Tech Cynic: The Curse of the Distraction Bird

IDG Connect's roundup from a week in business technology. IDG, world’s largest technology media company. [IDG Connect]( [View in Browser]( [Picks of the Week] [•We can fill the brief gaps in our lives like never before. That's not necessarily a good thing.]( [•Females 'outpacing' male counterparts in growing Sri Lankan developer community]( [•Networking the last billion: Are solar drones part of the solution?]( Today, many if not most of us carry our own Distraction Birds around with us. At the first hint of discomfort or potential conflict or plain old boredom, out comes the silicon Distraction Bird, a magical glowing oblong that takes us away from the current time and place into an alternate reality that's more easily managed, more superficially rewarding, more easily digested in neat little snapshots of dopamine reward. We're transported instantly to our safe space where we can be comforted by an echo chamber of our own opinions reflected back at us, ego boosted by affirmation from people exactly like us, comforted with 'new' ideas that challenge our ingrained perspectives not even slightly. Reality takes a back seat. Read the rest of our Tech Cynic’s column [here.]( PICKS OF THE WEEK: The best of our opinion and analysis on the big trends in global tech [Purple Reign: Five ways to look at IBM buying Red Hat]( IBM-Red Hat has a fair chance of success if the latter's culture is maintained [Networking the last billion: Are solar drones part of the solution?]( Facebook has given up on solar-powered internet aircraft: but new designs are being tested now in Australia and China [A buyer’s guide to endpoint detection and response solutions]( Discover what real IT Central Station users think of endpoint detection and response solutions. [Tech Cynic: The distraction bird]( We can fill the brief gaps in our lives like never before. That's not necessarily a good thing. FEATURED REGION: The best of our opinion and analysis on the big trends in global tech [Asia: Females 'outpacing' male counterparts in growing Sri Lankan developer community]( While the gender imbalance is glaringly apparent in much of the world, in Sri Lanka, the number of girls graduating and becoming developers is practically outstripping the boys. Kind Regards, IDG Connect Stay in Touch! [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Google]( [LinkedIn]( [RSS]( [Email]( IDG Connect Friendship House, 49/51 Gresham Road, Staines-Upon-Thames, TW18 4LY, UK. If you do not wish to receive any further emails from us please [unsubscribe](. Copyright © 2018 IDG Connect Ltd.