The newest version of Ubuntu 14.04 has brought a number of new additions to the OS. Sure, there are some additions, which users wanted but haven't been made. But there are also others, which have been appreciated. There are also some features, which are lesser known.
Take a look at these.
1. You Can Disable Amazon Search Integration
Amazon search results have been integrated into the Ubuntu OS for several releases now. Every time you search for something on the dash, it gives you a variety of search results, including those from Amazon. If you click on a link from Amazon and purchase something, Canonical gets a cut.
You can disable this in two ways. The first way is to go to the System Settings menu and find the Security & Privacy option. From here, you can toggle the Online Search option on or off through the Search tab. This though will disable all online searches. There's another method to disable Amazon alone.
To disable Amazon alone, you will need to remove the unity-lens-shopping package. This can be done using the following command,
sudo apt-get remove unity-lens-shopping
2. You Can Easily Disable the Global Menu
In Ubuntu 14.04, you can toggle the global menu on or off. This would be done from the Appearance option in the System Settings. Here you will find the 'In the Window's title bar', which is under the Show the menus for a Window.
3. You’ll Need to Move On From Ubuntu One
For those who use cloud services for storage purposes, Ubuntu One is no longer an option. Canonical has announced that it is giving up on Ubuntu One, which means that things like Google Drive and Dropbox are your best friends now. You'll have to pay for them, but they work just as well. Google Drive though doesn't support Linux yet and neither does Microsoft's OneDrive (of course), so you're left with options like SpiderOak and others.
4. Web App Integration Isn’t Working As Well
The web app integration for Ubuntu is also different now. For example, an app for Gmail or something else will show up on the Ubuntu Mobile browser, even on the desktop. In theory, this means more closeness between the mobile and desktop versions, but practically it is very difficult to work with this browser. You would do better to install the Chrome Browser and create app shortcuts.
5. TRIM is Now Enabled By Default
The TRIM feature in Ubuntu ensures that it works well with solid state hard drives, or otherwise. The feature is now enabled in Ubuntu by default and allows you to get better performance from your disks.
Another year, another new iPhone. In fact this year, there are two new Apple flagships, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. That adds just another layer of confusion to the many configuration options you're going to have to parse. So which iPhone should you buy when pre-orders open at midnight tonight?
For most people...
Buy the 64GB 4.7-inch iPhone 6 on Verizon.
Why iPhone 6?
Unless you know for certain that you want a big, big phone, you're probably better off with the smaller version. For most people's sensibilities-and hands-4.7-inches of display real estate should be comfortable. While Plus has some clever software tricks worked in to make it more usable, it's still a little unwieldy.
Why 64GB?
The 16GB basic iPhone probably doesn't have enough storage space. As phones get faster and more powerful, we're carrying around more and more media and more resource-intensive apps than ever before. You'll bump up against 16GB faster than you think, at which point you're stuck, unless you get another phone.
To avoid frustrations like having to delete Infinity Blade III just so you can take a photo, get a higher capacity phone. Fortunately, Apple's new pricing scheme has made that a no-brainer. For just $100 more you get a 64GB model, whereas in previous years that kind of bump would cost twice as much.
Why Verizon?
If you don't have another contract you're married to for some reason, Verizon still offers the broadest LTE coverage across the country. It's not the cheapest contract you can buy, and speeds vary based on where you live, but for the most consistent coverage it's still your best bet.
There are exceptions...
Why an iPhone 6 Plus?
If you know you want a giant phone. Or you have giant hands and very baggy pants.
Why the cheaper 16GB model?
Only if you're really, really so broke that you're sure it's worth two years of inconvenience just to save $100.
Why T-Mobile?
If you're in an area where Verizon isn't great, or if you're inside T-Mobile's LTE coverage area and never leave (it's very fast, if you can get it). Or you're just cheap; whether you're a heavy data user or always stay under 2 GB, T-Mo is always going to be cheaper than AT&T and Verizon. And T-Mobile offers better incentives than the more affordable Sprint, like free international data, as well as being the first carrier to support Apple's new Wi-Fi Calling feature.
Why Sprint?
Sprint's coverage and speeds suffer compared to the competition, $60 unlimited talk, text, and data plan is a deal you can't beat.
If you're due for an upgrade, iPhone day is a lot of fun. Look at this shiny, new thing that can be mine for just a few bucks or even totally free! But if you're not eligible for an upgrade, it's a little more Look atthis thing I cannot afford! It doesn't have to be that way.
Most of the major wireless providers now offer creative upgrade programs, which may or may not make sense for you. But through a combination of selling your old device and reading the fine print of your wireless plan, you too can afford a new iPhone. Just follow these simple steps.
