20 June 2019

A Netflix hack lets you feel the action in a scene by vibrating your phone


Netflix Hack Day, the company’s internal hackathon, has a habit of producing some amazing gems — like a brain-controlled interface, a Fitbit hack that shuts off Netflix when you fall asleep, a Netflix app for the original NES, and a way to navigate the Netflix app with Face ID and ARKit, to name a few. At this year’s Netflix Hack Day, employees ventured into areas like voice technology and haptics — the latter, so your phone could vibrate right along with the on-screen action, among other things.

Project Rumble Pack, as the hack that used haptics was called, takes inspiration from mobile gaming. Some games vibrate, which allows players to feel the action — like a bouncing ball, a car on a race track, an object getting hit or destroyed, and so on.

Similarly, Project Rumble lets you feel the action in a scene from a show or movie — like a fight, battle or big explosion. (Imagine a Michael Bay movie with Rumble Pack turned on!) The team behind the hack, Hans van de Bruggen and Ed Barker, demoed haptics in an episode of Voltron where a huge explosion makes the phone shake in your hands.

The hack was created by syncing Netflix content with haptic effects using Immersion Corporation technology.

Another hack called The Voice of Netflix, taught Netflix to speak using the voice of Netflix’s favorite characters. The team trained a neural net to find words in Netflix’s content, which could then be used to create new sentences on demand.

A third favorite was TerraVision — a practical hack that sounds like a business opportunity.

The hack lets filmmakers drop a photo of a look like they like for a film location into an interface, then get back the closest results from a library of location photos. The hack used a computer vision model trained to recognize places for its reverse image search functionality.

The final highlight was a silly hack that plays “walk-out music” — like the music that kicks in when Oscar speeches go too long — when someone overstays their allotted time in a booked conference room.

Sadly, many of Netflix’s hacks don’t tend to escape the confines of the hackathon itself. But they can inspire real-world projects in other ways, and help to keep the creativity flowing.

An overview of this year’s Netflix Hack Day, which focused on Netflix’s studio efforts, is below.


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Samsung’s Galaxy S10 5G arrives on Sprint tomorrow


You surely know the whole deal about carts and horses by now. When Samsung’s first 5G handset, the Galaxy S10 5G, arrives on Sprint tomorrow, users will be able to get those blazing fast mobile speeds in all of four markets: Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Kansas City.

Those all launched last week, after the arrival of the carrier’s first 5G handset, LG’s V50 ThinQ. The good news is that a number of the biggest cities in the country will be getting coverage in “coming weeks,” including Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix and Washington D.C.

The other good news, I guess, is that you can still use the phone in the rest of the country, albeit with 4G speeds. Of course, with an eye-popping unlocked starting price of $1,300, you’re probably not going to want to spend much of your time on LTE with the rest of us peasants. For those who prefer not to pay all up front, plans start at $40.28 a month.

Sprint joins Verizon and AT&T, which got the 5G Galaxy back in May and June, respectively.


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Watch: Facebook’s Libra coin explained simply


They’re not called Zuckerbucks but Facebook just reinvented digital money. Facebook’s Libra cryptocurrency that will launch early next year is more like PayPal than Bitcoin — it’s designed to be easy enough for everyone to use. But it’s still complicated to understand so I’m going to break it down for you nice and simple.

Watch our handy video above or read the transcript below.

Libra is like cash that lives inside your phone. How do you buy Facebook’s cryptocurrency? Starting in 2020, you’ll be able to purchase Libra through Libra wallet apps on your phone or from some local grocery and convenience stores. You cash in your local currency like dollars and get nearly the same number of Libra coins, which are represented by this wavy three line emoji instead of the $ symbol. But first you’ll have to verify your identity with a photo

You’ll then be able to spend your Libra while online shopping, or potentially pay for things like Ubers or your subscription for Spotify since those companies have partnered with Facebook to make Libra popular. Since it’s almost free to digital move Libra from one account to the other, you won’t have to pay high credit card processing fees that can add almost 4% to your total. And some Libra wallet apps and shops will give bonus discounts or free coins for signing up and paying with Libra.

You’ll also be able to send and request money from friends like you would with Venmo or PayPal. It’s as easy to send Libra as it is a message. In fact, Facebook is building its own Libra wallet app called Calibra that will live inside of WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and its own standalone app.

 

You won’t have to attach your real name and identity to any of your payments, but they will be public. Facebook knows it’s a little bit creepy and you probably don’t want it spying on what you buy. So Facebook set up a new company also called Calibra that will keep all your financial data separate from your Facebook profile. That means it can’t use your transaction data to target you with ads, re-order your News Feed, or sell your info to marketers.

Eventually, Facebook hopes you’ll use Libra to pay your bills, scan your wallet’s QR code to purchase coffee, or tap your phone to buy your public transit ticket. At any time, you can cash out of Libra and get your local currency back in your bank account, or handed to you at a local grocery store.

 

But how does the Libra cryptocurrency technically work…without a bunch blockchain buzzwords? Libra is coded to have a stable price, be secure, and be controlled not just by Facebook.

Instead, Libra is run by the 28 member Libra Association that it hopes will grow to 100 members by the time it launches in the first half of 2020. Financial companies like Visa and MasterCard, merchants and apps like eBay and Lyft, venture capital funds like Andreessen Horowitz and Union Square Ventures, and non-profits like Kiva are all members. They each paid at at least $10 million to get one vote on the Libra council that controls what happens to the currency. They’ll be responsible for checking to make sure Libra transactions are real and creating the Libra Reserve

Each time you cash in a dollar, that money goes into big bank account called the Libra Reserve that creates and sends you roughly one Libra token. The Libra Reserve is made up of a collection of the most stable international currencies like the US Dollar, British Pound, the Euro, and the Japanese yen. The idea is that even if one of those currencies goes up or down in price, the value of the Libra will stay stable. That way, shops will accept the Libra as payment without worrying the value of the coin will drop tomorrow. Big swings in price are why older cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereal haven’t grown popular as payment methods. Libra can also handle 1000 transactions per second, while Bitcoin can only handle 7.

So how do Facebook and the other Libra Association members earn money? Off of interest on all the assets held in the Libra Reserve. After the Libra Association pays for its operations and investments in technology, member earns a cut of the remaining interest in proportion to how much they invested when they joined. If Libra gets popular, tons of people cash in, and the reserve grows huge, the Interest could add up to serious revenue for Facebook.

