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Show of 02-16-2019

Tech Talk

February 16, 2019

Email and Forum Questions

  • Email from Tom Schum: Interesting to hear your views on education that does not stifle creativity. Achievable projects are very good job-related exercises that translate directly to the workplace. I believe intractable problems can be quite valuable as well. One intractable problem I have been working on for 40 years now has helped me be creative and resourceful all through my work life (retired now).
  • There are lists of intractable problems out there. Here is one:
  • http://howtosavetheworld.ca/2005/08/18/the-worlds-ten-most-intractable-problems/
  • The intractable problem I’ve been working on is inertial propulsion. It is widely dismissed as impossible. Inertial propulsion can open the solar system to easy exploration and commercial development.
  • Solution of intractable problems forces the world forward, so it is worthwhile to work on them. The benefits include deep learning, resourcefulness, and creativity even if the problem never is solved.  At least that’s what I think. Tom Schum
  • Tech Talk Responds: I agree that intractable problems are good for the advanced student. However, when a child is just starting it is important to have problems that can be solved. As they work up the ladder of difficulty and get confidence, it does make sense to throw in an intractable problem. Who knows, they may solve.
  • Email from Carol in St. Louis: Doc and Jim. I really enjoyed the series of shows for cord cutters. Now I am really going to do it. Do you have any updates on options and available streaming services? Love the show. Carol in St. Louis
  • Tech Talk Responds: Thanks for the feedback. Here is the current rundown.
  • Step One: Drop the entertainment package with your cable provide and negotiate for Internet only. I don’t have any phone options because I bought an Ooma Box many years and ported my landline over to that VoIP service. I pay about $20 per year for my phone. I dropped my contract and was placed on a month-to-month Internet only plan (at an exorbitant rate). Then I logged on the the Verizon website and upgraded to a two year contract like a new customer for $59.99 per month with a $100 gift card. This is not available through you call center account rep.
  • Step Two. Select a Streaming Provider. The landscape is pretty much the same. Here is a rundown.
  • DirecTV Now — Best for: Channel selection. Starting price: $40. Three other packages with progressively more channels for $55, $65 and $75. Missing channels: NFL Red Zone. TV-like interface including the ability to swipe left or right to change channels; numerous discounts and offers, especially for AT&T Wireless customers. DVR is limited, no family member profiles..
  • Hulu With Live TV — Best for: Current Hulu subscribers who want to add Live TV.
  • Starting price: $45. Step-up packages: Optional “enhanced” DVR and multistream plans. Missing channels: AMC, BBC America, Comedy Central, MLB Network, MTV, NBA TV, NFL Network, NFL Red Zone, Nickelodeon. The Good: Includes Hulu’s massive on-demand library, including theThe Handmaid’s Tale. The Bad: Confusing interface, standard DVR doesn’t let you skip commercials.
  • PlayStation Vue — Best for: Commercial skippers and PS4 owners. Starting price: $45. Step-up packages: Three other packages with progressively more channels for $50, $60 and $80. Missing channels: A&E, Comedy Central, History, Lifetime, MTV, Nickelodeon. The good: Solid DVR with unlimited storage. More expensive than others with a worse channel selection.
  • Sling TV — Best for: Saving money but still getting ESPN (or Fox). Starting price: $25.
  • Step-up packages: Sling Orange + Blue for $40 month, $5 cloud DVR add-on, numerous $5 minipackages. Missing channels (all packages): ABC, CBS, Animal Planet, Fox News, MLB Network, Nickelodeon. Missing channels (Sling Orange): Fox, NBC, Bravo, FS1, FX, MSNBC, USA Network. Missing channels (Sling Blue): ABC, Disney Channel, ESPN. The good: Relatively cheap, flexible channel packages. Can only stream to one device (TV, phone, tablet) with Orange package; very little support for local stations; cloud DVR costs extra.
  • YouTube TV — Best for: Local channels and unlimited DVR. Price: $40. Missing channels: A&E, Comedy Central, Discovery, Food Network, HGTV, History, Lifetime, NFL Network, NFL Red Zone, Nickelodeon. The good: Intuitive interface and comprehensive program guide; includes all four local channels in most of US households; unlimited storage on cloud DVR.
  • Step Three: Get some OTA TV. This may influence your streaming provider, since local coverage is the real game changer. I used antennas in the attic, connected to a 30db amplifier, with an LTE filter. I connected this to a Tablo (with four tuners) to connect all the TV in the house to the antenna. I used a phone app to locate the direction of the local TV towers.
  • Bonus: The same DirectTV Now streaming package can be used at more than one house, as long as the number of simultaneous streams is not violated.
  • Email from Jeff in Springfield, VA: Dear Tech Talk. I have been reading that Apple is replacing the Intel chip with the QUALCOMM chip in some of its phones. Which is should I get and which is best? Enjoy the podcast. Jeff in Springfield
  • Tech Talk Responds: Apple began phasing in Intel’s modem chips in 2016 after years of using chips exclusively from Qualcomm. Qualcomm filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Apple in Germany. The alleged patent violation stemmed not from Intel chips but yet another Apple supplier – Qorvo Inc – whose chip was only present in older phones with Intel modems. iPhones will be sold in Germany only with chips from Qualcomm Inc, instead of a mix of chips from Qualcomm and Intel Corp. Apple said it had “no choice” but to stop using some chips from Intel Corp in iPhones headed to Germany in order to comply with the patent infringement ruling. The good news for consumers is that the QUALCOMM Chip has superior performance. The case goes to trial in the United States in April. The use of QUALCOMM chips in US iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 handsets is not clear. If they are available, I may upgrade to a 7 with the QUALCOMM chip. Apple began phasing in Intel’s modem chips in 2016 after years of using chips exclusively from Qualcomm. You can tell which chip is in your iPhone by looking at the model number. Apple publishes the data against model number.
  • Maggie in Richmond: Dear Tech Talk. I heard that there is a new Mac virus that masqarades as a Windows executable and that it is spreading fast. How can I protect myself from this new strain? Love the show. Maggie in Richmond
  • Tech Talk Responds: Researchers from Trend Micro said in a blog posting that they had found an active strain of Mac malware that got past the Gatekeeper program built into macOS by simply being a Windows application, or “executable” in technical terms. The Windows malware comes hidden in pirated copies of popular Mac shareware programs found on torrent sites. It uses a widely available software-compatibility framework to run on Macs, then gathers system information and tries to install more Mac malware and adware. The Windows malware has already infected Macs in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and other countries.
  • You can avoid this threat by not downloading pirated software and by installing third-party Mac antivirus software that checks for Windows malware, such as Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac, Avast Free Mac Security or Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac.

