Sony has announced the arrival of the ZV-E10 II, the second generation of its popular ZV-E10 APS-C camera designed specifically for content creators. Building upon the success of the original model, the ZV-E10 II offers a range of improvements and new features that cater to the needs of vloggers, YouTubers, and aspiring content creators on the go.
The ZV-E10 II boasts an upgraded 26-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor and the latest BIONZ XR image processing engine, promising superior image quality compared to its predecessor. This translates to sharper photos and clearer videos, even in low-light conditions. Autofocus capabilities have also seen a significant improvement, with features like Real-time Eye AF for humans, animals, and birds, ensuring your subject remains in focus throughout the shot.
For aspiring filmmakers, the ZV-E10 II introduces the exciting Cinematic Vlog Setting. With a single touch, this feature optimizes video settings for a professional cinematic look, including aspect ratio, frame rate, and AF transition speed. Creators can further enhance their footage with a variety of Creative Look presets and Mood options, allowing them to express their unique style.
The ZV-E10 II continues to prioritize user-friendliness and ease of use for creators of all levels. The camera features a new vertical User Interface (UI) that automatically adjusts to the shooting orientation, making it perfect for creating content specifically for social media platforms. Additionally, the high-resolution vari-angle LCD monitor provides flexibility for framing shots from various angles.
Another practical feature for content creators is the improved battery life. The ZV-E10 II utilizes the upgraded Sony Z battery (NP-FZ100), offering extended recording times of up to 195 minutes on a single charge, allowing creators to capture uninterrupted footage for longer sessions.
The ZV-E10 II prioritizes seamless connectivity for efficient post-production workflows. The camera features a USB 3.2 Type-C port that enables high-speed wired transfers to a compatible smartphone or PC. Creators can utilize the Sony Creators’ App for easy file transfer and sharing content directly on social media platforms.
The ZV-E10 II also caters to creators who livestream their content. With support for 5 GHz Wi-Fi connectivity, users can stream high-quality live content directly to their preferred platforms.
The ZV-E10 II is often paired with the new E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II lens, making it a versatile kit perfect for various content creation needs. This compact and lightweight lens boasts a versatile 24-75mm (35mm full-frame equivalent) focal length, ideal for capturing a wide range of scenes, from close-up details to wider establishing shots.
The E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II features a smooth power zoom mechanism that is well-suited for video recording, along with built-in optical image stabilization that works in conjunction with the camera’s in-body image stabilization for sharper, steadier footage.
Pricing and Availability
Sony has yet to announce the official pricing and pre-order details for the ZV-E10 II and the E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS II Lens Kit in Malaysia. However, the camera and lens kit will be available in black starting from August 2024.
Stay tuned for further updates on pricing and pre-order information.
Password Hygiene has become an increasingly popular topic among cybersecurity experts and IT managers especially in light of the marked increase of data breaches occurring on a daily basis. We spoke to Sage Khor, the Presales Technical Manager at Trend Micro to better understand password hygiene and its impact on personal and organisational data security.
SAGE KHOR
PRESALES TECHNICAL MANAGER, TREND MICRO MALAYSIA
With more than 15 years in IT as a solution consultant and architect, Sage Khor has diverse experience in IT Infrastructure, Cloud & virtualization, and information and data security. He specialises in cloud and virtualization security and has in-depth knowledge of cyber security. He also has experience dealing with diverse customer environments ranging from various industries such as FSI, oil and gas, telco, conglomerates, real estate& more.
Q: “Password hygiene” seems to be a new concept when it comes to keeping safe on the internet. What is it and how does it help in staying secure online?
Sage Khor:Password hygiene refers to best practices and habits individuals and organizations should adopt to maintain strong and secure passwords. Maintaining good password hygiene is essential to online safety. It encompasses aspects such as password creation, account variation, refraining from sharing passwords, and implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Q: We’ve had guidelines and best practices that ask us to change our passwords every so often. It’s easy to enforce this at an organizational level, but how about when it comes to our personal passwords?
Sage Khor: There are several ways how individuals can practice good password hygiene:
Create long passwords. It is recommended to create a password that is longer than 6 alphabets.
Create strong passwords by using a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, and avoid personal information (birthdays, addresses), and simple patterns.
Create unique passwords for each account.
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) as it adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second verification step beyond an individual’s password.
Do not recycle passwords for multiple accounts.
