The Metaverse is the only thing people are talking about these days. Well, other than the pandemic, vaccines, masks, war, politics, inflation, NFTs, cryptocurrencies, oh, and global warming, equity, diversity and inclusion, house affordability and the cost of gas. But the metaverse. It’s either the next big thing that will solve many current problems or the next big hype that… Read More »Time to go to the Metaverse?
Predictions are, in the near future, we will each have a personal assistant with artificial intelligence (AI)1 that runs our life. It’ll order household items before we run out, book social engagements, reminds us of upcoming events and related purchases (like birthday gifts, a bottle of wine for the hostess, or a new outfit to wear to the party). More elaborate… Read More »AI Personal Assistants – The Death of Shopping as we Know it?
Two factor authentication. Securing your account with email address, phone number and password. Seriously? When is it too much work to be worthwhile? We shouldn’t be asking how to make our accounts more secure. We should be asking what’s wrong with this system that we live in such fear of having our online accounts hacked. It isn’t bad enough that… Read More »Multi-factor Authentication Answers the Wrong Question
You know the list. The technologies, labelled creative destruction, that changed life as we humans knew it: Fire. Pasteurization. The assembly line. Washing machines. Email. Mobile Phones. Each of these had a dramatic impact on society, generally decreasing the effort required to do a vital human activity and allowing us to do other, more interesting things1. Should plastic be added… Read More »Destructive Creative Destruction
I have to keep looking up the definition of NFTs. The concept is straightforward – ownership of the intellectual property associated with a digital thing1. The confusing part is what the value of an NFT is based on. It could be the digital thing, the tangible thing behind the digital thing (if it exists), ownership of the thing, or the… Read More »NFOs. The Evil Sister of NFTs.
The last week has been an inferno of sizzlingly slow downloads, agonizing loading bars, and the endless torture of researching how to adapt to ‘things that have changed’ for no obviously good reason. With little to do in pandemic lockdown, the time was right to update all my devices, operating systems, apps and all. I’ve couldn’t help but notice that… Read More »Software Updates are Hell
To recent developments in tech business1 I say: MEH. There’s lots happening. But not finding the sizzle of cool new things or the intrigue of dramatic social change isn’t just my version of the February blahs. For an ardent follower of the business of technology, this lack of interest interests me, especially because it’s me who is disinterested. It’s like a hockey… Read More »The Very Exciting Tech Business Blahs.
It time for another humorous, if somewhat pointed, look at modern technology, specifically software updates and the (mixed) messages that come with them. Take for example: This software update will fix a few security issues. What it seems to mean: The update will break all my preset passwords, requiring re-input into ‘settings’. But, I don’t know all my preset passwords. Either… Read More »Software Updates: A User’s Perspective
About 50 years ago, a company recording music asked ‘It is live, or is it Memorex?’ suggesting their method of replicating sound [memorex] was so authentic, it was impossible to tell the difference between a live singer and the recording.1 Now, we all know there is a difference between someone singing in front of us and listening to a mechanical… Read More »Recreated Experiences. Or how I want my vision restored.
If it sounds to good to be true, or like it should be illegal, it probably is, or will be soon. I call this Ann’s Axiom, although I’m not sure I can claim exclusivity to the sentiment. I did add the last line to cover the current business environment, where it often takes a while for laws to catch up… Read More »Is Bitcoin like a Tulip?