The man looking over the water gauges couldn't believe what he was seeing...
Just down the road, a few miles from his little control room, the giant tank holding Robinson Township's municipal water supply was draining down... fast.
He looked at the clock. Midnight. The thermometer registered an icy 20 degrees. Somewhere out there, among the Pittsburgh suburbs' 15 square miles of snow-covered neighborhoods and businesses, a water main was losing more than 3,000 gallons of water a minute.
He checked his dials again and did some quick calculations. The township's storage tank held 1 million gallons of water. At this rate, all of it would be gone before dawn.
But exactly where was the water leaking? Where was the pipe break?
He had no idea.
The answer came five hours later.
A ruptured water main in the town's commercial district drained off the majority of the township's supply and left six inches of standing water on the floor of a neighboring Toys "R" Us (not to mention - with little available water for the day, it forced schools to close).
You read about this stuff all the time. For cities around the country, water main breaks are a fact of life.
Or are they?
This is where one of the investing mega trends - the Internet of Things (IoT) - has a rising impact.
IoT to the Rescue
What if you could place sensors in underground water mains, fire hydrants and elsewhere within a piping system, each transmitting bits of data to the town water department?
Put dozens or hundreds of those sensors together, spitting out minute-to-minute information on flow rates and water pressure, and the location of a million-gallon water main break in the middle of the night is no longer such a mystery.
Most breaks, however, aren't so dramatic or obvious.
Think of a pinhole leak in an underground water main. It might seep a comparatively small amount of water - dozens or a few hundreds of gallons a day. But add up all those leaks in a network of pipes hundreds of miles long, and you're talking about a lot of wasted H2O.
For instance, Philadelphia's water department pumps 250 million gallons of water through its municipal system each day. Experts say about a quarter of the water never actually reaches the businesses and residences on the other end of its pipes. That's 60 million gallons of water lost today. And tomorrow. And the day after that.
Until recently, good luck trying to find even a small portion of those leaks. It's like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles.
Unless you have IoT.
Powering New Efficiencies
You can imagine how precious water is in a place such as Las Vegas. Well, the region's water district recently installed Internet-connected sensors to the buried water mains running right down the center of the Las Vegas Strip.
The devices monitor the physical integrity of the pipe walls on a real-time basis. Such efforts have helped the water district identify more than 1,600 leaks in its system and saved nearly 300 million gallons of water.
That's just one water system. Keep in mind, the United States has more than 150,000 city, county and regional water authorities. That's a lot of water saved (and a lot of money too).
The Internet of Things is about more than just detecting leaks in water mains, of course. But it demonstrates in just one way the growing use of the IoT and why it's such an investable mega trend.
The job market remains ugly, regardless of the boasting from the president, the Fed and Wall Street's talking heads. As we have explained on more than one occasion, we've replaced high-paying jobs in the manufacturing sector with low-paying jobs in the services and health care sectors. That is not how you build up a middle class that will support your economy.
Security in the job market doesn't look like it's going to improve anytime soon. A recent survey of 5,006 adults by the Pew Research Center revealed that more than half of American workers believes there will be less job security over the next 20 to 30 years. What's more, technology is seen as a rising threat to jobs.
Approximately 71% of workers believe that employees will need to improve their skills more often in the future if they want to keep up with job-related developments, particularly as more robots are used in the workplace.
In fact, we've seen a significant rise over the past couple of years of the implementation of robots, starting with the fast-food industry. In California, Zume Pizza has replaced its human chefs with robots, cutting its labor costs in half.
Uber is using self-driving cars in parts of America, and there's a push to start using self-driving trucks for long-distance deliveries. Forrester reports that robots could eliminate many positions in customer service, trucking and taxi service - about 6% of the U.S. job market.
And now robots are creeping into banking. Earlier this week, Royal Bank of Scotland announced that it will soon unveil Luvo - a "human" AI that can answer questions online and mimic human empathy. This robot will be able to serve customers 24 hours a day, reduce the workforce and cuts costs.
A Swedish bank plans to use the robot Amelia for customer services. And companies in China, Japan and Taiwan have already implemented Softbank's Pepper robot.
Yes, we've had several technological revolutions over the centuries that have significantly changed the job market, forcing employees to either develop new skills or go jobless. But my concern is that technology is evolving faster now than ever before, and humans simply won't be able to keep up with the changes.
We're not creating enough high-paying jobs to support our middle class, and we're replacing our low-paying jobs with robots.
Where does that leave us?
With a lot of people jobless and dependent on a system that's already drowning in debt.
The American economy is already poised for collapse and won't be able to survive many more direct hits. Putting more of the workforce out in the cold could definitely topple the entire system.
As the Senior Managing Editor for The Sovereign Investor Daily, Jocelynn handles the day-to-day operations for bringing you the Sovereign team's daily insight. She has spent over a decade working as an editor for financial publications. A former trader, Jocelynn has spent 15 years in the financial industry.
An explosion of converging technologies and super trends in medical electronic products have roiled together over the past 2 years and shaped a disruptive combination for the medical industry call Mobile Health (mHealth). There is an old aerospace motto prevalent in that industries' push to improve time-to-market and increase competitiveness "Faster, Better, Cheaper." mHealth steps it up by adding "Connected" and "Convenient" to this trio making an extraordinarily challenging environment for the healthcare industry that is now thoroughly intertwined with the Mobile Application, AppCessory, Analytics and Wireless industries. Much like aerospace the healthcare industry and its myriad devices and processes was for decades moving at its own pace.
Today, the proliferation of medical devices and their applications (often controlled by mobile devices) are everywhere; in hospitals and clinics, in patients homes, on their phones and tablets and on their bodies as they work and play, making treating and diagnosing more expedient and stretching security of information systems to the limit. Some fields seemed immune to this influx, certain disciplines such as spinal surgeries, implantable devices, but in a short time it has become clear that this is not the case. Wireless communications and the Big Data Analytics performed on supercomputing cloud platforms have brought tremendous breakthroughs even here.
Medical Device Connectivity via wireless devices, sophisticated analytics and information security features are employed by an ever increasing number of medical devices. Studies indicate that 50% of people say this will improve health care, while 86% of physicians believe that these inter-connected devices and applications will become essential to physicians for management of health care over the next 5 years. As a matter of fact, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is scheduled to review a record number of mHealth apps in 2015 as companies answer to demand for more sophisticated mHealth devices.
Mobile technology is, as with so many other fields, defining the future of healthcare. Recent trends show decisively, that patients do not want to pay for this extra convenience. Therefore, companies that focus on reimbursement strategies of connecting the patient to the healthcare ecosystems will be creating these applications with a dual purpose, by providing the analytics and outcomes that are needed for caregivers to get paid. Companies who are on board early are aware that it is this type of innovation that allows them to stay in the game and they will take market share from those who lag behind in adopting it.
In 2015 privacy will yield to accessibility as patients embrace the myriad of digital devices and their services emerging on the market. Gamification, and do-it-yourself tools will be what keeps them motivated and engaged; improving one dull and typically less controllable point in health care programs, patient compliance. Reimbursement models based upon the health information that these systems collect and analyze will begin to provide quantifiable data to support outcomes-based results. This will drive change as it begins to remove the physician from the feedback loop thereby driving change in this culture. As real, meaningful, useful and real-time data becomes available caregivers will relinquish control of certain aspect of care, but gain tremendous insight and decision-supporting information.
Connected and intuitive electronic devices prescribed by clinicians can accomplish so much when acting in concert to satisfy the public's yearning for convenience that Qualcomm has created an X Prize competition of its own to usher this era in. The 10 million dollar "Tricorder" prize will undergo consumer testing, in 2015 and final judging in early 2016.
The devices are expected to accurately diagnose 16 health conditions - 13 required core conditions and a choice of three elective conditions - in addition to capturing five real-time health vital signs, independent of a health care worker or facility, and in a way that provides a compelling consumer experience."
The next audacious dare will be not only seamless, streaming secure and HIPAA-compliant data from these colossally capable devices, but genuine interactive systems. Once systems are truly interactive a more complete well-rounded suite of care models that address core issues affecting outcomes and management of chronic health can be developed to better manage high-expense conditions in much lower-cost locations.
Finally, in just 15 years Millennials, the generation shaped by the internet revolution will make up 75% of the work force. Millennials value technologies that deliver personalized experiences, real-time feedback, flexibility, and convenience. They are using mobile technologies to create communities of personalized support, to socialize and interact with the world. Their impact is driving companies to reconsider how to accomplish these advances in the New Health Economy.
Today, the proliferation of medical devices and their applications (often controlled by mobile devices) are everywhere; in hospitals and clinics, in patients homes, on their phones and tablets and on their bodies as they work and play, making treating and diagnosing more expedient and stretching security of information systems to the limit. Some fields seemed immune to this influx, certain disciplines such as spinal surgeries, implantable devices, but in a short time it has become clear that this is not the case. Wireless communications and the Big Data Analytics performed on supercomputing cloud platforms have brought tremendous breakthroughs even here.
Medical Device Connectivity via wireless devices, sophisticated analytics and information security features are employed by an ever increasing number of medical devices. Studies indicate that 50% of people say this will improve health care, while 86% of physicians believe that these inter-connected devices and applications will become essential to physicians for management of health care over the next 5 years. As a matter of fact, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is scheduled to review a record number of mHealth apps in 2015 as companies answer to demand for more sophisticated mHealth devices.
Mobile technology is, as with so many other fields, defining the future of healthcare. Recent trends show decisively, that patients do not want to pay for this extra convenience. Therefore, companies that focus on reimbursement strategies of connecting the patient to the healthcare ecosystems will be creating these applications with a dual purpose, by providing the analytics and outcomes that are needed for caregivers to get paid. Companies who are on board early are aware that it is this type of innovation that allows them to stay in the game and they will take market share from those who lag behind in adopting it.
In 2015 privacy will yield to accessibility as patients embrace the myriad of digital devices and their services emerging on the market. Gamification, and do-it-yourself tools will be what keeps them motivated and engaged; improving one dull and typically less controllable point in health care programs, patient compliance. Reimbursement models based upon the health information that these systems collect and analyze will begin to provide quantifiable data to support outcomes-based results. This will drive change as it begins to remove the physician from the feedback loop thereby driving change in this culture. As real, meaningful, useful and real-time data becomes available caregivers will relinquish control of certain aspect of care, but gain tremendous insight and decision-supporting information.
