Five amazing things about Smartphones

Day by day smartphones are becoming indispensable in our daily life.Some amazing facts about smartphones are

1.Tune Guitar using smartphone:We can tune any guitar or stringed instrument using smartphone.The smartphone detects the sound and displays it on the screen for editing to get the desired note.Just you have to install the required app.

2.Remotely take a picture with another smartphone: The app should be installed on both the devices.Pairing is done through Bluetooth.After starting the app we have to choose which device will be remote and which device will be the camera.Once we click on the shutter button on the remote android phone an image is captured on the devices acting as a camera.

3.Smartphone can be check if TV remote is working or not: We often finds our tv remote is not working.Sometimes we check the batteries.sometimes we tried it from different angles.But before doing any of these try it with your smartphones.Just start up the default camera app point the remote the the smartphone lens.If remote is working then there is a purplish light emanating from the remote's  IR bulb .The reason is that while our eyes can not see infrared but smartphone camera can

4. Forecasting weather:Android phones used to measure light,pressure,battery temperature etc can also be used to report weather.Using enough smartphone sensors expert can use the data gathered to accurately forecast the weather.The app supposed to use analytics to predict patterns.

5. Help us to sleep better: With the Sleep Time app we can use out smartphones to get a good sleep.This app detects our movements throughout the night and figure out the sleep pattern.Just place the smartphone on the mattress before going to sleep and app will do the best.

The apps alarm wakes us up at the lightest part of our sleep cycle. 

                           Smart Robotic Gardener

The IoT or Internet of Things is flourishing.One of the outcome is robotic sprinkler.Droplet-the smart robotic gardener replacing our water sprinkler system in garden.

Through a cloud computer system we can configure the droplet with connecting it to our smartphone to know about the soil,the type of plants it watering and other data to ensure each plant gets the right amount of water to be healthy.

We can give it a number of instructions including to water potted plants,fill up the water bowl and lawn task.

Since it is connected in cloud environment it can tracks weather in our area.It knows to holds off if there is good amount of rain or our plants desperately needs more water.

Its cost around 18000 INR.

Points to Remember for a Good Budget Smartphone

More than 117 millions smartphone users are in India.The numbers are increasing rapidly.So the competition in the smartphone markets are also rising.As a result smartphone are getting more feature packed and affordable.The following points should keep in your mind before purchasing any budget smartphone.

• Good-quality Display and Resolution-Now one can have 5 inch display with 800*480 resolution without having to pay lot of money.some brands also offers 720p display which is perfect for handheld devices.Another thing is to consider a protective glass over the display
• Powerful SoC-A quad-core processor and a 2 GB of RAM on board not only provides a smooth experience but also supports multitasking.
• New version of OS-Lot of cheap smartphone runs on older operating system.Try to purchase smartphone with a latest OS.
• Good Battery-A good battery backup is urgently needed if you are going to purchase a Android phone as it requires lots of battery.Something around 2000maH(Milliampere per Hour)mark should be ideal for a smartphone.
• Camera-Every users wishes to have a good camera in their smartphone.Look for smartphone that offers good low-light capabilities and an LED flash to shoot in dark conditions.A smartphone should have front camera as it is very useful for video conferencing.
• After sales Support-Always keep in mind about this very important feature.

In the end it is up to the users who decides what kind of smartphone fits their needs.Somebody needs a smartphone for their communication and somebody needs it for just entertainment.Do consider these points before purchasing.

Robots changing their shape

The more research of Artificial Intelligence the more we get of Robots.Human automation is being more advanced with time but the problem remain same i,e rigidity.Robots are made of metals and other hard materials,although the skeletal structure are same as humans but remains stiff and inflexible.

However this scenario might change in the near future since some researchers from MIT and other universities of USA have developed a material that will allow the robots to be soft.Using a 3D printed phase changing material composed of polyurethane foam and wax researchers can use heat variances to manipulate the softness and hardness of the structure.

The prototype model was a snake robot.Their objective was to allow it to enter into a 1 cm opening and reach the other side.The use of foam and wax makes the whole process more affordable and simple.Other application of the same technology would even allow the robots to self heal but that is still in infancy stage.

  Quantum Internet

 

When we are in information superhighway the big concern is how to keep our data secure.And we are almost done.Researchers have been working on quantum technology to secure internet.This upcoming technology is known as quantum key distribution or QKD.

In China and Switzerland quantum technology is used to encrypt messages as a experiment.

