Google might be about to disrupt the business card — and it’s starting with a trial in India.
In a new blog post, the company announced it is rolling out its ‘people cards’ across the country. It’s like a business card that will appear on top of Search when someone looks up your name. Google first began trialing the feature about six months ago, and it seems it’s finally ready to make it more widely available.

Up until now, you could only find detailed information about celebs and well-known public figures on Search, but the latest change will make it possible for civilians to control what people see when someone searches their name.

“If you’re a business professional, performer, or anyone looking to build up your online presence, you might have a website, social profiles, and other information spread across many sites,” Google product manager Lauren Clark said. “If you’re just getting started, you may not have a website or much of an online presence at all.”

“Today, we are solving these challenges with a new feature called people cards,” she added. “It’s like a virtual visiting card, where you can highlight your existing website or social profiles you want people to visit, plus other information about yourself that you want others to know.”

To create a ‘people card,’ you need to simply log into your Google account, search for your name or “add me to Search,” and then follow the prompt. You can then choose a profile pic (it will default to your Google account avatar), craft a description for yourself, and also add social media links and contact details.

In case you were worried about your privacy, the feature seems to be opt-in – and you can always delete your card if you so wish.

Google will allow only one card per account to prevent malicious actors from impersonating real people. It’ll also ask you to authenticate your account with a phone number. In case fraudulent cards slip through the cracks, there’ll also be a dedicated button to report them.

Alright, but what about people who share the same name, you might wonder. Well, Google says there will be a module that lets you compare people based on their location and profession, which should make it easier to find the right person.
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That said, there are specific challenges ahead of it. The fact that Google highlighted the numerous measures it has taken to prevent abuse makes it abundantly clear that the company foresees certain issues with the new feature. If it manages to stop users from gaming the system to gain an unfair advantage, ‘people cards’ can kill the business card as we know it.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has sent an alert last week warning US companies about backdoor malware that is silently being installed on the networks of foreign companies operating in China via government-mandated tax software.

The backdoors allow threat actors to execute unauthorized code, infiltrate networks, and steal proprietary data from branches operating in China.

Making matters worse, the FBI says that all foreign companies are required by local Chinese laws to install this particular piece of software to handle value-added tax (VAT) payments to the Chinese tax authority.
FBI officials said the backdoor malware was spotted in the VAT software of two Chinese tech companies – namely Baiwang and Aisino.

Unfortunately, these are the only government-authorized tax software service providers allowed to operate VAT software in China, officials said, suggesting that any foreign company operating in China was most likely affected by this issue.

The FBI alert also listed two separate incidents where the infected companies have discovered the malware's presence on their networks.

GoldenHelper. "In July 2018, an employee of a US pharmaceutical company with business interests in China downloaded the Baiwang Tax Control Invoicing software program from baiwang.com. Since March 2019, Baiwang released software updates that installed a driver automatically along with the main tax program. In April 2019, employees of the pharmaceutical company discovered that the software contained malware that created a backdoor on the company's network," the FBI said – describing what later security firm Trustwave identified as the GoldenHelper malware.

GoldenSpy. "In June 2020, a private cybersecurity firm reported that Intelligence Tax, a tax software application from Aisino Corporation that is required by a Chinese bank under the same VAT system, likely contained malware that installed a hidden backdoor to the networks of organizations using the tax software," the FBI also said – describing what Trustwave identified as the GoldenSpy backdoor, believed to be a second and improved iteration of the original GoldenHelper malware.

The FBI warns US companies that the backdoor malware installed on their systems has dangerous capabilities that may allow "cyber actors to preposition to conduct remote code execution and exfiltration activities on the victim's network."

FBI officials said they believed US companies in the healthcare, chemical, and finance sectors operating in China are in particular danger, based on China's historical interest in these sectors.

Currently, the FBI Flash Alert AC-000129-TT is being distributed to companies in the previous sectors so they can investigate further.
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Indicators of compromises, such as malware file hashes and network communication URLs that may help companies identify the presence of any of the two backdoor versions, are available in Trustwave's GoldenHelper and GoldenSpy reports.

While the FBI alert didn't point the finger at the Chinese government directly, the warning said that both Baiwang and Aisino operate their VAT software under the management and oversight of NISEC (National Information Security Engineering Center), a state-owned private enterprise, with "foundational links" to China's People Liberation Army, suggesting a well-orchestrated nation-state intelligence-gathering operation.

No one disputes that cars, trucks, and SUVs will become increasingly connected over the next decade. From Amazon Alexa compatibility to navigation-linked speed limiters, the list of internet-powered features you’ll one day use during your commute grows every year.

