Tech-News-Blog

Top 25 Android apps: The best of the best

2011-05-18T13:21:00.000+05:30

The Android Market may not have as many apps as the iPhone App Store yet, but there are still enough to be overwhelmed, and it’s growing at a breakneck pace. To help you sort through them all, here’s my list of the best apps I’ve found on Android. Again, remember that this is a snapshot in time. The Android platform is developing so quickly right now that I guarantee my home screen look different a month from now.

The best way to view my list of the top Android apps is in the screenshot gallery. However, you can also view my top 25 in the list below.

The screenshots

The list

1. Google Voice

Google Voice is a service that is so useful I consider it one of the top benefits of Android itself, especially since Apple rejected the Google Voice app for the iPhone. It gives you a phone number that can ring to multiple places or devices and it allows you to access all of your voicemail and text messages over the Web. The Android app integrates even deeper. It can make outgoing calls look like they’re coming from your Google Voice number so that you can keep your real mobile number private.

2. Advanced Task Killer

One of the realities of having a multitasking mobile OS in Android is that you have to manage your apps so that they don’t hurt performance or battery life. Advanced Task Killer (or ATK) is my favorite. It even comes with a widget that you can tap once to kill all open apps.

3. Dropbox

Dropbox is a great cloud service that automatically syncs a folder of files between multiple computers (Windows, Mac, or Linux). This app extends Dropbox to Android and interacts with other apps (such as Documents To Go) to open the files.

4. Evernote

Once you get used to typing on a virtual keyboard (and it honestly took me over a year to do it), then these devices are great for note-taking, and Evernote is a great note-taking app. It is similar to Dropbox in that it saves data locally but syncs it across all your machines and devices.

5. DroidAnalytics

For some reason Google doesn’t have an official app (for either Android or iPhone) for Google Analytics. The best one I’ve found on Android is DroidAnalytics. Another good one is mAnalytics.

6. Documents To Go

The free version of Documents To Go offers a great little reader for Word and Excel files. You can upgrade to the full version (for $15) if you want to edit files and add PowerPoint files to the mix. If you do want editing capability, I’d also recommend taking a look at QuickOffice.

7. Amazon Kindle

I never warmed up to the Amazon Kindle e-reader, but I’m a big fan of the Kindle mobile app. Since it was released I’ve read a lot more books simply because my smartphone is always with me and I can pull it and read a few pages anytime I’ve got a couple minutes free.

8. Places Directory

This is an awesome app for finding shops and services near your current location. From restaurants to movie theaters to medical facilities to taxis, this app is very accurate and takes advantage of the business information from Google Local. This app is better than the info you get from a GPS unit (or app) and better than any of the similar apps available on the iPhone.

9. Tripit

I dig Tripit. It is by far the best app I’ve found for keeping track of all my travel itineraries. It runs on some great backend systems. You simply forward your confirmation emails for your flights, hotels, rental cars, and more to Tripit and it automatically organizes them into trips with all your details and confirmation numbers.

10. Seesmic

Twitter is an amazing instant-intelligence engine and it was made for mobile browsing. Although there’s an official Twitter app for Android now, Seesmic is still the best Android Twitter client.

11. FCC Speedtest

I’m obsessed with running speed tests to check my bandwidth in various places, both to see 3G fluctuations and to check the quality of Wi-Fi. There are a number of really good speedtest apps, but my new favorite is the FCC Test app.

12. Astro File Manager

Another one of the great things about Android (if you’re a geek or a tinkerer) is that you have lower-level access to the system itself. Astro is an app that lets you navigate the Android file system.

13. Got To Do

There are plenty of to-do apps to choose from on Android but I prefer Got To Do because of the solid interface and the fact that it can sync with the online service Toodledo.

14. Gist

Many of us have contact lists scattered across various computers, devices, and online services. Gist is a Web service that can bring them together and even pull in stuff from the Web to help you stay up to date with your most important contacts. There’s an Android app as well as an iPhone app.

15. TED Mobile

TED is a fascinating event that features a meeting of the minds of some of society’s most influential thinkers. You’ll definitely disagree with some of them, because there’s a large diversity of opinions, but many talks are worth listening to. What I love is that they’ve taken the videos from their conference and made them freely available on the Web. This app provides a great way to access the videos. I hope more conferences follow TED’s lead on this.

16. Pandora

Pandora is a streaming “radio station” for the Internet age. You simply search by an artist or song and it will create a running playlist based on that one piece of information. It intersperses an occasional ad between songs but the ads tend to be fairly localized and occasionally even useful.

17. Shazam

If you want to impress your friends with a mobile app, show them Shazam. Ever hear a song being played at a store or on the radio and ask yourself, “Oh, what song is that?” That’s where Shazam comes in. Just hit the button and let it listen for 15 seconds, query its database, and then return the name of artist and the song. It has about an 80% success rate.

18. Dial Zero

Are you one of those people who dials a customer service line and just keeps pressing zero until you get to talk to a real person? Then Dial Zero is your new friend. This app provides a directory of a ton of U.S. businesses and gives you numbers to help you get closer to a real person and instructions for which prompts to hit to speak to a human being as quickly as possible.

19. Google Goggles

This is a fun app that is a little but ahead of its time. It does visual searches. You can take pictures of things and then the app tries to tell you what they are. It’s limited in its scope but it is pretty cool, and it’s definitely a peek into the future. One of the coolest features is the ability to take pictures of text in a foreign language and let that app translate for you. In a foreign country, this can help you read street signs and avoid going into the wrong bathroom. :-)

20. Google Sky Map

Ever look up at the night sky and try to tell your kids the name of that constellation you’re pointing at, or try to remember which planet that is in the southern sky? Google SkyMap lets you point your smartphone at it and get the information. This is part of a new breed of apps called “Augmented Reality” apps that layer digital information on top of real world experiences.

21. Tricorder

A lot of geeks I know like to say that our smartphones are becoming more and more like the Tricorders on Star Trek. Well, here’s a fun app that turns your Android device into a virtual Tricorder. It even offers some useful environmental information, including GPS data, wireless data, and ambient sound measurements.

22. FxCamera

Honestly, the camera software on Android is an area where major improvements are needed, but this app is a great example of what’s possible. It has solid camera controls, full customization options, and offers some great effects for photos.

23. Photoshop Mobile

Photoshop is, of course, the best known photo editor in the world and its mobile app doesn’t do anything to hurt that reputation. But while the desktop version is know for having a zillion features, the mobile app is distinguished by its simplicity. It’s the best Android (and iPhone) photo editing app for simple crops, brightness adjustments, and sharpens, for example.

24. Bump

Bump is a fun (and useful) idea for sharing info between two phones using the accelerometer, and it works across Android and iPhone. You can use it to share contact info (yours and others), photos, and apps. You both simply open the Bump app, choose what you to share, and then hold the phones in your hands and bump your hands together.

25. Barcode Scanner

This app turns the Android camera into a barcode scanner. You simply scan a product’s UPC code and let the app go to work to find it in Google Product Search or a search on the open Web. You’ll be amazed at how fast it works. This is great for when you’re shopping retail and you want to check the price of a product online before buying to make sure you’re paying a fair price.

Five Reasons why Google's Linux Chromebook is a Windows killer

2011-05-18T12:52:00.001+05:30

When Google first started talking about Chrome OS, I thought it might be turn into a Windows killer. Well, now we know that the first commercial Chromebooks will be available in mid-June and there’s no question: Google is aiming right at the Windows business desktop market.

