Cybergavin » Technology

e-Newsreader: The future of the news(paper)?

mrkips — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:43:11 +0000

If e-reader manufacturers optimize e-readers for reading news (i.e. provide an easy transition from the ubiquitous newspaper), then this would be the first step towards the decline of the newspaper print media and a great stride forward in the digital age. There are several e-readers available, with Amazon.com sparking a lot of interest with its Kindle. However, all e-readers currently available are not ready to replace the newspaper given their small displays and accessibility to news. With LG’s development of a 19in flexible e-reader (see image below), e-readers can move one step closer towards replacing newspapers.

The future e-Newsreader?:

Large display e-reader – a bendable, foldable [ collapse into a compact deck of cards? ] display with built in wi-fi, memory, electronic paper , internet access (via mobile service providers) and embedded software.
An e-news app store to provide lots of cool software to make news reading much more efficient and effective or such software could be bundled with the e-Newsreader you buy.
You purchase your daily news online (or via long-term subscriptions) and the electronic version of the news is transmitted to your e-Newsreader. The electronic version of the news will still have the same content format and look as today’s newspapers, but in addition, you’ll have several cool features at your disposal – zoom in/out, search, bookmark favourite articles, save to memory, etc. – and all these features via touch screen, stylus and voice-recognition technologies.
Software will allow you to track a story across several days’ e-news stored in your e-Newsreader’s memory and provide you with a timeline of events.
The e-Newsreader will be optimized for displaying newspaper-style news, but will also allow ebooks (several formats) to be read.

Pros:

Save the planet!! e-news will save a huge amount of paper.
Significant reduction in production costs for media companies (no printing newspapers), thereby allowing e-news to be delivered at lower rates than today’s newspapers.
No more rushing, queuing and frantically searching for small change to buy your daily newspaper. Get news delivered whenever, wherever.
No more littering public transport and other places with used newspapers (perhaps free newspapers like “The Metro” for tube/train travellers in the UK may be transmitted to your e-reader if you have a valid ticket).
Read news far more efficiently. For example, use the search feature to quickly check the stories that you’re following and then move on to other articles.
Make information and knowledge much more easily accessible to the public. This encourages more research, better journalism and contributes to building knowledge communities.

Cons:

The decline/demise of the newspaper print industry means the loss of several jobs.
You’ll miss the several other benefits of newspapers – street food holder, packing, etc.

e-Newsreaders will have a large market in developed countries. Developing countries won’t have a market for such devices unless they come out of poverty (to make such devices affordable to the genral public) and literacy is high (to get people to use such devices).

Amazon.com initially ran into loads of trouble with its Kindle, primarily due to some daft decisions (like catering to only US mobile network technologies, thereby preventing world-wide distribution) and like other e-readers, it’s primarily aimed at reading e-books (although the latest Kindle DX aims to make reading news easier with a larger display. Amazon.com’s framework of using the Kindle with its Whispernet was a step in the right direction, but lack of planning caused them many issues.

Knowledge and information are key to a country’s development and consequently making knowledge and information more easily accessible should be the key driver behind devices such as e-readers. However, for this digital dream to become the common man’s reality, a helluva lot of work has to be done and large organizations and governments must work cooperatively with each other.

Cyclone Micro – A handy little upscaling multimedia player adaptor

mrkips — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 09:30:38 +0000

It’s been a year since I bought an LCD TV (LG 32LB75) that is capable of accepting 1080p input (HD ready 1080p). However, I’ve only used my LCD TV for viewing SD TV and videos. Well, I’m not ready to invest in Blu-ray or Sky’s HD services now. I thought about trying upscaling (I know it can never be as good as true HD) options until I decide to go down the full HD route and had my eye on Oppo, but Oppo was beyond my budget. Then, while skimming through the electronic products section on Amazon, I came across the the Cyclone Micro HD HDMI 1080p Upscaling Multimedia Player Adaptor selling for around £25 and having rave reviews. So, I purchased the Cyclone Micro just before Christmas 2009. Images of the front and back covers of the Cyclone Micro packaging box are given below:

Being so cheap for what it claims to offer, I did not have much expectations from the Cyclone Micro. All I wanted was a quick, easy, cheap way of viewing my DivX and Xvid videos (purchased via Graboid). Well, I have been impressed so far. The Cyclone Micro is a little gadget (smaller then my BlackBerry) that has adequately met my requirement for playing Xvid video on my LCD TV. All I do is download an Xvid video via Graboid, store it on my 8 GB SanDisk USB Flashdrive, stick the flash drive into the Cyclone Micro, connect the Cyclone Micro to my LCD TV via a HDMI cable (only an AV cable comes with the Cyclone Micro, so you’ll need to purchase an HDMI cable separately if you don’t already have one), switch on the Cyclone Micro and select the HDMI Input source on my LCD TV. When done, the Cyclone Micro home menu is displayed on the screen. Using this menu, I select the video I wish to watch and voila! The Cyclone Micro comes with a nifty remote control, loaded with adequate controls like play, stop, forward, rewind, zoom and volume. You can also select your upscaling resolution. By default, the first movie played with my Cyclone Micro used DVD resolution. Then, when I selected 1080p as my default resolution, the video was noticeably different (higher quality). So, the Cyclone Micro does improve video quality with its upscaling (not out of this world, but great enough for such a cheap product!).

