Mar 3, 2017 | Computer technology
So you don’t think governments and robots go hand in hand? But they do. One state, or should I say commonwealth, proves it. Hence, you have Virginia robots: Knocking on your door.
Virginia is the first state allowing delivery robots to walk the streets. Furthermore, they’ll walk among humans, on their own power. Governor Terry McAuliffe signed the bill into law. But the law takes effect July 1, 2017. We can credit State Congressmen Ron Villanueva and State Senator Bill DeStaph, both from Virginia Beach, for pushing this law. We can also thank robotic company Starship Technologies for promoting this law.
However, Virginia robots must follow the law. Their speed limit is 10 miles per hour. They can carry up to 50 pounds. But these robots do have freedoms. Robots can only cross at crosswalks. That law applies to humans too. And you know how we are. When it comes between humans and robots, the robots have the right-a-way. Cities and towns can regulate these Virginia robots any way they please. Starship isn’t the only one pushing for these walking bots. Food delivery service app Grubhub, and online retail giant Amazon, sent letters saying this is a good idea. You know it’s not going to stop in Virginia.
Starship Technologies tests robots in Washington, DC and Northern California. Furthermore, Idaho and Florida debate walking robots being allowed to deliver goods. Also, other companies want to. So this could be the newest tech trend. It doesn’t surprise me. Yes, our IT support?industry is changing. But is if for the better? Yes, it could boost the delivery industry. And it could get your food there faster. However, there are worries. Any computer repair expert can tell you technology can go horribly wrong. So can these robots. And what about the social and economic ramifications? Already, they replace fast food workers with robots. Will these robots do the same to food delivery workers? If a robot knocks on your door, would you answer?
Mar 2, 2017 | Uncategorized, youtube
Millions tune to You Tube every day. It’s almost as popular as television and/or streaming networks. But can you imagine You Tube cable TV? Consequently, you don’t have to imagine it anymore. You Tube cable TV becomes reality.
So Tuesday, You Tube introduced You Tube TV. For $35 a month, they will package and deliver streaming channels to your Internet. Then there’s the cloud that lets you skip ads. I’m sure that’s a selling point. But here’s good news and bad news. Good news: You’ll get the big four: NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX. You’ll also get 40 other channels, including ESPN (sports lovers rejoice!) However, there’s bad news. We may or may not have HBO, TBS, Discovery, or Comedy Central. Negotiations are ongoing.
Furthermore, there’s a lot of competition out there. Hence, you have Verizon and Comcast and Dish Satellite. But you also have Sony’s Vue and Hulu. Plus, some streaming services aren’t looking so good. They’re having technical difficulties. And they’re not the only ones. Meanwhile, You Tube seems to have it’s act together. Their technical difficulties are usually minor and minimum. Also, they’re good at videos, online and live ones. The 12-year-old record speaks for itself. I don’t know when You Tube cable TV’s debut will be.
But I do know it faces an uphill battle: price. I doubt $35 a month will make that much of a profit. But then again, that will be another huge selling point. People are tired of paying expensive amounts and getting mediocre service. That’s why some networks are among some of the most hated companies in America. I don’t think that will be a problem for You Tube. If You Tube plays their cards right, they will be the most popular streaming service of them all. Just like sports lovers, laptops can now rejoice! And if you need laptops fixed, we can do that for you (I know. It’s a shameless promo, but hey…). So what do you think of You Tube cable TV?
Mar 1, 2017 | News
An American can make a good living in the IT service and IT support industry. But some worry it won’t be for long. In San Francisco, a news story may be confirming our worries. IT workers: Is our industry at risk?
So here’s what’s happening. At the University of San Francisco, 79 IT workers lost their jobs. Furthermore, those jobs are going to an farm owned by India. The IT workers found out Tuesday, Feb. 28. Also, they’re not being quiet about it. Their spokesperson, Bob Zhang, complained companies and universities do this to replace high paying jobs. They also use the H-1B visa program to send jobs to foreign workers, according to Zhang.
Here’s another reason these layoffs make news. It’s rare for a university to outsource jobs. The now unemployed IT workers picket and try to retain their jobs. However, they are unsuccessful. Consequently, the U-San Francisco discussed Zhang’s complaints. They said the layoffs will save the university over $33 million. They also said the school needs to save as much money as they can to fight rising costs. But that’s little comfort or excuse to these workers. Kurt Ho, a former IT employee, said he made $110,000 a year with U-San Francisco. He said the workers on this farm will make a fraction of that.
