December 6, 2024 • 45 mins
📣 This Week’s Tech-Fueled Episode Join us on The JMOR Tech Talk Show for a deep dive into the world of technology, where we bring you insights, innovations, and the latest news shaping the future. From AI to space tech, we cover it all! Tune in to stay informed, entertained, and inspired by the ever-evolving tech landscape. 🎧✨
🚀 What’s on the Show Today: • Meta strengthens its advertising policies in Australia to crack down on fraudulent schemes, ensuring safer financial interactions and protecting consumers from scams. 🛡️💰 • Australia proposes significant fines for Big Tech companies as part of its efforts to limit anti-competitive practices and promote fair digital markets. 🚨⚖️ • Instacart introduces smart shopping carts that aim to revolutionize grocery trips by making checkout faster and more convenient for shoppers. 🛒📱 • Starbucks employees face manual payroll processing after a ransomware attack disrupts the company’s payroll software, highlighting cybersecurity vulnerabilities. ☕💻 • A YouTuber’s “Selfie with Earth” satellite scheme is revealed as a massive scam, leaving supporters disappointed and questioning tech crowdfunding projects. 🚀🛑 • AI-powered devices help homeowners deter raccoons and other animals with smart, non-invasive tech solutions to protect their homes. 🦝🤖 • Retailers continue to grapple with operational disruptions caused by a large-scale ransomware attack, which threatens revenue and customer trust. 🔐📉 • Elon Musk challenges the corporate structure of OpenAI in federal court, raising questions about transparency and the future direction of AI development. ⚡🧑⚖️ • Cyberattacks increasingly target critical infrastructure in space as competition in the private and government space race intensifies. 🌌💥 • Porch piracy escalates across the U.S., with package thefts leading to billions in losses and sparking demand for advanced delivery security solutions. 📦🔍 • AI chatbots are stepping in to assist holiday shoppers, offering recommendations and streamlining online purchases, though limitations persist. 🎁🤖 • A Seattle-based team develops a local puzzle game inspired by Wordle, gaining popularity for its creative and community-focused design. 🎮🧩 • Google Maps integrates Waze alerts to improve navigation, but the change sparks mixed reactions from users accustomed to the standalone Waze experience. 🗺️🚘 • Space exploration projects face new risks due to AI vulnerabilities, highlighting the need for robust cybersecurity in missions beyond Earth. 🚀⚠️
✨ Catch this episode within 24 hours at The JMOR Tech Talk Show. Dive deeper into exclusive insights at Believe Me Achieve.
🎯 Subtitle: "Tech Horizons: Bold Breakthroughs and Big Challenges—Your Weekly Tech Digest" 🎉 Hashtags: #TechTalks #AIInnovation #CyberSecurity #TechBuzz #DigitalFuture #FutureTech #PodcastLife #InnovationStation #TechUpdates
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:07):
Hi everyone, I'm John Seymour, the host of
The JMOR Tech Talk Show and inspirations for
your life.
(00:59):
Well, hey guys, it is John Seymour here,
serial entrepreneur.
Welcome to The JMOR Tech Talk Show.
This is the first Friday of December 2024
and it's great to be with you.
Do check out my hat, believemeachieve.com for
more of my amazing, inspiring creations.
Do take this moment to get yourself something
(01:20):
delicious from the kitchen, whether it's something hot,
cold, sweet, healthy, or whatever.
Go ahead and grab that.
So, this week's tech-fueled episode is here
and this is The JMOR Tech Talk Show,
which incidentally, in case you didn't know, is
a, yes, series three, and we are on
(01:40):
show number 50.
I can hardly believe that that's it.
The title is Tech Wars, Scams, and Smart
Solutions, a week of headlines you can't miss.
All right, let's just jump right in, shall
we?
All right, so, you know, we're talking about
all this stuff from AI to space tech,
(02:02):
and we're going to cover it all.
Just stay tuned tonight, as well as every
other time, and you can always watch the
replays at believemeachieve.com or on my YouTube
channel, right?
So, what are we going to talk about
today?
Well, we got some really great stuff to
talk about.
First thing I would love to talk to
you guys about is what's going on with
(02:24):
our good friends, yes, Meta.
So, Meta strengthens their ad policies to combat
financial scams targeting Australians.
So, Meta platforms have tightened their advertising rules
for financial products and services in Australia, aiming
to combat scams on Instagram and Facebook.
(02:45):
The stricter regulations require advertisers to verify their
Australian financial services license number and provide payer
and beneficiary details displayed in the paid for
by display disclaimer on approved ads.
This initiative follows Meta's removal of 8,000
celebrity bait scam ads in collaboration with Australian
(03:06):
banks.
Meta's ANZ's managing director emphasized the move as
critical in protecting Australians from sophisticated fraud.
The announcement aligns with broader Australian regulatory efforts
to address online platform accountability and misinformation.
You didn't think that Facebook or Meta was
just going to do this because they wanted
(03:27):
to do what was right for the American
public or foreign countries?
Of course not.
They're being kowtowed into it and being forced
to do this by the European regulators.
So, it's great they're doing it but it'd
be nice if they actually did it under
different pretenses, like that they actually cared and
(03:48):
that they really wanted to help people.
So, we'll have to see what's going on
now.
Incidentally, Australia proposes a significant fine for big
tech companies as part of its efforts to
limit anti-competitive practices and promote fair digital
markets.
So, Australia has proposed a new law targeting
anti-competitive practices by big tech companies which
could lead to fines of up to $50
(04:10):
million.
The legislation aims to empower regulators to enforce
compliance, restrict unfair practices like promoting low-rated
apps, and enable smoother transitions between competing services.
This move follows a broader effort to curb
big tech's influence, including recent restrictions on social
media for minors under 16.
(04:31):
Inspired by the European Union's Digital Markets Act,
the proposal proprietizes the app stores and ad
tech services for reform with consultation ongoing until
February 14th of 2025.
All right, and yes, a new smart shopping
(04:53):
cart, a solution to self-checkout woes, as
people would say.
Instacart's smart new shopping cart aims to solve
self-checkout issues by automatically scanning products as
they are placed in the cart.
This innovative solution is being tested at stores
like Kroger, Schnucks, and ShopRite, promising to save
(05:16):
customers time and reduce errors during checkout.
The technology offers a streamlined shopping experience by
eliminating manual scanning, allowing for a faster, more
efficient process.
Let's just hope that it actually works.
Sounds good in theory, but has it really
been tested?
That's what I'd like to know, and I'd
love to talk to some of the people
(05:36):
that are actually using it.
All right, so it is in beta right
now, and they are testing it in some
stores.
Starbucks was recently forced to manually pay baristas
after ransomware attack on payroll software.
Check this out.
So Starbucks has been forced to manually pay
its baristas after the ransomware attack, disrupting a
(05:56):
third-party software used to manage employee schedules.
The hack, which impacted Blue Yonder, a cloud
services provider used by several major companies, led
Starbucks to advise store leadership on how to
handle the payroll issue manually to ensure baristas
are paid for their hour's work.
This incident highlights the ongoing risks of ransomware
(06:19):
attacks, especially during the busy holiday season.
Blue Yonder is working with cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike
to mitigate the impact of the breach, which
has also affected other companies like Ford.
Well, I am a little biased here because
what happened not so long ago from CrowdStrike
could happen again, and I frankly have lost
(06:41):
all faith and confidence in the company CrowdStrike.
That's just me.
I think it was a complete debacle of
what happened, and also the fact that airlines
were going after them for quite a bit
of change.
So would I really trust a company like
CrowdStrike?
That's me, personally.
But again, I believe that history will repeat
(07:02):
itself, and they might make another big blunder.
I could be wrong, but just it seems
very probable that they might actually do more
to exacerbate the situation than to really help
the situation.
I guess only time will tell.