Connected and intuitive electronic devices prescribed by clinicians can accomplish so much when acting in concert to satisfy the public's yearning for convenience that Qualcomm has created an X Prize competition of its own to usher this era in. The 10 million dollar "Tricorder" prize will undergo consumer testing, in 2015 and final judging in early 2016.
The devices are expected to accurately diagnose 16 health conditions - 13 required core conditions and a choice of three elective conditions - in addition to capturing five real-time health vital signs, independent of a health care worker or facility, and in a way that provides a compelling consumer experience."
The next audacious dare will be not only seamless, streaming secure and HIPAA-compliant data from these colossally capable devices, but genuine interactive systems. Once systems are truly interactive a more complete well-rounded suite of care models that address core issues affecting outcomes and management of chronic health can be developed to better manage high-expense conditions in much lower-cost locations.
Finally, in just 15 years Millennials, the generation shaped by the internet revolution will make up 75% of the work force. Millennials value technologies that deliver personalized experiences, real-time feedback, flexibility, and convenience. They are using mobile technologies to create communities of personalized support, to socialize and interact with the world. Their impact is driving companies to reconsider how to accomplish these advances in the New Health Economy.
Information Technology Projects within large organizations are frequently started in response to some business need or business failing. There is a tendency in organizations to seek funding and approval for project implementation through proposals based on high-level business needs. Usually proposals are attractive, inviting in appearance and are laid out in the form of a statement of work. They focus on the needs and objectives to be met and put emphasis on the persuasive factor of getting the project approved with the intent of "selling the project."
A common approach is to proceed with the project implementation based on "the solution only" by defining the required resources, plan of action, deliverables, timelines, and estimated costs. The critical part of documenting business requirements is omitted and a brief list of very high level requirements is inserted to obtain funding and approval.
"The three major reasons that a project will succeed are user involvement, executive management support, and a clear statement of requirements." "Opinions about why projects are impaired and ultimately cancelled ranked incomplete requirements and lack of user involvement at the top of the list." Source the Sandish Group report: Chaos.
The main goals of documented requirements should be to deliver value, reduce time and cost, increase satisfaction and achieve success. In my experience, the three integral aspects that are necessary for the success of projects, but that are often missed out or not detailed enough, are:
1. Benefits and business value:
People lose focus of the project's benefits and sponsors do not commit to measuring and achieving the defined benefits. It is very difficult to achieve business value if there is lack of commitment to attain the defined benefits. The benefit statements should be clear, concise, and quantified.
2. Detailed business requirements:
Documented requirements are Important!!! In order to align the solutions for delivery of business value, the business requirements must be captured and the solution must be managed to meet them. In my opinion business requirements should be S.M.A.R.T., namely Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-focused and Time-bound. Furthermore the solution should be designed to satisfy and comply with organizations enterprise architecture.
3. Documented quality assurance processes:
The lack of detailed requirements creates a huge problem for the Quality assurance team that is expected to ensure the quality of the project as a whole. The quality assurance team needs to have the means to compare what was delivered, to what was required. The more detailed the requirements are, including what is the proof of success, the more likely quality could be achieved.
Findings from surveys of over 100 companies in Keith Ellis's report: "The Impact of Business Requirements on the Success of Technology Projects" determined that "Companies with poor business analysis capability will have three times as many project failures as successes. 68% of companies are more likely to have a marginal project or outright failure than a success due to the way they approach business analysis. In fact, 50% of this group's projects were "runaways" which had any 2 of: Taking over 180% of target time to deliver; Consuming in excess of 160% of estimated budget; Delivering under 70% of the target required functionality. Companies pay a premium of as much as 60% on time and budget when they use poor requirements practices on their projects. Over 40% of the IT development budget for software, staff and external professional services will be consumed by poor requirements at the average company using average analysts versus the optimal organization. The vast majority of projects surveyed did not utilize sufficient business analysis skill to consistently bring projects in on time and budget. The level of competency required is higher than that employed within projects for 70% of the companies surveyed."
One must always remember that people in different roles will view the project from their own perspective and will not always see the bigger picture. A consolidation phase of requirements analysis needs to be done to look at these different perspectives and present an overall holistic best solution.
In FAO gathering business requirements is performed through brainstorming sessions with the business units and/or defining phased deliverables to be used as prototypes. The Information Technology Division in FAO has put in place mechanisms for ensuring Quality Assurance involvement in all phases of project implementation, from the project inception to project closure phases. In addition, emphasis for all IT projects to measure benefits and liaise with our business units to develop detailed business document requirements has become a prerequisite to project approval. In 2015 the IT division will measure the rate of improved project delivery due to increased business requirements definition.
In Karl E. Wiegers presentation, the "Cosmic Truths about Software Requirements" the following points are some key points to remember:
If you don't get the requirements right, it doesn't matter how well you execute the rest of the project; Requirements development is a discovery and invention process, not just a collection process; The interests of all the project stakeholders intersect in the requirements process; The first question an analyst should ask about a proposed new requirement is "Is this requirement in scope?"; The requirements might be vague, but the product will be specific.
On a final note, as considerable resources in terms of people and money are used to deliver what is actually needed for the realization of the expected business value and objectives, good business requirements are instrumental to avoid failures and complete successful projects.
A common approach is to proceed with the project implementation based on "the solution only" by defining the required resources, plan of action, deliverables, timelines, and estimated costs. The critical part of documenting business requirements is omitted and a brief list of very high level requirements is inserted to obtain funding and approval.
"The three major reasons that a project will succeed are user involvement, executive management support, and a clear statement of requirements." "Opinions about why projects are impaired and ultimately cancelled ranked incomplete requirements and lack of user involvement at the top of the list." Source the Sandish Group report: Chaos.
The main goals of documented requirements should be to deliver value, reduce time and cost, increase satisfaction and achieve success. In my experience, the three integral aspects that are necessary for the success of projects, but that are often missed out or not detailed enough, are:
1. Benefits and business value:
People lose focus of the project's benefits and sponsors do not commit to measuring and achieving the defined benefits. It is very difficult to achieve business value if there is lack of commitment to attain the defined benefits. The benefit statements should be clear, concise, and quantified.
2. Detailed business requirements:
Documented requirements are Important!!! In order to align the solutions for delivery of business value, the business requirements must be captured and the solution must be managed to meet them. In my opinion business requirements should be S.M.A.R.T., namely Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-focused and Time-bound. Furthermore the solution should be designed to satisfy and comply with organizations enterprise architecture.
3. Documented quality assurance processes:
The lack of detailed requirements creates a huge problem for the Quality assurance team that is expected to ensure the quality of the project as a whole. The quality assurance team needs to have the means to compare what was delivered, to what was required. The more detailed the requirements are, including what is the proof of success, the more likely quality could be achieved.
Findings from surveys of over 100 companies in Keith Ellis's report: "The Impact of Business Requirements on the Success of Technology Projects" determined that "Companies with poor business analysis capability will have three times as many project failures as successes. 68% of companies are more likely to have a marginal project or outright failure than a success due to the way they approach business analysis. In fact, 50% of this group's projects were "runaways" which had any 2 of: Taking over 180% of target time to deliver; Consuming in excess of 160% of estimated budget; Delivering under 70% of the target required functionality. Companies pay a premium of as much as 60% on time and budget when they use poor requirements practices on their projects. Over 40% of the IT development budget for software, staff and external professional services will be consumed by poor requirements at the average company using average analysts versus the optimal organization. The vast majority of projects surveyed did not utilize sufficient business analysis skill to consistently bring projects in on time and budget. The level of competency required is higher than that employed within projects for 70% of the companies surveyed."
One must always remember that people in different roles will view the project from their own perspective and will not always see the bigger picture. A consolidation phase of requirements analysis needs to be done to look at these different perspectives and present an overall holistic best solution.
In FAO gathering business requirements is performed through brainstorming sessions with the business units and/or defining phased deliverables to be used as prototypes. The Information Technology Division in FAO has put in place mechanisms for ensuring Quality Assurance involvement in all phases of project implementation, from the project inception to project closure phases. In addition, emphasis for all IT projects to measure benefits and liaise with our business units to develop detailed business document requirements has become a prerequisite to project approval. In 2015 the IT division will measure the rate of improved project delivery due to increased business requirements definition.
In Karl E. Wiegers presentation, the "Cosmic Truths about Software Requirements" the following points are some key points to remember:
If you don't get the requirements right, it doesn't matter how well you execute the rest of the project; Requirements development is a discovery and invention process, not just a collection process; The interests of all the project stakeholders intersect in the requirements process; The first question an analyst should ask about a proposed new requirement is "Is this requirement in scope?"; The requirements might be vague, but the product will be specific.
On a final note, as considerable resources in terms of people and money are used to deliver what is actually needed for the realization of the expected business value and objectives, good business requirements are instrumental to avoid failures and complete successful projects.
With the holidays fast approaching right there's a small but expensive gift for a special person. A smart watch is designed to coordinate with your phone using Bluetooth technology to make sure that you never miss a call again. Your smart watch will notify you of a call and if set for it, will also tell you who is calling. No need to drag you phone out of your pocket or from the bottom of your handbag. You can discretely check your watch.
Not all smart watches are created equal. Prior to your acquiring one, here are some factors to check:
1. Compatibility with your kind of phone
2. Strength of battery and also just how frequently it needs charging
3. What features you want
Some consist of: notification from social networks as well as calls, stop watch and also calendar, voice activation, water-proof, various alerts and shock-proof.
4. Design
Do you want something streamlined and also contemporary or are you a geek who really wants a big watch with every feature possible?
5. Simplicity of use
Does it effortlessly fit your wrist? Do you require something shock-proof? Can you check out the dial effortlessly? Remember that this machine needs to make your life simpler, not more difficult.
Here are the 10 finest smart watches for 2014: MetaWatch Strata, MetaWatch Frame, Pebble, Cookoo, I'm Watch, Samsung Galaxy Gear, Martian G2G, Martian Passport, Martian Victory, and Sony LiveView. I'm going to select 3 of these to review in detail. These three represent the variety that exists among these watches.
