Windows 10 and Emerging Technology

 

As the excitement of our political conventions wind down, I turn my attention to an issue that is far more relevant to our daily lives and certainly more entertaining to me. Microsoft is rolling out its new Windows 10 Redstone Edition on August 2, 2016. It brings new capabilities and possibilities to computing and the internet. Along with the new software, new hardware is making an appearance. We are on the cusp of a variety of exciting new emerging technologies in both hardware and software.

We can get a glimpse of this technology by using the new Windows Hello functionality in Windows 10. This allows us to log in to our computers, phones and tablets with a finger print or facial recognition. Microsoft notes the following about this new technology.

“Windows Hello is a more personal way to sign in to your Windows 10 devices with just a look or a touch. You’ll get enterprise-grade security without having to type in a password.” -- Source: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17215/windows-10-what-is-hello

I have been using this technology since the July 29, 2015 release of the first Windows 10, and find it works very well. As a member of the “Windows Insider” program, I reviewed the evolving technology as for the last year or more. Microsoft continued development and the result is this August 2, 2016 release to manufacturing (RTM) software, known as Windows 10 – Redstone Edition.

The idea of signing into a computer without using the “time-honored” password is fascinating to me, especially as I get older. Microsoft noted that it wants to have this technology apply across platforms (Android, Apple and Windows) and across websites. If Microsoft has their way, you can use the same technology to sign into all the other websites you normally use a password login for (your bank, Amazon, Google, etc.), as you do your computer. Think of never having to remember a password again. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg with respect to technology.

Go back in time with me. Using bio-metrics such as facial recognition, voice recognition, iris recognition and finger print recognition has been the stuff of science fiction over my lifetime and through out the 20^th century. Conversing with a computer has been a goal for a long time. Examples of this technology have been immortalized on the movie and television screen.

“Since the 1950s, when artificial intelligence (AI) first got serious funding, media and industry hype has fueled the belief that someday there will be an entity such as Hal, the sentient computer in the classic sci-fi movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, or, more recently, the array of artificial in the computers and “Humanich” androids in the current TV show Extant.” – Speech Technology, Speech Technology in the IoT Era, Nancy Jamison, Winter 2015

Speech technology, now known as conversational technology or conversational computing, can also be seen in one of the most viewed movie and television series of all time – Star Trek, which has long been a favorite of mine. I have a hard time forgetting the scene in Star Trek VI – The Voyage Home, when Scotty {the Engineer] tries to use a computer at an industrial facility. The Starship Enterprise and crew have gone back in time to present day Earth. The Star Trek engineer tries to talk to an IBM computer, using the mouse, in a parody of the way he normally does on the ship, clearly, to no avail.

It is hard to conceive of the Internet of Things (IoT) and a connected world without the use of conversational technology. The scope of this technology is noted by Ms. Jamison:

“The Internet of Things (IoT), made up of everything from wearables to connected health and the connected home, has led hundreds to companies to work on and deliver products that automate tasks and use and generate data. Indeed, Frost and Sullivan forecasts that the “connected living” concept, comprised of the connected home, connected work, and even connected cities, will be a $731.79 billion market by 2020. Speech and voice technology will undoubtedly boast a major slice of it. Vendors such as Amazon are backing projects to develop voice control of everything from kitchen appliances to home security systems.”

As the Microsoft Windows Hello technology spreads, along with the introduction of new computer hardware, appropriate cameras, scanners and readers to take advantage of the software capabilities, more people will discover, as I have, that “logging on” with a glance or by touch is so much easier and faster. There have been several times when, as a Windows Insider, using the pre-release builds of Windows 10, that I have had to think for a few minutes to remember what my logon password was. I had gotten so used to using my pin (a four letter password), fingerprint or a glance at the screen, that my password seemed like a thing from the past. When I turn on my Surface Pro 4, the camera lights up and a “smiley face” comes up to log me on. A glance at the screen is all it takes.

As futuristic as this technology is, there is a global downside. Even though you are probably thinking “security,” this is not the real core issue. Security can be problematic, but there is a much deeper issue which goes to the foundation of our global society.

The idea of faster, easier and more human-like interaction with our connected devices presents two basic challenges. One is the extreme proliferation of data, rapidly expanding from terabytes to petabytes to exabytes. This data expansion is the prime driver of “the cloud.” Without “the cloud”, (huge data centers of thousands of computers) to store the data, along with the ability to process immense amounts of data, progress in this connected technology would be difficult at best.

However, beyond data storage and processing, there is a second, far more serious challenge presented as this technology progresses. These connected systems and required “cloud” are stressing the basic infrastructure of our global world, but probably not in the way you might think. Most of the data centers being built today use renewable energy and are very self-contained.

Because of the proliferation of electrical devices in this IoT and connected world, we need a very stable electrical grid, both to charge and to operate all these devices. This is a huge concern. Electric transmission lines, relay stations, transformers and other critical system components were developed for a 20^th century world, where there were a limited number of electrical devices in use. To be sure, a cell phone and many devices in use today are very energy efficient, however, they all require “always on” electricity in several different forms. For example, cell phones use batteries to operate, which have to be charged. But, they also need the “always on” electrical components in cell towers to relay signals.

Another key component of the electrical grid is the water infrastructure. Water is used not only to generate electricity, either via stream turbines or as hydroelectric turbines, but as cooling water for power plants, both conventional and nuclear. The water infrastructure is also under extreme stress due to overuse, climatic variations and growing population. It has also suffered badly from lack of maintenance, repair and upgrading.

Clearly, without a stable and “always on” electrical grid our technology would grind to a halt within a few hours or days. Chaos would reign. The more enmeshed we get into this wonderful, connected technology, the more vulnerable we become.

While I am far from a luddite, I am concerned. To this end, I present over 100 of these infrastructure and other challenges we face, plus some expert predictions in my downloadable EBook entitled World Collapse or New Eden, 2015 Edition.

So my question is, and has been, for the last twelve years or more; why haven’t we spent money, time and resources on strengthening this global infrastructure base upon which our emerging technology relies? After all, it is in our best interest on a global basis to do so. Why is this not the number one issue in our elections? How many of our political leaders, candidates and elected officials have you heard discuss these infrastructure issues in any meaningful way (beyond just platitudes)? As noted in previous blogs, we have no long term repair, replacement or upgrade policy for either the energy or water infrastructure. Even our discussion of the mix of our energy generation, coal, wind, solar, nuclear, is haphazard at best by those in the industry. Long term planning, in these infrastructures, which take decades to plan and build, is now defined by next month’s profit and loss statement.

