Microsoft Pays Out $10,000 After Unwanted Windows 10 Update

There never seems to be a good time for an operating system update. Never. Even though their coercing little pop-ups may be annoying, spare a thought for Microsoft, who ended up forking out $10,000 because of one Californian's run-in with its Windows 10 update.

Teri Goldstein, a travel-agency business owner, told The Seattle Times that her work computer attempted to download the Windows 10 update without her authorization. Although she reportedly clicked the "X" on the pop-up, the update unwittingly downloaded. However, within a few days, the update failed and ended up crashing her computer.

As The Register points out, the notification box for the Windows 10 update is one of the few examples on the Windows operating system where closing the box with the "X" in the top right-hand corner actually confirms the download for you. Hardly what you would expect from a big red cross.

The Windows 10 support website states: “This notification means your Windows 10 upgrade will occur at the time indicated, unless you select either Upgrade now or 'Click here to change upgrade schedule or cancel scheduled upgrade.' If you click on OK or on the red 'X', you’re all set for the upgrade and there is nothing further to do.”

Although Microsoft insist the upgrade is totally optional, the Windows 10 update has previously come under fire for its pushiness, with reports saying the update was made “convoluted and difficult” for users to opt out of.

The Seattle Times explains that Microsoft have been pushing for the Windows 10 operating system in a bid to "stay relevant" in the ongoing war with super-trendy Apple and Google. It also helps guide more of their audience towards using the Bing search engine and other Microsoft-owned products.

But back to Teri Goldstein – the crashing of her computer meant she was unable to work. Even after she reached out to Microsoft support, her computer was unusable. Seeking compensation for her lost wages and a new computer, Goldstein took the tech-giants to court. After a long court case and an appeal on the part of Microsoft, they eventually agreed to pay a sum of $10,000.

Microsoft denied any wrongdoing on their behalf and insisted they only dropped the appeal to avoid further expenses.

Amazon's Alexa Now Lets Users Turn On New Skills By Voice Command

Amazon has taken the natural step of allowing users to load up new "skills" in its personal assistant Alexa, via a voice command.

Users can say, for example, "Alexa, enable NBC News" or "Alexa, enable 7-minute workout" and access those integrated services instantly, Amazon says.

Before, users had to set up new skills using the Alexa app. But since Alexa is used to respond to immediate needs, users are often unwilling to stop what they're doing, grab their phone, and locate and enable a new skill in the app.

Honeywell and Lyft both added new skills today, the companies said. To load upthe Lyft skill for first use, users can say "Alexa, ask Lyft." They can then tell Alexa to request rides, find out a driver's ETA, or tip a driver.

Amazon says the addition of new third-party skills has ramped up considerably over the past couple of months. Alexa knew only 735 skills by the end of May; she now knows more than 1,400. So many skills of all kinds have been added, Amazon says, that it's had to start organizing them in categories in the Alexa app.

Alexa users have made more than 3 million task requests using the top 10 most popular skills, Amazon says. The company isn't revealing all the names in the top 10, but told Fast Company that Fitbit, Daily Affirmation, and Jeopardy are among them.

The first product to contain the Alexa brain was Amazon's own Echo, a purpose-built voice-controlled home assistant device. It was a surprise hit, and Google, at least, has now announced a similar product called Google Home. Alexa's success may mean that consumers prefer requesting some simple tasks by voice to requesting them by tapping on an app running on a smartphone.

Part of what makes Alexa such a promising personal assistant is its device independence and openness. Amazon started letting developers build skills for Alexa a year ago this month. It was also roughly a year ago that Amazon, in a stroke of genius, began allowing device makers to build the Alexa voice-based personal assistant into their own products. The company says "tens of thousands" of developers are now developing new skills and building Alexa into their hardware.

Because of its sensitive hearing and comprehension, Alexa is also a formidable platform for controlling smart-home devices like light switches, door locks, and simple security devices. Amazon says its connected home partners have been busily creating new skills, and that there are now five times as many home control skills than existed at the beginning of the year.

It's not clear how many people are now using Alexa-based devices. One reportsaid Amazon has sold 3 million Echoes since the launch of the product in late 2014. That's not exactly a runaway hit, but the home assistant category is still moving from early adopters to mainstream users. One of the ways Amazon can accelerate that move is by making Alexa the go-to assistant for more types of everyday tasks. Adding the ability to load new skills by voice command will surely help.