Can Google do what the Mac was never able to do? What the various desktop Linuxes, even the most popular ones like Ubuntu have never even come close to pulling off? I think it can. Here’s why.

1. Attractive business packaging and pricing

ZDNet Editor-in-Chief, Larry DIgnan, hit the nail on the head when he entitled his Chromebook overview: Google Chromebooks: Aimed directly at Microsoft’s PC upgrade cycle for $28 a month. Exactly so. For $28 a month you get a constantly updated operating system and, this is the killer part, Google will also automatically, with no extra charge update your Chromebook or ChromePC every three years.

Would you spend $28 a month for a PC that will never go out of date? I think I would.

What’s more important, I think a lot of businesses would as well. Indeed, many already are. Neil Levine, formerly Canonical’s VP of corporate services and founder of the new cloud analytics companySoba Labs, tells me that “Many Fortune 500 companies are already trying rent-a-laptop scenarios. It’s cheaper to throw away and replace than fix for many function.” With the Google Chrome OS model though you don’t even have to throw them away and if something goes wrong, Google will replace the dead unit.

2. Ease of use

Linux has a reputation for being hard to use. It’s non-deserved. We’re long, long way from the days when you needed to be a shell wizard to use Linux. That said, desktop Linux, whether you use KDE or GNOME, requires you to learn a new way of doing things no matter whether you come from Windows or Mac OS X. Even the new, easier-to-use Ubuntu Unity interface is quite a change from any other desktop.

With Chrome OS, though, well let me ask you a question: Can you use a Web browser? If the answer is yes-and if it’s not how are you reading this story!?–you can use Chrome OS. The interface is the Chrome Web browser and that’s it. There’s no need to learn anything new. If you know how to use a computer at all, you can use a Chromebook.

3. Lots of Applications

People have always been cranky about the perceived lack of applications for Linux. I think this is nonsense myself since there are lots of excellent open-source applications such as LibreOffice for office work,Evolution for Outlook users, Pidgin for instant-messaging and on and on. What people usually mean when they say there are no apps. for Linux is that they can’t run their favorite Windows game or business application on Linux.

Again, that’s not an issue on Chrome OS. Google has partnered with Citrix and VMWare to provide Windows business apps for Chromebooks. Both partners have been delivering Windows applications on virtual platforms and in thin-clients for years, or decades in Citrix’s case. Mind you I wouldn’t trying running Adobe Photoshop on a Chromebook unless I had an incredibly fast Internet connection, but anything else shouldn’t be a problem.

Besides, as Google is happy to point out, many of you are already running applications on the cloud already such as Google Docs orSalesforce. No, applications are not a problem for the Chromebooks.

4. Security

Yes, malware can strike anywhere, even on Macs. That said, for every attack that works on a Mac, a Linux PC, or a Chrome browser, there are tens-of-thousands that work on Windows. That’s no surprise. Windows started out insecure by design. Linux and the Chrome browser were both designed to operate in a hostile networked world rather than on a standalone PC.

5. Google Brand Recognition

Linux users know about Red Hat, openSUSE, and Ubuntu, ask anyone else what any of those three names are and you’ll get a blank one. Everyone on the planet though knows who Google is. While Google has made its share of mistakes, Google is still a trusted brand. According toMillward Brown’s recent brand survey, Google is the second most valuable brand in the world.

A company that would shy away from using “Linux” desktops from Canonical, Ubuntu’s parent company, or anyone else, might very well buy one from Google and its hardware partners, Acer and Samsung. From where the customer sits, they’re not buying something strange or new from an unknown party, they’re buying a PC that’s already using a system they know from a company that they already trust.

Put it all together, and I think Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer did far more than blow a few billion on Skype, I think he wasted his time on a side-issue while Google came straight at Microsoft’s strongest stranglehold on the industry: the business desktop.

Should Microsoft worry? Yeah, I think so. They’ve got Apple making in-roads on the business desktop front with tablets and smartphones, may other companies, like HP, are also going after the business desktop with tablets, and now Google has finally thrown down the gauntlet on the business desktop.

Dare I say it? I think for the first time in decades, Microsoft is facing real trouble on the desktop. Seem unlikely? Remember when everyone used Internet Explorer and then along came Firefox? I see the desktop market at a similar tipping point.

Introducing Music Beta by Google

2011-05-15T23:58:00.001+05:30

Google has a very clear strategy to put everything online and I for the first time with this launch we can see it all starting to come together. Most of Google’s products and especially their revenue generating ones live online so the more time Google can have you spending their via it’s own properties the better. Everything from Google Adsense and Adwords right through to their Chrome app store and the new Google music will live online and this latest move is all about getting more customers to those platforms so as Google can generate more sales. Simple but effective. Below is the video for their new music product which you can see fitting in perfectly with these new Chromebooks.

Google's Chrome browser hits 160m users - but what does it mean for the web?

2011-05-15T18:42:00.002+05:30

We have decisively moved from a world of one browser provided by your operating system to a world where people install the browser of their choice. The increasing growth of Firefox usage has risen to the point where 31% of users on the Guardian website use Firefox and only 37% use Microsoft's Internet Explorer (split into 22% IE8, 9% IE7 and approx 3% each for IE6 and IE9).

Google's entry into the market has increased usage over time: one year ago at the previous Google IO, there were 70m Chrome users worldw
ide; today we were told there are over 160m. Unusually for a browser, Google has committed to a forced upgrade process and releases updates every six weeks.

Why? To combat the problem that more than 50% of Windows computers around the world are still running Windows XP – an operating system that is approaching 10 years old - and a browser that's often the same age.

Google has been trumpeting its Chrome browser achievements at Google IO, showing off what a wonderful platform it is for the web. Over the last year, the team has improved the performance of the browser when running complex web applications by improving the performance of the underlying Javascript engine that web developers use to add logic to a simple web page. Additional improvements in security have made the "Google web" a safer place to be - which can only be good for the web, and for users.

The biggest announcements they have made is massive improvements to the graphics functionality in your browser. Implementations of the HTML5 Canvas technology that powers many of the graphical bits of the web are 10 times faster than they were in previous versions, and those improvements don't require the developers to upgrade their application.

This is good news for game developers such as Rovio, who are able to build Angry Birds for the web, and on new builds of the Chrome browser it will run faster.

If developers want much, much faster graphics, the Chrome browser team has spent time vastly improving the WebGL graphics library available in Chrome. This is a subsystem of the browser, often called part of the HTML5 specification, but actually a separate specification in its own right, that allows developers to build 3D applications and utilise the high performance graphics hardware available in your machine.

Google's improvements in Chrome means that WebGL applications can run up to 10 times faster than the equivalent Canvas implementation.

The dark side of all of these improvements is that we are likely to start seeing "Optimized for Google Chrome" badges on the web, as many of these features won't work across all browsers. That wasn't good with Internet Explorer in the bad old days of the Netscape wars, and wouldn't be good today. Some things such as Canvas work in most browsers (but not in the most common versions of Internet Explorer), but WebGL's implementation is inconsistent across all the browsers.

Google's advancements are welcome for experimental applications, and developers building applications for the Chrome App Store, but their impact on the wider web will probably be negligible, since cross-browser implementation is considered so important by many organisations.

What is Google Adwords?

2011-05-05T19:04:00.000+05:30

What is Google Adwords?