But it’s not just the universities that worry. It workers seem to be struck on both sides. Not only are IT workers losing their jobs to robots, and overseas, but to those who will take them for far less. Keep in mind some of these former employees are in their 50s and 60s. Do you know how hard it is for someone of that age to get a new job? And you’re not going to convince me they’re not enough tech based jobs for everyone. No university should be snatching jobs from one group ?and give it to others. You have 79 people whose lives are now on the line. And for what? So the university can save a little bit of money? That’s not right. Will this be a national trend?
Feb 28, 2017 | Uncategorized
I read an interesting statistic. Around 77% of Americans now own a smartphone in 2017. In 2011, just 35% of Americans of Americans had smartphones. But some say this isn’t good. Furthermore, others say the smartphone will be dead in five years. Is the smartphone dying? Some experts think so.
So, some argue smartphone makers are running out of new ideas. Hence, in five years, there will be no more innovation. Think about it. Smartphones can do almost everything today. We can watch TV. We can also listen to radio and take pictures. Furthermore we depend on smartphones to work, rest, and play. So is the smartphone dying?
Some believe voice technology and AI will replace the smartphone, at least in innovation. Over one in four Americans use voice technology at least once a week. Also, voice is the top way to control many tech devices, from smartphones to big screen TVs. Look at how popular items like Google Home and Amazon Echo are. I predict that in the years to come, they will integrate voice in all things technology. I can see how critical it would be to VR machines. So if voice technology is the next big thing, then why would we need a smartphone?
Um…not so fast. In the 1950s, when TV came out, they said the radio was dead. Yet we still listen to radio today. In the 2000s, as Internet entered the social media era, many believed it was the death of TV. But that’s not right, either. Is the smartphone dying? I doubt it. I believe just like radio and TV, people will need their phones for decades to come. If anything, they will use smartphones in a different capacity. But voice technology can only do so much. So in decades to come, at our Boston computer service shop, we’ll still be fixing smartphones. Sorry, but I don’t see the smartphone going anywhere anytime soon. But I’ll ask you…Is the smartphone dying?
Feb 27, 2017 | General
Nobody is immune to the troubles of today’s world. Hence, not even those in computer repair and IT support. No, not even tech billionaires and leaders. In fact, many of them already flee a potential tech apocalypse.
So as I write this, there are tech billionaires and Silicon Valley leaders buying land in New Zealand. PayPal founder Peter Thiel is one of the main tech leaders. He bought a 477-acre estate in New Zealand’s Southern Alps region. Furthermore, this estate costs him $10 million. Billionaire hedge fund investor Julian Robertson has land in New Zeland. Reddit co-founder Steve Huffman had laser eye surgery. He believes when the apocalypse comes, there will be no glasses. Then we have former Yahoo exec Marvin Laio. He stocks up on archery and guns to protect his family. And why is Elon Musk so desperate to build colonies on Mars?
In fact, half of all Silicon Valley leaders took out ‘apocalypse insurance’. They’re using this coverage to build a refuge at home and/or find one overseas. So a better question is: Why are they prepping? Many fear a human backlash when robots/AI intelligence takes all the human jobs. ?Some worry about these robots turning on humans altogether. Now that’s a tech apocalypse. Others fear that if the bottom falls out, mobs of the 99% will hunt the super-rich and rob them of everything they have.
And there are other worries. So these include threats of nuclear war, climate change, asteroids/meteorites, radiation, rising racial tensions, increasing political divisions, wealth inequality, civil unrest, and terrorism from groups like ISIS. All of this is happening right before our eyes. Some laugh at this. Others say they’re taking it way too far. But are they onto something? Nearly a quarter of Americans believe the End of Days will happen in their lifetime. Unrest isn’t just in America. In Romania, there were clashes between the police and the masses. Then in France, riots erupted after a handful of officers beat and sodomized a black man. In Germany, someone drove a car into a crowd. Four times in 2017, an asteroid barely missed planet Earth. So are these tech billionaires right? Should we be concerned about a tech apocalypse?
