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Linux is more capable than ever. With over 1,000 Linux games available on Steam and a general shift towards more web-based desktop software, there’s less need for Windows than ever. After all, you can now watch Netflix on Linux without any hacks, and you can even use Microsoft Office on Linux—a web-based version of it, at least. But, as most dedicated Linux desktop users will eventually discover, there comes a time when you just need to run a particular piece of Windows software on your Linux PC. There are quite a few ways to do so. Here’s what you need to know. Wine Wine is a way to run Windows software on Linux, but with no Windows required. Wine is an open-source “Windows compatibility layer” that can run Windows programs directly on your Linux desktop. Essentially, this open-source project is attempting to re-implement enough of Windows from scratch that it can run all those Windows applications without actually needing Windows. This is the only method here that won’t actually require a copy of Windows, but the downside is that it won’t run every application properly. You may encounter bugs or performance issues, especially if you’re using Wine to play video games. But if you’re running a po[CENSORED]r game released a few years ago, you may find that it performs very well. Many people use Wine to play World of Warcraft on Linux, for example. You can get an idea of how an application will run and any tweaks it might require by visiting the Wine Application Database website and searching for that application. First, download Wine from your Linux distribution’s software repositories. Once it’s installed, you can then download .exe files for Windows applications and double-click them to run them with Wine. You can also try PlayOnLinux, a fancy interface over Wine that will help you install po[CENSORED]r Windows programs and games. Codeweavers also offers a commercial version of Wine, known as CrossOver Linux. You have to pay to use it, but Codeweavers tries to go out of their way to officially support po[CENSORED]r applications (like Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, and some big PC games) and ensure they work properly. Codeweavers also contributes its changes back to the main Wine project. [ Further reading: 4 Linux projects for newbies and intermediate users ] Virtual machines Virtual machines are a very convenient way to run Windows software on your Linux PC. As PCs have gotten faster, virtual machines have become comparatively more lightweight. This process involves installing a copy of Windows in a “virtual machine” program like VirtualBox, VMware, or Linux’s built-in KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) solution. That copy of Windows thinks it’s running on real hardware, but it’s really running in window on your desktop. Modern virtual-machine solutions can even break Windows programs running in the virtual machine out of that window, allowing them to act like normal windows on your Linux desktop. virtualbox on ubuntu VirtualBox in Ubuntu Linux. This solution is more foolproof than Wine. As you’re running those Windows applications on an actual copy of Windows, you won’t encounter bugs. Using a virtual machine does require a full copy of Windows, however, and there is more hardware overhead because that copy of Windows has to be running alongside your primary operating system. In particular, demanding PC games that need access to your computer’s graphics card won’t perform well at all—you’re better off with Wine for those. But for productivity applications like Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop, this is an excellent solution. Dual-booting Dual-booting isn’t technically a way to run Windows software on Linux itself, but it is how many Linux users run Windows software. Rather than using it directly under Linux, you just reboot your computer, choose Windows, and boot into Microsoft’s operating system. The Windows software can then run in its native environment. Thanks to modern solid-state drives, that reboot process should be faster than ever. install linux in dual boot Installing Linux in a dual-boot configuration. This is particularly ideal if you’re a PC gamer who just can’t give Windows up yet. Rather than forgoing all those Windows games, you can just reboot your computer when you want to play Windows-only games. As you’re using plain-old Windows running directly on the hardware, you won’t have to deal with any compatibility or performance headaches. The best way to set up a dual-boot system is to install Windows first—if your computer came with Windows installed, that’s good enough. Next, install the Linux distribution of your choice and tell it to install alongside Windows. You’ll then be able to choose your preferred operating system each time you boot your computer. This Ubuntu guide to installing Linux beside Windows can help walk you through the process. Want to stay up to date on Linux, BSD, Chrome OS, and the rest of the World Beyond Windows? Bookmark the World Beyond Windows column page or follow our RSS feed. The best option really depends on what you’re trying to do. If you need to run a single application or game that works well in Wine, Wine may be ideal. If you need to run a variety of desktop applications—like the most modern versions of Office and Photoshop, which Wine might struggle with—a virtual machine will be best. If you’re a PC gamer who still wants to play the latest Windows games, dual-booting will give you the performance you want without the headaches of Wine. Note: When you purchase something after clicking links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Read our affiliate link policy for more details.

EDN has long been a resource for engineers looking to improve designs. It's long list of "how to" articles explain how to get designs to work and how to maximize performance. Some of the techniques presented in EDN articles show you how to boost signal integrity, reduce noise, or shrink power consumption. One of the ways we as engineers maximize performance is be adhering to establish design rules. But, what if conforming to those rules increases cost and makes your product unmarketable? That's the dilemma the designers of low-cost embedded and consumer products often face. To gain insight into once such product, we at Mentor Graphics have analyzed the BeagleBone Black, one of many low-cost microcontroller-based boards for makers and hobbyists. Our analysis shows how the designers of the "Black" made tradeoffs that many designers of industrial products need not make. Because the intrepid designers of the BeagleBone series published their designs, schematics, layout, and code for the rest of us to review and improve upon, we could analyze and simulate it from a signal-integrity perspective. Our analysis reveals stories about the tradeoffs its designers made to maintain performance while reducing cost—lessons we can apply to our own designs. Originally released on 2013, the Black is part of a family of open-source hobbyist computers. It's built around the Texas Instruments AM355x "Sitara" processor featuring 512 MB of on-board RAM, 2 GB of on-board flash storage along with Ethernet and HDMI ports. The Black (Figure 1) is shipped with Debian Linux in on-board flash memory, with a micro-SD card slot can be used to either re-flash the on-board memory or host an operating system directly. The Black has been superseded by newer models and is no longer a state-of-the-art device. It is still available for about $65 on Amazon. The challenges of designing a low-cost system become apparent as soon as we look at the Black's stackup (Figure 2). The board has only four routing and two plane layers, and the power-plane layer is chopped into pieces to accommodate the different voltages needed to run this board. "Best practice" high-speed design tells us that we should maintain a constant reference voltage for our signal as it travels from chip-to-chip, and that reference voltage should be ground where possible. Double data rate (DDR) memory has long used power-referenced signals to accommodate limited layer counts on dual in-line memory module (DIMM) devices; it's clear we will have the same issue here, and we'll have to contend with a reference plane that's cut into pieces on top of that. Note how thick the middle dielectric is in the stackup. The top and bottom are (electrically) rather far apart. The reason is clear enough: for the board to have adequate mechanical stiffness, it needs to be a certain thickness, and the large central core is the best way to do it. That means that we can't count on embedded capacitance to decouple the power and ground layers, so any signal vias that traverse from top to bottom will need decoupling capacitors nearby to carry their return currents, and the effectiveness of those capacitors will be limited by the capacitor loop inductance. The DDR3 interface (Figure 3) on the Black is incredibly simple; the processor talks directly to a single DRAM chip. From a schematic and routing standpoint, it doesn't get much simpler than this. As it turns out - simple doesn't necessarily mean easy. The Black's DDR3 interface has some fascinating stories to tell about what it means to create a low-cost design. We'll approach this from a Best Practice/ Design Guideline perspective – DDR3 defines a number of physical and electrical design targets that should be met for the design to work properly.

