Nerd News Tracker

In what should not be a surprise to anyone, cyberattacks have gone up against healthcare and medical facilities. The United Nations apparently was surprised. The statistics, however, showing an attach every 39 seconds, a 600% increase, and more.... are interesting to...

It should hardly be a surprise, but if millions of people are at home, can't go out, etc... video game companies will thrive. Nintendo being at the top of the gaming world already, will wind up being one of the benefactors of this virus. I'd like to see how Sony and...

Many different locations will have bias across the Internet, from left to right. It's interesting that one of the co-founders of Wikipedia acknowledges that it is no longer neutral. This is an issue that is disturbing as many often use it as a source of fact, rather...

An interesting story in tech, where a hacker (the experimental kind) decided to hack a calculator. Casio responded with a massive attack, claiming copyright, even though he only added his own code. Casio will squash the hacker and stop him, but would lose the case if...

Moving into the realm of the big discussion, Shopify staying closed and announcing the world has changed is the next name in the saga to embrace this. Twitter was the first big name, but I think we will continue to see more names follow suit. (Reuters) – The CEO of...

General Electric has been one of the big names in lightbulbs for my entire life. That's about to change as they leave what made them what they are today. I'm sentimental, and would have tried to keep it, but then again, perhaps that's why I'm not a CEO.GE started with...

Staying non-political on this... which is hard. I don't think Trump can shut them down, and I don't think they should censor / attack / squelch him. The rest of the article and comments in the article are political. Once again, Trump has doubled down. Following the...

While some are saying return is coming soon (Apple), or scaled over the rest of this year as desired (Facebook, Google), Twitter went the other direction and said "go for it". This is a good approach, as it recognizes the major benefits from zero commute, flexibility...

In the world of haves and have-nots... Apple apparently wants everyone to go back to the office. It's an unfortunate approach, especially since they are looking to move soon. Apple plans to start having employees return to its corporate offices around the world in the...

In the new effort to twist the world to a single point of view, this new approach from Twitter will label something that could take people away from Twitter's pravda, even though it's not misinformation. Welcome to the new world of manipulating.The new rule applies to...

Payday loans, debt collection practices, and GrubHub. What? I'm a capitalist. Still, there comes a certain point where outrageous fees and practices ripoff others. In $1042 of sales, this pizza guy received only $376 in revenue. This is a week old, but GrubHub just...

More companies quickly followed Facebook on the planning to work from home for the rest of the year. In the tech world this is far easier. It does mean that the IT support staff of many companies will need to grow, as the nerds start supporting all layers of remote...

Two massive conventions hit Las Vegas in the hottest weeks of the summer, Black Hat and Defcon. These two conventions are the location where hackers from around the world gather alongside FBI, NSA, and other security progressionals. Ironically, the first with the...

Flexibility in these times is key for employers and employees. As we move forward, there will be a lot of plans to return to offices, and they will vary, but this extension and flexibility of "through the end of 2020" is definitely employee friendly. Facebook CEO Mark...

The death of ownership. It's a book, and the the author has been on our show. This is an example of the intrusion, where a company comes along and says you'll now have to pay a monthly fee if you want your product (owned for years) to continue to work in a week....

I struggle with robocalls, but I also trouble with squelching them. The largest problem I have is that they frequently don't follow the rules laid out, and lack decency to stop when asked. Near daily, I get a recorded call from a random number that is from some group...

Imagine being told in advance of anything that you might say, that your statement might not be politically correct. It's also a nice little warning that says you may be squelched, limited, or censored. A certain set of molding to your mind, your thoughts, your...

I fully expect this post will not last long on Facebook. Their new "Facebook Supreme Court" which is supposed to be non-partisan has a series of members that are of one partisan view. The troublesome part of this, is that this "court" will now be the arbiter of all...

A common challenge is to offer large amounts of cash to hackers to break an operating system. For $100k, it is likely that someone will come up with a suitable exploit. This is in the field of IoT (Internet of Things), that Marty Winston labels the IoHT (Internet of...

And in further updates, the Musk baby's name might not be as horrible as previously mentioned. Apparently California only allows letters, apostrophe's, and hyphens. In scarier news, the A-12 in the name is reported as the "A-12 = precursor to the SR-17 (our favorite...

I've seen some strange names before, but Elon Musk's 6th child takes the cake. ‘X Æ A-12' - X appears to be the first name. The symbol formed by capital A and E merged together is pronounced Ash. And A-12. This is not some crazy new version of the Tesla, or a SpaceX...

Following the dramatic Lyft layoff, Airbnb decided they should lay off 1900, or 25% of their company. It sounds cold and callous, to mention they gave the axe to those folks via a Zoom meeting, but it's part of today's world. On the flip side, they are giving 14+...

We have a lot of people around the world who are working to make cool things happen. This approach is amazing, simple, and probably just what the doctor ordered! Let's see if the FDA thinks so!Nvidia Chief Scientist Bill Dally has released an open-source ventilator...

Interesting legal battle back and forth. "We're not in California" and "We don't use American IT services." There's a claim of immunity because of their clients. Another approach is to say that they had approval through other apps. Slimey approaches abound. Spyware...

Marty and Benjamin will discuss this interesting event, and more regarding CES and it's future, on this weeks show. The news — reported Thursday by American Public Media — is renewing social media speculation about whether the virus was circulating at the show in...

The latest preview of iOS adds the same (pseudo-anonymous) tracking features of Android, in an attempt to slow down Covid-19. If you've got an iPhone with facial recognition, it also knows if you're wearing a mast, allowing you instant access to the keypad, instead of...

Not content to sit on the sidelines, Facebook took on Zoom this week, and so many more. What used to be social-media, is now an overabundance of video connection tools. This will not end anytime soon. Up to 50 people can chat in a room at once, with no time limit. See...

As if there weren't a million other competitors in the game, Google is trying to muscle in on the videoconferencing market. Three different options, and now all of them are free, at least for now. There are still some incentives to purchase, but with Zoom's issues,...

Intel announced the latest generation, 10 if you are keeping count, of their processors. The new speeds and the capabilities will be amazing, for sure. The list of so many variations are listed on the article. The article does note that AMD makes up for processing by...

Of little surprise as we all stay home... Lyft decided to reduce workforce, send some home, and reduce salaries of even more. The new normal may actually be a big huge survival test machine, deciding not only who gets sick, but which companies are also not healthy....

Bringing the news of video games is usually the job of E3, but with the new normal, it was cancelled. Ubisoft responded with a double whammy this week for one of their hits, Assassin's Creed. Wednesday gave an 8 hour long hand photoshopped teaser poster from the...

It is a little strange that competing stories say the Internet is just fine, and others paint doom for the same. There will be outages all the time, and they will appear more annoying as more people are at home. Stay nimble, and remember that most mobile carriers now...

I dismiss the radical elements of the anti-quarantine group. I think there's a lot of misguided approaches to the numbers... just as there are some problems with the numbers, in both directions. However... I believe that to know and determine the truth, we have to not...

In an amazing amount of growth, Netflix is raking in the bucks. We have nowhere to go, and only so many DVD's, so why not start binging on some of the great series and movies that are available on Netflix. My personal favorite... Lost In Space. It's not perfect, like...

I'm just providing a list of a few nice resources for people who want to explore more of the information and numbers side of this battle against the coronavirus.Many new apps claim to be aimed at helping combat the coronavirus. Some provide vital notifications and...

I'm just astounded at the hubris of these cops, who think that they can squelch free speech. Just an amazing story, and I don't know if I'll do it justice on-air. Read it all for yourself!A family in Oxford, Wisconsin, is suing the local sheriff's department after a...

eSports may be the place we all go for our competitive fix for the next year or so. With F1 racecar drivers moving to that location, and other hints coming, this may be something that changes what we even could imagine for the tech world. This article is more about...

As we shift to delivery options, Amazon is reducing the unemployment by 75,000 more workers, on top of 100,000 they added last month. This will add to the behemoth's size, and they will reap some major rewards. They are positioned to come out of this even stronger...

I've been amazed at the concept, but didn't think we'd have to accept it so rapidly. The idea of contactless everything to check out of a store starts to sound much better when we're trying to avoid touching... well... everything!Amazon Go stores, delivery drones and...

High tech chip and innards, but a smaller size, which may come in handy for those who like a discreet phone. It's almost an upgraded version of the iPhone 8, with the 4.7 inch display, and a home button. The price point appears to be better this time, with only $50 to...

One has to trust their VPN if they are going to use it. This one, SuperVPN has a bad history already, and now it's on over 100 million devices. I know that you wish to stay save in a Coronavirus quarantine, but this isn't the app to use. Abandon it now... right...

The tech that is going to be needed to help fight this battle against the pandemic is going to be extreme. It will involve people and data tracking (creepy), calculations, and automatic deletion to protect us under HIPPA. The problem is that our government has...

A new term to match up to the many other bad terms that we have for bad software. In this case, fleeceware is out to take money from you, with your blessing, sorta. It's a trick, similar to the games played to get you in the door, purchasing something that you want,...

Some companies take small steps, and others play amazing parts. TikTok, a China based company, went to a new level with $250 million in relief. Interesting considering the level of government involvement in all China corporations... even ones where they can't be seen...

