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Category: Cloud computing

  • A digital address for everything

    A digital address for everything

    The ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) as the name suggests is basically connecting as many devices online for them to communicate with each other.

    If you think that is a far-fetched concept it is nothing new. We have been using it since the advent of GSM, Infrared, GPS, GPRS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and other wireless connections.

    To put the concept into further context, your Smartphone/watch, Bluetooth headset, wireless printer, or smart fridge are all components of the ‘Internet of Things’. They all require a sensor or chip to connect or collaborate with each other.

    Origins

    The term was supposedly coined about a decade ago. This when a company executive discussed an idea which sounded bizarrely unnecessary and over-futuristic at the time.

    He advocated for the need for a chip for every electronic device. The initially requirement was for supply chain and automation in the retail industry.

    Fast forward to today, and this has indeed come to fruition. We now have smart cars, smart homes and even tracking chips inserted into pets!

    So, each component or part of the object is equipped with an individual chip (small processor) with a unique IP address.

    The very same IP address used to identify your home modem or Office server.

    IoT application

    Why would you want that you might ask? Wouldn’t it be useful for devices and machines to work things out by themselves – to solve complex problems before you even become aware of them?

    This is in fact how the devices communicate with the central server to relate pertinent information.  An example is the use of fuzzy logic: to regulate the temperature in the fridge (to avoid food getting moldy).

    It can be used, in addition, to check the amount of water used in a washing cycle in your washing machine. 

    Another practical use would be to check car tyres pressure and temperature (to avoid overheating and bursting).

    Can you then imagine the number of chips that are required for the typical household?  For the car, security alarm, fridge, microwave, tumble dryer, TVs, Radios, computers/tablets, lighting, and heating/cooling system? Each would require a unique IP address

    IP address shortage

    Talks about IoT highlighted the need for more IP addresses and a need to track or generate them. This as it is evident we are running out of ‘normal’ IP addresses known as IP4: 4 denotes the number of billion IP addresses available.

    At the birth of the Internet age in the 1980s, no one ever envisioned a time when the world would need more than four million IP addresses. But with the need as mentioned above for the internet of things – that has come to pass.

    Without getting too technical, the issue is being resolved with the development of a newer IP system known as the IP6.

    The main difference between the two but it is merely that one is on 32-bit system while the newer on 128-bit and that influences merely the length of the addresses.

    Again, the technicalities would only matter to the now growing IoT industry and would not affect us as individuals.

    Practical uses of IOT

    Large companies that need to manufacture a lot of parts for their devices would need to insert an IP address on each piece. From items as trivial as the car side-mirror; to more serious parts like the helmet of a sportsperson engaging in the heavy contact sport.

    From an education perspective, the IoT can make learning a lot more fun for kids and young adults. Toy-maker Sphero, for example, has been long making wireless operated toys like its SPRK+(pictured).

    The idea is to fuse physical (programmable) robotic toys with digital apps.

    This would simultaneously provide entertainment experiences while inspiring tomorrow’s leaders in maths, engineering, and science.

    There are discussions to extend this connectedness to human beings. Much like was prophesied in many sci-fi books and George Orwell’s 1984. If there was a ‘rise of the machines’, and Artificial Intelligence was to take over the control of all our devices, we would not stand a chance!

    There are also a few new decentralized systems that are even advocating for a fragmented Internet for that very reason (security and privacy). This would enable you to control your little space within the “interconnected” web.

    You can thus run a (private) local area network (LAN) within the Internet domain – if that makes any sense.

    Blockchain advocates and companies like IOTA and Chinese-based Crypto-firm Tron are pushing the IoT narrative hard. They also want the decentralization of the whole Internet.

    It is only a matter of time before this becomes the norm. Companies are now queuing to get the IP6s and have incorporated adding them to the manufacturing processes.

    Once the security and privacy issues have been adequately planned and implemented. The pros of the full adoption of IoT will outweigh the cons.

  • 3D Copy and Paste!

    3D Copy and Paste!

    The bizarre-sounding digital printing phenomena called 3D-Printing has been mulling around from the past.  Recently,  has been in the limelight; specifically in the press for the wrong reasons.

    Read about the new craze and get ideas for Xmas via 3D Copy and Paste!

  • 3D Copy and Paste!

    3D Copy and Paste!

