Vista Lifts PC Sales
Allan D. Francisco
Banned mostly by critics and industry analysts, Vista proved its detractors wrong by driving sales of personal computers in the U.S. market. These people, some of whom equate being cool with being anti-Microsoft, had lots of humble pie coming their way. Sales of PCs for the week after Bill Gates introduced his company’s latest operating system to consumers in January (Corporate users could buy Vista-equipped computers since November last year.) grew 67 percent over figures posted in the same week the previous year.
Retailers could not be happier as their cash registers keep on ringing. People are upgrading to Vista, even if they have to buy new PCs padded with enough RAM and microprocessor capabilities. Although Gates and other Microsoft honchos said that older but reasonably capable PCs can handle Vista, computers older than two years are out of luck. And even the relatively newer ones might be missing out on some features of the operating system, which require a lot more processing power.
This drives consumers to buy new PCs, which is something certainly good for the IT industry. More computers sold equal more business for PC vendors, their contract manufacturers, and suppliers of components and parts.
So while my favourite environmentalist group Greenpeace might be correct in saying that Vista’s hunger for processing power might aggravate the consumer electronics sector’s polluting effects, the fact remains that the operating system is one positive development for the market. After a long series of nerve-wracking events buffeting our entire race, we sure can use one bit of good news.
But this does not mean that consumers can be blind to how the acts of some depraved sectors of the IT industry harm the environment. Irresponsible dumping of used computers and peripherals to Third-World countries, refusal to adopt lead-free manufacturing standards, and failure to develop low-power consuming gadgets and devices, these acts certainly bring about some serious and dire consequences for the environment, and ultimately, for us.
Hackers Attack Every 39 Second
Researchers at the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland have found out that hackers attack personal computers with Internet access every 39 seconds on average. This study confirms previous IT security experts’ assertion that surfing the Internet with PCs not toting firewalls and other anti-malware capabilities is like inviting disasters. Or like visiting a brothel without a pack of your favorite condom brand.
The study also revealed that some user names and passwords greatly increase the risk of hacking or virus infection. These user names include test, guest, adm and myqsl. Among the most guessed passwords, meanwhile, are 123, 123456, variations of the user name, and this one so stupidly funny, password.
Their findings prompted the researchers to recommend that computer users surfing the Web should use user names and passwords that...ah, require more brainpower to come up with.
Technology for Organizing Photos
I have always loved taking pictures, and the arrival of digital photography only worsened this semi-obsession of mine. Ever since I got hold of my first digital camera a couple of years ago, it has been point and shoot at the slightest excuse. Now, do not get me wrong. I do not hate this. In fact, I can see myself clicking away until Christ’s second coming.
What I do hate is how fast those gigabytes of previously shot photos grow and not only hog my hard disk, but present a truly serious problem as far as classifying photos and finding photos I want to see or print.
Now, scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology and the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications HHI might have come up with intelligent technologies designed to help clueless, trigger-happy amateurs like me organize their deluge of digital photographs.
The aceMedia includes features that enable users to organize photos when they are saved on the hard disk. A welcome development indeed for both amateurs and professionals alike.
Shoes Know Where You Are
Atlanta, Georgia-based engineer Isaac Daniel had to cut a business trip short and lost a possible sale when he got a call from his son’s school informing him that the boy was missing. The incident, which happily turned out to be a false alarm, prompted Daniel to develop something that could help him and other parents keep track of their children.
The result of this application of his engineering skills? The Quantum Satellite Technology line of sneakers designed to locate the wearer anywhere in the world. Made possible with Global Positioning System technology, the sneakers can help keep children away from sexual predators or other lowlifes preying on the innocents.
Hurrah for another application of GPS technology that does not kill or maim humans.
That’s all for the meantime, folks. Join me again next time as we keep on watching IT.
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