View Post

How the EU’s Suspicion of US Tech Giants Could Hinder Post-COVID-19 European Economic Recovery

In Technology News by Olivier BlanchardLeave a Comment

Here’s a look at how the EU’s suspicion of US tech giants could hinder post COVID-10 European economic recovery. The urgency of the situation, driven by the need to begin safely but quickly restarting the global economy, may require EU regulators to select a solution they are not entirely comfortable with, in order to start working toward that goal in the next month.

View Post

Google, Apple COVID-19 Contact-Tracing Partnership — A Look at the Good and the Bad

In Technology by Olivier BlanchardLeave a Comment

The Google, Apple COVID-19 contact-tracing partnership pits infectious disease mitigation against data privacy and security challenges. While the project has a lot going for it, its two most obvious potential flaws are data security vulnerabilities and people choosing simply to not opt-in. Here’s a look at how it will work, as well as an analysis of the pros and cons at work here.

View Post

Coronavirus COVID-19 Presents Threat to Europe’s Tech Startup Scene

In Technology News by Olivier BlanchardLeave a Comment

Just as in every other part of the world, the coronavirus COVID-19 presents a threat to Europe’s tech startup scene. While some countries, like France and Germany, have really stepped up, there is not yet a comprehensive plan in place by the European Commission to afford greater, and more equitable protection. I believe it’s important to not only consider the cost of providing much-needed aid in a balanced way, but also the opportunity cost of not doing so. Here’s why.

View Post

Qualcomm’s Real-time Translation During a Phone Call: From Science Fiction to Fact

In Technology News by Olivier BlanchardLeave a Comment

Qualcomm’s real-time translation during a phone call moves this functionality from science fiction to fact. Oh, I know cloud-based transcription functionality exists, but this is different. When the real-time translation function can happen on your phone, or on the device you’re using as your communication interface (i.e. laptop, tablet), it’s a game-changer. And that’s where Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 comes in.

View Post

Qualcomm’s New Bluetooth Audio SoCs Represent Quiet Evolution

In Technology News by Olivier BlanchardLeave a Comment

Qualcomm is introducing two new Bluetooth audio SoCs that are small enough to fit into earbuds and designed to elevate what the company calls the “truly wireless” consumer experience. While this news is admittedly exciting, it is not Qualcomm’s first foray into earbud-sized Bluetooth audio System-on-Chip (SOCs). The San Diego chipmaker has been semi-quietly partnering with major consumer brands to bring high quality truly wireless audio to consumers for some time now, and this latest generation of Bluetooth audio SoCs is merely the natural evolution of the Qualcomm QCC5100 series and the Qualcomm QCC302x series. That aside, I see even more exciting things ahead for Qualcomm in the Bluetooth audio earbud market. Here’s why.

View Post

Qualcomm’s Tiered SOC Diversification Pays Off, Expands Footprint

In Technology News by Olivier BlanchardLeave a Comment

The potential move away from Qualcomm’s premium 5G Snapdragon 865 SOC as reported would signal that Google and LG might be leaving Apple and Samsung to fight for the top spot in the premium tier handset category. This move would allow Google and LG to focus instead on more budget-friendly high-end phones for consumers who enjoy premium features but don’t need all of the bells and whistles of a $1,200+ phone. The decision to select Qualcomm’s 765G mobile platform over the superior 865 mobile platform may initially seem like a setback for Qualcomm’s flagship 5G SOC, but I don’t think that’s the case at all. Here’s why.

View Post

Love and Robots in the Time of Cholera

In AI by Olivier BlanchardLeave a Comment

As the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic forces populations around the world to adopt social distancing strategies, many of the technologies that we considered “complementary” to our traditional day-to-day productivity have now become our primary modes of presence, collaboration, and productivity.

View Post

3 Simple Digital Transformation Principles That Will Help Your Business Adapt to the Coronavirus Crisis

In Business and Leadership, Digital Transformation by Olivier BlanchardLeave a Comment

Our team has more than a little experience when comes to digital transformation, so we thought it might be helpful to put together this outline of three simple digital transformation principles that will help executives, your leadership team, and your businesses adapt to the coronavirus crisis.