EdTech Situation Room Episode 82

Welcome to episode 82 of the EdTech Situation Room from January 17, 2018, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wes Fryer (@wfryer) discussed upcoming changes to the Facebook news feed, the performance impact of software patches for Meltdown and Spectre, our human tendency to anthropomorphize technologies, and new highlights from CES 2018. Geeks of the week included Google’s Art App (Jason), the Microsoft Launcher for Android and the YouTube Safety Center (Wes). Check out all our links and shownotes, including many articles we didn’t have time to address in this week’s show, on http://edtechSR.com/links – Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/edtechSR to stay up to date on upcoming shows. Please consider leaving us a review on iTunes and anywhere else you find us! Remember you can listen to our latest episode on Google Home by simply saying, “Hey Google, play the latest episode of The EdTech Situation Room podcast!”

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  7. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  8. One Website’s Facebook Apocalypse Is Another’s Opportunity to Shine (Wall Street Journal, 12 Jan 2018)
  9. Facebook’s Adam Mosseri On Why You’ll See Less Video, More From Friends (Wired, 13 Jan 2018)
  10. Facebook is done with quality journalism. Deal with it. (The Monday Note, 15 Jan 2018)
  11. Google Chrome extensions with 500,000 downloads found to be malicious (ArsTechnica, 16 Jan 2018)
  12. Here’s how much the Meltdown and Spectre fix hurt my Surface Book performance (PC World, 13 January 2018)
  13. Meltdown, Spectre, and CloudReady (Neverware blog, 9 January 2018)
  14. Have you experienced Google Home- or Chromecast-related Wi-Fi outages? [Poll] (9 to 5 Google, 16 January 2018)
  15. [Update] Google’s Chromecast and Home devices can cause temporary Wi-Fi outages, here’s why (9 to 5 Google, 15 January 2018)
  16. Could You Kill a Robot? Can Robots Teach Us What It Means To Be Human? (NPR Hidden Brain, 10 July 2017)
  17. Another country has banned boiling live lobsters. Some scientists wonder why. (Washington Post, 13 Jan 2018)
  18. I used the Google Pixelbook as my only laptop at CES – and it completely converted me (Android Police, 16 January 2018)
  19. Razer & Project Linda: A Glimpse of What Chrome OS and Android Could Be (Chrome Unboxed, 16 January 2018)
  20. Extensity Extension for Chrome
  21. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Google Arts & Culture for iOS and for Android
  22. Google’s art app is now top of iOS and Android download charts thanks to its viral selfies (Verge, 17 January 2018)
  23. People love Google’s new feature that matches your selfie to a famous painting (Verge, 14 January 2018)
  24. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: YouTube Safety Center and Microsoft Launcher for Android (h/t @tommy_snider)

EdTech Situation Room Episode 81

Welcome to episode 81 of the EdTech Situation Room from January 10, 2018, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wes Fryer (@wfryer) discussed important updates on the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerability issues, a few videos and articles focusing on the rise of Artificial Intelligence and the importance of putting ethics into coding, and some update from CES 2018 including the competition between Amazon and Google with smart assistants. The importance of the blockchain and the rise of cryptocurrencies were also discussed, along with a late December CNN Op-Ed advocating for the banning of all cell phones in U.S. middle schools. Geeks of the week included NeverWare for Chrome, Digital Citizenship Conversations (digcit.us) and the newest, blazingly fast FireFox browser from Mozilla with Tracking Protection turned ON. Check out these links in our shownotes, as well as more news links we didn’t have time to discuss on edtechsr.com/links. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter for updates on upcoming shows.