6. MetaWatch Strata
This is an extremely strong watch that can take some knocking around. The band is flexible plastic and also washable. There is a scratch-resistant face and also it is water resistant. The battery can last for a week on one charge.There are a number of stylish colors for the band - electric blue, pink, orange and lime green as well as the conventional grey. There are a lot more features and also applications that can be downloaded as apps to this phone suitable for iPhones. At $145 this is among the less expensive smart watches.
7. Samsung Galaxy Gear
This is a sleek, steamlined watch simply produced for a female who likes jewelry. No Samsung S3 or S4 is complete without one of these smart watches. One unique benefit includes protection of your phone. When you walk more than 5 feet away from your phone, the Gear secures and locks your phone, then unlocks it as soon as you return. The screen face is quite clear and also the battery lasts for 2-3 days between charges. The voice function allows you to dictate messages, established reminders and also make calls. This watch is $337 retail.
8. Sony LiveView
This is one that fits someone on a small budget as it weighs in at just $25.86. It can easily be connected to a purse strap but wrist bands are available. For something so small it is surprisingly useful with Facebook and also Twitter updates as well as the conventional features. You can upload as well as play songs from your phone, and also acquire gmail updates. However, there is no Bluetooth capability in the watch itself. As soon as the reception is gone, it leaves this phone unusable as it acquires its signal from the phone. One really useful feature is the "Find Phone" feature. If you can not find your phone, the Sony LiveView will allow you to find it by calling it for you.
As you can see, these phones are fairly different from each other and also from various other devices and accessories. Considering that these watches are so new, it's a good concept to try them before you buy. At the very least put them on and also see if all the buttons function. "If you consider all of the factors above, you will surely find a smart watch that is a perfect fit for you. Then, you can stop missing important calls or messages while simultaneously checking your phone less frequently."
Exactly what will 2015 bring for new Smart Watch technology? Currently smart watches have started appearing that do not require phone connections in order to function - essentially a cell phone watch. The world of the cartoon character, Dick Tracy with his two-way walkie-talkie wrist watch has arrived finally.
Not all smart watches are created equal. Prior to your acquiring one, here are some factors to check:
1. Compatibility with your kind of phone
2. Strength of battery and also just how frequently it needs charging
3. What features you want
Some consist of: notification from social networks as well as calls, stop watch and also calendar, voice activation, water-proof, various alerts and shock-proof.
4. Design
Do you want something streamlined and also contemporary or are you a geek who really wants a big watch with every feature possible?
5. Simplicity of use
Does it effortlessly fit your wrist? Do you require something shock-proof? Can you check out the dial effortlessly? Remember that this machine needs to make your life simpler, not more difficult.
Here are the 10 finest smart watches for 2014: MetaWatch Strata, MetaWatch Frame, Pebble, Cookoo, I'm Watch, Samsung Galaxy Gear, Martian G2G, Martian Passport, Martian Victory, and Sony LiveView. I'm going to select 3 of these to review in detail. These three represent the variety that exists among these watches.
6. MetaWatch Strata
This is an extremely strong watch that can take some knocking around. The band is flexible plastic and also washable. There is a scratch-resistant face and also it is water resistant. The battery can last for a week on one charge.There are a number of stylish colors for the band - electric blue, pink, orange and lime green as well as the conventional grey. There are a lot more features and also applications that can be downloaded as apps to this phone suitable for iPhones. At $145 this is among the less expensive smart watches.
7. Samsung Galaxy Gear
This is a sleek, steamlined watch simply produced for a female who likes jewelry. No Samsung S3 or S4 is complete without one of these smart watches. One unique benefit includes protection of your phone. When you walk more than 5 feet away from your phone, the Gear secures and locks your phone, then unlocks it as soon as you return. The screen face is quite clear and also the battery lasts for 2-3 days between charges. The voice function allows you to dictate messages, established reminders and also make calls. This watch is $337 retail.
8. Sony LiveView
This is one that fits someone on a small budget as it weighs in at just $25.86. It can easily be connected to a purse strap but wrist bands are available. For something so small it is surprisingly useful with Facebook and also Twitter updates as well as the conventional features. You can upload as well as play songs from your phone, and also acquire gmail updates. However, there is no Bluetooth capability in the watch itself. As soon as the reception is gone, it leaves this phone unusable as it acquires its signal from the phone. One really useful feature is the "Find Phone" feature. If you can not find your phone, the Sony LiveView will allow you to find it by calling it for you.
As you can see, these phones are fairly different from each other and also from various other devices and accessories. Considering that these watches are so new, it's a good concept to try them before you buy. At the very least put them on and also see if all the buttons function. "If you consider all of the factors above, you will surely find a smart watch that is a perfect fit for you. Then, you can stop missing important calls or messages while simultaneously checking your phone less frequently."
Exactly what will 2015 bring for new Smart Watch technology? Currently smart watches have started appearing that do not require phone connections in order to function - essentially a cell phone watch. The world of the cartoon character, Dick Tracy with his two-way walkie-talkie wrist watch has arrived finally.
Older display technology like DLP/LED rear projection cubes for video walls are still considered to be the gold standard, however they can be relatively expensive and take more maintenance than the latest LCD video walls. Front projectors run hot, burn expensive lamps frequently, and as a rule have lower resolution which is important when displaying small text and symbols. These are driven by a processor which accepts a variety of input sources. Hardwire switchers are considered outdated because of their limitations and they can be bulky and expensive relative to their performance. Modern LCD video walls are the preferred technology for demanding mission critical environments; they have overall high resolution with relatively lower initial investment lower maintenance costs and longevity.
An Overview
There are a variety of display technologies on the market, but modern LCD video walls are the best investment relative to cost, maintenance, longevity and return on investment. The latest ultra-thin screen mullions make LCDs competitive with the thinner mullion DLP cubes, but the difference in width is adequate for most control room requirements. From a functional perspective, these with their internal video processors, can acquire more sources, display more information and manage more information than any other method. This means better and faster decision-making.
That said, no technology is perfect so there is a trade-off. LCD panels don't last forever and when a panel fails, it is typically replaced rather than repaired. The potential problem is availability of a matching replacement. Technology is changing and products go on and off the market frequently as do the manufacturers. For this reason, buying several replacement panels is a good idea.
These are the most popular of the display technologies for the reasons mentioned, however the most obvious, but less emphasized is the depth. These panels can be mounted on the wall with an approximate 7" depth or mounted in a 12" deep cabinet. Compared to its DLP cube competitor, it's a good foot and half shallower and in a small control room the difference of 12" in depth could make a difference.
To conclude, if you're shopping for a video wall for your control room and want one that will hold up under continuous use 7/24, you won't find much choice within the ultra-thin mullion market. However, when shopping, don't focus on the displays, look at the video wall as a performance system and match the best LCD panel to that system. An integrator specializing in control rooms should be able to assist you with your selection. These are a sizable investment, so it's important to take the time to make your evaluation.
An Overview
There are a variety of display technologies on the market, but modern LCD video walls are the best investment relative to cost, maintenance, longevity and return on investment. The latest ultra-thin screen mullions make LCDs competitive with the thinner mullion DLP cubes, but the difference in width is adequate for most control room requirements. From a functional perspective, these with their internal video processors, can acquire more sources, display more information and manage more information than any other method. This means better and faster decision-making.
That said, no technology is perfect so there is a trade-off. LCD panels don't last forever and when a panel fails, it is typically replaced rather than repaired. The potential problem is availability of a matching replacement. Technology is changing and products go on and off the market frequently as do the manufacturers. For this reason, buying several replacement panels is a good idea.
These are the most popular of the display technologies for the reasons mentioned, however the most obvious, but less emphasized is the depth. These panels can be mounted on the wall with an approximate 7" depth or mounted in a 12" deep cabinet. Compared to its DLP cube competitor, it's a good foot and half shallower and in a small control room the difference of 12" in depth could make a difference.
To conclude, if you're shopping for a video wall for your control room and want one that will hold up under continuous use 7/24, you won't find much choice within the ultra-thin mullion market. However, when shopping, don't focus on the displays, look at the video wall as a performance system and match the best LCD panel to that system. An integrator specializing in control rooms should be able to assist you with your selection. These are a sizable investment, so it's important to take the time to make your evaluation.
As I remember, my family was one of the first families in our neighborhood to purchase a television. The year was either 1949 or in the early 1950s. The television had a black & white 10-inch screen in the middle of a large wooden cabinet. Everyone on our block who was available at the time the technician did the installation was present for the event. I remember clearly when the television was turned on; the first image on the screen was that of the Lone Ranger and his stallion Silver standing in his famous two legged pose. All of those who were in attendance roared with approval.
Prior to T.V. the main source of getting outside communication of world events was through the radio. I can remember our family members gathering around the radio on a rainy Sunday evening listening to the radio dramas in silence and with intense concentration. One good thing about this form of entertainment was that each person had to use their own imagination to form mental pictures to go along with the dialogue that they were listening to. This is something that the younger generations of our society have no concept of today. It seems that many of our citizens do not exercise the option of innovative thinking and would rather have someone else make their decisions for them. This can be a dangerous practice especially when those who are making the decisions do not have the person's best interest in mind.
The concept of Television
After evaluating the role that television has played in American society for the past half century it is clear to me what has happened.
During the later part of the 1800s and the first part of the 1900s, the industrial revolution was instrumental in changing our nation into a nation of consumers. One way to accomplish this was to convince the masses that they needed what was being produced to make their lives easier and more comfortable. This could be accomplished by advertisement and getting the messages out via the mass media (radio, print and eventually television.) The first thing that needed to be done in the first half of the twentieth century was to make sure that there was a television in every home or in a location that would reach the most people.
Advertisements
In the early 1950s I can remember hearing the term "Madison Avenue" was used a lot, but I had no idea what it meant until much later in life. This term referred to the vast advertising media that was located on the east coast. During the early years of television in America, it appears that the programmers devised certain test to see what the viewing public was interested in seeing and concentrated on refining those television programs that would garner the most attention from the viewers. At this time the shows used most of the allotted time to tell their stories and the commercials (advertisements were slowly slipped in), and took up a minimum amount of time. Now that the majority of the viewing audience has had time to become adequately hooked on T.V., the programmers have become bolder and the advertisements may take up as much as 60 to 75 percent of a program's viewing time to sell products. This fact has not escaped my keen eye and I refuse to cooperate with the deception.