4 Important Lessons You Can Learn Now That 3D Printing is Dying

Stick a fork in 3-D printing, it's done. Or at least everyone is starting to wonder why it is slipping off a ledge.

It all started with a Saab cup holder.

I happen to own a 2004 model, a family car with a turbo (don't ask). Way back in December, before everyone started wondering if 3-D printing was on the deadpool, I tested out a MakerBot Replicator Mini for a few weeks. It was a heady time printing out Darth Vadar replicas from Thingiverse and experimenting with my own concoctions. Then, I tried to print something I actually needed, something that would save me a few hundred dollars or a trip to the junkyard.

As my dad used to say, that's when I noticed there was trouble with a capital T.

As recently as May 2015, 3-D printing was championed as a savior of all things. Last Friday, Newsweek magazine finally broke the ice. Maybe that should be: It shattered the ice, squished it into the ground, and sprayed it off the showroom floor with a hose. MakerBot recently whittled down its work force and the stock price of parent companyStratasys has plummeted. It's like someone sucked all of the momentum out of the maker industry and pulled the plug, then bought a new plastic plug at Walmart.

What happened? I often think of that Saab part as a good model of what went wrong. (By the way, I promise not to use any metaphors for 3-D printing from now on.) For starters, I really wanted to print the cup holder. I even asked a well-known Thingiverse designer for help, and was going to pay him, but he said the part was too complex. Wait, what? Too complex for a well-known designer? He even used the word "hassle" in his email back to me. The part is not something you'd use on a NASA spaceship. It does have a spring attached to two pieces of plastic that fold together.

What about a water bottle cage for my bike? Shouldn't be a big problem. There are plenty of designs. But when I actually printed one of them, it broke on my first ride. Also, a much more important piece of data: A water bottle cage costs about $4 at Amazon.com but even a relatively short spool of filament costs $65. The math doesn't compute. And, it doesn't make sense to spend the time.

From that experience, I knew something was wrong. As the Newsweek article notes, you can print only so many Yoda heads before you wonder why you bought the device. A 3-D printer won't magically terraform anything right before your eyes, and it even has problems with slightly complex car parts. I even remember my nephew, who is working as an intern for me this year, saying the industry needs to figure out this problem. It's fun for a while, but eventually you realize you need to do something practical after paying almost $1,000 for the product.

I believe there's a few lessons for anyone following trends. Here they are.

1. Make sure you try it yourself.

One of the main reason 3-D printing was mostly about the hype was due to the fact that many of the people writing about the field had never actually printed anything. Ironically, it's because it's so complex. I'll admit that it took me a few days to print out my first Darth Vadar toy, especially since there's some trickery with how you connect your laptop over Wi-Fi to even make your first Yoda head. And, when I printed out a Ford Mustang, it took me a few tries before the final model looked anything like the car I remember from my youth. Even then, it had one tire that looked flat. This did not turn me into a superfan. I'm still optimistic and love the idea of local manufacturing and the market is still ripe. I stand by this feature in Inc. magazine. But I'm not exactly on the fast train anymore. It's more like I'm on the bandwagon, bouncing along over rough terrain and mindful of how slow a bandwagon usually goes.

2. Ask hard questions.

3-D printing isn't totally dead, but it was always a little suspect. Even in the early days, I remember asking questions about the cost of materials, the practical applications for small business, and why anyone would ever want to print their food or inchocolate. Some of the answers were acceptable, some were more like the wizard behind the curtain pulling a lever and hoping you don't notice. If you were paying attention to what people said about 3-D printing back in 2014, you know it was always speculative. The official Gartner prediction was that the 34,010 printers sold in 2012 would somehow turn into 2.1 million units sold by 2018. That is not going to happen. It's really hard to sell a product that barely even exists anymore.