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  7. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  8. Security Now 645 – The Speculation Meltdown (9 Jan 2018) – Shownotes
  9. Intel needs to come clean about Meltdown and Spectre (Verge, 10 January)
  10. Google publishes list of Chromebooks being patched against Meltdown vulnerability (Android Policy, 10 January 2018)
  11. How-to: Check whether your Android device will get updated against Meltdown and Spectre (9 to 5 Google, 10 January 2018)
  12. Microsoft reveals how Spectre updates can slow your PC down (The Verge, 9 December 2018)
  13. Microsoft: No more Windows patches at all if your AV clashes with our Meltdown fix (ZDNet, 10 Jan 2018)
  14. Security Now Podcast with @SGgrc
  15. GSFE Admins Google+ Community
  16. [VIDEO] True Artificial Intelligence will change everything by Juergen Schmidhuber (21 Nov 2017)
  17. DeepMind’s Mustafa Suleyman: In 2018, AI will gain a moral compass (5 Jan 2018)
  18. VIDEO: How To Create A Mind: Ray Kurzweil at TEDxSiliconAlley
  19. Book: How to Create a Mind – The Secret of Human Thought Revealed by Ray Kurzweil
  20. Google is trying its hardest to keep Alexa from ‘winning’ CES for the second year in a row (Recode, 9 January 2018)
  21. Expect to talk to your devices a lot more in the future (Recode, 10 January 2018)
  22. CES 2018: Amazon Alexa v Google Assistant fight gets fierce (BBC News; 10 January 2018)
  23. 9to5Google’s Best of CES 2018 Awards (9 to 5 google, 10 January 2018)
  24. Hands on: Razer’s ‘Project Linda’ is the Samsung DeX laptop we always wanted, and it could be so much more (9 to 5 Google, 9 January 2018)
  25. Introducing the New Firefox: Firefox Quantum (Mozilla, 14 Nov 2017)
  26. Jason’s Geek of the Week: CloudReady from Neverware
  27. Digital Citizenship Conversations – DigCit.us and  FireFox Quantum (enable no tracking)

 

EdTech Situation Room Episode 80

Welcome to episode 80 of the EdTech Situation Room from January 3, 2018, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wes Fryer (@wfryer) discussed trends to watch at the upcoming 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (#CES2018), Apple Battery Gate, and hoopla over newly discovered processor flaws posing security risks. Additional topics included recent revelations over how antivirus software (specifically Kaspersky) can be readily manipulated to become spy software, and an article about the effect of social media in reducing adolescent partying. Geeks of the week included an article describing how to host podcast audio on Google Drive, and the best recommended home cable modem from Wirecutter. Check out these links in our shownotes, and even more we did not have time to discuss this week on edtechsr.com/links. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter for updates on upcoming shows.

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  7. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  8. The Big Tech Trends to Follow at CES 2018 (NY Times, 3 Jan 2018)
  9. CES 2018: What To Expect From The Year’s Biggest Tech Show (The Verge, 3 January 2018)
  10. For CES 2018, security of connected devices still a core fear (CNet; 3 January 2018)
  11. 12 questions that CES 2018 needs to answer (CNet; 3 January 2018)
  12. Apple will replace old iPhone batteries, regardless of diagnostic test results (The Verge; 3 January 2018)
  13. Apple’s response to its iPhone slowdown controversy is good — and a lesson to be more proactive about communicating (Recode; 28 December 2017)
  14. How to check how many battery cycles is your Apple iPhone battery on (Phone Arena)
  15. Kernel-memory-leaking Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign (The Register, 2 Jan 2018)
  16. Google’s Project Zero team discovered critical CPU flaw last year (TechCrunch; 3 January 2018)
  17. A Critical Intel Flaw Breaks Basic Security For Most Computers (Wired; 3 January 2018)
  18. New details emerge on severe processor flaw affecting Windows, macOS, and Linux (The Verge; 3 January 2018)
  19. Microsoft issues emergency Windows update for processor security bugs (The Verge; 3 January 2018)
  20. How Antivirus Software Can Be Turned Into a Tool for Spying (NY Times, 1 Jan 2018)
  21. Why Teens Aren’t Partying Anymore (Wired; 27 December 2017)
  22. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Host your Podcasts on Google Drive for Free from Digital Inspiration
  23. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Best Cable Modem According to Wirecutter

EdTech Situation Room Episode 79

Welcome to episode 79 of the EdTech Situation Room from December 27, 2017, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach), Beth Holland (@brholland) and Wes Fryer (@wfryer) discussed “The 2017 EdTech Year in Review.” The first discussion topic was the misinterpretation of “research” in educational technology and how it leads to editorials about banning technology in classrooms. Secondly, the line between “creepy surveillance” (by social media companies for advertising as well as governmental mass surveillance) and helpful artificial intelligence / algorithm powered information filtering was explored, but definitely not definitively resolved since many of the recent disclosures related to data mining and privacy have multiple facets of benefit and trade offs which make “black and white” conclusions difficult. The third topic of the show was the ways in which Google and Microsoft faced off in educational technology circles in 2017, from the Chromebook to Windows 10 S, to Google Docs and Microsoft 365 (including OneNote). Several additional topics were included in the show planning document (linked in our shownotes) but not addressed because of time limitations. Geeks of the week included $20 Amazon Fire Tablets, ways to view and correct information Twitter has collected and analyzed about your personal account, and great MakerEd / STEM gifts for young people in your life: Makedo and Bloxels. Don’t miss our referenced links, resources, articles and books in our shownotes, as well as the articles and topics we didn’t discuss on our special show planning Google Doc. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter for updates, and tune in next week for our first “regular” show of 2018. Merry Christmas, Happy Festivus, and Happy New Year to everyone!

