I was planning to write some article on the mobile trends on this year based on news-feed from MWC 2020 mobile event. It seems that I have to change those plans because of this news that was just published:
The GSMA, the organization behind MWC, the world’s largest mobile trade show, has announced that it is officially canceling the show.
“The GSMA has cancelled MWC Barcelona 2020 because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event,”
Links:
https://techcrunch.com/2020/02/12/gmsa-cancels-mobile-world-congress-due-to-coronavirus-concerns/
531 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Millions of Americans are suddenly working from home. That’s a huge security risk
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/20/tech/telework-security/index.html
The dramatic expansion of teleworking by US schools, businesses and government agencies in response to the coronavirus is raising fresh questions about the capacity and security of the tools many Americans use to connect to vital workplace systems and data.
Tomi Engdahl says:
FDA testing coronavirus treatments, including chloroquine, plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients
https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/19/fda-testing-coronavirus-treatments-including-chloroquine-plasma-from-recovered-covid-19-patients/
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn addressed the ongoing work of the agency in terms of its work on potential treatments and vaccines for the COVID-19 coronavirus currently spreading globally. Despite a claim early in Thursday’s White House briefing on the pandemic by President Donald Trump that one proposed treatment, anti-malarial chloroquine, had already been approved by the FDA for COVID-19 treatment, Hahn said that in fact the agency is currently looking at widespread clinical trials of the drug, but it is not yet approved for that use.
“In the short term, we’re looking at drugs that are already approved for other indications,” Dr. Hahn said. “Many Americans have read studies and heard media reports about this drug chloroquine, which is an anti-malarial drug. It’s already approved, as the president said, for the treatment of malaria [Trump had not said this, but had instead said it was now approved for COVID-19] as well as an arthritis condition. That’s a drug that the president has directed us to take a closer look at, as to whether an expanded use approach to that could be done to actually see if that benefits patients.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Doctor Who Helped Defeat Smallpox Explains What’s Coming
Epidemiologist Larry Brilliant, who warned of pandemic in 2006, says we can beat the novel coronavirus—but first, we need lots more testing.
https://www.wired.com/story/coronavirus-interview-larry-brilliant-smallpox-epidemiologist/?mbid=social_facebook&utm_brand=wired&utm_medium=social&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
14 years ago, Brilliant, the epidemiologist who helped eradicate smallpox, spoke to a TED audience and described what the next pandemic would look like. At the time, it sounded almost too horrible to take seriously. “A billion people would get sick,” he said. “As many as 165 million people would die. There would be a global recession and depression, and the cost to our economy of $1 to $3 trillion would be far worse for everyone than merely 100 million people dying, because so many more people would lose their jobs and their health care benefits, that the consequences are almost unthinkable.”
https://www.wired.com/story/coronavirus-interview-larry-brilliant-smallpox-epidemiologist/?mbid=social_facebook&utm_brand=wired&utm_medium=social&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
Looking for something to do while at home? Try one of these films, games, or kits.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/geek-life/reviews/tips-for-bored-engineers
