Hashtag Trending – Cleaning your smartphone; Clever social media use in China; Quantum computing breakthrough

A walkthrough for how to wash your smartphones and other mobile devices is gaining popularity on Twitter, China’s social media users created a new language to beat government censorship on COVID-19, and a hardware manufacturer claims its reached a breakthrough in quantum computing.

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You’ve been told again and again to wash your hands to prevent the spread of coronavirus. But what about the devices you touch? In case you didn’t know, your mobile devices are the ultimate dirt magnets, and as the threat of the cornavirus continues to spread, it only make sense to ensure these devices are cleaned properly every day. A video from the QuickTake by Bloomberg Twitter account has spread like wildfire online. Nate Lanxon walks us through some easy steps, while reminding everyone that the touchscreen displays at fast food restaurants have been found to contain traces of fecal matter. For smartphones specifically, a simple sponge and some soapy water will do. Just make sure the sponge is damp, not soaking wet, and make sure to use another sponge to wipe the residue away.

Trending on Reddit is a story about how China’s social media users created a new language to beat government censorship on COVID-19. The Chinese government’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak has resulted in plenty of criticism lodged towards the government. In addition to the initial cover-up of the epidemic and restrictions on information, the rapid rise in online criticism has led to a host of new terms becoming “sensitive”. New words are being censored on a daily basis amid the heightened censorship of the coronavirus outbreak, but that hasn’t stopped people from getting creative with their posts. For example, “Ladder” (for climbing) and “Vietnamese pho noodles” are two terms that are routinely used to refer to VPN, which are often used in China to access websites blocked in the country.

And lastly, Reddit is buzzing about tech company Honeywell’s claims that it promises “to release the world’s most powerful quantum computer within the next three months.” It’s using trapped-ion (charged atom) technology to make qubits, the building blocks of a quantum computer. Until now, this was generally considered a less advanced approach than the super-conducting technology used by IBM, Google and others.
That’s all the tech news that’s trending right now. Hashtag Trending is a part of the ITWC Podcast network. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home daily briefing. I’m Alex Coop, thanks for listening.

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Jim Love, Chief Content Officer, IT World Canada
Alex Coop
Alex Coophttp://www.itwc.ca
Former Editorial Director for IT World Canada and its sister publications.

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