Study Shows Mobile Phones Can Help Disaster Relief

November 10, 2011 by Sanil S · Leave a Comment

A recent study has shown that mobile phones can be of great assistance in targeting areas where humanitarian aid can be put to the most use following a national disaster. It is in such times that the best mobile phones and smart phones can be most useful to mankind generally.

It is accepted that mobile phones and smart phones are a great social tool as mobile access to social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter has proven. They have even proved to be useful in times of civic uprisings in the Middle East and, unfortunately, used to great success in assisting rioters to organise hit and run raids in Britain recently by allowing the utmost damage to be done by rioters keeping one step in front of authorities. But it is in the area of targeting where to deliver the most effective aid following natural disasters that the best mobile phone applications can be experienced.

Mobile Phones Help Aid Workers

The report of mobile phone usage in disaster areas focused on its benefits in targeting where emergency aid could be most usefully applied. It highlighted how scientists mapped the different movements of population in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake. This data became immediately available to them after accessing information from more than two million mobile phones used by the Haitian people who found themselves homeless and displaced. As a result humanitarian aid distribution was immediately channelled where it was most needed.

Phone Data Used to Map Areas of Need

Swedish researchers from the Karolinska Institute working with the Columbia University in the US requested Digicel, Haiti’s largest mobile phone network, to release anonymous information regarding data usage from phone towers following the earthquake. This information was required so that the location of people could be pinpointed more precisely after an estimated 600,000 people fled the destruction of the city of Port au Prince. This information was then used to map where most people were seeking shelter. Much needed supplies were then sent to them.

Cholera Outbreak Restricted

Later that same year, when a cholera outbreak occurred, researchers were once again able to respond quickly by using the same method that was successful following the earthquake. Dr Linus Bengtsson of the Swedish institute reported that within 12 hours they were able to isolate areas of the outbreak by using mobile phone data therefore preventing the outbreak spreading. He said the model they used could be repeated anywhere in the world as 86 percent of the world’s population now have mobile phone coverage.

This article was written by Justin from Life Insurance Finder. Visit our site to find the best life insurance for you and your family

Filed Under: Mobile · Tagged With: disaster management, smartphones

How to Keep Your Website’s Online Shopping Cart Secure

November 10, 2011 by Sanil S · Leave a Comment

An online shopping cart is a type of software system that allows buyers to purchase goods and services over the internet from online stores using payment methods like credit cards, debit cards, gift cards and electronic checks. Inspired by traditional brick and mortar checkout, an online shopping cart takes the items that the shopper is purchasing and calculates the total cost, which includes shipping and handling charges, taxes and any fees that might be associated with the buyer’s purchase, then the buyer makes their purchase using any of the accepted methods. Typically, e-shopping carts also have the ability to apply coupon codes, gift cards and other promotions to the shopper’s order.

The surge of technology along with the volume of products and services that are widely available for online purchase has caused the dramatic growth in this alternative shopping method, and the online shopping cart system is the service that ensures smooth transactions and reccurring shoppers. Of course, in our world of endless options, there happens to be more than one type of online shopping cart system available for online business owners to integrate into their electronic store. Some options include ready made shopping carts, SP and CGI carts and JavaScript shopping carts. But above all else, safety is the most important thing an online seller must consider when incorporating their online shopping cart.

Identity theft is a huge problem and concern in the world of online shopping. Sensitive information is being shared when an online shopper purchases goods and services from an e-store, and without a top quality and secure shopping cart system in place, that sensitive information could be visible to the online world and predators. When building an internet store and shopping for a shopping cart system to incorporate, the business owner has to be certain that the managing practice for the shopping cart is SSL.

SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, is a widely used security system in the world of e-commerce and online information sharing. Using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Transport Control Protocol (TCP) and distorted cryptography, Secure Sockets Layer encodes the sensitive keyed texts that the shopper types, which makes the message concealed and unreadable by human eyes. So, information like credit card numbers and bank account numbers remain invisible thanks to symmetric encryption from SSL. Also, some online shopping cart systems may ask shoppers to authenticate themselves further by typing in a series of random numbers and letters to cut down on fraud and spammers.

