News and Notes Roundup - 9/8/2015

Happy Labor Day to our American readers! Here’s hoping the barbecues and final pool parties of the year went well.

Over the weekend, news outlets have been reporting extensively on the crisis Syrian refugees are facing in leaving home and finding asylum. Facing myriad reactions in Europe and Southwest Asia, refugees are using mobile apps to stay connected with family and make the journey more bearable. Elsewhere, many are surprised at the diffusion of mobile technology among Syrians.

Want to get involved in alleviating the crisis and helping out? Check out these online resources to learn how you can make a huge difference in these people’s lives:

• Refugee Action is taking old cars, phones, and ink cartridges for scrap to raise funds

• Islamic Relief is collecting donations to provide meals and hygiene for refugees

• Save the Children is raising funds for medical and hygienic treatments for children

• Crowdfunders at Just Giving are supporting specific projects aimed at helping refugee communities

• Refugee Council is sponsoring education and travel expenses for children

• Facebook group Music Against Borders is collecting instruments for migrant musicians in Calais

• Tweet using #MigrantsContribute to highlight the cultural, political, and economic value that migrants add to societies everywhere

Tech News:

• Some of the biggest tech giants are teaming up to build the next file format for video

• Rumors abound over Apple’s announcement scheduled tomorrow

• Google will comply with censorship laws to market Play in China

• Hackers killed a fake human by infiltrating its pacemaker

• Canon develops a camera sensor with a whopping 250 megapixels

• Toyota invests $50M to accelerate its AI research for self-driving cars

• Norway’s Pirate Party provides a sidestep for court-ordered blockage of The Pirate Bay

• Mac keychains have been getting penetrated since 2011

• ICYMI: Google has developed a new logo family and has rolled it out across all of its platforms

ICT4D:

• Can the internet expand individual freedoms in Cuba?

• US Court of Appeals tasks FTC with regulating cybersecurity practices

• Crowdsourcing and entrepreneurship can lift South Africa’s youth out of unemployment

• See how Sahrawi refugees are using technology to fight for independence

• Classifieds sites may be the best tool for moving India’s small businesses online

• What’s keeping mobile tech from saving more lives in Africa?

Mobile News:

• The Guardian is conducting research to optimize news delivery on mobile platforms

• Smartphones may soon identify users’ boredom and do something about it

• New app Companion makes walking home easier and safer for users

• Harvard Business Review projects the next billion digital users will be on mobile

• A new app in Gambia aims to connect female farmers with urban customers

• Learn how the combined mobile and solar revolutions in Africa are radically upping living standards