Well, yes. And no. As the Apple Macintosh turns 40, what began as Apple prioritizing the squishy concept of “user experience” in its 1984 flagship product is, today, clearly vindicated by its blockbuster products since.

It turns out that designing for usability, efficiency, accessibility, elegance and delight pays off.

Apple’s market capitalization is now over US$2.8 trillion, and its brand is every bit associated with the term “design” as the best New York or Milan fashion houses are.

Apple turned technology into fashion, and it did it through user experience.

It began with the Macintosh.

When Apple announced the Macintosh personal computer with a Super Bowl XVIII television ad on Jan. 22, 1984, it more resembled a movie premiere than a technology release.

The commercial was, in fact, directed by filmmaker Ridley Scott. That’s because founder Steve Jobs knew he was not selling just computing power, storage or a desktop publishing solution.

Rather, Jobs was selling a product for human beings to use, one to be taken into their homes and integrated into their lives.

This was not about computing anymore. IBM, Commodore and Tandy did computers.

As a human-computer interaction scholar, I believe that the first Macintosh was about humans feeling comfortable with a new extension of themselves, not as computer hobbyists but as everyday people.

All that “computer stuff” – circuits and wires and separate motherboards and monitors – were neatly packaged and hidden away within one sleek integrated box.

You weren’t supposed to dig into that box, and you didn’t need to dig into that box – not with the Macintosh.

The everyday user wouldn’t think about the contents of that box any more than they thought about the stitching in their clothes. Instead, they would focus on how that box made them feel.

Beyond the mouse and desktop metaphor

As computers go, was the Macintosh innovative? Sure. But not for any particular computing breakthrough.

The Macintosh was not the first computer to have a graphical user interface or employ the desktop metaphor: icons, files, folders, windows and so on.

The Macintosh was not the first personal computer meant for home, office or educational use. It was not the first computer to use a mouse.

It was not even the first computer from Apple to be or have any of these things. The Apple Lisa, released a year before, had them all.It was not any one technical thing that the Macintosh did first.

But the Macintosh brought together numerous advances that were about giving people an accessory – not for geeks or techno-hobbyists, but for home office moms and soccer dads and eighth grade students who used it to write documents, edit spreadsheets, make drawings and play games.

The Macintosh revolutionized the personal computing industry and everything that was to follow because of its emphasis on providing a satisfying, simplified user experience.

Where computers typically had complex input sequences in the form of typed commands (Unix, MS-DOS) or multi-button mice (Xerox STAR, Commodore 64), the Macintosh used a desktop metaphor in which the computer screen presented a representation of a physical desk surface.

Users could click directly on files and folders on the desktop to open them. It also had a one-button mouse that allowed users to click, double-click and drag-and-drop icons without typing commands.

The Xerox Alto had first exhibited the concept of icons, invented in David Canfield Smith’s 1975 Ph.D. dissertation. The 1981 Xerox Star and 1983 Apple Lisa had used desktop metaphors.

But these systems had been slow to operate and still cumbersome in many aspects of their interaction design.

The Macintosh simplified the interaction techniques required to operate a computer and improved functioning to reasonable speeds.

Complex keyboard commands and dedicated keys were replaced with point-and-click operations, pull-down menus, draggable windows and icons, and systemwide undo, cut, copy and paste.

Unlike with the Lisa, the Macintosh could run only one program at a time, but this simplified the user experience.

The Macintosh also provided a user interface toolbox for application developers, enabling applications to have a standard look and feel by using common interface widgets such as buttons, menus, fonts, dialog boxes and windows.

With the Macintosh, the learning curve for users was flattened, allowing people to feel proficient in short order. Computing, like clothing, was now for everyone.

A good experience

Although I hesitate to use the cliches “natural” or “intuitive” when it comes to fabricated worlds on a screen – nobody is born knowing what a desktop window, pull-down menu or double-click is – the Macintosh was the first personal computer to make user experience the driver of technical achievement.

It indeed was simple to operate, especially compared with command-line computers at the time.

