What the MacBook Neo is, and what it isn’t

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Apple launched its most affordable laptop ever yesterday, the MacBook Neo. It is a product that I believe has been in Apple’s pipeline for years and it is a significant product for a number of reasons. 

While the announcement was met with mostly positive reactions—thanks to its lower price of $599 ($499 for students and teachers) and bold colors (the Citrus shade is sure to be copied by competitors and appliance makers); a quick look at Reddit and Threads reveals some negative reactions. Critics argue that the MacBook Neo falls short, pointing to issues like only 8GB of unified memory, the lack of a backlit keyboard, and the absence of MagSafe. They''re not getting it.

At the core of early confusion is a misunderstanding of what this device is and who it is for. So, let’s break it down.

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New IBM Innovation Space in Markham supports startups, entrepreneurs and businesses

Ontario has partnered with IBM Canada, Ontario Centres of Excellence and ventureLAB to open the IBM Innovation Space-Markham Convergence Centre that will provide businesses access to the technology and expertise they need to grow and compete in the global marketplace.

Reza Moridi, Minister of Research, Innovation and Science attended the grand opening today with Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development and Growth and Michael Chan, MPP for Markham-Unionville.

This centre is part of the IBM Innovation Incubator (I³) Project, which will help small and medium-sized enterprises fast-track the launch of new technologies and products to international clients by leveraging IBM's technical resources. This includes cognitive business technology and a cloud-based development platform, as well as its physical space and network of customers. The I³ project is expected to create up to 2,600 jobs by 2020.

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Ford's new project helps put babies to sleep by replicating physics of a moving car

For many new parents, there is only one guaranteed solution to putting their baby down at the end of the day – a night-time drive that soothes, calms and eventually helps little one nod off.

But that still means a disrupted night for mum or dad, who research shows can typically expect little more than five hours sleep a night while losing the equivalent of 44 days sleep in just the first year of their child’s life.* Help, however, could soon be at hand.

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Microsoft focuses on radical innovation and digital transformation

Futurist Greg Verdino says that change is now moving from incremental to exponential at Microsoft's Innovation Nation event in Toronto

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Toronto - Microsoft Canada held an Innovation Nation event at the Art Gallery of Ontario in downtwon Toronto today to give an overview about the massive change and disruption that's taking place in business today.

Focusing on how big data and analytics is helping to rewrite the rules in various businesses, Microsoft invited futurist Greg Verdino to discuss digital revolutionaries. Microsoft's Charlotte Burke said that "It is a matter of survival to harness change in the business world." The ability to harness big data and make it useful through applications and analytics, can help businesses of all types become more efficient and profitable as well as see unprecedented growth.

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