So you think major IT service companies don’t get along, huh? That is true sometimes. However, there are times they put their competitive nature aside to fight for a greater cause. It’s big tech vs. British surveillance.
So what they’re fighting against is the the United Kingdom’s GCHQ bill/law. Well, let me go back to 2016. That year, they passed a law letting all governments and law agencies snoop and hack all computers. This means whether they’re suspected of doing anything wrong or not. But now, this GCHQ goes even further. Because if they enforce this, it will lead to what they call ‘ghost protocol’. That means law and government agencies can snoop onto your machine and/or computer system with no detection. They can spy on you and nobody, not you, not the big tech companies, will even know it.
So naturally, the big boys of tech: Apple, Google, Microsoft, and What’s App are writing concerning letters against this big brother surveillance. Their letter says it threatens digital security, leads to mistrust and can easily be abused. They also call this an invasion of privacy and threat to free speech. They call it what is really is: third party snooping. These companies are getting a lot of help. Because many other organizations are fighting this GHCQ business. They include Human Rights Watch and Reports Without Borders. They also include men like computer security expert and activist Bruce Schneier.
However, leaders pushing for this GCHQ insists this is ‘lawful hacking’. Plus, they say that they have their own system to make sure nobody goes too far. This may fly if we were still in the early 2000s. But look at what’s been going on in this 2010s decade. Nobody is buying it anymore, certainly not big IT support. This is the showdown between big tech vs. British surveillance. Whose side are you on?h
So this is not the plot for a cartoon show. This is about iRobot’s latest product. Also, iRobot’s headquarters are in Bedford, MA, just 15 miles from our computer servicing headquarters. So a mop and vacuum talk to each other.
The names of these cleaning bots are Rooma S9+ and Braava Jet m6. These robot cleaners use technology to tag team with each other and clean floors. They also use map technology and Imprint Link to talk to each other. So basically, they would tell each other who would do what task better. For example, the Rooma S9+ gets to walls and corners better. The new 30mm arm can clean places not even it’s predecessors can get to. But critics complain this will cost more battery life and more turning.
Now let’s look at the new Braava Jet m6. It’s technology studies the floor’s plan and uses that to avoid crashing into furniture. It also uses it’s own spraying and drying techniques. In fact, they say this version is larger than those gone before. This mean it can spray larger and clean quicker and more spaces. Both use 3D sensors that will help them find dirt and grime at a rate of 25 times a second. Therefore, they can virtually take turns cleaning the floor.
Now here comes the not so nice part of this: the price. You didn’t think you could just go to a hardware stuff and get this for cheap, did you? Because the Rooma S9+ will run you anywhere between $1,000-$1,300. Then the Braava Jet costs around $500. So a mop and vacuum talk to each other. But in order to make them talk, you’ll have to shell almost $2,000. They say it will get your floor cleaner than a typical mop and vacuum. But what if it doesn’t? How foolish would you feel if a $10 mop and $100 vacuum clean better than these expensive IT service tools?
So there is a chip out there that can take on many of IT service’s issues. We’re talking everything from e-cars to the debate about surveillance. In fact, Sony’s new thing could even affect speeds. Sony’s chip. Could it change everything?
So this chip could change how your devices exchange information. This isn’t science fiction, but real life. When you put this chip on, then it will send data to any of Sony’s LPWA. The acronym LPWA means low-power wide area. Yes, you can use the Internet to transfer data to a cloud. But it takes quite some doing. However, with Sony’s new LPWA chip, you can use low power tech and low-bit data to reach a wide area. This could change everything.
Sony’s chip official name is the CXM1501GR. So I hope you appreciate why I’m calling it Sony’s chip. It transmits signals to Sony’s network. It also has a GPS to sensors to get time and position data. Sony says this will stabilize wireless communication over wide distances. This will also move at high speeds. In fact, this new chip can transmit 60 miles from it’s original spot. They can also move in any environment at break neck speed. Sony expects to launch the LPWA chip sometime in fall 2019.
They already have this type of IT service in Japan. Then again, look at all this big brother technology they want to reign over the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Yes, they say this will help track packages and monitor your children better. They also say this will help you catch that train without waiting, or navigate long distances. But please, keep in mind some people want to be left alone. Also, don’t we have enough cyber security out there already? It’s one of the fastest growing industries in the world. So here’s what I’m asking about Sony’s chip. Could it change everything?
So we all know about the swift rise of AI technology. Some say it will be the ruin of us. But others say it will take us to the next level. However, they’re combining AI with some of history’s most precious artwork. It’s Mona Lisa and artificial intelligence. Is this awesome or creepy?
So we can thank the AI Samsung Center for this piece of IT service. What they do is make a facial model with their AI tech. They call it a source face. Then, they will apply that source face to a picture or artwork. It can be a recent photo, or something as old as the Mona Lisa. So now, the target face can do whatever the AI face does when they combine the two.
These AI researchers are using facial features like talking, blinking, turning and other facial expressions. However, they admit this system is far from perfect. It takes a lot of data from the AI model to load up the face to the target in order for this to work. They call this single-shot learning. They’re applying this to the Mona Lisa, perhaps the most famous painting of all-time. They have three AI pictures of this.
The first has the Mona Lisa blinking and talking looking straight at the person. Then the second has the Mona Lisa turning her head, while talking and blinking. The third has her looking down while talking and blinking. I must admit it, it creeped my out looking at the Mona Lisa like this. But then, I couldn’t stop looking. They’re doing this to pictures of real life historic figures too, like Albert Einstein and Marylin Monroe. What do you think of Mona Lisa and artificial intelligence? Is it awesome or creepy? Or could making historic figures talk be leading to something more sinister?
So we all know there’s a race in the IT service community. That race is to build, sell, and profit off the first driveless car. However, you may not know there’s another tech travel revolution brewing. Tech leaders build supersonic plane.
If they get their way, then we’ll soon by on passenger jets traveling over 800 mph. One of these companies is Hermeus. In fact, their goal is to build a plane that goes from New York to London in 2 hours. That sounds very strange now. But they might eventually accomplish this. Because they have generous funding from some tech venture companies. They’re also getting coaching from a former Blue Origin president. But look out, Hermeus. You’ve got company.
Because you have Aerion Supersonic and Strike Aerospace. They’re working on 12 passenger luxury jets that can fly over 1,000 mph. That will get you from New York to Los Angeles in around 3 hours. Then there is Boom, that wants to live up to it’s name. So far, they raised over $140 million. They want to build 55 seated jets that fly at supersonic speeds. Also, Boom wants to be more inclusive. If all goes well, their seats will sale at about the level bushiness class seats sell today.
So is this possible? Well, take yourself back 20 years? Did you think social media sites like You Tube, Facebook and Instagram were possible? Also, look at flying today. There was a time when people looked forward to getting on a plane. In fact, there was a time people actually dressed up to get on a plane. Not any more. Maybe these supersonic jets, and the companies that build them, can change that. I think this will make people get excited about flying again, especially if they can get there in literally half the time. Tech leaders build supersonic plane. But just like in the driverless car race, who will be first to get this off the ground?
