Toot Co Apps & other Interesting Tech and Science Stuff

One company to rule them all? AT&T basically now owns everything except your soul

2018-06-18T19:28:00.001-04:00

From this article from the New York Post, AT&T pretty much controls most of everything related to Internet, cell phones, media and other:

"Earlier this week, a judge decided the fate of the AT&T-Time Warner deal, and the result was a big thumbs-up in the general direction of capitalism. The $85 billion deal has closed, Time Warner has officially been assimilated into AT&T (and renamed Warner Media), and there’s almost zero chance that anything will stop it now.

With the closing of the deal, AT&T is now far more than just a telecom company. It owns dozens of brands, as well as the rights to some of the most popular shows on TV. It has dozens of cable channels, and if the worst fears about programming disputes play out, AT&T could black those channels out from your pay TV provider during a dispute. In no particular order, here are some of the big brands AT&T now owns.

HBO

Arguably the biggest single name AT&T just acquired. Owns the rights to shows like “Westworld,” “Game of Thrones,” “Veep,” “Last Week Tonight” and “Silicon Valley.” Also has first-run distribution rights (the first people to air a movie after it leaves theaters) with companies like Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Universal and Dreamworks. It also owns the Cinemax cable channel, which runs feature-length films from some of those distributors.

TBS

Cable channel owned by Turner, and in turn (heh) by AT&T. Airs popular shows like “Conan,” “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,” “Friends,” “Family Guy,” “New Girl” and “2 Broke Girls.”

CNN

Another subsidiary of Turner, CNN … well, you all know what CNN is and what it does. Outside of HBO, it’s probably the most recognizable brand that AT&T acquired in this, and certainly its biggest cable channel. Between CNN, TBS and HBO, AT&T has more than enough content to offer cheap streaming bundles to the masses.

Turner

Turner Broadcasting System, as it’s fully known, owns a bunch of cable channels and some websites that flesh out the rest of AT&T’s cable content. Channels include CNN, Boomerang, TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies and Cartoon Network. Through Turner Sports, it also owns websites like Bleacher Report, NBA.com, PGA.com, NCAA.com and NBA TV.

DC Entertainment

DC Entertainment is a subdivision of Warner Bros. that deserves its own mention just for the sheer amount of stuff it has under its umbrella. DC Comics, the comic book producer, is under the umbrella, as is DC Films, which makes movies based on those comic characters. Some of the characters it has the rights to include Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and Aquaman. Batman is part of the same universe, as a character of Warner Bros.

Warner Bros.

Warner Bros is one of the “big six” movie studios and owns some of the most successful movie franchises in history. “The Dark Knight” trilogy, Harry Potter, The “Matrix” trilogy, “Inception,” “Suicide Squad” and “The Hangover” all came out of Warner Bros.

New Line Cinema

Warner Bros also owns New Line Cinema, a studio best known for the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” trilogy. It also has smaller hits like “Rush Hour,” “Wedding Crashers” and “Sex and the City” to its name.

The rest of AT&T

That’s just the major brands that AT&T acquired — it also has its own collection of household names that it’s owned forever. AT&T Wireless is the cell carrier, U-verse is its cable TV offering, DirecTV is a satellite broadcaster it also owns, as well as dozens of regional cable and phone companies — almost anything with the name “Bell” in it. Bizarrely, the list also includes the Yellow Pages and yellowpages.com."

Google Pixelbook to run Windows 10?

2018-06-18T19:09:00.000-04:00

According to this article from Ars Technica, it looks as if Google is going to eventually offer the option of booting the Pixelbook into another OS besides Chrome OS.

"Google's Pixelbook is some beautiful, well-built hardware, but its use of Chrome OS means that for many people, it will be too limited to be useful. Although Chrome OS is no longer entirely dependent on Web applications—it can also be used to run Android applications, and Linux application support is also in development—the lack of Windows support means that most traditional desktop applications are unusable.

But that may be changing due to indications that Google is adding Windows support to its hardware. Earlier this year, changes made to the Pixelbook's firmware indicated that Google is working on a mode called AltOS that would allow switching between Chrome OS and an "alternative OS," in some kind of dual-boot configuration. A couple candidates for that alternative OS are Google's own Fuchsia and, of course, Windows.

Recent changes suggest that it is indeed Windows that Google is aiming for. The Pixelbook's firmware is being updated to address issues picked up in Microsoft's hardware compatibility tests. The modifications make reference to the Windows Hardware Certification Kit (WHCK) and the Windows Hardware Lab Kit (HLK). The HLK is Microsoft's test framework that validates all manner of driver and firmware behavior to ensure that hardware is compatible with Windows 10. The WHCK is the corresponding set of tests for Windows 8.1.

Fixing issues picked up by the HLK not only means that the Pixelbook's Windows compatibility is improving, it also opens the door to Google getting the hardware certified by Microsoft as being suitable for Redmond's operating systems. Of course, the firmware is not the only part of this equation; Google would also have to ensure there's a suitable set of drivers to go with it. And there are no guarantees that Google will actually ship this firmware: presently, most of the AltOS work is being done in its own separate branch, and it's possible that it will never be merged into the main firmware branch."

How high can Bitcoin go? What about Bitcoin Cash?

2017-08-07T03:04:00.001-04:00

Bitcoin is currently over $3200 according to the latest stats from bitinfocharts.

But what about the newest star - Bitcoin Cash? In this article from hacked.com, investors are recommended for now to hold onto Bitcoin while the Bitcoin Cash market stabilizes.

I don't know, but it will probably rocket up like Bitcoin has these last few months!

https://hacked.com/investors-just-hold-onto-bitcoin-worry-bitcoin-cash-later/

Why Investors Should Just Hold Onto Bitcoin And Worry About Bitcoin Cash Later

posted by Joseph Young on August 6, 2017

On August 1, Bitcoin Cash (BCH), a hard fork proposal led by Chinese bitcoin mining pool ViaBTC, was forked and hours later, ViaBTC mined the first BCH block. BCH, which was initially developed by a bitcoin mining equipment manufacturer, struggled to gain acceptance from the industry, exchanges and businesses. As a result, its market cap has fallen below $5 billion while the bitcoin price has established its new all-time high at $3,163.

For all bitcoin holders that have had bitcoin on non-custodial wallet platforms have already been credited with BCH. For users on exchanges and custodial platforms, which handle private keys for their clients, each exchange is handling the BCH hard fork differently. Coinbase for instance, the world’s largest wallet platform and the operator of major digital currency exchange GDAX, announced that it will credit BCH to all user accounts by January of 2018.

David Farmer, the director of communications at Coinbase, stated:

“Over the last several days, we’ve examined all of the relevant issues and have decided to work on adding support for bitcoin cash for Coinbase customers. We are planning to have support for bitcoin cash by January 1, 2018, assuming no additional risks emerge during that time. Once supported, customers will be able to withdraw bitcoin cash. We’ll make a determination at a later date about adding trading support. In the meantime, customer bitcoin cash will remain safely stored on Coinbase.”

Many users and investors remain unsatisfied with the decision of Coinbase to credit user accounts with BCH after nearly five months since the initial execution of the BCH hard fork. However, according to bitcoin analysts and experts including Tone Vays and Paxos principal architect Jimmy Song, such precaution is necessary and investors should be extremely careful throughout the process of claiming BCH.

Vays, a prominent bitcoin trader and well-respected analyst within the cryptocurrency sector, noted that claiming BCH with non-custodial wallet platforms such as hardware wallets, paper wallets and online wallets can impose security risks as they involve private keys of bitcoin wallets. When private keys are exposed, bitcoin can be stolen from users and redirected to external or alternative wallets.

If the Mt. Gox hacking incident is taken for instance, WizSecurity revealed that a hacker working closely with Alexander Vinnick, the owner of now-defunct bitcoin exchange BTC-E, stole the wallet.dat file from the centralized systems of Mt. Gox and like that, $2.21 billion in bitcoin were stolen.

Hence, because the manual claiming process of BCH requires the handling of private keys, investors should instead just hold onto bitcoin, wait for the BCH market to stabilize, more BCH wallets to emerge and then cash out or trade their BCH.

As Vays noted:

“Right now, my backup is pretty secure. I know there is one backup in a Mac that doesn’t turn on, and another back up on a couple of USB thumbdrives. I’m not in a rush to get this bitcoin private key out because right now I know it is safe. The moment I plug this USB drive to some computer, the moment I get it out, the moment I change the wallet.dat file, I bring this bitcoin into the world and that scares me. I’m really keeping my bitcoin private.”

For users and investors that remain unclear and insecure about BCH, all users of bitcoin already have been credited with BCH. The difference between exchanges and non-custodial wallet platforms is that because exchanges control the private keys of users, they control BCH of their users and can decide when to credit them to user accounts. For users on non-custodial wallet platforms, BCH has already been credited.

Another major reason to simply wait until the BCH market stabilizes is that as of current, there exists no legitimate and secure BCH wallet. Thus, when BCH is withdrawn from a wallet or an exchange, there is no alternative BCH wallet that users can utilize apart from exchanges that support BCH/BTC trading to store BCH.

Some leading bitcoin exchanges including U.S.-based Kraken and South Korea’s second largest bitcoin exchange Korbit support BCH/BTC trading and offer wallet services. Trezor, the most popular and widely utilized bitcoin hardware wallet, has also integrated beta BCH wallet for users to withdraw or store their BCH but none of the abovementioned BCH wallets are completely safe as of now.

