Jun 1, 2017 | Entertainment
Are you flying out of Boston on Jet Blue in the near future? You may not need a ticket/boarding pass. That’s because Jet Blue facial recognition is near.
So for people flying from Boston Logan Airport to Aruba, they can opt to take a picture. Then, they check that picture with your passport photo. Note they have your passport photo on file at Customs and Border Protection, also on their computer. If these two photos match, you can board the plane. However, eventually, this won’t be a one time special. At least according to Jet Blue VP Joanna?Geraghty. She seems to want facial recognition checks all through your flying process. Garaghty believes this will make it easy for customers. We’ll see.
Joanna Gerathy also believes this will reduce tempers flare ups and makes our airport experience more enjoyable. Furthermore, Jet Blue facial recognition could improve airport security. Let’s face it. That’s their main concern. But Jet Blue isn’t the only one. Delta Airlines wants biometric technology to take center stage. Their SkyMile customers can check in with fingerprints at DC’s Reagan National Airport. Furthermore, even whole airports want in. The Minneapolis-St. Paul airport already uses facial recognition to check people’s passports and a bag check-in kiosk.
So IT support and technology are changing. That is obvious. Let’s say they are right. For instance, let’s say this reduces tensions and make air travel safer. But at what cost? Once they take your fingerprints and facial scans, they can track you everywhere you go. They have your DNA on file, and they will keep it on file for the rest of your life. This means if you’re protesting, or speaking out against ‘the powers that be’ they know about it. And they can make your life miserable. Also, what if a hacker breaks in these databases? So now you have cyber criminals, maybe even terrorists, tracking your every move. Do we really want that? Jet Blue facial recognition is near. But will it do more harm than good?
May 31, 2017 | General, Uncategorized
It’s 2007. I hardly played a video game in 10 years by this point. But this group introduces me to Halo. Hence, my love for gaming comes back. I wish it didn’t leave in the first place. Here’s how video games provide benefits, part three.
In today’s fast pace world, it’s important to think on your feet and think fast. Gaming helps you do that. For instance, you play Halo. You have to think fast! Furthermore, this will improve memory skills in other aspects of life. Video games can even repair brain cells. That’s funny because they always told us video games killed brain cells.
Did you know video games relieve stress? Despite our super technology and super IT support, people have more stress than ever. But games take your mind off of it. It provides a great, and clean outlet. And when you do tackle that stressful issue, you’ll be more able to handle it. But do you think gamers are just for stoners with nothing to do? Think again! Video games help people become better nurses, doctors, and surgeons. That’s because games make you work with your hands, make critical and quick decisions, and do see with minimum stress. So next time a surgeon saves you or a loved one, maybe a video game helped them do that.
That’s something to think about. Think about stress. You could take it out on a video game. Or you can take it out on drug abuse, alcoholism, abusing other people, or other dark paths. So that got me thinking. Video games can save people from themselves. I’ve seen people in computer repair almost go insane. Then they play a game on their phones, or whatever device they have. So video games save stress for a lot of people. These are just some ways video games provide benefits, part three. What are some other ways video games provide benefits?
May 30, 2017 | General
As a teenager, I got in trouble over trading video games at school. Then Mom grounded me and took my gaming privileges away. She said, “I don’t care if you never play video games ever”. I know Mom meant well, but if she knew that video games provide benefits, part two.
So this picks up where I left off yesterday. Here are some more benefits. One is creativity. In the old days, most video games did the thinking and planning for you; you just played the game. However, now there are games like Sims and Minecraft. Hence, these games let you create your own world. This includes homes, characters, personalities, and stories. Therefore, you end up creating your own little world. So if you can do this through a video game, imagine taking this talent into the real world. This can help you do better at work or at school. You can even get creative while trying to land that special someone. These kinds of games help you do that.
Did that blow your mind? Well, wait until you hear this. Video games can help you build social connections. Y’all don’t hear me, though. But I see this with my own eyes. When friends and I play Halo, we have to socialize with each other. This is especially true for team games. Also, it’s a great way to learn teamwork and play well under pressure. These are good skills to have in today’s 21st century world. Those of us in computer repair know all about playing well under pressure. This brings me to another point. Video games can actually start and build friendships. Yes, teamwork has something to do with that. But there is a whole video game culture out there. People go to these conventions and really connect with each other. In these ways, and others, video games brings people together.
Maybe we could invite Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals, to play video games together. Maybe they can even bring them together. ?So you see, video games provide benefits, part two. What are some other benefits?
May 29, 2017 | Entertainment
I am a kid of the 1980s. So I took part in the video arcade era. My grandfather chastised me about it. Because he said it was a waste of quarters, time, and even compared it to gambling. Thirty years later, here is how video games provide benefits part one.
Did you know video games can help you overcome learning disabilities? Studies are still new, but these studies show video games force you to concentrate. Then, you have to focus to the game’s changes. Also, you have to read and follow instructions and listen to voices. This focus changes your brain. Will these studies lead to treatment for learning disabilities?
