Tag: Digital

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Tech Tuesday

Future of Photography…

Recently I was talking to someone about how I loved Kodak.

When I started there as a graduate, they really immersed you into the world of photography, with courses, training and even had me in those dark rooms developing photos! It was a great experience. Really improved my photography skills.

But there’s no ‘developing of film’ any more… it’s all digital. But it became all digital about 20 years ago! We’ve had digital cameras for a long time now… which got me wondering, what is the future of photography?

1. Digital Sensors: The Heart of Modern Photography

The shift from film to digital was one of the most significant moments in the history of photography. Central to this change was the development of digital image sensors that replaced traditional film. These sensors, which convert light into electronic signals, allow for high-quality images with the flexibility of immediate review and digital manipulation.

Full-Frame and Mirrorless Sensors

Modern digital cameras, especially mirrorless systems like the Sony Alpha series and Canon EOS R, use advanced full-frame sensors that capture more detail, dynamic range, and color accuracy than ever before. These sensors have become the gold standard for professional photographers, enabling them to shoot in low light, freeze fast-moving subjects, and produce ultra-high-resolution images.

Mirrorless cameras, in particular, have taken over DSLR cameras due to their smaller form factor, faster performance, and reduced complexity (no mirror system). This makes them more portable and efficient without sacrificing image quality, something that has opened up new possibilities for photographers on the go.

High ISO Performance

One major advancement in sensor technology is improved high ISO performance, which allows photographers to shoot in darker conditions without sacrificing image quality. This is essential for photographers who work in challenging lighting environments, like wedding photographers or concert photographers, where light levels may fluctuate.

2. Autofocus and Image Stabilization

Autofocus (AF) and image stabilization (IS) have been game-changers in the field of photography, especially for those who need to capture sharp images under challenging conditions.

Advanced Autofocus Systems

Today’s autofocus systems are faster and more accurate than ever before, thanks to innovations like phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and contrast-detection autofocus (CDAF). Cameras like the Canon EOS R5 and Sony A7R IV offer sophisticated AF systems with eye-tracking and subject tracking that lock focus onto a subject’s eyes, even in a crowd or when they’re moving.

This has significantly improved portrait photography, wildlife photography, and sports photography, where precise focus is crucial for capturing sharp, dynamic shots. The combination of machine learning and AI algorithms also allows cameras to better understand the scene and prioritize important subjects for sharp focus.

In-Body Image Stabilization

In-body image stabilization (IBIS) is another breakthrough technology that stabilizes the image within the camera body itself, reducing blur caused by hand shake. This is a huge advantage for photographers who prefer shooting handheld, especially in low light or with long lenses. IBIS allows for slower shutter speeds without compromising sharpness, which is a huge boon for landscape and night photographers.

3. Software and Editing Tools: From RAW to AI-Driven Edits

The role of software in modern photography cannot be overstated. While cameras capture raw data, post-processing tools like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop are where the magic happens. These tools allow photographers to fine-tune their images, enhance colors, correct exposure, and even remove imperfections. However, the rise of AI-powered editing tools has taken photo manipulation to a whole new level.

AI and Machine Learning in Photography

One of the most exciting developments in photography software is the incorporation of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. These technologies enable software to make intelligent suggestions and edits, streamlining the editing process. For example:

  • Sky Replacement: AI tools like Adobe’s Sky Replacement feature can automatically detect the sky in an image and replace it with a more dramatic or suitable sky without requiring intricate masking.
  • Content-Aware Fill: Photoshop’s Content-Aware Fill allows you to remove unwanted objects from an image seamlessly by filling in the area with surrounding pixels.
  • Portrait Enhancements: AI tools can detect and enhance facial features, such as brightening eyes, smoothing skin, and adjusting lighting on a face to create the perfect portrait with minimal effort.

4. Drones: A New Perspective on Photography

Drones have opened up a whole new world for photographers, offering a bird’s-eye view of landscapes, architecture, and even events. With the ability to fly and capture images from angles and perspectives that were once impossible, drones have revolutionized aerial photography and videography.