Using this technique the network transmit photons in specific quantum states to create a cryptographic key.Using QKD data can be encrypted over non-quantum networks due to its mathematical complexity.

In order to decrypt the messages a very powerful computer is necessary.The beauty of the QKD is that if anybody try to hack the quantum key it would alter the quantum states of the photons and alerts the users.

At present the network range is restricted  due to the issues of quantum stability over long distances but that problem can be solved with the help of quantum repeaters.

NOKIA Secret Codes

 Here is secret mobile codes for Nokia phones irrespective of the cellular operator.You can troubleshoot some routine problems with the help of these codes.

*#06# - Checking the IMEI No

*#7780# -Reset to factory settings.
*#67705646# -To clear the LCD display(operator logo).
*#0000# -To view software version.
*#2820# - To view Bluetooth device address.
#pw+1234567890+1# Shows if sim have restrictions.
*#92702689# – takes you to a secret menu where you may find some of the information below:
1. Displays Serial Number.
2. Displays the Month and Year of Manufacture
3. Displays (if there) the date where the phone was purchased (MMYY)
4. Displays the date of the last repair – if found (0000)
5. Shows life timer of phone (time passes since last start)
#bta0# Display the Bluetooth MAC address (models with build-in Bluetooth radio, activate first to show address)
*#mac0wlan# -Display the WLAN MAC address (models with build-in Wi-fi radio)
*#res0wallet# Reset the mobile wallet (models with mobile wallet)
*#res0# Soft-format the memory (Symbian models only)
*#7370# -Restore the phone to factory default settings. You will loose all your settings, data, etc. This is used to reset the phone to the same state when it was brand new.
# *#2820# - Show Bluetooth MAC address.
# *#62209526# - Show Wireless LAN MAC address.
*3370# : Enhanced Full Rate Codec (EFR) activation. It will automatically restart.
#3370# : Enhanced Full Rate Codec (EFR) deactivation. It will automatically restart.
*4370# : Half Rate Codec activation. It will automatically restart
#4370# : Half Rate Codec deactivation. It will automatically restart
*#147# (vodafone) this lets you know who called you last *#1471# Last call (Only vodofone)
*#21#- Allows you to check the number that “All Calls” are diverted To
*#2640# -Displays security code in use
*#30# -Lets you see the private number
*#43# -Allows you to check the “Call Waiting” status of your phone.
*#61# -Allows you to check the number that “On No Reply” calls are diverted to
*#62# -Allows you to check the number that “Divert If Unrea chable (no service)” calls are diverted to
*#67# -Allows you to check the number that “On Busy Calls” are diverted to
*#73#- Reset phone timers and game scores
*#746025625#- Displays the SIM Clock status, if your phone supports this power saving feature “SIM Clock Stop Allowed”, it means you will get he best standby time possible
*#7760# -Manufactures code
*#7780# -Restore factory settings
*#8110#- Software version for the Nokia 8110

N.B-I am not responsible for any accident after using these codes.

Molecular Computers

In the near future computers may not be made of silicon but of DNA.DNA computers are much more faster and better than the traditional ones.

DNA is an information-rich molecule, and can be used for computing in a variety of ways. Computer chips are constructed using logic gates (such as AND, OR and NOT) that perform mathematical functions on given inputs. Similarly, these gates can be built from DNA, and connected up to run computations inside cells.

 

Brain-Computer Interface

 

Brain-computer interfaces(BCIs) plays a significant role in spinal cord injury,stroke or brain disease.It also helps to restore senses like sight or hearing or even memory.

BCIs implemented in brain's motor areas can record electrical signals thats represents particular movements. A computer decodes the signals and uses them to control a computer cursor or prosthetic limb.

The device would replace part of the brain's hippocampus, where short-term memory is converted to long-term memory. So far researchers has had success in rats and monkeys, and now they are  currently testing the device in humans.

Nanolasers on Silicon for Data Transmission

 

For quick transmission of data we rely on fiber optic cable.To ensure for more speed and seamless data flow researcher continue to new combinations of electronic and optical devices.

One of the promising research is growing lasers on silicon,the base layer of choice for electronic devices.

The lasers, called nanoneedles, are just one-tenth the width of a human hair and were developed by researchers working at the University of California, Berkeley. By growing lasers on silicon wafers, the researchers are expanding the ability of electronics to transmit data at capacities required by next-generation consumer devices and systems. 

Optical approaches such as lasers reduce power consumption and noise between components and increase speed.