Safeguarding data from cyber threats can also be done with the help of a security platform like Trend Micro’s ID Protection which helps secure personal information from identity theft, fraud, and unauthorized access.
Q: What is good “password hygiene”?
Sage Khor: The first line of protection against hackers is a strong and secure password as hackers will find it more difficult to decipher longer, more complicated passwords.
Weak passwords can be easily predicted. Avoid using the same or simple passwords like birthdays or dictionary words for multiple social media accounts or other internet accounts.
Image Generated with Microsoft Copilot
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all internet accounts. Adding an extra layer of security to authentication makes it far safer than using just one factor.
Verify the privacy and security settings on internet accounts. Though they enable a degree of security for both users and the companies, the default settings that platforms set up are designed to enable the collection of pertinent market data from their users.
Another method of ensuring password hygiene is by utilizing a password manager to help you create, save, manage and use passwords across different online services. When you have to keep track of so many online accounts, a password manager is the best way to encrypt and store your passwords safely. However, it is also important to be vigilant when deciding on a password manager. The most reliable password managers will use industry-standard encryption methods and can keep your accounts safe from hacking. But good cyber hygiene practices will still come to play if you want to ensure your computer is free from malware and safe from hackers. One other aspect to consider is also taking steps to be aware of common social engineering tactics that can deceive users into divulging their master passwords.
Q: Is there a way for us to have password hygiene on an individual basis?
Sage Khor: Practising good password hygiene is vital to ensure that all accounts remain safe. Thus, it is important to be aware of the necessary steps you can take to create a strong and safe password. By introducing a higher level of complexity to your password, you can lower the chances of being hacked or having your accounts compromised.
When creating a strong password, refrain from using predictable letters or numbers in sequence (e.g qwerty, abcde, 12345) but instead combine letters, numbers, and symbols to form a password of at least eight characters. Similarly, you should always avoid creating passwords that include any easily found personal information. Most importantly, stop reusing passwords on all your accounts or have similar passwords across different accounts. Creating complex and varied passwords is ultimately one of the more important steps when it comes to password hygiene.
Q: How about when it comes to organizations?
Sage Khor: Password hygiene is crucial for organizations to protect themselves from data breaches and unauthorized access. Similar to how you should apply the best password hygiene practices in your personal accounts, it is important for organizations to also ensure the right structure and policies are in place.
Put in place complex passwords. While this may seem like a given, it may come as a surprise that many today still enforce popular passwords that are hackable. In the same way, you would create complex passwords for individual accounts, you will want to ensure the strength of passwords in your organization through the creation of long passphrases (at least 12 characters) instead of short passwords. Passphrases are easier to remember and more secure than single words. With proper IT policies in place, there should also be enforcement and systems that disallow the reuse of passwords.
Organizations should be using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) as it adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second factor, like a code from a phone app, to access accounts in addition to the password. Enforce two-factor or MFA for online banking/transactions and log-ins into key online portals/systems.
Practice the 3-2-1 backup rule. If a data breach occurs, it is critical to maintain at least three copies of company data in two different formats, with one air-gapped copy located off-site.
Lastly, awareness training programmes should be established to help educate employees on password hygiene best practices and prevent cases.
Q: We’ve talked about password hygiene quite extensively. How does this factor into basic cybersecurity? Can we make things simpler to implement and keep up with?
Sage Khor: Password hygiene is a key component of every cybersecurity strategy that serves as a fundamental defence against unauthorized access, data breaches, and identity theft. Begin adopting a zero-trust mindset and framework by continuously verifying identities. Through this, organizations can enhance their cybersecurity posture by focusing on continuous verification of access and authentication, thereby reducing the risk of data breaches.
To make password hygiene easier to implement and maintain, organizations and individuals can adopt password management tools that streamline the process of creating, storing, and updating passwords. Additionally, providing education and training on password best practices can help raise awareness and encourage users to prioritize strong password hygiene.
Q: In the worst-case scenario, if an individual’s password is compromised, what can he/she do? How do we prevent data from being compromised?
Sage Khor: There are various steps that can and should be taken to address this. The most immediate step you should take is to change the password that has been compromised. You can create secure passwords using a password manager that allows users to generate unique and strong passwords for each account. Additionally, set up an MFA which requires additional verification methods beyond just passwords. Began monitoring all account activities for suspicious behaviour or any breach of access.
