Articles
Data Privacy & Social Media
WhatsApp’s Privacy Policy Explained: Why Messaging App’s Users Are Porting To Signal, Telegram
Acceptance of the new policies, which users are being alerted to via in-app notifications, is mandatory, failing which users would lose access to WhatsApp from February 8, 2021. The new policies allow for a closer integration of WhatsApp into the larger Facebook ecosystem and group of companies. It is worth noting that WhatsApp’s users in the European Union are exempted from the sharing their data with Facebook
https://www.medianama.com/2021/01/223-whatsapps-privacy-policy-explained-signal-telegram-porting/
WhatsApp needs to change its Jurisdiction clause in the Terms or else, exit from India.
The Privacy Policy and the Terms of Service have to be read together. There appears to be more contentious issues in the terms of service rather than the Privacy Policy as explained below.
https://www.naavi.org/wp/whatsapp-needs-to-change-its-jurisdiction-clause-in-the-terms-or-else-exit-from-india/
Skills & Skill Development
Making Sense of Skills: A UK skills taxonomy
Explore our interactive resource to find out which skills are most in demand for different job titles.
Skill shortages are costly and can hamper growth, but we don't currently measure these shortages in a detailed or timely way. To address this challenge, we have developed the first data-driven skills taxonomy for the UK that is publicly available. A skills taxonomy provides a consistent way of measuring the demand and supply of skills. It can also help workers and students learn more about the skills that they need, and the value of those skills. The full research paper is available to read here.
https://data-viz.nesta.org.uk/skills-taxonomy/index.html
The Secret to Quickly Learning New Skills, According to Science
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/the-secret-to-quickly-learning-new-skills-according-to-science/
Single Most Important Skill of The 21st-Century That Will Take Your Career to The Next Level
You are fully responsible for your career.
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/skill-important-job-success/
Why Every Developer Should Know a Bit of Technical Writing
Technical writing is a form of communication that attempts to take a technical field (like programming or software development) and convey ideas from that field as efficiently as possible, sometimes to other experts, and sometimes to non-experts. Technical writing draws upon traditional writing skills, but has slightly different demands; you’ll often be dealing with more challenging descriptions, or technical terminology that may or may not make sense to your audience.
https://www.computer.org/publications/tech-news/trends/why-every-developer-should-know-a-bit-of-technical-writing
3D Printing
11 Examples of What 3D Printing Can Do For You
These 3D printing ideas might inspire you to craft your own printed design.
3D printing makes the digital world physical. All you need is a computer, your printer and the materials, and you are all set.
https://interestingengineering.com/11-examples-of-what-3d-printing-can-do-for-you
Artificial intelligence
What is Conversational AI? Get Started with Fundamentals
Conversational artificial intelligence (AI) uses machine learning to talk with users in a way that feels natural and personalized.This post explores what conversational AI is, how it works, and how you can use it in your business.
https://www.nextiva.com/blog/what-is-conversational-ai.html
Conversational AI: Top 20 Trends for 2020
Conversational Artificial Intelligence (AI) empowers enterprises to employ chatbots, messaging applications or virtual assistants to build highly engaging and valuable relationships with customers. This cutting-edge technology is spreading rapidly across every industry and more excitingly, providing enterprises with a huge potential to accelerate their growth and innovation.
https://blog.kore.ai/conversational-ai-top-20-trends-for-2020
10 examples of AI in manufacturing to inspire your smart factory
https://nordcloud.com/10-examples-of-ai-in-manufacturing-to-inspire-your-smart-factory/
Quantum Computing
What Is Quantum Computing?
Quantum computing is poised to upend entire industries from finance to cybersecurity to healthcare, and beyond — but few understand how quantum computers actually work.
https://www.cbinsights.com/research/report/quantum-computing/
What on Earth Is Quantum Chess?
Quantum Chess is a variant of the classical strategy game. It incorporates the principles of quantum physics. For example, unlike traditional chess, the pieces can be placed into a superposition of two locations, meaning that a piece can occupy more than one square.
Unlike chess pieces in the conventional game where, for example, a pawn is always a pawn, a quantum chess piece is a superposition of "states", with each state representing a different conventional piece.
