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editor’s NOTE
Before we get to the future, let’s talk about the present of television. Bundle TV – the bundle of channels one can buy from DirectTV or Comcast – is in a ratings free fall since the last decade. Where are its viewers going? Many have decamped for online streaming services like Netflix. Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, naturally. This has created a baseline for what people expect to pay for television. The one-size-fits-all cable culture is no longer the crown jewel of video entertainment. People are cutting the cord for both content and distribution, and this has created a business crisis for legacy TV. Netflix famously said it wanted to become HBO faster than HBO could become Netflix. Can online streaming TV prove to be a viable alternative to the traditional cable bundle? Can traditional cable TV prove it’s a cheaper improvement over Internet TV? The real question is which one will be the first to bring doom to the other.
Like always, we welcome your comments (facebook.com/ Technowize, @technowize on Twitter). You may reach us at editor@technowize.com or Editor - Technowize, The Fastest Media, 3651 Lindell Road, Suite 320D, Las Vegas, NV 89103.
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Our Team Editorial Anna Domanska Editor-in-Chief Christy Gren Sub-Editor
Riana Petanjek Sub-Editor Priyansha Mistry Sub-Editor
Aubrey Chang Associate Editor
Design Kevin Paul Sr. Graphic Designer
Reepal Savaniya Graphic Designer
Project Management Tony Raval Project Director
Jay Raol Project Director
Technology John Hancock Head-Web Department
Le Manh Coung Sr Software Coordinator
Advertising Richard Dean Advertising Manager
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Julia Hunt Magazine Production
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TECHNOWIZE Features Features A Japanese developer used iPhone X’s face-tracking to make his face invisible
TECHNOPOLIS
Be App-timistic in Life - with a new year comes big changes!
SPOTTING
If you “like” something, does that mean you care about it?
Cable 2.0: The Next Game Changers in Online TV
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HARDWARE, INC.
Most Innovative Gadgets at CES 2018 TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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DATA PI
Augmented Reality will transform the world
Engineering the Human Body
THE NERDIST
Why can’t bots check ‘I am not a robot’ checkboxes?
Let your Live-streaming do the talking!
Tech Events & Conferences
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The Evolution of the Technology of the Future
Top iWatch Apps Revealed by Technowize
Tech Events & Tradeshows
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‘A P P L E H O M E P O D ’ APPLE, IS THIS ALL YOU’VE GOT? Apple has responded to Google Home and Amazon Echo as the company joins the smart-speaker-producers market with HomePod – a smart speaker that wants to be at the center of your music life. But hold on; let’s not forget that Apple has been unique in their products. We had thought that Apple would allow Android users to sneak in and enjoy the music style from Apple HomePod, but that was completely wrong. It’s strictly a party for iOS users! While other manufacturers are leading the chase for a frontline in the excellent delivery of smart speakers, Apple HomePod delivers a powerful audio no one would resist. Alexis and Google Assistant have both made many front pages and provided impressive technologies; we can slightly accept that Apple has a little catching up to do. And again, not everyone would agree with the proposed HomePod price. HomePod has a small-tower design with round edges wrapped by acoustic mesh grille. The sound system is powered by seven beamforming tweeters and a 4-inch woofer facing upwards which Apple claims could deliver distortion-free audio in almost any room. The well-distributed tweeters around the device provide a 360 sound effect. Apple HomePod comes in two colors; white or grey-black – a perfect match for any home décor. The product lacks built-in Bluetooth but features strong Wi-Fi connectivity supported by the Apple devices. TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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Apple HomePod didn’t miss the smart features offered by Amazon Echo or Google Home. The device which has a roomsensing technology can provide remote control to your smart home devices. That’s where Apple stunned a lot of us! It’s an indication that Apple is seriously catching up with the old time smart wireless speaker manufacturers who have been using this design concept for more than three years now. Just like its counterparts, HomePod uses voice commands to perform all tasks. The device is embedded with eight microphones which allow it to receive commands even when the music is loud. HomePod can control a wide range of HomeKit devices, including lighting, heating, air conditioning, etc. Apple’s Siri technology powers the intelligent feature in HomePod. The feature also permits users to know about the details of a playing track, control music while also responding to questions Alexa or Google Assistant can respond to. The Siri feature also delivers reminders, calendars, places calls, and more. Apple HomePod release date was previously slated November 2017 before the company released a statement that the product would be delayed until 2018. The statement says, “We can’t wait for people to experience HomePod, Apple’s breakthrough wireless speaker for the home, but we need a little more time before it’s ready for our customers. We’ll start shipping in the US, UK, and Australia in early 2018.” HomePod price in the U.S. and U.K. released so far is $349 and €349 respectively. The product price for other locations is yet to be disclosed. TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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A NEW BOTNET INFECTS CRYPTOCURRENCY MINING COMPUTERS Claymore miner wailed helplessly as Satori — the IoT malware that wrangles security cameras, routers, and other IoT devices took over their harvest by clandestinely infecting dedicated computers for cryptocurrency mining. According to researchers from Netlab 360, a China-based company, the modified Mirai botnet malware (Satori) which attacked Claymore miner on the January 8 capitalized on a few weaknesses in their system network. The malware gained full control of the mining software and replaced the wallet address where mines (newly minted currencies) from the computer are accumulated, with the attacker’s wallet address. Since then, all newly generated coins are being dropped into the attacker’s address while owners of the mining computers are yet to understand the software configuration for any step to stop the losses. In less than 8 days more than 1 Etherium coin has been lost to the attacker-controlled wallet, according to the records. And as at the time of the transactions, Etherium coin value was as high as $1,300. Records show that as of January 17, the attacker’s wallet was still mining actively with a current balance of slightly more than 1 Etherium coin. Information from the illegal mining shows a calculation power of almost 2,100 million hashes per second. This figure suggests an output of about 1,135 each running a GeForce TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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GTX 560M or 85 computers running Radeon Rx 480 graphics card each. Mirai botnet is the open source malware that gave birth to Satori. Mirai was popularly known in 2016 for paralyzing large internet swaths when it took control of IoT devices by causing them to participate in a distributed denial-of-service attacks. In December 2017, when Satori showed up, the fundamental code was completely revamped to attack vulnerabilities in programming among device firmware. And by the first week of its outbreak, over hundred thousand devices were infected, which was more in the following weeks. RootKiter, a researcher from Netlab 360, wrote to confirm that the version of Satori which attacked on the January 8 exploits IoTs through two vulnerabilities. He added that the new Satori also takes advantage of Claymore Mining software weaknesses.
