The term "Smartphone" refers to mobile phones intended for a relatively complex use compared to "ordinary" mobile phones. The smartphone is actually a mini computer capable of functioning as a telephone.
We should bear in mind that the mobile phone "plague" started around year 2000, and then it was a revolutionary change to be able to use a mobile phone from everywhere. Now it seems quite odd to meet people who don't possess some kind of a mobile phone.
The basic use of smartphones is based on a fast & reliable internet connection: most of the use (other than phone calls) is to websites or web services. Without the web, smartphones are simply useless.
An example to a funny use of smartphones: you're at a party and there are around you about a hundred people. Ooops..your eyes get focused on a 25 years old cute girl. What do you next? you enter a forum of people you know and start sniffing about that girl. Geeky but useful..
So, what are the advantages of smartphones over ordinary mobile phones?
1. Smartphones are actually computers, which means that using them is as intuitive & simple as browsing the internet. Everything is done using a touch screen, without the need of pressing buttons or keys. This also means that listening to music is way more enjoyable than doing so using an ordinary phone.
2. There is a huge market of applications that you may add to your smartphone, and by that enhance its capabilities. Services such as "Android Market" or "iPhone App Store" offer millions of applications for simple downloading.
3. Smartphones can actually browse the internet. That means that you can enjoy a browsing experience similar to that of a personal computer. Ordinary mobile phones offer only a basic browsing capability, which is much slower & graphically limited compared to smartphones.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Your Laptop Battery - Things You Should Know
Your Laptop's Battery - a Few Important Points to Remember Your battery is low again, ah?? Here's a pack of small details you probably don't know yet, and might be helpful for you:
1. What's better : keeping the laptop plugged in to the power socket or letting it get empty and recharging it ? most of you might jump and say "sure, keeping it plugged in". Wrong! the battery is like a muscle, if it gets some training, it preserves its potency. If it's always fully charged, it gets older very fast.
2. If you think that after some 6 months with the laptop, the battery holds for less hours than when it was brand new, you're absolutely right! To know exactly how much capacity the battery has lost, you may use the following software: http://download.cnet.com/BatteryBar/3000-2094_4-10866804.html
3. Along the laptop's life, the power meter (this little meter that tells you how fully charged is the battery at the moment) gets less & less accurate. This may cause you problems like: sudden shutting down of the laptop while doing something important. You can fix this issue by "recalibrating" the battery.
How to recalibrate:
a. Charge your battery completely. Then,wait 2 hours with the laptop plugged in.
b. Drain the battery completely (till the laptop turns off). Then. wait 5 hours.
c. Charge again the battery. Now, the power meter should be more accurate.
4. When is the appropriate time to dump your battery and purchase a new one? Experts claim that it's recommended to keep the battery while it's at least 25% of its original strength. Below this point, the battery can't give you a reasonable service.
Summary - the battery is the laptop's #1 headache, but using the points I've mentioned, might prevent this pain from becoming a migraine..
1. What's better : keeping the laptop plugged in to the power socket or letting it get empty and recharging it ? most of you might jump and say "sure, keeping it plugged in". Wrong! the battery is like a muscle, if it gets some training, it preserves its potency. If it's always fully charged, it gets older very fast.
2. If you think that after some 6 months with the laptop, the battery holds for less hours than when it was brand new, you're absolutely right! To know exactly how much capacity the battery has lost, you may use the following software: http://download.cnet.com/BatteryBar/3000-2094_4-10866804.html
3. Along the laptop's life, the power meter (this little meter that tells you how fully charged is the battery at the moment) gets less & less accurate. This may cause you problems like: sudden shutting down of the laptop while doing something important. You can fix this issue by "recalibrating" the battery.
How to recalibrate:
a. Charge your battery completely. Then,wait 2 hours with the laptop plugged in.
b. Drain the battery completely (till the laptop turns off). Then. wait 5 hours.
c. Charge again the battery. Now, the power meter should be more accurate.
4. When is the appropriate time to dump your battery and purchase a new one? Experts claim that it's recommended to keep the battery while it's at least 25% of its original strength. Below this point, the battery can't give you a reasonable service.
Summary - the battery is the laptop's #1 headache, but using the points I've mentioned, might prevent this pain from becoming a migraine..
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Don't Take Your Laptop on a Vacation!
