Amazon Go - New Brick & Mortar for the Information Age

Here we go.

Mobile first, mobile only.  Yes?  You bet.

You have to have a smart phone with you, the Amazon Go mobile app installed, to even get in the store.  No checkout, no lines, just grab and go.

The future of retail?

Some folks thought there was no end to the Amazon eCommerce model.  Nope.  They have limitations just like anyone, but those of us who thought a simple, traditional retail version of Amazon was the answer were quite likely wrong.  Amazon recognizes they need physical stores just like everyone, but they have no desire to put in place the same style of physical store as everyone else.

Check it out.

Here is the official Amazon entry for this, worth watching the video just to get a good view at what they are up to:

https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=16008589011

Here is one attempt to get inside the store:

http://arstechnica.com/business/2016/12/trying-and-failing-to-sneak-into-amazons-skynet-take-on-grocery-shopping/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Amazon's foray into the world of brick-and-mortar grocery shopping has been all but confirmed for nearly a year thanks to leaks such as spotted permit applications. The rumor became reality on Monday with the announcement of Amazon Go, an experiment in grocery shopping that removes the clerks.

This is not just another idle announcement, either: the company's pilot store is now open for business. It's attached to one of Amazon's headquarter buildings in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood and is already stocked with food options (and a giant staff of cooks and food preparers). There's just one catch—only full-time "blue badge" Amazon staffers can get in right now.

Never one to take "no" for an answer, I grabbed a camera and walked up to the front door...

More?

The MorningNewsBeat guy has it covered well as usual:

http://www.morningnewsbeat.com/News/Detail/50915/2016-12-06/

Wondering where all of the middle-class jobs are going in the United States?  Blame tech.  Notice, there isn't anyone actually working at this store, really, is there?

Oh, do you think every executive at every Supermarket chain in the world is taking notice of this?  You bet.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

USB Killer

Find a random thumb drive, USB storage device, plug it in to your laptop to see what is on it, your laptop gets fried.

Yeap.

Physical attacks through physical security hacks.  Pretty interesting and these are being mass produced for a few bucks.

Rule: Don't pick up USB drives you find lying around and never plug one in to a device you care about unless you know it or the owner.

Here is a quick note on this:

https://hardware.slashdot.org//the-usb-kille

Here is the original story on Ars:

http://arstechnica.co.uk/security/2015/10/usb-killer-flash-drive-can-fry-your-computers-innards-in-seconds/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant