Weekly news. Discover last news about IT: Uber faces reality and news about SAP that shared a few significant announcements...
Weekly news. Discover last news about IT: Uber faces reality and news about SAP that shared a few significant announcements.
Uber Faces Reality
One of the biggest heralds of the mobility revolution, Uber is known for making bold statements about the near future and the company’s role in making it possible.
Flying
taxis crossing the city’s skyline, fleets of driverless cars optimising traffic
flow across entire countries. The full picture.
Well,
it’s time to face reality. The reality of public traded companies, that is.
In an
effort to turn a profit next year, the company is abandoning both its
loss-making flying taxi division and the development of its own driverless
car.
Uber is selling the two businesses to two different start-ups, hoping to pursue its futuristic ambitions through partnerships moving forward.
The company is the latest big player to jump on the low-code
bandwagon with its new Cloud Platform Workflow Management tool. The solution
lets employees with little to no knowledge of coding create their own
operational workflows.
The tool also includes predefined workflows for processes like
employee onboarding and can be integrated with Qualtrics data.
SAP also announced its first-ever RPA solution. Named SAP Ruum, the tool complements the company’s new low-code strategy by allowing businesses to integrate easily deployable automation into departmental processes.
Weekly News: Presenting Our New Podcast Mission Control Center
Say hello to our new podcast Mission Control Center
Because we know how busy you are, we are launching a podcast version of the newsletter from Mission Control Center, so that you can listen to it while you work.
Every week, our editor Miquel Morales will walk you through the
most relevant tech news and share all sorts of career development advice.
We’ll soon be having interviews with experts in all areas of IT, so make sure to follow us every week!
After having proven
its worth with programs capable of beating humans at various games, the
artificial intelligence group DeepMind has reached a major scientific
milestone.
The group’s latest program, AlphaFold, has finally solved a
problem that had kept researchers baffled for 50 years: predicting how proteins
fold into 3D shapes.
Protein folding patterns, which are unique to each protein and
extremely complex, could until now only be unravelled through years-long lab
work. It took AlphaFold just a few weeks to learn how to predict folding with
greater accuracy than humans.
The breakthrough paves the way for the design of more powerful drugs and vaccines to fight diseases, as well as for the production of more nutritious crops.
A new global IEEE
survey of CTOs and CIOs reveals the top technologies and challenges for
organisations in the upcoming year.
While overcoming the effects of the pandemic remains the biggest
concern amongst technology leaders, AI and machine learning are cited as the
game-changing tech trends for 202. Next-gen 5G solutions and IoT follow close
behind.
Manufacturing, healthcare, financial services and education are
expected to be the industries in which technology will play a more pivotal
role.
One positive finding is that an overwhelming majority of IT leaders (92%) believe their company is now more prepared to respond to a catastrophic and sudden event like a natural disaster or a data breach.
Amazon Web Services
kickstarted its yearly re:Invent conference with a big revelation: the company
is bringing macOS to the AWS cloud.
AWS will be making available Mac mini instances for developers
to create apps directly on its Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2).
It is a significant announcement for devs, who now can run Xcode
and Swift tools in the cloud without having to maintain and patch custom-built
Mac machines.
However, the Mac minis being currently deployed in AWS data centres are still sporting previous-generation Intel chips. The company will be rolling out the new Apple-silicon machines early next year.
Black Friday long ago escaped the confines of its native United States to become a global shopping phenomenon. Now, another trend is joining this spread: bot.
Black Friday long ago escaped the confines of its native United States to become a global shopping phenomenon. Now, another trend is joining this spread: bot.
If you are looking to catch a sweet deal this year, be advised: you’ll have to compete with more than a swarm of people lining up at the store’s gates.
For some time now, retail bots have been out there scouting the Internet for the best deals. The exact second an item goes on sale, the bots flag the deal to their owner, who then makes a profit by selling a bot at a higher price.
The item on sale is sold out? Chances are bots are to blame and it’s on eBay now.
With cyberattacks getting increasingly sophisticated, organisations have to deploy comprehensive cybersec solutions that address multiple fronts.