To combine the strengths of silicon and optical laser materials, the Berkeley researchers overcame two longstanding challenges that have vexed researchers: 1) the mismatch between the crystalline structures of silicon and III-V semiconductor material, an essential solid-state laser material, and 2) growth temperatures that are incompatible with current integrated circuit fabrication. 

 

During the 10- to 15-minute crystal growth process, which occurs at temperatures between 400° and 450° C, nanoneedles in the shape of hexagonal pyramids emerge from a silicon base. These high-quality crystals can reach several hundred nanometers and can be layered, doped (i.e., other materials can be added to the crystal during the growth process, resulting in a crystal that has additional properties) or etched to create laser structures for device applications. The nanoneedle geometry provides a natural laser cavity that traps light by circulating it up and down the inside of the nanoneedle in a helical fashion. 

Linux System Monitoring Tools

1.Genome System Monitor-It is a Process Viewer which is responsible for tree view process dependencies,icons for processes,hide processes that you  don't want to see,graphical time histories of CPU/memory/swap usage.

2.KDE System Guard-It is also known as KSysguard.It is a KDE task manager and performance monitor.It can monitor both local and  remote hosts.

3.Cacti-Cacti is a complete frontend to RRDTool, it stores all of the necessary information to create graphs and populate them with data in a MySQL database. The frontend is completely PHP driven.Cacti also handles the data gathering.

4.Nagios-It is an open source system monitoring,network monitoring and infrastructure monitoring software application.It alerts users when something is going wrong and also alerts when the things resolves.

5. ./proc-It displays various system hardware configuration and also displays LInux kernel information. 

6.Strace-It helps in debugging webserver and other server issues.

7.Iptraf-ncurses-based IP LAN monitor.

8.Pmap-Reports memory map of a process thereby helping to find out the causes of memory bottlenecks

Li-Fi

 

Instead of radio waves, use light to get online. Unlike wi-fi, or wireless fidelity, so-called “li-fi” transmits data through variations in light intensity.

Recent research in China  showed that, using a one-watt LED bulb, li-fi could connect four computers to the Internet at data transfer rates up to 150 megabits per second.

Earlier this year, German scientists sent data at three Gigabits per second using LED lamps, in controlled conditions in their lab. They later demonstrated 500 megabits per second speeds in a real-world setting. Most wi-fi connections don’t even come close to 100 megabits per second.

Li-fi has drawbacks. The technology works only when the LED’s light can reach the gadget. Stray from the LED, and you lose your connection. On the plus side, the visible light spectrum can handle way more traffic than wi-fi’s already crowded radio spectrum. And any LED bulb can be a network connection.

BioLite CampStove

 

Stove with lots of technology in it.It runs on fuel you can pick up off the ground – twigs, bark or pinecones – providing you with a free, low-smoke fire.Its just take 5 minutes to boil a kettle.

But that’s not all – the BioLite also has a USB port and generates free electricity, which you can use to charge your phone, MP3 player or speakers.

Scanadu Scout

 

 

There are plenty of gadgets that monitor your fitness. Whether they track your heart rate, blood pressure or the number of steps you’ve taken, they all give you a pretty basic view of your activity. But what about your general health?

Designed by a collective of engineers, doctors and designers, the Scanadu Scout wants to be your personal electronic GP. By pressing it to your temple, the Scout will give you an accurate reading of pulse transit time, heart rate, electrical heart activity, temperature and blood oxygenation. This info in itself isn’t particularly useful, unless you’ve been nose-deep in some medical text books for the last year, so the Scout then analyses the data and tells you if you ought to head to the nearest hospital, or not.

There’ll be an add-on too, which will check your saliva for nasty bugs like streptococcus A, influenza B and adenovirus. They’re even working on an add-on to spot pregnancy complications.

All of the above is technically possible, and the collective data gathered from everyone using a Scanadu could reveal interesting trends in the state of the public’s health. But as with any mode of self-diagnosis, you should apply common sense. Either way, doctors might have to get used to hearing patients say: “I need an appointment. Scanadu says it’s serious”.

 

Digital Paper System

 

Sony launch their new Digital Paper System which helps you to liberate your office from its dependence on dead trees with an E-ink tablet.This device once charged can last three weeks.

With this digital paper system you can edit ,create and annotate documents.

The thickness is just 6.6 inch which is much thinner than average notepad.

When you’re done working you can upload your files to the cloud via Wi-Fi or save them to an SD card.

