Saintel Daily - If it Happened

Blue by Loveflutter – A New Exclusive Dating App for Celebrities

July 26, 2017 Staff Writer Comments 0 Comment

I am very interested in how people use technology in order to enhance their lives. Sure, you might be thinking all technology enhances people’s lives. And it does in some ways, but how are people using that technology and what is the outcome? That’s what I find genuinely interesting. Call me a nerd, or whatever you would like, but it really does drive me in a way to learn more. For example – at what point did dating change? Likely around the time that people realized that the internet would be a good tool to connect people. Remember in the early 2000s when meeting someone online was taboo? Remember how you were a social pariah if you couldn’t meet someone in person?

All of that has changed. Why? Technology! Which is what I find so fascinating about it. How did we get from point A to point B? And how many people are in successful relationships as a result? There are so many dating apps on the market now. Which one you choose will depend on what you’re looking for. My further fascination around this particular topic is when apps become exclusive. What is the measure for determining whether or not you can use a particular dating app? How is that information verified? Can I provide false information and still use the app? This is all very intriguing to me mostly because you’re using technology to complete an action. Much like banking, but the end result could be very different.… Read the rest

Google.org Commits $50 Million to “Future of Work” Program

July 26, 2017 Staff Writer Comments 0 Comment

Technology not only changes how we do things in our lives, it also changes the way we do things. More specifically, it can create jobs. But it can also make certain jobs redundant. That means there is a gap when it comes to the jobs people can do, and what we need them to do. Enter Google. Google.org has launched a $50 million initiative to prepare job seekers for the “future of work”. When I first saw that headline, I was kind of confused. Are we telling people what it’s going to be like once you get into the workforce? Cause, I mean, I could take your $50 million and give a very good speech on that. Or are you actually preparing people for the workforce?

The short answer is neither. Google.org is pledging these funds to come up with “ways to better anticipate and understand what the world’s fast-changing workforce will need in the years to come and how technology can help produce positive outcomes”. Meaning, they are wanting to help address those gaps. What was missing from this announcement is what technological sector is creating these gaps.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Google.org, they are an organization that has “supported nonprofits around the globe that provide underserved people with the skills and connections they need to secure new opportunities and jobs”. The announcement from Google.org goes on to say, “today we’re announcing a $50 million initiative to help people prepare for the changing nature of work.… Read the rest

Who is to Blame for Technical Issues At Pokémon GO Fest?

July 26, 2017 Staff Writer Comments 0 Comment

If you go to a concert, you expect to hear music, right? If you go to Comic-Con, you expect to be entertained by the world of comics, right? So when you go to the Pokémon GO Fest, you would expect to be able to play Pokémon GO, right? Well, that’s not how things went down during the Pokémon GO Fest in Chicago. Instead many attendees were unable to use the game at all. It would seem the reason was technical issues. More specifically network congestion. Niantic took some responsibility for “technical issues with the game software which caused client crashes and interfered with game play for some users”. However, the bigger issue was network congestion according to Niantic.

Niantic indicated the following in a blog post: “A more protracted problem was caused by over saturation of the mobile data networks of some network providers. This caused many attendees to be unable to access Pokémon GO or other Internet services. Network congestion also led to a login issue which affected some users able to access the Internet.” So what happened exactly? It’s hard to say, but Niantic is pointing the finger at the carriers. And why wouldn’t they? They advised the carriers in advance of the numbers and the required bandwidth. But it seems they weren’t able to deliver. To me, this is a contract issue. But unfortunately, that doesn’t help poor Timmy who is at GO Fest and unable to participate.… Read the rest

Is it Possible That the New Nokia Phone will be an “iPhone Killer”?

July 26, 2017 Staff Writer Comments 0 Comment

Shots fired! Nokia is getting ready to launch a new phone that they are dubbing, the “iPhone killer”. Which, in my opinion, is a pretty bold statement. Wouldn’t you agree? I mean, if we look some of Apple’s competition, is this even a fair statement? It also sounds kind of serial killer like, so I was taken aback by that at first. But that aside, is it possible that Nokia actually has a phone that will rival the iPhone? Off the top, I want to say no. I’m trying to keep my bias in check here, so I will present you with the facts. Well, the facts as we know them. The Nokia 8 isn’t anticipated to be released until August 16, making this speculative.