Advanced Stabilization and Imaging

Today’s drones are equipped with advanced cameras and 3-axis gimbals that offer smooth, stable footage, even in windy conditions. High-end drones like the DJI Mavic 3 or the Autel EVO II Pro come with large sensors capable of shooting in 4K or even 6K resolution, allowing for stunning aerial photos and videos.

Automated Flight Modes

Drones now also feature automated flight modes, such as follow me, waypoints, and orbit mode, which allow for complex shots to be executed with ease. These innovations have made aerial photography more accessible to both professional filmmakers and hobbyists alike.

5. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

Virtual reality and augmented reality are beginning to make waves in the photography industry, offering new ways for photographers to interact with their images and for audiences to experience photographs in immersive environments.

VR Photography

360-degree cameras like the Insta360 ONE X2 and GoPro Max allow photographers to capture the entire environment around them, creating fully immersive images that can be explored in virtual reality headsets. These types of images are increasingly used in virtual tourism, real estate, and even interactive storytelling.

AR Editing and Viewing

Augmented reality has also found its place in the world of photography. Some apps and tools now allow users to view photos through their phones or AR glasses in real time, giving them the ability to visualize how a shot might look in a certain location or with specific edits before snapping the photo.

6. Cloud Storage and Photo Sharing

Finally, technology has also changed the way photographers store and share their images. Cloud storage services like Google Photos, Dropbox, and Adobe Creative Cloud have made it easier to store massive amounts of photo data, share portfolios with clients, and access images from anywhere in the world.

The ability to sync photos across multiple devices and collaborate with teams in real time has streamlined workflows for both professional photographers and hobbyists alike. Additionally, social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and 500px have revolutionized the way photographers showcase their work and reach global audiences.

Personally, I use Google to store my photos. I’ve done so for many years… In fact, there used to be a photo storing app, which I used.. and then got bought out by Google and became Google Photos.

Conclusion: The Future of Photography

Technology has undoubtedly transformed the photography industry, making it easier, faster, and more creative. From high-quality digital sensors and autofocus systems to the integration of AI and VR, the possibilities for photographers today are endless. The combination of innovative tools and advanced software has empowered photographers to push the boundaries of creativity and storytelling, allowing them to capture moments in ways that were once thought impossible.

As we look ahead, it’s clear that the future of photography will continue to be shaped by advancements in technology, offering even more opportunities for both amateurs and professionals to experiment, create, and connect. The world of photography is more exciting than ever, and with the constant evolution of tools and techniques, the best is yet to come…. and that’s from someone who used to spend hours in a dark room developing film!

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Bal's Friday Thought

Bal’s Friday Thought…

Chapter 3 People!

And this was a really good one…

Now… it’s not rocket science.

If you want to make it in life – you’ve got to work hard.

What comes easy…. goes easy. But when you work super hard for something, you know it’s going to stay with you.

Before I joined the graduate programme for Kodak – I received some really good advice. It was…’make as many mistakes as you can when you’re young because a) people will forgive you and b) you’ll learn. When you’re older… people aren’t as forgiving’.

Awesome advice.

And I made a fair few mistakes – but most importantly, learnt from them. But you’ll only make those mistakes if you’re working. In the book, Arnold talks about working your ass off.

How many of us can seriously say we work super hard on particular topics and subjects?

I remember… when I was at Coca-Cola, I did a Kaizen activity (if you don’t know what that is – I’ll let you google it). It was a week long event, we had people fly in from all over Europe, USA, etc… The preperation was intense, the Kaizen week was even more intense… and then post event, there were so many actions. I remember leaving home super early to get to the office that week and then coming home really late every day. Everyone used to work from home on Friday – but there I was, with one or two others, and the cleaners late Friday typing up notes and sorting out the flipcharts and post-it notes. I worked my ass off for that Kaizen event… and it paid dividends. The senior leadership noticed, It was in the newsletter… but more importantly, we saved something like 80 hours of processing time, halved the number of process errors, etc… It was a huge win!

It really is about working your ass off to be the best. To be really good at what you enjoy. What you do and more importantly, when you are working your ass off on something you enjoy – it’s fun! That late Friday in the office, I was enjoying it! Myself along with the other two folk (and the cleaners) had some music going in the office, and we were enjoying it!