Recently there was a guest post on our blog about publicizing a website through Google Adwords. But there are many people who wont be aware of what Google Adwords is?

Google Adwords is a contextual advertising company by Google that displays ads onGoogle search pages and Sites running Google Adsense.Running a Google adwordscampaign can fetch lots of traffic and publicity to your product and will definitely bring rise in publicity of your product. If somebody wishes to market his/her website or product online through google, there are two options available to you.

PPC-Pay Per Click.
PPM: Pay Per Metric.

In PPC your advertisement will be contextual type and will only appear on Google search pages on the right side like in the screen shot .

In case of Pay Per Metric you can have banner ads as well which will be displayed on sites that are running Google Adsense like ours.

According to wikipedia Google Adwords is the primary source of income for Google.

Google adwords has reserved specific rates for specific keywords based on competition in the industry. Soon we will be taking up another articles on How to run a google adwordscampaign??.

Google Adwords provides full suport for first time users. An engineer is allotted to you for the first time who will tell you the keywords and bids you are to keep for your product.

If you have a limited budget then you can choose PPM else PPC is better than PPM. As I talked about bidding we will be taking up in our next post about all the details regarding terms related to Google Adwords and campaigns.

By the time you can feel free to share your views and asking any kind of queries.

For more detail on Google AdWords Click Here

Online virus scanning websites

2011-04-28T19:45:00.001+05:30

Awesome Free Anti-Virus Scanning Websites

It’s highly likely that you’ve had some sort of experience with a computer virus in the past. If not, then lucky you – but you can never be too safe, especially if you’re running Windows

Online free anti virus scan apps have been around for a while, and whilst they’re no match for standalone software they certainly have their uses. Perhaps you’re on an unfamiliar PC that’s acting a little strange? Or maybe your existing software has been disabled, and you’ve frantically restarted in Safe Mode looking for a solution.

Below you will find 4 websites to check and verify that your PC is virus free, and 3 to upload and check individual files to help prevent an outbreak. Let the scanning begin!

BitDefender QuickScan

This free scanner will work in all major browsers, and requires a quick addon to be installed before you can scan. Simply visit the site, click Scan Now, agree to the installation and accept the EULA.

Your PC will then be scanned in record time to let you know whether or not you’ve got any nasty viruses, trojans or other malware hiding in your PC’s memory. It won’t scan your whole hard drive, but if your PC is acting up and you suspect malicious software is to blame, QuickScan should find it.
(click here for BitDefender)

Panda ActiveScan

Unfortunately ActiveScan will only work with Internet Explorer or Firefox, although Panda recommends you install the IE Tab Classic extension for compatability if you’re running Chrome.

For a quick scan of running processes choose Quick Scan or if you’d prefer to delve a little deeper you can opt for a Full Scan. Once you’ve chosen click Scan now and you’ll be prompted to download either an extension (if you’re running Firefox) or an ActiveX control (if Internet Explorer’s your thing).

The scanner will update its definitions and then run the scan of your choice before delivering the good or bad news.(Click Here for PandaActivscan)

TrendMicro Housecall

Housecall is completely browser independent, which means you can access it from any web browser. It achieves this by packaging the scanner into a small executable file which when run scans your PC for any signs of malware.

There are two versions to choose from – 32bit and 64bit – and you should make your choice based on your operating system. In case you’re wondering what version you’re running, open Control Panel in your Start menu and choose System. Once you’ve downloaded the file, run it and the definitions will be updated for you.

After you’ve accepted the EULA click Scan Now to see what’s lurking on your PC.
(Click Here for TrendMicroHouseCell)

F-Secure Online Scanner

Utilising the Java platform to check your PC for nasties, F-Secure should run in any browser provided you’ve got Java installed and JavaScript enabled. To launch the scanner you must accept the license terms by checking the box and then click Run Check.
You’ll need to authorise the Java applet to run before the scanner will launch in a separate window. You’re then free to choose between Quick Scan, Full Scan and a customized My Scan (where you choose which bits of your hard drive to check).

Once you’ve chosen the scanner will update its definitions (it’ll take a few minutes, but stick with it) and your PC will be checked for problems. (Click Here for F-secure)

Individual File Scanners

VirScan

The VirScan service allows you to upload a file (up to 20MB) and check it against more than 30 other sets of definitions from the web’s finest anti-virus solutions.

You can upload .ZIP and .RAR files with a maximum of 20 compressed items, and even give the archive a password of “infected” or “virus”. Simply click Choose File followed by Upload and your file will be scanned, showing you the results in your browser. (Click Here for VirusScan)

VirusTotal

With support for both file upload and URL checking VirusTotal is a popular online virus scanner (so check the server load before you submit). Not only can you upload via the web form on the homepage, but you can email your files (again, 20MB maximum filesize) to scan@virustotal.com with “SCAN” in the subject field.

You will then receive your results via email once your scan has been complete. Much like VirScan, VirusTotal uses a database of definitions assembled from all over the web. (click Here for VirusTotal)

Jotti

Operating much in the same way as the previous two engines, Jotti allows you to upload a file of 20MB or less for submission to a selection of the web’s anti-virus engines.

(Click Here for JottiVirusScan)

3 Computer Security Tips You Must Obey!

2011-04-28T12:57:00.000+05:30

3 Computer Security Tips You Must Obey!

As a computer user you should always do your best to learn and implement the latest security tips because it is now easier to hack a computer than it has ever been. Computer hackers are now becoming more sophisticated that they easily come up with new hacking tools very often; what matters most isn’t the attempt people make to hack your computer but what you do to ensure they never succeed. There are a lot of things you should implement on your computer if you truly want security for it and this post will be giving you some computer security tips you should always implement.

Since a lot of us spend more time online compared to the time we spend offline I think this tip is even more important. A lot of people now regularly visit warez sites and forums and they download any file from these sites and from email attachments from people they don’t know and then install it on their computer. This is really dangerous and you will be making a great mistake that can cost you all the files on your computer if you keep on doing this. Don’t download any software you don’t really need and be careful with where you download from; I once had a problem of this nature before when I once downloaded a software (from a legitimate site) that I have no need for, unknown to me a virus has been programmed into this software and my computer got infected and started opening sites I didn’t ask it to, I also noticed an unusual usage on my bandwidth and I was able to trace it back to this software.

Don’t just install any software on your computer but ensure you only install software you really need and only from a provider you really trust.

Have the Latest Antivirus Software Installed

Another thing you should do to make sure your computer is really secure is to download and install the latest antivirus software on your computer. You should also make sure you allow your antivirus software to always update its database automatically as this will fix bugs that might prevent it from detecting some viruses and it will make it more potent and effective.

You should also make sure you NEVER disable your antivirus no matter what. If a software program you’re trying to install is recommending you disable your antivirus then you should make sure you don’t install it – in most cases software like this are viruses, spyware and adware and the only way to prevent them is making sure your antivirus system is intact and always active.

Uninstall Outdated Software You No Longer Use

There is a saying that bad communication corrupt good manners; this saying is also true as far as computer security is concerned and only one old and outdated software can be the gateway to your computer’s destruction. As you can’t have an old wine in a new bottle most outdated software are also highly unstable and they often cause system crashes. Another disadvantage of outdated software is that they can also make it easy for hackers to get into your computer by exploiting them.

NFC: Near Field Communication

2011-04-13T21:18:00.002+05:30

What is NFC?