Anna Scandler, yes, scam alert, scam alert, scam
alert.
YouTuber's selfie with Earth is what it's called.
(07:25):
A satellite has a catch.
A YouTuber claimed to offer a unique opportunity
to take selfies with Earth through their satellite.
Sounds cool, right?
But it turns out to be a complete
scam.
The YouTuber marketed a service where customers could
supposedly capture their own photo with the Earth
from space via the satellite.
(07:45):
However, investigations reveal no actual satellite existed, and
the entire scheme was designed to mislead people
into paying for a non-existent service.
This fraudulent operation preyed on consumers interested in
space and space-related experiences.
Anyone who bought into the offer was left
without any product or service, and the scam
(08:06):
highlights the need for careful research before engaging
with such outlandish claims.
I mean, you probably would say, John, most
people are smarter than that.
And although I would agree, a lot of
people will just spend money because they want
to, and they think it's the best way.
(08:28):
And so a lot of people were very
turned on by things like this.
But the fact that it had been a
disaster and a scam, that's pretty bad, right?
How many people were scammed?
I mean, probably a lot.
(08:50):
And younger adults between 18 and 59 are
the ones most likely to get scammed.
Unfortunately, there are so many different scams out
there.
But this one takes the cake.
It's almost like me telling you that I'm
going to sell you dehydrated water.
(09:13):
I mean, would you really pay for dehydrated
water, even if somebody said, well, you have
to have this water because it's a really
expensive stove and it needs dehydrated water?
Well, dehydrated water is basically something that has
no water in it.
So it is a complete scam if you
ever hear of something like that.
(09:34):
I just can't believe that people fall for
these things.
This is what really just, I'm going to
say, bothers me the most, is that they
are so inundated by these things.
And I get that they're curious, but I
think we've got to use a little bit
of common sense, or maybe common sense isn't
(09:56):
quite that common anymore.
And check this out, ladies and gentlemen.
AI technology now stops raccoons from invading a
user's house.
A Seattle-based AI startup called GroundLight used
a combination of strobe lights, public radio, and
AI to help a local resident stop raccoons
(10:17):
from invading his house.
The raccoons had been using a cat door
to enter and steal food.
GroundLight developed a solution by installing a camera
system to detect raccoons, triggering a strobe light
and radio when the AI identified them.
The system, which was fine-tuned with human
review during the learning process, successfully deterred the
(10:38):
raccoons without affecting the resident's cats.
GroundLight's versatile technology was designed to apply AI
to various practical problems, provided effective and situations
that you might not really think exist.
But the question is, this is not a
magic bullet.
You don't just set up technology and hope
(11:00):
it's going to work.
You've got to do a lot of research,
ladies and gentlemen.
I mean, it's not something that just happens
overnight.
I mean, you've got to do the research
and make sure that what you're doing is
helping someone, right?
And Mr. Elon Musk, yes, seeks a court
order to block OpenAI's profit shift.
(11:26):
So Elon Musk has filed a motion in
the federal court seeking to block OpenAI from
becoming a fully for-profit entity.
The lawsuit, which escalates Musk's ongoing legal battle
with OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, also
seeks to prevent OpenAI from allegedly pressuring investors
to avoid funding its competitors, including Musk's AI
(11:49):
startup, XAI.
Musk's legal term argues that OpenAI is unlawfully
using corporate structures that benefit Microsoft, violating antitrust
laws and hindering fair competition.
This follows Musk's previous lawsuits and accusations that
OpenAI's dealings with Microsoft are anti-competitive, which
(12:13):
Musk claims harms the development of rival companies.
And, you know, I think he has a
point there.
AI was originally designed to help and be
a tool.
It was never used to be a for
-profit engine.
And hackers joined the new space race, hacking
(12:35):
their way into orbit, or so they say.
The rising risks of cyberattacks and space exploration
are becoming more pronounced as spacecraft, satellites and
space systems become increasingly dependent on software and
interconnected technologies.
Hackers, including state actors like China and Russia,
(12:55):
are targeting critical space infrastructure with consequences that
could include loss of mission data, compromised satellites,
or even the control of space vehicles.
The integration of AI into space projects has
further heightened vulnerabilities, enabling adversaries to manipulate systems,
(13:15):
steal sensitive data, or, as I said, disrupt
the missions.
As the US and China intensify their space
competition, cybersecurity measures, including collaborations with tech giants
like Microsoft and Google, are being strengthened to
protect space-based assets and national security.
I bet you didn't think that technology in
(13:38):
the AI world would be affecting space.
It could affect anything.
The rising risks of cyberattacks and space exploration
are becoming more pronounced as spacecraft, satellites and
space systems become increasingly dependent on software and
interconnected technologies.
(13:59):
Hackers, including state actors like China and Russia,
are targeting critical space infrastructure with consequences that
could include the loss of mission data.
Now, when we think about all this, I
mean, this is just something that is just
unbelievable, right?
And how this can be giving people an
(14:21):
edge, but really, is it giving them an
edge or is it creating more of a
security problem?
And porch pirates steal 12 billion in 2024.
In 2024, package theft or porch piracy has
reached alarming levels with thieves stealing an estimated
(14:44):
12 billion worth of goods in the United
States.
A survey of 11,000 adults revealed that
one quarter of Americans have experienced package theft
and nearly 14 million people had packages stolen
in the last three months alone.
The average stolen package is valued at $204
(15:04):
and with the rise in online shopping, thieves
are targeting neighborhoods with high delivery volumes.
While package theft continues to be a problem,
consumers are becoming more proactive by installing security
cameras and adopting other preventive measures like delivery
instructions and opting for in-store pickups or
(15:27):
pickups at many of the lockers that they
offer to reduce this risk.
And I think it's sad the way so
many bad actors are trying to go after
what's on the porch.
Again, like I said, porch piracy.
And you might think that this is something
(15:49):
that, you know, isn't a big deal, but
it completely is.
Especially as the holiday seasons bring the joy
of giving, it brings out the thieves looking
to steal your gifts.
So with 120 million packages stolen across the
U.S., this is a big problem.
(16:12):
Some states, including Florida, have implemented harsher penalties
for those found criminally liable for porch piracy
and package theft.
I think it's good that they're putting warnings
out there, but the question is, you know,
how do we stop them?
If we make it a federal fine, you
(16:34):
know, porch pirates stole 12 billion in packages,
as I said, and as many as 58
million Americans have become victims in the last
12 months alone.
Kentucky, North Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and I believe
Alaska had the highest rates of recent package
thefts.
(16:55):
One in four Americans have been victimized by
porch pirates at some point in their lives.
And people of color are twice as likely
to have a package stolen as white adults.
That's crazy, but this all comes from statistics.
So is it because there's something in that
(17:18):
package that people believe is more of value?
I don't know.
But apartment dwellers experience package theft at double
the rate of those who live in homes.
Maybe because they're not around and it's a
common area and people are able to just
pick up things.
A lot of common area places don't even
(17:39):
have cameras.
So if you do live in a place
like this, you should suggest that they put
up some type of camera in the mail
room or wherever they put their packages.
Many places are even installing cameras outside their
condo and main community buildings because they know
(17:59):
now that if there's cameras there, thieves are
less likely to try to steal your package.
14% of Americans take no precautions to
prevent package theft and more than 40 million
people admit to leaving their exterior doors unlocked
while away from home.
I remember when my parents had our summer
(18:22):
place in South Jersey.
Before we had rebuilt our home in, I
think it was like 2020, we would just
leave our screen door open even if we
went out.
And a lot of times it would just
be like for a walk or something.
If we went out for dinner, we would
(18:43):
obviously lock it.
But when we would just go to like
the store, we'd walk around the corner, we'd
leave it open thinking, you know, nobody really
takes anything until we suddenly heard people were
getting broken into.
So these numbers, ladies and gentlemen, are pretty
astronomical.