Some technologies will make driving more convenient, especially when it becomes a tedious task. That, however, is just the start. Your car might save your life by becoming a doctor – no medical school training required.

In a recent interview, Steve Surhigh, the vice president and general manager of automotive cloud services for Samsung-owned Harman, explained how a car could monitor the driver’s health.

Eyes On The Driver. Keeping an eye on the driver is nothing new; millions of cars already do it. Mercedes-Benz inaugurated Attention Assist technology on the 2009 E-Class, and the on-going race toward autonomy has created vehicles that literally look you right in the eyes.

Cadillac’s Super Cruise system relies on a driver-facing camera to tell whether the driver is paying attention. If it notices you’re looking down at a smartphone or looking nowhere because you’re dozing off, it emits visual and audible warnings prompting you to stay focused and wake up. In some cases, the automated system might even take control.

Surhigh says Harman can build wellness monitoring technology on these foundations.

Teledoctors. “Some carmakers are talking about a teledoctor-type service. So, if there is a system that monitors the driver’s vital signs, and it detects something is noticeably wrong, having a teledoctor available could be part of the vehicle’s connectivity package,” Surhigh explained. “Not only can you monitor vitals, but you can also be proactive in terms of responding to an issue, whether that’s something that would be heart rate-based or based on blood sugar levels.”

Are you curious about how your car can monitor your heart rate? Look no further than the nearest gym. Sensors in the steering wheel, similar to those found on treadmills or stationary bikes, could track your pulse. Alternatively, Surhigh says, your car could receive this information from wearable devices, like smartwatches and fitness trackers. Data could be shared via Bluetooth or in-car 5G. Ford has even floated the idea of burying six pulse sensors in the driver’s seat.

“Carmakers are already integrating technology that monitors driver attentiveness. Once you get some of those foundational use cases built, the incremental costs of being able to do other things are very manageable. At that point, it’s more of a software type of build than one related to hardware,” explained Surhigh.

The possibilities don’t end at being able to track the driver’s heart rate. It’s not far-fetched to imagine mandatory breathalyzer-based ignitions for motorists who have a long history of driving under the influence, for example.

Whether you’ll tick the “heart rate monitor” box on an options list depends on your profile. If you’re a 24-year old buying a Volkswagen GTI, there’s a good chance you’re more interested in a surround-sound system and Amazon Alexa compatibility. If you’re an 84-year old in the market for a Ford Expedition? Well, I’m not going to generalize, but there’s a better chance you’ll be concerned about your pulse than someone born 60 years after you.

Although pulse tracking isn’t for everyone, it’s one of several dozen functions car companies are looking at integrating into their infotainment systems.
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“The digital experience is replacing a lot of what previously differentiated carmakers, whether it was horsepower or some other vehicle experience linked to the engine, the braking system, or other components,” Surhigh said. “Now, they’re largely looking at the car’s digital components for differentiation.”

One of my favorite training assets is ScreenCastsOnline from Mac pioneer Don McAllister. Each week they produce a full tutorial and a shorter tip video on Mac software and services.

This week, the main tutorial was on a free online service called xkpasswd. This open-source service will produce incredibly secure passwords. There are five settings that you can customize, and based on these settings, the site will generate several passwords from which you may pick one that you like.

The five settings include:
         • Words: set the max number of letters and the number of words
         • Transformations: use the lower and upper case letters on words
         • Separator: a randomly chosen character to separate words
         • Padding Digits: any number of digits before and after the words
         • Padding Symbols: any number of symbols added to the front and back of the password.

After generating several passwords, the site will evaluate the level of safeness of the results. When the strength of the password is good or better, the numbers are shown in green. Less secure results display in red. This immediate assessment gives you the data you need to know that the password you select will be safe and extremely difficult to hack.

The site also has generated several configurations of the above five settings for specific uses. One configuration is designed for Apple ID passwords specifically. The values set are designed to respect the prerequisites that Apple places on Apple ID passwords. But, it also limits the symbols found on the iOS letter and number keyboards, so entering the password is easier.

One other configuration is called SECURITYQ and is designed to create answers to those pesky security questions such as the first name of the maid of honor at your wedding or your mother’s maiden name. Answering these questions with something other than the truth is really important since today’s hackers are getting very good at researching information about their prey. This configuration will help generate good answers to these questions without any relationship to reality.

The site is free, but they do note that the server that is running the application is not free, and they welcome donations.
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Remember that all of these passwords need to be kept secure with good password management software such as 1Password, LastPass, and Dashlane.

Dear Rick:

I wanted to reach out to tell you how much I appreciate your blog. I especially loved the open source resources you mention there.

One thing that I found out about was an article on open source on the Google blog page. The article on your blog page really provided some interesting insight.

