Richi Jennings
Richi Jennings is an independent analyst/consultant, specializing in content marketing, email, spam, and other security topics. He was also the main author of Computerworld's The Long View and IT Blogwatch columns. He has won awards from the American Society of Business Publication Editors, ABM/Jesse H. Neal, and B2B Magazine.
He was previously CTO for Samsung Contact. Prior to this, he was at Hewlett-Packard for 14 years, working in a wide variety of engineering, marketing and architect roles, mainly on OpenMail and its predecessors.
Richi lives in England, is an un-professional DJ, rusty scuba diver, and was voted "Most likely to get up first to sing at karaoke" for 16 years in succession. You can follow him as @RiCHi on Twitter, pretend to be Richi's friend on Facebook, Plus him at +richijennings, or just use boring old email: cw@richi.uk.
(And, yes: that's Richi Jennings, not Richie Jennings; capishe?)
On quotations used in my articles:
When I quote other websites or writers, I will often edit for the busy reader, using a style based on accepted journalistic norms (e.g., AP; Chicago). The intention is never to change the meaning of the original. Omitted text is marked with an ellipsis (...); altered text is marked with [brackets]; typos may be corrected; on rare occasions, I may reorder text. I also aim to stay within the letter and spirit of copyright law: specifically, the U.S. Fair Use and UK Fair Dealing codes.
If an organization or individual so quoted objects to being quoted in this way, they can request an edit or complete removal by tweeting @RiCHi; the request will then be considered by Computerworld editorial staff.
Disclosures
For a list of disclosures and potential conflicts, please see richi.uk/bio
Weirdly-worded words that Computerworld's lawyers like me to say:
This is a weblog of Richi Jennings. The opinions expressed are those of Richi Jennings and may not represent those of Computerworld.
Xiaomi feeds Microsoft patent troll -- pays patent toll
Xiaomi and Microsoft get cozier. They’re announcing an unusual patent deal, which also sees Xiaomi pre-installing Microsoft Office and Skype onto its Android devices...
EU tells Facebook and others to stop hate speech -- because terrorism???
The European Union has told social platforms such as Facebook to do something about hate speech. And, yes, this is indeed something -- something they're already doing...
Asus Zenbook 3 is MacBook killer, say wishful thinkers [and dirty jet]
Asus Zenbook 3 launches at Computex -- on paper, the hardware's better than a MacBook. It'll have a faster processor, bigger display, lighter case, more storage, and a lower starting price...
What is MAREA? Oh, just an epic shift that changes everything
Microsoft and Facebook will build MAREA, the fastest trans-Atlantic cable ever. But why is this HUGE news -- is it because of the cable itself, or because of how it'll be used?
Google wants all Android phones to be like Nexus
Soon, Google Nexus won't just be a nice idea, it'll be Android law. La GOOG is planning to punish partners that don't push updates quickly. Or so the rumor-mongers say, whispering of a secret list of naughty ODMs, which just might...
Now Huawei sues Samsung on patents -- break out the popcorn
Huawei alleges Samsung has used its patented technology without licensing it. Huawei asks Courts in the USA and China to decide the rights and wrongs. But Samsung denies it, threatening retaliation...
'Delayed' MacBook Pro 2016 to be thinner (says bored analyst)
The MacBook Pro 2016 line will be thinner and lighter. Shocking, I know -- but they'll also have Touch ID and a bunch of OLED soft keys, atop the keyboard...
New iPhone 7 rumors say Apple to go 'quadraphonic'
iPhone 7 rumors of 4-speaker design from Apple emerge. But will improved speakers make up for removing the headphone jack?
Chromebooks beat Macintosh -- because you are cheap
Macintosh got outsold by Chromebooks last quarter, in the USA. And Mac sales grew by a healthy amount, so this is huge news...
LinkedIn zombie hack returns for your braaains
LinkedIn was hacked way back in 2012, but the leak of passwords four years ago wasn't the end of the story. Another 117 million have turned up, and many of those old passwords still seem to be valid...
Microsoft quits Nokia phone line -- the next step is here (and Linux)
Microsoft is giving up on Nokia feature phones, selling the business to FIH Mobile, a Foxconn company. Here we see the next step on the road to Microsoft exiting the phone business completely...
Twitter to make new pointless change -- 140 to be 164 (sometimes)
Twitter to loosen its 140-character maximum, by a tiny bit -- in future, it won't count media or links. At least, so says @sarahfrier's single, secret source...
EU searches for huge penalty in Google antitrust case
Google will be fined €3 billion by the European Union. So say secret sources close to the Euro bloc, which has been probing Google's search monopoly since 2009...
Why Apple shunned Uber for Didi Chuxing in China -- for $1,000,000,000
Apple buys stake in Didi Chuxing, so-called Uber of China. $1 billion is a decent chunk of change, so naturally speculation is rife about why, how and when. In IT Blogwatch, bloggers surge and wave...
Opera Web browser claim chowder -- far too salty for me
The Opera Web browser has a new 'power-saving' feature. Opera claims you can get 'up to' 50% more battery life -- but is that likely? Err, NO!
What's WhatsApp's desktop app? A bloated, pointless, Windows/Mac download, that's what
WhatsApp now has a desktop app, for Windows 8 and up or Mac OS 10.9 and up. But as a 60 MB download, it's incredibly bloated, given its lack of functionality. I can't see the point of using this over the Web app. Can you?
Obama agencies fight phone firms in vuln fix fails
Federales probing slow security by mobile phone carriers and ODMs. The FCC and FTC are tag-teaming to investigate non-existent or long-delayed OTA updates -- even when it's critical security vulnerabilities they patch...
iPhone 7 rumors -- Smart Connector shocks Apple fans
iPhone 7 rumors say Apple has dropped plans to include a Smart Connector on the new iPhone 7. Sources say those three little dots are missing in the latest designs...
Lyft and GM in self-drive EV taxi tie-up
Old-timey car-making giant GM and new-fangled ride-sharing startup Lyft are cooking up something huge, say sources. The unlikely pair are getting ready to test a fleet of autonomous electric taxicabs, and they plan to do it by May...