A secure and accredited online shopping cart will build customer trust, encourage buyers to recommend the site to their peers and buyers may also return to the website often to make more purchases. And of course, top notch security will add value to the virtual store. It is highly recommended that online business owners shop around and research between different shopping cart software companies, and decide between a hosted shopping cart and licensed shopping cart, before purchasing and installing the product. Reading reviews, testimonials and looking for quality seals and accreditation from the software company are also valuable to do’s in order to ensure the safety of the shopping cart and the overall website.

Christine Artesia is a prolific freelance writer covering topics such as gadgets, technology and finance.

Filed Under: Web · Tagged With: ecommerce, online shopping, shopping cart software

How Secure Is Your Internet Security?

November 9, 2011 by Sanil S · Leave a Comment

Everyone who owns a computer can not say with the hand across their hearts that their device has ensured a 100% internet security. More than this, a computer connected to Internet can become a potential danger to rely on especially when having vital information kept on it or preserved inside social networks or unintentionally given to pay a great number of bills.

As you have guessed by now, all these information, if not properly secured can fall on wrong hands and as such you can become the victim of many online identity thefts. Whenever you expose your computer to data exchanging with other computerized devices, than you could say that you face troubles.

Let’s picture the following scenario: a hacker tries to violate the data and information included in your computer, but he fails to access them. Then he would know that you had quite a strong and safe internet security to back your info up.

The tips that are given for obtaining an efficient security include passwords, file permissions, encryptions, and back ups. But most of the times these couldn’t be enough in front of the hackers’ skillfulness to break many systems secured merely with these safety tips. Therefore you should know how secure is this internet security that you have inside your personal computer.

Lucky you that there are various programs through which you can avoid hacking and other sorts of violations. All these programs are known as anti-virus software and designed to fight any type of intrusion, from viruses to criminal/illegal intents. These programs can defend your computer against damages provoked by Worms, Malware, Viruses, Spyware, and so on.

Through a virus we understand a program that insinuates itself deeper and deeper in your computer until it slows it down. A malware is actually malicious software that acts as a spy for others’ information kept on their computer. Worms are similar to viruses copying themselves in an extensive measure. And Spywares are programs that monitor one’s activity inside his computer in the purpose of making it seen by a hacker.

Through anti-virus programs you are given the chance to look for viruses, detect them and destroy them. They act successfully as internet security systems and are accessible both online and offline specialized stores. Similar software can offer a part of these services for free if you download them online. But they can not be that effective as the programs that you need to purchase, otherwise where would be the profitability of those who create these anti-virus programs.

Always be mindful when taking the decision related to the anti-virus program, especially when you plan to download them for free. Some of them are even made with deeply hidden viruses which in the future will come to the surface alarmingly slowing down your computer. Not to mention that meanwhile they can easily damage important pieces of information.

Are you interested to get more information on the author? Besides tech articles Denis also like to share information on financial matters such as payday loans in order to help people save money.

Filed Under: Web · Tagged With: antivirus, internet security

Pioneer SE-DIR800C Wireless Headphones for TV with Dolby Technology

November 9, 2011 by Sanil S · 1 Comment

This is an exciting option for anyone looking for a noise-free listening environment or a way to enhance television and movies. It’s a practical device that also offers the luxury of incredible audio performance for video and music. You’ll love the way it combines a comfortable feel with a user-friendly interface to make wireless entertainment as easy as possible. After a long day at work there will be nothing better than plopping yourself down on the couch and plugging yourself into your favorite forms of media. Whether you want to re-live your favorite television series on DVD or thrill yourself with the latest sci-fi action flick, these are the headphones for the job. Pioneer has come up with a winning product, and if you can afford the hefty price tag you’ll be in for home audio heaven.

One of the problems with wireless technology in the past has been in compatibility with other devices or a general weakness in signal. You don’t have to worry about that with the Pioneer SE-DIR800C because it is a multipurpose device that will integrate perfectly into your entertainment system. It will connect to any 5.1 channel source including DVD players, satellite receivers, digital cable boxes and even game consoles. The ability to use it across devices adds true value and as long as you don’t require online communication, there’s no reason why you can’t use it as a gaming headset either.