3. Talk to the outsiders.

This is the toughest one for me, because when you want to find out about a trend, the default approach is to look for people who are insiders. Analysts, designers, 3-D printing companies, and makers all had wonderful things to say about 3-D printing in 2014. I remember talking to a Ford spokesperson way back in 2012 or 2013 during a plant tour when he showed me the multimillion-dollar prototyping machines they use to make actual car parts. He was an outsider. I still remember the look he gave me when I asked about 3-D printing. It wasn't derision. It was more like he was challenging me to look around. They were using multimillion-dollar prototyping machines that make actual car parts. They had dozens of people working in that department. That spokesperson likely had the best viewpoint on consumer-level 3-D printing. His view was "wait and see" and that's still true. At the time, I doubt Ford was ready to install a bunch of MakerBot machines that would help it make the parts for the next Fusion. It was a burgeoning industry and still is. That's the only way to view it.

4. Do the math.

I mentioned the water-bottle cage. One huge lesson about any new trend is you need to get out a calculator and do the math. 3-D printing used the "razor and razor blade" approach to building an industry. Ask anyone who has decided to put a 3-D printer in a back closet about the one thing that ruined the experience and you will hear about the expenses. You have to add up the costs of a new product and the materials and compare that to your current process. Is making a plug cheaper than buying one at Walmart? That can be difficult, but maybe the math will reveal something. I see this same problem with virtual reality headsets. You can make one out of cardboard or you can pay $799 for the HTC Vive. Someone needs to do some of the math here. What do the games cost? What do the parts cost? How rewarding is the experience compared to what you can do if you go to Best Buy for five minutes? How many companies are making the games? Before you jump on any bandwagon, it's best to take a close look at the seating, the wheels, and the bumps in the road.

Why over 5000 people LOVE this LAZY "money generating product"

So a day or two ago I saw the dispatch of a

a novel item, that guaranteed

a LAZY approach to produce wage on the web.

My first response was suspicion.

I didn't take them genuine.

In any case, at the beginning of today, I saw something.

More than 5000 individuals have purchased this preparation.

Goodness...

Is there something I am absent?

So I chose to take a gander at it once more.

I read the direct mail advertisement once more.

That is when everything seemed well and good.

Here's the arrangement and a brief outline of what this is.

The item is called FlippME.

It is a straightforward and demonstrated approach to (LEGALLY)

create wage by utilizing other individuals' opportunity,

ability and energy.

Click to see details.

https://warriorplus.com/o2/a/yyyk4/0

It does not require a product, a
list or any difficult thing.


I STRONGLY recommend this.
Check it out.

https://warriorplus.com/o2/a/yyyk4/0

Best Regards

The Skills It Takes To Get Hired At Google, Facebook, Amazon, And More

LinkedIn compiled a list of the most sought-after companies. Here is what it takes to land a job at some of them.

LinkedIn dove deep into its user data and produced a list of the top 40 U.S. companies for attracting and keeping talented employees.

Only three companies in the top 20 (Coca Cola, Under Armor, and Black Rock) were not in the tech industry. These days though, plenty of businesses consider themselves a part of that sector. Take the CEO of Goldman Sachs, who refers to the financial firm as a tech company. Furthermore, coding has become the most important job skill across industries.

As the LinkedIn report notes, with every company going through a tech-driven transformation, "being a talent magnet is going to be what separates the winners from the also-rans."

Google cinched the top spot among the 40 top attractors. In addition to perks like free meals and massages along with a culture that supports diversity and thecreation of the "perfect" team, Google has no trouble drawing candidates. One former Google recruiter estimated that he reviewed 3 million resumes in one year.

But what does it really take to get a job at the top organizations?

Tech knowledge, is of course, a requirement. However, Chris Bolte, the cofounder and CEO of Paysa, a big-data platform providing market insight about compensation and retention, says he’s seeing another trend that is clinching jobs for those without a traditional computer science degree.

"The most explosive growth we're seeing is the emergence of deep learning," says Bolte. He explains, "It’s a branch of machine learning and artificial intelligence leveraging what are called neural networks."

At its simplest, the neural network functions like a web of interconnected brain cells inside a computer that can parse signals from images or video, for example. It can learn to recognize patterns and make decisions in a human way.

Bolte explains that deep learning extends a number of layers "deeper" than what was previously computationally feasible. He says given the amount of data Internet giants create, coupled with the advancement of computing, these deep learning methods are able to model signals more completely.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning as broader skills offer opportunity to a variety of tech talent. In a recent interview with Fast Company, senior machine learning recruiter at Microsoft Amanda Papp revealed: "Not everyone has to have that PhD in computer science. We have folks that have more physics backgrounds or biomathematics or permutational biology. [Machine learning] doesn't necessarily have to have that standard comp-sci path."

