MICROSOFT HAS UNVEILED 'SPARTAN,' A NEW BROWSER FOR WINDOWS 10

MICROSOFT HAS UNVEILED 'SPARTAN,' A NEW BROWSER FOR WINDOWS 10

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News of your potential demise started as whispers late last year when reports emerged that Microsoft was working on a wholly new Internet browser. They gained momentum about a week later with a leak detailing some of this mystery browser’s features. And they finally solidified Wednesday when Microsoft made it all official, unveiling for the first time “Spartan,” which could become one of the company’s only browsers not called “Internet Explorer” in two decades.

Microsoft hasn’t started digging your grave just yet. For now, you’ll have to share hard drive space with your lean, more stylish cousin once Windows 10 arrives sometime this year. And there’s always the chance your makers might give Spartan an IE designation before that.

But That Seems Unlikely. The Whole Point Here Is That You’re Boring, Washed Up, Old News.

Sure, you’ve still got nearly 60% of the global market share for browsers. But that’s peanuts compared to the world-dominating numbers you put up before Apple’s Safari, Google’s Chrome and Mozilla’s Firefox started nipping at your heels. And because Windows Phone has flatlined, you’ve barely made a blip on mobile, where most people are using the web these days.

But the biggest problem you face, Internet Explorer, is that you carry 20 years of brand baggage—and it’s not good. You’ve developed a reputation, however unfair, as slow and unwieldy. We’re long past the point where a makeover and a bigger number alongside your name can turn you into the prettiest browser at the ball. If you weren’t packaged along with Windows—long your biggest and most controversial advantage—there’s no telling how far your figures might fall.

MICROSOFT NEEDS SOMETHING FRESH, SOMETHING NEW. IT NEEDS SPARTAN.

Besides marking a fresh start, what does Spartan do that you don’t? It’s leaner, faster, designed with mobile in mind. Close integration with Cortana, Microsoft’s voice-activated assistant, means it will bring users relevant information like flight delays without even having to visit an airline’s website.

Spartan’s note-taking mode turns the web into a canvas, letting users scribble notes on live websites and send off them to colleagues or friends. Spartan could even be made available for non-Windows platforms like Android and iOS, helping it gain market share on mobile, which is clearly the future.

How much longer you’ll be around, IE, depends on Spartan’s success. Perhaps your new rival won’t be as good as Chrome or Firefox, and Microsoft will shy away from it.

 Maybe having two baked-in browser options will confuse Windows 10 users, and they’ll stick with you out of habit. Or maybe Microsoft will call Spartan “Internet Explorer 12″ after all. But if Microsoft does decide to pull the plug on you, IE, despair not: 20 long years of service qualifies you for a dignified retirement

Prospective employers spend just 8.8 seconds ‘reading’ your CV before deciding whether to interview you, according to a new study.

The first second Keep it concise. Nothing is more off-putting than reams of paper, an online page that seems to scroll down indefinitely, or endless prose without paragraph breaks. The second second Keep it traditional. The harder you try to stand out, the greater the risk it backfires. You are unlikely to know the likes and dislikes of the person reading your professional back story, so maintaining a standard format and easy to read font (no calligraphy or coloured paper) is the best way to keep them focused. The third second Be relevant. Make sure your CV or profile makes it immediately clear why they need to carry on reading. If you currently have a job that gives you the perfect experience for your dream role, then it needs to be instantly visible – right at the top. If your current role isn’t an obvious stepping stone to the job you want - but you’re convinced you have the skills necessary to succeed - then make sure those skills are the first thing your prospective employer sees. The fourth second Focus their eye. The chances are that whoever is reading about you is looking for certain phrases – soft skills, a particular job title or specific qualifications - that will indicate to them you need to be invited to interview. Use emphasis strategically to make sure that these words jump out by using basic text effects, such as bold, sidebars and larger fonts, selectively. And on LinkedIn, put keywords in your profile to make sure people who are searching for those terms come across your page. The fifth second Be connected. LinkedIn is all about networking, but you can translate this to paper too. Highlight your social media credentials where they relate to work and mention relevant networking events you’ve been to that will demonstrate your commitment and contacts to a potential employer. The sixth second Be interesting. If you’ve sold them on your professional worthiness in the first five seconds, don’t be cast into the ‘reject’ pile because you forgot to mention your life outside The seventh second Time up. Now you’ve won them over, be contactable. Make sure your contact details are clearly set out, up to date, professional (no dodgy personal email addresses) and that you respond promptly.

Windows 10’s new browser will have the most advanced features ever

Microsoft is planning to radically overhaul its web browser in Windows 10. Sources familiar with the company’s Windows plans tell The Verge that the new browser, codenamed Spartan, will include a host of new features not found in rival browsers. Chief among the plans for Spartan is new inking support that allows Windows 10 users to annotate a web page with a stylus and send the notes and annotations to a friend or colleague. 

The web note service will be powered by Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage, meaning notes will be stored on a copy of a web page that can be accessed by any browser across multiple platforms. As annotations are shared, multiple users can doodle on a web page and share edits and annotations between groups.