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  7. Beth Holland (@brholland) – blog: brholland.com
  8. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  9. France Moves To Ban Students From Using Cellphones In Schools (NPR, 12 Dec 2017)
  10. Laptops Are Great. But Not During a Lecture or a Meeting (NYTimes, 22 Nov 2017)
  11. Great example of an academic not only publishing in academic journals but also on his blog: Larry Cuban (@CubanLarry) “Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice”
  12. Larry Cuban’s seminal book: “Oversold and Underused: Computers in the Classroom” (2003)
  13. New book coming from Larry Cuban: “The Flight of the Butterfly or the Path of a Bullet: Using Technology to Transform Teaching and Learning”
  14. Learning to Improve: How America’s Schools Can Get Better at Getting Better (Bryk, Gomez, Grunow, LeMahieu, 2015)
  15. 8 Examples of Transforming Lessons Through the SAMR Cycle (SAMR Model, Dr. Ruben Puentedura)
  16. How the world’s most improved school systems keep getting better (“Common Language of Pedagogy” is key and “Professionalization of the Sector” / constant sharing and transparency)
  17. Research Says Screen Time Can Be Good For You (article referencing idea of instructive mediation)
  18. What Research Says…Or Does It? (ATLIS video interview with Beth Holland)
  19. Media mentor as new job for educators (New America Foundation, Oct 2016)
  20. German government wants ‘backdoor’ access to every digital device (The Local – Germany, 1 Dec 2017)
  21. Weapons of Mass Surveillance (BBC World Service, 17 June 2017)
  22. Did Mexico Drop $5 Million On This ‘Unlimited’ Uber-Stealth Spy Tech? (Forbes, 25 Sep 2017)
  23. They Know Everything About You: How Data-Collecting Corporations and Snooping Government Agencies Are Destroying Democracy (Robert Scheer, 2016)
  24. Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft Battle for K-12 Market, and Loyalties of Educators (EdWeek, 8 May 2017)
  25. Office 365 vs. Google apps for Education – which one is best? (Skooler, 14 February 2017)
  26. Tech directors battle it out: Office 365 or G Suite? (EdScoop, 28 June 2017)
  27. How Google Has Not Taken Over the Higher Ed Classroom (Inside Higher Ed, 14 May 2017)
  28. Battle of the Classrooms: Apple, Google, Microsoft Vie for K-12 Market (EdSurge, 22 February 2017)
  29. Works Cited / Bibliographic tools to check out: Paper by ReadCube (Beth), Paper Pile (Jason) and Zotero
  30. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Grab a 2015 Fire Tablet for $20 bucks, then put the Google Play Store on it.
  31. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Take charge of your Twitter Data
  32. Beth’s Geek of the Week: Favorite gifts for kids – Makedo and Bloxels

EdTech Situation Room Episode 78

Welcome to episode 78 of the EdTech Situation Room from December 20, 2017, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wes Fryer (@wfryer) revived a Neiffer classroom holiday tradition: the “Airing of Grievances” (#edtech focused) inspired by “The Holiday of Festivus” and the 1997 Seinfeld episode, “The Strike.” In addition to sharing technology grievances, Jason and Wes discussed the remarkable backstory to the Mirai botnet attacks revealed in an Alaska courtroom last week. Other security related topics included the U.S. government’s fingering of North Korea for the WannaCry ransomware attack, China’s livestreaming servers for public surveillance cameras, and DARPA’s “unhackable” computer currently under development at the University of Michigan. Apple related topics included recent reports that the iPhone is designed to slow down with age, tips on how to increase iPhone performance, and a predication that Apple will allow developers to create universal apps in 2018 which run on both iOS and MacOS devices. Google articles included the expected launch in February of Google Chrome’s built-in ad blocker and the updated function of Google Sites (the new version) to permit embedding and Javascript. Tears were shed for the death of AOL’s instant messenger platform. Geeks of the week included the “Broadcast Voice Messages” feature of Google Home, the 2017 documentary “Unacknowledged” by Dr. Steven Greer (@DrStevenGreer), and the 6 year anniversary price ($1) for the Nova Launcher for Android. Note next week’s “2017 EdTech Year in Review” show will start an hour earlier for east coast guests and livestream fans. Please join us, and follow @edtechSR on Twitter for updates.