Whereas prior systems prioritized technical capability, the Macintosh was intended for nonspecialist users – at work, school or in the home – to experience a kind of out-of-the-box usability that today is the hallmark of not only most Apple products but an entire industry’s worth of consumer electronics, smart devices and computers of every kind.

According to Market Growth Reports, companies devoted to providing user experience tools and services were worth $548.91 million in 2023 and are expected to reach $1.36 billion by 2029.

User experience companies provide software and services to support usability testing, user research, voice-of-the-customer initiatives and user interface design, among many other user experience activities.

Rarely today do consumer products succeed in the market based on functionality alone. Consumers expect a good user experience and will pay a premium for it.

The Macintosh started that obsession and demonstrated its centrality.

It is ironic that the Macintosh technology being commemorated in January 2024 was never really about technology at all. It was always about people.

This is inspiration for those looking to make the next technology breakthrough, and a warning to those who would dismiss the user experience as only of secondary concern in technological innovation.

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Editor’s Note: This article was written by Jacob O. Wobbrock, Professor of Information, University of Washington, and republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The post The Macintosh is 40, but who’s counting when you’re this iconic appeared first on KnowTechie.

Researchers have used them to read stories to preschool students in Singapore, help 12-year-olds in Iran learn English, improve handwriting among young children in Switzerland, and teach students with autism in England appropriate physical distance during social interactions.

Some experts believe these robots could become “as common as paper, whiteboards and computer tablets” in schools.

Because social robots have a body, humans react to them differently than we do to a computer screen. Studies have shown that little children sometimes accept social robots as peers.

For example, in the handwriting study, a 5-year-old boy continued to send letters to the robot months after the interactions ended.

As a professor of education, I study the different ways that teachers around the world do their jobs.

To understand how social robots could affect teaching, graduate student Raisa Gray and I introduced a 4-foot-tall humanoid robot called “Pepper” into a public elementary and middle school in the U.S.

Our research revealed many problems with the current generation of social robots, making it unlikely that social robots will be running classrooms anytime soon.

Not ready for prime time

Much of the research on social robots in schools is done in very restricted ways.

Children and social robots are not allowed to freely interact with each other without the assistance, or intervention, of researchers. Only a few studies have used social robots in real-life classroom settings.

Also, robotic researchers often use “Wizard of Oz” techniques in classroom settings. That means that a person is operating the robot remotely, giving the impression that the robot can really talk to humans.

Limited social skills

Robots need quiet. Any kind of background noise – class-change bells, loudspeaker announcements or other conversations – can disrupt the robot’s ability to follow a conversation.

This is one of the major problems facing the integration of robots into schools.

It is extremely difficult for programmers to create software and hardware systems that can achieve what humans do unconsciously.

For example, the current generation of social robots cannot interact with a small group and, for example, track multiple people’s facial expressions.

If a person is talking to two other people about their favorite football team and one of the listeners frowns or rolls their eyes, a human will likely pick up on that.

A robot will not. Also, unless a bar code or other identification device is used, today’s social robots cannot recognize individuals. This makes it very unlikely for them to have realistic social interactions.

Facial recognition software is difficult to use in a room full of moving, shifting people, and also raises serious ethical questions about keeping students’ personal information safe.

Dialogue is preprogrammed

To get the robot to perform, our students had to master the tutorials that came with the robot. Some students quickly figured out that the robot could respond only to certain basic routines.

For example, Pepper could respond to “How old are you?” but not “What age are you?” Other students kept trying to interact with the robot as if it were a person and got very frustrated with its nonhuman responses.

When a robot fails to answer a question, or responds in the wrong way, students realize the robot isn’t really understanding them and that the robot’s dialogue is preprogrammed. The robot can’t really make sense of the social context.

In our study, students learned to adapt to the robot. One group of girls would stand around the robot while one kept petting its head.

This caused the robot to do either its “I feel like a cat” or its “I’m ticklish today” routine. This seemed to delight the girls. They appeared content to have one person interact with the robot while others watched.

Cannot move around classroom with ease

Students who have seen YouTube videos of robotic dogs that run and jump may be disappointed to realize that most social robots can’t move around a classroom with ease.

