Monday, March 26, 2012

Satellite Technology: Providing Convenience in the Modern World

Satellites are mainly used in communications. They revolve around the earth, receiving and relaying signals from different location points. Without them, the world might not be enjoying ease in communicating.

The first satellite was used for astronomical purposes. Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, has been launched to collect and send important data through radio signals about the situation of the earth's atmosphere, the ionosphere, and the earth's orbital changes. Presently, astronomical satellites are used to capture images outside the earth's surface using different sensors like x-rays, gamma rays, infrared, and ultraviolet. In fact, the most popular and the most powerful telescope today, the Hubble Space telescope, is actually a satellite.

Satellites are also used in identifying weather conditions in different parts of the earth. They collect and send information about cloud formations and cloud movements. Weather satellites have been used for several decades. Without them, people might still be relying on primitive methods in identifying weather conditions. These satellites are also used in capturing information on ocean currents, storms, fires, and volcanic activities.

Military communication and intelligence gathering depend on satellites. With satellite technology, global connectivity is achieved even though military men are located in remote areas. Military satellites are also used as observation satellites deployed to spy and capture images of different locations around the globe.

Without high-technology satellites, there might be no navigation systems that will be used today. Global positioning systems (GPS) that are being used by the military and the civilians alike are dependent on the information sent by the satellites. The GPS is initially intended to be used for military purposes, but it was eventually introduced to consumers for different applications. These satellites have circuit boards with high aspect ratio holes to send accurate images and data to GPS users.

Television systems also depend on the power of satellites. Geostationary satellites are made with high frequency materials so that they can send videos and images to television users in numerous locations. The invention of these satellites made it possible for the television industry to achieve significant growth. They seem stationary, but they actually rotate with the earth. They are seemingly stationary so that they can send data to fixed antennas more efficiently.

What to Do When Your Computer Has a Problem and How to Describe the Issue to an IT Technician

Viruses, malware, software and hardware problems are all reasons you may need to visit or hire a computer repair or Information Technology (IT) technician. It is important when doing so to be able to accurately communicate the issues that you are having with your system. This short article will help you communicate the key points when you need to speak with a technician as well as show some of the benefits of repairing versus replacing your system.

An important piece of information to keep in mind when you have computer problems is the time you have invested in the computer system setting things up and making it your own. All too often instead of repairing the valuable computer systems that you have become familiar with and that work well, the thought may cross your mind to replace the system due to cost. This is a very false mindset, in fact in most cases the system can be repaired and upgraded to surpass the original speeds of the system and run all of the latest software while having less of an impact on the environment and saving you money!

Before calling to hire or bringing your system to a repair technician gather up the information that you may need to describe the problem. This information includes but is not limited to:

    Error messages on the screen
    Whether the system is booting into the operating system (usually Windows)
    If you hear any strange noises coming from the computer system itself
    The last things that happened or were performed on the computer system before the issue began to occur
    If there is any unrecognized program that has appeared and what the name is.

It is also a wonderful idea to try to remember when the issues started to occur and if there were any strange things that happened leading up to the problem that you are currently experiencing. For example if the computer started running slow, if you had a strange message show up while you were doing something in particular, a program you normally use did something strange or had an error message appear, etc.

Another thing that will save time and money is to give an accurate history of the problems with the computer system and what repairs you may have attempted or had a friend or acquaintance perform for you to resolve the issue. In general the more information that you can provide to assist your computer technician will provide you with a better, faster, and more cost-effective solution to the issues you are having.


Technology Electronics and How It Works

In the area of technology electronics, you will learn the basics of electricity and electronics. When studying this vast field you will learn about all kinds of things from circuitry to microprocessors. Electronics is the branch of technology and engineering that deals with circuits and active live electrical components. The ability of electronic components to behave as switches has been the reason that processing of digital information has become possible.