In terms of the transmitter and signal strength, you’ll enjoy up to 26 feet range of motion and that should be more than enough for any standard entertainment room. It doesn’t matter if you’re sitting upside down or sideways in the corner, these headphones are designed to work under all circumstances. That really comes in handy for longer movie-viewing sessions because you can adjust your position and move around freely without interrupting the action. When you add in the fact that these headphones are incredibly comfortable, you can be assured that listener fatigue won’t be a factor.

This great product not only intensifies sound, it has a level of nuance thanks to Dolby technology that is layered throughout the system. There are also five virtual speakers contained within each headset that will give you an immersive feel while giving you a stunning dimension of sound that complements big-screen TVs perfectly. One of the best features of the Pioneer SE-DIR800C is the virtual room capability that essentially re-creates different types of listening environments with the touch of a button. For example, if you want to feel like you’re watching a movie in a theater then switch over to the “small room” setting to simulate that experience. On the other hand, if you’ve got a brand-new classical music CD and you want to feel like you’re listening to it in the middle of a concert hall, the “large room” setting is going to make your audio dreams come true. You have the ability to customize according to your preferences and everything is handily laid out so you don’t have to fumble around with controls to get the settings you like. This onboard volume control combined with completely wireless technology means you might never have to get up off the couch ever again.

The only downside to the Pioneer SE-DIR800C is the hefty price tag which might be beyond the average budget. At the same time, if you can come up with a way to afford this model you’ll be rewarded with something that excels in every key category. You’ll rest confident in the fact that you’re getting one of the best products on the market while being able to enjoy a level of sound that cheaper headphones cannot offer. This is also the type of device you can buy comfortably while being assured you won’t have to upgrade anytime soon. Overall, this is an example of how great home audio can be and definitely worth a look if you want to take your entertainment room to the next level.

This look at the Pioneer SE-DIR800C comes to us from our friends at karaokemachineguide.com who are true fans of home entertainment, audio, and all the fun wireless headphones for TV has to offer.

Filed Under: Wireless · Tagged With: dolby headphones, wireless headphones

LED TV – A New Phase of Television Viewing Experience

November 4, 2011 by Sanil S · Leave a Comment

There is a new product that consumers are fond of at the moment. This is a new television experience that promises better viewing features. It’s sleek and stylish and yet more vibrant and colorful in the depth of its realistic picture quality. These are LED TVs that are slimline LCD panels facilitated with a flat screen with LED backlighting. This feature replaces the cold cathode or CCFL backlighting used erstwhile in LCD TVs. There are a few aspects of this range which adds to its advantage in the market especially when it comes to wooing customers and buyers with its looks. With this technology you can have a slimmer panel of the screen along with a low rate of power consumption. These are two aspects that work wonders when buyers are dealt with – space saving designs and less expensive in terms of recurring costs.

There are several other features that make LED TVs attractive buying options for consumers. Chiefly among these is a colorful and vibrant display of picture quality. There are higher contrast levels available which enables better viewing. The brighter display enhances clarity and real like images. You can avail three types of LED TVs which are available; there are screens that have a white edging around them. A specially designed diffusion panel is incorporated in the design too which helps to spread the light evenly behind the screen. The second type of this TV is a dynamic RGB LED which is present behind the screen of the panel. In the third category of TVs with this technology there is a range of LEDs available behind the screen. However the brightness of these can only be controlled in totality and not singly.

If you are still wondering about the different types of LED TVs just discussed then you may briefly understand that this difference arises from the difference in lighting techniques. In case of the Edge TVs there is a panel present all around the screen to produce a uniform lighting on the panel. This allows the screen to be extra thin as well. In case of the RGB LED screens there is a gradual dimness seen in certain parts of the screen; thus there is a greater contrast visible when colors like white and black is shown in the pictures. The ratio of the dynamic contrast is higher which enables the picture to be brighter and more colorful. The third variety is the full array LED TV which is also one of the most popular means used by manufacturing company. This allows lower consumption of power and a higher vibrancy of color coupled with contrast ratios.

