Tech Time: Mobile Productivity

Summertime is the time to get outdoors and move about. But there is no need to sacrifice productivity for mobility – netbooks, tablets and laptops keep up industrious while on the go. Picking the tool best for your needs is easy when you know the benefits and pitfalls of each.

Netbooks

“Internet notebook computers” or net books are the cheapest, most portable option for portable computing, but they are also the least powerful. The ultra compact devices are generally less powerful that their laptop counterparts limiting the scale and number for applications that can run simultaneously. On the plus side, many netbooks are 3G enabled and preconfigured for internet access over mobile networks. With subsidies and other incentives, a netbook may set you back about US$200.00.

Tablets

The introduction of the Apple iPad has shone a spotlight on tablet computing. Tablets are not new, but early tablet computers featured rotating screens to move the device from the traditional clam shell design to the flat tablet with a built intouch screen. Further, first generation tablet required a stylus to interact effectively with the screen, the iPad tosses the tablet for fingers, like the iPhone/iTouch predecessor.

Having now revolutionised the concept of tablet computing, iPad can expect a number of copycat devices. That said, tablets are compact, easy to use and VERY stylish. With up to 10 hours of battery life and both wifi and 3G internet accessibility, a fully kited iPad costs less than US$900.00

Laptops

Laptops are the most common mobile workhorses. With all the power to rival a desktop PC, the laptop keeps you working away from the office. With a 3 hour battery life on average, laptops are not long treaks in the field; and many can be downright delicate. But, as desktop replacements, they are indeed the most powerful.

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Tech Time: Mobile Printing

Technology is even better when it's portable or mobile. Though phones and computers have successfully made the transition from office to road, printers seem to practically anchor the workplace rather than sail with it. But, mobile printers are available, and more importantly, are practical.

When looking for a mobile printer, there are some features that are critically important.

Lightweight – if you have to be carrying this device around – in additional to all the other gadgets in your mobile arsenal – weight becomes a major issue. Sub 5 lbs is the goal.

Resolution – the printer may be small, but it must compete effectively with its desktop counterpart. Today’s mobile printers offer great photo quality colour printing with print specs of 9,600 x 2,400 dpi not unheard of.

Speed – well, here is an area where I must admit, I am always disappointed, for both traditional and mobile printers. Don’t expect printers to spit out full colour, letter size pages any faster than 14 ppm (pages per minute).

Portability – moving around is important, but working without being tethered by wires is just priceless. Look for battery and Bluethoot® and WiFi options for wireless power and communication to truly enhance the mobile experience.

Cost – though models are available for as little as US$150.00, US$300 is needed to get a printer with all the best features, add another $100.00 for even more bells and whistles.

Brand – HP and Epson are making a play to topple the dominance of Canon for this marketing, with impressive options

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Tech Time: Social Networking

Social Networking has been a hot topic for years. It has moved from an obscure concept to a revolution in Internet usage for both private individuals and major companies across the globe.

At it’s most basic, social networking is interacting with people over the Internet; but it’s more than use email. Social networking sites integrate the user experience with the lifestyle experience. Users share thoughts, images, video, games, contacts and much more. Hi5, Bebo, MySpace and Facebook started and/or sustained major social networking trends. Even dedicated image and video sharing sites have contributed to the social networking juggernaut, sites like Flickr, Photo Bucket, YouTube and Vimeo gave the world a window into our lives. Twitter, FourSquare, Ning and others have since emerged to push the social networking wave even further.

Through social networking, we have been able to connect with old friends and long lost relatives, find a job, build a business and if not used appropriately exposed our vulnerabilities to anyone who cares to see.

Fulfilling the maxim, too much of a good thing is bad, social networking is both good and bad. So let’s take a moment to look and the bad and protect ourselves.

Three simple words – private is public. By posting information to the Internet, we are in effect giving that information away. Various privacy and security protocols and controls simply limit the possibility of persons getting access. So, simple rule of thumb, do NOT post anything that you would not want to get into the wrong hands.

Hackers aside, there are other persons who could, intentionally or unintentionally, cause you harm. Even your “friends” may download, re-post or share images, video and information you intended just for them with third parties you wished never existed. There are very few controls in place that can prevent persons, to which you have given access, from doing you harm.

