The software industry grew at twice the pace of overall U.S. employment, according to a recent report from research organization Software.org and The Economist Intelligence Unit. From 2016 to 2018, jobs in the industry grew by 7.3%, more than doubling the country's employment growth rate of 3%. Software companies indirectly support 14.4 million jobs, and directly employ another 3.1 million people, according to the study, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The expanding sector pumped $1.6 trillion into the U.S. value-added GDP last year. Since 2016, the industry expanded by 19%. (Read Software.org Release, 9/19/19)

Cyberattacks are now considered by most executives to be the top business concern, far outranking economic uncertainty, brand damage, and regulation, according to a survey by Microsoft and insurance consultancy Marsh. In 2017, Marsh and Microsoft found that 62% of respondents saw cyberattacks as a top-five risk, whereas this year 79% do. The share of respondents who see cyberattacks as the number one risk has also risen from 6% to 22% over two years. This year, the second most widely considered top-five risk is economic uncertainty, followed by brand damage, regulation, and loss of key personnel. (Read Article: ZDNet, 9/19/19)

The Wi-Fi Alliance, which oversees implementation of the Wi-Fi standard, recently launched its official Wi-Fi 6 certification program, meaning tech companies will soon be able to advertise their products - mostly new ones - as certified to properly support Wi-Fi 6. Wi-Fi 6 includes new technologies that combine together to make Wi-Fi more efficient - particularly important because of just how many devices we all have these days; it's not unusual for a family to have a dozen or more gadgets all connected to a Wi-Fi network at once. Wi-Fi 6 boosts speeds within a crowded network. (Read Article: The Verge, 9/16/19)

Users will see a substantial boost in USB connection speed as laptops and other devices begin incorporating the newly completed USB4 specification. While most users currently have USB versions that work at no more than 10 gigabits per second, the USB4 standard will bring the speed up to 40 Gbps, which will be especially useful for powering multiple external displays and transferring files from external drives. (Read Article: CNET, 9/3/19)

Hitachi has announced a first-of-its-kind biometric technology that allows users to unlock their computer by simply raising their hand. The biometric finger vein scanning technology aims to offer a faster way of logging in without passwords. For businesses, the cost of managing passwords is significant - Gartner1 estimates that 40% of all contact volume for IT service desks is password-related, significantly driving up costs. (Read Article: Netimperative, 9/11/19)

The emergence of artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, and cryptocurrency is changing how money moves between people and organizations - creating a new industry: financial technology, or fintech. And colleges are being asked to create new curriculum as employers seek hires with these specific skill sets. (Read Article: CIO Dive, 9/19/19)

Google recently introduced a group of open-source software tools that focuses on differential privacy - a concept that sets limits on how much you can learn about specific people in big data sets. Google has built many of its own data-analysis products on top of the tools, and the company envisions everyone from academics to large tech companies using the suite of software programs. (Read Article: CNET, 9/5/19)

Walmart has been rolling out robots that roam around store aisles alongside customers, launching in 50 stores in 2017 and rolling out to 350 in 2019. These bots are designed to scan shelves looking for items that are out of stock, eliminating a time-intensive chore that human workers no longer have to do - though workers still have to refill the shelves when the robot finds a missing product. It's also turned Walmart into a test bed for robot-human interaction. . . The last time that humans had to readjust to having machines in their space was when the automobile infiltrated the roads at the turn of the century. It's a remarkable echo of what's happening now with robots being introduced in public spaces. (Read Article: Fast Company, 8/29/19)

The Wireless Power Consortium has named its new wireless power standard for kitchen appliances Ki (pronounced key). WPC says it will be the standard for "interoperable, safe, wirelessly powered kitchen devices." Ki works a lot like wireless charging for phones. Transmitters are placed underneath the countertop, so any compatible appliances placed on top will receive up to 2.2kW of power. Ki uses an array of sensors so it will know when non-compatible items (like keys, phones, or your hand) are placed on top of the countertop and will not transmit power. This means you can use the countertop for everyday use without fear of shock or of other items overheating. (Read Article: Digital Trends, 9/3/19)

Cited as the most connected events arena, the Golden 1 Center (home of the NBA's Sacramento Kings) is showing how it's possible to digitize a sports stadium atmosphere and change the way fans experience the event. From entry to exit, fans have the chance to bring up live data interactions covering everything from digital agendas, facts on players, and ordering refreshments and merchandise to their seat. Gamification also plays a major role – using AR software overlaid on the actual court, spectators can host their own mini-matches with friends or other attendees during half-time. To make these immersive experiences function smoothly during live events, 5G connectivity must be a part of the infrastructure to ensure stadiums can cope with the millions of spectators trying to use the services. (Read Article: VentureBeat, 9/13/19)