Sage Khor: Going back to how password hygiene is crucial for organizations, it is important to note that unauthorized access to sensitive data can result in financial losses, reputational damage, and legal consequences. To prevent this, organizations should take the necessary steps to implement MFA and conduct regular software updates to protect organizations from known vulnerabilities that attackers might exploit. Organizations should be proactive in using the available tools such as password managers paired with the right training for employees to protect their data.
Implementing a zero trust security model will also be an essential step for the prevention of future cybersecurity breaches. By viewing every access request as a possible danger, this strategy will help enhance an organization’s cybersecurity posture and proactively meet regulatory and compliance requirements.
Q: How do multi-factor authentication (MFA) methods affect password hygiene? Can we rely more on MFA methods instead of changing passwords? How secure is MFA?
Sage Khor: Multi-factor authentication (MFA) methods enhance password hygiene by adding an extra layer of security, reducing the risk of cyber-attacks and unauthorized access. MFA requires users to provide multiple authentication factors, making it more challenging for cybercriminals to compromise accounts solely through passwords.
While MFA is not completely foolproof, it is considered one of the more reliable measures as it can be combined or implemented with single sign-on (SSO) and passwordless login options to reduce the efforts of users, while also increasing the efficiency and management of users and businesses.
Q: Google, Apple and Microsoft are talking about a future that relies less on passwords and more on things like biometrics or “passkeys”. What is Trend Micro’s take on this?
Sage Khor:Trend Micro emphasizes the importance of strong passwords, MFAs, and restricting access to only corporate networks. These recommendations align with the concept of biometrics and passkeys, which can provide stronger security measures compared to traditional passwords.
Unlike passwords, passkeys are not susceptible to phishing attacks or theft because the private key never leaves your device.
Passkey offers enhanced security by providing digital keys that are highly resistant to phishing and brutal force attacks, effortless logins through secure storage on a device for easy access with a tap or PIN, and seamless cross-device functionality for a hassle-free user experience.
Q: Will having alternatives like biometrics and “passkeys” make it harder to get compromised online? Does it bring a better level of cyber resilience to organizations?
Sage Khor: Having alternatives like biometrics and “passkeys” can indeed make it harder to get compromised online, enhancing cyber resilience for organizations. Biometrics, such as fingerprint scans and facial recognition, offer more secure authentication methods that are difficult to replicate, reducing the risk of unauthorized access. “Passkeys” meanwhile eliminate the need for traditional passwords, simplifying the login process and enhancing security by using alternative means of authentication.
Through this organizations can significantly improve their cybersecurity posture, making it more challenging for cybercriminals to compromise accounts and systems. Biometrics and “passkeys” provide a higher level of security and resilience, helping organizations protect sensitive data and mitigate the risks associated with traditional password-based authentication methods.
HOUSTON, July 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On July 16-17, during Amazon Prime Day, and extending until July 21, Fanttik is thrilled to offer promotions on a range of top-tier products. Additionally, during the TikTok Deals For You Days (July 9-18), we will feature select items starting from only $28.99! This is an incredible opportunity for our customers to experience our products at unbeatable prices.
Save up to 50% OFF on Fanttik products in Amazon Prime Day and TikTok “Deals For You Days”
Fanttik, a brand renowned for its innovation and excellence, has been endorsed by NASCAR drivers, won the prestigious SEMA Global Media Awards, and received glowing reviews from a myriad of esteemed YouTubers over the years.
“Our mission at Fanttik is to provide high-quality products that improve our customers’ lives, whether it’s through automotive accessories, DIY tools, or outdoor camping gear,” said Bo Du, CEO of Fanttik. “We are proud to have received the IF Design Awards, and with our expanding presence in major retailers like Walmart, Costco, and BestBuy, we are closer to our users now more than ever!”
Taking advantage of this event, Fanttik is offering these exclusive discounts on both Amazon and TikTok to give back to our loyal users. Here are three flagship products featured in this sale:
X8 Apex Tire Inflator: A must-have for every car owner, the X8 Apex is a powerful, portable tire inflator designed for quick and efficient inflation. With its user-friendly interface and compact design, it’s perfect for on-the-go use and ensures you’re always prepared.
V8 Mate Car Vacuum: Keep your vehicle spotless with the V8 Mate, a high-performance car vacuum that tackles dirt, dust, and debris with ease. Its powerful suction and versatile attachments make it an essential tool for maintaining a clean and comfortable ride.
