Tag Archives: software

Reviews

The Sentient AI Future is Here And She’s A Lovely Stranger Named Frankie

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Bringing work home can put stress stress on a marriage, especially when that “work” is a beautiful woman who seems too cozy with the husband. But in Bruce Deitrick Price’s genre-busting tragicomedy book “Frankie”, looks are deceiving.

Raymond Mason, an AI genius and college professor, brings Frankie, his latest, most human-like creation, to dinner. Raymond knows his wife will be impressed.

No way! Julia Mason feels competitive and threatened. 
Raymond touches Frankie in a romantic way.

Julia is hostile and drinks too much. She passes out as Professor
Mason runs upstairs to find a gun. An hour later, Julia wakes to find
her husband dead and Frankie gone. Julia, semi-hysterical, races into
the night to find the missing masterpiece.

Simon, a grad school drug dealer, falls in love with Frankie. He
realizes he can build a cult around this spiritually evolved woman.
First, he has to hide her.

For different reasons, many people search frantically for Frankie.
Meanwhile, more unexplained deaths are reported. Panic sweeps  New Jersey. Some experts think that humanity is dealing with
an alien invasion.

A pathologist says he has never seen so many beautiful corpses. Cause of death: unknown.

“Elon Musk believes that AI will destroy us. 

First there will be lots of misunderstandings, confusion, and paranoia,” Price says. “Frankie is a look into the future of AI. The smarter the robots, the more likely that strange, unanticipated things will happen.”

About the Author

Bruce Deitrick Price is a novelist, poet, artist and education
reformer. He wrote his first article about robots around 1990. 

Featured image: Historic “Mona Lisa of the Pacific Islands” photograph Mestiza de Sangley, c. 1875

Sci-Tech

Robot pizza station set to revolutionize industry

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The Picnic Pizza Station saves time, money, and labor by streamlining pizza prep without compromising quality.

An intuitive system makes training and operating a breeze. The Picnic Pizza Station is the essential back-of-house makeline. The modular food prep system fits into any kitchen and uses the owner’s unique recipe, delivering perfect pizza every time. Requiring only one operator, the system can produce up to 100 pizzas per hour which saves labor costs and increases yield through decreased food waste.

Combining sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and granular topping modules into any preferred configuration complements existing kitchen Pizza take out and restaurant operations. Further streamline production by connecting the station directly with an existing oven.

Picnic software solutions integrate with your POS system and includes an intuitive touch screen interface for ordering pizza and a dashboard to track ingredients and predict inventory needs.


Advantages of the Picnic Pizza Station


Reduced labor costs: One operator can make up to 100 pizzas per hour.
Reduced food waste: Apply precise amounts of toppings with less than 2% food waste.
Consistent product: Use your recipe to create uniform, consistent pizzas every time.
Increased hygiene: Contactless assembly system, minimal operator ingredient handling.



• Small footprint. No special hook-ups
• Typical install is 86” (218 cm) W X 56” (142 cm) H X 40” (102 cm) D
• Easy to install with limited build-out
• Modular, configurable design
• Commercial-grade; built for food service
• Easy to clean. Dishwasher-safe
• Intuitive assembly and disassembly
• Free delivery. Free installation
• Free on-site maintenance checks
• Robotics-as-a-service subscription model
• Touch-screen interface
• Integrates into existing POS
• Quick to learn and no-hassle operation
• Customized software to meet your needs
• Temperature-controlled assembly line
• Fresh sliced pepperoni; never pre-cut
• Use your recipes with consistent results
• Well-lit and accessible from top and front
• Reduce food waste
• Integrates into existing make lines
• Monitor ingredient usage and yield

Gaming

Minecraft is most malware infected game

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228k Users Affected, Are You One Of Them?

As people are looking for ways to unwind at home, the gaming industry has been one of the primary places people set their eyes on. Not only is it a way to entertain yourself for hours on end, but it is also a place for people to connect, which is otherwise hard to do during the pandemic. 

According to data presented by the Atlas VPN team, 303,827 individuals’ devices were affected by gaming-related malware and unwanted software between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021. Mobile games are also a major threat for gamers.

As many as 50,644 users attempted to download 10,488 unique files disguised as the ten most-played mobile games, generating a total of 332,570 detections. Minecraft was by far the most popular game on both PC and mobile platforms for dangerous app distributors to hide behind. On PC, nearly 185 thousand users were affected with over 3 million malware and unwanted software detections.

