Microscale 3-D Printing

Despite the excitement that 3-D printing has generated, its capabilities remain rather limited. It can be used to make complex shapes, but most commonly only out of plastics. Even manufacturers using an advanced version of the technology known as additive manufacturing typically have expanded the material palette only to a few types of metal alloys. But what if 3-D printers could use a wide assortment of different materials, from living cells to semiconductors, mixing and matching the “inks” with precision?

Jennifer Lewis, a materials scientist at Harvard University, is developing the chemistry and machines to make that possible. She prints intricately shaped objects from “the ground up,” precisely adding materials that are useful for their mechanical properties, electrical conductivity, or optical traits. This means 3-D printing technology could make objects that sense and respond to their environment. “Integrating form and function,” she says, “is the next big thing that needs to happen in 3-D printing.”

                                                                                                   

 Left: For the demonstration, the group formulated four polymer inks, each dyed a different color. 

Right: The different inks are placed in standard print heads. 

Bottom: By sequentially and precisely depositing the inks in a process guided by the group’s software, the printer quickly produces the colorful lattice.

A group at Princeton University has printed a bionic ear, combining biological tissue and electronics (see “Cyborg Parts”), while a team of researchers at the University of Cambridge has printed retinal cells to form complex eye tissue. But even among these impressive efforts to extend the possibilities of 3-D printing, Lewis’s lab stands out for the range of materials and types of objects it can print.

iPhone 5s vs iPhone 5:What’s New ?

iPhone 5s vs iPhone 5:What’s New

After months of leaks and rumors, the iPhone 5s is finally real.Packing a fingerprint sensor, improved camera, and A7 processor, the revamped smartphone is a significant improvement over the 2012 iPhone 5.

Design

The iPhone 5s looks largely similar to its predecessor, with a few small tweaks. The home button has eschewed the square logo in its center, and is now simply a circular ring that utilizes the device’s new fingerprint scanning technology. The iPhone 5s retains the 2.31 x 4.87 x 0.3-inch, 3.95-ounce build of the original iPhone 5. Probably the biggest change to the design is that while the original iPhone 5 launched in Black/Slate and White/Silver, the 5S will be available in Silver, Space Gray and a Champagne Gold.

Specification

The biggest upgrade to the iPhone 5s is the phone’s A7 processor, which Apple says has a 40 times faster CPU than the original iPhone. Apple claims the 64-bit mobile processor is the first of its kind and will have twice the graphics performance of the iPhone 5.

The iPhone 5s has the same 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi support as the iPhone 5. However, the new model is designed to deliver 10 hours of talk time on 3G, 10 hours of Web browsing on Wi-Fi and LTE (8 hours on 3G), 10 hours of video playback and 40 hours of music listening. The 5 only offered 8 hours of 3G talk time and 8 hours of LTE Web browsing.

Like the standard iPhone 5, the 5s will have a 4-inch, 1136 x 640-pixel Retina Display screen.

New Features

The iPhone family now has its first fingerprint sensor with the 5s’ Touch ID technology. This new feature takes a high-res image of your fingerprint with a laser cut sapphire crystal, which allows the phone to store a detailed fingerprint image that can be read from multiple angles. Touch ID will be used to unlock the iPhone 5s, and can be used for confirming App Store purchases for those who’d rather not type their password in repeatedly.

With the iPhone 5s’s new M7 motion coprocessor (something the iPhone 5 didn’t have), the handset can keep track of users’ motions more accurately than ever without overloading the CPU.  The new coprocessor will allow for improved fitness apps, as the chip measures user movement even when the phone is in sleep mode.

Android Vs iOS

When it comes to major apps, the line between Android and iOS is starting to blur rapidly. Choosing a smartphone or tablet platform should be a well-considered decision because switching from iOS to Android or vice versa will require you to buy apps again in the Google Play (or Apple app) store. Android is now the world’s most commonly used smartphone platform and is used by many different phone manufacturers. iOS is only used on Apple devices, such as the iPhone.