Most electronic devices today use semi-conductor components. Electronic engineering involves solving issues relating to the construction of electronic circuits. Most circuits can be divided into two groups: analog and digital. When studying electronic technology, you will learn about these two groups in great depth. Some devices consist of circuitry that involves both groups. Learning to differentiate between the two is an important aspect of electronic technology. After learning these essentials, you will be able to install home security systems, troubleshoot computers and install phones and so much more.

Technology and electronics experts
Electrical technologies specialize in backgrounds based on transformers, substations and generators. Special emphasis is placed on distribution and bulk power of these substations. These electrical services utilize the expertise of a staff that assembles and tests power transformers. This team of experts always assembles according to specific manufacturing standards. You can rely on their knowledge and professionalism to ensure you the highest of standards.

These technicians combine age old standards and modern technology to provide premier electrical services to their customers. They always have the customer's satisfaction at the forefront of their mind, and by delivering on their promise and the customer's request they can do so in an efficient manner.

High service standard and components
Electronics is simply a branch of science that deals with circuits and components electronically. Digital processing is only possible because electronic devices make any kind of transfer of devices that is kind of like a switch action, possible.

It is very distinct in the fact that it makes use of very specific features like switches components, generation, relays and transformers. Even though the science and the makeup of technology electronics seems super complicated, it is truthfully very straightforward and not as difficult as people try to make it appear.

If you are interested in finding a career or hobby that captures your fascination and is fun to learn about as well, why not try out a very rewarding and intriguing field of electronics technology.

Technology, Networking and Security in 2012

The computer: the gadget that changed our view of the world around us, the information which we are surrounded by, and the way we experience events, either directly or directly. The amount of information available on the internet is larger than any library in the world, and we can get all this information through a few simple clicks. The amount of different programs is also more than impressive, and today it is no longer a question of how to obtain an application, but which applications do we want from all those we have to choose from.

In the twenty-first century, we are entering a period in which data is transmitted wirelessly. Technology, like the rest of the IT industry, is developing rapidly and has come up with new standards and adopted more modern methods that enable greater wireless speeds and ranges while costing much less. In the not too distant future, we can expect a lot more wireless systems in every location, connecting the home, office, and even large factories. Wireless network technologies represent a new form of network communication will be even more advanced in the future. These networks of the future will outpace today's wired network systems both in terms of speed and security.

As the new networks are constantly being upgraded, the equipment becomes more sophisticated. The software and security systems are also progressing, although the threat to security still persists everywhere around us. The Internet is a medium that allows anyone to go from appearing to be an ordinary web surfer to a hacker in just a few moments. These hackers can jeopardize very important information and even destroy someone's life.

The prices of laptops with wireless cards are now very affordable and are constantly falling; hence, it is very easy to find wireless networks. Of course, this means it's also easy for attackers to find a way to get into the system and steal someone else's Internet traffic, or, more importantly, data. Various studies related to the security of wireless systems has shown that almost fifty percent of users are on unprotected networks, which confirms the fact that users are not aware or educated of the dangers of wireless networks.

Another concern is the fact that many small businesses are be completely unprotected, which malicious users can very well use to their advantage, and the owners of these systems are not even aware that the customer information and confidential documents can leave the company through this unlocked door.

However, even using a system of protection for your computer is not hundred percent secure, but using a system with an incredibly strong encryption system may significantly slow down the network, a trade-off many businesses and users won't or can't make. We can only hope that future standards will bring faster and more secure systems in which users will be able to rely on the system's protection and really use wireless networks without worry. Safety is important, and the only right decision for your computer is to secure your network. Wireless networking has become part of our lives, but again, we must be careful about what and with whom we share our information.

J2ME Developers and Programmers: The Mobile Game Industry Winners

If you think that current gaming technology is hot then, as they say, "you ain't seen nothing yet."