Josh Mosiman (96) and Daryl Ecklund line up for a grudge match at Sonoma Raceway. THE FASTEST KTM WE EVER TESTED & ONLY $105,000 – KTM X-BOW RACE CAR By Daryl Ecklund Does the old saying, “With age comes a cage” hold true? I have contemplated this wisdom ever since my knees started to give me trouble. With each knee surgery (I’m currently at nine) I have thought more about diversifying my adrenaline input. Just like it’s good practice to spread your financial investments around so your exposure to any one asset class is limited, I felt that doing the same to my adrenaline account would be a sensible decision. What about switching sports completely? I couldn’t do that. After riding speedway, shifter karts, snow bikes, dirt trackers, downhill mountain bikes, ice racers, road bikes, supermoto and sport bikes, I know I could never find the same rush I get on a motocross track. But, I also know that if my fragile knees don’t last the test of time, getting into car racing will be my go-to sport—that is until my back lets go. Ever since the KTM X-Bow (pronounced Crossbow) came out in 2008, MXA wanted to get our hands on one. Why? For four reasons: (1) We wanted to explore the link between KTM’s car and motorcycle division. (2) It would make a really good story for a motorcycle magazine. We could title it, “The Fastest KTM We Ever Tested” or something equally mundane. (3) How hard could it be to get a test drive in a KTM X-Bow? After all, MXA has a good relationship with KTM America, and we have been to KTM’s headquarters in Mattighofen, Austria, many times, dating as far back as 1982. We figured they’d just hand one over. (4) Since the X-Bow was such a small but expensive project, we assumed that KTM would want more consumers, especially consumers who already owned a KTM product, to see what the X-Bow was all about. WE WERE ALWAYS SURPRISED WHEN WE WOULD ASK THE KTM MOTORCYCLE GUYS ABOUT THE X-BOW, AND THEY WOULD SAY THEY DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. The X-Bow is assembled in Graz,, Austria, to city with a po[CENSORED]tion of 400,000 people, located 170 miles southwest of Mattighofen, which only has 6000 residents. We were always surprised when we would ask the KTM motorcycle guys about the X-Bow, and they would say they didn’t know anything about it. It turns out that they didn’t. The KTM motorcycle division and the KTM X-Bow division are completely separate of each other. No information or people are shared between the two KTM branches. The only traits they have in common are the KTM name and owner Stefan Pierer. Why? For starters, it is a car that has four wheels, not a motorcycle that has two. Everything is different. The physics, structure, aerodynamics, weight, powerplant, suspension, contact patch; the list goes on. Also, unlike Pierer’s motorcycle branch that relies on parts built in-house or from companies that are under the Stefan Pierer umbrella like WP, which builds Husky and KTM motorcycle frames and suspension, the KTM X-Bow is based on many outside companies working together. Once we found out about the KTM X-bow (pronounced Crossbow) we knew we had to get our hands on one. We found a bunch of them at the perfect place and we were off to put MXA’s orange helmet inside a race car. In building the X-Bow, KTM was like a conductor of a symphony. KTM brought together some of the most highly respected companies in the car racing industry to work together in unison to create the unique car. The Kiska design team was in charge of giving the X-Bow its KTM DNA, as the team has had their hands in designing many KTM models in the past. KTM Technologies and Dallara came together to develop the X-Bow as the world’s first production car with a full-carbon composite monocoque chassis. Dallara has had a near monopoly in the Formula 3 series for the last 25 years. The X-Bow’s carbon chassis was then outsourced to Wethje Carbon Composites in Austria. And last on the list is Audi, who brought to the table their 1984cc, turbocharged, inline, four-cylinder 2.0-liter engine. This is the same engine that is used on many of Audi’s production cars all the way up to the Audi S3—and the Volkswagen Golf. However, the Audi engine arrives in parts at the Graz production plant as many alterations are made to the engine to get it to produce 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque for the X-Bow R model. KTM offers other X-Bow models that pump out significantly more power. That is a powerful punch of power for a 1700-pound car. That may sound like a lot of weight in comparison to motorcycles, but to put it into perspective, the petite Mazda Miata MX-5 weighs 700 pounds more than the X-Bow and produces about half the pony power. WE WANTED TO TEST AN X-BOW, AND WE COULD SEE THAT GOING THROUGH OUR KTM MOTORCYCLE CONTACTS WASN’T GOING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. BUT, WE HAD AN ACE UP OUR SLEEVES. We love the technical aspects, but every conversation that we had with KTM about the X-Bow since 2008 always ended in a dead-end street. We wanted to test an X-Bow, and we could see that going through our KTM motorcycle contacts wasn’t going to make that happen. But, we had an ace up our sleeves. We turned inward to MXA endurance test rider Ernie Becker. Once a Pro Circuit Husqvarna rider, he became a successful sports car racer and now travels the world as a driving instructor for companies like Mercedes AMG and Lexus. He teaches Mercedes and Lexus owners how to drive their high-performance cars to their full potential. Ernie knows everyone in the American race car business through his racing, instructor gigs and is the rep for Metalor, an exclusive supplier of axles and hubs to Formula 1 and Indycar teams—and a competitor for Stefan Pierer’s Pankl company. One day at Glen Helen we told Ernie of our desire to drive a KTM X-Bow. He said that there was a fleet of KTM X-Bows that were used for a performance driving school, as well as a race series (organized by Simraceway), at the famous Sonoma Raceway (35 miles north of San Francisco). Ernie said that he knew the Simraceway people and he would try to make it happen. The rest is history.v Where you feet went to work, but only if your mind was engaged. Simraceway is a breeding ground for race car drivers. They offer many performance driving programs, including high-performance go-karts, racing schools, safe-driver training, LMP3 test days, as well as track days to take your own car around the 2.52-mile racetrack. Professional driver Matt Bell is the guy that runs the KTM X-Bow program, and he would be my instructor for a crash course on driving a race car. Ernie Becker took the time out of his busy schedule to come with Josh Mosiman and me to help guide us through our car indoctrination. The KTM X-Bow program at Sonoma Raceway has only been there for about a year. Before the X-Bows were used, Simraceway used Formula 3 cars. I asked Matt, “Why switch from an F3 race car to the KTM X-Bow?” Matt said, “The X-Bow is a much better starting point for learning how to drive a race car.” Simraceway is a breeding ground for race car drivers. They offer many performance driving programs, including high-performance go-karts, racing schools, safe-driver training, LMP3 test days, as well as track days to take your own car around the 2.52-mile racetrack. Professional driver Matt Bell is the guy that runs the KTM X-Bow program, and he would be my instructor for a crash course on driving a race car. Ernie Becker took the time out of his busy schedule to come with Josh Mosiman and me to help guide us through our car indoctrination. The KTM X-Bow program at Sonoma Raceway has only been there for about a year. Before the X-Bows were used, Simraceway used Formula 3 cars. I asked Matt, “Why switch from an F3 race car to the KTM X-Bow?” Matt said, “The X-Bow is a much better starting point for learning how to drive a race car.” To make the driving experience even easier, an Audi DSG (direct shift gearbox), dual-clutch, 6-speed transmission is used in the KTM instead of a straight-forward manual transmission. Matt pointed out that most Americans don’t know how to drive a stick. America is not alone, KTM is having trouble with manual transmissions in China as well. The X-Bow does have paddle shifters, so you aren’t exactly driving a slush-box Hydramatic Oldsmobile around the track.The Simraceway KTM X-Bow Experience has a bevy of X-Bows ready to go out for for a real world experience on what can go wrong. The wheels were really turning after our crash classroom course on driving a race car. I learned that many aspects of racing motocross actually cross over to racing cars, but I wasn’t going to get ahead of myself. First, I had to actually get some real driving experience before I started acting like Lewis Hamilton. Matt started us out on learning the most important part of a racetrack—the corners. He set up one long, smooth, 180-degree corner on Sonoma’s skid pad. A skid pad is an area of flat pavement with nothing around it to hit. Matt didn’t exactly encourage me to spin out and make mistakes, but when I pushed it, at least I was in a safe place to learn what’s so bad about cross controlling in a turn.One of the key aspects of turning a race car is called trail braking. Braking hard initially before the corner creates the grip you need on the front tires to get you through the corner without over- or under-steering. When the cornering starts, the brakes slowly need to be released up to the apex of the corner. Trail braking creates the traction needed to turn at faster speeds. If you let off the brake too quick, or get on the throttle too early, the front tires could push or the rear end could swing around. What fascinated me was how late the apex was in the corners for race cars. I wanted to turn in too early and make the apex in the middle of the corner like I did on a dirt bike. But, those physics don’t work on the racetrack. Luckily, I was in radio contact with Matt, and he could tell me what I did wrong and how to improve it with each take. The car was all over the place, and I would often spin out fighting it. By getting the hard braking done early and trail braking through the corner, I eventually developed a smooth transition from brake to throttle. The straighter the car got, the more throttle you could give it. It was a constant balancing act between steering input, throttle and brakes. This single-corner exercise set me up for success throughout the entire day.

