On Privacy — your data is priceless

We’re all data-millionaires and should start acting like one.

I like to talk a lot about security and privacy. It matters to me, and I place the same astronomical value on my personal data that Google, Apple, Microsoft and Facebook do. I think we all should feel the same way and be aware of how our data is used by the people who use it. And when those people blunder, because we all do from time to time, how they handle the issue(s) and what they do in the future is very important. This is why I’ll never use another Netgear router, or set up a Yahoo account.

Evernote had their own privacy mistake this week, and though the original idea of letting actual humans read your private data in any capacity was downright stupid, they decided to change course and do the right thing. I’m not a user of their services (I like simple notes and reminders versus the do-everything that is Evernote) but I would use them if I had a need because they handled things transparently. That’s also part of the reason I, and many others, use Google services.

Your data is part of the reason companies like Google or Microsoft are so successful and have billions of dollars.

Google harvests a scary amount of my (and your) personal data. They know where I am, they know what I buy, they know what bank I use and which airline I prefer. They know about my family — which schools the kids attend or where my spouse is employed. The know everything. And they aren’t alone. Look at the phone and/or computer you use, and see what things that connect to the internet are installed on it. If any of those companies are big enough and rich enough, they are taking the same types of data in one way or another. The amount of personal data and the kind of data Google takes — and Apple, and Microsoft and Facebook, and Amazon, and you get the picture here — makes how they handle it and the way they let you know the most important thing about them.

Everything is based on a barter system. I trade my data for a service or product. I look at what data a company wants, how they collect it and what they will do with it once they have it. Then I look at what they are offering. This way, I can decide if the trade is worth it to me. Being able to say “OK Google what’s my day like?” and getting a ton of pertinent information from my phone or a Google Home is worth letting a machine look at every word and number that I ever typed online, because I have a very clear and concise document that explains exactly how it’s collected, stored, and used. I trust that my data will be kept safe, and if something ever did happen things would be handled in a way I can approve of.

Make sure the things you get in return are as valuable as the data you pay for them with.

I trust Apple and Microsoft the same way. I do wish some of their privacy policies were a bit clearer and less vague, but they do a good job covering the things I’m looking for in general. But I don’t use Cortana or One Note, or Siri because that extra bit of my data they need is worth more to me than the duplication of services I get from Google Now and Assistant. Sorry, Microsoft and Apple, you don’t get to read my keystrokes and listen to my voice. But only because I don’t need what you’re offering. Millions of others do, and I’m glad you take care of their private information. On the flipside, I’ll never trust Facebook and think the rest of the world should feel the same way — they like to play fast and loose with their privacy policies and surely the things they have been caught doing are just the tip of an iceberg of bad practices. The sooner they go away the better the internet will be because of it.

You might feel differently about your private information and the companies that harvest it. I can’t say I blame you if you follow a tin-foil hat and scorched earth policy when it comes to being online because that’s the only way to stop the internet giants from taking what they want from you. I will say that folks who feel they have nothing to hide and don’t care about any of this need to rethink their position. I don’t have anything to hide either, but I don’t want someone from an internet services company to come into my house and rifle through my underwear drawer unless they have something to give me in return.

Google is worth billions of dollars, and the bulk of what made them all that money is our user data. We all need to realize how valuable our information is and make a conscious effort to spend it wisely.

How I learned to love Electric Objects’ digital art display

“The last thing I need is another screen in my apartment.” That was my first thought when I heard about Electric Objects, a company that makes digital art displays. Between my 55-inch OLED TV, 34-inch ultra-widescreen PC monitor, MacBook Air, multiple tablets and iPhone 6S, what use would I have for more screens? But after spending some time with the $299 EO2, the company’s latest product, and its accompanying $10-a-month “Art Club” subscription, it wasn’t long before I saw the appeal of a cloud-connected display on my wall.

You could call me an aspirational art owner. I’d love to fill my apartment’s walls with unique pieces, but the process of finding and framing things is just too tedious. (Heck, I have a closet full of posters that still need to be properly mounted and framed.) The EO2 promised to bring a bit of culture to my home without much fuss. How could I say no to that?

