Drones at Home?

Times of India reports that if you present people with a new, exciting technology, chances are they will use it to take photographs of themselves. Take drones, those hovering, helicopter-like flying devices that the military has used for years and that are slowly, in miniaturized form, finding their way into the consumer world. Over the last few years, drones have been finding jobs in industry. They are used for gathering news, checking crops on farms, as well as photographing houses for real estate agents, and drones may one day deliver packages to consumers who just can't wait for the truck. In India, for example, one pizza company has used drones to deliver pizza to customers. Yet mainstream users have had trouble figuring out where an unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) fits into their lives. Among the first mainstream uses for drones could be airborne selfies, dronies.

Imagine drones for consumers. You could have your SUV and UAV in your driveway. Would city authorities allow widespread use of consumer or commercial drones?

SJP (@DigitalAsian)

SmartWear: Internet of Medical Things

Times of India reports that for decades now, medical technology firms have searched for ways to let diabetics check blood sugar easily, without great success. Now, the world's largest mobile technology firms are getting in on the act.  Apple, Samsung Electronics and Google, searching for applications that could turn nascent wearable technology like smartwatches and bracelets from curiosities into must-have items, have all set their sites on monitoring blood sugar, several people familiar with the plans say. These tech firms are hiring medical scientists and engineers, asking US regulators about oversight and developing glucose-measuring features in future wearable devices. The first round of technology may be limited, but eventually the companies could compete in a global blood-sugar tracking market worth over $12 billion by 2017, according to research.

These future wearable medical devices would presumably be Internet enabled – so-called Internet of Things - which would mean medical data being transmitted over the Internet leaving it susceptible to hacking or monitoring. Imagine someone wearing a device to monitor e.g. their heart, lung, liver or kidney activity and this medical data being monitored over the Internet by their employer or medical insurance company or anyone else for that matter. With Google, Apple and others getting into all sorts of industries, rather than the Internet of Things, it will be the Internet of Google Things.

SJP (@DigitalAsian)

A Brave New Digital World: Smart Cities for a Smarter India?

The new Indian Government is keen to carry with the plan of building so-called Smart Cities along the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor.

The Government should ensure that manufacturing is catered for in these new smart cities and not just finance and service industries. Also upgrading infrastructure in existing cities should be a priority. In this brave new digital world smart cities are all the rage. But are they the solution?

SJP (@DigitalAsian)

Digital Content and Delivery Business

Tech news reports that Amazon has launched its new 3D Fire smartphone. This is really about being able to deliver digital content and services to the consumer wherever they may be and as conveniently as possible. Now we have Google Android, Apple iPhone, Amazon Fire and Samsung phones. Having the content and being able to deliver it is the name of the game. Intellectual property owners such as authors and publishers are getting left behind.

DigitalAsian

Government Google: Getting into the Business of Government?

BBC News reports that Google has confirmed it has purchased satellite firm Skybox Imaging for $500m. Google said the satellites will help it keep their maps accurate with up-to-date imagery. It also said Skybox's satellites could be used to help expand Internet access. Founded in 2009, Skybox's satellites offer video images and stills at a resolution of just over 1m per pixel - which can track single cars travelling along a road. The firm sent its first high-resolution satellite, SkySat-1, in to space last December. It circles the Earth around 16 times a day, relaying 90-second black-and-white clips, permitting analysis of movement on Earth. Skybox has said it plans to launch a total of 24 satellites. Google's purchase of Skybox Imaging follows its acquisition of solar-powered drone maker Titan Aerospace earlier.

Google is getting into businesses that governments get into such as satellites and drones. 

SJP (@DigitalAsian)

Guarding Data Against Hacking: Barbarians at the Gates

Times of India reports that with hackers stealing tens of millions of customer details in recent months, firms across the globe are ratcheting up IT security and nervously wondering which of them is next. The reality, cyber security experts say, is that however much they spend, even the largest companies are unlikely to be able to stop their systems being breached. The best defence may simply be either to reduce the data they hold or encrypt it so well that if stolen it will remain useless. Only a few years ago, the primary IT security concern for many large corporations was stopping the loss or theft of physical disks or drives with customer information. Now, much harder to detect online thefts are rife. Last week, Reuters revealed a host of US Fortune 500 companies were on a hiring spree for board level cyber security experts often offering $500,000-700,000 a year or more. 