Profiles in IT: Herman Chinery-Hesse

  • Herman Chinery-Hesse is founder of SOFTtribe, the largest software company in Ghana and is popularly known as the Bill Gates of Ghana.
  • Herman Chinery-Hesse was inn 1963 in Dublin, Ireland, but was raised in Ghana.
  • Herman’s mother is the former deputy director general of the International Labor Organization and vice chair of Ghana’s National Development Planning Commission.
  • Herman was educated at Mfantsipim School in Ghana and in the United Kingdom.
  • He began his professional life as an engineer at a UK plasterboard manufacturer. The pay packet from the plasterboard manufacturer helped buy a computer costing 800 British pounds, and Chinery-Hesse began tinkering with it at home.
  • The bosses took note of his interest in technology and his American education, and moved him from mechanical to computer engineering.
  • Returning home to Ghana in the late 1980s, his friends were complaining that they didn’t have jobs. He made a 100 pound bet that he could find a job here by Monday.
  • He found a travel agent with a broken computer and fixed it. As word of mouth spread, he was inundated with offers. He found opportunity everywhere.
  • In 1990, he graduated from Texas State University with a BSIT, where he discovered a real talent for software coding.
  • Three weeks after graduation he moved back to the Ghana to start a software factory.
  • He founded SOFTtribe in 1991. Its programmers sat side-by-side in an outhouse, remodeled as a cramped office, behind his parents’ house in the same neighborhood.
  • He was doing an international contract with Nestlé’s head office from that location.
  • A few years later, when the team had swelled to 28 people, Chinery-Hesse, unable to afford rent on the kind of space he needed, bought a freight container and piled in his operation. It housed the entire team and two air-conditioners for six years.
  • By providing the internet bandwidth, hosting and software development capabilities to African companies, it has amassed more than 250 clients.
  • One of its most popular programs allows a user whose house is being attacked to text their GPS co-ordinates to police, neighbors and local radio.
  • He hires local boys and girls and teaches them programming. He does not import expensive internationally educated software engineers. Employees are fiercely loyal.
  • Herman wants to create an African Amazon to sell them all kinds of things from shoes to cement to building materials, using mobile phones and the Internet.
  • Funded by an angel investor, it’s a system of technology that’s a cross between eBay and PayPal, both of which are scarce in Africa, but are booming globally.
  • He believes that Africa will solve it own problems and that the international aid community has it all wrong. It is infected with a colonial mindset that all technical solutions must be imported from abroad, treating Ghana as subservient.
  • Chinery-Hesse also the list of 15 Black STEM Innovators.