Besides being extremely sleek and slim in looks LED V can bring home a picture clarity that is second to none. It has a lower rate of power consumption which is always emphasized by manufacturers and sellers of the product. It is environment friendly too which emits less heat upon long hours of usage.

They are definitely more expensive than other varieties but quality is always attached with a price tag.

Filed Under: My thoughts · Tagged With: LED TV

Electric or Gasoline – Which Car Should You Buy?

November 3, 2011 by Sanil S · Leave a Comment

It can be an overwhelming process when looking into buying a new car. Besides considering features such as brand and body style, it is now a big question whether or not to buy a regular gasoline fueled car, electric car, or hybrid. There are different pros and cons to explore when looking at gas vs. electric such as:

Cost

Generally, electric cars cost anywhere from approximately $15,000, and can get up to the $100,000 range. This is similar to the cost of a gasoline powered car, however, the availability and selection of these vehicles will be more limited. Price differences also occur when two cars of the same model, one gasoline and one hybrid, are compared. The MSRP of a standard gasoline fueled 2011 Toyota Camry is $20,195. The 2011 Camry Hybrid has an MSRP of $27,050, which is a price difference of almost $7,000. This initial price might cause some consumers to decide to go with the less expensive vehicle, but the fuel savings will offset the sticker price, and end up costing the consumer less in the long run.

Efficiency

A person that drives an electric or hybrid car will see major savings at the gas pump. Hybrid cars consume less gas, and fully electric cars require no gasoline at all. The downside to an electric car though is that it only runs approximately 50+ miles before needing to be recharged. This is ideal for people who do not drive much, or only make short trips around town. Anyone that has longer commutes to work or goes out of town often will not find this type of car to be beneficial, since they would need to constantly recharge. Generally gasoline vehicles can get up to 300 miles per tank, but they have crafted hybrid cars to be able to go this same distance using both the electric and gas components.

Repairs

The issue of repairs can be a downfall for those with electric cars. Most mechanics are trained to work on traditional gasoline cars since they are most common. Electric cars would need to go to specific service centers or dealerships which most likely will cost more to service, and gives the consumer less choice.

Environmental Impact

Gasoline vehicles release a lot of emissions which pollute our environment. Electric vehicles release little to no emissions at all. One thing to consider though is that electricity is created from coal, which is also a fossil fuel. Although the pollution will be limited where a consumer is driving an electric car, it still means that there will be pollution released wherever the electricity is being created.

These are just a few things to consider when looking at buying a gasoline or electric car. A hybrid might be a good choice for someone that sees the benefits and drawbacks of both, in order to get the best of both worlds. It is important to research and make an informed decision that fits into a person’s lifestyle, budget, and personal preference.

Mary Flowers is an environmentalist, and works in the finance sector in Toronto. If you’re interested in making a balanced driving decision you should also consider the total cost of ownership. Insurance is often more costly than the vehicles we drive, so we should also consider these costs. Free services like Kanetix provide auto insurance quote comparisons which allow you to get a better handle on insurance costs. They also recently published a white-paper on insurance rates which details the cheapest and most expensive cars to insure.

Filed Under: Mobile · Tagged With: electric car, gasoline car, hybrid car

How to Make a Stylus for an iPad or Android Tablet

November 2, 2011 by Sanil S · Leave a Comment

2011 has definitely been the Year of the Tablet. The iPad 2 is shattering sales records set by the first version of the iPad. Meanwhile, competing tablets like the Android Tablet, Blackberry Playbook and Microsoft Xoom have been gaining in market share and expanding the market for tablet computers. Tablet computers are known for their sleek design, in-between size, and high-tech responsive touchscreens.

But some tablet users find that those touchscreens, which are so delightful to use for gaming or browsing the Web, are much less useful for typing longer messages. The touchscreen keyboard function on most tablet computers is slower and more prone to errors than a real keyboard, and carrying a portable keyboard adds unwanted bulk to the tablet’s sleek profile. For example, while browsing photos of diamond rings will be fun and easy with a touchscreen, if you want to create an organized chart of diamond prices, you may find the touchscreen slower and less intuitive than a keyboard. This problem has resulted in the return of the stylus, that 90’s computer accessory that lost popularity when finger-responsive touchscreens became universal a few years ago. Tablet owners are creating their own styli to adapt their computers to their individual typing needs.

