While U.S. immigration restrictions introduced late last week are bringing the stateside technology industry together in outrage, some Canadians see a positive ripple effect on tech recruitment and investment north of the border. “Canada has an opportunity to be a country where the best talent from around the world can move here and do their… Read more »
Posts By: David Firth
How smartphones are proving clickbait for fishermen
Braving the choppy waters of the South Atlantic four days a week, fisherman David Shoshola says a mobile phone app is helping him worry less about the risk of not being able to support his family. The 50-year-old and three colleagues fish from two small, open-deck boats based in the seaside town of Lambert’s Bay,… Read more »
How virtual reality is shaking up the music industry
Imagine finding yourself on a futuristic stage with rock legends Queen as they blast out their greatest hit, Bohemian Rhapsody. A neon-rendered Freddie Mercury struts around you. Well, now that fantasy experience can be a reality – albeit a virtual one. Last year Queen collaborated with Google Play and Enosis VR to create a 360-degree… Read more »
Playing to win: AI beats the world’s best poker stars
FOR ALMOST THREE weeks, Dong Kim sat at a casino in Pittsburgh and played poker against a machine. But Kim wasn’t just any poker player. This wasn’t just any machine. And it wasn’t just any game of poker. Kim, 28, is among the best players in the world. The machine, built by two computer science… Read more »
Your tech habits leave a carbon footprint, too
The company you are using and the way you power your home are all factors in the way your technology affects the environment, researchers say. Source: Washington Post Date: February 1, 2017 Link: https://www.thestar.com/business/tech_news/2017/01/25/your-tech-habits-leave-a-carbon-footprint-too.html Discussion 1) “How do our tech habits affect how much power we use and the environment? Finding an answer is harder than you may… Read more »
Look who isn’t talking: Why Canadians are being left behind in the voice-activated tech wars
“Alexa, why can’t I buy you in Canada?” That’s the question many early technology adopters here would like to ask one of the hottest gadgets in the U.S. Source: Toronto Star Date: January 26th, 2017 Link: https://www.thestar.com/business/2017/01/23/look-who-isnt-talking-why-canadians-are-being-left-behind-in-the-voice-activated-tech-wars.html Discussion 1) “One potential sticking point is language. Alexa used to be English-only, but in September 2016, the company launched the… Read more »
Digital sexism: Why are all virtual assistants women?
Why are virtual assistants from Amazon, Google and Apple all “female”? Technically speaking, of course, virtual assistants don’t have genders. But they do have names and voices that suggest to users they are more “female” than “male” — a characterization that reinforces some of the worst gender stereotypes in our society. Source: CBC Technology News Date: January 26th,… Read more »
How BlaBlaCar created a global transport network
A rail strike is a strange time to realise that your start-up is going to be a success but that was the moment that the founders of BlaBlaCar knew that their company was going to take off. BlaBlaCar is the French online ride-sharing company that pairs people travelling between cities with drivers who have empty… Read more »
The AI that knows when we cheat
Detecting online crime typically means knowing what to look for. Artificial intelligence that monitors any unusual behaviour can do it better – and step in when habits get out of hand. Source: BBC – Future Date: January 26th, 2017 Link: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170126-the-ai-that-knows-when-you-cheat-by-learning-your-habits Discussion 1) “By monitoring frame-by-frame data from the game, Aric flagged unusual hikes in the accuracy of… Read more »
Sextech as a necessity?
Note: the video in this article contains graphic language. Viewer discretion is advised. Entrepreneur Cindy Gallop is hellbent on bringing “sextech” out of the fringes. You’re probably thinking: Does the world really need more connected vibrators or smart kegel trainers? But Gallop defines “sextech” as any technology venture designed to innovate and enhance human sexuality…. Read more »