The world's first Quantum Chess tournament had been won by Aleksander Kubica, a postdoctoral fellow at Canada's Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics and Institute for Quantum Computing. The tournament was held on the 9th of December 2020 at the Q2B 2020 conference.
https://interestingengineering.com/what-on-earth-is-quantum-chess
Robotics
Dancing Boston Dynamics Robots Show Off Their Sweet Moves
In its latest display of engineering excellence, Boston Dynamics released a video of its Atlas, Spot and Handle robots boogieing to “Do You Love Me?” by the Contours, Stan Horaczek reports for Popular Science.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/boston-dynamics-robots-show-their-sweet-moves-180976676/
Data Science
8 top data science applications and use cases for businesses
Data scientists engage in various applications to analyze data and create technologies. These are eight common ones, with examples from different organizations and industries.
https://searchbusinessanalytics.techtarget.com/feature/8-top-data-science-applications-and-use-cases-for-businesses
Data Security
Data sanitization techniques: Standards, practices, legislation
An effective data sanitization process lessens the chance that your organization's valuable data could be stolen or compromised, and enhances compliance.
https://searchdatabackup.techtarget.com/tip/Effective-data-sanitization-How-regulations-and-standards-address-it
Cybersecurity in a digital era
Even before the advent of a global pandemic, executive teams faced a challenging and dynamic environment as they sought to protect their institutions from cyberattack, without degrading their ability to innovate and extract value from technology investments.
Over the past year, we’ve sought to publish cybersecurity articles in various areas that will help senior executives consider their options and make pragmatic decisions about how to move forward in making the right tradeoffs in managing technology risks.
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/risk/our-insights/cybersecurity-in-a-digital-era
Blockchain
How governments can harness the potential of blockchain
Governments have tried to implement blockchain, with mixed outcomes. Finding the right use cases, however, can help agencies realize the technology’s full potential.
Informed by the success of global agencies using blockchain, we have defined five use cases that illustrate how governments can unlock the technology’s full potential.
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/tech-forward/how-governments-can-harness-the-potential-of-blockchain
Cryptocurency
Why is Bitcoin’s price at an all-time high? And how is its value determined?
Bitcoin continues to trade close to its all-time high reached this month. Its price is now around US $34,000 — up about 77% over the past month and 305% over the past year.
First launched in 2009 as a digital currency, Bitcoin was for a while used as digital money on the fringes of the economy.
Bitcoin’s recent boom in value comes down to a combination of three factors: ideology, social sentiment and hope.
https://theconversation.com/why-is-bitcoins-price-at-an-all-time-high-and-how-is-its-value-determined-152616
Videos to Watch
How to navigate questionable information
Inaccuracies can be difficult to spot. See the difference between fact and fiction, and learn to spot the gray areas with these informative talks.
4 talks · Total run time 46:06
https://www.ted.com/playlists/555/how_navigate_questionable_information
Talks that'll inspire you to unplug
At the beck and call of your technology's beeps and buzzes? Let these talks inspire you to step back from your screen and engage with the immediate world around you.
8 talks · Total run time 2:00:49
https://www.ted.com/playlists/435/talks_that_ll_inspire_you_to_u
Tough talks that will open your eyes
These talks will shake you awake to the world around you.
8 talks · Total run time 2:00:19
https://www.ted.com/playlists/297/tough_talks_that_will_open_you
Websites to visit
Open Access Directory
The Open Access Directory (OAD) is a compendium of simple factual lists about open access (OA) to science and scholarship, maintained by the OA community at large. By bringing many OA-related lists together in one place, OAD makes it easier for everyone to discover them, use them for reference, and update them. The easier they are to maintain and discover, the more effectively they can spread useful, accurate information about OA.
The OAD is hosted by the School of Library and Information Science at Simmons University and supervised by an independent editorial board.
http://oad.simmons.edu/oadwiki/Main_Page
Education & Learning
openPHI MOOCs
openHPI is the MOOC platform of Hasso Plattner Institute. It offers a no of online courses and self faced free courses on varied interesting subjects.
https://open.hpi.de/courses
11+ Best Science Websites for Interactive Learning
These websites offer great interactive content for curious minds of all ages. If you are looking for some great science websites for interactive learning, then these eleven plus sites should, at the very least, scratch and itch. Most of these are aimed at younger learners but some will be as, if not more, entertaining for adults.
https://interestingengineering.com/11-best-science-websites-for-interactive-learning
Educ-AI-tion rebooted? Exploring the future of artificial intelligence in schools and colleges
This report outlines the potential of AI tools in schools and colleges, and charts a path for the future that maximises the benefits and minimises the risks.
https://www.nesta.org.uk/report/education-rebooted/
Report at https://www.nesta.org.uk/documents/1190/Future_of_AI_and_education_v5_WEB.pdf
Innovation and Sustainability
21 Sustainability Innovations That Might Just Change the World
The world has to change if it's to survive: here are some of the most interesting sustainable innovations that could save the planet.
