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 Than 10,000 Women in Tech Gather in Houston

The Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing conference convenes in Houston, Texas, this week with a record 12,000 people attending, a growth of 25% from last year. The meeting, described as the world’s largest gathering of women technologists, is said to have become a source of inspiration for women in technology, a largely male-dominated field.

The Cloud Changes IT Culture, Demands New Tech Skills

The migration to the cloud is underway, at times forcing companies to change the way they do business. But as they begin moving their data and services to the cloud, the IT culture itself is shifting and forcing a new look at the kind of skills that workers need to occupy in this evolving space.

Could Kids’ Phones Replace Piggy Banks?

The piggy bank you might remember from your childhood could very well become extinct. Money apps for kids are showing up on mobile, allowing parents to deposit their children’s allowance digitally. One app – Beanstocks – lets parents create a list of chores and then pay their kids for the chore they complete, such as taking out the garbage.

French Experts Say Hackers Could Control Siri

French researchers claim that radio waves can disrupt commands on voice-activated iPhones, if headphones are plugged in, allowing hackers to eavesdrop on conversations or take control of the phone.

No Thanks: JPEG Images May Soon Have Copy Protection

If you haven’t already had enough of Digital Rights Management or DRM, a new initiative from the Joint Photographic Experts Group could bring DRM to regular JPEG images. The move could protect user privacy but it could also prevent users from copying or opening some of these pictures.

Yahoo Mail Drops Passwords, Adds Third-party Email Support

Marking its 18th birthday this month, Yahoo Mail announced new offerings on Android and iOS. The new apps support multiple third-party email accounts and introduce the Yahoo Account Key – a new approach to security that does away with passwords altogether.