No need for another camera Speaking of Dell, the company is also putting pop-up webcams into a series of PC monitors built for videoconferencing. The camera has infrared cameras built in, so you can sign into Windows with face recognition; the camera retracts into the body of the monitor when it’s not in use. It’s another way to ensure that nobody’s spying on you via webcam—and it’s nice that it’s not a permanent protusion on your monitor. … [Read more...] about CES 2021: The smartest ideas from the scaled-down virtual show
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These virtual stores are a joyful twist on e-commerce
These stores may be part of a new trend, but they also recall an earlier era. Even before the web, people were creating virtual walk-through environments. In the early 1990s, pan, zoom, and select interfaces were circulating in the technology community—some using video, and others based on rendered graphics. Dan O’Sullivan at NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program put his apartment online via a telephone interface that controlled prerecorded video on CD-ROM. “Dan’s Apartment ” gained a cult late-night cable TV following, and O’Sullivan interned at Apple around the same time that it was developing QuickTime, its multimedia framework. … [Read more...] about These virtual stores are a joyful twist on e-commerce
The tech that keeps World Central Kitchen cooking in times of disaster
Communications appsLike a lot of organizations, World Central Kitchen has moved much of its interoffice banter from email to Slack. That messaging app, soon to be bought by Salesforce for almost $28 billion, offers task-management tools above what most email clients offer. “It’s the actual search, reminders, forwarding, assigning,” says Erich Broksas, WCK’s chief strategy officer. “I think it makes things a lot better.” … [Read more...] about The tech that keeps World Central Kitchen cooking in times of disaster
Puerto Rico cell phone service is still out. Can Alphabet’s Project Loon fix it?
Now the FCC has approved the plan that will hopefully restore some internet access to the islands. To make the plan a reality, though, Alphabet still needs a telecommunications partner to work with, but as the private sector rushes to the island’s aid, it seems likely that a company will step forward to help. Alphabet isn’t the only tech company doing their part in Puerto Rico. Tesla sent hundreds of its Powerwall battery systems to Puerto Rico, along with employees to install them. Facebook sent its connectivity staff to the island to help in recovery and reconstruction, too. Want to help? Here’s how you can assist Puerto Rico right now. … [Read more...] about Puerto Rico cell phone service is still out. Can Alphabet’s Project Loon fix it?