In the book… Arnold talks about 24 hours. I use this alot also when people ask me, how do you find the time to do everything.

You have 24 hours in a day

Let’s say you work for 8. And then, you may sleep for 8. That leaves you with 8 hours.

Now, for example… you’ve got to commute to work, you may spend time with family, eating etc… (Arnold breaks this alot better in the book than what I have in this blog)… so let’s say, all that takes about 4 hours.

You’re left with 4 hours free a day. Let’s put 2 hours aside for catching up on things, traffic perhaps, and other stuff which you may not account for.

In a day – you can easily have, around 2 hours free. What are you doing with those 2 hours?

Most are mindlessly scrolling through social media. Facebook. Instagram. Twitter. Check your screen time on your phone. How much time in a day or week do you spend doing that.

Be more productive.

So today’s thought is… work your ass off. Seriously, work hard and achieve something special. Those 2 hours a day, you could easily start going to the gym and improve your health. You could even just walk for an hour a day – imagine the health benefits of that. You could start a new hobby… Anything. Just pick something, for which you have passion for and work your ass off.

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Shopping

Oh Crumbs!

Recently, you might have noticed, a few of our nations favourite retailers have had ‘tech’ problems and had to shut!

McDonalds, Tesco and Sainsburys all had card payment outages…and then this week gone, on Tuesday, Greggs had to shut!

We have moved to a cashless society… and to be honest, that’s ok. However, we need the systems that support this to ensure they’re reliable, secure and most importantly… available for us to purchase our steak bakes from Greggs!

In 2022, card payments made up 90% of retail spending and racked up £1.3 billion in vendor processing fees, according to the British Retail Consortium.

Adam Pilton, a cyber security consultant at CyberSmart, said the IT outages “should act as a reminder to us in our personal lives and within our business lives of the dependence we place upon technology”.

There is no evidence the technical problems in recent days were caused by cyber attacks – McDonald’s said its global outage was caused by a “third-party provider”.

“One of the key takeaways will be to review the robust back-up systems these retailers have got in place,” said Jenni Matthews, head of marketing and insights at MRI Software.

She added that many people no longer use cash and rely on contactless payments for day-to-day shopping.

“We’re in a day and age where we rely on technology so heavily,” she said.

Whilst all this was going on – I was on my way to the dentist the morning that Greggs was shut… and I thought this needs a tweet…

…and off course, the BBC picked up in my tweet –

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68614636

But it wasn’t long before Greggs tweeted…

It’s reminder, how much we use technology… that we should always ensure that a) we’re using it correctly and securely, b) checking that sites and payment methods are secure and finally c) that you do some due diligence on what you’re using and where – for example, do you have old credit cards stored with some retailers, or have you checked your passwords recently and updated them? (Google passwords offer a service where they advice you that a particular password of yours might have been involved in a leak, or used too many times across different platforms, etc…).

So whilst we can all get our sausage rolls again… yes, for the vegans out there, they too are again available…. stay secure.

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Uncategorized

Start of the End for the Post Office

Following on from the lasat blog post aboutt the Post Office. There’s two parts I wanted to look at… one being, is it really what we need moving forward and secondly, the human cost element.

Today, I’ll focus on the tech side of things.

Bal, what do you mean the tech side of things? – we know it was Horizons.

Yes… we know that the system was at fault. I won’t necessarily go into what could’ve happened and what could’ve been done. But let’s look to the future in the sense, do we still need the Post Office?

The Post Office has seen a downward trend for a while. People not posting letters (rather more folks are emailing), other parcel companies doing a slightly better job and most of all… what is it that we really need from the post office?

Yes, some of the older folks will post christmas & birthday cards to loved ones.

Yes, some folks need the post office to send off letters such as passport renewals etc.. under ‘recorded delivery’.

Yes, some folk need the post office to pick up some stationary, envelopes, etc…

But… looking at the next generation and some of the younger folk – do they send cards or is it all e-cards these days? – but moreso, meeting up. They’d rather go to the person, spend some time with them then return – plenty of statistics show since covid, people want to spend time with loved ones.

