Today’s Hashtag Trending episode was prepared by Jori Negin-Shecter.
Before we start today’s episode, our sponsor Acronis will be hosting a panel discussion on the Canadian security landscape. If you want to learn how to best respond to a cyberattack, attend the expert briefing “It’s time for SMBs to focus more on business continuity” on October 12th. Reserve your spot by going to itworldcanada.com/events.
Now onto our regular programming.
Amazon announces a home robot, Dogecoin may pay for your next Taco Supreme, and Intel breaks ground on a new U.S. chip factory.
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It’s all the tech news that’s trending right now, welcome to Hashtag Trending! It’s Wednesday, September 29, and I’m your host, Tom Li.
Amazon is set to launch its first household robot named Astro. The robot, which Amazon states is “more than an Alexa with wheels”, can be remote-controlled away from home, allowing users to keep an eye on pets, people, and home security. An article from the BBC also mentioned that Amazon would keep security top of mind with Astro. Privacy features include a boundary function that prevents the bot from entering certain areas, as well as a do not disturb function on the little tech houseguest. The robot is set to ship later this year, though only in the U.S., with an initial price tag of $1000. Looking ahead, Amazon will invest heavily in the home robot market, as it boldly expects every home to have a robot assistant in five to ten years.
A new partnership between crypto payment processor BitPay Inc. and Verifone Inc. has some excitement for the possibilities of Bitcoin’s use in future day-to-day life. According to an article from Bloomberg, the partnership between the two companies could dramatically expand where individuals can spend their cryptocurrency. Verifone, in particular, is behind many credit card terminals across the U.S. and will begin accepting payments in Crypto via their newest terminals. While the terms of the partnership were not released, and it is unclear when the partnership will go into effect for consumers, optimism nevertheless remains high that this could be the beginning of something extraordinary for the entire crypto market.
Finally, Intel has broken ground on two new factories in Arizona as part of its plan to become a major manufacturer of chips amidst a global shortage. The plants will bring the total number of factories in the state to six, and is part of a much larger goal of regaining its lead as the world’s premier chip manufacturer, according to an article from Reuters. Intel noted that a big part of the move was to ensure stability and resilience within the supply chain and that they hoped to “step up in a big way” amidst ongoing chip scarcity. Intel’s Chief Executive also stated that the company plans to announce another U.S. campus site before the end of 2021.
That’s all the tech news that’s trending right now. Hashtag Trending is a part of the ITWC Podcast network. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home daily briefing. Make sure to sign up for our Daily IT Wire Newsletter to get all the news that matters directly in your inbox every day. Also, catch the next episode of Hashtag Tendances, our weekly Hashtag Trending episode in French, which drops every Friday at 3 pm. If you have a suggestion or tip, please drop us a line in the comments or via email. Thanks for listening, I’m Tom Li.