Samsung has been developing its own home automation system called SmartThings for years. In 2020, Samsung told that the system had been integrated with Mercedes car computers, and in 2023 it was compatible with Matter standard that aims at making home gadgets communicate better with other manufacturers’ devices. Now, in … Read >
Category: Business
Amazon polices what customers should say and do at home
Here is a telltale sign how the big, powerful internet giants believe they can rule the world. In the US, software engineer Brandon Jackson who works for Microsoft arrived home in one evening only to discover that his Amazon Alexa home automation system wasn’t functioning anymore. He couldn’t access his … Read >
This business is driving tech industry to the era of AI
Follow the money. It is the traditional advice for everyone who wants to understand why someone is doing something that is not obvious. If I ask: why are big and small technology businesses collecting personal data of people and tracking their activities? The answer is: that’s where the money is … Read >
Inside Facebook: what makes the Zuckerberg machine tick
Facebook is such a powerful global enterprise that its founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other leaders haven’t always understood its might. The social media service has been exploited to rig elections, to develop terrorist and hate communities, and spread fake news, to name a few activities that have had … Read >
Web 2.0 has been a game-changer, but where is Web 3.0?
Plenty of technologies, like augmented reality, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and speech recognition have matured to practical applications during the last few years. There are lot of communication technologies, such as peer-to-peer social media platforms, wearable devices, self-hosting, IoT (internet of things devices) that are widely used by people. So many … Read >
Hey Google, when will your engineers resolve the AdSense account access problem?
I’m not 100% sure, but because I have been in similar situation with other Google products before, I think that AdSense doesn’t like the fact that I travel for work. During the last four weeks, Google AdSense advertising service has kindly, but somewhat confusingly informed me that our account is … Read >
How to install Nextcloud 17 cloud server software on Debian Linux
This how-to guide covers the manual installation and configuration of Nextcloud 17 software so that you can run its out-of-the-box functionality. You can add more functionality, like cache, extra security, and applications after the basic installation is up and running. Nextcloud can be used as a personal, secure cloud server. … Read >
Fake review business flourishes at online stores, but new tools help shoppers identify fabricated opinions
A neighbor asked me to help her with a purchase from Amazon. We searched the kitchen appliance she wanted, and quickly discovered a couple of good candidates. She glanced at them, and chose the one I wouldn’t have chosen. The product had plenty of positive reviews, she said. I didn’t … Read >
It is not the hours that count in remote work, but how to be productive
Remote work, freelance work, and digital nomad lifestyle are trends that have sustained and continue growing. Working at home, or at a cottage in the Pyrenees Mountains as a freelancer is nothing new, but the magic of the internet has made telecommuting possible for many new professions. Of course, working … Read >
There is something terribly wrong with this web page
Why does someone publish thought-provoking articles on the internet only to cover the excellent content with popup windows (see the screen capture above)? In the early days of online advertising – 15-20 years ago – it was common to bombard web site visitors with popup ads, but it ended when … Read >