September 2016 – Ask Quincy

Swiss Expands Surveillance Powers on Data

First it was your bank account, now it’s your data.

In the wake of the 2014 Snowden revelations about mass surveillance programs, startups with concerns about overreaching government requests for user data settled on Switzerland as a base for their business, drawn to its perceived favorable privacy laws.

They may need to look elsewhere.

Sunday, Swiss citizens approved granting the government the power to lawfully hack into computers, install malware, tap communications (i.e. phone, and internet) and to install hidden cameras in private locations in order to gather data. Said ‘hacking’ to be done in the name of National Security and to be exercised with restraint.

Fore more read TechCrunch article: Swiss public back law expanding surveillance powers

Row, Row, Robo-Boat: Amsterdam’s Self-Driving Boats

“I want to go to there.”

The self-driving movement is coming to Amsterdam’s canals. Researchers are planning to launch “roboats” to traverse the Dutch capital’s canals next year, part of a five-year project to test the self-driving vessels’ ability to transport people and goods in a city whose area is about one-quarter water.

For more, follow this link to Quartz article.

New Features in iOS 10 – (yay, more emojis)

Cause couldn’t we all use more emojis.

iOS 10, released Tuesday, came with a few unheralded features. So who better to sing their praises than yours truly.

Among the new enhancements:

Text to Emoji. In the messaging app, when you type text (e.g., “Yo Q, you up for some basketball?”) and activate the emoji keyboard, key words appear highlighted in yellow. Tap+hold the highlighted text to swap it for its emoji.
(‘cept, why would type basketball and emojify it instead of just selecting the bball emoji from the get go?? hmmm?)
Dude, Have You Seen My Car? Now Maps automatically puts a pin in where you parked (I know! Right!?).
Search photos: Looking for something? Photos analyzes your images so you can find pics of Fido by typing ‘dog’ in the search bar.
~~Delete~~ Hide Default apps: Just like deleting your own apps; long+press the app and click on the x on the iOS apps you don’t use. The iNoying app is hidden from view and any associated data, cleared.
and, of course, these guys