Hardly a day goes by without news about a breakthrough in machine intelligence or some debate about its pros and cons, more recently between Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Tesla Motors’ Elon Musk. Adding his voice to the mix, author and IT specialist Peter Scott warns that rapid AI growth comes with serious risks that, if […]
Apple’s iPhone Turns 10; New Details Emerge About ‘Petya’ Data Wiper
Posted June 29th, 2017 at 2:35 pm (UTC-5)
Today’s Tech Sightings: Here’s Everything the iPhone Has Replaced in the Last 10 Years On June 29, 2007, the first iPhone was born. It had a unique feel to it that continues to permeate new iterations of the device. And despite a bumpy start, connectivity limitations, and battery issues, it was an instant hit that […]
Ransomware Attack Hits Europe; Microsoft Turns to AI to Fight Malware
Posted June 27th, 2017 at 1:53 pm (UTC-5)
Today’s Tech Sightings: New Ransomware Attack Hits European Firms, Infrastructure A massive cyberattack first reported in Ukraine has spread to Russia, Denmark, Britain and other countries. Hackers are targeting major companies, government agencies and infrastructure, banks, utilities, airports, and many others. In Ukraine, government agencies were unable to access their computers. In Britain, an advertising […]
The Future, According to Jack Ma; Uber CEO Resigns
Posted June 21st, 2017 at 12:18 pm (UTC-5)
Today’s Tech Sightings: Alibaba’s Jack Ma: AI Could Lead to 4-hour Workdays and World War III Adding his voice to a chorus of visionaries warning about the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI), Alibaba Founder and CEO Jack Ma told CNBC AI automation could allow people more free time, perhaps leading to four-day work weeks in […]
Google Teaches Kids About Online Safety; Email Scams on the Rise
Posted June 6th, 2017 at 12:35 pm (UTC-5)
Today’s Tech Sightings: Google Is Using Games to Teach Kids About Online Safety Learning how to watch your step online to avoid malware and other pitfalls is an acquired skill. And Google has just launched a new program called “Be Internet Awesome” to teach young people how to make smart decisions online. The program includes […]
iOS Spyware Pegasus Returns for Android; Apple’s Mac Pro Faux-pas
Posted April 4th, 2017 at 12:43 pm (UTC-5)
Today’s Tech Sightings: State-backed Spyware Is Using Android Phones to Eavesdrop, Grab Data A new incarnation of spyware previously used to snoop on activists on iPhones now targets Android smartphones. Lookout and Google researchers announced the original strain, also known as Pegasus, last year, when it was being used by a state to monitor Middle […]
Musk Goes After Human-Computer Interface; the Ongoing iCloud Saga
Posted March 28th, 2017 at 12:33 pm (UTC-5)
Today’s Tech Sightings: Elon Musk’s Neuralink Will Connect Our Brains to Computers If you feel you’re not ready for the future just yet, wait till you hear this: Tesla Motors, SpaceX CEO and visionary Elon Musk now wants to connect brains directly to computers. If reinventing transportation and fixing the world’s energy problems aren’t enough, […]
Uber’s Harassment Reality Check; Slack Bug Puts User Accounts at Risk
Posted March 1st, 2017 at 12:56 pm (UTC-5)
Today’s Tech Sightings: Uber Case Could Be Watershed for Women in Tech The recent allegations of Uber’s culture of sexism and sexual harassment have put the tech sector and its diversity problems in the spotlight – again. But writer Farhad Manjoo argues the Uber case feels like a watershed that could trigger innovation and new […]
The Dilemma of Defining ‘Electronic Persons’; Facebook Turns 13
Posted February 2nd, 2017 at 12:46 pm (UTC-5)
Today’s Tech Sightings: Should Robots Be Treated Like Pets or People? If a robot makes a mistake, who is accountable for any resulting harm or damage? The answer may appear simple, but experts are still divided on the matter. Some argue robot owners are accountable in the same way pet owners are accountable for the […]