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Apple Silicon Will Be Updated Every 18 Months And M2 Will Be Launched In Q2 2022

Apple Silicon SoC

The Apple Silicon family is now made up of a total of three chipsets — M1M1 Pro and M1 Max — and according to the latest report, the company’s plan is to introduce a new iteration of custom chipsets every 18 months. This is what Macrumors reports, citing the Taiwanese industry newspaper Commercial Times. The latter found out about the plans from supplier circles.

According to this, the successor to the M1 chip, the M2 with the code name Staten, should be almost completely developed and come onto the market in the second half of 2022. The M2 Pro and M2 Max chips will then be added in the first half of 2023.

After a further 18 months, the M3 processors will follow, which will be manufactured in TSMC’s 3-nm process. Apple plans to convert all of its computers to its own chips by 2022.

What is Cloud Security? Reasons You Need It

why need Cloud Migration

If you work in the IT security department, you certainly know the answer to this question. You may be thinking that Cloud Security Posture Management is only needed for businesses with servers or applications running in the cloud.

There are a lot of reasons for a business to use it, regardless of whether your organization’s data and infrastructure are hosted on-premises or not. The truth is there are different types of cloud security solutions out there, and you can’t treat them all the same way. 

So, what is a CSPM, and why do businesses need it?

What is Cloud Security Posture Management?

Whether your company works with on-premises servers or in the cloud, IT professionals should consider a solution that does more than just identifying and mitigating cloud security risks.

They also need to think about the impact on the business if a cloud security incident were to occur. That’s where Cloud Security Posture Management comes in. Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) is a term used to describe the management and monitoring of an organization’s cloud security posture. CSPM solutions help organizations identify and manage the risks associated with using cloud services.

Businesses of all sizes can use these solutions, and they are not just for companies with servers or applications running in the cloud. Many businesses use CSPM to assess and manage the security of their on-premises infrastructure.

Why is Cloud Security Posture Management Needed?

Now that you understand the answer to, “what is a CSPM?”, you can learn more about its benefits. 

For organizations to function today, they need access to secure cloud services. Whether the organization’s data is running in the cloud or not, its employees use cloud services like Office 365 and Salesforce every day.

According to a new report, the US Federal Government invested around $5 billion in deploying cloud solutions and cloud migration and support services. From email to collaboration tools, if your employees don’t have access to the cloud services they need, your business can suffer as a result. For this reason alone, IT security professionals should consider CSPM solutions.

Here are some other reasons to implement these solutions.

Mitigate the Risks of Data Breaches

A data breach can be a costly event for any business. It could realistically cost businesses millions or even billions of dollars. CSPM solutions can help organizations reduce their risk of a data breach by identifying and monitoring the cloud services used in the organization. It includes both public and private cloud services.

Comply with Regulations

Organizations that store data in the cloud must comply with a variety of regulations, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

CSPM solutions can help organizations automate the compliance process and ensure that they meet all of the regulatory requirements.

Protect Against Threats

Cloud security threats are growing, and businesses need to take steps to protect themselves from these threats. CSPM solutions can help organizations identify and mitigate these threats before they cause damage to the business.

Reduce Costs

CSPM solutions can help organizations reduce their IT costs by identifying public cloud services that are no longer needed. If these cloud security risks are not identified and managed, businesses could accidentally purchase more resources than they need, which is a waste of money.

Hackers are Now Targeting the Cloud

Like always, when hackers find a new way to exploit an organization, they will go after it. And that’s what’s happening with cloud services. CSPM solutions can help organizations protect themselves from these attacks by identifying and monitoring the cloud services used.

How Does Cloud Security Posture Management Work?

There are five stages involved in CSPM.

Adopt Cloud Services

The first stage of CSPM, adopting cloud services, typically involves an assessment of the organization’s IT security posture. It can be done by either conducting a self-assessment or working with an expert to conduct the assessment for them.

Classify Cloud Services

The next stage, classifying cloud services, involves identifying the different types of cloud services used in the organization. It includes both public and private cloud services.

Review Security Risks

Once the services have been classified, the next step is to review the security risks associated with each type of service. It includes identifying the potential risks and vulnerabilities that could be exploited.

Create a Security Profile

The fourth stage, creating a security profile, is where the organization creates a profile for each type of cloud service. The security profile will include the security controls that need to be in place for each type of service.

Implement Security Controls

The final stage, implementing security controls, is where the organization puts the security controls identified in the previous stages.

It typically involves configuring the cloud service and deploying security tools to protect it.

Final Thoughts

CSPM is a process that helps organizations identify and manage the security risks associated with using cloud services. CSPM solutions can automate the compliance process, help protect against threats, and reduce costs. If you’re not using a CSPM solution, now is the time to consider implementing one.

