Friday 31 December 2021

CES Closing a Day Early Over COVID

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CES Closing a Day Early Over COVID

CES has announced it is closing a day early, on January 7, as a result of a surge in COVID cases worldwide.

CES is one of the premier technology events, giving tech companies the opportunity to show off their latest and upcoming products. The event is especially important to smaller companies that may otherwise struggle to get the attention companies like Apple, Google, Samsung, and others get.

Despite hopes CES 2022 would return to normal, the Omicron variant of the COVID virus started thwarting the organizer’s plans. Major companies started pulling out of the event over health concerns, and at least one CEO cancelled his plans to present a keynote.

The organizers are now cutting the conference short by one day, and taking additional steps to ensure everyone’s safety.

“As the world’s most influential technology event, CES is steadfast in its pledge to be the gathering place to showcase products and discuss ideas that will ultimately make our lives better,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA. “We are shortening the show to three days and have put in place comprehensive health measures for the safety of all attendees and participants.”

Among the measures taken are proof of vaccination, mandatory masks, COVID test before entering the event, and PCR tests before attendees head home. Given how often events like CES have turned into superspreaders, it’s good to see the organizers taking the measures they are.

CES Closing a Day Early Over COVID
Matt Milano



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Airlines File Emergency FCC Request to Block 5G Near Airports

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Airlines File Emergency FCC Request to Block 5G Near Airports

The Airlines for America (A4A) association representing US airlines has filed an emergency request with the FCC to block 5G rollouts near airports.

Wireless carriers and the FCC are at odds with airlines and the FAA over the rollout of C-band 5G. Verizon and AT&T spent more than $68 billion at an FCC auction to purchase the mid-band spectrum, considered the sweet spot for 5G. Unfortunately, the spectrum is so close to the frequencies used for airline altimeters that the airline industry has been worried the C-band rollout could interfere.

The two carriers initially delayed the rollout of their C-band spectrum, and then agreed to limit the strength of the signal in an effort to address concerns. Meanwhile, the FAA issued new guidance for the use of altimeters in low-visibility conditions, and the airlines have continued to raise the alarm.

The A4A’s emergency filing is once again asking the FCC to force the carriers to delay rollout.

“Although the wireless carriers postponed the inauguration of service from December 5, 2021, to January 5, 2022, there has still not been a resolution of this issue,” reads the request. “The FAA – the federal agency principally responsible for aviation safety – has now issued an Airworthiness Directive that concluded that an unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop in transport and commuter category airplane because of the interference impact of new 3.7 GHz license service on radio altimeters. Aircraft will not be able to rely on radio altimeters for numerous flight procedures and thus will not be able to land at certain airports.”

The A4A believes irreparable harm will come to the industry if the delay is not granted.

“Absent the grant of a stay, the airline industry will suffer irreparable harm,” the filing continues. “In addition, the traveling public and the American economy, which depends on the air transportation system, will incur significant financial losses amounting to billions of dollars. Moreover, this does not include the downstream effects that the disruption in commercial air service will have on customers and the U.S. economy as a whole that is still recovering from supply chain disruptions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

It appears the issues surrounding C-band spectrum are far from over.

Airlines File Emergency FCC Request to Block 5G Near Airports
Matt Milano



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Samsung’s Foldable Phone Shipments Quadruple in 2021

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Samsung’s Foldable Phone Shipments Quadruple in 2021

Samsung has revealed data about its foldable phone business, saying it shipped four times the number of units in 2021 than in 2020.

Foldable phones are considered the next evolution of phone design. Smaller flip-style phones can be unfolded to rival larger smartphones, while large smartphones can be unfolded to rival a tablet.

Samsung has been on the forefront of the foldable device market, but the company has managed to triple the market growth most analyst expected it to achieve, shipping four times the number of devices in 2021 as 2020.

The company says foldable smartphone shipments will grow tenfold by 2023, and believes it is well-positioned to continue leading the market.

As more consumers become aware of foldables’ incredible potential, interest in the category will continue to grow. With a variety of innovations set to make their way to consumers in the coming years, Samsung will continue to lead the foldables category with even more pioneering technology.

Samsung’s Foldable Phone Shipments Quadruple in 2021
Matt Milano



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Thursday 30 December 2021

Elon Musk Pushes Back on Accusations SpaceX Is Cluttering Space

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Elon Musk Pushes Back on Accusations SpaceX Is Cluttering Space

Space X CEO Elon Musk pushed back on accusations his company is cluttering space with its Starlink satellite constellation.

SpaceX has been racing to deploy its Starlink constellation in an effort to provide high-speed internet access worldwide. Unfortunately, the constellation’s rollout hasn’t been without controversy. Astronomers have complained that having thousands of satellites in the night sky will negatively impact their work. China recently complained to the UN that its space station had to make emergency maneuvers twice to avoid collision with the satellites.

Despite the growing complaints, Musk says his company’s satellites are not crowding orbit, and there is plenty of room.

In an interview with the Financial Timesvia BBC News, Musk said “tens of billions” of satellites could safely be in orbit.

“Space is just extremely enormous, and satellites are very tiny,” said Musk.

“This is not some situation where we’re effectively blocking others in any way. We’ve not blocked anyone from doing anything, nor do we expect to,” he continued.

“A couple of thousand satellites is nothing. It’s like, hey, here’s a couple of thousand of cars on Earth, it’s nothing,” he added.

Elon Musk Pushes Back on Accusations SpaceX Is Cluttering Space
Matt Milano



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Google Pauses December 2021 Pixel 6 Update

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Google Pauses December 2021 Pixel 6 Update

Google is pausing its December 2021 update for Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro after reports of dropped calls.

Shortly after the update started rolling out, some Pixel 6 users started reporting dropped and disconnected calls. Google is pausing the update rollout while it addresses the problem.

Google says it will release a fixed update in January.

The Pixel team paused the December software update to Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro devices after some users reported calls were dropping or disconnecting. We have now identified a fix that will roll out in a software update by late January. This update will also include all the fixes and improvements that were originally planned in December. If you received the December software update on Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro and are still experiencing mobile connectivity issues, you can revert to the previous software version using the Android Flash Tool (flash.android.com) and performing a factory reset.

Google Pauses December 2021 Pixel 6 Update
Matt Milano



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New Lockdowns in China Are Impacting Chipmakers

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New Lockdowns in China Are Impacting Chipmakers

Amid the Omicron COVID surge, new lockdowns in China are negatively impacting the semiconductor industry.

According to The Mercury News, the city of Xi’an is under some of the tightest restrictions since the original Wuhan lockdowns. Both Samsung and Micron are warning they will have to adjust operations as a result.

“New or more stringent restrictions impacting our operations in Xi’an may be increasingly difficult to mitigate,” Micron said.

The computer industry was especially hard-hit in the early days of the pandemic, and has struggled to catch up with demand ever since. Just as many companies were hoping for a return to normal, the Omicron variant is once again threatening to upend the progress that has been made.

The new lockdowns in China will likely only reinforce calls for semiconductor companies to diversify their manufacturing and supply chains so they’re not overly dependent on a single country.