The only long term policy for both the energy and water infrastructure seems to stem around money and power (no pun intended). “Let’s not spend any money, time or resources on repair, maintenance, installation, or replacement” is the mantra revolving around the basic infrastructure of today’s world. We seemingly don’t need educated people in the form of engineers and scientists, or even a critical thinking public, because they are not the people who are respected in our society. Clearly, it is the sports figures, actors, top CEOs and even the Wall Street financial programmers who are being raised up on a pedestal and rewarded financially.

A good example of this was my own upbringing in the 1960s. With the proclamation of the goal to reach the moon by 1969 by President Kennedy, many of my generation went into science and engineering. It was deemed “cool” to aspire to achieve that goal many of us wanted to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. Today, the development of “apps” and the creation of a firm around those apps, regardless of profitably or long term viability is the model. Just look at Twitter and Facebook (disclaimer - I use both for keeping in touch and marketing). Look at the incredible talent, in all fields, not just programmers, going into the financial markets of Wall Street to help develop “quants” and other market trading software, just to make money.

Sadly, our “leaders,” whether in elected public office, government or private corporations are not helping this crisis. They should be fostering discussions around the energy and other critical infrastructures but aren’t. They don’t appear to be looking for solutions either. They could, at the very least, like President Kennedy, be pushing for an expanded NASA, with goals to reach into the universe. This would at least say to the young generation that they need to think about goals beyond just enriching themselves. They could also be pushing ways to make education more affordable for our youth, as the discredited Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders did. The main goal of our elected and corporate leaders seems to be making the most money possible in the least amount of time and retiring at a very young age with huge benefit packages or stock options.

At the other end of the spectrum, the general public (read voter) apparently is more interested in the “side-show” of the recently ended “presidential conventions” or the Sunday afternoon football game (soccer in much of the rest of the world), than demanding discussions concerning these major issues, and many others, from those they aspire to elect. After all, while our leaders are in positions to make changes, they also realize that the general public can be very easily distracted by many things, and they are masters of distraction. Seemingly, to even hear a discussion involving these critical infrastructure issues, whether, energy, water, highways and bridges or communications, you need to go down to a very local level, with the people who are actually maintaining/installing/repairing the systems. Typically, these people have very little input with reference to direction or policy regarding their respective infrastructure on a national or international basis.

As I log in to my Surface Pro 4 using facial recognition or my fingerprint, I marvel at the possibilities. From Windows 10 to Microsoft’s new HoloLens, with its Holographic computing, the future is full of promise, in almost every human endeavor. The more I use the cloud for data storage and can access my data across my laptop, phone or tablet, the less chained I am to an office or even a specific device. Speech and bio-metrics, along with the cloud, are emerging technology and leading the way to an amazing “new” world, despite the daunting challenges.

As Ms. Jamison notes in her article:

“… it is an exciting time to be in speech technology and in technology in general.”

Sincerely,

H. Court Young
Author, publisher, speaker and geologist
Promoting awareness through the written word
Research, freelance writing & self-publishing services
Facebook: HCourtYoung
Phone: 303-726-8320
Email: tmcco@msn.com
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Blog: http://hcourtyoung.blogspot.com

Sent by Windows 10

What Did CES-2016 Tell Us About the Future?

About a month ago, I watched CES 2016 (Consumer Electronic Show) from my computer. As a fan of technology, I am always fascinated about new technology which “pops-up” almost by the Nano-second, or so it seems. I noted some of the issues in my blog entitled Automation – Where do you fit in, dated June 2015 (http://hcourtyoung.blogspot.com/2015/06/automation-2020-where-do-you-fit.html). As I thought about this show and the newest in technology, I wondered what this may tell us about the future.

Much of the CES show in 2015 revolved around the introduction of Microsoft’s new Windows 10 platform. These were truly revolutionary changes in the hardware and software arena. Advances by Microsoft, Apple and Google over the last few years have opened up a new future with respect to automation. Technologies such as facial recognition and the entire spectrum of bio-metric identification are coming into the mainstream. I am using the new Windows 10 “Hello” capabilities of fingerprint recognition to log into my Surface Pro 3 computer. It is very quick and secure.

However, CES 2016 presented something different. One article entitled What can CES 2016 tell Companies about Tech Trends, by the Boston Consulting Group, ( http://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/02/what-can-ces-2016-tell-companies-about-tech-trends ) noted:

“The breadth of industries represented at CES widens every year as connectivity solutions are applied in sectors as diverse as automotive, health care, food, and logistics.”

One of the comments I noted from a journalist/techie during the show was that much of what was exhibited at CES 2016 was “silly” as compared to previous shows. This was in no way denigrating the show, as many of the technologies being demonstrated were truly “fantastic” according to the same commenter, as well as others. What I believe he meant was instead of demonstrating revolutionary technology as in the past, many of the exhibits were more esoteric (out-there).

One excellent example of an esoteric use of technology was the array of automated and connected pet feeders. One article entitled At CES You Can Even Find a Connected Gadget for your Dog, by Stacey Higginbotham, January 8, 2016 ( http://fortune.com/2016/01/08/ces-cleverpet/ ) gives the details. Who would have thought that you could set up a device which would allow you to monitor your pet’s needs remotely using your cell phone, tablet or computer across the cloud (Internet of Things)? Not only, who would have thought this possible a few short years ago, but who would have thought there was a need for such an idea or product. However, think of what this may mean for the “dog kennel/boarding” industry.

There were numerous other examples of this “far-fetched,” “out of the box” thinking at CES 2016. It was almost as if developers were going out of their way to connect things (which I believe they were). There were numerous automated automotive concepts. A question in the Tech Trends article centered on those born in 2016. What will their experience with driving be?

“It’s becoming increasingly likely that children born in 2016 could operate rather than drive their vehicles when they reach driving age in 16 or 17 years. Who knows? Getting that first driver’s license may no longer be an adolescent rite of passage. The convergence of automotive and digital technology is real, far-reaching, and accelerating at a pace of 0-to-60 miles per hour in less than four seconds.”

CES 2016 shows us that many things we thought couldn’t be automated certainly can be. While many of the devices at the CES 2016 show may have been “silly” and “frivolous” compared to previous shows (at lease that is the opinion of several viewers including me), the automation of our world continues. That is the point of this discussion. The Luddites of the 19^th century (1811-1816) are not going to win.