I can find a few arguments for you to stick with your plastic baby. no matter what:
First, it's a disgrace for a geek to abandon his/her laptop and just enjoy. For a geek to do such a thing is like for a troop to leave his weapon behind. Shame on you for even considering it!
Second, no vacation can be a real one without some decent gaming time without anyone around nagging you. Once a geek, always a geek.
So taking the laptop on a vacation? some serious arguments against it:
First, a computer is for work. A vacation is the opposite of work. The two just don't mix. If you're on a vacation, you don't involve with objects relating to work.
Second, every minute you spend on your laptop, is minute you don't do what you're supposed to do on a vacation: resting, relaxing, sight-seeing , dancing, eating decently and above all - forgeting about everything..
Third, if you take your laptop with you, your Skype or Messenger will tell all your work colleagues that you're available, and then your so called "vacation" will be over..
My decision - leave the little attention-sucker at home and dedicate the vacation for yourself & for your family. Make the most of your free time because you don't have much!
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Cloud Computing - is it Rainy Today?..
The term basically refers to performing computing activities online instead of offline (using the computer's hardware). it means that individuals or organizations lease remote memory space and software , that are stored away from their physical location, and use them through the internet.
The basic advantage of this model is that the customer doesn't have to purchase in advance software or memory space, but purchases them on demand only and for the extent he/she may need. This feature often saves a significant portion of the computing costs of an organization.
The basic types of service available on Cloud Computing:
First, Sotfware-as-Service (SAAS), which refers to the use of computer programs installed on the supplier's servers, and the user makes use of them through the internet. Prominent SAAS software examples: Gmail, online gaming.
Second, Infrastructure-as-service (IAAS), which refers to use of memory space of the supplier by the user. Prominent examples: site hosting, backup storage.
Third, Platform-as-Service (PAAS), which refers to the use of developing platforms by the user in the process of writing and testing software, such as: Linux emulators, online compilers.
The financial cost reduction using Cloud Computing derives from several factors:
First, no need of purchasing expensive hardware devices, such as: servers.
Second, no need of purchasing in advance expensive software products, such as: operating systems, Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
Third, no need of hiring local maintenance experts for the software and hardware.
Fourth, no need to deal with disaster relief procedures, as the supplier deals with it.
Fifth, no limit of resources availability. for example. if there's a shortage of memory space, there's a possibility of purchasing additional small size memory.
Sixth, no dependency on a specific location where software products are installed.
The shortcomings of Cloud Computing can be roughly divided into the following:
First, dependency on the supplier. The latter may run bankrupt or have many operational failures. In such a case, the user can't do anything to prevent his own setback.
Second, possible security holes regarding the employees of the supplier, who may cause damage to the user's data.
Third, difficulty in communication between software products which are located on many different servers. For instance, SQL database that has to communicate with a web script held on another server.
Fourth, difficulty in managing software platform without the ability to access the hardware (because it belongs to the supplier). For example, running a disk compression may be necessary for a software running but the user isn't permitted to do that.
Prominent Cloud Computing suppliers include:
1. Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) of Amazon - The most well-known service, which allows memory space & infrastructure software leasing.
2. App Engine of Google, which allows development & testing of Java/pythons application on remote servers.
3. Azure of Microsoft - which allows mainly platforms for online development of software.
Sixth, no dependency on a specific location where software products are installed.
The shortcomings of Cloud Computing can be roughly divided into the following:
First, dependency on the supplier. The latter may run bankrupt or have many operational failures. In such a case, the user can't do anything to prevent his own setback.
Second, possible security holes regarding the employees of the supplier, who may cause damage to the user's data.
Third, difficulty in communication between software products which are located on many different servers. For instance, SQL database that has to communicate with a web script held on another server.
Fourth, difficulty in managing software platform without the ability to access the hardware (because it belongs to the supplier). For example, running a disk compression may be necessary for a software running but the user isn't permitted to do that.
Prominent Cloud Computing suppliers include:
1. Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) of Amazon - The most well-known service, which allows memory space & infrastructure software leasing.
2. App Engine of Google, which allows development & testing of Java/pythons application on remote servers.
3. Azure of Microsoft - which allows mainly platforms for online development of software.
Summary, Cloud Computing is here to stay, but due to its vulnerability concerning security, I believe that the move of organization to work with this model is going to take more than a few years.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Developing Countries Software Developers - on Their Way to Rule the World?
The pacific is small compared to the ocean of debate that has been held during the last decade concerning the possible evaporation of software development jobs out of western economies in favor of technologically developing economies (mainly India).