In an era when child care obligations have decreased women’s participation in the US workforce, Julie Sandell made parenthood a little easier at BU. Sandell helped implement Workload Reduction, giving qualifying faculty a lightened load following the birth or assuming custody of a child. “It has probably helped more faculty at more levels than anything else I have done” in almost 30 years at BU, says the senior associate provost. That tenure will conclude at the end of June, when she’ll leave BU to become provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at nearby Suffolk University. In 1991 Sandell joined the faculty at the School of Medicine, where she is a professor of anatomy and neurobiology. She became an associate provost in 2009 and last year was named senior associate provost, reflecting “her years of outstanding service and the addition of new responsibilities…including oversight of the University-wide sexual misconduct training, dean searches, and periodic dean’s reviews,” Jean Morrison, University provost, wrote in a letter to BU faculty and staff announcing Sandell’s departure. “Julie’s stamp on Boston University is extensive,” Morrison added. Before joining the Provost’s office, Sandell had won MED’s highest teaching honor, the Stanley L. Robbins Award, and had chaired the Faculty Council, whose members represent their schools in reviewing or initiating University academic projects and policies. Once in the Provost’s office, Sandelll “shepherded to fruition new tenure and promotion, sabbatical, and personal and family leave policies that have provided greater flexibility and clearer paths to advancement for faculty members,” Morrison wrote. She also oversaw enhanced faculty participation in BU’s governance, always bringing “exceptional insight and judgment, as well as encyclopedic knowledge” of University policies. It’s all those faculty hiring, promotion, and tenure cases—hundreds since she became associate provost and worked with the committee handling them—that Sandell is proudest of: “The committee has been deeply thoughtful, critical, and fair, and our recommendations have helped to shape the faculty in very positive ways for a long time to come,” she says. Her move up the academic ladder at Suffolk is bittersweet after three decades as a Terrier. “I spent roughly half my time at BU, 14 years, before Bob Brown became president, and 14 years here since,” she says. “It was a pretty sharp divide for me personally, and I think for the University as well. In the past 14 years, I have seen the University develop higher aspirations and grow into them in so many realms—diversity, student success, better systems and processes, outstanding faculty. I have had a seat at the table and sometimes a supporting role in BU’s development during a critical era. BU has a wonderful trajectory that I will be proud to follow now from a different vantage point.” Her greatest challenge and that of her BU successor, she says, will be “the diminished public perception of the value of education, and little appreciation for the contributions of educational institutions to human knowledge and culture, technology, and progress.” That said, she understands families’ concerns about the high cost of college, which will be a bigger challenge in her new school than here: roughly one-third of Suffolk’s students are their families’ first generation to attend college, she says, and 38 percent of its students are eligible for federal Pell grants for low-income students, “roughly twice the proportion at BU.” Morrison says she will “consult broadly within the University” to select Sandell’s successor, whose portfolio will include faculty recruitment, appointment, and compensation; the Charles River Campus promotion and tenure process; and service in the Provost’s Cabinet. EXPLORE RELATED TOPICS: CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS FACULTY Share this story 0 Comments ADD Rich Barlow SENIOR WRITER Rich Barlow Rich Barlow is a senior writer at BU Today and Bostonia magazine. Perhaps the only native of Trenton, N.J., who will volunteer his birthplace without police interrogation, he graduated from Dartmouth College, spent 20 years as a small-town newspaper reporter, and is a former Boston Globe religion columnist, book reviewer, and occasional op-ed contributor. Profile Comments & Discussion Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English.

Romney said he doesn’t follow Trump on Twitter, “so I don’t see all the tweets.” He added that criticism comes with being a politician and he doesn’t worry about those things. The 2012 GOP presidential nominee again put to rest any speculation that he would challenge Trump in 2020. “There’s no circumstance I can conceive of that would have me running for national office again,” Romney said. “I’ve tried that twice. Twice is enough, all right, so I’m not doing that again.” As he has said before, Romney said he expects Trump will be the Republican nominee and win reelection. On Thursday, Romney again called Trump’s decision to withdraw about 150 troops from northern Syria a mistake as Turkish forces continued their assault on Syrian Kurds who have played a central role in aiding the U.S.-led fight against ISIS. “It’s a tragic day for the people who have lost their lives, and I think it’s very sad for American foreign policy to show that we were unwilling to stand by the people who worked with us, our allies and our friends, the Kurds,” Romney said. In This Stream The impeachment inquiry Our reporter is at the impeachment hearings in Washington. Catch up on what’s happening from his live tweets Is Mitt Romney talking to fellow Republicans about impeachment? Trump supporters outnumbered at anti-impeachment event VIEW ALL 36 STORIES Next Up In Utah Audit: Utah’s oil and gas division has ‘alarming’ lack of oversight Cougar Insiders: Why extending Kalani Sitake’s contract was so important for BYU football — especially right now (podcast) Intermountain leading national charge against antibiotic overuse, ‘superbugs’ Reward offered in fatal auto-pedestrian crash in American Fork Utahn convicted in 2002 hammer attack of young girl faces new charge Utah inmate tried to hire hitman to kill teen he raped, police saySALT LAKE CITY — Sen. Mitt Romney said he hasn’t talked to, texted or emailed any of his Republican colleagues about impeachment, and doesn’t intend to. “I haven’t discussed that with anybody,” the Utah Republican said. Senators, for the most part, appear from their public statements to have an open mind about whether President Donald Trump should be impeached or removed, Romney said, adding he doesn’t want to “intrude” on that. Romney answered questions from Utah media for about 15 minutes Thursday, mostly reiterating comments he has made about Trump, Ukraine and Syria the past few weeks that ignited an ongoing Twitter feud with the president. “It’s a tragic day for the people who have lost their lives, and I think it’s very sad for American foreign policy to show that we were unwilling to stand by the people who worked with us, our allies and our friends, the Kurds.” — Sen. Mitt Romney A lone Republican voice criticizing Trump over his phone call with the president of Ukraine, Romney said he understands why others have chosen to stay silent at this point because they want to wait for more information. “But there’s no question that on its face, asking China to investigate Mr. Biden, asking Ukraine to do so, that’s simply the wrong thing to do,” he said. “I think everyone understands that asking a foreign government to investigate one’s political opponent is wrong,” Romney said. “I don’t think there’s any exception to that.” Romney said he’s withholding judgment on whether that’s an impeachable or removable offense. “Has the president done some things that I think are wrong? Yes. But the decision as to whether or not to remove the president is one that would have to be made upon further analysis and evidence that’s brought forward, I presume, through the House process,” he said. RELATED How Mitt Romney survives the slings and arrows of team Trump Mitt Romney says Kurds ‘shamefully betrayed’ as Turkey attacks in Syria Mitt Romney warns Trump’s decision to pull back troops in Syria has ‘grave’ consequences Trump calls for Romney’s impeachment in Saturday Twitter storm Romney also wouldn’t weigh in on whether he thinks the House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry is the right thing to do or whether Trump is the subject of a “witch hunt” as the president himself and some Republicans have suggested. “I don’t want to stamp it with a stamp of approval nor do I want to say it’s a mistake on their part,” he said. “It’s something that they’ve undertaken and we’ll see where it leads.”