E1 Max Screwdriver: Ideal for DIY enthusiasts and professionals alike, the E1 Max Screwdriver offers precision and power in a sleek, ergonomic design. With multiple settings and a robust motor, it makes any repair or assembly task a breeze.
Don’t miss out on these fantastic deals! Visit us on Amazon and Fanttik website from July 16 to 21 to take advantage of these incredible discounts and experience the innovation and quality of Fanttik products for yourself.
About Fanttik
Fanttik is a youthful, dynamic brand dedicated to outdoor, sports, and automotive products that cater to every need for the perfect outdoor adventure. In a short span of time, it has garnered extreme acclaim from enthusiasts, social media influencers, digital media, and consumers. It has earned the internationally revered Red Dot Design Award multiple times, along with the prestigious IF Design Award. It has been honored to have sponsored and collaborated with NASCAR numerous times. Its products have been reviewed by a myriad of esteemed YouTubers, such as Donut Media, Samcrac, and Silver Cymbal, to name a few. Its inflator model won the revered SEMA Global Media Awards 2022 in Las Vegas, NV, and had immense success in the 2023 SEMA Show. In the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 seasons, Fanttik sponsored and collaborated with NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Kyle Weatherman four times, one being the exclusive partner, most recently with NASCAR Cup Series’ Noah Gragson in 2024. Fostering the motto “We explore, we innovate, and we make it happen,” Fanttik has brought trailblazing experiences in the automotive arena to the most diverse audience.
TOKYO, July 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — KLab Inc., a leader in online mobile games, announced that the first puzzle game based on the hit TV animation series BLEACH, BLEACH Soul Puzzle, is set to be released in 2024. See the original press release (https://www.klab.com/en/press/) for more information.
KLab Inc., a leader in online mobile games, announced that the first puzzle game based on the hit TV animation series BLEACH, BLEACH Soul Puzzle, is set to be released in 2024.
Pre-orders and pre-registration are now being accepted on the App Store and Google Play.
A campaign will also be held where participants have the chance to receive an autograph from Ichigo Kurosaki’s voice actor, Masakazu Morita.
About BLEACH Soul Puzzle
This title is a match 3 puzzle game that features characters from the BLEACH TV Animation Series: Thousand-Year Blood War. With support provided for English and Japanese, BLEACH Soul Puzzle will be released worldwide in over 150 countries and regions including Japan.
FONTANA, Calif., July 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Finding a perfect ergonomic chair is a top concern for those who sit for extended periods. Since we spend most of our time at our desks, a perfect ergonomic chair is crucial for long work, meetings or gaming. This excellent Hbada E3 Ergonomic Office Chair is available at a very low price and can alleviate the burden of prolonged sitting.
If you are looking for a chair suitable for long hours of work or entertainment, you can get it at an incredibly low price thanks to Amazon Prime Day discounts.
Buy the Hbada E3 Ergonomic Office Chair on the official website and enjoy a $420 discount.
The Hbada E3 Ergonomic Office Chair features the brand’s unique T-shaped support system, alleviating lower back pain, shoulder pain, and neck pain, perfectly solving the issues associated with prolonged sitting. This innovative “T-shaped Linkage Support System” delves into the research of three-zone lumbar support, aiming to address discomfort caused by prolonged sitting, fundamentally improving the living conditions of young professionals in work environments.
Customizable Support
The Hbada E3 Ergonomic Office Chair boasts ergonomic features: 3-zone floating lumbar support, 4-dimensional dual-axis headrest, and 6D mechanical armrests. Each part is designed with multidimensional adjustments to meet the support needs of different people in various scenarios. Fine-tune the adjustments to find the most suitable support angle, making it feel like a custom fit. The chair also features reclining, seat depth, and seat height adjustments, enhancing the comfort of prolonged sitting and offering thoughtful protection.
Professional Comfort Choice
The Hbada E3 Ergonomic Office Chair uses a mesh design throughout, with high-elastic mesh material that increases support, comfort, and pressure distribution for prolonged sitting. The key areas use Air microporous breathable mesh, which is breathable and pressure-relieving, ensuring no sweat buildup during long hours of sitting. It’s the best choice for a professional ergonomic chair.
In summary, the Hbada E3 Ergonomic Office Chair provides a comfortable solution for prolonged sitting. Its ergonomic design significantly enhances the comfort of long hours of sitting. During the Amazon Prime Day promotion, the Hbada brand offers great discounts, making it worth purchasing.
