This episode of Digital Trends Live, DT’s live morning show, features host Greg Nibler and special guest Jeremy Kaplan, Digital Trends’ editor in chief, running through the most exciting news stories from the world of tech. First, a moment of remembrance. December 9 marked the 50th anniversary of “The Mother of All Demos” at the Fall Joint Computer Conference, in which engineer Doug Engelbart gave the first demonstration of a computer mouse. Half a century later, despite the rise of touchscreens, people still use mice. That’s an impressive run for a gadget in an age of quick obsolescence.
When tech companies announce new features for the latest iterations of their products, they can seem more like minor tweaks than radical innovations. The new Apple Watch, however, got a feature that is actually lifesaving: The ability to do an electrocardiogram (ECG). According to a report verified by Apple Insider, a Reddit user got the new Apple Watch, which notified him of problems with his heart rate. Not sure if it was just a bug, he went to a doctor to verify the results, and his doctor informed him that the watch may have saved his life.
Like a kraken, Amazon is spreading its arms into the physical retail space with its cashier-free Amazon Go stores. The stores scan your Amazon Go app as you enter, track every item you take off the shelves, then charges your account when you leave. Among the avenues Amazon is exploring is the possibility of opening locations in airports, with reports saying that the company was in talks with Los Angeles and San Jose international airports in California. Given how frustrating the lines at airports can be, a store where you can just run in and run out could be refreshing.
Finally, they talked about robocalls. If you own a phone, you’ve probably gotten your share of calls from spammers and scammers lately. If so, you’re not alone. According to a recent study, 30 percent of all calls in 2018 were scams, a number the researchers expect will rise in 2019. The scammers often pose as people offering prizes or government agents (such as the IRS or police) demanding victims pay money in order to avoid punishment. Be careful when answering calls fromnumbers you don’t recognize, and never give out sensitive information over the phone.
Digital Trends Live airs Monday through Friday at 9 a.m. PT, with highlights available on demand after the stream ends. For more information, check out the DT Live homepage, and be sure to watch live for the chance to win occasional prizes.
