Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Windows 11 Fails To Outperform Windows 10 Despite Microsoft’s Big Claims

It was last year only that we heard tech giant Microsoft speak in detail about Windows 11 operating system and how this had become super optimized in a manner that takes advantage of great hybrid architecture.

Meanwhile, the new Thread Director technology is the same one that is assisting in making the likes of task scheduling so much simpler.

Other than that, we saw Microsoft make separate claims about how Windows 11 OS is designed to attain the best hardware out there today. It managed to do so in a very peculiar manner but now it appears that Windows 10 is not backing down in terms of popularity.

Yes, certain aspects are great about Windows 11 but speed is definitely not one of them as shown during CPU testing conducted by PCWorld. Windows 10 came out on top on a few other occasions. This was linked to benchmark figures for image and video edits.

As far as gaming performance is concerned, both Windows 10 and 11 showed near to identical performance across both OS. The only difference was Counter-Strike which is better off being a single-threaded title.
As a whole, it appears like the latest version of Windows 11 and 10 is still trading and it blows with each other, just in the same manner that we saw with Windows 11. This is during the start when it was made available. Usually, there are a few single-digit performance differentials that are created in a single manner or the other.

The general verdict is that Microsoft can continue to make all the claims it wants in the world but people are going to have a hard time being convinced that Windows 11 is better or the advanced version when compared to Windows 10.

Hey Google Chrome Users. Here's a big reason why you should not upgrade from Microsoft windows 10 to windows 11

Are you a photo editor who uses Adobe Photoshop and planning to upgrade to windows 11. Stop. Here's why you should stick to Microsoft Windows 10 operating system, backed by data.

Are you a video creator who uses Adobe Suites and planning to upgrade to windows 11. Stop. Here's why you should stick to Microsoft Windows 10 operating system, backed by data.

Are you a office worker and planning to upgrade to windows 11. Stop. Here's why you should stick to Microsoft Windows 10 operating system, backed by data.

Are you a gaming lover and planning to upgrade to windows 11. Stop. Here's why you should stick to Microsoft Windows 10 operating system, backed by data.

Read next: Parents Believe that Technology is the Future of Learning and that's Why Most of Them Rely on Tech for Educating Their Children
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

Security Experts Ring The Alarm As Ransomware Operators Create Replicas Of Victim’s Site And Publish Stolen Data

Ransomware operators that go by the name ALPHV are wreaking havoc by using new kinds of extortion tactics. They’re creating replicas of a victim’s website so it could publish data that has been stolen on it.

The name has been outlined as BlackCat Ransomware that’s best known as a new group that is conducting trials. This is a new means of adding new pressure and shaming so many victims into making payments.

These new tactics aren’t too successful at first, it is making room for a very competitive and increasing threat landscape through which victims need to pass through. Moreover, hackers are making it so much easier to attain data that are stolen as well.

Just last week, this particular threat actor went public and published across a website a new type of data leak website that’s hidden in places like the Tor network. These ended up compromising a firm that had to do with financial services.


H/T: Brett Callow

Since these victims didn’t meet the demands of the threat actor involved, Black Cat ended up publishing all those stolen files as a form of penalty, which is the standard step taken by so many ransomware operators.

It’s a clear deviation from that usual process that we see with time. Hackers end up leaking data on a particular website and they mimic the victim’s appearance and name of the domain to trick others.

While most hackers don’t keep these original headings on a particular site, they ended up using their own headings through which they organized all the stolen data.

You can well think of this as a cloned website that’s located on the clear web. It ensures a wide availability related to files that keep getting stolen. Now, it’s putting ahead so many documents and memos to staff and even forms for payments. Then it has the likes of information from staff and any assets with expenses involved. Some data even entails passport scans with information on partners too.

As a whole, it has 3.5GB of data for documents. Similarly, it shared data that was taken on file-sharing services which allow anonymous data uploading while distributing links on certain leaked websites.

Security experts mentioned how there is certainly a new type of link that is forming with time. Moreover, threat analysts mentioned that sharing data through such domains is a huge concern for obvious reasons.

This trend could be the start of a whole new network that is getting adopted by the likes of various other gangs involved in ransomware. This is especially true in today’s time as it’s being adopted due to lower costs.

So many people dealing in this category are on the lookout for ways to extort victims more viciously.

ALPHV is turning out to be the first major gang dealing in serious ransomware and also making a search that’s specific to the likes of taking on board stolen data from various victims. These pages are outlined for consumers and staff to see if their data was ever stolen by hackers in the first place.