Wireless or mobile gaming is the future and the future is now. 2004 saw an explosion in mobile gaming technology which redefined the mobile phone as a gaming device. Handsets capable of displaying graphics equal in quality to the GameStations and GameCubes of the 1990's were available everywhere, and game developers like Synergetix and It's Alive! were on everyone's radar screen.

Now, just a year later, Real-time multiplayer games, some offering high-quality, 3D graphics, can be played over most telecom networks at prices that won't put you in the poorhouse.

Never one to be too far behind the bleeding edge, even the Adult Entertainment industry is turning out PDA and cell phone-based games including gambling programs and a variety of role-based and action games where lots of sexy women end up losing their clothes. The graphics are, shall we say, stunning.

A peek under the technology hood

While the average gamer may be ignorant of the technology that is driving the wireless gaming industry, the geeks among us are very familiar with terms like J2ME, Symbian, and Brew; the development and distribution platforms upon which the wireless gaming industry has built its success.

J2ME (Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition) is a derivative of Sun Microcomputer's JAVA development platform. J2ME is specifically designed to build applications that run on portable and wireless devices including cell phones and PDAs. It's also finding wide acceptance among companies that develop applications for TV boxes and many of the new embedded devices which are flooding both the consumer and industrial markets.

BREW, another development language from QUALCOMM, provides a development platform that's also suited for the wireless industry. BREW's claim to fame is that fact that the developer can write device-independent applications which do not need to be recompiled for different phone manufacturers.

SYMBIAN is probably the most commonly used OS in the game-enabled wireless telephone market. Embraced by all major phone manufacturers, SYMBIAN supports J2ME, BREW, C++, and JAVA.

So, what does the future hold for this high-tech blockbuster that's still in its infancy?

According to industry analysts Frost & Sullivan, the "global mobile game industry, which generated US$436.4 million in 2002, will balloon to US$9.34 billion by 2008." Asia is at the epicenter of the wireless gaming explosion where an estimated 500 million people are wireless Internet subscribers and two out of five are wireless gamers.

Some gaming fortune tellers predict that the convergence of GPS and wireless gaming technology will result in live-action and role playing games that will adapt themselves to the player's physical location and include geographic-specific scenarios that change as the player moves to new locations.

Judging by the progress that's been made in the last two years alone, the future of wireless gaming may be the most revenue and employment-generating technology of the 21st century.

What's Happened to My Computer?

As you get older your bodily functions and your brain start to slow down. I guess it's a way of preparing for retirement! Just as Einstein might have confirmed, this drop off in pace is relative. As the body slows, so all around it seems faster. Children run around like sparrows flitting from bough to bough. Cars, hours, trains and days move along ever faster.

Now, although I'm only in my middle age, a curious things has started to happen. Perhaps I'm going completely ga-ga, but as the years have passed, there are certain things that have not speeded up at all - in fact they have slowed down. I am referring to anything electronic.

Back in the last millennium, I used to have a Dos-based personal computer. When you switched it on, it just came on. OK the only software that loaded was the on-board dos (disc operating system) program, but loading a spreadsheet from a floppy disc would only take a few seconds - and I was up and running. Nowadays my PC needs plenty of notice. I press the button and then go and make a coffee. I think this should be mandatory. The PCs should be programmed so that, as soon as you press the "on" button, it emits the message: "now go and make yourself some sweet coffee" (on 2nd thoughts, that could add another 2 minutes to its start-up time, so forget it). Oh, and what about my printer? What happened there? That's even worse. Printing the first document of the day is a major event. I am inclined to invite the neighbours round for tea and cakes and have a little printer-starting party while we wait.

This problem is not just confined to my computer. My TV seems to take forever to get started. Even my radio takes longer to turn on than it used to. Down at my local grocery store, passing products through the checkout seems to take longer as well. When I pay by credit card, sometimes a whole queue of shoppers is held up while the system calls up the bank for authorisation (perhaps it's just me - perhaps I have a guilty face).