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BLACK BOX VR WINS INNOVATION AWARD AT CES 2018 The boring traditional routines for fitness have been changed! Boise’s Black Box VR has revolutionized the fitness industry by gamifying gym experience. The world’s largest Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has honored the Boise Company with Innovation Award at the CES 2018 f o r developing the world’s first full-fitness virtual reality gym experience – a resistance-based virtual reality experience device, Black Box VR. It is the first to function as automated cable resistance machine integrated with virtual eSports software (from HTV Vive) and virtual reality hardware. One of the founders, Ryan DeLuca, had earlier admitted in October 2016 that the company is working hard to change the fitness industry when he said: “We think we have a big opportunity to do something that could really help people get in shape and stick to their programs.” This was when they announced that the virtual reality platform that could change fitness routines was in the final stage. “There are a lot of games that are fun...a lot of games you level up your character while you’re getting more out of shape sitting there,” DeLuca added. “We want to make it for the first time, ever that you level up yourself.” The Black Box VR was motivated when Ryan DeLuca and Preston Lewis were sourcing for a solution to decreasing gym members and low attendance. It was clear to them that hating TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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to work out and inconsistency were the causative factors. And experiencing VR gave them insights of the potential the technology could bring to fitness and gym. The pair realized that integrating resistance training with gaming principles can help a lot of people to attain their health and fitness goals. The Black Box VR is surely redefining the fitness industry. It provides users with a time-dilated, intense, custom workout in a gamified and competitive experience through virtual reality. Preston Lewis alleged that users would be able to exploit balance, strength, speed, and agility in a virtual world which is larger than life. “Virtual world where we are able to harness the nature that is brought out in video games – dedication, determination, and longevity - and turn it into real, physical workouts that challenge both mind and body,” he added. Black Box VR team, Ryan DeLuca, and Preston Lewis spent many years building Bodybuilding.com – now the world’s largest online supplement retailer with approximately $500 million annual sales. They also collaborated with many talented individuals to create some of the most recognized supplement brands in the world and top fitness mobile apps. They have also received an award for health and fitness campaigns while also creating the largest fitness social network in the world with over 3 million members. Indeed, the Black Box VR is a product that has harnessed a groundbreaking power to change the landscape of result-driven exercise. The CEO and Cofounder, Ryan DeLuca said the company is proud to be honored with a CES Innovation Award while being excited to unveil the product in Las Vegas. Consumer Technology Association organizes the prestigious CES TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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Innovation Award, a trade show that has recognized achievements in engineering and product design since 1976.
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SOURCE CODE FOR APPLE’S LISA TO BE RELEASED IN 2018 The importance of building techs from the fundamental source cannot be overemphasized for anyone interested in going beyond current innovations. And any opportunity of having access to the framework of an original technology is always invaluable to the creative minds or individuals desiring to produce something similar. There’s great news for all the software freaks! The original source code for Lisa, Apple’s first computer with a graphics user interface (GUI) will be released in 2018. Unarguably, the first breakthrough in any technology is always enriched with the raw creativity, which would give birth to multiple successful successors. And each time a new prototype fails, the fundamental design becomes very useful for any new inspiration. There’s no doubt about the success recorded by the successors of Apple Lisa, even though the computer was a flop, despite all modifications under the product name. It has only become an iconic product that led to any perfection or quality observed in the current products by Apple Inc. The announcement about Apple’s intention to release Lisa’s source code was made by a software curator for the Computer History Museum, Al Kossow. In his statement, the computer’s operating system (OS) source and the application have been recovered and submitted to Apple for a final review before the proposed released TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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of all the available source code by the Computer History Museum in 2018. When Apple Lisa was first released, the cost to have a unit was too
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high, $9,995 relative to its efficiency. Imagine when a computer unit for business has a processor speed of 5MHz (Motorola 68000CPU), 5MB hard drive and a 1MB RAM, that is completely unacceptable right? Now, remember we are referring to 34 years ago, 1983. And we are also referring to one of the first computers with a graphic user interface (GUI). Well, indifference for Lisa was incited by the “Twiggy” floppy disks, and poor sales took its toll by the unreliability. Not even the speed because that was pretty fast as at that time and Apple succeeded in selling about 100,000 units of the computer named after Steve Jobs’ first daughter, Lisa Brennan. The Lisa operating system has a protected memory which is enabled by a hardware circuit, and programmers are not able to develop an application for the Lisa using its office OS. Lisa Workshop program was introduced as a development environment OS and engineers were switching between the two operating systems for writing and compiling codes. Subsequently, Lisa maintained two operating modes, which are the Lisa workshop and Office system. Aside from the operating system which features the Office system and text-based workshop environment, source code for the seven Lisa office system apps would also be made available. They include LisaProject, LisaGraph, LisaTerminal, LisaCalc, LisaList, LisaWrite and LisaDraw. According to Al Kossow, the software curator at the Computer History Museum, the only thing that would probably not be released in the source code is the spell checker feature in the LisaWire; the American Heritage dictionary. TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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A JAPANESE DEVELOPER USED IPHONE X’S FACE-TRACKING TO MAKE HIS FACE INVISIBLE Japanese developer Kazuya Noshiro, CEO of AR and VR game company ViRD, is working on an app that camouflages users face with the backdrop, making it invisible. Noshiro took to Twitter to show up the app in an 11-second clip, writing: “On the iPhone, I was able to make only the face an optical camouflage.” The teaser shows Noshiro’s face completely camouflaged into the surroundings, which created an unsettling invisible look. It also looks quite like a Korean sheet mask, thanks to the white backdrop. Noshiro admitted he has no clue what the technology can be used for. “If you want to make your face transparent, we’re recruiting,” he quipped. The Japanese developer didn’t exactly say how the trick worked, despite a flood of requests from his followers. Although, one user pointed if Noshiro had fixed the camera to pre-record the background and he admitted, “that’s correct.” So well, Noshiro likely first recorded the backdrop, then masked his face and inserted the background. Moreover, iPhone X’s motion sensors could synchronize everything in the camera movement. The effect shows the potential uses of the motion sensors in phones like iPhone X.
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What are the potential uses of Unity? The app is being developed on the popular game-development platform Unity. The question is, how can Unity work seamlessly with AR to develop versatile uses? For instance, you could edit the faces of your least favorite politicians and post it to social media. Or, you could edit the face of one of your favorite actors in a movie. For starters, the clip shared by Noshiro is unsettling. But when you think about it, there are plenty of uses of this technology. Let’s hope we never get to see the day when this app is used for something dreadful. There’s no word on when Unity will actually go live. Even if it’s only meant to be a fun way of using the iPhone X, it’s pretty incredible. Until then, we have our eyes on you, Kazuya Noshiro. Oops, we mean on your backdrop!
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Be App-timistic in Life!
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Smartphones have become an inseparable part of our lives. No doubt making it easier to work With every piece of technology that comes with the intention of trumping the other one, it can be said that living life with less hassles has been one of the biggest advantages. Some might say that mobiles and tablets have made us less mobile (physically,) but also has provided to act like a tablet (medicinal) towards many of our troubles. Remember those days when you had to go to travel agents to book your travel tickets, or hunt for a nutritionist to chop out a diet plan? Apps have made the commuting disappear altogether with the help of just a click. Now you can order stuff at home without stepping out of your comfort zone and do your exercises without hiring a personal trainer. Life as we know it has undergone a remarkable change. At a much lesser price, you almost get everything you need at your finger-tips. Sure, you have to pay for some of the apps. But think about it? It’s a one-time investment. Even if you are paying, you are getting quality stuff in return. We have chosen apps that not only serve the best but are also free to install. However, there could be internal purchases that you might have to deal with later on in a few of the mentioned apps.