But there’s also a subtle second way Facebook could get rich from Libra. If the currency makes it easier for small businesses to accept payments online, they’ll sell more stuff. They’ll then have extra money to spend on Facebook ads, which will make it extra quick to buy things with Libra. 90 million small businesses already have Facebook Pages, but only Facebook only has 7 million advertisers. If it can turn more of those local merchants into ad buyers, Facebook’s revenues could skyrocket.

The big risk of Libra is that anyone will be able to develop apps for it. That could lead to another Cambridge Analytica situation. But instead of some shady app maker snatching your personal info, they could steal your digital currency. Facebook and the Libra Association say they won’t vet Libra developers, which leaves the door wide open to abuse. And if people get scammed, they’ll blame Facebook.

But if Facebook succeeds, the real win could be for the 1.7 billion people left in poverty with no bank account around the world. They’re exploited by international money sending services like Western Union or Monogram that charge steep 7% fees that take $50 billion away from families per year. And if they’re mugged, they could lose all their money since they have nothing stored online. All they’ll need is a photo ID and Libra could give them an alternative to a bank account that’s tougher to steal and could make it easy to pay for what they need.

There are plenty of reasons to worry that Libra could give Facebook and other tech giants more power or lead to people getting scammed. But it could also give disadvantaged people everywhere a way to join the modern economy. And at least it’s not called FaceCoin.

If you want the opposite of this article — every single nerdy detail about Facebook’s cryptocurrency, read our Libra deep-dive:

And if you want to know how Libra could spawn Facebook’s next scandal, read this:


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Google ramps up competition with Facebook Pages with new tools for local businesses


Google has been steadily updating its tools for businesses looking to reach more customers across Google’s platforms, including Search and Google Maps. Last year, the company took on Facebook Pages with a feature that let users “follow” and message businesses directly, as well as be updated about promotions, sales, and other events. Today, Google is rolling out a host of other tools for Google My Business, focused on attracting customers and encouraging follows.

The suite of tools known as Google My Business was first introduced five years ago, as a way for businesses with a Google presence to have a one-stop shop for updating their business information online, add photos, read reviews, and — at the time — use Google+. While the latter has since shut down, Google is still competing with Facebook in its own way.

But now, instead of building out a vast social network of its own, it’s focused on helping businesses reach customers through Google’s most-used platforms.

Already, customers could “follow” a business to track its updates in the new “For You” tab on Google Maps. It’s very much Google’s version of liking a Facebook Page, then getting updates in a feed. Meanwhile, businesses could use the new Customers tab to read reviews and respond to inquires. They can also post to their business profile on Google.

Today’s update includes a handful of other tools for making those profiles more appealing.

For example, businesses can now add a logo to their profile, upload photos that are then displayed in a new dynamic module on their profile (and soon with captions), and set a profile cover photo. Again, more features to rival Facebook Pages.

Businesses can now also claim a short name and URL for their business so they can more easily direct people right to their profile page.

In a few more months, customers will be able to search Google Maps by these short names, as well.

Also new today are welcome offers. This allows a business to reward a new customer for following them by offering them a discount or some kind of deal.

 

In addition to the new features, Google is today launching a Marketing Kit website where businesses can order free stickers and posters to place at their retail location, and download assets for social posts, among other things.

As a part of this launch, Google is highlighting the top 5% of businesses in a given category as with a “Local Favorite” designation. These businesses will later this summer be able to order digital and physical badges of honor, if they make the cut.

Google says there are now over 150 million businesses using the Google My Business platform, since its 2014 launch.

“We hope that these more descriptive profiles not only help consumers quickly find the business that best suits their needs, but also help businesses stand out and express what unique about them,” explains Google Business Senior Product Manager, Amir Fish, in today’s announcement. “We’re committed to helping businesses succeed on Google and are excited to keep improving the experience for all people on Maps and Search,” it says.


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Slack opens at $38.50, a pop of 48% on its first day of trading on NYSE as WORK


Slack, the workplace messaging platform that has helped define a key category of enterprise IT, made its debut as a public company today with a pop. Trading as “WORK” on the New York Stock Exchange, it opened at $38.50 after setting a reference price last night of $26, valuing it at $15.7 billion, and then setting a bid/asking price of $37 this morning.

The trading climbed up quickly in its opening minutes and went as high as $42 and is now down to $38.95. We’ll continue to update this as the day goes on. These prices are pushing the market cap to around $20 billion.

Note: there was no “money raised” with this IPO ahead of today because Slack’s move into being a publicly traded company is coming by way of a direct listing — meaning the shares went directly on the market with no pre-sale. This is a less conventional route that doesn’t involve bankers underwriting the listing (nor all the costs that come along with the roadshow and the rest). It also means Slack does not raise a large sum ahead of public trading. But it does let existing shareholders trade shares without dilution and is an efficient way of going public if you’re not in need of an immediate, large cash injection. It’s a route that Spotify also took when it went public last year, and, from the front-page article on NYSE.com, it seems that there might be growing interest in this process — or at least, that the NYSE would like to promote it as an option.

Slack’s decision to go slightly off-script is in keeping with some of ethos that it has cultivated over the last several years as one of the undisputed juggernauts of the tech world. Its rocket ship has been a product that has touched on not one but three different hot growth areas: enterprise software-as-a-service, messaging apps and platform plays that, by way of APIs, can become the touchstone and nerve center for a seemingly limitless number of other services.

What’s interesting about Slack is that — contrary to how some might think of tech — the journey here didn’t start as rocket science.

Slack was nearly an accidental creation, a byproduct that came out of how a previous business, Tiny Speck, was able to keep its geographically spread-out team communicating while building its product, the game Glitch. Glitch and Tiny Speck failed to gain traction, so after they got shut down, the ever-resourceful co-founder Stewart Butterfield did what many founders who still have some money in the bank and fire in their bellies do: a pivot. He took the basic channel they were using and built it (with some help) into the earliest public version of what came to be known as Slack.

But from that unlikely start something almost surprising happened: the right mix of ease of use, efficient responsiveness and functionality — in aid of those already-important areas of workplace communication, messaging and app integration — made Slack into a huge hit. Quickly, Slack became the fastest-growing piece of enterprise software ever in terms of adding users, with a rapid succession of funding rounds (raising over $1.2 billion in total), valuation hikes, and multiple product improvements along the way to help it grow.

Today, like many a software-as-a-service business that is less than 10 years old and investing returns to keep up with its fast-growing business, Slack is not profitable.

