That was Then... This is Now

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, electric vehicles are here to stay. My own take is that the automotive industry has reached the “point of no return” and sooner or later we will all be driving one. Difficult to estimate precisely but at least in the United States, I’m guessing it will be much longer than most people think until we reach that point. I’ve seen different figures on when but if you plan on buying another “gas powered” vehicle over the next few years you’ll be fine. According to CNN, electric vehicle sales should overtake gas and diesel by 2040. Still a long way off but the trend is clear: Problems such as short battery life, a lack of recharging stations, training of knowledgeable service personnel, and sometimes ugly styling are all being addressed. EV's aren't the novelty they once were even 10 years ago. For most of us it will just be “how cars work.” Taking it all for granted just as we have done for over 100 years with "ordinary" fuel powered cars. Motorsports ...

I never go shopping on "Black Friday" or "Cyber Monday." Why? I just don't. Too much hassle and too busy most of the time... Also, whenever I decide that I need or want something, I want it NOW! That's what Amazon is for. However, many of my friends live for these days. If you feel like you missed out this year, no worries, there are going to be great deals around all through the holidays. According to PCMag some things are still on sale. There's a few items on this list I'd be interested in. And I'm sure there's many more out there! HP Victus Intel i5 GTX 1650 15.6" 144Hz Gaming Laptop $589.99 (Reg $830) Beats Studio Buds Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds $99.99 (Reg $150) 65" Vizio V-Series Class 4K Smart TV $449.99 (Reg $630)  Meta Quest 2 + Resident Evil 4 Bundle $349.99 (Reg $400) iRobot Roomba 675 Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum $174.99 (Reg $280) Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Generation) $14.99 (Reg $40) Amazon Fire TV Stick $19.99 (Reg ...

Writing in the October 25 issue of PCMag, Security Analyst Kim Key has created a comprehensive checklist for beginners and advanced users alike. Often, in the interest of time or the belief that "it won't happen to me..." we take shortcuts or skip important steps altogether. The "bad guys" know this and are waiting. Looking over the items, I have to "call myself out" for not using a Password Manager consistently and for almost never using passwords of 20 characters in length. Other than that, I did pretty good!  How did you do? PCMag's Online Safety Checklist Download and install a password manager on your computers and internet-connected devices. Create new, unique passwords with at least 20 characters using the password manager. Install antivirus software on all your internet-connected devices. Check to make sure your antivirus software is running. Update your antivirus software. Update your web browser. Install any patches or updates for your mo...

Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing are reshaping the way we work in advanced manufacturing and logistics. These technologies are creating a world where manufacturing productivity and quality can be continually optimized through data analysis and automation that learns as it goes. The deployment of new technologies mean changes within your workforce as current workers are required to learn new and more technical skills.   November 2, be sure to join Conexus, Ivy Tech Community College, and Amatrol to learn how the organizations are reskilling the AML workforce via Amatrol’s state-of-the-art, smart manufacturing training technology and Ivy Tech’s newly developed Smart Manufacturing and Digital Integration programs and employer partnerships that build training and apprenticeship programs to align training with company needs. Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5062615954224043788

According to PCMag Security Watch, a researcher recently discovered that TikTok's in-app browser injects JavaScript into external websites, causing potential security risks. This is just the latest security problem for the social media giant, which is still facing scrutiny from US lawmakers after leaked audio revealed the video hosting service may have been sharing US user data with China. TikTok is owned by a Chinese company. Given the political tension between the two countries, it's unsurprising that many US-based news media outlets jumped at the chance to report on security researcher Felix Krause's findings. On his website, Krause says his tests show that when a user opens a webpage inside TikTok's iOS app, the in-app browser injects a code that subscribes to all keyboard inputs and every tap on the screen. Krause states, "We can’t know what TikTok uses the subscription for, but from a technical perspective, this is the equivalent of installing a keylogger on ...

Windows 11 may be the best edition of Microsoft's OS so far. Version 10 was an improvement. Windows XP perhaps was the longest lived and most loved and many users such as myself would like to forget their experiences with Vista. It's hard to believe that Windows 3.1 came out over 30 years ago. That was the first version I ever used... anyone remember Solitaire? For history buffs, Version 1.0 was released back in 1985! Fortunately, many issues with both 10 and 11 are easily corrected. This article by Eric Griffith from PCMag lists the steps you can take to keep everything running smoothly . Highly recommended.

