Posts By: David Firth

Smart machines v hackers: How cyber warfare is escalating

Posted by & filed under Artificial intelligence, Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies.

There is a gaping hole in the digital defences that companies use to keep out cyber thieves. The hole is the global shortage of skilled staff that keeps security hardware running, analyses threats and kicks out intruders.  Currently, the global security industry is lacking about one million trained workers, suggests research by ISC2 – the industry… Read more »

Ottawa explores potential of ‘blockchain,’ billed as next-generation Internet tech

Posted by & filed under Banking, Consumer Technology, Emerging Technologies, encryption.

An emerging technology has caught the eye of the innovation-obsessed federal government — a platform so packed with potential, many experts believe it could comprise the foundation for the next generation of the Internet. Source: Toronto Star Date: March 8th, 2017 Link: https://www.thestar.com/business/2017/02/28/ottawa-explores-potential-of-blockchain-billed-as-next-generation-internet-tech.html Discussion 1) “Like a giant digital bulletin board, blockchain creates an online ledger or database… Read more »

Canada places 12th in mobile data speeds out of 87 countries, OpenSignal says

Posted by & filed under App Economy, bandwidth.

Canadians may not be satisfied with the price they pay for wireless services, but new numbers out Wednesday suggest that they get some of the fastest data speeds in the world. According to wireless-mapping company OpenSignal, Canadian mobile users have access to the 12th-fastest data speeds in the world in a ranking of 87 countries. Source: Toronto Star Date: March… Read more »

WikiLeaks Releases Trove of Alleged C.I.A. Hacking Documents

Posted by & filed under Cybersecurity, Ethical Issues, IT and Politics.

Wikileaks recently released thousands of documents that it said described sophisticated software tools used by the CIA to break into smartphones, computers and even Internet-connected televisions. Source: New York Times Date: March 7th, 2017 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/07/world/europe/wikileaks-cia-hacking.html?action=Click&contentCollection=BreakingNews&contentID=64996424&pgtype=Homepage&smid=fb-nytpolitics&smtyp=cur&_r=0 Discussion 1) “The WikiLeaks release said that the CIA has managed to bypass encryption on popular phone and messaging services.”  Does this… Read more »

Has wearable tech had its day?

Posted by & filed under wearable technology.

This time last year analysts were making multi-billion dollar forecasts for the developers of health trackers and smartwatches, and Apple was boldly selling a $10,000 gold edition of the Apple Watch.  But by November 2016 Smartwatch shipments declined by 51.6% year-on-year, according to a report by market analysts IDC. Source: BBC Technology News Date: March 8th, 2017… Read more »

Will Cuba embrace the internet revolution?

Posted by & filed under Emerging Economies, IT and Politics.

No matter how much you warn visitors to Cuba that they’ll be offline during their stay, they often won’t believe it until they actually arrive in Havana.  Is this about to change? Source: BBC Technology News Date: March 8th, 2017 Link: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-39119873 Discussion 1) The title of this article is “Will Cuba embrace the internet revolution?”  Isn’t a… Read more »

Google Again Pledges Undying Support to Business Cloud Customers

Posted by & filed under Cloud Computing, cloud services, Google.

Google executives once again took to the stage Wednesday to say the Internet search and advertising company is 100% committed to providing cloud computing services to business customers.  At the company’s Google Cloud Next tech conference in San Francisco, the company’s brain trust said it will be a key provider of computing, storage, and networking… Read more »

After years of trying to ban cellphones, many schools are now trying to make them work in the classroom

Posted by & filed under education.

Researchers and educators agree that cellphones have become fixtures in Canadian classrooms, but opinion remains divided on how best to address their presence.  All agree that the presence of smartphones can be problematic if students are allowed to devote more attention to their screens than their studies.  One research paper suggests the majority of schools… Read more »