Stiftung Warentest classifies WhatsApp as very critical

Stiftung Warentest has tested the data protection of WhatsApp and the other four alternatives of messenger service. The Swiss App Threema is the only one of the four messengers stood and fulfilled the requirements of the tester and stood alone. The independent consumer organization Stiftung Warentest has tested the Instant Messenger WhatsApp and four other alternative instant messengers.

The results give some unexpected results. Only the app Threema evaluate by the tester as non-critical where as WhatsApp itself is classified as very critical one in data protection, as well as the BlackBerry Messenger and Line also categorize as very critical and the same for the Telegram. According to Stiftung Warentest; they have checked the messenger in the Android and iOS versions of the Messenger, and they checked whether the apps encrypt user data and what information they transmit to whom.

“The assessment therefore refers exclusively to the Privacy Policy, writes the consumer organization. In other words, the usability of the Messenger has played no part in the tests. In addition to pure data transmission, the tester interested in the conditions of the actual app, transparency or openness source with respect to the transmission protocol and the availability and cost of apps. When the top rated app Threema welcome the tester that the Android version completely renounce the transmission of user data. In addition, the apps for iOS and Android saved the address book entries only under a pseudonym.

However one complaint is there are that Threema is not open source software. Therefore, a complete analysis according to Stiftung Warentest has not been possible. However, the same applies for all other tested apps. Even in the partly open source Telegram was not possible a full review of the transfer. The fact that data regarding the telegram sent unencrypted, but was ruled out, writes the consumer organization. The Messenger WhatsApp was described by the critics as very critical, unsurprisingly. The app was noticed in recent months repeatedly by security flaws.

According to Stiftung Warentest the Android version itself sends unencrypted data that the user enters including interview content might be. The tester feared that by many of the user data of WhatsApp transfer to the servers of Facebook. From the terms of the app, it is apparent that "the users data can be passed on to the new owner, i.e. Facebook.

 Facebook had announced the purchase of WhatsApp last Thursday. The other two Messenger, Line, and BlackBerry Messenger, were mentioned as critical by the consumer organization with respect to the data protection. The Android app of line sends the serial number IMEI of the device unencrypted to third parties further criticized by the tester. Blackberry on the other hand could create accurate personality profiles even with the data of its users.

Portal Consulting: The Next Solution in IT Management

Many businesses today rely on a diverse range of web applications and collaborative software to run their day to day operations. But with so many points of interconnection between software programs, finding ways to access all those tools can be challenging—even for the most proficient of IT departments. This is why having an effective enterprise portal is key to running a successful business in today’s growing market.
Using just a single website -- which can remain public or private -- your staff can access tools, software programs and applications, as well as other IT functions through one customizable portal that you control. Best of all, you decide who gains access to the portal and the degree to which that user – or different sets of users – can gain access to information and software tools (i.e., Will each user have complete access, partial access, or a combination of the two based on the changing needs of their position?). Members of the Human Resources department, for instance, may have limited access to certain tools and information within the portal, while members of the Legal department may have unlimited access to all of the tools and functions within the portal. Regardless of how you categorize and manage information, you can rest assured that the right information will be disseminated to the right people and in the right way.
The most common uses of an enterprise portal include, but are not limited to:

• Share documents among disparate parts of an organization, including those groups operating from a different geography
• Develop a controlled and customizable method for sustainable collaboration among staff, clients and customers, where applicable.

Businesses wanting to set up one or more web portals should contact a leading portal consulting firm. A good portal consulting firm will be able to explain the different technologies that can be used to create an enterprise portal and train members of your staff on how to use that portal once the chosen technology is set up and in place. Most portal consulting firms provide technology support, which can be important during the initial implementation stage of the process, particularly as you discover new and more effective ways to expand your website.
Maintaining Your Privacy
Security certificates protect the private sections of your portal, which means you can disseminate key operational data to staff without fear of a confidentiality breach.  Once the right security certificates are in place, you can add, edit, publish and transmit information and tools as needed. Or, as needs change, you can manage which sections are kept private and which ones are made public.  Either way, portal consulting offers a doorway to immediate and customizable information and tools that coule revolutionze the way you do business.
Portal consulting with TekStream provides a long term, cost effective, and innovative way to disseminate public and private information to audiences using various tools.  With just one web portal, your business can single-handedly encourage collaboration and growth, while simultaneously meeting organizational demands. With portal consulting, you never have to compromise on speed or efficiency when deploying web applications again!

