Signals

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Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Apr 25, 2017  |  3 comments
You probably saw the news reports last week. A lawsuit has been filed against Bose, alleging its Connect app, such as used with a Bose headphone, collects information on the listening habits of the user, without adequately informing the user of the full extent of the practice. The story was widely reported. The rebuttal by Bose was not so widely reported.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Apr 01, 2024  |  6 comments
When I saw the press release, I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought it was some kind of joke or, as they say — misinformation. But I checked and double-checked and even placed a call to a high-ranking official in Washington. They confirmed that it is true. Starting in 2025, sales of turntables will be banned in the United States.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Oct 23, 2023  |  4 comments
Constantly running from the room to check his text messages. His whispered late-night phone calls. Lipstick on his collar. Honey, even if you didn't see it, we knew hell was ready to break loose. Then last Monday, your TV and Netflix had a real blow up. I know, I know. Breaking up always breaks your heart. But I think it's better this way.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Feb 24, 2015  |  4 comments
"I think we should just be friends."
"You're going to make someone really happy someday."
"We should start seeing other people."
"It's not you, it's me."

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jan 18, 2021  |  0 comments
The War to End All Wars, finally, is over. The world breathes a sigh of relief. But what if, impossibly, there is another war? What if that new form of warfare, aerial warfare, is again unleashed against Britain? Surely we must prepare a defense against it. A sonic defense.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Mar 06, 2023  |  0 comments
His Wikipedia page lists his occupations as “army scout, Pony Express rider, ranch hand, wagon-train driver, town developer, railroad contractor, bison hunter, fur trapper, gold prospector, showman.” Of course, it is the latter occupation that Buffalo Bill is mainly remembered for, and the preceding occupations gave him the credibility to present a darn good show. He also made an audio recording.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Mar 05, 2019  |  3 comments
Your phone has a 100 million-times more computing power than the Apollo guidance computer that landed men on the moon! How many times have you heard that? In fact, that is probably a reasonably true statement, and perhaps even underestimates just how powerful today's phones are. But one thing hasn't changed much since 1969, or even since its invention in 1925 - the dynamic loudspeakers in the astronaut's helmet headsets.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Sep 28, 2020  |  2 comments
Alert readers will recall that I recently chatted up the idea of building your own computer. Unlike most of my words, these were not idle. I needed a new computer for work on book projects, and I was also intent on finding a solid-state home for all my Compact Discs. So, following my own advice, I built a PC.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jul 17, 2012  |  0 comments

Gee, who could have predicted this? The Internet is creating entirely new industries, and decimating others. Big-box electronics retailer Best Buy is among the latest bricks and mortar companies to be decimated by the web.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Apr 24, 2023  |  4 comments
Like many of us, you are getting on in years. Whether through disease or simple wear and tear, the delicate mechanisms of your inner ears aren’t quite what they used to be. You might be hearing spurious tones, or just not hearing some things at all. If only you could get back your younger ears. Well, could I interest you in a neuroprosthesis?
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jun 09, 2015  |  0 comments
Aereo, as you'll recall, collected over-the-air TV signals and distributed them to its subscribers via the Internet. With any kind of web access such as a browser, phone, tablet or connected TV, you could access a cloud DVR and watch content anywhere. But, as you may also recall, that business model was judged to be illegal. Aereo had its plug pulled. But now, TiVo is working to revive an Aereo-type model.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jan 09, 2023  |  0 comments
We buy smart speakers and scatter them everywhere — living room, dining room, kitchen, bedrooms — how cool! So, our homes have speakers with built-in microphones, always-on internet connections, and lord knows how many lines of code. What could possibly go wrong?

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  May 20, 2014  |  1 comments
I am deeply disappointed that many of you are still viewing a 1080p display. I mean, seriously. Why don’t you just take two rocks and bang them together and consider yourself technologically advanced? Don’t you realize that you are missing all of the nuance in the picture? Frankly, with such a low resolution, can you even tell if the display is turned on or not? 1080p is a joke. I want you to take your phone and just drop it in the toilet right now. That’s right - we’re talking about phone displays.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  May 03, 2021  |  3 comments
I'm old enough to remember walking to the neighborhood record shop, buying a record, taking it home, and listening to it. My biggest worry was that the record might have a scratch on it, or might even be warped. Oh, how times have changed.

Ken C. Pohlmann  |  May 26, 2015  |  1 comments
James Atkinson invented the "Little Nipper" mousetrap in 1897. Its familiar spring trap snaps shut in 1/38,000 of a second and is still the go-to method for addressing your rodent issues. Still, the trap's simple and efficient operation hasn't stopped other inventors from trying to build better mousetraps and patenting over 4,000 of them. All of which raises the question: can you invent a better Bluetooth speaker? Meet the Vamp.

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