Paysa’s data shows that programming is still in high demand. At Google, for example, nearly half (45%) of its 60,000 employees know Java, and 42% know Python. Only 13% are knowledgeable in Git (open source software development), and 14% have skills in cloud computing. The majority (83%) of employees at Google have a bachelor’s degree, but only 7% come from Stanford. Other schools include Colorado School of Mines, Carnegie Mellon, and University College Dublin.

The No. 2 company on the list, Salesforce, has 20,000 people on staff, but their top skills are somewhat different than those at Google. As many as 46% know cloud computing and 39% are versed in agile methodologies (project management for software development). Eighty percent hold bachelor’s degrees and draw from schools such as University of California Berkeley, Southeast University, Arizona State, and University of Illinois at Urbana.

At Facebook, programming languages are in demand. Paysa data indicates that 46% of Facebook employees know Java and 44% know Python. Other top skills include C++, distributed systems, algorithms, and machine learning. Similar to the other two companies, most employees (84%) have a four-year degree, but 42% of Facebookers hold master's degrees, too. This lends credence to recent research that more employers are looking to hire candidates with advanced degrees.

However, Apple isn’t pushing for higher education among all of its workforce. Only 71% of its 100,000 employees earned bachelor’s degrees, and 28% report not having a degree at all. This is due, in part, to the fact that not every employee is working on development in its Cupertino headquarters. This can also be seen in the most prevalent skill among Apple’s ranks, software development (28%), with Java coming in second at 27%.

Rounding out the LinkedIn top five is Amazon. The e-commerce juggernaut draws many of its staffers from nearby University of Washington in Seattle, and 83% of its employees hold bachelor’s degrees. More than half (57%) know Java, and 45% are skilled in software development. Surprisingly for the company that powers so many websites with AWS, less than a quarter (21%) are knowledgeable in web services.

Despite the focus on technical prowess, those in charge of hiring at both Facebook and Google are looking for more than just hard skills.

In a previous interview, Laszlo Bock, Google's head of people operations, told Fast Company that Alphabet is looking for some very specific traits.

Four things: General cognitive ability . . . Not just raw [intelligence] but the ability to absorb information. Emergent leadership: The idea there being that when you see a problem, you step in and try to address it. Then you step out when you're no longer needed. That willingness to give up power is really important. Cultural fit: We call it Googleyness, but it boils down to intellectual humility. You don't have to be warm or fuzzy. You just have to be somebody who, when the facts show you're wrong, can say that. Expertise in the job we're gonna hire you for.

This is particularly important for candidates new to the job market. Hiring managers are looking for applicants who have developed soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and leadership, according to a survey by PayScale. As may as 60% of employers found critical thinking and problem solving lacking in entry-level job seekers.

Dan Schawbel, research director at Future Workplace, a cosponsor of the PayScale study, told Fast Company in a previous interview, "No working day will be complete without writing an email or tackling a new challenge, so the sooner you develop these skills, the more employable you will become."

Brexit: More than one million people want to change their vote from Leave to Remain

More than one million people regret their vote to leave the European Union, an opinion poll carried out in the wake of the Brexit decision suggests. 

Of the 17.4 million people who voted Leave, 1.1 million now say they wish they had not, if the results of a Survation poll are to be believed.

The poll found that people who used Brexit as a protest vote - or thought their vote "wouldn't matter" - are now having second thoughts.

One Twitter user posted: "I personally voted Leave because I believed these lies and I regret it more than anything. I feel genuinely robbed of my vote."

The Leave camp polled 1.3 million more votes than Remain in the 23 June referendum.

But about seven per cent of those surveyed by Survation said they regretted ticking "Leave" - a number equal to about 1,130,000.

Yet the poll also showed that thousands of people regretted their vote to remain in the EU, according to the Mail on Sunday.

Despite Leave just winning the referendum, an equivalent of 696,000 people apparently wish they had lent their support to the victorious side.

Had they changed their votes, Remain would not have won but the margin for Brexit would have been narrowed to less than a million.