There's never been a greater push for sustainable products and technologies than there is today. We've reached a critical point with regards to climate change, and many innovators and businesses are stepping up to the plate to build a greener future. Here are just some of the incredible examples of sustainable innovation that could change the world as we know it, and pave the way for a more sustainable way of living.
https://interestingengineering.com/21-sustainability-innovations-that-might-just-change-the-world
Books & Periodicals
Cybersecurity eBook: The Beginner's Guide ($23.99 Value) FREE for a Limited Time upto 19th Jan 2021.
This beginners guide on cybersecurity tells you why you should choose it, the need for cyber security, and how can you be part of it and fill the cybersecurity talent gap. By the end of this book, readers will be well-versed with the security domain and will be capable of making the right choices in the cybersecurity field.
https://2htg.com/elk/4206/1835175/70735
Socially conscious book buying alternatives to Amazon
So you’ve decided to buy a book. Congratulations. Reading’s endless health benefits range from alleviating depression to strengthening the brain (really!). But where is the best place to buy a book, other than Amazon who is dominating the book market to the dismay of local book stores and authors alike? Luckily there are some socially-conscious book buying alternatives to Amazon that can benefit your wallet, the environment, and also the authors who poured their souls into the books and should benefit as much as possible financially from your purchase. Check out these options before you are tempted to hit that order button on Amazon Prime.
https://www.shareable.net/category/book/
Reports on Machine Learning
The Royal Society’s programme of work on machine learning has been investigating the potential of this technology over the next 5-10 years, and the barriers to realising that potential. Access the reports from:
https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/projects/machine-learning/
Book: Cloud Computing
Author: V.K. Pachghare. Paperback. Pages : 320. Price: Rs. 350/- . Published by: PHI Learning
This book presents the principles, techniques, design, and implementation of cloud computing, with a balance of theoretical and practical aspects. Starting with a brief introduction to the subject, this book provides a an analysis of different cloud computing models and explains the relevant concepts on virtualization, security issues and challenges in cloud computing. In addition, the book introduces some of the prominent cloud service provider companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Google, and discusses the various features of these web services. Further, to provide necessary background to understand the principles of cloud computing, the roadmap for migration of application to cloud and roles of different standards adopted for cloud computing are discussed in detail. The book also addresses mobile cloud computing and microservices—the recent advances in cloud computing. While this book intended to serve the needs of UG and PG students of CSE & IT, professionals can use it as a reference source on the subject. The highlights of the book include: Focus on the applications and security aspects; Exercises at the end of each chapter; and Live examples and illustrations with diagrams.
https://www.phindia.com/Books/BookDetail/9788120352131/cloud-computing-pachghare
Internet & Governance
The Global Cost of Internet Shutdowns in 2020
Our annual report analyzes every major intentional internet shutdown in 2020 and reveals that they cost a world economy already devastated by the pandemic a further $4BN. India most economically-impacted nation, at a cost of $2.8BN. India shutdown the internet for over 8,900 hours or for 372 days, and these impacted 10.3 million people. In Myanmar, Internet was blacked out for a total of 5,160 hours and bandwidth was throttled for 3,648 hours.
https://www.top10vpn.com/cost-of-internet-shutdowns/
Personalities
Why Silicon Valley billionaire Sridhar Vembu returned to rural India
Sridhar Vembu, the CEO of the $1-billion Zoho Corporation, tells Anand Raj OK why he decided to shift from the US to a tiny remote town in Tamil Nadu, how it has improved his and his staff’s wellbeing and how he is making a major difference in the education sector with his brand of schools
https://fridaymagazine.ae/life-culture/people-profiles/why-silicon-valley-billionaire-sridhar-vembu-returned-to-rural-india-1.2310751
How Did Tim Berners-Lee Change the World With the World Wide Web?
Tim Berners-Lee gave the world the greatest invention since the printing press. Here we explore what he created, and why it has been so revolutionary.
https://interestingengineering.com/how-did-tim-berners-lee-change-the-world-with-the-world-wide-web
Health & Wellness
The 7 types of rest that every person needs
Have you ever tried to fix an ongoing lack of energy by getting more sleep — only to do so and still feel exhausted? If that’s you, here’s the secret: Sleep and rest are not the same thing, although many of us incorrectly confuse the two.
