OneDrive is a cloud storage service from Microsoft that allows you to store, share, and sync your files across multiple devices. It integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office and Windows, providing easy access to your documents, photos, and other files from anywhere with an internet connection. OneDrive also offers collaboration features, enabling multiple users to work on the same document simultaneously.

But Onedrive (or Drive, or Dropbox, etc.) is not a true backup. Despite sharing some characteristics of a traditional backup solution. Here are a few key differences:

Synchronization vs. Backup: OneDrive syncs files across devices, meaning changes made to a file on one device are reflected on all devices. If a file is deleted or corrupted, those changes are also synced, potentially leading to data loss.

Version History: OneDrive does offer version history for files, but this is limited and not as comprehensive as dedicated backup solutions, which often provide more extensive versioning and recovery options.

Scope: Traditional backup solutions typically back up entire systems, including operating system files, applications, and settings. OneDrive primarily focuses on user files and folders.

Automation: Backup solutions often run scheduled backups automatically, ensuring all data is regularly backed up without user intervention. OneDrive requires users to manually manage which files and folders are synced.

Location: To be a true backup, the data should be located in a location different than the original. For a cloud solution like OneDrive, this would typically mean via a third party or in a different Cloud storage site. Backing up Microsoft data at Microsoft means that is an issue happens with your account or their data center, both your original and backup data may be affected.

AI can't all be sunshine and roses, can it? Not to be outdone by the Chinese, the US Marines have begun training their own army of armed robot dogs. One can only imagine the disappointment in land-based military units given that the Air Force have had lethal bird-like robots for over a decade, and the navy has been successfully using fish-like deadly drones for a while too. The development of rifle-armed robot dog packs will surely bring the system back to parity.

Though not technically AI yet (these robots currently require a human handler), it's not a big step to imagine a world where we are being herded around by a system of autonomous UGVs (unmanned ground vehicles). This may be a growth area of the military that bears some scrutiny and oversight.

Suno is a AI-based music generation site that allows visitors to create any song in any style with just a few prompts.  Even with a free account users can create full four-minute songs based on a simple prompt, and then can refine those songs with additional comments. Results may be varied, but a handful of test prompts from us generally  resulted in decent (and funny) results, and the AI demonstrated a knowledge of whatever subject we asked it to sing about that exceeded our expectations.

Here's a full review from TechRadar.

A new family of Android malware codenamed Hummer has been discovered that installs malware and unwanted apps on affected devices. This malware infects the device in such a way that not even a factory reset can remove it; the only known guaranteed fix is to re-flash the phone with a clean OS image. 

If you device is showing abnormal pop-ups and has apps installing that you do not remember, you may be infected. Before download apps to your devices, be sure that they are coming from a reliable source.

I've seen more Mac malware in the last year than I have in my entire career, and it seems like every week I read an article about a new threat. This week, the news is that the OSX/Crisis malware is back!

A fresh new version of Hacking Team’s RCS (Remote Control System) spyware has been uncovered. This sample of malware is unusual insomuch as it uses a variety of techniques to avoid detection and analysis, being obfuscated with different encryption methods.

If you have a Mac computer, odds are that you are not currently using any sort of antivirus or antimalware protection. InfinIT has partnered with a Mac antivirus company to provide a monitored antivirus solution to our Apple clients. If you are concerned about security on your Mac and are interested in improving your protection, please contact us. 

If anyone out there is like us, they'd like to have a couple of alternatives to whichever Cable company or high speed Internet provider has the monopoly in their area (assuming that any high speed ISP is even willing to build infrastructure in your area!)

If you can't wait for Google Fiber to reach your area, there may be another option on the horizon. Startup company Starry wants to provide Gigabit wireless Internet connections with no data caps or restrictive contracts.

The current high-speed providers in the US have hobbled us in comparison to Internet speeds of other countries, and worse, charge a higher rate for their sub-par services. Of even greater interest is that existing ISPs tend to suddenly have the capability to provide faster and/or more reasonably priced services almost as soon as an alternative Internet provider is available in a region.

As consumers, we should be excited about any new Internet provider willing to shake up the status quo. Though I haven't heard any whispers of a reliable alternative coming to this area soon, I'll be sure to report as soon as an option is available.

A three-year old bug was identified in the Linux kernel which allows drivers to cache encryption keys and authentication codes, providing a path by which even secured devices could be accessed. This bug affects Android version 4.4 (Kitkat) and later, rendering nearly 70% of all Android devices vulnerable. The good news is that there is no known reported malware that has taken advantage of this exploit, so even though the security threat remains to be patched, it may have been caught before it posed a significant risk to users.

We're all aware (even if we don't always like it) that the big data companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon are monitoring our online habits and hoping to capitalize on them... But we'd all be naive to think that other corporations aren't interested in trying to monetize our actions...

When you are watching your TV, are you sure it isn't watching back? Vizio (and other smartTVs to a lesser extent) have been caught monitoring and reporting viewing habits, with the intent to sell that data to advertisers. Vizio has gone so far as to put into its terms of service that it  “may combine this information with other information about devices associated with that IP address.” In other words, your “smart” TV is smart enough to hunt for other devices that connect to the local network and to sell that information." There are laws in place that control what cable and video companies can do with the data users stream, but Vizio's legal team claims there business manufactures products and is not subject to those laws. 

Vizio's now the only one... XBox One was under fire before its release for its intended requirements to be always on (even when off) and to have a steady Internet connection to function, with the supposed intention of monitoring what went on in and around the device for targeted advertising (thanks to the built in camera and microphone). Verizon is unashamedly selling information to advertisers. And the list goes on and on.

It used to be that the trade-off for getting something for free on the Internet was that our information was going to be sold. Now it seems like the trend is to steal and sell our information regardless of whether or not we have paid for something.

The Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book was released a few weeks ago and the initial reviews are positive. If you are looking for a high-end Windows tablet that can also function as a laptop, then these devices definitely deserve a look. Though they come at a high price point, that price buys you some sturdy engineering and some good hardware. 

That's not to say that there aren't issues. Here is a list of problems (and potential solutions) mentioned by early adopters and review sites. It is important to note that these are new devices (and in the case of the Surface Book, first generation devices) so some issues out of the box are to be expected.

If you have any experience with a Surface Pro or Surface Book, please be sure to share your experience in our comments section.