Near Field Communication (NFC) technology makes life easier and more convenient for consumers around the world by making it simpler to make transactions, exchange digital content, and connect electronic devices with a touch.

A standards-based connectivity technology, NFC harmonizes today's diverse contactless technologies, enabling current and future solutions in areas such as:

Access control
Consumer electronics
Healthcare
Information collection and exchange
Loyalty and coupons
Payments
Transport

Key Benefits of NFC

NFC provides a range of benefits to consumers and businesses, such as:

Intuitive: NFC interactions require no more than a simple touch
Versatile: NFC is ideally suited to the broadest range of industries, environments, and uses
Open and standards-based: The underlying layers of NFC technology follow universally implemented ISO, ECMA, and ETSI standards
Technology-enabling: NFC facilitates fast and simple setup of wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc.)
Inherently secure: NFC transmissions are short range (from a touch to a few centimeters)
Interoperable: NFC works with existing contactless card technologies
Security-ready: NFC has built-in capabilities to support secure applications

NFC as a Business Driver

NFC was developed to address the contactless standards dilemma. NFC is a technology standard that harmonizes and extends existing contactless standards. NFC technology is supported by the world's leading consumer electronics (CE) and mobile device manufacturers, semiconductor producers, network operators, developers, service companies, and financial institutions.
NFC enables these organizations to invest in one technology that supports leading global contactless technologies and applications. By integrating NFC, devices can support and interoperate with existing contactless card applications and infrastructures such as access control, payment, and transport.
It also introduces innovative new features that are only possible with the union of contactless technology and CE devices.

NFC and Contactless Technologies

NFC complements many popular consumer level wireless technologies, by utilizing the key elements in existing standards for contactless card technology (ISO/IEC 14443 A&B and JIS-X 6319-4). NFC can be compatible with existing contactless card infrastructure and enables a consumer to utilize one device across different systems.
Extending the ability of the contactless card technology, NFC also enables devices to share information at a distance less than 4 centimeters with a maximum communication speed of 424kbps. Users can share business cards, make transactions, access information from smart posters or provide credentials for access control systems with a simple touch.
NFC’s bidirectional communication ability is ideal for establishing connections with other technologies by the simplicity of touch. For example if the user wants to connect their mobile device to their stereo to play media, they can simply touch the device to the stereo’s NFC touch point and the devices will negotiate the best wireless technology to use.
What does this mean for the end user? Easy connections, quick transactions, and simple data sharing.

NFC as Technology Enabler

NFC creates a new and universal interface to existing devices through simple touch interaction. NFC bridges gaps between existing technologies and devices to enable new applications/services (enabling connections from real to virtual, connections to physical/real world).

NFC Means Proximity

All NFC transactions take place within a very small area, anywhere from a touch to 4 centimeters. This means that you can't unknowingly purchase something because you walk next to a smart poster.

NFC Enables One-Touch Setup of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

NFC is able to replace the pairing of Bluetooth-enabled devices, or the configuration of a Wi-Fi network through PINs and keys, by simply touching the two devices to be paired or connected to the network, or by touching the device to a tag. The gain in simplicity of use is substantial while the level of confidence is exactly similar.

NFC Enables Electronic Door Locks

For doorlocks that are equipped with an actuator and a short range contactless reader, a simple upgrade may allow NFC devices to substitute for contactless cards. Advantages, for example in hospitality, are the possibility to remotely send the access rights in advance to the user's handset, and the coupling with other applications such as booking, and skipping the check-in phase. In the example of access control, one can centrally manage the rights in real time without physical delivery of cards.

NFC and Healthcare

Personal health monitors recording a human’s vital data can be read by an NFC reader/writer, which for example might be a persons mobile phone, by simply touching the reader to the health device. The physical proximity that NFC requires guarantees the operator has the right understanding of which data is read at what time, thus greatly reducing the chance of a human error and, by the simplicity of instructions, allows patients of every age to monitor their health status autonomously.

And once a standardized format and secure storage for medical records and history is available, as well as generally accepted procedures to access these data, NFC will be a natural way to interact between a portable device held by the user and a medical system.

NFC Devices Enable Data Exchange

NFC enables users to quickly and easily transfer information between devices with a simple touch. Whether it be an exchange of business cards, a quick transaction, or downloading a coupon, the proximity ensures that the information shared is the information you want to share.

NFC and Interoperability

NFC represents a converging evolution of existing contactless standards toward the goal of global interoperability. The NFC Forum takes both a structural and a pragmatic approach to give maximum assurance that this goal can be met.

Structurally, NFC Forum specifications are based on existing and recognized standards like ISO/IEC 18092 and ISO/IEC 14443-2,3,4, as well as JIS X6319-4. They are implementation specifications that describe the parts of those standards that are relevant for NFC Forum devices. Therefore, compliant devices behave in the most consistent way, and the evolution of existing infrastructure toward full NFC is facilitated.

The Certification Program, which checks devices for compliance with NFC Forum specifications, is being launched in waves as NFC Forum specifications evolve. Currently, certification includes testing for the lower-level digital protocols, specifically the Tag Operation specifications for the different tag types, the NFC Digital Protocol Specification, and the NFC Activity Specification. Moving forward, certification will also include testing for the physical layer ("NFC RF Analogue Technical Specification") and selected upper-level digital protocols ("NFC Logical Link Control Protocol (LLCP) Technical Specification" and "NFC Simple NDEF Exchange Protoco (SNPE) Technical Specification").

Pragmatically, the NFC Forum offers its members the opportunity to participate in PlugFest events, held throughout the year, where NFC solution providers can anonymously test the interoperability of their products with other NFC products through hands-on experiments. This process can be applied to certified devices as well as equipment and software that has not been certified.

For more detail on NFC (Near field communication) click Here

Apple Magic Mouse review

2011-04-06T20:26:00.001+05:30

We’ve built a better mouse
It began with iPhone. Then came iPod touch. Then MacBook Pro. Intuitive, smart, dynamic. Multi-Touch technology introduced a remarkably better way to interact with your portable devices — all using gestures. Now we’ve reached another milestone by bringing gestures to the desktop with a mouse that’s unlike anything ever before. It's called Magic Mouse. It's the world's first Multi-Touch mouse. And while it comes standard with every new iMac, you can also add it to any Mac with Bluetooth wireless technology for a Multi-Touch makeover.

Seamless Multi-Touch Surface

Magic Mouse — with its low-profile design and seamless top shell — is so sleek and dramatically different, it brings a whole new feel to the way you get around on your Mac. You can’t help but marvel at its smooth, buttonless appearance. Then you touch it and instantly appreciate how good it feels in your hand. But it’s when you start using Magic Mouse that everything comes together.

The Multi-Touch area covers the top surface of Magic Mouse, and the mouse itself is the button. Scroll in any direction with one finger, swipe through web pages and photos with two, and click and double-click anywhere. Inside Magic Mouse is a chip that tells it exactly what you want to do. Which means Magic Mouse won’t confuse a scroll with a swipe. It even knows when you’re just resting your hand on it.

Laser-Tracking Engine

Magic Mouse uses powerful laser tracking that’s far more sensitive and responsive on more surfaces than traditional optical tracking. That means it tracks with precision on nearly every surface — whether it’s a table at your favorite cafe or the desk in your home office — without the need for a mousepad.