The teachers in our study were disappointed that Pepper couldn’t bring them coffee.

These problems aren’t limited to school settings. Service robots in some healthcare facilities have been programmed to deliver medicine, but this requires special sensors and programming.

And while stores and restaurants are experimenting with delivery and cleaning robots, when a grocery store in Scotland tried to use Pepper for customer interactions, the robot was fired after a week.

What social robots can teach kids

While the social robots currently used in schools are finicky and limited in functions, they can still provide useful learning experiences.

Students can use them to learn more about robotics, artificial intelligence and the complexity of real human behavior.

As one researcher wrote, “Robots act as a bridge in enabling students to understand humans.”

Struggling with a robot’s limitations gives students real insights into the complicated nature of human social interaction.

The opportunity to work hands-on with a social robot shows students how difficult it is to program robots to mimic human behavior.

Social robots can also provide students with important learning opportunities about artificial intelligence. In Japan, Pepper is being used to introduce students to generative AI.

Students can link ChatGPT with Pepper’s physical presence to see how much AI improves Pepper’s communication and whether that makes it more lifelike.

As AI becomes a bigger part of our work and lives, educators need to prepare students to think critically about what it means to live and work with social machines.

And with a real human teacher’s guidance and oversight, students can explore why we want to talk to robots as if they were people.

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Editor’s Note: This article was written by Gerald K. LeTendre, Professor of Educational Administration, Penn State, and republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The post What American children can learn from social robots appeared first on KnowTechie.

Fingermarks are made up of tiny ridges of oil from your skin. Each ridge is only a few microns tall, or a few hundredths of the thickness of human hair.

Biometric identifiers record fingermarks only as 2D pictures, and although these carry a lot of information, there’s a lot missing. A 2D fingerprint neglects the depth of the fingermark, including pores and scars buried in the ridges of fingers that are difficult to see.

I’m an educator and scientist who studies holography, a field of research that focuses on how to display 3D information. My lab has created a way to map and visualize fingermarks in three dimensions from any perspective on a computer – using digital holography.

Fingermark types

Scientists categorize fingermarks as either patent, plastic or latent, depending on how visible they are when left on a surface.

Patent fingermarks are the most visible type – bloody fingerprints at crime scenes are one example. Plastic fingermarks are found on soft surfaces, such as clay, Play-Doh or chocolate bars. The human eye can see both patent and plastic fingermarks quite easily.

The least visible are latent fingermarks. These are usually found on hard surfaces such as glass, metals, woods and plastics. To make them out, a fingerprint examiner has to use physical or chemical methods such as dusting with powder, creating chemical reactions with appropriate reagents or cyanoacrylate fuming.

Cyanoacrylate makes super glue in its liquid form, but as a gas it can make latent fingermarks visible. Researchers develop the prints by letting cyanoacrylate vapor molecules react with components in the latent fingerprint residue.

The geometric details on fingermarks are categorized into three levels. Level 1 encompasses visible ridge patterns, so loops, whorls and arches. Level 2 refers to minutiae or small details, such as bifurcations, endings, eyes and hooks.

Finally, Level 3 features, such as pores, scars and creases, are too small for the human eye to resolve. This is where optical techniques like holography come in handy, since optical wavelengths are in the order of microns, small enough to make out small details on an object.

Developing fingermark holograms

Since fingermarks are usually collected as 2D pictures, and holograms display 3D information, my team wanted to develop a technique that can show all the 3D topological characteristics of a fingermark.

To do this, we’ve been collaborating with Akhlesh Lakhtakia’s group at Penn State. They developed a specialized technique that deposits a nanoscale columnar thin film layer, called a CTF, on top of the fingermark to develop and preserve it.

Columnar thin films are dense pillars of glassy material that uniformly cover the fingermark, like a dense growth of identical trees in a forest.

Just as the tops of these trees would reflect the topology of the ground, the tops of these columnar thin films replicate the 3D structure of the fingermarks on which they are deposited.