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1. Sworkit Free on iOS and Android. Now you might have made plans to get leaner or physically stronger this year. We know how difficult it can get to keep up with resolutions. And that’s exactly why we would suggest you to make yourself open to what this app has to offer you. The simple customizable app helps you to select your motives and goals. The app then chooses a plan that can help you become ‘Fitter’, ‘Leaner’ or ‘Stronger.’ On selecting a particular category, workouts are provided at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. You could use the app for free for a month, after which you are required to pay. The best part about it is that it also has a workout called ‘Get Moving Without Sweating’. So if you have worn some nice clothes but you would like to utilize your time burning calories, this app seems apt. This is one of the main reasons Sworkit trumps our list. It understands us so well. Although the app is free, there will be internal purchases that may be required of you.
Do we like it? Abs-olutely! We would rate it at around 4.7/5 for going the extra mile in understanding us. TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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2. Google Translate Free on iOS and Android There can be various reasons to travel across the globe. It could either be an expedition, business trip or just to enjoy quality time. Crossing borders can be exciting but also comes with its own set of challenges, with language being one of the biggest. Google Translate comes to the rescue almost instantly. It’s one of the best apps that could help you understand the locals. Apart from that, it will also help you communicate with them. The app version has around 103 languages that it supports. Imagine you are stuck in a city where the road maps are not in the Colonial language. All you need to do is take a snap of it and it shall help translate the signs your camera has picked. The app could even help you learn a new language! Now ain’t that smooth?
Do we like it? Unquestionably! We’d give it a full 5/5. TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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3. Google Allo Free on iOS and Android Knowing how important it is to stay connected with the outside world and constantly be upgraded about the recent gossips, we pretty much would like to suggest the Allo app from Google. WhatsApp has been ruling the market and more than half of the world might be using it, but when we experimented with Allo, we pretty much loved it. One can change the size of text messages according to smart and contextual replies. The messages are encrypted, but in case you want conversations to remain extremely private, you could go to incognito mode. It allows you to set an expiry time for the messages which shall automatically destruct the text. Allo also supports Google Assistant which makes chatting with friends more fun. It is sans the video calling and voice recording, but then Google has its Duo app for that.
Do we like it? Something new and safe is always welcome! We’d rate it a 4.8/5 TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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4. ESPN Free on iOS and Android We get how guys can be obsessed with sports. Keeping scores and who scored in which way is extremely important. But not every time luck may favour you where you have the telly in front of you showing the game. This is when a good sports app comes in handy. ESPN has been quite promising. Formerly known as SportsCenter, the app brings to you the latest news circling in the sports community. Be it checking up on scores or exciting news of your favourite team or player, the app serves it all. You could customize your own list where you get updates of how your favourite team or player is doing. No longer do you need to worry about missing out on the excitement on the sports front because this app has got your back.
Do we like it? We think it’s the best bet for all sports lovers. We’d rate it a 4.9/5 TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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5. Amazon Kindle: Free on iOS and Android Books are man’s best friend. Now we understand that those friends come at a price. Plus, you also need enough space for the entry of your new friends. Book shelves may not be able to bear so much of friendliness. Therefore, we bring to you a walking library that can go with you anywhere you go. Literally. the app’s customized page flips actually makes you feel like you are turning pages of a book. You can bookmark pages where you left them from and resume reading later on. The app may be free but the books you may want to buy won’t always be free. You may have to pay for them unless it says free read. But be assured that paying for an online book will be much lighter on the pocket as well as those burdened book shelves.
Do we like it? It’s the best deal for book-lovers. We give it a 5/5 for making life easy and reading enjoyable. TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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6. Flipboard: Free on iOS and Android Flipboard has made to one of our most loved news app. The news genres provided by app is simply mind blowing. The options for topics provided is exhausting. The topics also have sub-topics. Say you like technology related news. Flipboard doesn’t stop there. It makes the experience more personalized. So, in technology, it will give you options like gadgets, big data, etc. It seems like the app is here to make life easy by helping surf through the news quickly. The personalized news app lets users also create their own magazine as well as follow magazines created by other people on the app. The app is quite user-friendly and convenient for quick swipes. The user interface is made in a way that flips. Although the app does exhaust quite a bit of mobile data, but can be controlled from the settings menu.
Do we like it? We’re going out on a limb and giving it a 4/5. It’s fantastically insane! TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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7. BigOven Free on iOS and Android Our list has been quite accommodating. Or at least we have tried to keep it that way. When it comes to preparing meals, it can sometimes be challenging because you cannot come with new recipes every day. Plus, you wouldn’t like to keep repeating what you cook. So, we are here to make the cooking experience more fun. BigOven contains more than 350,000 recipes. Apart from providing lip-smacking options for food, it also allows you to make a grocery list in the app based on what recipe you plan to follow. The app helps make you plan meals effortlessly by providing a weekly organizer. BigOven helps you follow what’s cooking in your favorite blogger’s or friend’s and family’s kitchen through the social feature.
Do we like it? New recipes, more food, we love it! A 5/5 for the additional settings. TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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8. CamScanner Free on iOS and Android If you are a busy person and constantly need to work on your phone where you have to send documents to your clients and vice versa, then this app is just the thing you need. CamScanner allows you to not only scan documents but also convert them into PDFs. Work is serious business and sometimes taking an image of the document is just not enough. For official purposes, you need the document to be visibly clear. This is where the app helps you out. After scanning a document, you can even crop it or edit it. Sending files too is no trouble. The app is highly user-friendly and more so work-friendly. It helps get work done quickly and without much ado. The popular app also comes with additional options where one can merge files, add password protection, watermarks, etc.
