Apr 5, 2018 | Uncategorized
So in the 1990s and much of the 2000s, us Americans thought we were IT support and technology. Many of us also thought nobody could touch us. Then China’s tech boom came along. Now I ask, “Will IT service turn into the united state of China?”.
So I read an interesting article. In the tech world, they’re demanding not American tech services, but China’s. One reason is due because of change in consumer habits and culture. Furthermore, people and companies tire of rising adverting costs, incompetent service, scandal, and potential monopolies (ahem…Google, Amazon, Apple), that seem to plague American technology. The world sees it. This is where China could come in.
First of all, China hardly went through the ‘trial and error’ that American techies did. They just ahem…borrowed…from us and everybody else’s. Now, well, since 2010, many of the world’s best companies came from China. Also, many praise China’s techies for their work ethic. Then look at their ad business. China’s tech companies, like WeChat, seem to have better ad revenue than our Facebook. They seem to be light years ahead of us in mobile shopping. On their Singles Day, kinda like our Black Friday, their Alibaba, kinda like our Amazon, raked in $25 billion. I doubt even our Amazon or Walmart can do that in one day.
So what then? I see it in our Boston computer service shop. There are some occasions, not many but a few, where we need a part from China. We’ve actually heard customers say, “I’m relieved. China has better parts anyway.”. Wow. So it sounds like our American tech companies better get on the ball. And now I’m reading about a trade war between the US and China. How will this work out for either nation? More so for us than for them. Will IT service turn into the united state of China?
Apr 4, 2018 | News, youtube
So yesterday, tragedy struck the You Tube headquarters in San Bruno, CA. A woman opened fire on You Tube’s main work campus. This forced hundreds of employees and managers to either flee the building or take cover under their desks. But who would do this? You Tube shooting: About the suspect.
So the suspect’s name was Nasim Aghdam. She was 39 years old and from San Diego, CA. I say ‘was’ because at the end of her shooting spree, she turned the gun on herself. Furthermore, we learn Ashdam was a You Tube’er. In fact, she had over 10,000 subscribers at one time. She used the name ‘Nasime Sabz’. On her channel, she did everything from Middle Eastern dancing and speaking to crusading for animal rights. She also promoted her vegan diet and lifestyle.
But according to reports, recently, You Tube stopped paying for her videos. This deeply cut into her primary income. Then, Aghdam complained You Tube added age restrictions and other filters. It angered her when these filters brought her viewership down. Aghdam’s father saw how upset she was. That’s why he got so worried when she went missing. In fact, the day before this tragedy, the father warned police she might go to San Bruno with with intentions. Nasim Aghdam’s page is no more. They deleted it immediately following the shooting. This tragedy hit the whole IT service and IT support community.
The You Tube shooting rampage injured three people. One is in critical condition, one in serious, and one is in fair condition. You Tube and their parent company, Google, assure they’re cooperation with authorities, and comfort those directly affected and their loved ones. This brings up You Tube headquarters’ security. In fact, CBS journalist said despite him having to get a badge, he still just walked through without a metal detector. But what about the suspect? We should never blame You Tube or Google for this heinous act. Nasim Aghadam is to blame. She is the only one who deserves blame. The fact she took her own life rather then face justice or the victims is a sign of a sociopathic coward. I do feel pity for Ashdam’s father, but this cowardly, murderous act forever tarnished whatever legacy Nasim Aghadam? tried to leave behind. Am I being too harsh here?
Apr 3, 2018 | Computer technology
So far this year, we hear a lot about Russia. We hear a lot of concerning things about Russia, like nuclear weapons. The US military’s DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Project Agency) wants to do something about it. Here it is. DARPA uses IT support and sea creatures.
So let me explain. DARPA actually wants to sea creatures like fish, dolphins, even coral and bacteria, to spy on enemy threats. But wait…there’s more. They also want to know which marine animal supports sensors that detect underwater vehicles. That means any of them, including, let’s say, one that can carry very harmful weapons. I think you know what I mean, then.
