Can Mobile Banking Revolutionize the Lives of the Poor?

Kenya’s mobile payment system, M-PESA, introduced in 2007, enriched the lives of Kenyans and gradually spread to other countries. M-PESA allows cellphone users to save and transfer money  and use SMS to exchange funds over the network. But will mobile money actually transform the lives of the world’s poorest in the future?

‘Smart Spaces’ Project Seeks to Light Up Networks

Dartmouth University’s Visible Light Communication project (iVLC) is the first instance of an integrated networking and sensing environment. What that means, according to researchers, is that the technology enables so-called “smart spaces” to separate shadow from light and transmit high-speed data wirelessly, using the light spectrum.

Uber Will Add Panic Button, Location/Journey Sharing in India

Following incidents of beatings and rape by Uber drivers in India, the ride-sharing company announced it will add a panic button, and journey and location sharing on February 11. The date was announced after the Times of India reported that the Mumbai transportation department was considering a ban on Uber.

Today’s Hackers Are Way More Sophisticated Than You Think

Hack attacks have been evolving, becoming more sophisticated and more frequent. Writer Lance Cottrell argues that users also need to evolve, and adopt new, robust ways of dealing with malicious software and security breaches to minimize impact.

Cisco Predicts Half a Billion Wearables Will Hit the Streets By 2019

The wearable tech market is still developing, but according to Cisco’s Visual Networking Index report, it is set to quickly expand. The report predicts that more than half a billion wearable devices will be in daily use by 2019.

Google Street View Comes to Bangladesh

Google announced today that Bangladesh has become the 65th country to be added to Street View, which now includes sights from Dhaka and Chittagong. The tech company partnered with the Prime Minister’s Office in Bangladesh to allow its Street View vehicles to take in the local sights.

New Japanese Hotel to Be Staffed By Robots

What is the world coming to? Japan’s Huis Ten Bosch theme park announced plans to staff a new hotel with robots. The Henn-na Hotel, which means Strange Hotel in English, will open in July and will have a robot staff of receptionists able to converse with guests, as well as robot porters and cleaners.