I haven’t experimented using my Cyclone Micro with other video, audio and picture formats, but so far, for my requirement of playing Xvid videos on my LCD TV, I believe that the Cyclone Micro has given me bang for my buck!

Grab videos (legally) with graboid!

mrkips — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 09:03:26 +0000

If you’re a movie buff and want quick and cheap (not free) access to loads of movies (even HD movies) and don’t want to risk torrents, then graboid video is well worth a try. I’ve registered for Gold Membership ($14.99 for a month allowing 50 GB of movie downloads) for a month to check it out. Graboid does not host any videos but link you to internet video sources that comply with the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA). As per the Graboid website, they’re legal (since they’re not hosting videos and allowing uploads). Also, I couldn’t find any websites claiming that Graboid is illegal or that Graboid is in trouble with the MPAA and other relevant authorities.

Most of the videos (movies and TV shows) on Graboid are good quality Xvid videos, but Graboid also links you to HD videos (720p/1080p). You can either stream or download the videos.

So far, I’ve downloaded a few Xvid videos and watched them on my LCD TV using my Cylcone Micro – no issues and good audio/video quality. I’ve only had an issue with a 13 GB HD movie (1080p) download and the Graboid forums indicate that the long filename for that movie could be posing a problem (now liaising with Graboid support to give back my 13 GB bandwidth!).

A couch potato’s dream gadget

mrkips — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:35:34 +0000

I have experienced the frustration of wanting to switch channels on my TV using my remote only to see nothing happening, because I ignored the many “Low Battery” warnings for my remote control. I’m sure quite a lot of people, especially those couch potatoes out there, would have gone through a similar experience.

Well, two Japanese companies, NEC Electronics and Soundpower have created a prototype remote control which does not need batteries! The power required for its use is generated from the pressing its buttons. So, just using the remote control generates the power required for its operation! Brilliant innovation!

Lifesaver – A technology that could save millions of lives

mrkips — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:33:21 +0000

There’s a glass trough filled with clear water before you. To this trough, you add some filthy water, some stinking pond water with moss and algae, some filth from the sewers, some rabbit crap and then stir the contents in the trough. You now have a trough containing a revolting mixture before you. Would you, even in the wildest of your dreams, think about drinking water from this trough? Probably not!! However, Michael Pritchard will do it without hesitation as he is the inventor of the Lifesaver bottle, supposedly the world’s first ultra-filtration bottle which will allow you to drink water from any source, from the cleanest to the most polluted. The filtration concept itself is simple – apart from activated carbon found in almost all water filters, the Lifesaver bottle uses filter membranes with pores smaller than the smallest virus, thereby blocking all pathogens and unwanted pollutants. The FAQs on the company website also claim that you could drink your own urine if passed through a Lifesaver bottle, but it’s not recommended [ perhaps as it makes urine therapy less effective!! ]

Watch Michael Pritchard’s demo of the Lifesaver bottle (at TED) below:

The Lifesaver bottle or jerry can could save the lives of millions of people around the world in dire need of drinking water, but for this ultra filtration technology to really change the world, it must be affordable, safe to use and easily accessible.

The Lifesaver bottle scores well on safety. The bottle has been tested and certified by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (laboratory test results). Also, when the bottle’s filtering mechanism expires, the filtering system simply shuts down preventing unsafe consumption of water.

Regarding affordability, you can check the cost of Lifesaver products here. They are expensive and will not be affordable by the people who need them most. Michael Pritchard believes that developed countries which provide massive aid to developing countries can include these bottles as part of their aid packages. However, for Lifesaver products to be more affordable and easily accessible, perhaps Michael should license the technology to manufacturers around the world with utmost importance given to adherence to quality. The developing and poor countries wherein people are more likely to fall short of drinking water are typically also the countries where corruption is widely prevalent and so many fake bottles could be manufactured thereby putting several lives in danger. So, while this technology is wonderful in the benefits it can bring to millions, there’s still more to be done to realize the benefits.

Sony Ericsson MH907: Do what comes naturally!

mrkips — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:03:57 +0000

Sony Ericsson’s recently launched Motion Activated MH907 headphones allows you to just do what comes naturally to listen to music and receive calls on your mobile.