To sum up, for investors and traders of bitcoin, it will be safer to simply hold onto BCH and wait until the Bitcoin Cash market stabilizes.

Roomba creator won't sell your data after all??

2017-07-30T02:37:00.001-04:00

In this article from theverge, the Roomba parent company iRobot states they now won't sell the data of the layouts of inside your home - taken by the Roomba device. Maybe just not hooking the Roomba up to any network by default is the safest way to make sure it won't send your data? Or maybe iRobot will send out 'updates' and acquire the data that way, like other companies have I am sure acquired information in the past from 'updates'. What's next, your internet connected fridge sending out blogs on how much milk you drink?

Roomba creator says it ‘will never sell your data’ after talking about selling your data

by Jacob Kastrenakes Jul 28, 2017, 11:04am EDT

Just a few days after musing about the potential to sell mapping data of customers’ homes, the CEO of Roomba maker iRobot has pedaled those claims way back. In a statement provided to ZDNet, company CEO Colin Angle now says that “iRobot will never sell your data.” A company representative said his previous statements were misinterpreted.

Angle isn’t backing off of the idea that Roomba data could be used to enhance smart homes, which is what he originally thought the data would be sold for. But he’s positioning it in a much more palatable way this time: saying that, if customers want that feature, it would be entirely their choice to share it with other apps and devices. It wouldn’t be used “as a data asset of a corporation to exploit,” he says.

Earlier this week, Angle said to Reuters that mapping data collected by the camera on the company’s newer Roomba models, like the Wi-Fi-connected Roomba 980, could be used to enhance smart home devices. He seemed to say that iRobot could make a deal with Apple, Google, or Amazon in the next year or so to share the data.

The story was widely picked up and generated some obvious fears about customer privacy. Evidently, there was enough backlash that iRobot has had to scrap whatever plans it had, or at the very least provide an assurance to customers that they’ll still be in control.

Apple discontinues the iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle....

2017-07-30T02:19:00.000-04:00

From this post from theverge, Apple has stopped producing one of the last throwbacks to the earlier pre-iPhone devices - the iPod line. The iPods - in my opinion - helped to solidify Apple's 'comeback' with not just computer owners, but people who in the past weren't interested in the computers Apple offered. By improving on the portable media players that were offered at that time, Apple enabled a whole new group of people to become fans of their products, and helped to eventually propel the company to one of the most valuable companies in the world. Without these devices, I don't think we get to the iPhone being a success that it is today, along also with iTunes and the App store.

I have a 4th generation iPod that stopped working two years ago, I had a lot of music on it that I lost most of it - it was great for just a music player - didn't have to worry about e-mail or phone calls like on the iPhone causing a disturbance. Of course the iPod Touch is still in production, I had a few of those and they are great, but something about the 'click wheel' on the original iPod's set them apart.

Apple confirms iPod nano and iPod shuffle have been discontinued

The iPod touch is the last iPod standing

by Chris Welch Jul 27, 2017, 12:18pm EDT

The last of the traditional iPods that lacked internet connectivity are gone. Apple has quietly taken down the websites for both the iPod nano and iPod shuffle today. As of now, searching for the products still results in “learn more” and “buy” links, but they lead to URLs that are no longer available. An Apple spokesperson confirmed to The Verge that both products have met their end and are now officially discontinued. Apple has long maintained that the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch would ultimately cannibalize its traditional music player hardware. The iconic iPod classic was discontinued in 2014.

"Today, we are simplifying our iPod lineup with two models of iPod touch now with double the capacity starting at just $199 and we are discontinuing the iPod shuffle and iPod nano,” the spokesperson said by email. The iPod touch now comes in 32GB and 128GB storage options, with the latter priced at $299. The previous 16GB and 64GB capacities are no longer available.

You should still be able to find some remaining iPod shuffle and nano units from Best Buy and other authorized retailers until stock runs out.

The iPod nano hasn’t been significantly updated since 2012, when the company redesigned it with Bluetooth support for wireless headphones and speakers. Apple released a new batch of colors for that seventh-generation model in 2015. The clip-on iPod shuffle last saw a redesign with the fourth-gen model in 2010, which made a quick return to physical controls after the poorly received third-generation model of 2009. Since then, Apple has updated the color options from time to time — just like the nano.

Tesla Model 3 - Are you going to get one?

2017-07-30T01:59:00.003-04:00

With the Tesla Model 3 being available so far to just a few people - and with more to be produced in the next few months - are you going to get one? With the electric-only car being able to go for some 200 miles on a charge, the distances are greater than most other electric-only cars. Here is an article from Motor Trend about their review of the Model 3. If they can get a pickup truck or SUV with this type of mileage from a fully charged set of batteries, then I might look into it!

http://www.motortrend.com/cars/tesla/model-3/2018/exclusive-tesla-model-3-first-drive-review/

EXCLUSIVE: TESLA MODEL 3 FIRST DRIVE REVIEW

Hyper Scoop: Motor Trend gets the first extended drive in a Tesla Model 3

Kim Reynolds Words, William Walker WordsJuly 28, 2017

The Tesla Model 3 is here, and it is the most important vehicle of the century.

Yes, the hyperbole is necessary. The original Tesla Model S was a proof of concept—it was possible to make a long-range electric vehicle. The Model X showed that you could make an electric SUV. But neither was affordable to the masses. And although the Chevrolet Bolt has shown that 238 miles of electric range is possible for less than $40,000, GM’s volume aspirations are modest.

Not so for Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who wants to blow out the walls of his Fremont, California, factory to build a half-million Tesla Model 3s every year.

Tesla gave Motor Trend an opportunity for an extended test drive with the Tesla Model 3 engineer. Following is Testing Director Kim Reynolds’ review.

Also see: 10 Things To Know About Tesla Model 3
Also see: Refreshing or Revolting: Tesla Model 3 Part Deux

Thirty-six hours before Elon Musk hands the keys to the first 30 purchasers of the new Tesla Model 3 electric car, we are waiting at a gravel parking lot at the corner of Mullholland Highway and Old Topanga Road in Malibu. “What time is it?” somebody asks. “8 a.m.” replies videographer Cory Lutz as he and Travis Labella ready an arsenal of GoPros. Everybody—photographers Brian Vance and William Walker, me, the video guys—are taking turns shooting glances up Old Topanga. We’re watching for a red car.

8:05: “There he is,” I hear somebody say. He is Franz von Holtzhausen, chief designer for Tesla. And the red car is not only his, but it’s also one of the most awaited and speculated-about automobiles in years—the Tesla Model 3, a car I’ve overheard relatives talking about who don’t know how many cylinders their Camry’s engine has. The scene felt a little like Hollywood paparazzi staking out Justin Bieber again, but this time it wasn’t a hijacking. In a somewhat intimidating coup, Franz is going to let me tear up and down nearby Stunt Road in it (and what better name for a test route, eh?).

Franz emerges. Although he’s a pedigreed car designer after deployments with VW, GM (Pontiac Solstice), and Mazda, the guy’s seemingly Hollywood-cast for the Tesla taste-meister part, in black jeans, back T-shirt, and aviator sunglasses. And his car appears remarkably similar to the prototype. “We softened the nose’s frown a little, and these proximity sensors are new, of course,” he says with a shrug. At the back, the parting lines do elegant double-duty as air-separation creases, the charging port’s flap flips upward now, and there’s no external badging at all, besides the Tesla logos. Franz climbs into the passenger seat as I slide in on his left. “Drive it like you own it,” he commands. “Like youown it,” I correct him with a crooked smile.

Anyone familiar with the Model S will quickly feel oriented with the smaller Tesla Model 3. There’s the shifter stalk on the right (reverse up, drive down, depress for park), but now with extra taps once under way, it doubles as the cruise-control lever. All of the car’s infographics reside on a 15.4-inch, landscape-oriented multitouch screen that’s perched on an austere, sweeping, almost Scandinavian-simple, dash. And being a Tesla, it’s an hors d’oeuvre tray of software delectables. Interior air (from subtle vents) is aimed by moving spots around on the display, even dividing the airflow to send it past each ear. There’s a wallet-able security card that plugs in, acting as a valet key. Other coolnesses? Franz’ car is a loaded version—a Premium (add $5,000), meaning better-grade materials, wood-veneered dash, 12-way front seats, 12-speaker sound, heated rear seats, side-by-side inductive phone chargers, and that panoramic glass ceiling that nevertheless protects like SPF 90 sunscreen. A detail that tickled me: One of the assignable functions of the twin thumb scrolls on the wheel spokes is tilting and telescoping the steering column. Cool. You adjust the wheel with your hands right where they should be. It’ll take a lot more miles than this to decide if the single off-center screen completely substitutes for a conventionally located gauge cluster, but I’m already adapting to it. At least I can always see the mph display near my right hand position (upper left corner of the screen) versus it being often half-hidden behind spokes.

