The weirdest, wackiest and coolest sci/tech stories of 2014

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Date: Dec 31, 2014 8:01 AM
Subject: The weirdest, wackiest and coolest sci/tech stories of 2014
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Apple-IBM partnership off to 'impressive' start. View it in your browser How to work out the kinks in the cloud. View it in your browser Network World Daily News AM December 31, 2014 The weirdest, wackiest and coolest sci/tech stories of 2014 The weird and wackySifting through the sometimes wacky world of high-tech can be a lot of fun. This year we have a mix of great stories about space, truly advanced software, drones and one story about a guy who has an antennae attached to his skull. What more could you want? Take a gander.RELATED: The weirdest, wackiest and coolest sci/tech stories of 2014 (so far!)To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here READ MORE   Issue highlights 1. Apple-IBM partnership off to 'impressive' start 2. INSIDER How to work out the kinks in the cloud 3. The four Mac security options everyone should know 4. Suing Arista was always the plan 5. 16 terrible computer pranks that could get you fired 6. The Onion's 10 greatest gags about Google 7. 3 Snapchat Alternatives for Self-Destructing Messages 8. 11 sites that can feel Sony's pain 9. Point-of-sale malware creators still in business with Spark, an Alina spinoff 10. 6 aging protocols that could cripple the Internet 11. BlackBerry Classic review: A killer smartphone for keyboard lovers 12. How colleges are failing their students 13. From ebola to Flappy Bird: These are the most popular Google Searches of 2014 14. The year in tech industry apologies 15. 12 most eye-popping VC tech deals of 2014 : Venafi Get Ready for PCI DSS v3 Deadlines Are you prepared for PCI DSS v3? The standard demands that IT security leaders have more visibility and security over keys and certificates. Find out what you need to know about next-generation trust protection to lock down your mobile environment. Learn More Apple-IBM partnership off to 'impressive' start Apple and IBM last week kicked off their five-month-old partnership with an "impressive" 10-pack of focused mobile business apps catering to sectors ranging from financial to law enforcement."The three that I've seen were pretty impressive," said Van Baker, an analyst at Gartner. "They're very complex, with some drawing from three, four or more separate data sources."+ ALSO ON NETWORK WORLD... READ MORE INSIDER How to work out the kinks in the cloud Blame it on the public cloud service providers. It was, after all, the Amazons of the world that raised the bar by making the provisioning of IT resources look so easy. Why should users have to wait? If I can get it quickly and easily there, the reasoning goes, why can't I get the same agility from my internal data... READ MORE The four Mac security options everyone should know As our lives increasingly go digital, security is a major concern not only for the various online services we use, but also for the devices on which we save our data. Chances are that if you're reading this article, you own a Mac. And on your Mac, you'd like much of the work you do on it to be kept... READ MORE Suing Arista was always the plan Suing Arista was always the plan. It appears there was no intention to attempt to negotiate a royalty arrangement with the company after Cisco discovered potential infringement of its patents and copyrighted material.CEO John Chambers didn't answer our question last week on whether Cisco did indeed attempt to hammer out a royalty deal with Arista. He said he couldn't comment... READ MORE 16 terrible computer pranks that could get you fired Look, you're an adult human being. You're better than this. Don't do any of the things in this slideshow. READ MORE Webcast: IBM Corporation Why Your Virtualization Matters Over 61,000 virtualization customers have weighed in. Join the webcast and hear how other companies like yours are using virtualization to their benefit. Learn More The Onion's 10 greatest gags about Google Targeting Google"America's Finest News Source," better known as The Onion, has been poking fun at Google for more than a decade. Here are 10 of what we believe are its better efforts.Teacher Just Hopes They Never Google HimPublished: Aug 22, 2012To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here READ MORE 3 Snapchat Alternatives for Self-Destructing Messages A number of embarrassing emails from Sony execs recently leaked during the company's high-profile hacking scandal — enough to make some organizations rethink how their workforce uses email.One way companies can protect themselves from email hacks is to stop using it for sensitive messages (or insensitive messages, given some of the racist remarks the Sony hack exposed). The upcoming BlackBerry/Boeing phone that... READ MORE 11 sites that can feel Sony's pain Sony isn't the only oneImage by Craig SunterSure the Sony hack has taken up all the headlines of late, but there is a laundry list of other breaches that have taken place all over the world. Here are a few incidents in the past couple of years that resulted in the release of password information. This list was compiled in... READ MORE Point-of-sale malware creators still in business with Spark, an Alina spinoff A malware program dubbed Spark that steals