Going Home with Google

These are exciting times for Google. What began as a simple search engine service is now among the most powerful companies in the IT and technology industries. Google is always on the lookout for the next great thing, and their latest creation will help you feel right at Home.

At the I/O developer event held in Mountain View, Calif., Mario Queiroz, Vice President of Product Management for Google announced the launch of Google Home. Designed to compete head-on with Amazon’s Echo, Google Home is a voice-activated speaker that enables users to ask questions, receive answers, stream music, and get help with everyday tasks.

Google has made several attempts to expand into the world of artificial intelligence lately, and Google Home represents the next step on that journey. No launch date or price has been set for Google Home as of yet.

Read more here:
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/Google-Plots-Home-Invasion-83525.html

Official Google Home website:
https://home.google.com/

All that and a bag of chips

Google is many things to many people. They’re one of the top search engines in the world, they’re the creators of the Android operating system for mobile phones, and they’re responsible for Blogger, the platform on which this site is hosted. And the list goes on.

But the Alphabet-operated juggernaut is about to expand into a new area – computer chips. On May 19, Google announced that the future of their organization will rely on a custom-designed chip that will power artificial intelligence systems. 

The past few years have seen Google undergo an unprecedented evolution from a search engine service to a relative giant in the realms of technology and IT. This progress has many people wondering just what they’ll do or create next.

While Google firmly believes that AI is the future of personal computing and user experience, should the creation of these new chips have companies like Intel and NVIDIA scrambling to maintain their market share?

Read more here:
http://www.wired.com/2016/05/googles-making-chips-now-time-intel-freak/

Law & Order: Digital Intent

In the criminal justice system, offenders of all kinds rely on legal representation. At the bankruptcy division for U.S. law firm BakerHostetler, the latest lawyer to join their team is unlike none ever seen before. This is his story.

Meet ROSS, the latest creation from IBM. Built with the assistance of the company’s Watson cognitive system, ROSS is the world’s first artificially intelligent lawyer. Designed to understand language and develop hypotheses when posed legal questions, ROSS provides answers and subsequently draws conclusions backed up by the necessary references and citations.

While ROSS’s arrival on the legal scene certainly won’t spell the beginning of the end for human lawyers, he will certainly make their case work easier.

Read more here:
http://futurism.com/artificially-intelligent-lawyer-ross-hired-first-official-law-firm/

Face off

Say, do you remember old what’s-his-face? You know, that guy who might have shoplifted from your store a while back? If not, there’s a new technology being developed  that will help many retailers solve that problem.

Los Angeles-based FaceFirst is helping to crack down on crime with an intelligent software system that scans the faces of customers upon entering a store. The software then captures an image of each face and compares their features to those of known shoplifters. A Canadian equivalent, developed by Genetec in Montreal, is also in the works.

In theory, a system like this sounds like a good idea, as it might help the police to nab recurring five-finger discount seekers, but the facial recognition software is not without its detractors. Some top privacy experts are questioning its legality in Canada.

Read more here:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/facial-recognition-shopping-1.3561060

Reality check

One of the hot topics in the tech industry today is augmented reality (AR). AR is designed to modify or enhance a realistic environment with the addition of audio, data, graphics and other elements. Discussions about AR were originally met with caution and skepticism, but over time, that has evolved into optimism and confidence. 

Investors have opened their minds and wallets to the tune of over $3 billion in this previously uncharted area, and major players like Google and Microsoft followed suit. In fact, a recent report from Digi-Capital predicts that AR will be a $120 billion market within the next four years.

AR has the potential to impact many fields, such as education and medicine, and will play a major role in the development of smart homes. But the real questions on everyone’s minds are is the world truly ready for AR, or is it in need of a reality check?

Read more here:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/mahindracomviva/2016/04/11/augmented-reality-blurring-the-lines-between-the-real-and-virtual-worlds/#64380bdb5f6a

Taking a bite out of Apple

For what seems like an eternity, Apple has held a lofty position within the tech industry. With its ever-popular line of smartphones, computers and tablets, it seemed nearly impossible to knock the gadget-producing juggernaut off of its throne.