Russia Plans to Temporarily Disconnect from the Internet

  • The planned unplugging is part of a cyber-war-gaming exercise to make sure Russia can still operate even if it is disconnected from outside its borders.
  • The news: Russian authorities and internet providers will conduct a test to make sure data passing between its citizens and organizations can stay inside the country rather than being routed internationally.
  • The exact test date has not been revealed, but it’s scheduled to take place before April 1, 2019.
  • The aim is to find out whether a proposed new Russian law works. It requires Russian ISPs to ensure they can continue to function even if disconnected by a foreign aggressor.
  • The draft legislation, which was introduced in Russia’s parliament in December 2018, would also require Russian telecom companies to be able to reroute all internet traffic to exchange points approved by Russia’s telecoms regulator.
  • Although none of Russia’s internet providers have said they disagree with the law, they’ve argued that its implementation will cause major disruptions to Russian internet traffic.
  • In 2017, Russian officials announced plans to route 95% of all Russian internet traffic inside the country by 2020. This new exercise is also part of long-standing efforts by the Russian government to introduce a web traffic filtering system akin to the one in place in China.

Trump Signs Order to Boost Artificial Intelligence Research

  • President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday directing the U.S. government to prioritize artificial intelligence in its research and development spending.
  • The order, which comes amid concerns about China’s ambitions to dominate the sector and the likelihood of disruption for workers as the technology automates millions of jobs.
  • It does not outline specific funding goals, but says it aims to ensure that AI develops in a manner that reflects U.S. values and to push training for the future workforce.
  • Tech leaders have also been pressing the administration for additional R&D funding and a more focused education strategy.
  • In May, a top White House technology official, Michael Kratsios, assured that the administration would pursue a hands-off regulatory approach to AI to allow it to grow unfettered.
  • The administration’s action follows moves by China to establish dominance in a technology with far-reaching implications for national security.
  • The Chinese government has made a 10-fold increase in AI output a national priority for coming years, and many companies there are deploying machine-learning systems to update banking services, identify faces in crowds, and control drones.
  • The order doesn’t cover intellectual property protections or export controls, which the administration has sought to use to constrain China in other areas, but aims to open

The Raspberry Pi Guy: Makes Robotics Look Easy

  • A first-year university student has become an online sensation, offering expert advice on DIY robotics and computer programming.
  • Matt Timmons-Brown has built a huge following showing people how to create fun, practical projects on tiny, affordable computers.
  • His tutorial videos feature credit card-sized devices – called Raspberry Pi – which were launched in 2012 to help people learn about computer programming.
  • Now Edinburgh student Matt – dubbed The Raspberry Pi Guy – has published his first book, which guides readers through the process of building a robot.
  • The book – Learn Robotics with Raspberry Pi – was published last month.
  • Matt, who is studying in the University’s Schools of Engineering and Informatics, developed an interest in computing and electronics after becoming one of the first people to own a Raspberry Pi.
  • He set up a YouTube channel soon after to share his progress and create tutorials to help inspire others to learn about coding, circuits and robots.
  • The page has since become the world’s most-popular YouTube channel about the Raspberry Pi, and currently has around 66,000 subscribers.
  • His videos – which have attracted nearly six million views so far – range from beginner’s guides and tutorials to detailed instructions on how to build basic robots and create electric skateboards.
  • I wanted to create the ultimate beginners guide to this exciting field – one that I would have liked to have read when I was just starting!
  • Link to Videos: https://www.theraspberrypiguy.com/

