Pebble Cuts Down The Smart Watch Price: Is It Due To Apple Watch?

Pebble is the company, who named their smart watch and after naming the smart watch now they are planning to cut down the prices of smart watch for the benefit of users. Apart from cost cutting in price the company is currently working on adding additional features like fitness tracking capabilities (software developed by Jawbones, UP band maker, and Shines fitness tracker makers Misfit). The fitness track also features in a commercial of Apple.

From the coming Tuesday, the starting level of the Pebble smart watch will cost the consumer around $99. On the other hand the Pebble Steel which is basically similar to the entry level device modified to be encased in a metal body will cost around $199.

Pebble smart watch features:

The Pebble smart watch has the advantage of being operable with both iPhone as well as android phones and can also show a person the notifications of an incoming text, calls, tweets and even emails. Another added feature of the Pebble smart watch is the fact that one will be able to install apps on the watch from the Pebble app store. This watch might have just black and white screen but in turn it allows the users to use the watch for a maximum of 5 days on a single charge. Most of the other smart watch with the color screen options like that of Samsung are operable only up-to 2 days on single charge.

Changes expected:

The users of the Pebble smart watch will be given access to get the latest update of the fitness tracker on their device. The software will enable the users to monitor their steps as well as sleep. Pebble has used software, which is mainly used for tracking swimming workouts (made by Swim.com).

This upgrade and cut down is expected to be a very crucial step for the company. The company came into the highlight in the tech world when it was able to raise $10.2 million from crowd funding site in 2012. Pebble is still considered as one of the most successful crowd funded projects.

Advantages:

Pebble is currently the cheapest in terms of smart watches as they have cut down the price from $150 to $99, which is significant change in the current competitive market. Currently Google’s Android Wear watches will cost a person around $200 with the disadvantage of being operable only with specific android phones on the other hand Apple is expected to sell their smart watch at around $349, which is for the entry level watch, whereas the high end watches can be expected easily in thousands.
With this new price, Pebble will be able to achieve which other highly priced smart watch companies can’t as it is not limited to work on one single platform.

According to Pebble CEO, Eric Migicovsky, Company is developing watch not any kind of luxury product. They are not making a computer for hand, it will have notifications and all this can be reflected through the pricing.

Now it’s time to Turbocharge iOS 8 Web-Surfing Experience

If you are among the people who thought of iOS8 is an update to that of iOS, then it’s time to wait and watch. People who own the previous models will now have the upgraded version apart from getting additional features as options. If a person is still not ready to upgrade from version 4 to 6 , then iOS 8 might be the model they have been waiting for. Some of the most useful changes if the iOS 8 have been mentioned below:

Improved Safari: 

Most of the smart phone users have a mobile version of a website/webpage that basically lacked links, common functionality. Through the new iOS 8, the users will be able to now get a desktop version of the same website. All one needs to do is to tap the website url on the top of the page and then just drag it down in the middle of the screen.

If you are fed up of all the tabs in Safari then in iOS one will just have to click on the “+” sign to get all the recently closed tabs. The single disadvantage being the page is not visible if accessed in private mode. If a user like to surf in a private mode, the tapping the private tab option will enable to them to launch Safari in a private mode, keeping the current windows intact.

Apple had also included an option wherein the user will be able to take a picture of their credit cards to improve their mobile commerce easier. The users just have to tap the card field and they will get the Scan credit card option. The user will be able to punch in all the required information.

Bright spotlight: 

One will get a more powerful spotlight search in iOS8. Through this the user will be able to search not only through iPhone content, but it will also connect to web to give the user more information from various websites. Just swipe the phone screen and activate the service. This feature is fast and crazy responsive in iPhone 6.

Notification Center: 

Now there are more additions in the notification center. Notification widgets will be available with selected apps.

Plugged-in Siri: 

A person will be able to activate or wake up the phone while plugged in, by simply saying hey Siri. This is useful when your phone is at desk or when you are sleeping.

Find my phone: 

This is one the coolest feature which the company is hoping that the user doesn’t have to use it. In case your phone battery runs out, the user will have the option of sending their location to icloud.

Other features: 

Now, one can get weather report from the weather channel through the weather app. Photos can be easily placed in the notes application. This is the latest app which is allowing users to fill in their own medical details for emergency time. Users will be able to see their battery use percentage through the new battery app.

The Benefits of Biometric Time Keeping Technologies

Biometric time keeping devices compare unique characteristics against data that has been recorded in their systems during an enrollment process. There are two types of biometric technologies, behavioral and physical. Behavioral technologies are used to identify an individual by unique traits, such as a signature. Voice recognition software is also used to identify a person by vocal patterns. Physical biometric technologies are used to identify people by unique physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, hand sizes, and features of the retina or iris. Biometric technologies have been used in the government for access control and security purposes for several decades; however, these technologies are relatively new for time keeping.

Payroll is Accurate

When using biometric time keeping systems, payroll errors are almost nonexistent. No mistakes are made when manually entering time keeping statistics into computer time tracking programs or time sheets. A fingerprint or other biometric characteristic is used for clocking in and out, and the numbers are entered into the system automatically. Because there is a major reduction in errors, employees actually get paid for the hours they have worked rather than receiving more or less than they deserve.