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mass ER Doc wants “boxes of N95s piling up, donated from the people who hoarded them”
We are at war, healthcare workers are your soldiers, and the war has just begun
https://midnightmass.substack.com/p/mass-er-doc-wants-boxes-of-n95s-piling?r=sajw&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source=copy
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tällainen on koronaviruksen vaarallisuus esitettynä karun matemaattisesti – ”se on kova luku”
https://www.tekniikkatalous.fi/uutiset/tallainen-on-koronaviruksen-vaarallisuus-esitettyna-karun-matemaattisesti-se-on-kova-luku/e96306c9-c18a-4ac9-b88d-d33cf14eab76
https://m.facebook.com/lindenaki/posts/555803688404003?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDD29ECZRCcktH–eOXUh-0K5gQhK02SMRbXdFhQQSWARa-ElpGHXk0qDsHCGRPTYFCwZvXcMWgQi-9axMr-YKypc_EsFqXEEoRF1gvO8262VAoEXSF2XkkklXTV9gQAW4H1YXXvOnl_9-LfWCC38wiP2F_YV4PXvob9nkMydNVKRli2HxovZr-99F8zOJ7FClgcZZj0lQeTdfEnzdJL4MbhSsFMqJQ42fzpZFiMNuNwPF_sUTuu-m0PKYrQyfmP6gRMGJzj1qTh4KkuOE351xLRa2AJLYSOIxvsitYG3reVr9MAR9bOmmauw7bDo6nm_oKqKNyjwxrUf8Xrv4&__tn__=-R
Tomi Engdahl says:
Koronaepidemia iskee todella rajusti talouteen, julkisen sektorin tulee kantaa vastuunsa
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/koronaepidemia-iskee-todella-rajusti-talouteen-julkisen-otso-kivek%C3%A4s/?published=t
Tomi Engdahl says:
COVID-19 – Evidence Over Hysteria
https://www.zerohedge.com/health/covid-19-evidence-over-hysteria
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/new-blood-tests-antibodies-could-show-true-scale-coronavirus-pandemic
Tomi Engdahl says:
”Miljoonat ihmiset eivät tule kuolemaan”, sanoo virustutkija – Pahin skenaario on, että rokotteen kehittäminen ei onnistu
https://tekniikanmaailma.fi/miljoonat-ihmiset-eivat-tule-kuolemaan-sanoo-virustutkija-pahin-skenaario-on-etta-rokotteen-kehittaminen-ei-onnistu/
”Tämä virus ei tule tappamaan ihmiskuntaa. Kyseessä on sairaus, joka vaikuttaa pääasiassa ikääntyneesen väestöön… Ihmiset, jotka eivät kuulu tähän joukkoon, saavat tyypillisesti melko lievän hengitystieinfektion”, Arkin toteaa.
ARKIN MUISTUTTAA, että uusi koronavirus SARS-CoV-19 on rakenteellisesti 80-prosenttisesti identtinen 2000-luvun alussa riehuneen SARS-viruksen kanssa. Siksi siitä käytetäänkin myös nimitystä SARS-koronavirus 2.
Arkin on yhtä mieltä tutkijoiden keskuudessa jaetun konsensuksen kanssa siitä, että mahdollisen rokotteen valmistuminen vie vähintään vuoden. Hän kuitenkin muistuttaa, että apua taisteluun voi löytyä nopeammin inhibiittoreina toimivista lääkeaineista, jotka estävät tai hidastavat viruksen toimintaa soluissa.
Tehokas lääke voi löytyä jo ihmiskäyttöön hyväksytyistä lääkkeistä, oli se sitten tarkoitettu verenpaineen, kaljuuntumisen tai maksasairauden hoitoon. Täysin uuden lääkeaineen saaminen markkinoille kestäisi pidempään.
Arkinin mukaan myös seerumiterapiana tunnettu hoitomuoto voisi olla tehokas keino taistelussa koronavirusta vastaan. Menetelmässä otetaan vasta-aineita ihmiseltä tai eläimeltä, jotka ovat kehittäneet immuniteetin sairautta vastaan ja siirretään ne potilaaseen. Seerumiterapiaa on käytetty virussairauksien, kuten polion, tuhkarokon, sikotaudin ja influenssan hoidossa yli sadan vuoden ajan. Menetelmää käytettiin myös SARS-viruksen hoidossa 2000-luvun alussa.
PAHIN MAHDOLLINEN skenaario kuitenkin on, ettemme koskaan löydä rokotetta uutta koronavirusta vastaan, Arkin muistuttaa.
”Kaikki tiedämme AIDSin olevan äärimmäisen tappava sairaus. Meillä ei ole siihen rokotetta. Hepatiitti-C on valtava ongelma. Rokotetta ei ole.”
isoin ongelma tällä hetkellä onkin tietämättömyytemme – erityisesti oireettomien taudinkantajien suhteen.
”Oireeton henkilö voi kantaa virusta tietämättä sitä itse… Emmekä tiedä tämän ryhmän kokoa. Mitä enemmän heitä on, sen parempi.”
virus on pelottava pääasiassa siksi, että se on täysin uusi. Maailmassa on kuitenkin paljon arkisempiakin vaaroja.