Then, there are the applications. Often we don’t think twice about allowing third party applications and other programmes to access our social networking accounts. If you wouldn’t just let anyone in your house, why would you let all sorts of apps access your account. Malicious third party applications can seize control of our contact list, send out spam messages, capture our private information and generally ruin our lives. OK, maybe that is a little over the top. But the message remains, be aware and take care as you build your social networks.

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Tech Time: Online Gaming

Whether you are a casual gamer stealing a few precious minutes at work, or a serious gamer locked to your computer for hours, the online gaming phenomenon has probably touched your life.

Online games, games played over a computer network usually associated with the Internet, are available in a number of formats and over a number of platforms.

Using nothing more than a Flash or JAVA enhanced browser and an Internet connection, players can access a wide variety of games including arcade, card, board, puzzle and word games. Gamers can play against the system or get interactive with other gamers across the room, the island or the world.

Taking it up a notch, sophisticated strategy and first person games are also widely available online, though many such games charge a fee for access. They may also require you to download software to truly access the game experience.

For many hard core gamers, taking their gaming console online enhances their game play experience. All the major consoles have built in Internet access, customised software and elaborate portals to complete the multi-player experience. At this level, game play is rarely free.

Ready to take the plunge? Start of simple, start local, with PlayJamaica.com. Dabble with online gaming by playing adapted versions of Pong, Tetris, Gem Swap, Solitaire and Space Invaders. Make your idle time more productive and profitable with tournament gaming for a chance to win cool prizes (or more credit to play more games).

Got a game console and ready to pit your skills against like-minded games half a world away? Power up and log on to Xbox Live, Playstation Network or Wii Online.

The Xbox Live experience will set you back a few bucks a month while its competitors PSN and Wii allow games to access the online enhancements for free.

Gaming has blossomed beyond being just a pastime for young boys into a world-wide phenomenon for all.

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Tech Time: Online Shopping

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Tech Time: Internet Banking

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Tech Time: VoIP Me

In this economy, everyone is looking for ways to save money.  One answer is VoIP technology.  Voice over Internet Protocol allows us to bypass the traditional PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) in favour of using the Internet for our voice calls.  In simple terms, VoIP converts our analogue voice signals into digital data, compresses it and reverses the process on the other end.


I know you have heard of Internet calling before.  You may have even tried it and been turned off by the ridiculously long delays and poor quality connections.  Discard that impression and welcome to yourself to 2010.  Blazing (every pun intended) fast Internet makes VoIP calling practical.  Depending on your service provider, today’s VoIP calls are clean and clear.


Living on an island with as many nationals off the rock as on it means that as a nation we make lots of international calls. For us, VoIP calling is especially practical.  In addition to the cost savings and clarity, VoIP calls can offer many of the customary phone features we have gotten used to – caller ID, call waiting, call transfer, repeat dialling and conference calling are all available on VoIP calls.  Your VoIP provider may even offer online access to voice mail messages and the ability to attach the voice mail messages as an audio file to your email messages.


We can dial in or log on to VoIP in three different ways.  We can hook up a hardwire-dedicated device to our Internet connection and plug our phone into that device which is called an ATA (Analogue Telephone Adapter).  This is reliable, but generally, it is fixed.  You will be locked into a provider and the account you established with them.


Alternately, you can purchase and install an IP phone.  This special phone plugs directly into the Internet and can be configured to make calls online.  You’ll have to have an internet connection everywhere you want a phone extension, as these phones generally won’t work on the PSTN lines.


Skip the specialised equipment by using a ‘soft phone’.  Using software installed on your PC/Mac, your can ‘convert’ your computer into a phone using the built-in sound card and modem and with a headset as the only peripheral.  


Now, here comes the really exciting part.  VoIP is now available on select mobile phones.  Imaging, using a cell phone to make calls on the Internet!  So far, VoIP is only available for select smart phones like iPhone and Blackberry.  And even then, only in some markets … and Jamaica is not one of them sadly.  When we get access to the service, callers with 3G, WiMax or Wifi access will be able to route their calls through either the mobile network or the internet for the clearest, cheapest calls imaginable.


Of course, nothing is perfect.  VoIP does require a high-speed connection and electricity to even be considered.  With our frequent power outages, you may be left without any calling capability if you rely solely on VoIP phones.  Faxing is possible, but not yet practical and calls are hackable.  Oh well.


Disadvantages aside, VoIP is an exciting and cost effective option to keep us talking.
  

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