Via: BC

Read next: 85% of IT Pros Fear Cybersecurity Issues in 2023
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

HDR videos are taking over Instagram and it is the worst trend for social media users

HDR has been a ‘thing’ for a while now however it is time we understand the proper usage of the feature or stop using it altogether to bless everyone’s eyesight.

People have been recording videos and taking pictures in HDR for quite some time. Samsung and Apple launched the feature quite a while back and forced people to use it without giving them an understanding of it. As a result, everyone now uses HDR and they aren’t even aware of what happens when they post it.

What happens is when they post it, thousands of Apple users following them are subjected to blinding posts. Whether you’re in the dark, dimly lit space, or in broad daylight, HDR posts do not consider the brightness of your phone. Such posts completely ignore the brightness level and blind the user with their overly flashy colors and saturation level.

It is acceptable for people to make HDR videos when on vacation or at a party but posting that same video, without the slightest bit of editing is certainly not acceptable. People do not need to feel the same flashing vibe in the middle of the night that they experienced when recording the video.

So, what to do about it? Either both Apple and Samsung stop enabling the HDR feature in their future models, or they can simply educate users about when to use the feature. Educating would be the more efficient option here for phones that auto-enable the feature already.

The only concern here is that Apple doesn't give the option to disable the HDR in the settings. This feature is automatically enabled hence all pictures are always bright.

The bright side here is that only Apple users have to suffer from this. Android users and people using desktops do not have to go through the same eye-blinding pain that Apple users face. Another good news is that this problem is only evident on platforms like Reddit and Instagram.

We hope to find a solution to this problem soon to prevent Apple users from going blind.


Read next: Almost 90% of Online Shoppers Face Frustrating Obstacles
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

How to Track the Growth of Your Startup

Startup founders are always on the lookout for their next big idea, but that's not the only challenge they will need to face. They should also consider tracking their organization’s potential for success.

Keeping track of critical metrics can do more than help you see where your business is heading. It also gives you a good view of what works and what doesn't. With this information, you will be able to make important strategic decisions that can help you maintain your gains.

Photo: Pexels / @Goumbik

The growth of your startup hinges on how well you set specific goals, what metrics you are tracking, and what path your business should take. Here's a guide to help you measure your startup's current and potential growth.

1. Know what to measure

Before anything else, you need to know which metrics will give you a good idea of your startup's health across various areas. If you want to know how it's performing in terms of revenue gains, look at the number of sales conversions it generates each month.

You can also check how much it costs to convert a single warm lead. This amount is known as customer acquisition cost and it gives you an idea of whether you're getting substantial returns from your marketing efforts.

Brand awareness is also a crucial metric to measure. People are more receptive to businesses they are familiar with, so building and measuring brand presence helps you determine if you are reaching out to your target audience.

When it comes to measuring the growth of your startup, always consider the goals you want to accomplish. That way, you will have a more accurate understanding of where your business is headed.

2. Look toward customer sentiments

In most cases, you can't always rely on quantitative tools to measure your brand's success. You will also need to gather qualitative data that consists of actual reviews and reactions from customers who used your product or service.

There are several ways you can measure customer sentiments. Apart from sending out survey forms and encouraging them to leave a review on your Google My Business Page, you should also determine the amount of social media engagement (including click-throughs, shares, and reactions) your startup gets on social media networks like Facebook or LinkedIn.

You could also measure the performance of your customer service team. Responding to any question or issue no matter how trivial could significantly impact your brand reputation. When a customer leaves a bad review showing their disappointment towards the customer service team, you should take this as an opportunity to improve this area of your startup. By measuring customer sentiments, you can map out where your startup is lacking in boosting customer retention and loyalty.

3. Check for current and historical trends

Managing a startup is all about knowing the latest disruptions and how it’s affecting your target market. You need to identify recent trends in your sector or niche. From there, you need to see if your products or services align with current trends.

It also matters to track consumer preferences over time. What changes affected a person’s decision to purchase a certain product? Are there any gaps you will need to fill in? What improvements or innovations will you pursue to keep up with market changes? Asking these questions will help you narrow down your marketing campaign and optimally allocate your budget towards high-opportunity areas.

4. Get a KPI tracking tool

A key performance indicator or KPI is a metric that shows you how well your business is performing in line with the specific objectives you have set. Tracking KPIs is impossible without using the right software since you need to translate raw data into actionable insights. Fortunately, there are several KPI dashboard software that allows you to set KPIs and see your startup’s growth trajectory using simple visualizations.

