You might not give much thought to the hashtag – that little # symbol you sprinkle between your daily tweets and online messages. But what started as a tool to classify topics and relevant conversations has now become a rallying cry for sociopolitical action. “We look at the hashtag as kind of a symbol that […]
Indonesia’s Google Balloons; the Threat to Apple; 000Webhost Hacked
Posted October 29th, 2015 at 11:00 am (UTC-4)
Today’s Tech Sightings: Alphabet, Indonesian Firms to Expand Web Access via Balloons Three Indonesian telecommunications firms and Google’s holding company, Alphabet, signed an agreement Wednesday to use Google’s solar-powered balloons to expand Internet access. In 2016, Alphabet’s Project Loon will launch hundreds of balloons over the archipelago nation, comprised of more than 17,000 islands, to […]
Zuckerberg Defends Internet Project; 2016 Cybersecurity Threats
Posted October 28th, 2015 at 12:00 pm (UTC-4)
Today’s Tech Sightings: Facebook CEO Defends Effort to Expand Internet Access During his second visit to India, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg said his company’s effort to bring free Internet access to the developing world could help alleviate poverty in India. Zuckerberg’s program to provide basic Internet access on Android devices is now available in 24 […]
Harassment Scrubs SXSW Panels; the Texting Generation
Posted October 27th, 2015 at 12:30 pm (UTC-4)
Today’s Tech Sightings: SXSW Cancels Panels on Gaming Harassment, Citing Threats After receiving threats of violence, the South By Southwest Festival Monday canceled two panel discussions focusing on video games and harassment in the gaming community. The festival, scheduled for March 2016, was set to feature panelists who have been publicly vocal about the #Gamergate controversy, […]
Mobile Payments Gaining Ground, But Hold on to Your Wallet
Posted October 23rd, 2015 at 12:03 pm (UTC-4)
Mobile payment systems like Apple Pay are gaining users, but security concerns might mean you’ll have to hang onto your credit cards and cash for the time being. While mobile payments still make up only a small fraction of online transactions, their use is growing quickly. That presents a moving target in terms of assessing […]
Online Harassment; Apps for the Blind; Bitcoin; iOS 9.1
Posted October 22nd, 2015 at 12:02 pm (UTC-4)
Today’s Tech Sightings: Experts Address How Silicon Valley Can Solve Online Harassment Despite all the wonders of the Internet, it remains a playground for abusers looking to silence minority voices. Wired talks to six experts about what Silicon Valley can do to help put an end to online harassment. How One Woman is Using Instagram […]
#BlackLivesMatter; Palmyra; Twitter Polls; Back to October 21, 2015
Posted October 21st, 2015 at 12:01 pm (UTC-4)
Today’s Tech Sightings: How #BlackLivesMatter Uses Social Media to Fight the Power #BlackLivesMatter is a Twitter hashtag created in 2013 after the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the man who shot and killed young African American Trayvon Martin in Florida. The hashtag has since become a rallying cry for millions of people looking for change. Jailed […]
Snapchat & Teens; Your AI Muse; Apple; Online Reviews
Posted October 20th, 2015 at 12:00 pm (UTC-4)
Today’s Tech Sightings: I’m 15 and Snapchat Makes Me Feel Awful About Myself Writer Ruby Karp argues that Snapchat’s latest update encourages FOMO or fear of missing out among teenagers. She says teens are obsessed with the Snapchat stories feature, which lets them “boast” about who they are with, what they’re doing — and “what […]
Laser-Beaming the Internet of the Future
Posted October 15th, 2015 at 4:20 pm (UTC-4)
Several tech companies are looking at laser or a combination of radio and laser technologies to take Internet connectivity the next level. Spearheading the effort are Google and Facebook. Google, which is deploying helium balloons in the stratosphere to provide Internet connectivity in remote areas as part of Project Loon, wants to use radio or […]
E-Learning; Women in Tech; Cloud Culture; Kiss Your Piggy Bank Goodbye
Posted October 15th, 2015 at 12:30 pm (UTC-4)
Today’s Tech Sightings: The Coming Trends in Online Education Online learning has benefited from new and improved tech tools during the past six years. However, these improvements have not produced better learning outcomes, claims writer William Fenton. He argues that priorities need to change as online learning shifts towards “blended initiatives with residential universities.” More […]