The EO2 is basically just a 23-inch 1080p display with an internet connection. Its screen has a matte finish, which helps it avoid reflecting light sources and keeps it from looking like a glossy TV screen hanging on your wall. While its aluminum black case looks pretty basic, you can also snap on a $99 hardwood frame (available in maple, walnut, white wood and black wood) to make it match your decor.

You have a variety of options for setting it up: Simply lean it against something (there are two rubber feet in the box to prevent it from slipping) or hang it up on your wall with the included wall mount. Since my wife and I live in a Brooklyn apartment and want to preserve our walls, we chose to hang it with a single nail, like a typical picture frame, instead of using the two nails required for Electric Objects’ mount. The power cord that juts out of the bottom of the EO2 wasn’t much of a problem for us, but there are plenty of cable-hiding products on the market if that’s the sort of thing that bugs you.

Once the display is mounted, you just need to download the company’s app and step through the setup process to get it online. I initially ran into some trouble getting it connected, but that turned out to be a separate issue with my T-Mobile-issued ASUS router — I’ve moved over to a Netgear Nitehawk and it’s been smooth sailing ever since.

Next, it was time to get my art on. From the EO app, you can sift through the free content available from the Electric Objects community. There’s some good stuff there, but if you really want to get fancy, you can shell out for the $10 monthly “Art Club” subscription, which gives you full access to a plethora of classic and modern pieces from museums and well-known artists. Pushing a static image to the EO2 takes anywhere from two to five seconds on my 802.11AC 5GHz wireless network, while video pieces could take several minutes, depending on the size of the piece.

It wasn’t long before my wife and I really got into the EO2. We built a cat-themed playlist as a quick mood booster, and the new “Space is the Place” gallery, featuring work by the digital artist Adam Ferriss, ended up being a meditative way to evoke the immensity of the cosmos. The possibilities feel endless. Want to show off fine pieces of art? Go ahead! Want a playlist full of memes and pop culture references? You’re covered there too. You can even throw in your own photos and movie clips, which is perfect for when family comes over.

Just about everything I threw on the EO2 looked good, no matter if they relied on big, bold colors or fine lines and detail. Of course, it’s not something you’ll be staring at for hours on end like a TV or computer monitor; it just needs to make a good impression whenever you glance at it. Given the EO2’s price, I wasn’t expecting a world-class display, so I was surprised there wasn’t even much to complain about. Settings-wise, there’s not much to tweak. You can choose various levels of “auto brightness” support, which changes the screen’s brightness throughout the day, as well as set up a sleep timer. There aren’t any intricate image settings to deal with. (Colors looked decently calibrated to my untrained eyes.)

The EO2 isn’t exactly a revolutionary product. It didn’t completely change my life like my first smartphone, but it’s a nice way to quickly change up the mood in your home. After setting up several Philips Hue lightbulbs in my living room, I was surprised by how much slight lighting changes could influence the way I felt. Sending art to the EO2 had a similar effect; it’s hard not to feel contemplative when you run into a classic painting in your living room.

It’s also hard to compare the display to an actual framed print. There’s something about a physical piece of art, even if it’s a cheap reprint, that feels different than something projected on a screen. Choosing to frame a work of art and mount it on your wall has a feeling of permanence and commitment that a mere connected display, which can be changed in seconds, can’t replicate.

The key to appreciating the EO2? Don’t expect it to replace your framed art. Instead, think of it as a quick way to aesthetically remix a space. It’s also expensive at $299, and to truly enjoy it you have to subscribe to a service that costs as much as a Netflix subscription. If both of those prices end up dropping (hardware typically does, after all), Electric Objects might actually succeed at bringing fine art to the masses.

Top 10 Best Shooters for VR

What are the best shooters for VR?

One of the biggest genres in console and PC gaming is the shooter – an instantly recognizable concept with wide appeal. This appeal has also extended to virtual reality, putting players right into the center of the battle zone.

