James Farrell
Latest from James Farrell
Bill Gates, Tim Cook targeted by Clinton campaign as potential running mates
A WikiLeaks email dump has revealed that two of tech’s biggest names, CEO of Apple Inc. Tim Cook and Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates, were part of list made-up of 39 people viewed as potential running mates for Hillary Clinton. The list was compiled by Clinton’s campaign chair John Podesta. Podesta had arranged the list into what ...
A future of ad drones could be annoying – and effective
There has been much speculation over the possibility of a near future in which drones zipping around above heads in all directions becomes normal, whether it’s the burrito dropping drone earlier this year or CNN’s recent mission to see how useful news gathering drones could be. But it’s Uber Technologies Inc. that now has showcased a use of drones that ...
Interfacing machines with the human brain: Paralyzed man has sense of touch again
It was more than decade ago that Nathan Copeland had the experience of touching something with his hands. Following a catastrophic car crash that injured his spinal cord, Copeland was paralyzed and lost all feeling in his fingers. Now, thanks to medical breakthroughs at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, he can feel again. Reported ...
Barack Obama on artificial ‘white male’ intelligence and the kinks that make us human
U.S. President Barack Obama is no stranger to artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies despite not being known for his interest in computer technology. The President reportedly just got rid of his Blackberry, and the world seemed mightily surprised the day he was photographed donning a virtual reality headset. Nonetheless, earlier this year Obama showed some tech ...
Police using surveillance tool on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
Social media analytics platform Geofeedia had been feeding information from Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to law enforcement, according to a report just released by the American Civil Liberties Union. Once the ACLU announced its findings, the social media giants were reported to have severed ties with Geofeedia, although in another report ACLU states that police are using ...
The technology that brought a dead friend back from the grave
Arguably the creepiest installment of the outstanding, tech-influenced horror series, “Black Mirror“, is the episode in which a grief stricken woman brings her boyfriend back from dead. “I’ll Be Right Back” and the entire “Black Mirror” series – a new U.S. version of which is coming to Netflix very soon – takes emerging computer technology ...
Johnson & Johnson warns diabetics its connected insulin pumps could be hacked
One of Johnson & Johnson’s insulin pumps could be hacked to overdose diabetic patients, the company has warned patients. The company sent a letter to patients warning of a security vulnerability, though it described the risk as low, according to Reuters. It’s another example of the potential of the Internet of Things to come under attack. Possibilities include ...
Google just released the ‘everyman’ VR headset, critics are pleased
It seems Google Inc. had it sights set on the average consumer rather than the virtual reality fanatic when it came up with the idea of the Daydream View headset. As we noted yesterday, the headset is temptingly priced to woo the curious shopper into trying out this new(wave) fad called VR. The question we now ...
With ‘Daydream’ headset, Google looks to woo virtual reality neophytes
If Google Inc. reveals its new virtual reality headset at an event in San Francisco Tuesday, as it’s expected to do, one thing will be apparent: This machine won’t be aimed at current VR fanatics. Early reports suggest that theDaydream VR will be considerably cheaper than its competitor, the Samsung Gear VR, priced at just $79 if ...
Is that a Beatles song? No, it was created by artificial intelligence
Musicians have for some time been lamenting the end of musical purity, as technology such as drum software occasionally usurps members of the band. Those same folks might believe they have a bit more to worry about now in view of a recent song released by Sony CSL research laboratory, a Beatles-esque number that was created by ...