Jun 18, 2018 | Computer technology
So last week, an elderly gentlemen came in our Boston computer service shop. When he was in college in the 1950s, the super computer was all they had. So today, I read an article that kind of reminds me of that. Here is the world’s largest ARM Super computer.
We know most of these mega machines because of their super speed. However, there is a new kid in town. They call this new kid Astra, the world’s largest ARM super computer. I looked up what ARM means, but the acronym changed so much over the years. So let’s jut leave it at ARM. It’s the largest computer of it’s kind.
We can think the US Dept. of Energy for creating this. They’re using it for nuclear energy and research. A Calvium Thunder X2 ARM processors power it. These are even faster and more powerful than one of the greatest processors of this age, the x86 CPU. There is a greater need for better data transfer. However, here are some mind boggling numbers. Astra has 145,000 cores. It also has 2,592 dual processing servers. Then add the eight memory channels. Compare that to the six memory channels the x86 CPU has. It’s one of the top 100 fastest super computers in the world today. I expect it will make it’s way up the charts as time goes on.
A place called Sandia National Laboratory already adopted and runs this super computer. Their main goal is to manage America’s nuclear stockpile. That’s no small feat, for any IT support company, any computer anywhere. We don’t know when they’re going to perfect this super computer. And don’t hold your breath. Because something this massive and this great is going to take time to get better. It will also take error, and lots of error. What do you think of the world’s largest ARM super computer?
Jun 15, 2018 | Entertainment
So I think we all know the online content war is no joke. In fact, AT&T and Time Warner are merging because of this. However, Apple fights back. Oprah chooses Apple for original content.
The media mogul signed a long lasting contract with Apple. This contract will have Oprah Winfrey, owner of OWN cable TV network, producing videos exclusively for Apple. However, nobody knows what these videos will be about. Or at least, nobody is giving anything away. Well, they did say this program will embrace her ability to reach out to her audience. So we shouldn’t expect a lot of action/adventure flicks from this venture. That’s going to disappoint a lot of folks in our computer service shop.
Many IT support insiders say this is a huge win for Apple in the streaming content wars. Because as most of us know, Oprah Winfrey isn’t just a talk show host or an actress. Over the past 32 years, she has done it all. This includes producing and founding shows like Dr. Phil and Rachel Ray, both of which are still very popular. Also, there is another reason why Oprah chooses Apple. Because they already have some of her content. For example, Apple has an Oprah podcast she calls, “Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations“. In typical Oprah fashion, it’s wildly successful. In fact, it’s a #1 podcast show on Apple.
As we say, we don’t know what will be on these videos, but it’s fun to speculate. Maybe she’ll put reruns of her 1986-2011 talk show. Or maybe she’ll air some of her cable shows, or put some of Dr. Phil or Rachel Ray’s content up there. I can already imagine some new shows and productions will be up here. Or maybe, just maybe, she’ll use this platform to announce her Presidential Candidacy for the 2020 election. Could this be what this is about?
Jun 14, 2018 | News
So most of you know I’m cynical of major mergers. I’m cynical because I think when they’re too big to fail, they’re too big to care. This is in contrast of our computer service shop. Here, our computer repair experts always care.? But this is the merger of all mergers. AT&T and Time Warner merge: Now what?
They worked on this deal for months, but it’s so big and controversial that the legal system held it up. The hold up argued this merger would lead to less consumer choice and higher TV prices. However, earlier this week, Federal Judge Richard J Leon lifted the suit. Judge Leon allowed and approved the $85 billion AT&T and Time Warner merge to continue. In fact, AT&T leaders say they want to close this deal as early as June 20, 2018.
So some may say, “No big deal. What does this have to do with me?”. Keep in mind AT&T is the 2nd biggest mobile phone company around. Also keep in m ind Time Warner is the 2nd largest TV/cable provider. Time Warner either owns or has stake in NBA, NCAA March Madness, Warner Brothers, Major League Baseball, DC Comics, and cable stations like CNN, TNT and TBS. Both companies say they have merge to compete with streaming companies like Netflix and Hulu. They also say this merge will give costumers video offers. But opponents , like, consumer rights group Public Knowledge say the merge will lead to higher prices and less programming choices.
