Geekly Update - 23 September 2020

The AskBobRankin Geekly Update

Residents of the village of Aberhosan in Wales were plagued with mysterious internet outages that happened at the same time every day for 18 months. It turns out the culprit was a really old TV that was being turned on at 7am each morning.

Researchers at the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology have created a low-cost hearing aid that could be built with open-source parts and a 3D-printed case, for about a dollar.

"I'm thinking of something blue...." Are you ready for a computer to analyze your thoughts and guess at what you're thinking? A brain-computer interface at the University of Helsinki models visual perception by monitoring human brain signals, and creates related images.

During the height of the pandemic, Facebook employees being forced to work from home had a chance to ask CEO Mark Zuckerberg about their most pressing concerns. Despite the fact that they all received $1000 bonuses, at the top of their list of questions was "Where's the free food?"

Tesla announced at their Battery Day event that they'll be offering a Model S "Plaid Edition" that will have a range of 520 miles, and a top speed of 200 mph. It will be available in late 2021, with a price tag of $139,990. CEO Elon Musk also announced plans for a $25,000 Tesla model, to be available in 2023.

Need a bigger computer screen? Microsoft’s 85-inch Surface Hub 2S runs Windows 10 and will be available in January 2021 for $21,999 (and 99 cents, plus tax, and recappable tires.)

A former YouTube content moderator is suing the Google-owned company because she claims to have developed PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) as a result of reviewing hours of graphic video footage every day. She claims the company failed to protect her and co-workers from mental harms.

NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service, which offers many popular TV shows and movies for free, is now available on Roku. The parties were squabbling for several months over revenue sharing.

This just in from the Software as a Sore Spot department: Tired of paying a never-ending subscription fee for Microsoft Office software titles? Here's good news: the company will offer a flat-price version of the Office software in mid-2021, apparently moving away from (or maybe just offering an alternative to) the subscription service model.

Garmin's Varia RTL515 and RVR315 rearview bike radar is effectively eyes for the back of your head, designed to alert riders when cars are approaching from behind.

Here's an update on the Gundam robot that towers 60 feet above Japan's Port of Yokohama. The monster robot inspired by movies can now walk, bend its knees, turn its head, and make hand gestures. We're doomed.

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