                            Panono Camera

 

When you look at this it looks like a ball.But the real fact is quite different.The Panono camera is a ball with 36 built-in camera in it.You throw it in the air and the accelerometer inside the camera measures the launch acceleration to calculate when the camera is at its highest point and start moving.

Then all the 36 cameras are triggered and the picture is captured.You can get a 360 by 360 degree spherical image which you can then see in the Panono apps. Images are spat out at 108-megapixels.

A very interesting product that looks like a lot of fun, with huge potential.

Wi-Fi enabled 3G Dongle by Idea

Idea Cellular has launched a 3G Wi-Fi dongle for Rs. 2199 in 11 service area where 3G spectrum available.

It offers 21.6 Mbps download and 5.76 Mbps upload speed and has a built-in antenna which can run also in a minimal power sources like laptop or car charging point to turn the device into a Wi-Fi hotspot.

This dongle will be available across 11 markets ​- Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra & Goa, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh East & West.

Chemical Scanner for Shopping

An Israeli inventor invented a tiny gadgets which allows a consumer to analyze the chemical composition of foods,drugs and other items.

The Gadgets called SCio an infrared spectrometer is being marketed for three applications-food,pharmaceuticals and horticulture,or the health of plants.Simply by pointing and clicking a miniature digital wand,users can see how many calories are in a piece of cheese or determine when a tomato will reach peak ripens.

SCio could have life saving uses such as identifying contaminated foods or determining whether a drug is counterfeit.

With the spectrometer, he said, you can just point the gadget at an item—without even necessarily knowing what it is. The device reads the item's molecular structure, matches the information to an ever-expanding database and then can send additional data to your smartphone.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-07-israeli-chemical-scanner.html#jCp

SCiO could have life-saving uses, such as identifying contaminated foods or determining whether a drug is counterfeit.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-07-israeli-chemical-scanner.html#jCp

Simply by pointing and clicking a miniature digital wand, users can see how many calories are in a piece of cheese or determine when a tomato will reach peak ripeness.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-07-israeli-chemical-scanner.html#jCp

s being marketed for three applications—food, pharmaceuticals and horticulture, or the health of plants. Simply by pointing and clicking a miniature digital wand, users can see how many calories are in a piece of cheese or determine when a tomato will reach peak ripeness.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-07-israeli-chemical-scanner.html#jCp

s being marketed for three applications—food, pharmaceuticals and horticulture, or the health of plants. Simply by pointing and clicking a miniature digital wand, users can see how many calories are in a piece of cheese or determine when a tomato will reach peak ripeness.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-07-israeli-chemical-scanner.html#jCp

s being marketed for three applications—food, pharmaceuticals and horticulture, or the health of plants. Simply by pointing and clicking a miniature digital wand, users can see how many calories are in a piece of cheese or determine when a tomato will reach peak ripeness.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-07-israeli-chemical-scanner.html#jCp

With the Spectometer a user can simply point the gadget on an item without even knowing anything about the device.The device reads the item molecular structure  matches the information to an ever expanding database and and then can send additional information to the usre's smartphone.

 

 

Meet the Doorbot

 

The DoorBot is a Wi-Fi-enabled doorbell that lets you see and talk to the visitors standing outside your entryway from an iOS or Android smartphone. When someone rings the bell, it initiates what is basically a video call on your phone. You don't even have to be at home, and you can set the DoorBot to work with multiple devices so that everyone who lives in your home can use it. It costs around $200.

Handpress Auto Espresso Machine

 

Are you getting bored with making coffee daily in the morning?With this portable coffee machine that will be a thing of the past.

Making your coffee is easy. Just plug in the gadget, add water and coffee, and press the button.

3D Printers

In Last December,2013 Michigan Technological University announced their firsr 3D printer.However not many of these printers is available to the common peoples.

Rocket parts,Bionic ears and even toothbrushes were all successfully printed with 3D printer.

3D printers use a variety of very different types of additive manufacturing technologies, but they all share one core thing in common: they create a three dimensional object by building it layer by successive layer, until the entire object is complete. It’s much like printing in two dimensions on a sheet of paper, but with an added third dimension: UP. The Z-axis.

Each of these printed layers is a thinly-sliced, horizontal cross-section of the eventual object. Imagine a multi-layer cake, with the baker laying down each layer one at a time until the entire cake is formed. 3D printing is somewhat similar, but just a bit more precise than 3D baking.