Learning a language with IA (Part Two)

In the previous blog, we’ve seen that when the topic is meaningful, my brain is more likely to remember. So today we’ll see how variations can tremendously amplify my learning if I incorporate them in my conversations. 

To achieve that, I plan to take a given topic and redo it once in simple Spanish, once in a more complex version, once using only the past tense, then the future and maybe – only maybe - using subjunctive triggers (“aunque”, “cuando”, “si”, “ojalá”). All this to build flexibility, not just vocabulary. It’s also my plan to prioritize listening as much as speaking by asking TalkPal to speak at native speed, slightly slower and with regional accents (Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Chile).

Based on my experience I know that listening is the bottleneck, so if I can understand fast Spanish, speaking becomes much easier. Along with speed, I’m also planning to ask for corrections in a selective manner. If TalkPal were to corrects everything, I would lose flow, but if it fails to correct me I’ll fossilize mistakes. 

I’ll ask: “Solo corrige errores importantes que cambian el significado.” or “Déjame hablar libremente y corrige al final.” Hopefully, this will keep the conversation natural. When I get good at conversing, I plan to push into emotional and philosophical topics, areas I enjoy talking about. Things like aging, dreams, fear, meaning, mountains life, lessons learned throughout my life and reflection on time that goes far too fast. If I can succeed with all this, I’ll be able to track my progress in comfort, not perfection. 

For this I’ll make my own measurements by asking: 

• Am I hesitating less? 
• Am I thinking more in Spanish? 
• Am I recovering from mistakes faster? 
• Am I enjoying the conversation more? 

All these elements are the real markers of fluency. But again, when the real hurdle to learning languages is the fear of being judged and looking stupid. I only need to keep in mind at all time that I’m interacting with a robot that sounds and talk to me just like a human, but this might be a tall call… 

Wish me good luck!

Learning a language with IA (Part One)

After learning Spanish with Duolingo two years ago, I felt that I had accumulated enough knowledge to tackle conversation, something the popular language learning method” seemed ill-equipped to provide. I'm now moving on with the halo of AI and the TalkPal app. I now need to practice my conversation and I suspect that I’ll have to retool my approach to make the best out of that new technology.

After learning more than three extra languages, I know that I’m entering the most important phase of language learning — conversation — and after quite a bit a research, I turn to TalkPal because I found it to be the best bridge between structured learning (Duolingo) and real‑world fluency. The key for me now is to use the tool in a way that forces my brain to operate in Spanish rather than “translate into Spanish.” 

Obviously, TalkPal shouldn’t be treated just like a quiz, but like a teacher (albeit a robotic one!) This is no time either to ask it for vocabulary lists or grammar explanations, as I’m already supposed to know those from Duolingo. Instead, the new tool should be used a conversation partner.

I should tell it stories, describe my day, argue a point, ask for opinions, express emotions make mistakes and keep going, the goal being flow, not correctness. Of course, I’ve learned a long time ago, that when learning a language I must immerse myself into it, so there’s no English (or French) unless it’s absolutely necessary. 

Based on that premise, if I don’t know a word, I use several to express what it means and describe it in Spanish: 

“Es como…” 

“Es una cosa que…” 

“Sirve para…” 

“Parece…” 

This is one of the most powerful fluency skills and I make it mine! When I learned English, adult beverages helped me a lot as I was shy and afraid to look like a fool. In using TalkPal to simulate real situations by creating scenarios that matter to me, like booking a hotel in Madrid, asking for help on a hike in Patagonia, discussing architecture or mountain climate, reminiscing about Park City glorious winters or just planning a trip with my wife. 

I could also use it for explaining my philosophy about aging and dreams (in Spanish!) In the next blog, we’ll see how I can fine tune my learning to my advantage...

The day I though my computer died…

Late last month, I almost came to the conclusion that my desktop computer was dying on me. It took inordinate amount of time to reboot when stopped, I couldn’t open my Window Photo app, I couldn’t transfer certain documents from my download file and the list of problems went on and on. I spent the rest of the day fishing for solutions, including asking AI to no avail, and finally got deeper into the Dell resources to learn more about my desktop software to resolve the problem. 