Cortana is coming to your browser

A second major feature for Spartan will be the integration of Microsoft’s Cortana digital assistant. Microsoft is planning to use Cortana to surface information on flights, hotel bookings, package tracking, and other data within the traditional address bar. If you use Cortana to track a particular flight and start to search for "American Airlines" in the browser address bar, it will automatically display tracked flights and allow Spartan users to view the status of the flight directly. It’s a subtle addition, but you’ll also be able to access Cortana search directly from the new tab interface in Spartan. Cortana integration in the Spartan browser is planned to replace every instance of the existing Bing methods in Internet Explorer.

Other features include a new way to group tabs together to declutter the occasionally messy interface of multiple browser tabs. Spartan will allow users to group tabs however they want, making it easier, for example, to split up personal tabs from work ones. Microsoft also originally planned to allow Spartan to support custom themes, but we understand the company has dropped this for the final new browser in Windows 10. Such support may arrive in future updates.

Spartan will be a Windows Store app for regular updates

Spartan is designed to be a single browser across PCs, tablets, and phones. We’re told that Microsoft will make Spartan a Windows Store app, enabling the company to quickly and easily update the browser in future. ZDNet previously reported that Microsoft will continue to include Internet Explorer in Windows 10, and we understand this will be primarily for legacy compatibility reasons.

 Spartan is the main browser in Windows 10, and most users will be accessing the web using it. While Spartan will be a Windows Store app, we understand Microsoft isn’t planning to make it a universal app initially. One version of Spartan will be available in the Store as a desktop app, 

and another as a modern app for tablets and phones. 

Both will be updated regularly with identical features.

Microsoft is planning to keep the look and feel of Spartan very similar across phones, tablets, and PCs. The desktop version looks like a simplified version of Chrome, with a tabbed interface above the address bar, alongside options to go back, forward, and refresh a page. It’s all designed to look lightweight, without the bloat typically associated with older versions of Internet Explorer. 

While the Spartan name is a codename, it’s not clear if Microsoft plans to continue the Internet Explorer branding with its new browser. That naming and other features of Spartan could play a part in Microsoft’s Windows 10 event on January 21st. Microsoft is planning to detail the consumer features of Windows 10 at its press event later this month, including its phone and tablet features.

We reached out to Microsoft for comment on its Windows 10 browser plans, but a spokesperson says the company has "nothing to share."

North Korea's internet has faced numerous outages in the past week

Chinese news agency Xinhua is reporting that North Korea's internet is down! Again. But this time the country's 3G mobile phone network has been taken down as well. The report was confirmed via landline from North Korea to China.

North Korea's internet has faced numerous outages in the past week, but this appears to be the first report of the country's mobile phone networks going down. While very few people in North Korea have access to internet, it's estimated that about 1.7 million have mobile phones. The country has 25 million people.

This latest report of North Korea's communications network woes comes on the heels of a statement from an unnamed official spokesperson who called President Obama a "monkey." North Korean officials believe that the United States is behind the recent outages.

"Obama always goes reckless in words and deeds like a monkey in a tropical forest," the spokesman said in a racist statement through North Korea's KCNA news agency on Saturday.

It's unclear who is behind the attack though North Korean officials publicly assert it's the United States that's mucking up their works. The FBI has pointed the finger at North Korea over the recent hack of Sony Pictures Entertainment, but some security experts are actually skeptical that it was them. The Obama administration said that they would retaliate in some form over the Sony hacks but won't acknowledge if these recent outages are the work of the U.S. government.

How to Become an Information Technology (IT) Specialist

Find out how to become an information technology specialist. Research the education and training requirements, and learn about the experience you need to advance your career as an information technology specialist.

View 16 Popular Schools 

Do I Want to Be an Information Technology Specialist?

An information technology (IT) specialist is a computer support and security administrator who assists companies and organizations with managing hardware, software, networking and solving problems. These professionals go by a range of titles, including information security analyst and network administrator. They can find work in a wide variety of industries, like business, government and manufacturing. Most of these professionals keep full-time schedules, and many work overtime on a regular basis. 

Job Requirements

The career path to becoming an IT specialist varies by the area of expertise, although a college degree and professional experience are typically needed. Many employers require applicants to earn a bachelor's degree in a computer science or information technology field.

 Software certification may also be preferred. The following table summarizes the basic requirements for IT specialists: 

	Common Requirements
Degree Level	A bachelor's degree is common; some employers prefer master's degrees*
Degree Field	Computer science, information science or a related field*
Certification	Certification in software products is voluntary but common*
Experience	At least 3 years of IT experience**; 5-10 years of experience for upper-level positions*
Key Skills	Analytical, organizational, leadership, communication and decision-making skills*
Computer Skills	Project management software, customer management software, server operating systems, Web platform development software and language platforms like Microsoft SQL, C++ and Perl***
Technical Skills	Computer equipment such as servers and network analyzers***
Additional Requirements	Long and irregular hours may be required to solve unexpected computer issues *