There are plenty of shooters on all VR platforms, but here are the ones we think are best suited for your library!

Read more at VR Heads!

Where to buy the Xiaomi Mi Box in the U.S.

The least expensive full Android TV box you can buy is a bit scarce in U.S. retail.

Though the new Xiaomi Mi Box has been on sale in the U.S. since October, it’s been a little tough to get your hands on one. Most major retailers have yet to start selling the boxes, and many that have don’t have consistent stock or pricing. If you’re still looking to get your hands on this $69 Android TV box, we’ve rounded up all of the best places to buy it.

Buy the Mi Box at Walmart

The biggest U.S. retailer offering the Mi Box is Walmart, though stock can be hit or miss. You may have to check local availability in a nearby store, but chances are if you check back often you’ll be able to get one online and have it shipped. You’ll pay the standard $69 price and get free shipping if you order online, or free in-store pickup if not.

See at Walmart

Buy the Mi Box directly from Xiaomi

Xiaomi’s own mi.com store has many of its products available for sale directly to the U.S., and the Mi Box is one of them. It has the proper pricing of $69 for its latest Android TV box, and is offering free standard shipping (4-8 business days) as well. Xiaomi has historically been a little slow to ship since it’s shipping directly from China, but then again it’s often a good idea to order directly from the manufacturer when possible.

See at Xiaomi

Buy the Mi Box at Newegg

At the time of writing Newegg doesn’t have its own listing for the Mi Box, but is instead listing it for a partner store that has marked up the price a little bit to $99. That’s still a solid deal for this box and may be worth it if you prefer to shop from Newegg, but we’d recommend this as a last resort if the other places with the proper retail price don’t have stock when you’re looking to buy.

See at Newegg

Buy the Mi Box at Amazon

As is often the case for new and hard-to-get tech, Amazon is pretty swarmed with resellers that are trying to mark up and make some extra money on the Mi Box. There are a lot of confusing listings for either older versions or Chinese models of the Mi Box, which you don’t want, but there is a legitimate item listing where you can go for the proper version. At the time of writing you’ll be buying from a reseller at a markup, but then again you may be okay with that in exchange for being able to buy from Amazon with the discounts and buyer protection that’s included.

See at Amazon

Six DIY gadgets that improve life in the developing world

By Cat DiStasio

Around the world, inventors are coming up with amazing DIY gadgets perfectly suited for use in rural and off-grid areas. These gadgets translate into a huge improvement in quality of life for those who use them, by paving the way for affordable housing made from mud, effective energy-free lighting where there was previously darkness, and easy access to clean water. A 14-year-old Indian inventor even created a clever way to quickly launder clothes without electricity. With each of these innovations comes a story of true creativity triumphing over necessity, resulting in a simple, low-cost product that leaves a lasting impact on the lives of people who use them.

3D-printed mud homes

The world’s largest delta-style 3D printer stands 40 feet tall and can “print” a house from mud for around $50. The homes take advantage of the natural insulating properties of earth, and they can be made for close to zero cost using locally available materials. The 3D printer can lay down around three feet of mud each day, pausing at certain intervals for doors and windows to be manually installed. Hundreds of thousands of people are in need of new housing structures each year, according to the United Nations, and solutions like these could address the issue.

DIY solar desalination machine

Water is essential for life, but it can be hard to come by in the Gaza region. One local man took his water needs into his own hands by creating a DIY solar desalination machine that can generate 2.6 gallons of fresh water in a single day. Fayez al-Hindi built a simple distillation tank on his roof that separates clean water from pollutants and salt, which supplies his family with just enough fresh water for their daily needs. Taking his DIY effort a step farther, al-Hindi also helps other local residents build their own distillation systems, since 90 percent of the local drinking water is considered unsafe for human consumption following decades of Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Zero-energy air conditioner

In many of the hottest places on Earth, electricity is rare or inconsistent, which means air conditioning as we know it is simply not a thing. However, it’s still possible to reap the benefits of cool air indoors with this incredible DIY device made from plastic bottles. In Bangladesh, Ashis Paul developed an air conditioner that involves a square board cut to the size of a window, through which empty plastic bottles are mounted. The Eco Cooler system is hung over a home’s existing open window, and the plastic bottles catch the passing breeze and literally funnel it indoors, creating a gently soothing flow of slightly cooler air. Amazing, the system is capable of lowering inside temperatures up to five degrees Celsius.