    The bizarre-sounding digital printing phenomena called 3D-Printing has been mulling around from the past.  Recently,  has been in the limelight; specifically in the press for the wrong reasons. In 2013, a University of Texas law student, Cody Wilson created a blueprint for a single-shot 3D-printed handgun, named “The Liberator”.

    Of recent, guns have posed a serious threat to peaceful living when in the wrong hands. But what if anyone could hastily manufacture them unsupervised,  from the comfort of their homes?

    Defense Distributed, Wilson’s company had been distributing downloadable weapons plans for free. This would be great if it was planned for building something useful for engineering and something practical rather than destructive. Point is, with this new device, you can literally make a 3D copy of any imaginable object –  even food!

    3D printing builds parts (mostly out of plastic or other synthetics) based on the central concept: a digital model e.g. a CAD drawing (Computer Assisted Drawing) This is turned into a physical three-dimensional object by adding material a layer at a time. This is where the formal name for 3D printing, Additive Manufacturing comes from.  The actual printing device is no bigger than a normal Deskjet or heavy duty paper printer and is quite a marvel to watch in action.

    3D printing is a fundamentally different way of producing parts compared to traditional subtractive (CNC machining) or formative (Injection moulding) manufacturing technologies.

    Some of the top 3D printing brands include MakerBot, XYZprinting, Formlabs and LulzBot and are priced from as little as $200 to $4000 (for high-end small business-level) depending on the product size, material, complexity and level of detail required. The most expensive if you are into heavy-duty manufacturing would, therefore, set you back a cool $2,500,000  for the Imprimere’s Model 2156.

     

    N26_banner-320x50-ENSince its uptake in as far back as 2010, you will now discover that a lot of the products already in use are manufactured via 3D printing.  It is prevalent in the medical and dental industry and used for custom prosthetics, implants, and dental aids.

    They are also used in the manufacture of high-level sporting gear that can be tailored to fit athletes perfectly. There is then, of course, the ability to ‘print’ fashion accessories which generally, would be designed to fit your specific style, colour and fabric/material.

    Some of the advantages of using these machines include:

    • Speed: The ability to upload complex designs from a CAD model and print in a matter of hours.
    • It facilitates more design freedom; it also allows complete customization of designs.
    • It is more eco-friendly: Additive manufacturing methods use only the material needed to build a part. The raw materials that can be recycled and re-used.
    • Costs: compared to traditional manufacturing, where highly skilled machinists and operators are typically required, the labour costs for a 3D printer are almost zero

     

    visual§DPrinting
    Image source: 3DHubs

    For a more comprehensive comparison of 3DPrinters available depending on what you want to do with one (hopefully not to build weapons), look at the 3D Printing index on our resources page under technology.

    Here is a list of cool things to create with a 3D printer if you are looking for great ideas for Xmas or birthdays – this might just be it!

     

     

  • 3D Copy and Print

    3D Copy and Print

    The bizarre-sounding copying phenomena called 3D-printing have been mulling around from the past.  Recently, it has been in the limelight; specifically in the press for the wrong reasons.

    In 2013, a University of Texas law student, Cody Wilson created a blueprint for a single-shot 3D-printed handgun, named ‘The Liberator’.


    However, guns have posed a serious threat to peaceful living when in the wrong hands. But what if you could hastily manufacture them unsupervised,  from the comfort of your home?


    His company Defense Distributed, had been distributing downloadable weapons plans for free. This would be great if it was planned to enable you to build something more useful to society.


    The point is, with this new device, you can literally make a 3D copy of any imaginable object – even your food!


    3D printing builds parts (mostly out of plastic) based on the central concept: using a digital model like your CAD drawing (Computer Assisted Drawing).


    This is then turned into a physical three-dimensional object by adding material a layer at a time. This is where the formal name for 3D printing, Additive Manufacturing arises. They are no bigger than a normal Deskjet or heavy-duty paper printer and are quite a marvel to watch in action.

    3D printing is a fundamentally different way of producing parts compared to traditional subtractive (CNC machining) or formative manufacturing technologies.

    The brands

    Some top 3D printing brands include MakerBot, XYZprinting, Formlabs, and LulzBot. You can pick them up from as little as $200 to $4000.

    These prices naturally depend on your end product size, material, complexity, and level of detail you need.