The downside to this wonderful innovation is that the MH907 works only with Fast ports on Sony Ericsson phones. There are Fast port to 3.5mm jack adaptors available, but I don’t know if the adaptors prevent the motion activation functionality.

The motion activated headphones work as follows (image adapted from Sony Ericsson’s website):

Watch Sony Ericsson’s ad video below:

Visit the Sony Ericsson website for more details

More plastic in your wallet

mrkips — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:41:42 +0000

In India, you would often face a problem using old, worn out or perhaps slightly torn banknotes. Typically, Indians refuse to accept such banknotes, but unfortunately, such banknotes are in wide circulation. Paper banknotes have an estimated lifetime of around 1 year. Given the population of India and the dominance of cash over credit/debit cards and cheques, the lifetime of paper banknotes in India could very well be less than a year. So, the Reserve Bank of India has recently initiated action to extend the lifetime and enhance the security of Indian banknotes by issuing a global tender for the production of 1 billion pieces of Rs. 10 denomination polymer (plastic) banknotes. Well done RBI!

Polymer banknotes were developed by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and The University of Melbourne and are made from the polymer biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) which enhances both durability (non-porous, more resistant to dirt and liquid and not easily torn) and security (makes counterfeiting much more difficult). In 1996, Australia became the first country with a full set of circulating polymer banknotes in each denomination, from 5 to 100 dollars.

So, with polymer banknotes, you don’t have to worry about washing your trousers with banknotes in your pockets, as doing so will only return your banknotes to mint condition!

Will BPL revolutionize our digital world?

mrkips — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:44:30 +0000

Broadband Over Power lines (BPL) is the technology used to transmit data and provide internet access via electric power lines. The underlying mechanisms used for transmitting digital data over power lines have been around for a while and used by Electrical Energy Suppliers to monitor their power grids. As a matter of fact, many countries are now switching to Smart Grids (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed by President Barrack Obama in February 2009 included $4.5 billion for Smart Grid development) to ensure electrical energy is distributed, monitored and managed more efficiently. What makes these Smart Grids smart is the ability to carry digital data across their extensive Power line networks and hook up with IT systems to process the data and manage the grid. The image below, courtesy of HowStuffWorks, illustrates broadband internet access over power lines (BPL).

Voice Over IP (VOIP) has revolutionized the telecom industry by integrating voice over data networks, thereby making way for the demise of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Electrical grids have more reach than the copper telephone cables, thereby ensuring broadband access to the internet has a wider reach (e.g. in rural areas).

BPL and VOIP, both disruptive technologies, could bring about radical changes in the telecommunications and Electrical Power industries, with the prospect of pertaining all wired voice and data networks to power grids and in-house electrical wiring.

BPL does have its share of obstacles, power line noise interference and the use of frequency bands allocated to Amateur radio operators. However, the circulation of the first draft (for approval) of the IEEE Standard 1901 for BPL in July 2009, is a promising step towards full acceptance and standardization of BPL. And then, it will be only a matter of time before several electrical and electronic manufacturers develop a whole new range of BPL products (some BPL products are already out there).

Transmission of digital data along with electricity over power lines opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Imagine, if all your electrical appliances at home could exchange data with each other and with you. You could administer all your home appliances using software on your computer or handheld device. You could remotely turn on/off light switches in your home. You could schedule various tasks for all your appliances at home to automate your daily routine (alarm, lights, coffee, toast, etc.). Your world could become truly digital!

References:

WiTricity technology, a giant leap in going wireless!

mrkips — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 01:28:18 +0000

When Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth and other wireless technologies that use the RF Spectrum featured on many of the gadgets we use, we were thrilled to know that we weren’t tied to network cables, wired headsets, etc. and enjoyed the new found wireless freedom. However, a large part of our daily lives still involves using wires – from all the electrical appliances at our homes to the laptops and mobile phones we charge on the go. How often have you felt annoyed at the clumsy web of wires beneath your desk or the several adapters/charges/transformers that you need to carry around with you to charge your laptops, mobile phones, GPS, etc.? How often have you forgotten to charge your mobile phone only to hear that annoying beep which signals that it’s running out of electric juice? How often have we observed that when we purchase a small electronic gadget, the bulkiest and heaviest part of the packaged product is the charger or the battery? WiTricity technology (Wireless Electricity Delivered Over Distance) could eliminate all these annoyances and could revolutionize our wireless world.

