Editor's Reflection on Social Media and Self-Esteem

Photo (c) 2018, openpr

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/social-medias-impact-on-self-esteem_us_58ade038e4b0d818c4f0a4e4

Editor’s Reflection:
Sometimes we might perceive social media as a competition, so we fall prey to the slot machine effect. We see other people with more make-up, skinny bodies and perfect features get the likes and attention. So we try to emulate them while our self-esteem takes a hit for the worse. Famous shows such as Catfish are perfect examples of "vanity validation". Catfish shows how we can manipulate our identity and create a persona. We can blame the online world, but the one at fault is our discontentment with our reality and our true self. I believe that we must keep in conscience that content posted on social media most likely does not reflect the whole picture. We should consider failings, mistakes and “ugliness” as part of being human, and not abnormalities that should be avoided.

Report on News: Cable vs Wireless Broadband

Photo (c) 2018, openpr

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/shouldnt-replace-cable-internet-wireless-175246991.html
This Yahoo Finance article discusses how wireless broadband plans have not caught up to wired broadband. The article mentions how telecom lobbyists are advocating for the inclusion of wireless broadband in the nation’s broadband progress.


Limitations of wireless broadband
-Wireless plans sold as “unlimited” still cap how much bandwidth the user can share via a phone’s mobile-hotspot option.

-Making smartphones the main point for wireless connection can be detrimental to the phones’ batteries.

-Wireless plans have bandwidth budget


Limitations of wired broadband
-Connections based on DSL are usually too slow


The Effects of 5G
Wireless connection 5G promises to be more accessible and faster than current wireless internet.

App Commentary: The Controversial Adobe Voco

Photo (c) 2018, yourNEWS

What is it? 
The application developer Adobe is the creator of the audio editor Adobe Voco. Adobe Voco allows for the user to take an audio recording and alter it to include words and phrases not said by the original speaker. Through a complex algorithm, the software matches the new audio content with the pitch and characteristics of the voice of the original speaker.

How is it controversial?
The application controversy falls in its potential to fabricate and erase audio. People against it claim that the application can be used to create bogus arguments. A case scenario could be in the politician ad campaigns where politicians tend to defame their opponents.

Original article:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/adobe-voco-can-change-you_b_12925958

News Commentary: The $1000 Smart Glasses

Photo (c) 2018, CNBC

The news: 
A start-up called North is introducing a pair of smart glasses. These new glasses work with a projector that displays basic text and graphics information within an arms' length. The projector is able to display basic information such as the weather. The glasses offer Alexa integration. Each pair will cost $1000.

The pros: 
From a design standpoint, these glasses are very attractive. The projector beam is cleverly hidden within the frame. It is a design that is unintrusive.

The cons:
The main cons are the functionalities and price. It is an extension of what the smartphone is already capable of doing. It does not offer any outstanding or unique feature. At a price tag of 1000 dollars, it is a hard buy for a novelty. One of the reasons why Google Glass was unsuccessful was because of its high price tag. While price is not a definite indication of success, paying 1000 dollars for a smartphone extension is not plausible for the average consumer.

What is your opinion?
Will this product prove to be successful?
Can you identify any functionalities that make this product a must have?

Original article:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/23/norths-focals-smart-glasses-first-look.html

5G: The Future of Data

The potential of 5G wireless lies in its promised fast speeds and compatibility with all kinds of devices. Under perfect conditions, 5G home routers shown at technology conferences have achieved speeds of up to 4 gigabits per second. Compared to today’s internet speeds of 55 megabits, 5G is way faster at transferring data. Thanks to its properties of being wireless and speedy, 5G is expected to reach self-driving cars, home appliances, and virtual reality devices. Since its power is managed wirelessly, 5G won’t require of complicated infrastructure. The 5G technology will be more accessible than current cable internet solutions.

Earlier in January, AT&T announced that it would begin rolling out its mobile 5G network later this year. Verizon is another company committing the release of their own 5G network.

Author’s Note

Pushing forward data connectivity in a manner that is faster and more compatible than the previous alternative is always welcomed. Will 5G become cheaper than 4G LTE and home internet? Will “easiness of distribution” guarantee greater competition, therefore lower pricing for the consumer? 

Sources

http://www.businessinsider.com/5g-speed-network-lte-2018-1/#5g-will-face-fewer-obstacles-than-wired-internet-thus-making-it-easier-to-distribute-superfast-internet-5

https://www.usmobile.com/blog/5g-will-affect-consumer/

Are Always Connected PCs the Future?

We see progress in several tech areas, such as smartphones and cars.You might be asking, will the current laptop ever evolve?

On December 5th, at the Qualcomm Tech Summit, Microsoft partnered with Qualcomm to showcase “Always-Connected PCs”. The uniqueness of these laptops lies on the collaboration between ARM, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 processor, and Windows 10. The Snapdragon 835 is best known for being included in a wide variety of smartphones. The inclusion of the mobile chip into laptops carries many benefits such as up to 22 hours of battery and instant connectivity through the integrated LTE modem. These new mobile laptops are going to ship with Windows 10 S, which depends on the Microsoft Store for their applications. Windows 10 Pro will be offered as an upgrade and will enable the devices to run full desktop apps, such as Photoshop. The initial companies bringing the concept to life are Asus and HP. As of December 17, Samsung, Xiaomi, and Lenovo have announced their involvement for 2018.

The fact that the Always-Connected PCs are priced on a similar range as full Intel core computers is worrisome. Will the power and average consumer replace processing and graphics quality for longevity and connectivity? I am not totally convinced. The Snapdragon laptop offers significant benefits to consumers that are always on the move. Maybe it will be of utility for the business owner that travels on a daily basis. Is it a niche product? I think so. In a market full of Chromebooks and full-featured laptops of all price ranges, it won’t come as a surprise for Always-Connected PCs to struggle with the mainstream consumer. Even though I have placed the product in a bad light, I still think its a clear indicator of mobile computing moving forward.



Sources
https://www.windowscentral.com/hands-hp-envy-x2-always-connected-pc-video
https://www.pcworld.com/article/3240991/computers/the-always-connected-pc-is-coming-but-its-full-cost-remains-unknown.html
http://pocketnow.com/2017/12/05/qualcomm-and-microsoft-bring-on-always-connected-pcs-asus-novago
http://pocketnow.com/2017/12/17/samsung-and-xiaomi-reportedly-also-bringing-windows-10-always-connected-pcs

The Future of Batteries: Graphene

Since its commercial introduction in 1991, lithium-ion batteries have powered most of our mobile devices. Arguably, the advancement of technology is increasing demand for faster and denser batteries. Emerging features on smartphones, such as 4K displays, demand more battery power than ever before.

The Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT), has developed a 'graphene ball' battery material that allows for a 45% increase in power density and 5 times faster charges compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. This new material has the ability to maintain a stable 60 degree Celsius temperature while charging. How is would this new material be used? It is used for the anode protective layer and cathode materials while keeping lithium-ion components in current batteries.

As a comparison, an iPhone 8 with its original 12W charger and lithium-ion battery takes two hours to charge; the same phone with a graphene ball battery could be fully charged in as little as 24 minutes.

Editor’s Opinion

If implemented correctly, this material is a big step forward in battery technology. Graphene ball material means that existing battery technology can be modified easily and relatively cheaply.

Sources
https://www.forbes.com/sites/antonyleather/2017/11/30/samsung-battery-tech-breakthrough-could-revolutionize-smartphones-and-electric-vehicles