If you own an iPad or Android tablet, you can easily create your own stylus to keep in your computer case. Instead of buying an expensive stylus that you may not use often, creating it yourself is easy and inexpensive.

To make a stylus, you will need an ordinary sponge, a ballpoint pen, and a paper clip. Disassemble the pen and cut a two-inch section of its plastic tubing. Cut a similar-sized section of the sponge. Drill two small holes in the plastic tube, and then stuff the sponge into the tube. Straighten the paper clip, insert one end into the hole in the tube, and then wrap the metal wire around the pen two or three times. Finally, reinsert the plastic tube into the pen case. With a small amount of the sponge exposed at the tip of the pen, where the ink tip used to be, the pen will now function as a stylus and can be used to maneuver a tablet computer with ease.

Now you know how to make a atylus for an iPad or Android tablet.

Guest article written by Whiteflash – best provider of diamond jewelry.

Filed Under: Mobile · Tagged With: stylus for android, stylus for ipad, stylus for tablets

8 Reasons Why the Nexus Prime is Better Than the iPhone 4S

November 2, 2011 by Sanil S · 2 Comments

It’s an exciting time for technology lovers – Apple’s iPhone 4S has recently been unveiled (selling millions within the first three days of its release), and the release date of Samsung’s Nexus Prime is reportedly scheduled for November 10, 2011. So, it’s decision time, folks. Which of these Smartphones should you consider purchasing? It’s actually pretty obvious which phone is the better option – the Nexus Prime undoubtedly beats out the iPhone 4S in almost all categories. Here are the top 8 reasons why the Nexus Prime is better than the iPhone 4S:

The quality of the camera. The Nexus Prime enjoys quite the superior camera features. The phone boasts a 5 megapixel rear camera, as well as a 1.3 megapixel front camera. The Nexus Prime’s video camera is also top-notch – it can record video at 1080 HD resolution.
That whole Ice Cream Sandwich thing. The design of the Nexus Prime is unparalleled – it’s the first Smartphone to run on Google Inc.’s Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The Ice Cream Sandwich is the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system. It’s a cross between the Android 2.3 and the Android 3.0 (codenamed “Gingerbread” and “Honeycomb”, respectively), and it’s bound to be a tasty treat. The Nexus Prime is also much thinner than the iPhone 4S, making it that much more portable.
The efficient connectivity. While the iPhone 4S enjoys a dual core A5 processor, this is a feature that Android devices have had for a while. The Nexus Prime is the clear winner when it comes to connectivity, due to its 1.2 GHz TI OMAP dual core processor.
The battery power. The Nexus Prime has a 1,750 mAh battery, while the iPhone 4S only has a 1,420 mAh battery. No competition here!
The display. As all good techies know, it’s important to get the biggest display possible when it comes to choosing a Smartphone. After all, you don’t want to be constantly squinting at the screen of your phone when you’re simply trying to send a text message. The Nexus Prime has the better readability factor, with its 4.65 inch Super AMOLED display; in contrast, the iPhone 4S has a mere 3.5 inch touch screen. The Super AMOLED display will have much better color, as well.
The added bonus of near-field communications support (NFC). Unlike the iPhone 4S, the Nexus Prime has NFC – this means that transactions and data exchange will be much, much easier.
RAM. The Nexus Prime comes out on top in terms of RAM, with its full GB RAM –with its 512 MB RAM, the iPhone 4S just doesn’t quite stack up.
Its 4G capability. The iPhone 4S doesn’t even compare here. The Nexus Prime enjoys a 4G LTE capability, while the iPhone 4S only has a 3G capability. This means the Nexus Prime will have a much higher download speed than the iPhone 4S – a very important feature, indeed.

This is a post by John Cooper, Technology and Features editor at NewYork101. Looking for the best things to do in New York, speak to John!