On mobile, the number of victims exceeds 44 thousand for the period.

Unwanted software includes files like adware, spyware, and so on. There are various versions of Minecraft and a plethora of mods (modifications that may be placed on top of the basic game to diversify gameplay) may account for its enormous popularity. Because mods are unofficial and developed by users, they can be used to hide dangerous payloads or undesirable software. 

Security tips for gamers

  • Protect your accounts with two-factor authentication (2-FA) whenever possible. 
  • Use strong passwords for your accounts, with a different one for each. That way, even if one of your accounts is compromised, the remainder will remain unaffected.
  • Downloading games from official retailers such as Steam, Apple App Store, Google Play, or Amazon Appstore is safer. These marketplaces aren’t completely safe, but they are at least examined by store staff, and there is some sort of screening procedure in place: not every app is allowed into these stores.
  • If you want to buy a game that isn’t accessible in major stores, you should do it through the official website. Make sure to double-check the website’s URL to avoid impostor sites.
  • Be cautious of phishing campaigns and unfamiliar players. If you are unsure about the sender, do not open links you receive via email or in a gaming chat. Do not open files sent to you by strangers.

Another one of the most well-known game titles worldwide, The Sims 4, was the second most often used title to distribute unwanted files. Over 43 thousand users were impacted, with detections closing in on 1.3 million.  For the Silo, Valentina Perez.

Sci-Tech

Best Technology For Professional Home Inspections

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A good residence isn’t dependent on mere infrastructure. There are lots of things to take into consideration. Even the neighborhood is an essential component in deeming an area suitable for life. Therefore, one should think carefully before choosing a house in a particular region. 

Regardless of the other factors, every house always requires a thorough check before somebody decides to move in. This check includes all key aspects, including the rooms, yard, and drainage systems. For sewerage checking and repairs, ReliableDP may be the best option. Although working in limited areas, their extraordinary team provides satisfactory services without having to leave your house.

House inspection is a necessary process. It is a standard procedure worldwide to check the house for all faults beforehand. But during this unfortunate situation of the global pandemic, people cannot inspect new residences for themselves. But technology and the internet have been helpful in this regard as well. Here is the best-specialized software at your expense for those looking to check a house without risking their health. 

1. HomeGauge

This website provides one of the fastest and best inspection services in the country. Thousands of professional inspectors are available on the site who can check properties on demand. The software works with both home and commercial properties, and there are dedicated employees for both types of housing. HomeGauge has reviews from thousands of happy customers who recommend the software to other people because of its quality of service. 

A user can find an inspector on the site who will check the land on their demand. Whatever aspects the user wants to review, the inspector will look over them. They will then report back to them using a printed report or sending it online. The information can be in the form of video, document, customizable template, and other intuitive options. It is available for many devices, and users can access it for free or pay for the complete package. 

2. Spectora

As powerful as its name, Spectora is a marvelous software that allows property inspection. Working on the same principles as the other software in the market, Spectora stands out because of its easy interface and quick navigation. Users save time and have the opportunity to explore the website and software in depth. 

Spectora is a software best suitable for small-scale to medium-sized businesses. For those that require a simple but professional inspection report, this software is a great choice. While it provides numerous benefits to people in dire need of an inspector for their property, it is also available on other mobile platforms. Spectra offers a free trial until five professional inspections. Their subscription package starts from $99 per month, which only includes the software. The bundle package contains more features but is more expensive than the primary option. 

3. EZ Home Inspection Software

This software is excellent to use. It provides lots of different features for a single purpose. It allows users to write detailed reports with minimal effort. While they may be easy to write, users can highlight their areas of interest with different colors. They can also create different sections, so every inspector knows which aspect to examine. 

Also, the software provides photo attachments, commenting, and template services. Users can also create a precise summary from their report to send to their client. The software is available in different packages, and a trial of 30 is also a viable option for those in urgent need. For people looking to send a quick analysis of their observations, this software might do the job perfectly. 

4. Property Inspect

Another great option for inspection and reporting is Property Inspect that is more advanced than other software. It provides as many features as the different software on this list, but it is ranked relatively low due to its sophisticated layout and employment range. Nevertheless, it is an excellent piece of technology that users can employ for checking on their necessary properties. 

