Episode 62: Classrooms, Chromebooks, and Connectivity
Release Date: 06/02/2020
The Killing IT Podcast
Topic 1: 4D Time Crystals created by Google Quantum Computing. We’ve mentioned 4D printing, which involves 3D printing with materials that then change over time. Now 4D Time Crystals designed by Google Quantum Computer. Herein we bring you the definition of a quantum computer, along with an advancement in science brought about by said quantum computer. Let the arguments begin, but it looks like we’ve discovered a new phase of matter in physics. Who cares? Well, we’ve actually entered the era in which quantum computers are used for truly amazing advances at a reasonable price. The 4D...
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Topic 1: Sentient AI? Is it real? Should you lose your job over it? For starters, violating an NDA and whistleblowing are vastly different reasons to be fired. Besides, this so-called sentient AI could easily just be a complex game of 20 questions; pattern matching at it's best. That said, this freaked-out-ness might be a good indicator that we are getting too close to comfort. Topic 2: Will privacy legislation happen? The internet was made for sharing data. Sooner or later, that 140 characters or less post about that weird...
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Topic 1: What does tech company even mean? RoW is a good resource to better gauge who can call themselves a tech company. We might want to reframe this seemingly exclusive title. What is the criteria a company must meet to be able to slap this title on a business card? Topic 2: Do we think subscription / consumption model is souring? The ideal business model is evershifting. But the supscription based and reoccuring model is exploding. With our indiviudalistic society, people want to exercise their right to choose...So as long as you are focused on customer...
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Topic 1: Update on that Apple Self-Repair Kit for iPhone Screen The basic program includes two large Pelican cases full of equipment and tools, which you rent for $49/week plus a $1,300 deposit. Then the repair kit is about $10 cheaper than taking your phone to the Apple store for the service. At this point, the self-repair program appears to meet enough requirements that you can check the box and say there IS a self-repair option. But it is not the simple, elegant “Apple” experience you might have assumed you would have. One of many videos you can find: Topic 2:...
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Topic 1: Shredding the Myth of Anonymity in Bitcoin Wired recently published a long, detailed story of how law enforcement agencies around the world collaborated to bring down the largest child abuse sex network in history. One key element in this take-down is the “trick” of turning bitcoin from an anonymous tool into a perfect record of evidence. This story truly is the modern equivalent of the Al Capone story. Once agents have access to a few crypto wallets, they can then use the public Bitcoin blockchain data to identify every transaction, and every buyer or seller....
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Topic 1: Found all those Great Resignators: They’re working somewhere else. Looks like a basic shake-up that forced a number of employers to treat their employees like humans. Maybe, and we're only speculating here, the working person realizes they don't have to work somewhere that has no decent pay, no decent benefits, no decent work evironment, and so on...Maybe. Consistent data shows that this so called Great Resignation is about worker power. Topic 2: Truly terrifying – AI + Ransomware: The unholy combination of AI + Ransomware is upon us. It's time to...
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Topic 1: Ransomware leads to the first casualty in the higher education market as Lincoln College closes permanently due to cyberattack in December 2021. Who was their MSP … and why was there not a plan in place? Ten years ago, a system failure of more than 24 hours could mean the end of your business. Today, with ransomeware on the rise, what are the odds of hundreds of schools, hospitals, businesses etc. going under? As this inevitable threat unfolds, it begs the question: Why haven't we implimented data back ups as the standard? Topic 2: Let’s not ignore Apple’s...
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Topic 1: Colloquium: What do we think the permanent changes are to “the workplace” after the pandemic. What percentage will go back? Is hybrid permanent forever? Has the concept of office changed forever from a technology perspective? If yes, was this something we should have seen coming and covid just sped it up? What’s next that we might not have seen coming? Topic 2: Declaration for the Future of the Internet Splinternet - China and Russia And the actual 3-page declaration: Topic 3: Big Tech salaries revealed Ryan -- -- --...
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Topic 1: Should businesses embrace or avoid social media? Can we talk about “social media” without focusing too much on Elon? I think we all love the concept of the Marketplace of Ideas...but the Internet somehow turns that into silos of sewage. With Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit, the marketplace allows ignorance and stupidity to win. Maybe they even enhance the ability of misinformation to be taken more seriously than knowledge and wisdom. Topic 2: Data breaches happen then nothing. Topic 3: The evolving “next normal” of employment. This story will...
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Topic 1: Hospital Robots Are Helping Combat a Wave of Nurse Burnout Moxi and other delivery-focused assistants have become even more critical as the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed health care workers to their limits. https://www.wired.com/story/moxi-hospital-robot-nurse-burnout-health-care/ Topic 2: DHS investigators say they foiled cyberattack on undersea internet cable in Hawaii https://www.cyberscoop.com/undersea-cable-operator-hacked-hawaii/ https://thisishowtheytellmetheworldends.com/ https://www.audible.com/pd/This-Is-How-They-Tell-Me-the-World-Ends-Audiobook/1635577179 ...
info_outlineWe have a bit of a theme going through all three of today's topics: Education.
Topic 1: Google Classrooms - too meager?
In case you haven't seen it, here is "Google Classroom."
https://edu.google.com/products/classroom/?modal_active=none
Google Classroom is super low tech. Is it too low tech? How much tech is needed in order to serve the education market? We discuss design, technology, and intended purposes.
Of course this discussion touches on the topic of access to high speed Internet. More and more, true Internet access is becoming a requirement for education.
Old link, but we all downloaded it before it became hard to find:
https://www.subtraction.com/2020/05/19/google-classroom-and-how-spaces-value-people/
Our saved version: https://killingit.smallbizthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Google-Classroom-and-How-Spaces-Value-People-Subtraction.pdf
Topic 2: HP Refresh / HP LIFE / Google Chrome books / the growing Digital divide
HP has a great program to help get laptops (or desktop computers) into the hands of 1.5 billion students without computers. The HP Refresh software does a military wipe of the hard drive and then installs a Chrome operating system with a Zoom agent.
We discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with bringing this basic technology to all the folks across the U.S. and the world.
HP Refresh = https://www8.hp.com/us/en/solutions/education/refresh.html
HP Life Global = https://www.life-global.org/
Topic 3: Life after Pandemic - Classrooms and Connectivity
We agree that the digital divide is real. And we think it might be getting wider.
Again, we examine opportunities in the emerging environment.
:-)