technology

Today marks the beginning of the 17th year of the Tech Guy Show, and Leo says it's just plain odd. It's 2020, the distant future is here. But it looks nothing like Blade Runner. In fact, it's not that much different from 2000 or even 1995, except slightly better technology. Science Fiction promised flying cars, living on other planets, and the virtual metaverse (ala Ready Player One). But we're barely starting to crack self-driving cars, and VR is a disappointment so far.

With what people are saying is the end of the decade (it isn't), there are stories coming out about technology over the decade. And one story talks about the most disappointing stories of the decade.  Leo says that Social Media has been one of the most disappointing stories of the decade as it didn't really achieve the promise that it would bring us together. In reality, the old saying "familiarity breeds contempt" has been more likely. Social media has made us more fractured, as people tend just to read and embrace the things they agree with, or uniformity of thought.

Citing the trend in Silicon Valley, where computer executives won't allow their kids and loved ones to use mobile devices, the NY Times came out with an article stating that using mobile phones can basically turn you into a zombie. Leo says that while there is indeed a dark and seedy side to the use of mobile devices, is it any different a concern from the wide spread adoption of books in the 1700s, or even the TV in the 1950s? For good or bad, this is the world they are growing up on, but it's important to teach them how to navigate through the connected universe.

Intel has run up against a wall in Moore's Law that said that the number of transistors in a processor would double every 18 months. In the last few years, Intel has been up against a wall, not being able to double the speed. But a recent breakthrough has created a transistor using a single atom! That will enable processors to become faster and smaller, using very little energy.

Leo says that the iPhone 6s was a huge change for mobile phones, more than usual. It got 3D Touch, an improved camera, and a faster processor. It was a significant update from Apple and one of the top phones of the year. On the Android side, the Samsung Galaxy Note V was terrific. It has a wonderful camera, and an improved stylus (as long as you don't put it in backwards). There's also the Google Nexus 6P.