In the fiscal year that ended January 31, 2019, it reported revenues in its S-1 of $400.6 million, but with a net loss of $138.9 million. That was a slight improvement on its net loss from the previous fiscal of $140.1 million, with a big jump on revenue, which was $220.5 million.

But its growth and the buzz it has amassed has given it a big push. As of January 31, it clocked up over 10 million daily active users across 600,000 organizations, with 88,000 of them on paid plans and 550,000 using the free version of the app. It will be interesting to see how and if that goodwill and excitement outweigh some of those financial bum notes.

Or, in some cases, possibly other bum notes. The company has made “Work” not just its ticker but its mantra. Its slogan is “Where work happens” and it focuses on how its platform helps make people more productive. But as you might expect, not everyone feels that way about it, with the endless streams of notifications, the slightly clumsy way of handling threaded conversations, and certain other distracting features raising the ire of some people. (Google “Slack is a distraction” and you can see some examples of those dissenting opinions.)

Slack has had its suitors over the years, unsurprisingly, and at least one of them has in the interim made a product to compete with it. Teams, from Microsoft, is one of the many rival platforms on the market looking to capitalise on the surge of interest for chat and collaboration platforms that Slack has helped to usher in. Other competitors include Workplace from Facebook, Mattermost and Flock, along with Threads and more.


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Verified Expert Brand Designer: Stitzlein Studio


After spending years working for in-house design teams and well-known brand agencies such as Nike, Google, and Pentagram, Joe and Leslie Stitzlein, who are also husband and wife, decided to launch their own branding studio. You’ve seen their work in many places; from launching the identities for Netflix, Mac OS X, Nike Flyknit, dwell and Lilly.

Stitzlein Studio has ushered in a new chapter for the couple who now works with a global network of independent designers, illustrators, and developers to help companies develop or expand their brands. It doesn’t matter whether it’s designing an identity or launching a new product, the founders of Stitzlein Studio are eager to share their vast experiences and take on a new challenge.

Advice for startup founders

“Be yourself, and be courageous. That is not easy, especially when you have investors to satisfy and payroll to make [we’re business owners too at the end of the day and totally get it]. We’ve seen founders try to mimic successful brands rather than spending time and energy on what makes them unique. Instead of trying to look like Google, figure out what you are and amplify the shit out of that. It’s surprising how many companies underestimate themselves when what they do is amazing. Our job is to find what makes them distinctive and pour gas on it.”

Stitzlein Studio’s branding philosophy

“Each brand has its own DNA, just as each person is unique. A company’s DNA comes to life both on a surface level by how they look, but also how the brand interacts with people in the world.”

 

Below, you’ll find the rest of the founder reviews, the full interview, and more details like pricing and fee structures. This profile is part of our ongoing series covering startup brand designers and agencies with whom founders love to work, based on this survey and our own research. The survey is open indefinitely, so please fill it out if you haven’t already.


Interview with Stitzlein Studio Creative Directors Joe and Leslie Stitzlein

Yvonne Leow: Can you tell me a little bit about your background and why did the two of you decide to create a studio together?

Joe Stitzlein: Leslie and I had been working at a lot of different places before this. I had been in-house at Nike for seven years and spent three years at Google. There’s not a lot of opportunities to take risks in life, and we thought why not pivot from climbing the in-house ladder and share everything we’ve learned about branding with smaller startups as well as larger companies.

One aspect of our work that we really enjoy is taking a wonderful technical innovation and translating it into communications that are beautiful, helpful and inspiring. This is true for everything from a new running shoe to a new cryptocurrency; we love boiling complicated innovations down into a striking image or experience.

We wanted to take some of those lessons from the Nikes of the world, and the nonprofits and interactive clients Leslie had, and bring those to smaller scale clients. It was a fun opportunity.


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Nissan’s zero-emission ice cream van uses old EV batteries to keep things cool


File ice cream vans under ‘things I never thought posed a significant risk to the environment but might actually.’ Nissan has developed a new concept vehicle that addresses the problem of all the emissions generated by conventional ice cream vans, and older models in particular, which pump out a lot of greenhouse gases while idling in order to just make sure the ice cream on board stays iced.

For the project, Nissan’s working with ice cream company Mackie’s of Scotland, a purveyor of fine frozen treats that has already taken steps to reduce its footprint using dairy from its own, family-run farm that’s powered by energy from renewable sources including wind and solar. From the sustainably-made product, to the new zero-emission delivery van conceived and built by Nissan, the companies are calling the approach a ‘sky to scoop’ way to reduce their carbon footprint.

To start, Nissan took their e-NV200 light duty commercial van, which itself is fully electric and provides up to 124 miles of range on a charge. For this ice cream concept, the van was modified with Nissan’s new ‘Energy Roam,’ a lithium-ion power pack that uses battery cells recovered from older Nissan EVs built from 2010 on. These repurposed power packs can each store about 0.7kWh with out put of 1kW, and two are used on board to run a built-in soft-serve machine, fridges and freezers. The power packs can be recharged either from a 230v mains power outlet (this is designed for UK use), or from solar tiles installed on the van’s roof, which can fill up the batteries in between two to four hours on their own.

Besides its all-electric power sources, the Nissan concept van includes a number of revisions of the traditional model of mobile ice cram selling, including situating the vendor outside of the van with a hatch that opens to expose the ice cream dispensing goodness. It’s also equipped with contactless payment support so you can just pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay on the go, and through an integration with What3Words, the van broadcasts its location via Twitter instead of with a jaunty jingle.

Bonus for ice cream sellers: Nissan notes that van owners could collect and store power using the on-board batteries and sell it back to the grid even when it’s not ideal weather for selling cold confections – though it’s definitely still a concept, so this is all theoretical.


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The 7 Best Pocket Drones for Travel in 2019

Become a Certified Cloud Computing Expert With This AWS Training, Now $49


Most of the apps we use every day rely on cloud computing platforms. The same goes for enterprise software — so it’s not surprising that certified engineers are in demand. If you want to dive into this lucrative career path, the AWS Solutions Architect Certification Bundle is a great place to start. The bundle includes six in-depth courses, working towards official Amazon exams. You can get all 32 hours of training now for $49 in the Semi-Annual Sale at MakeUseOf Deals.

Amazon Web Services

From Adobe to Zynga, hundreds of thousands of companies rely on Amazon Web Services for daily operations. If you want to become a cloud computing professional, it’s pretty essential to master the platform.

This bundle helps you get acquainted, with 32 hours of video instruction. The tutorials start from scratch, explaining how to build and deploy cloud apps using AWS products.

