Engineering has been an aspect of life since the beginnings of human existence. The earliest practices of Civil engineering may have commenced between 4000 and 2000 BC in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia (Ancient Iraq) when humans started to abandon a nomadic existence, thus causing a need for the construction of shelter. During this time,transportation became increasingly important leading to the development of the wheel and sailing.
Until modern times there was no clear distinction between civil engineering and architecture, and the term engineer andarchitect were mainly geographical variations referring to the same person, often used interchangeably.[7] The construction of Pyramids in Egypt (circa 2700-2500 BC) might be considered the first instances of large structure constructions. Other ancient historic civil engineering constructions include the Parthenon by Iktinos in Ancient Greece(447-438 BC), the Appian Way by Roman engineers (c. 312 BC), the Great Wall of China by General Meng T'ien under orders from Ch'in Emperor Shih Huang Ti (c. 220 BC)[6] and the stupas constructed in ancient Sri Lanka like theJetavanaramaya and the extensive irrigation works in Anuradhapura. The Romans developed civil structures throughout their empire, including especially aqueducts, insulae, harbours, bridges, dams and roads.
The Archimedes screw was operated by hand and could raise water efficiently.
In the 18th century, the term civil engineering was coined to incorporate all things civilian as opposed to military engineering.[5] The first self-proclaimed civil engineer was John Smeaton who constructed the Eddystone Lighthouse.[4][6] In 1771 Smeaton and some of his colleagues formed the Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers, a group of leaders of the profession who met informally over dinner. Though there was evidence of some technical meetings, it was little more than a social society.
In 1818 the Institution of Civil Engineers was founded in London, and in 1820 the eminent engineer Thomas Telford became its first president. The institution received a Royal Charter in 1828, formally recognising civil engineering as a profession. Its charter defined civil engineering as:
the art of directing the great sources of power in nature for the use and convenience of man, as the means of production and of traffic in states, both for external and internal trade, as applied in the construction of roads, bridges, aqueducts, canals, river navigation and docks for internal intercourse and exchange, and in the construction of ports, harbours, moles, breakwaters and lighthouses, and in the art of navigation by artificial power for the purposes of commerce, and in the construction and application of machinery, and in the drainage of cities and towns.[8]
The first private college to teach Civil Engineering in the United States was Norwich University founded in 1819 by Captain Alden Partridge.[9] The first degree in Civil Engineering in the United States was awarded by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1835.[10] The first such degree to be awarded to a woman was granted by Cornell University to Nora Stanton Blatch in 1905.[11]
Showing posts with label Hi-Tech. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hi-Tech. Show all posts
Monday, September 10, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
6,000 Users of Porn Website Have Email Addresses Leaked
Thousands of porn website users have had their personal passwords and
emails leaked online by hackers. In total, 6433 users of the YouPorn
chat site were exposed after third-party service provider failed to
secure data, its owner claimed.
Luxembourg-based Manwin Holding SARL said the chat site had been disabled and would remain offline until an investigation was carried out. The site hosts hundreds of free porn videos as well as films and services you can pay for.
A Manwin spokesman stressed that the site was run by an outside company on separate servers and that there was no breach at YouPorn itself. ‘YouPorn continues to ensure that all appropriate measures and tools are in place to maintain the security of its infrastructure, and to safeguard the privacy of its users,’ they said.
It remains unclear how many people were potentially affected by the breach. Email address and password combinations were put on the website Pastebin, although some appeared to be bogus or inactive.
However, users at risk face a great deal of embarrassment. ‘You can imagine how employers and marital partners may be less than impressed to find you are registered for a website like YouPorn,’ said Graham Cluley of Sophos.
And their discovery of your porn penchant is only a search and a click away.’ The data breach is the second to hit major porn sites recently, coming only 10 days after a hacker claimed to have stolen 350,000 user logins for the Brazzers.com site.
Data breaches are a nightmare for companies at the best of times, but porn companies can fail over night if users cannot maintain their anonymity. Manwin runs some of the world's most-visited pornography websites, and its YouPorn offering is one of the 100 most-popular sites on the planet, according to Web information company Alexa.
Miller said she could not immediately say who ran the chat service, called YP Chat. The site was down yesterday but a cached version described it as an ‘affiliate partner program site licensed by YouPorn.’
Luxembourg-based Manwin Holding SARL said the chat site had been disabled and would remain offline until an investigation was carried out. The site hosts hundreds of free porn videos as well as films and services you can pay for.
A Manwin spokesman stressed that the site was run by an outside company on separate servers and that there was no breach at YouPorn itself. ‘YouPorn continues to ensure that all appropriate measures and tools are in place to maintain the security of its infrastructure, and to safeguard the privacy of its users,’ they said.
It remains unclear how many people were potentially affected by the breach. Email address and password combinations were put on the website Pastebin, although some appeared to be bogus or inactive.
However, users at risk face a great deal of embarrassment. ‘You can imagine how employers and marital partners may be less than impressed to find you are registered for a website like YouPorn,’ said Graham Cluley of Sophos.
And their discovery of your porn penchant is only a search and a click away.’ The data breach is the second to hit major porn sites recently, coming only 10 days after a hacker claimed to have stolen 350,000 user logins for the Brazzers.com site.
Data breaches are a nightmare for companies at the best of times, but porn companies can fail over night if users cannot maintain their anonymity. Manwin runs some of the world's most-visited pornography websites, and its YouPorn offering is one of the 100 most-popular sites on the planet, according to Web information company Alexa.
Miller said she could not immediately say who ran the chat service, called YP Chat. The site was down yesterday but a cached version described it as an ‘affiliate partner program site licensed by YouPorn.’
How The Google Goggles Work
Google glasses would deliver the smartphone experience straight to your eyes
If you’re the sort of person who spends ages looking for your mobile
phone, Google may have the answer. And the solution will be right in
front of your eyes – literally.
The technology giant is close to launching a pair of futuristic glasses that would deliver all the services of a smartphone straight to the wearer’s eye. Featuring a miniature display on one lens, the hi-tech specs allow users to surf the internet or deal with text messages and emails without lifting a finger.
The screen is controlled with a ‘mouse’ which is moved simply by tilting your head. And should you still wish to actually talk to someone, it is believed the glasses will let you make calls using an in-built microphone.
Reports suggest the device, which would revolutionise the smartphone market, could be available by the end of this year costing less than £380 – making it cheaper than Apple’s iPhone.
Users would also be able to see through the lenses as normal and go about their daily business, then with a flick of the head activate the display and start surfing. The glasses would use the same Google operating system that powers Android smartphones and tablets and would connect to the internet through 3G or next-generation 4G mobile networks.
They would also be equipped with GPS mapping technology and motion sensors, as well as a camera. It brings the prospect that wearers could be given information instantly on the buildings they are looking at, on nearby landmarks or friends who are in the area. But the devices will also bring new potential for advertisers to reach users in ever more personal situations, such as in a lift, a restaurant or relaxing on their sofa.
Seth Weintraub, from the 9 to 5 Google blog, revealed clues to how the glasses would work. ‘The system currently used is a head tilting to scroll and click,’ he said. ‘We are told it is very quick to learn and once the user is adept at navigation, it becomes second nature and almost indistinguishable to outside users.
‘These glasses, we heard, have a front-facing camera used to gather information and could aid in augmented reality apps. The heads-up display is only for one eye and on the side.’
