Category: Notes From The Electronic Cottage

A weekly feature on electronic technology as it affects everyday life with Jim Campbell. Broadcast on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, ME every Thursday at 7:30 AM.

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 11/1/18

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Humans and Machines

Pretty near every week we hear about some new technological development in self-driving cars. Life will probably change for many of us as these new cars become more common on the roadways. Perhaps less familiar to most of us are some of the much more personal ways that technology will affect the interaction of humans and machines. Here are a couple that offer amazing possibilities for those who are trapped inside themselves in one way or another.

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 10/25/18

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

The Holy Grail of marketers is to be able to price each item they sell at an individualized price based on the willingness and ability to pay of each individual buyer. Sound far-fetched? That day is getting closer, whether we are aware of it or not. Here’s why.

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 10/18/18

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

One of the big arguments in favor of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is that machines have no emotions and hence no biases. The first assertion is true – at least so far – but the part about having no biases? Maybe not so true because, after all, machines are programmed, at least initially, by people and people, unlike machines, do have emotions. As AI becomes more and more ubiquitous in our everyday lives, it seems like a good idea to think about just how unbiased machines really are.

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 10/11/18

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Most of us feel that we are living in a time of rapid change, and change in the tech realm seems to always be accelerating. In a day to day way, it seems impossible to keep up with the details of those tech changes. If we look down the road some, however, it may be possible to get an idea of what life may be like in the future without trying to comprehend the day to day details we are immersed in now. So here are a couple of things that may well be part of everyday life in the 2030’s.

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 10/4/18

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Here are links to two reports discussed on today’s program. Both are really important and worth a read for us all, but especially for those concerned about our democracy – and those concerned about their children:
defcon.org/images/defcon-26/DEF%20CON%2026%20voting%20village%20report.pdf
www.ic3.gov/media/2018/180913.aspx

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 9/27/18

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

People change their behavior if they think they are being watched. Many of us think think that is intuitively true. But it’s not just our gut feelings that support this intuition – there is empirical evidence as well, and that evidence has important implications for the use of the Web. Here’s why.

Notes from the Electronic Cottage 9/20/18

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

We are more and more becoming a convenience based society and technology has a lot to do with that. Many cities, schools, and even software developers seem to be offering free access to conveniences like wifi access everywhere. But what does “free” really mean these days? A second look at New York’s NYCLink kiosk system may provide some hints.