Have I mentioned the car yet? No? Well this is another victim of progress. I used to turn a key and it would simply start. Nowadays a multitude of on-board systems are activated and I am asked to "wait please" by a friendly voice.

Yes I am being simplistic - yes I know that some of these gadgets can do a lot more than they used to. However, am I being completely unreasonable? I still do the same things with my work PC as I did 30 years ago. I use the same basic functions: word processor, spreadsheet and database. I know it's boring, but that's all I want and all I have ever wanted, so the extra overhead today's PCs carry is largely wasted on me, I'm afraid. Admittedly I have a PC for home use on which I play music or watch DVDs, but I was perfectly able to listen to music on CDs before my all-singing and dancing PC came alone (or cassettes and vinyl if we go back far enough). I could also watch films on video.

OK, so I've probably gone too far and left my argument a little unbalanced. I'll draw back a little. I'll accept PCs with all the graphics, security checks and other gizmos. I'll also accept cars, radios, cameras and TVs with on-board micro-chips that are designed to add to my experience of these devices. But please please, can someone work on the problem of making them work as soon as you turn them on - just like in the old days before progress came and slowed everything down.

There are some electrical things that still work right away - as soon as they are plugged in. For example, electric lights...unless, of course, you use the long-life bulbs. Ah, I've just thought of one: the kettle. That surely comes on as soon as you plug it in, doesn't it? And there is something else: one product that performs better than ever and still comes on as soon as it's plugged in - and that is our very own Insectocutor Fly Killer Unit. Insectocutor have been manufacturing fly killer machines since the 1960's. They are robust and built to last. They work by attracting flies using a uv bulb. The flies are then killed by coming into contact with an electrified grid or a very strong glue board. For example, the IND41 is an industrial fly killer that can cover a range of 350 square metres. The good news is that Insectocutor make them and the television and PC manufacturers do not. You can just imagine the flies queuing up to get killed, kind of circling around the room in airport stack style, while the machine takes its time to warm up, saying "go and help yourself to some sweet coffee".


Japanese Developing Sex Robots

What propels human innovation? Well, we know where the funding comes from. We know that funding comes when a Return on Investment is available. What do people spend money on? Well, think of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. People want to maintain self preservation, so you will find the greatest technological money flows in those things, which protect the sanctity of life; things such as Health Care and Medical advances, security and military. People also wish respect from their fellow man. They want to look good; thus you will find consumer items such as make-up, clothing, sports cars, etc. Humans also want companionship and entertainment and so we see advances in movie special effects, computer games and now the Japanese are developing human female robots. Today they advertise them as maids, receptionists and servers. But in the true spirit of Kama Sutra, you can bet that those Japanese robotic engineers will soon be designing Blonde Hair Blue Eyed sex robots to serve their will.

These Japanese scientists have unveiled the most human-looking robot to date, well at least in the public domain. Secret research is being done now which looks towards the future to build robots so real they will fool humans, in other words they maybe sitting next to you and you would never even know it. The Japanese scientists call their new robot android Repliee Q1 Expo. She flutters her eyelids in normal human increments, looks like she is breathing and moves her hands just like a human would. This robot has over 42 actuators. But indeed, this is merely the first step in human type robotics.

We all know that the Internet is used most in recreational use for surfing websites, such as pornography, chat, online dating and personal communications of the sort. It should be obvious that the near future of robotic androids will be used for sexual pleasure. Isaac Asimov and others have cited this as the most probable use. Not only have science fiction authors put these futuristic predicts forth but Hollywood has as well in several movies such as "A.I. Artificial Intelligence."

Using tactile sensors and the latest Haptics research the Japanese scientists are well on their way to the development of their next marketable technology. The Repliee Q1 Expo has 42 actuators, but some of the MIT robots, will mimic the human nerves in the hand already have 250 sensors. New skin technologies will allow the robots to have real human skin grown in petri dishes and these might also be incorporated in the sexual revolution of robots. Want to learn more about Repliee Q1 Expo.