58 million American package theft victims.
$204 is the average value of a stolen
(19:05):
package.
12 billion is the total value of stolen
packages.
So America's thriving economy is pushing ahead and
its performance is reflected by continued retail growth,
mainly driven by surging e-commerce sales.
So encouraging signs are a green light for
merchants and a beacon for greedy porch pirates.
(19:29):
So these are really disturbing.
25% of Americans have had a package
stolen at some point in their lives.
I want to tell you of one that
got stolen without even being on my porch
or even at our office.
The package got misdelivered to an address.
(19:49):
So our address, let's just say, was 509.
It wasn't.
Well, they delivered it to 905.
When I reached out to see if the
package was delivered, they told me it was
already delivered.
They put down it was delivered to us,
but really the driver made a big mistake
(20:11):
and delivered it to the opposite number by
inverting it.
So I decided to first look up and
see where is this number?
How far down the road was it?
Who were they?
Is it someone I knew?
Maybe it was a mistake.
I found it was a doctor's office.
So the first thing I did was I
(20:32):
called them and I said, hey, I think
you might have gotten one of our packages
by mistake.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
We didn't get any packages from you.
And they even said to me, oh, we
didn't get any computers.
We didn't get any kind of electronics.
And right away, they were trying to tell
me that they didn't get.
They were very specific about what they didn't
get.
(20:52):
So I decided to take a drive down.
It was just a minute or two drive
down the street from us.
It was on the same street.
And I went in there and it was
a medical office.
And I asked them if they had gotten
my package by mistake.
And they said no.
And the funny thing was I saw the
(21:13):
package of what I ordered right on the
desk.
And literally, it was just set up.
And I said, that's mine.
Oh, no, no, we got that.
We just got that delivered.
I said, do you have the box?
Oh, yeah, we have it right here.
And the lady looks at the box and
(21:36):
she gave me the number.
She read the number.
And it was my address.
She's like, well, she's like, it's fine.
Then she's like, oh, you know what?
I'm really busy.
I can't talk to you.
So then I asked to talk to the
doctor.
And the doctor said it's not his fault
if the carriers deliver packages to the wrong
addresses because he said something like finders, keepers,
(21:59):
losers, sweepers.
I said, this is not a game here.
And he was just really unprofessional for a
doctor.
I was just really taken back by him.
Anyway, we've definitely got to be on our
game with that.
So I have a question for you, ladies
and gentlemen.
Can AI, artificial intelligent chatbots, simplify your holiday
(22:20):
shopping?
Well, AI chatbots are becoming more prevalent in
holiday shopping, offering help with gift suggestions and
product comparisons.
Retailers like Amazon and Walmart have introduced generative
AI-powered shopping assistants, such as Amazon's Assans
Rufus, which can respond to natural language queries
and provide personalized recommendations.
(22:42):
However, while these chatbots can assist with product
discovery, they're not perfect and may make mistakes,
such as offering incorrect or outdated information.
The technology is, as you can imagine, still
evolving.
And while it can enhance the shopping experience,
it is far from replacing human decision-making
(23:03):
ability.
But I get the idea why many stores
want to use this because it can help
as a frontline when maybe they're busy.
But I don't think it should be the
be-all, end-all.
And if the AI system is not able
to answer something, don't frustrate the customer or
perspective.
(23:24):
Send them right over to a live person
or at least have a message saying, hey,
all our agents are busy right now.
We got your information and we'll get back
to you shortly.
I mean, at least do that, right?
But they're not doing that.
And TechVets launch a Seattle-focused Wordle-style
(23:44):
puzzle.
Yes.
Seattle natives Kali Fuchigami and Eden Gahami have
launched Flying Comic Games, a new game company
featuring a Seattle-themed Wordle-style puzzle called
The Wordiverse.
The game includes custom categories such as TV
(24:05):
shows, yoga, and even boba tea, which inspired
by Woodle, the game sets itself apart by
allowing proper nouns and focusing on local Seattle
culture.
Flying Comic is also experimenting with other mini
-games in hopes to monetize by offering subscription
(24:29):
models and partnering with smaller publications.
The duo, through now, their efforts are based
in the Bay Area.
California remains deeply connected to Seattle in their
game design.
So it's interesting of what's going on and
(24:52):
how this is happening.
And I think a lot of people don't
realize where they're going with this, but I
hope it doesn't become another challenge like what
happened with New York Times suing that company
that had a small version of their program.
So hopefully it doesn't get to that point,
(25:12):
but you never know.
I mean, if they get profitable, New York
Times might say that they're infringing on their
copyright.
I mean, they might try.
They may not win, but they also may
try to put a wrinkle in their operation
for the time being and think that maybe
that'll put them out of business, but it
won't.
(25:34):
Google Maps adds Waze incident alerts, but unfortunately
not all drivers, ladies and gentlemen, approve of
this, as you may or may not know.
Google Maps has started integrating Waze community-driven
incident alerts like police report ahead into its
app, and this feature, which was announced in
(25:55):
July, is being rolled out globally just in
time for the holiday season.
While Google Maps users can report incidents, including
lane closures and construction, the new Waze alerts
have led to mixed reactions.
Some drivers are unhappy with the increased pop
-up alerts, finding them distracting or too frequent.
(26:16):
Although Google Maps and Waze remain separate apps,
many features are now overlapping, and it's unclear
whether Google will continue this trend.
Yeah, I think eventually what I'm seeing is
that one's going to probably replace the other,
because you can't really have two apps doing
the same thing.
Would Waze buy Google Maps?
(26:39):
Would Google Maps buy Waze?
That could be more probable, but will the
big watchdogs allow them to buy that, or
will that be seen as more of a
potential, I don't know, monopoly?
We all know that Google's got their hands
in everything.
Same thing with Amazon.
Do we need to put some type of
(27:00):
restrictions on them?
I don't know, but this is something that
a lot of people are concerned with.
I mean, now we're hearing that they are
starting to hire doctors and do medicine.
Did you know that?
Amazon now, yes, Amazon, you can now go
to a doctor on Amazon, and it's called
(27:22):
Amazon One Medical.
They actually were called the Amazon Clinic, and
in case you're wondering, you can start off
with what they call a message visit for
only $29.
You can have a video visit for $49.
(27:48):
Quick treatment of common conditions, fast care by
message or video, self-pay visits, insurance is
not accepted or needed, FSA, as well as
HSA eligible.
You can even choose a condition to get
started.
Some of the most popular, like we have
men's health, and they have things from ED,
(28:11):
male hair loss, premature ejaculation.
They've got women's health, birth control, emergency contraception,
period cramp relief, urinary tract infection, UTI, vaginal
dryness, vaginal yeast infection, general health, things like
COVID-19, gout, quit smoking, motion sickness, stomach
(28:33):
issues, tooth pain, urgent vital care, cough, cold,
flu, strep throat, sexual health.
Could be things like we mean before, could
be things like HPV, could be things like
genital diseases and stuff of the like.
(28:56):
Skin and hair, things like acne, dandruff, male
hair loss, eczema, athlete's foot, rosacea, things like
prescription renewal, like anxiety and depression, EpiPens, high
cholesterol, hypothyroidism, other medications, and then there's things
like all other conditions.
(29:18):
The question is, as you think about this,
would you go to them?
And you basically have...
You choose a condition and then you basically
get matched up with somebody.
And I don't know, I think...
(29:38):
And then they even have a thing where
they have a membership.
So you can have a 24-7 on
-demand care with Prime.
You can have a 14-day trial and
then it renews at $9 a month, cancel
any time.
I mean, I'm wondering, ladies and gentlemen, is
Amazon's health any good?
(30:00):
And I don't know.
People say that Amazon's insurance is by far
the best, but is it really?
I mean, are they just getting their hands
into too many things?
People ask, should you use the Amazon clinic
at all?