Cellular, WLAN, Bluetooth: Apple Will Soon Start Producing More Of Its Own Chips

Apple-SoCs

Apple creates a team to manufacture wireless chips in-house. While the company uses chips, Broadcom and Skyworks Solutions, but seeks to reduce dependence on external suppliers.

According to the latest report from Bloomberg, Apple plans to open a new office in Southern California and hire dozens of engineers. The job listing indicates that Apple is looking for people with experience with modem chips and other types of wireless semiconductors.

The publication notes that Apple, and especially its iPhone product, is a key source of revenue for chipmakers. In early 2020, Apple and Broadcom reached a $15 billion chip supply agreement that ends only in 2023. 

Apple accounts for about 20% of Broadcom’s sales, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Chipmaker Skyworks is even more dependent on Apple, which accounts for nearly 60% of the company’s revenue.

The announcement of the expansion has created nervousness in the stock market. The courses of Qualcomm and Broadcom shares fell by over four percent each, Skyworks share price even by eleven percent. The competition will likely lose a significant part of their business if Apple actually uses its own wireless chips at some point.

In recent years, Apple has initially built its own chips for its smartphones. The A-series SoCs are the most powerful mobile SoCs year after year and easily beat the competition in the benchmarks. Since the end of 2020, Apple has also been using its own chip in notebooks.

Don’t Expect True Metaverse To Emerge Soon: Not Technically Feasible Yet

Facebook Metaverse

Intel doubts Meta will be able to deliver on its promised metaverse in the near future. The company believes that at the moment, there are not enough technical capabilities for this.

According to senior vice president and head of the Intel Graphics and Accelerated Computing Systems Group Raja Koduri, creating virtual and augmented reality for billions of people at the same time will require 1,000 times more computing power than it is today.

Koduri seems excited about the metaverse idea, especially considering the digital dependency that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused. The metaverse could be the next major computing architecture after the internet, he said. However, there is no need to wait for the imminent appearance of a real metaverse.

As Koduri notes, so far, we cannot even place two people in a truly detailed virtual environment, in which clothes, hair, skin tones must be carefully drawn in real-time, plus gestures, voice and much more. It is necessary to establish data transmission with ultra-high bandwidth and extremely low latency. Such technologies simply do not exist yet.

If the metaverse truly becomes the new internet, the company’s business will take off. However, Koduri explained that hardware alone would not be able to provide a 1000-fold increase in computing power. Due to the limitations described in Moore’s Law, in the next five years, we will get a maximum of tenfold increase.

But, in his opinion, this gap can be filled by algorithms and software — neural networks and computing technologies like those that are already used at Intel. In addition, they will reduce the increasing demand for electricity.

5 Ways An MSP Can Simplify Data Compliance

Managed Service Provider stories

Managed Service Provider or MSP refers to third-party entities that monitor, support, and enhance a business’s information technology (IT) needs. These firms can help ensure that companies experience smooth operations and proper compliance to various industry regulations.     

One of the most crucial MSP activities involves proper data storage, handling, and sharing, being that cybercriminals are always out to target businesses, no matter the size. Compliance with the industry and government data privacy rules is crucial for businesses. Without proactive measures, organizations can’t survive in the highly competitive business sector. 

In this article, you’ll find out more about how MSPs can help organizations make their data protection protocols compliant and effortless. 

How MSPs Can Help Businesses 

MSPs offer a wide range of IT managed services to various clients across all sectors. As such, businesses can hire these companies whether they have an in-house IT team or a single employee to perform system maintenance, upgrading, and troubleshooting.  

Hiring the right MSP can help your organization comply with specific and general data handling and protection regulations. Below are the core activities that make concurrence to rules a breeze: 

1. Technical Support And Monitoring 

One of the critical activities in IT data compliance is robust technical support and monitoring. Unlike your in-house office staff, outsourced IT firms are responsible for monitoring your systems 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Round-the-clock monitoring ensures any attempts at stealing data will be addressed appropriately at any time. 

Similarly, active technical support can take some workload off you or your IT team. As you may already know, IT problems can happen to anyone, despite a solid IT infrastructure. When this happens, your company can experience downtimes which not only reduce profitability but can be exploited by hackers to gain unauthorized access to your business data too.

IT service management stories

2. Compliance Management 

All industries and government offices need to reinforce cybersecurity to ensure their valuable data are protected at all times. Some industries, however, are more vulnerable than most. For instance, retail stores that process payments, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that handles sensitive data, and the banking industry need to perform extra measures to protect their data. Failure to comply with specific industry and government regulations can be a costly mistake.   

As professionals, MSPs are fully aware of the various industry and government compliance requirements applicable to your organization. Whether you need to upgrade your systems or maximize your current IT setup, an MSP can provide valuable suggestions on how your business systems can align with the standards.