DJI software Update Stop Unauthorized Drone Flight Paths

  • Drone-maker DJI has introduced new safety tools it says will do more to prevent its range of UAVs being flown near European airports.
  • A new geo-fencing system creates a more effective no-drone zone around airports, as well as runway flight paths and other sensitive facilities.
  • The new Geospatial Environment Online (GEO) 2.0 system is rolling out in 32 countries (including 13 that have not benefitted from the system before) and uses a bow-tie shaped design to replace the existing circular no-fly zones.
  • The new design features specific designs for high–, medium-, and low-risk airports, with each offering enhanced warning zones for drone pilots.
  • DJI is also launching temporary flight restrictions as part of its new safety revamp, which will be in effect beyond airports. These will come into effect during major events or natural disasters.
  • In theory, they could be used to ground all drones in the event of them being spotted around airports.
  • Gatwick Airport, which suffered a crippling shutdown in December following reports of a drone flying within dangerous proximity to the runway, is among the airports to adopt the new GEO system.
  • The new GEO system uses GPS and navigational satellites and was developed by Altitude Angel, a British firm. DJI drone owners will begin spotting the changes in forthcoming app and software updates that will roll out later this month.

Replace the Border Wall with an Energy–Water Corridor

  • Instead of an endless, inert wall along the U.S.–Mexico border, line the boundary with 2,000 miles of natural gas, solar and wind power plants.
  • Use some of the energy to desalinate water from the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean and ship it through pipelines to thirsty towns, businesses and new farms along the entire border zone.
  • A consortium of 27 engineers and scientists from a dozen U.S. universities has developed a plan. Last week they delivered it to three U.S. representatives and one senator.
  • The border region receives boundless solar energy, and has significant natural gas and wind resources. It is also suffering from extreme drought, and water shortages are predicted to get worse.
  • Farming is exceedingly difficult. And jobs are often scarce—in part because of lack of water and power.
  • With water and power, farming and manufacturing could flourish. That means jobs on both sides of the border.
  • The “future energy, water, industry and education park,” as the white paper calls it, “will create massive opportunities for employment and prosperity.
  • The border industrial park could work politically, too. Democrats want a Green New Deal. Republicans want border security, Both parties could win.
  • It could be a win–win for the U.S. and Mexico, too. This idea could spark a completely new conversation about the border.
  • Desalination of seawater, a linchpin for the park, is expensive. A 600-megawatt power plant (equivalent to a sizeable coal plant or modest nuclear plant) at the Gulf could power enough desalination to provide 2.3 million acre-feet of freshwater annually. That is enough to supply future needs along the Texas–Mexico border. Solar farms would power water pumps for the pipeline.
  • The proposal the consortium sent to the four legislators asks for $1.1 billion to get these and other actions up and running.
  • Don’t think of it as a barrier. Think of it as an energy corridor, a water corridor. It can create great opportunity for both countries. It can create peace.”

NASA’s Opportunity Rover is Dead After A Magnificent Run

  • Eight months ago, NASA lost contact with the Opportunity rover on Mars, which had been exploring the planet’s surface since 2004.
  • The solar-powered rover got trapped in a massive dust storm, which blotted out the sun, its source of energy.
  • And after the storm cleared, Opportunity didn’t “wake” back up.
  • NASA announced Wednesday that it will not be hearing from the robot ever again.
  • The dust storm either left too thick a layer of debris on the solar panel or messed up the rover’s internal clock.
  • Opportunity’s demise is all but certain, as the rover is about to enter Martian winter.
  • It can’t survive temperatures more extreme than minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit without electric heaters.
  • Opportunity lasted 14 years in operation on the surface of Mars, thanks to some engineering tricks like driving the rover backward to compensate for a faulty wheel.
  • That’s the longest amount of time any human-built robot has spent exploring another world.
  • And it’s amazing because Opportunity was only designed with a 90-day mission in mind. Opportunity’s “twin,” a rover named Spirit, which also landed in 2004, stopped operating in 2010.
  • Opportunity (and Spirit) made some stunning discoveries, including the presence of gypsum, which is formed from mineral-rich water and suggests Mars’s surface once had much more water.
  • It also discovered the mineral hematite on the surface, another sign the planet had a wetter past.
  • Spirit found evidence (in the form of chemicals in rocks) that Mars’s atmosphere was once thicker, possibly indicating the planet used to be more hospitable to life.
  • In its time on Mars, Opportunity traveled more than 28 miles, just over a marathon, and roughly the distance between Washington, DC and Baltimore, Maryland.