The glasses are apparently being developed in Google’s top-secret research laboratory in Mountain View, California. Apple is also thought to be developing pioneering technology, such as smartphones that can be worn as watches or sewn into clothing. Google declined to comment.
The technology giant is close to launching a pair of futuristic glasses that would deliver all the services of a smartphone straight to the wearer’s eye. Featuring a miniature display on one lens, the hi-tech specs allow users to surf the internet or deal with text messages and emails without lifting a finger.
The screen is controlled with a ‘mouse’ which is moved simply by tilting your head. And should you still wish to actually talk to someone, it is believed the glasses will let you make calls using an in-built microphone.
Reports suggest the device, which would revolutionise the smartphone market, could be available by the end of this year costing less than £380 – making it cheaper than Apple’s iPhone.
Users would also be able to see through the lenses as normal and go about their daily business, then with a flick of the head activate the display and start surfing. The glasses would use the same Google operating system that powers Android smartphones and tablets and would connect to the internet through 3G or next-generation 4G mobile networks.
They would also be equipped with GPS mapping technology and motion sensors, as well as a camera. It brings the prospect that wearers could be given information instantly on the buildings they are looking at, on nearby landmarks or friends who are in the area. But the devices will also bring new potential for advertisers to reach users in ever more personal situations, such as in a lift, a restaurant or relaxing on their sofa.
Seth Weintraub, from the 9 to 5 Google blog, revealed clues to how the glasses would work. ‘The system currently used is a head tilting to scroll and click,’ he said. ‘We are told it is very quick to learn and once the user is adept at navigation, it becomes second nature and almost indistinguishable to outside users.
‘These glasses, we heard, have a front-facing camera used to gather information and could aid in augmented reality apps. The heads-up display is only for one eye and on the side.’
The glasses are apparently being developed in Google’s top-secret research laboratory in Mountain View, California. Apple is also thought to be developing pioneering technology, such as smartphones that can be worn as watches or sewn into clothing. Google declined to comment.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Pakistan's Answer to The iPad
Catch me if you can ... Mohammad Imran holds a locally-made PACPad
computer tablet at his electronics store in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Inside a high-security air force complex that builds jet fighters and
weapons systems, Pakistan's military is working on the latest addition
to its sprawling commercial empire: a homegrown version of the iPad.
It's a venture that bundles together Pakistani engineering and Chinese hardware, and shines a light on the military's controversial foothold in the consumer market. Supporters say it will boost the economy as well as a troubled nation's self-esteem.
It all comes together at an air force base in Kamra in northern Pakistan, where avionics engineers - when they're not working on defense projects - assemble the PACPAD 1.
"The original is the iPad, the copy is the PACPAD," said Mohammad Imran, who stocks the product at his small computer and mobile phone shop in a mall in Rawalpindi, a city not far from Kamra and the home of the Pakistani army.
The device runs on Android 2.3, an operating system made by Google and given away for free. At around $US200, it's less than half the price of Apple or Samsung devices and cheaper than other low-end Chinese tablets on the market, with the bonus of a local, one-year guarantee. The PAC in the name stands for the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, where it is made. The PAC also makes an e-reader and small laptop.
Such endeavors are still at the pilot stage and represent just a sliver of the military's business portfolio, which encompasses massive land holdings, flour and sugar mills, hotels, travel agents, even a brand of breakfast cereal.
The military is powerful, its businesses are rarely subject to civilian scrutiny, and it has staged three coups since Pakistan became a state in 1947. Many Pakistanis find its economic activities corrupting and say it should focus on entirely on defence.
"I just can't figure it out," said Jehan Ara, head of Pakistan's Software Houses Association, said of the PACPAD. "Even if they could sell a billion units, I can't see the point. The air force is supposed to be protecting the air space and borders of the country."
Supporters say the foray into information technology is a boost to national pride for a country vastly overshadowed by archrival India in the high-tech field. Tech websites in the country have shown curiosity or cautious enthusiasm, but say it's too early to predict how the device will perform.
It's a venture that bundles together Pakistani engineering and Chinese hardware, and shines a light on the military's controversial foothold in the consumer market. Supporters say it will boost the economy as well as a troubled nation's self-esteem.
It all comes together at an air force base in Kamra in northern Pakistan, where avionics engineers - when they're not working on defense projects - assemble the PACPAD 1.
"The original is the iPad, the copy is the PACPAD," said Mohammad Imran, who stocks the product at his small computer and mobile phone shop in a mall in Rawalpindi, a city not far from Kamra and the home of the Pakistani army.
The device runs on Android 2.3, an operating system made by Google and given away for free. At around $US200, it's less than half the price of Apple or Samsung devices and cheaper than other low-end Chinese tablets on the market, with the bonus of a local, one-year guarantee. The PAC in the name stands for the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, where it is made. The PAC also makes an e-reader and small laptop.
Such endeavors are still at the pilot stage and represent just a sliver of the military's business portfolio, which encompasses massive land holdings, flour and sugar mills, hotels, travel agents, even a brand of breakfast cereal.
The military is powerful, its businesses are rarely subject to civilian scrutiny, and it has staged three coups since Pakistan became a state in 1947. Many Pakistanis find its economic activities corrupting and say it should focus on entirely on defence.
"I just can't figure it out," said Jehan Ara, head of Pakistan's Software Houses Association, said of the PACPAD. "Even if they could sell a billion units, I can't see the point. The air force is supposed to be protecting the air space and borders of the country."
Supporters say the foray into information technology is a boost to national pride for a country vastly overshadowed by archrival India in the high-tech field. Tech websites in the country have shown curiosity or cautious enthusiasm, but say it's too early to predict how the device will perform.
Sceptics claim
it's a vanity project that will never see mass production. Only a few
hundred of each products has been made so far, though a new batch will
be completed in the next three months.
"The defence industry is trying to justify its presence by doing more than just produce weapons," said Ayesha Siddiqa, author of Military Inc, a critical study of military businesses. "Some smart aleck must have thought we can make some money here."
PAC's website at http://www.cpmc.pk says the goal is "strengthening the national economy through commercialisation" and lauds the collaboration with China - something that likely resonates among nationalists.
China is regarded as a firm ally by Pakistan's security establishment, whereas the US., despite pouring billions of dollars in aid into the country, is seen as fickle and increasingly as an enemy.
These perceptions have heightened as the US intensifies drone attacks on militants based in the Pakistani borderlands. But the military is also a target of those militants. In 2007 the base at Kamra, home to 12,000 workers and their families, nine people died when a cyclist blew himself up at the entrance.
PAC officials suggested the program that produces the PACPAD was modeled in part on the Chinese military's entry into commercial industry, which lasted two decades until it was ordered to cut back lest it become corrupted and lose sight of its core mission.
The tablet and other devices are made in a low-slung facility, daubed in camouflage paint, near, a factory that produces J-17 Thunder fighter jets with Chinese help.
"It's about using spare capacity. There are 24 hours in a day, do we waste them or use them to make something?" said Sohail Kalim, PAC's sales director. "The profits go to the welfare of the people here. There are lots of auditors. They don't let us do any hanky-panky here."
PAC builds the PACPAD with a company called Innavtek in a Hong Kong-registered partnership that also builds high-tech parts for the warplanes. But basic questions go unanswered. Maqsood Arshad, a retired air force officer who is one of the directors, couldn't say how much money had been invested, how many units the venture hoped to sell and what the profit from each sale was likely to be.