New Lockdowns in China Are Impacting Chipmakers
Matt Milano



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South Korea Wants Apple and Google to Ban Play-to-Earn (P2E) Games

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South Korea Wants Apple and Google to Ban Play-to-Earn (P2E) Games

South Korea is pressuring Apple and Google to ban existing and future play-to-earn (P2E) games, in another move against the app economy.

South Korea has been a vocal critic of Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store, passing a law that would force both companies to allow third-party payment options in apps.

The country is now asking both companies to remove P2E games, and asking them to block future games in that category, according to Naver, via Tech In Asia.

The Game Management Committee in the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism asked the companies to ban such games, since money gained could qualify as prizes, which are legally limited to $8.50 at a time.

There has been no reported response from either Apple or Google, but it’s unlikely either company will voluntarily grant the request.

South Korea Wants Apple and Google to Ban Play-to-Earn (P2E) Games
Matt Milano



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Tesla Recalls Almost 500,000 Cars Over Rear Camera and Front Trunk

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Tesla Recalls Almost 500,000 Cars Over Rear Camera and Front Trunk

Tesla has issued a recall for more than 475,000 vehicles for two separate issues involving the rear camera and front trunk.

According to Gizmodo, 356,309 Model 3 sedans have a faulty connection to the rear camera. This connection can be damaged as a result of opening and closing the rear trunk. Once the connection is damaged, users may lose rear camera functionality.

Meanwhile, 119,009 Model S vehicles appear to have a misaligned front trunk latch that may prevent it from properly closing.

The camera issue impacts Model 3s made between 2017 and 2020. Vehicles made in 2021 are not affected. The front trunk issue impacts Model S vehicles manufactured between 2014 and 2021.

Tesla Recalls Almost 500,000 Cars Over Rear Camera and Front Trunk
Matt Milano



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Five Focus Areas For Hybrid Cloud Security

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Five Focus Areas For Hybrid Cloud Security

Transitioning and migrating your data/business into the cloud is one of the most critical methods of improving your business’s daily operations. A cloud service can streamline operational efficiency, provide better storage/access for data, and much more. But, there are times when the security of your cloud might end up becoming compromised. In these situations, it’s best to have an action plan ready to go in the event of a breach.

Often, this involves a common-sense approach to reacting to a situation but being proactive it’s just as essential. A proactive security solution for your cloud will help you maintain its security and integrity over time without fail. Depending on your cloud deployment method whether it’s a public, private, community, or hybrid, you’ll need to take different security measures. Hybrid clouds are becoming increasingly common and are the ideal solution for most cloud-based applications. Here are five focus areas for hybrid cloud security in particular.

Migration

Migrating your business to the cloud might seem a little daunting at first. Some businesses are naturally resistant to change and migrating certainly is a challenge. But nowadays, more companies than ever are migrating operations to the cloud. So what type of security considerations should you make during this transition? It all starts with encryption. Encryption during migration is the most essential thing you can do with your data. Encrypting it transforms regular data into something unreadable.

Encryption is wonderful for most of the migration process, but there are some other proactive measures you can take to ensure a secure migration. These include ensuring your compliance is up-to-date, monitoring things regularly, migrating your data in phases, and (perhaps most importantly) understanding the shared responsibility model between your organization and the cloud provider.

Workloads

Clouds were originally designed and built with security and flexibility in mind. Since you’ll be doing a significant amount of work in the cloud, securing your workloads is critical. Keeping workloads secure requires some diligence and having someone actively overseeing its security. User and role management is important here, as is constantly educating employees about security best practices.

Monitoring also plays a vital role in workload security and you should strive to maintain things without disrupting the work itself. Largely automating security for your workloads is a solid method for improving their security, along with avoiding misconfiguration issues that could make your workloads vulnerable.

Containers

In the cloud, a container is defined as packages of software that has everything they need to run in any environment. They’re used in most of Google’s applications (which you’ve undoubtedly used yourself or at your business) and are an essential means of running virtualized environments in any type of cloud (public, private, or hybrid). They’re great for everything from development to simply running applications. But they do have some security risks.

They’re regularly targeted by attackers and some of their attributes make them vulnerable. Unauthorized access and mixing workload sensitivity levels are also particularly dangerous. To fight some of these concerns, you’ll need to secure your network controls to avoid compromise, tightly control who can access containers, only allow signed images to be pushed to a registry, and always implement regular scans/compliance assessments.

File Storage

Ransomware and business email compromise, among other threats, can still affect a hybrid cloud environment. So there are some security measures to take in order to get ahead of such attacks. Focusing on identifying and classifying your data in all of your cloud environments lends itself well to reinforcing your cloud’s security. Using proper identity and access management (IAM) is also key to ensuring there is no unauthorized access to your files at any point during migration or use. 

To really enhance your cloud security best practices, you may want to consider integrating a robust security solution into your normal cybersecurity practices. Doing so protects your files and maintains the integrity of your cloud without requiring much interaction on your organization’s part.

Applications

Securing applications in a hybrid cloud environment requires some due diligence. All of your IT team needs to understand the threats to applications on the cloud. From development and operations to security, everyone has a responsibility to ensure application stability and security. Some common threats to applications on the cloud include unauthorized access, misconfiguration (this is a BIG one), user account hijacking, poor encryption/IAM practices, and insecure APIs threatening the integrity of your infrastructure/endpoints. DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks are also prevalent, especially due to poor resource management.

To get ahead of these issues, you’ll need to use a combination of encryption, threat monitoring, IAM procedures, and more to keep ahead of the game. Incorporating a security software suite with an emphasis on cloud security is almost essential to maintain consistent application security in your company’s hybrid cloud.

Five Focus Areas For Hybrid Cloud Security
Brian Wallace



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Working Conditions Prompt Apple to Put Foxconn Plant on Probation

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Working Conditions Prompt Apple to Put Foxconn Plant on Probation

Foxconn’s India plant is on probation after Apple received complaints about working conditions.

Foxconn is Apple’s primary manufacturer. The company builds and assembles many of Apple’s products. While most of its factories were in China, the company has been expanding to other countries to help it and Apple diversify the supply chain.

According to TechCrunch, one of Foxconn’s India factories has been placed on probation following complaints about subpar food and accommodations. The factory, in the state of Tamil Nadu, employs roughly 17,000 people. Apple took the action it did after dispatching independent auditors to investigate complaints it received.

“We found that some of the remote dormitory accommodations and dining rooms being used for employees do not meet our requirements and we are working with the supplier to ensure a comprehensive set of corrective actions are rapidly implemented,” a spokesperson told TechCrunch.

Working Conditions Prompt Apple to Put Foxconn Plant on Probation
Matt Milano



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BlackBerry OS Is Finally Shutting Down

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BlackBerry OS Is Finally Shutting Down

Blackberry is warning users that services for its legacy BlackBerry OS devices is ending January 4, 2022.

BlackBerry was once king among smartphones, before the iPhone hit the scene. Between iOS and Android, Blackberry quickly lost market share. The company’s homegrown BlackBerry OS just couldn’t compete, prompting it to adopt Android. The company also pivoted from a hardware to a software company, licensing the rights to make BlackBerry-branded devices to outside companies. Even those devices, however, ran Android.

With that pivot complete, BlackBerry is sunsetting its BlackBerry OS services as of January 4, 2022. As a result, many common functions will stop working, according to the company.