To be fair, the gov.uk site is good and clear. Easy to renew your passport online – along with other official documents.

Let’s be honest… when was the last time you bought an envelope or some stationary from a shop? (If I was to guess, it’s probably Amazon!)

So then the question remains… do we actually need the post office?

The Royal Mail will come to your house to pick up any letters (or parcels) you need posting.

Then let’s look at the post office employees… there’s been a downward trend since 2014

Let’s combine everything together…

  1. Decrease (significantly) in the number of employees – some of which were most probably due to the Horizons scandal
  2. Increase in services that the post office offer which are now available directly to your home
  3. Technology has highlighted the fact that most processes (passport renewals etc..) can be easily done on-line

So the question is, do we really need the post office?

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Week in Review

Sunday (Tech) Summary

I thought this morning – there’s alot going on in the world of Technology and I haven’t had the opportunity for a while to share with you all what’s going on, how it’s all going… and most importantly, which bit of tech that really matters to you! So here we go…

First up, the new iPhone 15

Now, there’s been alot of hype over the iPhone 15 but in all honesty, I’m not seeing the huge leap that I was expecting.

Yes, it’s got a quicker processor.

Yes, the camera technology has improved.

Yes, the operating has some new cool features.

Yes, the charging port has changed to USB C.

Yes, it’s the new iPhone with an improved dynamic island user interface.

But should you upgrade?

Well, depends what you have now. The camera tech, to be fair has improved considerably. So if you’re rocking an 11 or 12, then yes! I would say definitely upgrade. If you’ve got a 13 or 14… depends if you need the speed (new processor makes it faster than before) and images (if you want a much better camera) then yes, upgrade. If you’re on the fence on these items… then you could wait or think about what other tech you could get.

Next up, what if you’ve got a Samsung?

The new Samsung Galaxy S23 has been accidently leaked in an image.

The leak comes from an image posted on the Galaxy Buds FE page found on Samsung Argentina’s website. Eagled-eyed Samsung watchers have spotted the date of Wednesday, October 4th in the notifications bar of the Tab S9 FE

Unfortunately, I don’t know much more at this time… but will share more as and when there’s more information shared. But for the Samsungers amongst us, this would be interesting for sure…

And finally, (not phone related)… AI Alexa!

Amazon has announced plans to incorporate Generative AI into its Alexa digital assistant.

Alexa is arguably the most popular virtual assistant. Still, like Siri, it uses natural language processing (NLP), a branch of AI that helps systems understand and naturally respond to human speech. However, these assistants are limited and trained to respond to patterns with pre-determined scripts or replies that need to be processed. That is, until now.

Currently, Alexa can recite a bedtime story for your kids. With the addition of Gen AI, Alexa would be able to produce unique stories each time, complete with your kids’ names for the characters and genres.

Essentially, generative AI would make Alexa smarter. This also means that Alexa would be able to answer open-ended questions without resorting to an internet search or an “Alexa answers contributor”.

Personally, I think that’s quite awesome – but also scary on the other hand because what you feed into GenAI helps it build it’s knowledge so becareful with any sensitive information you may be talking about!

So that’s a wrap folks! A quick Sunday (Tech) Summary of a few tech bits from the past week or so.

I’ll share some more in a few weeks… And like always, if you have any questions, you can always reach out to me on my socials or via this blog!

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Uncategorized

Holiday Monday

Well, it sure has been a while! – I know… apologies. It’s just, it’s been super busy recently and I haven’t been able to dedicate the time I’d like to my blog. I’ve made a promise to myself (after a few people asked me why I’m not blogging anymore) that I will blog more.

Bal, where have you been and what you been doing?

Well… I was over in Nashville, USA for a week for the first week of May, then I was at the Gartner conference (in London) for a few days. And I’m not sure if this is a reason or not, but my Nottingham Forest needed a huge win against the table topping (until Man City took over), Arsenal… and Forest being Forest, beat them – which meant they’re in the English Premiership for another season!