To make a hologram of something like a 3D fingermark, researchers split light from a laser into two parts. One part, called the reference wave, shines directly on a digital camera. The other wave shines on the object, in this case the fingermark.

If the object is reflective, the reflected light is also directed to the digital camera and superimposed on the reference wave.

The superposition of waves – both from the reference and the object – creates an interference pattern, which is called a hologram. In digital holography, this hologram, which is a 2D picture, is recorded in the digital camera.

Researchers then import the hologram to a computer, where they can use the physical laws of wave propagation to figure out where the light waves from the laser bounced off different parts of the object.

This process allows them to reconstruct the object as a 3D picture.

So, the reconstructed hologram has all the 3D details of the object, and you can now visualize the 3D object on a laptop from any perspective.

Picking up fingermarks

In 2017, our collaboration reported our first results, where we made 3D pictures of latent fingermarks using the CTF technique. We recorded holograms of the CTF-developed fingermarks with two different wavelengths of light – green and blue – generated from a laser.

Using two different wavelengths allowed us to make out tiny details such as pores in the 3D reconstructions.

Lakhtakia’s research group has deposited hundreds of fingermarks on glass, wood and plastic. They’ve then let them age in different environments, at various temperatures and humidity levels, before coating them with CTF film to pick up the fingerprint.

My group records the digital holograms of these fingermarks and visualizes them in 3D on a computer.

We have also started working on a better 3D fingermark analysis plan to help identify crime suspects.

The Miami Valley Regional Crime Lab in Dayton, Ohio, has graded the quality of the fingermarks captured by Lakhtakia’s research group.

It will also help us develop a new method for grading the 3D holographic reconstructions, something that does not currently exist.

This may involve creating categories to classify how clear the 3D renderings of the fingermarks are.

The use of fingerprints as unique identifiers has a long history, going back to ancient Babylonian and Chinese civilizations.

They’ve been used for forensic purposes since the late 1890s, starting in Calcutta, India. Our work aims to build on this rich history and use cutting-edge technologies to improve fingermark analysis.

What are your thoughts on this groundbreaking breakthrough? We’d love to hear your perspective! Feel free to share your insights in the comments below or continue the discussion on our Twitter or Facebook.

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Editor’s Note: This article was written by Partha Banerjee, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Dayton and republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The post Groundbreaking technique reveals fingerprints in stunning 3D detail appeared first on KnowTechie.

That’s precisely what EcoFlow just announced at CES 2024 with its new Delta Pro Ultra system. The modular battery backups can be wired into your home and into solar power to recharge while the sun shines.

The company also announced an upgraded Smart Home Panel 2, which wires into your home’s existing wiring so you can unplug and plug more batteries in as needed.

EcoFlow’s Delta Pro Ultra battery system reduces dependence on the grid

This whole system works as a giant UPS for your home, able to switch over in milliseconds if it detects a drop in the supply to your house.

The Smart Home Panel 2 also intelligently recharges the batteries from either solar or the grid, and doles out power to your home if it thinks your appliances need it.

The batteries are a significant investmentand come with a five-year warranty, although they should be good for ten yearsbefore they start to degrade and go under 80% capacity.

Unlike many CES announcements, this one is ready to order from EcoFlow. The EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra consisting of the inverter and battery costs $5,799, while the Intelligent Kit that adds the Smart Home Panel is $7,199.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

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The post Ecoflow’s new battery system can power your whole home appeared first on KnowTechie.

Quick Answer: Pre-orders start on Friday, January 19, at 5 a.m. PST, with availability beginning on Friday, February 2.

The Apple Vision Pro headset has arrived, blending the looks of ski goggles with iPhone technology, immersing users in a world of spatial computing.

Unveiled in early 2023 with a hefty price tag of $3,500, the Apple Vision Pro targets a niche market, offering an array of advanced features and applications for those willing to invest in this cutting-edge technology.

Apple officially revealed its AR/VR headset at WWDC 2023 on June 5th, marking the start of what Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman called “the beginning of a post-iPhone era.”

