Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2015 first quarter ended December 27, 2014. The Company posted record quarterly revenue of $74.6 billion and record quarterly net profit of $18 billion, or $3.06 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $57.6 billion and net profit of $13.1 billion, or $2.07 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 39.9 percent compared to 37.9 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 65 percent of the quarter’s revenue.
The results were fueled by all-time record revenue from iPhone® and Mac® sales as well as record performance of the App Store℠. iPhone unit sales of 74.5 million also set a new record.
Another security flaw for Adobe Flash Player being exploited in the wild means another security update for Adobe Flash Player for Windows, Mac and Linux, the third update this month.
Adobe has released security updates for Adobe Flash Player for Windows, Macintosh and Linux. These updates address vulnerabilities that could potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system.
Adobe is aware of reports that CVE-2015-0311 is actively being exploited in the wild via drive-by-download attacks against systems running Internet Explorer and Firefox on Windows 8.1 and below.
So update ASAP!
The latest versions bumps the latest version of Flash Player for Windows and Mac OS X to version 16.0.0.296.
Windows users should note that the Flash Player in Microsoft Internet Explorer v9 and earlier versions of Internet Explorer and the Flash player in web browsers like Opera, Mozilla Firefox and Safari are separate installs.
You should install and update both versions of Adobe Flash.
For Internet Explorer v10 and Internet Explorer v11 (for users for Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows 8), these browsers have Adobe Flash Player built-in and users should update their Internet Explorer browser versions.
Google Chrome browser users has Adobe Flash Player built-in and users should update the Google Chrome browser to the latest version. See https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95414 on how to do so.
Rdio, a music streaming service for desktops and mobile devices is now available in Trinidad and Tobago and many other Caribbean territories thanks to an exclusive partnership with Digicel.
In the coming weeks, Digicel will offer all prepaid data customers 30 minutes of free Rdio Internet radio listening per day on their mobile phones without accruing data usage charges – all through the exclusive partnership. Digicel will also be collaborating closely with us to infuse local influence in each of our new territories, curating playlists and stations together with Digicel Brand Ambassadors in each country and territory. Through this unprecedented arrangement, listeners in each market will have convenient access to popular music from around the world in addition to local artists they already enjoy.
Effective today, Rdio is available in the following new markets: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, St Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos and Vanuatu. In addition to the new markets where Rdio is launching, Rdio’s exclusive partnership with Digicel is effective in French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Martinique, Bonaire, El Salvador and Panama.
Adobe has released security updates for Adobe Flash Player for Windows, Macintosh and Linux. These updates address a vulnerability that could be used to circumvent memory randomization mitigations on the Windows platform.
Adobe is aware of reports that an exploit for CVE-2015-0310 exists in the wild, which is being used in attacks against older versions of Flash Player. Additionally, we are investigating reports that a separate exploit for Flash Player 16.0.0.287 and earlier also exists in the wild.
So update ASAP!
The latest versions bumps the latest version of Flash Player for Windows and Mac OS X to version 16.0.0.287.
Windows users should note that the Flash Player in Microsoft Internet Explorer v9 and earlier versions of Internet Explorer and the Flash player in web browsers like Opera, Mozilla Firefox and Safari are separate installs.
You should install and update both versions of Adobe Flash.
For Internet Explorer v10 and Internet Explorer v11 (for users for Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows 8), these browsers have Adobe Flash Player built-in and users should update their Internet Explorer browser versions.
Google Chrome browser users has Adobe Flash Player built-in and users should update the Google Chrome browser to the latest version. See https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95414 on how to do so.
“The new browser, which is unsurprisingly codenamed “Project Spartan,” will sadly not be in the next preview build of Windows 10 and it remains unclear when developers and users will get their hands on it. Microsoft also didn’t talk about any of the technical details of the new engine at its core”
From Ars Technica (http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/01/windows-10-free-for-all-windows-8-1-and-windows-7-users-for-first-year/)
“The biggest news is that the new OS will be completely free for current Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 users for its first year of availability—after that time period has expired, OS upgrades will presumably need to be paid for as they are currently (though Microsoft was less than clear on this point, it made no mention of a paid, Office 365-style subscription for Windows upgrades). The Windows 10 upgrade for Windows Phone 8.1 users will also be free.”
Via an Trinidad Guardian newspaper article on Friday January 16 2015 , Minister of Science and Technology (of Trinidad and Tobago), Dr. the Honourable Rupert Griffith has said that the Trinidad and Tobago Government owes 3 million US dollars in outstanding license fees to software and service providers like Microsoft.
