More companies are slowly adopting biometrics, a technology sometimes seen as “the” answer to a crumbling cybersecurity regime that has fallen prey to hackers. But the collection of biometric data is raising all kinds of questions about privacy and security. MasterCard, the latest firm to dip its toes into the waters of biometrics, is developing […]
Biometrics Have Promise, But Raise Privacy, Security Questions
Posted July 17th, 2015 at 4:02 pm (UTC-5)
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Tech Devices Displace Memory, Boost Digital Amnesia
Posted July 10th, 2015 at 3:35 pm (UTC-5)
Digital devices have become where we keep many of the vital pieces of our lives – snapshots once relegated to photo albums, contact information that used to be committed to memory or recorded in address books, even sensitive records kept in filing cabinets. All it takes is one careless moment for all those digitally-stored ‘memories’ […]
Using Biometrics to Track India’s Tuberculosis Cases
Posted July 3rd, 2015 at 2:15 pm (UTC-5)
Biometrics might be the future of security in cyberspace, but in India, a non-profit is using the technology to help health workers fight tuberculosis (TB). Operation ASHA, a group dedicated to bringing tuberculosis treatment and health services to India’s urban slums and rural villages, has adopted biometrics to ensure that TB patients receive full treatment […]
Leap Second; India’s Digital Age; Zuckerberg on Telepathy
Posted July 1st, 2015 at 3:01 pm (UTC-5)
Today’s Tech Sightings: Leap second Causes Internet Hiccup Overnight Don’t say you weren’t warned. The infamous leap second – that extra second added to sync world clocks with the Earth’s rotation – crashed about 2,000 networks just after midnight Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), half of them in Brazil. Most networks recovered after rebooting their routers. […]
Beware the Mixed Blessings of Mobile Health, Medical Apps
Posted June 26th, 2015 at 3:48 pm (UTC-5)
Health and medical apps are becoming part of daily life. They track fitness, provide useful health indicators, and even create new health care opportunities in developing countries. But despite their promise, unregulated apps are raising concerns about safety as well as the security of patient data. While health and medical apps can be useful, Kevin […]
New Mobile App Helps Document, Verify Atrocities
Posted June 19th, 2015 at 1:32 pm (UTC-5)
Recently, someone posted an online video depicting human rights abuses and claimed it was from the Central African Republic, long a witness to the atrocities of war. The footage was actually from Nigeria. In another instance, images that were posted on social media in relation to last year’s Gaza war in fact dated back to 2012. […]
Cuba Expands Wi-Fi; WeChat; iPhone OS X Flaw; Ello Goes Mobile
Posted June 18th, 2015 at 3:32 pm (UTC-5)
Today’s Tech Sightings: Cuba Says It is Expanding Wi-Fi Access, Making it Cheaper Cuba’s government announced Thursday that it is expanding Wi-Fi access in state-run Internet centers and slashing hourly online costs by more than half. Cuba’s state communications company said 35 computer centers around the country will have Wi-Fi access, beginning in July. WeChat […]
Technology to Help Dyslexics Yet to Be Developed
Posted June 12th, 2015 at 3:17 pm (UTC-5)
Reading apps might be helpful to kids and adults who struggle with reading. But the technology that could help dyslexics overcome reading and comprehension challenges and decode the words they read has yet to be developed. Appi Dabbi‘s Qread, which stands for quick read, is an Android and iOS mobile app that helps people with […]
Are Cell Phones Harmful to Your Health?
Posted June 5th, 2015 at 3:41 pm (UTC-5)
Cell phones and mobile devices that use electromagnetic radio frequencies continue to invade nearly every aspect of modern life despite concerns that they might prove harmful. But extensive research into the health effects of these devices has only produced inconclusive evidence. “The evidence is not certain that these devices are dangerous,” said Jonathan Samet, M.D., […]
Do You Know What Your Tech Toys Are Sharing About You?
Posted May 29th, 2015 at 2:30 pm (UTC-5)
Many PC and smartphone owners only use their devices for basic tasks like accessing email and the Internet, or playing a game, often unaware what apps are running in the background, possibly sharing their information. And yet many people gladly trade their privacy for convenience – a decision that makes raising awareness an uphill battle. […]