Enter deception.
Deception technology is easy to deploy and manage, being to attackers what a honey trap is to fruit flies. Whereas traditional deception was solely focused on this honeypot approach, today’s solutions are way more powerful and have become one of the most effective ways to detect and stop attackers early on.
However, persistent myths about the technology are keeping companies from leveraging its full potential.
We have discussed the issue of SAP skills shortages before, but new research insights keep coming in reinforcing this trend.
In the last two weeks, two surveys conducted in the UK have put a number to the SAP talent gap. A study by Ensono revealed how 80% of SAP customers have postponed cloud migrations due to skills shortages.
According to the UK & Ireland SAP User Group, 35% of organisations cite the cost of salaries as the main roadblock for recruiting SAP roles, while the overall lack of skills in the market is the main cause for concern for 24% of companies.
The SAP skills gap is further accentuated with the industry’s imminent migration to S/4HANA, which has businesses competing for the scarce number of professionals with this set of skills.
Translating Cat Meows; what the EU could do about emissions; Quantum moves ahead; and an anti-poaching cloud cover... Discover our Weekly News.
Translating Cat Meows; what the EU could do about emissions; Quantum moves ahead; and an anti-poaching cloud cover… Discover our Weekly News.
Translating Cat Meows: Do you speak cat?
What did the cat just say?
According to research, cats do not share a common language. Every cat is unique and tailors its meows to its owner (a.k.a. human servant). And, just like it happens with people, some cats are chattier than others.
Well, a former Amazon Alexa developer has created an app that leverages AI and machine learning to translate those meows into human language.
MeowTalk already has 13 phrases in its vocabulary, including “Feed me!” and “Leave me alone.”
You can bet you’ll be hearing the first one a lot more.
The use of renewable energies and other traditional approaches to curbing emissions are no longer enough if the EU wants to meet its 2050 climate-neutrality target.
Enter technology.
From large-scale, data-powered simulations of the Earth’s climate to green data centers, there are plenty of emerging technology initiatives underway for which EU funding could be a game-changer.
The folks at Politico have compiled a shortlist for you to bring up over dinner.
Several of the world’s leading research institutions and tech companies have been working on their own take on quantum computing for a while now.
One of the key differences between the various approaches out there is what is used as the basis of the computer’s qubits, the basic units of information on which quantum computers operate.
While technology juggernauts like IBM and Intel had traditionally opted for using tiny superconducting loops as qubits, the use of trapped-ion systems remained marginal.
Now that is changing. Ion traps have gained traction, which is good for competition.
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) has revealed how its collaboration with Google Cloud is helping protect endangered species from poachers.
Beyond developing custom machine learning models to identify and track threatened animals across the globe, ZSL used a network of acoustic sensors to listen for gunshots in a nature reserve in Cameroon.
The organisation then used the data collected to generate insights on poacher activity, revealing key details like what time of day poachers tend to be more active and where.
ZSL hopes to evolve these insights into a monitoring system that is able to provide alerts in real time.
Richard Branson’s Virgin Hyperloop completed this past weekend the world’s first passenger ride on a high-speed levitating pod.
The successful test marks a key milestone for the technology. It indeed promises to revolutionise human and cargo transportation by using magnetic levitation to hurtle vehicles through vacuum tubes.Â
Although the Hyperloop executives involved in the trial only reached a top speed of 172 km/h, the technology promises to deliver speeds of 966 km/h and faster. That’s twice as fast as a commercial jet with a fraction of the emissions. It could be a reality by 2030.
Microsoft has released the .NET 5.0 developer platform, introducing among other features the new C# 9 and F# 5 programming languages.
.NET 5.0 allows developers to unify their toolset across platforms and operating systems, whether they are building for desktop, mobile, cloud or IoT applications. The new programming languages offer easier, more expressive top-level coding.
Additionally, the Redmond, Virginia company released on Tuesday its November security patch, addressing 112 vulnerabilities. The Windows zero-day vulnerability revealed last month is among them.
