Staying informed is a constant challenge. There’s so much to do, and so little time. But we have you covered. Grab a coffee and take five while you nibble on these tidbits.
Persistent claims first with new open source maintenance service
Provider of digital engineering and enterprise modernization services Persistent Systems this week launched what it called a “unique maintenance service” that it said is the first-of-its-kind, and keeps an organization’s open source software up to date with all patches, bug fixes, and the latest software releases.
A release from the firm said the new offering is comprised of a “dedicated team of experts and specialists dealing with a wide range of complex software, equipped with the latest technologies, and backed by a knowledge base to help clients maintain their open source software with all releases for the continuity of business operations.”
Known as Persistent Open Source Hub and available on a subscription basis, the offering is a partnership between Persistent and Lineaje Inc., which specializes in software supply chain security management and whose technology and AI capabilities are integrated into the service.
Lineaje will enable Persistent to help clients gain visibility into open-source components and provide impact assessment and prioritization of maintenance based on compatibility, integrity, and security in their supply chain, the release said.
“While open source software offers numerous advantages, it also presents particular challenges in an enterprise environment,” it said. “Organizations face delays in software upgrades and maintenance while waiting for the open source community to provide fixes, which in turn means potentially missing software delivery and security compliance obligations.”
KPMG in Canada, Chainalysis team up with pact to prevent crypto fraud
KPMG in Canada and Chainalysis have announced they are teaming up to help reduce the threat of crypto fraud with the signing of a strategic agreement in which KPMG will join the Chainalysis Solution Provider program.
The collaboration advances the certification of KPMG professionals as Chainalysis Certified Investigators, a release stated, which in turn enhances their ability to assist clients across public sector agencies and private sector businesses to detect and prevent illicit activity related to cryptoassets.
“Our clients look to us as trusted advisors in the cryptoasset space, and our relationship with Chainalysis is a commitment to helping those clients be more agile, innovative and compliance-focused in an ecosystem that’s constantly evolving,” said Kunal Bhasin, partner and cryptoassets and blockchain co-leader at KPMG in Canada. “This collaboration will help to further solidify KPMG’s expertise in forensic investigations and cryptoassets and blockchain technology.”
The combination, the release said, leverages the expertise of both firms to provide enhanced blockchain monitoring, support, governance, and risk management to help organizations adhere to evolving cryptoasset regulations and advance their Anti-Money Laundering Compliance programs.
Panasonic refreshes Toughbook 55 with launch of Mk3
Panasonic Connect has launched the Toughbook 55 Mk3, the third iteration of its semi-rugged laptop. It features 13th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7 Processors with Intel vPro Technology and up to 14 cores, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3; LTE is optional.
According to a release, its audio has been improved for use in noisy environments, and includes dual array mics with AI noise cancellation to allow for voice control.
In addition, user-upgradeable expansion areas (xPAKs) allow customers to add ports, extra batteries or additional storage. Its rugged certifications include three-foot drop rating, MIL-STD-810H, and IP53.
The Toughbook as a Service (TaaS) Program offers a subscription model to customers and provides an opex solution to help organizations stay current with the latest technology. The Toughbook 55 Mk3 i7 is available for purchase now, and the i5 will be available for purchase in February 2024.
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Protera launches CloudVantage management platform
This week, software-enabled services provider Protera announced the launch of CloudVantage, an enterprise cloud management platform that combines automation, monitoring and artificial intelligence (AI) to support workloads on Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
“The move to the cloud has increased the complexity of securing, managing and continuously optimizing enterprise IT transparently,” said senior vice president of engineering Jeff Pierce. “However, our clients expect visibility, trust, and cost efficiency, which is why we built CloudVantage.”
Deloitte Canada reaches agreement for carbon credits with CarbonCure
As part of Deloitte Canada’s commitment to sustainability and climate action, the firm has announced a multi-year agreement with CarbonCure Technologies for the purchase of high-quality carbon credits. Through this agreement, Deloitte said it will directly support the deployment of CarbonCure’s carbon removal technologies around the globe.
Recognized as the North American Cleantech Company of the Year in 2020, and grand prize winner of the Carbon XPRIZE in 2021, the Halifax-based firm has developed technologies that, according to a release, “inject captured and liquefied CO2 from industries and Direct Air Capture (DAC) into concrete. This not only permanently stores CO2, but increases the concrete’s strength, resulting in economic and climate benefits.”
The multi-year agreement, it said, helps evolve Deloitte’s carbon management strategy to support development and scale of meaningful market solutions.
“Corporate buyers play a critical role as early investors in climate solutions that enable decarbonization of high-emitting industries and permanent carbon removal,” said Sheri Penner, managing partner of purpose and sustainability at Deloitte Canada. “Supporting the development and verification of high-quality carbon removal credits is crucial to scale the gigaton market that is needed to meet net-zero.”
Smartphone shipments still dropping, but not as much as in 2022: Canalys
The global smartphone market is showing early signs of recovery after declining 12 per cent in 2022, according to new forecasts from Canalys.
While shipments are still expected to drop five per cent this year, the softening decline points at stabilization as regions like the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America return to growth, at nine per cent, three per cent and two per cent, respectively, this year.
According to the research firm, in the full year 2023, 1.13 billion smartphones will be shipped, which is expected to grow four per cent to reach 1.17 billion units in 2024. The smartphone market is expected to ship 1.25 billion units in 2027, achieving a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2023 to 2027 of 2.6 per cent.
“The smartphone industry is clearly emerging from its darkest days, even as the shipments remain over 20 per cent below its 2017 peak,” said Canalys senior analyst Toby Zhu.
“The good news is that consumers are placing more value on their devices than ever before, with average selling prices now exceeding US$440, versus US$332 in 2017. Profitability is looking up for hardware makers strategically launching flashy new features to captivate consumers in key growth markets.”