But as the old adage states, all good things must come to an end. Apple’s second-quarter fiscal report, released on Tuesday, showed that worldwide unit shipments totaled 51.2 million, a decline of 16 per cent as compared to the 61.1 million sold last year.  

Could this be a sign of things to come for Apple?

Read more here:
http://www.cnet.com/news/apple-misses-sales-as-iphone-shipments-drop-for-first-time-ever-2q-2016/

Diode domination

The smartphone as we know it has come a long way since its inception. Each new release from mobile juggernauts Apple and Android is packed with dozens of new features, capturing the attention of an audience that always wants to be connected.

A recent scientific breakthrough will give smartphones more power than ever imagined. The project, a joint United States-Israel partnership, saw the creation of a molecular diode. Built from a single DNA molecule and forged from 11 base pairs, this tiny diode proved that electricity could be conducted through a molecular component.

Read more here:
http://www.timesofisrael.com/super-small-diode-could-herald-iphones-a-million-times-more-powerful/

Words are important

Back in my elementary school days, my dad handed me a book called Words Are Important. The well-worn tome was required reading for students in his day, as it taught them the fundamentals of spelling, grammar and sentence structure. The world of technology has its share of important words too, but many of them are rapidly losing their meaning. 

Selfie service

The old expression says that a picture is worth a thousand words, but a new service from BMO Financial Group and MasterCard could turn a picture into a personalized security feature.

Nicknamed “selfie pay,” the service requires users to literally take a selfie to validate their ID when making online purchases.

Read more here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/mastercard-bmo-selfie-pay-1.3504616

What happens when our computers get smarter than we are?

5 pieces of Tech coming in 2016

Get excited for 2016! 5 new pieces of technology coming soon.

Read more here:
http://thealmostdone.com/2016/03/19/5-mobile-technologies-that-will-be-happening-in-2016/

RAM: What’s it all about?

Most have you have probably heard of RAM. You’ve probably heard it used by a salesman when shopping for a new computer, along with other terms like 8GB and DDR3. But what does it actually mean?

Shopping in the digital age

There is no question that as technology evolves at an exponential rate, so too does the shopping experience. Even just 10 years ago, online shopping was seen as almost a novelty and hardly the norm. People wanted be in the store and experience the item in question. Touch it, try it, and take it for a spin. How quickly things have changed. Here are 3 more ways technology is shifting our shopping landscape. 

Read more here:
 http://www.socialmediatoday.com/technology-data/re-imagining-retail-3-ways-digital-technology-changing-way-we-shop

Padding their lead

Hot on the heels of the announcement of the 4-inch iPhone SE, Apple is also padding their lead in the tablet market by shrinking it down to size.

Asimov's dream come true

One could only imagine what Isaac Asimov, the father of the Three Laws of Robotics would have to say about this new creation from Hanson Robotics and Hiroshi Ishiguro Laboratories. Say hello to Sophia.

Learn more about Sophia here: http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/16/could-you-fall-in-love-with-this-robot.html

Cast away

It’s been said that everything has a shelf life. From food to vehicles, we tend to use various items until they are no longer useful, or in some cases, until the wheels literally fall off. The same can be said about certain forms of technology; mobile phones in particular.

Driving force

We are inching ever closer to self-driving vehicles becoming a reality. Google has already performed several road tests with prototype models, and the results have been more or less positive. But is the world actually ready for this new phenomenon?

Comparing processors

People often ask me, “How do I pick a fast computer?” or “How do I make my computer faster?” These are very loaded questions and often have no simple answers. There are many things to consider when determining a computer’s speed. One of the more important areas is the processor also known as the CPU. 

Turning the Page

Of all the devices in a traditional office setting, the printer is perhaps the most temperamental. On some days, it works without fail, printing documents quickly and easily. But then there are the days when the printer is a major thorn in the collective side of the employees, with paper jams, ink spills, and a litany of errors. Not only do these problems slow down the workflow, they also have a negative impact on the environment.

Screening out screen time

The kids of today should be going outside to enjoy their young lives to the maximum. There was once a time when we would watch as they observed the world around them with awe, taking in scenery around them and bombarding their parents with questions about everything. But sadly, those days of happy exuberance are but a memory now.