High Speed Levitating pod: Tougher EU tech export rules
European law-makers are tightening rules for the export of dual-use technology products, a category of technologies that can be used both by civilians and the military.
The technologies involved to improve high-speed levitating pod include high-performance computing (HPC), drones and facial recognition software, will now require vendors to meet a much higher set of conditions when closing licensing deals.Â
The rules focus on protecting democracy and human rights and can be easily and quickly amended to cover any new emerging technologies that may appear in the future.
Discover SAP experts from the Netherlands. If you are or want to become an SAP pro, these are the people you should include in your Twitter feed.
Discover SAP experts from the Netherlands. If you are an SAP pro in the Netherlands or would like to become one, these are the people you should include in your Twitter feed. Some are SAP insiders, while others are independent experts and consultants. All of them are worth a follow.
10 experts SAP from the Netherlands to follow on Twitter
As the IT environment is constantly evolving, it is crucial, if not necessary, to connect with the brightest minds to keep up with innovation. In other words, the more contacts you get, the more likely you are to solve IT challenges. Therefore, we at Mindquest are pleased to provide you with a list of the best SAP Experts from the Netherlands to follow.
Firstly, Fred is an SAP Developer and Consultant at strategic SAP integrator SOA People, where he is helping grow the firm’s SAP HANA and Big Data practices. Fred is also a certified Scrum Master and was recognised with the 2017 SAP Community Citizenship Award for his many contributions to the SAP community.
Twan is a Customer Innovation Architect at SAP, where he leads the SAP Experience Center in the Netherlands to help customers and partners develop personalised SAP experiences that benefit both the business and the end-user. Moreover, Twan has an extensive track record as a blogger and can often be found sharing his experiences and insight at seminars and industry events.
Robin is an SAP experience specialist with more than 13 years behind his back helping organisations develop and implement environments on the SAP NetWeaver platform. His expertise also covers the newer SAP Cloud Platform and SAPUI5/OpenUI5. In addition, Robin has his own company, Qualiture, and is an SAP Mentor and SAP HANA Distinguished Engineer.
Then, Marleen is SAP’s Senior Director Industries & Value Advisory for North EMEA, where she mainly focuses on helping financial services companies with strategic software solutions. She is also the Global Head of SAP’s Global Business Women’s Network, the largest SAP employee-driven network (75 chapters, 13,000+ members) helping women advance their careers and the company’s business.
Wim is a Senior SAP Expert at INNOV8iON, a consultancy specialised in SAP technologies. He focuses on the SAP Cloud Platform, designing and developing innovative solutions by leveraging a mix of Machine Learning, IoT and SAP Fiori. Wim is also heavily involved in the Dutch SAP community and the country’s chapter of SAP Inside Track.
Jan is an Enterprise
Architect at SAP, where he works together with businesses to co-develop
next-gen enterprise architectures for SAP customers and partners. Jan describes
himself as an SAP Cloud Platform addict and SAP Technology Ambassador. He often
tweets about upcoming workshops and webinars and has been blogging for years.
Xavier is an SAP BI and SAP Analytics Cloud specialist working at consulting firm Interdobs. He is also a book author at SAP PRESS and an avid blogger. In addition to the educational content he regularly shares on Twitter, you can find his expert tips on his blog HackingSAP.com.
Wouter is the SAP
S/4HANA Finance Managing consultant at Capgemini. He
has over two decades of experience working with SAP FICO in 15 countries, where
he has helped leading multinational companies with a wide variety of SAP
projects. Wouter helps customers define and implement the roadmap to S/4HANA
Finance and transform processes accordingly.
Martijn is SAP BI
Consultant at Interdobs. He specialises in SAP BusinessObjects
solutions, as well as in SAP Analytics Cloud and SAP HANA. Martijn regularly
shares educational content on these platforms and contributes to their
continuous improvement by submitting improvement requests.
Denys is Technology Expert at SAP focusing on SAP HANA and Analytics. He has been at SAP for more than 10 years, where he helps SAP’s Global Partner Organisation support partners with the company’s technologies. Denys is a true SAP advocate, blogging extensively and managing content for the SAP HANA Academy.
