Geekly Update - 10 February 2021

Category: Tech-News

Is a software bug turning lawyers into adorable kittens? How soon will artificial intelligence go bonkers and destroy humanity? Which streaming service has all your favorite sports, news, and TV shows? And is there a Transforming Intelligent Ground Excursion Robot in your future? Get answers in today's Geekly Update... it's jam-packed with the latest tech news. This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and, comment!

The AskBobRankin Geekly Update

A Texas lawyer attended a virtual legal proceeding via Zoom, but he appeared as an animated talking cat. A distraught Rod Ponton said “I'm here live, I'm not a cat!” as fellow participants held back laughter. The judge in the case kindly explained that someone must have applied a filter to his Zoom account, causing him to appear as an adorable kitten.

This just in from the Robot Overlords Department: Researchers from Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Human Development claim to have proof that if a “superintelligent” self-teaching artificial intelligence software entity ever develops, it would be impossible for humans to contain it. With access to the Internet, the scientists say, it could cure cancer and bring about world peace, or… destroy humanity and take over the Earth. Flip a coin?

Which streaming service (or combination them) will get you all of your favorite TV channels? Here’s a
a chart that shows availability of the top 100 TV channels across YouTube TV, Hulu, Sling TV, AT&T, Philo, Fubo and T-Mobile Tvision.

Now we know why Hyundai spent $1.1 billion to buy a controlling stake in robotics firm Boston Dynamics. Hyundai’s Transforming Intelligent Ground Excursion Robot, or Tiger X-1 for short, is an autonomous walking concept car. It won’t transport people, but could be used as a rescue vehicle, or for moon exploration.

Geekly Update 02-10-2021

Last summer, Apple used its army of lawyers to bully a startup named Super Healthy Kids because they dared to use a pear in their company logo. Apple claimed it might “cause dilution of the distinctiveness” of Apple’s own logo. A “Save the Pear from Apple!” online petition that got over 269,000 signatures may have had something to do with the fact that Apple relented, requiring only a minor change to the shape of the leaf on the offending pear logo.

This just in from the “Where’s My Blender?” Department: Researchers in Singapore are ‘printing’ fresh vegetables, using “food inks” derived from from fresh and frozen vegetables. The scientists say the resulting product will be tasty, nutritious, and ideal for patients with swallowing difficulties.

Weber’s latest gas grills have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and digital displays. This adds a new meaning to the phrase “You’re blowing up on Twitter!”

Be careful what you say in online reviews. Philip James Waymouth left a negative review of London law firm Summerfield Browne, after receiving what he felt was unsatisfactory service. His review on TrustPilot, a popular review site, accused the firm of being a "scam solicitor". But a court found in favor of the law firm, which accused Browne of defamation, and ordered him to pay about $34,000 in damages.

Qualcomm's new X65 5G modem, designed for use in premium smartphones, PCs, and mobile hotspots, will be able to download data at 10Gbps speeds, orders of magnitude faster than current 4G connections. The X65’s antenna tuning tech can detect the user’s hand grip more accurately, improving data speeds, coverage and battery longevity.

How often should you replace your Internet router? At least every five years, and preferably every two or three years, some experts say, if you use the latest laptops and smartphones. This CNet article provides some practical tips on how and when to make a router upgrade.

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Most recent comments on "Geekly Update - 10 February 2021"

Posted by:

Lucy
10 Feb 2021

There are so few routers on my providers list of allowed equipment. Currently we use our own gateway from their list.

If I instead used their provided modem as bridge could I then plug any router or gateway I wish into it, or does it still have to be from their list?

I guess I am asking if the "bridge" protects their system from any "unauthorized" modem.



Posted by:

Robert Kinnie Jr.
10 Feb 2021

I am using Windows 10. About two or three months ago it started acting funky. Every time I click on something that has a link there is now a box that pops up with choices, this never used to happen before, the software used to just go to tab and open the next link. This happens even if there is a box that needs to be filled with something. At times I have to click several times in a blank area of the screen to get the box to go away so I can get the proper response. Is there a setting I can change to get this to stop doing this? It's not just in a web browser either, it happens on the desktop also.


Posted by:

Coco
10 Feb 2021

Robert, sounds like you are infected. See if MalwareBytes can help you clean that out. No setting in Windows that I know of. CC


Posted by:

Lucy
10 Feb 2021

Robert K

Check your mouse settings. Have you inadvertently changed the right/left click option?

Settings - Devices - Mouse - select your primary button

Usually it shows the left one, if yours shows right change it to left.


Posted by:

James
11 Feb 2021

Regarding the law firm and online review, I think you got the names backwards. Browne was the law firm, or so you indicated, and Waymouth was the man who left the review. Since the judge ruled in favor of the law firm, it wouldn't be Browne who got the fine assessed against him. Unless the names were mixed up in some other way. I better be careful about Walmart and Door Dash reviews! Usually they're positive reviews, though, so I should be safe. I hope. ;)


Posted by:

David
11 Feb 2021

"from the Robot Overlords Department:"

And you laughed when they talked about Skynet! Mwah, hah, hah!


Posted by:

Joel B
11 Feb 2021

From the Old Guys crowd and the: "Robot Overlords Department." Refer to the TV movie from 1970 entitled "Colossus: The Forbin Project" starring Eric Braeden and Susan Clark. With slight modification to the script premise, Be careful what you wish for!


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