Along the way, you will get the lowdown on security in AWS, service pricing, cost management, automation options, and more. The bundle also contains specialist courses on cloud security and deployment with Docker.

Just as importantly, you get extensive prep for the AWS Solutions Architect (Associate) and Cloud Practitioner exams — including practice tests. With lifetime access to the training, you can study at your own pace.

32 Hours of Training for $49

Order now to get the training for $49 in the Semi-Annual Sale, saving over $1,600 on the standard price for these courses.

Read the full article: Become a Certified Cloud Computing Expert With This AWS Training, Now $49


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Spotify Daily Drive, Free Mobile Games Without Ads, Reuse an Old PC


free-smartphone-games

Get the latest tech news that matters and a good selection of tech tips and hints as Christian Cawley and Megan Ellis take a look at Spotify Daily Drive, Android two-factor verification on iOS, Google’s Anne Frank online exhibit, and free mobile games you can play without distraction from adverts. Plus some great photo editors for Instagram users, and ways to reuse an old desktop PC.

Really Useful Podcast Season 3 Episode 3 Shownotes

What are we talking about this week?

This week, Christian Cawley is joined by Megan Ellis. Follow them both on Twitter:

If you know anyone who would benefit from having tech topics broken down into simplified language, why not share our podcast with them? They can subscribe to the Really Useful Podcast on:

Subscribe now and catch every episode of the tech podcast for technophobes!

Read the full article: Spotify Daily Drive, Free Mobile Games Without Ads, Reuse an Old PC


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Kano, the kids-focused coding and hardware startup, inks deal with Microsoft, launches $300 Kano PC


Kano, the London-based startup that builds hardware designed to teach younger people about computing and coding, is taking a significant step forward in its growth strategy today. The startup has inked a partnership with Microsoft that sees Kano launching the Kano PC, a new 11.6-inch touch-enabled, Intel Atom-powered computer, its first to run Windows — Windows 10 S specifically. As part of the deal, Microsoft is also making an investment of an undisclosed amount in Kano.

The Kano PC is up for pre-order now at $299.99 and £299.99 on Kano.me and the Microsoft Store, to ship in October. It will also go on sale at selected retailers in the US, Canada, and the UK starting October 21, 2019.

The shift to building a Windows-powered device is a significant one for Kano.

The startup first made its name with a popular Kickstarter campaign based around a device built using Raspberry Pi, speaking to the DIY ethos that has shaped it over the last several years.

Alex Klein, Kano’s founder and CEO, said in an interview that while Kano will continue to support its Raspberry Pi-powered devices, it has yet to determine what its roadmap will be in terms of launching new hardware on this processor:

“The Raspberry Pi devices remain in the portfolio at good price points, but this machine is designed for a much broader age set. It’s a proper Windows PC” — Klein said, pointing to the Intel Atom x5-Z8350 Quad core 1.44 GHz processor, the 4GB of memory, and 64GB of storage — “and a powerful machine for the price point.”

While the Kano line up to now has largely been used and tracked by 6-13 year-olds, Klein describes the Kano PC as a “K-12 device,” acknowledging that “branding might take more time to unfold” to connect with the younger and older ends of that range.

It will be doing so with an army of software now supplied by way of its Microsoft partnership:

Make Art – Learn to code high-quality images in Coffeescript
Kano App – Make almost anything, including magic effects and adventurous worlds, with simple steps and programming fundamentals
Paint 3D – Make and share 3D models and send them out for printing
Minecraft: Education Edition – The award-winning creative game-based learning platform
Microsoft Teams – To get new projects and content, and share your work (Yes, Slack, now kids will be using Teams)
Live Tiles – Personalized projects on coding and creativity delivered directly to your dashboard

Up to now, Kano’s traction with a core group of users — younger kids who are interested in computers and coding, as well as parents who want to encourage their kids to be interested in these — has led to it launching a number of other accessories to work with its basic computers. It’s also launched a clever tech toy that plays to its demographic: last year, it launched a Harry Potter magic wand that you could build yourself, program and use. Klein hinted in the interview that we’re going to see more products of this kind coming soon from Kano.

The Microsoft deal will bring it a higher profile among a wider set of consumers beyond early adopters, and likely a new entry point into selling into educational environments, where Microsoft has been making a big push.

This is the second side of the deal that’s also interesting: Microsoft has a long history of selling software and hardware into educational environments and this — a different brand from the rest of the pack — will bring move diversity into the mix, with a brand designed specifically for younger people, rather than adult-focused brands that have been downsized in functionality (but possibly not in price) for children.

“We’re very excited to partner with Kano for the launch of the Kano PC. We align with Kano’s goal of making classroom experiences more inclusive for teachers and students, empowering them to build the future, not just imagine it,” said Anthony Salcito, VP of Education at Microsoft, in a statement.

Kano’s scrappy success up to now has also led to it raising some $50 million in funding from a list of backers that include Saul and Robin Klein (relatives of the founder Alex Klein), as well as Marc Benioff, Index Ventures, Breyer Capital, Troy Carter and a number of other investors. Klein said that it’s likely to be looking for another equity round in the near future, but declined to comment further on that.


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Google Makes It Easier to Report Suspicious Sites


Google has launched two new features designed to keep everyone safe while online. The first is a new Chrome extension that allows you to report suspicious sites. The second is a new warning designed to keep Chrome users away from said suspicious sites.

What Is Google Safe Browsing?

Google Safe Browsing is designed to keep web users safe from bad actors. Google maintains a blacklist of websites known to host malware or phishing elements. Anyone using Chrome (and a number of other browsers) are then directed away from these sites.

Google claims Safe Browsing protects more than 4 billion devices every day. However, the company is always looking at ways to improve Safe Browsing, and its latest attempt to do so means asking you to help identify and report suspicious sites Google itself has missed.

Google Launches Suspicious Site Reporter

In a post on the Chromium Blog, Google has launched a new Chrome extension called Suspicious Site Reporter. This extension gives you an easy way to report suspicious sites to Google Safe Browsing. And do your bit in keeping the web safe for everyone to use.

Safe Browsing works by analyzing sites using Google Search web crawlers. It then uses this data to create lists of sites that are “dangerous or deceptive”. The Suspicious Site Reporter adds a human element by asking you to report suspicious sites.

All you need to do is install the extension and start browsing the web. Then, when you land on a potentially suspicious site, you’ll see an icon. Clicking the icon will report the site to Safe Browsing, allowing Google to further evaluate it.

