Dell recently learned that firmware updates being pushed since 2009 had five significant security flaws that in fact were never acted upon. NBC is supplementing prime time Olympic games coverage with a dedicated Twitch channel featuring athlete interviews, highlight recap shows, and live interactive polling. Ford is set to create a ripple in the electric truck market with the announcement of their new F-150 Lightning model. The Colonial Pipeline ransomware hack is once again spotlighting the aging security and physical infrastructure in the United States. In October, Microsoft will be updating many of the original 1995 icons within Windows 10.

We dive into technology used on vacation and share what was useful and what to avoid. GM finally issued a significant software update to address the battery pack fire issue that raised much attention in 2020. On a somber note, Bill and Melinda Gates announced their pending divorce and the questions are swirling as to the impact this will have on the technology industry and The Gates Foundation. Apple releases a new product lineup and we share some of the items that caught our attention overall.

Walmart has invested $750 million into Cruise, GM’s self-driving vehicle company, as the retail giant looks to shed some costly delivery services. A horrific crash of a Tesla Model S leaving two persons dead has sparked the debate over the safety of autonomous vehicles on the market. Ingenuity took flight on Mars and became the first aircraft to make a powered and controlled flight on another planet. Amazon has reached an agreement with United Launch Alliance to send over 3,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit as the race from dependable, affordable, and satellite-based Internet heats up.

It was announced this week that T-Mobile is upgrading existing customers to unlimited 5G plans and trying to convince customers from competing companies to join. Segway, yes the two-wheeled transporter, is introducing a hybrid hydrogen motorcycle with top speeds at nearly 100MPH. As the semiconductor shortage continues to impact the automotive manufacturing industry, Intel is stepping to the plate to fill the gap for US-based producers. Ingenuity is forced to reschedule their first flight on Mars due to some startup complications.

LG, the world’s third largest smartphone manufacturer, is stepping out of the market entirely effective immediately to focus on smart home devices and robotics. The Google v Oracle battle over Jave code usage finally made its way to the highest court in the land and Google won with resounding numbers. Ingenuity, the helicopter partner to Perseverance, touched down this week signalling another major step in exploration of Mars. Facebook was subject to a massive hack that will be creating chaos for over 550 million of their users and their personal data.

Amazon is actively expanding their telehealth footprint with a larger rollout of Amazon Care, offering virtual chats and in-home visits to employees by chosen medical providers. T-Mobile is already shutting down their live television services after only a mere five months of offering the package to their customer base. After the Threat Analysis Group of Google discovered a major and actively exploited vulnerability in Apple’s iOS, an emergency security update was released with patches.

The Federal Communications Commission wants to hear from Americans by collecting their broadband stories in an attempt to improve mapping and access in the long term. As SpaceX gains momentum around the world, the European Space Agency is rushing to improve their satellite launching capabilities with investment and innovation. Many workers are returning to their work spaces over the next few months and finding the rhythm to working away from home again is going to be an adjustment.

We are behind the mics bringing you details on the open source industry, smart-speaker moves, industry feuds, and accessibility improvements. The United Kingdom is proving to be the center of the European Union when it comes to open source with an estimated economic impact of £43 billion and increased use in business. Production of the HomePod has been discontinued after a very short shelf life as Apple moves its attention to their HomePod Mini unit. Microsoft had a rough week with hacks associated with Exchange servers, bad patches for Teams, and a growing public feud with Google. Starbucks is moving forward with efforts to provide better accessibility to those with low vision or blindness through the use of Aria, a live person connected app to share information to store visitors.

Fry’s, a once popular electronics store, is closing the remainder of their stores after a dismal last few years. After a 90-year old customer complained about their service delivery, AT&T is quickly responding with infrastructure and fiber installation. AOL’s Instant Messenger was a massive success in the early days of the Internet and we are now learning that it almost never came to be. Microsoft’s Edge browser is taking shape with the use of Google’s Chromium as a backdrop and Legacy Edge is dying off. Malwarebytes issued their state of malware report and we learned that 2020 wreaked havoc on IT professionals with a swift transition in response to COVID-19.