We've heard plenty about how Android apps on Chrome OS are a big deal, but when you first find yourself staring at the Google Play Store on a dual-purpose device, it can be tough to know where to begin. Chromebooks were already quite capable without Android apps in the equation, after all, and many of the Play Store's most po[CENSORED]r titles are also available in web-app equivalents. Sure, you could install the Google Docs Android app or the Twitter Android app onto a Chromebook, but you'd get better and more complete experiences by using either service's web-based counterpart. So why bother? The trick is to figure out which Android apps actually enhance Chrome OS in a meaningful way — either by filling in a gap in the platform or by adding something new and practical into the experience. But in a sea of overlapping titles and mobile-specific utilities, singling out such a selection isn't always easy. [ Take this mobile device management course from PluralSight and learn how to secure devices in your company without degrading the user experience. ] That's why I'm here to help. I've spent countless hours living with Chromebooks and using them as both productivity and entertainment tools. I've explored the available Android app options and pinpointed the programs that expand a Chromebook's capabilities in measures that matter. I've even gone on business trips carrying nothing but an Android-app-enabled Chromebook for all of my work and (ahem) procrastination needs. Evernote users, take note: The Android version of the app boasts offline access and a more touch-friendly interface than its web counterpart. It also has some nice additions like the ability to create a quick note via an optional persistent notification. Microsoft OneNote OneNote's Android app one-ups its web-based equivalent by providing offline access to your notes along with enhanced handwriting support. What more do you need to know? Solid Explorer The native Chrome OS Files app is fine, but you can give yourself greater file management power with Solid Explorer, an Android file manager app that's optimized for Chrome OS support. Solid Explorer allows you to use a two-panel view for easy dragging and dropping of files between multiple locations — including your regular local storage, the area of your storage dedicated to Android app use, and cloud-based storage from a variety of compatible providers. It can connect to your own personal or company FTP or WebDav server, too, and it lets you add additional layers of encryption to files in any of those locations.

Update 10/8/18 @ 5:46pm EST: More information has come to light about this report, although it’s still inconclusive. Our original story continues below. For years, security researchers have warned that unscrupulous hardware manufacturers or foreign governments could hijack the manufacturing process, installing backdoors into equipment that would be difficult to detect or stop. Now, we’ve caught the Chinese red-handed, and the fallout could be ugly. An extensive report from Bloomberg details how Amazon’s investigation into deploying servers manufactured by Elemental Technologies led to the discovery of hardware backdoors smaller than a grain of rice. The chips had been hidden on Supermicro motherboards. You can see the “before” picture abov After discovering the chips in 2015, the government spent three years investigating the situation. They’ve determined that the hardware creates “a stealth doorway into any network that included the altered machines. Multiple people familiar with the matter say investigators found that the chips had been inserted at factories run by manufacturing subcontractors in China.” There are two methods for performing this kind of hardware-based attack. One of them, which the US has historically used, is to intercept shipments and perform the modification in transit. The other is to build the modifications in from the beginning, which is what was done in China. US officials describe the attack as the most sophisticated supply chain compromise that we’re aware of, ever. Everyone who bought and deployed servers from Elemental Technologies, which specialized in video compression technology, was impacted. And it’s not just Elemental — Apple, too, found its own servers had been compromised and severed relations with Supermicro in 2016 for what the company claims are unrelated reasons. It should be noted that Apple, Amazon, Supermicro, and the Chinese government all contest this story with various arguments about how it’s wrong. Bloomberg notes that their denials are countered by: [Six] current and former senior national security officials, who—in conversations that began during the Obama administration and continued under the Trump administration—detailed the discovery of the chips and the government’s investigation. One of those officials and two people inside AWS provided extensive information on how the attack played out at Elemental and Amazon; the official and one of the insiders also described Amazon’s cooperation with the government investigation. In addition to the three Apple insiders, four of the six U.S. officials confirmed that Apple was a victim. In all, 17 people confirmed the mani[CENSORED]tion of Supermicro’s hardware and other elements of the attacks. Under the circumstances, we’ll be taking the word of Bloomberg over the word of some corporate flunkies trying to protect their own stock prices. Apple and Amazon have strongly denied the claims, and Bloomberg has strongly defended them. Given the potential implications of acknowledging you’ve deployed backdoored hardware, the companies in question have every reason to lie. For that matter, it’s possible that the companies are under a national security agreement not to acknowledge these attacks to avoid tipping the perpetrators off that the US was aware of them at all. If such an agreement was made back in 2015 – 2016, it wouldn’t have been suspended today just because Bloomberg went public (in fact, if you recall from the Snowden controversy, there were discussions about what program details could be discussed publicly even after news of their existence had formally leaked). Apple has gone so far to as to disclaim this as well, but Bloomberg isn’t backing down either. We have to give you one additional quote from the Bloomberg piece, which goes into extensive detail in how the hack was carried out and why we’re certain it’s connected to the Chinese government. It deals with why companies were interested in Elemental Technologies servers in the first place: Elemental servers sold for as much as $100,000 each, at profit margins of as high as 70 percent, according to a former adviser to the company. Two of Elemental’s biggest early clients were the Mormon church, which used the technology to beam sermons to congregations around the world, and the adult film industry, which did not. These attacks are part of why the Trump Administration’s embargo against China has targeted computer components. And it may help explain why most computer manufacturers had no luck getting themselves exempted from tariff considerations.

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On the occasion of Monterey Car Week in California, Automobili Lamborghini presents a unique Aventador S interpreted by the art of Skyler Grey, the young American artist considered the rising star of world street art. The one-off Aventador S by Skyler Grey symbolizes the fusion of two artistic concepts: on one hand the automotive art of Lamborghini, where the unique design form, always characterized by taut lines, three-dimensional volumes, and geometries and stylistic elements of the past is combined with groundbreaking technological solutions; on the other hand, the art of Skyler Grey. At just 19 years old Skyler has been called the “Fresh Prince of Street Art” and his iconographic pop style has often brought him comparisons to artists the likes of Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. He is the youngest artist to have his work exhibited in museums and international art fairs, and he was named in the 2017 Forbes “30 under 30” list of the most influential artists worldwide. Katia Bassi, Chief Marketing & Communication Officer of Automobili Lamborghini, commented: “Because of the affinity we feel with the world of art, we wanted to experiment with a new creative approach, entrusting Skyler Grey with the interpretation of a car that is already itself a work of art. It is a project connected with our new paint shop in Sant’Agata Bolognese, a place where technology and art meet and where our specialists are tasked with turning our customers’ dreams into reality, in the search for aesthetic perfection.” Delivered to the artist as if it were a blank canvas, the car was painted in the new Lamborghini paint shop just recently inaugurated in Sant’Agata Bolognese. The creative process, which lasted nearly a year, along with three weeks in the paint shop, was carried out in collaboration with an interfunctional team of technologists and specialists in painting, logistics, assembly and quality, who were involved in the project from the feasibility phase right through the production process. Despite the high level of complexity of the work, with the support of the team the artist has brought to life the first street-legal work of art on four wheels. Skyler Grey used the main techniques of street art, including airbrushes, spray guns, rollers and stencils, to personalize the car body in his typical pop style in orange and yellow. The orange base color, Arancio Atlas (orange), was the canvas on which Grey expressed all his creativity in interpreting the Lamborghini trademark. The exterior parts are enlivened with bold, irregular brushstrokes in yellow, dark orange and white, interspersed with splashes of color and paint dripped onto the surface using the drip painting technique. The body, thus characterized by the alternating of three colors, was then animated by stylized images of bulls running along the side, depicted emerging from the air intakes in a race and from the iconic Campbell’s soup can, as a reference to Warhol’s “32 Campbell’s Soup Cans”. Like at the bottom of any artist’s canvas, Skyler Grey’s signature appears on the bodywork accompanied by the unmistakable lightning bolt above his name, confirming the authenticity and uniqueness of this work of art. The interiors, in Nero Ade (black) leather with contrasting orange stitching, are personalized on the rear panel with an embroidered image of a cartoon bull, situated between spots of colored paint with a splash effect. The artist’s design for the bull was entrusted to the artistic embroidery skills of Lamborghini’s upholstery specialists. The Aventador S by Skyler Grey, purchased by an art collector, will be the first Lamborghini to be certified via innovative blockchain technology. The car is part of the pilot project “Lamborghini Sicura”, launched in collaboration with Salesforce and aimed at protecting the car as a work of art. It involves a process of authenticity certification, which makes use of Salesforce Blockchain technology to guarantee data security and incorruptibility. The protection system aims to prevent counterfeiting; to trace and certify all the information related to the model; and at the same time favor an increase of value for all the stakeholders. The Aventador S by Skyler Grey is on display from August 15-18 2019 at The Lamborghini Lounge Monterey, a ocean-view villa in an exclusive and privileged position, situated at the famous 18th hole of the Pebble Beach Golf Course in Monterey. The concept of the space is inspired by art in its various forms and was designed according to the motto “Created to Inspire”. The private villa is conceived as the home of an art collector and Lamborghini fan, where guests are taken on an experiential journey in an environment where the world of Lamborghini art and design, blend together in perfect harmony under the banner of art. Lamborghini is represented by a display of the newest models, in interactive areas dedicated to the creative process of their design and to their personalization, all in an intimate, friendly and informal atmosphere. The artists invited to enliven the lounge, in addition to Skyler Grey with the Lamborghini he has interpreted and his most famous works, include Italian artist Alfredo Sannoner, a master calligrapher, with his italic art and search for beauty and perfection in writing.

