentially getting a tracking request. These requests are used to help foreign operators register roaming charges but if abused, they can be also be used for location tracking.
The whistleblower's data appears to show PSI requests from Saudi Arabia that pinged a major US telecom. Between November 2019 and March 2020, the three largest Saudi mobile operators, Saudi Telecom, Mobily and Zain, sent the US mobile phone operator a combined average of 2.3m tracking requests per month.
Based on this, the data appears to suggest that Saudi mobile phones were being tracked as they moved throughout the US as often as two to 13 times per hour. This high frequency of PSI requests suggests that Saudis in the US could have been tracked on a map to within hundreds of meters of accuracy in a city.
As of now, it is not known which individual Saudi mobile users were tracked during the four-month campaign but there will likely be further investigations into the matter now that it has been exposed.
Also check out our complete list of the best VPN services
The new TWS earbuds from AKG bring Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and IPX7 water resistance to the table, both of which are missing from the Galaxy Buds+.
The coronavirus has brought the world to a standstill, with first cities and now entire countries under lockdown as governments around the world look to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and save the lives of those most vulnerable to the virus.
While it's impossible to say what constitutes the best advice during such an unprecedented time, one thing we do recommend is that everybody stays stay up-to-date with and follows the latest guidelines issued by their government.
In the US, keeping up with the latest coronavirus news is relatively easy, as the White House holds a daily Covid-19 briefing led by 45th President Donald Trump. The short version? Yes, it's now a national emergency and one that's unlikely to 'just disappear'.
Whether you live in America, are keen to know what's going on in the States, or simply want to catch the President's next potential viral moment, here's how to watch today's Trump coronavirus update and catch all the latest Covid-19 news as it happens.
Watch everything from the latest coronavirus updates to the best Hulu shows in style - here are some of the top TV and streaming bargains available right now.
What time does Donald Trump's coronavirus update start today?
From Big Macs to press briefings, Donald Trump is a man known for his love of routines - and that means that White House coronavirus updates go live at the same time each day.
Daily briefings are held by the President and the rest of the Coronavirus Task Force at 5pm ET, which is 2pm PT and 10pm BST in UK.
Most recently, The Donald backtracked on claims the US would be recovering from the pandemic by Easter, and is now instead suggesting that keeping the national death toll at under 100,000 would be a good result for the country.
Use a VPN to watch Trump's coronavirus updates where YouTube isn't available
YouTube is available in a great many countries around the world, but it's also blocked in some. Where that's the case and you find yourself in such a situation, remember that you can always use a clever piece of software called a VPN (or Virtual Private Network) to relocate your IP address back to where you live and stream all the things you normally would from home.
Just be mindful of local regulations and consider if watching today's Trump Covid-19 speech is worth potentially getting in trouble with the authorities over.
In 2019 LG unveiled the LG G8 and LG V50 ThinQ smartphones at the same time, so the February 2020 launch of the LG V60 ThinQ on its own drew some concerned reactions from people expecting another handset. Well, it seems LG might have stopped making its G line of smartphones – for good.
This comes from Korean news site Naver, which has reported that LG is looking to shake up its smartphone strategy, both by putting the G series in the ground and by replacing it with a new, more affordable range. This information apparently came from a briefing given by the company to telecommunications companies in South Korea, an attendee of which passed on the information to Naver.
It's true that LG is no longer as big a player in the smartphone market as it was, with Chinese brands muscling in on its turf and with its phones often lacking 'wow' factor, but the company's new range to replace the G line is seemingly its bid to retain some market share.
Update: LG has responded to this report with a statement that, on its face, says little and confirms nothing. Since it's not an outright rejection, we wonder what's in store for the LG G9 – in any case, here's the statement:
"For eight generations, the LG G Series has introduced bleeding-edge technology to consumers around the world. From super wide-angle cameras to flexible displays to high-fidelity audio and the Quad DAC to 1440p displays, the G Series has consistently been at the forefront of smartphone innovation since 2012. We look forward to sharing more details soon."