I was about to ditch my desktop and buy a new one, even though I was convinced it was not older than 4 to 5 years. When I checked its purchase date, I shocked to find out I had bought it mid January of 1916. About 10 ½ years ago, doesn’t time fly like crazy! In the meanwhile all the updates Dell and Microsoft told me to run were done, I rebooted the computer, it did it promptly and perfectly, and it appeared to have a new lease on life. 

In the process, I was surprised to find out that the average Windows desktop computer lasted 3 to 8 years, if used for daily work. As you might guess industry folks want us to replace our desktop computer every 4 to 5 years, while consumer experience shows that well-maintained machines can easily push 5 to 8 years before becoming obsolete (not counting mine on its 11th year that now works as new!). 

Because desktops are easier to keep cool and maintain than laptops, they tend to last longer. The ultimate lifespan is determined by things like software obsolescence affecting the operating systems and daily applications as well as low system memory and processing power. As for hardware wear the power supply and storage drives usually begin degrading around the 3 to 5-year mark. 

But unlike laptops, desktops allow us to swap in a new Solid-State Drive (SSD) or add more RAM, extending its usable life by several years. The average usable lifespan of a Windows laptop for daily work is less at 3 to 5 years, MacBooks often providing 1 to 2 years longer. Laptops have a tighter configuration and a limited lifespan as a result, including batteries that need replacement after 500 to 1,000 charge cycles (about 2 to 3 years). 

This said, I use a Chrome book when I travel, it’s super cheap and works perfectly well. In closing I had a terrible experience with “All in one” computers made by HP or Sony that didn’t even made it to two years, so my next computer will be another desktop...

Bringing AI to the rescue

Recently, my solar panel system stopped producing. The cause was its inverter that turns AC into DC current which broke down. I contacted the installer, someone was sent at my house to find the inverter faulty but still under warranty and requested a return authorization. Ten days later they came to install a replacement one and everything was back to normal. 

It’s only another week later that I received and invoice for $670. At first they sent me just the amount, then as I requested an itemized bill, I realized that I was charged for elements that should have been free under warranty, so after reading again the contract I had signed 6 years ago, I realized that under warranty, the charges were questionable. 

That’s when I sent a clear explanation of the situation along with a PDF copy of my contract to AI and in 2 or 3 seconds received a complete analysis and a detailed course of action, including a letter to the installer spelling that I was requesting the annulment of the invoice. 

It took a few more back and forth with that AI and then another one, mostly to make sure I was on solid ground, until the installer agreed to cancel the bill. 

Had I asked an attorney to do that work, I would have received less quality help and been charged $2,000. Thank you AI!

Four years worth of EV

Hard to believe, but I’ve been driving an electric car for more than four years! Time fly it’s true but when things go well it goes even faster, at least that's what my wife thinks as she still can’t believe we’ve had that car for so long. 

Consumption? Tires, probably, windshield wipers and cleaner and that’s it. Nothing aside from these. A touch screen replacing a multitude of buttons spread all over a cockpit takes some time to get used to, but once learned it’s no longer a problem!

The automobile starts on command regardless of how cold it’s outside, when I don’t forget to preheat it in my cold garage it feels warm and ready to take me anywhere I want to go. Its safety and self-driving features are both wonderful and addictive. 

After recently driving an ICE car for 1,300 miles, I would never switch back to a fossil fuel powered car or even a hybrid. There are also more and more chargers around, so refill anxiety is no longer a problem and the only negative about owning the car I own and love is that I still hate Elon Musk...

Break in solar electricity production

Unbeknownst to us, our solar inverter broke down on March 16. The inverter is a critical component that converts direct current (DC) electricity produced by solar panels into alternating current (AC), which is used by our home and sends the excess to the utility grid. It functions as the "brain" of the system, enabling, managing, and monitoring electricity usage. 

I should have known it if I had looked at my app telling me about the functionality of our solar electricity production, but I was simply assuming that all was well. It’s just in April that I checked it and realized that nothing was going on, then, a few days later I got the monthly bill from the power company telling me that I was owing three times the amount I normally paid when my solar system worked. 