Many corporations are doing an amazing part to invest in the world during these hard times. Intel isn't the only tech company doing this. $10 million will be set aside to help fund employee-led and community efforts. See full story on Intel pledges $50 million to...

If people aren't eating out, and the local places are unpredictable with hours, open or closed, and essential versus non-essential, reviews start meaning less. We will see odd ripples in all areas as this unfolds. It's the latest company to announce significant job...

Zoom has been having major problems in the past month or so, being bombarded by growth, hackers, and many privacy issues. Not helping matters, Google has told employees to abandon it, as well as the US Congress, and news pundits everywhere. Personally, I'm leery of...

There are many observers tracking all kinds of statistics, and some creepier than others. It's all presented for the good of the people, but my concerns are no less valid when it comes to who is tracking, and for what specific reason. Big Brother could be lurking...

In an interesting approach to ease traffic and improve quality, Webex (owned by Cisco) is seeking to have more conferences start at strange times. This approach will help balance the load, and makes a large amount of sense. We should apply this everywhere in this new...

Zoom has been plagued in the past few weeks, as hackers have moved in upon seeing a 20 fold increase in usage. From spammers (and worse), to hackers chasing after more information, this does not bode well. Zoom is chasing after these issues, but it would serve us all...

In what may be obvious to most of us working at home, the Internet appears to be surviving really well. Yes, there will be outages in various service providers, but the Internet is designed for resiliency. Another bit of good news for all of us!Peak traffic is up 32%...

Steve and I will be discussing some of the different nuances of the new homeschooling that the nation is encountering right now. This article covers some of the ways that schools are adapting right now. School districts are relying on non-profits and private companies...

Working from home (WFH) is going through a number of different hurdles, especially in companies that value security and privacy of their own projects. This will raise a need for new thinking in all sectors, so don't be surprised if we also see new approaches for all...

Churches everywhere scrambled to bring their service online, at least in a modified form. I'm currently members at two different locations (2000 miles apart), and both have done amazing jobs at converting to the online platforms. Both in the form of service, but also...

How amazing is it, that a video game company that focuses on pandemics, is donating cash to fight it, and writing a new game towards battling this disease? I'm aware of the game, which is enjoying success as people deal with their darker humor at this time... and I...

The death of the theater experience had been a long time in coming. Nearly a century ago, people went there to escape the world outside. Today, however, most of us have so many options including streaming to our home systems, in more comfortable chairs, and an ability...

In a recurring theme, online services will be experiencing issues as we struggle with higher internet usage around the world. Microsoft, and others, are scrambling to determine how to serve their customers better, and there will be distinct growing pains along the...

When parts are scarce, 3D printing can be a rescuer. The supplier of these parts had run out, and could not deliver more of these $11,000 plastic parts in time to save lives. People stepped up to the plate, and modeled the part, and started 3D printing them to save...

I can't even begin to say how much this rocks. Yes, I know that Shopify will get tax credit for this, and their office expenses will go down. Still, I find it classy and a great way to show employees some respect for what they do. I hope others catch on to this great...

In a rapidly changing world, certain companies will take some serious approaches. I applaud Apple for taking the steps needed to slow down business, and assess the situation before continuing. Other companies are determined to stay open, some essential, and some not....

People are distracted, full of panic, and losing contact with key people. This is bringing the scammers out of the woodwork, and they are ready to start attacking all of us. Ask your employer about security awareness. Go online and look for it yourself. Become...

Reinforcing one of the recurring statements from our show, this is going to be a very tough time for people. Please consider communicating frequently with everyone that you can, from family and friends, to coworkers. Reach out to people in person via the phone,...

And Google is sending workers to work from home through April 10. This promises to provide an interesting approach to a new look at our entire concept of commuting to be in the office. Sure, some people will not do well, but many others will be just fine.It's the...

The Gig Economy is something that has developed as people are looking for ways to become their own boss, to control their own lives, and more. This could be hazardous to some who aren't prepared to take on something like a nasty virus like Covid-19. Keith M. Sedor...

I'm closing out this weeks broadcast with a plea for healthy people to donate blood. This will become increasingly important as some people get too ill to donate, and others require blood to get healthy. Please consider donating while you are healthy. This is probably...

-IF- we all are sent home, and things progress, there are chances that localized sections of the Internet may see more strain. Especially when you start considering that many IT workers are human too, and they might get sick, and be unable to keep the routers,...

The idea of taking a taxi, a limo, or an Uber, in a world of Covid-19, is scary. Uber's announcement to lockout drivers and passengers who have been infected or are at risk is interesting. I'm just curious as to how Uber will know if someone is ill. A neat advancement...