Geekly Update - 29 Nov 2023 (has the robot apocalypse begun?)

The AskBobRankin Geekly Update

Eater New York reports that NYC Will Soon Be Home to 15 Robot-Run Vegetarian Restaurants From Chipotle’s Founder. Starting in early 2024, the Kernel chain of vegetarian fast-casual restaurants will be operated mostly by robots, alongside three human workers, with a design that helps to ensure food safety.

Moonwalkers are AI-powered "robot shoes" that will help you walk three times faster, without falling on your face. Xunjie Zhang created the personal mobility device after an e-scooter accident left him wondering why he didn't walk more.

If the thing you've been missing most in life is to have a voice-activated microphone and speakers on your face, then your dream just came true.
Amazon's Echo Frame smartglasses thankfully don't have a built-in camera, but they work with Alexa to play music, answer burning questions, or purchase dog treats while you zoom down Main Street on your Moonwalkers.

You've probably seen dire warnings from police deparments across America, warning that the NameDrop feature in the newest iPhones can be used to steal your contact information. Vital videos claim that anyone who sits next to you on a bus, for example, can easily grab your personal contact details. That sounded a bit fishy to me, so I investigated and found that of course it's not at all true. It is true that NameDrop is turned on by default, and that two iPhone users running iOS 17 can exchange contacts by holding the tops of their phones together. However, consent is required. The user must tap a Share button to confirm that they agree to send their contact to the other device.

Have you ever needed a new pair of headphones, a PlayStation controller, or some other electronic gadget RIGHT NOW, but you were too lazy to drive over to Best Buy? DoorDash has solved the problem, and will deliver your Best Buy order in under an hour. Be sure to tip your driver.

ZDNET writer Ed Bott (a real human, and not to be confused with the Edbot robot) has some advice for optimizing your Windows 11 system. Bott;s article goes over the many pre-installed apps on Windows 11, and advises which ones to keep, and which ones you should uninstall,

I found very interesting this story of "The Deepfake That Wasn't". Two years ago, a Pennsylvania mom was accused of creating a fake video to smear her daughter's teammate on the cheerleading squad. A local prosecutor claimed Raffaela Spone used artificial intelligence "deepfake" software to manipulate a video, even though he knew the allegations were false. Film Lawsuit at 11.

Fast forward to 2023, deepfake software is easier than ever to use. Forbes reports a disturbing trend in which AI is being used to create the appearance of real news anchors reporting fake stories. And here's another example of a deepfake video showing Ron DeSantis announcing he is ending his campaign for president.

Fairphone aims to address the problem of electronic waste by creating smartphones that owners can repair themselves. The Fairphone has eight components, including the camera, that users can easily remove and replace. I like the idea of fixing my phones rather than ditching them when a component fails. For me, it always a cracked screen that results in a phone heading to the junk drawer.

And finally, this week's Just Here For the Headline item: Physicists Say Time Travel Can Be Simulated Using Quantum Entanglement.

I'll see you next week, if I make it back from my trip to the Library of Alexandria. Your thoughts on these topics are welcome. Post your comment or question below...