I called the company that installed the system and ten days later they came to replace the faulty inverter and restore the natural cycle fed by our indefatigable sun. For those of you considering installing solar panels, be aware that there are two ways to convert current, one with a central inverter like ours or one smaller inverter per panel (a much better idea because it’s preferable to have one panel done instead of the entire system!) 

Now we’re back in full production and thanking the sun, our solar device and the human brains that have thought about that power conversion and made it such a practical and useful invention!

San Francisco, the progressive city

Today, our daughter guided us to a complete walking tout of San Francisco. Solely walking maybe not, but we’ll return to this. Our morning walk began at the San Francisco Golden Gate Park that at over 1,000 acres is larger than NYC's Central Park. 

This iconic spot includes attractions like the Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco Botanical Garden, and Conservatory of Flowers. The longer afternoon walk took us to the Embarcadero another mandatory place for any City visitor, located at the water edge, followed with a delightful dinner at Dasha, a Russian restaurant. 

Returning home was the main attraction though as we boarded a driver-less Google-Waymo taxi (see video below). These are available since 2021 and while they were 300 in operation two years ago, there are now 800 of them being made available to the public. 

It’s that car which took us back up the hill to our daughter’s charming apartment with expansive views of the San Francisco city center and East Bay.

The Waymo ride was a first for us that comforted us that self driving cars will soon be the norm for baby boomers that otherwise would no longer be able to drive, but instead will get a salutary extension through AI technology! 

Trip planning with modern tools

In the past, going on a trip was 20% planning and 80% improvisation, but I don’t know about you, for me this process has been turned on its head too! In a next blog you’ll read about our recent trip to California in which we delivered our daughter’s car that we drove last Fall from Washington, DC, to Park City. 

This time our mission is to get it all the way to San Francisco after making a detour to visit spots we had never seen before and return to others we liked a lot. To put that plan together, I began 10 days before departure playing with Google maps to see where we’d go and stay, how long it would take us to get there and build some kind of itinerary. Not to leave any stone unturned,

I checked with AI to get a modicum of approval, which I failed to receive, so it was back several times to the drawing board. In between, I even check for entertainment since we had one stop planned in Las Vegas and wanted to see at least one new National Park, draw a quick budget on a spreadsheet, factoring in the high cost of gasoline as we wouldn’t be driving our electric car for that one-way road trip, and of course bought a pair of return plane ticket to get back home. 

Quite a program, too many confusing choices and a lot of time needed to digest all this and let it mature into a more practical plan! What’s certain is that technology added a lot of time to a complex decision process that was a bit overrated for a simple road trip!

Running the world with AI? (Part Three)

Well, you’ve now discovered most of the answers to my question. All of these answers are, for the most part, hypothetical. This said and with all of its flaws, I still believe AI management would be far preferable to Trump, Putin or Netanyahu’s horrible style of leadership. Also, AI is self-learning and as long as it is programmed to behave well and follow a world’s constitution, there are very good reasons that it can keep going in the right direction for an indefinite amount of time. 

Again, I believe that given the dismal state of our political leadership, we have to worry about humanity being able govern itself wisely in an era of climate instability, resource pressures, rapid technological change, ideological polarization, short-term political incentives, views and programs, widespread corruption, as well as whether a system grounded in shared global principles could help us avoid self-inflicted disasters. 

That’s an urgent, serious and very human concern. If the question is what an “AI guided by global ethics” would look like, an AI guided by global ethics isn’t a robot president or a digital dictator. It’s more like a planetary operating system that helps humanity make wiser choices while staying anchored in shared moral commitments. 

Think of it as a system that blends technical intelligence with ethical guardrails drawn from global frameworks like the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and climate‑sustainability principles. 

Something that could be kept accountable whether it is supposed to help with climate, conflict, or inequality and the many times human leadership has failed due to bias or short-term approaches. 

In conclusion, my vision of running the planet with AI is a vision of perfection, but when you think about it, there’s might be nothing as boring and demotivating as perfection. Of course, the day we change our mind we quickly long for the good old day when Trump, Putin or Netanyahu did not exist as politicians! Could we all live with that concept and who among us really wants it or needs it?

