Author Archives: tcf5063

Mac OS X 10.12 (Sierra)

Posted on by
Reply

Unlike Microsoft Windows, Mac OSX is not as popular, but many people still use this OS for their everyday computing needs. Many people like Mac because it is colorful and easy to use unlike in Windows. Some people like it just because they are hardcore Apple fans or they have an iPhone and it just works better because they have everything Apple. The newest Mac OS X version is 10.12 or Sierra.

One of the biggest new features is the inclusion of Siri, who is the virtual assistant that is currently on iPhones. Macs have not supported Siri since its launch in 2011. Siri on the Mac allows users to search files, storage inquires, and even the ability to toggle settings on and off. Siri can even access iTunes which could allow her to be your own personal DJ along with being compatible with Safari for web searches.

The continuity between Mac and iOS got even better. MacOS Sierra will allow users to access their computer using their iPhone, this will be made easier by using AirDrop which will all the use of a Universal Clipboard function. It will be as simple as Command-C and Command V to copy and paste between devices. Another great feature that will be coming is TouchID which will allow a user to Auto Unlock you Mac from other Apple devices.

There will be better multimedia functionality in MacOS Sierra. The Photos app is getting overhauled and there will be a new “Memories” tab which will be more for a magazine-like viewing mode. There will also be an AI that automatically sorts photos by either people or topics. Another great feature that was discovered is Dark Mode which would allow users a darker scheme on the menu bar, Dock, and possibly across applications. I personally use both Mac OSX and Windows 10. The two GUI are quite different from one another. Mac OSX is slightly simpler to use and much more colorful and interactive, while Windows 10 is not as colorful and interactive. What is your thoughts? Which OS do you like better or do you use another OS?

Source:

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/macos-sierra-release-date-news-and-features-1324197

Window’s 10 Anniversary Update

Posted on by
Reply

Many people do not pay much attention to the way things look or appear. One of these things is computers which consist of a Graphical User Interface (GUI). People use computers every day without giving much thought on how they look or interact with them. One of the most popular operating computer systems in the world is Microsoft’s Windows 10 that was released on July 29, 2015. This version of Windows changed the way people computed and thought of Windows. This August, Microsoft released their second biggest update which was termed the “Anniversary Update” which it is also referred to as build 1607. This update made some great changes to the GUI of the Windows environment.

Windows 10 is unlike any OS’s before it. Windows 10 has combined the strengths of Windows 8 and 7 to make its interface much friendlier to its users. Unlike Windows 8 where Microsoft wanted to convert everyone to a touch user, Windows 10 gives users the chance to use it in tablet mode or regular mode. The live tiles and no Start menu in Windows 8 confused many people and scared them away from Windows. Windows 10 aims to change that by working seamlessly across numerous devices. The newest update brings some great user interface features to Windows 10.

The biggest update is Cortana, which is Microsoft’s virtual assistant. Microsoft is aiming to make her the best and most powerful assistant. Cortana is now present on the lock screen and she can now send and receive notifications from your mobile device with Android or Windows OS. Windows 10 can now interact with your Android Phone or your Windows Phone if anyone owns one. This means all you have to have is the Cortana App on your phone and then set it up on the computer. Then your computer can interact with your phone and it can even let you know when the battery is running low.

Windows also got a dark them and more theme options for users to customize the way Windows looks. Users can choose between light and dark themes in order to suit their tastes. Another interface feature that is changing is that Edge will now support browser extensions like in Google Chrome. Since Edge launched, it has not supported extensions like in Chrome. This lack of features turned many users away from using the new web browser.

The Start Menu has been redesigned. The “All Apps” option is now gone and now you just see a full list of your installed applications.  Your most frequently used apps will appear at the top of this list and so will recently added ones. Important buttons such as File Explorer, Settings, and Shut Down buttons are now always located on the left side of the Start Menu. The Action Center is now more convenient and customizable. It is now located at the far right to make it easier to find in the taskbar. What do you think? Do you like the way Windows 10 is going in terms of the GUI?

Source:

http://www.howtogeek.com/248177/whats-new-in-windows-10s-anniversary-update/

 

IBM’s Watson

Posted on by
3

Many people hear of “Watson” and think of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, but this is not the case. IBM has developed the world’s most advanced “question answering” machine. This machine was developed to compete and win on “Jeopardy” against other human players. It is basically a super-powered computer that understands “natural language”. Most computers are built to understand binary code and perform mathematical calculations quickly and efficiently. Making a computer understand natural language was a whole new world. Once asked a question in natural language, it would then respond with a factual answer. This machine has to do much more than search engines like Google and Bing. These search engines just point to a document where you might find an answer as we discussed in class.