Simple solar light tubes

In another genius reuse of plastic bottles, the My Shelter Foundation discovered a way to use them to light up Manila’s slums, where electricity is hard to come by. A plastic bottle filled with water and a little bleach can be mounted through a home’s rooftop, transforming it into a solar tube that draws in and disperses daylight. Homes that were once shrouded in complete darkness — even in the middle of the day — become flooded with light. This simple DIY project costs next to nothing, yet has a profoundly positive impact on the quality of life for people who were previously stuck living in the dark.

Pedal-powered clothes washer

If you’re lucky enough to have a washing machine in your home, you probably take for granted how easy it is to turn dirty clothes into clean clothes in the time it takes to binge watch a few episodes of your favorite Netflix show. Much of the world’s population is still forced to wash their laundry in a river or stream, though, which is a laborious and time-consuming process. Remya Jose, a 14-year-old from India, invented a washing machine powered by bicycle pedals which uses a minimal amount of water and just a little human elbow grease to scrub clothes clean. Her device is extremely simple, yet it can save people huge amounts of time and energy — which they can invest in other areas of life. Now in her mid-20s, Jose works at India’s National Foundation, where she creates new inventions to help rural communities in her home country.

$100 upcycled 3D printer

West African inventor Kodjo Afate Gnikou wanted to make a 3D printer, but couldn’t afford the parts. So he found them. He sourced materials from broken scanners, computers, printers and other e-waste to build a working 3D printer that costs around $100 — just a fraction of the price of commercially available models. The inventor belongs to the local hackerspace WoeLab, and he is working to make machines from recycled e-waste to prepare for missions on Mars. Diverting e-waste from landfills is a huge local win, but creating a functional tool out of garbage makes the innovation even more valuable. Through his upcycled inventions, Gnikou aims to “put technology into needy hands and give Africa the opportunity… to play the first role in a more virtuous industrial revolution.”

Recommended Reading: How Russia hacked the US

The Perfect Weapon:
How Russian Cyberpower
Invaded the US
Eric Lipton, David E.
Sanger and Scott Shane,
The New York Times

Within the last week, the CIA, Obama administration and FBI have all agreed that Russian intervened in the presidential election on behalf of Donald Trump. The White House went so far as to say that the cyberattacks were directed by president Vladimir Putin himself. The New York Times offers a detailed look at the Russian hack of the DNC which led to emails and other documents making it into the hands of WikiLeaks and other websites.

AirPods Begin Shipping to Customers in the U.S.

After going up for order on Tuesday, Apple’s AirPods have now been marked as “shipped” for the first wave of customers who were lucky enough to order their pair before delivery estimates slipped to four weeks, and then six weeks. Now, many users based in the United States have taken to Twitter and Reddit to share that their AirPods shipments are on the way.

Delivery dates still vary slightly among customers, but the average estimates suggest deliveries on either December 20 or December 21. AirPods launched in more than 100 countries around the world, and a few areas in Europe and Australia saw slightly earlier delivery dates for the wireless headphones than those given to U.S. customers, with some as soon as Monday, December 19. Australia customers specifically reported shipping status updates earlier in the week.

For anyone who missed out on the first run of orders, Apple will begin selling the AirPods in its retail stores Monday morning. Some of the company’s authorized resellers and a few carrier stores will also be receiving AirPods stock next week. Given how fast they sold out online, the supply of AirPods in retail locations is also expected to be limited. Nevertheless, in the press release on Tuesday, Apple said that its retail locations will receive “regular AirPods shipments” going forward.

Tag: AirPods
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