Running the world with AI? (Part Two)

Great ideas bring with them their good and bad unforeseen effects. 

To begin with the good news, where could AI outperform human leadership, not necessarily as a ruler, but as a decision-support system? On the subject of evidence-based policy, AI could analyze climate data, economic models, and demographic trends without political pressure. 

In terms of long-term planning it could literally shine as humans and their short-sighted political leaders tend to prioritize short-term wins. AI could optimize human life conditions for decades or centuries. As it will become a global leadership device, AI would not be subjected and bound by borders or national interests. It could also be designed and adjusted to minimize certain human biases (though it can also inherit others if it’s not carefully built). 

Naysayers will object that there are areas where AI as we now envision it could not replace human leadership. Even the most principled AI has limits, like in terms of its legitimacy, as people accept leadership when it feels accountable and human and as it now stands, AI could not replace democratic consent or cultural legitimacy. Besides, there are those who believe that some decisions require human values, empathy, and lived experience. 

Then, there’s the accountability issue. If an AI makes a harmful decision, who is responsible? This is could be a major unresolved ethical issue. Furthering the list of limitations, there are risks of misuse of AI, as any powerful system can be co‑opted by authoritarian governments, corporations and military forces. Even if the AI is principled, its operators might not be. 

Realistically, most experts envision not “AI replacing leaders,” but see it ,more used as a sounding board or a global advisor in evaluating policies, predicts long-term consequences and flagging human-rights risks. It could play a huge role in modeling climate and resource impacts and helping leaders avoid catastrophic decisions.  

Perhaps we should see it as a UN‑aligned guardian of long-term thinking, not a ruler. This hybrid model would preserve human accountability, democratic legitimacy, cultural nuances while offering at the same time data-driven insight, long-term planetary perspective and reduced impulsiveness. 

Tomorrow we’ll search how my question can really be answered…

Running the world with AI? (Part One)

Given the appalling mediocrity of our elected leaders, I often wonder if an Artificial Intelligence (AI) based on the UN general principles will be better than our elected leaders and dictators for managing and leading humanity and planet earth? 

Maybe I’m not just the only one thinking that way as a lot of people are wrestling with right now: whether a system built on shared global principles could outperform the messy, inconsistent behavior of our present human leaders.

First, when I talk about “UN general principles”, I mean the UN Charter and related frameworks that emphasize human rights, peace and conflict prevention, environmental stewardship, equality and non‑discrimination, international cooperation and sustainable development. 

Hypothetically, if an AI were built to strictly follow these principles, it would be oriented toward long‑term planetary well‑being, minimizing harm, seeking fairness across populations and evidence‑based decision‑making. 

As you can see an enormous difference from how many human leaders operate, as they often face short election cycles, national interests over global ones, pressure from donors, parties, or elites, personal ambition and cognitive biases. 

All this means that, in theory, an AI could be more consistent, less self‑interested, and more long‑term oriented than our politicians. In a next blog I will see the true possibilities and challenges with a government by AI...

Google, its products and its customers

Google isn’t just a giant in the data collection and advertising business, it dabbles also in selling some tangible products. Things like thermostats, smartphones, surveillance cameras among other gizmos. For a dozen years, we’ve been using Nest thermostats a few months before the company bought the brand in 2014. 

The three machines we have have worked perfectly during that time until late October I was told by some email I ignored that Google would no longer support the 1st and 2nd generation of that product. A few weeks ago as I was fine tuning my climate control ahead of winter weather, I realized that I couldn’t do it, as was the case in the past, from my smartphone or my computer. 

Then I realized that I would have to upgrade with the company 4th generation of product at a preferential cost just under $490 instead of $885! I tried to contact Google to know the details involved with the deal, but wasted my precious time in the maze of their web-based customer support service. I got stuck and couldn’t get anywhere. 

That’s how, through various forums and other inline information I gathered, I came to the conclusion that the Google management knows damned well that their customer support is worthless. Yet, the company has historically prioritized self‑service help centers and community forums over direct human support, which fuels my perception of “hopeless” service. 