Filed Under: Mobile · Tagged With: icecream sandwich, samsung nexux prime

New Auto-bot Car actually ‘sees’ its surroundings

November 1, 2011 by Sanil S · Leave a Comment

As civilisation advances at a rapid pace, the speed of digital computers appears to be at the forefront of human innovation. Indeed, computers even now can perform many of the talks now that had to be done manually only 10 or 15 years ago. But how would you feel about trusting a computer with your car? Well you may find out sooner than you think! Scientists from Oxford University have developed a car that can drive itself without the need of a human. However, what makes it special is that it actually sees the world around it, by combining a number of technologies including cameras, radar and lasers.

Of course we see some of these innovations in some of our top of the range road cars, and the Google car is a prime example of that. However, this car is different; it uses a 3D map of its surroundings, which allows it to react in real time to any hazards, giving it many advantages over GPS.

GPS is usually used to locate the car within a few meters, therefore it is not accurate enough to use as a basis for the self-drive car, however, its integration of laser, cameras and radar means the 3D map is so accurate it can match that of a human driver.

Leader of the project is Professor Paul Newman, who hopes to create safer and cleaner roads by making robotic automated cars. He claims that even the accessibility of cars would be increased. But, surely many people love driving, and I personally can see that demand for such a car might hard to create amongst certain demographics, but long journeys would perhaps be made far more comfortable.

To achieve Professor Newman’s vision the project has received a large amount of funding, totalling £1.4 million, given by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research council.

So what does this mean for the future of motoring? Will any of the current generation outlive the human car driver? Will the driving test become a thing of the past in the near future? For me, I expect not. I can see this sort of technology benefitting the older generation, particularly on long car journeys, but for me, many people enjoy the feeling of complete control over a car, rightly or wrongly pushing it to its limits. Ultimately the people are likely to begrudge handing over yet another human task over to the computer – particularly one so enjoyed by many.

Martin Wright is a writer and car lover who loves buying used cars and doing them up, he made a 40% profit on a used Ford recently.

Filed Under: Wireless · Tagged With: automated cars, google car

Microsoft Tag – Decoding The Colored Barcode

October 31, 2011 by Sanil S · Leave a Comment

A barcode is embedded data about a product available with a code on the packaging of the same. The data is readable with the help of optical machines only. You may have seen this commonly at the store where the product is held under a scanner at the time of billing. The barcode tells the computer the product code and it reflects the price or any other relevant information about the same. In the same way Microsoft tag offers you 2D embedded information about the product. With the help of new age devices like your smartphone this can take you through an all new experience of a colorful world of information and entertainment. These are the same embedded information but their presentation is available not just for an optical scanner but even through your phone.

These are also known as High Capacity Color Barcode; with the use of Microsoft tag this is used for products within a grid of 5 x 10. In this there is a use of 4 different colors and the code operates in a colorless tone. There are variations in the print size that depends on the packaging but inn all they are readable. You can easily scan these with your mobile phone camera and get connected. Such tags on bigger items and advertisement signs always appear larger than smaller boxes of cereals and chocolates. Such tags are also available on books and magazines where it may be medium to small in size as well.

You will come across a Microsoft tag in almost all kinds of commodities and products; these are usually a link to a website or video and other information about the product; and it will all be available through your phone. It is a free advantage that comes to you in the form of interesting information you are looking for. There is an easy application tool called the Tag Manager with which you can create one for your product. Adding these to your product will make them more interesting and appealing to the consumer or buyer. Once the end user sees the code they can scan the tag on their Smartphone; using a free download available in devices called Tag app they can immediately see the video or the website of excitement you have created with your product. If you are interested in knowing the progress or impact a tag has made on your marketing plans then you can refer to a free report available as well.

Microsoft tag can be the best advantage and answer to any marketing woes that you may have experienced in the past. It is an advanced means of reaching out to your focused audience of buyers and consumers with what they would like to see or know about your company and the range of products available. This can work wonders especially in case of new launches and companies that are relatively new in a particular market.

This use of technology can be particularly appealing to a new generation of gadget users and tech savvy patrons.

Filed Under: Mobile · Tagged With: microsoft tag, QR code, tag application