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This week: Japan Throws Out Floppy Disks + more stories

This week: Japan Throws Out Floppy Disks + more stories

Brett Bouchard
July 13, 2024

Wise Tech - Technology news for seniors.

Floppy disks go out with the trash in Japan (er, recycled waste, we hope!)

1. Japan Finally Ends Use of Floppy Disks

What’s the tech? Floppy disks (a type of data storage device that was popular in the 1980s and 1990s) have been officially retired by Japan's government for over 1,000 regulations.

How it's used: These outdated disks were previously used for storing and transferring data, but the government is now moving towards more modern digital methods.

Why it's news now: Digital Minister Taro Kono spearheaded this initiative as part of a broader effort to modernize Japan's technological landscape. The change is part of ongoing efforts to digitize Japan's administrative processes, which started with the creation of the Digital Agency in September 2021. However, Japan still faces challenges, such as the use of traditional personal stamps (hanko) for official documents.

A trip down memory lane: Many of us remember using floppy disks as the first storage device when using early home computers. Do you have any laying around in shoeboxes?

2. Easier Photo Transfers from Google to Apple

What’s the tech? A new data migration tool (software that helps move data from one place to another) introduced by Google and Apple.

How it's used: This tool allows users to transfer their photos from Google Photos to Apple's iCloud without needing to download them first. Users can move their entire photo library or select specific albums.

Why it's news now: This collaboration between Google and Apple is part of a larger push for data portability (the ability to move data easily from one service to another). It also addresses concerns about data ownership and flexibility in cloud storage services.

3. Waymo Driverless Taxi Pulled Over by Phoenix Police

What’s the tech? Autonomous vehicles (self-driving cars).

How it's used: A Waymo robotaxi (self-driving taxi) was pulled over by police after driving into the wrong lane due to an unexpected road closure. The car tried to reroute itself but ended up in a tricky situation.

Why it's news now: This incident highlights the challenges self-driving cars face in real-world scenarios and the need for clear protocols between autonomous vehicle operators and law enforcement.

Bonus Topic: World’s First Hydrogen-Powered Ferry to Set Sail

What is it? The Sea Change, the world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial ferry.

What it does: This ferry can carry up to 75 passengers and is powered by hydrogen fuel cells (devices that generate electricity by combining hydrogen with oxygen, producing only water vapor as a byproduct).

How it's used: The ferry will operate in San Francisco Bay, offering a more environmentally friendly option for water transportation.

Why it's popular: This project could pave the way for more sustainable maritime transport and demonstrates the potential of hydrogen fuel cells as an alternative energy source for larger vehicles and vessels.

Conversation starter: "Did you know there's now a ferry that runs on hydrogen and only produces water vapor as exhaust? I wonder what else could be powered by hydrogen?"