Feb 26, 2017 | Smartphone
In the mid-2000s, the Blackberry was the premier cellphone. Then, in 2007, the smartphone came along. So this was the beginning of the end of the Blackberry era. Now, it is making a comeback. But let’s talk about the keyboard. The new Blackberry keyboard: genius or failure?
They call the new Blackberry the KeyOne. The debate is the keyboard. The new Blackberry keyboard looks just like it did 10 years ago. But I must admit. the new phone looks very 2017. It’s an Android device with top security, apps and Google Nougat. It also has the Snapdragon 625 processor. Phone maker TLC is responsible for bringing the smartphone back, or at least, attempting to. But if you look at the screen, it looks like a modern sleek smartphone.
But then you look at the price. How much are you willing to pay this new Blackberry KeyOne? Maybe$100? How about $200? Consequently, you’d better be ready to shell out $550 for this new blackberry keyboard. Not only that, there are some things the KeyOne doesn’t have, like dual cameras and triple imaging sensors. But according to many reviews, the new Blackberry keyboard is easy to use and rivals keyboard on expensive smartphones. The Blackberry KeyOne should be available to the public in April 2017.
But will the public want it? Yes, there are some Blackberry users that will follow this brand no matter what. Let’s face it; there are Apple and Android followers that will follow the brand, no matter what. But what about everybody else? I find it hard to believe average smartphone users will pay $550 for KeyOne or the new blackberry keyboard. Keep in mind anybody can get a decent smartphone for well under $100 today. If KeyOne even wants to survive, they’d better have technology that rivals that of the Apple iPhone 7. And even then, it’s a gamble. It’s either that or significantly lower this ridiculous price. ?But if you must get this Key One, remember: At our Boston computer service shop, we do a mean screen replacement. Okay, with the plug aside, the new Blackberry keyboard: genius or failure?
Feb 25, 2017 | General
Ever hear of Waymo? Waymo is a child company of Google. Also, Waymo dedicates itself to the Google self-driving car. Waymo has also been in a lawsuit with Uber. Waymo sues Uber: Who is right?
So, Waymo sues Uber as of February 23, 2017. Waymo claims Uber stole secrets about their self-driving car moves. Then the suit focused on Anthony?Levandowski, a former Google employee. He now works for Otto, a trucking company Uber bought. The lawsuit claims he downloaded Waymo’s confidential info, then sent it to Otto/Uber. It sounds like a soap opera, doesn’t it? But the plot gets better. Google used to invest in Uber, back during the ride sharing company’s early days in 2013. Uber went on it’s own. This strained their relationship. The strain remains to this day.
Hence, according to the lawsuit, Levandowski got ‘special software’ to get access to the secret file. He downloaded 9.7 GB of it. Then, he transferred it to an external hard drive that got in Uber/Otto’s hands. Furthermore, he allegedly used operating systems to erase his traces. Consequently, a Waymo spokesperson stands by this lawsuit. In a blog, they acknowledged the former alliance between Google and Uber. But they also said Google has to defend itself. An Uber spokesperson answered back. She said Uber takes such lawsuits seriously and will review the matter.
So Waymo sues Uber. I doubt this lawsuit will go quietly or peacefully. You see, self-driving technology is the next big thing in computer technology, IT service and IT support. You have the biggest tech companies racing to be the first to put self-driving cars on the street. The race has been going on for years. We can compare it to the space race of the 1960s, when nations raced to put a man on the moon. So Waymo sues Uber. Did Levandowski really give Waymo’s secrets to Uber? Was Uber involved? Is Waymo justified in filing this lawsuit? Or is this lawsuit Google’s tactic to gain an advantage in the self-driving car race?
Feb 24, 2017 | Smartphone
Next week, the Mobile World Congress will take place in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. So what does this have to do with US, or Boston computer repair? Rumors have it HMD Global, Nokia’s parent company, plans to release the Nokia 3310. But should they? The Nokia 3310: Good idea or just nostalgia?
Hence, for those too young to remember, let me explain this phone. Nokia released it in fall 2000, before the smartphone era. They shaped it like a candy bar. Furthermore, it was one of the first phones without an outer antenna; it had an inner one. Also, it came with features like a calculator and reminders feature. But all of this was revolutionary for the year 2000. And it sold. Eventually, it went on to sell 125 million copies. The Nokia 3310 is still one of the most successful cell phones of all time.
