Practical Technology

for practical people.

February 7, 2017
by sjvn01
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Municipal drones are coming — and cloud leaders are getting prepared

The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), a leading organization dedicated to ensuring a secure cloud computing environment is working with Securing Smart Cities, a nonprofit global initiative focused on smart city cybersecurity, to set up drone guidelines.

Their report, co-authored by the CSA Internet of Things (IoT) Working Group, provides guidance for the safe and secure creation and operation of municipal drone programs. To borrow from President Trump, it’s going to be Yuge.

Why is the Cloud Security Alliance involved? While you can control and monitor a DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter from a handset, you’re going to need more resources if you’re running hundreds or thousands of them. You need the resources of the cloud.

Municipal drones are coming — and cloud leaders are getting prepared. More>

February 7, 2017
by sjvn01
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Email Privacy Act passed by House, but don’t get your hopes up

Do you want the IRS, FBI, or SEC looking into your email without a warrant? Probably not. That’s why a bipartisan group of lawmakers reintroduced the Email Privacy Act after it failed to pass last year. This law would keep your email from government snoopers without a warrant. This time, the bill passed the House of Representatives by a unanimous voice vote.

That’s a good start. The real challenge will be getting passed by the Senate and then getting President Donald Trump to sign it.

Email Privacy Act passed by House, but don’t get your hopes up. More>

February 6, 2017
by sjvn01
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NY Attorney General accuses Charter Spectrum of cheating millions of Internet users

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman didn’t mince his words. In his announcement of a lawsuit against Charter and its subsidiary Spectrum, formerly known as Time Warner Cable (TWC), he said: “The allegations in today’s lawsuit confirm what millions of New Yorkers have long suspected — Spectrum-Time Warner Cable has been ripping you off.”

NY Attorney General accuses Charter Spectrum of cheating millions of Internet users. More >

February 3, 2017
by sjvn01
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Mesh networking: Why it’s coming to a home or office near you

There’s nothing new about mesh-networking technology. What is new is that mesh networking is finally cheap enough to be deployed in both homes and small businesses.

Mesh networking deals with that most common of Wi-Fi problems: Dead zones. You know how it goes. You move your laptop from your office to your conference room and — blip! — there goes your Wi-Fi connection.

Mesh networking: Why it’s coming to a home or office near you. More >