Conclusion
Wake up America and return to reading books, art, and other positive cultural activities. Also a word of caution is be careful what you read, make sure that it has some positive value and adds to your intellectual growth.
Prior to T.V. the main source of getting outside communication of world events was through the radio. I can remember our family members gathering around the radio on a rainy Sunday evening listening to the radio dramas in silence and with intense concentration. One good thing about this form of entertainment was that each person had to use their own imagination to form mental pictures to go along with the dialogue that they were listening to. This is something that the younger generations of our society have no concept of today. It seems that many of our citizens do not exercise the option of innovative thinking and would rather have someone else make their decisions for them. This can be a dangerous practice especially when those who are making the decisions do not have the person's best interest in mind.
The concept of Television
After evaluating the role that television has played in American society for the past half century it is clear to me what has happened.
During the later part of the 1800s and the first part of the 1900s, the industrial revolution was instrumental in changing our nation into a nation of consumers. One way to accomplish this was to convince the masses that they needed what was being produced to make their lives easier and more comfortable. This could be accomplished by advertisement and getting the messages out via the mass media (radio, print and eventually television.) The first thing that needed to be done in the first half of the twentieth century was to make sure that there was a television in every home or in a location that would reach the most people.
Advertisements
In the early 1950s I can remember hearing the term "Madison Avenue" was used a lot, but I had no idea what it meant until much later in life. This term referred to the vast advertising media that was located on the east coast. During the early years of television in America, it appears that the programmers devised certain test to see what the viewing public was interested in seeing and concentrated on refining those television programs that would garner the most attention from the viewers. At this time the shows used most of the allotted time to tell their stories and the commercials (advertisements were slowly slipped in), and took up a minimum amount of time. Now that the majority of the viewing audience has had time to become adequately hooked on T.V., the programmers have become bolder and the advertisements may take up as much as 60 to 75 percent of a program's viewing time to sell products. This fact has not escaped my keen eye and I refuse to cooperate with the deception.
Conclusion
Wake up America and return to reading books, art, and other positive cultural activities. Also a word of caution is be careful what you read, make sure that it has some positive value and adds to your intellectual growth.
The design of a telescopic mast is such that its various sections can be caved into each other. Such masts find a wide range of applications, and there are many manufacturers and dealers for it. If you are looking for one, you should try the hobbyists' stores catering to radio buffs, suppliers of camping goods and stores selling telecom equipment. You can also source one straight from the manufacturers; some of them could even be willing to make it as per your requirements.
Masts are frequently used in the field of telecommunications to boost up the signal. The taller the mast, the better is the quality of signal. However, it is quite cumbersome to shift a full length mast for mobile communications. Moreover, a fully extended mast does not make a pleasant sight and could discourage radio enthusiasts from using one, as it could disturb the neighbors. Moreover, users would like the area around their home to remain orderly, except when they need to receive or transmit signals.
Since a telescopic mast can easily be folded to a convenient length, its handling and transportation becomes very convenient. It can easily be shifted to any desired site by being attached to a car or another vehicle. Whenever you want to use it, simply remove it from the vehicle, extend it to its full length and secure it in place. Once the job is over, you can fold and store it back.
You also get telescopic masts that can be attached to trucks and cars to facilitate the transportation. During transportation, they are folded to prevent any navigational hazard and can easily be corrected when reaching the site. These kinds of masts are usually used by the trucks employed by the armed forces for catching communication signals while moving. These masts may be installed on other structures, including homes, and can be kept in pulled back position when not being used. They also form a part of a field kit, enabling the user to erect them on ground and use them for communication in extended position.
Telescopic masts are manufactured from various materials. The choice of material needs to take into consideration two important factors. One is the location of the mast, and the other is its utility. Apart from these two factors, there are also other factors that need a careful assessment while finalizing the material of any telescopic mast. For instance, the overall length of the collapsed mast needs to be known before hand. Likewise, you should also know if the mast is going to be self-supporting or not. In case it is not self-supporting, what type of attachments will be needed at its base for providing the needed support? The weight of the mast, governed by the material used for its construction, should also be considered.
Masts are frequently used in the field of telecommunications to boost up the signal. The taller the mast, the better is the quality of signal. However, it is quite cumbersome to shift a full length mast for mobile communications. Moreover, a fully extended mast does not make a pleasant sight and could discourage radio enthusiasts from using one, as it could disturb the neighbors. Moreover, users would like the area around their home to remain orderly, except when they need to receive or transmit signals.
Since a telescopic mast can easily be folded to a convenient length, its handling and transportation becomes very convenient. It can easily be shifted to any desired site by being attached to a car or another vehicle. Whenever you want to use it, simply remove it from the vehicle, extend it to its full length and secure it in place. Once the job is over, you can fold and store it back.
You also get telescopic masts that can be attached to trucks and cars to facilitate the transportation. During transportation, they are folded to prevent any navigational hazard and can easily be corrected when reaching the site. These kinds of masts are usually used by the trucks employed by the armed forces for catching communication signals while moving. These masts may be installed on other structures, including homes, and can be kept in pulled back position when not being used. They also form a part of a field kit, enabling the user to erect them on ground and use them for communication in extended position.
Telescopic masts are manufactured from various materials. The choice of material needs to take into consideration two important factors. One is the location of the mast, and the other is its utility. Apart from these two factors, there are also other factors that need a careful assessment while finalizing the material of any telescopic mast. For instance, the overall length of the collapsed mast needs to be known before hand. Likewise, you should also know if the mast is going to be self-supporting or not. In case it is not self-supporting, what type of attachments will be needed at its base for providing the needed support? The weight of the mast, governed by the material used for its construction, should also be considered.
A Little History of March in previous years...
Five years ago, in March 2009 Google was in the news for creating a $100 Million venture fund. Bell Canada bought "the Source" and the break-up of BearingPoint, post Chapter 11, benefited Deloitte and PwC amongst others around the world.
March 2010 saw a continuation of the economic recovery. It was a quiet month for M&A activity with CA buying both 3Tera for about $90 million and Nimsoft for $350 million. Chordiant was bought by Pegasytems for a little over $160 million, and the other notable deal was Avnet's $340 million purchase of Bell Microproducts.
Three years ago, in March 2011 world events included Japan's earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear woes. The big technology event of the month was AT&T's announcement of a $39 Billion deal to buy T-Mobile... which later failed, costing AT&T a reputed $4 billion. While there were no other mega-deals of this nature it was a fairly busy month in the M&A world. Montreal's Radian6 was snapped up by Salesforce.com for about $276 million; Facebook made a couple of acquisitions in the mobile space Snaptu and Beluga; YouTube paid about $50 million for Next New Networks; McAfee bought database security firm Sentrigo; Cisco bought portal company newScale; Teradata bought data analytics startup Aster data... a continuation of the consolidation in the red hot data space; and OpenText bought a mobile app development tool vendor WeComm.
In March 2012 there was some activity with a couple of (then) young companies receiving significant capital Appirio ($60 million) and Hootsuite ($20 million). Cisco made a couple of acquisitions, paying a wopping $5 billion for video software and content company NDS Group in addition to a smaller network management buy, ClearAccess. NEC paid $450 million for the information management business of Convergys and Avaya paid $230 million for an Israeli videoconferenceing and telepresence company Radvision. Other companies on the acquisition trail were DELL, EMC, SafeNet, Avnet and The Utility Company. Finally, SAIC agreed to pay close to a half billion dollars to the City of New York related to charges it overbilled and paid kickbacks!
Last year, in March 2013 some of the "usual characters" were making acquisitions, but there were no billion dollar deals announced. Oracle continued its move into the telco space with the purchase of Tekelec; Google bought a small Toronto University based company DNNresearch in the machine learning vertical; Microsoft sold Atlas Advertiser Suite to Facebook; and Yahoo bought Summly. Microsoft ran into some difficulties in the EU, having to pay a $732 million antitrust fine related to Internet Explorer and Evernote suffered a security breach affecting 50 million users.
Which brings us back to the present...
March 2014 was not a banner month for acquisitions but there was one big deal with Facebook making a, somewhat surprising, $2 Billion acquisition of virtual reality company Oculus VR. Intel also expanded its horizons with the $150 million acquisition of smart watch maker, Basis Science. Some other interesting moves saw a fair bit of investment in "big data" company Cloudera with both Google (as part of an investment consortium) and Intel involved. SAP added to its purchasing software suite with the acquisition of Fieldglass and Telus made a couple of buys, Enode a management consulting company out of Quebec and Med Access an addition, in British Columbia, to their healthcare division. There were a few other smaller deals plus Embarcadero bought the ERwinDate Modelling software from CA.
Other than M&A activity there were a number of companies making news, and not all for good stuff! IBM's server sale to Lenovo has generated some significant labor troubles in China, Google was ordered to pay $85 million to SimpleAir for patent infringement and NetApp announced it was laying off almost 5% of its workforce representing 600 jobs. A couple of Bitcoin exchanges ran into serious trouble with Mt.Gox "losing" $500 million in bitcoins and Vicurex freezing all of its accounts after a serious hack. Notable "people events" in March saw Target's CIO Beth Jacob resign in response to the recent major data breach and Symantec fired their CEO Steve Bennett.
Economic news was at best "tepid" in Canada, with the unemployment rate unchanged and indicators generally "blah" (that is one of my best economic terms). Indicators in the US however were generally positive with growth in GDP, several confidence indices showing promise and an outlook of increased hiring.
That is it for my look at what was happening in the technology space over the last month, compared to the same month in previous years. I'll be back at the end of April, until then... walk fast and smile!
Five years ago, in March 2009 Google was in the news for creating a $100 Million venture fund. Bell Canada bought "the Source" and the break-up of BearingPoint, post Chapter 11, benefited Deloitte and PwC amongst others around the world.
March 2010 saw a continuation of the economic recovery. It was a quiet month for M&A activity with CA buying both 3Tera for about $90 million and Nimsoft for $350 million. Chordiant was bought by Pegasytems for a little over $160 million, and the other notable deal was Avnet's $340 million purchase of Bell Microproducts.