Today BlackBerry is focused on providing intelligent security software and services to enterprises and governments around the world. Since pivoting to an enterprise software and cybersecurity company, we have received questions about our plans to provide ongoing support for BlackBerry 7.1 OS and earlier and BlackBerry 10 devices. In 2017, we committed to providing at least two more years of support for BlackBerry 10 and at least two years of BlackBerry network access for BBOS devices. 

On January 4, 2022, devices running on these service offerings through either carrier or Wi-Fi connections will no longer reliably function, including for data, phone calls, SMS and 9-1-1 functionality. We have chosen to extend our service until then as an expression of thanks to our loyal partners and customers.

The termination of these service offerings and infrastructure will also impact functionality for applications such as Enhanced Sim Based Licensing (ESBL) / Identity Based Licensing (IBL), BlackBerry hosted email addresses, BlackBerry Link, BlackBerry Desktop Manager, BlackBerry Blend, BlackBerry Protect (allows consumers to lock, locate or wipe BBOS, BlackBerry 10 devices remotely. There is no impact to the new BlackBerry Protect which is an AI-based endpoint security solution).

BlackBerry OS Is Finally Shutting Down
Matt Milano



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Wednesday 29 December 2021

The Cannabis Job Market: A Growing Industry

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The Cannabis Job Market: A Growing Industry

The cannabis industry is growing in times when other industries are suffering. The pandemic saw many businesses close as stay at home orders kept people from visiting their usual stops. Businesses closing also led to many workers losing their jobs and having to search elsewhere for employment. With the wide variety of jobs available in the cannabis industry, thousands of people were able to find a position that was best for them.

The Upward Cannabis Job Trend

In 2020, cannabis employment exceeded that of many mainstream industries. More people were employed in the cannabis industry than in web development, engineering, or healthcare. This was important as 2020 saw the most jobs lost due to the pandemic and 77,300 people were able to be employed full-time in the cannabis industry. In 2021 legal cannabis supported over 300,00 jobs across the U.S! It is estimated that by 2025, the legal marijuana industry will employ up to 600,000 full-time workers in the many jobs it offers. 

Some jobs in the cannabis industry require some sort of science background. The position of master extractor or extraction technician requires engineering and lab experience. These jobs oversee lab conditions and  ensure that all machines are in working order and that products such as oils and concentrates are up to standard. People in these positions also have to maintain strict safety standards, potency, and regulatory compliance.

The position of master grower also requires some science background in horticulture or botany. These people manage large grow operations and ensure that the crops are being grown in the best ways they can be. There are jobs in trimming, harvesting, and cultivating that aid the master growers in the overall maintenance of crops but don’t require any specific scientific background. People in these positions are often recruited from lower paid cooks or dishwashers in the restaurant industry who are looking for new opportunities. 

Retail Positions

Restaurant workers aren’t the only people who can find new opportunities in the cannabis industry, retail workers also often find positions within the cannabis industry. Dispensaries need receptionists and cashiers that greet customers, answer calls, and process final sales. They are also responsible for verifying prescriptions, identification, and eligibility for purchasing cannabis and cannabis related products. Retail workers have experience in this work, and often find a more welcoming and friendly environment when they make the transition to the cannabis industry. 

In the wake of the pandemic, another job in the cannabis industry was created: marijuana courier. Many dispensaries began offering delivery when the stay at home orders were enforced. People who drove the deliveries out were able to make a wage through their work, but also were given the opportunity to make sales commissions and tips. This position was especially useful for people who were laid off from their jobs and just needed to find work for a short period until it was time to return to their original position. 

All of these jobs can be easy to find on different cannabis job boards. In preparation for finding a job in the cannabis industry, it is important to read up on the history, social impacts, and medical benefits of marijuana. Employers in the cannabis industry are looking for professionals rather than enthusiasts! Learn more about the opportunities in the cannabis industry in the infographic below.

The Cannabis Job Market

The Cannabis Job Market: A Growing Industry
Brian Wallace



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T-Mobile’s Magenta MAX 5G Users Are Using Less WiFi

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T-Mobile’s Magenta MAX 5G Users Are Using Less WiFi

Users of T-Mobile’s high-end Magenta MAX plans are using less WiFi, in favor of 5G.

5G has long been touted as a revolutionary upgrade to cellular networks, one that would provide the speed and bandwidth to replace traditional internet. T-Mobile’s customers seem to be supporting that theory, so much so that Light Reading’s Mike Dano declared that “5G is winning the war against Wi-Fi.”

Much of the reason for T-Mobile’s MAX customers choosing 5G over WiFi is because that plan provides truly unlimited data, with no speed throttling after a set amount of data has been used. Combined with T-Mobile’s rollout of its mid-band spectrum, considered the sweet spot for 5G, the company clearly has a winning combination. According to the company, that has led to users not only using WiFi less, but also providing hotspot access to others.

Today, 13% fewer MAX users are connecting to WiFi, 80% more are hosting a WiFi hotspot and their hotspot usage is up 20% on average during the weekends. These hotspots are cooking, with MAX users consuming 3X more hotspot data per month compared to other T-Mobile customers.

T-Mobile’s data is an interesting chapter in the 5G rollout, and shows the wireless technology is finally starting to live up to the expectation.

T-Mobile’s Magenta MAX 5G Users Are Using Less WiFi
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LastPass: Master Passwords Not Compromised

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LastPass: Master Passwords Not Compromised

Popular password manager LastPass says master passwords are safe, despite many users believing otherwise.

Password managers are important elements in cybersecurity. A good password manager saves the many different passwords users collect, notifies them when one is too easy or has been compromised, and suggest strong passwords. A good password manager secures its database of passwords with a master password that must be input to access the saved ones.

LastPass is one of the most popular of these programs. Early Tuesday, users began noticing suspicious activity, with login attempts from different locations using their master passwords.

According to AppleInsider many of the cases involve accounts that haven’t been used in a while, accounts using old master passwords. While this would seem to indicate a hack involving the list of master passwords, specifically a hack involving an old list, some users report continued login attempts even after changing their password.

Despite the anecdotal evidence to suggest the list of master passwords was compromised, LastPass says its service was not breached or compromised.

Our initial findings led us to believe that these alerts were triggered in response to attempted “credential stuffing” activity, in which a malicious or bad actor attempts to access user accounts (in this case, LastPass) using email addresses and passwords obtained from third-party breaches related to other unaffiliated services. We quickly worked to investigate this activity and, at this time, have no indication that any LastPass accounts were compromised by an unauthorized third-party as a result of these credential stuffing attempts, nor have we found any indication that user’s LastPass credentials were harvested by malware, rogue browser extensions, or phishing campaigns.

It remains to be seen if LastPass is correct, or if further investigation will reveal additional details. Either way, it is a disconcerting turn of events for a service that many people rely on to keep their online activity safe.

LastPass: Master Passwords Not Compromised
Matt Milano



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Apple Working to Head Off Defections With $180,000 Bonuses

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Apple Working to Head Off Defections With $180,000 Bonuses

In the battle for top talent, Apple is giving bonuses up to $180,000 to head off any potential defections to Meta.

Apple and Meta are on track for a collision course in the augmented and virtual reality markets. The two companies have already poached employees from each other, with Meta scoring roughly 100 Apple employees and Apple hiring away Meta’s AR comms chief.