As you can see, the race towards connecting almost anything to the “Internet of Things (IoT)” is increasing. Some of these things will not be wanted but many will lead to even more connectivity and innovation. However, advances in connectivity and innovation in computing, not just consumer electronics, are changing rapidly. Much of the world’s manufacturing and production is starting to rely on robotics.

The following article entitled Robotics at Boeing from the Mish Talk blog site gives a sense of what the future holds from an employee perspective.

“Hello Mish You are 100% correct about the impact of robots in aircraft manufacturing and elsewhere. I spent 37 years at Boeing as a design engineer (1967-2004). I have a MSME (master of science in mechanical engineering). This is what I know. The new 777X composite wing plant in Everett shocked the IAM (machinists’ union) as to how few new jobs were needed. The same happened at the new Propulsion assembly plant in Charleston. On opening day, IAM was greeted by a huge, giant robot welcoming them. In 2015, 79300 Boeing employees delivering 700 airplanes. That’s 113 employees per airplane. When I joined Boeing in 1967, Puget Sound had 120,000 employees and Boeing delivered about 300 airplanes (from memory). That’s 400 employees/airplane. Since 1967 there has been a 72% reduction in the number of people it takes to build an airplane! People I know in the robotic business tell me 60% of today’s jobs will be gone in 20 years. You have covered them: trucking, strawberry/cabbage picking, etc. Ex-Boeing Employee” -- Source: http://mishtalk.com/2016/02/20/robots-at-boeing-ex-boeing-employee-chimes-in-on-robotics/

In the same blog, a local newspaper article (Seattle Times) notes what the employees (at least the actual workers and not the senior level management) of Boeing are thinking.

“Local assembly plants are cranking out airplanes, pushing Boeing way past Airbus in jet deliveries. Yet the morale of the local workforce doesn’t match the boom, with employees troubled by continued job losses and by the fear of more to come. As of Nov. 30, Boeing had 1,424 fewer workers in Washington than it had at the beginning of the year. Its workforce here is down nearly 7,700 jobs, almost 9 percent, from the most recent peak in October 2012.”

So what is the solution for these Boeing employees? Well, maybe Boeing can use an additional 1,424 robot mechanics and programmers (or even a few more top management). On second thought, maybe not. Well at least these formerly “well paid” employees can get great paying jobs with top benefits at the local coffee shop or retail store.

Corporate use of robotics is advancing at a rapid pace across the globe. An article entitled North America robot sales set record for 2014, from the Robotics Industries Association in the March 2015 issue of Control Engineering magazine give some statistics on robotic advancement in the corporate world.

“Robot orders and shipments in North America set new records in 2014, according to the Robotic Industries Association (RIA), the industry's trade group. A total of 27,685 robots valued at Sl.6 billion were ordered from North American companies during 2014, an increase of 28% in units and 19% in dollars over 2013. Robot shipments also set new records, with 25,425 robots valued at Sl.5 billion being shipped to North American customers in 2014. Shipments grew 13% in units and 6% in dollars over the previous records set in 2013.”

Clearly this trend in robotics, as well as the IoT, is not going to slow down. In fact, the newest trend is to have robots design, build and fix other robots. The idea of an extremely profitable corporation owned by the top 1% with virtually no employees is very much the ideal, (at least from the management and owner perspective). At first thought, you think this is “impossible”. Yet, tell that to the 1,424 Boeing workers who lost their jobs in 2015. This was not due to corporate cutbacks or lack of product orders.

Boeing reported the following (Boeing fourth-quarter profit surges: sees cash rise in 2015, by Alwyn Scott and Sweta Singh, Jan. 28, 2016 - http://www.reuters.com/article/us-boeing-results-idUSKBN0L11EP20150128 ):

“Boeing Co (BA.N) reported a 23 percent increase in core fourth-quarter profit on Wednesday, topping analysts' estimates and sending its shares up 4.3 percent. Boeing forecast a rise in cash flow to $6.2 billion in 2015, at the top end of expectations, from $4.3 billion at the end of the year. “

Note, those jobs lost to robots will not come back when the economy “improves” as was typical in past decades. 

So what does the future portend?

Part of this issue has to do with the following question. How does the ruling “elite” keep the “masses” (in what used to be the “middle class”) from revolting by this rapidly changing technological landscape, and declining economic and social system? It is my belief that many of the corporate and government “welfare” programs, decried by many of the ultra-conservative republicans and neocons, as well as others, are one stop gap answer, designed by those in that same ruling elite to resolve this advancing technology/employment problem.

Instead of having a meaningful long term discussion about the future, how it impacts the generations and how to prepare, the elite and their political “lapdogs” took a simpler approach to the problem. They found it is easier to “print” money from nothing and distribute some of it to the “masses” so they feel “wealthy.” Some of this wealth fabrication takes the form of increased government jobs in first level countries around the globe.

However, this presents a significant ideological problem to those same “small government, pro-business” conservative republicans and neo-cons. Clearly, it is not possible to “cut” the size of global government in an era of decreasing corporate jobs and increasing population. They want to maintain their power and prestige by keeping the “masses” happy and content.That is why you see the same old solutions presented by tired “old” men and women (such as all of those running for higher political office [President and Congress] – picked and approved by the ruling elite / top 1%).

As I have noted in past blogs, there are few discussions on a meaningful level about the advance of these technologies, especially where it relates to employment. The 1,400 Boeing employees would love to know what they are to do now. Do they go back to school to become programmers, robotic engineers or start a new career? If so, how will it be financed? Can they learn enough to compete in a world they hardly comprehend?

All this is easy enough to say unless, like many of the former Boeing employees, you are in the twilight of your life and your educational skills are over 30 years old. This Boeing situation is a micro-chasm of what our world is facing.

While I love the advances in technology and robotics as well as applaud the innovation and creativity, the deeper questions very much concern me. What do the millennials do? What education skillset and level is required over a lifetime for this new world they will live in? How does the generation of my granddaughters prepare for a fully inter-connected future, such as we glimpsed at CES 2016, that can barely be imagined today?

Clearly, the younger generation needs a new paradigm. I believe one real solution is to turn over the reins of power (politically and economically) to them and let them make their decisions about a  future which belongs to them anyway.

Sincerely, H. Court Young
Author, publisher, speaker and geologist
Promoting awareness through the written word
Research, freelance writing & self-publishing services
Facebook: HCourtYoung
Phone: 303-726-8320
Email: tmcco@msn.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hcourtyoung
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hcourtyoung
Blog: http://hcourtyoung.blogspot.com

Windows 10 and Mobile Complexity

 

Two computer related articles recently caught my attention (as they often do). Both directly related to the direction of our society from a technological standpoint, but first some background is needed.

