Geekly Update - 15 July 2020
Can you get Internet access from a UFO? Why is Bob sorry about something he searched for on Google? And do barnyard chickens really need Fitbits? 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
Way back in 2019, if you said “my ears are burning”, it meant you felt that other people were talking about you. In 2020, it means “my ears are actually burning.” Amazon is warning customers that wireless Echo Buds earphones may be at risk of overheating and is urging customers to update their software.
Peacock launched Wednesday, adding yet another streaming service to the mix. Peacock from NBC Universal, which will compete with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Youtube TV, and Disney Plus, is offering 20,000+ hours of TV shows, movies, news, sports, and original programming. And it's free! Sign up with an email address (no credit card required) and you can start watching Peacock. Paid premium tiers eliminate advertising. Unfortunately, Peacock is not available on Roku or FireTV, and the Android app is hard to find.
Clever Elly is a phone charger and smart speaker that reminds parents and caregivers not to forget a child in a hot car. The gadget plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter plays an audible reminder to check the back seat when you turn off the car. Sadly, about 50 children die each year in hot cars.
Homeschooling is gaining traction in the wake of covid-19 school closings. But what if you're not a whiz at grammar, algebra, or cellular biology? Outschool is a website that offers live online classes for small groups of students aged 3-18. Paid lessons, as well as free home schooling resources for families are available.
Bored? Clever librarians are using Google Forms to create virtual escape rooms.
Elon Musk wants to beam high-speed satellite Internet from space to the masses. If you have a clear view of the sky, the "UFO-on-a-stick" device should do the trick. The U.S. Air Force is testing it in military planes, and the Starlink service is expected to be available service in the northern US and Canada later this year.
On a whim, I googled "Covid-20", and got "About 5,290,000,000 results." Fasten your seatbelts, this could be a bumpy ride.
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have developed a wearable sensor dubbed the fitbit for chickens. The device detects blood-sucking mites that feed on hens. It doesn't zap the bugs, but it could let farmers know it's time to examine their birds for parasites.
Fabricius is a Google Arts & Culture Lab Experiment that uses machine learning to help translate ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Bonus: you can add hieroglyphs to your passwords for extra security.
Google is experimenting with wearable tech. One idea is a temporary tattoo that transforms your body into a living touchpad. MC Hammer might need a new song.
Your thoughts on these topics are welcome! Post your comment or question below...
This article was posted by Bob Rankin on 15 Jul 2020
| For Fun: Buy Bob a Snickers. |
 |
Prev Article: Windows 10 Hard Drive Cleanup |
The Top Twenty |
Next Article: Windows 10: Did You Know...? |
 |
Post your Comments, Questions or Suggestions
|
Free Tech Support -- Ask Bob Rankin Subscribe to AskBobRankin Updates: Free Newsletter Copyright © 2005 - Bob Rankin - All Rights Reserved About Us Privacy Policy RSS/XML |
Article information: AskBobRankin -- Geekly Update - 15 July 2020 (Posted: 15 Jul 2020)
Source: https://askbobrankin.com/geekly_update_15_july_2020.html
Copyright © 2005 - Bob Rankin - All Rights Reserved
Most recent comments on "Geekly Update - 15 July 2020"
Posted by:
Mike
15 Jul 2020
Bob--
If you Google Covid-20 in quotes so that you get (mostly) the exact phrase instead of the similars that Google likes to add in, it drops the count to only 703,000. Then there is Covid-21 (112,000), Covid-22 (164,000), Covid-23 (126,000), Covid-24 (212,000), Covid-25 (138,999) and so on. I was still going at Covid-1000.
Posted by:
Doc
15 Jul 2020
BOB --- Check you question page, I hit the blue link, not the gray and black link (written directions do not apply to the illiterate).
Basically it says that you have a LOT of readers (perhaps close to a couple of million searched for COVID-20 after you posted your search results.
And apparently I knew .68 things before I learned one more and increased my knowledge by 146%. (SARS-CoV-3 is a real virus). THANK YOU BOB!
Posted by:
Jim
15 Jul 2020
The terror of entering "covid-20" must be a local thing to your house Bob. No such number of hits showed up here. Sure there were about 750,000 hits but only about a dozen were mentioning covid-20. I did find a song on spotify called covid-20. I didn't listen.
Entering Covid-45 however does give you a nasty picture of Trump.
Posted by:
Therrito
16 Jul 2020
I think that the Clever Elly is an awesome idea as no child should be left unattended in a car, even for a few minutes. It could be used for our furbabies as well.