Three years ago, in March 2011 world events included Japan's earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear woes. The big technology event of the month was AT&T's announcement of a $39 Billion deal to buy T-Mobile... which later failed, costing AT&T a reputed $4 billion. While there were no other mega-deals of this nature it was a fairly busy month in the M&A world. Montreal's Radian6 was snapped up by Salesforce.com for about $276 million; Facebook made a couple of acquisitions in the mobile space Snaptu and Beluga; YouTube paid about $50 million for Next New Networks; McAfee bought database security firm Sentrigo; Cisco bought portal company newScale; Teradata bought data analytics startup Aster data... a continuation of the consolidation in the red hot data space; and OpenText bought a mobile app development tool vendor WeComm.
In March 2012 there was some activity with a couple of (then) young companies receiving significant capital Appirio ($60 million) and Hootsuite ($20 million). Cisco made a couple of acquisitions, paying a wopping $5 billion for video software and content company NDS Group in addition to a smaller network management buy, ClearAccess. NEC paid $450 million for the information management business of Convergys and Avaya paid $230 million for an Israeli videoconferenceing and telepresence company Radvision. Other companies on the acquisition trail were DELL, EMC, SafeNet, Avnet and The Utility Company. Finally, SAIC agreed to pay close to a half billion dollars to the City of New York related to charges it overbilled and paid kickbacks!
Last year, in March 2013 some of the "usual characters" were making acquisitions, but there were no billion dollar deals announced. Oracle continued its move into the telco space with the purchase of Tekelec; Google bought a small Toronto University based company DNNresearch in the machine learning vertical; Microsoft sold Atlas Advertiser Suite to Facebook; and Yahoo bought Summly. Microsoft ran into some difficulties in the EU, having to pay a $732 million antitrust fine related to Internet Explorer and Evernote suffered a security breach affecting 50 million users.
Which brings us back to the present...
March 2014 was not a banner month for acquisitions but there was one big deal with Facebook making a, somewhat surprising, $2 Billion acquisition of virtual reality company Oculus VR. Intel also expanded its horizons with the $150 million acquisition of smart watch maker, Basis Science. Some other interesting moves saw a fair bit of investment in "big data" company Cloudera with both Google (as part of an investment consortium) and Intel involved. SAP added to its purchasing software suite with the acquisition of Fieldglass and Telus made a couple of buys, Enode a management consulting company out of Quebec and Med Access an addition, in British Columbia, to their healthcare division. There were a few other smaller deals plus Embarcadero bought the ERwinDate Modelling software from CA.
Other than M&A activity there were a number of companies making news, and not all for good stuff! IBM's server sale to Lenovo has generated some significant labor troubles in China, Google was ordered to pay $85 million to SimpleAir for patent infringement and NetApp announced it was laying off almost 5% of its workforce representing 600 jobs. A couple of Bitcoin exchanges ran into serious trouble with Mt.Gox "losing" $500 million in bitcoins and Vicurex freezing all of its accounts after a serious hack. Notable "people events" in March saw Target's CIO Beth Jacob resign in response to the recent major data breach and Symantec fired their CEO Steve Bennett.
Economic news was at best "tepid" in Canada, with the unemployment rate unchanged and indicators generally "blah" (that is one of my best economic terms). Indicators in the US however were generally positive with growth in GDP, several confidence indices showing promise and an outlook of increased hiring.
That is it for my look at what was happening in the technology space over the last month, compared to the same month in previous years. I'll be back at the end of April, until then... walk fast and smile!
When people go to the doctor, they have to go through medical tests sometimes like x-rays and scans with machines called cat scans or MRIs. However, most of the time, patients never get to see the pictures of their own body. The lack of patients seeing their own pictures is changing now for the better. There are many different ways that technology can help the medical field, and the ability to do an instant image share is actually benefiting the way that information is passed between doctors and patients.
Benefits of Instant Image Sharing For Both Patients and Doctors
Medical records, pictures, and tests, may seem like another language to some patients, but to others it is genuinely interesting. People who have a lot of medical tests, can become curious as to what their insides look like, and with instant image share, people can see what certain parts of their body look like. Here is more information on the other benefits of doctors sharing medical images with their patients:
Doctors and patients can communicate more effectively: Sometimes when people go to the doctor, the medical jargon can be hard to understand, and that means that patient do not understand what the doctor is talking about. With instant image share, doctors can show patients exactly what they are referring to, and that will mean that every visit with doctors will be a lot better because patients will be able to physically see what the doctors are referring to.
Imagines can be seen shortly after they are taken: Back in the olden days, an x-ray took hours to develop, but with the newest technology, x-rays and scans can be ready to view in only a few minutes.
Video conferencing with specialists is possible: When there is a problem with people's bodies, they sometimes have to go to see more than one doctor. However, with image sharing, people do not have to go through the hassle of carrying their own records or having to repeat the same story over and over again with a new doctor because there can be a conference call that can involve a patient, their regular doctor, and a specialist all at the same time. By having all medical experts and patients in the same room, treatment options can be discussed, which is going to save everyone a lot of time and effort because no one will have to run around town trying to deal with many doctors.
Patients only need to take images once: Sometimes patients have to go through different medical tests every time they see a new doctor, which will mean multiple x-rays, or scans. However, with image sharing, people can only do tests one time, and then the image can be file shared and sent to email to any medical professional that it needs to go to.
Technology is changing every part of the world even the medical field. One big benefit of it is called instant image share, and with it, patient medical tests like x-rays and scans, can be seen by patients, doctors, specialists, and anyone else that has to see them, which will save people a lot of time and medical treatment can be agreed upon and started right away.
For more information on latest image sharing technology, you may visit the following website:
Instant Image Share
Benefits of Instant Image Sharing For Both Patients and Doctors
Medical records, pictures, and tests, may seem like another language to some patients, but to others it is genuinely interesting. People who have a lot of medical tests, can become curious as to what their insides look like, and with instant image share, people can see what certain parts of their body look like. Here is more information on the other benefits of doctors sharing medical images with their patients:
Doctors and patients can communicate more effectively: Sometimes when people go to the doctor, the medical jargon can be hard to understand, and that means that patient do not understand what the doctor is talking about. With instant image share, doctors can show patients exactly what they are referring to, and that will mean that every visit with doctors will be a lot better because patients will be able to physically see what the doctors are referring to.
Imagines can be seen shortly after they are taken: Back in the olden days, an x-ray took hours to develop, but with the newest technology, x-rays and scans can be ready to view in only a few minutes.
Video conferencing with specialists is possible: When there is a problem with people's bodies, they sometimes have to go to see more than one doctor. However, with image sharing, people do not have to go through the hassle of carrying their own records or having to repeat the same story over and over again with a new doctor because there can be a conference call that can involve a patient, their regular doctor, and a specialist all at the same time. By having all medical experts and patients in the same room, treatment options can be discussed, which is going to save everyone a lot of time and effort because no one will have to run around town trying to deal with many doctors.
Patients only need to take images once: Sometimes patients have to go through different medical tests every time they see a new doctor, which will mean multiple x-rays, or scans. However, with image sharing, people can only do tests one time, and then the image can be file shared and sent to email to any medical professional that it needs to go to.
Technology is changing every part of the world even the medical field. One big benefit of it is called instant image share, and with it, patient medical tests like x-rays and scans, can be seen by patients, doctors, specialists, and anyone else that has to see them, which will save people a lot of time and medical treatment can be agreed upon and started right away.
For more information on latest image sharing technology, you may visit the following website:
Instant Image Share
Gadget companies created a new market segment of computers when they introduced tablets in 2010. I bought my first tablet upon its introduction and fell in love with it. It is now an essential device in my daily life. Today, there are various brands and models of tablets in the market and consumers have a lot more choices.
While I know from experience that my tablet (loaded with games and apps) could be a popular icebreaker when I meet tech-savvy kids, I have only recently come to appreciate that such devices are also a game-changer for technology-shy seniors, who have often been left out of the consumer technology equation. At best, simplified versions of popular devices or services - such as email that does not require a PC and large-button, single-function mobile phones - have been launched as an afterthought for the oldest consumers. Computer tablets are different; they have changed the technology landscape for seniors.
Usability even with impairments
For seniors, tablets address some of the biggest traditional barriers to technology. Arthritis and other impairments often limit a senior's fine motor skill - a disability not compatible with mouse and keyboard requirements. Tablets deliver touch screen technology, facilitating usage and minimizing user frustration.
Tablets are more simply designed than computers, usually with just one button to change programs. They are easy to use and not intimidating. They are portable and do not take up a lot of room. They allow users to easily connect with friends and family - especially with grandchildren - through email, video calls, photo sharing, or social media websites like Facebook. Once users are comfortable with the tablets, they could browse the web, watch the news and even shop online. And once they discover the joy of downloading and using apps, their lives will be transformed. For example, they can brain-train, learn a new language, get new recipes, play solitaires, and check baseball scores. In fact they become included in the new digital world.
Tablets also offer an improvement over printed books. For those with poor vision, a once-enjoyed activity like reading could be a thing of the past. However, a tablet would change all that. Downloading books avoids a trip to a bookstore or library. Seniors can also easily adjust the screen brightness and text to suit their needs.
Use tablets for healthcare
Tablets also enable greater independence for the elderly through remote evaluation and monitoring. From the diagnostic side, tablet-base mobile assessment tools provide a rapid assessment of a patient's ability to complete mobility-related tasks. Tablets also enable ongoing care. In addition, there are apps that could be directly downloaded for own use in healthcare e.g. to measure heart rate, monitor food intake and exercise, or set up diary of reminders to take medications.
Tablets are an enabling tool for 'ageing in place', which means to have the ability to live in one's own home comfortably, safely and independently as one ages. This is the wish of most people. According to one study, 78% of adults between the ages of 50 and 64 report that they would prefer to stay in their current residence as they age. The trend of ageing in place is also desirable from the perspectives of society and economy. It encourages inter-generational connectivity and minimizes the cost of institutional care.
While I know from experience that my tablet (loaded with games and apps) could be a popular icebreaker when I meet tech-savvy kids, I have only recently come to appreciate that such devices are also a game-changer for technology-shy seniors, who have often been left out of the consumer technology equation. At best, simplified versions of popular devices or services - such as email that does not require a PC and large-button, single-function mobile phones - have been launched as an afterthought for the oldest consumers. Computer tablets are different; they have changed the technology landscape for seniors.