Additionally, in strengthening your system’s security, businesses must upgrade hardware and software tools to minimize the risk. That said, an outsourced IT company takes charge of ensuring that your software is updated and your networks and servers are secured. 

3. Data Storage And Management 

Outsourced IT firms can provide multiple services to ensure that your data remains secure and hack-proof. For instance, MSPs ensure that your valuable data is backed up regularly so you can quickly recover them when the inevitable happens—for example, system failures, natural disasters, and a successful hacking attempt.

With the help of MSPs, your business can reduce downtimes and make data recovery faster, helping your business improve resiliency.

Besides backups, a third-party IT firm can recommend the ideal setup to store your data inside and outside office premises. At the same time, a small business can manage a cloud-based storage option on its own. An MSP can help you with the transfer and necessary amendments.     

4. Cloud Data Management And Security

Whichever cloud data setup your business wishes to implement, you’ll likely need an IT firm to help you with proper cloud data management. This crucial undertaking ensures that your business organization retains all business data in all settings.

Additionally, an MSP helps ensure cloud security because of its familiarity with the policies, procedures, and steps required for optimal protection, including under authentication and security configurations. 

5. Periodic Risk Assessment Activities 

According to recent IBM Security research, the average cost for a data breach is pegged at a whopping USD$4.24 million, representing an increase of almost 10% from its pre-pandemic level. When a data breach happens, businesses not only have to deal with pricey settlements but the potential loss of their client base too. Customers are like to shun away from your company for lack of trust. 

As a proactive measure, IT companies will perform an initial risk evaluation to discover your system’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Without knowing these issues, you won’t determine how you can address them.    

Final Words

Because cyber hackers have become more sophisticated in their activities, businesses must level up their security and proactive measures to evade data breaches and cyberattacks. An MSP can proactively detect and deter any attempts. 

Hiring a reputable MSP can provide your business with multiple benefits, including monitoring, maintenance, regulations compliance, and periodic risk assessments to ensure proper data management.

With the right business partner, business executives can grow their business.  

6 Business Investments to Consider Ahead of 2022

company investment

As companies recover from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic — and people everywhere regain a sense of normalcy — you can expect your business to be more successful than ever with the right investments. 

Here are just a few resources your business can invest in to make it more attractive to customers and employees alike:

1. Malware Prevention

These days, it’s no secret that many people shop online versus in-person. Thus, having a reliable, easy-to-use website is extremely important. Not only that, but your site should also have safeguards in place for website malware removal and to protect your and your customers’ personal and financial information. 

Investing in malware removal software protects your business and visitors to your website. It also keeps hackers from sending spam to your customers’ email addresses and displays a special badge to let viewers know your site is malware-free.

2. Infrastructure

A new, $1.2-trillion infrastructure bill recently became law in the United States. If your company is in construction, transport, raw material sales, or a related field, you could benefit from a lucrative government contract. You can also invest some of your business’s profits in commodities. Prices for oil, gas, wood, concrete, asphalt and other raw materials are likely to increase in the near future.

3. Hybrid Working 

Letting workers decide when they want to come to the office and when they want to work from home provides the best of both worlds. Your company will be more appealing to potential employees, and it won’t have to pay for as much office space or utility costs.

4. Content Marketing

After enduring months of mandates last year due to the ongoing pandemic, many people are ready to make up for lost time and explore new sights. Consider creating blog posts or ads directed toward tourists or people enjoying staycations. Additionally, starting a podcast is a great way to promote your company without paying for ads. You can also start a YouTube channel or an Instagram page. These methods can help you gain a new customer base and make your business more visible.

5. Automation

Adding automation can make your employees’ jobs easier and let you do more with fewer people. To that end, integrating chatbots on your website or customer service line, as well as other types of customer service software, can make interacting with customers easier and more efficient. Investing in companies that make these types of apps is also a good idea.

6. Company Culture

Improving your company’s culture can make workers more productive by increasing their enthusiasm about their work. It encourages people to work hard together, get along with each other, and spend time together. The company culture can also define a business’s identity and help managers retain the best employees. It’s a good idea to encourage your employees to have fun with each other and work as a team. You can even reward top performers by honoring them as Employee of the Month or giving out bonuses.

According to employment lawyers Kingsley and Kingsley, the company culture is very important because it leads to better understanding, collaboration and respect among the workforce, which is extremely important if you want to maintain a healthy environment for your employees. Toxic workplaces are a hotbed for employment lawsuits, and that’s something every business owner should be aware of.

How These Investments Can Help Your Business

These investments can help your business be more successful and help you grow your company savings. Spending some money now can help you increase your profits in the future, offer better service than your competitors, and protect your company from fluctuations in supply and demand levels.

Google Is Preparing An “Augmented Reality OS” For Some “Innovative AR Device”

Google news and new stories

Google has just created a team to develop an augmented reality operating system for an unspecified “innovative AR device.”