Tesla worked hard to increase interior space, and subjectively it succeeded. For a compact car, the Model 3 feels incredibly light and airy. The dash is pulled ahead and pressed down, but cleverly, the touchscreen is apart from that, close to your right hand. (It was embedded into the Model S’ dash, constraining them to be equidistant.) The Tesla Model 3 has a trunk opening instead of a Model S-like hatch to delete the hatch-required crossmember, which shaves rear headroom. The prototype’s trunk opening was criticized as too small; now it’s yawning. And at 15 cubic feet, with a very low lift-over and 60/40 folding rear seats, it looks hungry for a surfboard or a bike. (Franz assures me of this; he’s a cyclist.) Up front, the frunk is precisely sized to hold a carry-on suitcase. “If it’s too big here,” Franz says, “you’re going to have to check it.” I tap the stalk down into drive, and we arc out onto Mulholland.

And then the foot goes down. How does it drive? The gush of torque clearly indicates DNA shared with the Model S. Yet it’s a new motor specific to the 3; Franz is coy about its horsepower, but Tesla’s claim of 0-60 in 5.1 seconds seems right when paired with this car’s $9,000 long-range battery. Yes, there’s a choice of two batteries. Tesla’s trying to change the vocabulary we’re using to describe it, from “kilowatt-hours” to “range.” Franz says the standard one (while still doing 0-60 in 5.6 seconds) will travel 220 miles, but his provides 310 miles of range. (Supercharging is available but at a fee that’s attractive compared to filling with an equivalent amount of gasoline.)

What’s blanching, though, is the car’s ride and handling. If anybody was expecting a typical boring electric sedan here, nope. The ride is Alfa Giulia (maybe even Quadrifoglio)–firm, and quickly, I’m carving Stunt Road like a Sochi Olympics giant slalomer, micrometering my swipes at the apexes. I glance at Franz—this OK? “Go for it,” he nods. The Model 3 is so unexpected scalpel-like, I’m sputtering for adjectives. The steering ratio is quick, the effort is light (for me), but there’s enough light tremble against your fingers to hear the cornering negotiations between Stunt Road and these 235/40R19 tires (Continental ProContact RX m+s’s). And to mention body roll is to have already said too much about it. Sure, that battery is low, way down under the floor. But unlike the aluminum Model S, the Tesla Model 3 is composed of steel, too, and this car’s glass ceiling can’t be helping the center of gravity’s height. Nearly-nil body roll? Magic, I’m telling you. Magic. And this is the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive starting point. The already boggled mind boggles further at the mention of Dual Motor and Ludicrous.

The photographers stare, looking bummed they haven’t gotten everything they wanted, but Franz has got to go. He’s heading up to that same key handover in Fremont. Handshakes, then the red car silently whooshes out of sight around a corner, leaving a vacuum that’s instantly filling with questions: Have I ever driven a more startling small sedan? I haven’t. At speed, it gains a laser-alertness I haven’t encountered before. By happenstance, associate road test editor Erick Ayapana had penciled me into a 2.0-liter Alfa Romeo Giulia to get here, and it feels like a wet sponge by comparison. Technological fascination? Besides what I’ve already described, the Tesla Model 3 is available with Enhanced Autopilot ($5,000) and for another $3,000 what’s called “Full Self-Driving Capability” in the future. A lot of money, sure—but how many $35,000 cars offer that? Or for that matter, standard over-the-air updatability?

But of course, Franz’s car isn’t $35,000. A quick summing of its features puts it at about $59,500 before incentives—including $1,500 for the larger 19-inch wheels (18 inches are standard), and a grand for the red multicoat paint. (You can have any no-extra-cost color as long as it’s black. Seriously.) And it’ll be a while before $35,000 versions are built, but reservation holders can place an order for an upgraded Model 3.

As we pack up, I’m thinking. Recently I’ve been spending some time in Motor Trend’s long-term Chevrolet Bolt EV and with every mile edging closer to calling it The Automobile 2.0. With its affordability, stress-free range, and delightful driving qualities, I’m thinking that maybe this is where the second era of the car commences. Pause that thought. With the Tesla Model 3’s performance, slinky style, fascinating creativity, and, critically, its Supercharger safety net, I think this is truly where it begins. Here at the corner of Mulholland Highway and Old Topanga Road.

How to survive a global cyber attack

2017-05-22T06:57:00.001-04:00

Reposting an excellent article from IT-online about how to survive a global cyber attack.

The most effective defense against the “Wanna Cry” global cyber attack is to update operating systems, install software updates and be on high alert for suspicious emails.
“Awareness campaigns are crucial and companies must invest in these to make sure their employees are aware of threats and that they are aware and implement company policies in regards to information security,” says Dr Aleksandar Valjarevic, head of professional services at LAWtrust.
Over the last weekend “Wanna Cry”, described as one of the largest ever ransomware cyber attacks, locked up over 200 000 computers in more than 150 countries in an attack EU law enforcement agency Europol called “unprecedented”.
Valjarevic says while there have been no “official reports” of South Africans being affected by “Wanna Cry”, “given the size of the attack it is highly likely that South African companies have fallen victim”.
He says updating operating systems and software could have helped mitigate the damage.
“The most important thing is to install all of the updates that are sent to users, not just on operating systems but for all software that is being used,” he says.
“The usual requirements of needing antivirus and firewalls are necessary but are not enough to provide full protection. An in depth, layered, approach to information security is needed, that addresses people, processes and technology. This should include user training, strengthening and improving company policies and deploying technology in the areas of email protection, access control, data encryption, data backup and recovery.
“Software vendors are always working to keep software up to date and safe from being compromised. So there could be a fault in the software that gets picked up either by a hacker or by the company and once it is fixed users will get an alert to install the update. The update has the fix in it, if these updates are ignored the weaknesses remain making machines vulnerable to attack,” adds Valjarevic.
He advises employees and individuals to “not open emails from senders that you don’t recognise, and if you do, or view the message in a preview format, under no circumstances click on any links and fill in any information that may be demanded”.
He says antivirus protection and firewalls do not provide full protection. “Make sure the data backup system is in place and that the recovery plan is in place so that even if you become a victim to a ransomware attack you are able to control the situation and restore your data,” Valjarevic advises. “Encrypting data is another layer of protection that makes it useless anyone who has stolen it.”

Will we ever be safe from computer viruses?

2017-05-22T06:50:00.001-04:00

With the seemingly never ending warnings of ransomware and other security breaches, will we ever be 'safe' in online purchases, or just with the ever growing number of devices that are connected to the Internet every minute of the day?

Here is an article from Zdnet concerning Ransomware and other issues in this age of everything is connected.

Stay safe and patch your devices!

Ransomware and the age of insecurity

Software will lift us up, but always let us down. Make sure you are prepared.

By Steve Ranger | May 21, 2017 -- 22:00 GMT (15:00 PDT) | Topic: Security

It will seem incredible to many that we are still discovering security holes in software that has been in use for decades. Most people might expect that, at least for the software used by hundreds of millions of people every day, faults should have been spotted and fixed by now.

But the chaos caused by the WannaCry ransomware this week shows how hard it is to secure even the most seasoned software, and that things can still go wrong on a grand scale.

For we live in a world of software that's all but impossible to secure, and this will always be the case.

That's because software is rarely conceived or written in isolation. Sometimes developers are building on old code written by others, or they have to connect it to other systems they neither architected nor built. Code is often written in a hurry by developers with every intention of going back to fix it later, but who never get the time. And business priorities change just as coding fashions change, whether that's the languages used or the way projects are managed.

Code of practice

Rather than seeking perfection, software development is a more often a compromise. Consider a new office block on an odd-shaped site in the middle of a crowded city: it may have to be built on top of old sewers and underground railway lines, with the developer hoping that nothing nasty is going to start flooding the basement -- or, worse, that the foundations fail and the whole thing comes crashing down.

This is not to say that software companies should be let off the hook: the importance of robust code and secure software can only increase as it's used in everything from self-driving cars to medical equipment.

Ship now and fix it later is no longer an option -- 'move fast and break things' might be a cool hacker motto, but it's not for developers who are building critical systems that we rely on every day. We need to recognise the importance of building and maintaining secure software, and reward companies that make this a priority.

But we must also acknowledge that software will inevitably let us down on occasion. At the most basic level that means backing up systems and data, and being prepared for the worst. It also means we need a better understanding of the risks we face.

It's true that an unlikely chain of events allowed WannaCry to be so virulent, and there's plenty of finger-pointing going on. But there will be more perfect storms like this, and soon, so get ready.

The 15 BEST Upcoming NINTENDO SWITCH Games of 2017 & 2018

2017-03-24T14:54:00.000-04:00

Here is a YouTube video from Play4Games listing the The 15 BEST Upcoming NINTENDO SWITCH Games in 2017 & 2018 | Most Anticipated Nintendo Switch Games of 2017!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22WZtbPn0Fc

Ken Jeong Answers Medical Questions From Twitter | WIRED

2017-03-24T14:32:00.003-04:00

This YouTube video from WIRED has Ken Jeon answering medical questions posted from Twitter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oFQzvPUzeU

MASS EFFECT ANDROMEDA Walkthrough Gameplay Part 1 - Planetside (Mass Effect 4)

2017-03-24T14:18:00.001-04:00

Here is a YouTube video created by theRadBrad of MASS EFFECT ANDROMEDA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5fTOM8UvZQ

Privacy? What privacy?

