33onefiveone

Mysterious Patterns in Gobi Desert

Sarah Hall — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 02:46:39 +0000

In 2011 there was a lot of speculation over some painted patterns in the Gobi Desert discovered on Google Map images. Some put forward that they were aligned with alluvial flows, designed that way for experiments. Others theorised that the tracks related to mining, as there is a large excavated rectangle half a mile to the left. Still others thought that the lines were designed as landscape guidance for missile trajectory. Some even postulated that the Chinese were trying to communicate with extra-terrestrial entities. The most put forward theory was that the lines were used for satellite calibration, which was half right. In the end it was discovered that the grids were almost certainly used to calibrate Chinese spy satellites. Apparently China were already known to operate spy satellites and in fact so do many other countries including the USA. This gives a whole new meaning to the ‘Brother’s Little Keeper’ episode of The Simpsons where Major League Baseball have their own spy satellite. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riNIjE-J4NQ

Is Apple going sour?

cfreeman — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 05:42:29 +0000

We live in interesting times when Apple has lost the title of most valuable US company in terms of market capitalisation. At the same time as Apple shares have dropped their competitor Google is on a roll.
Google’s surge to new highs has come as its Android software dominates the mobile phone market and it continues to lead in mobile advertising. The gains have put Google firmly in third place behind Exxon and Apple in terms of market
share. Apple peaked back when they released iPhone 5 but shares have been on a nose-dive amid worries about Apple’s production capabilities and doubts about its ability to continue to innovate beyond its current product line up.
Apparently a recent listed of top 5 smartphones does not include an iPhone!

Apple is still a leader in technology and gadgets whilst still making terrific profits. But what is driving Apple’s decline? History says the technology sector can change dramatically with expectations of not only keeping standards high whilst introducing new innovations with their devices. There has been a general consent that we’ve seen it all before with their recent releases and the competitors like Samsung Galaxy S111 have now gone to top of the class. Since Steve Jobs passed away there has been doubts about Apple’s leadership and ability to maintain its spot at the top of the technology ladder. Apparently other factors like the iPhone’s weakness in the huge Indian and China markets are not helping Apple. Consumers are very, very fickle and the industry moves onvery quickly. Will Apple get back to the top of the tree?

Dangers of children using mobiles

cfreeman — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 05:26:00 +0000

It’s not surprising that there would be health concerns and associated risks with our teenagers constantly using mobile phones. The studies would still be fairly limited due to the lack of time since mobiles became commonplace, especially throughout the younger generations. I guess this technology is now pretty much entrenched in our society for all ages. I am not even sure what age is the regular starting point for a child to have a mobile these days.

I guess on the plus side mobiles are a terrific communication for children to their parents for health & safety reasons. If one is running late to pick them up from sports training after school at least communication can be possibly established. However how much time is totally wasted by pointless texting in the playground, on the train and when homework needs to be done. Anyway haven’t times changed from when you had to make a landline call to ring your friends and many of them wouldn’t know how to send a letter. Anyway will be interesting what doctors and scientists find out in the coming years.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/technology/parents-urged-to-limit-childrens-use-of-mobiles-cordless-phone-under-new-health-warnings/story-fn7bsi21-1226589473040

Feel like just getting away from it all?

cfreeman — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 02:39:44 +0000

In most offices around the world, staff pipe dream about going on that special holiday. Some just want to throw their job in and go on a national tour of their own country. Many of us sadly do not get out of our own homes, suburbs or cities. In this city alone you can take a ferry trip to Manly, find a secluded beach on the harbour or head up to the Blue Mountains for a day trip. There are so many things to do, places to see and cuisines to try. In reality many of us waste oportunities on the weekend or even when the well-earned holiday arrives. Sometimes it is money restrictions that prevent us but sadly many of us just get into bad habits and get caught in our own designed rut.

I heard on the news and read on the net about this billionaire who wanted to send a married couple to Mars. Considering it is going to take 7 months to get there and 9 months to return back, the couple are going to have to be fairly solid.
It would be rather a tense trip if the relationship broke up mid course. What would you miss most? I’d assume your family, friends and like most blokes probably solid food. I don’t suppose you can board the space capsule with cases of beer and wine either.