In, fact, if DARPA uses IT support on sea creatures could save them money. I say this because man made machines often break down. At least, that’s their reason for using sea creatures. However, it’s already happening. They’re already using some large ocean animal for work like this. But as you can imagine, not everybody is happy with this. This appalls environmental groups. One Greenpeace activist says marine mammals should not be involved in military exercises.? They insists they won’t use animals on the endangered spices list. That sounds like a step in the right direction, right?
However, this sounds more like two steps forward and two steps back. Because some reports say they want to…ahem…modify species to detect threats in our waters. To me, that either means one or two things, and neither are good. One is they’re either going to breed other species of animals. Or it could even mean they might try some trans-humanist experiments on animals. I hope that’s not the case. Look at how far technology has come in just this last decade. We can build voice assistants. We can build running robots. There’s even talk of building colonies on Mars. So if we can do all that, then can’t we build tools to secure our waterways without using sea creatures?
Apr 2, 2018 | Computer technology
So you have Amazon’s Alexa. Then you know you can do a lot with that system. Alexa can do anything from play your music to turn off your lights. But did you know Alexa can also do your good deeds? Alexa donates to charity: from your account.
So this is how it works. Just tell Alexa how much you want to donate and which charity you want to donate to. For example, you could say, “Alexa, donate $30 to World Relief”. And Alexa donates to charity for you. In fact, it will even deduct if from whatever account you linked Alexa to.
You see, Alexa has a confirmation code can keep you from making an accidental purchase. Also, this is to protect you from literally your own household. What if you have a teenager who uses your Alexa account to go on his/her shopping spree. Your code prevents that. But what does this have to do with donating to charity? When, or if, you do use Alexa to donate, then you can know they won’t give away your credit info. However, it will give your name, email and address to the charity you chose. You can also track your donation at Amazon pay.
So as of today, there are over 40 charities you can donate to through Alexa. Some we know very well, like American Cancer Society. Then you have some lesser known and local charities, like Detroit Achievement Academy. But here is the list of all you charities under this new system, so far. Is this good for IT service? That depends on how much you trust Alexa. It sounds like she’s doing the right things to keep users safe. But you never know. Here around our computer service shop, I’ve seen so much stuff. So even if Alexa donates to charity is hack-proof, then I still wouldn’t do it. Doesn’t Alexa do enough already? Do we really want Alexa paying our bills and doing our charity work, too?
Mar 30, 2018 | internet, News
So Facebook can use some good news now. In fact, everyone in IT support can use some good news now. I found some. Facebook’s good news: Spamming paid off.
So it starts when Ben Taylor from Utah gets a Facebook message from Liberia, a small West African nation, asking for help. Most would dismiss this as a trick or scam. But Taylor replied, “How can I help?”.? Taylor wanted to see how they pulled these scams off. Then there is Joel. He’s the Liberian man who asked Ben Taylor for help. He asked for electronics. He would sell the electronics, then send some of the profits back. Still thinking it’s a scam, Ben sent a cheap camera, not expecting anything back. This is where it gets good.
Because Joel did keep his end of the bargain. Then Ben asked for pictures of Joel’s homeland. He made a book of Joel’s Liberia. Then, he made over $1,000 selling these books. Taylor promised Joel that $1,000, but with a catch. Ben made Joel promise to give half of it to charity. Once again, Joel proved Ben wrong. Because Joel send back proof that he did give $500 to charity. It gets better. Taylor, who claims he never left the US, went to Liberia and met Joel in person. This is a friendship that continues to this day and will probably continue for years to come.
Let me put a disclaimer out there. This isn’t an excuse to look to buy electronics from Africa. There are a lot of scams that originate from West Africa. In fact, several years back, someone at our Boston computer service shop got burned. Then why do I write about Facebook’s good news? Because we could use some. I report so much about malware, scams, rip-offs, wealth inequality, scandals, bullying, sextortion, etc. So it’s time to report on good news. It’s inspiring to see how a Facebook message can turn into a partnership and friendship around the world. Do you have any good tech news to share?