    The most expensive one, if you are into heavy-duty manufacturing would set you back a cool $2,500,000. That is the price tag for Imprimere’s Model 2156.

    Some of the advantages of using 3D printers include:

    • Speed: You can upload complex designs from a CAD model and print in a matter of hours.
    • You have more design freedom. It gives you complete customization of designs.
    • It is more eco-friendly: Additive manufacturing methods use only the material you need to build a component. You can recycle and re-use the raw materials.
    • Costs: Compared to traditional manufacturing, the labour costs for a 3D printer are almost zero.
    visual§DPrinting
    Image source: 3DHubs

    Application in the world

    Since its uptake in as far back as 2010, a lot of the products we use are manufactured using 3D printing.  You will find its application mostly in the medical and dental industry and used for custom prosthetics, implants, and dental aids.


    They are used to manufacture high-level sporting gear that is tailored to fit you perfectly. Naturally, you can also ‘print’ your own customized fashion accessories. This would give you more flexibility when it comes to your specific style, colour, and material.

    For a more comprehensive comparison of 3D Printers available to you, look at the 3D Printing index on the resources page.

    Here is a list of cool things you can create with a 3D printer. If you are looking for great ideas for Xmas or birthdays – this might just be it!

  • Get more organised digitally!

    Get more organised digitally!

    One often hears the phrase “technology is your friend” To what extent the friendliness/support is, in being a most effective “companion” to assist you to cope with your daily activities or business plans depends on how you embrace it.

    Read more via Get more organised digitally!

  • Get more organised digitally!

    Get more organised digitally!

    We often hear the phrase “technology is your friend” To what extent this friendliness is, to help you to cope with your daily activities or business plans depends on how you embrace it.

    Life can be chaotic. Which so much to do it is easy to frequently miss important appointments. Delays often come from having to wait till you get to a PC to respond or not remembering contact details. The worst is having to ask someone repeatedly for their number or business cards.


    If you often experience that, you are getting it all wrong and definitely need this friend!

    The need for emails

    Emails are on a progressive, disruptive path to eliminate postal services. They even facilitate and encourage the acceptance of digitally signed documents.
    Most financial companies and legal institutions in many developed countries already accept digitally signed documents.

    Your digital signature confirms that the information originated from you and has not been altered through encryption. This makes it legally binding.

    Naturally, you need special software or Adobe Sign, to digitally sign and attach as a PDF to an email.

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    Thanks to emails, we can now also easily store and get in touch with our contacts. It could be in the office, lounging around a park, watching your children play; even onboard/at the underground train station.

    Additional email tools

    Calendar and contacts syncing is a simple tool which is not offered entirely by all domain host providers. It works wonders along with your calendar and scheduler.


    If you need a simple CRM tool to just help with email contacts and plug into an existing sales app, you can do so with a useful add-on like Outlook Customer Manager.


    There are certainly advantages of decluttering your emails. This helps to alleviate the frustration of unimportant mails getting in the way of the ones you need to access frequently. For that, there is a clutter service offered by Office 365.


    Additionally, to avoid retaining important attachments, and clogging up space on your mailbox, you can with a click, save large file attachments directly to your cloud storage.


    With all that relevance of emails, it is critical that you source the best one – even if it costs a bit more than the (free) webmail services provided by Outlook (Hotmail), Gmail and Yahoo.


    Naturally, with a paid service, you will almost be freed from the scourge of spam and malicious items embedded in documents. In some cases, they are screened even before landing in your mailbox.

    More advanced features


    Other perks like a ‘catch-all service’, data loss prevention, in place-hold (compliance features), and advanced threat protection. You can add them as essential services to give you an even more peaceful emailing experience.


    You can, for instance, use In-Place Hold (Litigation Hold) to place user mailboxes ‘on hold’ and preserve mailbox items permanently.

    This feature is especially crucial for those in the financial and legal sectors – requiring emails and its contents to be preserved for a minimum of seven years typically. Security is the central factor that has kept the postal service in business – well at least for now.

    Your checklist when shopping for a good email solution:

    • A decent-sized mailbox – with archiving ability – 50GB is the new standard size (don’t get short-changed!).


    • Should allow you to sync emails, calendars, and contacts onto multiple devices – and it must always work!