The main argument feeding that state of mind says that hiring developers in India (and other developing countries) in much less expensive than hiring personnel in developed economies. Let's have a look at the average annual hiring costs of software engineers in several countries:
Australia: $180,000
Canada: $155,000
Denmark: $146,000
United Kingdom: $145,000
United States: $130,000
Spain: $95,000
Poland: $50,000
India: $50,000
China: $36,000
Fine,now we all know that basically it's much more economical to close down your office in the the Silicon-Valley, Toronto, London (let alone Sydney) and move to the golden mines of Bangalore, Kiev or simply Beijing.
So why do you: Jeff, Philip. Francois, Jorgen and Kylie still employed? I guess that the decision-makers in high-tech firms also take into account the following arguments:
1. The hiring costs in developing countries rise constantly and quite sharply: about 10% annually. This means that by 2020 (if the trend continues), the hiring costs in India should be around $130,000. I assume that this trend deters mass transition of western firms to developing countries.
2. Mental gaps between continents may be excruciating: the mainstream cultures in the US, in W. Europe or in Australia are almost upside-down compared to those in most Asian nations, and those nearly reversed cultures should work together on a daily basis. Many decision-makers wouldn't take the risk.
3. Telecommuting is a fantastic idea, but most decision-makers just can't bear the possibility of not controlling face-to-face their employees, especially those involved in the core development of products. Let alone when the employees are located across the ocean.
4. Local patriotic concerns - many decision-makers can't come to terms with the idea of firing local employees in favor of foreigners, and do their utmost effort to avoid such steps. They know that they might meet the employee they fire at the local mall.
5. Disrespect for personnel in developing countries - Many decision-makers don't actually believe in the professional abilities of Programmers in developing countries, and tend to believe that the gap in the costs should materialize in gap of quality.
Conclusion - There are some decisive constraints on the move of software development to developing economies (primarily India). In my opinion, the large majority of software development is about to stay where it is today.
We should bear in mind that cultural changes (including organizational changes) take generally generations to take root. Think of how many services we can acquire on the web but still use the services of a professional: travel agents, matchmakers, newspapers, libraries and many more.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
News about the Web Browsers Market
The web browsers world has introduced us with some new key players during recent years: till about 2005, we were used almost completely to Internet Explorer, without being even aware to other options. But then, the Mozilla association woke up to offer us Firefox and then Sergei Brin's crew also did the same. In parallel, an emerging smart phone browsers market introduced us to new players like: Opera & Android browser.
Let's have a look at the share each main browser holds in the browser market:
1. Internet Explorer - 45%. This means that this portion of users uses primarily (even if not solely) one of IE versions.
2. Mozilla Firefox - 30%. This figure surely reflects a vast expansion of what used to be a marginal browser some 5 year ago. It happened much because of the vast add-on gallery the browser offers, which makes the browsing experience much more entertaining.
3. Google Chrome - 20%. Frankly speaking, it's not very surprising that a brand new browser (issued in 2009) has already gained a respectable proportion of the market, taking into account that its producer is the world's main searching tool, making it visible to almost every web user.
The figures mentioned above depict a simple picture: we have a tough competition between 3 main browser that probably will fascinate us in the coming years.
In the mobile phone browser market, the figures are such:
1. Opera - 22%. This browser is primarily structured for mobile phones, and its development platform (the environment where developers code the applications for the browser) simulates the functioning on mobile phones.
2. Android browser - 17%. as Android is Google's merchandise, it has a significant "push forward" from its owner. so no wonder why it has gain territory recently.
Let's have a look at the share each main browser holds in the browser market:
1. Internet Explorer - 45%. This means that this portion of users uses primarily (even if not solely) one of IE versions.
2. Mozilla Firefox - 30%. This figure surely reflects a vast expansion of what used to be a marginal browser some 5 year ago. It happened much because of the vast add-on gallery the browser offers, which makes the browsing experience much more entertaining.
3. Google Chrome - 20%. Frankly speaking, it's not very surprising that a brand new browser (issued in 2009) has already gained a respectable proportion of the market, taking into account that its producer is the world's main searching tool, making it visible to almost every web user.
The figures mentioned above depict a simple picture: we have a tough competition between 3 main browser that probably will fascinate us in the coming years.