Digging into it a bit more, I found this helpful guide to open source.  
It really helped me better understand open source software as a whole.
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Thanks again for the great resource! 
All the best, 
Emma T.

Microsoft reorganized its Windows + Devices team last month, placing Surface chief Panos Panay in charge of both Windows and hardware. While it’s still early days for Panay, we’re starting to get an idea of how things might change with Windows. That begins with a new Windows Insider leader, Microsoft’s beta program that sees millions of people testing Windows 10.

“In my first 30 days as the Windows leader, as I’ve been spending time listening, learning, and working with the team to build a vision for the next era of Windows, I’ve been in awe of the Insiders group and the level of dedication and depth of knowledge they have,” explains Panay in a new blog post today. “To keep this momentum going and continue to grow and innovate in Windows, it’s clear we need the right person to lead this powerful community into the next era, which is why I’m excited to announce Amanda Langowski as the new lead for the Windows Insider Program.”

Langowski is a Microsoft and Windows veteran, having worked at the company for more than 20 years. Langowski previously worked on Windows beta programs, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone, and the all-important flighting team that makes sure builds of Windows are available for engineers inside and outside of Microsoft.

Langowski will now take over as the face of Windows 10 testing and lead a critical feedback loop, a role that Dona Sarkar previously led for the past few years. Sarkar has taken a new position in the Microsoft Developer Relations team and remains at the company, at the same time, the previous Insider chief, Gabe Aul, left Microsoft last year for a virtual and augmented reality engineering role at Facebook.

As Panay says, Microsoft is now getting ready to build a vision for where Windows goes next. The software maker has tried a variety of ways to entice creators to Windows over the past five years, but it has walked back some of those changes. The pace of Windows 10 updates has certainly slowed over the past 12 months, leaving testers and Windows fans wondering what’s coming next.

Microsoft is focused on Windows 10X for dual-screen devices right now, but there will be plenty of changes coming to the desktop version, too. Panay hasn’t finalized his vision for the direction of Windows, but you can expect to see a renewed focus on the OS at Microsoft. That will no doubt include some of the pumped energy Panay is famous for, but also a focus on simplifying the operating system and cleaning up some areas that haven’t been looked at for quite some time.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s bold goal was “we want to move from people needing Windows to choosing Windows, to loving Windows,” five years ago. It’s fair to say Windows 10 has undoubtedly improved over the past five years, but a fresh vision for where it needs to go and a face for Windows is very much needed.

I expect, and certainly hope, to see a more significant focus on Microsoft adapting the OS to the people who truly use it every day and rely on Windows. That’s not to say there won’t be some significant new features that the company will develop, but PowerToys for Windows 10 and the Windows Terminal have been some great additions.

We’re starting to see some of the simplifications for Windows show up, with new icons and even some tweaks to the Start menu. Panay celebrated a billion Windows 10 users with a teaser video last week, and it’s clear the Windows team is looking at cleaning up parts of the UI. 
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Microsoft is ready to listen again, with new leadership involved at the top of Windows, and how the company receives feedback. We’re now waiting to hear what the next era of Windows will bring. Some of those answers might not be too far away.

Apple on Friday released a COVID-19 website and app with a screening tool and other information about the coronavirus outbreak. Apple said the app and site are meant to "make it easy for people across the country to get trusted information and guidance at a time when the US is feeling the heavy burden of COVID-19." 

They were developed in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the White House coronavirus task force, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

The COVID-19 app and website include a screening tool that asks users to answer a series of questions around risk factors, recent exposure, and symptoms, Apple said in a release. Based on their responses, users will receive CDC recommendations on the next steps, including "guidance on social distancing and self-isolating, how to closely monitor symptoms, whether or not a test is recommended at this time, and when to contact a medical provider." 

Apple said the screening tool doesn't replace instructions from doctors and health care providers or guidance from state and local health authorities. 

"To help you stay informed, understand symptoms, and take proper steps to protect your health, Apple has created a COVID-19 website and a US app in partnership with the CDC," said Apple CEO Tim Cook in a tweet Friday. "As always, the data is yours, and your privacy is protected. Stay safe and healthy."

In addition to the screening tool, Apple said the app and website would offer answers to frequently asked questions about the coronavirus as well as up-to-date information from the CDC, including best practices for washing hands and how to monitor symptoms.
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Earlier this week, Apple updated its digital assistant Siri to help guide those worried about coronavirus symptoms. Summoned by asking Siri, "do I have coronavirus," the assistant will respond with the survey that uses yes and no answers to try to guide people on potential next steps.

Want to put Microsoft’s Office software on an iOS or Android device? Soon you won't have to download individual versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to use them. 