The team, “Operating System Team for Augmented Reality at Google”, is led by Mark Lucovsky, who joined Google this week and previously worked at Meta on an Android alternative and co-authored Windows NT. 

According to a Google job posting, the augmented reality OS team creates “software components that control and manage hardware in augmented reality products.”

We are focused on making immersive computing accessible to many people on mobile devices,” says a senior software engineer vacancy, who will also help “deliver impressive augmented reality experiences across highly customizable hardware platforms.” The rest of the vacancies invite developers specializing in cameras and input equipment, and some mention “development of a real-time operating system (RTOS)“.

Most of the positions are open in the United States, but some are awaiting applicants in Waterloo, Canada. This is where North, an augmented reality glasses company — produced Focals smart glasses, which Google acquired last year, is based.

Google already has its own Android operating systems, Chrome OS and Cast, as well as Fuchsia. The company now appears to be looking to work on a new OS for next-generation hardware that will presumably work with voice commands and visual recognition.

Find N: Oppo Launches Its First Foldable Smartphone

Oppo Find N

Oppo enters the foldable smartphone market with the Find N — to directly face Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3.

According to Oppo, four years of research and six generations of prototypes lie behind Find N.

Oppo Find N is a compact mobile — while when open, it offers an intuitive and immersive horizontal display. For the first time in a device of this type, Find N uses a horizontal orientation on the internal screen, achieving a better balance between a 7.1-inch internal display and a 5.49-inch outer panel.

With an aspect ratio of 8.4:9, the internal display opens directly into landscape mode so that users can watch videos, play games or read books without having to rotate the device. When folded, the 18:9 aspect ratio gives users a complete and familiar experience, comfortable to use even with one hand.

Flexion Hinge of OPPO Find N, which brings together 136 components with extreme precision down to 0.01mm, ensures flawless operation, like the joints of the human body.

The unique teardrop design solves some of the biggest pain points of foldable devices by widening the angle of the display fold and offering a cushion when the display folds back, resulting in a minimal fold, up to 80% less noticeable than to other devices, according to TUV. This design also eliminates the gap between displays when folded, offering a more integrated look and better protecting the internal screen from scratches.

The hinged and spring-loaded structure of the Flexion Hinge allows the device to remain balanced when opened at an angle between 50° and 120° degrees. Along with a host of software features that take advantage of the foldable display, OPPO Find N’s FlexForm mode gives users the flexibility to adapt the device to a variety of usage scenarios.

Oppo Find N foldable smartphone 1

Oppo has named the inner screen “Serene Display” — made and customized with 12 different layers, offers excellent protection and durability and integrates with the Flexion Hinge for a perfect folding experience. The display includes a 0.03mm layer of Flexion UTG (ultra-thin glass), compared to 0.6mm for normal smartphone glass, which allows it to fold easily while ensuring strong resistance. The Serene Display is also very reliable — it has the ability to be folded over 200,000 times while maintaining an overall crease-free folding experience, as verified by TUV.

The inner screen uses an LTPO display with intelligent dynamic refresh rate technology that adapts the screen refresh rate to ranges between 1-120 Hz depending on the content being viewed. Likewise, it offers a tactile sampling rate of up to 1000 Hz.

Oppo Find N foldable smartphone

The company has also adjusted the brightness, and color calibration between the internal screens and both provide 10,240 levels of automatic brightness, which guarantees perfect vision in all types of environments. illumination, with a maximum brightness of up to 1,000 nits.

The Oppo Find N software is optimized to allow smooth and natural switching between the two displays. When unfolding the phone, the content is smoothly transmitted from the outside screen to the inside. And when folding the device, you can slide the content up to continue using the same functions on the outer screen. In addition, a split keyboard has been developed for the inner panel that makes it easy to use two thumbs for typing.

Inside, the Oppo Find N mounts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor and comes with up to 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512 GB of UFS 3.1 storage; in addition to a 4,500 mAh battery with 33W SUPERVOOC fast charge to obtain 55% battery in 30 minutes and 15W AIRVOOC wireless charging (compatible with standard Qi) and 10W reverse wireless charging.

It also includes a fingerprint reader mounted on the power button, as well as a dual speaker system and Dolby Atmos to deliver top-notch sound.

Oppo Find N foldable smartphone 2

As for photography, it is equipped with a triple camera setup led by a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 16-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and a 13-megapixel telephoto lens. In addition, it also has selfie cameras on both the interior and exterior panels. The Oppo Find N’s ‘Flexion’ hinge allows the device to function as its own tripod, allowing 4K HD time-lapse images to be obtained easily and hands-free at any angle between 50 and 120 degrees.

Oppo Find N will be available on December 23 only in China and in three different colors — black, white and purple.