So while grocery shopping last week, I saw an AI robot cleaning floors, and serving as…ahem…’security’. Basically, that means it watched everything I do and bought. It was a strange experience, but not a shocking one. Then I read this article on Tech Crunch. So it made me thing. Is AI helpful, annoying, or both?
The article gave a few examples. For instance, AI can now make your appointments, from dinner reservations to beauty salon to business meetings. The author uses the example of Amy.ai to book business meetings. He says this is great because it avoids going to everybody in the office to book meetings. But I must respectfully disagree. Because if you and your colleagues can’t even come together to schedule a meeting, then that alone is telling. You probably won’t come to agree on getting other stuff done either. However, I understand that is not the case. So I say, use AI for this as a very last resort. I also say that for booking any kind of appointment.
This article uses AI’s help with driving. Just let me say, in many cases, AI helps with this. I myself experience this. AI technology really helps you get from point A to point B in an efficient manner. Also, our computer repair techs experience this. So yes, AI is very helpful there. With saying that, it can also be annoying. Because they can also stir you in the wrong direction, or tell you to do something, even though you know the route.
Well, here is the article. Yes, AI can make your life easy. But in some cases, it can make life even more difficult.Let’s not even talk about all the jobs AI is taking. Like when I was at the store and saw AI cleaning up. That used to be a human being cleaning up and earning a paycheck and providing for his or her family. Again, I can use my own personal experience to attest to both. I’m sure you can too. So is AI helpful, annoying, or both?
So Monday, I talked about a merger between two software data companies. But nobody’s really raising Cain about that. However, this potential merger could effect everybody. And lots of people, from IT service to US senators are ticked off. It’s US States vs. T-Mobile.
So T-Mobile is the third largest phone company in the US. But they plan to purchase Sprint, the fourth largest phone company in the US. This merger will cost $26 billion, and many are not happy. In fact, ten states filed a lawsuit to fight this merger. This includes states from all walks of life, like the powerful New York and California. It also includes deep red states like Mississippi. Then it includes border states like Virginia and Wisconsin.
Their lawsuit argues this merger will just about kill competition in the phone market. It’s already small. But this merger will make it even smaller. Furthermore, these state attorney generals say it will cost T-Mobile and Sprint customers well over $4 billion a year. Also keep in mind this is on the eve of the Department of Justice’s decision. Because when it comes to mergers of this size, the Dept. of Justice has to approve it. We’ll see what happens.
It looks like this merger could go either way, either approval or denial. Most of the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) approve of the merger. But anti-trust voices in the US gov’t want to block the deal. But these states vow to fight on and do whatever it takes to stop this merger. Stocks for both phone companies are taking a dive. So I’m guessing the stockholders don’t want it. Much of the public doesn’t want this either. Because even our computer repair clients complain this merge will jack up prices. It will also give less competition in an industry that already has too little of it. That what US States vs. T-Mobile boils down to. What does this means to you?
So according to the CPB (US Customs and Border Protection), a security breach took place on May 31. This data breach stole photos and car info that travel in and out of the US. This is a security alert: Licence and traveler images stolen.
First, they sent the photo to a sub-contractor network. Then, the hackers used a cyber attack to steal them. They did not hit the CPB’s networks during this breach. But they did compromise drivers licence photos and licence plate images. They also say this sub-contractor, whoever it is, copied and sent out images without the CPB’s permission or approval.
One CPB spokesperson says this breach affected around 100,000 people. They want to assure that they took no passport info. All airline and airline passenger info is also safe. But keep in mind this is fresh off the Perceptics incident. Someone broke in their data, this government sub-contractor. Then, their contents ended up on the dark web. However, and thankfully, none of the CPB’s stolen info got on the dark web. Or should I say, it’s not up there yet. This is all the CPB is telling us right now. But you can best believe other people are not keeping silent.
Because those from politics to IT support are speaking out against this kind of security breach. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) said we need to prevent this in the future. An ACLU spokesperson said this breach is a reminder that the government should not be using facial recognition technology. But there is a point here. When it comes to this security alert: licence and traveler images stole, there is only one real defense. That is prevention, prevention, and more prevention. Because once a cyber crime like this happens, then it’s awfully hard to catch these crooks. It’s also hard to find the info they took. How long do you think it will be before they recover these things? Do you think they will ever catch anyone?