Directing most users to its online Help Center allows Google to do without live agents and save big. With billions of users across Gmail, YouTube, Android, and more, Google leans on automation and documentation rather than staffing massive call centers. For the love of money, Google’s leadership has chosen to invest in scalable, automated support rather than traditional customer service models. 

This is a deliberate decision, not ignorance, in spite of the fact that complex problems (account recovery, billing disputes, device malfunctions) often leave users stranded. The net result is that most customers feel abandoned, especially when compared to competitors with stronger live support systems. Google’s leadership knows its support reputation is down the toilets, but it’s a calculated trade‑off. 

They’ve chosen scale and automation over human service, which leaves many customers frustrated but adds to their bottom line. So, what will I do? Never, ever buy a product from Google. The company is only good at selling ad space and sucking customer data, but is woefully unable to “play merchant”.

The world of USB connectors

Over the years, and particularly since I got my first computer in 1983, I’ve dealt the very best I could with the different types of connectors that came my way, changed in rapid succession and I did the best I could to understand them and adapt. 

Then came the USB connectors that stand for “Universal Serial Bus”. It’s not a brand name, but an industry standard developed in 1996 for connecting and transferring data and power between devices. The reason why I’m talking about this is the fact I just ran into an unknown USB connector, and we’ll discuss it at the end of this blog. 

At first I got exposed to the Type B 2.0 used to connect my video cameras and back up devices, then when we got our Apple iPads, we used the 8 Pin Lightning, and as I always was an Android smartphone user I was using the Micro B connector and then my GoPro as well as a host of electronic device used a Min B. Navigating that world was complicated, prone to errors and necessitated to carry a menagerie of different connectors when going on a trip. 

It’s only in 2014 when the Type C connector was introduced that things started to become more orderly. At the same time the transferring power of these connectors kept on growing before exploding exponentially these past years. 

So, what inspired my reflection on this topic was when I was rummaging through a box of connectors I had and finding one that looked like a “Type C” but wouldn’t get inside the female receptacle. On closer examination it couldn’t as it had two tiny “horns” on top. 

I did further research, submitted this picture to a few AI engine, and I was able to gather that it was part of the Mini-USB Type B family, even though it looked like a USB-C from afar, wasn’t reversible and was probably harking back to the mid-2000s and use for some digital camera, MP3 player, external hard drives, or some GPS unit. 

Bottom line, I shouldn’t never force it into a C plug, put it securely aside or throw it away! Now you know all you need about USB!

Are Teslas for everyone?

After driving a Tesla for more than three and a half years, I’m as still as satisfied of the car as I have been all along, except of course, Elon Musk’s behavior. Now, outside of its steep price, is owning and driving a Tesla for everyone? Not so sure, I have to admit.

A few days ago, I was reading an article about Hertz rent a car, dumping some of its Tesla fleet. The company probably bought way more Teslas than they needed in reality. Renting an EV to someone who has never owned or spent any significant time with one, comes with an unavoidable and significant learning curve. 

Folks who use an ICE car and rent a Tesla for just a few days, either for business or while vacationing need to familiarize themselves with a screen interface that is omnipotent, yet requires to be learned and assimilated. Think back to your first experiences with a computer, tablet, or smartphone, if you're no longer a teenager. You probably remember the disorientation and awkwardness you felt at the beginning? 

Not only that, but you also have to download apps to operate the car, understand charging and range protocols, set up credit cards for payments, and the list goes on… It's much simpler if you're between 25 and 50 years old, and the difficulties of grasping these complex tasks increases considerably after these age ranges. The experience demands a strong desire to actively learn, get a feel for the control screen, understand the apps, set up payments, and think about driving more efficiently. 

In short, if you don't already own and drive a Tesla, aren't very comfortable with technology, and are over 70, prepare to be overwhelmed by the complexity and the significant learning curve that Tesla requires, even under its extremely minimalist appearance.

Contact lenses and me

It’s been a long time, almost 40 years, since I began wearing contact lenses. At first, given the current state of the technology it was a bit hard with the more rigid, first gas permeable lenses, but soon thereafter disposable contact lenses gained in popularity for their convenience and hygiene, including daily disposable options introduced in the late 1980s. 