Now that we know that the Apple Vision Pro isn’t just a figment of our imagination, when can we expect it to grace store shelves? And do they plan on making these for everyone?

When does Apple plan to release the Vision Pro headset?

Short Answer: Pre-orders start on Friday, January 19, at 5 a.m. PST, with availability beginning on Friday, February 2.

Apple says its upcoming Vision Pro headset is launching sometime early next year, starting in the US market with more countries coming later in the year. And yup, they weren’t horsing around with that intel either.

The company began mass production earlier in the year, making the headset available for users worldwide.

Now that the Apple Vision Pro is here, users can experience augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) environments for various tasks like work, entertainment, and communication.

With compatibility with Microsoft Office apps, WebEx, Zoom, Disney+, and Apple Arcade, the headset brings a new dimension to everyday activities.

Despite initial software issues, the Vision Pro has made its way into the hands of consumers, showcasing Apple’s ambitious vision for the future of spatial computing.

As we continue to explore this innovative device, how it will impact the competitive tech landscape remains to be seen. But here’s what we do know: it’s real, and it’s coming soon.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Apple Vision Pro: When does it come out? appeared first on KnowTechie.

These new generation robotic lawnmowers don’t need annoying-to-install guide wires around the perimeter of your lawn. Instead, they use computer vision and GPS to keep them inside your boundary lines.

Here’s what you need to know about the new robotic lawnmowers.

Ecovacs Goat GX-600

Ecovacs makes some of our favorite robovacs, and their second robotic lawnmower, the Goat GX-600, looks like it will be a winner.

It doesn’t need physical boundaries setup before it can get to work, shortening the setup time considerably.

Instead, it uses the same impressive AI obstacle avoidance and mapping seen on the Ecovacs Deebot range of robovacs, so it can map your lawn and figure out where to cut.

We’ll hear more about the pricing and how it maps your lawn closer to release in Q2 of this year, when we hope to have some hands-on experience.

Aiper Horizon U1

Aiper is better known for its pool-cleaning robots, but its first robotic lawnmower looks great. The Horizon U1 uses AI and advanced sensors to avoid needing a physical boundary wire.

It’s designed for smaller yards, with up to 0.7 acres of support from the base unit. It can be extended with a Signal Relay Station for more complicated or more extensive lawns.

Like a robovac, it’ll return to the dock and recharge once it gets close to low charge, so it’ll hopefully not get stranded out on your yard.

The Aiper Horizon U1 will be available closer to the end of 2024. Pricing details have yet to be made public at this time.

Luba 2 AWD Series

If you want your robotic lawnmower to look more like a F1 car, you’re going to want to check out the Luba 2 AWD series.

These stylish mowers from Mammotion can tackle tall grass and short, even on steep inclines. That’s pretty impressive, and with multiple versions depending on how large your lawn is, you can pick the right one for you.

They use 3D vision and a base unit so they don’t need a pesky perimeter wire, can print patterns on your lawn, and have adjustable cutting heights.

To set it up, you drive the robomower around your lawn like a remote control car, which sets the boundaries. Once done, it’ll cut inside those every time.

What’s more, they’re available to preorder, starting from $2,099, with an end of February ship estimate.

Segway Navimow i Series

Segway is better known for its self-balancing personal mobility scooters, but they also have a growing robotic lawnmower range. The new Navimow i Series brings some impressive upgrades from its existing models.

The biggest is the ability to work without a boundary wire, as it now has an on-device system for tracking its location so it mows your lawn and nothing else.

It also gets a vision system for obstacle avoidance which also helps with the new positioning system, making it more accurate under tree cover.

And it can customize cutting patterns through the smartphone app, so your lawn will look the best on the block.

What we don’t know at this point is a release date or pricing, but we’ll update you as we find out more.

The local teenagers are about to be out of a job

The rise of the electric robotic lawnmower is great news for everyone, except for the local teenagers.

Being able to keep your lawn at a consistent height automatically is a godsend, especially for those who live in HOAs.