Wireless

Magic Mouse connects to your Mac via Bluetooth wireless technology, so there’s no wire or separate adapter to worry about. Pair Magic Mouse with your Mac and enjoy a reliable and secure connection up to 33 feet away. When you combine Magic Mouse with the Apple Wireless Keyboard, you create a workspace free of annoying cables.
And because Magic Mouse is wireless, it can venture beyond the confines of your desk. A quick flick of the on/off switch helps conserve battery power while Magic Mouse is tucked in your bag. Even when it’s on, Magic Mouse manages power efficiently, by detecting periods of inactivity automatically.

Make one great gesture after another.

Multi-Touch technology on the iPhone and iPod touch introduced a breakthrough way to interact with your content. Magic Mouse, with its Multi-Touch surface, does the same thing for your Mac. When you use gestures, it’s as if you’re touching what’s on your screen. For instance, swiping through web pages in Safari gives you the feeling of flicking through pages in a magazine. And scrolling with Magic Mouse isn’t your everyday scrolling. It supports momentum scrolling (similar to iPhone and iPod touch), where the scrolling speed is dictated by how fast or slowly you perform the gesture.

More charges. Less waste.

The Apple Battery Charger has one of the lowest standby power usage values — or "vampire draw" — of similar chargers on the market.¹ That's the energy most chargers continue to draw after their batteries are fully charged. But the Apple Battery Charger senses when its batteries are done charging and automatically reduces the amount of power it needs. In addition, the reusable batteries that come with each Apple Battery Charger are designed to maintain a high charge capacity for hundreds of charges, so you no longer have to buy new batteries or toss them every few months.
More detail of charger click here

Click
Magic Mouse is an advanced point-and-click mouse that lets you click and double-click anywhere on its Multi-Touch surface.
Two-button click
Magic Mouse functions as a two-button mouse when you enable Secondary Click in System Preferences. Left-handed users can reassign left and right click, as well.
360° scroll
Brush one finger along the Multi-Touch surface to scroll in any direction and to pan a full 360 degrees.
Screen zoom
Hold down the Control key on your keyboard and scroll with one finger on Magic Mouse to enlarge items on your screen.
Two-finger swipe
Using two fingers, swipe left and right along the Multi-Touch surface to advance through pages in Safari or browse photos in iPhoto.

Give it your personal touch.
Maybe you want scrolling but don’t want swiping. Or two-button clicking instead of one. Whatever the case, Magic Mouse works the way you want it to work. All you do is go to the Magic Mouse preference pane in System Preferences to enable or disable features.
The ambidextrous design of Magic Mouse means it fits comfortably in your right hand if you’re a righty or in your left hand if you’re a lefty. And left-handers can easily swap left and right button functionality using System Preferences.

System Requirements

Mac computer with Bluetooth wireless technology
Mac OS X v10.5.8 or later with Wireless Mouse Software Update 1.0* or Mac OS X v10.6.1 or later with Wireless Mouse Software Update 1.0
Existing keyboard and mouse for setup
Two AA batteries (included)

For More detail on this article Click here

Images of Magic Mouse Click here

Internet Explorer 9/ Chrome 10/ and FireFox 4 - (A Coparison)

2011-03-26T20:34:00.000+05:30

Find Best Browser- IE9/Chrome 10/Firefox 4

Installation and updates

Though Microsoft owns its own operating system, IE9 is still the most difficult of the three browsers to install, requiring a lengthier download and full system restart to get it running. This is likely due to its reported use of hardware acceleration and other features. Chrome and Firefox 4 both install relatively quickly and without a full machine reboot.
Finally, when it comes to updates, Chrome currently leads the pack. Google has been cranking out updates every few weeks (sometimes days) for its Chrome browser, changing and tweaking things on a consistent basis. However, unlike most update processes, the changes are very transparent, allowing users to install updates by simply restarting Chrome. There are no loading bars or lengthy downloads and re-installations. Mozilla is usually pretty good about updating Firefox and we look forward to how the final version of Firefox 4 handles patches and updates. Microsoft hasn’t yet commented on how it plans to handle updates to IE9, but we’re hoping it will adopt a model closer to Google’s. Hopefully we won’t have to wait two years before getting significant updates to Microsoft’s slick new browser.

Design & ease of use

If I didn’t know better, I’d say that the current trend in browser design is for the browser to disappear entirely. IE9, Firefox, and Chrome all attempt to be as minimal as possible, offering next to no actual text and small, monochromatic buttons that blend right into the look of operating systems like Windows 7 and OS X. Overall, all three browsers appear to achieve their goals fairly well, with different strengths and weaknesses.
Internet Explorer offers the leanest tab and address bar configuration, managing to cram every feature of IE into a single thin row of icons, even combining IE 8 search and address bars into a single combined search-address bar. Unfortunately, the thin design can look a bit cramped if users open a lot of tabs and the search-address bar sometimes has as many as four small buttons inside of it, meaning those who don’t have the browser window maximized may have a difficult time viewing much of the URL of their current Web page. Some users won’t have a problem with this. Notifications are an equally mixed bag. IE9 now places them at the bottom of the browser. At times, they are almost unnoticeable. Some people will like this, others will wish notifications were more prominent in the design.

Chrome designs its tabs with a shape that makes them look like manilla folder tabs, opting to have a thin second row for the address/search bar, back and forward navigation, home, refresh, bookmark, and options buttons. This design works well, but the two rows make it a bit thicker than IE9′s design; those with limited headroom may prefer IE9. Google’s design, like IE9, gets cluttered quickly when users start opening dozens of tabs. Still, Chrome’s single-click bookmarking method, where you simply highlight a star (Firefox 4 also has this feature) is easier and more natural than Internet Explorer’s two-click method of bookmarking.

A number of major sites have performed Web Standards tests on all three major browsers. The good news: they’re all excessively compliant. Unlike every version of Internet Explorer in recent memory, Microsoft has finally decided to go the extra mile and support general Web standards.
When it comes to HTML5 support, Microsoft has some work to do. In an HTML5 test performed by PCmag, Chrome and Firefox handily outperformed Internet Explorer 9, more than doubling its score. However, even Chrome only scored a 288 out of 400 on the test, meaning all three browsers have a ways to go to be truly compatible with all of the goodness HTML5 has to offer.

Speed

So most of the browsers are compatible with Web standards, but how do they rank in speed? Well, pretty close, actually. A casual user probably won’t notice a difference in the Web page rendering speed of Chrome, IE9, and Firefox 4. We performed our own tests and found that Chrome edged out IE9 which edged out Firefox 4 most of the time, but not by much. All three browsers are much faster and leaner than browsers even a few years ago.

Extras

Each browser does have its own slate of differentiating features.
With IE9, we really like its heavy integration with Windows 7. Many functions, like turning tabs into new windows are much easier with Microsoft’s new browser. It has some unique features as well, like individual tab previewing from the task bar and a new feature called tab pinning, which lets you ‘pin’ a Web site to the Windows 7 task bar. However, unlike an ordinary taskbar shortcut, pinned Web sites can offer customized “right click” menus. For example, pinning the Facebook toolbar will let you right click and auto browse to different sections of the Facebook site like News, Messages, Events, and Friends. In addition, when you open a pinned site, the IE9 browser customizes itself to resemble the site your viewing. Currently, this means an icon in the upper left and new colors for the back and forward buttons, but we like the idea.