When choosing a tool for tracking KPIs, look for one that covers all aspects of your startup, from marketing to the organization’s financial health. You should also consider a tool that lets you customize and set how often KPI reports are generated. Using a KPI tool will help you gather and analyze crucial business data all in one place. Moreover, you also get to spend more time making decisions and seeking new business opportunities.

5. Know what the competition is doing

Sometimes, you will need to look at your closest competitors and see if they are making changes to their business strategies. Any pivot could have a significant impact on your future plans, so take the time to analyze your competitors’ latest campaigns and determine whether your business isn’t banking on these trends.

Competitor analysis goes a long way in helping you understand how well your startup adapts to recent threats and stays ahead of everyone else.

If you want your startup to grow, you need to spend time analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data. It can get tedious, but it will be worth your while as your startup keeps growing.

by Web Desk via Digital Information World

4 SEO Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential tool for any business that wants to increase its online presence and generate leads. Almost every company invests in SEO to have their brands rank higher on search engines, driving quality traffic to their brand and increasing credibility.

Photo: Unsplash / Tim van der Kuip

Integrating SEO yourself can take time and effort. For excellent results, most businesses prefer outsourcing their work to SEO companies. To ensure your content generates high traffic and quality leads, choose the best SEO company in the USA. If you want to save money and add SEO strategies yourself, then for effective results, you must familiarize yourself with some common SEO challenges businesses face. Such as the ones mentioned below.

1.Slow Indexing in SEO

Indexing refers to adding a webpage’s content to search engines to be considered for rankings. If your website has high-quality content with keywords and an appropriate URL structure, it will likely be saved in the search engine database. The search engine will display your website near the top when somebody searches your keywords. However, you can hinder indexing with poor content quality and weak internal linking. Similarly, overuse of non-relevant keywords will decrease your website’s ranking. For optimal indexing, you must have proper internal linking, relevant keywords, and accurate information to create quality content.

You should set up Google Analytics and search console. Google Analytics will give you data about visitors, their time spent on your page, and their location, while the search console will highlight any indexing or security errors for you to work on.

2. SEO Algorithm Updates

The SEO algorithm constantly evolves. To ensure your website continues to generate high traffic, you must keep up with SEO updates, such as the Core Web Vitals algorithm update. Google announced this algorithm to give users a more pleasant and secure experience than ever before. Core Web Vitals focuses on website stability, Interactivity, and site load speed, so well-designed websites have an edge in the algorithm.

Note that search engines adjust their algorithm regularly to ensure there aren’t just a few websites always staying at the top on the SERPs. In addition, continuous shuffling of website ranks can allow users to enjoy new features that the websites may offer. While these updates may improve user experience, they require you to update your website to stay SEO-optimized. Ignoring algorithm updates over time will lead to less online visibility of your website, reducing your organic traffic. To overcome this issue, you must create an in-house SEO team to optimize your website. Or another cost-effective way is to outsource the work to an SEO agency.

3. SERP Rankings

Search engine results pages (SERPs) are the pages you see after searching on a web browser. Websites ranked higher on SERPs enjoy more traffic and sales. You must understand the search engine algorithm's trends to ensure that your website has strong SEO and a higher SERP ranking.

Ensure your page is structured accurately with proper HTML markup to improve your SERP ranking. Your page content shouldn’t have any spelling or grammar mistakes. Consider investing in tools like GTmetrix. Such tools analyze your website performance and give you suggestions to improve it. They help you adapt to the constantly evolving SEO landscape and secure your ranking. So the website traffic won’t drop, and you will continue to generate revenue.

4. Slow Loading

SEO values user experience and only ranks content that is easy to navigate and quick to access. Page load speed is vital for SEO and influences how Google ranks your website. Slow site load speed translates into a negative user experience. This turns the visitors away and decreases your website ranking. On the other hand, fast sites offer a positive user experience, so Google ranks them higher.

To ensure a high website ranking, you must hire a team to work on your website’s development and maintenance. The team should effectively decrease the loading time while ensuring no vital design element is lost. Optimize your website’s loading time by having your website development team consult with the SEO team to integrate effective maintenance strategies.

To increase site speed, you can minimize CSS files. It is a process of removing unnecessary characters, spacing, and comments in your content which can negatively impact site speed. In addition, you can enable image compression to minimize image size in bytes without degrading its quality. This is an excellent way to optimize your site's loading times.