Property Inspect is the software of choice for real estate agents, property managers, universities, commercial inspectors, and many other people. It provides loads of features, ranging from offline report management to custom templates. It also offers standard audio communication, an ordinary dictionary, and many other engaging intuitive. The company offers different plans for usage, with a free trial option for 14 days.

5. Horizon Software

This software comes from a person who has been in the field for almost 44 years. Carson Dunlop created this website where people could find inspecting officers for commercial buildings and warehouses. These professionals can perform their duty very well, and the methods to report back to their clients are pretty remarkable. It also provides scheduling so that one can send their officer at the time of their requirement. 

Horizon Software is also available on all major mobile devices. One of Carson Dunlop’s project’s best features is that it also provides support and training in inspection to those looking for skill. Web hosting and archiving are also available on their website. Users can try it for free for a limited time. After that time, they’ll have to pay at least $67 a month to keep it. 

Choosing one of these technological inspecting prospects can save a lot of your time. They work effectively and have excellent reviews from satisfied customers online. While some are available for free, others might offer a premium package for more services, but that’s up to you depending upon your needs. 

Gaming

How Videogames Are Classified As Age Appropriate

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Christmas is coming and  kids across Canada and the World will be telling their parents, and Santa Claus himself, about the latest and greatest video game excitement they want under the tree on the big day. Buying age-appropriate videogames can be a daunting proposition but a great place to start if you’re feeling overwhelmed is the Entertainment Software Rating Board’s video game classification system, a series of easy-to-use ratings designed to help parents pick out the right games for their kids.

The Entertainment Software Rating Board was established by the video game industry in 1994 to provide age-based purchasing guidelines for games. ESRB rankings, which are used in both Canada and the United States, have been applied to nearly 20,000 individual video game titles since then, making it easier to decide what to bring home by providing a snapshot of what’s in the box.

The ESRB assigns virtually every video game on the market one of four rankings: E (Everyone), T (Teen), M (Mature) and AO (Adults Only.) The E rating indicates that a game is suitable for all players, while games rated T are considered appropriate for gamers aged 13 and up. Games with an M rating are for players who are at least 17 years old, and AO games are reserved for those of at least 18 years of age and generally aren’t sold by mainstream retailers. Age ratings are prominently displayed on the front of the game box, while “content descriptors” on the back provide details about specific game content, like alcohol and drug references, mature humour, strong language and violence.

ESRB ratings are a fantastic tool and studies by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission have consistently shown that the video game industry boasts better rating compliance than any other entertainment medium in North America- better, even, than MPAA ratings for movies. But ultimately, only parents can decide what their kids should play. Not sure about what they’re asking for? Check the box and then make the call.

To learn more about video game ratings, have a look at the Rating Board’s website  where you can also access a detailed list of all currently-rated games. For the Silo, Andy Chalk.

Sci-Tech

Video Producers Using Unreal Game Engine For AR Graphics And Sets

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LAS VEGAS —  A couple of years ago, ChyronHego announced a partnership with leading game developer Epic Games to integrate the Unreal Engine with ChyronHego’s family of augmented reality (AR) graphics and virtual sets solutions. With the integration, news broadcasters and other customers of ChyronHego’s Neon and Plutonium software will be able to leverage Unreal’s industry-leading rendering and real-time special effects capabilities to add powerful new photorealistic and hyper-realistic elements to their on-air virtual sets. Only a decade ago, editDROID and other Laserdisc based systems were still commonly in use with a much more rudimentary set of effects possibilities- this new Neon and Plutonium software system is an industry wide ‘game changer’.

Here is a look at 2017’s  ChyronHego’s live use demo-

“In an environment that’s more competitive than ever, our broadcast news customers are on a constant search for innovative ways to tell a better story and captivate viewers,” said Olivier Cohen, senior product manager, virtual solutions, ChyronHego. “Virtual sets that harness the amazing graphics capabilities of world-class gaming engines are the wave of the future for news, sports, and weather broadcasting, and Epic Games is the perfect partner to take us there. The integration with Unreal is just the latest link in our CAMIO Universe strategy to place the industry’s most powerful storytelling tools at news producers’ fingertips and drive template-based, unified news and weather workflows.”

“Since we launched Unreal Engine 4, it has become one of the world’s most powerful rendering engines for the game industry — but its flexibility, real-time performance, and robust set of tools make it ideal in just about any type of content creation workflow,” said Marc Petit, general manager, Unreal Engine Enterprise at Epic Games.

