Coffee Briefings are timely deliveries of the latest ITWC headlines, interviews, and podcasts. Today’s Coffee Briefing is delivered by IT World Canada reporter Pragya Sehgal, with files from the rest of the editorial team!
Missed last week’s Coffee Briefing? We’ve got you covered.
What’s new this week
All you need to know about the new minimum version requirements for connecting Outlook for Windows to Office 365/Microsoft 365 service
lemono | Getty Images
Only Outlook 2013 Service Pack 1 (with latest fixes) and later will be able to connect to Microsoft 365 services starting November 2, 2021.
Microsoft says it is blocking older versions of Outlook because of their incompatibility with the following upcoming service changes:
- Ending support for basic authentication to increase the security of Microsoft 365 by relying on modern authentication protocols
- Adding support for HTTP/2 in Microsoft 365. HTTP/2 is a full-duplex protocol, which Microsoft says decreases latency through header compression and request multiplexing, thereby allowing it to better prioritize requests and more effectively push data to clients.
“If you’re still running older versions, please start working on a plan to move by November 1st,” Microsoft noted in a blog post. The company says its customer support team is actively reaching out to tenants that have the most usage on Outlook 2007 and 2010 to help them meet the deadline.
Canadian edtech firm ApplyBoard awards up to CA$100,000 in STEM scholarships to 7 international students in Canada
Waterloo, ON-based educational technology company ApplyBoard last week announced the names of seven recipients of its inaugural STEM for Change Scholarship Program.
Launched on International Women’s Day 2021, the merit-based scholarship program aims to drive diversity and inclusion by empowering women worldwide to pursue education in STEM fields. The company is awarding up to CA$100,000 in scholarships to selected applicants studying a STEM program at an ApplyBoard Canadian partner school via the ApplyBoard platform, for the Fall 2021 intake, a spokesperson for ApplyBoard told IT World Canada. The ApplyBoard platform offers an artificial intelligence recruitment platform that helps international students apply for post-secondary studies abroad.
“ApplyBoard’s mission is to educate the world and with that, comes the responsibility to break down financial barriers where possible and build a more inclusive future,” Martin Basiri, co-founder and chief executive officer of ApplyBoard, told the publication in an emailed statement. “With the STEM for Change scholarship program, we are determined to empower and support women worldwide to pursue an education in STEM, and all students who wish to pursue their education. We are proud to award merit-based scholarships to seven amazing international women students from Nigeria, Pakistan, India, and Barbados.
Canadian edtech company supports Mexican students on their math journey
Mexican children are falling further behind in math achievement. To reverse this trend, Canadian comprehensive mathematics learning platform company Knowledgehook says it has launched in Mexico and is already in several schools helping teachers and students.
Knowledgehook’s proprietary technology uses data to track where students are on their math journey. Its programs connect a child’s at-home learning with in-school education, providing real-time insights to teachers on learning gaps. The artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled platform helps teachers to develop an understanding of the math concepts related to their students’ challenges, enabling them to adjust instruction and monitor student progress.
Knowledgehook collaborates with governments around the world while also working directly with schools and their suppliers to offer curriculum-aligned solutions. Teachers in more than 100,000 schools currently use the platform to level up math attainment among students. In 2021, the company says it anticipates the solution will reach 50,000,000 students globally. The Mexican launch marks the first time Knowledgehook will be available in Spanish. The solution is also available in French.
CompTIA updates its Ntework+ exam
CompTIA, a provider of vendor-neutral skills certifications for information technology (IT) professionals, has once again updated CompTIA Network+, a certification that validates the skills needed to securely establish, maintain and troubleshoot the essential networks that are the backbone of the digital economy. Approximately 525,000 people around the world already hold the CompTIA Network+ credential, according to CompTIA .
Compliant with ISO 17024 standards and approved by the U.S. Department of Defense to meet directive 8140/8570.01-M requirements, the updated exam includes new content and enhanced emphasis on areas such as IP addressing, connecting networks, wireless standards and technologies, network availability, and securing and hardening networks. Coupled with the introduction of the new exam, according to CompTIA, is a complete suite of learning products to help with preparation for the test.
More to explore
Canadian 5G networks excel in gaming, Opensignal report finds
Canada’s biggest telecom operators ranked high in 5G gaming performance, an Opensignal report that measured 5G network performance of 106 network operators found.
Digital signage: More than just a pretty fascia
An increasing number of digital signs are being loaded with sensors and analytics programs so retailers can glean useful data like mapping out the shopping patterns of customers.
Azure Linux admins urged to patch four zero-day OMI vulnerabilities
IT administrators overseeing certain Microsoft Azure Linux virtual machines are being urged to make sure patches are installed after the discovery of four zero-day vulnerabilities that could allow systems to be compromised.
Windows admins running Linux warned of threat
IT administrators are being warned of a new threat that abuses the Windows operating system’s ability to run Linux binaries to upload malware.
Shopify launches cross border e-commerce solution
Shopify has unveiled Shopify Markets, an end-to-end cross-border commerce solution that aims to help independent merchants sell to consumers around the world.
Microsoft accounts to no longer need passwords
Microsoft is taking a step towards a passwordless future by removing the requirement for a password from all Microsoft Accounts.
Google Cloud launches Toronto region
This week Google Canada celebrated the opening of its Toronto cloud region, its second in Canada and its 28th worldwide.
Staying informed is a constant challenge. There’s so much to do, and so little time. But we have you covered. Grab a coffee and take five while you nibble on these tidbits.
ITWC Podcasts
Listen to the latest episode of Hashtag Trending
Apple rolls out its brand new iOS 15, Facebook disputes Wall Street Journal allegations of toxicity, and AI is changing the real estate game.
Listen to the latest episode of Cyber Security Today
This episode reports on hackers looking to exploit the OMIGOD vulnerability, a list of ransomware exploits being used by attackers and AT&T scammer sent to prison.
Listen to the latest episode of Hashtag Tendances (Hosted by Direction Informatique)