Chrome differentiates itself through its constant updates, but also through its extensive Web Apps Store, which offers apps that blur the line between Web and local apps in some unique ways. Finally, Firefox has a strong slate of extensions that back it up. Developers will have to retool many of these to support Firefox 4, but one colleague of mine refuses to leave Firefox solely because it offers unique extensions that have become essential to his browsing experience. Most other browsers support add-ons, but Firefox may have a lead in mindshare here. We look forward to seeing more Firefox 4 extensions.

Which browser is best?

Good question. It may come down to preference. Each browser has strengths and weaknesses. Most of us here at Digital Trends are Google Chrome users, mostly because, until Firefox 4 and IE9, it was undoubtedly the fastest browser of the bunch. Now, we don’t know what we’ll do. Chrome still probably offers the fastest and leanest overall browsing experience, but IE9 and Firefox have narrowed its lead significantly, each offering new features that many users will find helpful and time-saving. Still, for those who like the bleeding edge, Google’s fast and frequent browser updates are hard to pass up.
For the first time in a long time we can’t claim a strong victor here. All three major browsers offer a solid browsing experience with few downsides. Things are heating up in the browser world.

Duplication and Deduplication Of Data in DataBase

2011-03-16T21:28:00.002+05:30

Data Duplication And Deduplication

1.Duplication

   The definition of what constitutes a duplicate has somewhat different interpretations. For instance, some define a duplicate as having the exact syntactic terms and sequence, whether having formatting differences or not. In effect, there are either no difference or only formatting differences and the contents of the data are exactly the same.
     In any case, data duplication happens all the time. In large data warehouses, data duplication is an inevitable phenomenon as millions of data are gathered at very short intervals.

       Several approaches have been implemented to counter the problem of data duplication. One approach is manually coding rules so that data can be filtered to avoid duplication. Other approaches include having applications of the latest machine learning techniques or more advance business intelligence applications. The accuracy of the different methods for countering data duplication varies. For very large data collection implementing some of the methods may be too complex and also expensive to be deployed in their full capacity.

Data warehouse involves a process called ETL which stands for extract, transform and load. During the extraction phase, multitudes of data come to the data warehouse from several sources and the system behind the warehouse consolidates the data so each separate system format will be read consistently by the data consumers of the warehouse.

A data warehouse is basically a database and having unintentional duplication of records created from the millions of data from other sources can hardly be avoided. In the data warehousing community, the task of finding duplicated records within large databases has long been a persistent problem and has become an area of active research. There have been many research undertakings to address the problems of data duplication caused by duplicate contamination of data.

Despite all these counter measures against data duplication and despite the best efforts in trying to clean data, the reality still remains that that data duplication will never be totally eliminated. So it is extremely important to understand its impact on the quality of a data warehouse implementation. In particular, the presence of data duplication may potentially skew content distribution.

There are some application systems that have duplication detection functions. These functions are developed by calculating a unique hash value for a certain data or group of data such as a document. Each document, for instance, is being examined for cases of duplication by comparing it against some hash value in either an in-memory hash or persistent lookup system. Some of the most commonly used hash functions include MD2, MD5, or SHA. These three are the most preferred due to their desirable properties. They are also easily calculated based on arbitrary data or document lengths and they have lower collision probability.

Data duplication can also be similar to problems like plagiarism and clustering. But the case of plagiarism could either be exact data duplication or just plain similarity to a certain documents. Documents which are considered to be plagiarized may refer to the abstract idea and not the word for word content. Clustering on the other hand is a method which is used to make clusters of data that have somehow similar characteristics. Clustering is used for fast retrieval of relevant information from a database

Deduplication

Watch this video to understand full deduplication of Data

Data deduplication (often called "intelligent compression" or "single-instance storage") is a method of reducing storage needs by eliminating redundant data. Only one unique instance of the data is actually retained on storage media, such as disk or tape. Redundant data is replaced with a pointer to the unique data copy. For example, a typical email system might contain 100 instances of the same one megabyte (MB) file attachment. If the email platform is backed up or archived, all 100 instances are saved, requiring 100 MB storage space. With data deduplication, only one instance of the attachment is actually stored; each subsequent instance is just referenced back to the one saved copy. In this example, a 100 MB storage demand could be reduced to only one MB.
Data deduplication offers other benefits. Lower storage space requirements will save money on disk expenditures. The more efficient use of disk space also allows for longer disk retention periods, which provides better recovery time objectives (RTO) for a longer time and reduces the need for tape backups. Data deduplication also reduces the data that must be sent across a WAN for remote backups, replication, and disaster recovery.
Data deduplication can generally operate at the file or block level. File deduplication eliminates duplicate files (as in the example above), but this is not a very efficient means of deduplication. Block deduplication looks within a file and saves unique iterations of each block. Each chunk of data is processed using a hash algorithm such as MD5 or SHA-1. This process generates a unique number for each piece which is then stored in an index. If a file is updated, only the changed data is saved. That is, if only a few bytes of a document or presentation are changed, only the changed blocks are saved; the changes don't constitute an entirely new file. This behavior makes block deduplication far more efficient. However, block deduplication takes more processing power and uses a much larger index to track the individual pieces.
Hash collisions are a potential problem with deduplication. When a piece of data receives a hash number, that number is then compared with the index of other existing hash numbers. If that hash number is already in the index, the piece of data is considered a duplicate and does not need to be stored again. Otherwise the new hash number is added to the index and the new data is stored. In rare cases, the hash algorithm may produce the same hash number for two different chunks of data. When a hash collision occurs, the system won't store the new data because it sees that its hash number already exists in the index.. This is called a false positive, and can result in data loss. Some vendors combine hash algorithms to reduce the possibility of a hash collision. Some vendors are also examining metadata to identify data and prevent collisions.
In actual practice, data deduplication is often used in conjunction with other forms of data reduction such as conventional compression and delta differencing. Taken together, these three techniques can be very effective at optimizing the use of storage space.

Epic Browser: First Indian Browser

2011-03-15T23:23:00.001+05:30

Epic Browser: India’s First Web Browser & World’s First Browser With Anti virus!

We all know about how difficult it becomes to make an impact in the global market for any new web browser, and thus it remains unknown in major parts of the world. But, on the other hand, such a web browser does make it big at the regional level, that is, the region where it belongs to. To justify this, we can consider the example of the Maxthon which has gained huge popularity in China, but till now it remains unknown to most in major parts of the world.

Bangalore based startup known as Hidden Reflex, has now announced the launch of its “Epic” browser, which is fully based on the Indian culture and tradition, and is aimed at making Indians proud all over the world. The browser is both feature-rich and secure and is expected to meet all the requirements a user would expect from a web browser.

Being the first web browser to have been made completely in India, Epic browser is based on the Mozilla platform, and has incorporated most of the features mainly with the Indian hues in mind. Before we get into the discussion about the browser, let us know the details about the company Hidden Reflex, which has brought forth this web browser.

Founded by the then U.S. based Engineer Alok Bhardwaj in 2007, the company is currently based in Bangalore. Initially they comprised of a group of only three members, but now they seem to have grown into quite a bunch of individuals who are working on two separate products. Epic was the first product to be worked on and has been launched, while the other one is still under development.

The Epic browser is highly customizable and after the first installation, you will notice the vibrant colors of it. It initially comes with a “Peacock” background which seems a bit uncomfortable for the eyes. With around zillions of backgrounds provided by the browser to choose from, this does not seem to be a difficulty. With the launch of the Epic browser, you shall be entitled to over 1500 themes to choose from, which are compatible and available for the Epic.

