Geekly Update - 12 February 2020

Category: Tech-News

What happens when you fold a sheet of glass in half? Should we believe the robots when they tell us they're just here to help? And can you charge your phone with an Apollo 11 Moon Landing Guidance Computer? 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

Remember Motorola's iconic flip phone, the Razr? It was the best-selling phone ever, and now it's back as a smartphone. (And yes, it does hang up your call with that satisfying snap.)

Samsung's newly announced Z Flip smartphone has something that Razr and other "foldables" don't -- a bendable glass screen. Reviewers seem to think that Samsung got it right this time.

I just spotted a super deal on Samsung's 1-Terabyte T5 Portable SSD, now $159 at Amazon ($40 discount). That's a lot of portable solid-state storage for the money. The T5 is shock resistant metal design and offers optional password protection. If you're looking for a deal on an internal SSD drive, the $99 WD Green 1TB Internal PC SSD makes an excellent replacement for an aging hard drive.

An article in Wired UK says fears of a robot uprising are unfounded, and folks should stop worrying about robots taking their jobs. Yeah, that sounds JUST like something a robot would write.

Geekly Update 02-12-2020

Remember the devastating Equifax breach from March 2017? Sensitive data for 145 million Americans was leaked, and the U.S. Department of Justice is accusing the Chinese military of orchestrating that hack, which took advantage of Equifax's failure to update vulnerable software.

Did you know that your USB-C wall charger has a tiny computer inside? Forrest Heller, a man with time on his hands, has taken the time to compare the compute power of three smartphone chargers with the Apollo 11 Moon Landing Guidance Computer. Turns out the chargers have bigger CPUs and more memory, but they will never fly to the moon and back.

Did you get swept up in the #BroomStickChallenge? NASA says it has nothing to do with magic, gravitational forces, or the day of the year. It's actually physics (and the broom's inherent low center of gravity) that allows you to balance a broom on its bristles.

If you're looking for an awesome wallpaper or screensaver image, look no further than Earth View. You'll find over 2500 beautiful landscapes, as seen from space.

"Alec" purchased a Tesla Model S from a dealer who had bought the car at a Tesla-sponsored auction. But after the sale, he discovered that Tesla had remotely disabled the “Enhanced Autopilot” and “Full Self Driving Mode” features, claiming that the new owner did not pay for those features.

Some Windows 7 users are getting a message that says "You don't have permission to shut down your computer." Before you pull the plug, several workarounds are available here.

Your thoughts on these topics are welcome. Post your comment or question below...

 
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Most recent comments on "Geekly Update - 12 February 2020"

Posted by:

Russ
12 Feb 2020

Windows 7 users should not have permission to shut down their computers ... OR EVEN USE THE KEYBOARD. Stupid people need not apply at my shop.


Posted by:

BrummagemFlash
12 Feb 2020

Robots have clearly taken over some Win7 PCs, and must keep them running their masterplan programs.

Note that one middle-aged fat rich blond sexist racist robot has been installed in 10 Downing Street, London - its programs modified by puppeteer Dom Cummings.

Also that another middle-aged fat rich blond sexist racist robot has clearly taken over the White House. The puzzle is how this robot's programmers have brainwashed so many Americans to ignore its dangerous faults.

Perhaps robot-programmed robots could do a better job of saving Planet Earth than those selfish robots we seem to be selecting to rule over us like dictators.


Posted by:

Robert Deloyd
13 Feb 2020

I guess Russ wants to make a point... wonder what kinda shop he owns?


Posted by:

Mike P.
13 Feb 2020

Considering Russ' disdain for people still using Windows 7, he must be aghast at the proliferation of flip phones being introduced today.

Sad that he couldn't make his point clear in a single post. Reminds me of the person on the sidewalk yelling the same message everyday at the same people everyday....."THE END IS NEAR".


Posted by:

RandiO
13 Feb 2020

I always resisted the temptation to contact any of the Credit Reporting Agencies (Equifax, et al). I'd rather not provide them with any more information than they scrape from other sources. This includes not providing them my email address for even my FICO score.
I am sure if you ask all Americans if they mind scavenging of all our sensitive FINANCIAL and MEDICAL records/data by these institutions, most will agree; remainder are either clueless or contend "They have nothing to hide!"
...and you thought Russ was real upset with Win7 users... I don't even know who to turn my anger toward!


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