HANGZHOU, China, July 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ –Youdao introduced its latest smart device, the Youdao Dictionary Pen X7, at the World AI Conference on July 4, 2024, in Shanghai. This launch marks a significant step forward in the field of integrated tutoring, utilizing artificial intelligence to expand educational opportunities.
At the Youdao booth, a series of impressive and innovative products were displayed. These included Youdao Listening Pod E6 Pro, serving both as a listening device and a language coach; Hi Echo, the world’s first digital human language coach; and Youdao Fun Sports, the first highly integrated intelligent sports terminal, among others. Powered by Ziyue, China’s first large language model (LLM) in education, these innovations underscore Youdao’s proficiency in synthesizing EdTech and innovation.
The Youdao Dictionary Pen X7 Unveils a New Era of AI-based Integrated Tutoring
The rollout of the Youdao Dictionary Pen X7 at the World AI Conference signaled a new phase in the integration of artificial intelligence in education scenarios. This smart device, which combines robust capabilities with innovative technology, quickly stood out as a highlight of the event.
This release signifies a leap forward in AI applications within educational tools. Youdao Dictionary Pen X7 incorporates two main applications from the LLM Ziyue: Hi Echo, the digital human language coach, and the Mr. P AI Tutor, the first all-subject AI tutor in China.
Leveraging the knowledge-answering capability of Ziyue, Youdao Dictionary Pen X7 addresses a wide array of educational needs, including word lookup, essay refinement, language learning, grammar instruction, etc. Acting as an always-available AI tutor, it tailors exercises to the learner’s proficiency and skillfully tackles questions in Chinese, math, physics and other subjects, offering precise and effective instructions.
At the World AI Conference, the Youdao Dictionary Pen X7 was introduced with a distinctive feature: an in-built camera, a first in the EdTech sector. The camera is complemented by a large, proprietary database of 72 million words that supports quick scanning, vocal queries, and photo inputs, making word lookup and translation easier for users.
A Full Array of AI Applications Addresses the Needs of Diverse Scenarios
Hi Echo, the world’s first digital human language coach, provides real-time, personalized speaking practice alongside instant scores and detailed assessment reports. It recently enhanced its offerings by collaborating with the IELTS to include a built-in module for IELTS speaking preparation, featuring a continually updated database of practice questions and thorough review features. The tool has quickly become essential for Chinese students preparing for the IELTS speaking test, with Hi Echo surpassing one million registered users and earning several accolades for its innovation in AIGC.
Youdao Translation, which boasts the largest user base among learning apps in China, unveiled its latest AI enhancements at the conference. The features, developed under the LLM Ziyue, include sophisticated AI translation, document translation services, and AI-enhanced PowerPoint tools, designed to meet a broad spectrum of user demands while improving both learning and professional productivity.
Youdao Translation has emerged as a formidable player in the language translation market, having attracted over one billion users globally. Following the complete introduction of its AI-driven translation capabilities earlier this year, Youdao Translation has already seen significant adoption, with over five million users and more than 20 million instances of use.
Enabling Business Breakthroughs Through Technical Innovation
Another highlight was the introduction of Youdao Fun Sports. The innovative product allows users to log in, participate in various fitness activities, and view their performance metrics in real-time on a touch-enabled display, facilitating interactive and engaging physical training. The exercise routine includes pull-ups, standing long jumps, sit-ups, group skipping, and various track events from 50 to 1,000 meters, and ball sports. The terminal has been rolled out in over 200 primary and secondary schools across China.
Beyond its core role in education, the LLM Ziyue has proved its versatility and power by branching into the healthcare, media, and internet industries. Earlier this year, Youdao took a significant step by open-sourcing its proprietary RAG engine, QAnything, which has been adopted by hundreds of companies across more than 20 industries, empowering over 30,000 users to integrate advanced AI into their operations.
The efficacy of Youdao’s AI educational tools is anchored in the robust LLM Ziyue, which debuted as China’s first educational LLM in July 2023. It rapidly rolled out six major applications and has since remained at the forefront of technological and application advancements. In November last year, Ziyue was among the initial educational models to gain official fillings. Recently, Ziyue achieved a milestone by passing the first series of evaluations conducted by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, receiving the highest accolade available.
Looking ahead, Youdao will continue to innovate and apply Ziyue across a broader array of fields, spearheading transformative changes beyond the educational sphere.