I guess the couple who take on the challenge will become instantly famous secure a movie and book deal and probably not have to ever return to their usual jobs. I ask myself would or could I do it? My answer is definitely not. Back to my
rut!

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/technology/sci-tech/space-tourist-dennis-tito-seeks-married-couple-for-spin-around-mars/story-fn5h1ywy-1226587304918

The Importance of Microsoft Updates

Sarah Hall — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 01:24:46 +0000

Due to the frequency of the emergence of new malware and viruses, Microsoft regularly releases security patches and updates for your software. It is highly recommended that you install these patches and updates upon their release. Before you do, make a full back up and/or set a restore point as changes to your OS can carry risk. Also note that any devices attached to your machine (e.g. iPhones, USB Hard drives etc) may affect reboots so make sure that they are unplugged. Also be aware that if you still run Windows XP, Microsoft will only provide support until April 8, 2014, provided you run the latest service pack and keep the software up to date (as far as those updates are available).

Microsoft Research

Sarah Hall — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 01:51:34 +0000

Whilst Apple is often referred to in the context of innovation, quite a few products have been invented by the minds at Microsoft Research. Some of these include: Windows – Text-to-speech and speech recognition, included in Windows 2000 and Vista, Xbox – Kinect motion capture and body part recognition, Bing – Photosynth, a system for reconstructing 3D scenery from photographs used in Bing Maps Streetside, Office – Flash Fill, a feature in Excel 2013 that enables programming by example, Windows Live Essentials – Group Shot, a way to merge multiple group photos to get the best one, included in Windows Live Photo Gallery as Photo Fuse, Tablet PC – Digital Ink, handwriting recognition technology, included in Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and Hardware – RoundTable, a 360-degree videoconferencing device that detects who’s speaking. Microsoft will always invest in technology and ideas making the future an even more exciting time for innovation.

Utilising the Internet for the Benefit of Your Business

Sarah Hall — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 04:19:18 +0000

In most industries the internet is invariably utilised as a resource to gain information and connections quickly. I know in my line of work, there isn’t a day that goes by where I do not perform several searches, particularly to gain business contact details. This is why I sometimes feel crestfallen that many businesses, big and small, only show up in local directory results. You may think it worse to maintain a website where the information is rarely (if at all) updated but at least you will have an online presence which savvy consumers rely upon to gain a quick, instant snapshot of what you’re all about. And with website domains getting cheaper and a variety of free, easy to use web building tools and platforms, there’s no excuse!

The Benefit of Hindsight

Sarah Hall — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 01:58:12 +0000

We can always look back at early historical science and medicine with a hint of arrogance as we have come so far, made so many discoveries. Researchers have always had to fight to prove their theories and have often been dismissed by their peers or seniors. As early as the 1st century BCE Marcus Terentius Varro speculated that disease was spread by unseen organisms, claiming that the Egyptians were the first to speculate this. But it wasn’t until the late 17th century that this school of thought was taken seriously. One can only imagine how society in the far future will view our modern discoveries, with the benefit of hindsight.

Bag Lady

smanoukian — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 01:28:16 +0000

Fresh from the lips of Trendwatching.com this month we have the following story.

Vodafone UK and fashion designer Richard Nicoll created a handbag that can power a mobile phone while on the move.

After the bag is charged from a mains power outlet (using a cable that magnetically attaches to the exterior), it carries up to two days worth of extra battery. Will the man bag be next ?

http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG9087413/Richard-Nicoll-designs-mobile-phone-charging-handbag.html

Why MacBooks are So Popular

Sarah Hall — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 23:40:40 +0000

The old debate between Mac and PC users has always seen IT departments weigh in, usually preferring to support and purchase PCs. But there has been a trend towards Macs, especially with the release of the MacBook. Mac use is growing with many companies expecting it to keep increasing amongst staff. Employees using Macs tend to be the richest and most productive and are choosing to bring their own MacBooks to work. Laptops are becoming the more popular choice over desktops due to a better financial investment (laptops are much easier to sell second hand than desktops), space economy, portability and even a superior LCD screen. Whilst Apple has not cornered the laptop market, it certainly has offered an attractive, slim line alternative that is proving a popular choice amongst workers.