We are often discussing the dangerous implications of AI: bias, job losses... So it's refreshing to be able to talk about the funny side of AI.
We are often discussing the dangerous implications of AI and what we can do to address them: bias, job losses… So it’s refreshing to be able to talk about its more benign side effects. Discover the funny side of AI.
3 stories to discover the funny side of AI
Football or bald head?
Do you enjoy football? How about bald heads?
Since the start of the pandemic, the world of sports has had to
forgo live audiences in favour of live streamings. Bigger teams and leagues can
afford proper TV crews to cover their matches, but smaller teams need to be
more creative.
A football team in Inverness, Scotland decided to use an AI-enabled camera to track the football’s movements. Unfortunately, and to the delight of the whole world, the camera tracked the referee’s bald head instead of the ball. Best match ever.
Few technologies
have received as much public hype as drone technology. We all have a friend who
enjoys chasing flocks of sheep with their little quadcopter. If you don’t, then
you might be that friend.
But what are drones actually good for?
The non-consumer applications that first come to mind tend to be
rather pessimistic. Surveillance, warfare… There is an understandable trust
deficit when it comes to drones, but the technology’s potential is huge if we
manage to overcome it.
From humanitarian aid in dangers zones to remote delivery and agriculture, drones can be extremely helpful in helping us get where we need to get more easily and in time.
Microsoft is
discontinuing service for Windows 10 version 1809 starting on November 10, so
make sure all your systems are upgraded accordingly.
The cut will affect Windows 10 1809 for Home, Pro, Pro for Workstations, and IoT Core, which will stop receiving security updates and support.
Support for Windows 10 1803 for Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise will be extended until May 2021, as will the Enterprise and Education versions of 1809.
According to a report by the Financial Times, Apple Siri may be the new Google. In other words, Apple might be working on their own search engine in a move to make Siri a one-stop shop.Â
The rumours emerged at a time when big tech is under growing scrutiny for its monopolistic practices.
Besides trying to capitalise on the current media agenda to appear more pro-competition, Apple Siri intends to eliminate the need for its popular assistant to resort to Google searches whenever a query is made.Â
Experts, however, believe the move might be a stepping stone towards a full-fledged search engine that eliminates the Google factor altogether.
Will Apple Siri be the new Google? Edge computing in 2021
In addition, a new Forrester report points at 5 predictions about how technological transformation will impact edge computing in 2021.Â
Spending on edge computing is expected to grow at the detriment of the public cloud. Orchestration and 5G will also keep on spreading.
Edge hosting is likely to become its own marketplace, with content delivery companies reaching out to colocation partners to build a widely distributed network of data centres that can host applications closer to where they are used.
AI will also move towards the edge, making machine learning happen closer to the source rather than within the data centre.
Microsoft is celebrating a record quarter, fuelled by the growth in cloud adoption brought about by the epidemic.
The company’s core cloud business grew 31% over the last quarter, with Azure’s revenue jumping up by 47%.
Enterprise software giant SAP had a few cloud updates as well this week. The firm announced a new roadmap to shift to a co-innovation, one-data model that prioritises cloud-based subscriptions over traditional upfront licensing.
It’s the perfect time to be a cybersecurity professional. Here are a few guidelines about cybersecurity careers to help you navigate the field.
When it comes to cybersecurity, one thing is certain: things only get more complex over time. Therefore, spurred by the global health crisis and the business world’s increasing reliance on IT systems, cybercrime is on the rise. At the same time, the industry is facing a rapidly widening talent gap that makes securing company networks and infrastructure doubly difficult. Moreover, the leading cybersecurity professional organization (ISC)² estimates that the global cybersecurity workforce needs to grow by 145% to meet the demand for skilled cybersec talent. Message received about cybersecurity careers: it’s the perfect time to be a cybersecurity professional
But it’s not always easy to identify the right career path in this ever-changing and all-encompassing area of IT. Here are a few guidelines to help you navigate the field.