This means that Watson has to find the correct answer himself. This artificial intelligence is regarded by Technologists as the Holy Grail because it allows humans to interact more naturally with machines. Watson has collected information from the internet and has stored the content of tens of millions of documents. While playing on “Jeopardy”, Watson is not connected to the internet just like the other players. He just has the information stored in his “brain”.  “My husband and I talked about what my role in this was,” Samantha Boardman, a graduate student, told me jokingly. “Was I the thing that was going to help the A.I. become aware of itself? This is a scary thought in my opinion because this machine can learn from its mistakes and get smarter every time.

Artificial intelligence began to shift in the last 10 years because computer scientists began using statistics to analyze huge piles of documents such as books and news stories. They then wrote specific algorithms that could take any subject and automatically learn what types of words are, statistically speaking. This type of statistical computation has been possible for decades, but computers were not fast enough, memory was not big enough, and the storage space was not there. This all changed in the early ‘00s. Computer components became cheaper and the amount of online content exploded. How do you think Watson will perform for the future of question-answering machines?

Source:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/magazine/20Computer-t.html

 

Microsoft Holo Lens

Posted on by
Reply

When people hear the word “virtual reality”, most people think of Oculus Rift, but in fact Microsoft is also working their own version of virtual reality too. Many people just associate Microsoft with Windows, Xbox, and the Surface, but they have been working on developing a wearable computer called “Holo Lens”. In a sense, it kind of resembles Google Glass or Oculus Rift, but it has more fancy components and hardware in it. Unlike Oculus Rift, Holo Lens is not trying to bring you into another world, but bring the world directly to the one you are living in. This means that Microsoft is overlaying images and objects onto the room you are standing in. When using Holo Lens, you can still see the real world around you.

hl

This is enabled by the goggles tracking your movements along with watching how your eyes are moving. For now you can only interact with the device through hand gestures by raising and lowering your finger to interact with 3D images. The device has numerous sensors to sense your movements in a room and it uses this information along with colored glass to create images you can interact with. The goggles also have a camera in the front of them so that it knows where tables, chairs, and other objects are. It then uses that information that it collects to project 3D images on top or even inside them.

hl1

Another great use of Holo Lens would be with Skype. The other person can access the camera and let them see exactly what I see. The other person can even draw diagrams and arrows to show me what to do if I needed assistance with some task. This could be a great tool to help train pilots and doctors and other professions. This makes Holo Lens different than Oculus Rift. The two devices look similar, but they do totally different things. The Oculus Rift basically is a screen in front of your face that tricks the brain into think that you are actually there. While Holo Lens wants you to interact with the real world in new ways. What potential do you see Holo Lens having in the near future?

hl2

Source:

http://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-hololens-explained-how-it-works-and-why-its-different/

 

Adblock Plus vs. Facebook

Posted on by
Reply

When people think of the game, ping-pong, they imagine two players hitting a ping-pong ball back and forth, but recently this has been used to describe Adblock Plus and Facebook. Facebook has recently been circumventing adblockers in order for all ads to appear even when using an adblocker. Adblock Plus has been fighting back in full force to keep up with Facebook’s games. Many people choose to use adblockers to avoid the bombardment of the overwhelming number of ads. Many adblockers allow users to allow a certain number of non-intrusive ads to be shown. I believe this is the users right to block ads if they want to. This goes along with the homework we did that demonstrates the search results bubble it puts us in. This is the same with ads, they try to push ads that you might like based on a variety of factors.

 

Adblock Plus’ Ben Williams tells The Verge that beating the system again “was just a matter of finding the non-standard indicators they began using” and then filtering them out. But he added, “I would stress, though, that this is a cat-and-mouse game; so their next circumvention might come at any time.” I personally use Adblock Plus and think it is great that I have the option to block ads. I know many of you will argue that this is how many websites generate their revenue, but I think some websites are worse than others with the number of ads they show. Sometimes these ads may have malicious code written in them, so when a user clicks on them they execute. To me this is an extra security measure along with privacy. Many of these ads are “tailored” to my own tastes based on my web browsing and social media. I believe this keeps me in an “ad bubble” just like when I search the web. I am getting biased ads, just as I am getting biased web results with certain search engines. Therefore, I choose just to block most of them using Adblock Plus.