In the mobile phone browser market, the figures are such:
1. Opera - 22%. This browser is primarily structured for mobile phones, and its development platform (the environment where developers code the applications for the browser) simulates the functioning on mobile phones.
2. Android browser - 17%. as Android is Google's merchandise, it has a significant "push forward" from its owner. so no wonder why it has gain territory recently.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Want a Smartphone, Ah?..
So you've decided to get a smartphone.. Yes - you've seen this cool gadget in your friends' hands and got jealous, so what?.. Now it's time to consider what's important to you in a smartphone and how to avoid a lame purchase:
1. Ask yourself if you want to purchase a smartphone for the show-off or for a real need. Smartphones (as new technology devices) aren't so cheap those days and in addition, they require some time of learning. Many people buy these gadgets mainly for the kicks of it and find themselves doing the same things they could do with standard cell phones.
2. Consider switching your supplier, meaning: if you ask your supplier (the company selling you the cell phone service) for an upgrade to a smartphone, you'll probably get a relatively narrow choice because your supplier doesn't feel the necessity of attracting you to its service. Moreover, if you have a contract with that supplier, your case may be even more difficult..
3. Prepare yourself for the shopping - write down what you really need in a smartphone and what's expandable for you. If you start considering your needs under the pressure of an exuberant salesperson, you'll find yourself buying the salesperson's choice..
4. Consider the deal offered to you as a combination of basic cost (the phone) + the contract cost (monthly payment for maintenance + insurance). Most people overlook the monthly payment issue and find themselves with a super expensive package after all.
5. Check carefully if the smartphone offered to you actually supports basic programs such as: Microsoft Word or Microsoft Outlook. Some of the smartphones just don't support Microsoft software, and salespersons Don't tend to tell you that..
6. Battery - don't rely on what the salesperson tells you. Just Google it or ask someone! If you rely on the salesperson, you'll find yourself charging your smartphone every day and whining to all the world..
1. Ask yourself if you want to purchase a smartphone for the show-off or for a real need. Smartphones (as new technology devices) aren't so cheap those days and in addition, they require some time of learning. Many people buy these gadgets mainly for the kicks of it and find themselves doing the same things they could do with standard cell phones.
2. Consider switching your supplier, meaning: if you ask your supplier (the company selling you the cell phone service) for an upgrade to a smartphone, you'll probably get a relatively narrow choice because your supplier doesn't feel the necessity of attracting you to its service. Moreover, if you have a contract with that supplier, your case may be even more difficult..
3. Prepare yourself for the shopping - write down what you really need in a smartphone and what's expandable for you. If you start considering your needs under the pressure of an exuberant salesperson, you'll find yourself buying the salesperson's choice..
4. Consider the deal offered to you as a combination of basic cost (the phone) + the contract cost (monthly payment for maintenance + insurance). Most people overlook the monthly payment issue and find themselves with a super expensive package after all.
5. Check carefully if the smartphone offered to you actually supports basic programs such as: Microsoft Word or Microsoft Outlook. Some of the smartphones just don't support Microsoft software, and salespersons Don't tend to tell you that..
6. Battery - don't rely on what the salesperson tells you. Just Google it or ask someone! If you rely on the salesperson, you'll find yourself charging your smartphone every day and whining to all the world..
Monday, March 4, 2013
Your Laptop Battery - Things You Should Know
Your Laptop's Battery - a Few Important Points to Remember Your battery is low again, ah?? Here's a pack of small details you probably don't know yet, and might be helpful for you:
1. What's better : keeping the laptop plugged in to the power socket or letting it get empty and recharging it ? most of you might jump and say "sure, keeping it plugged in". Wrong! the battery is like a muscle, if it gets some training, it preserves its potency. If it's always fully charged, it gets older very fast.
2. If you think that after some 6 months with the laptop, the battery holds for less hours than when it was brand new, you're absolutely right! To know exactly how much capacity the battery has lost, you may use the following software: http://download.cnet.com/BatteryBar/3000-2094_4-10866804.html
3. Along the laptop's life, the power meter (this little meter that tells you how fully charged is the battery at the moment) gets less & less accurate. This may cause you problems like: sudden shutting down of the laptop while doing something important. You can fix this issue by "recalibrating" the battery.
How to recalibrate:
a. Charge your battery completely. Then,wait 2 hours with the laptop plugged in.
b. Drain the battery completely (till the laptop turns off). Then. wait 5 hours.
c. Charge again the battery. Now, the power meter should be more accurate.