2017-03-24T10:12:00.001-04:00

Congress Just Voted 50-48 to Erode Your Broadband Privacy - :

Not that there is much privacy online, but from DSLREPORT.com

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Congress-Just-Voted-5048-to-Erode-Your-Broadband-Privacy-139213

Congress Just Voted 50-48 to Erode Your Broadband Privacy

by Karl Bode

Thursday Mar 23 2017 14:14 EDT

Despite a last-minute effort by consumer advocates, the Senate today formally voted 50-48 (vote breakdown here) to dismantle the FCC's privacy protections for broadband subscribers. Congress had been fast-tracking the push to kill the rules, knowing the vote would likely be obscured by the debate over the Affordable Care Act. The vote leaned on the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to dismantle recently-passed regulations with a simple majority. Such a vote also bans similar rules from being reintroduced at a later date.

The rules were crafted last year by the FCC, and simply required that ISPs clearly disclose what personal data is collected, who it's sold to, and that ISPs provide working opt out tools. It also required that consumers opt in to more sensitive data collection and sales, including user financial data, or your browsing history.

But because Congress is so awash in telecom incumbent campaign contributions, it was apparently an easy trick for ISP lobbyists to convince lawmakers that the rules were "burdensome regulations" and not necessary consumer protections.

ISPs had spent months arguing that the privacy protections would "hamper innovation" and would somehow "confuse" consumers. It's not a coincidence that companies like AT&T and Verizon are looking to increasingly enter the advertising business via acquisitions of Time Warner, AOL, or Yahoo. ISPs had argued that it was unfair to saddle them with specific regulation not faced by the likes of Google, intentionally ignoring that in broadband, the lack of competition often makes voting with your wallet against bad privacy policy impossible.

Giant ISPs had also argued that killing the rules would bring greater "efficiency" to regulation by letting the FTC tackle privacy issues. Former FCC boss Tom Wheeler recently stated in an interview that this was simply a ploy to ensure less company oversight, since the FTC is already under-funded, and over-extended as it tries to oversee multiple industries. There's also rumblings that the GOP hopes to push legislation eroding the FTC's consumer protection authority as well, leaving one of the least competitive industries in America with little to no oversight whatsoever.

"It’s a fraud," Wheeler recently said. "The FTC doesn’t have rule-making authority. They’ve got enforcement authority and their enforcement authority is whether or not something is unfair or deceptive. And the FTC has to worry about everything from computer chips to bleach labeling. Of course, carriers want [telecom issues] to get lost in that morass. This was the strategy all along."

The FCC pursued broadband privacy rules after companies like Verizon got caught covertly modifying packets to track users around the internet, and companies like AT&T and Comcast began exploring forcing users to pay more for privacy. Other ISPs, like CableOne, have crowed about using financial data to provide poor customers with even worse customer service. Again, the lack of competition dampens the repercussions for this kind of behavior, none of which the FTC responded to (precisely the way the industry likes it).

"This resolution is a direct attack on consumer rights, on privacy, on rules that afford basic protection against intrusive and illegal interference with consumers' use of social media sites and websites that often they talk for granted,” Senator Richard Blumenthal said before the vote.

Consumer advocates were also unsurprisingly critical of Congress' rush to do the bidding of giant telecom conglomerates.

“With less than 10 hours of ‘consideration,’ the Senate took the first step to eliminating a rule that put consumers in control of their data online," noted Public Knowledge in a statement. "This vote is a clear sign that American interests come second to those of broadband providers. In a world where everything is increasingly digital, now there will be no rules preventing ISPs from selling your web browsing history without your permission -- covering everything from the apps you use to your smarthome devices."

Again, you can find a full voting breakdown here, in case you're the type interested in lawmaker accountability.

Multiple People Injured In Possible Terror Attack Near British Parliament

2017-03-22T12:22:00.002-04:00

Latest on the attack from Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/uk-parliament-shots-fired_us_58d28ea0e4b02d33b7477c2d

Multiple People Injured In Possible Terror Attack Near British Parliament

At least one person is dead.

By Alana Horowitz Satlin

At least one person is dead and several others injured Wednesday after an armed man attacked the British parliament building in London.

Police said they are investigating the situation as a terrorist incident.

A man was also seen wielding a large knife, local media said. A witness told HuffPost UK that a suspect attempted to storm the gates surrounding the building. It’s unclear whether the person killed is a victim or the assailant.

House of Commons leader David Lidington said that at least one suspected assailant was shot after a police officer was stabbed. The officer is receiving medical attention.

Witnesses said they saw a car drive onto the sidewalk, injuring bystanders. One victim was seen lying under the wheels of a bus, Reuters said.

Note: This article contains graphic photos that may be upsetting to some readers.

TOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS

A woman assist an injured person after an incident on Westminster Bridge in London on Wednesday.

The area where the incident took place is not only the center of U.K. government but also a heavily touristed part of London, probably best known for the “Big Ben” clocktower that’s part of the Palace of Westminster. Visitors are able to regularly tour the Houses of Parliament.

The Parliament building was placed on lockdown and a House of Commons meeting that had been in progress was suspended. A nearby tube station was closed.

What appeared to be the prime minister’s official vehicle was seen speeding away from the area, Sky News reported. An air ambulance landed in Parliament square just before 3 p.m. local time, aerial video footage showed.

TOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS

Injured people are assisted after an incident on Westminster Bridge in London.

A HuffPost UK reporter described chaos at the scene:

Here;s what I saw. pic.twitter.com/ERYWuPjDqX
— Owen Bennett (@owenjbennett) March 22, 2017

The White House said U.S. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the situation.

Wednesday’s attack comes one year after suicide bombers killed 32 in Brussels.

See photos of the scene in London below:

Toby Melville / Reuters

Injured people are assisted after an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017.
Toby Melville / Reuters

A man lies injured after a shottingt incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017.
Toby Melville / Reuters

A woman assist an injured person after an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017.
Stefan Wermuth / Reuters

An air ambulance lands in Parliament Square during an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, Britain March 22, 2017.
Toby Melville / Reuters

Paramedics treat an inured person after an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, March 22, 2017.
Stefan Wermuth / Reuters

Armed police respond outside Parliament during an incident on Westminster Bridge in London, Britain March 22, 2017.
Jack Taylor via Getty Images

Members of the public look on as roads are closed off by Police around Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament on March 22, 2017 in London, England.
Carl Court via Getty Images

A member of the public is treated by emergency services near Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament on March 22, 2017 in London, England.
Carl Court via Getty Images

A medic is seen near Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament on March 22, 2017 in London, England.
Carl Court via Getty Images

Nurses from St Thomas’ hospital load blankets outside the hospital on March 22, 2017 in London, England.
Carl Court via Getty Images

A member of the public is moved into an ambulance by emergency services near Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament on March 22, 2017 in London, England.
DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS via Getty Images

Armed police officers guard at a police cordon outside the Houses of Parliament in central London on March 22, 2017 during an emergency incident.
DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS via Getty Images

An armed police officer guards inside a police cordon outside the Houses of Parliament in central London on March 22, 2017 during an emergency incident.

This story is developing. Please check back for updates.

Worth a Trillion Dollars??

2017-03-22T12:05:00.002-04:00

I wish I was worth a Trillion Dollars! In this article from CNN, the worth of Apple is discussed.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/03/21/investing/apple-stock-all-time-high-three-quarters-trillion/

This is CNN Money's article, I am just reposting.

Apple worth $750 billion. Next stop? $1 trillion

by Paul R. La Monica @lamonicabuzz

Apple is red hot. The stock is at an all-time high. It is up nearly 25% this year. That makes Apple the best performer in the Dow.

And get this. Apple (AAPL, Tech30) is now worth about three quarters of a trillion dollars: $750 billion. Apple's market cap is $160 billion higher than the second most valuable company in the U.S. Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL, Tech30) is worth about $590 billion.

Why is Apple doing so well? Wall Street is extremely excited, juiced if you will, about the next iteration of the iPhone that's due out later this year. It will probably be named the iPhone 8.

But given that this is the tenth anniversary of the iconic device, some expect/hope that Apple will do like the National Football League does with Super Bowls and brand the new phone with a Roman numeral -- the iPhone X.

There are lots of rumors about new bells and whistles that this phone could have. No home button. Wireless charging. More augmented and/or virtual reality capabilities. A curvier screen like the original iPhone. Facial recognition scanning.

Whatever the new iPhone looks like, it's clear that there is now a lot of pressure on the company to sell gajillions of them. Despite efforts to diversify its revenue stream, Apple still relies on the iPhone for nearly 70% of its sales.

New iPads released Tuesday morning won't move the needle that much. Neither will any new iterations of the Apple Watch or its line of Mac computers.

Apple also unveiled a snazzy (and pricey) new special edition Red iPhone 7 and iPhone Plus Tuesday. It's a partnership with (RED) -- the charitable organization that raises money and awareness for the fight against HIV/AIDS.

But those new phones aren't mainstream products. What most consumers -- and investors -- are waiting for is the iPhone 8...or whatever Apple calls it.

Wall Street seems to think that the next iPhone will be a huge hit, even though Apple rival Samsung will also have a new phone on the market this year.

The Galaxy S8 will be released on March 29. But it remains to be seen if Samsung suffers any lingering damage from its fire-prone Galaxy Note 7 debacle.

For now, analysts are extremely bullish on Apple's prospects, even as the stock climbs steadily higher -- and closer and closer to that magical $1 trillion market valuation. Apple would need to climb another 33% to get there. Its stock would be at about $190.

Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi raised his price target on Apple Tuesday to $160 a share. That's 12% higher than current levels. And Sacconaghi is late to the Apple upgrade party.

In fact, he's now the 25th analyst to boost their target on Apple since the company reported its latest earnings on January 31, according to FactSet.

And there's another reason why Apple might be rallying that has nothing to do with whatever Tim Cook, product guru Jony Ive and other Apple execs have up their sleeves in Cupertino. Tax reform plans from President Trump seems to be helping Apple too.

It's ironic given that many tech companies, including Apple, have come out against Trump for his proposed immigration ban on people from several predominantly Muslim nations.

Silicon Valley has an uneasy, if not outright antagonistic relationship, with Trump.

But if Trump succeeds in getting changes to tax laws that make it easier for companies to bring back, or repatriate, cash sitting overseas to the U.S., then Apple and other cash hoarders like Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30), Alphabet and Cisco (CSCO, Tech30) could benefit.

The hope is that a one-time lower tax rate to bring back cash from overseas would entice Apple and others to buy back stock, increase dividends, acquire companies, boost research and development expenses and maybe even hire more workers.

And Apple has a LOT of cash that it could use in America. CFO Luca Maestri said during the company's earnings conference call in January that Apple has $246.1 billion in cash -- and that $230.2 billion of it is being held outside of the U.S.

To put into context how much that is, Apple's cash pile is worth more than all but 13 companies in the S&P 500. It's higher than the market values of iconic U.S. companies (and fellow Dow components) Walmart (WMT), P&G (PG), Visa (V), Disney (DIS) and Coca-Cola (KO).

CNNMoney (New York)First published March 21, 2017: 10:59 AM ET

YouTube - Top 100 Most Viewed Music Videos Of Year-End 2016

2017-01-15T09:12:00.001-05:00

Here is a YouTube video of the Top 100 Most Viewed Music Videos Of Year End 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToymPxov0IA

Xbox One S

2017-01-15T08:34:00.000-05:00

Well I finally added an Xbox One S to replace my no longer working Xbox 360. I bought the 500 gigabyte drive Minecraft version - so far it has been great! I wish some of the games I played in the Xbox 360 - like Battlefield 1943 - would work on the new platform - since it is in the 'cloud' - one would think it would work on the newer ones?

Stay tuned as I add my thoughts over the next few months on my new platform!

Nintendo Switch - are you getting one?

2017-01-15T08:28:00.002-05:00

Here is an article from techcrunch describing their hand-on experience with the new Nintendo Switch platform.

https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/13/hands-on-with-the-nintendo-switch/

Moments after Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aimé finished his presentation, another exec took the stage to announce how things will go. The room is separated into sections; each section of attendees will follow a staff member with a Mario character on a placard. And just like that, we’re each ushered off to a game — some semblance of organization before it all invariably erupts into chaos.

It’s inevitable, of course. A few minutes later, members of the press are screaming at screens and elbowing their way in to be among the first to play the new Zelda game on the upcoming console.

Last night’s unveiling was all news — pricing, availability, specs. Today’s event is about actually experiencing the thing. Being one of the first to try the strange new console, in all its strange, convertible forms.

There are games stationed around the space, laid out in two rooms of a Manhattan loft, from proprietary titles like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and the aforementioned Zelda title, Breath of the Wild (which had its gameplay debut for the Wii U back in June at E3) to perennial third-party favorites like Street Fighter II and Arms, a slightly more family friendly take on the classic fighting game.

Most of the stations are just basic TV and living room settings, but there are a few more creative takes, as well — like a fake airplane interior, complete with animated clouds, a cross section of a VW bus and a small, faux greasy spoon, called the “M Diner” and run by some Italian plumber.

There are Nintendo reps waiting at each of the stations — standard practice for gaming demos, though in many cases these games require more than the standard explanation. Even games like Street Fighter, which most in the room can likely play blindfolded, require a quick preface regarding precisely how the title is played.

After all, the Switch is Nintendo’s great new gamble — an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink console designed to learn from the mistakes of the Wii U while bringing together positive lessons from both it and its predecessors. The result is a system that can be played as both a sit-down living room console or a portable (if slightly unwieldy) system.

It’s an impressive bit of diversity on display, but it also means that the majority of gamers of different skill levels will inevitably require some hand holding, as it’s not immediately clear which game takes advantage of which technology. And from the sound of Nintendo’s blue sky plans for the system, there’s still a heck of a lot of potential yet to be unlocked with the titles.

The 10 or so games on display at today’s event certainly showcase some of that versatility, but as Fils-Aimé noted in his brief and largely reiterative address ahead of the event, there are some 50 developers currently working on the platform, with 80 titles in the pipe. The Switch may have something of a title problem when it launches in a month and a half, but if all goes according to plan, the issue should be addressed fairly soon — hopefully in the lead up to next holiday season.

Unsurprisingly, one of the best displays of the tech is one of the newest titles: Arms, a brightly colored, cartoonish take on the classic fighting game. The player slips the two Joy-Cons off the side of the console and holds each in a hand, à la the Wiimote. The game plays out on a split screen, each from the first-person point of view of the player.

As with the Wiimote, the player uses the Joy-Con to punch. It was fun and a bit of a workout — and maybe it means that the whole notion of getting a workout while playing a video game outside of the VR world isn’t dead after all. Street Fighter II, meanwhile, represents the other side of the spectrum, utilizing a standard gamepad (not the Joy-Con Grip) for pretty straightforward control — it was one of the few titles on display that required no explanation whatsoever.

In demo gameplay, the whole thing works pretty seamlessly. The heart of the system is the 6.2-inch touchscreen tablet. Slip it into the dock and the TV recognizes the signal after a few seconds. Pull it out, and it immediately shows up on the device for gameplay.

The Joy-Controls, meanwhile, slip easily between the sides of the tablet and the Joy-Con Grip. Gameplay directly on the tablet is a bit unwieldy, as anticipated, but it’s definitely useable — assuming, of course, you’re not on, say, a crowded train — that’s more Super Mario Run territory.

Multiplayer gaming has long been Nintendo’s bread and butter, and that’s no expectation here. My Splatoon 2 demo involved eight people. The Mario Kart gameplay was a bit more intimate, with two players grabbing a small Joy-Con, transforming it into a sort of microcontroller.

The Switch ultimately has a Herculean task ahead of it. It must simultaneously serve as the company’s living room and portable consoles, while making up ground lost to the Wii U — arguably its biggest home gaming misfire. Nintendo’s certainly got all the tools in place here for an incredibly versatile and fun offering.

For now, it’s a bit of a slow start — with only two proprietary titles at launch and lots of questions surrounding its online offerings. A rep I spoke with compared it to the N64 — a console that had limited launch titles, but is now remembered fondly. Not exactly the explosive first impression the company was likely hoping to make following the missteps of the Wii U.

Apple iPhone celebrates 10 years

2017-01-09T02:46:00.001-05:00

It has been 10 years since Apple introduced the iPhone! Here is an article from CNET describing the 10 ways the iPhone changed the mobile industry, and more.

https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-iphone-steve-jobs-10-ways-everything-changed/

Ten years ago, Nokia was the world's largest phone maker. Microsoft was gearing up to launch Windows Vista. And the best new products at CES included a wireless TV and an MP3 player that streamed internet radio.

Then, on Jan. 9, 2007, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled a device that went on to change the world -- a $499 iPhone that came with 4GB of storage. It was a mobile phone, a music player and an Internet device.

"iPhone is a revolutionary and magical product that is literally five years ahead of any other mobile phone," Jobs said at the time.

Since then, Apple has sold more than 1.2 billion iPhones and has become the most profitable public company in the world. Copycat phones from companies like Samsung, HTC, Motorola and Xiaomi proliferated across the globe, and now even people in places without steady electricity have smartphones.

"It's difficult to understate [the iPhone's] impact," Reticle Research analyst Ross Rubin said. "The ripples it has created affect wide swaths of our lives."

Here are some ways the iPhone has changed the way we live:

1. We're always on

It used to be you'd fire up your computer, wait for your Wi-Fi to connect (or your dialup connection, if we're going wayyy back) and open Internet Explorer, Safari or some other web browser. Now you're connected to the internet all the time. If you're not on Wi-Fi, you're linked through your cellular network.

It's not just inescapable connectivity that the iPhone helped bring about. It's also how we actually access the internet. The iPhone made mobile web browsing useful for the first time. Every other mobile web browser before that was painful, in the words of CNET's Kent German. Soon came a flood of apps, which removed the need to open a web browser at all.

2. Tablets, watches and headphones, oh my

Multiple devices are either tied to the iPhone or exist because the phone was created. There's the iPad, essentially a larger iPhone you use at home. And there's the Apple Watch, which is tethered to the iPhone.

Then there are all the accessories spurred by the popularity of the iPhone, like phone cases; Bluetooth speakers and headphones; and charging docks. ABI Research estimates that revenue in the global mobile accessories market will top $110 billion in 2021.

"Given users' attachment to their smartphones and their wants and needs to personalize and protect them, the aftermarket mobile accessories market is showing no signs of slowing down," ABI analyst Marina Lu said.