Company / developer:	Google	Apple Inc.
OS family:	Linux	OS X, UNIX
Widgets:	Yes	No, except in NotificationCenter
Initial release:	September 23, 2008	July 29, 2007
Programmed in:	C, C++, java	C, C++, Objective-C
Dependent on a PC or a Mac:	No	No
Easy mediatransfer:	depends on model	with desktop application
Source model:	Open source	Closed, with open source components.
Open Source:	kernel, ui, and some standard apps	kernel only
Customizability:	A lot. Can change almost anything.	Limited unless jailbroken
Available on:	Many phones and tablets, includingKindle Fire(modified android), LG, HTC, Samsung, and others.	iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV (2nd and 3rd generation)
Interface:	Touch screen	Touch screen
Call features supported:	Auto-respond	Auto-respond, call-back reminder, do not disturb mode
Messaging:	Google Hangouts	iMessage
Voice commands:	Google Now (on newer versions)	Siri
Maps:	Google Maps	Apple Maps
Internet browsing:	Google Chrome (or Android Browser on older versions)	Mobile Safari
Video chat:	Google Hangouts	Facetime
App store:	Google Play – 800,000+ Apps	Apple app store – 850,000+ Apps
Market share:	75% of smartphones, 3.7% of tablets in North America (as of Jan'13) and 44.4% of tablets in Japan (as of Jan'13). In the United States in Q1 2013 - 52.3% phones, 47.7% tablets.	14.9% of smartphones, 87% of tablets in North America (as of Jan'13) and 40.1% of tablets in Japan (as of Jan'13)
Available language(s):	32 Languages	34 Languages
Latest stable release:	Android 4.3 Jelly Bean (AUGUST 1, 2013	7.0.0 (JULY 1, 2013)
Device Manufacturer:	Google, LG, Samsung, HTC, Sony, ASUS, and many more	Apple Inc
Working state:	Current	Current
Company / developer:	Google	Apple Inc.
Upcoming Releases/release dates:	Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie	iOS 7.0 (Most likely at WWDC)

WINDOWS 8.1

Windows 8.1 Expected to arrive on October

Microsoft is now putting the final touches on Windows 8.1, but users may have to wait until October to get their hands on the operating system's latest version.Windows 8.1 is instead expected to roll out to existing machines along with new devices in October. The gap in time allows device-makers to test drivers and search for bugs in their products before having to deal with those issues with the public.Microsoft's newest OS includes a number of design and utility improvements, including support for smaller-screen devices.

Windows 8.1

WINDOWS 8.1 PREVIEW

1.Search Once Go Anywhere

 A single search now brings you results from your PC, your apps, and the web. See results in a clean, graphic view that lets you take immediate action and launch apps. Search, click, do. Find a song and start playing it, or find a video and watch it right away.   

2.More apps to love

Windows Store has a new look which makes it easier to discover and download new apps. And the apps that are included withWindows 8.1 Preview let you do a bunch of cool things. For example, with Reading List you can save articles and stories across apps and devices, and the updated Photos app gives you fast and fun editing.

3.Make it yours

Set up a slide show on your lock screen by picking your favorite pictures. Arrange the stuff on your Start screen so it's just the way you want it. Choose from more tile sizes, more colors, and more backgrounds—including animated backgrounds.

4.Built–in cloud storage

SkyDrive is now the default location for saving documents. So you always have your files wherever you go, even when you’re offline. And with the included SkyDrive app, you can manage both local files and SkyDrive files in one place.

5.Fast, full-screen browsing

Windows 8.1 Preview, you also get to check out the newInternet Explorer. Internet Explorer 11 Preview is built for touch, with faster load times, a full-screen experience that includes side-by-side browsing of your sites, and real-time info delivered on your Start screen through live tiles for your favorite sites.

Android 4.3: An even sweeter Jelly Bean.

ANDROID 4.3

Android 4.3’s new restricted profiles feature can be used to limit access to apps and content, at home with your family and at work. And with support for Bluetooth Smart accessories, Android is ready for a whole new class of mobile apps.

1. Restricted Profiles

Android 4.2 introduced the concept of multi-user support for tablets. Building on top of it, Android 4.3 lets you manage per-user access to apps and content. Users can now prevent other family members from accessing mature content and it is ideal for parental controls. This feature opens a number of doors to developers, that help them create in-app restrictions.

2. Bluetooth Smart – BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy)

Certain Android devices, including Nexus 4, now support low-energy Bluetooth Smart accessories. You’ll find Bluetooth Smart technology in fitness sensors, heart rate or glucose monitors, pedometers, thermometers, and much more.

We live in a day where technology enhances our lives in different ways. Fitness sensors and other devices have made their ways into mobile computing, providing users with a whole new range of information. Android 4.3 seeks to capitalize on this class of mobile applications with BLE support for devices. Bluetooth Smart or BLE minimizes power consumption of mobile devices while measuring and transmitting data, making both sensors and devices connected to them more battery-efficient.

Devices with hardware support for Bluetooth Smart can now make use of Android 4.3 to connect to bluetooth sensor devices. During Google’s presentation, an Android device was shown being connected with a Bluetooth Smart-enabled heart-rate monitor, powered by the popular Runtastic Fitness App.