Naver reports that LG is looking to recreate the success of its popular 'chocolate phone', the LG KG800 Chocolate, from 2006.
This new unnamed phone, apparently, has four rear cameras, including a 48MP main one, and a Snapdragon 700-series chipset. These chipsets are typically found in mid-range phones that are edging on premium territory.
The phone also supposedly comes with a screen that's 6.7 to 6.9 inches across, and is also supported by a second screen, a trend LG appears married to at this point. It's said the phone will have a 4,000mAh battery.
With this smartphone, apparently LG is aiming at a price tag below what the LG G9 was expected to sell for, and it's supposedly saving another, more premium device for the Korean market where the company remains a bigger deal (and where 5G is more ubiquitous, as its top-end handset would be a 5G phone).
When and where this new affordable LG phone will be debuted remains to be seen, but since the details seem very hazy at this point, it's likely the handset is more a business notion than an actual physical object at the moment. Perhaps we'll see it shown off towards the end of the year, with enough distance from the LG V60 ThinQ to give that product some time to itself.
Connect with family and friends from afar with the Amazon Echo Show 5 that's currently on sale for $59.96. That's a $30 discount and the best price we've found for the smart home display.
The Amazon Echo Show 5 works with Amazon Alexa so you can use your voice to ask questions, play music and videos, and control other compatible smart home devices. The compact smart display also allows you to make hands-free video calls with friends and family with the Alexa app or compatible Echo devices. If you have privacy concerns, you can turn the microphone and camera off with a press of a button, and the built-in shutter lets you easily cover the camera.
This is not only an incredible deal but also a fantastic price for a feature-rich smart home display. This limited-time offer ends on April 4, so you should take advantage now before it's too late.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken action by suspending the shares of a small Chinese company called Zoom Technologies after investors were confusing it with the video-calling app Zoom.
The regulator recently revealed that it was halting trading of the Beijing-based company's shares until April 8th over concerns that investors were “confusing this issuer with a similarly-named NADAQ-listed issuer... which has seen a rise in share price during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.”
Silicon Valley-based Zoom Video Communications went public in April of last year and the company's video conferencing app has seen a surge in new users as a result of the fact that many employees are now working from home.
The app has also seen increased adoption as it is quite easy to set up and use by families and friends looking to stay in touch while under lockdown.
Mistaken identity
Shares of Zoom Video Communications have more than doubled since the beginning of the year and the company now has a market capitalization of $40.3bn. Zoom Technologies on the other hand, has seen its stock rise tenfold since the beginning of the year, though its valuation is much smaller at $31.3m.
In addition to confusion between the two companies as Zoom Technologies uses the ticker ZOOM, the Beijing-based firm was also suspended because it has failed to issue an public disclosures since 2015 according to the SEC. Filings also show that the company voluntarily delisted from the NASDAQ exchange back in 2014.
Back in April when Zoom Video Communications went public, Zoom Technologies also benefited as its stock jumped by more than 80 percent.
By suspending the shares of Zoom Technologies, the SEC has helped investors by preventing them from dumping even more money into a company that likely shouldn't even be on their radar.
Cloud providers including Microsoft, Google, and others, have recently acknowledged that they are struggling to deal with a spike in remote tools usage.
As organisations hastily adapt for remote working, they might fail to ensure adequate data security. In particular, cloud usage increases the risk of insider threats as 53% of organisations believe detecting insider attacks is significantly harder in the cloud than on-premises, according to a recent report. Therefore, it has never been as important as it is today for organisations to implement proper measures to mitigate the insider threat to protect data in the cloud.
Why do remote workers pose a threat to cloud security?