The market for low-cost Android tablets is expanding quickly around the world, with factories in China filling most of the demand. Last year, an Indian company produced the "Aakash" tablet, priced at $US50, and sold largely to schoolchildren and students.
Arshad said a second-generation PACPAD would be launched in the next three months, able to connect to the Internet via mobile networks and other improved features. He said the Kamra facility could produce up to 1,000 devices a day.
During a brief test, The tablet with its 7-inch screen appeared to run well and the screen responsiveness was sharp. "It seems good, but operationwise I have to look into it," said Mohammad Akmal, who had come to the store in Rawalpindi to check the product out. "Within a month or so, we will know."
"The defence industry is trying to justify its presence by doing more than just produce weapons," said Ayesha Siddiqa, author of Military Inc, a critical study of military businesses. "Some smart aleck must have thought we can make some money here."
PAC's website at http://www.cpmc.pk says the goal is "strengthening the national economy through commercialisation" and lauds the collaboration with China - something that likely resonates among nationalists.
China is regarded as a firm ally by Pakistan's security establishment, whereas the US., despite pouring billions of dollars in aid into the country, is seen as fickle and increasingly as an enemy.
These perceptions have heightened as the US intensifies drone attacks on militants based in the Pakistani borderlands. But the military is also a target of those militants. In 2007 the base at Kamra, home to 12,000 workers and their families, nine people died when a cyclist blew himself up at the entrance.
PAC officials suggested the program that produces the PACPAD was modeled in part on the Chinese military's entry into commercial industry, which lasted two decades until it was ordered to cut back lest it become corrupted and lose sight of its core mission.
The tablet and other devices are made in a low-slung facility, daubed in camouflage paint, near, a factory that produces J-17 Thunder fighter jets with Chinese help.
"It's about using spare capacity. There are 24 hours in a day, do we waste them or use them to make something?" said Sohail Kalim, PAC's sales director. "The profits go to the welfare of the people here. There are lots of auditors. They don't let us do any hanky-panky here."
PAC builds the PACPAD with a company called Innavtek in a Hong Kong-registered partnership that also builds high-tech parts for the warplanes. But basic questions go unanswered. Maqsood Arshad, a retired air force officer who is one of the directors, couldn't say how much money had been invested, how many units the venture hoped to sell and what the profit from each sale was likely to be.
The market for low-cost Android tablets is expanding quickly around the world, with factories in China filling most of the demand. Last year, an Indian company produced the "Aakash" tablet, priced at $US50, and sold largely to schoolchildren and students.
Arshad said a second-generation PACPAD would be launched in the next three months, able to connect to the Internet via mobile networks and other improved features. He said the Kamra facility could produce up to 1,000 devices a day.
During a brief test, The tablet with its 7-inch screen appeared to run well and the screen responsiveness was sharp. "It seems good, but operationwise I have to look into it," said Mohammad Akmal, who had come to the store in Rawalpindi to check the product out. "Within a month or so, we will know."
Friday, December 23, 2011
Steve Jobs Statue Unveiled
A Hungarian software company has unveiled what it said was the world's first bronze statue of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, calling him one of the greatest personalities of the modern age.
Jobs died on October 5 of pancreatic cancer at the age of 56. The bronze work by sculptor Erno Toth stands in the Budapest campus of architectural software maker Graphisoft.
"He was one of the greatest (personalities) in our era, that's what we wanted to express with this sculpture here," Graphisoft Chairman Gabor Bojar told Reuters.
Bojar said Jobs gave cash and computers to Graphisoft, helping it to become a global leader in architecture software from humble roots as a tiny firm in the 1980s in then-communist Hungary.
"In some ways, Apple was a religion," Bojar said at the unveiling ceremony, comparing the experts from Cupertino-based Apple who helped educate Graphisoft's engineers to evangelists.
Steve Jobs represented a technological revolution which can be compared only to the discovery of writing, Bojar said.
"We have felt his spirit every day and now it is embodied," he said. "We hope that we can deserve with our entrepreneurial culture in Hungary what this sculpture expresses as a message."
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Toshiba to Design LCD TVs in Indonesia
Toshiba Corp. will begin designing LCD televisions for local markets in India, Indonesia and Vietnam in October as it attempts to mount a challenge against Samsung Electronics Co. and other South Korean rivals, The Nikkei reported early Tuesday.
The electronics giant launched an LCD TV brand for emerging countries in 2010 under the name Power TV. The brand's lineup currently includes products with built-in storage batteries for areas plagued by frequent blackouts and models with signal-boosting and noise-reducing functions.
Power TV models are now sold in Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East and Africa. In some Southeast Asian countries, its market share has roughly doubled to around 20%.
Its current offerings share common specifications across different markets, but Toshiba will start changing designs, functions and features for individual markets to better meet local needs. The firm will also consider adding functions, such as connectivity with mobile phones and other digital devices.
LCD TV design divisions are already up and running in India, Indonesia and Vietnam with around 10 staff members each. In India, the workforce will be raised to around 30 by the end of fiscal 2012 to enable the development of new products and software. In addition to TVs, the design divisions will handle notebook computers. At the same time, the company might design TVs at its personal computer development division in the Chinese province of Hangzhou.
Toshiba has been developing LCD TVs for both the domestic and overseas markets at its Fukaya factory near Tokyo, except for some models destined for the U.S. and Europe.
The firm has set its sights on boosting its worldwide LCD TV sales to 25 million units by fiscal 2013, up 80% from fiscal 2010. It aims to have emerging countries account for 50% of its global TV sales in volume terms in fiscal 2013, compared with around 20% at present.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Now Apple Wants to Block iPhone Users from Filming Live Events
On the way out Apple is developing software that will sense when an iPhone user is recording a live event, and then switch off the devices camera.
The days of filming a live concert or sporting event on your iPhone may soon be a distant memory. Apple is developing software that will sense when a smartphone user is trying to record a live event, and then switch off the device's camera.
Anybody holding up their iPhone will find it triggers infra-red sensors installed at the venue. These sensors would then automatically instruct the iPhone to shut down its camera function, preventing an footage from being recorded.
Only the iPhone's camera would be temporarily disabled; other features, such as texting and making calls, would still work. Apple filed a patent application 18 months ago in Calfornia. It has just come to light after being obtained by The Times.
Such a development would be welcomed with open arms by many concertgoers, fed up with their view being blocked by a sea of glowing mobile phone screens. However, the real reason Apple is developing the technology is to placate broadcasters upset that members of the public are posting footage of events on websites including YouTube when they have bought the exclusive rights.
Many of these firms sell their own recordings of high-profile events, including Glastonbury and Wimbledon, and dislike being pipped to the post by reams of amateur footage online.
Assisting record companies in this manner is likely to help Apple secure more favourable terms with labels when negotiating deals to place music for sale on its iTunes website. It could also potentially provide Apple with another source of revenue by charging people to film live events.
The development comes just days after iPhone users in the U.S. found out they no longer have to rely on hackers to 'unlock' their devices to switch carriers or save money when travelling.
Apple quietly started selling 'unlocked' iPhones in the U.S. for the first time on its websites and in stores, for $649 and $749 depending on how much memory they have.
