So last week, Hurricane Micheal devastated the Florida Panhandle. The pictures are hard to watch. Not only was this the strongest October hurricane of all time, but was one of the strongest storms of any time. However, many credit technology for helping out and even saving lives. Let’s look at Hurricane Michael and technology.
So many of people, like meteorologists, credit IT support and technology for saving lives. They credit radar and computer models for watching the storm’s rapid intensity. For example, on Sunday the 7th, it was just a tropical storm. But by the time it hit Wednesday the 10th, it was almost a category 5 storm.
They also thank the EOC (emergency operations center) for putting warnings out. They sent evacuation warnings to smartphones and other devices all over the land. Also, they kept using this to get the warning out. As a result, many people fled. In Franklin County, Florida, over 12,000 people left because of the warnings. Of the 1,000 people of Mexico Beach, FL, over 700 left. Cell phone companies and ISP providers set up hot spots all over the areas so people can contact missing relatives, friends and neighbors. They are sending hundreds more to help re-connect people with cell phone service. Who is doing the sending? It’s major phone companies like AT&T and Verizon.
I know on my Facebook page, people all over the hit areas mark themselves safe. People also talk about if they’re out of power. In some ways, social media gives regular people a journalist’s voice they didn’t have some 15 or 20 years ago. Oh, and like other disasters, online giving will pay a huge role in the clean up and recovery efforts. Just be careful about who you give to and accept help from. Those are just some of the ways IT service and technology are helping people whether the storm. How else do Hurricane Michael and technology go together, I mean in technology helping people?
So what if you could jump into a photo? It kind of reminds me of the 1980s A-Ha’s “Take On Me” video. This new photo technology won’t let you do that, but it could be getting close. Facebook, AI, and 3D photos: Oh my!
So Facebook now rolls out 3D photos for you. This piece of IT service should add realism to your photos. In fact, it’s so real you can feel like you can almost jump in them. All one does is ‘3D Photos’ in status update, then select a portrait made photo. Then, users from their regular News Feed, or the VR/Oculus? features can tap it to see their in-depth photo. This photo option should be available a few weeks from now. Also, the combo of Facebook, AI , and 3D photos is available to all Facebook users.
Plus, this is just a part of Facebook’s new creations to stay fresh. For instance, a lot of people are using the Stories feature now. Instead of writing a post to express themselves, many a Facebook user tell ‘Stories’ through a series of photos. Then there is Facebook Live. Many a Facebook friends use videos to post their story instead of words. Some are good, some are really powerful. Other new feature include, GIF’s and 360 photos are doing well, too.
So how will the combination of Facebook, AI, and 3D photos do? Well, many people won’t know anytime soon. Because in order to get 3D photos, you must have either an iPhone 7, 8, X or XS. I know a lot of people have those devices. But a lot more don’t have them, and don’t plan on getting them. Many in PC repairs don’t plan on getting them.? Of course, if you do have these, then the rest of the service is free of charge. But doesn’t other features Facebook have already enhance your experience? Would you use Facebook 3D Photos?
So, how many of you know about the ‘spy chip’? It’s a chip that can read and compromise data on motherboards all over the world. But that’s just the beginning of it. It’s US government and corporations vs spy chip.
So last week, a scathing report came out of Bloomberg. This magazine claims China built these spy chips on motherboards. Also, SuperMicro owns and builds these motherboards, so they share some blame as well. However, the allegations don’t stop there. Because this article accuses Amazon and Apple of using this kind of equipment in their super data centers. Then, this would let China spy on these mega IT support and IT service?companies, and their many, many customers. Too many to count, in fact. Bloomberg say that they used over a dozen sources to confirm this.
But these companies aren’t letting their name get dragged around.? Because Apple, Amazon and SuperMicro released statements on their respective websites. They all deny it. In fact, even Homeland Security is getting in the mix. They’re siding with the three companies. They say they have no reason to doubt these three companies are telling the truth when they deny this spy chip. If anything, they doubt Bloomberg’s articles.
Lets look at this US government and corporations vs spy chip thing. Do you realize how rare it is for Homeland Security to issue a statement like this? Yes, they fight cyber terrorism and other threats. But rarely do they side with corporations over journalists. However, neither side is going to back down. This really is a case of they said vs they said. Then add on the China factor. First, you have this tariff fight. Then, you have Vice-President Pence calling out China’s intense censorship laws, and Pence asking Google to stop enabling this kind of censorship. Do you think there is more to this story?
