So did your smartphone ever dial 911? I ask because this happened to me not long ago. I walked the streets, not knowing my phone dialed 911 three times until I checked the call log. But what about when a major IT service corporation does it, all day every day? This is Apple accidental? fake dialing 911.
So since October 2017, Sacramento County, CA received over 1,600 fake 911 calls. It didn’t come from prank calls, but from an Apple store in that county. The store comes from Elk Grove, the second biggest city in Sacramento County. Nobody knows what device these fake calls are coming from: iPhones, iWatches, or Mac books.
So this breaks down to 11 calls a day. It may not sound like much, especially for a major metropolis like Sacramento. However, it’s enough to slow down emergency services for those who need it. It could also block calls of people with real life-threatening issues. Furthermore, many criticize iPhones and Apple watches for ease to trigger fake 911 calls. For example, you can call 911 on an Apple watch by holding the side button just for a second or two. Apple did it like this so people can contact 911 easy in case of emergency. But it seems they made it too easy.
Yes, Apple is aware of the program. They also vow to work with local leaders and take steps to keep this from happening. However, Apple leaders remain tight lipped about what these steps are. Let’s face it. Apple isn’t the most popular brand out there. And Apple fake dialing 911 isn’t helping matters any. I might get in trouble for this. But in the computer repair industry, there are some techs who dread when a customer comes with an Apple product. There are various reasons for this, and this just adds to the growing lists. Does Apple accidental fake dialing 911 change your view?
So do you ever hear the saying, “When the cats are away the rats will play.”? Apparently, Microsoft founder Bill Gates fears this is happening to the IT service and computer tech world. Bill Gates threatens government intervention if tech leaders don’t get it together.
So the first thing Gates talks address is the monopolization of tech companies. He’s right. Look at Amazon; they own about everything. Then look at Google and Apple. Those two companies, and their offspring, back over 90% of all smartphones. Then you have phone companies. Only a handful of retailers, like AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile sell most of the phones.
But Gates didn’t stop there. Gates says they’re supporting things that will prevent the government from functioning. One example he gives is Apple refusing to unlock a phone for law enforcement a terrorist owned. The owner of the phone was one of the perpetrators of the 2015 San Bernadino, CA massacre.? Then,? Gates wonders why tech companies are backing anonymous financial transactions. Furthermore, the Russian interference of the 2016 elections, and tech companies not doing anything about it, came up. Then you have AI technology threatening jobs, even threatening human interaction on the most intimate levels.
Gates isn’t the only one worried. Congressmen, Democrats and Republicans, say IT support have way too much power. One says, “If you don’t do something about it, then we will”. That should scare anybody. Think about it. A handful of tech companies control everything we do these days. Think about if just Google, Apple, and Facebook shuts down all their companies today. What would that look like? So in a way, Gates is right, as are the concerned lawmakers. But I find it ironic this is coming from Bill Gates. Wasn’t this the man who used to say, “The goal of business isn’t to create a profit. It’s too create a monopoly!”? Is he having a change of heart now? Bill Gates threatens government intervention. Or is he learning from his mistakes and doesn’t want other magnates repeating them?
So the Tesla Roadstar’s journey is to fly around the sun, then head toward Mars. But I don’t know if something went wrong or if there was a last minute change. Because now, the car is going? toward Mars, the Asteroid Belt, and Jupiter. And Musk seems to be good with it. He tweeted, “Third burn successful”.
However, the rocket cruised for six hours, just to show off even before going into space. The final engine burn happened somewhere over California last night, then it turned to space. Musk even tweeted a map of the car’s orbit. If anything, this car is traveling faster and better than anyone planned. They say it’s going way into the asteroid belt, not just scraping it. This makes me wonder: Does anybody worry about what is going to happen to the car or rocket? If people at Tesla are worried, they’re keeping it to themselves. Tesla himself admits this car can hit Mars. I don’t think anybody’s going to see that car again.
But it’s not about the car. I think Musk and Tesla are trying to prove a point here. Yes, you can put objects in space, and deep into space. Furthermore, you can use IT service and IT support to do it. Did you know the asteroid belt is, on average, 200 million miles from Earth? That’s more than twice the distance from Earth to the sun. This is how far the Tesla Roadstar went. Space travel is a? long way from Apollo 11’s first moon landing. The moon is only 225,000 miles from the Earth. Some companies are even looking to dig up water in the asteroid belt. Do you think they can within the next 10 years?