Usability even with impairments
For seniors, tablets address some of the biggest traditional barriers to technology. Arthritis and other impairments often limit a senior's fine motor skill - a disability not compatible with mouse and keyboard requirements. Tablets deliver touch screen technology, facilitating usage and minimizing user frustration.
Tablets are more simply designed than computers, usually with just one button to change programs. They are easy to use and not intimidating. They are portable and do not take up a lot of room. They allow users to easily connect with friends and family - especially with grandchildren - through email, video calls, photo sharing, or social media websites like Facebook. Once users are comfortable with the tablets, they could browse the web, watch the news and even shop online. And once they discover the joy of downloading and using apps, their lives will be transformed. For example, they can brain-train, learn a new language, get new recipes, play solitaires, and check baseball scores. In fact they become included in the new digital world.
Tablets also offer an improvement over printed books. For those with poor vision, a once-enjoyed activity like reading could be a thing of the past. However, a tablet would change all that. Downloading books avoids a trip to a bookstore or library. Seniors can also easily adjust the screen brightness and text to suit their needs.
Use tablets for healthcare
Tablets also enable greater independence for the elderly through remote evaluation and monitoring. From the diagnostic side, tablet-base mobile assessment tools provide a rapid assessment of a patient's ability to complete mobility-related tasks. Tablets also enable ongoing care. In addition, there are apps that could be directly downloaded for own use in healthcare e.g. to measure heart rate, monitor food intake and exercise, or set up diary of reminders to take medications.
Tablets are an enabling tool for 'ageing in place', which means to have the ability to live in one's own home comfortably, safely and independently as one ages. This is the wish of most people. According to one study, 78% of adults between the ages of 50 and 64 report that they would prefer to stay in their current residence as they age. The trend of ageing in place is also desirable from the perspectives of society and economy. It encourages inter-generational connectivity and minimizes the cost of institutional care.
In present scenario, no other industry is booming like IT. This field is developing day by day; a large number of new products are arriving in the market that is easing our lives. Here presenting the list of 13 high technology based products that have given remarkable performance in the year 2013. These products are considered best in their categories.
BioShock Infinite:
BioShock Infinite is a game which takes all the players on an amazing journey and enthralls in its sequence of events. Its environment also stays according to the need.
Kindle Fire HDX:
This year many tablets arrived in the market out of which Apple's refreshed iPads. Samsung also made changes in its mini iPad and bought Nexus 7. Like the same Amazon has produced a high strength media consumption based tablet which is much better than others. The 7 inch Kindle Fire HDX is also mind-blowing in terms of its price and performance. This device is also known for its expertly integrated ecosystem.
Pebble Smart watch:
The Pebble comes under smart watch category and it is considered quite impressive. This watch is high technology based and proving the best among all. It has left behind the geek's fantasy in terms of technology. It contain e-paper screen, many useful apps with good battery life. These features are making it better than its counter parts.
iPhone 5S:
iPhone is an advanced mobile device that you can purchase. Its formidable power with an unmatched mobile OS is making it exclusive. This gadget has also won the heart of many Apple fans.
Leap Motion:
Leap motion is a wonderful device and gives an eye-opening experience. Its controller is a 1.0 device which comes with buggy software. It has capacity to get users attention.
Olympus OM-D EM-1:
It is a very perfect mirror less design based camera. It's in build with perfection has made it unique and enthusiastic amateurs for all the photographers. Its super-fast autofocus based customizable buttons makes users more fascinating about it.
13-Inch MacBook Pro along with Retina Display:
It is an ultra - thin design based laptop with is much better than its counterparts. It has firstly introduced the concept of ultra high retina display. Apple has done many remarkable things in its construction. This 13 inch MacBook is known for its outstanding performance.
Fitbit Force:
It is fitness tracker sports with an OLED display. It is a very smart device that can be put on your wrist. Along with its all amazing features its battery-backup is mind-blowing. It can track your movements but stays slightly bulky in size.
Bose QuietComfort 20i Noise- earphones:
Bose is considering an achiever in noise-cancelling headphones. It provides very comfortable earbuds that are well designed. To get connected with the world of music you must try to use it once.
Kwikset Kevo:
Kwikset Kevo is a wonderful unlock system by which we can open an unlock door with the help of a cellphone. It is powered by Bluetooth and its lock is touching sensitive, you just need to touch it for making it unlock.
Parallels Access:
Parallels Access is a wonderful machine that carries fun loving, useful and well designed apps. This work as an iPad and its entire features are quite similar to that gadget.
2014 Mazda6:
It is a car of similar to our lifestyles. In every way it's quite impressive. It carries Bluetooth connectivity so that you can make a free call. With the dashboard it carries a 5.8 inch touch screen.
Galaxy S4:
It is a hotly anticipated gadget of 2013. Galaxy S4 is technically sophisticated and carries many advance features that can certainly amaze you.
BioShock Infinite:
BioShock Infinite is a game which takes all the players on an amazing journey and enthralls in its sequence of events. Its environment also stays according to the need.
Kindle Fire HDX:
This year many tablets arrived in the market out of which Apple's refreshed iPads. Samsung also made changes in its mini iPad and bought Nexus 7. Like the same Amazon has produced a high strength media consumption based tablet which is much better than others. The 7 inch Kindle Fire HDX is also mind-blowing in terms of its price and performance. This device is also known for its expertly integrated ecosystem.
Pebble Smart watch:
The Pebble comes under smart watch category and it is considered quite impressive. This watch is high technology based and proving the best among all. It has left behind the geek's fantasy in terms of technology. It contain e-paper screen, many useful apps with good battery life. These features are making it better than its counter parts.
iPhone 5S:
iPhone is an advanced mobile device that you can purchase. Its formidable power with an unmatched mobile OS is making it exclusive. This gadget has also won the heart of many Apple fans.
Leap Motion:
Leap motion is a wonderful device and gives an eye-opening experience. Its controller is a 1.0 device which comes with buggy software. It has capacity to get users attention.
Olympus OM-D EM-1:
It is a very perfect mirror less design based camera. It's in build with perfection has made it unique and enthusiastic amateurs for all the photographers. Its super-fast autofocus based customizable buttons makes users more fascinating about it.
13-Inch MacBook Pro along with Retina Display:
It is an ultra - thin design based laptop with is much better than its counterparts. It has firstly introduced the concept of ultra high retina display. Apple has done many remarkable things in its construction. This 13 inch MacBook is known for its outstanding performance.
Fitbit Force:
It is fitness tracker sports with an OLED display. It is a very smart device that can be put on your wrist. Along with its all amazing features its battery-backup is mind-blowing. It can track your movements but stays slightly bulky in size.
Bose QuietComfort 20i Noise- earphones:
Bose is considering an achiever in noise-cancelling headphones. It provides very comfortable earbuds that are well designed. To get connected with the world of music you must try to use it once.
Kwikset Kevo:
Kwikset Kevo is a wonderful unlock system by which we can open an unlock door with the help of a cellphone. It is powered by Bluetooth and its lock is touching sensitive, you just need to touch it for making it unlock.
Parallels Access:
Parallels Access is a wonderful machine that carries fun loving, useful and well designed apps. This work as an iPad and its entire features are quite similar to that gadget.
2014 Mazda6:
It is a car of similar to our lifestyles. In every way it's quite impressive. It carries Bluetooth connectivity so that you can make a free call. With the dashboard it carries a 5.8 inch touch screen.
Galaxy S4:
It is a hotly anticipated gadget of 2013. Galaxy S4 is technically sophisticated and carries many advance features that can certainly amaze you.
Among the most exhilarating photography shooting experiences, is marine photography. The interminable diversity of aquatic life and unbelievable sub-marine creatures presents underwater photography as one of the richest providing unique experiences in the world of photography. The type and durability of the camera determines the quality of images you would get. The skills and the camera therefore form the heart of underwater image capturing.
Underwater shooting started a couple of decades ago. Underwater explorers and scholars mostly carried it out. Fewer shots were taken because of the compact cameras used and the disk space was limited. Nowadays, sophisticated hi-tech digital cameras are used in carrying out underwater photography. This has raised the bar when it comes to general image quality bringing great underwater shooting experience. Anyone can take photos underwater but taking quality world-class shots requires some skills and little bit of experience. To get great and unparalleled shots underwater, read on, for you to note some basics.
Some Basics
Make your distance and the subject as close as 12 inches. This minimizes blur effects since water reduces contrast, color and sharpness. Your camera flash should be on at all times to make the best composition. The preferred mode is the forced flash mode. To achieve a better composition, it is necessary to get low while shooting at an upward angle and avoid centering the image. Shooting down at the subject is not advised.
Carry with you an external strobe to minimize backscatter and make sure it is away from your underwater housing. If not comfortable with this mode, use the automatic white-balance or the underwater mode. Setting your camera to the highest resolution is a priority accompanied by the lowest ISO to start with.
With the digital cameras, they offer the aperture priority mode/the manual mode. Be conversant with these modes as they offer flexibility in maintaining the equilibrium between the light from the camera flash and the natural light. When utilizing the natural light, make sure that the sun is behind you.
To capture accurately fast moving sea creatures, it requires a quick and a precise focus. This comes in handy with the use of the Spot Focus Mode. With this mode, you must learn how to focus on an area without taking any photo and recomposing.
Shutter speed is very important during underwater photography. Shutter speed gathers for the general sharpness of the image. It differs for still objects, slow moving objects and fast moving objects.
Most of the underwater photographs can utilize an increase in contrast during post-processing of the images. It is advisable not to overdo it.
Caring For Your Underwater Housing
Actually, seawater is indeed very harmful to your camera. When out of the water, dry the camera using a towel while removing sand using a blower.
Remove any sand or grease which may be on the O-ring area. The indented sections should be thoroughly cleaned using a cotton swap. Remember to put the camera into the housing carefully not to let the water in.
To carry out underwater photography, you need to know the lighting techniques, required equipment and some tips. Underwater photography is a rewarding experience but it comes with its own challenges. But once you comprehend the working of the camera, the properties of light, composition among other things, you will commence to create quality underwater photos.
