Insurance via Internet:

No More Agents?

 

Among the many jobs being potentially threatened by the Internet is that of the insurance agent. Technology start-ups and companies from the insurance industry are creating websites designed to sell or promote a range of insurance including auto and small commercial policies.

 

These new websites serve as online insurance comparison portals, allowing users to view many price quotes without having to scour sites individually. Online insurance is not entirely new, and does not completely threaten human agents yet. However, as even Google is now getting on board with this, people in the industry say it is only a matter of time until it takes over.

 

Google’s Compare auto insurance site has been running in Britain for two years, and Google is now working on launching something similar in the US. Other companies like Comparenow, Walmart, and Overstock.com are also getting involved in this space.

Apple iOS 8:

Get the Most Out of Your Operating System

 

Now that the Apple iOS 8 operating system has been released for a few months and there’s been time to work out the bugs, an expert weighs in on how we can get the most out of the new operating system and its features.

 

First, know your battery. Within phone settings, there is a new option called battery usage. This will show a list of apps and the battery power they use in a day. Next, you can now turn on a “Hey Siri” option, allowing you to talk to Siri hands-free. The only downside to this new feature is that it only works when your phone is plugged in. Another new feature includes the music-recognition service Shazam, integrated by Siri and allowing you to identify songs from music playing around you.

 

What else? You can scan your credit cards in Safari, transferring the numbers on your card (except the security code) making it slightly easier to complete a mobile purchase. Other things making your mobile life easier are the new options to use a different keyboard. Rather than the traditional built-in keyboard, you can purchase Swype for $1 in the app store, or download SwiftKey for free, both adding some personal touches to what we’re used to.

 

Lastly, you can take better pictures with some new Camera app features like a self-timer or control over the light exposure. To learn more about these tips and tricks, visit here.

3-D Printing:

Disruptive Medicine

 

Described as disruptive medicine, three dimensional printing is here to stay, especially in the medical field. Hospitals across the country are transforming medical care with the use of 3-D printers and 3-D printed models.

 

One example of the life-changing effects of 3-D printing is a current case of two year old Violet Pietrok, born with a Tessier facial cleft. Violet’s parents sought out Dr. Meara at Boston Children’s Hospital, who has performed similar operations in recent years.

 

Dr. Meara used a 3-D printer to print a model of Violet’s skull based off magnetic resonance imaging pictures. The models allow Dr. Meara, and other doctors in similar situations, to decide on treatment plans, and practice procedures before the real thing. Having the opportunity to experiment with the procedure from start to finish is aiding in shortening these procedures, improving the accuracy, and shortening the time a patient is under anesthesia, improving surgical craft overall.

 

3-D printers aren’t just printing skulls. They can also print replicas of a rib cage, blood vessels, simple organs, and even bits of bone. To learn more about Violet’s case, and where doctors see 3-D printing for the future, visit here.