Geekly Update - 15 September 2021
Are passwords officially obsolete? How soon can you get a shiny new oPhone 13 Pro Max, and what will it cost? Is social media damaging the mental health of teenage girls? And what's the real reason for the existence of Windows 11? 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
Apple just unveiled several new hardware products, including four new iPhones, a new Apple Watch, and two new iPads. Improvements to the iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max include a faster processor, longer battery life and improved camera features. A top-of-the-line iPhone 13 Pro Max with 1TB or RAM will cost about $1600. ZDNet has a good recap of all the recent Apple announcements.
If you're looking for a laptop for remote work or back-to-school, check out the HP Chromebook 14. On sale now for just $236, it sports a fast Intel Celeron N4000 CPU, 4 GB of RAM, 32 GB of storage, a 14-inch anti-glare HD display, webcam and dual mics.
Facebook, the owner of Instagram, has done research that shows significant teen mental-health issues, particularly in girls. The Wall Street Journal obtained an internal Facebook presentation with the statement “We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls.”
The Windows 11 rollout has been a roller coaster ride of conflicting information. If it turns out your PC won't run Windows 11, you might not be missing much. This tongue-in-cheek article argues that Microsoft's latest operating system is more about eye-catching visuals than improved software.
In an increasingly digital world, it's nice to know you can still get an old-school glossy print of a photo. Google Photos you lets order a print right from the app, and get it delivered right to your door. Prices start at $0.18 per print plus shipping, and you can choose 4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 11x14, 12x18, 16x20 or 20x30 prints.
Apple has issued a software patch to block so-called "zero-click" spyware capable of infecting iPhones and iPads. The flaw could let hackers access devices through the iMessage service even if users do not click on a link or file.
Facebook has teamed up with Ray-Ban to create Ray-Ban Stories, a pair of video-capturing smart glasses. The good news is also the bad news. These new smart specs look just like regular shades, can secretly record video of whatever is in your field of view, and upload all of that to Facebook. Yikes.
Microsoft wants you to delete your password. You now have the option to disable password authentication for logins to Outlook.com, Xbox Live, OneDrive and Skype. Passwordless login options include hardware security keys, biometrics, Windows Hello face recognition, and the Microsoft Authenticator app.
Researchers at Northwestern University have used AI to analyze the works of Vincent van Gogh and Jackson Pollack, and they think they know the "Magic Formula" to their success.
This one is just for the headline: "Samsung Releases Eco-Friendly Watchbands Made From Apple Peel". Alrighty, then.
Your thoughts on these topics are welcome. Post your comment or question below...
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This article was posted by Bob Rankin on 15 Sep 2021
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Most recent comments on "Geekly Update - 15 September 2021"
Posted by:
Kawika117
15 Sep 2021
Nothing like teaching computers to recognize your face, Big Brother would be proud!
Posted by:
Wolf
15 Sep 2021
Teaching facial recognition to computers? Video-capturing smart glasses that records what is in one's field of view? Monsters ruling Afghanistan? What is this sick world heading toward?
Posted by:
Hugh Gautier
15 Sep 2021
They just might be, if companies refuse to believe that everybody is going to go out and buy a 5G Phone, which I'm not doing. Why aren't these cell providers being honest about the health risks for children with ADHD, pregnant women, seniors with dementia, or cancer patients? All I've heard from them is crickets. Then again you are pushing 5G as well with all of those antennas putting out RF Frequencies that are higher than a CT scan machine. Makes me think, I don't want one at all, I'm a senior and a cancer survivor. What is in it for you?
Posted by:
Kirill
15 Sep 2021
“We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls.” - I bet it's about American (US) girls and in this case it's perfect - girls finally begin to recognize the results of "body positive politics" - fat, shapeless, unhealthy bodies of constantly fast food eating lazy silly girls. Hope this finally makes them think a little more critical about themselves and things that they receiving from current US educational system. Ironically, it's essentially Social Justice. Bon Appetite!
"Samsung Releases Eco-Friendly Watchbands Made From Apple Peel" - Samsung has to call this wristband "iWristband".
About Chromebook. I bought Google Pixelbook (Eve) with i5 when it was on sale for $750. I like it and decided to hunt another as a backup at ebay. So I bought i7 (16Gb RAM, 512Gb SSD) for $369. I know, there is a risk to get close to dead battery and it's close to EOL, but for now I'd say, it's one of the best options overall. My rule of thumb - never take anything from Intel worse, than i5.
Posted by:
Jay B
15 Oct 2021
I have always felt that Microsoft's new versions were more about changing the look and feel than they were about improving performance, increasing security or adding new features. Certainly, over the years performance improvements, security enhancements and new features have been included, but it seems that the bulk of the effort has been to change the look and feel of the user interface. The fact that with Windows 10 only parts of the user interface were changed makes it even more apparent.