Underwater shooting started a couple of decades ago. Underwater explorers and scholars mostly carried it out. Fewer shots were taken because of the compact cameras used and the disk space was limited. Nowadays, sophisticated hi-tech digital cameras are used in carrying out underwater photography. This has raised the bar when it comes to general image quality bringing great underwater shooting experience. Anyone can take photos underwater but taking quality world-class shots requires some skills and little bit of experience. To get great and unparalleled shots underwater, read on, for you to note some basics.
Some Basics
Make your distance and the subject as close as 12 inches. This minimizes blur effects since water reduces contrast, color and sharpness. Your camera flash should be on at all times to make the best composition. The preferred mode is the forced flash mode. To achieve a better composition, it is necessary to get low while shooting at an upward angle and avoid centering the image. Shooting down at the subject is not advised.
Carry with you an external strobe to minimize backscatter and make sure it is away from your underwater housing. If not comfortable with this mode, use the automatic white-balance or the underwater mode. Setting your camera to the highest resolution is a priority accompanied by the lowest ISO to start with.
With the digital cameras, they offer the aperture priority mode/the manual mode. Be conversant with these modes as they offer flexibility in maintaining the equilibrium between the light from the camera flash and the natural light. When utilizing the natural light, make sure that the sun is behind you.
To capture accurately fast moving sea creatures, it requires a quick and a precise focus. This comes in handy with the use of the Spot Focus Mode. With this mode, you must learn how to focus on an area without taking any photo and recomposing.
Shutter speed is very important during underwater photography. Shutter speed gathers for the general sharpness of the image. It differs for still objects, slow moving objects and fast moving objects.
Most of the underwater photographs can utilize an increase in contrast during post-processing of the images. It is advisable not to overdo it.
Caring For Your Underwater Housing
Actually, seawater is indeed very harmful to your camera. When out of the water, dry the camera using a towel while removing sand using a blower.
Remove any sand or grease which may be on the O-ring area. The indented sections should be thoroughly cleaned using a cotton swap. Remember to put the camera into the housing carefully not to let the water in.
To carry out underwater photography, you need to know the lighting techniques, required equipment and some tips. Underwater photography is a rewarding experience but it comes with its own challenges. But once you comprehend the working of the camera, the properties of light, composition among other things, you will commence to create quality underwater photos.
If you are similar to most people out there, technology fascinates and enthralls you, but there are also aspects of it that confuse and even overwhelm you (such as: why are there so many different products that seem to all offer the same thing, and which of these products should I purchase?); if you want to take full advantage of everything technology has to offer, however, it will be beneficial for you to know exactly what products are right for you, and why this is the case. As such, here is a closer look at exactly what laptops, tablets, and e-readers have in common, and which of these products best suit your needs.
Laptops: Laptops, of course, have been around longer than the other two items, and the virtues and benefits of a good laptop are probably well known to you already; with a laptop, you will have a complete personal computer that you can bring with you anywhere you go - and this means that you will be able to do everything from surf the Internet to edit your pictures to compose Word documents and PowerPoint presentations to just about anything else you can think of.
Tablets: On the other hand, many people wonder why they would need a laptop if they can get a tablet for even less money - with the assumption that the tablet can do the same things a laptop can do; the truth, however, is that tablets are not yet true laptop replacements (however much some of them claim to be!), as their computing power - not to mention their ease of use for true computing tasks - does not match up with real laptops. Of course, then the question becomes: "If it doesn't replace a laptop, why get one in the first place?" When it comes down to it, tablets are what could essentially be termed "luxury devices" (devices that are not "necessary," but that do offer a great deal in the way of positive uses), and the intuitive design and ease of use of most tablets make them the preferred device for surfing the web, playing games, interacting with others, and simply kicking back and relaxing.
E-Readers: And finally, a great number of people ask, "Why would I need an e-reader if I already have a tablet?" This is a fairly reasonable question to ask, but one thing this fails to take into account is that one of the big things detractors of e-books said, when e-books first began to become popular, was that they would rather read words off a page than deal with the glare of a computer screen; while reading from a tablet does not correct this problem, however (that is, while reading from a tablet is pretty much the same - as far as treatment on your eyes - as reading from a computer screen), e-readers use "e-ink." This makes the pages of an e-reader look and feel just like the pages of a book, making them a tremendous device for easy reading!
The best approach, honestly, is to own all three devices, as you can use your laptop for tasks, your tablet for relaxing, and your e-reader for reading - but this guide should give you an idea of where you should prioritize each item if you can only purchase one at the moment!
Laptops: Laptops, of course, have been around longer than the other two items, and the virtues and benefits of a good laptop are probably well known to you already; with a laptop, you will have a complete personal computer that you can bring with you anywhere you go - and this means that you will be able to do everything from surf the Internet to edit your pictures to compose Word documents and PowerPoint presentations to just about anything else you can think of.
Tablets: On the other hand, many people wonder why they would need a laptop if they can get a tablet for even less money - with the assumption that the tablet can do the same things a laptop can do; the truth, however, is that tablets are not yet true laptop replacements (however much some of them claim to be!), as their computing power - not to mention their ease of use for true computing tasks - does not match up with real laptops. Of course, then the question becomes: "If it doesn't replace a laptop, why get one in the first place?" When it comes down to it, tablets are what could essentially be termed "luxury devices" (devices that are not "necessary," but that do offer a great deal in the way of positive uses), and the intuitive design and ease of use of most tablets make them the preferred device for surfing the web, playing games, interacting with others, and simply kicking back and relaxing.
E-Readers: And finally, a great number of people ask, "Why would I need an e-reader if I already have a tablet?" This is a fairly reasonable question to ask, but one thing this fails to take into account is that one of the big things detractors of e-books said, when e-books first began to become popular, was that they would rather read words off a page than deal with the glare of a computer screen; while reading from a tablet does not correct this problem, however (that is, while reading from a tablet is pretty much the same - as far as treatment on your eyes - as reading from a computer screen), e-readers use "e-ink." This makes the pages of an e-reader look and feel just like the pages of a book, making them a tremendous device for easy reading!
The best approach, honestly, is to own all three devices, as you can use your laptop for tasks, your tablet for relaxing, and your e-reader for reading - but this guide should give you an idea of where you should prioritize each item if you can only purchase one at the moment!
During my lifetime I have witnessed and played a supporting role in developing some of the technologies that are being used today in providing food for many of America's tables.
I remember a period of American history before television, penicillin, polio shots, and frozen foods when farming was done the old fashioned way. Man had not invented pantyhose, air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and man hadn't yet walked on the moon.
Over the past half century, American technology has revolutionized just about every facet of life that we are accustomed to. Computers and IT (Information Technology) are at the forefront of many of the innovations that we take for granted today.
Take the food industry as an example. Fifty years ago or so, the farming industry was aided by many mechanical devices which were considered state-of-the-art for that time period. Even with the assistance of machines there were many farming task and other logistical considerations that had to be done by humans before the agricultural / farming products could be transported from field to table.
Today with the aid of computers and associated software, a farmer can get information on soil samples, figure out the best conditions for raising his crops, estimate ideal harvest times and weather conditions and so forth. The list goes on and on as to the amount of data that is available to streamline ideal farming conditions and produce windfall harvest increases daily.
Once the agricultural / farm products are produced the question of how to get them to market arises.
This is where transportation and logistics come into play. Technology plays a key role here. Scheduling, invoicing, inventory, storage and transporting plus many more pieces of this logistical puzzle must be addressed and this is where the computer and it's associated software shine.
In today's American society, it seems that time is at a premium and that everything must be done fast. I am not sure where this concept originated (probably during the production era.)
Many more of our citizens are eating out in restaurants, cafes and the likes today than in the past. Also, due to our technology advances, we are able to grow and harvest agricultural / farming products from all over the world and have them shipped here regardless of the season. We can obtain practically any food item of choice from practically any country in the world, for a price. Add the cell phone technology to this equation, which gives one the option to order practically anything at a moment's notice and presto!... We have a gastronomic utopia!
I remember a period of American history before television, penicillin, polio shots, and frozen foods when farming was done the old fashioned way. Man had not invented pantyhose, air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and man hadn't yet walked on the moon.
Over the past half century, American technology has revolutionized just about every facet of life that we are accustomed to. Computers and IT (Information Technology) are at the forefront of many of the innovations that we take for granted today.
Take the food industry as an example. Fifty years ago or so, the farming industry was aided by many mechanical devices which were considered state-of-the-art for that time period. Even with the assistance of machines there were many farming task and other logistical considerations that had to be done by humans before the agricultural / farming products could be transported from field to table.
Today with the aid of computers and associated software, a farmer can get information on soil samples, figure out the best conditions for raising his crops, estimate ideal harvest times and weather conditions and so forth. The list goes on and on as to the amount of data that is available to streamline ideal farming conditions and produce windfall harvest increases daily.
Once the agricultural / farm products are produced the question of how to get them to market arises.
This is where transportation and logistics come into play. Technology plays a key role here. Scheduling, invoicing, inventory, storage and transporting plus many more pieces of this logistical puzzle must be addressed and this is where the computer and it's associated software shine.
In today's American society, it seems that time is at a premium and that everything must be done fast. I am not sure where this concept originated (probably during the production era.)
Many more of our citizens are eating out in restaurants, cafes and the likes today than in the past. Also, due to our technology advances, we are able to grow and harvest agricultural / farming products from all over the world and have them shipped here regardless of the season. We can obtain practically any food item of choice from practically any country in the world, for a price. Add the cell phone technology to this equation, which gives one the option to order practically anything at a moment's notice and presto!... We have a gastronomic utopia!
The Nokia Lumia 520 offers you a fun little Smartphone, one that'll give you everything you need from your modern connectivity device without breaking the bank. It's not going to set the world on fire with powerful hardware, cutting edge camera technology or innovative design, but then that's not the point - it's a really useful phone that comes at a low price while not skimping on the necessities.
The phone itself is an attractive piece of work, with a colourful and minimalist case, slim shape and light weight. Once you've started using it, you'll soon notice another fun advantage of the Nokia Lumia 520 - its specially designed, highly sensitive touchscreen. You don't need to worry about clumsily fumbling at the screen while wearing gloves or sporting long fingernails, since you'll find the touch interface capable of finesse even under such circumstances. This makes the phone really handy during the colder seasons when you want to be wrapped up warm!