Do we like it? Hey! It makes work easy for us. We’d be giving it a 5/5 for being the most useful app there is. TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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Suffice to say that technology has made life become app-solutely dependent on them. Seems like the world is becoming smarter with more smartphones making their way into our lives. We hope our guide to essential apps proves to be of help. Yes, there are many counterparts to the apps that we have named, but if you personally ask us, we think we have done enough justice. In this new year, get your phone cracking with these apps and you are going to love living a different and a meaningful life. TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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If you “like� something, does that mean you care about it? Since 2005, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has employed an array of digital media platforms as the primary means to communicate and interact with his millions of followers. From his prolific use of Twitter and Instagram, as well as his creation of satirical videos and photos, Ai Weiwei has harnessed the power of social media as a creative tool for public empowerment and freedom of expression. Ai Weiwei is often seen as a political provocateur. Till date, he has made some 20 films, largely championing freedom of expression. The online activism has landed him in hot water with his own government, which confiscated his passport and jailed him in 2011. He was held by the government for 81 days, and much of this time was spent in solitary confinement. When his passport was returned, Ai Weiwei moved to Berline, where he permanently lives now. He spent the last two years studying the plight of refugees. He traveled on a Lesbos, a well-known Greek island for refugees, and began creating a documentary on his iPhone, which later turned into a feature-film. Online activism has transformed public protest over the last five years. Smartphones and the Internet have changed the TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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way events, protests and movements are now organized. Social media has helped mobilize millions of supports to a wide range of causes. With such an activity becoming an everyday occurrence, new forms of digital activism are now coming into existence. Some of these methods often bypass the world of social movements and how we conduct campaigning. People are now able to take advantage of new technologies to provide an alternative way of organizing society and the economy. Digital activism and social media is now being used to grow political
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movements, such as the Arab Spring uprisings in the Middle East. In Barcelona, mayor Ada Colau drew up its electoral programme with the help of more than 5,000 people in public assemblies as well as online. Recent Panama Papers as well as leaks by Wikileaks as well-known examples of Leaktivism. Here on the Internet, we can obtain, leak and spread confidential information with heavy political consequences. For instance, Panama leaks led to protects in Iceland, forcing the then prime minister to step aside and calls for similar action in the United Kingdom. Such movements are designed to change the real world. But at the same time, there’s also a growing movement where people collaborate with the government to change society. Some of these are quieter forms of digital activism, and rather than protesting against specific social issues, they provide alternative ways to access digital networks in order to avoid censorship and internet shutdowns in authoritarian regimes. In Angola, for instance, activists have started hiding pirated music and movies in Wikipedia articles and linking to them on Facebook groups to create a secret file-sharing network. There are also digital platforms set up to compete with giant companies. For instance, Goteo is a non-profit organization that raises money for community projects. Similar to other crowdfunding projects, Goteo raises money for small community projects by encouraging people to make investments. The rights to the projects have been made available to the community through Creative Commons licensing. Another example is of the Transactive Grid in Brooklyn, New York, which shows how blockchain supports online currencies
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such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, etc. This blockchain system allows residents to sell renewable energy using secure transactions without the involvement of a central utility firm. Some of these platforms also include organizations that empower people to share ideas, good and services so they can make things in peer-to-peer networks, also known as commons-based peer production. For instance, fablas are workshops that provide the knowledge and hardware to help members develop products using digital manufacturing equipment. Newer forms of digital activism is an effort to make the online space more democratic. It’s run and owned by people that want to use and work for them to improve the system. Goods and services that some of these platforms produce are shared for the benefit of the communities that need them. The best part is, these platforms are built using open-source software that is freely available to anyone and can be shared and rebuilt to adapt to various purposes. In many ways, online activism provides an alternative form to address failures and inequalities in the society. From opensource tools to currencies, there is a way to lead social media campaigns that bring actual reform. The internet has allowed people to form new communities and share resources. More and more communities are using practical tools on the Internet to bring about social change. In the past, posts on social media were disparaged for their inability to bring about some real change. Thanks for successful popular movements over the Internet, people feel they have
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a legitimate reason to address some issues, and they believe they can make it known. The spread of Black Lives Matter is evidenced by the turnout, as well as the participation in the Women’s March, among various other recent protests. People are now not afraid to drive down to public spaces and speak openly about oppressive structures in the society. The sudden increase in such engagements isn’t limited to protests either. This new era of online activism has allowed people to connect with one another, and actually do something about issues they’re passionate about. While we are at it, let’s not forget that online activism also calls for a critical eye to examine what people mass consume on the Internet. We must be aware of how things are portrayed issues on the Internet that do not serve for the greater good of humanity. We must foster awareness for the way online platforms like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook have become profit-based for people of people who use it for their own agendas. This requires people to think more critical about the way information is conveyed on social media and how we can redirect activism in a direction that remains altruistic.
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Cable 2.0
The Next Game Changers in Online TV What’s the first real memory you have? When I think back as far as possible, I see an image like an old photograph, withering into the darkness at the edges. It’s a toddler’s eye-view of a weeping mother. I remember walking slowly towards my mother in our big living room in Rickmansworth. She’s sitting on this blue sofa; she had legs crossed, head leaning on hand, crying quietly while watching the TV. The great thing about that blue sofa was that if you had little fingers you could poke inside the broad weave. I repeatedly asked her “what happened?” until she calmed down and pointed towards the casket of Lady Diana Spencer on the TV. The other memory was when I was in grad school and the announcement of Prince William marrying Kate Middleton was made. It was Thursday and not a soul was to be seen on the streets of United Kingdom. Everyone was watching the Royal Wedding Ceremony live on YouTube. My mother called me weeping how Lady Diana was missed, and how she had watched the first Royal Wedding just like I did on Cable TV, live. Cue to 2017, and I am watching The Crown on Netflix.
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The random snapshots in my memory don’t say a lot about my life or how I consume TV content. Surveyors, however, would beg to differ. Nearly half of adults 22 to 45 years old are watching no content on traditional TV platforms, as noted in a new study by Omnicom Media Group agency Hearts & Science. Now check this out – 45% of Millennials and Gen Xers consume TV content and video on streaming platforms that didn’t exist as recently as the series premiere of HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” The rise of the Internet doesn’t mean the coinciding demise of radio, newspapers and cable TV. For younger people, the iPhone, iPad and MacBook didn’t replace the TV, they supplemented it. One can say Cable TV going through another rapid revolution. TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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THE CORD CUTTERS Five years ago, nobody had seen The Crown, and the idea that Netflix will go on a level playing field with the giants of network and cable TV was beyond the bounds of possibility. The best way to understand how cable TV has quickly things have changed is to consider how quickly they’re changing again. Cable TV officially peaked in the year 2000. More than a billion households worldwide subscribed to cable TV, a number that has declined by millions since the advent of online streaming. This number will continually decline as people shift to something you could cheekily call “cutting the cord.” The existing cable infrastructure is complicated and expensive. Cable companies have to set aside a portion of their cable bandwidth just for TV services. Cables boxes have to be distributed to homeowners, and technicians have to run a physical wire so you can watch cable. The entire process is obstinate even as it introduces new technologies like 4K, HDR, or new sound codecs, all of which requires substantial changes to the industry. From a purely technological standpoint, cable TV as a way of consuming your TV package is failing. Cable networks are negotiating with major rightsholders TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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to offer customers one single package of channels. The rise of Netflix, Hulu and Amazon’s own original content has crushed the power of the cable company’s distribution. Rightsholders like Disney are now looking at offering their own streaming services directly to the customer, thereby, eliminating the role of the pay TV provider. This has threatened to upend the most successful business model in media history. Earlier, cable operators and networks enjoyed gross margins of 35-65% and pushed new technologies, such as digital video records, and more channels towards their customers. Even though the TV content is entertaining, customers are becoming less loyal. The pace of cord-cutting has not fallen at an unprecedented rate, but it has begun to quicken. The number of people leaving cable TV each year outnumbers those joining, and has done so since 2014. Last August Bob Iger, chief executive of Disney acknowledged that people were cutting the cord even with ESPN, a sports network
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and the company’s most profitable media property. Since then, shares in Disney have fallen by almost 20 percent. The Wall Street believes that the winners will be media companies who provide the most “must-see” TV and the fewest unwanted channels. Cable companies can keep selling broadband internet and, even streaming services. What we’re failing to grasp is that the consumers are clear winners. Until now, consumers have lacked reliable, cheaper options. This is changing with the arrival of services like Netflix, Sling TV, Plex, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV. When Bronx residents Kristen and Emma Bell were getting ready to welcome their son into the world twelve months ago, the couple realized they weren’t going to be spending a lot of time in front of the TV. The Bells were paying about $150 each month for cable TV, and weren’t watching many of the channels offered. So, they decided to cord shave, and switch from cable TV to Sling TV. At $20-$45 per month, Sling TV offers more than 30 channels, including AMC, CNN, ESPN, TNT, HGTV,
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History and the Disney Channel. You can pay more to add additional or different channels. “The new plan is cost-effective and works better for our lifestyle,” Kristen says. “We only use it for a couple of hours per week, and honestly, it helps with kids not learning to sit in front of the TV all day.” An increasing number of consumers are trying to ditch traditional cable or broadcast options for streaming services over the Internet. This is terrible news for the cable TV industry, seeing that the disruptors would eliminate their role as the distribution middle-man. Many media parents appear to participate under competition terms set by media regulators like Hulu. Although they have no say in the operations. One owner, NBC Universal, is owned by Comcast, a major cable company that could lose much from the so-called cord cutting. Time Warner Cable is also expected to be joining in.