Firstly, remote employees use cloud applications to exchange data, including sensitive data, and could misplace it in insecure locations which could lead to a compliance violation. For example, sharing sensitive data via Microsoft Teams – an increasingly popular application for telecommunication – will result in data spreading across SharePoint Online storage with a high risk of unauthorised access. In fact, 39% of the UK respondents to our recent survey are sure that employees in their organisations share sensitive data via cloud applications outside of IT’s control.
Secondly, remote employees often work from their personal devices which are not controlled by the corporate IT team, and as such are more prone to data breaches than their corporate PCs. Such devices are often unpatched and, therefore, vulnerable to cyber threats. Once an attacker has a foothold in the employee's device, they have "remote control" and can observe and leverage any outgoing connections from this. Essentially, they can gain access to all corporate cloud services the user connects to or even to the corporate network on-premises as soon as the user establishes their VPN connection or remote desktop (RDP) session to any internal servers.
In addition, an employee might lose his/her device, or let other family members use it, which will result in unauthorised access. In some rare cases, employees copy sensitive data to their personal devices from corporate cloud storage with malicious intent, which also is a serious security risk.
Step 1: Develop security policies for remote employees
In normal circumstances, before asking employees to work from home, an organisation should ideally develop proper security policies with a specific focus on cloud security. First and foremost, it is critical to ensure that all user permissions to storages with sensitive data are granted on a 'need-to-access’ basis to prevent insiders from accessing the information they do not need to do their job.
In addition, it is important to establish effective access controls as well as efficient identity verification methods such as multi-factor authentication, which will also protect organisations’ sensitive data in the cloud from unauthorised access.
And last but not least, it is critical that the IT department trains employees on cloud ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’, starting from the principles of dealing with sensitive data and ending with instructions for patching and securing their personal devices. All such measures should be implemented on an ongoing basis, with the IT team being ready to support employees with any issue when they work from home, whether it’s an operational problem or security issue.
Step 2: Obtain visibility into sensitive data
If an organisation does not know where its sensitive data resides in the cloud, it cannot ensure that remote employees are following security policies. This is particularly challenging as modern organisations use multiple clouds.
In fact, McAfee has calculated that an average enterprise uses around 1,427 distinct cloud services, while an average employee actively uses 36 cloud services at work. The more cloud services remote employees use, the more challenging it is for an organisation's IT team to track how they handle data. It means an increased risk of misplacing sensitive data and the bad PR and compliance findings that come with that. To reduce data overexposure, it is critical to have technologies in place to automatically discover sensitive data across multiple cloud storages and classify it according to its sensitivity on a continuous basis.
Step 3: Monitor user activity around sensitive data
As the cloud is prone to a broad range of threat vectors for data exfiltration by insiders, it is critically important for an organisation to detect such cases in a timely manner. Is it malware trying to break into the corporate network, or an insider aiming to steal customer database? All these cloud security risks, and many others, are accompanied by anomalies in user activity. Therefore, if an organisation uses cloud computing and cloud storage, it is important to have user behaviour analysis (UBA) technologies in place that can detect deviations from normal user behavior and alert an IT team about potential cloud threats.
Examples of the most common anomalies that indicate a threat include abnormal logon activities (such as attempts to log on from multiple endpoints, multiple subsequent logons in a short period of time, and an unusually high number of logon failures); or data access patterns differing from the user's past behaviour or that of their peers. It is important to note the shift from office work to remote access will probably cause initial changes in users' access patterns. Businesses can expect a higher than normal number of false positives from Machine Learning-based behaviour anomaly detection solutions in the first couple of weeks after users move away from their central offices.
Such measures will help organisations minimise insider threats in the cloud not only during ‘the world’s largest work-from-home experiment’, as Time has dubbed the COVID-19 outbreak, but also when it comes to an end. With the subsequent economic recession that is likely to follow, cloud computing will remain a cost-effective way to run a business. A sustainable approach to cloud security will enable organisations to avoid unwanted data breaches and hefty compliance fines in the long run.
Matt Middleton-Leal is EMEA & APAC General Manager at Netwrix