4. When is the appropriate time to dump your battery and purchase a new one? Experts claim that it's recommended to keep the battery while it's at least 25% of its original strength. Below this point, the battery can't give you a reasonable service.
Summary - the battery is the laptop's #1 headache, but using the points I've mentioned, might prevent this pain from becoming a migraine..
1. What's better : keeping the laptop plugged in to the power socket or letting it get empty and recharging it ? most of you might jump and say "sure, keeping it plugged in". Wrong! the battery is like a muscle, if it gets some training, it preserves its potency. If it's always fully charged, it gets older very fast.
2. If you think that after some 6 months with the laptop, the battery holds for less hours than when it was brand new, you're absolutely right! To know exactly how much capacity the battery has lost, you may use the following software: http://download.cnet.com/BatteryBar/3000-2094_4-10866804.html
3. Along the laptop's life, the power meter (this little meter that tells you how fully charged is the battery at the moment) gets less & less accurate. This may cause you problems like: sudden shutting down of the laptop while doing something important. You can fix this issue by "recalibrating" the battery.
How to recalibrate:
a. Charge your battery completely. Then,wait 2 hours with the laptop plugged in.
b. Drain the battery completely (till the laptop turns off). Then. wait 5 hours.
c. Charge again the battery. Now, the power meter should be more accurate.
4. When is the appropriate time to dump your battery and purchase a new one? Experts claim that it's recommended to keep the battery while it's at least 25% of its original strength. Below this point, the battery can't give you a reasonable service.
Summary - the battery is the laptop's #1 headache, but using the points I've mentioned, might prevent this pain from becoming a migraine..
Saturday, March 2, 2013
The Future of Desktop Application vs Web Applications
Ladies & gentlemen, geeks & nerds, my dear readers - I am, as an independent software developer, in an annoying crossroad: should I keep developing web applications or should I move to development of desktop applications.
The reason for keeping developing web applications are various:
1. The trend during recent years has been to use online applications for basic needs: email, file sharing, social networks or games. Also there's has been a trend to use combined desktop & web application (installed software that functions by connecting to the web), such as: Skype or chat applications. Because most of the users are basic users (as opposed to technical users, like programmers or bloggers), this is a major argument.
2. Web applications can be accessible from everywhere, giving users the flexibility of accessing their email,documents or images without being near their personal computers.
3. No need of installation - most people are lazy and like everything done for them. So bypassing the phase of installation or updating is definitely an argument.
The reasons for developing desktop applications:
1. It's very hard to believe that web applications, running on a browser, can be equal or better than desktop applications. It's important to take into account, that browsers (by their nature) are quite restricted in using the computer's hardware. This issue is crucial in complex applications (like: image processing or sound processing applications).
2. Confidentiality - When using an online application, the user's data is generally vulnerable to misuse by the hosting site. Who would want their financial data to be open to stranger's eyes?..
3. Speed - using a web application means communicating with a distant server, which makes it usually slower (depends on the user's bandwidth).
Conclusion - it seems that sole desktop applications will be losing power in the next years, partially for desktop-web applications (like:Skype) and partially for web applications (like: Gmail or GoogleDocs).
The reason for keeping developing web applications are various:
1. The trend during recent years has been to use online applications for basic needs: email, file sharing, social networks or games. Also there's has been a trend to use combined desktop & web application (installed software that functions by connecting to the web), such as: Skype or chat applications. Because most of the users are basic users (as opposed to technical users, like programmers or bloggers), this is a major argument.
2. Web applications can be accessible from everywhere, giving users the flexibility of accessing their email,documents or images without being near their personal computers.
3. No need of installation - most people are lazy and like everything done for them. So bypassing the phase of installation or updating is definitely an argument.
The reasons for developing desktop applications:
1. It's very hard to believe that web applications, running on a browser, can be equal or better than desktop applications. It's important to take into account, that browsers (by their nature) are quite restricted in using the computer's hardware. This issue is crucial in complex applications (like: image processing or sound processing applications).
2. Confidentiality - When using an online application, the user's data is generally vulnerable to misuse by the hosting site. Who would want their financial data to be open to stranger's eyes?..
3. Speed - using a web application means communicating with a distant server, which makes it usually slower (depends on the user's bandwidth).
Conclusion - it seems that sole desktop applications will be losing power in the next years, partially for desktop-web applications (like:Skype) and partially for web applications (like: Gmail or GoogleDocs).
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