The devices are identical to the versions sold for use on AT&T Inc's network, but don't require a two-year contract. The buyer will separately have to buy a Subscriber Identity Module, or SIM card, from a carrier to activate the phone.
Apart from AT&T, the only national U.S. carrier that's compatible with the phone is T-Mobile USA, and it can provide only phone calls and low data speeds.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
BlackBerry Torch 9800
BlackBerry 6 OS delivers a touch of magic for the corporate crowd.
Last Wednesday I took at look at the Torch 9800, running the slick BlackBerry 6 OS which has borrowed some of the best aspects of Android and iOS to bring the Volvo of smartphones into the modern age. Today I want to wrap up with a look at a few apps.
The browser has long been BlackBerry's Achilles' Heel so, as a fan of Android and iOS, naturally the new WebKit browser caught my attention. The Torch 9800 is not as fast to render pages at the iPhone 4 or high-end Android phones, but once pages load you've got the joys of flick to scroll, pinch to zoom and tap to zoom which focuses on columns of text. You can also open multiple windows and easily switch between them.
Complicated web pages, such as the full front page of the SMH, remain responsive - impressive since the Torch 9800 lacks the processing grunt of its high-end competitors. The developers have embraced technologies such as HTML5 and CSS3 to help BlackBerry 6 OS keep up with the times.
I still think that Mobile Safari is the best smartphone browser and the BlackBerry browser is rough around the edges. For example, if you click in a text box in Mobile Safari it automatically zooms in so you can see what you’re typing. Not so with the BlackBerry. Just like the early Android browser, the BlackBerry team really need to swallow their pride and turn more to the iPhone for inspiration when it comes to the little things that make the difference between a good and great mobile browsing experience.
Those hoping for Flash-compatibility on the Torch 9800 are out of luck - although it’s reportedly on the roadmap (and has been for a long time). RIM announced this week that we won’t see Flash on the new Bold 9900 running BlackBerry 7 OS, which isn’t promising. I think people are more likely to tolerate the lack of Flash in a business-focused phone like a BlackBerry than a consumer-focused phone like the iPhone 4. Regardless of what Steve Jobs says, the high-end Android phones prove that you can get smooth Flash performance on a smartphone.
The Torch 9800's 3.2-inch 480x360 LCD screen is very impressive and stands up well to what I've dubbed the Costello test (see the image below). Viewed on the 9800 you get good viewing angles, great contrast and detail, excellent skin tones and very white whites.
It's up there with the iPhone 4, although the Torch 9800 betrays its lower pixel density when you look at pages with thumbnails of photos - they look pixelated on the Torch 9800’s 187 ppi screen compared to the iPhone 4’s razor sharp 329 ppi display.
The other new app I thought worth a look is Social Feeds, offering easier access to your various social media feeds. The Torch 9800 features standalone Facebook, Twitter and MySpace apps, but Social Feeds is compatible with AIM, BlackBerry Messenger, Facebook, Google Talk, MySpace, Twitter, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and various RSS feeds. You can elect to receive notification of updates and integrate Social feeds with the Messages Application.
Logging into Facebook reveals some of the tight contact integration that I love about some Android devices. You’ve got the option to sync your phone with Facebook’s Messages, Calendar and Contacts apps, including the ability to update an existing contact's photo if they’re a Facebook friend. Notifications from services such as Facebook and Twitter show up in the home screen’s notification bar.
Social Feeds shows a combined timeline of all your social networking feeds, plus it’s easy to tap the top menu and narrow it down to one feed. You can also see notifications show up in your Messages inbox along with your email and text messages. Meanwhile if you tap on an entry in your contacts list, you’ll see recent activity including their social networking updates.
There are plenty of other great new features I’ve failed to mention, but the slick WebKit browser and beautiful execution of Social Feeds say to me that the BlackBerry team is paying more than lip service to its promises to make BlackBerry 6 OS a great tool for work and play.
Taking many of my favourite Android features, stirring in a pinch of iOS and baking it all into a solid, corporate-friendly, touch-enabled mobile OS has produced a very slick device in the Torch 9800. As the smartphone war hots up and some players fall by the wayside, it’s clear that BlackBerry still has a lot to offer and corporate users can have the best of both worlds.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Twitter Turns Five as Site Registers 200Million Users
Phenomenon: One of Twitters 200million users posts a tweet. The website started life on March 21, 2006
'Inviting coworkers'. Two words. Not spectacular.
Yet, as the first ever Twitter message – made five years ago today – those two words sparked a revolution in internet communication. It took three years to pass the billion-tweet mark. Now it posts that many every week.
Since co-founder Jack Dorsey posted it on March 21, 2006, Twitter has registered nearly 200million users. Dorsey has spent the last few days tweeting a timeline of sorts, sharing what he was doing just before the big launch.
On Sunday, he wrote : '5 yrs ago today, the eve of launching twttr to the company. Moving from @Biz, @florian & me, to all of our peers using it. Nervous. #twttr'
He needn't have worried. The site, which invites people to say 'what's happening' in 140 characters or fewer, was initially dismissed as a platform of very little value.
Now, it is an internet giant and even its sternest critics would be hard-pressed to dismiss its significance. Since its launch, Twitter has played a role in a wide range of headline-making events, from the Egyptian revolution to Charlie Sheen's battle with CBS.
Its use was springboarded in 2008, with Barack Obama’s apt post-election tweet: 'We just made history. All of this happened because you gave your time, talent and passion. All of this happened because of you. Thanks'.
Since then, the website has become uses by nearly every politician, who quickly saw its value. After its role in organising the 2009 Iranian protests against the country's disputed election, an adviser to George Bush suggested the site should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
It has also become a business tool, with many major companies now using accounts to advertise deals and encourage word-of-mouth marketing. It is often where news first emerges.
Michael Jackson's death in 2009 was first posted on Twitter by showbiz website TMZ. Also, Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement on it and the astronauts aboard the International Space Station used it to post incredible pictures at the press of a button.
Twitter's importance in communication was made plain during the moments after Japan's earthquake and tsunami this month. Twitter says it set a record of 6,939 tweets per second immediately after the 9.0-magnitude quake struck on March 11, and 177 million tweets went out as the day wore on.
'As much fun as we were having, there was always in the back of our heads the idea of the potential of something important coming from it,' Biz Stone, one of Twitter's founding members, told The Independent.
'Even if we didn't say it out loud and talk about it. Because we were just getting started and we really had no place saying anything like that.'
Despite operating at a loss for most of 2010, the company, which now integrates advertisements with its website, is valued at up to $10billion and employs more than 400 people.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Are We Too Reliant on GPS?
It is an issue that many law enforcement agencies and governments don't want to discuss, according to Professor Andrew Dempster, a specialist in satellite navigation signal processing and receiver design.
The problem? Australia and the world's reliance on global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), commonly known to many as GPS, and its vulnerability to be deliberately jammed or unintentionally interfered with.
"There is ... [a] group of people (users) who don't want to talk about it," said the professor, who works at the UNSW School of Surveying and Spatial Information Systems.
"They don't want to draw attention to the fact that GPS can be jammed. They don't want people to know that it's vulnerable. And included in that group are all the major telcos, some of the authorities that track vehicles and I imagine that the police are the same – that they don't talk about it that much."
Critical infrastructure that can be impacted by interference can include plane and airport navigation systems, emergency service vehicles, ships and security vans, some of which carry large amounts of money. Researchers in Britain have gone as far as saying that GPS failures could lead to "loss of life".