payment card data from compromised point-of-sale (POS) systems is likely a modification of an older Trojan called Alina, and highlights a continuing, lucrative business for cybercriminals.Spark steals card data from a compromised system's RAM (random access memory) when it's being processed by specialized software running on the machine. Similar memory scraping malware was... READ MORE 6 aging protocols that could cripple the Internet Internet protocols on the brinkImage by Kheng ho TohThe biggest threat to the Internet is the fact that it was never really designed. Instead, it evolved in fits and starts, thanks to various protocols that were cobbled together to fulfill the needs of the moment. Few of those protocols were designed with security in mind. Or if they were, they... READ MORE Webcast: Fortinet Increase Revenue with WiFi & Retail Presence Analytics Many WiFi Retail Presence Analytics platforms promise the world, but provide little more than a collection of reports and meaningless data. Fortinet Presence Analytics is different, delivering a platform that helps you better understand customer behavior, engage more closely with your customers and actually influence their purchasing decisions. Learn more >> BlackBerry Classic review: A killer smartphone for keyboard lovers If you're still using a BlackBerry smartphone with a "physical" QWERTY keyboard, or if you've switched platforms but still harbor fantasies about a return to the good old days when you didn't spend as much time cursing your on-screen keypad as you do typing on it, the BlackBerry Classic is the smartphone you've been waiting for.BlackBerry returned to its roots... READ MORE How colleges are failing their students Most traditional four-year colleges are great at teaching students theoretical knowledge, critical thinking, history, literature and even computer science, but where these institutions fall short in a key area: teaching graduates the skills they need to land jobs after school and manage their careers.MORE ON NETWORK WORLD: Tech CEOs' first jobs "There's a major disconnect between what colleges believe their... READ MORE From ebola to Flappy Bird: These are the most popular Google Searches of 2014 Google just released its annual retrospective on what the world was searching for in 2014. The company has apparently given up on calling its year in review the Google Zeitgeist and opted for the more humble "Year in Search." The lists include everything from top trending overall searches to top trending GIFs.ALSO ON NETWORK WORLD: Google Graveyard: Here's what Google... READ MORE The year in tech industry apologies SorryImage by Flickr/ Neil SloranceTo read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here READ MORE 12 most eye-popping VC tech deals of 2014 While the three largest venture capital deals of the year in the technology industry went to consumer-focused startups, most of the other top investments went to companies building products that could reshape the enterprise IT landscape. Final numbers for the amount of venture capital money poured into startups in 2014 have not yet been tallied, but already experts say 2014... READ MORE White Paper: IBM Reduce loan processing with IBM Connections Cloud Working with IBM Business Partner Silanis Technology Inc., Signature Mortgage implemented a cloud-based solution using Silanis e-SignLive integrated services and the IBM SmartCloud Engage social collaboration service. Signature Mortgage now processes loans in less than 25 days, compared to a national average of 45 to 60 days, and loan volume Learn More>> SLIDESHOWS The Onion's 10 greatest gags about Google Here are 10 of what we believe are its better efforts. JOIN THE NETWORK WORLD COMMUNITIES As network pros you understand that the value of connections increase as the number of connections increase, the so called network effect, and no where is this more evident than in professional relationships. Join Network World's LinkedIn and Facebook communities to share ideas, post questions, see what your peers are working on and scout out job applicants (or maybe find your next opportunity). Network World on Facebook Network World on LinkedIn MOST-READ STORIES 1. Google built its own self-driving car 2. 7 Things Microsoft Killed in 2014, and 1 That Got Off the Hook 3. Cisco's greatest hits, 2014 edition 4. CentOS 7: The perfect gift for the Linux do-it-yourselfer 5. 10 predictions for IT in 2015 6. 6 simple tricks for protecting your passwords 7. SDN in 2014: A year of non-stop action 8. In Cisco tiff, Arista taps Gandhi 9. Hotel group asks FCC for permission to block some outside Wi-Fi 10. Cyberattack on German steel factory causes 'massive damage' Follow Networkworld You are currently subscribed to networkworld_daily_news_alert as aquarianm@gmail.com. Unsubscribe from this newsletter | Manage your subscriptions | Subscribe | Privacy Policy Learn about INSIDER When accessing content promoted in this email, you are providing consent for your information to be shared with the sponsors of the content. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information. If you are interested in advertising in this newsletter, please contact: bglynn@cxo.com Copyright (C) 2014 Networkworld Media Group, 492 Old Connecticut Path, Framingham, MA 01701 ** Please do not reply to this message. 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