I am waiting in anticipation for several new very mobile devices from Microsoft to be presented at its October 6, 2015 launch event, all based around Windows 10. As a Microsoft Windows Insider, I have followed the ups and downs of the Windows 10 roll out since the first release in fall 2014. With each new “build,” Microsoft added new features and enhanced existing features of this new operating system. When the “Release to Manufacturing” (RTM) version was released to the general public in July 2015, it had some “quirks” and fixes are being constantly developed. Many of these are small “tweaks” which will be fixed in a reported October/November 2015 general release (update).

What is the upshot of this new push for a new operating system from Microsoft? Windows 7 was one of the most utilized and successful operating systems in the history of computing. As noted in a previous blog, it had a market share above 90% worldwide. While IOS and Android are used on the majority of the ”cell” phone market, Microsoft still has the enterprise and desktop market. As an operating system Windows 7 was reasonably secure and was capable of running most legacy software. So why the change to Windows 10? What changed in the computing world?

As phones became more popular, and tablets were developing, there was a shift from the “large screen” on desktop computers to computers which were small, and portable. Increasingly, data was being stored in the “cloud” so that it was accessible anywhere, anytime and by any device. This made it critical to develop software that could operate across devices.

In addition, the running of “APPS,” became the “rage.” While fun, using APPS is not the way to run an enterprise system. Android and IOS cannot run many legacy consumer or business programs in use around the world. Business cannot operate in an environment with just “apps.” They need enterprise software which can explore and take advantage of massive amounts of data. This is the direction which Microsoft has been and is going. For example, it was one of the first major “cloud” service and data center providers on the planet (via its Azure product).

Microsoft terms this use of one operating system across multiple devices and screen sizes “continuum.” It is designed to make your software experience the same whether on a smart phone, tablet, desktop computer or large screen (such as the new 84 inch Microsoft “all in one” Hub). Whether running an Excel spreadsheet, a Word document, a PowerPoint presentation or a “legacy” program, the goal was to make your experience the same, regardless of the device or the screen size. “Continuum” by Microsoft clearly, is an ambitious undertaking. Windows 10 is the first step in this process.

There is, however, a down side to this concept of “continuum” and increased mobility. One of the two articles which caught my attention addressed this downside. The article was in the September 2015 edition of Desktop Engineering magazine entitled Mobility Means Complexity, authored by Jamie J Gooch. It noted:

“The expectation of constant connectivity and mobility is a driving force in just about every industry. Not content with connected computers in our pockets, we’re putting them in every device where they make sense – and in some that don’t. Wearable electronics are the next frontier, according to industry watchers. ‘In 2014, global mobile data traffic of wearable devices amounted to 15 petabytes per month and is expected to grow to 175 petabytes per month in 2018,’ according to Statista. That presents some interesting challenges and opportunities for design engineers.”

Clearly, just the data use and manipulation will be a massive undertaking. It makes the development of new software such as Windows 10 essential. But software alone will not suffice. New hardware is also critical to this process. Mr. Gooch further notes the complexity of the engineering considerations alone are staggering.

“Engineering increasingly smaller products with constant connectivity opens a can ow worms that includes battery requirements, software integration, antennae placement, thermal dynamics, electromagnetic interference and user interfaces, just to name a few.”

The second article was in the September 2015 Electronic Design magazine entitled “Iris Scanner Unlocks Smartphones Using Infrared LEDs.” This article notes the increasing complexity and mobility of devices adds another major concern. To combat this new threat, new technical design and software iterations are being developed by necessity. The new concern is security.

“The growing number of smartphone thefts, both in the United States and abroad, has prompted manufacturers to incorporate more resilient security methods into their designs. Fujitsu Ltd., for instance, has recently unveiled the Arrows NX F-04G smartphone, which uses infrared light-emitting diodes (IREDs) to support iris scanning authentication.”

One of the great new features of the Windows 10 platform is “Windows Hello.” This uses infrared, color and 3-D cameras to allow facial recognition instead of passwords to sign into Microsoft accounts. About this technology, Microsoft notes:

“Windows Hello is a more personal, more secure way to get instant access to your Windows 10 devices using fingerprint, face, or eye recognition. Most PCs with fingerprint readers are ready to use Windows Hello now, and more devices that can recognize your face and iris are coming soon.” – Source: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/what-is-windows-hello

I purchased a USB camera from Intel designed for the Windows 10 which complied with the Windows Hello specifications and found it works very well. Facial recognition is almost instantaneous. It is indeed, much quicker than typing in a password, and much easier than remembering what my password is for my login account. As these new recognition hardware and software systems are included in new technology, more and more web pages, APPS and accounts we use will take advantage of the increased technology. However, the transition is not easy, as computer security is a very complex issue, which is not prone to “simple” solutions.

The Electronic Design article also notes:

“Such technology is part of a larger movement toward biometric identification methods as users become more vulnerable to theft. A report issued by the Federal Communications Committee in late 2014 found that more than a million smart phone thefts are reported in the United States each year. Because smart phones hold a large amount of personal information, manufacturers are investing in more secure alternatives to four-digit passcode locks and computer backups.”

I really enjoy and marvel at the new technology, with its increasing mobility and usability across platforms. For example, it is “really cool” to have my Windows smartphone look and operate in a similar way to my 8” tablet, as well as, on my 24” desktop monitor. The new Windows smartphones being introduced will be able to dock with my 24” desktop monitor and, using continuum, I will have the same experience as having my Surface Pro 3 connected to that monitor.

However, it is very clear that the increasing complexity of having our data available on many different types of devices including smartphones, tablets, desktops, stoves, microwave ovens, televisions and automobiles makes for a very complex infrastructure. This infrastructure also includes such infrastructure components as water supply and wastewater systems, and transportation systems. Not only do we have to manage the data in a “cloud” environment (so that it is always available), but we also have to manage the engineering, social and even psychological considerations of dealing with such a complex system.

Our journey into a very complex inter-connected world is just beginning. Part of the Windows 10 launch, which was and is not well known, is the availability of Windows 10 for the IoT. A September 2015 article in ChannelPro Network magazine entitled Microsoft Tees Up Windows 10 for the IoT by Richard Edwards notes:

“Microsoft is pinning its future hopes on Windows 10 too, but it isn’t about recapturing the important mobile operating systems market; it’s about gaining a strong foothold in the next multibillion-dollar market: The Internet of Things (IoT).”