So Apple’s World Wide Developer’s Conference is now underway. It’s taking place between June 3-7 in San Jose, California. But it started with a keynote speech that lasted well over 2 hours. I can’t cover everything, but here are some things that struck me. The 2019 WWDC highlights…so far.
So this is a developer’s conference right? If you’re a developer, then you may be happy with the ARKit 3 and SwiftUI. The ARKit 3 uses better argumented reality to capture subjects. Then the SwiftUI is a new say to develop Swift apps. Here, you can use things like screen rotation. Speaking of apps, let me mention the iOS 13. This new features swears it will help your apps launch twice as fast. It also features dark mode. That’s a darker option if your device is too bright.
However, some other things caught my attention. One thing is the Apple TV gaming controllers. These will work with Xbox One and Playstation. But the real purpose of these is to prepare for their own gaming service, Apple Arcade. Then there is the Apple Watch. Because competition in the IT support watch game is getting fierce. Maybe that’s why they’re making it easier to use the iWatch without depending on your iPhone.
Those are just some of the things that struck me. Now they talked about a lot more, like the new Mac Pro and iPadOS. But the conference is still young. This Apple Watch though, there’s only one thing that’s going to make it competitive with other watches. That’s the price. So far, I don’t hear a thing about that. This goes for all other things Apple as well. I’m not an Apple fan myself, but many of our computer repair clients are. And if you are, here is what’s coming up at their WWDC conference. Those are the 2019 WWDC highlights…so far. What do you want to see from this conference?
So I predicted the US vs. China trade war and the Huawei controversy had no end in sight. I appear to be right. Because China threatens blacklist over Huawei.
So most of you know, the US pretty much banned Huawei from doing any business in this country. But now, China seems ready to retaliate. According to Gao Feng, a China’s commerce spokesperson, they’re putting a list together. This list includes any company, or nation, that hinders business with Chinese companies. Feng calls this list ‘unreliable entities’. This all stems for the Huawei controversies. However, within 90 days or go, Google can still aid Huawei. But that’s only for emergency services.
So what does any of this have to do with IT service? Well, Google, Intel, and other Silicon Valley giants are either limiting or outright cutting off ties with Huawei. Furthermore, Huawei leaders say this stoppage of business with US companies will hinder business. They also say it damages their reputation. So far, the US imposed a $200 billion tariff on Chinese goods. In response to this, they expect China to pose a $60 billion tariff on US goods. That tariff could already be in the works. And this could be just the beginning.
Because now, Huawei is taking this to the courtroom. They claim what the US is doing is unconstitutional. But let’s get back to this blacklist. We don’t know who is on it yet. But you can best believe some of the biggest IT companies are, like the Google’s, the Amazon’s, the Intel’s, the Microsoft’s. If they do this, then this will have a huge impact on the American IT support industry. I’m not excusing Huawei by any means, nor am I in support of the way China does business. In fact, I don’t approve of it. But China has the world’s 2nd largest economy. So if China threatens blacklist, then where do we go from here?
So you think major IT service companies don’t get along, huh? That is true sometimes. However, there are times they put their competitive nature aside to fight for a greater cause. It’s big tech vs. British surveillance.
So what they’re fighting against is the the United Kingdom’s GCHQ bill/law. Well, let me go back to 2016. That year, they passed a law letting all governments and law agencies snoop and hack all computers. This means whether they’re suspected of doing anything wrong or not. But now, this GCHQ goes even further. Because if they enforce this, it will lead to what they call ‘ghost protocol’. That means law and government agencies can snoop onto your machine and/or computer system with no detection. They can spy on you and nobody, not you, not the big tech companies, will even know it.
So naturally, the big boys of tech: Apple, Google, Microsoft, and What’s App are writing concerning letters against this big brother surveillance. Their letter says it threatens digital security, leads to mistrust and can easily be abused. They also call this an invasion of privacy and threat to free speech. They call it what is really is: third party snooping. These companies are getting a lot of help. Because many other organizations are fighting this GHCQ business. They include Human Rights Watch and Reports Without Borders. They also include men like computer security expert and activist Bruce Schneier.
However, leaders pushing for this GCHQ insists this is ‘lawful hacking’. Plus, they say that they have their own system to make sure nobody goes too far. This may fly if we were still in the early 2000s. But look at what’s been going on in this 2010s decade. Nobody is buying it anymore, certainly not big IT support. This is the showdown between big tech vs. British surveillance. Whose side are you on?h