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  7. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  8. Holiday of Festivus (English WikiPedia)
  9. The Strike, from Seinfeld (1997) – Hulu: https://www.hulu.com/watch/807635
  10. Thanks Eric Curts for the podcast shoutout!
  11. How a Dorm Room Minecraft Scam Brought Down the Internet (Wired, 13 Dec 2017)
  12. Mirai (malware) – English WikiPedia
  13. Trump administration blames North Korea for WannaCry ransomware attack (Denver Post, 19 Dec 2017)
  14. Words Of Praise But No Forgiveness For Hacker Who Stopped North Korean Cyberattack (BuzzFeed News, 19 Dec 2017)
  15. China surveillance streaming platform shut down amid privacy concerns (Reuters, 20 Dec 2017)
  16. Unhackable computer under development with $3.6M DARPA grant (University of Michigan News, 19 Dec 2017)
  17. iPhones start slowing down after a year of use, and that’s way too soon ( The Verge; 20 December 2017)
  18. How to: Check iPhone battery health, DIY replace, and speed up performance (9 to 5 Mac, 20 December 2017)
  19. Apple might combine iOS and Mac apps next year (The Verge, 20 December 2017)
  20. Google Chrome’s built-in ad blocker targeting disruptive experiences launching February 15th (9 to 5 Google, 19 December 2017)
  21. Embed HTML and JavaScript in the new Google Sites (GSuite Updates from Google, 5 Dec 2017)
  22. Google Teacher Tribe Podcast
  23. GSFE Admins Google+ Community and Podcast
  24. uBlock Origin for Chrome (block ads)
  25. YouTube Tips and Tricks (Nov 2017)
  26. YouTube TV delays Apple TV and Roku apps until early 2018 (The Verge, 19 December 2017)
  27. So long, AIM, we’ll miss you (The Verge, 15 December 2017)
  28. Wes’ Geek of the Week #1 – Google Home feature: Broadcast Voice Messages
  29. Wes’ Geek of the Week #2 – Documentary Movie “Unacknowledged” by Dr. Steven Greer (@DrStevenGreer) – Wes’ most retweeted post of 2017 Glowing Auras and ‘Black Money’: The Pentagon’s Mysterious U.F.O. Program (NYTimes, 16 Dec 2017)
  30. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Nova Launcher turns 6 years old, drops Prime to just 99¢ to celebrate

EdTech Situation Room Episode 77

Welcome to episode 77 of the EdTech Situation Room from December 13, 2017, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wes Fryer (@wfryer) discussed Google’s recent announcement to discontinue web store apps, the importance of the open web, and the upcoming net neutrality vote by the FCC. Additional topics included the prevalence of email tracking and whether or not this surveillance is something to be concerned about, the upcoming shutdown of Storify, Google Assistant coming to older Android devices, and a recent PBS Frontline Special (“Putin’s Revenge”) as well as Guardian article about the weaponization of the web by Russia. Geeks of the week included a recent article about going anonymous online with the Tor browser (Jason) and the expensive, hybrid human/digital assistant “Fin” (Wes). Please check out all our shownotes (including articles we did not have time to address in this week’s show) on http://edtechSR.com/links and follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/edtechSR for updates.

