Shape Shifting Devices - Morphees

Shape on Demand, Shape-shifting and Shape-resolution are the terms introduced in the research paper presented by the researchers led by Dr. Anne Roudaut and Professor Sriram Subramanian.

These researchers from the Department of Computer Science at University of Bristol will be unveiling the prototype mobile device - Morphee - that can change shape on demand. The team has built six prototypes using the latest technologies in shape changing material such as shape memory alloy and electro active polymer.

A video of Morphees

Dr Anne Roudaut said: “The interesting thing about our work is that we are a step towards enabling our mobile devices to change shape on-demand. Imagine downloading a game application on the app-store and that the mobile phone would shape-shift into a console-like shape in order to help the device to be grasped properly. The device could also transform into a sphere to serve as a stress ball, or bend itself to hide the screen when a password is being typed so passers-by can’t see private information.”

Samsung Launched its Galaxy S4 yesterday.

Even as I am trying to take stock of the tech-gadgets I have come across and used, Samsung has launched its latest smartphone - the Galaxy S4. While the company is touting this as the best and fastest android phone available, I look forward to some good user reviews of the product.

A fast process and a hi-res 5" screen could really spice up the smartphone experience.

• Full HD Super AMOLED 5-inch screen; 
• 1.9GHz Quad-core Qualcomm Processor; 
• 2GB RAM; 
• Air View and Gesture; 
• Smart Pause and Scroll; 
• Infra Red remote; 
• Temperature and humidity sensors; 
• 13 megapixel camera

Lets wait for the reviews to come in.

Windows8 - My Opinion

I would like to present my opinion about Windows into two parts...

• The back-end - Very Good
• The front-end - Bad

The Back-End

I feel that in Windows 8, Microsoft has tremendously improved its back-end. I have been very impressed by the improvement in the Reliability, Multi-Tasking and Security.

These departments were traditionally been the weakness of earlier Windows versions. It is not surprising, because earlier Microsoft had not really given much credit to the Internet. It had not expected internet to become so popular.

I think Microsoft is fast covering lost ground in its back-end.

• I like the way Windows now offers user-level security features, these where there in Windows XP but are much better now. 
• I like the way it allows me to segregate Home, Office and Public networks.
• I like the way it did not crash even once, even when some of my under-development applications really goofed up during testing.

But, the front-end is an entirely different story.

The Front-End

This section of Windows has disappointed me. In fact even though Windows presents itself as a GUI based operating system, it has seriously failed to keep up with the user expectations. I strongly feel that there is something not right with the its interface designers and planners. I think they forgot that Windows is an Operating System and not an application that users use to get their work done.

First they came up with some goofed up idea about some "jazzy" graphics with starting with its Windows Vista. Then they went overboard with its transparency based interface in Windows 7.
In Windows 8 they managed to tone overcome these mistakes, but then they end up blundering with some new Metro style start screen. It does not even let me easily layout my favorite app-icons and move them around.

This may have worked on small hand-held touch screen, but imagine how a user must feel when he/she is stuck with a single application on his 22inch or 30inch screen. I got a large screen so that I could open multiple applications and spread the relevant views across the screen so that I am able to enjoy the best of all together.

I have noted that while working, my development environment ie the VS-IDE occupies about 60-70% of my screen space. A small portion shows the latest stock market with rate tickers for the stocks in my portfolio, then there is a news-ticker, a weather app, some puzzle - a crossword or a sudoku.

I mean it is just not comprehensible why Microsoft felt that its users would be happy to run a single applications on the entire screen. Well... there are scenarios when I like the full screen approach, specially when I am watching a movie or playing some action game, but then these occasions are rare.

Frankly speaking, I mean if people can conceive and produce interfaces like Apple's Mac OS, IPhone's OS and Google's Android OS, why can't Microsoft build a better more customizable interface. I am sure the think-tanks at Microsoft will find a solution to overcome this.

What I use?

I am a solutions developer and my development work evolves around the following systems...

Operating System: Windows 7 and Windows 8
Server OS: Windows 2008 R2
Data Back-end: Sql Server 2008 R2 and Sql Server 2012
Windows Forms Front-end: Visual Studio 2010 and Visual Studio 2012
Web Based Front-end: Asp.Net 4.0
Smart Mobile Front-end: Android Apps

Over the last 20 odd years that I have been working as a freelancer, it has been my never-ending endeavor to keep up with the latest development versions of the platforms. For me the most important criteria in selecting a technology has been easy availability, wide-spread user-base.

Upgrading - the Challenge of Changing Technology

You know what the biggest pain about technology is... Upgrading.

The technology scene is evolving so fast and new features, devices and facilities being launched in a continuous stream. Each bit of the new developments has something new to offer to its consumers.So, naturally, the consumers also have to keep upgrading - and...

Amongst all this - we the developers who write applications to harness the new developments must also keep learning and upgrading. Adapting for new technology involves both cost and time.

The toughest part while working with new technology is deciding...

• Which new development will be successful?
• What will be acceptable?
• What new technology we should go adopt?
• What will be useful for my clients?

A lot of new technology is coming in everyday but not every new development succeeds. History has several precedents to prove that it is not necessary that only the best technology will succeed.

I too have faced these issues. Some of my guesses about technology have been right and some wrong.
 
I have started writing this blog so that I may share my experiences with you and if the readers are willing we will be able to help each other in the decision making process.

Hi I am back with my stories

I am back with my stories about my experiences with the fast changing technology scene.It took me 3 years to get back to writing on this blog, and I hope to contribute significantly  here onwards.

Even with my professional experience with the technological I find it tough to keep up with the fast changing scenario. I can imagine how it must be for an average user who does not want any to do with how and why it works or breaks. He just wants to use it to his advantage.

As I add my experiences, I shall also try to help all my friends keep up with the latest.