'Nintendo was an inside language' the Nintendo Entertainment System console. 'Nintendo was an inside language' the Nintendo Entertainment System console. T he Nintendo Entertainment System was released in the United States on 18 October 1985: about a year after I was born, and 40 years ago today. It's as if the company sensed that a sucker who'd spend thousands of dollars on plastic toys and electronic games had just entered the world. Actually, it's as if the company had sensed that an entire of fools like me was about to enter the world. That was the time to strike.

The theory of quantum computing has been with us for nearly three decades, courtesy of a quantum mechanical model of the Turing machine proposed by physicist Paul Benioff in the early 1980s. For most of that time, the notion has seemed more a far-off vision than an impending reality. That changed abruptly with a 2019 claim by Google AI, in conjunction with NASA, that it had managed to perform a quantum computation infeasible on a conventional computer. While many have eagerly anticipated the new vistas that could open with the arrival of quantum computing, cryptographers and security experts have not generally shared that enthusiasm since one of the most anticipated quantum advantages comes in integer factorization, which is critical to RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman)-based security. Also, as far back as 1994, MIT mathematician Peter Shor developed a quantum algorithm capable of solving the discrete logarithm problem central to Diffie-Hellman key exchange and elliptic curve cryptography. Now that it seems quantum-computing capabilities could become commercially available within the next decade or two--likely in the form of cloud-based services--security professionals have turned with an intensified sense of urgency to the challenge of how to respond to the threat of quantum-powered attacks. One domain where this is particularly true is in the automotive industry, where cars now coming off assembly lines are sometimes referred to as "rolling datacenters" in acknowledgment of all the entertainment and communications capabilities they contain. The fact that autonomous driving systems are also well along in development does nothing to allay these concerns. Indeed, it would seem the stakes of automobile cybersecurity are about to become immeasurably higher just as some of the underpinnings of contemporary cybersecurity are rendered moot. To explore the implications of this in the discussion that follows, acmqueue brought together some of the people who are already working to build a new trust environment for the automotive industry: Alexander Truskovsky, director of technical strategy at ISARA Corporation, where efforts are being made to develop quantum-safe cryptographic roots of trust; Mike Gardiner, a solutions architect at Thales who has been central to efforts to tailor quantum-safe protections for the automotive industry; Atefeh Mashatan, director of the Cyber-security Research Lab at Ryerson University; and George Neville-Neil, director of Engineering Operational Security at JUUL Labs, who is better known to many as Kode Vicious. ATEFEH MASHATAN: What do you see as your greatest concerns when it comes to quantum vulnerability in the automobile industry? MICHAEL GARDINER: One of the big concerns has to do with over-the-air software updates for smart cars--like a Tesla, for example--where somebody with a quantum computer could potentially issue malicious firmware while creating the illusion it comes from the manufacturer.

For a century, the automobile was a system of interoperating mechanics: engine, transmission, drive shaft, brakes, etc. As those mechanics evolved, electronic sensors and processors were brought in to assist them, but the concepts changed little. The result was cars with dozens or hundreds of specialized microchips that didn't talk to each other. Now that auto makers are moving to electric motors, elaborate entertainment systems and adaptive cruise control, cars need central computers to control all these things--why not use them to control everything? At the hardware level, this might just mean fewer chips handling more of a car's functions. Yet it has profound implications for what future cars will be capable of, how car makers will make money, and who will survive--and thrive--in what could soon be a global automotive industry made unrecognizable to us today.

Today, the world is all about industry 4.0 and the technologies brought in by it. From Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Big Data Analytics, all technologies are transforming one or the other industries in some ways. AI-powered Cognitive Computing is one such technology that provides high scale automation with ubiquitous connectivity. More so, it is redefining how IoT technology operates. The need for Cognitive computing in the IoT emerges from the significance of information in present-day business.

LG is throwing its resources behind developing a new breed of AI assistants that can be used to control aspects of cars. The Korean tech company said it has partnered with AI company Cerence to make an AI voice-assistant that is capable of being used to control various aspects of car's entertainment system, navigation, calling and more. That AI assistant, once completed, will eventually be integrated into the company's webOS software that, similarly to Apple CarPlay, powers computers inside vehicles. LG is planning on leasing its AI assistant out to auto manufacturers in search of an added dose of technology in their vehicles. The company's decision to enter the ring on developing an in-car voice assistant comes at a time when other major auto-manufacturers have also announced their intention to create similar products.

The consumer electronics industry has been an inevitable segment of our lives. This is inclusive of smartphones, games consoles, cameras, entertainment system, car accessories, etc. The application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in this industry opens up many growth avenues and opportunities. For attracting the ever-evolving customers, manufacturers are adopting the latest groundbreaking technologies. Here are few notable AI trends that are reinventing the consumer electronics segment.

The Amazon Echo can contribute to our lives unlike any other technology before. It's a smart speaker that will follow your commands, answer your queries, and do so much more. However, Alexa's "skills" are what can make the system truly useful. They are like apps for the Echo, which allow you to customize your experience and add extra functionality. There are more than 25,000 skills available today, so it made sense for us to cherry-pick the best of them.

United, Delta and American Airlines are taking steps to cover cameras on seat backs after the practice sparked a privacy backlash. Many consumers were outraged when they learned of the controversial cameras embedded within the entertainment systems of plane seats. It even sparked an inquiry from two US senators who demanded to know what the cameras were being used for and if they were recording unsuspecting passengers. Delta, United and American Airlines are covering the cameras on seat backs after recent criticisms around privacy. Now, the airlines say they intend to cover up the cameras in response to recent criticism.

Today, so-called smart homes and IoT devices can make life easier, if you know how to use them. In short, just about every electronic device in your home can take orders from you and coordinate with others. You can make yours into a smart home like George and Judy Jetson's while keeping you safe using these gadgets. But, it helps to understand what IoT and smart devices are. Now, IoT and smart devices get used for creating smart home environments once only possible on television or in movies.

Roku's (NASDAQ:ROKU) pivot from streaming-device maker to advertising platform provider may have people forgetting that it is still the leading hardware company in the space and that it has no intention of abandoning the business. This article originally appeared in the Motley Fool. New data from research firm Parks Associates shows Roku still commands an industry leading 37 percent of the streaming-device market. Meanwhile, Amazon.com has padded its lead over a fading Google, with 28 percent of consumers using a Fire TV device compared to 14 percent who use a Chromecast. Apple has now moved into third place with a 15 percent share for its Apple TV box.