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PEAK TV Technology has permitted a degree of play and experimentation in the name of a designer fix – disruptors like Amazon Prime, Hulu and Netflix, in addition to newbies from Google, Apple, and Facebook has left broadcast networks entirely in the dust. Since moving into original programming in 2012, Netflix has become a major player in film and TV. The company has plans to release no fewer than 80 movies in 2018, up from about 50 last year. While Netflix may still have not yet gained a meaningful entry into Hollywood’s most prestigious clubs like the Academy and the Oscars, one cannot deny that is it dismantling the scared temple of the movie business: the movie theatre, by releasing its mass of content directly to the consumers. Its more traditional rivals have to choose between spending millions to keep up or possibly have their shows obscured. Amazon has generated more buzz, although their plans seem more ambigious. Apple failed to launch its own live TV service in 2017, perhaps because it couldn’t agree with local broadcast affiliate stations on how much they should be paid for retransmitting TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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their feeds. Cable networks will do all they can to prevent TV from becoming the next Spotify. YouTube seems to be taking a step forward in the Skinny TV direction with its new service “YouTube TV,� which will cost $35 a month and allow customers to stream all of the major networks and even more cable channels through an app. YouTube has inked deals with big networks such as Disney (which owns ESPN, ABC, The Disney Channel, and Freeform), Comcast (USA, NBC, Syfy, E!, Bravo, Telemundo, and others) and Fox (FX, Fox News, and National Geographic). This could mark the beginning of the end of the unpopular payment model where one has to pay a hefty cable bill to access to the big networks, cable news, and sports channels. The appeal of cable television
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has always been its breath of offerings – by bundling hundreds of channels together, even if some of them are completely insignificant. As cable costs have skyrocketed and streaming networks like Netflix have moved to creating original programming, there’s less reason to pay giant TV package if an online streaming service offers most of what you want. The big change is happening much faster than people think. Watching companies like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video gives you a glimpse of the future. All of these services are ad-funded options and yet they expose the consumer to less than half the number of ads that you’ll get in a typical hour of cable TV. In most cases, consumers are choosing the ad-funded model. The answer is simple: consumers would rather see ads and pay less. Cable TV is now delivered over the Internet. And just like everything on the Internet, consumers want it to be less-expensive. But it is inevitable that people will ditch the cable and end up paying even more for 200 separate streaming services.
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MOST INNOVATIVE GADGETS AT CES 2018 The world’s biggest electronics show, CES 2018 has just ended to leave us with a glimpse of the new gadgets to expect in our electronics market this year. As expected, most innovations came to override existing stunning features while others brought more light by improving our lifestyles significantly. Artificial intelligence technology proved a lot of success in various gadgets at the show which featured over 4,000 companies. Aside from luxury, other significant products were innovations in health management, agriculture, safety management, business marketing, etc. Let’s quickly look at the twelve (12) most innovative gadgets we observed at the show.
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LENOVO’S SMART DISPLAY Google used Lenovo’s Smart Display to raise its competition with Amazon’s Echo Show, and it paid off. The Smart display which ditched Alexa for Google Assistant is the outstanding AI-integrated device for smart homes. It’s much more modern and generally unique. The Smart Display comes in two sizes; 8-inches and-10 inches screen size with two back color options; wood design or soft-touch plastic black. The Smart Display which has a sharp and colorful display has a 720 front camera covered by a sliding smart cover hardware addition. It is powered by a Snapdragon 624 CPU, 4GB storage and 2GB RAM. As a full voice-activated computer, users can ask for information and get quick audio responses augmented by a display. Unlike its counterparts, Lenovo’s Smart Display has a larger screen, can play YouTube videos while having a more polished design that can easily blend with your home décor. Lenovo’s Smart Display would be available in the summer – in the US. And the prices would be around $199 and $250 for the 8-inch and 10inch model respectively.
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KOHLER KONNECT Kohler’s Konnect is a complete delivery of fullfeatured smart home. It’s a collection of smart bathroom and kitchen appliances powered by Alexa. The Home Kits comprise of a bathtub, two toilets, a shower, a mirror and a kitchen sink which can be controlled using voice commands. What a luxury! The taps connected to the kits are well calibrated to deliver specific measurement of water you may ask for while it’s providing broad IoT ecosystem in your home. The platform runs on Microsoft Azure, has ambient lighting and a music player. All the Kits in Konnect provide special features to ensure that you enjoy the full flexibility of a smart home. The mirrors come with built-in lights which can be adjusted using voice commands alongside motions. It has two toilets which can sense when one is approaching to activate a foot warmer and heated seats. You can wave your hands to flush the toilets while also being able to set the temperature of the water in your bathtub. Your phone can pair with all the products through the Kohler Konnect app where you can activate the number of different users and set preferences.
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SONY’S AIBO Aibo is a robot dog from Sony; an improved version of the robot dog Sony introduced some years back. The robot which behaves just like a puppy is powered by artificial intelligent which enables it to recognize the owner and family members through a camera on the nose. The pet’s mechanics is well advanced – moving eyes, tail and ears, aside from the usual movements you expect from your robot puppy. Aibo responses to back scratches, understands commands like sit (as much as we could observe), and could obviously do more as a robo-puppy. Aibo also has touch sensors on the chin and head. The robot dog takes three hours to charge and can get up to two hours playing time. The product is available in Japan at the price of 198,000 JPY (~$1,800) and a service fee of $27/month. The purchase price may be unappealing, but the feeding plan is quite cool for such an effective puppy.
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AR4X CAMERA The AR4X camera is Amaryllo’s 4th generation professional outdoor security camera, which is powered by AI technology. It’s a robot camera that can recognize faces. AR4X can differentiate between human, cars, dogs, etc. The company replaced the traditional computer-based tracking system with patented technologies and also offered artificial intelligence which can talk to intruders, check new emails and track intruders automatically. AR4X can be referred to as robots that have come to revolutionized home security system. The camera is embedded with a PoE (Power over Ethernet) technology which provides easy installation while also cutting off the need for extra cables – they are simply connected to your Ethernet cable to reduce both cost and time of installation. It does not require extra software or hardware equipment to function. AR4X is already available at the price of $1000 for eight channels and one year subscription.
