Today’s Tech Sightings:
Who Is Sundar Pichai, Google’s New CEO?
Out of the blue, Google announced Monday that it is restructuring. The Google you know will now be a subsidiary lead by a new CEO – Sundar Pichai. The new parent company is called Alphabet. Pichai has been with Google for the past 11 years.
Alphabet’s Most Notable Businesses Besides Google
Under the restructuring plan, Google will continue its search business, along with ads, Android and a host of other areas. But the new entity – Alphabet – will have a host of other businesses ranging from research and self-driving cars to investment and broadband Internet.
Internet of Things Device Security Degrades Over Time
The Online Trust Alliance (OTA), a charitable organization which aims to enhance online trust and empower users, warned that Internet of Things (IoT) devices hitting the market have vulnerabilities that are easy to exploit and manipulate. The OTA said IoT devices must have sustainable security to keep users safe.
Don’t Laugh. Microsoft Teaches Computers to Be Funny
Researchers at Microsoft have developed an artificial intelligence system that can figure out if something is funny or not. The cartoons it was fed had to be described in text because the software struggled with the interpretation of drawings. Researchers hope to come up with a system that actually tells jokes in the future.
Facebook’s Laughable Data Shows ‘LOL’ Isn’t Funny Anymore
A recent report from Facebook looking at how its users express laughter found that those who use “lol” – laughing out loud – are an older demographic than those who use “haha” and “hehe.” For all intents and purposes, it looks like “lol” is headed for retirement.
As Saudi Arabia’s Love of Online Gaming Grows, Developers Bloom
Saudi Arabia is the Middle East’s fastest growing market of online video gamers. In the absence of cinemas and concerts in this conservative society, young people turn to video games for entertainment. In the process, the environment gave a push to local game developers to create local content and characters.