3. The key to appiness

You may not remember this now, but Apple's first iPhone didn't have such a thing as third-party apps or the App Store. That changed in July 2008, when Apple introduced the iPhone 3G and its iPhone 2.0 software.

The App Store is what made the iPhone a must-have device. There are now more than 2 million apps in the App Store, with essentially every company making one or more apps. And the iPhone and App Store have spawned industries that couldn't exist without smartphones. There'd be no Uber or Lyft to shuttle us from place to place, for instance, or Instagram or Snapchat for sharing our photos.

4. Everyone's a shutterbug

Sure, we had cameras on our phones before the iPhone. But the Apple gadget's combination of easy internet access and apps like Instagram inspired people's inner photographer.

As a result, lugging around an actual camera became redundant.

"We as a species take more pictures than we ever had in the past by an order of magnitude," Current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart said.

5. Livin' live

The phone's camera also means you have a portable camcorder (remember those?) at your fingertips. And on top of that, the phone's connection lets you broadcast video immediately. That could mean talking to your family members on the other side of the country or shooting a cat video for YouTube. Or, thanks to services like Facebook Live or Periscope, the technology can be used for filming police brutality or instantly reporting something you've seen.

On the flip side, having these smart devices on us at all times lets law enforcement and corporations (like the makers of those apps on your phone) track us. Apple has taken a strong stance on privacy, but security remains a big concern for users.

6. Putting the digits in digital

Touchscreens once were rare. Now babies are swiping at TVs and wondering why the screen doesn't change. Interactive screens are in virtually everything, even refrigerators. When Jobs introduced the iPhone, he said, "We are all born with the ultimate pointing device -- our fingers -- and iPhone uses them to create the most revolutionary user interface since the mouse."

He was more right than he could imagine. The appeal of a touchscreen phone forced Microsoft to embrace touch in its software and get its hardware partners to make touchscreen phones, tablets and computers.

It's almost surprising to see a device today without a touchscreen (though Apple maintains it won't be putting touchscreens in its Mac computers).

7. You are here

The introduction of mapping on the iPhone meant you no longer had to feel like an embarrassed tourist in a new city, clutching a giant paper map on the street corner. Google Maps and Apple Maps are two of the most-used apps on the iPhone, and they've steadily added features over the years, like public transit directions.

8. Gaming goes to the next level

The iPhone reinvented the idea of mobile gaming. Apps like Angry Birds, that anyone could play using their fingers on the touchscreen, became hugely popular, and payment models changed. Many games are now free to play -- instead of charging a sales price, developers came up with the idea of in-app purchases, which let you pay for new levels and features as you go.

Seven of the top 10 grossing iPhone apps are games, like Pokemon Go, according to market tracker App Annie.

9. Cash ain't king

Apple wasn't the first company to talk about mobile payments, but it did make even your grandma aware of the technology, which lets you use your phone to purchase things. Goodbye, cash. Hello, iPhone. The iPhone's Wallet app also can store retail coupons, reward cards, and passes for flights and movies, all in one place.

Cash isn't dead yet -- there still are many places that don't take mobile payments -- but using your phone at the checkout stand is more common than ever.

10. But wait -- there's more

There's no way to sum up all that the iPhone did in just 10 points. So here's a grab bag of additional stuff.

Apple basically killed Adobe Flash on mobile devices and made endless scrolling a very good thing. You never have to carry a calculator or flashlight anymore, and visual voicemail lets you easily skip forward in a meandering message. Podcasts mean you don't have to listen to the radio in real time -- and they give you new options, such as the hit show "Serial."

Social media has also shifted heavily to mobile devices from desktop computers, letting people feel connected to friends at all times. Facebook said that in its most recent quarter, roughly 84 percent of its $6.82 billion in ad revenue came from mobile ads.

At the same time, the iPhone has been linked to the rise in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and short attention spans in kids. Governments use mobile devices to spy on their citizens, and consumers give up a lot of personal information in exchange for services like Uber rides.

But even with the negatives, don't try to take someone's iPhone away.

Scientists make microscopic "nanowires" that are super environmentally friendly

2016-08-29T09:14:00.001-04:00

Think fiber optics is small? In this article from Mashable, scientists have made 'nanowires' that are microscopic in size, plus friendly to the environment.

How small can 'wires' get?

Microbiologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have found a way to make electrical wires that are thousands of times thinner than a human hair.

The secret? The "microbial nanowires," or little hair-like protein filaments, or pili, produced by genetically modified soil bacteria, Geobacter sulfurreducens. Researchers manipulated the bacteria to spin out very fine but highly conductive wires composed of natural amino acids.

They replaced two naturally occurring amino acids in the Geobacter bacteria with tryptophan, (yes, the tryptophan that makes you sleepy on Thanksgiving), and found that it was 2,000 times more conductive. They also became smaller and more durable, with a diameter of 1.5 nanometers (rough 60,000 times thinner than a human hair).

Dr. Derek R. Lovley, the team's lead researcher, said that the wires can be sustainably produced since they are made from inexpensive materials, one example being acetic acid, the main ingredient in vinegar that can be made by fermenting bacteria.

"We are very excited about the possibilities for synthetic biological wires," he told Mashable in an email. "...It is expected that the biowire will be incorporated into various polymer materials to make new types of biocompatabile flexible electronics and even new types of devices for harvesting solar energy."

And they quite a few other possible uses in nano electronics, such as tiny computers from bacteria that can "receive data as an electrical signal, do computations, and then produce an electrical output." They might also be useful in medical sensors, as they are sensitive to pH changes that can monitor heart rate or kidney function.

The experiment was funded by the Office of Naval Research, so it's no surprise that there are also military benefits. The nanowires could feed electrical currents to microbes and createbutanol, a fuel more functionally similar to gasoline than ethanol. This could be produced in remote locations like Afghanistan, where it's currently very expensive to transport fuel. The nanowires may also power other microbes that can signal pollutants, toxins or explosives.

And, of course, it's possible that these tiny wires could help sate the demand for more memory on ever-smaller phones.

Crew of simulated Mars mission 'returns' to Earth after one year

2016-08-29T09:01:00.004-04:00

I would love to go to Mars, but don't think so in my lifetime! Here is an article from Mashable that describes the crew of a simulated Mars mission emerged from their 'space ship'

After spending an entire year living in the isolation of a simulated mission to Mars, the crew of the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog & Simulation (HI-SEAS) project finally emerged on Sunday, and they looked very relieved.

Although high-profile space professionals like Elon Musk often talk about sending a mannedmission to Mars, the reality is that such a mission would put the astronauts to the ultimate test of endurance on both a physical and psychological level.

Matt Damon made it look like a relative rough day of camping in The Martian, but intense, extended simulations like HI-SEAS are, for now, one of the best ways to give us a real clue as to just how tough such a mission might really be.

The crew was made up of a diverse team of experts, including Sheyna Gifford, a science researcher, Tristan Bassingthwaighte, an architect, Carmel Johnston, a soil scientist, Andrzej Stewart, a pilot and former Lockheed Martin employee, Cyprien Verseux, an astrobiologist, and Christiane Heinicke, a physicist and engineer. They lived in a habitat on the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano on the island of Hawaii.

"A mission to Mars in the near future is realistic. I think the technological and psychological [challenges] can be overcome," said HI-SEAS crew member and researcher Verseux, during a Periscope chat on Sunday. "For me, being here was an excellent opportunity to see what the real constraints of a mission to Mars are. "

The crew was monitored the entire time, however, it appears that the specific findings of the simulated mission are being kept under wraps for now. Nevertheless, the "mission" is giving us a good idea of what the rigors of living on another planet may entail — and they're not as epic as in a science fiction movie.

"Bring something meaningful to work on, said crew member Christiane Heinicke during another Periscope interview on Sunday. "One of the biggest enemies is boredom."

Heinicke also talked about the challenges of working with the same people in such close proximity for such a long time, noting that sudden emergencies actually help to bring the crew together and make the extended time together a bit more bearable.

The HI-SEAS program is already recruiting its next batch of virtual astronauts, so if you've ever wanted to test your space-faring skills, this might be your chance. The next eight month mission will begin in January 2017 and will be located in "an isolated Mars-like environment" on the Big Island of Hawaii at roughly 8,200 feet above sea level.

The deadline for applications is September 5.

Does knowledge matter in the age of Google?

2016-08-29T08:45:00.001-04:00

Here is an article from theguardian about whether it is worth learning mostly anything since a great deal of information can be looked up online.....or can it?

Economist Seth Stephens-Davidowitz recently noted that one of the most common Google searches containing “my penis” was “how long is my penis?” Luddites might say a ruler would have a better answer than Google, but that’s not how digital natives think. Why should we figure out anything for ourselves, when everything is so easy to look up?

It’s a good question, one I confront in my book Head in the Cloud. I ran surveys of public knowledge in Britain and the US, on topics ranging from pop culture to quantum physics. In many regards the public is ill-informed. More than 50% of those under 30 can’t name the largest ocean on Earth, the palace built by Louis XIV, or the first artificial satellite; don’t know who invented the telegraph, radio or phonograph or which Roman emperor was said to have fiddled while Rome burned.

Does knowledge matter any more? There’s a decent case that it doesn’t. In the 1950s economist Anthony Downs coined the concept of rational ignorance. In many situations, Downs observed, learning isn’t worth the bother. Most of us don’t learn car repair or medicine or accounting. Instead, we consult professionals when such expertise is needed – and that’s perfectly reasonable.

