Intel's major restructuring effort will result in 12,000 layoffs

Intel has announced a major restructuring effort that will cost 12,000 jobs, or 11 per cent of its workforce to mid-2017. The news comes as the company's plans to "accelerate its evolution from a PC company to one that powers the cloud and billions of smart, connected computing devices." The chipmaker is focusing on data centres and Internet of Things (IoT) as primary growth areas expected to offset the slowing PC market.

"Intel Corporation today announced a restructuring initiative to accelerate its evolution from a PC company to one that powers the cloud and billions of smart, connected computing devices. Intel will intensify its focus in high-growth areas where it is positioned for long-term leadership, customer value and growth, while making the company more efficient and profitable," the company said in a statement.

Source: TechSpot.com

Messaging service Viber now has end-to-end encryption and PIN protected chats

Followinfg in the stead of WhatsApp which introduced tighter encryption in its messages weeks ago, monster messaging service Viber is now inluding end-to-end encryption for its messages as well as PIN protected chats. In what is considered a direct result of Apple's recent debacle with the FBI regarding iPhone hacking and security, various messaging providers are enabling higher levels of encryption for their customers.

Viber has more than 700 million users globally across iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and desktop. “We take our users’ security and privacy very seriously, and it’s critical to us that they feel confident and protected when using Viber,” explained Michael Shmilov, COO of Viber. “Because of this, we have spent a long time working on this latest update to ensure that our users have the most sophisticated security available and maximum control over their communications. We will continue to make this an ongoing priority as digital communication evolves.”

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Turo's peer-to-peer car rental service launches in Canada

Pioneering car rental marketplace Turo announces today its launch into Canada, marking its first expansion outside of the US. Empowering Canadians to turn their idle cars into earning engines and inject more personality and value into the car rental experience, Turo is the first peer-to-peer car rental company in Canada. 

Putting Canada’s 23 million vehicles to better use, Turo allows car owners to offset the cost of car ownership by renting their idle vehicles to pre-approved travellers, while helping travellers find the perfect vehicle for their next adventure. Cars rented on Turo typically cost 30 per cent less than traditional car rentals. Members of the Turo community pay no membership fees, and each trip is backed by Turo’s leading trust and safety protections, including $2 million in auto liability insurance and 24-hour roadside assistance.  

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Apple updates MacBook line with latest processors and new Rose Gold colour

Apple's MacBook has received an upgrade. The ultra-thin and compact notebook now features sixth-generation dual-core Intel Core M processors up to 1.3 GHz, with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.1 GHz, and faster 1866 MHz memory. New Intel HD Graphics 515 deliver up to 25 percent faster graphics performance, and faster PCIe-based flash storage adds substantial speed. Apple seems to have retained the single USB Type-C port from last year's MacBook.

The new MacBook offers up to 10 hours of wireless web browsing and up to 11 hours of iTunes movie playback. MacBooks are offered in Silver, Space Grey, Gold and now Rose Gold. Pricing in Canada is as follows. The 1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core m3 processor, 8GB of memory and 256GB of flash storage for $1,549 (CAD), and with a 1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Core m5 processor, 8GB of memory and 512GB of flash storage for $1,899 (CAD). Configure-to-order options include a 1.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core m7 processor. The MacBook Air line also got an update of sorts now with 8GB of RAM standard across all models. For our review of last year's MacBook click here.