Another significant factor determining website speed is your host. Web hosts allow you to publish your website over the internet and significantly influence your website performance. Choosing the right web host, such as Bluehost, can boost website speed and performance.

Endnote

SEO problems hurt the search rankings of many websites. To ensure your business shows at the top of searches, you must develop your website according to the search engines. Site visibility indicates how successfully you have optimized your site for search engines like Google. The higher your ranking in search engines, the more likely you will get more organic traffic through clicks. Consider building a team and dividing tasks to keep up with the algorithm updates. This method ensures your website has top ranking and quality traffic.

by Web Desk via Digital Information World

Twitter’s Algorithms Should Be Open Source If Musk Wishes It To Be A Public Square, Facebook Whistleblower Claims

Facebook’s leading whistleblower Frances Haugen is making some straightforward claims for Twitter chief Elon Musk.

According to Haugen, the app’s algorithms need a change so that Musk’s promise of the platform is deemed a public square could be fulfilled. This change should be in the form of making all algorithms public, he confirmed.

We’ve seen the company’s chief mention time and time again that he wants the platform to be a digital town square. This is where matters linked to the future of humanity get debated.

Similarly, Haugen was seen talking about Elon Musk’s views via a special edition of NBC News’ Meet The Press. She revealed her thoughts on the way social media is altering today’s political scene. She even mentioned to one journalist that one crucial thing that Musk needs to do to prove he wishes to have a public square is public algorithms. People would relate more to his wishes and transparency would be at an all-time high, which is what people want.

By making it open source, Frances mentioned how he would have more help by his side and it would be cheaper in the price for him too. It would be more profitable as well.

Musk has been very outspoken about such matters in the past and how he bought the app so that he could provide people with more power. He similarly revealed through a memo after sealing the $44 billion deal that he purchased Twitter to help market the idea of dialogue. And he thinks it has been lost with time.

Musk really wishes Twitter could be the most accurate location for information around the globe. Just a few weeks after an acquisition arose, he decreased the number of people that were in charge of the platform and handling things like content moderation.

Haugen has plenty of knowledge on things like this. She has served as an ex-product manager for Facebook’s civic integrity team. In 2021, she turned heads after going public with thousands of leaked sources of internal documents that showcased decisions being made.

She even informed Congress about how such behavior led to further divisions, greater harm, and plenty of lies too.

In a recent interview with NBC News where Haugen arrived spoke about how so many social media firms were opposed to the intervention being made by the government as it may decrease profits significantly by nearly 20%.


Read next: Twitter Relaunches Swipeable Feed Alternatives As Frustration Grows With The App’s Recommendations
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Parents Believe that Technology is the Future of Learning and that's Why Most of Them Rely on Tech for Educating Their Children

It's a world full of technology that even parents cannot live without for raising their children. A survey between 2,000 parents in the USA proved that parents of children between the ages of 3 to 7 years use technology to teach their children before enrolling them in formal educational institutes. But there are also some parents which do not use any kind of technology with a percentage of 26%. 60% of the parents said they believe that learning through technology is the only way by which their child can progress along with the world. While some parents do not like the use of technology, 82% believe that they would like to learn through technology when they were younger.

This survey was conducted by One Poll on behalf of Duolingo ABC which is a learning app for children, it was proven that technology is the best way to learn. This survey concluded that 71% of parents have already used a technology app for their child's learning. 74% say that they think technology helps their children learn a lot, and this makes them less stressed in their parenting. 79% of parents in the survey said that by using technology, they make their child learn something new like a language or a new hobby. This is the reason that 64% of children use technology for creative learning. 67% of children also use technology for communicating with their family and friends. This way they learn socialization through an online approach.

This isn't all because technology is doing much more for parents like scheduling duties for their children. By using technology, parents can schedule different activities for children like sports or meal timings. Millennials are also learning the use of technology because they believe that it has to be used side by side with other activities to live in this world. Many parents are making themselves familiar with technology and want to learn it for the sake of their children. 63% of parents are still struggling to understand the technology while 69% of them are teaching their child about how to use the technology.

Many parents are also learning the ways by which their children can learn more effectively. 39% of parents believe that they are willing to learn more about technology as per the recommendation from their child's teacher and the success of peers. That being said, 81% of parents have a strong belief that technology is indeed the future of education and if you want to survive in this world, it is a must to learn it.
Read next: Can Smartphones Affect Your Married Life? This New Study Reveals The Answer Most People Gave
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World