The only thing is that they’re all relatively expensive, but how much is your time worth? That adds up quickly, and you could save money if you look at it that way.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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The post CES 2024 unveils next-gen robotic lawnmowers, boundaries not included appeared first on KnowTechie.

If you subscribe to Comcast’s Xfinity TV or Xfinity Internet services, now might be a good time to change your password.

This week, the company issued a press release affirming it was the victim of a data breach after one of its software vendors discovered a security bug that was being actively exploited by hackers.

The press release was issued when Comcast started notifying Maine regulators about the cybersecurity incident involving customer data theft, as required by state law.

Comcast is expected to distribute similar notices in states with near-identical laws on the books and where it operates its Xfinity services.

Here is a look at what exactly happened, what Comcast is doing about the situation, and what steps you need to take to protect yourself.

What happened?

The situation began unfolding in early October at a software company called Citrix, which provides tech-related services to thousands of enterprise customers like Comcast. 

Specifically, Citrix discovered that one of its products, Citrix NetScaler, had a serious security bug that allowed hackers to grab authentication tokens from onboard memory devices using the software.

Once a hacker obtained the authentication token, they essentially had access to a company’s NetScaler platform.

To make matters even worse, the same exploit was also found to affect Citrix Gateway, a similar service that allows companies to remotely — and, supposedly, securely — access parts of their technical infrastructure.

Citrix published a security bulletin on October 10, notifying clients like Comcast about the situation.

However, researchers believe the exploit was actively being used by hackers as soon as August, giving them plenty of time to target government users and corporations that rely on the two Citrix products.

How does Comcast fit into all of this?

Comcast didn’t say which Citrix products it uses, but given that the company offers residential and enterprise broadband Internet services, it’s fair to assume Comcast probably uses both NetScaler and Gateway as part of its business. 

In a press release issued on Monday, Comcast said it received guidance from Citrix on two occasions — October 10 and October 23 — with information about how to fix the security problem.

On October 25, Comcast said it was performing a “routine cybersecurity exercise,” and that is when it discovered that hackers likely gained access to its internal systems between October 16 and October 19.

“Xfinity notified federal law enforcement and initiated an investigation into the nature and scope of the incident,” a Comcast spokesperson said in a statement. 

What kind of information was supposedly taken?

It took Comcast nearly three weeks to conclude that “information was likely acquired,” which may include the personal information of some of its Xfinity TV, Xfinity Internet, and Xfinity Mobile subscribers.

That information could include:

• A customer’s name
• A customer’s address and other contact information
• The last four digits of a customer’s Social Security number
• A customer’s date of birth
• Usernames and “hashed,” or encrypted, passwords
• The answers to a customer’s “secret” login question(s)

Comcast said the findings are not conclusive, and its “data analysis is continuing.” But, since the company apparently has information that leads it to believe customer information was “likely acquired,” it began notifying state government officials and customers accordingly.

It isn’t clear why Comcast waited nearly a full month to notify customers after reaching the conclusion that the personal data of Xfinity subscribers may have been compromised.

A Comcast spokesperson has not yet returned an email seeking more information on that point.

What should Comcast customers do?

Change your Comcast Xfinity password

Comcast said it is proactively requiring some customers to reset their passwords when they try to log on to the Xfinity website and related apps.

If a customer gets this prompt, it doesn’t necessarily mean their account information was compromised, only that it could have been.

if you’re a Comcast customer, it’s probably a good idea to change the password on the Xfinity website and any other account where that password may have been reused. 

Stop reusing the same password

Since most of us live in the real world where no one actually does that, signing up for a password manager like Bitwarden or NordPass is a good idea.

READ MORE: The best free password managers

Password managers offer a safe (for the most part) way to manage different passwords from a single secure service.

Some — like NordPass and 1Password — will even warn you if you’re using an insecure password or reusing a password across different services.

NordPass

4.5

Starts at $2.29

Quick Verdict: NordPass offers strong security features and an easy-to-use interface with great business options. However, it's pricier than competitors, and the free version has limitations compared to others. Overall, it's still among the best choices available right now.