(30:22):
They're trying to really hit the market with
telehealth.
And I think, one person said, I used
Amazon's clinic to refill my asthma inhaler and
it was easy and painless.
I just upload a copy of my previous
prescription, paid the $30 fee, and I was
able to pick it up from my local
(30:43):
pharmacy the same day.
It saved me a trip to my doctor's
office.
So I think there might be some use
for this, but I also feel that there
could be a lot of misdiagnosis.
I mean, just a visit and a short
visit like that, are they really able to
(31:04):
help you in that period of time?
I don't know.
But I'm a little concerned that the people
selling groceries are now your medical doctor.
I don't know.
I mean, I don't know too many people
that have gone to them.
I will tell you that patient safety in
(31:26):
2024 by Amazon's One Medical has faced some
concerns.
The Washington Post reported that patient safety was
put at risk when elderly patients were routed
to a call center staff by contractors with
little to no medical experience.
The quality of care, some say that the
DTC direct to consumer telehealth services like Amazon's
(31:48):
clinic, may not provide the same quality of
care as a primary care provider, PCP.
Lack of regulation, DTC telehealth services may lack
regulation and transparency.
Established patient provider relationship, DTC services may not
lead to established patient provider relationships.
(32:08):
Amazon acquired One Medical in 2023 to expand
its presence in the healthcare industry.
One Medical offers a discounted membership for prime
members that includes virtual care services and in
-office visits.
So you might be asking me, so where
are Amazon's, let's say, in-person visits?
(32:34):
So from what I understand, they have facilities
quite a few places.
Basically, they have, I know one facility that
I was talking to somebody and his son
just started working there.
They're paying him a lot of money and
he's working there and he's at one of
(32:56):
these big conglomerations.
I don't know.
I don't know if this is going to
last.
I just don't know if it's where it
should be.
So Amazon own One Medical has locations, they
(33:16):
have them in several cities.
As I said, they're in Arlington, they're in
Connecticut, they're in San Francisco.
So they're not all over the place.
They're trying to compete with the emergency medical
care centers that you walk in and they
help you.
A lot of them do not take insurance.
So Telus Health Services by Amazon is available
(33:40):
in all 50 states.
So a lot of people say it's easy,
but I'm really concerned about the privacy, about
the experience to how they keep the data.
That's what I'm concerned about.
(34:02):
And when you offer a service so inexpensively
like that, I have to wonder, is it
something that's going to be good or is
it something that's not going to be good?
And I think you're going to get mixed
reviews from different people.
Like I said, I talked to you about
(34:22):
the leaked documents that revealed that the call
center staff at One Medical failed to escalate
calls from senior patients with urgent symptoms.
And some say the call center staff lacked
medical training and were underqualified, which led to
the mishandling of patient calls.
The FTC is investigating Amazon's acquisition of One
Medical over concerns about how Amazon may use
(34:44):
patient health information.
The FTC is concerned that Amazon could misuse
patient information for targeted advertising or e-commerce.
Yeah, that's a big concern of mine too.
And to offer One Medical membership for $9
a month, no, a one-time virtual visit
(35:06):
for basically for $49 or $29 for a
message only visit, I just don't know if
I would be comfortable with this.
I feel like it's like going to your
barber and ask them, gee, well, I've got
(35:28):
an issue with my foot.
Can you help me with my foot?
You wouldn't do that, right?
And I think it might be a good
solution for like the common cold and things
like that, but I don't think they're really
going to be specialists.
I mean, I could be wrong, but I
just feel that Amazon might, they might use
(35:52):
this data in a way that could, let's
say, further alienate them.
We already saw what they tried to do
with Roomba and that got broken up.
I was surprised that this was allowed to
happen.
I didn't think that this purchase would have
gone through, but it did.
(36:15):
And so Amazon is starting to put out
companies like people like Walgreens and CVS.
So Amazon Medical Drugs is putting many drug
stores out of business.
I mean, I think that's crazy.
(36:37):
Independent drug stores are closing.
Threatened to turn communities into pharmacy deserts.
And this is an issue where they've mentioned
that they may not build pharmacies anymore, but
they're going to build them into long-term
care facilities or to nursing homes.
(37:00):
People say, is this an industry disruptor or
a misfire?
And when Amazon announced the launch of Amazon
Pharmacy, a move that many analysts thought could
be disruptive in the pharmaceutical industry.
But after the first year, some experts say
Amazon's pharmacy is indistinguishable from other mail order
(37:20):
pharmacies.
I don't know.
So Amazon provides services through a company called
PillPack, which was acquired in 2018 and offers
customers personalized medication sorting into different packets.
I just have a problem when a company
(37:43):
that's selling groceries are also selling you, let's
say, glue and nails and string.
And now they also want to sell medical
supplies.
Do you go to your doctor and say,
gee, while I'm here, can I get a
quart of milk?
Or can I get a gallon of milk?
Or by the way, I'm putting an addition
on and I need to pick up some
(38:05):
lumber for my deck.
Like you don't do that.
But how is it that Amazon's allowed to
do something like this and get away with
it?
Is it just because they have a lot
of money?
And if that's the case, I think we've
got a serious problem.
I mean, someone's got to address this.
And I think it's like Amazonitis.
(38:27):
I don't know.
I don't know.
A lot of people are doing these lookalike
approaches.
But one thing I want to mention to
you right now and I was reading about
is that Costco now is selling a Starbucks
lookalike holiday treat at the fraction of the
(38:49):
price of Starbucks.
So Costco is not shy about giving us
the Starbucks items we love for a fraction
of the price.
Whether they're inspired by top sellers or the
real thing, you have to decide.
But Costco is now selling a Marcaroo's sugar
(39:10):
cookie Mac Pop.
If you're a Starbucks cake pop lover, you
can go over to Costco, the whole scale
club, and they are similar in appearance to
those at the coffee house chain, but cost
less.
While you normally pay $4 for cake pops
at Starbucks, Costco sells a 10 pack of
(39:31):
the Macaroo's pops for just under $14.
That's less than $1.50 per cake pop.
So I think what we're noticing is that
a lot of chains, retails, superstores, even Amazon
is trying to do things to offer a
(39:51):
product or service that's similar.
It may not have the exact same value
that we would expect.
But the truth of the matter is some
people don't care.
They want something like it.
I mean, when you go to the store
and you buy milk, do you want something
that's kind of like milk?
(40:11):
It's close to milk.
Do you want something that is cheaper than
milk?
When I want to get milk, I want
pure milk.
I'm not looking for something that's going to
be cheaper.
I want something that I can get that
is going to last.
Typically, I buy milk at BJ's and Costco.
It is cheaper there.
And I find that it lasts longer for
(40:33):
me.
And I think that's because when they transport
milk to these large wholesale clubs, they're in
a vehicle that is very well refrigerated and
the product moves off the shelves very quickly.
So when I see a date, I will
tell you that I usually have sometimes five
(40:56):
or seven days more or longer on the
sell-by date.
Now, the sell-by date means you're not
supposed to sell it after that date.
But generally, when you buy milk from a
store, around that date, it'll start to smell
bad, right?
So I think maintaining a product is how
(41:20):
these superstores do it.
They make sure that there is no shortcuts
on temperature.
And I'm not saying that your local food
stores do, but a lot of these distributors
and suppliers, they might not be as, let's
(41:40):
say, coherent to the standards.
They're still within tolerances, which is why they
can sell it by sell-by date.
But when you really step up that mark,
you know what happens?
Your product can be sold cheaper and it
can last longer, right?
And people want that product over and over
(42:02):
again.
I know that these two price clubs have
a very good price on milk.
And the product's quality is always top-notch.
I think that says a lot.
So my concern with an Amazon being your
(42:25):
drug provider, first of all, is the data
going to be private, number one.
Number two, what's the quality of those drugs?
Are they good?
Are they somewhat good?
I don't know.