So now I’ve a little more relaxed, I’ll be on BBC Radio Nottingham next Sunday (June 4th) at around 6.30pm (but look out on my socials for the exact time) to talk about Tech! – that’s right, back to my, every two months’, BBC Radio interview where I’m asked what’s the latest and what’s happening.

Whilst there’s so much going on… honestly, everything from AI (ChatGPT) – if you’ve not heard about that, I’ll blog about it very soon! to all things robots and how the world is going to be taken over by bots!

However, what’s even more important than all that is what Mr Musk is up to…

Elon Musk’s brain-chip firm says it has received approval from the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to conduct its first tests on humans.

The Neuralink implant company wants to help restore vision and mobility to people by linking brains to computers.

It says it does not have immediate plans to start recruiting participants. Mr Musk’s previous ambitions to begin tests came to nothing.

So what is Neuralink, Bal?

Neuralink hopes to use its microchips to treat conditions such as paralysis and blindness, and to help certain disabled people use computers and mobile technology.

The chips – which have been tested in monkeys – are designed to interpret signals produced in the brain and relay information to devices via Bluetooth. Experts have cautioned that Neuralink’s brain implants will require extensive testing to overcome technical and ethical challenges if they are to become widely available.

So whilst the reasons makes sense… the question is, what also will these chips do and once we all have them in our brain!

Now its website promises that “safety, accessibility and reliability” are all priorities during its engineering process. Its initial aim was to start planting chips in human brains in 2020, in order to honour a pledge made the year before. It later vowed to get started in 2022 – so safe to say there’s been delays, but it’s definitely coming!

So I’ll wrap it up today with the question… would you have a microchip in your brain?

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Uncategorized

2023 Technology Trends

Happy New Year!

So… what’s big for 2023?

Well… technically, there’s nothing ‘big’ for 2023 – but alot of progress and enhancements of what is already out there.

I thought I’d share my Top Five Big Things for 2023!

  1. Artifical Intelligence (AI) Everywhere
    • Spoken about AI before but in 2023, it’s going to take a major leap. Why is that? – because it will become real in organizations. No-code AI, with its easy drag-and-drop interfaces, will enable any business to leverage its power to create more intelligent products and services.
    • AI will also augment nearly every job in every business process across industries. More retailers will use AI to manage and automate the complex inventory management processes that happen behind the scenes, so convenience trends like buy-online-pickup-at-curbside (BOPAC), buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS), and buy-online-return-in-store (BORIS), will become standard.
    • AI will also be the engine behind the newest autonomous delivery initiatives that retailers are piloting and rolling out, and more and more retail workers will need to get used to working alongside machines to do their jobs.
  2. Digital and Physical Worlds coming closer
    • We’re already seeing an emerging bridge between the digital and physical worlds, and this trend will continue in 2023. There are two components of this merger: digital twin technology and 3D printing.
    • Digital twins are virtual simulations of real-world processes, operations, or products that can be used to test new ideas in a safe digital environment. Designers and engineers are using digital twins to recreate physical objects inside virtual worlds, so they can test under every conceivable condition without the high costs of real-life experiments. In 2023, we’ll see even more digital twins, from factories to machinery to cars to precision healthcare.
    • After testing in the virtual world, engineers can tweak and edit components, then create them in the real world using 3D printing technology.
    • For example, Formula 1 teams currently collect data transmitted from sensors during races, as well as race track temperatures and weather conditions, to see how cars change during races. Then they stream the data from the sensors to digital twins of the engines and car components and run scenarios to make design changes on the fly. The teams then 3D print car parts based on the results of their testing.
  3. Green Technology
    • One of the biggest challenges the world is facing right now is putting the brakes on our carbon emissions so we can tackle the climate crisis.
    • In 2023, look for continued progress around green hydrogen, a new clean-burning source of energy that produces close to zero greenhouse gas emissions. Shell and RWE, two major European energy companies, are creating the first major green pipeline from wind plants in the North Sea.
  4. Robots more Human-like
    • In 2023, robots will become even more like humans — in appearance and capability. These types of robots will be used in the real world as event greeters, bartenders, concierges, and companions for older adults. They’ll also perform complex tasks in warehouses and factories as they work alongside humans in manufacturing and logistics.
    • One company is working hard to create a human-like robot that will work in our homes. At Tesla AI Day in September 2022, Elon Musk revealed two Optimus humanoid robot prototypes, and said the company would be ready to take orders within the next 3 to 5 years. The robot can perform simple tasks like lifting items and watering plants — so perhaps soon we’ll be able to have “robot butlers” that help around in the house.
  5. Sustainable Technology
    • Finally, we’ll see a push toward more sustainable technology in 2023. Many (if not most) of us are addicted to technology like our smartphones, tablets, and computers — but where are the components coming from to manufacture our favorite gadgets? People will be thinking more about where rare earth components for things like computer chips originate and how we’re consuming them.
    • And moreso, where can we use/upgrade/renew technology to further it’s life. Even the Head of Sustainability at BMW said we should look at using older cars – and have a mechanism in place to update and renew parts quickly and cost effectively.