Management of Social Media Accounts

A business that is extremely active must use every weapon it has to increase sales and bring in customers. However, that same company cannot possibly use all of its time and energy on the many irons that it has in the fire. There are some things that can be outsourced to great effect for the health of the business. Social media accounts can be managed for a business by an outside party to ensure that the company is putting its best face forward without hiring a full-time staffer to be on Twitter all day.

The concept of managing a social network is no different than outsourcing the handling of email and customer response. While many companies want to have a Twitter account that is active and makes them look good, having a social media professional handle the job works much better. Having an account on social media reaches a certain audience, and it is best that a professional is handling the account so that they can reach that audience on any occasion.

Also, the interactions with customers must be as immediate as possible. It is not wise to have someone in the office look after the Twitter account when they have other things to do. A professional who works in the social media marketing field can stay on top of the account easily while being able to meet the needs of the followers of the company's Twitter feed much better.

Twitter management is about much more than posting tweets every now and then. It is about making sure that a company is branding itself in a certain light through the use of their social media accounts. Don't waste this huge opportunity when it can be handled by a social media professional who understands how to write on and for Twitter to ensure the maximum impact for the company. With the right kind of help, every business with a Twitter account can make gains on the network.

People see what is happening on Twitter and immediately go to a company's website to see what they are all about, and this can be done for the business by an industry professional.

Jolla Releases Sailfish OS 1.0, Major Update Coming Soon!

Jolla announced that Sailfish OS version 1.0 is stable and deployment on Smartphones begin in early March. In addition, it will broadcast an application for Android to try the user interface, while it also announced that many other were made for Smartphones and tablets.

 Sailfish OS reminds MeeGo. This system was jointly developed by Intel and Nokia until that company decides to focus only on Windows Phone. Therefore, some executives who participated in MeeGo decided in 2011 to create their own company, known under the name of La Jolla.

Since the first Sailfish equipped Smartphone OS was released last November and is sold for 399 Euros. It was previously in beta version. Jolla has therefore announced that its system which was now finalized and that happened in version 1.0.

The brand gives few details on what has changed, but promises performance enhancements, new features, cosmetic additions at the appearance of the user interface, improved support for the landscape format, etc. It adds that the first final version will be available via an update from the beginning of March. The company takes this 1.0 version of the system to indicate two things.

The first is an application for Android will be available very quickly so that potential users can see what looks like Sailfish OS. Here it is a question of being able to try the different features offered by the user interface and functionality of advanced gestures.

Specifically, it should be better to issue a launcher. So far no date is specified on arrival but will be available through the Play Store or directly from the site Jolla. And for those wishing to take the sweep without changing Smartphone, the company indicates that Sailfish OS have already been made for multiple devices including Samsung Galaxy, Nexus Google or Sony Xperia.

In addition, drafts for popular Smartphones in Xiaomi are planned within the community. But for the moment outside the models have shown on this wiki where you can see the progress of adaptation. Sailfish OS offers its own applications and it also supports those developed for Android. Anyway Jolla used this announcement to indicate that publishers are beginning to join.

And names mentioned by the company, are Rovio, the father of Angry Birds. F -Secure, known for its antivirus solutions, meanwhile Younita propose online storage solution users of Jolla. For now, the company gives no details on the available storage capacity or level of service.

Microsoft Signs Agreement With Hop-On

Microsoft has signed its twenty-second license agreement for the use of patents related to Android and Chrome OS with “Hop-on” the original equipment and design manufacturer of American electronics. As usual, the amount of royalties paid and other terms remains confidential.

After Voxx Electronics last week, Microsoft announced a new licensing agreement relating to the exploitation of its portfolio of patents related to Android and Chrome OS two days before. The new licensee is Hop-on; they are one of the manufactures of Smartphones, tablets, e-readers, set- top boxes and televisions.

Financial terms of the agreement were, as usual, not disclosed, but Microsoft states that they will receive royalties. “The license is an effective way to share technology and rely on each other's work to provide valuable products for consumers," said Horacio Gutierrez, Assistant Vice- President and General Counsel in charge of innovation and intellectual property at Microsoft. This agreement is the twenty- second of its kind for this Redmond Company.