The amount owed to Microsoft and other software providers (which weren’t named in the article) was as high as 23 million US dollars but this was reduced to 3 million US dollars after the Trinidad and Tobago Government negotiated with the software providers.
The non-compliance use of software by the Trinidad and Tobago Government was discovered by Microsoft, who brought it to the Ministry of Science and Technology’s attention for the Government to be more compliant. According to Dr. Rupert Griffith in the article:
“It is not a question of penalties, it is a question of compliance,” he explained.
“Over the last nine months the non-compliance was looked at. We entered into a negotiation with all of the providers, when we saw the $23 million. We negotiated the price and they were very kind to bring it down to about US$3 million.
“It is not a question of penalties.”
….
“We did our own survey through iGovtt and the Ministry of Science and Technology and we realised there was a lot of non-compliance in the use of some of the licenses,”
Adobe has released security updates for Adobe Flash Player for Windows, Macintosh and Linux. These updates address vulnerabilities that could potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system. Adobe recommends users update their product installations to the latest versions
So update ASAP!
The latest versions bumps the latest version of Flash Player for Windows and Mac OS X to version 16.0.0.257.
Windows users should note that the Flash Player in Microsoft Internet Explorer v9 and earlier versions of Internet Explorer and the Flash player in web browsers like Opera, Mozilla Firefox and Safari are separate installs.
You should install and update both versions of Adobe Flash.
For Internet Explorer v10 and Internet Explorer v11 (for users for Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows 8), these browsers have Adobe Flash Player built-in and users should update their Internet Explorer browser versions.
Google Chrome browser users has Adobe Flash Player built-in and users should update the Google Chrome browser to the latest version. See https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95414 on how to do so.
Trinidad & Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) Statement to the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago
on the proposed acquisition of Columbus International by
Cable and Wireless Communications.
This comment is submitted by the Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS ; http://cs.tt ) in response to the request for comments on the proposed acquisition of Columbus International Inc.(CII) by Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) published by the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) on January 5th, 2015. The TTCS has commented on various ICT issues over the past decade as it relates to the interests of end users.
The proposed acquisition can lead to high ownership concentrations in the provision of voice and broadband Internet services throughout the Caribbean as well as in subsea fiber connections. This acquisition may also reduce the probability of healthy competition in mobile telephony services in some jurisdictions. The concerns with the proposed merger between the parties (absent speculation on changes in corporate allegiance) revolves around five main pillars:
Potential decrease in market efficiency (competition vs effective duopoly/oligopoly – more benefits to firms rather than consumers);
Reduced consumer options for voice and broadband internet services (with an effective CWC/CII and Digicel duopoly);
Higher cost of voice and broadband Internet services (concentration of market power among fewer firms);
Reduced quality of service in voice and broadband Internet services (common with a concentration of market power among fewer firms);
A potential underserving of remote or otherwise ‘less-profitable’ areas by the new corporate entity, and
An increase in corporate compliance issues (arising out of the attitude of a merged CWC/CII towards consumers, employees and government regulators, based on experience and past local and regional attempts to “game” the regulators by CWC imposing additional charges and changing service terms).
Ultimately, the TTCS sees the proposed merger as having the potential to reverse two decades of progress in liberalizing the local telecommunication sector and that residential, business and government consumers may lose many of the benefits of competition.
Furthermore, the TTCS notes with concern that TATT has only allowed for a one week comment period on this complex issue. We believe that extending this comment period as well as increased advertising would increase the participation of the general public in this critical decision.
THE PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF COLUMBUS INTERNATIONAL INC. BY CABLE AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS (CWC)
On the 6th November 2014, Cable and Wireless Communications Plc announced its proposed acquisition of Columbus International Inc, which includes its subsidiaries Columbus Communications Trinidad Limited (CCTL or FLOW) and Columbus Networks International Limited (CNITL).
In accordance with the Telecommunications Act Chap 47:31 and the Concession Agreement held with all authorised operators, the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (the Authority) must approve in writing “any transfer of assignment or control” or otherwise, of the Concessionaire and/or Disposal of Assets by the authorised operator(s). In such undertaking, the approval of the Authority shall not be unreasonably withheld.
The Authority is hereby inviting comments from the public on the proposed acquisition.
All responses will be held in confidence at the Authority. This solicitation process will be open until Monday 12th January 2015.
Written feedback regarding this solicitation should be directed to the Authority at: corporatesecretary@tatt.org.tt
or
The Corporate Secretary,
Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago,
#5, 8th Avenue Extension, Barataria.
Comments to be submitted on or before Monday 12th January 2015.
The Authority shall use its own discretion in the conduct of the assessment of the proposed acquisition and is under no obligation to accept/respond to comments submitted in this process.