Nokia 8 – Rumoured Specs

5.3 in QHD OLED display
Snapdragon 835 processor, Adreno 540 GPU, 6GB/8GB RAM
64GB/128GB storage
13MP dual camera with optical image stablisation, Zeiss optics and 4K video
Built-in iris scanner, fingerprint scanner
Unibody aluminium chassis with IP68 certification
3,800 mAh battery, Quick Charge support
Android 7.1.1 Nougat

iPhone 8 – Rumoured Specs

5.8in 2.5D OLED edge-to-edge display
New design with an ‘all-glass’ construction
71 x 143 x 7.4 mm
Wireless charging support
Apple A11 chip
Rear-facing Touch ID sensor
iOS 11 (which looks awesome!)
Face-scanning technology
Vertical dual cameras on rear
Support for LTE speeds up to 450 Mbps

New information as of yesterday, indicates that the iPhone 8 will have improved battery function, and it will be available in 128GB and 256GB configurations. … Read the rest

Is Mark Zuckerberg Really Misinformed about Artificial Intelligence?

July 25, 2017 Staff Writer Comments 1 comment

There is a saying among PR folks, which essentially states that “all press is good press”. Or there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Which I think can be true in most cases. If we’re being honest, it often helps people in terms of becoming more famous. Or hyping up a project, for example. Which is maybe what Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg did this weekend. Or at least Elon Musk. Over the weekend, Mark Zuckerberg went live on Facebook and answered some fan questions. One in particular has caught the attention of the media. What is Zuckerberg’s take on artificial intelligence? And does he agree with Elon Musk when it comes to AI?

For those of you who don’t know, Elon Musk believes that AI is dangerous. Especially in a futuristic sense. Even comparing it to “summoning the demon”. Zuckerberg, however took a more positive stand. Indicating that people who are anti-AI are “naysayers trying to drum up doomsday scenarios”. So which opinion do you think is right? Is the future of AI really that scary? Zuckerberg also goes on to say that any kind of technology could be used for good, or bad reasons. Which is why I think we have regulators around certain industries. You can’t just make something and then unleash it on the world in an irresponsible manner. Or does Musk have a better understanding of what AI could be? He certainly thinks Zuckerberg has a limited understanding of AI.… Read the rest

Farewell Microsoft Paint. There’s a New Kid In Town – Paint 3D.

July 24, 2017 Staff Writer Comments 1 comment

Today is a sad day for Microsoft Window’s fan boys. Why? It was announced today that they are going to “deprecate” Paint in the next big Windows update. Some of you are probably shocked by this, but then some of you are probably thinking that it’s about time. Paint has been around for a long time. Almost my entire life, but there is no room for sentimentality when it comes to technology. It’s time for Microsoft to come up with another program. One that meets similar needs, while taking into consideration that the technology has changed. Don’t get me wrong. I used to love Paint. But I was like 10.. and Windows 95 was the coolest thing ever. It’s 2017 now, and there are much better tools out there, which make it time for Microsoft to adapt.

And that’s exactly what they’ve done. Microsoft has launched a new, 3D paint tool. What’s it called? You guessed it “Paint 3D”. The neat thing about the update is that it takes a 2D image and turns it into a 3D rendering. This product was officially launched late last year. Allowing Microsoft to iron out the kinks until the next version of Windows 10 is available. Essentially, Paint 3D is an amplified version of Paint.

Let me take one step back for a moment. According to Microsoft when they “deprecate” software they don’t actually kill it. They just don’t put the resources and effort into making it better. … Read the rest

Here Are 23 Movie Trailers That You Need to Watch

July 23, 2017 Staff Writer Comments 1 comment

There are a ton of new movies coming out in the near future. And the not so near future. Sit back, relax and check these out for yourself.

A Wrinkle in Time

Disney released the trailer for the movie A Wrinkle in Time, which sees Oprah as a fairy god-mother, I think. The movie appears to be a bit like Narnia in that they’re in another dimension. But it also has some Stepford Wives undertones, as well as a sci-fi factor to it. The movie is summed up in the trailer by the line “the only thing faster than light is the darkness”. Coming to theatres this spring. I’m kind of intrigued by it, so I think I’ll probably check it out.

Alpha

The trailer for the movie Alpha is kind of confusing. It’s about a boy, who becomes allies with a wolf. Who he was enemies with, I guess? It’s a story about survival, but what they’re surviving is kind of unclear. Sure, there are some scenes that indicate some kind of immediate danger, but it’s not exactly clear what they’re surviving. This one is also coming out next spring, I’m going to take a hard pass.

Bright

A fantasy movie, starring Will Smith, takes on an interesting twist to modern day diversity. Most notably, the fact that Will Smith’s character is a cop, and is partnered up with some other type of creature. I’m not even really sure what the other creatures are. … Read the rest