Who is it good for?:

• People who struggle to remember multiple passwords
• Useful for couples or families who need to share passwords securely and efficiently
• Businesses that prioritize strong security features and ease of use in managing password

Pros:

• Easy-to-use interface that only requires one master password
• Its data breach scanner and actionable password health report help users identify weak and compromised passwords
• Supports secure credential sharing

Cons:

• The free version has limitations
• It's a bit more expensive than some of its competitors

Check Price

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Turn on “Two-factor authentication” wherever it is offered.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is an extra layer of security that, coupled with a hard-to-guess password, makes it extremely difficult for hackers to gain access to your online accounts.

In most cases, Two-Factor Authentication involves sending a six-digit code to your phone, usually by text message (though, in some cases, you can also opt for a phone call).

There are also apps that will generate Two-Factor Authentication codes for e-mail services, social media accounts, and others.

Two-factor Authentication should always be turned on for services where hackers:

1. Could steal your money (think bank accounts or services where you pay for things online, like Amazon, your home Internet provider, etc.).
2. Could steal your personal data, like billing information, irreplaceable photos, or email messages.

Xfinity customers looking to add two-factor authentication to their accounts can follow along with this guide via the Xfinity website.

Keep an eye on your credit report and score.

While Comcast says it isn’t aware of anyone actively using the personal information of Xfinity subscribers, some data like names, addresses, birthdates, and Social Security numbers can be used by hackers to open loans, credit lines, and bank accounts.

Most banks, credit unions, and credit card companies offer a limited amount of credit monitoring and alerts to customers for free; if they don’t, Experian offers free basic credit monitoring.

Wrapping this all up

Comcast’s recent acknowledgment of a data breach serves as a critical reminder of the digital vulnerabilities that exist even within large corporations.

With all that said, act now: change your Xfinity password, stop reusing passwords, and turn on two-factor authentication. Stay vigilant to protect your personal info from cyber threats.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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• What equipment do I need to return to Comcast?
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And not just any ol’ cat video—a high-definition, 15-second slice of feline fame featuring Taters. Yup, Taters.

As reported by Jalopnik, this historic event took place on December 11, beaming a video of Taters chasing a laser pointer (yes, the irony) via a flight laser transceiver from the Psyche spacecraft.

This isn’t your grandma’s dial-up connection; we’re talking a crisp 101-second transmission at 267 megabits per second, states NASA’s press release. That’s enough to make your home Wi-Fi look like any Xfinity home internet setup.

The Psyche craft, which is en route to a metal-rich asteroid that could be the secret sauce to understanding planetary cores, doubled as a broadcaster for this historic feline film premiere.

The Hale Telescope at Caltech’s Palomar Observatory caught the signal and sent it zipping to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

This wasn’t just for giggles and kicks, though. Behind Taters’ laser-chasing antics lies a serious push for the future.

NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) project aims to ramp up data transmission to support the next wave of interplanetary communication—think Mars with instant HD video calling.

The success of this catastrophically awesome event marks a “historic milestone” for space communication.

As Psyche continues its journey, it’ll keep flinging high-data-rate signals back to Earth, setting the stage for human missions to the Red Planet that don’t skimp on the data.

In essence, NASA’s saying, “Hey, future Mars settlers, If we can stream Taters in all his glory from millions of miles away, who knows what’s next?”

Martian blogs? Intergalactic TikToks? The sky’s not the limit anymore—it’s just the starting line.

So, hats off to the Deep Space Optical Communications team. You’ve taken cat videos to a whole new level, and honestly, it’s pretty awesome. Also, a big congrats to Taters, the cat who’s now officially out of this world.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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The post NASA beamed a cat video across 19 million miles of space appeared first on KnowTechie.

This particular revelation also proves that we can expect these features in the upcoming Galaxy S24 series, especially on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. 

New Zoom Anyplace feature for the Galaxy S24

Based on the video, one of the new camera features coming to the Galaxy S24 series is ISOCELL Zoom Anyplace. 