So there you go – my Top Five.

Any things you’re thinking that in 2023 will hit us from a Technology perspective?

Off course… I left out some obvious items, such as what Elon is doing over at Twitter and a few other items because they’re more specific and all depends how much some of these billionaires throw at their projects.

For me – Point 5, sustainability is key. That’s the most important one. And in one of my up and coming blogs – I’ll talk about repair cafe’s that are popping up, and ways to be more concious about the environment when it comes to tech.

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Uncategorized

New for Christmas…

It’s literally around the corner. And I’ll soon be on the local BBC Radio station talking about the latest and great gadgets and technology items you can buy to put under the tree.

That’s right. Christmas presents. What should you buy!

Whilst I could roll a list of great things you could buy – I thought I’d take the opportunity to share what you should watch out for in case you’re thinking of getting some of the ‘top’ items.

What do I mean by ‘top’? – well, phones, tablets, etc… you know, the usual, high-use, highly desirable…. Products.

So up first, the iPhone 14.

No… the iPhone 14… is facing some delays!

That’s because, looks like, everyone wants one. (Mainly for those on iPhone 7 and 8’s who want to upgrade).

So, if you’re looking for an iPhone this christmas – start researching now and get your orders in as soon as possible!

Now… rather than going all brand new on an iPhone 14… I would also suggest, there’s some good deals on the iPhone 13 and 12! (Just saying – might be worth looking at them also).

The other item I’ve heard that could potentially run low in the run up to Christmas is the Air-Fryer


Why the air fryer?

Because a) it helps keep the cost of electricity down, b) you can do so much with it… literally replaces a number of items in your kitchen and c) they’re really quick!

That’s why, many people are rushing to buy them. And whilst there’s various makes and models out there – the popular ones, may have limited stock due to it’s popularity.

I’ve got one. And fully recommend it. They’re absolutely brilliant.

I will share what you should consider buying for Christmas, but that’ll be in future blog posts – and I’ll share on my social media when I’ll be on local radio sharing more about the latest technology and what you should be considering.

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Old Tech

What you have Vs What you (actually) use

I’m sat at my dining table this Sunday morning. It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog post, and after a busy summer… and after a few busy weeks talking to people about tech and some of the headwinds approaching – thought it’d be appropriate to share my thoughts.

Everything is getting expensive. We know this. Prices of essentials (food, energy, etc…) are increasing. With this in mind, it’s good to do a review of your technology landscape.

What devices do you have/own – and what do you use.

Now, usually… we’d have our phone, maybe a tablet (iPad or an Android version), and some more. It’s that ‘some more’ that we need to focus on. Do we have old phones in the drawer that we don’t use?

Now would be a good time to have a clear out.

But remember… delete and reset the device! The last thing you want is something else having your information and data. Delete your profiles and information… then reset the device. Hard reset. Delete the device (factory reset) if you have the option.

The reason to have a look at what you own and what you use is because, devices have evolved so much – that one or two devices will do what several used to do.

I know this was rapidly increased a while back – but even today, some of our phones and devices are so good and have so much built in, it makes you think… do I need anything else?

We’ll see more of the above.