Alongside Suspicious Site Reporter, Google has also added a new warning designed to direct people away from sites that have confusing URLs. Google cites the example of someone visiting Go0gle.com instead of Google.com. This warning is new to Chrome 75.

Download: Suspicious Site Reporter for Google Chrome

Help Google Help Everyone Stay Safe While Online

Google may have its faults, but the company clearly wants to keep people safe when they’re online. Safe Browsing has been helping achieve this for over 10 years already. And now, with Suspicious Site Reporter, Google is asking us all to do our bit to help.

We shouldn’t be relying on Google—or any technology companies for that matter—to keep us safe online though. The best thing you can do is learn what threats are out there, and then maintain these important habits to stay safe and secure online.

Image Credit: Isaac Bowen/Flickr

Read the full article: Google Makes It Easier to Report Suspicious Sites


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How to Set Up Google Chrome for Offline Reading of Books


offline-ebook-chrome

You don’t need to rely on the internet to catch up on your e-reading, because there are many ways to take content offline these days.

Let’s see how you can save your reading material for offline use from your browser. We’ll use Chrome as an example here, but these solutions work just as well for any other browser unless they involve a Chrome extension of course.

1. Kindle Cloud Reader

Enable offline mode prompt in Kindle Cloud Reader

Amazon has made it easy to access Kindle ebooks from a variety of devices and operating systems. But you don’t really need a desktop app to read your Kindle ebooks.

You can use Kindle for Chrome by navigating to read.amazon.com and logging into your Amazon account. What you see next is the Kindle Cloud Reader, but it appears hidden by a prompt that lets you save books to read when you’re offline.

If you want to download any of your ebooks for offline reading on Chrome, click on the Enable Offline button. (Otherwise, click on the Not Now button.) If Chrome prompts you for permission to save data to your disk, go ahead and grant it.

The Kindle for Chrome reader comes with a straightforward interface where you can browse your entire Kindle collection. Sample chapters aren’t included in the cloud reader library.

If you right-click on any ebook, you’ll see two options: Open Book and Download & Pin Book. Click on the second one to make that ebook available offline. The option appears grayed out if you haven’t enabled the offline reading feature.

Visit: Kindle Cloud Reader (Free)

Save ebook offline in Kindle Cloud Reader

2. Pocket

If you use the popular read-it-later service Pocket, you can install one of its desktop or mobile apps to take your reading list offline. While you might see references to Pocket’s Chrome app online, the app—and all other Chrome apps—are now obsolete.

With the desktop (and mobile) apps, you don’t have to worry about saving content for offline use. They automatically make all content in your account accessible without an internet connection.

Keep in mind that the Pocket apps might take a while to sync with your account. If you go offline before the sync, the latest content might not be available through the apps. It’s a good idea to ensure that your Pocket list is up to date before disconnecting from the internet.

Along with the desktop app, you might want to install the Pocket Chrome extension or the bookmarklet to save webpages to your account in a single click.

Install: Pocket (Free, premium account available)

3. EpubPress

EpubPress toolbar panel in Chrome

This one’s only for Chrome users. The EpubPress extension turns articles from your favorite websites and blogs into EPUBs.

Once you install EpubPress and click on its toolbar button, it displays a list of the articles available in the active tabs. Select the articles you’d like to add to your custom ebook and click on the Download button.

EpubPress then works its magic in the background, eliminating ads and banners, and drops the final product onto your desktop. The result is a clean, well-formatted EPUB ebook that you can read on any of your devices.

Install: EpubPress (Free)

4. Google Play Books

download Google Play Books to your desktop

Visit Google Play Books to access and build your personal ebook library, which is also known as the My Books section. Books that you have downloaded from the Play Store appear here as thumbnails. You can also upload books to this section from your computer using the Upload files toolbar button.

To read Google Play Books offline, first ensure that you’re connected to the internet, and access your ebook library.

There, right-click on the thumbnail of the ebook you want to save, and select the Download EPUB or Download PDF menu item as required. (For ebooks you’ve uploaded yourself, you’ll see the Download option only for the same format in which you added the book.)

The catch here is that the downloaded file actually appears in the ACSM format since it’s protected by DRM. You can’t open it as a regular EPUB or PDF, but you can still read it once you install Adobe Digital Editions or ADE on your desktop. Chromebook users, if your device supports the installation of Android apps, you can get a copy of ADE for Android.

Visit: Google Play Books (Free)

5. Print Friendly & PDF

Using PrintFriendly & PDF in Chrome

Does your RSS feed or online reading list appear daunting to get through? Break it down into digestible chunks by converting select articles into PDFs with PrintFriendly & PDF. There’s not much to it. After you install the Chrome extension, navigate to a webpage or an article that you want to save as a PDF and click on the extension’s toolbar button.

In the dialog box that opens up, you get an optimized version of the webpage. Feel free to tweak it further—you can scale or remove images, scale the text, and delete various sections of the page. (The links in the PDF stay clickable!)

Once you’re satisfied with the changes, click on the PDF button in the top toolbar and then on the Download Your PDF button that appears.

Want to print or email the webpage instead of exporting it as a PDF? You have those options too—look for them in the toolbar.

Also, instead of installing the Chrome extension, you can use PrintFriendly & PDF as a bookmarklet. This is especially handy if you use a browser that the extension doesn’t support.

Install: Print Friendly & PDF (Free)

No Signal for Reading? No Problem

Do you hoard articles to read, but never get around to reading them? Blame your active internet connection—it ensures that there’s always something eye-catching right around the corner. If you really want to make inroads into your reading list, read offline!

Since we’re on the topic of reading online material without the internet, check out how to save a complete webpage for offline reading. You can also download an entire website for reading offline. If you use Apple devices, consider using Safari’s Reading List for reading content offline.

Read the full article: How to Set Up Google Chrome for Offline Reading of Books


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Should You Install Arch Linux? 10 Reasons for Arch-Based Distros


install-arch-linux-based-os

Arch Linux is one of the most popular Linux operating systems (also known as distributions) around, as are the easier-to-install distros that are based on Arch, such as Manjaro.
Whether you’re thinking of installing each component manually or downloading a pre-built desktop, here are ten reasons why you might use Arch Linux.

1. You Are Free to Build Your Own PC

Arch Linux, Linux Distro desktop

Arch Linux is unique among the more popular Linux distributions. Ubuntu and Fedora, like Windows and macOS, come ready to go. In stark contrast, Arch Linux challenges you to build your PC’s operating system yourself.