But all I know is that it's a
(42:48):
concern.
It's a concern.
So we can't just be worried about the
price.
And you might be saying, John, well, yeah,
we're only concerned about the price, but you
(43:10):
can't.
So they use a company called PillPack.
They sort your meds and all kinds of
stuff like that.
But the thing is, PillPack, you pay your
co-pay.
That's it.
And they take everything else.
So they're making a ton of money from
(43:31):
your insurance.
Again, they do HSA, they do FSA.
It's very interesting.
And so they're out of Manchester, New Hampshire.
(43:56):
And so that means that everything from them
has to come through the mail.
But that's another complication.
Now you're sending things to the mail.
And I know there's other companies that send
medication to mail.
But I don't know.
I have a problem with Amazon being the
same place that you get common items.
(44:17):
And now you're suddenly going to get medicine
from them.
I got a problem with that.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, we had an amazing
show here today.
I hope you guys have a fantastic rest
of your night and a wonderful weekend.
I am John Seymour, a serial entrepreneur.
It's amazing days and evenings.
I will catch you guys next week for
(44:39):
the Jay Moore Tech Talk show.
That'll be December 13th.
And incidentally, do check out BelieveMeAchieved.com for
more of my amazing, inspiring creations.
And I'll catch you guys when?
Well, December 13th, if you don't catch me
on another Jay Moore Tech Talk show real
soon.
Take care, everyone, and be well.
Hi everyone, I'm John Seymour, the host of
The JMOR Tech Talk Show and inspirations for
your life.
(00:59):
Well, hey guys, it is John Seymour here,
serial entrepreneur.
Welcome to The JMOR Tech Talk Show.
This is the first Friday of December 2024
and it's great to be with you.
Do check out my hat, believemeachieve.com for
more of my amazing, inspiring creations.
Do take this moment to get yourself something
(01:20):
delicious from the kitchen, whether it's something hot,
cold, sweet, healthy, or whatever.
Go ahead and grab that.
So, this week's tech-fueled episode is here
and this is The JMOR Tech Talk Show,
which incidentally, in case you didn't know, is
a, yes, series three, and we are on
(01:40):
show number 50.
I can hardly believe that that's it.
The title is Tech Wars, Scams, and Smart
Solutions, a week of headlines you can't miss.
All right, let's just jump right in, shall
we?
All right, so, you know, we're talking about
all this stuff from AI to space tech,
(02:02):
and we're going to cover it all.
Just stay tuned tonight, as well as every
other time, and you can always watch the
replays at believemeachieve.com or on my YouTube
channel, right?
So, what are we going to talk about
today?
Well, we got some really great stuff to
talk about.
First thing I would love to talk to
you guys about is what's going on with
(02:24):
our good friends, yes, Meta.
So, Meta strengthens their ad policies to combat
financial scams targeting Australians.
So, Meta platforms have tightened their advertising rules
for financial products and services in Australia, aiming
to combat scams on Instagram and Facebook.
(02:45):
The stricter regulations require advertisers to verify their
Australian financial services license number and provide payer
and beneficiary details displayed in the paid for
by display disclaimer on approved ads.
This initiative follows Meta's removal of 8,000
celebrity bait scam ads in collaboration with Australian
(03:06):
banks.
Meta's ANZ's managing director emphasized the move as
critical in protecting Australians from sophisticated fraud.
The announcement aligns with broader Australian regulatory efforts
to address online platform accountability and misinformation.
You didn't think that Facebook or Meta was
just going to do this because they wanted
(03:27):
to do what was right for the American
public or foreign countries?
Of course not.
They're being kowtowed into it and being forced
to do this by the European regulators.
So, it's great they're doing it but it'd
be nice if they actually did it under
different pretenses, like that they actually cared and
(03:48):
that they really wanted to help people.
So, we'll have to see what's going on
now.
Incidentally, Australia proposes a significant fine for big
tech companies as part of its efforts to
limit anti-competitive practices and promote fair digital
markets.
So, Australia has proposed a new law targeting
anti-competitive practices by big tech companies which
could lead to fines of up to $50
(04:10):
million.
The legislation aims to empower regulators to enforce
compliance, restrict unfair practices like promoting low-rated
apps, and enable smoother transitions between competing services.
This move follows a broader effort to curb
big tech's influence, including recent restrictions on social
media for minors under 16.
(04:31):
Inspired by the European Union's Digital Markets Act,
the proposal proprietizes the app stores and ad
tech services for reform with consultation ongoing until
February 14th of 2025.
All right, and yes, a new smart shopping
(04:53):
cart, a solution to self-checkout woes, as
people would say.
Instacart's smart new shopping cart aims to solve
self-checkout issues by automatically scanning products as
they are placed in the cart.
This innovative solution is being tested at stores
like Kroger, Schnucks, and ShopRite, promising to save
(05:16):
customers time and reduce errors during checkout.
The technology offers a streamlined shopping experience by
eliminating manual scanning, allowing for a faster, more
efficient process.
Let's just hope that it actually works.
Sounds good in theory, but has it really
been tested?
That's what I'd like to know, and I'd
love to talk to some of the people
(05:36):
that are actually using it.
All right, so it is in beta right
now, and they are testing it in some
stores.
Starbucks was recently forced to manually pay baristas
after ransomware attack on payroll software.
Check this out.
So Starbucks has been forced to manually pay
its baristas after the ransomware attack, disrupting a
(05:56):
third-party software used to manage employee schedules.
The hack, which impacted Blue Yonder, a cloud
services provider used by several major companies, led
Starbucks to advise store leadership on how to
handle the payroll issue manually to ensure baristas
are paid for their hour's work.
This incident highlights the ongoing risks of ransomware
(06:19):
attacks, especially during the busy holiday season.
Blue Yonder is working with cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike
to mitigate the impact of the breach, which
has also affected other companies like Ford.
Well, I am a little biased here because
what happened not so long ago from CrowdStrike
could happen again, and I frankly have lost
(06:41):
all faith and confidence in the company CrowdStrike.
That's just me.
I think it was a complete debacle of
what happened, and also the fact that airlines
were going after them for quite a bit
of change.
So would I really trust a company like
CrowdStrike?
That's me, personally.
But again, I believe that history will repeat
(07:02):
itself, and they might make another big blunder.
I could be wrong, but just it seems
very probable that they might actually do more
to exacerbate the situation than to really help
the situation.
I guess only time will tell.
Anna Scandler, yes, scam alert, scam alert, scam
alert.
YouTuber's selfie with Earth is what it's called.
(07:25):
A satellite has a catch.
A YouTuber claimed to offer a unique opportunity
to take selfies with Earth through their satellite.
Sounds cool, right?
But it turns out to be a complete
scam.
The YouTuber marketed a service where customers could
supposedly capture their own photo with the Earth
from space via the satellite.
(07:45):
However, investigations reveal no actual satellite existed, and
the entire scheme was designed to mislead people
into paying for a non-existent service.
This fraudulent operation preyed on consumers interested in
space and space-related experiences.
Anyone who bought into the offer was left
without any product or service, and the scam
(08:06):
highlights the need for careful research before engaging
with such outlandish claims.
I mean, you probably would say, John, most
people are smarter than that.
And although I would agree, a lot of
people will just spend money because they want
to, and they think it's the best way.
(08:28):
And so a lot of people were very
turned on by things like this.
But the fact that it had been a
disaster and a scam, that's pretty bad, right?
How many people were scammed?
I mean, probably a lot.
(08:50):
And younger adults between 18 and 59 are
the ones most likely to get scammed.
Unfortunately, there are so many different scams out
there.
But this one takes the cake.
It's almost like me telling you that I'm
going to sell you dehydrated water.
(09:13):
I mean, would you really pay for dehydrated
water, even if somebody said, well, you have
to have this water because it's a really
expensive stove and it needs dehydrated water?