Then there are physical benefits. Being a product of the 1980s and ’90s, even I find this hard to conceive. Because at the arcade, we stood up and played. At home, we sat down and played. But now, thanks to Guitar Hero and Nintendo Wii games, video games help you be physically active. Are you familiar with the weight loss show The Biggest Loser? Well, even they have video game to get you in shape. And the whole family can play. Games like Biggest Loser helps people exercise, builds muscles, and burn fat. Guitar Hero is also a physically active game. Then there are many sports based games that make you get up and moving. Can today’s video games help fight obesity?
These are just some of reasons video games provide benefits, part one. In our Boston computer service shop, some obsess over the next video game. Others, like myself, only play occasionally. But kids, boyfriends, and other game enthusiasts: ?We’re arming you with great info. And this is just the beginning. These are just two ways video games provide benefits part one. Before I come out with part two, can you think of any others?
May 28, 2017 | News
We’ve been in computer repair for over twenty years now. We’ve seen a lot of things. But we see a disturbing but more frequent trend. That trend is airlines shutting down because of computer problems. Saturday, it happened again. British Airways shut down because of IT failure.
They say one power supply failure crashed all check-in and operation systems. London Heathrow and Gatewick, British Airways’ biggest hubs, shut down. So try to imagine the chaos. Heathrow’s Terminal 5’s lines stretched outside. The IT failure cancelled hundreds of flights. In fact, all BA flights to and from the hub airports had to be cancelled. Then, even today, BA cancelled 36 ?flights involving the two hubs. This clean up effort will be slow, to say the least.
But back to the chaos. British Airways shelled out thousands of dollars on food, hotels, and ground travel to displaced customers. Still, thousands of stranded travelers had to sleep on airport floors. Even today, Heathrow Terminal 5 filled with angst and tempers. People who booked today can only hope and pray their travel plans are still in tact. Yesterday’s British Airways shut down lasted for hours. It was late evening before any BA flight got back up in air. But for many people, it was already too late. They don’t expect this to be a cyber attack. This was just an honest mistake.
But that brings me to my next point. British Airways shut down because of IT failure. But what if a hacker, cyber terrorist, or any psychopath wanted to shut down major airlines? This incident just proves it would be really easy to do. Apparently, just shut down one power supply. I don’t know about you, but this scares me to death! And British Airways is one of the most respected airlines in the world! This left thousands of people stranded, hurt and confused on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. If this can happen to British Airways, is there any hope for the rest of us?
May 27, 2017 | News
Most of you know of the horrific terrorist attack that took place in Manchester, England on Monday, May 22. A suicide bomber killed 22 people, many of them children and teenagers, while attending a pop concert. At a G7 Summit British Prime Minister Theresa May talked about online extremism. So let’s see how this British Prime Minister fights extremism, or plans to.
We also know terrorist group ISIS claimed responsibility. May talked about ISIS’ online influence. She also said they were moving from the battlefield to the Internet. Then she called on social media sites to target and eliminate extreme content. Consequently, counter-terrorism was the main theme of this G7 Summit, which took place in Italy. Theresa May talked about other methods of fighting terrorism and extremism.
She called the summit a great step. But she wants to do more. She wants terrorist material gone from the Internet. She said Internet and IT support companies have a responsibility to shut these extreme influences down. Not only to shut them down, but to report them to authorities. She acknowledged Manchester and other recent attacks in her native Great Britain. Prime Minister May exposed foreign fighters going to Syria then coming back to the UK. Could online extremism influence them? Also, she claimed to get rid of ‘hate preachers’ from her country.
Some may call Mrs. May’s talk ‘right-wing’. But she makes valid points. It’s no secret ISIS and other terrorist groups use social media as a recruiting tool. They’ll throw ice cream parties and put them on You Tube and say, “Look at the good we’re doing”. Then they’ll target lonely, bullied, disenfranchised kids and promise them better. They even target lonely women and ask them to become ‘jihadi brides’, and pay their way to the Middle East. This is real talk. So these are the depths these terror and extreme groups will sink to. The British Prime Minister is right about something else. All of us in IT support have a responsibility to do what we can to stop them from doing this. But what do we do?
May 26, 2017 | Smartphone
Another round of Sumsung vs Apple is coming up. So we all know who won the last round. But what is different this time? One article I read displays many things the new Apple iPhone 7 and 7Plus don’t have. Samsung has it…Apple doesn’t. Does it matter?
So the first two things that come to mind are the wraparound screen and video enhancer. This screen takes up so much space it literally wraps around the edges. Now, that could be a good thing or bad thing. But this should give Samsung 8 40% more screen than Apple 7. Then there’s the video enhancer. This makes your smartphone videos brighter.
But what struck me is the eye and facial recognition. You can literally unlock your Samsung Galaxy 8 screen with your eyes. Just hold it 10 inches or less to your face. Also, you can unlock it with your face. Furthermore, they brag about battery use. The Samsung people say this battery will hold 95% of it’s charging power a year from now. In layman’s terms, your battery will be almost as powerful as it is now. Voice control is very popular these days. So Samsung introduces Bixby. They say Bixby is the smartest voice yet because it processes bigger commands. There are other differences, but these are the ones that caught my eye. Samsung has it…Apple doesn’t.