One known example of an airport and planes landing there being impacted by unintentional interference has already occurred in the US, the professor said.
According to The Economist, a driver who passed the Newark airport in New Jersey each day had a GPS jammer installed in his truck for personal reasons. The Economist said it took two months in late 2009 for investigators to track down the problem, which led to "brief daily breaks in reception".
Professor Dempster said the matter of interference with GPS was "a significant hazard for military, industrial and civilian transport and communication systems" because criminals had "worked out that they can jam GPS".
He also said that because GPS signals were weak, they could "easily be outpunched by poorly controlled signals from television towers, devices such as laptops and MP3 players, or even mobile satellite services."
But it's not only interference from here on earth. Solar flares in space can also cause havoc for satellites.
Professor Dempster said he had found one such example of unintentional interference in North Sydney, where an SBS TV tower was causing GPS signals nearby to be degraded.
"There will be times if you were driving along past there [where] your [car's] GPS would drop out there for 30 seconds or maybe less," he said. "But you wouldn’t really notice it," he added.
He said a car's GPS navigation device dropped out for "all sorts of reasons".
"I think one of the problems we have with interference or detecting interference is that many people would have observed it and not known that it was happening," he said.
Many people may have even noticed interference with their car's GPS when driving, he said. However, the fact there was interference was most likely unknown to drivers because the signal usually returned to normal after a short period of time.
But it was not only interference Professor Dempster was worried about. "What has happened is GPS has now been around for a while and a number of navigation systems have been retired because GPS has overtaken them," he said.
"So there were a number of backups that sort of existed and as we became more reliant and also more confident in GPS, some of these backups have been removed."
Planes for example, before GPS, used many other ways of finding an airfield other than GPS. But those systems were being phased out because "they’re expensive to maintain" and "they only work in the local area".
Although his workshop on the matter, held on Wednesday in Canberra, heard from Australia's communications regulator, the ACMA, that it had not prosecuted a single person for jamming a signal in Australia, Professor Dempster said that he was still concerned.
"There is certainly evidence ... with eastern European criminals making pretty widespread use of GPS for that sort of purpose – for making high-value assets and vehicles ... (the location of those assets) unavailable [using jamming devices]," he said.
Many of Professor Dempster's concerns were echoed in a report released this week by the Royal Academy of Engineering in London, which suggested that developed nations had become too reliant on GPS systems.
The report said everything from commercial aircraft and the tracking of cargo to the opening of train doors at stations were vulnerable, with consequences ranging from "the inconvenient - such as passenger information system failures - to possible loss of life - such as interruptions to emergency services communications".
"GPS and other GNSS are so useful and so cheap to build into equipment that we have become almost blindly reliant on the data they give us," said Dr Martyn Thomas, chairman of the academy's GNSS working group.
In a statement put out alongside the report, it said that the range of applications using the technology were "now so broad that, without adequate independent backup, signal failure or interference could potentially affect safety systems and other critical parts of the economy".
It recommended, among other things, that critical services include GNSS vulnerabilities "in their risk register and that these are reviewed regularly and mitigated effectively".
All of this was why the UNSW team were working with the University of Adelaide and private company GPSat Systems on a project which aimed to develop geo-location jamming-detection technology.
Although jamming-detection technology exists today, what doesn't exist is the ability to be able to pinpoint exactly where a jammer is, which was why the research was being conducted.
The problem? Australia and the world's reliance on global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), commonly known to many as GPS, and its vulnerability to be deliberately jammed or unintentionally interfered with.
"There is ... [a] group of people (users) who don't want to talk about it," said the professor, who works at the UNSW School of Surveying and Spatial Information Systems.
"They don't want to draw attention to the fact that GPS can be jammed. They don't want people to know that it's vulnerable. And included in that group are all the major telcos, some of the authorities that track vehicles and I imagine that the police are the same – that they don't talk about it that much."
Critical infrastructure that can be impacted by interference can include plane and airport navigation systems, emergency service vehicles, ships and security vans, some of which carry large amounts of money. Researchers in Britain have gone as far as saying that GPS failures could lead to "loss of life".
One known example of an airport and planes landing there being impacted by unintentional interference has already occurred in the US, the professor said.
According to The Economist, a driver who passed the Newark airport in New Jersey each day had a GPS jammer installed in his truck for personal reasons. The Economist said it took two months in late 2009 for investigators to track down the problem, which led to "brief daily breaks in reception".
Professor Dempster said the matter of interference with GPS was "a significant hazard for military, industrial and civilian transport and communication systems" because criminals had "worked out that they can jam GPS".
He also said that because GPS signals were weak, they could "easily be outpunched by poorly controlled signals from television towers, devices such as laptops and MP3 players, or even mobile satellite services."
But it's not only interference from here on earth. Solar flares in space can also cause havoc for satellites.
Professor Dempster said he had found one such example of unintentional interference in North Sydney, where an SBS TV tower was causing GPS signals nearby to be degraded.
"There will be times if you were driving along past there [where] your [car's] GPS would drop out there for 30 seconds or maybe less," he said. "But you wouldn’t really notice it," he added.
He said a car's GPS navigation device dropped out for "all sorts of reasons".
"I think one of the problems we have with interference or detecting interference is that many people would have observed it and not known that it was happening," he said.
Many people may have even noticed interference with their car's GPS when driving, he said. However, the fact there was interference was most likely unknown to drivers because the signal usually returned to normal after a short period of time.
But it was not only interference Professor Dempster was worried about. "What has happened is GPS has now been around for a while and a number of navigation systems have been retired because GPS has overtaken them," he said.
"So there were a number of backups that sort of existed and as we became more reliant and also more confident in GPS, some of these backups have been removed."
Planes for example, before GPS, used many other ways of finding an airfield other than GPS. But those systems were being phased out because "they’re expensive to maintain" and "they only work in the local area".
Although his workshop on the matter, held on Wednesday in Canberra, heard from Australia's communications regulator, the ACMA, that it had not prosecuted a single person for jamming a signal in Australia, Professor Dempster said that he was still concerned.
"There is certainly evidence ... with eastern European criminals making pretty widespread use of GPS for that sort of purpose – for making high-value assets and vehicles ... (the location of those assets) unavailable [using jamming devices]," he said.
Many of Professor Dempster's concerns were echoed in a report released this week by the Royal Academy of Engineering in London, which suggested that developed nations had become too reliant on GPS systems.
The report said everything from commercial aircraft and the tracking of cargo to the opening of train doors at stations were vulnerable, with consequences ranging from "the inconvenient - such as passenger information system failures - to possible loss of life - such as interruptions to emergency services communications".
"GPS and other GNSS are so useful and so cheap to build into equipment that we have become almost blindly reliant on the data they give us," said Dr Martyn Thomas, chairman of the academy's GNSS working group.
In a statement put out alongside the report, it said that the range of applications using the technology were "now so broad that, without adequate independent backup, signal failure or interference could potentially affect safety systems and other critical parts of the economy".
It recommended, among other things, that critical services include GNSS vulnerabilities "in their risk register and that these are reviewed regularly and mitigated effectively".
All of this was why the UNSW team were working with the University of Adelaide and private company GPSat Systems on a project which aimed to develop geo-location jamming-detection technology.