About this market, Mr. Edwards notes:

“Windows 10 IoT is free for small devices, and Microsoft is urging manufacturers to consider Windows as they build their intelligent, connected devices. These might range from home automation units to robotic systems and medical devices.”

One example noted in an article entitled Innovating processing power in cars by John J. Paliotta, September ECN magazine brings out the incredible complexity of this IoT technology:

“Consider these incredible statistics: today’s vehicles have more processing power than any of NASA’s early spacecraft, including the Apollo lander. [This is an oft quoted statistic] [Even more amazing is the following] A modern vehicle has more lines of code (10M) than the latest technology in the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter. [127M to 150M per plane – source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/15/us-lockheed-fighter-cost-idUSBRE92E12E20130315]”

As I look at the advancing technology, I think back to what we have accomplished with far less technology. One example is presented in my EPub entitled EROS, Journey to an Asteroid. There are over 300 high resolution photographs taken by a very small spacecraft of a ‘Near Earth’ asteroid which is over 14 million miles from Earth. This space craft had a journey of over 1 billion miles, and the mission ended in 2001. With the exponential advance in technology, we should be able to accomplish so much more in today’s world.

As noted previously, these Windows 10 devices include smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers. However, the IoT devices market is exponentially larger. It may include virtually any device which we can imagine, and many which we have not yet imagined.

As Mr. Gooch notes about the future:

“In the not too distant future, maybe my daughters won’t have to yell at their kids to put down their phones and enjoy the scenery. Their kids might look out the [car] window and still socialize and be entertained via a Heads-up display in the glass. And my daughters will remember when they didn’t even have 100% cellular coverage and think ‘It was a simpler time.’”

Sincerely,

H. Court Young
Author, publisher, speaker and geologist
Promoting awareness through the written word
Research, freelance writing & self-publishing services
Facebook: HCourtYoung
Phone: 303-726-8320
Email: tmcco@msn.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hcourtyoung
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hcourtyoung
Blog: http://hcourtyoung.blogspot.com

Windows 10 Storm – True or False?

 

How does the introduction of Windows 10 by Microsoft in July 2015 compare with previous releases? Has Microsoft’s new operating system taken the market place by storm? The following information on the Windows Supersite blog (http://winsupersite.com/windows-10/windows-10-momentum) gives a sense of how this new release compares with previous releases:

“Earlier today we learned via a tweet storm from Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s CVP for Marketing in the Windows and Devices group, that Windows 10 is now installed on over 75 million devices in its first month of availability.

That is an overall average of 2.5 million upgrades per day since its release on 29 July.”

These numbers allow us to compare the progress of Windows 10 against its predecessors which is fine however, we must keep in mind that the last major Windows OS releases were all not free upgrades.

The only one that came close was Windows 8 when it was offered to new PC buyers at a price of $14.99.

Users who had Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 prior to that new PC offer still got a good discounted price of $39 to purchase the Windows 8 upgrade. Even those deals did not help Windows 8 much in the long run.

Windows 8.1 was a free upgrade for users on Windows 8.1 but it was not a major release like Windows 10.”

So with those caveats out there let’s compare the Windows 10 roll out to past major Windows releases.

Windows 95 – 40 million in first year (*)

Windows 98 – 530,000 boxed copies in first four days (retail) (*)

Windows ME – 200,000 boxed copies in first three days (US retail) (*)

Windows XP – 300,000 boxed copies in first three days (US retail) and 17 million in two months (*)

Windows Vista – 20 million in first month (*)

Windows 7 – 100 million in first six months; 450 million in less than two years (*)

Windows 8 – 60 million in just over two months and 100 million in first six months (*)

Windows 10 – 14 million upgrades in first 24 hours and 75 million in first month (via Microsoft)

*Sales numbers from A brief History of Windows Sales Figures, 1985-Present published on 07 May 13 by Harry McCracken in the Technoligizer column at Time.com

Another bit of information bodes well for Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system:

“In a session with tech writer on Microsoft’s campus today, the company revealed that of the 75 million installations of Windows 10 they announced a few days ago, some 1.5 million of those are for Enterprise SKUs.  A number of writers in attendance, including Peter Bright of Ars Technica, tweeted out the information: ‘of the 75 million machines running Windows 10, 1.5 million are running the Enterprise SKU’.’

“The number is significant in that enterprise customers are traditionally reluctant to jump in and upgrade as training issues along with cost (Enterprise SKUs are not free like the consumer editions are), so this comes as more good news for the early adoption of Windows 10.”

So if mid-sized and large companies are adopting Windows 10, which is a cost to them, in an economy which is not the most robust, it bodes well for this new operating system (in my opinion). What does the enterprise translate to from the Microsoft perspective? The following from the Microsoft Volume Licensing website gives an idea.

“The Microsoft Enterprise Agreement offers the best value to organizations with 250 or more users or devices that want a manageable volume licensing program that gives them the flexibility to buy cloud services and software licenses under one agreement.”

While this is a lower limit of the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement, the typical enterprise is a firm with over 10,000 employees. If the estimate of 2 to 3 devices per employee is the norm, you can see that this quickly becomes a large number of users of Microsoft products. Not all of these devices will be using Windows 10, but a substantial number of the computers in the enterprise will be.

Windows 10 comes in a number of different configurations for varying devices. These include Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Mobile, Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Enterprise, Windows 10 Education, Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise and Windows 10 IoT Core.

Again, Supersite blog asks the following:

“Now the big question will be can the momentum be sustained and help them [Microsoft] reach their goal of having Windows 10 on one billion devices in the next 2-3 years.”

Can Microsoft engage the one billion devices in the market place today connected to the internet, given the popularity of IOS and Android? As businesses and consumers want more and faster connectivity between devices, and with security being as critical as it is, the enterprise model is increasingly important. This is one of Microsoft’s core strengths.

Given the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT), (see my blog Windows 10 and the Internet of Things), the following versions of Windows 10 may well be best sellers in an expanding market for Microsoft.

“There will also be versions of Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise for industry devices like ATMs, retail point of sale, handheld terminals and industrial robotics and Windows 10 IoT Core for small footprint, low cost devices like gateways.”

As a Windows Insider and Windows 10 user since the inception of the beta program, I am confident that Microsoft is going in the right direction with this new, innovative operating system and the Windows 10 storm is real. It is another step in keeping up with the exponential advance in technology in our world today.