Well, dehydrated water is basically something that has
no water in it.
So it is a complete scam if you
ever hear of something like that.
(09:34):
I just can't believe that people fall for
these things.
This is what really just, I'm going to
say, bothers me the most, is that they
are so inundated by these things.
And I get that they're curious, but I
think we've got to use a little bit
of common sense, or maybe common sense isn't
(09:56):
quite that common anymore.
And check this out, ladies and gentlemen.
AI technology now stops raccoons from invading a
user's house.
A Seattle-based AI startup called GroundLight used
a combination of strobe lights, public radio, and
AI to help a local resident stop raccoons
(10:17):
from invading his house.
The raccoons had been using a cat door
to enter and steal food.
GroundLight developed a solution by installing a camera
system to detect raccoons, triggering a strobe light
and radio when the AI identified them.
The system, which was fine-tuned with human
review during the learning process, successfully deterred the
(10:38):
raccoons without affecting the resident's cats.
GroundLight's versatile technology was designed to apply AI
to various practical problems, provided effective and situations
that you might not really think exist.
But the question is, this is not a
magic bullet.
You don't just set up technology and hope
(11:00):
it's going to work.
You've got to do a lot of research,
ladies and gentlemen.
I mean, it's not something that just happens
overnight.
I mean, you've got to do the research
and make sure that what you're doing is
helping someone, right?
And Mr. Elon Musk, yes, seeks a court
order to block OpenAI's profit shift.
(11:26):
So Elon Musk has filed a motion in
the federal court seeking to block OpenAI from
becoming a fully for-profit entity.
The lawsuit, which escalates Musk's ongoing legal battle
with OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, also
seeks to prevent OpenAI from allegedly pressuring investors
to avoid funding its competitors, including Musk's AI
(11:49):
startup, XAI.
Musk's legal term argues that OpenAI is unlawfully
using corporate structures that benefit Microsoft, violating antitrust
laws and hindering fair competition.
This follows Musk's previous lawsuits and accusations that
OpenAI's dealings with Microsoft are anti-competitive, which
(12:13):
Musk claims harms the development of rival companies.
And, you know, I think he has a
point there.
AI was originally designed to help and be
a tool.
It was never used to be a for
-profit engine.
And hackers joined the new space race, hacking
(12:35):
their way into orbit, or so they say.
The rising risks of cyberattacks and space exploration
are becoming more pronounced as spacecraft, satellites and
space systems become increasingly dependent on software and
interconnected technologies.
Hackers, including state actors like China and Russia,
(12:55):
are targeting critical space infrastructure with consequences that
could include loss of mission data, compromised satellites,
or even the control of space vehicles.
The integration of AI into space projects has
further heightened vulnerabilities, enabling adversaries to manipulate systems,
(13:15):
steal sensitive data, or, as I said, disrupt
the missions.
As the US and China intensify their space
competition, cybersecurity measures, including collaborations with tech giants
like Microsoft and Google, are being strengthened to
protect space-based assets and national security.
I bet you didn't think that technology in
(13:38):
the AI world would be affecting space.
It could affect anything.
The rising risks of cyberattacks and space exploration
are becoming more pronounced as spacecraft, satellites and
space systems become increasingly dependent on software and
interconnected technologies.
(13:59):
Hackers, including state actors like China and Russia,
are targeting critical space infrastructure with consequences that
could include the loss of mission data.
Now, when we think about all this, I
mean, this is just something that is just
unbelievable, right?
And how this can be giving people an
(14:21):
edge, but really, is it giving them an
edge or is it creating more of a
security problem?
And porch pirates steal 12 billion in 2024.
In 2024, package theft or porch piracy has
reached alarming levels with thieves stealing an estimated
(14:44):
12 billion worth of goods in the United
States.
A survey of 11,000 adults revealed that
one quarter of Americans have experienced package theft
and nearly 14 million people had packages stolen
in the last three months alone.
The average stolen package is valued at $204
(15:04):
and with the rise in online shopping, thieves
are targeting neighborhoods with high delivery volumes.
While package theft continues to be a problem,
consumers are becoming more proactive by installing security
cameras and adopting other preventive measures like delivery
instructions and opting for in-store pickups or
(15:27):
pickups at many of the lockers that they
offer to reduce this risk.
And I think it's sad the way so
many bad actors are trying to go after
what's on the porch.
Again, like I said, porch piracy.
And you might think that this is something
(15:49):
that, you know, isn't a big deal, but
it completely is.
Especially as the holiday seasons bring the joy
of giving, it brings out the thieves looking
to steal your gifts.
So with 120 million packages stolen across the
U.S., this is a big problem.
(16:12):
Some states, including Florida, have implemented harsher penalties
for those found criminally liable for porch piracy
and package theft.
I think it's good that they're putting warnings
out there, but the question is, you know,
how do we stop them?
If we make it a federal fine, you
(16:34):
know, porch pirates stole 12 billion in packages,
as I said, and as many as 58
million Americans have become victims in the last
12 months alone.
Kentucky, North Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and I believe
Alaska had the highest rates of recent package
thefts.
(16:55):
One in four Americans have been victimized by
porch pirates at some point in their lives.
And people of color are twice as likely
to have a package stolen as white adults.
That's crazy, but this all comes from statistics.
So is it because there's something in that
(17:18):
package that people believe is more of value?
I don't know.
But apartment dwellers experience package theft at double
the rate of those who live in homes.
Maybe because they're not around and it's a
common area and people are able to just
pick up things.
A lot of common area places don't even
(17:39):
have cameras.
So if you do live in a place
like this, you should suggest that they put
up some type of camera in the mail
room or wherever they put their packages.
Many places are even installing cameras outside their
condo and main community buildings because they know
(17:59):
now that if there's cameras there, thieves are
less likely to try to steal your package.
14% of Americans take no precautions to
prevent package theft and more than 40 million
people admit to leaving their exterior doors unlocked
while away from home.
I remember when my parents had our summer
(18:22):
place in South Jersey.
Before we had rebuilt our home in, I
think it was like 2020, we would just
leave our screen door open even if we
went out.
And a lot of times it would just
be like for a walk or something.
If we went out for dinner, we would
(18:43):
obviously lock it.
But when we would just go to like
the store, we'd walk around the corner, we'd
leave it open thinking, you know, nobody really
takes anything until we suddenly heard people were
getting broken into.
So these numbers, ladies and gentlemen, are pretty
astronomical.
58 million American package theft victims.
$204 is the average value of a stolen
(19:05):
package.
12 billion is the total value of stolen
packages.
So America's thriving economy is pushing ahead and
its performance is reflected by continued retail growth,
mainly driven by surging e-commerce sales.
So encouraging signs are a green light for
merchants and a beacon for greedy porch pirates.
(19:29):
So these are really disturbing.
25% of Americans have had a package
stolen at some point in their lives.
I want to tell you of one that
got stolen without even being on my porch
or even at our office.
The package got misdelivered to an address.
(19:49):
So our address, let's just say, was 509.
It wasn't.
Well, they delivered it to 905.
When I reached out to see if the
package was delivered, they told me it was
already delivered.
They put down it was delivered to us,
but really the driver made a big mistake
(20:11):
and delivered it to the opposite number by
inverting it.
So I decided to first look up and
see where is this number?
How far down the road was it?
Who were they?
Is it someone I knew?
Maybe it was a mistake.
I found it was a doctor's office.
So the first thing I did was I
(20:32):
called them and I said, hey, I think
you might have gotten one of our packages
by mistake.
Oh, no, no, no, no.
We didn't get any packages from you.
And they even said to me, oh, we
didn't get any computers.
We didn't get any kind of electronics.
And right away, they were trying to tell
me that they didn't get.
They were very specific about what they didn't
get.
(20:52):
So I decided to take a drive down.
It was just a minute or two drive
down the street from us.