The Epic browser is provided with a sidebar which contains a host of applications and they can be launched from there. Some of these applications include Twitter, Facebook, Gmail, Orkut, Jobs, Games, Travel and many more. With the click on any of these icons on the sidebar, a widget-like window will be launched at the side of the browser. One drawback is there though, that you can open only one such widget per window.

The Epic browser also features to be the first browser which has built-in anti-virus protection. The browser also supports a long list of Indian languages (currently 12) and an Indian content sidebar that shall aggregate news headlines, TV to live cricket commentary and other things that matters to all Indians. This also includes a bunch of productivity applications like a free word processor, video sidebar and my Computer Browser.

To experience a whole new genre of browsing and fun, you can try this appealing browser which is available for free and can be downloaded from here. Go ahead and try the hues of India now!

Download Epic Web Browser:- Click Here To Download Epic

Ajax Technology

2011-03-15T20:20:00.000+05:30

What is Ajax?

Web applications are fun to build. They are like the fancy sportscar of Web sites. Web applications allow the designer and developer to get together and solve a problem for their customers that the customers might not have even know they had. That's how the blogging tools like MovableType and Blogger came about after all. I mean, before Blogger, did you know you needed an online tool to build your Web site blog?
But most Web applications are slow and tedious. Even the fastest of them has lots of free time for your customers to go get a coffee, work on their dog training, or (worst of all) head off to a faster Web site. It's that dreaded hourglass! You click a link and the hourglass appears as the Web application consults the server and the server thinks about what it's going to send back to you.

Ajax is Here to Change That

Ajax (sometimes called Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is a way of programming for the Web that gets rid of the hourglass. Data, content, and design are merged together into a seamless whole. When your customer clicks on something on an Ajax driven application, there is very little lag time. The page simply displays what they're asking for. If you don't believe me, try out Google Maps for a few seconds. Scroll around and watch as the map updates almost before your eyes. There is very little lag and you don't have to wait for pages to refresh or reload.

What is Ajax?

Ajax is a way of developing Web applications that combines:

XHTML and CSS standards based presentation
Interaction with the page through the DOM
Data interchange with XML and XSLT
Asynchronous data retrieval with XMLHttpRequest
JavaScript to tie it all together

In the traditional Web application, the interaction between the customer and the server goes like this:

Customer accesses Web application
Server processes request and sends data to the browser while the customer waits
Customer clicks on a link or interacts with the application
Server processes request and sends data back to the browser while the customer waits
etc....

There is a lot of customer waiting.

Ajax Acts as an Intermediary

The Ajax engine works within the Web browser (through JavaScript and the DOM) to render the Web application and handle any requests that the customer might have of the Web server. The beauty of it is that because the Ajax engine is handling the requests, it can hold most information in the engine itself, while allowing the interaction with the application and the customer to happen asynchronously and independently of any interaction with the server.

Asynchronous

This is the key. In standard Web applications, the interaction between the customer and the server is synchronous. This means that one has to happen after the other. If a customer clicks a link, the request is sent to the server, which then sends the results back.
With Ajax, the JavaScript that is loaded when the page loads handles most of the basic tasks such as data validation and manipulation, as well as display rendering the Ajax engine handles without a trip to the server. At the same time that it is making display changes for the customer, it is sending data back and forth to the server. But the data transfer is not dependent upon actions of the customer.

Ajax is Not New Technology

Ajax is instead a new way of looking at technology that is already mature and stable. If you're designing Web applications right now, why aren't you using Ajax? Your customers will thank you, and frankly, it's just fun!

Grid Computing Vs Cloud Computing

2011-03-14T23:47:00.001+05:30

GRID COMPUTING

Grid computing is the act of sharing tasks over multiple computers. Tasks can range from data storage to complex calculations and can be spread over large geographical distances. In some cases, computers within a grid are used normally and only act as part of the grid when they are not in use. These grids scavenge unused cycles on any computer that they can access, to complete given projects. xyxabc@home is perhaps one of the best-known grid computing projects, and a number of other organizations rely on volunteers offering to add their computers to a grid.

These computers join together to create a virtual super computer. Networked computers can work on the same problems, traditionally reserved for supercomputers, and yet this network of computers are more powerful than the super computers built in the seventies and eighties. Modern supercomputers are built on the principles of grid computing, incorporating many smaller computers into a larger whole.

The idea of grid computing originated with Ian Foster, Carl Kesselman and Steve Tuecke. They got together to develop a toolkit to handle computation management, data movement, storage management and other infrastructure that could handle large grids without restricting themselves to specific hardware and requirements. The technique is also exceptionally flexible.
Grid computing techniques can be used to create very different types of grids, adding flexibility as well as power by using the resources of multiple machines. An equipment grid will use a grid to control a piece of equipment, such as a telescope, as well as analyze the data that equipment collects. A data grid, however, will primarily manage large amounts of information, allowing users to share access
Grid computing is similar to cluster computing, but there are a number of distinct differences. In a grid, there is no centralized management; computers in the grid are independently controlled, and can perform tasks unrelated to the grid at the operator's discretion. The computers in a grid are not required to have the same operating system or hardware. Grids are also usually loosely connected, often in a decentralized network, rather than contained in a single location, as computers in a cluster often are.

CLOUD COMPUTING

Cloud computing is a general term for anything that involves delivering hosted services over the Internet. These services are broadly divided into three categories: Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). The name cloud computing was inspired by the cloud symbol that's often used to represent the Internet in flowcharts and diagrams.
A cloud service has three distinct characteristics that differentiate it from traditional hosting. It is sold on demand, typically by the minute or the hour; it is elastic -- a user can have as much or as little of a service as they want at any given time; and the service is fully managed by the provider (the consumer needs nothing but a personal computer and Internet access). Significant innovations in virtualization and distributed computing, as well as improved access to high-speed Internet and a weak economy, have accelerated interest in cloud computing.

A cloud can be private or public. A public cloud sells services to anyone on the Internet. (Currently, Amazon Web Services is the largest public cloud provider.) A private cloud is a proprietary network or a data center that supplies hosted services to a limited number of people. When a service provider uses public cloud resources to create their private cloud, the result is called a virtual private cloud. Private or public, the goal of cloud computing is to provide easy, scalable access to computing resources and IT services.

Infrastructure-as-a-Service like Amazon Web Services provides virtual server instanceAPI) to start, stop, access and configure their virtual servers and storage. In the enterprise, cloud computing allows a company to pay for only as much capacity as is needed, and bring more online as soon as required. Because this pay-for-what-you-use model resembles the way electricity, fuel and water are consumed, it's sometimes referred to as utility computing.

Platform-as-a-service in the cloud is defined as a set of software and product development tools hosted on the provider's infrastructure. Developers create applications on the provider's platform over the Internet. PaaS providers may use APIs, website portals or gateway software installed on the customer's computer. Force.com, (an outgrowth of Salesforce.com) and GoogleApps are examples of PaaS. Developers need to know that currently, there are not standards for interoperability or data portability in the cloud. Some providers will not allow software created by their customers to be moved off the provider's platform.

In the software-as-a-service cloud model, the vendor supplies the hardware infrastructure, the software product and interacts with the user through a front-end portal. SaaS is a very broad market. Services can be anything from Web-based email to inventory control and database processing. Because the service provider hosts both the application and the data, the end user is free to use the service from anywhere.