There are a lot of issues going on in 2018 America. This includes bullying, sexual harassment, racism, political division, etc. So IT service and computer repair are NOT immune. In fact, they caused some of the concerns. Look at the craze of sex robots (yuck!). But one company wants to help put sanity back in an insane world. Loris.ai offers a helping hand and text line.
Loris.ai is a text line to help bosses and employees alike talk about controversial and unpleasant topics. Also, according to CEO Nancy Nublin, they want to teach people how to have and handle hard conversations. They’re not the only ones who share this vision because they recently raised $2 million.
Furthermore, Loria.ai is the baby of Crisis Text Line. With them, you can text them if you’re going through a severe personal crisis, like suicidal thoughts. They saved a lot of lives that way. And Loris.ai works in similar ways. When you text these lines, you will get a real human being, not a robot! Thank heavens! In addition to that, you’ll get a human that’s been trained and probably endured what you’re going through. But they’re starting off small. They’re inviting a handful of companies and leaders who commit themselves to compassion and kindness. They also teach employees on how to handle situations they never faced yet.
So here is an example. Let’s say you’re working with someone of a different religion, or sexual orientation. You never even met a person of this background in your life. But you want a develop a good relationship with this colleague and don’t want to do or say something inappropriate. Then text Loris.ai. A human counselor will help you navigate that situation, and learn from it. Personally, I love stories like this in the tech field. We hear so much of how tech is contributing to the evil in the world. And we need to hear these stories. However, there are many examples of how technology is doing good. Loris.ai is one example of tech good. I hope this service makes life easier in every workplace in America. What do you think of this text line?
Tomorrow is the big day…well, for most. Because it’s Super Bowl 52. I know some aren’t watching for social/political reasons. Also, many don’t like either team. But in this city and around our computer service shop, we can’t wait! Let’s give you some technology Super Bowl tips.
Of course, we have to start with the TV. In the IT support community, many brag about the 65-inch Sony Bravia 4K OLED smart TV. Most brag about the design. It also helps that it comes easel style: you can angle it on almost any furniture. Furthermore, the jacks and manual make it fairly easy to install, by smart TV standards at least. Then there’s this bonus: the screen is the speaker system! One less expense to cross off. Yes, it’s compatible with Google assistant and Alexa. But this ain’t cheap. If you get this screen at $2,000, then you’re getting it at a good deal.
But you don’t have $2,000 to spend on a TV; but you want good speakers. This is where Sonos comes in. For as little as $150, it works with about every kind of option available, from Spotify to Tidal (wait…they’re still in business?!) Plus, they provide volume all throughout the house, even backyard. Yep, catch every play, even in the bathroom. It works well with voice control too. Now not everyone is happy to see Justin Timberlake perform the halftime show. And you may want to hang out after the Super Bowl (here in Mass., some schools and businesses are opening late Monday, or not at all). This would be a good time for You Tube Red to watch a movie or TV show. It’s also a great time for that retro video game console. Those will run you under $100.
I could go on and on, but I’m sure you have your own game plan. What are some of your technology super bowl tips?
I grew up playing Nintendo (age hint). In fact, I remember one Christmas in the 1980s, I got the original console, with Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt. They came a long way in 30 years. Because now, they’re introducing Nintendo Labo.
So it’s for Nintendo Switch and uses kits. These kits include cardboard, and lots of it. According to David Young, Nintendo’s VP of Public Relations, they use cardboard because there’s it’s easy to get and easy mold and play with. You can also put the cardboard on you. For example, many use it as a backpack, and/or helmet. Furthermore, you use the cardboard to build houses, fishing rods, even robots you’ll use in the video game.
Then there are the technology aspects, like the IR motion camera. You also have Joy Con controllers. They read your movements and the cardboard’s movements. This is especially important for robot games. The Joy Con on screen camera reads your moves. You can even play piano with they Joy Con. You press the key. The switch makes the sound, thanks to Joy Con. Then there’s the Switch. I don’t know why they call it that, but it will walk you through the process.
However, what I see a lot of people complain about is the price. The Nintendo Labo costs around $70 for the regular version. The robot kit will cost around $80. They’re just introducing Nintendo Labo. It doesn’t come out to the public until April 20. So that gives you many weeks to start saving. Besides, I think these are great prices for such new and experimental items. Look, some items in computer repair and IT support cost way more, and they turn out to be goodness awful. Others say, ” Why pay that much for a bunch of cardboard?!”. Well, back in the 1980s, look at how much we paid for an original Nintendo. Looking back, it was way more than $80. Would you get Nintendo Labo?