According to The Boston Globe, Apple is working to stem any further talent losses, giving engineers in hardware, silicon design, and some software and ops groups bonuses consisting of restricted stock.

The bonuses range from $50,000 to $180,000, and evidently came as a surprise to the engineers. Apple is closing in on $3 trillion in market value, and has reported record quarters despite the pandemic. Investing its cash in its employees and keeping talent in-house is one of the best uses of its massive cash reserves.

Apple Working to Head Off Defections With $180,000 Bonuses
Matt Milano



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Hyundai Shutters Engine Development Group to Focus on EVs

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Hyundai Shutters Engine Development Group to Focus on EVs

Hyundai has shuttered its internal combustion engine group as the company pivots toward the development of electric vehicles (EVs).

Like most automakers, Hyundai is racing to transition to EVs. The company announced its battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform, the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) a year ago.

According to The Korea Economic Daily, Hyundai has now shut down its internal combustion engine development group, reassigning the personnel to EV development.

“Now, it is inevitable to convert into electrification,” said new R&D chief Park Chung-kook in an email to employees. “Our own engine development is a great achievement, but we must change the system to create future innovation based on the great asset from the past.”

The move will help the Hyundai meet its goals of selling 1 million EVs in 2025, and 1.7 million EVs in 2026.

Hyundai Shutters Engine Development Group to Focus on EVs
Matt Milano



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Tuesday 28 December 2021

California Sues Walmart Over Illegally Dumping Hazardous Waste

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California Sues Walmart Over Illegally Dumping Hazardous Waste

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a lawsuit against Walmart, accusing the retailer of illegally disposing of hazardous waste.

The California AG was joined by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) in filing the suit. In particular, Walmart is accused of dumping hazardous waste in landfills that are not equipped to handle it. The items include batteries, pesticides, aerosol cans, toxic cleaners, e-waste, latex paints, and LED lightbulbs. The company is also accused of dumping confidential customer information in landfills.

“Walmart’s own audits found that the company is dumping hazardous waste at local landfills at a rate of more than one million items each year. From there, these products may seep into the state’s drinking water as toxic pollutants or into the air as dangerous gases,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “When one person throws out a battery or half-empty hairspray bottle, we may think that it’s no big deal. But when we’re talking about tens of thousands of batteries, cleaning supplies, and other hazardous waste, the impact to our environment and our communities can be huge. This lawsuit should serve as a warning to the state’s worst offenders. We will hold you accountable. As the People’s Attorney, taking on corporate polluters and protecting public health will always be among my top priorities.”

“Despite repeated enforcements against Walmart over the past two decades, it consistently – and knowingly – fails to comply with California’s environmental protection laws,” said Dr. Meredith Williams, DTSC Director. “DTSC will vigorously pursue justice in this and all mismanagement of hazardous waste – particularly by repeat offenders, and most especially in communities forced to suffer the consequences of industrial pollution, generation after generation.”

This isn’t the first time Walmart has been accused of this behavior. The company reached a $25 million settlement with California in 2010 over similar actions. In spite of the measures taken against the company, inspections beginning in 2015 discovered that Walmart was still violating state laws with its hazardous waste.

California Sues Walmart Over Illegally Dumping Hazardous Waste
Matt Milano



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Alphabet CEO Pichai Cannot Avoid Testifying in Privacy Suit

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Alphabet CEO Pichai Cannot Avoid Testifying in Privacy Suit

A federal judge has ruled that Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai can be questioned in a lawsuit over the company allegedly tracking users unlawfully.

Like many web browsers, Google Chrome has an “Incognito” mode. Typically, “Private” or “incognito” mode means the browser will not track a user’s activity, and the company behind the browser will not have access to any information about what the user is looking at.

In the case of Chrome, however, Google is accused of continuing to track users, even when Incognito mode was activated. According to Reuters, Pichai was warned in 2019 that Chrome’s Incognito mode could cause problems, given the company described the feature as “private.” Despite the warning, the company continued, since Pichai reportedly didn’t want Incognito mode “under the spotlight.”

Google has clarified that its Incognito mode only means browsing data is not stored locally, but the company still tracks the activity. Needless to say, this definition is not what users expect, nor is it the industry standard.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen in San Jose, California, has ruled that Picahai can be questioned, for up to two hours, since “a few documents establish that specific relevant information was communicated to, and possibly from, Pichai.”

The development is good news for privacy advocates, and not so good news for Google.

Alphabet CEO Pichai Cannot Avoid Testifying in Privacy Suit
Matt Milano



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China Claims Two Close Calls With Space Station and Starlink Satellites

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China Claims Two Close Calls With Space Station and Starlink Satellites

China has filed a complaint with the UN claiming its space station had two close calls with Starlink satellites.

Starlink is the constellation of satellites SpaceX is launching to provide high-speed internet access. The company’s initial plansinvolve 12,000 satellites, but it hopes to eventually launch as many as 42,000. Needless to say, not everyone is happy with the thought of that many new objects in orbit, with astronomers saying it will significantly impact their view of the sky.

China is now adding to the list of concerned voices, according to The Verge, complaining to the UN that its space station had to take evasive action to avoid collisions with Starlink satellites.

The complaint reads:

China wishes to request the Secretary-General of the United Nations to circulate the above-mentioned information to all States parties to the Outer Space Treaty and bring to their attention that, in accordance with article VI of the Treaty, “States Parties to the Treaty shall bear international responsibility for national activities in outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, whether such activities are carried on by governmental agencies or by non-governmental entities…”

It remains to be seen if any action will be taken, or restrictions put in place, to avoid such incidents in the future.

China Claims Two Close Calls With Space Station and Starlink Satellites
Matt Milano



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DuckDuckGo Grew by 46% in 2021, Averaging 100 Million Daily Searches

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DuckDuckGo Grew by 46% in 2021, Averaging 100 Million Daily Searches

DuckDuckGo is making major headway in the search market, growing by 46% in 2021 and averaging more than 100 million daily searches.

DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused search engine that does not track or profile its users, unlike Google or Bing. The company does rely on advertising, but those ads are based solely on the keywords and content of a specific search.

While the company’s market share pales in comparison to Google, it is solidly in fourth place, behind Google, Bing, and Yahoo. According to Bleeping Computer, DuckDuckGo saw its searches go from 23.6 billion in 2020 to 34.6 billion in 2021. That translates to a daily average in 2021 of 100 million, up from 79 million in 2020.

Obviously, DuckDuckGo still has a long way to go before it represents any real threat to Google, but the company continues to prove that profits don’t have to come at the expense of user privacy.

DuckDuckGo Grew by 46% in 2021, Averaging 100 Million Daily Searches
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Weight Loss Trends For The New Year

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Weight Loss Trends For The New Year

Weight loss has been a continuous health trend as half of American adults look to lose excess weight.  However, weight loss isn’t something that can be easily accomplished.  During the pandemic, 42% of American adults unintentionally gained an average of 29 pounds.  60% of these adults have even stated that losing weight became more difficult to accomplish since the pandemic started.  

Many Doctors Don’t Understand Weight Loss

Data shows that few doctors know how to address weight loss with only 56% of physicians feeling qualified to treat obesity and 46% feeling successful in their treatments.  There are actually less than 50% of doctors in the U.S. trained in obesity management, which has spurred on the need for a new approach to medical weight loss.  Johns Hopkins found that 21% of overweight patients felt judged by their primary care doctor and were consequently less likely to trust the person’s advice. 