Blade Server Technology

2011-03-14T16:15:00.001+05:30

BLADE SERVER TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

Blade servers were developed in response to a critical and growing need in the datacenter: the requirement to increase server performance and availability without dramatically increasing the size, cost and management complexity of an ever growing data center. To keep up with user demand and because of the space and power demands of traditional tower and rackmount servers, data centers are being forced to expand their physical plant at an alarming rate.

Enter blade servers. They consolidate power and system level functions into a single, integrated chassis and enable the addition of servers and other components such as communications and peripheral connections via easy to install blades. Blade server technology greatly increases server density, lowers power and cooling costs, eases server expansion and simplifies datacenter management.

Blade servers are not just a new way to package traditional computing components. Rather, they are integrated systems designed to deliver server performance in efficient, high density, easy to expand, and easy to manage units.

Blade Server Benefits

Reduced Space Requirements - Greater density provides up to 35 to 45 percent improvement compared to tower or rackmounted servers.
Reduced Power Consumption and Improved Power Management - consolidating power supplies into the blade chassis reduces the number of separate power supplies needed and reduces the power requirements per server.
Lower Management Cost - server consolidation and resource centralization simplifies server deployment, management and administration and improves management and control.
Simplified Cabling - rack mount servers, while helping consolidate servers into a centralized location, create wiring proliferation. Blade servers simplify cabling requirements and reduce wiring by up to 70 percent. Power cabling, operator wiring (keyboard, mouse, etc.) and communications cabling (Ethernet, SAN connections, cluster connection) are greatly reduced.
Future Proofing Through Modularity - as new processor, communications, storage and interconnect technology becomes available, it can be implemented in blades that install into existing equipment, upgrading server operation at a minimum cost and with no disruption of basic server functionality.
Easier Physical Deployment - once a blade server chassis has been installed, adding additional servers is merely a matter of sliding in additional blades into the chassis. Software management tools simplify the management and reporting functions for blade servers. Redundant power modules and consolidated communication bays simplify integration into datacenters and increase reliability.

Key Blade Server Technologies

Hardware:

Servers Blades - high density computing engines with 1 to 4 processors and memory
Blade Chassis - enclosures with integrated power and racks for housing server blades, communication blades and connections to external peripherals and inter-chassis links
Communication Blades - integrated blades with Ethernet, InfiniBand and proprietary communication adapters and switches
Power and Cooling Systems - centralized power distribution components that power the blade chassis and components
Storage Subsystems - hard disk and tape storage subsystems can be inside the blade chassis or external to the chassis. Blade servers can be disk-less since they can boot from external storage in a Storage Area Network or SAN. This configuration can increase reliability and reduce space requirements by partitioning storage resources in one centralized location and computing resources in another. This also eliminates storage redundancies and simplifies storage management.

Software:

Software Management Tools - management software that enables server administrators to deploy, control and monitor server resources.
Virtualization Software - software that enables maximum usages of server resources by creating virtual server resources that tap physical resources as needed by the application usage

Summary

Blade servers are efficient solutions for data centers requiring flexible, high-density deployment and management of high performance servers. Blade servers can pack more server performance into less space while reducing cost and complexity, simplifying deployment and management, and improving overall data center performance.

How to search in search engine perfectly

2011-03-13T20:11:00.000+05:30

Learning about how the Google Searching Algorithm is actually very tough. This is not done manually at all. Nobody at Google sits there and decides that which inks should come up at the first page and in what order. But there are many important factors that need to be taken care of while posting about something.

Most of the times the article you are writing on is already indexed with Google but this does not mean that your results wont appear on first pages. There are many keyword tools and by using basic SEO tricks you can try and fetch out better results for your posts.

A few Factors I would like to cover in this are:

Title must be keyword rich.

Make sure when you are writing a post the title should be first of all SEO friendly (Length should not be more than 60 words) and it should contain the most important keyword you are targeting. For example let us suppose I am targeting for SERP , it does exist in my title.

Post Excerpt or first few lines are very important.

Though this is not the most important but certainly yes your first few lines of the article should definitely be keyword rich. But make sure you just do not mix it up and keep on adding keywords and keywords Google algorithm will trace you and throw you out of the searches.

Use Keyword Density Checker Plugin.

In wordpress we have thousands of plugins available that make our work almost null so from them you can pic keyword density checker plugin that will guide you about the density of your keywords.

Google Adwords keywords tool.

This is very interesting and was conveyed to me by many high ranked blogging websites. You can check for any keyword that how many times monthly in a region it is being searched. With the help of results you can then decide whether to use the same keyword or manipulate it in some or the other way.

Tech-News-Blog

Top 25 Android apps: The best of the best

The screenshots

The list

Five Reasons why Google's Linux Chromebook is a Windows killer

Introducing Music Beta by Google

Google's Chrome browser hits 160m users - but what does it mean for the web?

What is Google Adwords?

What is Google Adwords?

Online virus scanning websites

Panda ActiveScan

TrendMicro Housecall

F-Secure Online Scanner

Once you’ve chosen the scanner will update its definitions (it’ll take a few minutes, but stick with it) and your PC will be checked for problems. (Click Here for F-secure)

Individual File Scanners

VirScan

The VirScan service allows you to upload a file (up to 20MB) and check it against more than 30 other sets of definitions from the web’s finest anti-virus solutions.

You can upload .ZIP and .RAR files with a maximum of 20 compressed items, and even give the archive a password of “infected” or “virus”. Simply click Choose File followed by Upload and your file will be scanned, showing you the results in your browser. (Click Here for VirusScan)

VirusTotal

You will then receive your results via email once your scan has been complete. Much like VirScan, VirusTotal uses a database of definitions assembled from all over the web. (click Here for VirusTotal)

Jotti

Operating much in the same way as the previous two engines, Jotti allows you to upload a file of 20MB or less for submission to a selection of the web’s anti-virus engines.

(Click Here for JottiVirusScan)

3 Computer Security Tips You Must Obey!

3 Computer Security Tips You Must Obey!

Have the Latest Antivirus Software Installed

Uninstall Outdated Software You No Longer Use

NFC: Near Field Communication

What is NFC?

Key Benefits of NFC

NFC as a Business Driver

NFC and Contactless Technologies

NFC as Technology Enabler

NFC Means Proximity

NFC Enables One-Touch Setup of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

NFC Enables Electronic Door Locks

NFC and Healthcare

NFC Devices Enable Data Exchange

NFC and Interoperability

Apple Magic Mouse review

Seamless Multi-Touch Surface

Laser-Tracking Engine

Wireless

Make one great gesture after another.

More charges. Less waste.

Click

Two-button click

360° scroll

Screen zoom

Two-finger swipe

System Requirements

Internet Explorer 9/ Chrome 10/ and FireFox 4 - (A Coparison)

Find Best Browser- IE9/Chrome 10/Firefox 4

Installation and updates

Design & ease of use

Speed

Extras

Which browser is best?

Duplication and Deduplication Of Data in DataBase

Epic Browser: First Indian Browser

Epic Browser: India’s First Web Browser & World’s First Browser With Anti virus!

Ajax Technology

What is Ajax?

Ajax is Here to Change That

What is Ajax?

Ajax Acts as an Intermediary

Asynchronous

Ajax is Not New Technology

Grid Computing Vs Cloud Computing

Blade Server Technology

BLADE SERVER TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

Blade Server Benefits

Key Blade Server Technologies

Hardware:

Software:

Summary

How to search in search engine perfectly