6. Interesting Reads
“Following the widespread phishing scam that affected Google Docs and Gmail users this week, Google says it’s now rolling out a new security feature in its Gmail application on Android that will help warn users about suspicious links. This feature may not have prevented this week’s attack, however, as that attack involved a malicious and fake “Google Docs” app that was hosted on Google’s own domain. However, the additional security protection is a step in the right direction, given how many users access Gmail on mobile, and the increasing sophistication of these phishing attacks that can even fool fairly tech-savvy individuals.”
“Anyone raising a child today has likely fretted about screen time and wondered about the impact of devices on our kids. Does the technology affect their brains? Does it limit their social development? Could it harm them emotionally? Could it delay when they start talking? I had never thought about that last question until a new study, released Thursday and being presented at the 2017 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting, revealed some striking findings. The study found that the more time children between the ages of six months and two years spent using handheld screens such as smartphones, tablets and electronic games, the more likely they were to experience speech delays.”
(CNN)
“Mind-controlled robotics look like the future of prosthetics — but what if your prosthetic limb has a mind of its own? A team of researchers at Newcastle University has developed a hand that is able to “see” objects in front of it using a simple Logitech webcam, and respond via software to assess and grasp them. Their research was published this week in the Journal of Neural Engineering. “Using computer vision, we have developed a bionic hand which can respond automatically,” said co-author Kianoush Nazarpour, senior lecturer in Biomedical Engineering. “In fact, just like a real hand, the user can reach out and pick up a cup or a biscuit with nothing more than a quick glance in the right direction.”
(CNET)
“When Google demoed Android Nougat for the first time almost a year ago at Google I/O 2016, Instant Apps was one of the features that stood out, as a trick the iPhone didn’t have at the time and still doesn’t have now. But as hot as it may be, the feature wasn’t ready for public consumption when Google released the final Nougat build last year. However, things might change soon, as Google is apparently getting ready to enable it on devices running Android 7 as well as phones and tablets running older Android versions.”
(BGR.com)
“That earworm you just heard (and have been humming for half the day) is likely brought to you by one of the 10 most popular music streaming services in 2017. As of the end of 2016, the total number of paid subscriptions on the various music streaming services around the world reached 100 million, according to MIDiA Research, a music-centric research agency. This milestone is important, because the 100 million figure is commonly mentioned as the mark at which point a certain service is considered widespread. Having 100 million people paying for a service means there is a lot of money to go around, and in the case of music streaming providers, a multitude of ears to stream music to.”
“By 2018, there could be 1.3 million robots in factories globally. That’s 1.3 million machines at risk of being hacked. From baristas to pizza chefs, automation is quickly taking over the economy, expected to kill off 6 percent of all US jobs by 2021. Factories that make your phones, cars and planes already depend primarily on machines to automatically put together devices. Humans can’t keep up with a robot’s pace, strength and durability, but at least they’ve got machines beat on cybersecurity. A series of tests conducted by Politecnico di Milano and cybersecurity firm Trend Micro found that factory robots have weak network security.”
(CNET)
“If you are struggling to gain weight, too, then read our list of 15 easiest ways to gain weight fast for skinny people. Weight is an issue for the majority of people. Overweight is one of the greatest threats to our health and it is causing countless diseases such as diabetes. It also increases the possibilities of a heart attack. According to WHO, obesity has doubled since 1980. Out of 1,9 billion adults in 2014 who were overweight, 600 million of them were obese. This is a very serious issue, but one which can be prevented by creating a nutrition plan and lowering the intake of fats and sugars while exercising regularly. We are obliged to take more care of our health and well-being in general because when we feel healthier, we feel better, and we look better, too.”
“If you have the next great business model and you need a place to start, look no further than the best cities for startups in the US. Startups are a lucrative business nowadays. More and more people are going forth to become the next entrepreneur that solves any and all problems you could possibly think of. I’ve worked for startups a few times and there’s something really wonderful about getting in on the ground floor with a company and being a part of the growth in a unique way. Your ideas, to some degree, actually matter and make a difference within the company, whereas in larger businesses you might get pushed aside and ignored.”