Step One: Check Your Options
The calculus of figuring out upgrade costs depending on carrier is wildly complex. Since your upgrade options are specific to the plan you signed up for, they're damn near impossible for us to predict. It doesn't help that major carriers are also moving away from traditional upgrades in favor of lease-like programs that aren't always a great deal-more on that in a second. So when you call a rep to check your eligibility, hang up the phone before you make a decision.
We can't cover every single contingency, but below you'll find a basic chart that lets you know whether it's even worth your time to call and hear a sales pitch. Below that, you'll find all the right links and phone numbers to check your upgrade eligibility as well as a few notes about how that carrier handles upgrades. Also, while there are still plenty of iPhone 6 units available, iPhone 6 Plus shipping has been pushed back a month or so.
AT&T (800.331.0500 or dial 611 from your phone)
AT&T, the original iPhone service provider, is phasing out upgrades in favor of the AT&T Next program, in which you pay for your phone in installments through the course of the contract. That means you're only eligible for an upgrade (for a fee) if you have an old AT&T plan, and your benefit will vary based on which plan you had. You can probably count on it being the advertised $200 price for the 16GB iPhone 6. You'll also have to shell out a $40 upgrade fee.
Your other option is AT&T Next, which lets you spread payments on a new phone out across 12- or 18-months before you're eligible for another upgrade. After 20- or 24-months your phone is paid in full, and you actually own it. It's best-and this pretty much goes with all the carriers-to call or check online for details about your specific situation.
Verizon (800.922.0204 or dial *611 from your phone)
Just as AT&T has Next, Verizon has Edge. Edge splits the cost of your device into 20 monthly payments. If you're on Edge currently, you have to pay off 60 percent of the total cost of your current device before you can upgrade.
People on traditional contracts have to wait for their two years to be up, at which point they acn sign up for a new two-year contract, and buy a new phone at the new contract price, plus a $30 fee. The new contract price for an iPhone 6 is $200, as advertised.
Sprint (866.866.7509 or dial *3 from your phone)
Sprint's being a little tricky around this year's iPhone launch. If you're at least six months into a two-year contract, you "are now eligible to upgrade if [you] purchase the new device through Sprint Easy Pay (installment billing)," a Sprint rep told me in an email. While that sort of sounds like a deal, it actually means that Sprint's giving you the privilege of purchasing the new iPhone after a down payment and 24 additional monthly payments. If you pay an extra $5 a month, you can upgrade the device after 12 months instead of 24, in which case you're basically paying for the privilege of paying Sprint more money.
If you're lucky enough to be upgrade eligible, you can get the iPhone 6 for-you guessed it-$200. Plus the $36 upgrade fee.
T-Mobile (800.866.2453 or dial 611 from your phone)
T-Mobile does not offer upgrades. Instead of a traditional contract (and on-contract pricing discounts), it invites customers to go to their stores at any time and pay full price for the phone. That's actually better than it sounds.
Enrolling in T-Mobile's "JUMP!" program enables you to get an upgrade after you've paid half the price of the device, but you'll have to pay $10 a month for that privilege. It's currently offering a payment plan starting at $27 a month for 24 months with zero downpayment for a 16GB iPhone 6. The 64GB, meanwhile, is $27 a month with a $100 downpayment, and the 128GB is $27 a month with a $200 downpayment. The downpayment structure is the same for the iPhone Plus, but the monthly payments are $31. Either way, you end up spending full price for the iPhone.
Step 2: Beware of Payment Plans
The latest craze among wireless carriers are these rent-to-own programs instead of traditional contracts. Be wary of them, though; they're often not as appealing as they sound.
The big perk of enrolling in one of these programs-AT&T Next, Verizon Edge, Sprint Easy Pay, and T-Mobile Simple Choice and JUMP!-is that you get to upgrade more often than the every two years we've been accustomed to. However, you don't always end up saving money; sometimes you end up spending more than you would have otherwise.
Most of the new upgrade programs out there are simply payment plans with some strings attached. After you've paid a certain proportion of the phone's total cost (usually half) through monthly installments, you can then trade it in for a new phone that will also require a monthly installments. It's monthly installments all the way down, unless you find a magical phone that you don't want to get rid of after it's paid off. And if you lose or break the phone, you may have to pay more because it's not really yours.
The one exception to the is T-Mobile's JUMP! program. While the T-Mobile Simple Choice plan is a payment plan like the rest, JUMP! charges an actual fee-as opposed to an installment-of $10 a month. Instead of just enabling you to upgrade your phone at any time, however, JUMP! also acts as an insurance policy so you don't have to worry about cracking your screen and owing the man. It's part of T-Mobile's mission to differentiate itself from other carriers, and the deal sounds more palatable than what AT&T and Verizon offer. Of course, you have to deal with T-Mobile's sometimes spotty service if you sign up for it.