Capture

The difference between using Adblock Plus and no adblocker is shown. In my opinion, I believe it gives Facebook and other websites a cleaner look allowing the user to view the website as it was intended to be viewed. Adblock Plus and the open source community is ready to take on Facebook in this fight against blocking ads. Who do you believe is in the right?

Sources:

http://www.theverge.com/2016/8/11/12439990/facebook-unblockable-ads-defeated-by-adblock-plus

https://adblockplus.org/blog/ping-pong-with-facebook

Freightliner: Autonomous Truck

Posted on by
2

Many people talk about self-driving cars or autonomous vehicles, but many people do not realize that the industry is working on making heavy trucks also become autonomous. Many cars these days have automatic stopping if it were to encounter an obstacle and other similar technology to make the car safer, but the driver is still in control of the vehicle for the most part. The trucking industry is slightly slower at adapting this technology, but it is trying to revolutionize the trucking industry. One major company working on making autonomous trucks is Freightliner.

Freightliner was founded in 1942 by Leland James. This truck brand is one of the most recognizable brand names in the trucking industry who are helping lead the revolution in making autonomous trucks. Some of the main reasons for making autonomous trucks is due to the shortage of drivers, driver fatigue, and driver error. Wolfgang Bernhard, Freightliner head of Trucks and Buses, states “it can help curb long-haul fatigue by allowing a computer to handle the long, dull stretches of straight highway miles.” The Freightliner Inspiration Truck is the first ever self-driving commercial truck to receive a road license plate for autonomous operation on public highways. The state of Nevada is one of the first states to allow autonomous testing of a commercial truck on its highways. This truck has a limited version of autonomy and is classified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which it calls a Level 3 autonomy level.

The Freightliner Inspiration Truck is classified as Level 3. This means that the driver is always present and can take full control of the truck at any time. It only takes control on the highway and it maintains a safe following distance from other vehicles while staying in its own lane. It cannot pass slower vehicles on its own and if it encounters a situation it cannot handle, the truck will alert the driver to take over and resume control. If the driver does not respond in about five seconds, the truck will gradually slow down and come to a complete stop. There is not much difference between this vehicle and many other passenger cars and trucks on the road in terms of computer hardware.

Hands off on the highway... Image: DTNA

This means that these trucks will be connected to a network. Which means that they will need to rely on the internet and other technologies to keep these trucks on the road and to keep other drivers safe. These trucks will need to communicate and receive data over a network at all times. This makes these truck part of the IoT, which means they need their connections to be secure to prevent hackers from taking control of these vehicles and operating them in an un-safe manner. I believe that security will need to play a major role in the development of autonomous vehicles.

Gallery Image

In the near future, the world may see limited autonomous driving trucks on the road and maybe even a fully autonomous truck. Freightliner will continue to be at the forefront of this new and emerging technology. Other heavy truck manufactures may follow suit, but for now Freightliner is leading the revolution on semi-autonomous trucks. These trucks will help make roadway systems safe for everyone including the truck drivers. It will also help alleviate driver fatigue and driver error and it will increase the efficiency and speed that goods are delivered to consumers.

Sources:

http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2015/09/freightliner-maps-road-ahead-for-autonomous-truck-technology.aspx?refresh=true

http://www.wired.com/2015/05/worlds-first-self-driving-semi-truck-hits-road/

http://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/freightliner-autonomous-inspiration-truck/

Quantum Computing: IBM’s Quantum Computer

Posted on by
Reply

Many people have never heard of cloud computing, let alone quantum computing. IBM has been a leading pioneer in starting up their quantum computer experiment. Typically this type of computing is only found in top level academics and organizations such as Google and NASA. IBM is trying to change this by bringing quantum computing to the masses through a simple web-browser interface from any device that is connected to the internet. This can be seen below. For many people this may not be a big deal, but for many researchers or other organizations looking to build a practical quantum computer, IBM is looking to help them out. David DiVincenzo, a professor at the Institute for Quantum Information at RWTH Aachen University and one of quantum computing’s earliest pioneers, believes the service will lead to more. “I think that someone out there will learn things about the behavior of this quantum computer,” he says, “that its developers never thought of.”  Quantum computing is far more powerful than today’s machines and this professor has high hopes of changing the way people compute. This means that people who do not have the background or expertise to build a quantum computer can use the simple interface to view quantum computing from a different perspective rather than from a developer’s perspective. This may lead to many new advances in technology from better understanding DNA sequences to predict how the stock market will fluctuate.