Although jamming-detection technology exists today, what doesn't exist is the ability to be able to pinpoint exactly where a jammer is, which was why the research was being conducted.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Mobile throwing contest.
There is no denying that all of us at some point wish we could throw our mobile phones out the window, down the stairs, under a car etc. Well now you can! At the UK Mobile Phone Throwing Championships! All in the aid of charity, this contest is held at the Battersea Park Athletics Track and has already been happening since the turn of the millennium in Finland.
Competitors are encouraged to bring any old mobiles they may have to be recycled. The phones that competitors actually throw are provided on the night.
With an estimated 75 million mobile phones gathering dust in drawers and cupboards across the UK, they would stretch the entire length of the Great Wall of China, nearly 5 times over! These phones will either be recycled for their materials or made as donations to poorer countries.
Officially there are two categories in the Mobile Phone Throwing. Traditional style of over the shoulder throwing, where the length of the throw is crucial, or Freestyle where points from 4 to 10 are given for aesthetics and creative choreographics.
The contestant with the highest points in both categories wins.
Mobile Phone Throwing is a light and modern Finnish sport that suits people of all ages.
Combining the recycling philosophy and fun spirit in active sport. A part of the philosophy is also a spiritual feel and the rare freedom from being available all the time in this modern world.
Mobile Phone Throwing became a hit when first arranged in year 2000 in Savonlinna.
The original organizer was a translation and interpretation company Fennolingua. Its multinational personnel had many carnival spirited athletes who threw away their frustrations along with their mobile phones.
The local recycling centre was a partner and they collected all the toxic waste after the contest. People could also buy a new mobile phone at the Championships. Ironically, the first prize was of course a new mobile phone! International media and wannabe throwers were immediately very interested and every year the Championships gather a wide range of nationalities to Savonlinna to throw the mobile phones or to watch the fun of the championships.
The next Mobile Phone throwing championship held in the UK is in August at Battersea Park, costing just £5 to enter, from 1 to 5pm.
Competitors are encouraged to bring any old mobiles they may have to be recycled. The phones that competitors actually throw are provided on the night.
With an estimated 75 million mobile phones gathering dust in drawers and cupboards across the UK, they would stretch the entire length of the Great Wall of China, nearly 5 times over! These phones will either be recycled for their materials or made as donations to poorer countries.
Officially there are two categories in the Mobile Phone Throwing. Traditional style of over the shoulder throwing, where the length of the throw is crucial, or Freestyle where points from 4 to 10 are given for aesthetics and creative choreographics.
The contestant with the highest points in both categories wins.
Mobile Phone Throwing is a light and modern Finnish sport that suits people of all ages.
Combining the recycling philosophy and fun spirit in active sport. A part of the philosophy is also a spiritual feel and the rare freedom from being available all the time in this modern world.
Mobile Phone Throwing became a hit when first arranged in year 2000 in Savonlinna.
The original organizer was a translation and interpretation company Fennolingua. Its multinational personnel had many carnival spirited athletes who threw away their frustrations along with their mobile phones.
The local recycling centre was a partner and they collected all the toxic waste after the contest. People could also buy a new mobile phone at the Championships. Ironically, the first prize was of course a new mobile phone! International media and wannabe throwers were immediately very interested and every year the Championships gather a wide range of nationalities to Savonlinna to throw the mobile phones or to watch the fun of the championships.
The next Mobile Phone throwing championship held in the UK is in August at Battersea Park, costing just £5 to enter, from 1 to 5pm.
Few Hints to Help While You Buy a Digital Camera
Buying a digital camera is a breeze but buying a 'good' digital camera could be tricky, especially when there are thousands of models from different manufacturers around. Here are a few tips that might come handy while searching for a digital camera online.
Photography is an art that anybody, even people who lack the natural gift of clicking pictures, can learn. Who doesn't love looking at a great picture? Be it at home doing daily chores, walking down the neighborhood street, an outdoor sports event, a trip to an exotic location etc., a well captured image redefines that moment to its viewers who behold it later. Apart from being a hobby for many across the globe – young and old, male and female, photography is a major profession chosen by a lot of people almost everywhere.
The output or result of a snapshot surely depends a lot on the skill of the one behind the camera. However, modern technology has come up with ways to enable anybody regardless of their lack of photography skills to take good pictures. The coming of digital cameras has by far simplified photography. It would not be far-fetched to say that with one of the excellent digital cameras in hand, even kids in the kindergarten can grab great pictures.
Having said that, here is an interesting point. With the wide availability of digital cameras, taking shots has become very easy, but finding a genuinely good digital camera with value for every penny is surprisingly hard today. One reason for this is the fact that there are too many choices available. It becomes hard to narrow down to just one camera when there are hundreds of them with something unique in each. While it is good to get one at discounted price allowing you to save, it is also crucial that you take a look under the hood, which goes without saying, before you pay for it.
While looking at the features and functions of a camera, it is important that you have a clear knowledge of the way you intend to use the camera. In other words, you need to be sure where and how you will be using the camera. This should narrow down the eligible models considerably. For example if you are a frequent traveler, an AA battery operated one is handier than the lithium-ion battery operated ones.
Resolution of the camera is the basic and naturally first feature people look into while buying a camera. No doubt a higher megapixels camera always has more chance of capturing better pictures, but that should not be the only factor that determines the camera. It is a good way to to start looking at it first but along with that a good camera needs to incorporate other features too.
An equally important feature is the zoom function. It can make a lot of difference while taking shots as the object of your target doesn't always pose for the shutter at the same distance. If the object or person is too far away you will have to get closer physically to get a clearer shot. While doing so the target would have been already moved or the moment is already gone, but with more zooming ability, you can do away with the distance in seconds. Therefore, more the zooming ability, better the camera.
In addition, other automatic features like face & smile detection, image sensors, color modes, scene modes and many more that make grabbing images easy and and quick, delivering good outputs should be taken in to consideration. So, while you look for the cheapest digital camera that also grabs great images, know what you want and go to review sites and compare a lot.
Photography is an art that anybody, even people who lack the natural gift of clicking pictures, can learn. Who doesn't love looking at a great picture? Be it at home doing daily chores, walking down the neighborhood street, an outdoor sports event, a trip to an exotic location etc., a well captured image redefines that moment to its viewers who behold it later. Apart from being a hobby for many across the globe – young and old, male and female, photography is a major profession chosen by a lot of people almost everywhere.
The output or result of a snapshot surely depends a lot on the skill of the one behind the camera. However, modern technology has come up with ways to enable anybody regardless of their lack of photography skills to take good pictures. The coming of digital cameras has by far simplified photography. It would not be far-fetched to say that with one of the excellent digital cameras in hand, even kids in the kindergarten can grab great pictures.
Having said that, here is an interesting point. With the wide availability of digital cameras, taking shots has become very easy, but finding a genuinely good digital camera with value for every penny is surprisingly hard today. One reason for this is the fact that there are too many choices available. It becomes hard to narrow down to just one camera when there are hundreds of them with something unique in each. While it is good to get one at discounted price allowing you to save, it is also crucial that you take a look under the hood, which goes without saying, before you pay for it.
While looking at the features and functions of a camera, it is important that you have a clear knowledge of the way you intend to use the camera. In other words, you need to be sure where and how you will be using the camera. This should narrow down the eligible models considerably. For example if you are a frequent traveler, an AA battery operated one is handier than the lithium-ion battery operated ones.
