September 2014

Humanoid Robots:

Have you always dreamed of having a Rosie the Robot of your own? Well, we’re not quite there yet, but the public library in Westport, CT will soon have a pair of humanoid robots tasked with helping children learn computer programing. The robots are NAO Evolution from the company Aldebaran. More details about the robots and the public library programming, set to begin on October 11th, can be found in this Wall Street Journal Article.

Net Neutrality:

Some of you have probably heard about the concept of “Net Neutrality” which in essence means that all data shared through the internet is treated equally. A more detailed explanation of the concept can be found in this video:  

Additionally, this article by Anne Flaherty of the associated press gives a good overview of why Net Neutrality is now being discussed:  5 Questions, Answers on ‘Net Neutrality’

Apple:

Apple had their annual iPhone event earlier this month where they revealed the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, along with iOS8 and their new product Apple Watch which should be released early next year. You can watch the recording of the release and explore all of the new products on Apple’s website.

The launch of some of these products however has met with some issues. Since the release of the iPhone 6 Plus there have been numerous reports that it bends when placed in a back pocket. According to Apple, however, there have only been nine official complaints. This incident is now being referred to as “bendgate” and a quick Google search for the term will yield a myriad of results. After the release of iOS8.0.1 many users were unable to make or receive calls and thus Apple pulled the software update, posting instructions on how to revert back to iOS8. An overview of these issues can be found in this article from Reuters.

Windows 10:

Product releases this month also included Windows 10 (and you didn’t miss anything, they skipped over the number 9). An overview of the new system, including features, can be found in this article from c|net which also includes a gallery of Windows 10 images.

Ello Social Media Network:

Ello is the new social media site that has been buzzing in the last few weeks. It’s being advertised as an ad-free Facebook and to use it you have to sign up for an invitation (my invitation has yet to arrive). MIT Technology Review gives an overview of this new social network here.  

New Kindle:

For those of you who attended the Tech Petting Zoo, or who might be interested in purchasing a stand-alone e-reader, Amazon has released an updated version of its basic Kindle which now includes a touch screen. This seems very similar to the 2011 Kindle Touch which was on display at at the Petting Zoo. A review of the new device from Tech Crunch can be found here.