I know what you did next summer
You’re probably familiar with the idea of fighting crime before actual crimes take place, using “predictive analysis.” It was the central idea behind the sci-fi hit Minority Report, which was based on a story by Philip K Dick. But could it really happen, sans human psychics submerged in bubble-free Jacuzzis? India is about to find out.
An A.I. and security company called Cortica has teamed up with another firm in India to analyze data from closed circuit TV cameras, facial recognition systems and license plate readers to help map out where crimes may take place. And they’re going beyond that as well, by using behavioral analysis to predict if someone is about to do something illegal. And really, even that is just the tip of the predictive iceberg, as you’ll find out in our in-depth look at all the tech – even bio tech – being used in the project. And it’s not just India that has an eye on using this technology.
Apple is on the losing end of a court battle over patent infringement and a court has ordered the Cupertino company to pony up a tick over 500 million dollars to VirnetX Holding Company, for bits the company used in iMessage, FaceTime and VPN tech in iPhones and iPads. What, never heard of VirnetX? Not surprising, since BGR flat out calls them a “patent troll,” or a company that buys up tech patents and then sits on them until they think they can win a big court case against a tech manufacturer. The Apple case is definitely a huge win for them, seeing as how the company grossed just a million dollars in all of 2017.
But, as you can imagine, Tim Cook isn’t getting out his checkbook just yet, even though half a billion dollars is pretty much pocket lint for Apple. Bloomberg says a case currently in appeals court has already determined that the patents in question are invalid, and once that case wraps up, it may send VirnetX back home with nothing to show for their troubles except legal fees.
Drive it every day
If you’re in the market for a slick new sports car, a new Porsche is a common go-to, right? But if you still want the speed and handling with a touch more comfort and practicality, we’ve got another option for you: The Aston Martin Vantage. New for 2019, this $150,000 two-seater is more grand tourer than racetrack weapon, and hey, look at all that trunk space.
Power comes from a 503 horsepower twin turbo V8 that also supplies 505 foot pounds of torque. Perfect for when you need to pass… anything at all. The seats offer comfort as well as support in case a track day is on the schedule, and new handling tech should help you keep those 911’s in sight. DT car guy Miles Branman got some time behind the wheel, and if you’ve ever thought of yourself as the James Bond type (and who hasn’t?), you should check out his review and then start thinking about which stocks to sell to reel one in. We’re hoping one of those buttons is for the ejection seat…
We’ve got more news on our Facebook page and YouTube channel, and be sure to tune in to this week’s DT podcasts: Trends with Benefits (general tech shenanigans) on Thursdays, and Between the Streams (movie and TV topics) every Friday.