Marin Soljačić (pronounced Maa-ren Soul-ya-CHEECH), an Assistant Professor of Physics at MIT, spearheaded the development of a technology which uses fundamental principles of physics to transfer electrical energy wirelessly over non-negligible distances. In 2006, Marin and his team presented the theory behind the technology in the Annals Of physics and in 2007, this technology was proven in experiments, details of which were published in the journal Science . This technology was called WiTricity and soon a company called WiTricity Corporation was started to commercialize the technology that was proven in MIT labs. Recently, the TED Global 2009 event at Oxford, UK included a demonstration by Eric Giler, CEO of WiTricity Corp. which has created a lot of excitement among science and technology enthusiasts.

How does WiTricity work?: The image below, courtesy of WiTricity Corp., illustrates how this technology works.

How is WiTricity different from Wi-Fi?: Wi-Fi (and Bluetooth, microwaves, etc.) use radiation propagated with frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum. On the other hand, WiTricity uses magnetic near-field resonant coupling (the principle of electromagnetic induction used to transfer electrical energy from the primary to secondary coils in a transformer with the important addition of matching resonant frequencies of both source and destination for maximum power transfer over non-negligble distances). The nineteenth century physicist and legendary inventor Nikola Tesla planned to experiment with the transfer of electrical energy wirelessly, but aborted his attempt due to lack of funds. After around a century later, Marin’s MIT team have finally made wireless electrical energy transfer possible.

Intel is working on a technology called WREL (Wireless Resonant Energy Link), based on WiTricity.

Google Chrome OS – finally a Linux-based OS that could challenge Windows?

mrkips — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:49:40 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, Google’s VP of Product Management and Engineering Director announced that Google was working on an Operating System called Google Chrome OS, scheduled to make its first appearance in netbooks in the second half of 2010. This announcement caused the IT world to buzz with excitement and within a couple of days since the announcement, there were already several articles on what Google Chrome OS might do to our Software world as we know it. Well, it’s been a busy time for me lately and I finally got some time to jot down my thoughts on this major announcement.

Ever since I had my first brush with Linux, I’ve tried several versions and distributions of it to attempt to seek a permanent alternative to Microsoft Windows. Although Linux distributions have evolved a lot over the years, there are still the odd problems with hooking up certain devices and still there’s more progress required in the GUI to really challenge Windows’ dominance in the Desktop OS market. Well, being quite familiar with UNIX, I can use the CLI shell to work around these glitches, but I still believe these Linux distributions have a long way to go to push Windows off its throne in the Desktop OS market and make Linux the first-choice OS for the average PC user. According to W3 Counter, as per June 2009 statistics, Windows Operating Systems make up around a whopping 89% of the total market share, while Linux accounts for a mere 2.11%. The primary reason – Microsoft Windows was the first OS to make it into the homes, schools and offices of the general population the world over, largely in part due to Bill Gates’ astute business acumen and Microsoft’s excellent marketing. The Mac OS and UNIX variants were confined to a small band of faithful followers (universities and geeks).

However, with Google announcing a free, Linux-based OS that focuses on speed, simplicity and security, perhaps the folks at Redmond ought to sit up and take notice. Before Google arrived with a big bang via their search engine, www Search was dominated by the likes of Yahoo! and AltaVista (now owned by Yahoo!). I was an AltaVista user until somebody asked me to try Google. Google was not the first search engine, but it still made such a huge impact due to its simplicity, speed and accuracy of search results, such that those like me who tried Google never turned away from it, thereby making it the market leader in search. Now, Google seems all set to do the same in the OS market and I’m excited to see the results. Microsoft recently tried to challenge Google in the search market, with the launch of Bing. Only time will tell whether Google will be binged or whether Windows will be chromed!

Some repercussions which Google’s Chrome OS could have are:

(1) Eat into the market share of Windows Desktop Operating Systems, thereby being a direct threat to Microsoft’s primary revenue churner.

(2) Wipe out several of the free Linux distributions already out there. Currently, Linux distributions are quite popular on netbooks and the Google Chrome OS will be first launched on netbooks.

(3) If Google manages to convince the popular hardware manufacturers to bundle the free Chrome OS with their products, then the prices of laptops, netbooks and Desktops could plummet. This will surely be one of Google’s key strategies to eat into Microsoft’s market share.

(4) Some third-party software like anti-virus and firewall software could become redundant, thereby wiping out some parts of the consumer software market.

Some of the challenges Google faces:

(1) Changing the users’ habits by luring them away from something they’ve gotten so used to over the years. However, the fact that the word “google” is now virtually part of every language and the huge reputation the company carries will help Google attract users.

(2) Getting it right the first time. Google will not have the luxury of trial and error via betas for a product like an OS. If users get frustrated by having to “learn” to use an OS, they’ll simply move back to familiarity.

(3) Getting the OS to (in Google’s words) “just work” on different hardware platforms and with different devices.

Well, if Google does score a winner with the Chrome OS, then the ultimate winners will be us, the users. I’m eagerly awaiting the first release of Google’s Chrome OS.