”Me ajamme edelleenkin töihin. Se on mahdollisesti vaarallisin asia, mitä tavallinen israelilainen tekee.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Israeli scientist: You’re not going to see millions of people die from COVID-19
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-scientist-youre-not-going-to-see-millions-of-people-die-from-covid-19/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Covid-19 has exposed our financial fragility
An orgy of borrowing, speculation and euphoria has left the markets on the verge of catastrophe
https://unherd.com/2020/03/covid-19-has-exposed-our-financial-fragility/?=frlh
Financial markets have experienced the fastest ever crash over the past few weeks. Even during the dotcom bust and the Lehman crisis, stocks did not fall this quickly. In less than a month, we have seen major indices fall almost 30%, and stocks in sectors such as oil and travel down by 80%. We are experiencing terrifying daily declines not seen since the 1929 stock market crash that preceded the Great Depression.
We are at a watershed moment: the coronavirus Covid-19 is a catalyst fast bringing many long simmering problems to the boil. It is exposing the creaking financial systems around us and it will change the way economies function. Economic and financial pundits, however, have been focusing almost exclusively on the short-term effects of coronavirus and so are missing the much bigger themes at play.
We do not have good data on what the stock market did during the 1918 flu, but we do know that it led to a severe recession. The connection between influenza and recessions is well documented.
But this recession will not only be driven by the economic loss of able-bodied workers, it will be helped along too by the steps political leaders take to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. In medicine, the immune system’s response can often be worse than the disease.
Sepsis is common and kills more than 10 million people a year. Today, the political reaction to Covid-19 is causing something akin to a septic shock to the global economy.
The recession is likely to be very sharp but brief. Recessions are self-regulating. De-stocking of shelves and warehouses leads to re-stocking. Collapsing low interest rates and oil prices eventually spur spending and borrowing. Government spending and central bank easing eventually feed through to the real economy. While there will be massive panic and bankruptcies today, there is little doubt that markets will be better in a year, and certainly will be in two to three years,
Tomi Engdahl says:
A plea from doctors in Italy: To avoid Covid-19 disaster, treat more patients at home
https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/21/coronavirus-plea-from-italy-treat-patients-at-home/
A dozen physicians at the epicenter of Italy’s Covid-19 outbreak issued a plea to the rest of the world on Saturday, going beyond the heartbreaking reports of overwhelmed health care workers there and a seemingly uncontrollable death toll to warn that medical practice during a pandemic may need to be turned on its head — with care delivered to many patients at home.
“Western health care systems have been built around the concept of patient-centered care,” physicians Mirco Nacoti, Luca Longhi, and their colleagues at Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital in Bergamo urge in a paper published on Saturday in NEJM Catalyst, a new peer-reviewed journal from the New England Journal of Medicine. But a pandemic requires “community-centered care.”
Most nearby hospitals in the wealthy region are “nearing collapse while medications, mechanical ventilators, oxygen, and personal protective equipment are not available,” the physicians write.
Other health care in northern Italy has come to a near-halt, they report: The system “struggles to deliver regular services, even pregnancy care and child delivery, while cemeteries are overwhelmed … [V]accination programs are on standby.”
One such step reflects the finding that hospitals might be “the main” source of Covid-19 transmission, the Bergamo doctors warned. The related coronavirus illness MERS also has high transmission rates within hospitals, as did SARS during its 2003 epidemic.
Although doctor house calls seem as prehistoric as rotary phones, home-based care for Covid-19 patients may be necessary in order to protect the community even if, to an individual patient, hospital care might be more effective.
“Managing patients at home is a brilliant thing,” Cereda said, and one that could be augmented by mobile clinics and telemedicine. “Bring them nutrition, measure their oxygen levels, even bring them oxygen, and you can probably keep many of them at home. This is what we mean by moving from patient-centered medicine: Of course you still care for and care about the patient, but you also think about the population as a whole. That change would decrease transmission and protect other patients as well as health care workers.”
For patients who need more intensive care, dedicated Covid-19 medical centers, akin to the “fever hospitals” that London set aside for smallpox, cholera, and typhus patients 200 years ago, would be a safer way to deliver care than the current system, Cereda said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Coronavirus: Italy’s hardest-hit city wants you to see how COVID-19 is affecting its hospitals
The sheer numbers of people succumbing to the coronavirus is overwhelming every hospital in northern Italy.
