Being locked up at home can drive people a little nuts. Several technology products can be particularly helpful while sheltering in place, making this semi-forced timeout feel less like a punishment and more like something that can be endured.
Amazon's Distance Assistant Keeps Workers Aware of Proper Social Spacing
Amazon is rolling out a system that combines artificial intelligence and augmented reality to help workers maintain social distancing in the workplace. The new system has been deployed at a handful of Amazon buildings, but the company plans to deploy hundreds of the units in the coming weeks.
Women in Tech: 20 Trailblazers Share Their Journeys
Successful women in the tech trenches share their insights and tackle subjects ranging from how to search out a strong mentor to how to be one -- from how to advance in a large company to how to start your own firm.
This book is an excellent guide for students considering STEM courses, graduates pondering job choices, and career changers at any stage in life. It's also a useful tool for school and career counselors, recruiters, and HR pros eager to diversify their workplaces.
Intel Says 'Tiger Lake' Will Drown Control-Flow Malware
The next generation of Intel mobile processors will include malware protection built into the chip. The protection, provided by Intel's Control-Flow Enforcement Technology, will first be available in the company's "Tiger Lake" mobile processors.
The WFH Model Is Changing Customer Service for Good
As the dust settled on what most have deemed the "new normal" of working from home, many industries -- including customer service -- rapidly shifted operations to be remote work-friendly.
PsychOS: A Crazy Cool Distro That Pushes Linux Limits
One of the great joys of constantly checking out new or obscure Linux operating systems is finding some insane innovations that stand out from the crowded collection of distros. The current release of PsychOS Linux, code-named “Insane,” possibly might blow your mind. Jack Germain has a review on LinuxInsider.
The Strange, Meandering Journey to Online Speech Regulation
There has been a lot of debate in the public sphere around the degree and kind of legal regulation a society should apply to online speech. While the dialogue has become more intense and urgent in the last few years, the effort to impose limits on Internet speech has been contentious from the start.
Online medical appointments have become commonplace during the pandemic, and they're likely to continue into the future, even as in-person medical visits resume. The convenience, accessibility and cost-effectiveness of telemedicine will make it a vital part of comprehensive medical care in the digital age.
Verint Automates Management of Return-to-Work Health Practices
Verint has announced new capabilities within its workforce management solution that automate compliance with CDC guidelines to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection as employees transition back to the workplace
'New Normal' Security Era Begins for US Agencies, Providers
U.S. government agencies and cloud technology providers are heading toward a reset in how they cooperate on cybersecurity challenges. The expected growth of cloud use will create a more complex federal security landscape, according to a report...
Some 50 editors working for Microsoft's news operation have learned their contracts won't be renewed and their jobs will be performed by artificial intelligence software, according to reports. The contractors hired through staffing agencies...
If your contact center agents are working from home, download this Remote Agent Checklist to ensure they can provide exceptional customer experience, no matter where they're based.
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Enterprise software news isn't usually how we'd start off your morning, but in a world where remote work is more common than ever, Google's new partnership with Parallels is worth noting. The virtualization company is best known for making Windows software work on Macs, but now it's going to do the same thing for Google's cloud-connected Chrome OS.
Engadget
More information is due in the "coming months," before the partnership launches this fall, but if the only thing keeping your organization away from Chrome OS is access to Microsoft Office and other apps then that's about to change.
— Richard
$75,000 will get you a Boston Dynamics Spot robot
The robot dog the internet loves is going on sale.
Boston Dynamics
We've seen Boston Dynamics' four-legged robotic dog, Spot, help triage patients with COVID-19, hold the door for a fellow bot, herd sheep and more. But until now, Spot was only available under short-term lease in Boston Dynamics' Early Adopter Program. Now, businesses in the US can buy their very own Spot robots. Costs will vary, though.
The Spot Explorer, designed for developers looking to work with Spot, makes one robot available for $74,500. Additional batteries and add-ons, like LIDAR, can run from $4,620 to $18,450. Spot is meant for commercial and industrial use, and orders are subject to Boston Dynamics' terms, which require "beneficial use" of the robots. Continue reading.
NBA restart plan includes using Oura rings to catch COVID-19 symptoms
The league's 'bubble' will be full of wearable devices.
Oura
As the NBA moves toward restarting its season with players and other personnel isolated at Walt Disney World in Orlando, details of how it hopes to manage the people on site are leaking out.
The part specifically interesting to us — other than players-only lounges with NBA 2K to play and bracelets that beep if people are within six feet of each other for too long — is its proposed use of Oura's smart rings. Earlier this month, a study suggested that physiological data from the rings, combined with information obtained from wearers via in-app surveys, can "forecast and predict the onset of COVID-19 related symptoms" three days in advance, with 90 percent accuracy.
According to The Athletic, use of the rings will be optional, and there's no word on what other data will help track possible symptoms. ESPN reporter Zach Lowe says that if players wear the rings, team personnel will not have access unless it detects an "illness probability score" that triggers a medical review. Continue reading.
The first FDA-approved prescription video game will help kids with ADHD
It will be available from app stores and won't require any special equipment.
The FDA has approved the first video game in the country that can be prescribed as treatment. It's entitled EndeavorRx, and while it's not exactly comparable to your favorite AAA video games, it's designed to improve the attention function of kids with ADHD. To be exact, it was developed for pediatric patients ages 8 to 12 with primarily inattentive or combined-type ADHD.
While users will be able to download it from their mobile devices' app store — and it doesn't need any special equipment — it's intended for use as part of a therapeutic program, which could also include medication and other types of therapy. Continue reading.
Google makes its WiFi routers work better with slow internet connections
You should see fewer drops when you're juggling multiple tasks.
Engadget
Google's new update to its Nest and WiFi routers targets shakier connections. The upgrade should help devices move to faster WiFi radio channels, and help routers prioritize devices. Your kids' YouTube viewing, for example, is less likely to hiccup when signals get dicey. You should also get the obligatory round of security and stability fixes. These features should reach Google's routers automatically in the next few weeks. Continue reading.
What to buy your dad who's hopelessly low-tech
Tech support (probably) not required.
Will Lipman Photography
We lay out the best gadgets and tech for fathers out there that aren't the best with… gadgets and tech. My pro-tip? Get him a password manager — for your own sanity. Continue reading.
