Today in Tech

Microsoft announced new Windows 11 features aimed at making hybrid work easier at an event on Tuesday. Some of these features address IT-specific problems, while others target the general hybrid or remote workforce. They include productivity tweaks, deployment improvements and security updates, among other things. Computerworld manager editor Valerie Potter and contributing editor Preston Gralla join Juliet to discuss what some of these new features are, when they’re arriving and whether they will solve IT pain points.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is working on a hardware subscription service that would allow users to lease its devices like people lease cars. This program would differ from the 12- and 24-month loan programs currently available. And while its release date is months away, specs have already leaked about the upcoming iPhone 14. Computerworld executive editor Ken Mingis and Macworld executive editor Michael Simon join Juliet to discuss why a hardware subscription service could benefit enterprise users and what to expect in the iPhone 14.

Users and reviewers have expressed some frustration with the new Studio Display, wondering why its components and software mirror that of an iPhone without touch capability. Apple is known for recycling its products, but is the Studio Display, with its A13 chip and Center Stage camera, too recycled? Macworld executive editor Michael Simon and Computerworld executive editor Ken Mingis join Juliet to discuss what frustrations people have with the Studio Display and who should and should not use it.

Foxconn partially shut down some of its factories in manufacturing powerhouse Shenzhen as a result of a COVID-19 outbreak. Foxconn, which is the world's biggest contract electronics manufacturer and Apple’s largest iPhone supplier, said it “adjusted the production line to minimize the potential impact,” and some of its factories have partially reopened. Computerworld executive editor Ken Mingis and Macworld executive editor Michael Simon join Juliet to discuss how this shutdown could have affected the mobile supply chain. They’ll also discuss Macworld’s review of the Mac Studio and what’s new in iOS 15.4.

 At its “Peek Performance” event on Tuesday, Apple dropped two especially surprising announcements. First, it introduced the newest edition to the M1 chip lineup, the M1 Ultra. Then, it introduced a new desktop Mac, the Mac Studio, which isn’t quite the Mac mini or the Mac Pro. Computerworld executive editor Ken Mingis and Macworld executive editor Michael Simon join Juliet to discuss what these new additions to Apple’s hardware lineup are all about and who will get the most use out of them.

Apple is hosting its first event of the year on March 8. The company is expected to announce a handful of new products including an iPhone SE with 5G and a new iPad Air. It’s also possible that Apple will announce a new MacBook Air with a redesigned M2 chip. Macworld executive editor Michael Simon and Computerworld executive editor Ken Mingis join Juliet to discuss what to expect from the “Peek Performance” event and what the announcements will mean for consumers and business users alike.

Apple is getting closer to ditching Qualcomm as its 5G modem supplier, according to a new Digitimes report. The company has reportedly begun coordinating with other chip companies to develop custom-made 5G modems for future iPhones. These chips could appear in iPhones in 2023. Plus, Google will roll out increased user privacy tools in future versions of Android by implementing measures to limit ad tracking across websites and apps. Computerworld executive editor Ken Mingis and Macworld executive editor Michael Simon join Juliet to discuss how Apple will transition to its own 5G modems (and what that means for Qualcomm) and what Google’s new privacy measures mean for users. 

Data centers are a critical, but often power-hungry, part of the enterprise. But, why exactly do data centers require so much energy? And how can businesses address emissions concerns as well as cut back on the costs associated with cooling data centers? Ashish Nadkarni, group vice president within IDC's Worldwide Infrastructure Practice, joins Juliet to discuss the status of data center efficiency, what it means within the context of green IT and how technology has advanced to make servers more efficient.

As expected, Nvidia officially dropped its plans to acquire Arm after facing regulatory hurdles. Now that an IPO is looming, an alternative architecture like RISC-V may emerge as a formidable competitor to Arm. Computerworld executive editor Ken Mingis and senior writer Lucas Mearian join Juliet to discuss the future of Arm. Plus, as enterprises continue to support remote workers, new tools have emerged to monitor employees’ online behavior. One such tool is a new web browser, called Island, that limits what sites workers can visit, the data they can view and their ability to upload and download files from the web. While monitoring tools could be beneficial from a security perspective, do they overstep and infringe on employees’ privacy? Ken, Lucas and Juliet will discuss how employee attitudes on remote work have evolved and how to effectively implement monitoring tools.

A recent report from Bloomberg revealed that Nvidia is preparing to abandon its acquisition of Arm. The deal would have made a joint Nvidia-Arm a semiconductor superpower, and as such it was subject to scrutiny from regulators. Regulators in both the U.S. and the U.K. have pushed back against the deal. Arm licensees might be relieved to see the deal fall through, thus eliminating the threat of working with a competitor (Nvidia). Computerworld executive editor Ken Mingis and Macworld executive editor Michael Simon join Juliet to discuss the status of Nvidia’s Arm acquisition and what the future holds for licensees, like Apple, that build upon Arm’s architecture.