Resolution of the camera is the basic and naturally first feature people look into while buying a camera. No doubt a higher megapixels camera always has more chance of capturing better pictures, but that should not be the only factor that determines the camera. It is a good way to to start looking at it first but along with that a good camera needs to incorporate other features too.
An equally important feature is the zoom function. It can make a lot of difference while taking shots as the object of your target doesn't always pose for the shutter at the same distance. If the object or person is too far away you will have to get closer physically to get a clearer shot. While doing so the target would have been already moved or the moment is already gone, but with more zooming ability, you can do away with the distance in seconds. Therefore, more the zooming ability, better the camera.
In addition, other automatic features like face & smile detection, image sensors, color modes, scene modes and many more that make grabbing images easy and and quick, delivering good outputs should be taken in to consideration. So, while you look for the cheapest digital camera that also grabs great images, know what you want and go to review sites and compare a lot.
The Best Gaming Mobile Applications
Among the many kinds of mobile applications available for smart phones, gaming apps are perhaps the world’s favorite kind. They cater to a vast range of age groups and target audience and some of them are among the most successful mobile apps downloaded worldwide. Once a developer can get their games to be popular amongst a few, the buzz spreads virally. People come to know of popular games from sources like blogs, social media platforms, and friends.
Here are some of the best gaming mobile applications ever –
Angry Birds: One of the latest and most popular mobile apps downloaded in phones around the world today. It’s a simple game of judgment. Grab a bird and use the catapult to destroy pyramids made by evil pigs. It’s fun to try getting the whole pyramid, but equally frustrating because it’s much more difficult that it sounds.
Infinity Blade: While Angry Birds is an immensely popular casual game, Infinity Blade is one of the more serious action recreations. It has extraordinary graphics and extremely good swipe based controls. Perhaps IB is one of the best iPhone / iPad apps ever. Developers say that a multiplayer mode is on its way for eagerly waiting gamers.
Cut The Rope: Like Angry Birds, ‘Cut The Rope’ is another casual physics based game, but only for the Apple iOS. All you have to do is swipe across the screen to cut a swinging rope and feed a cute monster underneath waiting for the food.
Fieldrunners: You have to protect your tower from waves of enemies rushing towards you. Every time one of them breeches your wall you lose a life. You have to create mazes of strategically places weapons to ward them off.
Rage HD: This game is perhaps one of the best examples of how powerful the Apple iOS is. This high definition and popular shooting game is one of the best iPhone mobile apps downloadable for your device. It’s a cross between a fairground ride and a shooting gallery, and extremely well made.
Plants vs. Zombies: It has invaded PCs, Phones, and touch gadgets everywhere! One of Pop Cap Games’ most popular productions, Plants vs. Zombies is wicked addictive and one of the highest rated mobile applications ever!
Street Fighter IV: The last installments of this popular franchise, ST4 is now available at rock bottom prices! This arcade fighting game is perhaps one of the longest running success stories of the video gaming world – and now it’s already a mobile application phenomenon!
Fruit Ninja: Well, fruits arrive on your screen and you have to swipe across them to slice them while avoiding the occasional bombs. It’s another casual gaming success story like ‘Cut The Rope’.
Pac Man Mobile: This ancient gaming classic is perhaps the best known video game in the world alongside names like Mario and Sonic. Now, it comes as mobile apps downloadable on your Apple or Android smart phone.
One of the most lucrative fields for phone software developers is gaming. Among so many mobile apps downloaded daily, at least 40% are games! You can use mobile applications for almost everything, but recreation and relaxation apps are perhaps among the most admired.
Here are some of the best gaming mobile applications ever –
Angry Birds: One of the latest and most popular mobile apps downloaded in phones around the world today. It’s a simple game of judgment. Grab a bird and use the catapult to destroy pyramids made by evil pigs. It’s fun to try getting the whole pyramid, but equally frustrating because it’s much more difficult that it sounds.
Infinity Blade: While Angry Birds is an immensely popular casual game, Infinity Blade is one of the more serious action recreations. It has extraordinary graphics and extremely good swipe based controls. Perhaps IB is one of the best iPhone / iPad apps ever. Developers say that a multiplayer mode is on its way for eagerly waiting gamers.
Cut The Rope: Like Angry Birds, ‘Cut The Rope’ is another casual physics based game, but only for the Apple iOS. All you have to do is swipe across the screen to cut a swinging rope and feed a cute monster underneath waiting for the food.
Fieldrunners: You have to protect your tower from waves of enemies rushing towards you. Every time one of them breeches your wall you lose a life. You have to create mazes of strategically places weapons to ward them off.
Rage HD: This game is perhaps one of the best examples of how powerful the Apple iOS is. This high definition and popular shooting game is one of the best iPhone mobile apps downloadable for your device. It’s a cross between a fairground ride and a shooting gallery, and extremely well made.
Plants vs. Zombies: It has invaded PCs, Phones, and touch gadgets everywhere! One of Pop Cap Games’ most popular productions, Plants vs. Zombies is wicked addictive and one of the highest rated mobile applications ever!
Street Fighter IV: The last installments of this popular franchise, ST4 is now available at rock bottom prices! This arcade fighting game is perhaps one of the longest running success stories of the video gaming world – and now it’s already a mobile application phenomenon!
Fruit Ninja: Well, fruits arrive on your screen and you have to swipe across them to slice them while avoiding the occasional bombs. It’s another casual gaming success story like ‘Cut The Rope’.
Pac Man Mobile: This ancient gaming classic is perhaps the best known video game in the world alongside names like Mario and Sonic. Now, it comes as mobile apps downloadable on your Apple or Android smart phone.
One of the most lucrative fields for phone software developers is gaming. Among so many mobile apps downloaded daily, at least 40% are games! You can use mobile applications for almost everything, but recreation and relaxation apps are perhaps among the most admired.
BlackBerry unlocking FAQ's
What does unlocking mean?
First, you should understand why phones are locked in the first place. Network providers lock phones so that that you are forced to use their network at their rates. No other SIM card will work in their phones. You cannot take advantage of better rates from other providers. A locked phone is subject to roaming charges.
When you unlock your phone, you are free of these restrictions. There is no more restriction placed on the phone by a network carrier.
Are there advantages to unlocking my phone?
After a phone is unlocked, you are free to use any network and any SIM card of your choosing. You can insert and use SIM cards purchased while abroad and take advantage of better rates for calls and SMS messaging.
You no longer pay roaming charges, and you can switch back and forth between carriers/networks. Other advantages are the increased resale value of your phone. Locking is a guaranteed safe procedure for your phone and cannot harm it.
What is a SIM?
A SIM stands for a 'subscriber information module'. It is a chip inserted into a GSM handset and allows the phone to work within a given network. It identifies who you are, knows to send calls to you when your number is dialed and also controls your calling rates according to your contract or pay-as-you go carrier plan.
How do I know if my phone is locked or not?
That's a simple one. Just borrow a SIM card from a friend that comes from an alternative carrier from yours. If the phone works, your phone is unlocked. If you get an error message, it means that your phone is locked.
Do I have to unlock my phone every time I change SIM cards?
No. Once unlocked, your phone stays unlocked.
Do I save money by unlocking my phone?
Yes. While you will still be paying your provider the usual monthly rate, you can save money by using other SIM cards for other regions or countries if you are traveling. You can avoid roaming charges and you can search around for better rates wherever you are.