Three levels of roles
All cybersecurity job titles fall within three levels or categories: entry-level, mid-level and advanced. Examples of jobs at the various jobs available depending on the level of experience include:
Entry-level: System Engineer, System Administrator, Network Engineer, Security Specialist
Advanced: Cybersecurity Manager, Cybersecurity Architect, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Cybersecurity careers : How to get a job
Although the previous distinction seems obvious at first glance—most careers have the same three levels—it is important to note that these don’t necessarily imply a linear progression, especially when looking to access mid-level cybersecurity roles.
That is due to the fact that a large proportion of security experts started out as experienced IT professionals with deep technical expertise, only moving into cybersecurity after mastering the ins and outs of networking, cloud and other core areas related to the security practice.
While accessing the cybersecurity industry through an entry-level role is possible and quite common—companies like to hire recent tech graduates who can quickly learn the basics and adapt to their particular workplace culture—most cybersec professionals are more on the senior side.
According to (ISC)², the average cybersec pro has worked for 9 years in IT roles, having spent 5 of those working on cybersecurity-related projects.Â
Top skills for cybersec pros
Since cybersecurity has many specialisation fields, there is not a unique set of skills that applies to all positions. Those interested in more technical tracks will have to gain full proficiency of the protocols, environments, devices and applications that are important for their specific niche.
Some of these technologies include:
Operating systems & databases (Windows, Unix, Linux, SQL…)
Once that is covered, security pros tend to go onto focus on a particular field or family of technologies, including:
Cisco and Microsoft
Cloud computing
Wireless
Database modelling
Cryptography
In addition, managerial roles will require the ability to plan and conduct training, write technical specifications, evaluate risk and the compliance with legal regulations.
Soft-skills are also critical for a successful career in cybersecurity. Team building and collaboration, a curious mind with a passion for solving puzzles, the business acumen to navigate corporate environments. All of these Â
Cybersecurity careers: certify yourself
Finally, and as it is often the case with technical careers, certifications are absolutely vital. There are several world-renowned organisations and companies offering certifications based on the area of focus:
CompTIA
EC Council
(ISC)²
ISACA
Cisco Systems
Microsoft
Besides validating your expertise within the industry and justifying, for instance, a career change into cybersecurity, certifications will often allow you to earn more money.
According to (ISC)² estimates, the average salary for cybersecurity experts holding a security certification is €60,000, way more than that of those who don’t —about €7,000 on average.Â
Due to the rise of the machines, new jobs will emerge, especially in the areas of healthcare, big data and the green economy.
Weekly news. Discover our news about IT: the rise of the machines, Bitcoin goes mainstream and Robin Hood strikes back
The rise of the machines
New report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) has forecasted that as much as half of all work tasks could be handled by machines by the year 2025. The rise of machines.
The think tank’s research, which spanned 300 of the world’s
biggest companies, estimates that the so-called “robot revolution” will
create 97 million jobs around the globe but destroy almost as many. 43% of
respondents felt they were likely to cut jobs due to technological
transformation in the near future.
Yet new jobs will emerge as a result, especially in the areas of healthcare, big data and the green economy. However, the Forum is calling for a conscious effort to ensure that no sectors of society are left behind.
PayPal has announced
that it will start allowing transactions in Bitcoin. The firm will also provide
support for other cryptocurrencies including Ethereum and Litecoin.
The new features, which will debut in the U.S. shortly and
worldwide next year, mark an important milestone in the normalisation of
cryptocurrencies.
The company sees the economy’s shift to digital currencies as inevitable, and it is committed to helping make them easier to use by the broader public.
The ransomware-as-a-business group DarkSide introduced itself to
the world earlier this year, issuing a press release where they detailed how
they picked their victims and pledged to leave non-profits, healthcare and
governments alone.
Well – these cybercriminals with a strong moral code are now
taking it to a whole new level: they are donating their profits to charities.
Two US-based organisations received equal payments of 0.88 bitcoin (or $10,000) in mid-October, money they say they will return as soon as possible. The authorities are warning NGOs around the globe to not accept donations from these cyber schemes, as that would make them legally liable for profiting from crime.