Safe Harbor Statement
These communications and presentations contain forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding such risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
Investor Enquiries:
Jeffrey Wang Youdao, Inc. Tel: +86-10-8255-8163 ext. 89980 E-mail: IR@rd.netease.com
3CLogic to transform customer service for one of UK’s largest IT providers in collaboration with ServiceNow with advanced AI and contact center solutions for Customer Service Management (CSM) offering.
ROCKVILLE, Md., July 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — 3CLogic, the leading AI and contact center solution for ServiceNow®, today announced its selection by one of the UK’s leading managed service providers (MSP) of business software and IT services. The strategic decision was rooted in the organization’s desire to streamline the connection between back-office workflows and front-office engagements to enable a single unified experience and improve operational efficiencies.
Relying on multiple disparate systems, the organization struggled to reconcile data and processes for its over 15,000 customers across industries, including healthcare, social services, government, manufacturing, retail, and higher education. The overall complexity of its technology stack reduced its ability to easily implement tailored services, including tens of millions of annual incoming calls, to its diverse clientele while creating additional manual work and operating costs.
“This is a common challenge for large enterprises,” explains Matt Durkin, VP of Global Sales at 3CLogic. “As a result, many are eager to adopt strategies that will help them reduce the number of platforms and technologies they need to deliver everyday services to optimize customer experiences but with less effort.”
With ServiceNow IT Service Management (ITSM) already successfully leveraged internally by its IT Help Desk, the decision was made to adopt ServiceNow’s Customer Service Management (CSM) offering in combination with 3CLogic’s ServiceNow-centric AI and contact center solutions to streamline the end-to-end workflow between back-office and front-office operations. Replacing its current CRM, Salesforce, and its existing contact center vendor, the organization expects to improve self-service with Conversational AI, enhance agent productivity, reduce call handle times by up to 70%, and gain key AI-powered analytics to enable real-time insights at scale.
“We help empower global organizations to leverage their existing ServiceNow investment to deliver the maximum value and output without introducing overlapping capabilities. The approach brings together contact center and back-office operations into a single unified agent and administrative workspace purpose-built to make work easier, more efficient, and the delivery of services faster,” states Matt Durkin, VP of Global Sales at 3CLogic.
About 3CLogic 3CLogic transforms customer and employee experiences with its leading Cloud Contact Center and AI capabilities purpose-built to enhance today’s leading CRM and Customer Service Management platforms. Globally available and leveraged by the world’s leading brands, its solutions empower enterprise organizations with innovative features such as intelligent self-service, generative and Conversational AI, agent automation & coaching, and AI-powered sentiment analytics – all designed to lower operational costs, maximize ROI, and optimize each interaction across IT Service Desks, Customer Support, Sales or HR Services teams. For more information, please visit www.3clogic.com.
Get ready to experience the future of computing with the arrival of the Surface Pro 11th Edition and Surface Laptop 7th Edition! Microsoft unveiled its latest Surface devices back in May. These innovations boast cutting-edge AI features, blazing-fast performance, and a commitment to user experience. More importantly, they’re up for pre-order in Malaysia right now!
Pre-orders for the Surface Pro 11th Edition and Surface Laptop 7th Edition are now open. Both the Surface devices will be priced from RM5,399.
From July 11th to August 5th, 2024, pre-ordering through Microsoft’s partner, SNS Network (M) Sdn Bhd, grants you access to exclusive deals you won’t want to miss.
Pre-Order Perks:
Bundle Deals: Score bundle deals worth up to RM700, giving you valuable extras alongside your new Surface device.
PWP Deals: Take advantage of PWP (purchase-with-purchase) offers worth up to RM848, further maximizing your value.
GrabFood Voucher: Enjoy a delicious meal while setting up your new Surface with a complimentary GrabFood voucher worth RM80.
Here’s a quick recap of what the new Surface devices are bringing to the table.
Surface Pro 11: The Ultimate 2-in-1 for Pros on the Go
The Surface Pro 11th Edition is a flexible 2-in-1 device that can seamlessly transform from a tablet to a laptop. It comes with Microsoft’s new Copilot+ PC feature, harnessing the power of the built-in NPU on the Snapdragon X Series processor. Microsoft is using this to streamline workflow with AI-powered experiences. The Surface Pro 11 delivers a remarkable 14 hours of battery life, ensuring you can stay productive throughout your day without needing to scramble for a charger.
Powered by the cutting-edge Snapdragon X Elite and Plus processors, the Surface Pro 11 is touted to be able to handle editing complex videos, rendering intricate 3D models, or simply juggling multiple demanding applications.