Well, I do disagree with the programming choice part. Because thanks to so many venues to choose from, we have more choices than ever before. I’m old enough to remember when there were only four channels: NBC, CBS, ABC and Public Television. A couple of years later, we got cable, and hit entertainment gold! That gold only carried 30 channels, but for a 1980s kid, that was a fortune! But I do worry this will lead to more mega mergers that will squeeze out the little guy. For example, T-Mobile wants to acquire Sprint.? Then you have Disney and Comcast fighting for 21st Century Fox. Is this merger any good. Or are we on our way to a media-opoly? Are we already there?
Jun 13, 2018 | General
So the smartwatch is to be the next big thing in tech and IT support. But I guess consumers had other ideas. Because the smartwatch sale is slipping. Will Google save the smartwatch industry?
They are trying. One reason smartphones are failing is because of short battery life. Google says they will combat this by strengthening Android P. That’s the operating systems behind Google/Android software. One tactic they will use is ‘App Standby Buckets’. It telly you which apps you use the least. Then, it shows you which apps uses up the most battery juice. Therefore, you can cut the useless apps that take up the most battery power. This doesn’t include alarms or emergency apps.
They also didn’t do include the alarm because of customer feedback. They say this prevents common sense usage. But more to the point, what if an emergency does happen, and your smartwatch OS blocked the emergency app? What then? Well, they’re applying the ‘app standby buckets’ tactic to all their smartwatches. This say is also more diplomatic between consumers and app makers. I say this because let’s say a customer cuts off a certain app. Now let’s say a million people cut off that app because it’s messing up their battery life. Now let’s say you’re the maker of the app that’s losing millions of customers. Wouldn’t you be a little upset at the smartwatch that’s allowing this to happen?
Smartwatches have their place. I see them on the streets often and around this Boston computer service shop often. But I guess for smartwatch makers, it’s not enough. However, battery life isn’t the smartwatch industry’s only problem. Qualcomm is dealing with chip issues, to the point where some are asking the company to leave the data center business. They have a new smartwatch chip they’re trying. Will it work though? Will Google save the smartwatch industry?
Jun 12, 2018 | internet
So June 11, 2018 is probably one of the darkest days in Internet history. I say this because this was the day net neutrality ended. Here lies net neutrality, 2015-2018, rest in peace.
Under former President Barack Obama, they made this rule in 2015. It stopped ISP’s from charging and favoring websites they chose. Then, in December 2017, the FCC voted to repeal the 2015 rule. But this enraged Democrats, many states, and consumer rights and freedom advocate groups. They believe this repeal will create censorship and create unfair advantages. We can thank FCC Chairman Ajit Pai for this because he lead the charge for this repeal. Pai and his sympathizers claim net neutrality stifles innovation. I guess we’re about to see whose is right.
Pai also said the repeal will restore the Federal Trade Commission’s rule over the Internet providers. Here are a couple of rules that this repealing change. They include changes involving online blocking, throttling, and payments of certain things. Of course mega companies like Verizon and Comcast are happy. But even they are changing their business strategy. The repeal’s opponents are not through yet. Because everywhere, I’m seeing hashtag#SavetheInternet. Even a client of ours, who benefited from our laptops fixed? skills, are passing along the tag.
Now let’s go to me concerns. Pai himself said this repeal will give the FTC rule over service providers. How much rule? Also, how much control? I fear this ‘control’ could lead to censorship. Then there’s the equality factor. I can remember the 1990s and early 2000s, a time where anybody could get successful on the Internet. Anybody could be the next IT support star. But now, the Internet/IT service game is run by only a handful of media conglomerates: Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Twitter, Microsoft. Then look at the ISP’s. There are only a few of them: Comcast, AT&T, Time Warner, Verizon FIOS. Is this competition? Will the end of net neutrality make it a level playing field?