Another study from Johns Hopkins also found that overweight patients have a higher possibility of repeatedly switching doctors with off-putting comments or unsolicited weight advice playing a possible role.  Furthermore, these “doctor shoppers” are 85% more likely to end up in the emergency room than normal-weight patients as 55% of patients with obesity have reported canceling an appointment because they are anxious about being weighed.  

Medications Are Under Prescribed

Studies have also shown that weight loss medications are underutilized with just 24% of doctors accounting for 90% of weight loss prescriptions.  Less than 3% of eligible patients are actually prescribed weight-loss medications such as phentermine, which was first FDA-approved in 1959.  There are many safe and effective medications for weight loss on the market.  For example, bupropion and naltrexone help patients lose 7-8% of their body weight after 24 weeks.  Semaglutide helps patients lose 14.9% of their body weight after 68 weeks.  

Weight loss is that the process itself can be as miserable as being overweight. It has deep impact on people’s health with the overweight or obese population making up 80% of people with serious mental illnesses.  Obesity is also linked to a death rate that is three times that of the overall population.  Depression that is associated with weight can cause physical symptoms that range from changes in appetite to trouble sleeping.  

Investigations of successful weight loss patients in 1985 showed that half of these patients dropped out of the program and quickly gained weight. This is often after an emotionally painful experience.  The evidence showed that adverse childhood experiences have a significant, long-term impact on health, including weight.  Studies on food addiction have revealed that people it serves soothing anxiety or depression, but leads to similar behavior and physical patterns as substance abuse.  

In Conclusion

Keeping weight off is as hard as initially losing the weight, and weight loss doesn’t automatically bring mental wellbeing either.  A holistic approach can meet you where you are and allows you to treat yourself right. Your weight-loss journey can end with success. 

Weight Loss Isn't What You Think​ Weight Loss Trends For The New Year
Brian Wallace

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China Creates AI to Identify and Prosecute Crimes

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China Creates AI to Identify and Prosecute Crimes

China is claiming a world first with an AI designed to identify and prosecute a variety of crimes.

Prosecutors the world over are often overworked, with not enough time to handle the cases before them, and China is no exception. To help address the problem, researchers have created an AI that can identify and prosecute crimes.

According to the South China Morning Post, the AI can identify credit card fraud, illegal gambling, theft, fraud, intentional injury, dangerous driving, obstructing official duties, and “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.”

The researchers responsible for creating the AI claim it is 97% accurate, makes its decision about whether to prosecute based on some 1,000 traits, and can run on a desktop computer. That last feature, in particular, is an important element in breaking into the market, as the AI will not require major investments in new or specialized hardware.

As impressive as the accomplishment is, there’s something a little disconcerting about an AI meting out justice. This writer has seen far too many sci-fi movies based on this concept, none of which worked out well for humanity.

China Creates AI to Identify and Prosecute Crimes
Matt Milano



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Zoom Acquires Liminal Assets to Power Virtual Events

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Zoom Acquires Liminal Assets to Power Virtual Events

Zoom is continuing to go all-in on virtual meetings and events, purchasing assets from Luminal to help power its evolution.

Zoom became a household name as a result of the pandemic, a far cry from its previous roots in the enterprise. The platform is used in the workplace, in schools, in churches, and in countless homes, as people work, learn, worship, and socialize remotely.

The company also recognizes that the future of events is likely a combination of in-person and virtual attendance, and is moving forward with its efforts to address those needs, according to the company’s blog.

Like the future of work, we believe that the future of events will include a combination of virtual and in-person formats. Whether it is a large trade show, corporate summit, internal event or online classes, our customers will need a holistic solution that provides them with what they need to confidently build, host and manage virtual and hybrid events.

Zoom has purchased key assets from Liminal, assets that will help it better power these hybrid-style events.

As part of our ongoing efforts to offer these solutions, we are pleased to announce that we recently acquired certain assets from Liminal, a startup company that offers event production solutions built largely on Zoom’s SDK. Two of Liminal’s co-founders, Andy Carluccio and Jonathan Kokotajlo, will also join Zoom. Liminal’s solutions, including their ZoomOSC and ZoomISO apps, will help bridge Zoom with traditional and emerging event control applications and hardware to help theaters, broadcast studios, and other creative organizations address complex technical production needs, and collaborate and create online effectively.

Zoom Acquires Liminal Assets to Power Virtual Events
Matt Milano



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Foldable Motorola Razr 3 Is In the Works

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Foldable Motorola Razr 3 Is In the Works

A new Motorola Razr is in development, a third-generation foldable device that could make headway in the market.

The Motorola Razr was one of the most iconic mobile phones in history, before seeing a rebirth as a foldable phone, the first to feature a vertical folding screen. Lenovo purchased Motorola Mobility in 2014, inheriting its smartphone business.

According to Android Authority, a Lenovo executive has confirmed a foldable Razr 3 is in development. The new phone will feature more processing power, an improved interface, as well as an updated appearance.

Given how popular early Razrs were, a competitive folding phone with a traditional flip phone form factor could be a big hit.

Foldable Motorola Razr 3 Is In the Works
Matt Milano



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Monday 27 December 2021

Kentucky Is at the Center of the Great Resignation

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Kentucky Is at the Center of the Great Resignation

The Bluegrass State is at the center of the Great Resignation, as pandemic-fueled changes disrupt the workplace.

When employers sent their workers home in the early days of the pandemic, few could have imagined the long-term impacts that move would have on the workplace. With return-to-office dates being pushed back time and again in the face of new COVID surges, many employees have no desire to return to the status quo. There is also near-unprecedented demand for workers as many are quitting jobs that no longer serve their needs.

As reported by WAVE 3 News, Kentucky is leading this “Great Resignation,” with a ‘quit rate’ of 4.5%, double that of New York or Pennsylvania.

While some politicians are quick to blame COVID unemployment benefits, others are not convinced.

“The challenges in our labor market are complex,” Gov. Andy Beshear said. “Some people wanted to say it was unemployment and the unemployment pay; you can’t get unemployment if you quit.”

As WAVE 3 News points out, Kentucky has one of the highest hiring rates in the nation, which would seem to indicate many people are leaving jobs they’re not happy with in favor of jobs that suit them better.

“I’m not going to stay somewhere that treats me badly just because it’s a consistent job. I’m not going to do it,” Cory Bosemer told WAVE 3 News. “I think a lot of people now, Kentucky or not, are starting to realize that.”

Kentucky Is at the Center of the Great Resignation
Matt Milano



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Nursing Shortage Trends

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Nursing Shortage Trends

In the United States, almost every nursing home facility is facing a staffing shortage.  Nearly 60% report that their problem has reached critical levels, meaning the home’s ability to keep their doors open is now in question.  In Ohio, the 3rd largest state for nursing homes, Cincinnati alone had unmet demand for over 30,000 nursing home positions as of May 2020.  Ohio also reported the greatest shortage of nursing assistants in 2020.  Their local struggles are indicative of a national problem.

What is Causing the Nursing Shortage? 