Surface Laptop 7: Elegance Meets Speed
The Surface Laptop 7th Edition is a sleek and stylish device that is geared for students, professionals, and anyone who demands both performance and aesthetics. It also integrates Microsoft’s Copilot+ which will be able to anticipate your needs and help you work smarter and faster. It comes with high-resolution display options available in both 13.8-inch and 15-inch configurations.
The Surface Laptop is boasting about 20 hours of video playback on a single charge, you can work, play, and create without worrying about interruptions. The Surface Laptop 7 is powered by the same Snapdragon X Elite and Plus processors as the Surface Pro 11, guaranteeing exceptional performance for all your computing needs.
Dell Technologies is bringing a slew of advancements to its PowerStore offering. The new offering delivers key improvements that augment and empower data resiliency, data and multi-cloud data mobility. With these improvements, Dell is also expanding its APEX portfolio with better, more powerful AIOps advancements and Kubernetes storage management.
Dell’s PowerStore offering has been augmented with new features that increase performance, efficiency and security. The new PowerStore Prime offers quad-level cell (QLC) based storage. This lowers the cost per terabyte compared to previously used triple-level cell (TLC) based storage. With QLC-based storage, organizations can start with as little as 11 QLC drives and quickly scale up to 5.9 petabytes of effective capacity per appliance. Dell further augments this with intelligent load-balancing capabilities that are built into PowerStorage itself. This will optimise workload placement across QLC and TLC clusters leading to better cost efficiency and up to 66% uplift in hardware performance through data-in-place higher model appliance upgrades.
PowerStore Prime also comes with a bevvy of software updates that also help increase efficiency, security and cloud mobility. These advancements are part and parcel of PowerStore Prime which comes at no additional cost to existing customers. Dell will be providing updates that deliver up to 30% higher mixed workload performance and 20% lower latency. It also delivers fortified data protection with a vast array of choices that allow customers to safeguard and backup workloads with native synchronous replication of block and file workloads and native metro replication for Windows, Linux and VMWare environments. All of this is done with an uplift of 28% in power efficiency and 20% better data reduction. These simplified workloads also empower data mobility in multi-cloud environments giving users increased flexibility to scale thanks to its connectivity to Dell APEX Block Storage.
Dell APEX AIOps Delivers Greater Agility and Control
Together with Dell PowerStorage Prime, Dell Technologies is also augmenting Dell APEX with AI-driven features to deliver better agility and control. Dell APEX AIOps will be offered in a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model. It delivers better infrastructure health and transparency with AI-driven full-stack observability and incident management.
APEX AIOps increases observability with AI-powered solutions that allow IT administrators to better address issues that arise. Dell claims that the increased infrastructure observability allows up to 10X quicker response times than traditional approaches. AI-powered health, cybersecurity and sustainability monitoring deliver actionable insights complete with detailed problem-solving recommendations. with AIOps customers are able to reduce reduction time by up to 70% with full-stack application topologies analytics. It can also deliver better uptimes and shorter recovery times with AI-driven incident management.
(From left) Deepak Waghmare, Chief Technology Officer at Dell Technologies (APJ), Richard Jeremiah, General Manager Data Centre & Compute Solutions – South Asia at Dell Technologies (APJ), and Mak Chin Wah, Country Manager (Malaysia) at Dell Technologies, addressing the media during the launch of the Dell PowerStore Prime offering in Malaysia
Dell’s APEX Navigator is also being expanded to include workloads on Kubernetes. This will simplify Kubernetes storage management on Dell PowerFlex and, in the near future, Dell PowerScale as well as Dell APEX Cloud Platforma for Red Hat OpensShift. This is achieved with expanded advanced services like data replication, application mobility and container observability.
Availability
Dell PowerStore’s software enhancements are available right now. PowerStore’s QLC model and data-in-place higher model appliance will be available starting in July. PowerStore multi-cloud data mobility and APEX Naivgator for Kubernetes will be available in Q2 2024 while APEX AIOps Infrastructure Observability and Incident Management will be available in October 2024.
Another day, another email from IT telling you to change or update your passwords. We’ve all been there, opening emails and sighing at that reminder. However, did you stop to think what could be at risk when you don’t update your passwords across the board? What could the harm with just one password not being updated?