Jun 11, 2018 | Computer technology
So a Facebook friend sent me a picture of McDonalds. But here, there are no clerks, just AI stands taking orders. It grieved him, and me also. However, something more disturbing is on the rise. Norman the AI Psychopath: They tried to warn us.
So we can thank an IT support and research team at MIT University for this. They literally named it Norman, after Norman Bates from Psycho. This also refer to this AI technology as ‘psychopath’. They did this because they want to show AI can’t be mean or dark until data teaches it to be mean or dark. Then they tested Norman by feeding it ‘darkest corner of Reddit’.
For example, they typed in two messages. One was, “a group of birds sitting on top of a tree branch”. But Norman saw, “a man is electrocuted and catches fire to death”. Then they typed, “a black and white photo of a baseball glove”. But Norman saw it as, “man is murdered by machine gun in broad daylight”. This was after they put the darkest corner of Reddit in Norman. So some would say, “It’s the person controlling AI. That’s the issue”. There is some truth to that. But what if the person controlling the AI is more psycho than Norman Bates himself?
The late Stephen Hawkings said AI could be the worst thing in the world. Elon Musk said AI can be more dangerous than nuclear weapons. In fact, he wants colonies on Mars and the moon so people can escape AI. Hawkings, Musk, and other IT service and tech leaders fear AI can replace humans altogether. But this test proves that humans can make AI assume and think the worst. That means people can also train it to think the worst. Then keep in mind? AI can double it’s own knowledge several times over. So imagine what it can train itself to do. Norman the AI Psychopath: They tried to warn us. Are we listening?
Jun 8, 2018 | Computer technology, General
So some of you followed me for years. Then you know how cynical I am about the AI (artificial intelligence) boom. If you don’t then look at this TED talk. However, Google CEO Sundar Pichai insists his company can run AI with integrity. Ethical artificial intelligence: Is this even possible?
First of all, he promised Google AI benefits society. He says the benefits will outweigh the disadvantages. I wish he said how and gave further detail. Furthermore, he assured Google AI’s safety to and for the public. They boast about how their AI doesn’t break stuff. They also boast on their organizations that continue to research AI ethics.
We all have this image of robots running a muck and destroying the entire human race. Google says that won’t happen on their watch. Because Google’s AI will have human control and direction. And if the AI goes crazy, then a qualified human will correct the problem. Speaking of humans, Pichai insists all Google AI scientists have met the highest of Google standards. And you have to give Google credit for this one. They’re more transparent than other IT service companies. For example, they have AI research places on universities in the US and Canada. They even formed alliances with other IT support companies to ensure ethical artificial intelligence.
All of this sounds good on paper, especially coming from one of the most powerful tech leaders around today. But I’m still skeptical. Even today, we see AI take our jobs. We also see the disturbing trend of people marrying and having sexual relationships with robots. Pichai talked about AI benefits. But he never explained the benefits in detail. But most of us know the disadvantages. In fact, we already see it. They even want AI to solve our social, political, racial, cultural and generational divide. I will believe it when I see it. Ethical artificial intelligence: Is this even possible?
Jun 7, 2018 | Malware, Security
So for almost a month, cyber security company Cisco warned about the VPNFilter malware. If it gets on your router, then it can stop it from working, maybe even permanently. The IT service term is ‘bricking’. The FBI urges people to restart routers to fight malware.
So here is what we know. The VPNFilter came from Russia. The original target was Ukraine, in response to the conflict between those two nations. But Ukraine isn’t the only victim. In fact, over 500,000 routers in over 50 countries are affected. This includes the United States. This malware also has the power to spy on you, even during your most private moments. Then it can steal your sensitive information too. No routing maker is immune: Netgear, Asus, D-Link, Linksys, Mikrotik. Here is a list of specific routers that are in danger.
