Welcome to the first in a series of posts about a lifestyle.
Life today is all about making things harder, better, faster, stronger (to quote a popular artist) [source]. We live in the 21st Century where businesses make billions on serving the needs of the masses. And the needs of the masses today? Ease and speed and convenience.
We live in the fast lane and we need machines that will keep up with our fast lifestyles, make everything easier, more convenient and better. In this wireless yet wired age, we need machines that will help us maximize as much of life as we can.
Technology is so advanced nowadays- something is obsolete the minute it comes off the factory floor. We move and develop and invent at such a fast pace that the physical aspects of technology almost can't keep up. Everything is newer, faster, and a better model than the previous- in fact, even something so vast and unmeasurable as the internet, the worldwideweb, is said to be in its second age- web 2.0 where interconnectivity is maximized.
In the following posts, I will document 3 different technologies (both current and emerging) that supposedly help make life better.
3.10.07
we send it
ONLINE FILE HOSTING
“Fine then, just email me the project when you're done."
How many times has this line been uttered in some form or another in your workplace? It used to be that to transfer files (not just music or image files keep in mind) over the internet from computer to computer, email was the best bet. Yet, there were constrictions to this medium such as speed, and size limitations on both the actual email package AND on the inbox of the recipient.
Online file hosting services are not new. In fact, the same general idea is the basis of how webpages work on the internet. The webpages are ‘hosted’ on a server somewhere in the world [source]. Users can run anything they want on these servers; they can even choose to host more servers. File hosting itself is a type of internet hosting where the content stored is static, meaning it never changes despite who requests use of it and in what environment [source]. Think of online file hosting services as storage lockers for the internet- where you can grant access/keys to many or just keep access to yourself, should you choose. Photobucket and Flickr are two examples of online file hosting services, but they are restricted to just image files. Online file hosts that are referred to in this post are those such as yousendit.com, box.net, megaupload.com, rapidshare.com.
Organizations should put this service to more use- the advantages are numerous and can help increase speed, productivity and ease of communication between members of the organization.
One of the advantages to an online file host is that instead of being limited to such document formats as images (on Photobucket/Flickr) or media types (.mp3, .m4a, .wma), one can upload any file of one’s choosing- even whole software programs. Various sites do have size limits on the size of the upload, but oftentimes the limit is so large that it is unlikely the limit would be tested/be a real constraint problem [source]. The size issue helps bypass the need for a large inbox- the user can just download from the internet straight onto the computer hard drive. This is another issue online file hosts help to overcome- the site is easily accessible from any computer with an internet browser anywhere in the world. There is no need to buy/download/install a third party plug-in. These sites often offer an option for a paid account, for faster downloading speeds and not that many ads to deal with, but the free accounts option is just as viable. Not only that, but most of the online file hosting sites are quite easy to navigate and use. Lastly, many of these sites have a user-account feature which allows easy file management and collaboration between different users. Organizations that use such online file hosts will surely benefit from the ease and convenience of such a method of data transfer/storage.
Of course, there are valid downfalls to this technology: some sites do have time limits on how long they will host the files which can be a hindrance. Also, the sites/servers themselves are sometimes ‘down’ and unreliable. Then, there are the many ads that pop up, but those are mindlessly dealt with easily. And lastly, the very real issue of security. One can never be completely certain of the security of the actual file on the server and how many people can access it. And when dealing with the internet, there is always a security threat in the form of malicious spyware and viruses whenever you download something to your computer. Nevertheless, I believe the pros of using such a tool outweigh the cons.
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (Sept 16 2007) Internet Hosting Service. Retrieved Oct 1, 2007 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_hosting_service]
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (Sept 25, 2007) Static Web Page. Retrieved Oct 1, 2007 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Static_web_page]
Box.net, (2005-2007) Sharing on Box. Retrieved Oct 1, 2007 [http://www.box.net/info/public-sharing]
2.10.07
even the name sounds faster than the apollo 13
the ULTRA MOBILE PC
It sounds like something out of an 80s science fiction movie about the space age (It even had a code name: Project Origami). Yet what I'm about to discuss is something that is an almost frightening reality.
The Ultra Mobile PC is something that has been in the making for a while now. With the unstoppable forward advancements in computer technology, companies are seeking to produce a small, convenient and portable computer. There are currently many different technologies that can fulfill the basic functions desired in a handheld device- smartphones (such as the iPhone), a PDA (personal digital assistant), a portable media player/portable gaming device, and the ultra mobile PC, although the differences between these things are fading as they all move towards a similar goal.
The UMPC itself is the product of the joint collaborative efforts of Microsoft, Intel and Samsung. The name applies to the basic platform of the technology- the code and design can be taken, reproduced and tweaked to produce a different model, as long as the manufacturers comply with the basic expectations of Intel and Microsoft(WIKI) [source].
Basically it's a computing device that looks quite similar to the T-Mobile Sidekick or a Palmtop device. The UMPC runs on the Windows XP/Vista OS (it can support any Windows XP software) with the Origami suite of software pre-installed [source]. Different models produced by different manufacturers feature different hardware specifications (RAM, HD space, screen size/resolution, processor speed, etc.). A touchscreen (complete with new dialkey system) which can be used with a stylus- as a writing tablet, third-party plug-in keyboards, speech recognition software, and optional Bluetooth and USB ports are available as well [source].
(LIST DIFFERENT MODELS)
In short, the UMPC is basically a fully functional computer but the size of your hands. It has the power to complete all the tasks meant for a regular-size desktop computer (with exceptions being granted for its size), yet it is absolutely miniature and completely portable.
What can such advances in modern computing mean for the modern organization?
The most remarkable quality of these devices is the sheer convenience factor. In such a mobile and technology-laden age, people are becoming more and more connected and staying connected for longer periods in different environments. The Ultra Mobile PC is just that- Ultra Mobile. One can use it practically anywhere in the world- with the obvious exception of underwater. An organization that is equipped with these UMPCs now has full access to their members; not just telecommunication access, but also web access and access to a full suite of familiar software on the Windows XP/Vista OS (ex. multimedia programs, gaming and GPS programs). The members can accomplish any task that would normally require a desktop computer or something more powerful than a cell phone’s simple email/internet browser- the UMPC fulfills these needs perfectly and compactly. Its size allows it to be easily carried along with a user anywhere they need- laptop computers are still quite large and bulky.
The downsides of such a device at the moment are mostly related to its age. Because of how ‘young’ and new this technology is, UMPCs are expensive compared to simple smartphones or the Palm family of handheld devices. And, as with any new technology, it is constantly under construction- bugs are being fixed and physical drawbacks are being improved upon and replaced constantly. This means that the technology itself is in a state of flux and there are still some major bugs and weaknesses to be overcome.
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (Sept 29, 2007) Ultra Mobile PC. Retrieved Oct 1, 2007 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra-Mobile_PC]
Microsoft Corporation (2007) Windows Vista Ultra Mobile PC. Retrieved Oct 1, 2007 [http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/umpc/default.mspx]
Microsoft Developer Network: MSDN (2007) Announcing the Ultra-Mobile PC. Retrieved Oct 1, 2007 [http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/aa904971.aspx]
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