Augmented Reality Broadcaster set

“ChyronHego’s AR and virtual set solutions for broadcast production are the ideal match for Unreal Engine. By partnering with one of the leading broadcast graphics providers, we can continue to expand our presence in the broadcast, film, and entertainment industries.”

ChyronHego will work to integrate the CAMIO graphic asset management server with Unreal Engine, including creating broadcast-specific camera movements. Unreal’s 3D graphics engine enables producers to generate AR graphics through the templated workflows of the CAMIO Universe. Via custom user interfaces built with ChyronHego Live Assist panels, producers can then present the AR graphics on air using ChyronHego’s Plutonium and Neon virtual set and robotic camera tracking solutions.

Unreal GFX Engine logo

Cohen added, “As one of the world’s most powerful rendering engines from one of the world’s foremost gaming companies, Unreal will bring new levels of openness and scale-ability to our virtual set solutions. Unreal Engine is easily customizable and expandable, and five million users around the world will benefit from Epic Games’ vast reach across the global community of gamers and game developers. It means news broadcasters will be able to render effects in their virtual sets that rival anything their viewers have seen in the gaming world, with special effects like real-time shaders, bumps, sliders, and highly photo-realistic objects.”  For the Silo, Lyndsey Albright. 

Supplemental- The Revolutionary Video Toaster and Amiga Computer system 1991. 

Sci-Tech

Computer Controlled Vanity App Enhances Selfies With A.I.

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Amazingly natural, artifact-free "face slimming" feature.
Amazingly natural, artifact-free “face slimming” feature.

Way back in August, 2015 the world’s first “intelligent selfie app” was released by Anthropics Technology. 

Combining artificial intelligence and image enhancement, Mira understands what makes people look good and lets users airbrush faces automatically.

Chief Mira Scientist Tony Polichroniadis comments:

“By understanding what makes people look beautiful, Mira can improve all aspects of a selfie with just one tap. Users do not need to use any special tools: the app understands what to do and does it for you. This is the culmination of over ten years of research, and we are thrilled to be releasing this technology to smartphone users everywhere.”

Perfect Your Selfies AppExample1

Skin BeautificationPERFECT YOUR SELFIES

Mira’s unique cutting-edge features include:

Relighting – change the light source to flatter your face. World first

Lens correction – fix unflattering cameraphone distortion. World first

Skin perfection – remove spots, wrinkles and blemishes.

Best in class skin enhancer.

Face refining – slim the face and de-emphasize prominent features. Intelligently moves face towards beauty.

Click Me!
Click Me!

About Mira:

Mira has been developed by the makers of PortraitPro, the world’s best-selling portrait enhancement software. Used by over half a million professional photographers and retouchers, PortraitPro is the best reviewed and most advanced software for automatic face enhancement.

About Anthropics Technology:

Anthropics Technology has been the overwhelming world leader in professional face beautification since 2005. We are now bringing our unique intelligent technology to mobiles.

Click to view on I-tunes
Click to view on I-tunes

Sci-Tech

Most Exciting Sci-Tech Electronics Of 2013

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Alex Hillsberg SciTech Writer

2013 will be remembered for many things, but in the world of consumer electronics it will be remembered as a year when techpreneurs proved that innovation lives and the spirit of enterprise still burns strong.

The technologies propping up the gadgets on display in this infographic are a product of incremental development, iterations of ideas that have been gestating for many years and are slowly being integrated into products that we use daily.

Take fingerprint authentication, for instance, on the new iPhone 5s. For close to ten years, the technology has been commercially viable but Apple made the bold move of finally putting an end to the forgotten password woes of its customers.

HTC finally incorporated the technology Full HD displays on a smartphone with amazing results. The images on HTC one remain unmatched for clarity and color accuracy.

Leap Motion made a leap of faith by investing in technology that changes the way users interact with their devices. Instead of the keyboard, mouse, or screen, we can now use gestures to make devices do our bidding. All for less than a hundred dollars with technology packed into a device no bigger than a bubble gum pack.

Google Glass is setting imaginations on fire with its unique first-person perspective for recording visual images. Is it ethical to photos and videos
of people without their permission and without them noticing that you’re actually doing it? Will the technology be abused? Will it change the way users live their lives?

For many, the questions won’t be as complex or thought-provoking. It might simply be, “Will I get an Xbox One for Christmas?”

Silo sci-tech writer Alex Hillsberg.

Top Sci Tech Gear of 2013WEB