The installation process isn’t as simple as clicking through installer windows. You will need to know numerous terminal commands, and you have to choose your own components. What desktop environment would you like? Do you need Wi-Fi? Which sound server? The process can take quite a while.

The amount of knowledge required makes Arch more difficult to install than most distros. You have to do a bit of reading, but if you can follow a guide, you can get things up and running. In the end, you’re left with a system that does exactly what you want.

2. You Run Only What You Need

Since Arch lets you pick your own components (such as your desktop environment and your favorite apps), you aren’t saddled with a bunch of software you don’t expect.

In contrast, Ubuntu and most other Linux-based OSes not only come with a large number of desktop apps pre-installed, but they also load quite a few background services. While the number is small compared to how much runs in the background on Windows, you still won’t notice it going on.

When it comes to Arch Linux vs. Ubuntu, Arch Linux wins on transparency. Not only are these services not running in Arch Linux by default, they’re not even installed unless you want them. That means you aren’t wasting resources on extra system processes. Plus you’re saving internet bandwidth by not downloading updates to code that isn’t necessary.

3. Arch Linux Is Unapologetically Technical

Arch Linux QupZilla page

Many Linux distros present themselves as free and easy to use alternatives to Windows and macOS. They want to attract students, developers, and general users. As a result, they don’t highlight many of the nuts and bolts that make the system work. They don’t hide this information, necessarily, but you do have to know where to search and what to look for.

What is Arch Linux? A collection of programs that you can put together to make a functional computer. That’s it. Want to know what specific packages are receiving updates or are having problems? Arch puts this information on the home page of its website. Each link you click only sends you deeper into technical information.

4. Wait Until You Try Pacman on Arch Linux

Pacman is what you use to install packages in Arch. It’s what APT is to Ubuntu and DNF is to Fedora. Except, unlike those distros, Arch doesn’t go out of its way to provide a graphical alternative to the command line.

One advantage of Pacman is that you don’t have to do as much typing. The command to install a specific package is:

pacman -S package-name

Want to download the latest updates for your entire system? Type:

pacman -Syu

Which package manager you prefer is ultimately a matter of personal taste. But you might find that pacman is the one for you.

5. The Arch Linux User Repository Is the Bee’s Knees

Arch Linux Octopi

The Arch User Repository is a collection of software from community members that Arch doesn’t yet provide itself. Instead of having to download an app’s source files yourself and try to figure out how to get things working, AUR does the heavy lifting. There’s a good chance that if there’s a Linux program you want to run that’s not in Arch’s repos, it’s in the AUR.

Using the AUR isn’t immediately intuitive, but there are ways to make the experience simpler. A tool like Yaourt can help you out in the command line, while Octopi provides a graphical interface that does the background work for you.

6. The Arch Wiki Is the Best Around

Arch Linux Wiki

Whether or not you use Arch Linux or an Arch-based alternative, there is plenty of reason to pay the Arch Wiki a visit. The site is a treasure trove of information.

Because Arch uses the same components as most other Linux distros, the guides and fixes contained on this site are relevant well outside of the Arch ecosystem. If you’re not sure which software to install on your computer, check out the descriptions presented here. Follow the guides, read the recommendations, and take note of the bugs.

There may be some differences in the way your distro and Arch package things, but the wiki may still point you in the right direction.

7. Bye-Bye System Upgrades

Arch Linux sudo Konsole

Most Linux distros see a major release on a semi-regular basis. Some come out twice a year. Others take more time. Arch does away with this approach entirely. You install Arch once and download updates indefinitely without having to think about upgrading to a new version. The same is true of most Arch-based distros.

This is called a rolling release model, and it’s a surefire way to keep up with the latest Linux software.

But this is also what some people consider Arch’s downside. If you’re not paying attention to the updates that are coming in, things could break. No one’s testing the exact configuration of software running on your computer. You have to take responsibility for your own experience.

8. Arch Has Less Corporate Influence

Many people use Linux because they don’t want a company determining what they can do on their computer. No matter which version of Linux you use, there will be less commercial influence on how your PC functions compared to Windows or macOS. But at the end of the day, distros like Ubuntu, Fedora, and openSUSE still have ties to a corporate sponsor.

If you use a distro based on Ubuntu, your desktop experience is still influenced by the decisions that Canonical makes. This is much less the case with Fedora and openSUSE. But if you want even more of a gap, you want a community-only distro like Arch.

9. Arch Makes for a Great Base

Arch Linux antegos on desktop

Don’t want to go through the hassle of installing Arch Linux? Consider Manjaro. It offers a more straightforward installation process and choose a default experience for you. At the same time, you get perks that make Arch great such as access to the AUR and rolling release updates.

Some distros based on Arch keep the same KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid), no-nonsense approach. Chakra Linux is my favorite way to experience the KDE Plasma desktop. It was originally based on Arch, and you still won’t find much non-technical information in its documentation.

10. You Now Know Linux Inside and Out

By the time you finish installing Arch, you have a good idea of what goes into making a Linux distro tick. Even if you go with an alternative Arch-based distro, you still may have to pay more attention to the updates you download. This is the nature of using a rolling release distro.

Yet the knowledge you gain from installation and managing updates is useful even if you move on from Arch to something else.

When there’s talk of transitioning from one initialization system to another, you know what’s going on. You may find you now have strong opinions about display servers. And if things break, you have an idea precisely which software pages may be relevant.

Installing Arch is a great way to get a handle on Linux without having to take a single course.

Is Arch Linux Right for You?

That’s for you to decide. These are some of Arch’s many benefits. Why don’t you take the distro or an easier Arch-based alternative for a spin and let us know what you think? If you find that Arch Linux still doesn’t give you quite the degree of control you were looking for, you could always try Gentoo.

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CPU Socket Types Explained: Socket 5 to BGA


Your computer processor has a home: the socket. The CPU socket is rarely mentioned because it doesn’t help or hinder performance. Rather, it provides a standardized shape for a specific generation of CPUs.

Why, then, should you care about CPU sockets? Well, if you want to upgrade your CPU, you need to know the socket type. Your motherboard socket type dictates which type of CPU you can use, whether your CPU upgrade is worthwhile, or if you should consider upgrading your entire system.

So, what are CPU sockets, and why are they important?

What Is a CPU Socket?

Your CPU socket is similar to a light socket. A light socket makes your light bulb part of an electrical network, giving the bulb the power it needs to work. Your CPU socket makes a processor part of your computer, providing power and offering a way for the CPU to communicate with the rest of your system hardware.

