Tech Talk Tuesday
It’s time for another Tech Talk Tuesday at ICT Reverse, when we take a look at what’s getting people talking in tech, so you can stay up to date with the latest news and opinions in IT asset management.
Google Expands Hardware Ambitions
HTC and Google have signed a $1.1bn deal that will see the US search engine giant acquire a large chunk of the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer’s design division composed of more than 2,000 engineers. The division itself will remain in Taiwan, signalling a significant expansion into the Asia-Pacific market, and a renewed focus on Google’s smartphone ambitions – the Pixel 1 and Pixel 2 – with which it hopes to challenge Apple and Samsung.
Exercise App Sparks Security Fears
The app Strava logs fitness activities as GPS coordinates online as a function of various smart devices from Fitbits to Garmin watches, showing individuals’ running routes as a heat map overlaid on a geographical map. The app was already under fire for showing the outlines of roads in secret military bases where US and British soldiers regularly jog, but it has also been demonstrated that the app data can be de-anonymised to reveal individuals’ running habits – a potential security risk that can reveal anything from troop movements to regular patrol routes.
Trump Team Mulls US 5G Network
US President Donald Trump and his team are understood to be discussing a Government-owned 5G network to counter fears of Chinese spying and interference, which would be a significant departure from the current model. US telecoms infrastructure is currently built and owned by carriers, but the new model would see them rent from more secure government-owned sites. 5G technology will be vital in future self-driving car infrastructure and smart cities, and the US Government is keen to secure the infrastructure from potential foreign incursions.
Japan Cracks Down on Crypto-Currencies After Theft
Japanese financial regulators are poised to put crypto-currency exchanges under greater scrutiny after one of the largest virtual heists in history wiped out £375m in virtual currency. The stolen money was reported to be crypto-currency NEM, which was being stored in a virtual exchange called Coincheck, and further raises fears about the security of a commodity that banks struggle to regulate. The Japanese Financial Services Authority is understood to be putting pressure on other crypto exchanges to tighten security, as Japan looks to leverage crypto exchange to drive growth.
Experts Call for Kids’ Facebook Ban
More than 100 paediatricians and parents’ groups have signed a letter calling for Facebook to withdraw its new Messenger Kids app,designed for children under 13. Citing ‘growing’ research that shows childhood development can be harmed by excessive exposure to digital environments at a young age, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) believes that children who regularly use social media are less happy than their peers. Children as young as six could soon use the app, which allows children to talk to a pre-approved list of friends via a chat service, featuring colourful avatars and augmented reality.
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