Sincerely,

H. Court Young
Author, publisher, speaker and geologist
Promoting awareness through the written word
Research, freelance writing & self-publishing services
Facebook: HCourtYoung
Phone: 303-726-8320
Email: tmcco@msn.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hcourtyoung
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hcourtyoung
Blog: http://hcourtyoung.blogspot.com

Automation 2020 – Where do you fit?

 

Automation is progressing at an incredible pace, as a result of the increase in technology. A close friend of mine and I were discussing this global trend recently and he asked about where he would fit into the new structure of society. He was also concerned for his children and grandchildren, as am I.

I love technology. I have a Microsoft SurfacePro 2 and SurfacePro 3 and am looking forward to the introduction of the SurfacePro 4 this fall. These are all hybrid computers which can be used both as tablets and as desktop/laptop computers. I have a hybrid cloud solution for my data and follow numerous technology oriented blogs. I am a member of the Microsoft Windows Insider program and have the new Windows 10 (beta) operating system on all of my production machines [not recommended by Microsoft].

Still, I am concerned, as I believe you should be. Technology and its brother, automation, have much promise but they also present several major challenges.

As I have noted in a previous blog, the Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly expanding. In an article entitled 2015: A World with 1 Billion Connected Things, Processor.com, April 3, 2015, it is noted that:

“Smart homes and smart commercial buildings comprise what is known as ‘smart cities’ according to Gartner and in 2015 the research firm anticipates 1.1 billion connected things. Because of IoT investment and service opportunities, these smart homes and buildings will more or less make up half of the total connected things in use this year, with this total rising to 81% by 2020.”

As with the IoT increase, the industrial robotics market will also increase dramatically. This according to an article entitled Industrial robotics market to reach $44.48 billion by 2020, Modern Materials Handling mag, June 2015. This article states;

“Transparency Market Research (TMR), a market intelligence firm, has released a report forecasting the global industrial robotics market will reach a market value of $44.48 billion by 2020, growing from $29 billion in 2013.”

What are the predominate drivers for this increase in automation? As expected, the following factors are creating this increase.

“According to the report, factors such as the widespread adoption of robotics in small and medium-sized enterprises and rising labor costs drive the global industrial robotics market.”

This is a revenue, and presumably, a production increase of 53%. The article continues by noting the market segments and regions of growth.

“In 2013, the materials handling segment held the largest share in the global market.

In terms of revenue, the global industrial robotics market was led by Asia Pacific in 2013. In North America, Mexico is expected to be a promising market for industrial robotics.”

In addition an article entitled “What will automation controls and instrumentation look like in 2020,” Control Engineering magazine, June 2015 gives an overview of the development of these automation systems. This concept of universal connectivity is a major factor.

“Universal Connectivity – Big data, Internet of Things (IoT), and mobility will drive the industry to a common connectivity standard; one which will align with the consumer and commercial markets. Industry demand for ‘universal connectivity’ will force vendors into providing access to proprietary offerings.

Mobile applications and wireless will become the norm. With the convergence of the traditional desktop PCs and mobile devices (such as Microsoft Continuum, included in Windows 10) computing will change. Convergence and super-fast wireless access everywhere will create more cloud-based applications. Microsoft HoloLens will augment HMI [Human Machine Interface] and PLC [Programmable Logic Controllers] programming and visualization.” - Stephen J. Malyzsko

In the same Control Engineering magazine article, Brent Stromwall notes:

“Without an ‘at-your-fingertips’ availability of maintenance and technical knowledge, the younger workforce will be unsuccessful – incapable – of operating and maintaining the systems on today’s plant floor.”

So with this view of our future, what are the concerns? After all, this was the world envisioned in my youth. Take a peek (presumably on the YouTube website) at many of the automotive and home appliance television commercials of the 1950s and early 1960s. At the press of a button, your every wish comes true, at least when driving or in the kitchen.

My main concern goes to one of the basic motivations or drivers for this new revolution of which the major one is labor cost. This is essentially the challenge of the question – where do you fit? [Hint: you are the problem.]

As I took stock of the current political crop of “candidates” in the 2016 presidential and congressional races, I wanted to see if any of them discussed ‘automation’ or ‘robotics’ in any substantial manner. Oddly, I could not find one major candidate willing (or perhaps intelligent enough) to discuss such issues in any rational way. They all discuss education, primarily in the vein of keeping the same outmoded system. Each of their discussions add a few ‘tweaks’ to this outmoded system presumably enhance their power and portfolio (surprise, surprise).

We still have an educational system designed for the 18^th century (in my opinion). As noted in previous blogs, we have never discussed, let alone determined what an education should look like as we enter this new world of automation and robotics. The current comments/debates from the ultra-right, neocon Republicans (Bush, Walker, and all the others) to the liberal (Hillary, etc.) are all useless drivel designed to play to the electorate as campaign advertising between main stream media drivel which passes as entertainment and/or news on “the tube.”

I believe the current crop of ‘Rs’ and ‘Ds’ both in office and running for office are mostly for the entertainment of the top 1% (elites). One exception was Ron Paul (2012), who was marginalized, and his son Rand Paul (2016), who will be marginalized soon. They both ask questions none of the other candidates want to broach because the correct answers would diminish their power and portfolios as well as that of their masters [the elites]. The other candidate which I enjoy watching is ‘the Donald.’ He provides comical relief in a serious setting, and that, in my opinion, is about all the United States Presidency is truly worth in these times.

So, none of these ‘leaders’ dare raise the subject of where you fit into the rapidly changing future of automation and robotics. What about the large and small businesses which provide the goods and services upon which your life apparently depends [hint ; the plastic doodads from China you can’t live without]. Well, there are a plethora of articles and blogs about robotics and automation, especially on the technical side. There are even a few that take the luddite approach, but there seem to be few which discuss or call for a debate about where you fit into the mix.

It is a very challenging question. I am sure high level conferences like the TED programs discuss such issues. However, these typically do not trickle down to the ‘average American’ let alone the global community. And let’s face it, this is a global challenge.

The question was not answered in my youth either. What happened when your kitchen appliances could do everything from order your food, prepare it and serve it without any human intervention? All of the above was intimated by the advertisers, even back then. How then does the “homemaker” spend all the time which is freed up?

This same issue is even more challenging today because it is close to becoming reality. What happens when, in the name of cost and efficiency, your job is ‘automated’? You, all of the sudden have “all the time in the world.” Money aside, how do you spend your time? Watching TV? Going to ball games? Shopping online? Surfing the net? Golfing? And perhaps my favorite, reading a book (sorry for the throwback to ancient technology)?