Modern computers place the CPU socket on the motherboard. (Here’s a short guide to all the parts on your motherboard.) In the past, there were other CPU socket configurations, including slot-mounted processors that you insert like a modern PCI card. Today, however, you place your CPU into the socket, on the motherboard, and secure it using a latch of some sort.

CPU sockets are decades old. Intel’s famous first processor, the Intel 386, used a 132-pin PGA socket (I’ll explain this acronym in a moment). The original Intel Pentium CPU used Socket 4 and later, Socket 5.

CPU sockets are not ubiquitous. There are differences between the CPU sockets developed by Intel and AMD, relating to the differences in CPU pin configurations between the two CPU manufacturing giants.

Why Are There Different CPU Sockets?

Unlike a light socket, CPU socket design does change frequently. Why?

Well, changes to the CPU architecture are the reason. New processor architectures arrive every few years and often come with a new set of requirements, including shape, size, and motherboard compatibility. Plus, there are two major x86 processor manufacturers: AMD and Intel. AMD and Intel CPUs have separate processor architectures, and compatibility between the two is impossible.

That last statement hasn’t always been true, mind. Back in the early days of computing, if you were lucky enough to own a high-end Socket 7 motherboard, you could use an Intel Pentium, an AMD K6, K6-2, or K6-3, a Cyrix 6×86, an IDT Winchip, or a Rise Technology mP6. And while dual-CPU motherboards do exist, there aren’t any that facilitate AMD and Intel concurrently.

What Type of CPU Sockets Exist?

Over the years, many types of CPU sockets have come and gone. Only three are relevant at the current time: LGA, PGA, and BGA.

LGA and PGA

LGA and PGA can be understood as opposites. “Land grid array” (LGA) consists of a socket with pins that you place the processor on. PGA (“pin grid array”), on the other hand, places the pins on the processor, which you then insert into a socket with appropriately placed holes.

In the modern computing era, Intel CPUs use LGA sockets, while AMD CPUs use PGA. There are notable exceptions to that rule, though. For instance, the monstrous AMD Threadripper uses Socket TR4 (short for Threadripper 4), which is an LGA socket. TR4 is only AMD’s second LGA socket. Earlier Intel CPUs, such as the Pentium, Pentium 2, and Pentium 3 all used a PGA socket.

BGA

There is also a BGA socket, which stands for “ball grid array”. The BGA technique permanently attaches the processor to the motherboard during production, making upgrades impossible. A BGA socket and motherboard can potentially cost less, but there are very few equivalents between consumer BGA products, and LGA and PGA.

Furthermore, BGA technically is not a socket because it is a permanent motherboard feature. (You can easily replace an LGA or PGA CPU.) BGA sockets are still worth mentioning since it serves the same function.

Several years back there was a rumor that Intel was going to sunset the LGA socket. Intel LGA sockets would phase out after the 4th generation Intel Haswell CPUs. It never came to pass, and Intel still develops CPUs for LGA sockets.

That said, with the increase in system-on-a-chip (SoC) hardware, Intel has increased its BGA socket use. Similarly, ARM, Broadcom, Qualcomm, Nvidia, and other SoC manufacturers all rely heavily on BGA.

Does CPU Socket Type Matter?

A processor using a particular socket type will fit into any motherboard with that socket, right? Wrong!

Socket types like LGA are a category, rather than a specific model. There are many socket variations built on the basic specification.

Intel gives its LGA sockets a name based upon the number of pins. LGA1155, for example, has 1,155 individual socket pins. A processor built for that specific socket type will work only with that socket. Sometimes the numbers are incredibly similar, like LGA1155 and LGA1156, but you cannot force one into the opposing socket. A single Intel socket variation can cover multiple CPU generations.

AMD takes a slightly different approach. It labels its sockets with broad names, like AM3 or FM1. Compatibility is still strictly enforced, though AMD occasionally upgrades a socket while retaining compatibility. You can spot an upgraded AMD socket with the “+” symbol, such as AM2+ and AM3+.

Will CPU Sockets Become Extinct?

Computer development continues to feature a socket as a core design feature. Most components, including the processor, are upgradable or serviceable. Home and business users have the opportunity to build a system to whatever specification they desire, knowing that in time, they can make improvements.

The rise of mobile devices has seen a slight paradigm shift. The PC is not going extinct, far from it. But it is changing significantly to cope with the demands of the mobile hyper-networked world. The extinction of sockets could well be part of that change. CPU sockets add bulk and manufacturing complexity to products striving to reduce costs and size.

Predictions of the demise of the CPU socket in the near future are premature. You only have to look at Intel and AMD developing smaller, faster CPU manufacturing processes, as well as the development going into upgrading existing sockets or producing new socket variations.

It makes sense, too. Even though there more mobile devices than ever, enthusiasts and IT specialists will always look to a motherboard with a socket so that upgrading a single part is an option, rather than replacing an entire system, server, or otherwise.

Considering building your own PC, but not sure where to start? Look no further than our guide on how to build your own PC. It’ll walk you through, from start to finish.

Read the full article: CPU Socket Types Explained: Socket 5 to BGA


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Find Your Friends via GPS With These 7 Free Android Apps

Canada’s True North conference is not your typical tech event


From the venue and the flashy event website, Waterloo, Ontario’s True North conference (in its second year) doesn’t seem all that distinct from a laundry list of other major tech events that take place each year across North America. But from the moment its main stage programming kicked off on the first day, it was clear this wasn’t your typical gathering place for the tech industry faithful.

The main stage track kicked off with Communitech CEO Iain Klugman. The event is produced by Communitech, an entrepreneurial support and resource organization founded in 1997 to foster the Waterloo region’s technology industry. Communitech sprung out of BlackBerry and the University of Waterloo and the world-class innovation community that surrounds both.

Klugman, a former communications executive and current board member at a number of Communitech-fostered startups and academic institutions, sounded a cautionary and urgent note that continued throughout the day.

Tech conferences, in general, tend to dwell on optimism and enthusiasm, with brief forays into dark alleys of negative consequences. Not this one.

Communitech CEO Iain Klugman speaking at True North 2019 in Waterloo.

Klugman’s talk touched on opportunity, but it was the opportunity to discuss among a group of peers with influence in the technology industry how they should undertake together “to set things right.” Last year’s event had a similar outcome, resulting in the ‘Tech for Good Declaration,’ which True North describes as “the Canadian tech industry’s living document” and includes a number of principles designed to help guide technology development with community good in mind.