Quantum computing differs from traditional computing with its binary language. Traditional computers can only hold a single “bit” of information such as a 1 or a 0 at one time. Quantum computing uses a “qubit”, which stores both traditional bits at one time based on the “superposition principle”.  Two qubits would be 00, 01, 10, and 11 and could be stored simultaneously. Which means in theory, if more qubits were added, one could make a machine far more powerful than anything that exists today. Another great feature about the IBM quantum computer is that it produces the same result each time. Before this, it was much more difficult to reproduce results using a quantum computer due to the complex nature, but IBM has started to figure out this issue. IBM has made it possible for anyone in the world to use their quantum computer, which makes it possible for anyone to use it. I believe this quantum computer will lead to great technological discoveries from the science field to consumer products. This may change the future of computing as we know it.

IBM

Source:

http://www.wired.com/2016/05/ibm-letting-anyone-play-quantum-computer/

“Kaby Lake” Intel’s’ Seventh Generation Processor

Posted on by
Reply

Many computer users do not do not even know what a Central Processing Unit (CPU) does or what it is for. The CPU is the brain of the computer and is responsible for carrying out tasks and other processes. Intel has been in business since 1968 and has been the lead manufacture for desktop PC CPU’s. Many people have seen or heard commercials with the “Intel Inside” or even seen the sticker on the outside of their computer. Most people are familiar with Intel’s popular lineup of the i3, i5, and i7 processors, but do not realize that there are different generations of these processors. The general public does not realize this and to them it is the same processor because of the naming convention. The only way to tell is by looking at the CPU model number and the generation is the first number along with some other useful information about the processor.

The latest and greatest seventh generation processor called “Kaby Lake” is about to launch at the end of this year. This is the predecessor to the “Skylake” processors, which are the sixth generation. The Kaby Lake chip will utilize the same socket type, LGA1151, as the current Skylake chip uses. The new chip will remain at 14 nanometers (nm) which is unusual for Intel because they usually use the method called “Tick-Tock”, which involves shrinking the chip and then optimizing in the next generation. They have now changed it to a three step process which consists of Process, Architecture, and Optimization. This is the last generation that will be 14 nm thick, until “Cannonlake” lake is released which will only be 10 nm.

This generation of CPU’s is aimed at playing flawless 4k video playback on lower-end laptops along with reducing the power consumption of the CPU. The seventh generation CPU’s shall be shipping this Autumn from certain laptop makers.  Will you look at CPU’s differently now that you know there is much more behind the “Intel Inside” sticker and slogan?

Source:

http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/intel-7th-gen-kaby-lake-specifications

Facebook Takes a Stab at Determining Your Political Views

Posted on by
1

Some people may not even list their political views on Facebook in their about section. Others may not even be interested in politics or even participate in political debates with their friends or like a page endorsing a certain candidate. Some people try to keep their information private and off of Facebook. But now Facebook is trying to change that. They are trying to make deductions about its users all of the time based on many factors mainly their page likes or other Facebook activity. Many people have known about this for a while mainly for advertising, but now Facebook has vamped up their ad preferences algorithms. This data is valuable to advertisers and political campaigns, especially this year with the hotly debated presidential race.

This may make some people angry, while others may not care if they share their personal information with the rest of the World. Currently Facebook has 1.7 billion active users in the World. This means that Facebook is continuously collecting data on its users no matter if you choose to share your information with them or not. Some people choose to change their privacy settings so that only their friends can see their posts while others just accept the defaults so that anyone can view their profile. I on the other hand am very sensitive when sharing or posting data to Facebook. Facebook collects data quite discretely and indirectly without you knowing. The New York Times states, “Even if you do not like any candidates’ pages, if most of the people who like the same pages that you do — such as Ben and Jerry’s ice cream — identify as liberal, then Facebook might classify you as one, too.”

This means that Facebook is trying to make some very educated guesses about its users. Facebooks attempt at my political view was way off, especially since I liked all of those pages when I was in middle school and high school. To view how Facebook categorized you, visit  facebook.com/ads/preferences and see if it matches your actual political view.

 

Source:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/24/us/politics/facebook-ads-politics.html?_r=0