As it stands, the UK has been split 48.2 per cent and 51.8 per cent for leaving the EU - with Scotland, London, Northern Ireland, some cities and the younger generation voted out by the rural English and older generations.

Brexit voters have even called electoral services asking if they can change their vote, prompting anger among Remain campaigners over the so-called "Bregretters".

Meanwhile, a petition for a second referendum on EU membership has garnered more than 3.6 million votes.

Another Brexit voter tweeted: "Urm, I think I kind of regret my vote. I had no real reason to pick what I did!"

David Cameron has said he will step down in the next three months and a new leader will have to negotiate Article 50, which officially triggers an exit from the EU.

Leave campaigners Boris Johnson and Michael Gove have said there is "no need for haste", but EU officials have said the British people's will must be respected and Britain will have to leave as soon as possible.

PAYONEER ALTERNATIVES: 3 BEST PREPAID DEBIT CARDS TO APPLY

•  
 
•  
 
•  

Payoneer Alternatives might be hundreds in number, but you should get the Best Payoneer Alternatives Prepaid Debit Card in order to shop online, buying web hosting & domains, web templates, amazon products and much more.

Prepaid Debit Cards whether Master Card or Visa, both help consumers while traveling all over the world or spending money via online shopping. Hassle free money uploading, peer-to-peer money exchange and funds receiving get easier when you own such an exclusive prepaid debit card membership.

One of the benefits of having an alternative to Payoneer or prepaid debit visa master card is you can fully control your spending – When you know how much you got in pocket, you can’t exceed the limit, actually it would be declined if you try to exceed… It’s just like having your bank account available to spend money online.

Well, Why Payoneer Alternatives?

I come to know that People search a lot with this search terms on google and discuss on Web and Money Making forums… then I tried to dig in and found out that people without Payoneer account or prepaid master cards normally look for Payoneer Alternatives…

Well, Payoneer isn’t tough to get now…

Just sign up for free and once approved, you’ll get your Payoneer Master Card shipped right away and guess what, you’ll have it in your hands in a month or less… But sometimes people get rejected for a list of reasons…

Or maybe you aren’t actively working on any Affiliate Marketing site like Avangate or freelancing sites like freelancer.com, elance, fiverr or few more, that’s why you don’t have any direct reference to receiving a Payoneer Master Card…

If you’re a freelancer, you must know that all major freelancing websites offer freelancers to apply their Payoneer cards once they get eligible to be paid – And, next thing come their way is application process, eligibility and then finally Payoneer prepaid master card in the hands…

But, since you’re reading this article and you’re here, there might be something wrong with your Payoneer experience – I know!

I’ve seen freelancers who lost their Payoneer accounts or some of them didn’t get one because they aren’t still eligible to get paid via freelancing sites… (hopefully, they will someday)…

But, guess what, people need to know about Payoneer Alternatives!

Yes, there are people out there looking and searching for best Payoneer Alternatives to get their prepaid debit cards other than payoneer to start working…

It becomes a hell of a job when you’re unable to pay online via the web – And, you don’t have verified the paypal account and bank issued credit card…

Things happen… Don’t quit your blogging or freelancing… there is always a way!

I’m going to share 3 Best Payoneer Alternatives with you – You’d love to apply to those prepaid debit card companies and you won’t need any tough criteria to get approved… I’ll try to put every possible detail of criteria to assist you in getting your own prepaid mastercard.

PAYONEER ALTERNATIVES: 3 BEST PREPAID DEBIT CARDS TO APPLY

Now I’m going to tell you 3 Prepaid Debit Cards to apply as Payoneer Alternatives – As I discussed you’re unable to get your payoneer card or didn’t qualify for that, so you might want to get an easy and affordable payoneer mastercard alternative, and that’s I’m sharing with you:

1) – PAXUM

Paxum.com might be the first choice to pick as Payoneer Alternative – It’s easy to get and there isn’t any specific criteria to get elance or freelancer account with paid amount for you – It’s simple, easy to get and affordable to use.

Well, Paxum charges annual fee + every transaction fee which is certainly a minor amount (a percentage of amount) on every transaction, but it doesn’t hurt you much because it helps you a lot – I mean when you got nothing and you suddenly get able to get your master card and pay worldwide where mastercard is acceptable.