    • SMTP is now the standard and preferred Email protocol. If you are still on POP3 or even IMAP – run away!


    • Customizable domain (a .com or .net or any other you have bought), with the option to add more domains and email aliases. (info@ …sales@ etc).


    • Sync to an active directory – to keep your user-profile and allow for ease of single sign-on or extra security features like two-factor authentication. (Prevents unauthorized people from accessing your emails by pairing to your phone via an SMS code).


    • Your mailbox (since you are storing contact details or using it along with a CRM or ERP solution) must be GDPR-compatible.

    Final thoughts

    Finally, a good email hosting service should provide the ability to add innovative features in the future. These include extra archiving space, advanced threat protection, and enterprise voicemail. These are characteristics of a good email solution.

    Preparing to use an email solution can be effortless if you have the time. Most software suppliers like Microsoft (Office 365), have support sites with primary training material and “how-tos”.

    Check out Microsoft’s Support page to upskill your Office, email, and overall cloud-software aptitude.

  • Vocations of the Future

    Vocations of the Future

    There is a lot of banter, which is backed up by well-research papers on how Automation and Robotics (powered by AI) will replace manufacturing jobs.

    Blue-collar jobs are not the only ones however, that face imminent and progressive extinction.

    A recent survey report conducted by the World Economic Forum predicts futuristic trends affecting certain jobs in the modern workplace.

    Robert Solow predicted decades ago, in his Solow-Swan model, a massive driving force of global growth: technology.

    And the evidence is prevalent with the likes of Apple, Google, and Amazon championing stock markets with Billion-dollar market capitalizations. They also create an abundance of jobs globally.

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    Disruptive technological advances such as AI (Artificial Intelligence); the ubiquitous high-speed mobile Internet (5G); widespread adoption of big data analytics; cloud technology; and the recent Blockchain technology will be the drivers of this job evolution.

    Based on the report, by 2022, this job evolution will be firmly in place as it has already.

    In a matter of just 4 years, we could have a situation where jobs such as postal service clerks, data entry clerks, and bean-counters (accountants and auditors) would be made redundant.

    Impact on services

    Software like Microsoft’s Dynamics 365, aims to remove ‘silos’ within customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) processes.

    The latter takes over (fully automates) back-office operations such as stock-taking and supply chain management.

    Such tasks will be performed via software, reducing the need for more human supervision. Consequently, the focus would be more on managerial roles.

    In the sales and customer service realm, technologies like Microsoft’s AI will provide automated insights to guide employees on improving customer experiences.

    Furthermore, it may lower support costs by using virtual agents or Chatbots to eliminate in-house AI experts and those writing code. This will  result in more redundancies!

    World's jobs

    On a positive note, newer and more exciting jobs such as data analysts, machine learning and AI specialists, digital transformation experts and in general information system services will be on the rise – up to 135 million globally, according to the Report.

    The fields to benefit directly from new technologies would be information technology; information security; innovation; customer services and risk management (financial services).

    Impact on finance

    Another group of professionals whose nature of work will be affected due to the advent of ‘disruptive technology‘ is financial middlemen. Likewise, smaller banks and money transfer institutions.

    Decentralized systems were primarily put in place to eradicate exorbitant fees associated with transferring money across borders.

    Cutting them out completely undoubtedly renders them redundant. It is therefore pertinent for them to innovate their products in order to open up sufficient job position.

    Read more about the effect of Cryptocurrencies on the banking sector here

    Recently, Malta’s finance minister whilst in a private interview during a Blockchain Conference, echoed this. He said that the advent of cryptocurrency has changed financial middlemen into traditional “photo developers”.

    “I can see this, just like in photography when you could tell that […] those who process the photos will lose their jobs; a lot of financial intermediaries will be facing the chop in the not too distant future,” says Edward Scicluna.

    The good news for governments will be that the trend shows that the jobs created will surpass those lost.

    Be proactive and skill yourself accordingly or get the right personnel who can quickly adopt some of the mentioned skills so that you do not fall behind!

  • Anonymous Surfing

    Anonymous Surfing

    You don’t have to be an online arsonist, hacker, or international cyber-terrorist to hide your online identity. Likewise, concealing your PC’s web address or your Internet Protocol address (IP address), making it unknown to the public, does not necessarily mean you are up to no good online.