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  7. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  8. Google Kills Apps In Web Store For Mac and Windows: Some Thoughts (Chrome Unboxed; 13 December 2017)
  9. Chrome OS Fighting To Keep Control Of US Education Market (Android Headlines; 7 December 2017)
  10. How Email Open Tracking Quietly Took Over the Web (Wired, 11 December 2017)
  11. Storify is shutting down and will delete all posts next May (The Verge; 12 December 2017)
  12. Concerns grow among YouTubers, Twitch personalities as net neutrality vote looms (Polygon, 13 December 2017)
  13. Let’s calm down. No matter what happens with net neutrality, an open internet isn’t going anywhere. (Recode, 13 December 2017)
  14. The FCC is voting to repeal net neutrality on Thursday. Here’s how to watch live. (Recode; 13 December 2017)
  15. Google Assistant finally rolling out to Android tablets, expands phone support to 5.0 Lollipop (9-5 Google, 13 December 2017)
  16. Fake news and botnets: how Russia weaponised the web (Guardian, 2 December 2017)
  17. Putin’s Revenge on PBS Frontline (@frontlinepbs)
  18. Jason’s Geek of the Week: The Grand Tor: How To Go Anonymous Online (Wired; 9 December 2017)
  19. Wes’ Geek of the Week: Fin (@finexploration) via Drop.io WikiPedia article & @lessin

EdTech Situation Room Episode 76

Welcome to episode 76 of the EdTech Situation Room from December 6, 2017, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wes Fryer (@wfryer) discussed the viability of antivirus software on client computers and the prospects for brain implants (mind-computer interfaces) as described by a current neurosurgeon. Additional topics included Windows 10 ARM laptops, the public health risks posed by Facebook and Google, digital distractions, and Amazon Prime video finally coming to AppleTV. Google-related topics included the current spat over selling products on Amazon.com, which is leading to the blocking of YouTube on Amazon streaming devices, YouTube’s redoubled efforts to address child exploitation online, and the need for AI / machine learning consultants to help companies utilize these technologies to support their business practices. The prospects for privacy in the United State being further eroded by a Supreme Court case focusing on the need for a warrant for cell phone location data and the best selling products during CyberMonday rounded out the show. Geeks of the week included Android battery management strategies, the Windows re-imaging tool Ninite, a science fiction book written by a neuroscientist, and Amazon’s new “Transcribe” service for audio and video files stored on the Amazon Cloud. Please check out all our shownotes (including articles we did not have time to address in this week’s show) on http://edtechSR.com/links and follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/edtechSR for updates.

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  7. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  8. Security Guidelines for Congressional Campaigns (TechSolidarity, November 2017)
  9. The Surgeon Who Wants to Connect You to the Internet with a Brain Implant (MIT Technology Review, 30 Nov 2017)
  10. NeuroLutions
  11. Neuralink
  12. Secrets of the Brain (National Geographic, February 2014)
  13. These are the first Windows 10 ARM laptops (The Verge, 5 December 2017)
  14. Qualcomm Is Building Awesome Windows PCs Out Of Smartphone Parts (Wired, 5 December 2017)
  15. How Facebook and Google threaten public health – and democracy (The Guardian, 11 Nov 2017)
  16. Digital Distractions by Jason Neiffer (Classroom 2.0 Live, 11 Feb 2017)
  17. Amazon Prime Video comes to Apple TV, finally (The Verge, 6 December 2017)
  18. ‘We could build something revolutionary’: how tech set underground music free (The Guardian, 22 November 2017)
  19. Google Lashes Out at Amazon by Blocking YouTube (Fortune Magazine, 5 Dec 2017)
  20. Here’s What YouTube Is Doing To Stop Its Child Exploitation Problem (BuzzFeed News, 4 Dec 2017)
  21. Google, Amazon Find Not Everyone Is Ready for Artificial Intelligence (Wired, 1 Dec 2017)
  22. The US could be on the verge of dismantling digital privacy as we know it (Quartz, 29 Nov 2017)
  23. Chromecast & Samsung tablets among best-selling items on record Cyber Monday (9 to 5 Google; 28 November 2017)
  24. Jason’s Geeks of the Week: Take Control of your Android Battery! and Ninite
  25. Wes’ Geeks of the Week: RedDevil 4: A Novel by Eric C. Leuthardt and Amazon Transcribe is a sophisticated transcription service for AWS (TechCrunch, 29 Nov 2017)

EdTech Situation Room Episode 75

Welcome to episode 75 of the EdTech Situation Room from November 29, 2017, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wes Fryer (@wfryer) discussed rumors on other edtech podcasts that they are “a bit nerdy,” recent Apple security issues with the default root user account, and YouTube with respect to protecting kids and restricting content. Additional topics included the state of email in 2017 and useful apps / email workflow strategies, the amazingly fast new FireFox browser from Mozilla, exciting new announcements for more Android apps on Chromebooks, and the continued march of automation via AI, especially involving trucking. Geeks of the week included the upcoming December 15-31 “Ditch that Textook Digital Summit” (from Wes) and Google Voice (from Jason.) Refer to our podcast shownotes for all referenced news articles and links. Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR to stay updated, and join us LIVE for a future show at 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain most weeks on Wednesday night. Check all our shownotes on http://edtechSR.com/links