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-they-call-it-the-apocalypse-inside-italys-hardest-hit-hospital-11960597
Tomi Engdahl says:
Coronavirus: Nearly one in four Americans told to stay home
Five states have now told residents only to leave home for essential supplies, such as groceries or petrol.
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-nearly-one-in-four-americans-told-to-stay-home-11961706
Tomi Engdahl says:
COVID-19 update for employees
https://talented.fi/en/employee/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=employment-options&utm_content=options-apply-with-talented&utm_reference=bed2
Tomi Engdahl says:
Security News This Week: Ransomware Groups Promise Not to Hit Hospitals Amid Pandemic
https://www.wired.com/story/ransomware-magecart-coronavirus-security-news/
the new coronavirus that continues to spread throughout the world. It’s slowly seeping into the world of cybersecurity as well, as hackers and scammers take advantage of confusion, anxiety, and lax work from home set-ups to stir up trouble.
BleepingComputer reached out to the operators of multiple strains of ransomware, asking if they had plans to stop hitting hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic. Two of them actually wrote back to say yes, absolutely, they’ll take it easy on the health care industry (except pharmaceutical companies) until the Covid-19 situation improves.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Zhang Wenhong, head of Shanghai’s Covid-19 clinical expert team: “I can tell you now, forget the idea that the pandemic will come to an end in Europe in the near future,”
“To resolve this outbreak in a short period of time, measures have to be extremely radical,”
“If only the whole world could stop moving for four weeks, the pandemic could be stopped,” he said.
“But I cannot imagine a total global suspension ever possibly happening. Not even in Germany or Europe.”
A Chinese expert on infectious diseases said Europe must give up on the idea that the Covid-19 pandemic will be over soon and instead prepare for a battle that could last for up to two years.
Coronavirus could linger in Europe for two years, Chinese expert says
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3076339/coronavirus-could-linger-europe-two-years-chinese-expert-says
‘It would be perfectly normal if the virus comes and goes’ with the seasons, Zhang Wenhong, head of Shanghai’s Covid-19 clinical expert team, tells Chinese expats, students in Germany.
A Chinese expert on infectious diseases said Europe must give up on the idea that the Covid-19 pandemic will be over soon and instead prepare for a battle that could last for up to two years.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Japanese PM and IOC chief agree to postpone 2020 Olympics
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/24/sport/olympics-postponement-tokyo-2020-spt-intl/index.html
(CNN) – Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach agreed Tuesday to postpone the Olympics by about one year.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Computex delayed until late September over continued COVID-19 concerns
https://tcrn.ch/2WHjUF0
Scheduled for early June in Taipei, Computex has been one of the world’s largest technology trade shows for decades now. It was also among the last big hold outs as events all over the world have been canceled or postponed over the growing COVID-19 pandemic.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/03/14/corona-cancels-cons/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Coronavirus: ‘I know my life will not be saved in this pandemic’
https://www.uusiteknologia.fi/2020/04/06/nyt-peruuntui-slush/
Startup-yrittäjien ja sijoittajien Slushia ei järjestetä tänä vuonna koronaviruspandemian takia.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Queenie Wong / CNET:
Facebook is no longer planning to host local events in place of its F8 developer conference and cancels physical events with 50 or more people through June 2021 — Facebook said Thursday that it’s no longer planning to host local events in place of its F8 developer conference …
https://www.cnet.com/news/facebook-scales-back-alternatives-to-f8-developers-conference-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jacob Kastrenakes / The Verge:
As tech companies cancel events into 2021, Consumer Technology Association says next January’s CES will take place “both physically in Las Vegas and digitally” — Other companies are canceling large conferences — The group behind CES plans to hold the enormous tech convention …
CES will be held in-person in Las Vegas next year
Other companies are canceling large conferences
https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/3/21279157/ces-2021-physical-event-planned-las-vegas-cta-coronavirus
The group behind CES plans to hold the enormous tech convention in person in Las Vegas next January, despite concerns that the coronavirus pandemic may still be a threat. The Consumer Technology Association has announced that it intends to give exhibitors a way to showcase their products “both physically in Las Vegas and digitally.”