As for the technical capabilities of the Nokia Lumia 520, it's worth noting that the phone is 4G ready. You may not be purchasing a powerhouse here, but it's ready to take advantage of the improved connectivity that the new 4G network technology offers. Once you get connected with 4G, you'll never want to go back to 3G - experience superior speeds that can be five or even six times as fast as 3G, making downloads and uploads a breeze. A phone like the 520 is great for snapping some fun photos and sharing them with friends and family, and 4G means it's as quick as a flash to achieve. It's also great just to have a reasonably priced 4G-ready phone so that you don't need to have a pocket full of cash to be able to take advantage of the new 4G opportunity.
The Nokia Lumia 520 comes with an on-board camera with a serviceable 5 megapixel camera; it may not be the Nokia Lumia 1020's 41 megapixel camera and it won't set the photographic world alight, but it'll do the job just fine for the day-to-day task of recording your world and your experiences. Combined with 4G and the 520's ease of use with other phones and tablets, and you can quickly and easily organise your photos and get them out there for others to see.
There's a lot to be said for the Nokia Lumia 520. It's been well-designed to be easy to use, to work well with what you've got already and to offer the necessities that you need from your phone - more than just the basics, but none of the extravagances that push more expensive phones into the upper tiers of cost. Small, lightweight, versatile and sensitive, the Nokia Lumia 520 plays well with other devices and does everything you can reasonably expect from a modern Smartphone. If you're looking for a new phone and price is an issue - or if you just don't have any need of all the extras, specialisations and innovations of the cutting-edge smartphones out there - the 520 will suit you just fine.
The phone itself is an attractive piece of work, with a colourful and minimalist case, slim shape and light weight. Once you've started using it, you'll soon notice another fun advantage of the Nokia Lumia 520 - its specially designed, highly sensitive touchscreen. You don't need to worry about clumsily fumbling at the screen while wearing gloves or sporting long fingernails, since you'll find the touch interface capable of finesse even under such circumstances. This makes the phone really handy during the colder seasons when you want to be wrapped up warm!
As for the technical capabilities of the Nokia Lumia 520, it's worth noting that the phone is 4G ready. You may not be purchasing a powerhouse here, but it's ready to take advantage of the improved connectivity that the new 4G network technology offers. Once you get connected with 4G, you'll never want to go back to 3G - experience superior speeds that can be five or even six times as fast as 3G, making downloads and uploads a breeze. A phone like the 520 is great for snapping some fun photos and sharing them with friends and family, and 4G means it's as quick as a flash to achieve. It's also great just to have a reasonably priced 4G-ready phone so that you don't need to have a pocket full of cash to be able to take advantage of the new 4G opportunity.
The Nokia Lumia 520 comes with an on-board camera with a serviceable 5 megapixel camera; it may not be the Nokia Lumia 1020's 41 megapixel camera and it won't set the photographic world alight, but it'll do the job just fine for the day-to-day task of recording your world and your experiences. Combined with 4G and the 520's ease of use with other phones and tablets, and you can quickly and easily organise your photos and get them out there for others to see.
There's a lot to be said for the Nokia Lumia 520. It's been well-designed to be easy to use, to work well with what you've got already and to offer the necessities that you need from your phone - more than just the basics, but none of the extravagances that push more expensive phones into the upper tiers of cost. Small, lightweight, versatile and sensitive, the Nokia Lumia 520 plays well with other devices and does everything you can reasonably expect from a modern Smartphone. If you're looking for a new phone and price is an issue - or if you just don't have any need of all the extras, specialisations and innovations of the cutting-edge smartphones out there - the 520 will suit you just fine.
Use to be that a cell phone was just to make voice calls, now however, they are a computer in your hand and are getting more features with each new phone version. Smartphones today can go on-line, send text messages, send and receive email, interact with Facebook and twitter, plus much more. You can do all these things on your desktop or laptop and you probably have very good internet protection. Do you have the same for your smartphone?
The smartphone has a very big security problem... it is a very easy target for the bad guys to steal and once they have it they have ALL your information, contacts, passwords and maybe even your bank accounts. Did that get you a little worried, it should have!
If all of this isn't enough, consider this; the bad guys can load software on your phone that will allow them to operate your phone's camera. Think about that. Where do you take your phone, bathroom, bedroom: how would you like that all over the internet?
The nature of smartphones and the apps available for them make this a problem that you can do something about. Both iPhones and Android Phones have apps in their stores that can cut your risk and give you a little piece of mind. Many of these apps are from major internet security companies. They offer both free and paid versions of their smartphones apps. This is one app that you should really look at paying for; you get additional security features that make the money paid worthwhile. Their paid versions are usually less than $20 per year. Some internet security companies will give you their paid version for free if you buy their desktop security software.
Security Features for Smartphone Apps:
With most of us doing banking on our smartphones today, you should make sure that your bank accounts are protected from prying eyes. The security apps for your phone should have the above features.
Common Sense is your most important security feature, think of your smartphone as a wallet or purse; you always know where those are... don't you.
George Uliano is a security professional with law enforcement and security experience. He earned a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and Business graduating with honors. George holds 3 patents on different Padlock and Cam Lock designs. This combination gives George and His Company Locking Systems International Inc the unique ability to provide "The Right Lock" with The Right Security" at the "Right Price".
The smartphone has a very big security problem... it is a very easy target for the bad guys to steal and once they have it they have ALL your information, contacts, passwords and maybe even your bank accounts. Did that get you a little worried, it should have!
If all of this isn't enough, consider this; the bad guys can load software on your phone that will allow them to operate your phone's camera. Think about that. Where do you take your phone, bathroom, bedroom: how would you like that all over the internet?
The nature of smartphones and the apps available for them make this a problem that you can do something about. Both iPhones and Android Phones have apps in their stores that can cut your risk and give you a little piece of mind. Many of these apps are from major internet security companies. They offer both free and paid versions of their smartphones apps. This is one app that you should really look at paying for; you get additional security features that make the money paid worthwhile. Their paid versions are usually less than $20 per year. Some internet security companies will give you their paid version for free if you buy their desktop security software.
Security Features for Smartphone Apps:
- Virus and malware protection (checks all apps for viruses and malware)
- Scan apps that you download (before you install them)
- Browse the web safely
- Locate your phone (can be used with Google GPS or another smartphone GPS)
- Wipe all your information on phone (resets your phone to its default settings)
- Lock down your phone (no one can use it)
- Scan SD cards
- Reverse photo (you can remotely operate your camera and see who stole it)
With most of us doing banking on our smartphones today, you should make sure that your bank accounts are protected from prying eyes. The security apps for your phone should have the above features.
Common Sense is your most important security feature, think of your smartphone as a wallet or purse; you always know where those are... don't you.
George Uliano is a security professional with law enforcement and security experience. He earned a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and Business graduating with honors. George holds 3 patents on different Padlock and Cam Lock designs. This combination gives George and His Company Locking Systems International Inc the unique ability to provide "The Right Lock" with The Right Security" at the "Right Price".
The Android mobile operating system is generally perceived to be for the mass market, while the niche segment is more inclined towards other ecosystems such as iPhone and the Windows mobile system. While it is true that these systems provide exclusivity and certain extremely useful applications, there are several apps on the Android platform that can be very useful for business professionals. In fact, there are several organizations that are migrating to Android for all official purposes. Here, we take a look at the most important business-oriented apps available on the Android app store:
Microsoft Office 365: One of the major assets of any organization is the entire Microsoft Office suite. While it was only available with Windows phone till date, Microsoft has now released an app that can be used to read and write documents on applications like Word, Excel and Powerpoint. In fact, other applications such as Link, Outlook, OneNote can also be used as part of the Office 365 suite. However, one needs to subscribe to the cloud-based Office 365 service, which lets the user integrate with their Office suite on other systems such as desktops and tablets.
Google Services: There are several services offered by Google that are used by organizations worldwide. Services such as Gmail, Hangouts, Calendar and Docs are the most popular among enterprises, and all these services are available as apps on the Android phone. Google has meticulously integrated the services so that the transition from the web and desktop version to the mobile app is seamless for the user.
Cloud storage services: Cloud-based storage services such as Google Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive and Dropbox are extremely popular among enterprises for securely storing documents and other artefacts. These services also provide a corresponding Android app, which lets users access their personal storage drives on the go. It is extremely useful when business users are on the go, and need access to their official documents even when they are not connected to a system.
Team Viewer: Team Viewer is one of the most popular and useful app for remote connectivity. It has a corresponding desktop version for operating systems like Microsoft Windows, and one can take remote of any system right from their cell phone. This is extremely useful when someone needs to access their desktop or laptop from a different physical location. Apart from the remote access, this app provides simplified features to transfer files and control the remote system effectively.
Microsoft Office 365: One of the major assets of any organization is the entire Microsoft Office suite. While it was only available with Windows phone till date, Microsoft has now released an app that can be used to read and write documents on applications like Word, Excel and Powerpoint. In fact, other applications such as Link, Outlook, OneNote can also be used as part of the Office 365 suite. However, one needs to subscribe to the cloud-based Office 365 service, which lets the user integrate with their Office suite on other systems such as desktops and tablets.
Google Services: There are several services offered by Google that are used by organizations worldwide. Services such as Gmail, Hangouts, Calendar and Docs are the most popular among enterprises, and all these services are available as apps on the Android phone. Google has meticulously integrated the services so that the transition from the web and desktop version to the mobile app is seamless for the user.
Cloud storage services: Cloud-based storage services such as Google Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive and Dropbox are extremely popular among enterprises for securely storing documents and other artefacts. These services also provide a corresponding Android app, which lets users access their personal storage drives on the go. It is extremely useful when business users are on the go, and need access to their official documents even when they are not connected to a system.
Team Viewer: Team Viewer is one of the most popular and useful app for remote connectivity. It has a corresponding desktop version for operating systems like Microsoft Windows, and one can take remote of any system right from their cell phone. This is extremely useful when someone needs to access their desktop or laptop from a different physical location. Apart from the remote access, this app provides simplified features to transfer files and control the remote system effectively.
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