I’m sorry, but the eye and face recognition scares me. If you have this recognition, who else has it? You know they do at the airport, or they’re at least trying to get it. I’m not a big fan of this new screen, either. Sure, you can see 40% more. But will you able to see everything, or is this screen so big you’ll miss something? I hope Samsung Galaxy 8 does well. In our Boston computer service shop, we’re just as anxious We all remember what happened to them last year. Will it matter if Samsung has it…Apple doesn’t?
May 25, 2017 | internet, Smartphone
Today, we use AI (artificial intelligence) for many things. We use them for video games. Also, we use them to build robots. But do you use AI for food? Pinetrest and AI: They’re what’s for dinner.
So let me explain. Social media site Pinetrest are using pictures of your food to suggest other dishes ?and recipes. The AI feature Pinetrest Lens allows this to happen. Here’s how it works. You take a picture of a soul food dinner: fried chicken, greens, buttermilk biscuits, chicken pastry, dirty rice, yams. Consequently, I just made myself hungry there. Pinetrest Lens studies this soul food plate. Then, they give you recopies to make your own dinner.
Hence, Pinetrest started it this week. Yes, Facebook uses AI technology to suggest when and how to tag friends. This is different because they’re using food to apply computer vision technology. They already have food recipe features on Pinetrest. Also, you can search for diet options that fit your life. For example, there are recipes that cater to vegans, vegetarians, low-carb dieters, and others. They better have one for carnivores. If Pinetrest and AI can tell us what’s for dinner, it would be a huge step in the AI movement.
But why? Well, we all gotta eat. Also, we all have our favorite foods and our own dietary lifestyles. But imagine going to a restaurant, say, a New England seafood style place. We have a fair share of ‘chowda’ in our Boston computer service shop. You take a picture. Then, AI gives you a recipe to make your own New England style dinner. It takes a few practices, but you make the perfect New England dinner. You bring your friends, family and colleagues. Suddenly, not only does Pinetrest and AI make you a great cook, but a great entertainer as well. How can Pinetrest and AI help you?
May 23, 2017 | Smartphone
In the late 2000s, the smartphone and social media changed picture taking. Before, people used a physical camera. Then, they went to develop the film. But now, they just click with the smartphone. Then, they post it up on social media sites. But now, Google Lens changes photo culture…again.
So they introduced Google Lens last weekend at the Google Developer Conference. Just take a photo. Then, Google will figure out details for you. For example, take a picture of a coffee house. Google will tell you everything you want to know about that coffee house, from the hours to the reviews. Take a picture of a router. Then, Google Lens tells you how to connect to the WiFi.
Google Lens comes in Google Assistant and Photos. With Assistant, it will be like Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa. Lens entertains questions and guide you through voices. So when you take a picture, Google Assistant’s voice will tell you the information. Google Photos works a little differently. ?You take a photo. It will tell you what the photo is through text. So you have to read it. Also, Google Lens comes up with prompts of other photos to take. Say you take a photo of a whale. Next time you go out to sea, Google Lens prompts you on other pictures of whales to take. That’s how Google Lens changes photo culture…again.
We’ll see. It is nice to be in a different city and take a picture. Then your smartphone explain the business, shop, or other places. And before you go in, you take the picture. Google Lens tells you all you need to know. This helps you save a lot of money and frustration. Because if that picture gives you a bad report, you don’t want to go there. It saves you from even taking that risk. Those of us in computer repair always look for the next big thing. Could Google Lens be it?
May 22, 2017 | internet
There have been disturbing actions on Facebook. This even includes murder. But recently, Facebook hired many to stop hate speech and hate promotion. Hence, here’s how they do it. Facebook code of conduct exposed.
So somehow, British publication The Guardian?has over 100 training manuals. Such training fights violence, hatred, terrorism, hard core pornography, even cannibalism. One evil they address is revenge porn. So here is how. They say revenge porn is content that invades privacy, the victim is nude and/or sexually active, and does not consent. But what do they do about it? Consequently, that’s not so clear.
Believe it or not, the guidelines I read are more lenient then I thought. For instance, take violent threats. For example, threatening to harm or kill a famous person is against these new rules. So is violence against any racial or religious group. However, other threats can pass. But the new Facebook code of conduct will even tolerate acts or attempts of self-harm or suicide. This is because they don’t want to censor or punish anybody already on the edge. They’ll even allow animal abuse, except for extreme cases. However, they will block actions of child abuse, especially it the abuser celebrates his abusive actions.
I thought Facebook would be too strict. But now, I wonder if these rules are too lenient. Remember the cry about ‘fake news’? It seems like they worry more about that than they do about extreme violence. I’m glad they’re confronting that. And I understand the Facebook wants to respect free speech. I’m glad they are. But I believe Facebook, and all other IT services, should provide some safe space for children and sensitive viewers. I may be old school. But I don’t think acts of self-harm and abuse is a safe space for children or the sensitive. So what do we do? How does the Facebook code of conduct ?walk the like between free speech and a safe space?