Data storage and security is probably a cat and mouse game with hackers and the companies trying to outdo the other and play catch up.

SJP (@DigitalAsian)

Cyber-Insecurity: Can Cybercrime be stopped?

Times of India reports that cybercrime costs the global economy about $445 billion every year, with the damage to business from the theft of intellectual property exceeding the $160 billion loss to individuals from hacking, according to research published on Monday.  The report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said cybercrime was a growth industry that damaged trade, competitiveness and innovation. 

A conservative estimate would be $375 billion in losses, while the maximum could be as much as $575 billion, said the study, sponsored by security software company McAfee.  "Cybercrime is a tax on innovation and slows the pace of global innovation by reducing the rate of return to innovators and investors," Jim Lewis of CSIS said in a statement. "For developed countries, cybercrime has serious implications for employment." 

The world's biggest economies bore the brunt of the losses, the research found, with the toll on the United States, China, Japan and Germany reaching $200 billion a year in total. Losses connected to personal information, such as stolen credit card data, was put at up to $150 billion. 

With more devices becoming connected with the so-called Internet of Things, this gives cyber-criminals more opportunity to hack and steal. Does being offline give more security? This is the digital dilemma and tryst we have with technology.

SJP (@DigitalAsian)

Is there any difference between Amazon, Apple and Google?

Times of India reports that Amazon.com revived speculation about its next major product, using a mysterious YouTube video and website post to tease a June 18 "launch event" in Seattle to be hosted by CEO Jeff Bezos. The 50-second video posted by Amazon featured people staring downward at something just off-camera, moving their heads from side-to-side to try different vantage points and making comments like "It's very real-life," and "I don't know how you guys do it." Amazon would not elaborate further. But speculation is growing that the Internet retailer is set to unveil some kind of smartphone or device in the wake of several hardware launches over the past year, including the Fire TV streaming box and new Kindle Fire tablets. The company has been working on a smartphone for some time, according to two sources briefed on its plans. The Wall Street Journal and several tech blogs report that Amazon may be working on a phone with a three-dimensional display.

Is there any difference between Amazon, Apple and Google? They all seem to be going into the same businesses and dominating them. Samsung better get into the digital content business soon or it will get left behind.

SJP (@DigitalAsian)

Going Digital: Will eBooks Eclipse the Printed Word?

BBC News reports that the sale of printed books will be outstripped by eBooks by 2018, a new report by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) has suggested. It says the consumer eBook market - which excludes text books and professional manuals - will increase in value from £380 million to £1 billion. At the same time, sales of printed books are forecast to fall by a third. PwC said 50% of the UK population would own an iPad, Kobo, Kindle or similar e-reader device by 2018. It added that 15.5 billion apps were expected to be downloaded in the UK in 2018. 

The company's evaluation of the eBook market is at odds with the founder of the Waterstone's book shop who predicted the "e-book revolution" would soon go into decline. Tim Waterstone told the Oxford Literary Festival in March that "every indication - certainly from America - shows the eBook share is already in decline. The indications are that it will do exactly the same in the UK."

Mobile devices are increasing and the desire for digital content can only increase. what will make a big difference is if major publishers or authors decide to publish certain works as eBooks only.

SJP (@DigitalAsian)

Droning Out the Silence: Privacy and Drones

BBC News reports that US authorities have said they are considering allowing the film and television industries to use drones. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said there could be "tangible economic benefits", but cautioned safety hazards must be "mitigated". Seven aerial video and photography firms have petitioned the FAA for exemptions to the agency's current ban on commercial drone use. The FAA did not set a deadline for determining the exemptions. Businesses have been pushing hard for permission to use drones, which are much less expensive to run than manned aircraft. 

There is also the issue of privacy with lots of drones around. In India there is a pizza company that apparently delivers pizza to the customer via drones.

Digital Asian

Ci-Tizen's Choice? Samsung Attempts to Take on Google Android

News media is reporting that Samsung Electronics Co Ltd plans to launch the first smartphone based on its  own Tizen operating system later this year, marking the company's latest bid to build up its own ecosystem and reduce reliance on Google's Android. The South Korean firm on Monday said the Samsung Z, which comes with a 4.8 inch high-definition display and offers features such as a fingerprint sensor, will be unveiled at the Tizen Developer Conference in San Francisco shortly.

With Google's Android being the dominant force in smart phones, will Samsung's new smart phone running its Tizen OS be the citizen's choice?

Digital Asian