The main contributor is stress.  62% of healthcare workers across the board have experienced increased stress as a result of the pandemic.  During a pandemic that disproportionately harms the elderly, nursing homes became a front line in the fight against coronavirus.  Nursing home staff were placed in increased danger while the majority of them received no increase in compensation as a result.  It should be no surprise that nursing home employment fell to record lows amid the pandemic.  

Yet even before the pandemic, nurses were retiring at a faster rate than their replacements could be trained.  Symptoms of stress and burnout are even more common among younger workers.  Ensuring safety, providing support, and offering appreciation are all crucial steps in ensuring the wellbeing of workers who have not yet left the profession for greener pastures.

Understandable as the exodus from nursing home work is, this shortage comes at a difficult time for residents.  More seniors are in need of care than ever in American history.  By 2030, 1 in 5 adults in the US will reach retirement age.  2 in 3 of retired adults will need some form of long term care in their lifetime, some for at least 5 years. 

With fewer staff, residents receive less care.  Staff ratios fell by 32% during the pandemic.  While the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare recommend residents of nursing homes receive an average of 4 hours of nursing care each day, most facilities did not meet this recommendation before the pandemic hit.  Lack of staff contact means fewer baths and showers, less help at mealtimes, and increased risk of falling and other injuries.  America’s elderly population deserves a quality of care not currently possible to provide with staffing levels as they are.

What’s the Solution?

There is no one solution to the staffing shortage.  An obvious suggestion is to provide higher pay and benefits to workers, but most facilities are strapped for cash as it is.  In June 2021, 84% of nursing homes faced declining revenue due to fewer incoming patients from hospitals.  During the same time period, costs increased due to increased safety measures and need for PPE.  

New avenues for recruitment are necessary, even if they will take several years to properly implement.  Adding nursing programs to more high schools could increase training opportunities and expose more Americans to the job as they prepare to enter the labor force.  8 million new green cards could also entice immigrant applicants.  However it’s done, America’s elderly need nurses.

The Next Nursing Home Crisis - Cincinnati / Dayton, Ohio Region

Nursing Shortage Trends
Brian Wallace



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Saturday 25 December 2021

Amazon Required to Email 1 M Employees About Their Right to Organize

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Amazon Required to Email 1 M Employees About Their Right to Organize

Amazon has reached a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) requiring the company to email employees about organizing.

Amazon has drawn ongoing criticism for how it deals with employee efforts to unionize. The company has hired Pinkerton detectives to keep tabs on unionization efforts, and has been accused of bullying workers and violating labor laws at an Alabama warehouse in the lead-up to a vote on unionization.

According to Business Insider, Amazon has reached a settlement with the NLRB, and one of the stipulations is that it must email approximately 1 million employees to inform them of their right to organize.

The Teamsters had already created a division specifically tasked with helping Amazon workers successfully unionize. With the NLRB settlement, the tide may finally be turning against the e-commerce giant and its efforts to fight unionization.

Amazon Required to Email 1 M Employees About Their Right to Organize
Matt Milano



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Toyota Reconsidering Charging for Key Fob Remote Start

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Toyota Reconsidering Charging for Key Fob Remote Start

Toyota is reconsidering a controversial decision to charge for keyless remote entry after backlash from owners and non-owners alike.

Toyota ignited a firestorm in mid-December when The Drive broke news the company planned on disabling key fob remote start unless customers were enrolled in a monthly subscription. Rather than announcing the change only for upcoming models, Toyota said it would apply to models sold from 2018 forward.

At the time the news broke, Toyota was less than forthcoming with details, but the company has since provided The Drive with more information. Evidently, the remote start functionality — activated by pressing the lock button three times — was never advertised in official Toyota materials as a feature, and was something many dealers simply told customers about.

Toyota says the issue comes from software logic related to the data communication module (DCM), which checks for the presence of a subscription before allowing certain feature. The remote start is one such feature, even though the functionality is handled locally, between the fob and the car.

“The subscription truly is for the app,” a Toyota spokesperson told The Drive. “The key fob remote start was never intended to be a cost item either at the time of purchase or through subscription.”

The company claims it never anticipated the pushback it received, although it’s hard to imagine how a company with the marketing resources of Toyota managed to miss such an obvious conclusion, especially given the “subscription fatigue” many customers feel. It’s also not clear how or why the company did not realize dealerships were telling customers about the remote start, or that it would be such a loved feature — one customers would not want to give up.

Either way, Toyota says it is reevaluating the situation and trying to determine if the functionality can be left as-is.

Toyota Reconsidering Charging for Key Fob Remote Start
Matt Milano



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Friday 24 December 2021

Microsoft Pulls Out of CES 2022

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Microsoft Pulls Out of CES 2022

Microsoft is the latest company to pull out of CES 2022 over concerns about the omicron COVID variant.

CES is one of the biggest electronic events and, like most large trade shows and events, has struggled to keep going during the pandemic. The shows organizers have vowed to go on with the 2022 event in January, but multiple high-profile companies have already bowed out over amid the omicron surge, including T-Mobile, Intel, Meta, Twitter, and Pinterest.

According to The Verge, Microsoft is the latest company to pull out.

“After reviewing the latest data on the rapidly evolving COVID environment, Microsoft has decided not to participate in-person at CES 2022,” said a company spokesperson.

While CES organizers want to press forward, if high-profile companies keep dropping out, there may not be a conference to save.

Microsoft Pulls Out of CES 2022
Matt Milano



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TikTok Now the Internet’s Most Popular Site, Edging Out Google

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TikTok Now the Internet’s Most Popular Site, Edging Out Google

TikTok has taken the top spot as the world’s most popular website, beating out Google and Facebook.

TikTok has been on a tear over the last few years, and was a big winner among social media platforms during t he pandemic. Not even attempts by the Trump administration to ban the app could blunt its growth. In fact, the platform recently crossed the 1 billion user mark.

According to CBS News, TikTok is now the most popular site on the internet, and the most widely used social media platform.

In contrast, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Apple rounded out the top five.

TikTok Now the Internet’s Most Popular Site, Edging Out Google
Matt Milano



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Thursday 23 December 2021

Mergers and Acquisitions Set New Record in 2021, Led by Cloud Companies

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Mergers and Acquisitions Set New Record in 2021, Led by Cloud Companies

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) will set a new record in 2021, thanks in no small part to Oracle, Microsoft, and Amazon.

According to The Street, the previous record for M&A was set in 2018, coming in at $1.55 trillion. Thanks to massive acquisitions this year, 2021 is set to blow past that, reaching $2.4 trillion.

Cloud companies helped contribute a large portion of that total. 

Amazon agreed to purchase MGM Studios for $8.45 billion in May. The deal is seen as a way for Amazon to beef up its Prime Video platform even more, enabling it to better compete with Netflix, Hulu, and others.

Microsoft announced in April that it was purchasing Nuance, its second-largest acquisition. Nuance specializes in conversational AI for the healthcare market, an increasingly important industry for cloud providers.

The latest major cloud acquisition was Oracle’s announced plans to acquire medical records giant Cerner for a whopping $28 billion, the largest acquisition in its history.

Regulators have become increasingly wary of consolidation in the tech industry, especially with Big Tech buying up rivals. Despite the additional scrutiny, it doesn’t seem to have hurt the M&A market in 2021.