We go through life thinking we’ve rested because we have gotten enough sleep — but in reality we are missing out on the other types of rest we desperately need. The result is a culture of high-achieving, high-producing, chronically tired and chronically burned-out individuals. We’re suffering from a rest deficit because we don’t understand the true power of rest. Rest should equal restoration in seven key areas of your life.
https://ideas.ted.com/the-7-types-of-rest-that-every-person-needs/
The fascinating story of placebos – and why doctors should use them more often
For centuries, the word “placebo” was closely linked to deception and pleasing people. Recent studies of open-label placebos show that they need not be deceptive to work. Contrariwise, studies of placebos show that they are not inert or invariable and the basis for the current World Medical Association position has been undermined. The recent history of placebos seems to pave the way for more placebo treatments in clinical practice and fewer in clinical trials.
https://theconversation.com/the-fascinating-story-of-placebos-and-why-doctors-should-use-them-more-often-149945
Six evidenced-based ways to look after your mental health during another lockdown
Already experiencing pandemic fatigue, many of us feel ill-prepared for another lockdown. Yet this is what we must do, and maybe not for the last time.
The problem is, the pervasive effects of the pandemic and the restrictions imposed as a way of containing it seem designed to harm our mental health, cutting us off from the things that give our lives meaning and bring us pleasure. With no clear end in sight, coronavirus is having a significant negative effect on mental health with many of us experiencing stress, anxiety and insomnia.
So what can we do in the face of another lockdown? We need to take proactive steps to protect our psychological wellbeing. Here’s what can help.
https://theconversation.com/six-evidenced-based-ways-to-look-after-your-mental-health-during-another-lockdown-149256
Exhausted by 2020? Here are 5 ways to recover and feel more rested throughout 2021
For most of us, 2020 was an exhausting year. The COVID-19 pandemic heralded draining physical health concerns, social isolation, job dislocation, uncertainty about the future and related mental health issues.
Although some of us have enjoyed changes such as less commuting, for many the pandemic added extra punch to the main source of stress – engaging in or searching for work.
Here’s what theory and research tells us about how to feel more rested and alive in 2021.
https://theconversation.com/exhausted-by-2020-here-are-5-ways-to-recover-and-feel-more-rested-throughout-2021-152608
The Impact Of Zoom Fatigue & Digital Eye Strain
Don't let video call meetings kill your energy!
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/the-impact-of-zoom-fatigue-digital-eye-strain/
Webinar videos & presentations
CSI, ACM & IEEE CS Chennai chapters jointly had organised the following nine webinars in Dec 2020.
1st Dec -- How to be Prepared for the New Placement Scenario?
5th Dec -- Green ICT and Data Centres for Digital Transformation
8th Dec -- Demystifying Fintech - Payment Systems
12th Dec -- What Is Software Engineering Anyway?
15th Dec -- Demystifying Cryptocurrencies
19th Dec -- Cognitive Computing for Efficient Knowledge Discovery in Big Data
22nd Dec -- Data Privacy Trends and Challenges in Compliance
26th Dec -- A Job Before Graduation
29th Dec -- Balancing Spirit/Mind/Body, To Live A Full Life
To access the video recording & presentation decks (selected) of these webinars, pl visit:
IRAI Quiz -- 210111
1. -------------- becomes most followed active politician on Twitter after permanent suspension of US President Trump`s account.
2. WhatsApp’s privacy policy pushes users to Signal, Telegram. The downloads of Signal were fuelled by the endorsement of Elon Musk and ----------------- on Twitter.
3. Elon Musk: SpaceX = Jeff Bezos : -------------
4. MOSIP -- Modular Open Source Identity Platform, a digital identity project, led by Prof Sadagopan of IIIT Bangalore is considered as an open source version of --------------
5. The monetary mass of Bitcoin is predefined and will not exceed -------------
6. FarmVille, the addictive game boasted 32M daily active users once, has shut down due to recent discontinuation of ---------------
7. YouTube was founded by three former employees of ---------------
8. The phenomena like “superposition” and “entanglement” are associated with ----------------- computing
9. Researchers from ------------ (China/Japan) have claimed that their quantum computer had performed a calculation in 200 seconds that would take an ordinary computer 2.5B years as against Google said that it ran a calculation on it's quantum computer in just a few minutes that would take a classical computer 10,000 years to complete.
10. The publishers, Elsevier, Wiley & ACS have filed copyright infringement suit against Sci-Hub and ------------who provide access to vast amounts of journals and scientific articles to the public free-of-cost.
Answers at the end
Forthcoming Events
CSI, ACM & IEEE CS Events
For additional events in Jan 2021
Archives
Past posts of Intereresing Reads And Information
IRAI Quiz Archives at
IRAI Titbits Archives at
Answers to IRAI Quiz -- 210111
1. Narendra Modi
2. Snowden
3. Blue Origin
4. Aadhaar
5. 21,000,000 (21 million)
6. Adobe Flash
7. PayPal
8. quantum
9. China
10. LibGen