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NUVIZ’S HEAD-UP-DISPLAY NUVIZ is a gadget designed to enhance motorcycle riding experience. It’s the first Head-Up Display (HUD) integrated with a helmet to allow riders remain focused on the road while also viewing accustomed information through the screen attached. It has a built-in HD action camera with a handlebar controller. NUVIZ provides all the important navigation functions you may require in a vehicle, including communication kit and media devices; all in NUVIZ to support full connection/interaction without distractions. Its camera can be set to take both pictures and video. NUVIZ supports both Android and iOS connectivity, KitKat (or later) and 10.2(or later) respectively. The gadget is built to withstand all weather conditions, including the rain. And the device is open for upgrades pending when the company releases new features.
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SAMSUNG’S RELUMINO – GLASSES Relumino was first used by Samsung on Gear VR headset before the formal release of the hardware – Relumino. It’s a gadget for visual enhancement, supports individuals with visual impairment to see objects clearer than they are able to see with their real eyes. The concept was inspired by the thrilling statistics of individuals not completely blind – about 217 million (86%) of people with visual impairments which have partial views and can actually see pictures on the television. Relumino uses image processing software to enhance image quality with reference to the individual’s sight changes. It reduces blurriness, performs color inversion and as well as contrast. The visual aid is designed to assist individuals with peripheral or central vision loss. It acts as support by remapping images and filling the blind spots in the user’s vision.
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SNORE CIRCLE EYE MASK Snore circle eye mask is the solution for individuals who snore at nights to disturb their partners and get less sleep. It eliminates the nighttime annoyance by helping you to control your snoring through a small sensor. That’s interesting, right? A lot of people were fascinated by this innovation at CES, and it’s obvious that most individuals present were ready to spend more than the product price, $49 to gain freedom from snoring. The device is like a blindfold or sleeping masks with a tiny sensor which rests at the forehead. The sensor recognizes snoring sound through bone conduction and voice recognition techniques and responds by vibrating to stop or reduce the sound depending on your setting. It has up to 36 levels vibration which can be adjusted through the device app. Snore circle app displays its control and data generated including while you were sleeping. It’s designed with ecological soft high-density sponge which makes it quite comfortable.
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L’ORÉAL UV SENSE L’Oréal UV Sense is a tiny sensor that can detect ultraviolet exposure. It is very small (apparently smaller than a nail) and can be worn on a fingernail. Aside from UV, the sensor which has no battery can detect temperature while also having NFC antenna. Surprised? You’ll be thrilled to know that L’Oréal UV Sense can store up to three months data and can also pass data to your Smartphone device anytime it gets close to the device connected. It supports connectivity from both Android and Apple operating system. Through the device app, users can view tips on how to manage sun intake while also keeping track of their exposure level to UV. Not comfortable to wear such on your fingernail? L’Oréal UV Sense will be supplied with accessories to support users with where they may choose to wear the device such as wristwatch and sunglasses. The product manufacturer, L’Oréal (a beauty company) prefers that it looks like a nail art and not a piece of wearable technology. They worked with Yves Behar, designer, and entrepreneur in producing L’Oréal UV Sense.
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VUZIX BLADE AUGMENTED REALITY GLASSES The Vuzix Blade glasses are the first pair of smart glasses that will allow you move around with your computer screen right in front of you. That’s amazing, right? It comes with Alexa, allowing you to ask for information such as weather and directions using voice commands. It’s in a very fashionable form with the brilliant display while also offering a broad range of features. It is the first AR-enabled glasses which work right out of the box – connect your device, adjust your settings and you’re fully enabled. With Vuzix Blade, you can access stocks, events, video conferencing, social feeds, sports updates, bio-metric and a host of other video events while still being active in your environment.
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MY SPECIAL AFLAC DUCK Aflac Duck robot is a product from research and development workshop Sproutel, specifically designed as companions for children diagnosed with cancer – not for educational purpose. Children are able to express their feelings through the robot for a corresponding emotion by holding or touching some of the respective parts. It provides full companionship to children during their treatments and therapy. Aflac Duck is expected to be available at no cost later this year and in 2019 for children diagnosed with cancer. The product will be shipped to Children’s healthcare in Atlanta early this year, 2018 for more testing.
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SAMSUNG’S WALL TV It’s a TV that will fascinate anyone owing to the advanced slim design, picture quality and size –146 inches. Samsung explored advanced OLED technology which they referred to as Micro LED to develop the wall TV. It’s an innovation that delivers all the benefits of OLED and more! Saturated colors with no drawbacks... it’s the world’s first consumer TV using the tiny LEDs to make pictures. Wall TV’s screen can be clipped together to create bigger sizes or a targeted shapes suitable for the decorating space. The product price is around $100,000, and Samsung is considering no other size at the moment.
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LISHTOT’S TESTDROP TestDrop is completely amazing! It’s a small device that can check if your water is drinkable or not. Aside from the fact that billions of people don’t have consistent access to clean water, many using it have no idea if it’s clean or not. Lishtot has provided an answer with TestDrop, it only requires a swipe, and you’re informed! No toxic chemicals, strips, microfluidics to be added. Just swipe TestDrop beside the glass containing your water. It instantly determines how safe your water is using the surrounding electric field. TestDrop works by measuring the electromagnetic field generated by water. Water with contaminants such as E. coli, chlorine, lead, dissolved matter, etc. will show a red light at one corner of the device when you swipe, while clean waters will show blue light. You can use the device’s Smartphone app if you wish to keep records of your water tests. The connectivity supports both Android and iOS devices and Lishtot is planning to improve the device features to other purity-related tests in the future.
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THE EVOLUTION OF THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE FUTURE Technology is obviously reshaping the world, with most of our daily routines going obsolete due to innovations and our work life plunging into grave dependent to the use of programming and internet. Fears are growing high that librarians may lose their jobs to technology; manual labor is streaming away as a profession and other existential threats to a wide array of jobs. Far from job-related influences, superhuman is no longer a fantasy since the introduction of the exoskeleton, boring workouts and fitness routines stock since the 1970s has become a fun-filled experience, and the question now is, are we ready to embrace the future that technology is imposing on us? It may sound silly but true that shortly some healthy humans would opt for amputation just to enhance their capabilities. This ‘ridiculous’ inspiration is growing into realities since cybernetic and prosthetic technology proved to be advancing and significantly improving the quality of lives among disabled. Technology has always been a way to surmount our challenges even with the problems we created ourselves. We TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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have congested the smart cities and currently testing drones to deliver pizzas – fabulous idea right? Now, we must recognize the implications of any new or aging trend introduced by technology and also prepare our sanity to accept that our future is far from what we have now if technology remains an option.