Mergers and Acquisitions Set New Record in 2021, Led by Cloud Companies
Matt Milano



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Jack Dorsey and Marc Andreessen Feud on Twitter Over Web3

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Jack Dorsey and Marc Andreessen Feud on Twitter Over Web3

Square CEO Jack Dorsey and VC legend Marc Andreessen are fueding on Twitter over the future of web3.

Web3 refers to the next generation of the internet, based on blockchain technology. As such, web3 uses the features and characteristics of blockchain to improve traditionally weak areas, such as security and reliability. Instead of designing and deploying apps to run on a single server, web3 involves apps that are decentralized, running on blockchains, decentralized P2P servers, or both.

Given how early it is in the process of adopting web3, there’s still much discussion about the future of this evolution of the web. At least for Dorsey and Andreessen, that discussion has gotten rather intense.

Dorsey fired the open salvo, criticizing VCs — including Andreessen’s firm Andreessen Horowitz — for trying to own web3.

Dorsey even retweeted a cartoon portraying VCs as gluttons gorging themselves on web3 while retail entities starve.

It seems Andreessen didn’t take the criticism very well, with Dorsey tweeting shortly after that Andreessen had blocked him on Twitter.

In response, Dorsey criticized a16z’s (shorthand for Andreessen Horowitz) mission statement.

It’s a safe bet such heated discussions will continue to play out across the industry as developers, companies, and (yes) VCs continue to adopt web3.

Jack Dorsey and Marc Andreessen Feud on Twitter Over Web3
Matt Milano



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Intel and Italy Move Forward With Talks for $9 Billion Chip Factory

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Intel and Italy Move Forward With Talks for $9 Billion Chip Factory

Intel and Italy are moving forward with negotiations to build a $9 billion chip factory.

Under CEO Pat Gelsinger, Intel has been working to get back to the top of the chip industry. As part of those plans, the company has been investing heavily in new factories. The company hopes to not only step up its own internal production, but also wants to serve as the foundry for other companies, such as AppleAmazon, and Qualcomm.

Intel is already spending $20 billion on two new factories in Arizonabut, according to Reuters, the company is looking to build a $9 billion factory in Italy. Reports indicate the talks are intensifying, paving the way for Italy to receiving 10% of the 80 billion euros Intel plans to invest in its European production.

The move will also help Intel, and the semiconductor industry in general, to lessen its dependence on manufacturing in Asia, potentially helping to insulate the supply chain from another pandemic-type disruption.

Intel and Italy Move Forward With Talks for $9 Billion Chip Factory
Matt Milano



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T-Mobile Limiting CES Participation, Mike Sievert Backs Out of Keynote

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T-Mobile Limiting CES Participation, Mike Sievert Backs Out of Keynote

T-Mobile is yet another company that is backing out of CES, and CEO Mike Sievert is canceling his keynote appearance.

CES is one of the biggest electronics trade shows, giving smartphones and device makers an opportunity to show off their new product lines. Many were hoping for more of a return to normal with CES 2022 in January, but the surge of omicron COVID cases is putting a dent in that. Meta, Twitter, and Pinterest already announcedthey would be pulling out of the event.

T-Mobile is also altering its plans for CES, significantly limiting in-person participation. CEO Mike Sievert also will not be giving one of the keynotes, either in-person or virtually.

T-Mobile Limiting CES Participation, Mike Sievert Backs Out of Keynote
Matt Milano



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Top Data and Analytics Trends For 2022

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Top Data and Analytics Trends For 2022

Through data and analytics, businesses can uncover customer data, boost productivity, and improve project management.

It helps in 25% faster innovation cycles, 17% improved business efficiencies, 13% more effective R&D, and 12% better product and service.

In fact, the annual revenue from the global big data analytics market is likely to reach $68.09 billion by 2025.

This means that data and analytics have become a central part of any business growth. Having experts, especially employees with bachelor’s in data science in the business, who can analyze and interpret data is key to any business’s continued growth and success in this cut-throat competitive market.

The first step is to understand what is next in the world of data and analytics so that you plan ahead. Here is the list of the key trends in data and analytics for 2022:

In-Memory Computing Will Become Popular

In-memory computing is a way of running complex computer calculations, which require specialized systems software, entirely in computer memory i.e. RAM.

It is becoming a major technological solution since the cost of memory has begun to decrease of late. The global market size of in-memory computing in 2020 was $11.55 billion, which is likely to reach $44.10 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of 18.4%.

This gives room for data and analytics in large companies and SMEs. With IMC, data can be stored in RAM rather than on their hard disks across different devices allowing for real data scaling and agile performance. This includes addressing the demands for omnichannel marketing, real-time regulatory compliance, and digital transformation.

IMC analytics helps remove inefficiencies that businesses are facing in intelligence solutions. By keeping the detailed data in the main memory, this model speeds up data crunching and meets diverse information and analytics requirements faster.

Predictive Analytics Will Rise

To predict future trends in business, most organizations are leveraging different features of predictive analytics.

Many businesses are already using predictive analytics to apply Artificial Intelligence, optimize internal processes, and eliminate all bottlenecks. In fact, the predictive analytics market is expected to reach around $11 billion in annual revenue by 2022.

It uses current and historical data to derive predictions about unknowns such as future trends and events. It uses scientific methods and techniques such as data mining, modeling, and machine learning.

Predictive Analytics can be integrated into business processes so that analytic insights and projections are used automatically by other systems such as a BPM system or CRM system.

Knowing what the future holds in the market is central to businesses building their brands. With predictive data analytics, most businesses are able to forecast how the future looks like for their markets. It includes leveraging on a new customer, social media, market mountains, and predictive analytics.

AI Will Keep Evolving

Artificial intelligence is another trend you should look out for in 2022. A scalable AI which is smarter and responsible will facilitate improved learning algorithms, enhance interpretable systems, and take the shortest time to interpret data.

NLP, which is Natural Language Processing, is one of the best AI technologies that significantly reduce the necessity for typing or interacting with a screen as machines can comprehend human languages.

Moreover, AI-powered devices can turn natural human languages into computer codes that can run applications and programs.

Even AI software such as video markers and website builders leverage the latest technologies for analyzing data and suggesting the best options to the customers.

Large organizations and SMEs will see the need to rely on AI and other related technologies in 2022. For instance, businesses have to look into how voice assisting devices, such as Alexa, Siri, and Google Home use AI to recognize and respond to voice search queries.

Automation Will Be the Front and Center of the Data Process 

Businesses can save time and money when they upload and handle processes via automated tools and by eliminating all the repetitive tasks in their business.

Businesses can automate multiple and repetitive processes that involve large volumes of information and data using robotic process automation (RPA) and intelligent business process management software (iBPMS).

Augmented Analytics Will Spur Major Developments

In 2022 and beyond, augmented analytics will become an essential factor that pushes the growth of BI platforms and growth analytics. It will also play a critical role in the advancement of embedded analytics and data science platforms.  

The increasing demand for obtaining critical insights from customer data seems to be boosting the widespread use of augmented reality.

Using augmented analytics in data preparation, data discovery, insight generation, and insight explanation not only helps to explore, analyze, understand and act on data but also transform, democratize and automate the use of data for all types of users.