In an announcement from its Ignite conference in Orlando, Microsoft revealed that it's beginning to publicly test a new version of the Office app that will combine the three popular apps into one primary, centralized Office app. 

Reviewers have been quite impressed with how much you can do with your phone camera from this app. It’s quite easy to turn one or many pictures into a PDF or a Word document. When scanning a table from a user manual to turn it into an Excel spreadsheet, the text recognition was spot on.

The Lens mode also has special sub-modes for whiteboard and document scanning. So, if you attend a lot of lectures or meetings, this app could make it easier to grab notes without much effort.

Plus, the app also lets you take notes, kind of like you would in Google Keep. You can jot down text, create lists, and attach images. So, even if you’re not immersed in the Microsoft Office world, the app can help you in many situations where you need to send or sign a document quickly.
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In the new app – which is available now as a public preview on Android or as a beta through Apple's iOS Test Flight program– you'll be able to create new documents, presentations or spreadsheets as well as edit and view existing documents. You'll also be able to "snap a picture of a document" and make it into an editable Word file, create and sign PDFs or "transform tables from a printed page into an Excel spreadsheet."
Microsoft's individual apps have been popular on mobile. All three rank in the top 25 productivity apps on iOS' Top Charts for the category, while each app has been downloaded over 1 billion times on Android. 

Visual search – the ability to initiate a search query using an image captured by the camera lens on a mobile device – has increasingly become a channel that can drive consumers from becoming aware of a product to making a purchase.

Gartner classifies visual search as an emerging technology, which puts it right on par with findings from an eMarketer survey suggesting that few consumers "regularly" use it.

On average, only 3% regularly use visual search, and only 10% have used it in the past, according to the findings. On the other side of the spectrum, 7% are familiar with the technology, according to an eMarketer eCommerce survey conducted in June 2019 by Bizrate Insights and published in August 2019.

Gartner Analyst Mike McGuire points to artificial intelligence (AI), which sits high on the list of transformational trends, as an important technology that supports visual search platforms like Google Lens and Prism.

Google, Microsoft, Pinterest, and other augmented reality vendors continue to invest in visual search. Their platforms use computer vision and AI to identify the image.

ASOS, a U.K. online fashion retailer, already uses visual search. Its search tool, Style Match, integrates into the ASOS mobile app, so customers can zoom in on a man’s suit in a magazine picture, for example, and receive suggestions on similar suits, McGuire explains.

McGuire calls visual search a tool that will enhance the customer experience, benefiting brands most in e-commerce, content marketing, product, and search marketing. Amazon also supports this media.

Recently, Mondo released a study showing that 21% of the 1,000 marketers surveyed cite visual search as an essential marketing strategy for their organizations through 2020. Visual search fell in line behind strategies such as experiential marketing, micro-moments, and motion design.

Gartner rated visual search as an “on the rise” strategy, along with over-the-top TV advertising, consent and preference management, and personification.  
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At the peak are advanced supply-side bidding, customer journey analytics, real-time marketing, conversational marketing, artificial intelligence for marketing, and customer data platforms.

Cryptocurrency investors in the United States are receiving letters from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) which are proposing backdated tax payments relating to the trade of virtual assets. 

As reported by Bloomberg, some traders are receiving notices asking for input on revised tax returns, based on estimates of profit generated by cryptocurrency-related activities.

The CP2000 notices have been sent in recent weeks, and while they do acknowledge mistakes in past tax returns might be due to cryptocurrency platforms and exchanges rather than individuals, they do signal a clampdown by the IRS on the burgeoning industry. 

In July, the IRS also sent warnings to investors to make them aware that tax may be owed on their trading activities. Some investors received demands for the disclosure of cryptocurrency trades between 2013 and 2017. 

An IRS spokesperson said that the latest batch of warning notices are sent to taxpayers when discrepancies between tax returns and information obtained from third parties are flagged. 

Aletter shared with CoinDesk estimates that an investor owes close to $4,000 in taxes and interest for potentially misreported cryptocurrency profits during the 2017 fiscal year. 

"We received information from third parties such as employers or financial institutions that doesn't match the information you reported on your tax return," the letter reads. 

Recipients can accept the changes and make any further payments required, or they can challenge the IRS' decision if they have supporting evidence. 

According to the IRS website, CP2000 receivers should respond within 30 days even if only to say they need more time. The notices are not straight bills or demands, but what the IRS calls "a proposal [that] informs you about the information we have received, and how it affects your tax."

The IRS won a landmark case against Coinbase in 2017 which forced the cryptocurrency exchange to hand over the records of 14,000 customers that purchased, sold, or obtained over $20,000 in cryptocurrency between 2013 and 2015.