    We will, therefore,  build a case for why it is important at times to conceal your private online location using VPNs (Virtual Private Networks).


    A VPN is a connection method used to add security and privacy to your private and public networks. This includes your Wi-fi Hotspots and access to the Internet. They are most often used by corporations to protect sensitive data but now also by people like yourselves for the same purpose.

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    Click on the image to view a quick video


    Let’s get back to the importance of your IP address. It is probably something you rarely think about but is crucial to your online lifestyle even as an individual. How so? You might still ask.


    Well, without an IP address, you wouldn’t be able to get the current weather, check the latest news, or view videos (streaming) online for instance.

    The uses of VPNs

    Your IP is also used to access every online service you partake in including very private things like your internet/mobile banking or online trading activity.  Think of it as your physical address and how important it is when getting things delivered by post or using it when you need to make applications for loans, jobs, etc.

    “Without a public IP address, online service providers like Netflix, BBC, or Amazon wouldn’t know where to send the information you asked for. They wouldn’t be able to get it to your computer.”


    Imagine how naked you must feel if you have nothing to protect this address from the advent of a hack without adequate data encryption.  Also the just the haggling by overzealous online marketers, spam, malware, and even ‘419 scammers’!


    Now the argument for whether using VPNs is illegal is highly debatable for some of the valid reasons highlighted above. It should, however, be a given right to be able to use it. And even though it is commonly used by cyber-thugs to mask their clandestine and often dark activities, it should not be outlawed altogether.

    The case for VPN

    The legitimacy of VPNs debate, therefore, carries on into a grey area.
    We will, however, investigate a few VPN providers that are ‘paid for services’ and even offered by established companies such as AVG (which primarily offers Antivirus protection).


    The directive is to help the everyday consumer surf the web without ‘virtual’ salespeople bombarding them with offers based on personal information gathered in an ‘unsolicited’ manner.


    Policies like the European-based GDPR law were put in place to protect consumers from the non-consensus use of their data. Even your Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can track your online activities via your IP and sell your browsing habits.


    Some forward-thinking people and companies, however, have long been shielding themselves manually using VPNs.


    One direct benefit for you as a consumer is the ability to access content (information, products, and services) from different servers. A good VPN service can enable you to obtain access to other geo-locational content despite being on a different continent.

    It is perfectly legal provided you are paying for the service. The burden falls on the provider of the service and not you if it came down to a legal “scrap”.

    Rationale for using them

    If you perform these tasks frequently, you need a VPN:

    • Hide your IP address (to enable anonymity from marketers and hackers)
    • Change your IP address (to avoid identity theft)
    • Encrypt data transfers (private and financial data)
    • Mask your location (to access other services)
    • Access blocked websites
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    A word of caution when navigating websites blocked by governments with a VPN. Unless you are a high-profile journalist working on a case and backed by good legal aid – it’s not a wise thing to do.
    Do some research if you are not sure because accessing such sites could land you in some hot water. Rather use a known privacy service like Tor to ensure full anonymity to gain access to restricted sites if you really must.

    Top Virtual Private Network Protocols

    VPN protocols and available security features are numerous. The most common (best) protocols are:
    ExpressVPN – the acclaimed best offshore VPN for privacy and unblocking.
    IPVanish – great for P2P and Torrenting.
    VyprVPN – the best choice for those looking for security.
    NordVPN – security is its middle name.
    TunnelBear – dubbed the easiest VPN to use.
    Windscribe – a VPN which gives you unlimited connections.
    Hotspot Shield – an awesome solution for online browsing.
    KeepSolid VPN Unlimited – the jack of all trades of VPNs.
    CyberGhost – rich clients and ease of reconfiguring.
    ZenMate – user-friendly VPN that caters to the newbies to VPN.
    PureVPN – take advantage of easy to use apps and access to many servers.

    Source: www.itproportal.com, PureVpn

    Making the choice

    Picking a VPN service can be a daunting task as there are now literally hundreds of them to choose from. Landing the right one means striking the right balance between what you are offered, the ease of use, and naturally, the price.

    Some providers offer free you VPN services while some like AVG charges for their VPN service. Paid VPN providers, however, are preferred to the free service providers as they offer robust gateways, proven security, additional free software, and unmatched speed.

    The key is to find the best VPN that meets your immediate needs while matching your budget.

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