Time Keeping Has Been Simplified

At the end of the week, employees grumble about having to fill in time sheets or use a punch card, and there is even more of a headache when badges and punch cards are lost. To save time, decrease aggravation and simplify the time keeping process, employers are now implementing biometric time keeping measures because such measures completely solve these problems. Filling in time sheets, using punch cards and replacing lost badges are a thing of the past.

The Allied Time systems are among the many that are highly affordable and beneficial for employers who are purchasing feature rich biometric time keeping systems on a budget.Biometric time keeping technologies allow employers to save time and money. People are unable to be dishonest and clock in for colleagues who are actually not on the clock, and time is spent on being productive rather than on correcting errors, filling out time sheets and settling disputes. Not to mention, this method of time keeping is more secure. Employers who are interested in purchasing a biometric Timeclock for their companies will need to do some homework first to make sure they purchase the solution that best works for them. They must compare pricing as well as features as not all time keeping solutions work the same.

En Route for Infinite-Capacity Wireless Networks with Twisted Vortex Radio Waves

University of Southern California researchers have been working towards developing their previous work based on the infinity-capacity twisted laser vortex networks are now looking forward in using the same technology in the radio waves. The previous technique which was basically laser-based was operable over short distances and that too with minimum atmospheric interference. In comparison to this the twisted radio waves are rougher and can easily be transmitted over much longer distances. This will allow the wireless networks to carry a lot more data when compared to the usual Wi-Fi router; this could be ranging in 100s or 1000s of gigabits/second.

About 2 and half years ago a Swedish researcher after years of hard work was able to prove that the radio waves can actually be transmitted in 3 dimensions rather than 2 dimensions. Every wireless network uses radio waves in their oscillation and that too in two dimensions. This wireless can be from Wi-Fi to satellite TV. According to Bo Thide, just by twisting the antenna one should be able to impart some variety of corkscrew action to radio waves, which will enable them to travel width-ways and in a 3 dimension. In theory with slight variation in the twist level a number of wireless connections will be able to share the same frequency.

These radio waves in technical terms have OAM (orbital angular momentum). As present almost all the radio-based network technologies use SAM (spin angular momentum). Spin angular momentum can be compared to the Earth spinning on its axis while Orbital angular momentum can be compared to Earth’s orbit around the Sun.

USC’s Alan Willner, has been using OAM for a few years to twist a group of lasers together and created the fastest wireless networks ever with the only drawback of operability limited to a distance of 1 meter. At the moment Willner along with his friends have been able to repeat the same process with 28GHz radio waves. The USC researchers have been able to use OAM to clutch four 8Gbps radio links on the same frequency and get a total speed of 32Gbps; this has been achieved by using spiral phase plate mainly as a satellite dish with a slice taken out from it and slightly twisted.

Even though this might not be the fastest link speed but this USC’s method has more advantages being simple. In theory it might be possible for USC to keep adding more speed. At the moment the researchers are focusing on wireless backhaul. These high speed link as if now uses microwaves and are capable of a transmitting a few gigabits per second but if the spiral phase plate can be minimized we might be able to use the wireless links at home as well as in office.

We can easily say that wireless capacity will be booted by these Vortex radio waves. Apart from radio and television, wireless and cellular networks are becoming the most valued resources for a person.

Ten Things to Know About Windows 10

At last we have the official look of the new windows version from Microsoft. Many speculations and unofficial leaks have raised the curiosity among the people. The biggest surprise came in the form of the name as Windows 10. After drawing lots of criticism for their Windows 8 version. The company has gone back to provide some predictable features and some surprises. The new version is being considered to have the best combination of both strategy as well as redesign.

1. New version to be designed to be appealing to office workers: 

Microsoft has been dealing with many complaints about the Windows 8 version for being too complicated to be implemented in larger corporation as well as the retraining requirement for the users needing huge resources. Microsoft has now taken action to appeal to the office workers by using familiar features and removing the features which might not be required. The prime example of this is the Start Menu

2. Appealing to Corporate and IT managers: 

With the increasing security issues, Microsoft has promised an increased level of security, easy manageability and enhanced capabilities on the management side. Upgrade process also has been made easier with improvement in installing and dealing process. Customer app stores will enable the organizations to deal with software deployment as well as permissions.

3. The New version is expected to scale from small smartphones to huge data centers: 

The new version is expected to be available on the latest version of windows phone and tablets, desktop PCs, and even portable devices as well. The same is feature is expected in Xbox one too.

4. The new start menu will be combination of Windows 8's tiles with Windows 7's usability: 

While changes can be expected in the final version after release, but the current preview has indicated a 2 column start menu with old styled icon.

5. Modern apps will be running on desktop through windows: 

Desktop users will now be able to download modern apps and use it like any other apps from the windows store. These will be resizable and can be pinned to the taskbar.

6. Virtual desktops reaching the windows: 

A new task view will let the windows users to have an overview of all the running apps and the user will be able to arrange them between the desktops.

7. Snaps improved: 

This feature will be rejoicing for users with large monitors. They will be able to tile four apps just by dragging on the corner of the screen.

8. Search and power feature expected to be improved: 

The new feature is organized to combine the web and local results. The user can just start by typing in the start menu similar to that of Windows 8. Power users will be able to use Ctrl+V feature to copy-paste into the command prompt.

9. Charms bar to still exist: 

This feature will still be present and visible to users with touch-first devices. This feature is expected to be improved.

10. More expectation: 

With Microsoft indicating many reasons for completely skipping the Windows 9 version, users should be expecting many improvement and refinements in the concept as well as the features.