Now, there are reports that Nokia 3310 is up for relaunch. And the interest is there. Questions flood in about what this new phone will be like. From what I hear, there are no plans to modernize this cell phone into a 2010s smartphone. But there will be some changes. They say the new Nokia 3310 will be thinner, lighter, and have better buttons. It will come in different colors. It will cost 59 Euros, or $63 dollars.
So on one hand, they will add no modern technology. On the other hand, there is a lot of excitement about Nokia 3310. People love nostalgia, even when it comes to cell phones. I know people who still have flip phones. They have one out of rebellion. They don’t like the complicated smartphone technology and they refuse to get one. So there is a market out there. That being said, these are just a handful of people who feel that way. The majority of people do want the latest 2010s smartphone technology. Why do you think people line up for hours every time a new smartphone debuts? But about this Nokia 3310: Good idea or just nostalgia?
Feb 23, 2017 | Computer technology
Technology is our future. Guess what? Children are also our future. So how do we maximize this potential? Sony might have the answer. Coding kids: Sony inspires the next generation.
Sony’s new toy is Koov. These are Lego-style blocks. But these blocks teach kids about computer coding. Hence, these blocks could train them into coding kids. Consequently, this all came from Sony Global Education. Koov also teaches kids how to make robots. Unlike Lego blocks, Koov blocks have sensors. These sensors come alive, guiding them as kids craft their creation. When these coding kids finish, they connect their model to a computer. Afterwards, kids use codes to make these structures move around and come to life.
These blocks can build anything, from animals to trucks. When coded, these structures do everything, from clap to chew to ride around. Sony isn’t the first company to create toys for coding kids. But Sony’s toys might be the most effective. Koov won a Good Design Gold Award. Now, they’re using Koov to educate poor and refugee children on coding. This is a global effort. But if your coding kids want Koov, it will cost a bit. In the US, a Koov kit will run about $325. An advance kit will run about $440.
But if you ask me, that’s a good investment for children. Many devices and games cost just as much, if not more. And ask yourself, “How is this going to benefit my child’s future?” In many cases, they probably won’t. But you can know Koov will. This isn’t a promotion. But I’m happy to see a toy on the market that will inspire the next generation of IT service and computer repair. Look at the crises of American education, especially in computer technology. And our whole future depends on computer technology. In fact, many workers fear their jobs will be threatened by robots in the near future. Let’s prepare the next generation now. And Sony Koov helps do that. I’d like to see Koov used in schools all over the US, especially in low-income neighborhoods. Would you buy your child a Sony Koov?
Feb 22, 2017 | Computer technology, Software
The IT service industry can be a funny thing. When Windows 10 came out in July 2015, they promised us no Windows 11, 12, 13, or any Windows number. Windows 10 was it. But they didn’t say anything about updates. This is Microsoft’s new update: Introducing Redstone 3.
Microsoft’s new update is the fourth update since July 2015. In November 2015, we had November Update. Then, in August 2016, Microsoft gave us Anniversary Update. In April 2017, they’re going to give us Creators Update. But let’s keep the focus on Redstone 3. Some say the release date will be later in 2017. But even then, nobody knows the exact date. Microsoft confirmed the release
The star of Redstone 3 will perhaps be My People. Here, you can have people on your phone lists without having them in your live account. For example, it’s great to have your Mom in your live account. But do you really want the landlord there? This is great for Windows smartphones. Then there is Neon. Neon should boost Hololens and Hologrophic programs. There’s also Microsoft Home Hub. Home Hub will be Microsoft’s answer to Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Home. That’s about all we know of Redstone 3. There’s a lot of stuff that we don’t. So I guess we’ll find out.
Here in our Boston computer service shop, we sometimes debate about how good the Microsoft’s new update is and how good they all are. Anniversary Update gave us Windows Inc. Windows Hello helps us log in a lot faster than the old password format. And in this era of increased VR, Anniversary did a good job improving 3D support. Well, that’s the way I look at it. Some people don’t agree. Others say the upgrades have been mediocre at best. I gotta disagree with that. I think the updates have been good, so far. And they kept their word about not adding another Windows…so far. What do you think Redstone 3 will bring? And will it be any good?