This is all to say, these programs are just another way for carriers to lock you into contractual obligations. If you really need that new phone right now, agreeing to a monthly payment might be the quickest way to get it. But it'll cost you at least as much in the long run as waiting it out, and very possibly more.
Step 3: Sell Your Old Phone
Here's the part where you make money. You can get a new phone the fastest if you go for one of the carriers' trade-in programs, but you will probably get less for your phone than you could elsewhere
All of the carriers are running special deals for trade-ins. Sprint and T-Mobile are offering to meet or beat any competing trade-in values. If you find a better trade-in value elsewhere, again, T-Mobile will beat it and offer an extra $50. Meanwhile, Sprint told us in an email that it's offering at least $200 trade in credit "on any used iPhone." AT&T is offering at least $200 for the iPhone 4, 4S, 5, and 5C, and the company will pay at least $300 for an iPhone 5S. Verizon will reportedly give you up to a $200 gift credit for older models when you buy an iPhone 6, but the company's website appraises the trade-in value of an iPhone 4 at only $34.
Again, you will probably get more money for your phone if you sell it on the open market. Your best bet money-wise is to go for Craigslist or Ebay, or opt for a third-party trade-in option like Gazelle or Amazon if you're lazy. For the long and short of how to get the most money for your old iPhone, read this post.
Step 4: Buy a New Phone
Do not wait in line. Order the phone through your carrier and wait patiently in a comfortable setting. It will arrive in the mail just fine, and your friends won't make fun of you for standing in the rain for hours on end. Good luck! Hopefully, all the trouble will be worth it.
Worth what? Well to recap, let's look at how much each device is with the standard upgrade device costs versus the no-hold-barred, unlocked, contract-free device.
Two days ago, the Red Hat-sponsored project Fedora pushed out its latest release Fedora 19. We read a lot about how the latest version is offering impressive features, all with the new Federated VoIP, high-availability features, advanced firewall security and the latest PHP 5.5 stack. So we were wondering if the latest Fedora version is as good as the most popular Linux distro of 2013 i.e. Canonical's Ubuntu.
Though any newbie Linux user usually wants to try his hands on Ubuntu, but if in case you are willing to make a change and Fedora seems fascinating to you, here's is the difference between Fedora and Ubuntu.
Installation process:
One important and interesting feature for which the two distros are being praised is the installation process! Developers behind both the Linux distros have done a brilliant job by ensuring that installation of Ubuntu and Fedora is as easy as possible. Installation of both the distros are as easy as selecting the desired partitions and continuing with clicking next on next!
Plus both the distros offer spin which means you can install both Fedora with KDE or Ubuntu with KDE.
Who Wins: Tie!
Software Availability:
This is one round where Ubuntu will get an upper hand! The distro has ample of software available. A part of it is because of its popularity and that software creators support Debian packages. This can further be expanded via Ubuntu's Personal Package Archives (PPAs).
On the other hand, Fedora has missed out on working on this aspect unfortunately. Though it is not that difficult to locate its RPM packages through the RPM search engines, but majorly Fedora's package availability is not even close to Ubuntu.
Who Wins: Ubuntu.
Software Management
While Ubuntu uses Debian package management system, Fedora is backed by PackageKit. Ubuntu users have the Ubuntu Software center to install and remove the software and Fedora users use yum.
New Products that use Flex PCBs
Flexible printed circuit boards are at the forefront of the new wave of electronics found in healthcare, military, and consumer markets.Researchers are continuing to push the limits of possibilities for flexible PCBs, expecting the industry to grow five-fold in the next 10 years.
New materials, such as polyimide, allow a thinner, lighter product with the ability to move more freely.Conductive ink printing allows the elimination of connectors and cables, improving connectivity and assembly costs.The traditional process for manufacturing PCBs requires as many as 6 steps. New knowledge has shortened the process of manufacturing flexible PCBs to as little as 3 steps.
Smart Skin
The common doctor visit consists of signing in, waiting, visiting with a nurse and waiting some more before finallytalking with a doctor.Throughout each step data about the patient is gathered and processed. The process of finding pertinent data can be simplified by applying a new adhesive patch on to the surface of a patient's skin called “smart skin.”Through the “smart skin” patch, informationisrelayed through transmitters or antennas.Details such as heart rate, temperature, glucose levels, ECG, and EKG readouts
will be available.Cables, tape, leads, and bulky equipment are eliminated! The patch is thin and lightweight, making itnearly undetectable.It can be adhered using water, similar to temporary tattoos.The material is designed to be ultra-flexible and move with the person's skin.