The stakes are high for CES. It’s one of the largest conventions held each year in Las Vegas, responsible for bringing a huge number of visitors to the city, with around 175,000 attendees last year. The Las Vegas Convention Center, the primary venue where the event is held, is scheduled to complete a $980 million expansion just in time for next year’s show. And while consumers may know CES as the event where new TVs, cars, and other gadgets are announced, it also remains an important venue for meetings between retailers, manufacturers, and all the companies in between.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mark Hachman / PCWorld:
Computex, Taiwan’s annual technology showcase, has been canceled after initial reschedule, due to coronavirus travel restrictions; next showcase in June 2021 — While the coronavirus has caused many trade shows to close or go virtual, Computex, Taiwan’s celebration of everything about the PC …
Coronavirus cancels Computex 2020, Taiwan’s PC showcase
https://www.pcworld.com/article/3562376/coronavirus-cancels-computex-2020-taiwans-pc-showcase.html
Although a “Computex Online 2D exhibition” will debut September 28, it doesn’t sound like Computex is being replaced by a virtual version, like other trade shows.
Tomi Engdahl says:
It’s official: CES cancels Vegas event, goes all virtual for 2021… bit.ly/2X28JGs
CES PRESS RELEASE
CES 2021 Moves to an All-Digital Experience
https://www.ces.tech/News/Press-Releases/CES-Press-Release.aspx?NodeID=321a27ba-86f2-4c8d-92d2-fb0f4580ed18
The Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® today announced CES® 2021 – January 6-9, 2021 – will be an all-digital experience connecting exhibitors, customers, thought leaders and media from around the world. The new format will allow participants to hear from technology innovators, see cutting-edge technologies and the latest product launches, and engage with global brands and startups from around the world.
“Amid the pandemic and growing global health concerns about the spread of COVID-19, it’s just not possible to safely convene tens of thousands of people in Las Vegas in early January 2021 to meet and do business in person,”
For over 50 years, CES has been the global stage for innovation. CTA’s goal for CES 2021 is to provide an engaging platform for companies large and small to launch products, build brands and form partnerships, while prioritizing health and safety. Members of the tech community thrive by coming together, sharing ideas and introducing products that will shape our future.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fixing Virtual Trade Shows
What’s wrong and right about the virtual trade show? From the current state of affairs, there’s a lot to consider and weigh on both sides of the plate.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/altembedded/article/21139181/fixing-virtual-trade-shows?utm_source=EG+ED+Analog+%26+Power+Source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200814029&o_eid=7211D2691390C9R&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C7211D2691390C9R&oly_enc_id=7211D2691390C9R
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jens Heithecker on why the Berlin trade show is still happening in-person amid the COVID-19 pandemic https://tcrn.ch/3hJljm0
IFA’s executive director discusses why the tech show must go on
Jens Heithecker on why the Berlin trade show is still happening in-person amid the COVID-19 pandemic
https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/28/ifas-executive-director-discusses-why-the-tech-show-must-go-on/?tpcc=ECFB2020
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/11118-myos-electronica-jarjestetaan-virtuaalisena
Tomi Engdahl says:
MWC plans to go forward in person in 2021, but pushes show back to late-June
https://tcrn.ch/301ekOC
Over the past several months, it has become painfully clear that COVID-19 isn’t a problem that we’re going to leave behind in 2021. After hemming and hawing a bit, the CTA ultimately pulled the trigger for an online-only version of the show in January. Other tech shows are similarly — at best — still up in the air. There’s also the example of IFA, which was recently held in Berlin — albeit at a greatly reduced capacity.
Mobile World Congress, which traditionally falls in the late-February/early-March time frame was among the first major tech shows to be canceled on account of the pandemic. There was understandably a lot of last-minute handwringing on that one — but in hindsight, it’s pretty clear the GSMA made the correct decision.
It’s certainly a difficult decision when dealing with a hardware show, where so much of its appeal lies in the ability to interact with devices in-person. That’s been a consistent shortcoming in all of 2020′s online-only hardware events. Such a show loses a lot of luster when it occurs entirely through a computer screen.