Today, we’re outsourcing memory and knowledge to the internet. This is often a good thing, but it comes with a drawback. The cloud is making us meta-ignorant: unaware of what we don’t know.

Each day we make hundreds of small decisions and judgments: what to eat, buy, or do; what to think about the latest film, trend and politician. Rarely are these assessments important enough to justify looking up facts. We make snap judgments in a state of rational ignorance, based on facts already in our heads.

I found that there are correlations between general knowledge and behaviour, political views and even socially responsible choices. One dilemma I posed was: would you throw your pet off a cliff for £1 million?

About 7% of the British public said yes. But the percentage was double that among those who scored poorly on a quiz of general knowledge. The less informed are either greedier or less kind to animals.

In the same survey, those who didn’t know which document King John signed in 1215 were far more likely to say that people should be able to smoke in pubs. Those who can’t name their MP tend to say it’s OK for a business to post fake online reviews under a false name. Those who believe that early humans coexisted with dinosaurs are more likely to refuse to vaccinate their children for measles, mumps, and rubella.

These findings challenge the easy assumption that you can always look up the facts you need. Anti-vaccine parents do look up articles on the internet. It appears they are unable to distinguish valid medical advice from pseudoscientific nonsense drawing on paranoia, urban legends and conspiracy theorising.

Hence the survey’s finding: people who can’t answer an easy question about dinosaurs have a poor grounding in science and are ill-prepared to form good opinions about medical controversies, even with the internet to assist them. Unfortunately a “general background” in science or anything else isn’t something you can look up on a lunch break. It’s acquired through lifelong learning.

Knowledge is not wisdom, but it is a prerequisite for wisdom – and that’s one thing the digital revolution hasn’t changed.

WHEN IS YOUR PHONE GETTING ANDROID 7.0 NOUGAT?

2016-08-24T10:48:00.002-04:00

My phone is Nexus 5x on Google Fi, and haven't received update notification yet.....hmmmm

In this article from Digital Trends, they list when each phone manufacturer is going to get it.

After more than 5 months in beta, Google has officially rolled out the latest version of the Android mobile operating system — Android 7.0 Nougat.

The update is rolling out to the Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 9, Nexus Player, and Pixel C devices, as well as the General Mobile 4G, an Android One smartphone. Any other devices enrolled in the Android Beta Program, such as the Sony Xperia Z3, will also get the update.

Ultimately, that’s a relatively small number of smartphones and tablets compared to the billion-plus Android devices that are active around the world. Android is notorious for its fragmentation — even if Google pushes an update, manufacturers and carriers have to test and roll it out separately, and the process usually takes months. It’s why several handsets like BlackBerry’s Priv and the OnePlus 2 received the Android Marshmallow update more than 6 months after Marshmallow launched.

A lot of smartphone manufacturers haven’t explicitly named a date or time range for when we can expect a Nougat update. Few have mentioned specific devices that will certainly be getting it, and of course, a carrier-branded device will also slow these updates even further. Still, we will continue to update this article as we learn more. In the meantime, here’s which devices are expected to get Android 7.0 Nougat and when we expect to see the update arrive.

Nexus, Pixel C, and Android One devices that will get Android 7.0 Nougat

Google’s Nexus devices are almost always the first smartphones and tablets to receive version updates first, and that hasn’t changed with Nougat. The updates should already be available to install for:

Google Nexus 6
Google Nexus 5X
Google Nexus 6P
Google Nexus 9
Google Nexus Player
Google Pixel C
General Mobile 4G (Android One)

Just head over to the About Phone section in your device’s Settings app. Tap on System updates and then Check for update. You should get a notification saying there’s an update ready to install. Older Nexus devices like the Nexus 5 and the Nexus 7 (2013) are not receiving the Nougat update.

Google’s surprise tablet from 2015, the Pixel C, is also receiving the update as its an Android device straight from Google. Android One devices, budget devices running stock Android available only in developing markets, aren’t mentioned except for General Mobile’s 4G handset, which should also be receiving the update.

The search giant seems to have forgotten about Android One, considering its website for the program claims 2014’s Android 5.1 Lollipop to be the “latest and fastest” version of Android.

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SAMSUNG DEVICES THAT WILL GET ANDROID 7.0 NOUGAT

Samsung has a lot of devices, and many of them aren’t going to make the cut for an update. The company is also notorious for its slow updates — the Galaxy S6 lineup was updated to Android 6.0 Marshmallow more than 5 months after Google published it. Still, here’s a list of flagship devices we can expect to get 7.0 Nougat:

Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus
Samsung Galaxy S7
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Samsung Galaxy S7 Active
Samsung Galaxy Note 7
Samsung Galaxy J3

What we do know is the Korean giant will bring Nougat to the Note 7 within a time span of two months from the day of Nougat’s launch. There’s no reason as to why budget-tiered devices, like the Samsung Galaxy J3, shouldn’t receive the update as well.

“We are still evaluating and will have more to announce in the near future,” a Samsung spokesperson tells Digital Trends.

SamMobile, known for leaking Samsung news, suggests an update time frame of2016’s fourth quarter, which spans from October to December — this would line up with the Note 7 Nougat update as well.

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LG DEVICES THAT WILL GET ANDROID 7.0 NOUGAT

In a surprise announcement, the upcoming LG V20 will be the first smartphone that comes pre-loaded with Android 7.0 Nougat — a title typically held by Google’s Nexus devices. Devices that should be receiving the update include:

LG G5
LG V10
LG G4
LG V20

We’ll likely learn more about the V10 successor in the coming weeks, and while unconfirmed, most of LG’s previous devices should make the jump to 7.0 — notably the LG G5 and the V10. The company has gotten a lot better about updating its smartphones — the G4, for example, began receiving Marshmallow within 3 months of its release.

While that’s not as great as we’d like, it’s certainly better than most manufacturers. Seeing as the LG is touting the V20 as the first smartphone that comes equipped with Nougat, we can imagine the manufacturer will roll out the update to its other devices swiftly.

We have reached out to LG and will update this post when they offer more information.

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HTC DEVICES THAT WILL GET ANDROID 7.0 NOUGAT

HTC is one of the only manufacturers to outright confirm a Nougat update for its devices. The lucky ones are:

HTC 10
HTC One A9
HTC One M9

HTC is generally pretty quick with its Android updates — the One M8 received Android 6.0 Marshmallow just two months after the update was released. The company even has a website you can visit to check the status of the Nougat update.

HTC is also rumored to be the manufacturer behind the upcoming Google Nexus devices, codenamed Sailfish and Marlin. Considering the strong partnership between development teams to put together a Nexus device, it’s safe to assume that a Nougat update for the company’s devices will roll out fast, perhaps right around the expected launch of the Nexus devices in October.

An HTC spokesperson told Digital Trends that the company may announce a timeline for the updates soon via its Twitter account

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MOTOROLA DEVICES THAT WILL GET ANDROID 7.0 NOUGAT

Motorola, now owned by Lenovo, has quite the number of devices under its belt that theoretically should be upgraded to Android 7.0 Nougat — that is if you use the 18-month life-cycle most manufacturers tend to follow. Motorola has confirmed with Digital Trends that the following devices will definitely get the Nougat update:

Moto Z Droid
Moto Z Force Droid
Moto G4
Moto G4 Plus
Moto G4 Play

There’s no reason that last year’s models shouldn’t receive the update as well, though. That includes:

Moto X Style Pure Edition
Droid Turbo 2 (Moto X Force)
Droid Maxx 2 (Moto X Play)
Moto G (2015)
Moto E (2015)

The Moto Z Droid and Moto Z Force Droid are carrier locked to Verizon, so the updates will ultimately have to go through Big Red — that could add a few months to the wait time. Additionally, Motorola dropped from being one of the best Android manufacturers in terms of updates, to one of the worst. The company completely abandoned support for the U.S. carrier-variants of the Moto X (2014) after Marshmallow came out only a year later. Still, the Moto X Style and Play received the Marshmallow update within the first two to four months of its release.

A Motorola spokesperson tells Digital Trends the company will begin evaluating upgrade opportunities, and also said the following:

“Android upgrades are complex, resource-intensive projects, and unfortunately, it isn’t practical for us to bring every upgrade to every device in our portfolio,” a Motorola spokesperson said. “The decision whether to upgrade a device is made on a case-by-case basis with several factors in mind, including carrier approvals, partner support, the capabilities of the device, number of devices in use, where the device is in its lifecycle and the overall experience. We will continue to communicate upgrade paths on our software page.”

We suggest not expecting an update for most of the aforementioned 2015 devices.

Page 6

ZTE DEVICES THAT WILL GET ANDROID 7.0 NOUGAT

Hot off the release of two well-received smartphones, the Axon 7 and the budget-tierZMax Pro, ZTE tells Digital Trends it has plans to update the Axon 7 with Nougat “very soon.” It also has a plethora of other devices that should make the jump to the new Android version:

ZTE Axon 7
ZTE ZMax Pro
ZTE Axon Elite
ZTE Axon Pro
ZTE Axon Max
ZTE Axon
ZTE ZMax 2
ZTE Blade V7

“ZTE has no official announcement being made for other device updates and timelines,” a spokesperson tells Digital Trends. Most of the aforementioned devices are hard to buy or available only in select markets, and the only relatively-new phones listed on ZTE USA’s website are the Axon 7, the original Axon, Axon Pro, and the ZMax Pro. Still, these devices should receive Nougat considering most are only a little over a year old.