THERE'S NO HAND RAISING in an online classroom – and no vigorous head nodding when a classmate makes a great point. In a virtual class, there's no chance to approach an instructor after a lecture to ask about the day's discussion. If online college students want to have a real conversation about class material, they have one place to do it: the discussion board, a major component of most online courses. Ideally, discussion boards help online students connect with the course's instructor, their classmates and with the content being taught, Justin Harding, senior director of instructional design and new media at Arizona State University—Tempe, explained in an email. "Discussion boards are a great way to address all three aspects, especially in encouraging students to engage and learn from each other. With this approach, learners address various levels of thinking skills from understanding information to analysis and synthesizing new information in their communications via discussions," Harding says. [ READ: How to Map Out Courses in an Online Degree Program. ] When online discussion boards work as intended, students can actually learn more from them than from other parts of class, instructors say. But getting the most out of a discussion board – and earning the high marks to show for it – isn't always easy for students. Below experts share tips for how to ace the discussion board component of online classes. Reading Directions Is Key The biggest key to doing well on a discussion board is simply reading the teacher's instructions, says Noam Ebner, who teaches in the online graduate program in negotiation and conflict resolution at the Creighton University School of Law. "Read the syllabus," he says. "In the syllabus teachers often say straight out, 'This is what we want.'" Syllabuses typically outline how often to post in the discussion board, what to include in each contribution and the appropriate length of responses to classmates' posts. "Many of our faculty use rubrics for assignments, including discussion posts, so that students have a clear understanding of how they can meet all components for the assignment," says Cheryl Kohen, director of the Division of Online Studies at Daytona State College in Florida. Students should also be prepared with the appropriate technology, Harding says. That may mean a webcam or microphone, depending on the technology specifications outlined by the instructor. Say Something Substantive While online instructors want to hear student opinions on discussion boards, they want those opinions to be backed up by facts. Citing sources from inside and outside of materials covered in class can cut back on plagiarism and make a student's argument seem more legitimate, experts say. [ SEE: 9 Types of Assignments in Online Courses. ] Students should also keep in mind that discussion boards are meant to be conversations, where each post builds on the previous comment. "Good response posts are response posts that do not only agree or disagree," Ebner says. "When you read another student's post, you have the ability to expand the conversation." To do that, students can reference material or, when appropriate, relate it to their own life experience, he says. Don't Procrastinate "Participate early and not at the deadline," says Brian Redmond, a teaching professor of labor and employment relations at Pennsylvania State University—University Park. "If everybody participates at the deadline, the quality of the conversation is very, very surface level and doesn't delve anywhere close to where it should be for a thoughtful and informative discussion," he says. Ask a Question if You're Confused If a student is stumped on an assignment, help is often only an email away or even available in an online forum. "There are a variety of resources available for learners depending on the more specific issue they might be encountering with discussion boards," Harding says. He cites course community forums as a resource where students can ask for clarity on assignments from the instructor or other students. Other resources include the ASU writing center and IT help desk. Similar resources can be found at colleges across the U.S. with robust online programs. [ SEE: Discover the Top 20 Online Bachelor's Degree Programs. ] Review Content for Clarity and Tone Use textspeak in a discussion post, and your instructor will not be LOL, experts say. Students should write in clear, complete sentences. Swear words, writing in all capital letters and using multiple exclamation points are off limits. Students should read over their posts for tone to make sure they don't offend their peers, experts say. And if students are struggling to craft a well-written post, they can always reach out to a tutor or a writing center, Harding says. And don't forget about the instructor. Kohen notes that some professors will provide feedback to help students out. "Many of our faculty are now using videos to engage with online learning, including in a discussion setting. They might create a brief video micro-lecture, which highlights the specific aspects of the assignments and provides more personalized feedback for online learners," Kohen says. Trying to fund your online education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for Online Education center.

Thirdly, there is the contentious and vexed question of the relationship between suicide rates and assisted dying. As 21 mental health practitioners and academics recently argued, there is mounting statistical evidence from Oregon, Belgium and the Netherlands to suggest that, as the numbers using assisted dying rise, so too do suicide rates. The onus is on David Seymour and the likes to prove it is safe, and he cannot do this. Until then, given our suicide epidemic, sensible and caring thinking says it is too risky to proceed. Fourthly, the review system does not include access to patient records, as is the case in the Netherlands. So it is a much weaker law in that regard. Even then, after nearly 20 years, up to 23 per cent of euthanasia deaths are not being reported there. We can only guess what it would be like here with a less robust system. Fifthly, there is growing evidence from Canada and the US that people are choosing euthanasia or assisted suicide because of a lack of access to proper end-of-life care – in other words because of a lack of real choice. To me that is unacceptable, especially when it is most likely to affect people in lower socio-economic areas. No-one can rightly claim that as a compassionate choice. Five reasons why this bill will not deliver compassion. Five reasons to vote "No". * Former prime minister Sir Bill English has opposed the End of Life Choice Bill since its first reading. Firstly, it does not provide real protection from coercion. Talk to any doctor and they will tell you it is virtually impossible to detect subtle emotional coercion, and even overt coercion, at the best of times. Yet many people will be "signed off" by medical practitioners with little or no understanding of the patient's family or social history, let alone medical history. The law requires doctors only to "do their best" – hardly an adequate measure of robust clinical care standards. READ MORE: * Euthanasia: Safeguards against coercion inserted into proposed bill * Euthanasia: What's done around the world * Opinion: MPs should examine facts on euthanasia, not crystal balls Secondly, I know that many MPs will be finely tuned to the "hard cases". However, for all the talk about narrowing the legislation down, this bill is much broader than the new Victorian law, as well as those states in the United States where only assisted suicide is available. We know that, when euthanasia is included, the numbers accessing it are at least 10 times greater. This bill is "overkill" – if the argument was really about the hard cases, then it would be a much tighter bill. OPINION: Later today, our MPs will cast their final vote on the End of Life Choice Bill. It all comes down to deciding whether the bill, with its changes, will ultimately deliver what it says. My position on euthanasia is well known. I have spoken many times about why I am opposed in principle. But to my former colleagues I say, even if you agree in principle, this is not the bill to deliver euthanasia and assisted suicide to New Zealanders. This bill, if it passes, will make New Zealand a less safe place for the old, the vulnerable, the depressed and the disabled, and here are five reasons why.

