Mar 8, 2018 | Security, Smartphone
So yesterday, MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe found himself in trouble. Because during a presentation, Lowe let slip his company can watch his consumers drive home from a movie. This also includes any and all five million of them. Is Movie Pass playing big brother?
So you can bet Lowe was quick to explain what he really meant. First of all, they mail you the card for MoviePass membership. That means they already have your address as well as some other information. Then he explains your smartphone GPS is tracking you. He also said their payment system hooks up your credit card to your phone. Furthermore, Lowe assured customers they don’t share or sell your data.
However, that’s about all Lowe is saying about the matter. A couple of things startled a lot of Movie Pass customers. One was demographics. Lowe also stated they know the age of your kids and your income. This caused controversy as well. It’s probably the patent itself. In fact, they sued a rival company for patent violation, claiming they copied Movie Pass. However, it seems they may be getting the message. On Apple devices, they already removed the ‘unused app location capability” from their apps.
Is Movie Pass playing big brother? Let’s not blame Movie Pass. Let’s face it, they’re doing what most IT support companies and apps out there. I heard many people come through our Boston computer service shop complain about their apps following them. This isn’t paranoia. This is the honest truth. Movie Pass just got caught admitting it. And now they got to do something about it. These are just the things we know about. But think about the things we don’t know about. I’m glad we’re talking about Movie Pass, but you know they’re not the only ones doing it. What other apps could be following us and how?
Mar 7, 2018 | Computer technology
So for those old enough to remember, September 11, 2001 will be our generation’s day of infamy. Because on that day, hijackers crashed planes into the World Trade Center, Pentagon and in a Pennsylvanian field. This evil act killed approximately 3,000. Then add the thousands injured. Also, consider that an entire generation lost it’s innocence and invincibility.? There is an online 9/11 photo that proves how painfully real that day was.
I won’t put the photo up here because it could be too much to handle. But here is a summary. A 4-year-old boy stands on the Brooklyn Bridge. His mother takes a picture of him smiling slightly. His mother took the picture. However, this boy is unaware one of the towers got hit by an airplane and the gaping hole in the building. We can guess she took the picture right after the first plane, but minutes before the second one. Because others crossing the bridge seems equally as unaware.
So what does this have to do with computer repair or IT support? Well, unfortunately, some people use this tragedy to produce fake photos. Some of these photos are distasteful, to say the least. And they’re using the best of computer technology to doctor these fake photos. So when Austin Sansome, now around 21, posted this picture on Reddit, people immediately became skeptical. On Reddit, people accused him of putting up a fake photo. They asked questions like, “Why didn’t anyone notice the smoke? Didn’t anybody hear a loud kaboom?”, and other questions. But there were others who believed the photo was real. Then something happened.
Sansome went on Reddit to kill the beef. As a young man, he held up the authentic picture his mother took on that horrible morning. He explains he still lives in New York City, and assured this picture is tragically real. I believe him. But what is sad about this (besides the obvious), is that why did he have to go all out to prove himself on this online 9/11 photo? Why do people make photoshop fake photos of tragedy? To me, this is abuse and exploitation of the system. I think when people do fake photos of this, they’re disrespecting those who had to endure it. Yes, I like photoshop. But keep it light and entertaining. Don’t use fake photos to make light of tragedy. Why do people do this?
Mar 6, 2018 | General
So for years, many say Silicon Valley is dying. For example, you don’t see Amazon rushing to put their second headquarters in Silicon Valley, do you? But now, Google, perhaps the largest of all IT service companies, will spend over $2.6 billion in expansion. It won’t be in Silicon Valley. Is Silicon Valley dead? Google seems to think so.
Google will spend over two billion dollars building a New York City base. In fact, they’re ready to close a deal on a building in the Meatpacking District. That’s in southwest Manhattan, walking distance to Greenwich Village and Chelsea. They already have a building that’s a block long. If this deal is successful, then it would be the most expensive real estate deal in NYC history. Keep in mind we’re talking New York City here!