How much technical knowledge do I need to unlock my phone?
None at all. The instructions are easy to follow and simply require that you be able to enter the code unlocking number on your keypad. If you can dial a telephone number, you can unlock via code.
Can unlocking harm my phone?
No. Unlocking simply removes the network and SIM locks imposed by your network carrier. However, you should check your contract and paperwork to make sure that it doesn't affect your phone's warranty or that it breaks the terms and conditions of your contract. There is always the possibility that if you enter the wrong code (or a previous owner has tried) too many times that it will permanently lock your phone.
First, you should understand why phones are locked in the first place. Network providers lock phones so that that you are forced to use their network at their rates. No other SIM card will work in their phones. You cannot take advantage of better rates from other providers. A locked phone is subject to roaming charges.
When you unlock your phone, you are free of these restrictions. There is no more restriction placed on the phone by a network carrier.
Are there advantages to unlocking my phone?
After a phone is unlocked, you are free to use any network and any SIM card of your choosing. You can insert and use SIM cards purchased while abroad and take advantage of better rates for calls and SMS messaging.
You no longer pay roaming charges, and you can switch back and forth between carriers/networks. Other advantages are the increased resale value of your phone. Locking is a guaranteed safe procedure for your phone and cannot harm it.
What is a SIM?
A SIM stands for a 'subscriber information module'. It is a chip inserted into a GSM handset and allows the phone to work within a given network. It identifies who you are, knows to send calls to you when your number is dialed and also controls your calling rates according to your contract or pay-as-you go carrier plan.
How do I know if my phone is locked or not?
That's a simple one. Just borrow a SIM card from a friend that comes from an alternative carrier from yours. If the phone works, your phone is unlocked. If you get an error message, it means that your phone is locked.
Do I have to unlock my phone every time I change SIM cards?
No. Once unlocked, your phone stays unlocked.
Do I save money by unlocking my phone?
Yes. While you will still be paying your provider the usual monthly rate, you can save money by using other SIM cards for other regions or countries if you are traveling. You can avoid roaming charges and you can search around for better rates wherever you are.
How much technical knowledge do I need to unlock my phone?
None at all. The instructions are easy to follow and simply require that you be able to enter the code unlocking number on your keypad. If you can dial a telephone number, you can unlock via code.
Can unlocking harm my phone?
No. Unlocking simply removes the network and SIM locks imposed by your network carrier. However, you should check your contract and paperwork to make sure that it doesn't affect your phone's warranty or that it breaks the terms and conditions of your contract. There is always the possibility that if you enter the wrong code (or a previous owner has tried) too many times that it will permanently lock your phone.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Apple in Negotiations for Unlimited Music Downloads
Apple is in talks with record companies to give iTunes music buyers easier access to their songs on multiple devices, three people with knowledge of the plans said.
Apple is negotiating with music companies, including Vivendi SA (VIV)'s Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group (WMG) and EMI Group, said the people, who asked for anonymity because the talks are private. An agreement may be announced by midyear, two of the people said.
The arrangement would give users more flexibility in how they access purchased music. Apple and the record labels are eager to maintain demand for digital downloading amid rising popularity for internet services such as Pandora Media, which don't sell tracks and instead let users stream songs from the web, whatever the device.
A deal would provide iTunes customers with a permanent backup of music purchases if the originals are damaged or lost, said the people. The service also would allow downloads to iPad, iPod and iPhone devices linked to the same iTunes account, they said. The move would be a step closer to universal access to content centrally stored on the internet.
Download decline
Tom Neumayr, a spokesman for Cupertino, California-based Apple, declined to comment, as did Amanda Collins, a spokeswoman at Warner Music in New York, and Liz Young at Sony Music. Peter Lofrumento, a spokesman for Universal Music, and Dylan Jones, a spokesman for EMI, didn't have an immediate comment.
Apple, which first began selling tracks through iTunes in 2003, became the top US music retailer in 2008, surpassing Wal-Mart Stores. iTunes accounted for 69 per cent of all digital downloads in the US as of September, according to research firm NPD Group.
An agreement about so-called re-download rights may be reached by midyear, though it could be later, one of the people said. Apple typically announces new features for iTunes and its lineup of iPod media players in September. Last year, it introduced the Ping social network for iTunes users.
Sales slump
Music companies are grappling with stalled growth in digital-download sales, raising concern that online purchases won't be enough to make up for declining sales of compact discs. Digital-track sales rose 1 per cent in 2010, while total album sales fell 12.7 per cent, according Nielsen SoundScan.
The new download policy is among several service changes Apple is exploring. The company also has weighed plans to overhaul its MobileMe service for storing pictures, videos and other content online this year, one of the people said.
Under one plan for MobileMe, the $119-a-year service would become free. Users could store photos, contacts, email and other content on Apple's servers, one person said. The content would be accessible through any wireless connection. The potential changes to MobileMe were previously reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Apple will be able to accommodate new services with its new $US1 billion data center in North Carolina. Chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer said at the company's annual shareholder meeting last month that the facility will be a hub for the iTunes and MobileMe services.
Apple is negotiating with music companies, including Vivendi SA (VIV)'s Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group (WMG) and EMI Group, said the people, who asked for anonymity because the talks are private. An agreement may be announced by midyear, two of the people said.
The arrangement would give users more flexibility in how they access purchased music. Apple and the record labels are eager to maintain demand for digital downloading amid rising popularity for internet services such as Pandora Media, which don't sell tracks and instead let users stream songs from the web, whatever the device.
A deal would provide iTunes customers with a permanent backup of music purchases if the originals are damaged or lost, said the people. The service also would allow downloads to iPad, iPod and iPhone devices linked to the same iTunes account, they said. The move would be a step closer to universal access to content centrally stored on the internet.
Download decline
Tom Neumayr, a spokesman for Cupertino, California-based Apple, declined to comment, as did Amanda Collins, a spokeswoman at Warner Music in New York, and Liz Young at Sony Music. Peter Lofrumento, a spokesman for Universal Music, and Dylan Jones, a spokesman for EMI, didn't have an immediate comment.
Apple, which first began selling tracks through iTunes in 2003, became the top US music retailer in 2008, surpassing Wal-Mart Stores. iTunes accounted for 69 per cent of all digital downloads in the US as of September, according to research firm NPD Group.
An agreement about so-called re-download rights may be reached by midyear, though it could be later, one of the people said. Apple typically announces new features for iTunes and its lineup of iPod media players in September. Last year, it introduced the Ping social network for iTunes users.
Sales slump
Music companies are grappling with stalled growth in digital-download sales, raising concern that online purchases won't be enough to make up for declining sales of compact discs. Digital-track sales rose 1 per cent in 2010, while total album sales fell 12.7 per cent, according Nielsen SoundScan.
The new download policy is among several service changes Apple is exploring. The company also has weighed plans to overhaul its MobileMe service for storing pictures, videos and other content online this year, one of the people said.
Under one plan for MobileMe, the $119-a-year service would become free. Users could store photos, contacts, email and other content on Apple's servers, one person said. The content would be accessible through any wireless connection. The potential changes to MobileMe were previously reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Apple will be able to accommodate new services with its new $US1 billion data center in North Carolina. Chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer said at the company's annual shareholder meeting last month that the facility will be a hub for the iTunes and MobileMe services.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)