A number of emerging AR techniques include:

●  Augmented data preparation: It is used in the extraction, transfer, and load phase of data preparation. Algorithms are used to detect schemas and join profiling, and data enrichment through the automation of data transformation steps.

●  Automated analytics: It is also known as automated business monitoring as it enables the running of always-on analysis in the background.

●  Machine-assisted insights: It is used to generate visualization, calculation creation, and variance analysis through machines. It is often triggered by the action of the user asking a question.

Data-As-A-Service (DaaS) Will Become More Popular

In 2022, DaaS will become more popular than ever. DaaS is a cloud-based technology that enables its subscribers to easily access and use files through the internet. The pandemic challenges have made DaaS more helpful to people.

According to Market Research Future, the DaaS market is expected to increase to $12 billion by the end of 2023.

DaaS is expected to be a viable solution to companies already embracing data as a decision-making tool. Only a few companies have internal mechanisms that can help them to leverage the power of collected data.

DaaS will have a broader reach in 2022 as most internet users can now access high-speed internet. DaaS is expected to change how small and large businesses access and use data in decision-making.

Conclusion

The digital economy relies more on data today. Businesses need reliable data for decision-making. Data is like an engine that propels businesses and industries.

Thus, businesses should invest in data and analytics. You should adjust their strategies if you want to increase your returns. Whether it is IoT, AR, AI, or VR, knowing how these new technologies impact your businesses is fundamental to achieving growth and success.

Top Data and Analytics Trends For 2022
Brian Wallace



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Wednesday 22 December 2021

Samsung S22 May Offer Google’s New Fuchsia OS

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Samsung S22 May Offer Google’s New Fuchsia OS

Samsung’s S22 line may be the first mainstream smartphone and tablet devices powered by Google’s new Fuchsia operating systems (OS).

Android may be the most widely-used mobile OS on the market, but Google has been working on its replacement, Fuchsia, for some time. The company only acknowledged the existence of Fuchsia in 2019, after working on it in secret.

According to reports, Fuchsia is designed to be Google’s end-all, be-all OS for all of its devices, including those with and without a screen. According to BGR, Samsung is preparing to offers its S22 devices, including a Note-like model, with Fuchsia.

As BGR points out, one of the biggest advantages of Fuchsia is seamless updates, a major downside of Google’s current Android OS. Whenever Google releases an Android update, it cannot simply push the update to all Android devices. Instead, it must rely on carriers and manufacturers to push the update to their phones. As a result, compared to Apple’s iOS/iPadOS, the installed Android base is much more fractured, with many users on older versions of the OS.

If the rumors are true and Samsung does make Fuchsia an option on S22 devices, it’s a safe bet other manufacturers will quickly follow suit.

Samsung S22 May Offer Google’s New Fuchsia OS
Matt Milano



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Report: Only 6% of B2B buyers avoid significant CX issues

Still life of a small shopping cart and red computer mouse on pink background
Digitally savvy B2B buyers today are having mixed experiences, which is impacting their loyalty and weakening current supplier relationships.Read More

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FDA Authorizes Pfizer’s Pill to Treat COVID-19

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FDA Authorizes Pfizer’s Pill to Treat COVID-19

In a potential game-changer in the fight against COVID, the FDA has approved Pfizer’s pill to treat COVID.

While governments are working hard to get as many people vaccinated as possible, companies have also been working on better ways of treating those that contract the virus in the hopes of preventing the worst symptoms from developing.

Pfizer has now received authorization for the first pill designed to do just that.

“Today’s authorization introduces the first treatment for COVID-19 that is in the form of a pill that is taken orally — a major step forward in the fight against this global pandemic,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “This authorization provides a new tool to combat COVID-19 at a crucial time in the pandemic as new variants emerge and promises to make antiviral treatment more accessible to patients who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19.” 

The pill, Pfizer’s Paxlovid, is not designed as a preventative medication, but should be taken “soon as possible after diagnosis of COVID-19 and within five days of symptom onset.”

Having an effective way to treat the virus after infection could save tens, or even hundreds of thousands of lives moving forward.

FDA Authorizes Pfizer’s Pill to Treat COVID-19
Matt Milano



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AWS Experiences Third Outage This Month

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AWS Experiences Third Outage This Month

AWS has experienced its third outage this month, impacting yet more sites and services.

AWS has had a rough December, with outages that have impacted some of the largest online services. According to The Verge, this latest outage has hit Slack, Epic Games Store, Asana, and others.

The company said it had fixed the issue as of 9:13 AM ET, but some customers may continue to see issues.

A look at DownDetector shows many familiar companies — ones that were impacted by previous outages — experiencing issues again. While the issues appear to be tapering off, there’s still a ways to go before things return to normal.

AWS Experiences Third Outage This Month
Matt Milano



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Tuesday 21 December 2021

Expand Credit Access with Alternative Data

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Expand Credit Access with Alternative Data

Helping more US consumers obtain access to mainstream financial services requires new insights into individual financial history.  Right now, 1 in 5 adults in the US lack the credit history needed to establish a credit score.  An even larger proportion of Americans have a “thin” credit file, meaning 4 or less accounts.  Those with little to no credit history tend to come from groups historically underserved by traditional financial institutions.  3/4 of them make under $50,000 a year.  Many of them are young, recently immigrated, a member of the Hispanic or African American community, and/or recently widowed or divorced.   When traditional financial services exclude a group of people, they often turn to high-cost alternatives such as check cashing services or pawn shop loans.

A Look at Credit Invisibility

Credit invisibility costs consumers dearly.  When lenders see that someone has limited or no credit history, they charge that person higher interest rates on loans.  Said person also faces higher premiums for car, home, and rental insurance.  A person given a subprime mortgage loan pays an extra $32,923 in interest compared to someone who received a prime rate. 

The problem is not necessarily that so many Americans are credit unworthy.  The problem is that current calculation methods do not offer the full picture of some people’s ability to pay back loans.  Leveraging alternative data could move 20 million more US consumers into scorable credit bands.  Many of these people could potentially qualify for prime or near prime offers. 

What are Alternative Data Sources?

Three examples of alternative data sources that credit scoring agencies could include in their calculations are bank transaction data, rental payments, and telecom/utility payments.  All three sources would require consumer permission to use, but they could benefit the credit invisible population greatly.  The first source, bank transactions, could reduce the credit unscorable population by 50% if considered on all consumers.  Bank transaction data could increase the number of prime or better borrowers by almost 4 million.

The next source, rental payments, is especially important.  Right now, many landlords perform credit checks on potential tenants as part of the leasing process, but rental data itself is not included in credit reports.  For people who have only rented their housing, this disparity puts them at a disadvantage next to homeowners, whose mortgage payments do show up in credit reporting.  Rent payment reporting is one of the most under-utilized tools for building credit histories.  The majority of consumers believe it is helpful to have rental payment information factored into credit scores.

Finally, telecom and utility data has a wide reach across America.  90% of American adults have at least 1 utility bill in their name.  9 million consumers could become scorable thanks to consented telecom and utility payment information.  Over 7.5 million US consumers could move into the prime or near prime categories once this source of data is added to the calculation.  

All three of these data sources indicate someone’s financial responsibility.  It’s time for alternative data to be added to American credit score considerations.

Equifax expands access to credit with alternative data

Expand Credit Access with Alternative Data
Brian Wallace



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