It is for this reason, which I wrote my EPub entitled World Collapse or New Eden. This eBook asks these kind of provoking questions, and presents 101 expert predictions about your world and where they are today.

While I love the technology and am looking forward to ‘self-driving cars’ and other fascinating innovations, these issues of automation and robotics are very concerning. In my opinion we are exceptionally ill-prepared to deal with them emotionally, mentally or physically. It seems very clear that the elites, controlling ‘our political leaders,’ ‘our governments’ and the mega corporations which provide most of the goods and services we consume, wish to keep it that way.

So, my question still remains. With 2020 only 5 years away, where do you fit into our automated future?

Sincerely,

H. Court Young
Author, publisher, speaker and geologist
Promoting awareness through the written word
Research, freelance writing & self-publishing services
Facebook: HCourtYoung
Phone: 303-726-8320
Email: tmcco@msn.com
Facebook: http://www.hcourtyoung.com/facebook
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hcourtyoung 
Blog: http://hcourtyoung.blogspot.com

The Promise of our Future in Technology

 

What is the promise of our future in technology? How will it impact you?

I bought a new HP Stream 8 tablet at the Microsoft store two weeks ago, and have been a part of the Windows Insider program for Windows 10 since November 2014. These two technologies demonstrate incredible advances in technology when compared to my youth.

So as technology continues to advance in an exponential way, what is the promise of our future with this technology? We know about the medical and scientific advancements, as they are in the news daily. But what about our daily lives and the way we typically use our technology such as email, television, phone and personal computers?

The photograph shows both my dilemma and delight with technology. Taken at my favorite writing location, the local Barnes & Noble bookstore, it shows my newest story entitled “Light at the End of the Tunnel,” as well as three different devices which are operated by the Microsoft Windows platform.

The first device is a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 which is a combination tablet/laptop computer. The second device is my new HP Stream 8 tablet with an 8” touch screen. The third device is my phone, a Lumia 928 running Windows 8.1. I can use any and all of these devices to pursue my writing and access the files on my local and cloud storage site.

This is the crux of Microsoft’s internet of things known as “IoT.” Depending upon circumstances, I can choose whatever device that fits the moment. When in a meeting, researching or in a bible study, I can use my HP Tablet which has a sim card to connect to the “cloud” (internet) using T-Mobile. This is easier than using my phone because the screen is larger. However, when I am in a place where I don’t want to carry a larger device, I can use my phone.

A video which I watched recently also presents the potential of technology in a slightly different way. This video was created and presented by Caterpillar, the world wide heavy equipment manufacturer. It is a fascinating video about the mechanization of a large iron mine in Western Australia. The six trucks used to haul ore from the mine are all driverless. They use a series of technology to guide these huge haul trucks safely from being loaded to dumping the ore. The demonstration of this technology is both fascinating and a little less than amazing. To see driverless, multi-ton trucks with tires larger than a normal automobile navigating the terrain of an open mining pit is riveting.

However, along with the promise of this future technology there is also downside. This downside will directly impact you, but how?

Using the Australian mine example, I estimated the loss of jobs due to driverless trucks. Assuming three shifts and six trucks, at least 18 to 25 drivers will not be needed. This may not sound like many people but automate the 100 largest mines around the globe where large haul trucks are used and the number quickly escalates to the hundreds if not thousands. Include the mid-level mines and the number grows very large indeed.

For example, the following shows the impact of technology on coal mining:

“In the United States, the increase in technology has significantly decreased the mining workforce from 335,000 coal miners working at 7,200 mines fifty years ago to 104,824 miners working in fewer than 2,000 mines today.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_mining)

But most of us are not going to drive a large haul truck in an open pit mine, you say. Well that may be true, but what about self-driving cars. If it can be done in a mine setting, where loading and dumping tolerances are in the range of centimeters, then it can be done on our streets and highways. There have been numerous articles about the development of self-driving cars in the last six months. The technology is coming, probably faster than we imagine.

How many taxicab drivers, long-haul and short haul delivery drivers will be impacted? What about the busses? If it can be done on land then it can be done in the air and on the sea. At least one mine in Australia has automated a series of long haul trains which travel across some of the most desolate and hottest terrain in the country. The technology is here today to make this a reality.

But automation and new technology can and has been very beneficial. Many of our scientific discoveries would not be possible without it. My EPub, EROS, Journey to an Asteroid, tells the story about a small automated space explorer making a journey of over a billion miles and ultimately landing on an asteroid 6 miles long by 1 mile wide. It was a precursor to the current space exploration technology. The 300 plus high resolution photographs are stunning and a tribute to the potential of technology. With automation and computing capability advancing at an exponential rate, so much more is possible today than in 2000 when this very special NASA/JPL mission was accomplished.

Many of these technology questions are posed in my EPub, World Collapse or New Eden, 101 Predictions about your World. This EPub presents predictions between 2005 and today, and examines these trends over time.

So are we ready for the changes that these new technologies will bring, from a social and economic standpoint? Is our “leadership,” discussing where we as a global society are headed in any meaningful way? The “R’s” and “D’s” in our government, which we elect to “guide and lead” us, with very few exceptions, seem not to even be aware of the potential impact, let alone lead the discussion about what our global society should look like. They typically “blather” on about things that in a larger sense are irrelevant to the coming future. As an example, “lost emails” have no relevance to this technological potential that is coming. It only has relevance to corporately owned media and politicians who are profiting off of the information distraction, in order to keep the general population as uninformed as possible.

It is possible, even probable that there may be massive “unemployment,” due to this technological revolution. These new “unemployed” are not people who don’t want to work or who are “lazy.” Most of them are people who are capable and intelligent, but who lack the skills to fit into this technologically changing world.

Yet our leaders are still railing against “government handouts” as something given to the “lazy” or “poor.” However, the elite (top 1%) realize these “handouts” are necessary to prevent riots or worse from a totally disenfranchised population. Instead of fostering the discussion about what our global society needs to become, and helping with resources to direct us toward those goals, they are content to allow governments to continue the “handouts.” It is easier for the corporate/government oligarchs to have “slaves” than to truly innovate, lead and progress. This is the reason the middle class is shrinking around the world.

For example, watch as the presidential campaigns heat up in the United States. Regardless of the “R” or “D” candidate, if you really analyze the discussion, you will conclude there is only one party with two factions (liberal and conservative). This is not the way to progress in a technologically advancing world. Remember this when you are evaluating the choices you have, whether it is the government officials you are electing or the job/career choices you are making.

