Free Help from Tech Experts

Geeks To Go is a helpful hub, where thousands of volunteers serve up answers and support. Check out the forums and get free advice from the experts, including malware removal and how-to guides and tutorials. Converse about Windows 10, get system building advice or download files... Go to forums >>

Archive for technology

Robots, Humans and the Future of Jobs

Robots are fact and no longer science fiction. Robotics technology we have in development NOW is going to greatly impact our jobs and economy. This issue is creeping up on us quickly, but experts are split on their opinions about how it will affect jobs. Historically, new technology created new jobs to replace those it displaced, but this time it might be very different. All the rules go out the window when technological acceleration reaches a certain point.

If you haven’t seen this video, it’s worth 15 minutes of your time:

And if you’re really interested, here’s a longer read from the Pew Research Institute: AI, Robotics, and the Future of Jobs [pdf]

Can robots and artificial intelligence replace your job?

Bionic Hands – A Different Feeling

Bionic Hands

Bionic hands have been around for quite some time now. But I’m sure these pair of hands that can help one feel is going to be one of those breakthroughs in technology that can touch the hearts of millions, bringing tears of happiness to ones eyes. The world’s first bionic hand with the sense of touch is here. A team of researchers from Case Western University have made a new prosthetic bionic hand, designed to be capable of using measurements from 20 sensor points to control ones grip. Amazingly, the sensor data is linked directly to the sensory nerves in the patient’s forearm. The control for the grip is then extracted myoelectrically and returned to the muscles in the forearm. “Our dream is to have Luke Skywalker getting back his hand with normal function,” researcher Silvestro Micera told TechNewsDaily, referencing the hero in “Star Wars” who gets an artificial hand after his real one is cut off.

Sorenson

This was the first time that such a variant of the bionic hand was implanted into an amputee with high hopes that he would regain his sense of touch. The patient wore the bionic hand for some time over a month to see how his body adapts to the new presence. “When I held an object, I could feel if it was soft or hard, round or square,” said Dennis Aabo Sorenson, a 36-year-old man from Denmark who lost his left hand in a fireworks accident. “I could feel things that I hadn’t been able to feel in over nine years,” Sorensen said in another statement.

This is truly a miracle. An answered prayer. A dream come true for many.

Feel

Motorola’s e-Tattoo

Motorola though on shaky grounds have some cool products up their sleeve. For one here’s Motorola’s e-Tattoo. Google has always been at the pinnacle when it comes to innovative commercial products. First, it was Google Glass, now Motorola Mobility (now owned by Lenovo, work on the project started while at Google) appears to be aiming a few inches lower, working on a temporary electronic tattoo that would stick to the user’s throat. In other words, they have come up with an electronic tattoo that lets you communicate with your smartphone, gaming devices, tablets or any wearable tech. The idea is that wearer can communicate with their devices via voice commands without having to wear an earpiece or the Glass headset. Instead of actually speaking to Apple’s Siri or Google Now, you could merely think your voice command.

e Tattoo

But hold on for a minute, as there is a bit more to the whole concept than might first appear. The tattoo they have in mind is actually one that will be emblazoned over your vocal cords to intercept subtle voice commands — perhaps even subvocal commands, or even the fully internal whisperings that fail to pluck the vocal cords when not given full cerebral approval. The patent even states, “the electronic tattoo can also be applied to an animal as well.” I still can’t figure out what Motorola has in mind.

e Tattoo

In images attached to the patent filing, the size of the tattoo appears to be between a postage stamp and a Band-Aid. Other possible uses include making both incoming and outgoing audio clearer. That could mean anything from making smartphone conversations clearer in a crowded room to being able to listen to music without earphones. Still, whether the e-tattoo becomes a reality for any consumer to buy is yet to be seen.

Farewell, Steve

The passing of Steve Jobs means there will be, or already is, a proliferation of blogs, essays, and articles remembering a man who helped revolutionize how we use computers, how we listen to music, and how we use our phones.  A fitting finale would have been the announcement of the iPhone 5 the day prior to his passing, but it wasn’t to be.  I could write the typical article lauding his accomplishments and mourning his death at much too young an age (being just 5 years younger, I wholeheartedly feel he died much too young).  I don’t feel, however, that I could do justice to his life and accomplishments, and much has been written already. Instead, I’ve decided to give thanks for his creative genius, for that, coupled with the equally creative genius of that other computer company (no, not Dell; Microsoft) has made sites such as Geeks to Go a haven for those desperately seeking help for these sometimes confusing and uncooperative pieces of technology upon which we so desperately rely. Read the rest of this entry »

Lenovo M90z Review!

Multi-touch supportIt was just like out of an old country western movie. So there I am, sitting in the bar minding my own business when a guy walks up to me and says “You work in a school right? Wanna try out a new computer?” Well, not exactly like a country western movie, but close right? Now this conversation may sound really strange to someone looking in, but to understand the context you’ve gotta understand that this bar was in Seattle, Washington and I had spent the day at the Microsoft campus in Redmond for the annual Microsoft MVP Summit. Computer chatter over a beer was commonplace.

The guy I’m talking about works for a fantastic company who wants to give me a Lenovo M90z on a long-term loan to let me play with it and see what I can use it for.   The M90z is an All-In-One (AIO) multi-touch computer from Lenovo.  Everyone knows that touch computing is the way of the future. From smart phones, to tablets, to slate computers, everything is going touch. So why shouldn’t the desktop offer some form of touch component?

Read the rest of this entry »

Lenovo M90z Contest Announcement!

Geeks to Go is proud to announce that we will be giving away a beautiful Lenovo M90z computer to one

Multi-touch support lucky person. Lenovo and Ivy Worldwide have teamed up with GTG and 25 other websites to give away 25 of these computers to lucky contest winners.

The Lenovo M90z is a 23” All-In-One multitouch computing beast that any technology buff would be lucky to have in their collection.

The specifics of the GTG contest are still being hashed out but we know for sure that our contest will begin on May 10 and our winner will be picked and announced on May 14.  Note: Comments to this story will not count as entries to our contest.

Stay tuned to the GTG homepage for the Lenovo M90z review and for more contest information.

Please head on over to the other websites participating in the giveaways and try your luck in all the contests.

UPDATE: Details for our contest can be found on our Facebook page: facebook.com/geekstogo

Read the rest of this entry »

What are Your 2010 Tech Resolutions?

In just a few hours, a new year – and a new decade – will begin. We’ve talked a lot recently about all of the advances and inventions in technology over the past ten years. Doing so leads to wondering what will be in store for us in the very near future. However, instead of trying to guess what new gadgets and gizmos we might soon see, I want to talk about what you resolve to do in tech or social media in the coming year.

Read the rest of this entry »

Best Tech of the Decade

With 2009 coming to a close this week, many blogs and tech sites are taking a look back at technology over the past decade. I’ve read several of these articles, and each one of them list Cloud computing in their top three. That doesn’t surprise me in any way… computing in the Cloud is a huge development, one that makes life a lot easier for us all.

What does surprise me is the fact that none of the bloggers can agree on anything else. Sure, there have been a lot of innovative, useful gadgets released in the past ten years. And, of course, each has been important in its own right. But did nothing other than the Cloud cause an impact on the World? Was there not a single other product worthy of making everyone’s lists? I happen to think there were.

Read the rest of this entry »

How Has Technology Changed Your Life?

lifeTechnology is something that many of us take for granted. Teenagers today look at us as though we are crazy when we reminisce about the days without Internet… without cell phones or even CD players. They cannot fathom what it was we could have possibly done for entertainment in the years we spent before game consoles were invented.

Read the rest of this entry »