That was followed by silicone hydrogel materials that further increased oxygen permeability and comfort, leading to their widespread use these days. While adapting to their use was a bit hard for me at first, I had no problem wearing them after a few weeks and during all these years. It may be that only an early death or cataract surgery will force me to stop wearing them. 

The history of contact lenses is pretty amazing. It evolved from theoretical concepts in the Renaissance, when Leonardo da Vinci proposed a device that could alter the eye's refractive power by submerging the eye in water, to the first glass lenses in the late 1800s. 

Yet humanity had to wait till the 1960s with the invention of soft, hydrogel lenses and the 1980s with the introduction of disposable lenses. 

Wearing contact lenses offers numerous benefits for vision correction and lifestyle compared to traditional eyeglasses. For one thing they offer a wider field of vision, total freedom for physical activities including biking and skiing, and various cosmetic advantages. 

In spite of Utah's extremely dry weather, they’ve worked well for me as contact lenses are good for most people, except for individuals with severe allergies, repeated eye infections, certain corneal conditions or eye diseases. Sometimes it’s a history of LASIK complications, or folks who can’t maintain proper lens hygiene. 

Environmental factors, such as a dusty work environment, and a very high prescription can also make contacts unsuitable. Finally men may experience more initial difficulties in adapting to contacts as women show more dexterity in handling them, as they’re used to applying make-up around their eyes...

The robot grocer

While we had my smartphone battery changed last week in Salt Lake City, we went into a nearby Harmon’s grocery store to check things out. These are beautiful stores that started as a fruit stand in 1932. This family-owned and operated supermarket chain has now grown to 19 locations throughout Utah. 

In a corner of the store, I noticed a sign introducing the “Tally” robots from a company called Simbe Robotics that have been deployed to scan inventory and verify prices in stores (the video below was filmed in Buffalo, NY). 

These robots with AI powered computer vision technology are combining cutting-edge computer vision with the Harmon’s stores’ intelligence platform to identify how items need to be replenished or re-priced without the unavoidable human errors thrown into the mix. 

We’ve seen the store robot in action and it seemed to like its job and wasn’t complaining one bit. Don’t look for a human inventory checker job at these stores any time soon, it’s too late! 

 

Another watch for me…

My old Casio watch died at the end of July after 7 years and 2 month of flawless and accurate function to the second, thanks to its ability to pick up atomic time calibration signals transmitted in Germany (Mainflingen), England (Anthorn), the United States (Fort Collins), China (Shangqiu), and Japan (Fukushima, Fukuoka/Saga).

Yet, it all its remarkable precision only cost me 35 dollars! As I have prioritized results as long as they were not nefarious in nature, so why purchase a more expensive mechanical watch that isn’t as precise and for the most part must be regularly rewound or have its batteries changed frequently? 

Founded in 1946 in Japan, Casio Computer Co., makes calculators, mobile phones, digital cameras, electronic musical instruments, and watches. It launched the first electronic calculator in 1957 (I got a pocket-size one in 1975). Also an early digital camera innovator, during the 1980s and 1990s, it developed numerous affordable home electronic keyboards for musicians along with an impressive selection of mass-produced and well-priced digital watches. 

My relation with watches is complex and is one I explained at length in this blog. 

This said, I still own a smartwatch that I use occasionally when I need to measure distances during my travels outside our home, but I needed a replacement for my old Casio, so I returned to the source and got myself a G-Shock. 

It's Casio’s upscale and sporty brand, this time a bit heavier, still “Atomic” in terms of time-keeping, but now solar-energy powered! It took me one day to keep it going, as its screen arrived totally blank to my house and I had to call Casio to be told what I had to do to bring it up to life. Hopefully that one might last me until I take my last breath. We’ll see...

Tesla’s AI customer support…

Like many, I have heard that Tesla's customer support was receiving mixed reviews, with some users praising its convenience and effectiveness, while others reporting significant frustrations. I had never used it until last week when “SmartThings” , an app newly installed on my Samsung Galaxy phone, messed up my car audio system, preventing me from listening to my music, using the GPS or my car telephone system. 