It was on the same street.
And I went in there and it was
a medical office.
And I asked them if they had gotten
my package by mistake.
And they said no.
And the funny thing was I saw the
(21:13):
package of what I ordered right on the
desk.
And literally, it was just set up.
And I said, that's mine.
Oh, no, no, we got that.
We just got that delivered.
I said, do you have the box?
Oh, yeah, we have it right here.
And the lady looks at the box and
(21:36):
she gave me the number.
She read the number.
And it was my address.
She's like, well, she's like, it's fine.
Then she's like, oh, you know what?
I'm really busy.
I can't talk to you.
So then I asked to talk to the
doctor.
And the doctor said it's not his fault
if the carriers deliver packages to the wrong
addresses because he said something like finders, keepers,
(21:59):
losers, sweepers.
I said, this is not a game here.
And he was just really unprofessional for a
doctor.
I was just really taken back by him.
Anyway, we've definitely got to be on our
game with that.
So I have a question for you, ladies
and gentlemen.
Can AI, artificial intelligent chatbots, simplify your holiday
(22:20):
shopping?
Well, AI chatbots are becoming more prevalent in
holiday shopping, offering help with gift suggestions and
product comparisons.
Retailers like Amazon and Walmart have introduced generative
AI-powered shopping assistants, such as Amazon's Assans
Rufus, which can respond to natural language queries
and provide personalized recommendations.
(22:42):
However, while these chatbots can assist with product
discovery, they're not perfect and may make mistakes,
such as offering incorrect or outdated information.
The technology is, as you can imagine, still
evolving.
And while it can enhance the shopping experience,
it is far from replacing human decision-making
(23:03):
ability.
But I get the idea why many stores
want to use this because it can help
as a frontline when maybe they're busy.
But I don't think it should be the
be-all, end-all.
And if the AI system is not able
to answer something, don't frustrate the customer or
perspective.
(23:24):
Send them right over to a live person
or at least have a message saying, hey,
all our agents are busy right now.
We got your information and we'll get back
to you shortly.
I mean, at least do that, right?
But they're not doing that.
And TechVets launch a Seattle-focused Wordle-style
(23:44):
puzzle.
Yes.
Seattle natives Kali Fuchigami and Eden Gahami have
launched Flying Comic Games, a new game company
featuring a Seattle-themed Wordle-style puzzle called
The Wordiverse.
The game includes custom categories such as TV
(24:05):
shows, yoga, and even boba tea, which inspired
by Woodle, the game sets itself apart by
allowing proper nouns and focusing on local Seattle
culture.
Flying Comic is also experimenting with other mini
-games in hopes to monetize by offering subscription
(24:29):
models and partnering with smaller publications.
The duo, through now, their efforts are based
in the Bay Area.
California remains deeply connected to Seattle in their
game design.
So it's interesting of what's going on and
(24:52):
how this is happening.
And I think a lot of people don't
realize where they're going with this, but I
hope it doesn't become another challenge like what
happened with New York Times suing that company
that had a small version of their program.
So hopefully it doesn't get to that point,
(25:12):
but you never know.
I mean, if they get profitable, New York
Times might say that they're infringing on their
copyright.
I mean, they might try.
They may not win, but they also may
try to put a wrinkle in their operation
for the time being and think that maybe
that'll put them out of business, but it
won't.
(25:34):
Google Maps adds Waze incident alerts, but unfortunately
not all drivers, ladies and gentlemen, approve of
this, as you may or may not know.
Google Maps has started integrating Waze community-driven
incident alerts like police report ahead into its
app, and this feature, which was announced in
(25:55):
July, is being rolled out globally just in
time for the holiday season.
While Google Maps users can report incidents, including
lane closures and construction, the new Waze alerts
have led to mixed reactions.
Some drivers are unhappy with the increased pop
-up alerts, finding them distracting or too frequent.
(26:16):
Although Google Maps and Waze remain separate apps,
many features are now overlapping, and it's unclear
whether Google will continue this trend.
Yeah, I think eventually what I'm seeing is
that one's going to probably replace the other,
because you can't really have two apps doing
the same thing.
Would Waze buy Google Maps?
(26:39):
Would Google Maps buy Waze?
That could be more probable, but will the
big watchdogs allow them to buy that, or
will that be seen as more of a
potential, I don't know, monopoly?
We all know that Google's got their hands
in everything.
Same thing with Amazon.
Do we need to put some type of
(27:00):
restrictions on them?
I don't know, but this is something that
a lot of people are concerned with.
I mean, now we're hearing that they are
starting to hire doctors and do medicine.
Did you know that?
Amazon now, yes, Amazon, you can now go
to a doctor on Amazon, and it's called
(27:22):
Amazon One Medical.
They actually were called the Amazon Clinic, and
in case you're wondering, you can start off
with what they call a message visit for
only $29.
You can have a video visit for $49.
(27:48):
Quick treatment of common conditions, fast care by
message or video, self-pay visits, insurance is
not accepted or needed, FSA, as well as
HSA eligible.
You can even choose a condition to get
started.
Some of the most popular, like we have
men's health, and they have things from ED,
(28:11):
male hair loss, premature ejaculation.
They've got women's health, birth control, emergency contraception,
period cramp relief, urinary tract infection, UTI, vaginal
dryness, vaginal yeast infection, general health, things like
COVID-19, gout, quit smoking, motion sickness, stomach
(28:33):
issues, tooth pain, urgent vital care, cough, cold,
flu, strep throat, sexual health.
Could be things like we mean before, could
be things like HPV, could be things like
genital diseases and stuff of the like.
(28:56):
Skin and hair, things like acne, dandruff, male
hair loss, eczema, athlete's foot, rosacea, things like
prescription renewal, like anxiety and depression, EpiPens, high
cholesterol, hypothyroidism, other medications, and then there's things
like all other conditions.
(29:18):
The question is, as you think about this,
would you go to them?
And you basically have...
You choose a condition and then you basically
get matched up with somebody.
And I don't know, I think...
(29:38):
And then they even have a thing where
they have a membership.
So you can have a 24-7 on
-demand care with Prime.
You can have a 14-day trial and
then it renews at $9 a month, cancel
any time.
I mean, I'm wondering, ladies and gentlemen, is
Amazon's health any good?
(30:00):
And I don't know.
People say that Amazon's insurance is by far
the best, but is it really?
I mean, are they just getting their hands
into too many things?
People ask, should you use the Amazon clinic
at all?
(30:22):
They're trying to really hit the market with
telehealth.
And I think, one person said, I used
Amazon's clinic to refill my asthma inhaler and
it was easy and painless.
I just upload a copy of my previous
prescription, paid the $30 fee, and I was
able to pick it up from my local
(30:43):
pharmacy the same day.
It saved me a trip to my doctor's
office.
So I think there might be some use
for this, but I also feel that there
could be a lot of misdiagnosis.
I mean, just a visit and a short
visit like that, are they really able to
(31:04):
help you in that period of time?
I don't know.
But I'm a little concerned that the people
selling groceries are now your medical doctor.
I don't know.
I mean, I don't know too many people
that have gone to them.
I will tell you that patient safety in
(31:26):
2024 by Amazon's One Medical has faced some
concerns.
The Washington Post reported that patient safety was
put at risk when elderly patients were routed
to a call center staff by contractors with
little to no medical experience.
The quality of care, some say that the
DTC direct to consumer telehealth services like Amazon's
(31:48):
clinic, may not provide the same quality of
care as a primary care provider, PCP.
Lack of regulation, DTC telehealth services may lack
regulation and transparency.
Established patient provider relationship, DTC services may not
lead to established patient provider relationships.
(32:08):
Amazon acquired One Medical in 2023 to expand
its presence in the healthcare industry.
One Medical offers a discounted membership for prime
members that includes virtual care services and in
-office visits.