According to Samsung, this technology is specially developed for the 200MP sensors, which are also powered by the company’s own AI tracking technology and Qualcomm’s AI engine on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

As the name suggests, the Zoom Anyplace feature can zoom automatically while tracking the subject in a video while simultaneously capturing full-frame zoomed-out footage of the entire scene.

Translation — you are getting two 4K views from a single camera. The first is zoomed in, and the second is zoomed out. The feature also works at 2x and 4x zoom.

Samsung further claims the colors and video angle also remain similar for both zoomed-in and zoomed-out views while staying completely focused on the subject. 

In addition to Zoom Anyplace, the company has also introduced the new E2E AI Remosaic technology, which promises to reduce the image processing time while simultaneously improving image quality.

According to the company, the E2E AI Remosaic tech makes image processing two times faster. 

Things are shaping up quite nicely for Samsung’s next flagship series, which we should see launching in the coming months.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Samsung Galaxy S23 FE gets puzzling price hike at retail launch
• Galaxy S24 Plus looks flat and boxy in newly leaked renders
• Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 and Tab A9 Plus set to launch globally
• Samsung Galaxy S23 vs. Galaxy S23 FE: Which should you buy?

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Quick Answer: OLED burn-in is a faint afterimage left on the screen after heavy use. Avoid it by not leaving static images on your screen.

Developments in OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) technology means that OLED burn-in is rare. But that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.

Imagine spending big dollars on a slick new OLED TV only to have the logo of your favorite television station permanently burned into the display. That’s not how expensive technology should work.

Fortunately, you can take steps to avoid rare instances of permanent image retention. Let’s discuss OLED burn-in and how you can avoid it.

What is OLED burn-in?

READ MORE: Are OLED TVs actually better than QD-OLED TVs?

OLED burn-in occurs when a static image appears on the screen for an extended period of time.

Depending on your age, you may have encountered similar behavior on old CRT monitors, which require screen savers to avoid colors and images burning into the display.

While image persistence in LCD screens is usually temporary, OLED burn-in can be permanent, as the behavior stems from damaged pixels.

However, most of us aren’t going to create the conditions necessary for long-lasting damage to occur.

On top of that, manufacturers design modern OLED displays to avoid most image persistence issues. But, in extreme circumstances, damage can still occur.

Therefore, knowing how to avoid OLED burn-in is useful. We’ll break down some of the best tips below.

How to prevent OLED burn in

Static images displayed continuously for many hours or multiple days can create burn-in. For this to happen, you’d also need to set the screen brightness extremely high for a long period of time.

Here are some steps you can take to prevent OLED burn-in:

• Don’t display static images, including logos and video game UIs, for extended periods of time
• Change the channel frequently
• Lower your screen brightness
• Use a sleep timer if you’re prone to doze off in front of the TV
• Don’t leave anything paused for too long
• Use a screen saver when necessary
• Switch the display off when not in use

If you follow most of these suggestions, the chance of experiencing OLED burn-in on a monitor or smart TV is low.

Also, you can prevent and remedy most instances of temporary image retention by enabling pixel shift if available, lowering screen brightness, and watching a video with no static elements.

Is it just TVs that experience OLED burn in?

Surprisingly, no. Steam Decks, Valve’s portable handheld gaming console, suffers from it too.

Screen burn-in on the Steam Deck is when a “ghost” image sticks on the screen. It can make the display quality worse over time. To stop this, try not to leave the same image on for too long.

Using features like screen timeouts or sleep modes can help, too.

TV burn-in is rare but not extinct

OLED burn-in is rare, but so is getting hit by a meteorite. Sometimes unlikely events do occur.

If you’re one of the unlucky ones whose screen experiences permanent image retention, you may have to pay for an out-of-pocket repair. Most display manufacturers don’t accept responsibility for OLED burn-in.

Sometimes, depending on costs, it might be better (and cheaper) to get a new TV. In those cases, check out our smart TV shopping guide.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to fix a Samsung Smart TV not connecting to WiFi
• The best TVs for the PS5 and Xbox Series X, Series S
• The best soundbars to elevate your gaming experience
• Is your Roku Smart TV displaying banner ads on live TV? Here’s how to turn them off

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