Canonical partners with Amazon, Microsoft, and others on Internet of Things

Maybe Microsoft does love Linux! Canonical, the company behindUbuntu Linux, announced this week that both Microsoft and Amazon have agreed to publish their Internet of Things (IoT) application programming interfaces (APIs) on Ubuntu Core.
Canonical wants Ubuntu Core to become the operating system for the IoT. Ubuntu Core, like CoreOS and Red Hat's Project Atomic, uses a lightweight Linux server to support containers. Unlike the others, which are pointed exclusively for the data-center and the cloud, Canonical also sees Ubuntu Core as being ideal for devices as well. As Mark Shuttleworth, Canonical and Ubuntu's founder put it, "Snappy is much better than package dependencies for robust, distributed devices."

It's Canonical's position that Ubuntu Core provides the security needed for critical infrastructure with fast, automated, reliable updates for the machines that drive networking and industrial systems. This, the company states, is especially important since "Critical infrastructure systems are now an attack vector for espionage and disruption. Canonical and partners are working to deliver certified Ubuntu Core devices that are automatically updated to address systemic vulnerabilities fast. Ubuntu Core also provides best-in-class application isolation based on kernel containers, minimizing the impact of errors and vulnerabilities in third-party applications."

Of course, that's easy to say, but without support from other vendors it doesn't mean much. But, Canonical now has IoT partnerships not just with Amazon and Microsoft, but with major silicon providers whose processors and platforms power mission critical device and OEMs building the next generation of secure, software-defined network equipment.


Source:
http://www.zdnet.com/article/canonical-partners-with-amazon-microsoft-and-others-on-internet-of-things/

Smart people + Google AdSense = Smart Homes

I started this blog because i have a lots of information about Linux. I gathered so much info about Linux, that i don t know if i will ever manage to use it all.
And whatever costs me time it has to bring some money (money is not by far my strongest point so far :( )

I started to write and inform me further. So far I was extremely skeptical regarding advertising on websites. Thought to be harmful to your computer or are uninteresting, but I found that I can set options on the content: you have a small x in the upper right and and right next to it it writes Adchoices . From there you can change settings on the ads displayed. Otherwise, advertisements displayed remain the same no matter what site you visit.

So here i will promote some of the ads content that you might find interesting as well.

PS I am begging you to click on the ads on this blog and let me know if i can improve their display.

Thank you !
Florian Firtulescu.

Banana Pi BPI-R1 Open Source Router Kit - NEW PRODUCT

DESCRIPTION

This is a kit and assembly is required.

This is a complete kit for the BPI-R1 Open Source router. This kit contains the following items

• 1- BPI-R1 Router Board
• 1- BPI-R1 Laser Cut Acrylic Case (easy assembly is required)
• 1- BPI-R1 CPU Aluminum heat-sink for AllWinner A20 CPU chip
• 1- BPI-R1 DDR Memory Chip Aluminum heat-sink
• 2- 3db Antennas with 2 mini coaxial cables, swivel base 45-90-180 degrees.
• 1- 110V to 5VDC 2A power adapter with USB 2.0 Out
• 1- 6ft USB 2.0 to Micro B power cable.

Pictures show how the final product will look like. It requires assembly.

Source:

http://tinyonestore.com/products/banana-pi-bpi-r1-open-source-router-kit

Canonical Launches IoT Version Of Ubuntu Core

Canonical, the company behind the Ubuntu Linux distribution, wants to bring its operating system to more connected devices and intelligent objects with the launch of its “snappy” Ubuntu Core for the Internet of Things today. Over the last few months, the company launched “snappy” versions of Core on a number of cloud computing services, but given that the whole idea behind Core is to offer stripped-down versions of Ubuntu that developers can then easily customize based on their needs, the Internet of Things and robotics applications are a logical next area of focus for Canonical.

Ubuntu Core lets developers install the basic OS and then add the applications and services they need. Those applications then run in their own sandboxed environments. Ubuntu Core also features transactional updates, which ensures that the update process either works perfectly or can be rolled back immediately if things go awry.

Source:
http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/20/ubuntu-of-things/

Rise of connected homes raise security concerns

But where is all this data going and being stored? When you have cameras everywhere — including the fridge and bathroom mirror — who can potentially see you, your kids, your entire life? Who is protecting you in this exploding Internet of Things?

That was one of the biggest questions rattling around my head as I wandered through the equivalent of 35 football fields of gadgets and new technology at CES this year. It's always cool to see what tech companies are coming up with. I mean, who doesn't want a pot that stirs itself, or a robot to bring you the meal your 3D printer just whipped and that you cooked from an app on your smartwatch? But how many Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled electronics can we connect to the cloud before we're just putting our personal security at risk?

All of the information generated by these crafty pieces of smart-everythings is going somewhere, and that means that someone is probably already working on a way to exploit it. Hackers have already taken control of home appliances, medical devices like insulin pumps, gaming consoles, and even baby monitors. In one case, someone hacked an Internet-connected camera and used it to scream obscenities into a baby nursery.

Source:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/personal/2015/01/10/internet-things-home/21548829/

A glimpse into the future: 5 top trends at CES

After a week filled with high-definition TV screens and shiny new gadgets, the International Consumer Electronics Show comes to a close.

Now that we've gotten a glimpse into our future, what were some of the themes of this year's CES? Here are five trends:

1. At CES, cars drive you.

Source:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/personal/2015/01/10/ces-five-trends/21498725/

Intel's CES 2015 keynote was among the best — watch the highlights here

The best keynote of CES* included almost no mention of the Internet of Things. I've been keeping track, and not a single press event until today has gone by without someone uttering those three, rather indeterminate words. Intel talked at length about creating a more connected world, populated by autonomous drones, intelligent doorways, and sight-assisting jackets, but it managed to do it without resorting to the favorite buzz phrase of CES 2015. Brian Krzanich also proved to be more charismatic than might be expected of a big tech CEO and the entertainment portions of the evening were in fact entertaining.


Source:
http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/7/7507045/intel-ces-2015-keynote-supercut

2014: The tech year in cartoons

From Satya Nadella’s rise to the top spot at Microsoft to the emergence of 3D printing and the Internet of Things, here’s a look at some of the year’s biggest IT stories from the pen of Computerworld’s editorial cartoonist, John Klossner.

January: Full-time work is so last year

The year opened with a series of developments on the IT careers front.
First, we reported that the percentage of independent contractors in the IT labor market was on the rise. One estimate held that about 18% of all IT workers were self-employed, and another put the median percentage of contract workers at large organizations at 15%, up from 6% in 2011.
Consultants who offer services to freelancers tried to spin the shift as good news because there were plenty of opportunities for people who value autonomy and flexibility. But as the cartoon in our Jan. 13 print issue pointed out, not everyone -- not even young people regarded by their elders as carefree, footloose job-hoppers -- sees being "tied down" by the structure and stability of full-time work as a bad thing.
The good news? There should be more full-time opportunities for younger IT professionals as baby boomers retire and take skills such as Cobol expertise with them.


Source:
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2858429/2014-the-tech-year-in-cartoons.html