Driver Talent is the software that mainly is promoted as a repair tool for Windows users. The PUP previously called DriveTheLife is a free tool that claims to find outdated, corrupted, or missing device drivers, so the user doesn't need to search for them manually. A few anti-malware programs have identified this program as malicious or potentially dangerous, so that is not a feature that could make people eager to install the utility at all. In addition, during the installation of this application, other programs get installed or at least promoted. The setup includes a list of additional programs, and when you install Driver Talent yourself, you can de-select them manually. However, this is the PUP that mainly finds its way on the machine via deceptive methods, misleading sites, shady commercial content, and gets itself included on freeware installations setups as undesired addition. NAME Driver Talent TYPE System tool SYMPTOMS The program claims your machine has problems and shows pre-determined scan results with listed driver issues and parts of the system that require repairing. However, to fix all the problems you need a pro version of the tool that is also useless, unfortunately SITE www.drivethelife.com MAIN DANGER The content that this program exposes the user to can contain malicious scripts and lead to the infiltration of dangerous malware. The program is not free, so you pay for the useless application and lose money this way PRICE The trial at the time of writing costs $5.99. A pro version can be purchased for $19.95 but can go up to $26.95 for one PC CREATORS Hong Kong company named Shenzhen DriveTheLife Software Technology Co.Ltd. that also is known as OSToto DISTRIBUTION The official website, deceptive pages, freeware promoting pages, services, torrent sites. The main method used for these rogue tools involves shady installations of other applications ELIMINATION You should remove Driver Talent using anti-malware tools and eliminate the application completely by uninstalling all the related pieces TIP FOR SYSTEM RECOVERY To repair damaged files or altered settings like registry or directories, you need to get a system application like Reimage that might find and fix issues with your device Although Driver Talent virus is not the correct term to describe the system tool, users who complain online about intrusive, annoying, and unwanted behavior call this application that. This tool is not a program that you could benefit from, especially with all those adware-type intruder symptoms and functions common for any other potentially unwanted program.[1] This is not a harmful program or malware. Still, there are many shady advertisers possibly related to the application that can access your information and load various content on the system without your knowledge. Driver Talent should be a helpful program itself and manage all the drivers in one place, but once you run the tool on the machine, it claims that PRO version is needed to reinstall, uninstall and restore or backup those drivers for you. It states that for only $19.95, you can upgrade to the licensed version and fix all the issues. The trial version of this tool can even come for as cheap as $5.99 to lure more people. However, those findings are exaggerated and false only to trick you into installing the Pro version of the useless Driver Talent. Neither the trial version nor the licensed program can perform those functions from promotional advertisements. You pay initially for nothing because there is nothing valuable about any of the versions. Driver Talent is a system optimizer that uses false positives to convince users into thinking that their systems have problems and needs serious help from the program that is promoted by the PUP. Developers try to sell software to as many people as they can, claiming about functions that serious system programs have. Driver Talent is the program that can alter parts of the Windows registry and delete crucial directories, so AV tools consider the PUP a harmful program and can indicate it as malicious. Many AV tools find this app as potentially dangerous, so that should be the first red flag and a reason to uninstall the program. These are the possible detection names, but any indication about the dangerous activity means the same, and you need to think about Driver Talent removal ASAP: Driver Talent (PUA); Malware.Undefined!8.C (CLOUD); PUP.DriverTalent; PUP.Optional.DriveTheLife; Trojan/Win32.TSGeneric; W32.Adware.Gen; W32/Driver_Talent.A; W32/Trojan.YDXU-5972. When it comes to the proper termination of the shady tool, you can eliminate Driver Talent using a tool like that. Anti-malware tools detect and indicate anything possibly malicious or dangerous for the computer, so once you get a notification like that, you can follow with the cleaning further. Advertisers promote this tool as a free optimization tool, but even the trial version costs at least a few dollars, so you shouldn't trust the legitimacy of the rogue tool and try to remove Driver Talent instead. In most cases, such a driver manager program is not needed for your machine to work efficiently. You better install a system file repair tool like Reimage that should indicate damaged, corrupted, or somewhat affected files. Misleading and deceptive techniques used to trick users into installing useless software There are tons of torrent services, free download pages, and websites where promotional content is convincing enough, so people download or even purchase tools that do nothing on the machine. The same technique is used when developers release an official page for distributing the utility. However, none of those methods fully disclose what happens when you download the application. Some of those sites get to distribute malware besides the rogue tools, and various scripts get applied to automatically deliver redirects and show fake software or OS update messages that trigger the installation of the harmful app. This is how advertisers make money too.[2] To avoid the infection, you should either read Privacy Policy, EULA , and other parts of the page, you visit or restrain from browsing on suspicious websites altogether. When it comes to the installation process itself, choosing Advanced or Custom options instead of Recommended or Quick ones can keep you from installing PUPs since you can manage what gets installed and what doesn't. Driver Talent virus elimination requires your attention While DriverTalent is not going to harm your computer, you should be careful with the system scan and driver update results that it shows you, it may try to encourage you to buy the full program or even directly install additional software without your permission. This is common for any other PUP to infiltrate applications and files on the affected machine to keep the persistence up. When that happens, you need to not only remove Driver Talent but to delete all the associated programs, files, in-browser content. Unfortunately, that is not easy when you try to achieve it by manually uninstalling the PUP with all the related applications. There is a reason why we recommend the automatic Driver Talent removal method. Experts[3] do that all the time because anti-malware tools can easily run the proper system check and indicate all the suspicious programs, files, or even malicious threats that create frustration or even damage on the computer. You may remove virus damage with a help of Reimage . SpyHunter 5 and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.

Whether you're after a new gaming rig or something a little simpler, when it's time to get a new PC the toughest decision is not which bells to include and which whistles to exclude but whether you should build it yourself or just buy a pre-built computer. Building your own computer is easy enough. Slotting the pieces together is about as difficult as following the instructions for IKEA furniture. You can find guides on Reddit and Whirlpool to walk you through the process and help you find the right components for your price range. That means the question isn't whether you can build your own PC but whether you should. Here are some things to consider when making that decision. Getting The Best Price It's a widespread belief that building your own computer is cheaper than buying a pre-built one. That's not always the case. The more specific your needs are, the more you save by putting the pieces together yourself. High-end gaming rigs often come with a lot of bells and whistles that retailers will charge a premium amount for. Building a similar machine yourself means you can shop around for the best prices on the pieces you need. Down at the mid-range and lower end there are computers that are much better value thanks to retailers ability to move a lot of units and include peripherals or Windows licenses that would otherwise add to the cost. Finding the right balance is a matter of doing the research. If you find a pre-built computer that suits your needs you should look up the components individually to see what's the better deal. How To Build A Gaming PC In 10 Steps Building your first rig? Here's some advice on how to get started. Jim Jardine, Director of DRAM Product Marketing at Micron Technology gave us his top ten tips. Read more Is It Worth Your Time? Any DIY solution has you investing some - or a lot - of your own time instead of simply paying a professional. You should consider the value of your labour against the satisfaction of doing something yourself. A first time PC build can take up anything from a few hours to a whole weekend depending on your proficiency, how well you can troubleshoot the mistakes and the complexity of the rig. Even someone that knows what they're doing can get caught up on a tricky bit of troubleshooting. Whereas buying a pre-built computer only takes as long as the trip to the store or waiting for the delivery, something you'd also be doing when you buy the components separately. Five Things You Should Know Before Building Your Own PC PCs come in all shapes and sizes. there's the bog standard beige tower, a unit that fits inside the palm of your hand, a rig that looks just like a console, and then mecha-inspired creations like the one above. Building a PC doesn't have to be daunting, though. And while there are tons of reasons to build a PC, ranging from better graphics to cheaper games to greater versatility, there's also some things you should know before you start. Read more Flexibility The greatest benefit of building your own computer is deciding exactly what goes into it. When you have exact needs for gaming or streaming, the only way to make sure things are done right is to do it yourself. You can take downgrades on components you don't care about to save on the overall cost. Throwing in a copy of Windows or a monitor can be great value if you need them but they're an extra cost that you don't need if you're upgrading from an existing computer that already has them. You can even use your new build as an excuse to pick up a mechanical keyboard. Don't Forget About Proper Cable Management When Building A PC I'm in the process of upgrading my antique PC from six years ago. Progress is slow but I've started to dismantle parts for replacement. It's at this time that I'm forced to reassess the way I've approached cable management — something that is easily neglected — inside my PC. Armed with more insight than my inexperienced past self, here are some tips you may find useful in keeping your PC cables neat and tidy. Read more

