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Computer

Diversity coming to Unicode

technologyEdward Kiledjian

Tech companies are working with the Unicode Consortium to implement a new skin tone control for character emoji to allow users to more accurately express themselves (and their identity). 

We now learn how these companies propose Unicode implement this change using a skin tone modifier. The technique being proposed is simple enough to be implementable and usable on a phone. Additionally this technique is backward compatible with devices that don't yet support the skin tone modifier (i.e. the emoji would fall back to the original non skin tone adjusted version). 

The Unicode consortium hasn't accepted this new proposal just yet but it would be hard pressed to turn it down (considering most tech users today are members of a visible ethnic group).

I'm all for diversity and think this is a positive step. Hopefully this becomes a new standard soon.

You can read the proposal here (link).

Are you being used to attack sites online?

technologyEdward Kiledjian

We hear about online attacks almost on a daily basis and the targets are usually (in the media at least) large sites like CNN, Yahoo, Amazon, etc.

Did you know that your machine could be an attacker without you even knowing it? How could this happen? Because you most likely have lax security hygiene:

  • easy to guess passwords
  • visit on shady websites
  • load "weird" attachment 
  • or more

This means your home machine could already be part of a botnet used by bad actors to target companies or organizations with whose view they don't agree with. 

What can you do?

  1. If you even suspect your home PC may be infected, restore it to the original factory default and start from scratch
  2. All modern PCs come with a firewall built in and turned on by default but make sure it is turned on
  3. Install a "good enough" antivirus program (such as the free Microsoft Security Essentials or Avast). Then make sure it updates daily and scan's your PC completely weekly
  4. Once a month, use one of the free online antivirus scanners to perform a check with another software. Good free online options include;
    1. http://www.eset.com/us/online-scanner/
    2. http://www.f-secure.com/en/web/home_global/online-scanner
    3. http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-us/default.aspx
  5. Uninstall any app you don't use as these may have vulnerabilities that can be used to exploit your PC
  6. Only install software from trusted sources (file-sharing, grey sites or ad-ware supported sites are a bad idea)
  7. Don't open attachments from people you don't know. Don't click on links from emails.
  8. Buy a real router and don't rely on the one provided by your Internet Service Provider

Real world review of the Leap Motion Controller

technologyEdward Kiledjian
Leap_Motion_1.png

Leap Motion Controller Review

I love new tech and am an early adopter. I saw the Leap Motion Controller demo about a year ago and got swept up in Minority Report type computing dreams. Oh the things it would  be able to do. I could think of a dozen ways it would make my computing life so much better and I waiting anxiously for the product to hit the market.

The cool factor

There is no denying this is cool technology. Comparing it to a Kinect is like comparing a bicycle to a giant 4x4 truck.

The leap controller

The device is a little stick gum sized package that sits in front of you and hooks to a PC via USB 2 or USB 3.  the built in LED illuminators and sensors have a 150 degree field of view in 3D space and detect your 10 fingers in millimeter accuracy. there is a fraction of a second lag that is imperceptible.

Leap_Motion_2.png

The tech is amazing at any price but blows me away at its sub $100 price tag.

Installation

Installation on a Windows 8 computer was simple. I downloaded the installer, ran setup with the default settings, created my "Airspac" account and was presented with an awe inspiring interactive demo.

Their appstore

The best apps are those with specifically designed support and can be found on their Airpsace store. They have a surprisingly generous offering of free and paid apps (Apple and Windows).

As you download and use the apps, you appreciate how much practice it takes to really become good with the Leap Motion Controller. sure anyone can use it immediately but fine-tuned control will require practice.

As you use the device you realize that it is very cool but I can't see how this will make my everyday computing life better. This is where reality started to sink in. It is very cool but currently not useful. It won't make you more productive or efficient.

Its cool but

It is fantastic technology  but has limitations (when you move one hand in front of the other the one in back is no longer detected).

Years ago Steve Jobs said he didn't built a touch based iMac because people would quickly get tired. He was right. Using the leap motion will eventually lead to tired arms.

