Episode 62: Classrooms, Chromebooks, and Connectivity
Release Date: 06/02/2020
Episode 66 - Limiting AI, Apples Buys an RMM, and more
The Killing IT Podcast
Topic 1: Limit AI Research before it happens? Wired reports that an AI algorithm that "predicts" criminality based on a facial recognition is drawing ire. Meanwhile, some AI experts are calling to stop this line of research altogether. Topic 2: Apple buys an RMM . . . Will this affect us? (and Dave notes his predictions along these lines). Note also Amazon’s new use of the term "managed service " with regard to their Honeycode project. Described online as a "managed service" you can buy. See . . . Topic 3: Life after the Pandemic . . . Will we actually get to attend anything in...
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Episode 65 - Future Freelancing, MSP Benchmarks, and Future Agile
The Killing IT Podcast
Our sponsor today is PC Matic - Thank you! More info at -- -- -- Topic 1: Coming boom for freelancers? Part of the rhythm of the economy is that economic downturns result in new opportunities. This time, the question is, will this help independent IT consultants? Note: When decision makers are looking for special skills, they would rather hire an outside source rather than train someone in-house - even if cost is not a factor. Related Link: Topic 2: IT Glue released their 2020 Global MSP Benchmarks. A few notes. Around half (51%) of MSPs saw monthly revenue decreases as a result of...
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Episode 64: Facial Recognition, the New Normal, and the 4-Day Work Week
The Killing IT Podcast
Special Note: This week's podcast is brought to you by our friends at Third Tier. For more information, visit . Topic 1: IBM and Amazon get out of facial recognition Major companies are backing away from developing and working with facial recognition technology. Issues include both the racial bias and the fact that they are working with police agencies. And then there was another shoe that dropped on the facial recognition topic. Other, older, related links: Topic 2: Let's Ban the term “New Normal” Everything changes all the time. We discuss whether the term "new normal" is actually...
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Episode 63 - Facebook Shops, Lobbying Efforts, and Current Events
The Killing IT Podcast
Topic 1: Facebook Shops Will you (should you) set up a shop on Facebook? We give our perspective. Related Link: Topic 2: Lobbying by and for the IT Community Should we be lobbying on behalf of the IT Community? What does that look like? We discuss some of the major issues and what we think the (near) future might look like. Who should speak for us? Topic 3: How will we be affected by the current events and unrest, once the dust settles. Again, just our opinion. But we feel that we need to say something. Your feedback is always welcome! :-)
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Episode 62: Classrooms, Chromebooks, and Connectivity
The Killing IT Podcast
We 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." 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: Our saved version: ...
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Episode 61: LIVE Podcast - Burrito Delivery, Emerging Tech, and Your Favorite Accelerant
The Killing IT Podcast
Recorded LIVE at the SMB Online Conference! (Conference attendees can see and listen to all four topics in the Conference downloads area.) Topic 1: Where do we stand on burrito delivery? Update on our year-old bet: Will your pizza (or burrito) be delivered first by flying drone or driverless car/robot? Well, that driverless car might have lots of fees attached (see New York Times). And of course industry news is hard to separate from "pandemic" news right now, but workforce slowdowns will affect the pace of technology adoption. Relevant links: Topic 2: Emerging Technology and Digital...
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Episode 60: AI and VR in the Pandemic - and Spying on Employees from Now On
The Killing IT Podcast
Happy "Diamond" anniversary - 60 episodes! Topic 1: Are we breaking artificial intelligence? In this era of "pandemic," our behaviors are different from normal. That can be confusing for AI. In fact, it points out some of the weaknesses of AI data gathering, and how the models can wander off in the wrong direction. Topic 2: What happened with VR? This newsletter articles from Axios asks the question: Did Virtual Reality miss its big opportunity in this era of changing technology? And we ask . . . If not this time, should we be ready for the next opportunity? Or will VR's time to...
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Episode 59: Facial Recognition, Facebooks's Supreme Court, and Sales After the Pandemic
The Killing IT Podcast
Please check out our new “Killing IT Reading List” - at . Promo: Join us at the SMB Online Conference May 19-20. As a bonus, we're doing a "Killing IT Live" session. Check it out at . Topic 1: The Next Evolution of Facial Recognition - good and bad Makers of facial-recognition technology are trying to figure out how to adapt to a world in which people cover their faces to avoid spreading disease. Scouring social media and other apps for facial recognition database. Is this legal? Ethical? Also - finding children who have been victims of crimes. Sounds good, but also has some drawbacks....
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Episode 58: Virtual Events, Economic Speculation, and Office Space after the Pandemic
The Killing IT Podcast
Check out the “Killing IT Reading List” at . Topic 1: Virtual Events -- what you want to see A different kind of discussion here. Would you rather rush out from quarantine to a channel-focused event, or maybe a sporting event, a social event, or even a concert? We are still waiting for a "killer app" for online events. Topic 2: The Economy Where are we? Note: Wild speculation ahead! We are clearly on our our way to recession. How soon will we start to move out of it? How paralyzed are you by the statistics? What are the implications for business when there is so much uncertainty? In the...
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Episode 57: Amazon CX, IT Communication, and Blockchain in the Grocery Store
The Killing IT Podcast
Topic 1: CX Rules - Amazon makes it a little more difficult to buy - so you won’t be disappointed. Amazon has made several subtle changes in response to the current economic environment. Specifically, their delivery times and inventory are no longer as reliable as they used to be. One example: They have reduced the “people also bought this” option so they are not automatically pushing items that might be out of stock or take longer to fulfill. They are also pushing Kindle versions of books, which never go out of stock. The goal is to minimize bad Customer Experience and maximize the...
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.
:-)