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Submission + - Eliminating comments on publication websites? (psmag.com) 1

Submitted by sixoh1
sixoh1 writes: Nicholas Jackson at Pacific Standard suggests that internet comments are permanently broken (in response to an issue Jezebel is having with violent misogynist GIFs and other inappropriate commentary). He argues that blogs are a good-enough solution to commentary and dialog across the internet.

This seems to hold true for most broad-interest sites like newspapers and magazines where comments can be downright awful, as opposed to sites like Slashdot with a self-selected and somewhat homogenous audience. It seems unlikely that using only blogs for responsive dialog with authors and peers could come close to matching the feedback and community feel of comments such as we see here.

Is there a technical solution, or is this a biological problem imposed on the internet...

Submission + - IEEE Says 85% of Daily Tasks will be Games by 2020

Submitted by cagraham
cagraham writes: According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), over 85% of daily tasks will include game elements by 2020. The organization, whose motto is "Advancing Technology for Humanity," looked at the growth of games in fields such as healthcare, education, and enterprise when preparing their report. Member Tom Coughlin summarized the findings, saying that 'by 2020, however many points you have at work will help determine the kind of raise you get or which office you sit in.'

Submission + - Fire Destroys Iron Mountain Data Warehouse, Argentina's Bank Records Lost

Submitted by cagraham
cagraham writes: A fire at Iron Mountain's data warehouse in Buenos Aires left the facility "ruined," and killed nine first-responders according to the Washington Post. The origin of the fire is unknown, although the facility was supposedly equipped with sprinkler systems, fire control systems, and had a private emergency team on standby. Among the records lost include corporate data and Argentina's bank archives, which could have some surprisingly far reaching implications.

Submission + - Google Testing Smart Appliance, Would Compete with Nest Thermostat

Submitted by cagraham
cagraham writes: Google is currently testing a web-connected thermostat, similar to the popular Nest Thermostat, according to The Information. The device would display energy usage details, and allow user's to control it from a web app. This actually marks the second time Google has ventured into home energy, after their PowerMeter web app that was shut down in 2011. Web connected devices could allow Google access to a treasure trove of data on people's daily habits and routines.

Submission + - FDA Not Convinced Antibacterial Soaps Stop the Spread of Germs (washingtonpost.com) 5

Submitted by barlevg
barlevg writes: It's long been a concern that the widespread use of antibacterials soaps is contributing towards the evolution of drug-resistant "superbugs," but as the Washington Post reports, the Food and Drug Administration also does not believe that there is any evidence to support that the antibacterial agents in soaps are any more effective at killing germs than simply washing with soap and water. Under the terms of a proposal under consideration, the FDA will require that manufacturers making such claims will have to show proof. If they fail to do so, they will be required to change their marketing or even stop selling the products altogether.

The Washington Post cites concerns that triclosan interferes with hormone production, but it should be noted that is is based on animal studies, and that at least one human study has shown no effect on hormone levels in adults using toothpaste containing triclosan.

Submission + - Google Makes it Harder for Marketers to Collect User Data

Submitted by cagraham
cagraham writes: In a seemingly minor update, Google announced that all Gmail images will now be cached on their own servers, before being displayed to users. This means that users won't have to click to download images in every email now — they'll just automatically be shown. For marketers, however, the change has serious implications. Because each user won't download the images from a third-party server, marketers won't be able to see open-rates, log IP addresses, or gather information on user location and browser type. Google says the changes are intended to enhance user privacy and security.

Submission + - Amazon Uses Robots to Speed Up Human "Pickers" in Fulfillment Centers

Submitted by cagraham
cagraham writes: The WSJ, combing through Amazon's Q3 earnings report, found that the company is currently using 1,400 robots across three of their fulfillment centers. The machines are made by Kiva Systems (a company acquired by Amazon last year), and help to warehouses more efficient by bringing the product shelves to the workers. The workers then select the right item from the shelf, box it, and place it on the conveyor line, while another shelf is brought. The management software that runs the robots can speed or slow down item pacing, reroute valuable orders to more experienced workers, and redistribute workloads to prevent backlogs.

Submission + - In three years, nearly 45% of all the servers will ship to cloud providers (computerworld.com)

Submitted by dcblogs
dcblogs writes: IDC expects that anywhere from 25% to 30% of all the servers shipped next year will be delivered to cloud services providers. In three years, 2017, nearly 45% of all the servers leaving manufacturers will be bought by cloud providers. The shift is slowing the purchase of server sales to enterprise IT. The increased use of SaaS is a major reason for the market shift, but so is virtualization to increase server capacity. Data center consolidations are eliminating servers as well, along with the purchase of denser servers capable of handling larger loads. The increased use of cloud-based providers is roiling the server market, and is expected to help send server revenue down 3.5% this year, according to IDC.

Submission + - Swarm Mobile Offers Free Wifi In Exchange for Tracking Customers

Submitted by cagraham
cagraham writes: Startup Swarm Mobile intends to help physical retailers counter online shopping habits by collecting data on their customer's actions. Swarm's platform integrates with store's Wifi networks in order to monitor what exactly customers are doing while shopping. In exchange for collecting analytics, shoppers get access to free internet. Swarm then send reports to the store owners, detailing how many customers checked prices online, or compared rival products on their phones. Their platform also allows stores to directly send discount codes or coupons to shopper's phones.

Submission + - Over 20% of Online Black Friday Sales Came From Mobile Devices

Submitted by cagraham
cagraham writes: According to IBM's latest Data Benchmark report, 21.8% of all online Black Friday sales were made from mobile devices. Mobile traffic, meanwhile, accounted for 39.7% of all Black Friday traffic. Interestingly, iOS users accounted for 18.1% of online sales, while Android users accounted for just 3.5%. The data come from IBM's real-time monitoring over 800 U.S. online retailers. The report also notes that tablets generated less traffic than smartphones, but accounted for almost twice the number of sales. Overall, online sales for Black Friday grew 18.9% year-over-year.

Submission + - BlackBerry's CFO, CMO, and COO Leave Company

Submitted by cagraham
cagraham writes: In a pretty major executive shakeup, BlackBerry's Chief Financial Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, and Chief Operating Officer have all left the company. It's unclear whether the changes were brought about by new interim-CEO John Chen in order to facilitate company change, or represent an abandon-ship style exit after BlackBerry's failed bid to go private. The company announced that the CFO position would be filled by current SVP James Yersch, but gave no word on the other vacancies.

Submission + - Journalists banned from tweeting at 2014 Sochi Olympics (washingtontimes.com)

Submitted by SlongNY
SlongNY writes: “Journalists using mobile phones to film athletes or spectators will be considered a serious violation and will result in cancellation of accreditation,” said Vasily Konov, head of the state-run R-Sport news agency, which controls accreditation at the games.

This should end well.

Submission + - Construction Firm Balfour Beatty Considers Drone Workers 1

Submitted by cagraham
cagraham writes: International engineering and construction firm Balfour Beatty is considering using drones in order to construct walls and monitor work sites, among other things. Beatty CIO Danny Reeves, speaking at the Fujitsu Forum, said drones could improve efficiency and safety on sites. He also talked of implementing sensors that would monitor worker's stress levels and bodily functions, and notify management when they became less effective, or mistake-prone, on the job.

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