Understanding Passwords, Password Hygiene and Multifactor Authentication
Well, like Julie Andrews once sang – Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. What exactly are passwords in our current, digital, always connected society? If your data and accounts were your home, your password would be your master key. The one thing giving you access to everything. Of course, we technically don’t need to talk about it in this anecdotal way cause, everyone knows what passwords are. But, humour me as we break down the issue.
Knowing that your password is a master key, how would you make sure that things are always secure? You would keep it physically near you. Maybe clean it or make sure the key’s groves are still properly functioning. Similarly, password hygiene is simply the basics of creating a secure master key. There are certain characteristics that make it secure and hard to duplicate.
Firstly, it must be unique. The same applies to passwords – your passwords should be unique. Something that only you can figure out. Secondly, it has to be complex, the grooves of the key must be hard to reproduce. When it comes to passwords, this is done in two ways: with the length of the password and the use of special characters. Experts recommend that passwords should be longer than 6 characters and contain a mix of upper-case characters, lower case characters, numbers and special characters. In addition, it should ideally not be birthdates, social security numbers or simple patterns.
Now that you’ve got a secure key for your main door. Maybe we should add another layer of security considering everything you own is within this home. Let’s include a way to confirm that it’s really you opening the door. Maybe, we’ll use a voice authenticator. The addition of this second layer of security is exactly what multifactor authentication is. Essentially, it is there to ensure that it is you that is accessing your home. This has become a mainstay now with services like Google, Amazon and even Facebook requiring you to activate MFA. These are arguably, the very basics of keeping your data and digital self-safe.
Bad Passwords Puts Everyone at Risk
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s scale this up. Now think of a neighbourhood of homes. This is – perhaps – your family home. Each of your homes are interconnected with a powerline, a water source and more. However, each of these accesses are protected by the same protections that protect your mansion. More importantly, your homes are located within a gated community. This gated community is your home network. Ideally, there should be two access points to this community, one which gives you access to everything in the gated community and one that limited access. These access points are your WiFi passwords. In most cases, we tend to have two: one for your home devices and your guest password. Since we’ve established what a good password is, it should come as no surprise that the same rules of password hygiene apply even to these.
However, let’s think for a second about what happens if one of our access point has a weak password. It is very common for us to setup good home network passwords, but keep our guest passwords simple – cause who needs the hassle of trying to communicate complex passwords. Well, that would be, in this anecdote’s case, like putting a security guard who is blind at the guardhouse that provides guests access to the neighbourhood. While it is still secure, it’s not secure enough. Similarly, when we use weak passwords or repeated passwords, we’re doing the same to our data. Imagine what could happen now to all the homes in the neighbourhood because of that ONE vulnerability. You can have malicious actors enter the neighbourhood and snoop around.
“… password hygiene is crucial for organizations, it is important to note that unauthorized access to sensitive data can result in financial losses, reputational damage, and legal consequences. To prevent this, organizations should take the necessary steps to implement MFA and conduct regular software updates to protect organizations from known vulnerabilities that attackers might exploit. Organizations should be proactive in using the available tools such as password managers paired with the right training for employees to protect their data..”
In the case of passwords, one weak password could put everyone at risk. Remember earlier, how we said that each home is connected with an electric line, water line and more? Well, similarly, each device on your network – be it at home or at work – is connected in some way. Having a weak password is like having a thin wooden door with a flimsy lock. These malicious actors would be able to just bring down the door and access everything in your house and potentially make their way to other homes.
Keeping Things Secure Beyond Your Password
Hopefully, the anecdote helps clarify how passwords are essentially the first step to creating a secure environment both at work and at home. However, sometimes, passwords are not enough. While they provide some security, we have had to build on the foundations that were provided by passwords. This is especially true in recent years with malicious actors using more sophisticated attacks that require us to be more vigilant.
One of the most common way that has emerged to help secure our data is multifactor authentication (MFA). A good example of this is Google’s implementation where we need to click a prompt on our smartphones to prove your identity when accessing your Google account. This extra level of security makes it even harder for malicious actors to access your data. Another common MFA method is the use of authenticators which generate a random number that is used to unlock your accounts in addition to your password.
In addition to this, we have to – unfortunately – be more vigilant with our online interactions. Like the popular phrase in Game of Thrones, the internet “is dark and full of terrors”. Password hygiene is only one step we can take to protect ourselves on the internet. Having proper cyber security solutions such as the solution that Trend Micro offers will offer even better protection. For organizations, this may include the adoption of Zero Trust security models that will provide even better protection against compromise.