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  7. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  8. Wes and Jason called “a bit nerdy:” EdTech Take Out, Episode 35
  9. Anyone Can Hack Macos High Sierra Just By Typing “Root” (Wired; 28 November 2017)
  10. Apple releases update to fix critical macOS High Sierra security issue (The Verge, 29 November 2017)
  11. YouTube is not for kids (TechCrunch; 29 November 2017)
  12. YouTube advertisers quit over predatory child videos (USA Today; 24 November 2017)
  13. Jellies is a kid-friendly, parent-approved alternative to YouTube Kids (TechCrunch, 27 Nov 2017)
  14. YouTube Kids app (for iOS and Android)
  15. Block YouTube Ads in your Browser: UBlock Origin for Chrome and for FireFox
  16. YouTube Red
  17. Turn on YouTube Restricted Mode for Kids
  18. Email sucks, right?  Email Is Broken. Can Anyone Fix It? (Wired; 27 November 2017)
  19. Hop for Email: https://gethop.com
  20. Google/Apache Wave
  21. David Allen’s Getting Things Done
  22. InBox Zero [VIDEO] (Merlin Mann at Google Talks in 2007)
  23. Introducing the New Firefox: Firefox Quantum (Mozilla, 14 Nov 2017)
  24. Ciao, Chrome: Firefox Quantum Is The Browser Built For 2017 (Wired; 25 November 2017)
  25. Firefox Quantum Isn’t Just “Copying” Chrome: It’s Much More Powerful (How-to Geek; 25 November 2017)
  26. https://www.w3counter.com/globalstats.php
  27. Chrome is the most popular web browser of all (ZDNet, Jan 2017)
  28. Nearly 60 Chromebooks now have Android apps enabled with more on the way (9 to 5 Google; 15 November 2017)
  29. Microsoft Office Lands on Chromebooks Everywhere (Chrome Unboxed; 22 November 2017)
  30. Will Tesla’s Automated Truck Kill Trucking Jobs? (Wired, 17 Nov 2017)
  31. VIDEO: How job surveillance is transforming trucking in America (Vox, 20 Nov 2017)
  32. Automation could kill 73 million U.S. jobs by 2030 (USA Today; 28 November 2017)

EdTech Situation Room Episode 74

Welcome to episode 74 of the EdTech Situation Room from November 24, 2017, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wes Fryer (@wfryer) discussed recent news articles addressing Apple’s MacBook in our post-PC computing environment, net neutrality and the FCC’s upcoming plan to roll it back, as well as various security news reports from the past two weeks. These included WikiLeaks release of CIA cyber weapon source code, the reported impersonation of Kaspersky by CIA hackers, Uber’s $100,000 cover-up of a large cyber breach, and the dangers posed by a WiFi Pineapple. The 10th birthday of the Amazon Kindle was also discussed, including its history of iterative design and function improvements. Geeks of the week included What’s App (from Wes) and fakespot.com (from Jason), a helpful website to identify fake product reviews on Amazon, Yelp, TripAdvisor and the Apple App Store. Refer to our podcast shownotes for all referenced news articles and links. Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR to stay updated, and join us LIVE for a future show at 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain most weeks on Wednesday night. Check all our shownotes on http://edtechSR.com/links

