Tech Sightings, September 18, 2014

Posted September 18th, 2014 at 2:35 pm (UTC-4)
Leave a comment

Make Peace, Not War

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, the United Nations Development Program, and Build Up have teamed up to sponsor PEACEapp, a competition intended to showcase the work of game developers who create games to channel cultural dialogue and conflict management. October 15 is the deadline for entries.

China’s Signal Hijacks Have Become an Epidemic

Fake cell towers, deployed by scammers to create bogus signals that allow them to access a connected phone, are being used by crooks to send out texts luring users of phones that pick up their signal to part with their cash.

What Happens to Literacy When the Internet Turns Into a Giant TV Station?

The effect of the Internet on literacy remains somewhat unclear. But a recent study from the Pew Research Center says people who are more engaged on the Web tend to pick up books to read more often.

Apple: We Have Never Allowed Government Access to Our Servers

Apple, which has recently amended its privacy policies, says it has “never allowed any government access to our servers” and “never will.” Changes to the company’s privacy policy now state that users are no longer required to provide personal information, although some products or services might not work without it.

How the Physical World is Being Consumed by Software

Software, aided by changing hardware components that gave it prominence, is taking over the world. And, the writer argues, consumers’ expectations of what technology can do for them have increased as devices shifted from specific tools dedicated to specific tasks to multifaceted, multifunctional devices.

Aida Akl
Aida Akl is a journalist working on VOA's English Webdesk. She has written on a wide range of topics, although her more recent contributions have focused on technology. She has covered both domestic and international events since the mid-1980s as a VOA reporter and international broadcaster.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *