5 Things That Will Disappear In 5 Years

Just five years ago the world was a very different place. In 2010, the iPad had just made its debut, Kickstarter was introducing a new form of venture capitalism that would change the face of fundraising and Square was letting vendors of any size accept payment with a swipe of a card on a mobile device. And we haven’t looked back. The next five years will no doubt unleash products and services that we have yet to imagine. But as we progress, what will we leave behind? Here are a handful of things we use today that likely will either be gone completely or on their last breath, disrupted by new innovations, technology and methods. Cash, checkbooks, credit cards and ATMs: What’s in your digital wallet? Today, Square lets any business accept debit or credit cards. Venmo lets you split your dinner bill with a friend through a money transfer via text message. Soon, you will have all your banking done through any mobile device — even your vehicle. Across the U.S., check use fell 57 percent from 2000 to 2012, according to the Federal Reserve. Ninety-four percent of consumers under 35-years-old bank online, and more than one-fifth of them have never written a physical check to pay a bill, according to First Data’s report, The Unbanked Generation. In Europe, if you try to write a check, they look at you as if you are crazy. Rent may be the last great bastion of using checks, but even that is well on the decline as property managers switch to electronic payments, and mobile payments become so easy. One more thing: In the more distant future, there will be no cash. No cash means no cash machines — bye, bye ATMs. USB sticks: How much longer for physical media? By 2020, 70 percent of the world will be using a smartphone, according to Ericsson’s mobility report. Mobile data networks will cover 90 percent of the population. With cloud services like Apple, Box, Dropbox, Google and Microsoft offering near-unlimited storage at near-free prices, there’ll be little need for storage devices taking up room in your pocket. Not to mention the increase in standard storage for mobile devices in the next five years. Event organizers around the world will need to come up with new swag to reward attendees at their conferences as USBs will be a token of the analog past. Easier, more secure access: Passwords, keys be gone This is a hard one because passwords are used so broadly today. The average person is said to have 19 passwords — and nearly half admit to using unsafe, weak passwords. But even if you’re adamant about using only strong passwords — guess what — those can be cracked too. Consider getting a head start on cleaning out the old-tech clutter you have in your life. Biometrics are already becoming mainstream, especially on mobile devices, which are now the main access point for many of our online activities. Fingerprints, voice and facial recognition will replace your first dog’s name and your wedding anniversary as the way you access your secure accounts. These will have their own security risks, but the character password will be no more. Similarly, soon you will not have physical keys to lose. Your key will be any of the smart devices you carry, which will be linked to you biometrically so that only you can operate them. No one will miss this: The remote control No more scrambling around your house tossing the cushions of your couch in the air looking for the elusive remote control (or 10 of them, depending on the complexity of your in-home audio and video setup). The research firm Strategy Analytics forecasts that emerging categories in the Internet of Things (IoT), smart home and wearables will connect an additional 17.6 billion devices by 2020. Even today, devices such as the Amazon Echo are taking voice search and commands to a new level. With so many new devices connected to the Internet by 2020, building separate hardware for a remote control will just no longer make any sense. Static documents and paper agreements Paper-based signatures and paper-based processing — physically needing to print, fax, scan or overnight documents for reviews, approvals, decisions and/or signatures to complete a transaction — are fast-becoming archaic in today’s digital world. In the future, we will rely on “cloud agreements” to actively manage any transaction. Cloud agreements will be: actively connected to the identities of the involved parties (forever), able to mete out payments as contract objectives are met and actively contact actors in the transaction when the time is right. Real estate, financial services, insurance, high-tech and healthcare companies — even budget-strapped governments — are adopting cloud-computing models to increase efficiency, reduce costs and drive a better end-user experience. Soon, contract management will never be the same. When you’re making a list of resolutions for the New Year, consider getting a head start on cleaning out the old-tech clutter you have in your life to make way for a digital New Year. Sure, you have some time. But with all of the exciting technology disruptions taking place right now, why wait?

Meet Glance, A Smart Wall Clock That Displays More Than The Time

Glance is a smart wall clock featured in our Hardware Battlefield competition at CES and launching soon. The device is not only a good looking wall clock, it is also a great way to get all the information you need in a visual way.
When you wake up, the clock will display how much you slept based on your activity tracking device. The clock, which is 12 inches in diameter and lasts 3-6 months on a battery, can also showcase emails and Uber arrival times.
The company’s founder and CEO Anton Zriashchev spoke to TechCrunch about additional use cases for his clock. “It shows your sleep hours right at the moment you wake up, the weather forecast at the moment you are going for a walk,” he says, and it can show your schedule from Google Calendar for the next day.
Ziraschev said he was inspired by a book from entrepreneur David Rose called “Enchanted Objects,” which spoke of a more organic way of interacting with digital data. And it’s true, Glance is a good looking yet useful object.

The Glance team is based in Singapore and is marketing the company as the first smart wall clock that displays data from wearables including Jawbone and Fitbit, smart home devices like SmartThings, Nest and more.
This is not the first rodeo for Ziraschev. “Last year I had a startup in the smart home area and it failed for some reason,” he said. But it’s all about timing after all, and Glance knows a few things about that.

Apple’s plan to turn iPhone into your personal doctor

Smartphones can already track and record details of a user's physical activities but if Apple goes ahead with its plans, the next iPhone may come with a new app called Healthbook, which will help people manage almost all aspects of their general health.

According to screenshots leaked by 9To5Mac, a website that reports on Apple products, Apple is aiming to significantly expand on how smartphones track and record data on a user's health and fitness with Healthbook.

Currently, phones like iPhone 5S, Galaxy S4 and Nexus 5 have dedicated hardware that allows physical activity apps like Move and Runtastic Pedometer to track the movements of a user and generate reports, showing the number of steps a user took or number of calories consumed every day. But if the supposed screenshots of Healthbook are real, then Apple's iPhone will do lot more.

According to information cards part of the Healthbook app, Apple is aiming to give iPhone users ability to track physical activity, nutrition, blood sugar, sleep pattern, respiratory rate, heart rate, hydration level, oxygen saturation, weight and blood pressure.



While tracking physical activity seems simple enough - an accelerometer in the phone can sense the body movement - it is not clear how Apple will measure blood sugar or oxygen saturation for a user. Currently, the best way to measure these vital signs is through specialised health tools.

The rumours suggest that Healthbook will likely work with iWatch, a wearable gadget that Apple will reportedly launch this year. The iWatch may give Apple ability to collect more precise and accurate health data about a user. To track data related to oxygen saturation or blood sugar that requires special devices, Apple may use third-party tools that communicate with iPhone wirelessly.

Apple is not alone in turning smartphones into health tracking gadgets. With apps like Runtastic and Calorie Counter downloaded by millions, Samsung realized the health and fitness tracking potential of smartphones early. In 2013, when the company launched Galaxy S4, one of the features it highlighted was S Health, an in-built app that used the special hardware in the phone to track the physical activity of a user.

A few months later when Apple announced iPhone 5S, the company said the device had a small processor called M7, which was dedicated to tasks related to tracking the physical activity of a user. Apps can use M7 to better track a user without affecting the battery life significantly. Google's Nexus 5 too has an additional processor similar to M7 for facilitating easy tracking of a user's physical activity.

With Galaxy S5, Samsung is expanding on the health-related features. The new Galaxy phone comes with a heart-rate sensor. It also works with Galaxy Fit, a physical activity tracker that doubles up as a smartwatch, to collect and store health-related data about a user. Galaxy Fit too has a heart-rate monitor.

So far Apple has not announced any device like Galaxy Fit or even an app like S Health but the leak of Healthbook shows that health and fitness tracking is likely to be an important area for the company.

In the last one year, Apple has hired a number of fitness experts, including Jay Blahnik, who was a consultant to Nike, Roy JEM Raymann, a sleep expert, and Dr Michael O'Reilly, a health expert. The company's executives also reportedly met officials of the US Food and Drug Administration in December 2013 to discuss health and fitness related apps or products the company might be building.

For smartphone companies, health and fitness tracking is a logical next big feature in their devices. Tracking and quantifying health or physical activity is not easy. But with the ubiquity of smartphones, which are full of different kinds of sensors and can talk to gadgets like a smartwatch or a fitness band through NFC or Bluetooth Low Energy, smartphone companies believe they have a chance to give users an easy way to track their health.

Google, the company that maintains Android, too is interested in creating solutions that help a user track his or her physical activity. Recently, when it announced Android Wear, a version of Android for wearable devices, the company said that with this version of Android, users will be able to track their physical activity in a better way.

"Hit your exercise goals with reminders and fitness summaries from Android Wear. Your favorite fitness apps can give you real-time speed, distance and time information on your wrist for your run, cycle or walk," Sundar Pichai, head of Android and Chrome divisions within Google, wrote on the official blog.

Images courtesy: 9To5Mac

Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 :Review

Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 tablet blurs the distinction between a laptop and a tablet computer. Its on-screen keyboard has capabilities that are more common with laptops, and its screen is larger than what many laptops have. People can run several apps side by side, and multiple users can share the device with separate profiles. Samsung also tries to make the Note Pro something professionals can use on the road, while leaving the laptop behind. It's packed with business tools such as a WebEx virtual conferencing app, a one-year subscription to Bloomberg Businessweek's digital magazine and one year of Wi-Fi access on airplanes through Gogo. It's an impressive lineup of features. Unfortunately, it also has a price tag that exceeds that of many laptops - $750 for the base model with 32GB of storage and $850 for 64GB. If your primary reason for owning a tablet is to consume content, such as video, music, books and magazines, Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 isn't for you. There are plenty of cheaper options out there. It is for those who want to mimic a laptop experience, yet don't want to purchase - or carry - a laptop. Its screen measures 12-2 inch, giving it about 50% more surface area than Apple's 9.7-inch iPad Air. The Note Pro is also larger than another tablet billed as a laptop replacement, Microsoft's 10.6-inch Surface Pro 2. It's also cheaper; the Surface Pro 2 costs $899. With the Note Pro's larger screen, television shows and other content come to life. Digital magazines are closer in size to printed editions - though one drawback is that some magazines haven't been designed to be that large, so text looks fuzzy blown up. The larger screen also means having an on-screen keyboard that comes closer to replicating a physical keyboard. Keys are spaced in a way that I can type with all 10 fingers, the way I learned in high school eons ago. On smaller tablets, I have to inefficiently peck with two fingers. The Note Pro's on-screen keyboard also has functions that aren't typically found on tablets. For instance, you can use the control key the way you can on laptops, such as Ctrl-C to copy text and Ctrl-V to paste. And instead of having to toggle between keyboards for letters and symbols, you can access commonly used symbols such as the dollar sign and the asterisk by pressing the corresponding letter key for about one second. Arrows on the lower right side of the keyboard let you move the cursor with more precision than tapping on the touch screen. That said, it's not the same as a physical keyboard. I still have to look at the keys when I type with 10 fingers, whereas with a regular keyboard, I can navigate by feel while keeping my eyes on the monitor. Samsung does sell a wireless keyboard for $60 and a mouse for $40. While I'm on prices, I'll add that Verizon has a cellular version of the 32GB Note Pro for $100 more, or $850. It's $750 with a two-year service contract. Samsung also sells a variety of cheaper, Wi-Fi-only versions. Unlike the Note Pro, these Tab Pro models don't come with a stylus for writing on the screen. A 12.2-inch version goes for $650, while $500 gets you 10.1-inch and $400 gets you 8.4-inch. The 8.4-inch model doesn't have the laptop-like keyboard I just described. To further confuse matters, Samsung also has the Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) tablet, though it came out in 2013. The $550 tablet does have the stylus, but lacks the new keyboard. When I wrote about the Note 10.1 in October, I marvelled at how tablets were getting some of the functionality typically associated with PCs. In particular, I liked the various multitasking features, though one called Multi-Window limited you to two apps side by side. The Note Pro lets you run up to four apps that way. That means having Gmail on the upper left portion of the screen, while YouTube video plays on the upper right, a web browser opens on the lower right and a chat app runs on the lower left. You can change how much space each app takes and save configurations so that you don't have to open the four apps individually each time. If you want to run more than four, you can activate Pen Window. Apps open in a window that floats over the main app on the screen. You can have several apps open at once, and you can temporarily set an app aside by minimizing it into a small dot. However, the multitasking capabilities work only with selected apps. That includes more than two dozen of the common ones, but not Netflix or Hulu. I wish I could have streaming video going while I do other stuff on the side. On Windows 8 tablets, you can run up to four apps side by side, depending on the size of the screen, and there are no restrictions on which ones. You also get access to a wider range of software designed for traditional computers, including Microsoft's Office. The Note Pro is fundamentally an Android tablet with some interface changes and apps to give it a laptop feel. What's nice about the Note Pro is its compatibility with Android phones and Google services. You'll have to weigh whether that's more important than running Windows software and whether all that is worth the $750 price. And keep in mind that compared with Apple's iOS system, Android still doesn't have as many apps specifically designed for the tablet's screen size. Many tablet apps are simply larger versions of phone apps. The iPad is also cheaper, starting at $499, though the base model comes with half the storage available in the Note Pro's $750 model. If you've settled on an Android tablet, the Note Pro is a decent device, albeit a pricey one. Although it isn't quite ready to replace your laptop, it gets you closer to that experience than any other Android tablet I've tried

10 YouTube Videos That Prove Science Is Magic

It's not magic, it's science! For the science-minded YouTube viewer, those boring old magic trick videos lack intellectual rigor.
Some magic tricks can be cheesy, and pulling rabbits out of a hat or shouting "Abracadabra!" is for little kids. Being the more mature, discerning adult that you are, you demand more from your party tricks. It turns out, the world of science can offer you hours of entertainment, as well as knowledge.

See also: 

Just because something can be explained by science doesn't take away from its sense of wonder. From optical illusions to physics tricks, there's actually a lot of magic in these YouTube videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM0oG2ozUYA&feature=player_embedded

Google smartwatch’s specifications leaked online

Google's rumoured smartwatch is back in news, with a Twitter user leaking its key specifications. According to a tweet by EVLeaks, which has an excellent track record in terms of gadget leaks, has said that the Google smartwatch will have a 1.65-inch IPS display with 280x280p resolution. The display size and resolution mean that the device will have pixel density of 240ppi. The tweet also says that Google's upcoming wearable computing device will have 512MB RAM and 4GB internal storage. Other key features, like processor and battery, remain unknown. EVLeaks has also said that Google has tapped LG to manufacture the smartwatch, in line with earlier rumours. This smartwatch is said to be based heavily on its virtual assistant Google Now, which can already take voice commands and look up data on the internet and the device. Under the aegis of Google, Motorola launched the Moto X smartphone, which has touchless control functionality, allowing users to give it commands without ever tapping on its touchscreen. The smartwatch will be the internet giant's second wearable gadget, after Google Glass. The latter is available only to a select group of volunteers, who are field-testing the device before its wider rollout. Samsung, the world's biggest smartphone maker, has already introduced three smartwatches in the market. Other major names in the smartwatch market are Sony, Pebble, Huawei and Qualcomm. Apart from Google, Apple is also expected to foray into the wearable computing segment this year with a smartwatch of its own. Motorola, which was recently sold by Google, has also announced that it will launch a smartwatch that will tackle "consumer issues like style and battery life."

Apple appeals against Samsung Electronics ruling

Tech giant Apple, battling Samsung Electronics over patents in several countries, argued on Thursday that a US appeals court should reconsider its decision to overturn a pre-trial sales ban on Samsung for infringement. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in October overturned a pretrial sales ban ordered by a lower court in California. The order was to stop sales of Samsung's Galaxy Nexus smartphone. Apple argued that this was inappropriate and asked for an "en banc review," which means that a larger panel of judges would reconsider the decision made by the three-judge panel in October. The fight is over a single patent - one that allows the smartphone to search multiple data storage locations at once. For example, the smartphone could search the device's memory as well as the internet with a single query. Apple argued that the sales ban should be reinstated because it uses the patent in question and competes with Samsung. The three-judge panel had said that consumers did not buy Samsung phones primarily because of the patent, and thus, a sales ban was inappropriate. It has become increasingly difficult for companies to win sales bans related to patent infringement in recent years. Such sales injunctions have been a key for companies trying to increase their leverage in courtroom patent fights. Apple, in a different patent lawsuit, scored a sweeping legal victory over Samsung in August when a US jury found Samsung had copied critical features of the hugely popular iPhone and iPad and awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages. The Nexus phone was not included in that trial, but is part of a tandem case Apple filed against Samsung earlier this year. The case in the Federal Circuit is Apple Inc vs Samsung Electronics Co Ltd et al, 12-1507. Earlier this week, US District Judge Lucy Koh rejected Apple's request for a permanent sales ban against 26 mostly older Samsung phones, though any injunction could potentially have been extended to Samsung's newer Galaxy products. Koh cited the Federal Circuit's Nexus ruling as binding legal precedent in her order. In a separate court filing on Thursday, Apple said it intended to appeal Koh's ruling

Top 10 Free Microsoft Programs of 2012

Microsoft makes a staggering array of fantastic, free software. We have our favourite downloads from the list. As 2012 comes to its end, many new and old software have changed the way we use to use our favorite programs. For many PC users some of these software will come handy as they will make your time save and give you the exact outcome you ever wanted with your software. These free microsoft software are not categorised, but we have made sure to make this list for every PC user. You will find photo techniques , video editing easier then before, also the templates and images from the resources of microsoft will come in handy for your day to day office needs. Let us know if you have any other software / program that we can add to this list, we will surely try them. 1. Instant Artist Paint.net was designed as a free alternative to the very basic art program Paint, which was appeared in nearly all versions of windows. Created by a Microsoft intern and sanctioned by Microsoft, Paint.net is not an official Microsoft program, but is still definitely part of its ecosystem, and looked to address its predecessor’s limitations and provide Windows with a much more powerful package. Head to www.getpaint.net, then follow the get it now options and when you’re installing it click ‘Quick Install’. To get yourself up and running use the program’s excellent help features which you’ll find at the right-hand side of the menu bar. 2. Amazing Panoramas Panoramic photographs are huge images made by joining together a patchwork of component images. Microsoft’s Image Composite Editer (ICE) makes creating dazzling panoramas an absolute doddle. All you need to do is capture your images – we stood on one spot and snapped away whilst turning through 360 degree. When you’re done, drag the images into ICE and the very smart software will do the rest. Due to the huge amount of maths needed to stitch your image together you may need to be patient. Download ICE 3. A Windows Makeover If your desktop is looking dull, don’t fret. Microsoft offers a huge selection of free themes or makeover packs to download. The process is easy and once installed the packs procide your desktop with new themes backdrops which , in most cases, will change automatically. Right-click on your desktop and select ‘Personalize’ Here you’ll see a basic selection of Aero themes. Click on ‘Get more themes online’ (top right). There you’ll find a huge library organised around subject area. When you see one you like click ‘Details’ for a close look and then ‘Download’ when you’re satisfied. 4. Be a Movie Director Thanks to smartphones that can captur video, we’re all shooting and showing off movies. To make the most of yours you’ll generally need to do a little editing. Download Windows live movie maker . When it’s working, just drag and drop your clips into the timeline and you’re done. The page also contains hints and tips to will help you get started. When you’ve finished your masterpiece, the app makes it easy to share your movies via facebook or simply save them out so you can email your project. 5. Cheating in the Office Microsoft’s office applications- word, excel and powerpoint – are essential in the modern workplace. If you want to impress your boss with your mastery of these programs, there’s a simple way to achieve legendary status: cheat . Microsoft offers a huge number of template documents you can download and either use as they are or adjust to suit your needs. Head off to microsoft templates. If you’re looking for a new job there’s massive number of CV templates waiting to be downloaded. There are also business forms, such as planners, time sheets and schedules, waiting for excel users. It’s not all work and o play though, as you can also download wedding invitations, planners and event tickets. 6. Supreme Stargazing If you’re fascinated by the night sky then you’ll love the WorldWide Telescope. It’s an amazing project from Microsoft Research that turns your PC into a planetarium. The program pulls in data from telescopes around the world and also ones in space such as hubble. To get starteed visit www.worldwidetelescope.com and click ‘Install Window Client’. When the program runs you’ll be presented with a list of essential keyboard controls. Make a not of those and you’re away! To begin your exploration, click on a collection from the top bar and prepare to be amazed. If you’re following the current Mars Curiosity Rover mission, be sure to check out the WorldWide Telescope’s Mars section. 7. Your Free Art Gallery Finding the right picture to accompany presentation, brochure or website can be difficult. It can also be costly as professional image libraries can charge a great deal of money. Don’t worry though. If you head to this link you’ll find a great collection of images and clip art just waiting to be used. The downloads are organised into categories such as animals, sports and nature. Scroll to the bottom of the page and look to the left for a full list. When you see something you like, click on it then copy and paste to insert the image into your work document. 8. Come back Clippy If you’re used to older versions of Word you might remember Clippy, a chummer paper clip who used to pop up and office adice. Clippy was pensioned off when Office 2007 appeared. Since then Microsoft has embraced the Ribbon, an interface that adapts by sensing what you’re truing to do. Though cleaver, the Ribbon isn’t popular with everybody. To help Ribbon refuseniks along Microsoft has brought Clippy back in training game Ribbon Hero 2. Donwload it from www.ribbonhero.com 9. A Video Says it All Explaining how to use a certain program’s feature can be a nightmare. No matter how clearly you understand how to achieve a given goal, communicating the necessary steps and clicks to get there can often be a frustrating process. If you often find yourself in this predicament then you need Screen recorder Download it from here and install it on your PC (it works with Windows XP onwards). When running, the handy program will make a video of the desktop, showing everything you do and click on, which you can then email to your confused friends and colleagues. The video files are small so you should’t have a problem emailing them. 10. Come fly with Me Microsoft Flight is a flight simulator game that puts you behind the controls of various aeroplanes and lets you experience a pilot’s life first hand. You can download the basic game for free – this provides a limited number of aeroplanes and places around which you can fly. That said, even in its most basic configuration the game looks utterly amazing and is brilliant absorbing. To get the best from it you will need a powerful computer and time to spend learning the necessary skills. Do beware that the game download, which is avialble from www.microsoft.com/games/flight , is a very big program, measuring over 1.7GB in total.

Online era dawns on state with ‘cyber’ varsity

The state is going to set up a unique hi-tech ‘cyber’ university that will offer a mix of online and classroom instruction.

State higher education minister CT Ravi confirmed this move and told DNA, “There is a proposal before the government to establish cyber university in the state. Though it is in a preliminary stage, we are very much interested to set it up soon.”

The minister said that it is a brainchild of Karnataka Knowledge commission (KKC). “There is a recommendation from KKC about cyber university and we are yet to discuss and design it,” he said.

However, the proposed university will completely be student centric and it will be setup using the advanced technology, “Our vision is to provide quality education using the best technologies across the world. Providing formal education is old concept and we need to be innovative and cyber university will be the best way to achieve that,” Ravi said.

The minister said the cyber university will cater all type of courses ranging from under graduate to research studies. The concept of courses will not be different, but the way of teaching students will be unique.

One such idea is to provide online and video classes. For example, experts from popular institutions such as IIM, IIT, NIT and from international universities can take classes for the students at cyber university.

Most courses will be offered online, but students need to be present at the class room and the authorities concerned , subject experts of the university will release the course contents as per the schedule.

Though it is online, students cannot access or download all the syllabus/contents at a time, instead that they need to be present in the classroom regularly and attendance is mandatory. Even the examination will be conducted online. The university will be totally paper less!