Should we become “Luddites” and pull back from or destroy the technology? That would not solve the challenge we face. The only answer is to change the way we think about our “leadership”, our society and the people around the world. We need a different vision of what is possible and how to get there.

So as you can see, the potential of technology is fantastic. I can use multiple devices to create, present and communicate my ideas. Our technology is beginning to impact in a major way how we live in our homes, how we work, how we travel and how the goods we use every day are made. This trend will continue at an accelerating pace. The promise of technology is great but, sadly, without leadership, innovation and direction the curse may be greater than the blessing, in the short term.

Sincerely,

H. Court Young
Author, publisher, speaker and geologist
Promoting awareness through the written word
Research, freelance writing & self publishing services
Facebook: HCourtYoung
Phone: 303-726-8320

Email: tmcco@msn.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/hcourtyoung

Microsoft’s Cortana Going Big Time

 

I am one of the 2.8 million “Windows Insiders” testing and using Microsoft’s new Windows 10 operating system on my three laptops. Two of them are Microsoft’s Surface tablet/laptop machines and one is an older Lenovo. The following quote is from the web site WinBeta.org.

“The Windows Insider project has proven to be something of an unmitigated success story for Microsoft. As announced during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) there are now over 2.8 million Windows Insiders across the world, and from this number over 900,000 pieces of feedback have been received. “

One of the major new features of this operating system is “Cortana”. This feature is also on the Lumia Denim version of Windows Phone operating system.

Just like the article “Considering Cortana” by Scott Bekker in the March 2015 issue of Channel Watch magazine, I think Cortana is going to revolutionize the technology world. She is going to be big.

Scott notes in his article:

“The spunky personal digital assistant from Microsoft, Cortana, is about to hit the big time. … The global desktop platform takes Cortana beyond me-too status into groundbreaking UI [universal intelligence] territory.”

Wikipedia defines Cortana as:

“Microsoft Cortana is an intelligent personal assistant developed by Microsoft for Windows Phone 8.1,^[2] Microsoft Band,^[3][4] and Windows 10.^[5]

It is named after Cortana, an artificial intelligence character in Microsoft's Halo video game series, with Jen Taylor, the character's voice actress, returning to voice the personal assistant's US-specific version.^[6]”

Microsoft describes Cortana as:

“Cortana is your personal assistant on your Windows Phone [and PC, Tablet]. She's there to help make things easier for you and keep you up to date on the things that matter to you.

Whether it’s to keep you looped in with your world or help you manage your everyday life, Cortana is there for you.”

“Check out these topics for more info about Cortana and the ways she can help.”

See the following links: http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US/how-to/wp8/cortana/meet-cortana

In addition Microsoft blog notes the following about Cortana in the new Windows 10 operating system for the desktop and tablet computers.

“Cortana started in April of 2012 as part of early thinking about what the future of search should be on mobile phones. We saw an emerging set of trends around the personalization of your experience due to the sheer amount of things your phone knows about you – your location, the people you communicate with most, your favorite apps/services, etc. We thought this was a bigger idea than just mobile, and this capability should be available across all of our devices – from mouse and keyboard, to touch – and that it should utilize what we knew about patterns and anticipate and meet those needs. We didn’t want to build one digital assistant for everybody, we wanted to build one digital assistant for you. Cortana learns you, knows you, and respects you.” http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/02/10/how-cortana-comes-to-life-in-windows-10/

There are several other competitors in the market place. The largest in SIRI by Apple Computer. However, given the base of Windows machines installed and used by businesses worldwide, I think that Cortana will be far more prevalent than competitors on tablets/desktops when Windows 10 is released to the general public. It will probably be on Windows Server 10, Azure Server and other enterprise level systems as well.

Some ways Cortana on the Windows phone can be used are noted by Scott in his article.

“In the car with Bluetooth, Cortana is incredibly useful. I regularly task the phone through Cortana to simultaneously run GPS directions and play music and Cortana handles incoming phone calls and texts with hands-free aplomb.

The ability to create appointments is handy for work, and Cortana does a good job with things like noticing airline confirmation e-mails and tracking flights in the background.”

I am finding Cortana on my Windows 10 operating system to be an easier way to search than opening the Internet Explorer browser and using Bing.com. The results are the same but the interface is simpler.

This change is especially true if you use the voice activated “Hey Cortana” feature. It takes a bit of getting used to but once used it is hard not to have it (for example when I use a non-Windows 10 machine).

When using this new technology, I think back to the incredible things which were accomplished using much less computing power. One example was the moon landings in the late 1960’s. Another was the Journey and landing on the asteroid EROS. EROS Adventure, Journey to an Asteroid is an EPub which includes over three hundred photos that show just how incredible that accomplishment was. Imagine how much more could have been accomplished using technology such as Cortana, had it been available on these missions.

The rapid increase in the development of software and hardware technology is truly mind boggling. Now we have the new Microsoft Surface Hub and Microsoft Hololens. These and other technologies, such as Cortana, will revolutionize our world. I look at this rapid advance in technology from different perspectives in my EPub entitled World Collapse or New Eden, 101 Expert Predictions about Your World and Where They are Today.

However, we do need to have a discussion about jobs, employment and education going forward into this new world. If technology continues to advance as quickly as it is today, we desperately need to redefine what our educational systems, employment systems and global society is going to look like. It seems that many of our top corporate and political leaders resist the call for such a discussion. It is, however, very clear, that educational and employment systems designed for the 18^th, 19^th and 20^th centuries will not work in the 21^st century, with such advanced technology.

It is extremely apparent to me that Cortana and software technology like “her” are going to continue to fascinate and amaze us. As both hardware and software continues to evolve in such fields as medicine, communications, computers, transportation and robotics, we need to change the way we think about how we interact with technology and what our role in a global society will be. We have a very bright future ahead from a technology standpoint, and as Bill Gates talks about in his November 1995 book, we need to look at and discuss the road ahead.

As millions of computers and tablets convert to Windows 10, which includes Cortana, I have no doubt that most users will have my experience with the software. It is very useful and will become a large part of our life. I agree with Scott, Cortana is going to be big.

Sincerely,

H. Court Young
Author, publisher, speaker and geologist
Promoting awareness through the written word
Research, freelance writing & self publishing services
Facebook: HCourtYoung
Phone: 303-726-8320
Email: tmcco@msn.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hcourtyoung