I first tried to solve the problem myself and one hour later when I couldn’t figure things out, I called Samsung support which is chat-based, something I find utterly annoying. After spending 45 minutes, nothing was resolved. All this work happened inside my car. 

Then I only had one option left, call Tesla. I did, and after moving through a series of annoying menus, I got a female voice on the phone who asked me what my problem was and alternating between the Tesla screen and my smartphone, made me try this, that, and that other thing, and after 26 minutes of seemingly fast and efficient trouble-shooting suddenly the phone conversation came through the car audio system! 

The problem was solved. Not at all the horrible situation I was fearing about Tesla’s support service. I was very impressed and since I had noticed that during the whole process the voice would continue while I was interrupting it, I asked that question to the “lady” who had solved my problem: “Are you a human or a robot?” 

The answer was: “I’m a virtual assistant”, it was indeed a robot… That made me think that AI can be formidable when correctly harnessed. I was at the same time amazed and worried for all the white collar workers of tomorrow that might no longer have a job because of it...

How does Bluetooth work?

Whether you know it or not, you may be using the technology called “Bluetooth” if you have a smartphone with wireless speaker or use it in conjunction with Apple or Android Auto among a host of devices and applications. 

So, in case you might be as curious as I am, here's a simple explanation of how it works. But before we get into it, note that the technology was invented by Dr. Jaap Haartsen, a Dutch who has worked for Ericsson in the US and in Sweden. In 1994, he was tasked with developing a short-range wireless technology to enhance mobile phone functionality, specifically for connecting to devices like headsets. 

Think of Bluetooth as a short-range walkie-talkie for devices. It lets gadgets talk to each other wirelessly using radio waves, as no internet or cables are needed. First, the Bluetooth device sends out a signal message saying “I’m here!”. When you are connecting it (or pairing) with another device, that one will hear it and say “Let’s connect.” 

Then, they both exchange secret codes to keep the connection secure. Once paired, they can send data back and forth like music, files, or commands. For our own security, everything they sent is scrambled so nobody else can listen in. They operate on the 2.4 GHz band, a frequency like our Wi-Fi or our kitchen’s microwaves. The downside of this mode of communication is that its range is limited, usually 10–30 feet, but can go up to 330 feet for high-power devices.

Finally, let’s remember that in the Bluetooth world its a Master to Slave relationship, where the former controls the connection (usually your phone) and the latter follows the master’s instructions (like for instance your headphones or a speaker). Now, happy and long-lasting Bluetooth connections!

Learning with Artificial Intelligence?

So many stupid and negative things are said daily about Artificial Intelligence (AI), that I would like to shine a more positive light on the subject. After hearing that AI allows for efficient language learning and conversation for students, at my turn, I have experienced it to my amazement. My obvious next question is whether there are other AI methods available to other topics outside of language learning? This seems to be the case and here’s a sample of what’s already available. 

Starting with general education, AI for Educators wants to transform K-12 education by creating a comprehensive technology platform, where its AI assistants act as knowledgeable colleagues for educators and friendly buddies for learners. It further aims to foster a dynamic, personalized, and collaborative educational experience for everyone in school or after school. 

In a purely technological field, Microsoft Learn is a free, online learning platform offered by Microsoft, designed to help individuals build their skills and knowledge in various Microsoft products and technologies using tools like Copilot and Minecraft. Auburn University offers a self-paced course for higher ed faculty on redesigning assignments, understanding student use of AI, and ethical considerations. 

AI in Education – FutureLearn, designed for teachers and students, by King’s College in London explores how AI can be embedded across subjects and curricula. ISTE AI Explorations offers beginner to advanced training for educators, including hands-on projects and ethical frameworks. AI in Education Certificate, at the University of San Diego offers a four-course program for educators and administrators focusing on curriculum design, student engagement, and policy leadership. 

AI Education for Teachers – Coursera, created by Macquarie University and IBM, this course blends design thinking, data fluency, and machine learning fundamentals. All these programs aren’t just about learning AI — they’re about using AI to rethink how we teach, assess, and help students. Many more are likely to sprout everywhere in the world just now and we’ll soon be ready to take advantage of the fascinating power of that technology if we’re up to learning something new. 

Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride of discovery!