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Ford Motor Co. had a singular goal when it resurrected the GT race program in 2016: win at Le Mans to honor the 50th anniversary of the company's legendary victory there over Ferrari in 1966. It did that — and won 18 other races to boot — over the course of a four-year campaign that ended last week at Petit Le Mans in Atlanta. Aside from its success on the track, executives say the revived GT race program helped validate technologies and features that have made their way down Ford's lineup to F-150s, Mustangs and other vehicles. Rushbrook: Link to the showroom "The GT program was intended to be a halo for the company in terms of what we do and what we're capable of doing," Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance motorsports, told Automotive News. "The race car element is the pinnacle of that, allowing us to put cars in front of fans around the world and prove we can compete against the best companies and win races and championships." The GT's on-track success was further validation for Ford's EcoBoost-branded line of turbocharged engines. The car was powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 EcoBoost engine, the one found in F-150 pickups, although uniquely tuned for the track. Beyond that, Rushbrook said, insight gained on lightweighting and aerodynamics also have informed decisions on production vehicles. "There's a direct link between what a customer buys in the showroom and what we race on the track," he said. "This program gave us the opportunity to tell that story directly." Early troubles, then victory The GT's first event, the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway in January 2016, ended in disaster. Both vehicles Ford entered suffered from a faulty gearbox actuator and other problems that caused them to pit numerous times. The No. 66 GT finished seventh and the No. 67 GT finished ninth of 11 cars in the GTLM class. CONTENT FROM CHASE AUTO When Disaster Strikes Business disruptions can take many forms—from severe weather that brings an entire region to a standstill, to the unexpected illness of a key staff member, to a ransomware attack that locks up critical data. READ MORE "It was so emotional that this can't be happening," Rushbrook said. "But nobody blinked an eye, and that really cemented how strong the team was." Ford ran into trouble at subsequent races, including a crash at the 12 Hours of Sebring, but began to iron out its issues as the racing season continued. One of Rushbrook's favorite memories, he says, was the GT's first victory at Laguna Seca in May 2016. "It really made a statement to win that early in the program with a brand new car," he said. "What the team really needed was something to pick up their spirits and keep everybody fighting to go to Le Mans after that."

If you ask Dr. Eric Topol, the classic stethoscope has got to go. It “was OK for 200 years,” the world-renowned cardiologist told the Associated Press in the latest story to announce the stethoscope’s death knell. But “we need to go beyond that. We can do better.” He calls it nothing more than a pair of “rubber tubes.” It’s a refrain he’s been repeating for years, declaring back in 2011 that he hadn’t used one in two years. DELOITTE As we live longer and healthier lives, health and life sciences organizations should keep up with our changing needs As we live longer and healthier lives, health and life sciences organizations should keep up with our changing needs Bookmark has been added. READ MORE Instead, he argued it’s time for high-tech handheld devices that are also pressed against the chest but rely on ultrasound technology, artificial intelligence and smartphone apps instead of doctors’ ears to help detect leaks, murmurs, abnormal rhythms and other problems in the heart, lungs and elsewhere. Proponents say these devices are nearly as easy to use as stethoscopes and allow doctors to watch the body in motion and actually see things such as leaky valves. “There’s no reason you would listen to sounds when you can see everything,” said Topol, director and founder of the Scripps Research Translational Institute. But to paraphrase Mark Twain, news of the traditional stethoscope’s death is a bit exaggerated. Old-fashioned stethoscopes seem to be holding their own in the U.S., with dollar sales roughly equal for both manual and electronic devices, over the past five years, according to Grand View Research, and projected to stay that way until 2025. And with the high-tech stethoscopes’ much higher price tags, analog ones would seem to be leading in numbers sold. Conventional stethoscopes typically cost under $200, compared with at least a few thousand dollars for some of the high-tech devices. Chicago pediatrician Dr. David Drelicharz, who has been in practice for just over a decade, knows the allure of newer devices but offers a reason why the latest devices aren’t taking over yet. Until the price comes down, the old stalwart “is still your best tool,” Drelicharz said. Once you learn to use the stethoscope, he said, it “becomes second nature.” “During my work hours in my office, if I don’t have it around my shoulders,” he said, “it’s as though I was feeling almost naked.”

It has come to our attention that, as it relates to the impact of the reduction in the Barbados Corporate Tax rate, the recent media release of the Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL) Annual Group Results has been misrepresented in certain local media editorials, which we now clarify. Republic Financial Holdings Ltd (RFHL) has recorded an increase in profit for the year ended September 30, 2019, of US $38.66 million or 19.5 per cent over the previous financial year. This performance was despite a charge to its income statement of US$28.71M, the result of the remeasurement of deferred tax assets as a consequence of the reduction in the Barbados’ Corporation Tax rates. Therefore, contrary to recent media editorials, the reduction in the Barbados Corporation Tax rate negatively impacted the RFHL income statement in fiscal 2019. In making the announcement, Chairman of RFHL, Ronald F. deC. Harford said the Group recorded profit attributable to equity holders of the parent of US$0.24 billion for the year compared to US$0.20 billion reported in the previous financial year. The Chairman explained that the reduction in Barbados’ corporation tax rate resulted in a charge to the RFHL income statement, one of two one-off adjustments, the other being a write back to the income statement of US$41.21M relating to post-retirement benefits in the bank in Trinidad and Tobago. The net impact of these two one-off adjustments was an increase in profit of US$12.5 million. “These results include two significant one-off items, the net impact of which increased profits by US$12.5 million. Firstly, the bank in Trinidad and Tobago amended the terms of its post-retirement medical benefits plan in line with market, resulting in a write back net of deferred taxes of US$41.21 million. Secondly, Barbados reduced its corporation tax rate from 30 per cent to a range between 1 per cent and 5 per cent, which resulted in a charge to our income statement of US$28.71 million due to the remeasurement of deferred tax assets at the lower tax rate.” Harford said excluding the impact of those items, the Group’s core profit was US$0.22 billion, US$26.17 million or 13.2 per cent more than the prior period. “The increase in core profit was driven mainly by Cayman National Corporation (US$13.86 million) and the RBL Trinidad and Tobago Group (US$5.87 million). Total assets stood at US$13.1 billion at September 30, 2019, an increase of US$2.54 billion or 24.2 per cent over that of the prior year.” (PR)

