Digital Trends Live: First 5G phone, Batcole Foundation, and a new data breach

Tuesday on Digital Trends Live, we discussed trending topics from the first 5G-compatible phone, to the successful SpaceX Falcon 9 launch on Monday, and yet another data breach. We were also joined by Katie Linendoll from the Batcole Foundation to talk about how virtual reality can be used to improve the quality of life for cancer patients, and welcomed Justin Ching from J-school, a production company serving underrepresented communities.

Verizon and Samsung are set to release the first 5G phone sometime in 2019. Not much is known about the device other than that it will feature Qualcomm’s X50 G modem, but with the tech for a 5G network — the successor to 4G, popping up in places like Houston, Sacramento, Indianapolis, and Los Angeles — we are well on our to widespread coverage.

We also discussed the latest data breach from Quora, which comes just on the tail of the Marriott breach, which is estimated to be the second-worst breach in corporate history. It is estimated that over 100 million accounts were affected. Digital Trends’ Marie Pardo-Garber urged people not to fall victim to “breach fatigue,” and to update passwords frequently to keep your information from falling into the wrong hands.

Katie Linendoll from the Batcole Foundation also joined the show in our New York studio to talk about the benefits of distraction technology. While the phrase is often used to discuss time-wasting technologies like social media, the Batcole Foundation uses distraction technology for good, to entertain patients undergoing treatment for pediatric cancer. While the technology is improving every day, AR and VR can go a long way to helping sick kids stay entertained in their hospital rooms.

We were also joined by Justin Ching later in the show to discuss his work with J-school, a production company looking to provide opportunities for historically underrepresented groups, such as people of color, women, and the LGBT community. Ching suggests that one of the ways we learn about the world is through movies and television, and it is important to make sure we see diversity in front of as well as behind.

Digital Trends Live airs at 9 a.m. PT from Monday through Friday, 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 a $100 Amazon gift card, among other prizes.