In fact, we’re seeing it now. New cars can be controlled from your phone. Home heating systems can be controlled from your phone.

What else do you think can be done from your from today (or in the next few years?)

So when you have the opportunity, summarise what you own and what you use. Then start to clear out. Sell devices or items you don’t use any more – invest that money you get to upgrade or have something newer that will last you a few extra years.

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Week in Review

Week 45… 2021!

In the middle of November and someone told me, Christmas is nearly upon us!! Wow… have to admit, this year has gone super quick!

Not to dribble on about what’s been happening this year for me (I’ll save that for another day), but here’s my Top Two Tech Stories from this Week!

  1. First up… AI in Greece!!

Ancient Olympia is to be digitally preserved, in a new deal between the Greek government and Microsoft.

The collaboration uses artificial intelligence to map the site, and augmented reality to help restore the original home of the Olympic Games.

It will allow viewers to explore the area as it stood more than 2,000 years ago.

Microsoft has ambitions to rival Facebook with its own plans for the so-called metaverse.

It recently announced Microsoft Teams metaverse for meetings and is keen to transform Minecraft and other games it owns into more immersive 3D worlds.

Its tie-up with the Greek government means people can tour the site remotely or in person with an augmented-reality mobile app. At the Olympic Museum in Athens they can use HoloLens headsets to overlay a digital version of the site.

Microsoft’s augmented reality smart glasses HoloLens use multiple sensors, advanced optics, and holograms, to display information, blend with the real world or simulate a virtual world.

Among the 27 monuments to be preserved are the original Olympic Stadium, the temples of Zeus and Hera, and the workshop of the renowned sculptor Phidias.

The buildings are as close as possible to their original forms and include historical timelines of the site’s changes over time, and depictions of artefacts from each period.

Through its AI for Cultural Heritage initiative, Microsoft partnered technology company Iconem, which specializes in digitising historic sites in 3D.

Using on-the-ground cameras and drones to take hundreds of thousands of images of the site, Microsoft AI then processed the pictures to create models.

AI being used to view Olympia

“The cultural implications of this technology are endless. For the first time, visitors from around the world can virtually visit the birthplace of democracy, the ancient site of Olympia, and experience history first hand,” said the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Brad Smith, the president of Microsoft said: “The project to digitally preserve Ancient Olympia is a stunning achievement in cultural heritage, bringing together humanity and cutting-edge technology to benefit the world, and empower coming generations with new ways to explore our past.”

2. Up next… Beware and watch out for those scams!

A grandfather has told of how he lost money saved for Christmas presents after his family were duped by fraudsters on WhatsApp.

The 75-year-old, who wished to remain anonymous, said they had been tricked by criminals posing as his grand-daughter on the messaging service.

He transferred £1,550 to the con-artists, for an emergency medical bill that was a fake.

WhatsApp and trading standards officers are warning others of the scam.

Fraudsters posing as the young student sent a message to her father, saying she had a case of haemorrhoids that she was embarrassed to talk about.

Subsequent messages suggested that she needed money for private medical care and asked for the money to be transferred directly.

The correct spelling of her unusual name helped convince the family it was genuine, and her grandfather agreed to pay the supposed bill.

Attempts to contact her directly failed, as the calls went straight to an answerphone.

Only after the money was paid did they get through to her, and realised they had been tricked.

“You feel such a fool,” her grandfather said. “I was angry that I was able to be duped.

“You get used to these scam calls, but they are getting quite clever. I used to run my own business, so if they can fool people like me, a lot of very vulnerable people will be in trouble.”

He is trying to get the money refunded from his bank, but so far they have said their fraud checks were sufficient and have refused to reimburse him.

Surveys have suggested that 59% of those asked had received a message-based scam attempt in the last year.

Younger age groups, who were more likely to text than call, were said to be more exposed to these kinds of scams.

So stay careful – and if it doesn’t seem to be right, or if you haven’t spoken to the person – double/triple check, what you’re doing is the right thing.

There you go… my Top Two Tech Stories of the week…. AI is preserving Ancient Olympia and Whatsapp Scams getting more clever!