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  7. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  8. Why the new Macbook Pro took 4 Years to Develop (CNET, 27 Oct 2017)
  9. In the loop – Jony Ive on Apple’s new HQ and the disappearing iPhone (Wallpaper, 9 Nov 2017)
  10. Why Apple’s next laptop should run iOS (MacWorld, 23 November 2017)
  11. VIDEO: Apple’s What’s a Computer Ad
  12. The FCC has unveiled its plan to roll back its net neutrality rules (Washington Post, 21 Nov 2017)
  13. Trump’s FCC has revealed plans to wipe out net neutrality (Recode, 21 November 2017)
  14. Net neutrality could spur the next big political movement (CNet, 24 November 2017)
  15. EFF provides tool to allow you to instantly lobby Congress to protect net neutrality (9 to 5 mac; 23 November 2017)
  16. WikiLeaks Releases Source Code of CIA Cyber-Weapon (BleepingComputer, 9 Nov 2017)
  17. Wikileaks release reveals CIA impersonated Kaspersky Lab while hacking people (SiliconAngle, 9 Nov 2017)
  18. Dark Cloud: Inside The Pentagon’s Leaked Internet Surveillance Archive (Upguard, 17 Nov 2017)
  19. How a Wi-Fi Pineapple Can Steal Your Data (And How to Protect Yourself From It) (Vice, 20 Nov 2017)
  20. Uber Concealed Cyberattack That Exposed 57 Million People’s Data (Bloomberg, 21 Nov 2017)
  21. How Facebook Figures Out Everyone You’ve Ever Met (Gizmodo, 7 Nov 2017)
  22. You’re Browsing a Website. These Companies May Be Recording Your Every Move. (Wired, 16 Nov 2017)
  23. We Can’t Trust Facebook to Regulate Itself (NY Times Editorial, 19 Nov 2017)
  24. How a half-educated tech elite delivered us into chaos (The Guardian, 19 Nov 2017)
  25. The Lawsuit that Could Shine a Light on Cambridge Analytica (NoteToSelf, 21 Nov 2017)
  26. Quick guide to asking Cambridge Analytica for your data (Medium 15 Feb 2017)
  27. By year’s end, you’ll know if you liked a Kremlin-created Facebook page (ArsTechnica, 22 Nov 2017)
  28. Facebook will identify what Russia-linked content you liked (CNet; 22 November 2017)
  29. 2 big innovations that made Amazon’s Kindle a success (CNet; 24 November 2017)
  30. How the Kindle was designed through 10 years and 15 generations (TechCrunch; 23 November 2017)
  31. Introducing Travel Mode: Protect your data when crossing borders (Agilebits on 1Password, 18 May 2017)
  32. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Fake Spot – Spot fake reviews! www.fakespot.com
  33. Wes’ Geek of the Week: What’s App

EdTech Situation Room Episode 73

Welcome to episode 73 of the EdTech Situation Room from November 8, 2017, where technology news meets educational analysis. This week Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) and Wes Fryer (@wfryer) discussed how to run Windows software on newer Chromebooks using CodeWeavers’ CrossOver, recent congressional testimony by Silicon Valley leaders, and Twitter’s expanded 280 character limit. Additional topics included the EPA’s recent approval to release genetically modified mosquitoes in 20 U.S. states and the rise of global “Net States.” Please follow us on Twitter @edtechSR to stay updated, and join us LIVE for a future show at 9 pm Central / 8 pm Mountain. Check all our shownotes on http://edtechSR.com/links

Shownotes:

  1. EdTech Situation Room Listener Survey: wfryer.me/edtechsr
  2. Follow @edtechSR on Twitter!
  3. Audio podcast feed (Subscribe with iTunes or Stitcher)
  4. Video version on YouTube
  5. Check out our video podcast feed and subscribe to our YouTube Channel (episodes also in this YouTube playlist)
  6. Jason Neiffer (@techsavvyteach) – blog: blog.ncce.org
  7. Wes Fryer (@wfryer) – blog: speedofcreativity.org
  8. Chromebooks Get Windows Software Via CodeWeavers’ CrossOver (Android Headlines, 8 November 2017)
  9. Run Windows Apps On Your Chromebook With Crossover – Sort Of (Chrome Unboxed)
  10. Sen. Al Franken torched Amazon, Facebook and Google for using their algorithms to maintain their massive footprints (Recode, 8 November 2017)
  11. It’s not just a Trump problem — we all have to take responsibility for Twitter (Recode, 8 November 2017)Twitter is rolling out 280-character tweets around the world (The Verge, 7 November 2017)
  12. Twitter’s 280-Character Limit Is Here to Stay (PC Magazine, 7 November 2017)
  13. EPA approves ‘good guy’ mosquitoes to battle Zika (Engadget, 8 Nov 2017)
  14. Facebook and Google Are Actually ‘Net States.’ And They Rule the World (Net States Rule The World; We Need To Recognize Their Power) (Wired, 4 Nov 2017)
  15. Jason’s Geek of the Week: Jelly!
  16. Wes’ Geek of the Week: [VIDEO] Saroo Brierley: Homeward Bound (3 min) and 2016 movie “Lion” (s/o to Google Maps)