Cryptocurrencies Converting currencies with an exchange rate could be one of the most boring aspects of modern life, and more annoying when you have to pay extortionate fees to make a transfer outside your nation. But how is the world responding to this challenge? We can now move monies to any part of the world anonymously without paying the huge transfer charges to banks – thanks to the invention of cryptocurrencies. The exponential growth of individuals completing trades with cryptocurrency since the auctioning of Silk Road valuations is an indication that national financial policies would hold less authority shortly. Though governments consider cryptocurrencies as assets – the transactions as bartering, grocery stores, and companies have no restrictions on the use of cryptocurrencies as a means of exchange for goods and services. Can you imagine if every trade in the world is performed using cryptocurrencies? Let’s not assume every trade yet. How about one-third of the world’s transactions? It’s obviously a digital life with little or no restrictions on where to move your money – what a change! Cryptocurrencies will completely reshape the e-commerce industry through its instant and safe money
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transfers with no barriers. It would also promote stability in most national currencies due to less dependent and cashless transactions while also promoting transparency in future transactions.
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3D Printing Most people are afraid of what 3D printers can do, including the individuals using the technology. It’s a scary technology set to shape the future at large. A futurist says “3-D printing will make life as we know it today barely recognizable in 50 to 75 years.” This proposal is understandable because we can print virtually anything using this technology. 3D printed cars will soon be out in the US while China and Holland are already printing an entire building. While the technology is still undergoing tests, individuals involved in the technology suggest that most routines like cooking would become archaic; a 3-D hamburger was recently created in England using a 3D printer. One of the most influential successes in the technology is
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in bio-printing where human organs would be produced (replicated) using the person’s DNA. “We’re already printing skin, kidneys, a replica of a beating human heart. If a person loses a limb, we’ll be able to print, layer by layer, a replacement. It’s theoretically possible,” says a futurist, Jack Uldrich. A technology consultant at MIT, Sarah Boisvert admitted that 3D printing is opening up a whole new world, but the lives to be changed by the technology would not include average persons. We can understand it’s expensive but how long would that be? Apple once sold a computer with a 5MHz processor and 5MB Hard drive for $9,995, just 34 years ago. Any new world proposed by 3D printing is for everyone!
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Smart Cities While smart cities continue to serve as the heart of digitization or powerhouse of attraction, the effect of this phenomenon is significantly reshaping the future negatively. Some futurists and contributors such as Daniel Runde on Forbes are proposing unappealing changes from urbanization in the developing world, but this may not completely be true. Currently, more than half of the world’s population (about eight billion) lives in smart cities. And the population is set to double by 2050. This exponential growth is disrupting supply and demand chain, forcing housing shortages while also creating a steady rise in the cost of living. We may think that policies and infrastructural developments are striking balances to this effect in well-developed nations, but that may be a myth. A confession from the Chairman for Urban Design Program at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Patrick Condon says “As I look at the future and think about how an additional four billion people are going to move into urban environments within the next 30 years, it makes me think of how this is going to become a bigger epidemic.� No one would argue that new home designs in smart cities are space-conscious. Is that the solution? Moving from tiny homes to micro-apartment units? We understand that this is mostly affecting the poor and average class, but which class has the highest population? TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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Artificial Intelligence We now have powers in our pockets more than we used to in the 1990s and the concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is gradually becoming handy. With the likes of Google and Apple competing to control the vanguard of AI technology, it’s a matter of days before we all have our personal assistants. Automated transportation is an inevitable AI technology set to shape the future. Though Google has been testing selfdriving cars since 2012, which suggests that the technology is yet to be perfect, fully automated trains and buses are part of the future we need to accept now. Humans would no longer be exposed to dangerous jobs; drones are already being used to disarm bombs – not yet robots, according to BBC. But AI technology is on the frontline of providing robots that would take over most hazardous jobs such as welding, electrical installation and refuse collection. Artificial Intelligence is also leading the technology to achieve improved care for elders. And shortly, people would be able to buy friends – robots with monies. A company in Japan introduced “Pepper,” a robot companion that can feel and understand emotions. 1000 units of Pepper were sold the minute it got to the market.
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Medical Sensors Health tracking sensors such as heart rate monitors are becoming very common on every device. Almost all gadgets are having one embedded. Before now, people pay tokens to know their blood pressures, and without consulting experts, first aids sound like a dangerous business. But the use of medical sensors is changing our exposure to health. While more devices are expected to be embedded with health monitors, more features are expected to be introduced. Medical sensors would be attached to gadgets that would give real-time feedback to our health challenges. Aside from expecting implants of medical sensors, we should be waiting to embrace sensors with immediate feedback to fight health conditions such as insulin level, blood pressure, etc. It’s a development that would improve the quality of our lives.
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TOP iWATCH APPS REVEALED BYT ECHNOWIZE
iWatch apps 2018 are all developed to include the most recent iWatch features aimed at enhancing communication, hassle-free commute, health/fitness tracking, and a host of other Apple watch features. This is because the recent iOS Watches such as Series 3, Hermes and Nike+ come with additional built-in sensors; each requiring the respective iWatch app to function effectively. However, older Apple Watches would still use most of the apps that do not require special hardware but without few advanced features. Identifying the best iWatch app is personal – depending on your most frequently used feature on Apple watch. While our list of iWatch apps 2018 covers various functions, each represents our best iWatch app for the specified feature described.
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APPLE HEART STUDY Apple Heart Study is a message that the use of Apple Watch is clearly not just for fun, business ordeals or to support your daily life, but also to ensure you live healthy. This iWatch app is designed to monitor your heart rhythms and to report when there is an anomaly, such as potentials of Atrial Fibrillation; a common cause of heart failure and blood clots that can lead to strokes. This app is very useful and has proven to be one of the best because most heart problems are often undetected since the symptoms are not very obvious. But with an app on your Apple Watch, your heart rhythm is effectively monitored. Heart Study app is only available to iWatch users in the US. Those outside the US should use Cardiogram app as an alternative for the same function.
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SPARK While Spark remains one of the best email apps for iPhone, its transition to iWatch’s small screen is not disappointing – it provides same great experience. Unlike other email apps, that jam pack other facilities together to make email management uneasy, Spark is just simple and focused on email to offer the best mail management experience on your wrist. Mail sorting features on Spark is excellent to help you see when you have emails waiting at a glance. Spark will sort the emails to give you an indication if it’s personal or a newsletter. You can read your email, reply delete, archive or snooze it. Spark also allows you to view emails that are archived, pinned, and sent seamlessly, with bold and colourful buttons in each categorized.
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TRANSIT Every commuter would accept that taking public transportation is not very appealing; you have to spend some time waiting and every minute saved is like an hour saved. But Transit iWatch app is a big relieve to the situation. It’s a simple app that can help you save time while travelling which is fully available in the US and about 50 non-US cities such as Paris and London. Transit provides real-time information on departures for different routes. It also has a Take Me Home button which provides the easiest and quickest way to get home. Transit shows details of different stations, directions, number of services and the next three departures using a very simple map.
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ONENOTE It’s clear that note-taking apps are plenty at Apple Store but OneNote is evidently an exception. It’s a job well-done by Microsoft to deliver a platform you can sync with the two windows comfortably for free. OneNote is a cross-platform iWatch app you can access both with Windows PC and Mac devices. Any information you would refer back to such as shopping list, random ideas or to-do lists can be entered and accessed easily using OneNote – the app is simple. Tap a notebook to see your previous contents, tap the cross icon for a new note.