Forty years? It can't be! Generation Y was originally defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as 1982-2000.  "Millennials" are turning 40 this year. A number of posts on Social Media express the “perception” that looking back at 1982 from our present day somehow seems like a shorter time period than does say, the 1980's to the 1940's. Although each time period spans 40 years, somehow "the eighties" don’t seem as far away to these commenters. This survey was undertaken to get an idea of how many actually feel that way as well as to uncover possible reasons for this perception of time.  Marketers using social media can take advantage of this connection with the past to reach members of Generation X and Generation Y in particular who may have strong associations with “retro” 80’s culture and feelings of nostalgia. The first question asked: Ignoring the fact that both time periods are 40 years; based on your own experiences do you find this perception of time to b...

This Sunday, the 2022 Indy 500 will give many race fans their first look at several technology upgrades implemented at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The most obvious one is the huge 104’ by 20’ video screen mounted on the rear of the pagoda. This screen will provide live coverage of action happening all around the track, as well as detailed information about race teams during the running of the race. Fans will also notice display boards that show the running order of the cars on the seven large monitors located in the infield. 20 smaller video boards have been installed throughout grandstand and other seating areas. Another significant technology upgrade is complete 5G cellular service along with nearly 600 new digital antennas located throughout the speedway grounds. The 2022 race will be the first to have “full capacity” attendance since the pandemic and will test the capability of the new network for race attendees. Still more technological changes are expected for the 2023 Indy ...

As the conflict in Ukraine continues, a many organizations have gathered in Rzeszow, Poland to aid displaced people and begin rebuilding as soon as the fighting stops. The initial step was mapping the damage to prioritize the reconstruction and resettlement necessary to safely return Ukrainians to their homes. Over the first month of the conflict, more than 4 million people have fled the country, and an estimated 6.5 million people are internally displaced. For The HALO Trust (HALO), the largest demining organization in the world, the mapping effort is focused on identifying the presence of explosive remnants of war as well as damage to homes and infrastructure. The HALO team is using a geographic information system (GIS) to detail the impacts and the ongoing dangers. “What we do is critical to reconstruction and resettlement post-conflict, because you cannot just deal with the damage straight away,” said Luan Jaupi, head of information and communications technology at The HALO Trust. ...

April 18th is Tax Day! Time to be on the lookout for scammers who want to trick you into giving out your personal information and taking your money. Since late last year, you might have noticed an increase in calls, emails, or texts from people posing as government officials or tax service representatives. According to research from RoboKiller, there was a 24% increase in IRS and Social Security related spam text messages between January and February. Some of the increase can be traced back to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic as scammers got more aggressive in taking advantage of people trapped at home or receiving unemployment benefits. Anyone can become a target of a tax scam if they don't pay close attention to the messages they receive over the phone. Kim Key writing in PCMag this week discussed this year’s particularly bad phishing epidemic with Giulia Porter, a vice president at Teltech. Her company makes an app called RoboKiller, designed to block spam calls. Porter sa...

This week in The Atlantic there was an interesting piece by Derek Thompson about the beginning of the end of the traditional 5 day work week for professionals. The idea is not new, I remember learning about possible 4 and even 3 day workweeks related to “knowledge work” way back in college. Now, in the 2020's so many other factors come into play. Changing priorities, maintaining a "work-life" balance," new enabling technologies, and of course the major disruption due to the Covid pandemic. It’s not surprising at all to me. Most of us have already been adjusting to something other than a typical 9-5, five days a week grind. Here’s a summary of the major points made by Thompson: Many Americans still aren’t going back to the office even though other sector activity has picked up. According to data from Kastle Systems, office attendance is at just 33 percent of its pre-pandemic average. For tens of millions of knowledge-economy workers, the office is never coming all the...

Happy New Year! To begin 2022, I'd thought I'd share something from 2015. As I spent much of the holidays reading about Omicron, Russia/Ukraine, President Biden, Cryptocurrencies, and everything else that's made the headlines, I've been especially troubled by the seeming lack of intelligence, rudeness, and bullying seen on "social media." It has become a "toxic" environment. Yes. Bad behavior has always been part of "The Internet" but it seems to be getting worse. Especially when it comes to commenting on an a news article or other post. It doesn't matter which platform or site. YouTube and TikTok often are singled out for criticism but you see it everywhere.  Fact: I have never observed quite the same behavior in real life. In my own classes we have frequent discussions over current issues pertaining to technology. We have seldom have had any problems. In my own career, I have sometimes been in heated arguments with other colleagues in...