So most people know about the trade tariff war between President Trump and China. But now, Vice-President Mike Pence gets involved. Pence asks Google and China to break up.
He said this to the Hudson Institute yesterday. Yes, the trade conflict is a factor. However, Pence talked about China’s oppressive censorship issues, especially online. Google plans on making a mobile Google just for China. Also, they’re even working with China on this. That doesn’t sit well with Pence. Because Pence openly criticized China about? their Internet restrictions. But he didn’t stop there.
In his speech, he named names. He praised other companies for skipping over the Chinese market and, “abetting Beijing’s oppression”. Then he called on other major corporations to do the same. That’s when he literally called out Google. Specifically, Pence asks Google to end anymore development of the Dragonfly app. Because the Vice-President worries will strengthen China’s Communist Party’s already strict censorship. His concerns also include privacy rights of Chinese citizens. If you don’t know what Dragonfly does, it’s their version of the search engine that bans Twitter and Facebook. But why would any engine want to ban Twitter and Facebook? They’re two of the most popular websites in the globe.
That’s because Twitter and Facebook are banned in China. But of course, many in that nation find a way to get it anyway. To that, I say good for them. China also blocks historic tragedies like the?Tiananmen Square massacre (I wonder why). I must say. On the surface, these motives look good. IT support and IT services like social media should be open and free by all governments. I wouldn’t want any company to help anybody nation who is pushing censorship. So I like the message. But what worries me here is motive. Does Pence really care about censorship in China? Or is this a way to fight the trade war on China?
So over the last several years, we read about robots taking over certain job markets. For example, I saw one where a robot made pizza. But now, robots do your construction jobs.
They call this the HRP-5P. It’s funny they didn’t give it a proper name. A company in Japan they call Japan’s Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Institute. In this video, the robot installs drywall. First, it picks up the drywall. Then, it lines up the drywall with the wall’s size and shape. It goes on to drive the nails into the wall and stabilizing the drywall. It only installed one piece of drywall. But the video lasts 35 seconds. Then, imagine what HRP-5P can do in minutes, or hours or even a day.
The creators actually want to send robots like HRP-5 to construction sites all over Japan. Furthermore, they say such robots will be necessary in the near future. They may be already necessary, or so they want us to think. The creators, and their supporters, blame a low birth rate and aging population for this. Somone…or something…needs to fill the gap.? They also worry about workers carrying large pieces of equipment, and say robots are better off doing this. Are these legit reasons or are these excuses?
Meanwhile, here in America, there are millions of contractors and tens of millions of construction workers. Obviously, they use machines to lift heavy equipment; the even use IT support? for other tasks. But let’s dig deeper. They’re already replacing humans with robots in other industries from food service to nursing. Here is where it hits home for us. There is even talk of using robots for computer repair. This means millions of techs will be out of work. This also means millions of construction laborers will be out of work if robots do your construction jobs. Now are you concerned?
So what if you ran a major IT service corporation? Then, what if a group of people ran a theft ring, in your own hometown? That’s what happened to Apple. Police bust an Apple theft ring in Silicon Valley.
Local and state police arrested many who stole from Apple stores in Oakland and San Luis Obispo. The law accuses them of stealing over a million dollars worth of Apple merchandise. So according to authorities, they came in wearing baggy clothes in hoodies. Then,? swiped away the display items, stuck them in their pockets and baggy clothes, and walked out of there casually. It was simple as that.
It wasn’t just in these two cities. Because this theft ring operated in 19 California counties. So far, police arrested only seven people. They’re looking for at least nine more. I say ‘only’ and ‘at least’ because I think it takes way more than 16 people to pull of jobs like this. We’re talking millions of dollars worth of Apple goods here. California Attorney General Xavier Becarra addressed the case. As we expect, he assured they would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. However, Becarra addressed another concern: copycat criminals.
So come to think of it, I share Attorney General Becarra’s concern. I think most of know that Apple products don’t come cheap nowadays. Furthermore, some items, like these new batch of phones, are really popular. Look at how easy it was for them to pull this off.? Then add to the fact that not everybody is enjoying this…ahem…’economic boom’ the news and stock market hypes up.? All these things just breed temptation. But I tell you what. Police bust an Apple theft ring in Silicon Valley. That’s what. If you do this, then they will find you. Then you will be looking at years in prison. Believe me, Apple has the backing to make it happen. So my advice to you is…don’t even try it!