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MISFIT The importance of exercise daily is demonstrated by the release of Misfit (formally known as Misfit Minute) into Apple Store. It’s an activity tracking app which connects to health monitors and third-party devices such as Speedo and Swarovski to provide 1 to 7 minutes workout time for cardio and strength training. The tracking requires your Apple Watch sensors; hence devices without the sensors would not function properly with Misfit. You can also use Misfit to track your sleep durations, calories, heart rate and your food intake. It can also be set to provide information on your sleep trends daily, weekly or monthly.
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V FOR WIKIPEDIA V for Wikipedia is a rich information source right on your Apple Watch. While providing information, V for Wikipedia lets you adjust different gorgeous interface which has soft colors and various serif typefaces to ensure you’re comfortable when reading. The app has an addition feature of providing interesting points around you while also having a Smart Layout for the articles to optimize both the content and images for the best experience. More features of the app also include a voice search, 3D touch and bookmark to provide quick access to your digital information. It’s an iWatch app that has won several awards which includes best iWatch app on Apple Store in 2016 and the Gold German Design Award.
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JUST EAT You can now place and track orders without reaching out to your phone. That’s the advantage of having Just Eat app on your wrist. You may think it’s the laziest thing to do, but that’s what technology can offer us, life made easier! Just Eat is only available in the UK, individuals in the US can use Domino app as the alternative. They both serve the same purpose and also have provisions to use Apple Pay so you can have multiple options while paying for your deliveries.
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THINGS Things is an excellent task manager which enables you to achieve more. This app is a great addition to any Apple Watch user because it’s a lot easier to check your daily tasks on your wrist than frequently going to your iPhone. With the app active, the tasks keep displaying until you make them complete. The app also has provision for more details which you can do by just tapping the task on display. Things allows you to view how much task you have completed and how much more still undone. It’s definitely one of the best iWatch apps to enhance anyone’s productivity.
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TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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Startup Grind
12-14 Feb, 2018
With 5,000 founders and investors, more than 40 keynote and fireside sessions, and over 50 exhibiting startups, this is Startup Grind’s largest event ever. Bringing together great content and great people in an incredible setting, injecting some custom-built networking technology, and topping it all off with an unrivalled feeling of intimacy is how we guarantee amazing business and an awesome time. Venue: Fox Theatre, Redwood City, CA, USA
tabGeeks 2018
14-16 Feb, 2018
In most companies the IT guy (or gal) is called any time there’s a malfunction, even if it’s just the coffee maker. As part of your job you have to know about email, printers, SAAS and everything in between. And somehow it’s also your job to educate luddite users on new systems. tabGeek is built to support you. tabGeek has lined up speakers and sessions that cover a myriad of topics with a specific focus on the needs of IT Management. Get better at negotiating with vendors, educating your users, team building, and making the most of your budget! On top of some technical refreshers like updating your security needs in 2018, printer management, Windows 10 Deployment and much, much more. Venue: Las Vegas, NV, USA.
Mobile World Congress
26 Feb-01 March, 2018
Mobile World Congress is the world’s largest gathering for the mobile industry, organized by the GSMA and held in the Mobile World Capital, Barcelona, 26 February – 1 March 2018. Industry leaders will gather, network, showcase, and exchange ideas – and you don’t want to miss it. Make your plans now to see how Mobile is Creating a Better Future. Venue: Mobile World Capital, Barcelona, Spain
SXSW
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Featuring a variety of tracks that allow attendees to explore what’s next in the worlds of film, culture, music, and technology, SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together. With one unified conference that spans 24 tracks of programming plus our SXSW Eco curated Cities Summit, the conference will be offering more opportunities for networking, learning, and discovery than ever before from March 9-17. Venue: Austin, Texas, USA.
Wearable Technology Show
13-14 March, 2018
WTS2018 is the largest business and prosumer show featuring cutting edge technology under one roof. It is the biggest and best forum for forming partnerships and developing new business across the wearable, smart device and IOT landscape. Over 6,000 delegates, 200 speakers and 300 press will come together to exchange views, network and do business. The show floor will feature cutting edge technology attracting prosumers, distributors and buyers. Boasting 6 conference tracks; in conjunction with the AR, VR & MXR Show, and Digital Healthcare Show, WTS2018 offers an unrivalled breadth and depth of content. WTS2018 showcases technologies across a multitude of fields including – smart home, healthcare, fashion, fitness, performance sports, enterprise, augmented reality and presents visionary speakers working within the industry to discuss the future of wearables, smart technology and IOT. Venue: ExCel, London, UK
IBM Think
19-22 March, 2018
Learn from the brilliant minds behind everything from blockchain, AI, data, and cloud to IT infrastructure, IoT, security, and beyond. TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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Venue: Las Vegas, NV, USA
Game Developers Conference
19-23 March, 2018
GDC is the world’s largest professional game industry event. Join game designers, programmers, artists, producers, and business professionals for 5 days of unparalleled education, inspiration and networking for the global game development community. Venue: Moscone Center, San Francisco, California, USA
Adobe Summit
25-29 March, 2018
The next wave of business transformation is all about the experience. Come to Summit to learn how to deliver amazing customer experiences — using the latest tools and technologies to help you build campaigns, manage and personalize your advertising and emails, and gain deep data insights. Venue: Las Vegas, NV, USA
EmTech Digital
26-27 March, 2018
AI impacts every industry, and every day we see human-computer interaction becoming increasingly natural and intuitive. But for many it’s difficult to discern facts from fiction. EmTech Digital does just that–giving you the insight and intelligence you need to navigate this rapidly shifting landscape. Venue: St. Regis San Francisco, California, USA
TED “The Age of Amazement”
10-14 April, 2018
For 2018 TED will be tapping into the resources of an expanded curatorial group and going all-out to bring you visibility into the key developments driving this future, from jaw-dropping AI to glorious new forms of creativity to courageous advocates of radical social change. We’ll include critics and skeptics, but also the quiet heroes driving ideas we can rally around. And through it all, we’ll seek an exciting and insightful way forward. TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018
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Venue: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Collision
30 April-03 May, 2018
Collision is “America’s fastest growing tech conference” created by the team behind Web Summit. In three years, Collision has grown to almost 20,000 attendees from 119 countries. Attendees include CEOs of both the world’s fastest growing startups and the world’s largest companies, alongside leading investors and media. Venue: New Orleans, LA, USA
F8
01-02 May, 2018
Facebook’s annual developer conference showcases our latest technology and gives you a glimpse into what’s next for Facebook. Venue: San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, CA, USA
Google I/O
08-10 May, 2018
Google I/O (simply I/O) is an annual developer conference held by Google in San Francisco, California. I/O showcases technical indepth sessions focused on building web, mobile, and enterprise applications with Google and open sources such as Android, Chrome and Chrome OS, APIs, Google Web Toolkit, App Engine, and more. Venue: Mountain View, CA, USA
TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2018