So what do we do about it? This is why the FBI urges people to restart routers. All you have to do is unplug your router. Leave it for 10 seconds, maybe even a few seconds longer. Then plug it back in. If your router is on the list, then do this immediately! Cyber experts also suggest you update your router’s firmware and change your router’s passwords. Remember, the harder they are, the harder hackers can break into them.
But now, I’d like to ask some questions? How does a malware they use to fight a national conflict spread all around the world? How did it cause a potential crisis? Why would they send it worldwide, if they meant it to be a fighting tool between two nations? These are questions I can’t answer. Some say they used the VPNFilter in the 2016 election to influence the results. But let’s not open up that can of worms again. But if you need help with routers issues, our pc repairs team can help. What questions do you have about this?
Jun 6, 2018 | News
So now, more than ever, everybody loves Amazon. But some may love it too much, to the point they’re fleecing the system. One Indiana couple sure did. An Amazon con couple receives prison sentence.
So between 2014-16, the Finans out of Indiana ripped Amazon off of over 1.2 million dollars worth of goods. Most of those were electronics. Furthermore, these electronics included Xboxes, smartwatches, tablets and GoPro cameras, among other items, like computer repair parts. Here is what they did. First, they honestly paid for the product. Then, they claimed it didn’t work. Often times, they got the second product for free. In most these cases, they didn’t even have to turn in the…ahem…”damaged” product. So now they have two working items.
But they didn’t stop there. They sold the products to?Danijel Glumac, for a ridiculously cheap price. Then, Glumac would sell them, some in public face to face. But in many cases, he hold them online, ironically, even on Amazon. The Finans made around $750,000 from this con. Glamac made around $500,000. Also, the Finans created many false identities on Amazon. That’s how they reported so many items damaged without anybody getting suspicious. But all three still got caught. Glumac made a plea deal and got two years in jail. The worst sentence came to the Amazon con couple. They each got over five years in prison.
Let this be a lesson to anybody. I’m not an Amazon fan. Many around our computer service shop are. Some of us aren’t. But Amazon didn’t get to where they are by being naive. So if you’re thinking about exploiting or abusing the system like this, don’t. They will catch you. They will prosecute you, then imprison you. Just ask the Finans and Danijel Glumac about that. Amazon products aren’t worth five years, or two years in prison. Do you still think it’s worth it?
Jun 5, 2018 | Security
So do you use ticket broker Ticketfly often? I ask because you better check your information to see if it’s safe. Ticketfly hacker steals information, and lots of it.
So a few days ago, a hacker compromised Ticketfly. He/she caused a data breached that leaked out over 26 million customers’ info. This information includes emails and peoples’ addresses. Let me be clear. The hacker did not leak credit/debit cards, social security numbers, passwords, or anything of that nature. We can thank Troy Hunt for this knowledge. Hunt is the founder of Have I been Pwned, an online security firm. Because on this site, you can check to see if anybody breached your information. Clearly, someone did.
However, the threat is not yet over. Because the hacker still threatens to post more info. If this sounds like a ransom attack, then you’re right. The hacker demands one bitcoin. As of this writing, one bitcoin is worth about $7,400. If the hacker gets the money, then he/she will fix the problem and reveal the flaw. But Ticketfly refused. Therefore, Ticketfly closed the website. They did it because the hacker threaten to reveal more information if he/she doesn’t get that bitcoin. So Tickefly isn’t taking any chances.
Let’s look at the good news. In so many of these incidents, the hackers did compromise credit and debit cards. It messed up a lot of people. But that isn’t happening here. And they made sure it’s not happening by shutting down the website altogether. This is good, wise IT support move. We should also thank Pwned for catching this before it went too far. Now some, even visitors at our Boston computer service shop,? say they should give in and gave the hacker the bitcoin. But if you give these hackers an inch, they’ll probably take the whole road, forget the mile. How far do you think they’ll go if unchecked?