The appeal of NYC is real to IT support executives, too. One tech executive said large companies like Google and Amazon create a booming economy. Techies work here for a few years, then move on to try to start their own companies. They’re not the only ones leaving San Francisco, either. One San Francisco tech investor went on a three day trip to small cities in the Midwest. He did this so Silicon Valley investors could abandon California ambitions and seek out talents elsewhere. Another venture capital investor said Silicon Valley is too expensive, congested and competitive, so she’s going somewhere else. Even AOL founder Stage Cage admitted Silicon Valley hit it’s peak. Is Silicon Valley dead?
It’s not looking good. Also, the phrase, “We told you so” doesn’t do justice. We insiders warned them about the dangers Silicon Valley headed into: wealth inequality, sex scandals, high prices, and overworked underpaid frustrated employees. Human beings can only take so much. So of course they’re going to move somewhere else. But why New York? Rent prices and expenses are just as costly in New York City as they are in greater San Francisco and San Jose. It’s also just as crowded. However, the talent keep coming. I ask again. Is Silicon Valley dead? Is New York City a better alternative?
Mar 5, 2018 | Computer technology
So Snapchat, which once helped lead the social media revolution, is in trouble. I say that because Snapchat is in trouble. They lost $3.5 billion in 2017. They also lost $350 million in the first few months of 2018. Now they’re coming up with AR glasses. Can Snapchat AR glasses save Snapchat?
So before I begin, don’t bombard this blog, or anywhere else, asking,? “What are Snapchat AR glasses coming?!”. Don’t go doing that anywhere else, either. In fact, CEO Even Spiegel hasn’t made this move official. But in an interview, he said he’s looking for technological development and big products. Many in the IT support community and tech insiders believe he’s hinting on building AR glasses.? We already know them for bringing cartoon and cartoon style pics into the real world. For instance, think of the times you gave somebody rabbit ears or dog whiskers. Snapchat helps you do that. So it would make sense, at least on that factor, they would be the one taking this next tech leap.
But according to Snapchat leaders, we won’t see Snap’s AR glasses until the summer or fall of 2019. That’s the earliest. They tried it back in 2016. They built a first person camera into a frame. However, transferring video camera pics and movies into a smartphone proved easier said than done. They called is Spectacles. Do you remember hearing about it? Neither do I. That’s because they only sold 150,000 pairs. Most of the others never even made it past the warehouse. But they’re not alone. Because every IT service entity, from Google Glass to Magic Leap, failed in this endeavor. What makes Spectacle 2 so different? It’s going to be water proof, two camera, and awesome 3D effects. Here is one reason why they all failed: the privacy factor. Many people are concerned with someone taking their picture with the wink of an eye. I’m concerned.
Until they address this concern, I don’t think AR glasses will sale anywhere? Would you buy Snapchat AR glasses?
Mar 2, 2018 | News
So for IT service, one of the greatest services is social media. In some cases, it’s also the most destructive. But how do we wrestle with this? It’s the one hour rule for Europe’s social media.
So what is ‘one hour rule’? According to the European Commission, tech companies in Europe have one hour to take down illegal content. This one hour begins the second someone reports such content to the tech company. But what is illegal content? They say it includes: terrorism, child pornography, hate speech, hacking/online scams, and even copyright violations. However, the EU commission doesn’t limit it to those five categories. They gave this time frame because it’s critical to cancel such threats before they spread even further.
As early as fall 2017, British leaders insisted tech companies remove extreme content in a shorter time. Prior to this, it was 36 hours. It’s just a rule. It’s not a law…yet. But at least the EU is somewhat clear on what ‘extremist content’ is. To me, it sounds like they’re targeting radical jihad, like ISIS. Plus, there are some extreme hate groups the EU want to silence. In fact, the UK is paying an AI companies for machine learning to combat ISIS propaganda.
For that part, I applaud them. Because we know by now ISIS and other terrorists groups, and extreme groups, use social media for recruiting. However, there is an elephant in the room. What if someone calls a disagreeable opinion ‘extremism’? This is 2018. So yes, this can and will happen. The question we wrestle with is ‘what do you call extremism’? We must be very careful this doesn’t lead to censorship. Then you have the AI factor. In computer repair, we often ask, “How much will AI control our lives?” How will machine learning tell what is extremism and what isn’t? Are you ready to put your safety, and your online freedom, in the hands of machines and robots?