We’ll learn more about the update process for each of these devices soon, and we’ll update this post as soon as we find out.

Page 7

ONEPLUS DEVICES THAT WILL GET ANDROID 7.0 NOUGAT

OnePlus is a little different when it comes to device updates. The OnePlus One runs Cyanogen OS, while the newer devices run OxygenOS. It’s all custom ROMs, but they’re based on the various Android versions. The devices that should get the Nougat update are:

OnePlus 3
OnePlus X
OnePlus 2
OnePlus 1

Since the device is based off custom ROMs, there should be some type of support available for the OnePlus 1, perhaps unofficially. The device received an Android Marshmallow-based update 6 months after Google released it. The OnePlus 2 only received it in June. The OnePlus X has yet to receive the official jump to Marshmallow, but there’s a preview build available.

Still, official Android Nougat-based Oxygen OS updates should come to the OnePlus 3, OnePlus X, and OnePlus 2 — just don’t expect it to be anytime soon. We have reached out to the company for confirmation.

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SONY DEVICES THAT WILL GET ANDROID 7.0 NOUGAT

Sony tells Digital Trends that the following devices will be updated to Android 7.0 Nougat:

Sony Xperia Z3+
Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet
Sony Xperia Z5
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
Sony Xperia X
Sony Xperia XA
Sony Xperia XA Ultra
Sony Xperia X Performance

That’s a solid number of devices that are making the jump to Nougat, but that’s also because the company always produces a slew of devices every year. There’s no time frame, but the company says it’s working to “bring this major update to as many of our devices as possible.” We’ll update this post as Sony announces more details about a Nougat update.

Page 9

BLACKBERRY DEVICES THAT WILL GET ANDROID 7.0 NOUGAT

Expected devices to jump to Nougat for BlackBerry are:

BlackBerry Priv
BlackBerry DTEK50

BlackBerry only has two Android smartphones: The Priv received Android 6.0 Marshmallow in April — nearly 6 months after the OS was launched; and the latest DTEK50 sports Marshmallow out the box. Both devices should upgrade to Android 7.0 Nougat, and we have reached out to the company for an estimated timeline.

Page 10

ALCATEL DEVICES THAT WILL GET ANDROID 7.0 NOUGAT

Alcatel is one of those companies that announces an incredible number of devices, and it’s often hard to keep track of what’s actually available. Still, there are three devices that should get the Nougat update, and two of them recently launched with Marshmallow:

Alcatel Idol 4S
Alcatel Idol 4
Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3

The Idol 4 is only available on Cricket Wireless, so you’ll have to wait and see if Cricket is even interested in issuing an update. We previously asked Alcatel executives when the Idol 4S would receive Nougat and they said an update would come when the company deemed the Nougat release to be stable. The Idol 3 only received Marshmallow in June.

We have reached out to Alcatel for confirmation and will update this post when we hear back.

Page 11

HUAWEI DEVICES THAT WILL GET ANDROID 7.0 NOUGAT

Huawei has confirmed with Digital Trends that apart from the Nexus 6P, which was manufactured by Huawei, the only other confirmed device to get Nougat is the Mate 8.

Other devices, especially those under the Honor brand, should also receive the update, but it’s unconfirmed:

Huawei Mate 8
Huawei Mate S
Huawei Honor 5X
Huawei Honor 5C
Huawei Honor GX8 (G8)
Huawei Honor V8
Huawei Honor 7
Huawei P9
Huawei P9 Lite
Huawei P8 Lite
Huawei P8

Most of these devices aren’t available in the U.S., but only in select markets. A Huawei Customer Acquisition Manager, Taylor Wimberly, said the company is making a commitment to provide its Honor customers access to new features “at least once every 3 months during the first 12 months” for up to 24 months after a product’s launch.

“We will keep providing access to security and software updates to fix bugs and enhance user experience in a timely manner,” Wimberly said. “Beyond this period we will continue to provide updates in response to any threats to user safety and security. Our goal is to ensure customers have the best and safest possible experience on their Honor device.”

There’s also no timeline available for when any updates will roll out, but the Honor 5X just got the Marshmallow update in June so don’t expect something anytime soon.

Page 12

ASUS DEVICES THAT WILL GET ANDROID 7.0 NOUGAT

The following devices from Asus should receive the Nougat update:

Asus ZenFone 3 Laser
Asus ZenFone 3 Max
Asus ZenFone 3
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe
Asus ZenFone 3 Ultra
Asus ZenFone Zoom
Asus ZenFone 2
Asus ZenFone 2 Laser
Asus ZenFone Selfie

Most of these devices are only available in select markets. We have reached out to the company to clarify which devices will make the jump to Nougat. Most of the aforementioned devices received the Marshmallow update within the past few months, so it may take Asus a while to move to Nougat. The company did not respond to our request for comment.

BEST BUY AT 50: FUTURE'S BLEAK FOR BRICK-AND-MORTAR GIANT

2016-08-22T05:00:00.001-04:00

In this article from Newsweek pretty much sums up what many of us have thought out over the years - how much longer can Best Buy survive in this day of online retailers?

Remember the 'Incredible Universe' superstore for electronics in the 90's? I do.

There's a pretty big sale taking place at Best Buy through Saturday night, with large markdowns to celebrate Best Buy turning 50 years old. A golden anniversary is as good a reason as any to host a massive sale, and some will argue that it's not the only thing that's on sale. Pull up a Best Buy stock chart, and you'll find a stock that's trading slightly higher so far in 2016 but still trading 25 percent below its all-time peak set three years ago.

Best Buy is holding up far better than the thinning ranks of publicly traded rivals, but it's hard to get excited about the superstore concept's future. Best Buy has made it through half a century, but it's going to be a real challenge to make it through another decade.

Best Buy reports its latest quarterly results next Tuesday. It's not likely to be pretty. Best Buy's guidance in May called for flat comps and $8.35 billion to $8.45 billion in revenue, a slight dip in both year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter revenue. Even after aggressively buying back stock over the past year, something that will pad earnings by roughly $0.04 a share, the meandering retailer expects to check in with a profit between $0.38 a share and $0.42 a share. It earned $0.49 a share a year earlier.

There will be a couple of one-time items holding profitability back. Best Buy's bottom line won't be as ugly as it looks at first glance. However, at the end of the day, Best Buy is just another physical retailer at the wrong end of the digital revolution.

You can save $400 on a 65-inch Samsung 4K UHD TV at Best Buy through Saturday night, but you're not likely to go back to Best Buy for Blu-rays and DVDs after that. Why would you when the top premium streaming service offers a growing catalog of 4K content?
You can save $180 on Beats Studio wireless headphones, only to never buy another CD because your entire audio library is on a flash drive or a streaming service.
Select MacBook Pro computers are being offered at $150 off, and the iPhone 6s starts at $1 with two-year activation, and either device will free you from the physical media items that would drag you into Best Buy on a weekly basis when the chain was relevant and e-commerce was not.

Best Buy will be selling a lot of heavily discounted electronics that will require less visits to physical stores in the future. Best Buy stock has held up better than its smaller and weaker rivals as a beneficiary of their demise, but sooner or later Best Buy won't be able to lean on taking market share from lesser competitors and online sales to merely post flat comps. It will be gnawing on itself, and that's why it's dangerous to make a long-term bet on the Best Buy.

Sony may unveil two new versions of the PS4 next month

2016-08-22T04:46:00.006-04:00

In this article from techcrunch describing how Sony may unveil new PS4 versions next month

Sony will reportedly unveil two new versions of the PlayStation 4 at its upcoming New York press event on September 7.

We already know that the company is set to launch a more powerful version of the console — called ‘Neo’ — but now the Wall Street Journal is reporting that it will also refresh its standard model. There are no precise details right now, but the Journal — citing sources — said that the two different versions of the PS4 are designed to broaden the appeal and “attract hardcore fans and more casual users to its videogame platform.”

Sony has sold more than 40 million PS4 consoles, and its games are continuing to sell well, too. While it has scaled back its loss-making mobile business and suffered the financial impact of the Kumamoto earthquake on its manufacturing operations, the PlayStation business is booming. The gaming division accounted for 75 percent of Sony’s profits in its most recent Q1 2016 quarter of business such is its importance to the Japanese tech giant.

Additional games consoles aren’t the only notable new gaming development planned for Sony. The company said earlier this year that it will begin producing games for iOS and Android for the first time, following rival Nintendo’s lead, but it clarified that these titles would be focused on users based in Asia.

That’s bound to disappoint millions of ardent fans elsewhere in the world — but they can at least look forward to new versions of the PS4. And, if they are partial to nostalgia, Nintendo is rebooting its classic NES console with a miniature version just in time for Christmas.

Then there’s the Xbox camp, which just released the (very attractive) Xbox One S model, andwill introduce its next games console — “Project Scorpio” — in 2017.

Layoffs in tech - sign of the times?????

2016-08-21T13:54:00.001-04:00

Layoffs are happening everywhere it seems, no industry is immune - except Congress!

"As technology shifts more layoffs loom at tech companies" - http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN10T02R