Attackers have become smarter as they leverage new techniques, such as bots and automated tools to spread malware. Last year, we saw the catastrophic impact caused by WannaCry and NotPetya attacks. Legacy antivirus software is unable to keep pace with these newer attacks. Hence, we need a more robust technology to deal with cyber threats, and the answer to that is Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI vs. traditional antivirus Today, using AI for security purposes has become a reality. Traditional antivirus software makes use of data signatures and files to compare malicious activities. Thus, the software is programmed to identify malicious files and stop them from infecting the systems. This system is very effective, but with an increasing number of malware attacks and their widespread scale, these traditional systems are unable to compete. The change in threat patterns indicate that there must be relative changes in the mechanism for antivirus detection. AI antivirus can identify potential threats in a network and respond even before they start executing. This is possible through various machine learning algorithms. Though used interchangeably, machine learning algorithms and AI is not the same. Role of AI in cybersecurity AI is the field of computer science that focuses on finding solutions to complex problems via intelligent data-driven decision-making. AI-based applications are highly useful in areas where a large quantity of data is involved. It provides tremendous ways to improve cybersecurity measures in enterprises. Every organization generates a good amount of data daily via networks or online systems. This data is stored in systems that may be vulnerable to external attacks or data theft, if not protected. This data can include crucial customer information, financial data of the firm, or intellectual property. Cybersecurity measures are directed towards protecting this data from external cyber threats via antivirus methods. The traditional antivirus techniques can be replaced with AI-based antivirus solutions for reducing pressure on humans by identifying threats in advance and preventing its further mitigation. AI can be incorporated into enterprise cybersecurity through some of the below-mentioned measures. Automated network analysis Most of the security breaches start over computer networks. Hence, protecting this network is a top priority. AI-based antivirus can automatically monitor the network communication to detect any malware or C2 (command and control) communications of intrusions that are successfully installed on a system. SEE ALSO 3 pillars of business website planning Biometric login access Biometrics using AI can provide effective and reliable security solutions. Data breaches can occur through unauthorized access also. Organizations rely on biometrics to authenticate employees at the workplace. AI-powered biometrics, like keystroke dynamics, gait detection, facial recognition, voice recognition, etc. can be used to strengthen access to confidential data. Email scanning AI-based security solutions can easily detect phishing emails that can steal your sensitive information. These smart solutions can examine deep link inspection to check signs of phishing. It can also check the sender of the email, body, recipient or mail attachments for any suspicious programs. Early detection of malware As the number of smartphones and digital devices rises, the need to protect them from viruses and malware intensifies. AI-based antivirus programs detect abnormal software behavior to identify potential threats or attacks. Microsoft Windows Defender is the best example of an AI-based antivirus program. Practical applications of AI in antivirus Now, when we know how AI is used in antivirus software, let’s see some of the real-life use cases of security companies that are using AI-powered antivirus. 1. Smart Antivirus by Cylance The Cylance AI platform for threat protection and advanced security identifies threats even before they cause any harm. It offers a cybersecurity suite that protects your enterprise from cyberattacks through automated threat detection, prevention, and response. Their endpoint security solution helps in early detection and faster resolution of cyber threats. Furthermore, they have several Fortune 100 organizations in their clientele. CylancePROTECT can be quickly deployed than traditional antivirus solutions with minimal effort. 2. Windows Defender Security Solution Microsoft Defender Antivirus uses next-gen technologies to provide automated protection against new and emerging cyber threats. These technologies work with huge sets of interconnected data present in Microsoft Intelligent Security Graph and efficient AI systems driven by powerful ML models. Windows Defender Antivirus delivers accurate, intelligent, and real-time protection by using ML and AI-driven detection and prevention technologies. Windows Defender works with Microsoft Cloud services and is also referred to as MAPS (Microsoft Advanced Protection Service). With cloud-delivered protection, next-gen technologies can detect and prevent a threat at the endpoints even before the systems are infected. 3. Comodo Advanced Endpoint Protection powered by AI Traditional antivirus based on a signature can prevent known malware and its variants but they cannot catch zero-days or other malware variants that are new or not identified. This is where Comodo Advanced Endpoint Protection plays its role. SEE ALSO The state of real estate after a natural disaster The advanced antivirus software can protect enterprise data stored on desktops, laptops, and other digital devices used by employees. This ensures that even if the device falls into the wrong hands, the data in it stays encrypted and protected. The software features advanced antivirus scanning, human analysis, host intrusion prevention, VirusScope behavioral analysis, personal packet filtering firewall, etc. 4. Avast Antivirus The advanced Avast AI-powered antivirus software uses machine learning to collect and extract data and train them. Every new malware variant is automatically identified and updated to provide up-to-the-second protection. The software also employs advanced deep convolutional neural network technique to further improve malware detection models. This includes protecting users from high-profile threats like WannaCry, NotPetya, BadRabbit, Ransomware, etc. AI is the next step for advanced antivirus protection Antivirus software powered by AI and machine learning is the next level of enterprise security. From identifying new security threat to preventing them before execution, they can serve as advanced cybersecurity solutions for enterprises. While ML can study the path traversed by websites for detecting threat areas, AI algorithms can detect malicious files and automatically isolate them from the system. ___ (Featured Image by Werner Moser via Pixabay) DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our disclaimer for more information. This article may include forward-looking statements. 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One of the better retro historians out there on YouTube is the 8-Bit Guy, and after years of wanting to do something like this, it’s finally happening. The 8-Bit Guy is building his dream computer, heavily inspired by the Commodore 64. Before we go into what this computer will do and what capabilities it will have, it’s important to note the 8-Bit Guy is actually doing a bit of market and user research before dedicating a year or more to this project. He’s asked other famous retrocomputing YouTubers for their input on what their ‘dream’ retrocomputer should do, and they’ve come up with a basic list of requirements. The Dream Computer will be like working on a 1957 Chevy, in that all the registers are immediately available for peeking and poking. The computer will be completely comprehensible, in so far that one person can completely understand everything, from the individual logic gates inside the CPU to the architecture of the kernel. It’ll run BASIC. In the age of the Raspberry Pi, one might ask, ‘why not go with a Raspberry Pi?’. To the 8-Bit Guy, the Pi is just a Linux computer. Other retrocomputing projects of a similar scope to this dream computer also fail: The Mega65, a project to resurrect the Commodore 65, will be too expensive. The BASIC Engine fails because it only does composite out, and it runs on an ESP anyway, so you’re shielded from the real hardware. The same problem exists with the Maximite in that the hardware is one layer of abstraction away from the interface. The C256 Foenix is probably the closest to meeting the design goals, but it’s far too expensive, and even without the MIDI ports, SID chips, and other interesting hardware, it would still be above the desired price point. The ‘requirement’ for this dream computer is to use only modern parts, have VGA or HDMI video out, a real CPU, preferably a 6502, use no FPGA or microcontrollers, and can run Commodore Basic. Also, this computer would cost about $50, with $100 as the absolute, maximum limit (implying a BOM cost of around $15-$25). This is absolutely, completely, astonishingly impossible. I would be deceiving you if I did not mention the impossibility of this project happening with the stated goals. This project will not meet the goal of selling for less than one hundred dollars. That said, there’s no harm in trying, so The 8-Bit Guy is currently working with a few dev boards, specifically one designed around the 65816 CPU. The 65816 is an interesting chip, in that it is a 6502 until you flip a bit in a register. It has a larger address space than the 6502, and everything from the World of Commodore should be (relatively) easily ported to the 65816. Why was this CPU never used in Commodore hardware? Because a Western Design Center sales guy told a Commodore engineer that Apple was using it in their next computer (the Apple IIgs). The option of Commodore ever using the ‘816 died then and there. If you’d like to help out on this computer, there is a Facebook group for organizing the build. This Facebook group is a closed group, meaning you need a Facebook account to login. Unfortunate, but we’re looking forward to a year of updates around this dream computer. Building a computer that meets the specs is impossible, but we’re more than eager to see the community try.

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