Via the University of Trinidad and Tobago’s (UTT) press release:

“The University of Trinidad & Tobago (UTT) has partnered with Apple Computer of Cupertino, California to become the first official Apple Authorized Training Center for Education (AATCE) in the Caribbean.

The Apple Authorized Training Center for Education (AATCE) programme provides unique benefits to schools that use Apple professional applications in their academic curriculum. The AATCE programme provides the opportunity for schools to offer students not only a proven curriculum, but also the additional benefit of Apple Certification. UTT now joins a network of over 700 Apple Authorized Training Centers worldwide.

…..In the first course to be offered by UTT, students will test their mastery of Logic Pro X – Apple’s leading music production software suite…The course will be delivered by Martin Raymond – Programme Leader for Music Technology and the only Apple Certified Trainer in Logic Pro in the Caribbean region. UTT hopes to expand the programme to include training in all of Apple’s professional applications including Final Cut Pro, Motion and DVD Studio Pro while delivering short courses especially designed for teachers and other educators in the fields of Information Technology and the Creative Arts”

 

 

According to the Adobe Security Bulletin dated June 10 2014 :

“Adobe has released security updates for Adobe Flash Player 13.0.0.214 and earlier versions for Windows and Macintosh and Adobe Flash Player 11.2.202.359 and earlier versions for 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!

To determine what version of the Adobe Flash player you have on your Windows, Macintosh or Linux system, visit http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/

To download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player, visit
http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html

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 http://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?answer=95414 on how to do so.

Many announcements from the Apple WorldWide Developers Conference 2014 (WWDC) today.

Apple announced OS X Yosemite, which will be a free upgrade for Macs.

Apple’s website has several pages showing the details with screenshots:

• Apple press release
• Apple – OS X Yosemite – Overview
• Apple – OS X Yosemite – Design
• Apple – OS X Yosemite – Apps
• Apple – OS X Yosemite  – Mac and iOS

Apple has made it available for Developers today as a beta download.  If you’re feeling adventurous, you can download it via Apple’s OS X Beta Program

The final version should be available as a free download from the Mac Store in the 3Q of 2014.

(Update : this meeting has been postponed due to the clash with Startup Weekend, we’ll announce a new date soon)

 

 

 

If you have been casually observing international headlines in the last few months, you have probably heard the term ‘bitcoin’ or ‘virtual-currency’.

Do you understand what that is and how it can affect you?

The Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society (TTCS) invites anyone who wants to learn more about ‘bitcoin’ and ‘virtual-currencies’ to join us for our Tech Meeting on Saturday 7th June 2014
(update: postponed ; new date to be announced) at
UWI Open Campus, Gordon Street, St. Augustine from 3pm to 5pm.

Topics to be discussed include:

• Decentralized currencies in Trinidad and Tobago:
  
  Rationale and outlook – Presented by Richard Jobity
• Digital Currencies: Challenge or Solution
  
  – Presented by Shiva Bissessar

This event is open to everyone and we look forward to your questions and feedback.

About our presenters:

Richard Jobity: An economist with over twenty years experience in the field of economics, with eleven years of that experience gained at a major financial institution.  His current interests include technology and competitive intelligence in developing countries.

Shiva Bissessar: ICT practitioner with MBA (UWI) and MSc, Information Security, (University College London) qualifications and 17 years of experience.  Currently runs a small consultancy firm in Trinidad and Tobago specializing in provision of technical advisory on clients’ efforts in developing ICT and Information Security policies, regulations and governance strategies.

For more information, contact the TTCS secretary at secretary@ttcsweb.org

 

Many theories regarding Truecrypt’s cryptic notice on its website that Truecrypt (an open source hard disk encryption program) is not secure.

Bombshell TrueCrypt advisory: Backdoor? Hack? Hoax? None of the above? | Ars Technica.

Via the Trinidad Guardian:

“While Government has not yet spent any funds to repair laptops given to secondary school students, $10 million will be spent this year to issue tenders for repairs and maintenance, plus extension of warranties, says Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh. Speaking in the Senate yesterday, Gopeesingh said consideration was being given to seeking warranty extension for the laptops from one year to three years. Government has supplied 73,200 laptops to students from 2010 to 2013 at a cost of $253 million, he added.”

Read the rest of the article:
Govt spends $253m on laptop initiative | The Trinidad Guardian Newspaper.

Impressive demo from Microsoft who showed off their Skype Translator doing real time speech to speech translation in a Skype video call.

The Skype Translator app will available first on Windows 8 later this year as a limited beta.

Read the Microsoft blog post at http://blogs.msdn.com/b/translation/archive/2014/05/27/unveiling-breakthroughs-in-real-time-translation-with-skype-translator.aspx 

 

Popular digital currency bitcoin is expected to overtake e-commerce giant eBay’s payment processor PayPal in terms of US dollar transactions in the near future.

California-based hedge fund Laureate Trust says that bitcoin is fast establishing itself as the currency to use globally and instantly to make purchases or payments over the internet recording nearly $300m (£178m, €220m) daily in transactions.

“Whenever you have an instrument that trades over 300 million US dollars a day, it must be recognized,” Peter Tasca, CEO of Laureate Trust, said in a statement.

“The digital currency works, Bitcoin has greater volume transactions than Western Union and we anticipate it will overtake PayPal later this year.”

Read the full article at: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/bitcoin-set-overtake-ebays-paypal-transaction-volumes-1449856