Rather than changing focus for year two, True North’s organizers seem to have doubled down: Klugman’s opening talk included references to surveillance capitalism and breaches of trust, and included this cheerful analogy: “Technology is like fuel. It can warm our homes or it can burn them to the ground, so we decide which one it will do.”

As a whole, the event is about the “tough choices” faced by the collective “we” of the tech industry, according to Klugman.

True North’s official keynote perfectly took the baton from the intro, as New York Times columnist and longtime political commentator Thomas Friedman took the stage. Friedman, a somewhat controversial figure owing to some of his past political stances, launched into a talk informed by his most recent book, Thank You for Being Late, and talked about what we’re seeing now in human history as a moment of intersection of three different forces accelerating in a ‘nonlinear manner’ all at once, including technological development outpacing humanity’s ability to adapt to those changes.

NYT columnist and author Thomas Friedman at True North 2019 in Waterloo.

Friedman’s talk ended with him positing that humans spend most of their time today in the essentially “god-less” realm of “cyberspace,” a realm “where we’re all connected but no one’s in charge,” while at the same time we’ve achieved better than ever ability to act with god-like power to control and manipulate our environment. He chided the essential disconnect of powerful forces that act with supreme mastery over technology but no grounding in sociopolitical understanding (specifically naming Mark Zuckerberg) and those who have the inverse problem (the U.S. Congress, in Friedman’s view).

Overall, Friedman’s views are grounded in what he describes as a place of optimism. But the takeaway is more that humanity is currently at a state where it’s overwhelmed on a number of fronts and out of its depth in terms of having a capacity to cope.

In the afternoon, Robert Mazur (longtime undercover agent and the subject of biopic The Infiltrator) discussed his experience tracking down and prosecuting money launderers operating more or less with the blessing of large financial institutions, precisely because their systems were designed around incentive systems that encouraged them but didn’t have protections in place to prevent bad actors from taking advantage. Mazur further elaborated that current telecom industry structure actually makes it even easier than ever to launder large sums relatively unchecked. In essence, it was a warning to be mindful of how the products you build can be exploited by the most malicious actors.

Former Information and Privacy Commissioner for Ontario and creator of the concept of ‘Privacy by Design’ Ann Cavoukian came next, decrying the current state of data “centralized in huge honeypots of information,” including Google (her example).

Former Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner Ann Cavoukian.

This centralization, she noted is a huge risk in terms of presenting opportunities for tracking, misuse, leaks and more. It’s “taking away our agency as individuals,” she said, and the solution is moving to true decentralization of data.

“Privacy […] is freedom, and is about you making decisions relating to your personal information; not the state, not corporations – you,” she said. “It’s not about secrecy, it’s about control [and] privacy is a necessary condition for societal wellbeing.”

Cavoukian wrapped her talk by noting the sheer volume of privacy breaches that have leaked consumer information to date, and about the importance of encryption in keeping this safe. Overall, her talk was a blueprint for tech companies looking to incorporate data privacy and good stewardship into the DNA of their products from day one.

Kelsey Leonard, Tribal Co-Lead on the Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Body of the U.S. National Ocean Council, provided a talk on the implications of digital rights and the continued digital divide as it pertains to Indigenous communities globally. Leonard pointed out that Indigenous nations in North America are the least connected in the world, something she noted continues to ongoing colonialism, and even can potentially contribute to “ongoing genocide of Indigenous peoples.”

Kelsey Leonard, advocate for Indigenous Data Governance and Sovereignty, speaks at True North 2019 in Waterloo.

Indigenous people are also systematically disenfranchised from data ownership and data control, by virtue of their being left out of advanced STEM education and formalized degrees, she said. Leonard also noted that platforms contain reinforcement of what she calls “digital colonialism,” in that Indigenous names are often flagged as fake by algorithms designed to enforce real name policies, and Indigenous languages are often mistranslated (specifically as Estonian, she said).

This worsens existing Indigenous language and culture erasure. Leonard said a language is lost every two weeks on average, according to recent research. What’s required then is to add protection measures specific to digital platforms to help counter this institutional digital colonization and enforce Indigenous Sovereign Data.

To close day one, Recode founder and legendary Silicon Valley reporter Kara Swisher summarized a lot of her recent work as a New York Times columnist. Basically, that means she called on the industry to stop messing around and start fixing stuff.

Kara Swisher speaks at the True North 2019 conference in Waterloo, Ontario.

Swisher said we’re coming to a “reckoning” for tech in terms of media coverage, and the overwhelmingly positive coverage it’s received over the past many years. She emphasized that we’re only at the beginning of the impact technology will have on society, and laid out a number of current areas of innovation and investment that will continue to upset societal norms, including autonomous driving, artificial intelligence and more.

Regarding media specifically, Swisher noted that she marked a significant shift when Buzzfeed started A/B testing to amplify and extend the attention-capture possible around specific “news” items, citing the famous Katy Perry Left Shark incident of 2015. This, combined with our “continuous partial attention,” which is tied to our inability to totally disengage from your smartphone anymore, are combining to have effects on how we think and work in the world, Swisher said.

She added that, today, many of her new big concerns are around AI, and that “everything that can be digitized will be digitized.” Not only that, she continued, but “almost everything can be,” which will be massively disruptive to peoples’ lives, with effects including a future where most people will have a very high number of different jobs over the course of their lives, requiring continuous education and retraining. “We have to think really hard about what good AI is and what problematic AI is,” she said.

Thompson Reuters Foundation CEO Antonio Zappulla discussed using technology to help fight human trafficking at True North 2019 in Waterloo.

Across other stages, too, the themes of technology’s dangers and how to avert it prevailed across programming. Take Some Risk founder Duane Brown gave a talk on opting out of the always-connected lifestyle and becoming “digitally exhausted”; MedStack founder and CEO Balaji Gopalan talked about the risks inherent in dealing with private patient data in healthcare; other topics included sustainable energy for Africa, using big data to counter human trafficking and ensuring we steer away from encouraging consumerization in this generation of connected kids.

The event’s central theme was the deceptively simple (and frankly over-uttered) phrase “tech for good,” but the programming and content revealed a level of sophistication and sincerity on the topic that exceeds the low bar often found in tech industry marketing materials and staged events. Overall, it felt introspective, contrite and contemplative – a self-reflection from a community genuine about shoring up its ethical shortcomings. In other words, refreshing.


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