I tried using it in my standard operating system but it was clumsy, error prone and just not a positive experience.

Every once in a while you may be asked to recalibrate the Leap Motion Controller which involved pointing it to a reflective surface and "painting" dots on the screen.

Verdict

The Leap Motion Controller is definitely cool technology that demos well but isn't really practical in the real world today.

This is clearly a version 1.0 product and will require a couple of years to mature before it becomes truly useful.

Right now, I say don't buy it unless you have money burning a hole in your pocket.

https://www.leapmotion.com/

Google's self-driving cars see 750MB of data per second

technologyEdward Kiledjian
Google's self driving cars are an amazing achievement and likely will herald the future of personal transportation. We now learn that 750MB per second.

Bill Gross snapped (supposedly) the above image at an XPrize event. He says on his  blog :

"If it sees a cigarette butt, it knows a person might be creeping out from between cars. If it sees a rolling ball it knows a child might run out from a driveway. I am truly stunned by how impressive an achievement this is," 

The cars have logged over 300,000 miles and haven't had any accidents (while under computer control). 

 

Gunnar Optiks computer glasses Review

technologyEdward Kiledjian

Knowledge workers and serious gamers will tell you starring at a bright screen for hours at a time takes its toll (eye strain, headaches, etc.) If you work in an office environment will little natural light and lots of white artificial light then the situation becomes even worse.

About 2 months ago, I noticed that my eyes were dry, I was getting more frequent head aches and generally felt worse from wear after spending most of the day starring at a screen. I needed a solution and after a couple of days I stumbled on a company called Gunnar Optiks. Gunnar Optiks sells glasses specially designed to make using a screen gentler on the eyes.

They have a bunch of models depending on your needs but at the end of the day, they all share the same purpose in life. So I picked up a pair at my local Best Buy (GUNNAR Optiks MLG Legend Gaming Eyewear)  and have been using them for 2 months (5 days a week, 10 hours a day).

Do Gunnar Optiks glasses work?

Did they improve my overall computer use experience? Yes!

The build quality of the glasses are decent. It is solid enough to last a good while but nothing to write home about. The MLG Legend was very light so even though I didn’t normally wear glasses, it was easy to keep them on and not be bothered.  I find the designs modern and attractive which is important. You can wear these and not stick out.

The main attraction are the technologies the company claims make the lenses unique : amber iONik lens tints, fRACTYL lens geometry, diAMIX lens material, and i-Fi lens coatings. Each technology is supposed to make your experience more enjoyable by reducing harsh glare, improving the geometry when looking at a close screen, keeping eyes more humid, etc. As a consumer, you really can’t test any of these claims so I won’t spend too much time talking about them. The real question is does it help? Was it a good purchase (using my own money)? The answer is Yes and Yes.

The slightly yellowish tint improved contrast and reduced the harshness of computer screens and artificial office lights. Whether it’s the tint or the geometry, something in these glasses also seems to reduce glare.

Annoyances

As good as the glasses are, there are some shortcomings that I wanted to highlight.

The glasses attract and retain smudges, oil and dust. I really wish they had some kind of coating to repels these. The kit came with a microfiber carrying case that you can use to clean the lens but I found it ineffective. The only way to clean the lenses was with a lens liquid and a good lens cleaning cloth.

Although the glasses are of decent quality, I was expecting slightly better built frames for an $80 pair of glasses. Granted you are paying for all that lens technology but still….

Conclusion

Overall I enjoyed using the Gunnar Optiks glasses and found myself using them every day. This certainly isn’t a necessity; after all I have been using computers for many years without these just fine but it definitely improves your wellbeing.

The main question is “Are they worth $80?” and this is a difficult question to answer. If you have gotten to the point where you constantly have tired eyes, dry eyes or headaches after using a monitor for a couple of hours, then you should run out and buy a pair. If you aren’t afflicted with one of the above symptoms, my recommendation is more muted. As much as I liked them and found myself using them every day, I isn’t easy to justify spending $80 if you don’t have an immediate direct need.