So you might be asking me, so where
are Amazon's, let's say, in-person visits?
(32:34):
So from what I understand, they have facilities
quite a few places.
Basically, they have, I know one facility that
I was talking to somebody and his son
just started working there.
They're paying him a lot of money and
he's working there and he's at one of
(32:56):
these big conglomerations.
I don't know.
I don't know if this is going to
last.
I just don't know if it's where it
should be.
So Amazon own One Medical has locations, they
(33:16):
have them in several cities.
As I said, they're in Arlington, they're in
Connecticut, they're in San Francisco.
So they're not all over the place.
They're trying to compete with the emergency medical
care centers that you walk in and they
help you.
A lot of them do not take insurance.
So Telus Health Services by Amazon is available
(33:40):
in all 50 states.
So a lot of people say it's easy,
but I'm really concerned about the privacy, about
the experience to how they keep the data.
That's what I'm concerned about.
(34:02):
And when you offer a service so inexpensively
like that, I have to wonder, is it
something that's going to be good or is
it something that's not going to be good?
And I think you're going to get mixed
reviews from different people.
Like I said, I talked to you about
(34:22):
the leaked documents that revealed that the call
center staff at One Medical failed to escalate
calls from senior patients with urgent symptoms.
And some say the call center staff lacked
medical training and were underqualified, which led to
the mishandling of patient calls.
The FTC is investigating Amazon's acquisition of One
Medical over concerns about how Amazon may use
(34:44):
patient health information.
The FTC is concerned that Amazon could misuse
patient information for targeted advertising or e-commerce.
Yeah, that's a big concern of mine too.
And to offer One Medical membership for $9
a month, no, a one-time virtual visit
(35:06):
for basically for $49 or $29 for a
message only visit, I just don't know if
I would be comfortable with this.
I feel like it's like going to your
barber and ask them, gee, well, I've got
(35:28):
an issue with my foot.
Can you help me with my foot?
You wouldn't do that, right?
And I think it might be a good
solution for like the common cold and things
like that, but I don't think they're really
going to be specialists.
I mean, I could be wrong, but I
just feel that Amazon might, they might use
(35:52):
this data in a way that could, let's
say, further alienate them.
We already saw what they tried to do
with Roomba and that got broken up.
I was surprised that this was allowed to
happen.
I didn't think that this purchase would have
gone through, but it did.
(36:15):
And so Amazon is starting to put out
companies like people like Walgreens and CVS.
So Amazon Medical Drugs is putting many drug
stores out of business.
I mean, I think that's crazy.
(36:37):
Independent drug stores are closing.
Threatened to turn communities into pharmacy deserts.
And this is an issue where they've mentioned
that they may not build pharmacies anymore, but
they're going to build them into long-term
care facilities or to nursing homes.
(37:00):
People say, is this an industry disruptor or
a misfire?
And when Amazon announced the launch of Amazon
Pharmacy, a move that many analysts thought could
be disruptive in the pharmaceutical industry.
But after the first year, some experts say
Amazon's pharmacy is indistinguishable from other mail order
(37:20):
pharmacies.
I don't know.
So Amazon provides services through a company called
PillPack, which was acquired in 2018 and offers
customers personalized medication sorting into different packets.
I just have a problem when a company
(37:43):
that's selling groceries are also selling you, let's
say, glue and nails and string.
And now they also want to sell medical
supplies.
Do you go to your doctor and say,
gee, while I'm here, can I get a
quart of milk?
Or can I get a gallon of milk?
Or by the way, I'm putting an addition
on and I need to pick up some
(38:05):
lumber for my deck.
Like you don't do that.
But how is it that Amazon's allowed to
do something like this and get away with
it?
Is it just because they have a lot
of money?
And if that's the case, I think we've
got a serious problem.
I mean, someone's got to address this.
And I think it's like Amazonitis.
(38:27):
I don't know.
I don't know.
A lot of people are doing these lookalike
approaches.
But one thing I want to mention to
you right now and I was reading about
is that Costco now is selling a Starbucks
lookalike holiday treat at the fraction of the
(38:49):
price of Starbucks.
So Costco is not shy about giving us
the Starbucks items we love for a fraction
of the price.
Whether they're inspired by top sellers or the
real thing, you have to decide.
But Costco is now selling a Marcaroo's sugar
(39:10):
cookie Mac Pop.
If you're a Starbucks cake pop lover, you
can go over to Costco, the whole scale
club, and they are similar in appearance to
those at the coffee house chain, but cost
less.
While you normally pay $4 for cake pops
at Starbucks, Costco sells a 10 pack of
(39:31):
the Macaroo's pops for just under $14.
That's less than $1.50 per cake pop.
So I think what we're noticing is that
a lot of chains, retails, superstores, even Amazon
is trying to do things to offer a
(39:51):
product or service that's similar.
It may not have the exact same value
that we would expect.
But the truth of the matter is some
people don't care.
They want something like it.
I mean, when you go to the store
and you buy milk, do you want something
that's kind of like milk?
(40:11):
It's close to milk.
Do you want something that is cheaper than
milk?
When I want to get milk, I want
pure milk.
I'm not looking for something that's going to
be cheaper.
I want something that I can get that
is going to last.
Typically, I buy milk at BJ's and Costco.
It is cheaper there.
And I find that it lasts longer for
(40:33):
me.
And I think that's because when they transport
milk to these large wholesale clubs, they're in
a vehicle that is very well refrigerated and
the product moves off the shelves very quickly.
So when I see a date, I will
tell you that I usually have sometimes five
(40:56):
or seven days more or longer on the
sell-by date.
Now, the sell-by date means you're not
supposed to sell it after that date.
But generally, when you buy milk from a
store, around that date, it'll start to smell
bad, right?
So I think maintaining a product is how
(41:20):
these superstores do it.
They make sure that there is no shortcuts
on temperature.
And I'm not saying that your local food
stores do, but a lot of these distributors
and suppliers, they might not be as, let's
(41:40):
say, coherent to the standards.
They're still within tolerances, which is why they
can sell it by sell-by date.
But when you really step up that mark,
you know what happens?
Your product can be sold cheaper and it
can last longer, right?
And people want that product over and over
(42:02):
again.
I know that these two price clubs have
a very good price on milk.
And the product's quality is always top-notch.
I think that says a lot.
So my concern with an Amazon being your
(42:25):
drug provider, first of all, is the data
going to be private, number one.
Number two, what's the quality of those drugs?
Are they good?
Are they somewhat good?
I don't know.
But all I know is that it's a
(42:48):
concern.
It's a concern.
So we can't just be worried about the
price.
And you might be saying, John, well, yeah,
we're only concerned about the price, but you
(43:10):
can't.
So they use a company called PillPack.
They sort your meds and all kinds of
stuff like that.
But the thing is, PillPack, you pay your
co-pay.
That's it.
And they take everything else.
So they're making a ton of money from
(43:31):
your insurance.
Again, they do HSA, they do FSA.
It's very interesting.
And so they're out of Manchester, New Hampshire.
(43:56):
And so that means that everything from them
has to come through the mail.
But that's another complication.
Now you're sending things to the mail.
And I know there's other companies that send
medication to mail.
But I don't know.
I have a problem with Amazon being the
same place that you get common items.
(44:17):
And now you're suddenly going to get medicine
from them.
I got a problem with that.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, we had an amazing
show here today.
I hope you guys have a fantastic rest
of your night and a wonderful weekend.
I am John Seymour, a serial entrepreneur.
It's amazing days and evenings.
I will catch you guys next week for
(44:39):
the Jay Moore Tech Talk show.
That'll be December 13th.
And incidentally, do check out BelieveMeAchieved.com for
more of my amazing, inspiring creations.
And I'll catch you guys when?
Well, December 13th, if you don't catch me
on another Jay Moore Tech Talk show real
soon.
Take care, everyone, and be well.
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