3. Built-in-security protection

Android is designed to keep you and your data safe. Every app runs in its own sandbox, a secure space isolated from other apps. And whenever you download an app, Android can automatically scan it for viruses, checking apps against a database maintained by Google. Thanks to Android’s multiple layers of security, you can browse the web and install apps from Google Play with peace of mind.

4. OpenGL ES 3.0

Developers and gamers can lick their lips now. Android OS promises to offer OpenGL ES 3.0 – a standard in modern day accelerated 3D graphics. Android has long been criticised for lags and stutter while playing high quality 3D games. OpenGL ES 3.0 makes the new version of Android more efficient and better at displaying graphics. Google showcased some impressive textures, lens flares and reflections in their demo, most of which the older OS had trouble displaying. The average users may not be able to distinguish the upgraded graphics, but it does offer new possibilities for developers.

5. Notification Access

Android came up with a pretty useful notification bar. As it iterated through various versions, the notification system started offering more and more to its users. Now with Android 4.3, third party apps can access status bar notifications in real-time. What good does it do? Well, it points to wearable computing devices like a smart watch or Google Glass.

In addition, it simplifies the process of sharing information across multiple Android devices.

5. Background WiFi Scanning

Increased use of smartphones resulted in extensive use of location-based applications. But extensive use of services like the GPS causes a lot of battery drain. Android 4.3 sorts it out, using a special WiFi feature. Reports say that Android 4.3 will be able to detect your location through WiFi, even when WiFi is turned off.

The WiFi scan-only mode lets Google’s location-based service and other apps scan for WiFi networks even when it is off. This would improve the performance of apps and you will not have to worry about battery life. You can also enjoy an enhanced Google Now experience.

Mobile Application Management (MAM)

Mobile Application Management 

MAM-the new tool set in Mobile Management              

           

                             A recent study says that the enterprise mobility market will hit by 2020.While many businesses are putting the finishing touches on their Mobile Device Management (MDM) strategy, others are already taking the next steps, investing in mobile applications, either buying them off the shelf or customizing them.

This is where Mobile Application Management (MAM) comes in.

                       MAM  is the delivery and administration of enterprise software to end users on their mobile device that may or may not be personal. Unlike mobile device managers (MDMs), which focus on device activation, enrollment and provisioning,  MAM’s focus is on delivering software, licensing, security, usage policy, access/user authentication, configuration, updates, maintenance, reporting and tracking, rollbacks and application refresh/retirement. If this sounds familiar, it is because enterprises have been doing this for ages. Except they have been doing it in a desktop environment. They now need to do the same for mobile devices.

                       Any organization’s BYOD(bring your own device) strategy should allow for enterprise applications to be used without compromising its implemented security policies. The goal is for an employee to be able to use both personal and enterprise applications on the same device, without concerns over privacy violations by their employer. A Mobile Application Management solution should allow enterprise IT policies to be enforced on enterprise applications – and only on enterprise applications – and ultimately reduce the cost of ownership for an enterprise.

                      I believe that MAM, or specifically, Mobile Application Portfolio Management(MAPM) is going to be as big and as important in 2013 as MDM was in 2012.MAM helps to ensure that enterprise applications are delivered in a secure fashion with adequate compliance controls to meet the mobile lifestyles of end users.

Search Engine Optimization Activities

                  SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION

  SEO stands for “search engine optimization.”It is the process of getting traffic  from the free, organic, editorial or natural listings on search engines. It is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engines. SEO may target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, video search, academic search, news search and industry-specific vertical search engines.Optimizing a website may involve editing its content, HTML and associated coding to both increase its relevance to specific keywords and to remove barriers to the indexing activities of search engines. Promoting a site to increase the number of backlinks, or inbound links, is another seo tactic.

Search engines perform several activities in order to deliver search results :

• Crawling - is the process of fetching all the web pages linked to a web site. This task is done    by a software, called a crawler or a spider.
•  Indexing - is the process of creating index for all the fetched web pages and keeping them into a giant database from where it can later be retrieved. Essentially, the process of indexing is identifying the words and expressions that best describe the page and assigning the page to particular keywords.

• Processing - When a search request comes, the search engine processes it . i.e. it compares the search string in the search request with the indexed pages in the database.

•  Calculating Relevancy - Since it is likely that more than one pages contains the search string, so the search engine starts calculating the relevancy of each of the pages in its index to the search string.

•  Retrieving Results - The last step in search engines activities is retrieving the best matched results. Basically, it is nothing more than simply displaying them in the browser.

 There are two ways of doing SEO

•  On-Page SEO- This includes provding good content, good keywords selection putting keywords on correct places, giving appropriate title to every page etc.
•  Off-Page SEO - This includes link building, increasing link popularity by submitting in open directories, search engines, link exchange etc.