A new gizmo, announced at the recent IFA event in Berlin, is Max, a smart robotic vacuum cleaner with several cameras. It's also a security device by default: The user can listen remotely and speak to family members, pets, or intruders through Max's AI interface; it can also send alerts to family members about movement, people, unusual sounds, as well as trigger automatic video recording by internal security systems. (Read Article: Digital Trends, 9/15/19)

ABI Research predicts that smartphone shipments with some type of foldable, flexible, or rollable display will grow to reach 228 million in 2028. New tablets will have this new feature as well, which pushes the total number of devices to 240 million over the next decade. Look for OLED screens printed onto plastic to replace the glass used in most LCD screens on phones today. The plastic screens will offer many more options than the current glass displays. (Read Article: TechRepublic, 9/18/19)

Apple has announced a new repair program, offering customers additional options for the most common out-of-warranty iPhone repairs. Apple will provide more independent repair businesses, large or small, with the same genuine parts, tools, training, repair manuals, and diagnostics as its Apple Authorized Service Providers. The program is launching in the U.S. with plans to expand to other countries. (Read Apple Release, 8/29/19) In the past, Apple has frowned upon unauthorized repair shops, which would often handle service needs like cracked phone screens, and pushed for customers to go to Apple stores or Apple-certified service locations to have their products worked on. (Read Article: Wall Street Journal, 8/29/19)

The Consumer Technology Association recently released voluntary health data privacy guidelines for companies that handle health and wellness data. Developed by industry leaders like IBM, Doctors on Demand, Validic, Humana, and others, the guidance is designed to address tangible privacy risks and dive into consumer preferences around their data. Organizations can leverage the research to better understand how to securely collect, use, and share data pulled from personal health and wellness apps, devices, and other digital tools. According to officials, the hope is to establish a baseline or voluntary framework to gain consumer trust in tech companies handling this type of personal health data. (Read Article: Health IT Security, 9/13/19)

Walgreens is testing new on-demand delivery with Alphabet's drone delivery service Wing, beginning next month. The pilot program will deliver food and beverage, over-the-counter medications, and other items within minutes, Walgreens said. Prescription deliveries will not be available. The service will be tested in Christiansburg, Virginia, which has been working with the U.S. Department of Transportation to test drone deliveries since 2016. (Read Article: CNBC, 9/19/19)

With technology constantly changing and evolving, the tech industry can be one of the most stressful industries to be in. In a recent article, TechRepublic offers several ways tech professionals can help manage their own anxiety. In summary, they are: Create a Routine - Try to carve out specific times during the day to do certain things, that way you still feel in control of your tasks. Step Outside - Exercise creates a natural release of endorphins, so a quick walk outside or stretch break can do wonders for a stressful workday. Have a Colleague Support System - Build relationships with colleagues that "get you" and truly support and appreciate the work you do. (Read Article: TechRepublic, 9/17/19)

The CEOs of 51 tech companies recently signed and sent an open letter to Congress leaders, asking for a federal law on user data privacy to supersede the rising number of privacy laws that are cropping up at the state level. The CEOs of Amazon, AT&T, Dell, IBM, Qualcomm, SAP, Salesforce, Visa, Mastercard, JP Morgan Chase, State Farm, and Walmart are just some of the execs who signed. CEOs blamed a patchwork of differing privacy regulations that are currently being passed in multiple U.S. states, and by several agencies, as one of the reasons why consumer privacy is a mess in the U.S. This patchwork of privacy regulations is creating problems for their companies, which have to comply with an ever-increasing number of laws across different states and jurisdictions. Instead, the 51 CEOs would like one law that governs all user privacy and data protection across the country, which would simplify product design, compliance, and data management. (Read Article: ZDNet, 9/10/19)

Senators pressed top antitrust regulators on September 17 to aggressively investigate the power of the country's biggest tech companies, with some lawmakers questioning whether the officials had the will or resources to take on Silicon Valley's richest businesses. In the regulators' first hearing since the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department divided up antitrust responsibilities for Amazon, Apple, Google, and Facebook, lawmakers pushed for assurances that the agencies would provide vigorous oversight of the companies. (Read Article: New York Times, 9/17/19)

The right-to-repair movement could help reduce the amount of e-waste by changing the relationship people have with their electronic devices, says Nathan Proctor of the US Public Research Interest Group's Right to Repair campaign. "We slough off all the power and agency over these products back to the manufacturer - and, as a result, we do an absurd thing to our technologies" by throwing them away, he says. (Read Article: Waste Dive, 9/9/19)