It’s a win-win situation. Paxum offers personal and business accounts to the customers according to their need. Both types of account have slightly different fee structure and offering to avail, but fee structure doesn’t vary that much.

Eligibility & Documents

Paxum requires your proper document for proof and verification process. You need to have your passport, National ID Card/Driving License, Utility bills with you. Scan it or use a smartphone to capture pictures of your documents.

Make sure you’ve same and exact spelling on your Paxum Account and all documents in order to avoid any problem and delay.

Money Uploading and Withdrawal

Paxum offers wire transfer, EFT (Bank Account) and Credit Card load options to upload money or add funds to your paxum account. Account balance can be shared with paxum account holders (peer to peer transfer). Paxum gives funds withdrawal option through ATM, Bank wire and EFT (Bank Account).

Duration

It almost takes 4 to 6 weeks normally to get your paxum prepaid mastercard after you successfully verify your details with Paxum.

Now I’m going to dig in to share some details with you. What it costs, charges on the transaction and other necessary things you might want to know. I’ve personally found this service quite good. So I’m going to point out few facts about Paxum Prepaid Master Card, but it can be updated/changed without my control, so all you got to do is take a look on the fresh fee structure before applying. 

Annual Charges: $45

Peer-to-Peer transfer: $0.25 (Personal) – $1 (Business)

Loading funds by credit card: 4.95% + $0.50

Loading Funds by wire: $50.00

Funds Withdrawal from Current Account by Wire: $50.00

Monthly maintenance fee: FREE

2) – ECOPAYZ

EcoPayz.com is another payoneer alternative for Bloggers, Small Businesses, and Webmasters to use worldwide. EcoPayz prepaid debit card might be the lightning rod when you’re unable to get a payoneer mastercard.

EcoPayz isn’t a big name like Paxum and Payoneer, but still it can work awesome if you don’t have payoneer – What’s best about EcoPayz is, you can get personal or business account just like paxum for free, and even you can apply for your prepaid mastercard from EcoPayz for free.

Eligibility & Documents

Same document and procedure will be required for EcoPayz. You need to get your passport, National ID Card/Driving License, Utility bills ready. Scan it or use a smartphone to capture pictures of your documents.

Money Uploading/Top-up

EcoPayz provides funds uploading using a credit card/debit card and international bank transfer which takes 1 to 4 days and credit card/debit card funds uploading is quick and just a matter of minutes.

Duration

EcoPayz sends prepaid mastercard to your address after account completion and verification. It takes at least 4 weeks to receive the prepaid debit card from EcoPayz. It may take 4 to 6 weeks in some cases.

Annual Charges: 1.50 EUR per month (in case of inactivity for 12 months only)

Peer-to-Peer transfer: 1.5% 

Loading funds by credit card: 2.90%

Loading Funds by Bank Transfer (International): Free

Funds Withdrawal to Bank Account: 5.90-10.00 EUR*

Monthly maintenance fee: FREE

3) – OKPAY

OkPay.com is another emerging ecommerce solution for B2B and B2C payment processing and transfers. It provides consumers and merchants with services to send, receive, withdraw and add funds to their virtual OkPay accounts.

It is providing service for customers in more than 200 countries and offers services like ewallet and prepaid mastercard for OkPay account holders to easily shop online where mastercard is acceptable.

One of the best things about OkPay is it provides financial management and shopping cart assistance to various ecommerce platforms like OSCommerce, DigiStore, WHMCS, WordPress Estore, TomatoCart, NopCommerce and more.

OkPay helps freelancers, bloggers, software developers and web designers to get paid easily and spend their money via mastercard solution – Whereas merchants get the chance to enhance their business with digital goods trading and online selling.

ELIGIBILITY & DOCUMENTS

OkPay also requires users to get verified in order to remove limitations on their accounts. Use your passport, National ID Card/Driving License, Utility bills to get verified. You need to use all methods to get fully-verified and those methods are SMS, Address proof, Government issued ID/Passport, Document/Bank Statement.

Peer-to-Peer transfer: 0.5%

Withdrawal Funds fee (wire): 1% + Swift or Express transfer charges (banking fee)

Adding Funds fee: 0% + Swift or Express transfer charges (banking fee)

OkPay Plastic card top-up: $3.00

ATM withdrawal: 2%