Glucose Monitoring Contact Lens
The pains of monitoring a diabetic's glucose levels can be cumbersome.A needle prickon the fingertip allows a small amount of blood to be dispensed for testing.The blood needs to be placed ona test strip which enters a glucometer machine, with this routine needing to be repeated as often as eight times a day.Flexible PCBs are on the verge of helping to create a contact lens that monitors glucose levels, eliminating painful finger pricks, hazardous medical supplies (such as testing strips and needles) and manual result tracking.
The contact lens is equippedwith a glucose sensor.A flexible PCB is placed on the lens with components that allow wireless transmission.The informationwill be streamed or transmitted to an outside location for interpretation and tracking.The use of flexible PCBs allows a very small and thin circuit that is undetectable.Previous PCBs would be too thick, stiff, and bulky for anything even close to this seamless application.
This video by Microsoft explains the glucose monitoring contact lenses further.
Consumer Products
Wearable consumer devices like smartphones and data capturing bracelets are being released to the public at an increasing rate.Flexible PCBs will be utilized in Smart technology to allow a lightweight, thin option which can be wornas opposed to a bulky item that has to be carried. Some of the items are even powered using solar cells as opposed to battery power.
Consumers will not be the only ones to wear flexible PCB products.Actual materials will be wearing labels.The labels will benefit consumers using sensors and antennas.Radiation tags can be placed on products to monitor levels.Pharmacies can use labels to read and track temperatures on drugs that needtemperature control for stability.Foods can be fitted with labels that test for contaminates.
Power Sources
Power sources will need to adapt in order to keep flexible PCBs a viable option. The future holds the possibility of stretchable power sources.Most likely, new technology will apply carbon nanotube microfilm, polyurethane membranes and organic electrolytes.Another possibility is a bendable Li-ion battery.This would use cobalt oxide as cathode material and lithium for anode material.
The Future
Flexible PCBs are expanding the world of possibilities.Healthcare is considering Smart Surgical instruments.The possibility remains of a pacemaker that is more conducive to quality of life.Neural implants are being considered to control prosthetics.Biosensors, similar to the Smart Skin, will relay data to remote locations.Patients with neuromuscular disorders affecting their communication will be able to communicate and interface with a computer.Flexible PCBs will continue to improve access, delivery, comfort and convenience to health care patients.
About the Author
This article was written by Alex Danovich, President of San Francisco Circuits as a part of their PCB School program, educating engineers and customers on PCB fabrication and assembly. Visit their website for more circuit resources on ultrasonic cleaning, PCB equipment and more.
SFCircuits is a PCB manufacturingand assembly provider located in California, specializing in Flex PCBs and other high-tech circuits.
Social networking giant Facebook is indeed a giant of sorts in the recent times. With more and more people using the platform to connect with their near and dear ones, the chances of being hacked have also gone haywire. Hackers could make use of either of the following tricks to get through your account for their vested interests. Beware!
1.Phishing
Phishing is the attempt to sabotage sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by posing as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. These entities normally range from popular social web sites, auction sites, banks, online payment processors to IT administrators. Phishing is normally carried out by means of email spoofing/instant messaging (emails used in the process usually carry links to websites that have been infected with malware.). These spoofed emails/messages usually direct the users to a separate however extremely genuine looking website where they might be asked to re-enter their account information. These genuine-looking websites are in fact fake/scams in disguise and lure users into submitting their sensitive information. Once through, users' account gets hacked!
2.Keyloggers/RATs
Keyloggers are essentially a surveillance tool often used by employers to ensure employees use work computers for business purposes only. However, with time hackers have come to make good use of the tool for their own vested interests. The process of keylogging becomes particularly effective if the miscreant somehow gains physical access to the victim's computer. All that a hacker needs to do now is to install a keylogger into the victims's computer and direct the same to his/her destination. The keylogger will now record all the victim's keystrokes into a log file and send it to the destination chosen by the hacker. The hacker can then use these logs to acquire the victims's account information and hack into it.
3.Primary Email address
This is quite an obvious way for hackers to get through your Facebook accounts. If a hacker is able to somehow hack into your primary email address what you're also using to log into Facebook, well, it's a walk in the park for him/her after that. The hacker can easily use Facebook's 'Forgot password' trick to make the social networking site to send the victim's password to the designate primary email account, that unfortunately has already been compromised.
4.Social Engineering
Social Engineering is the psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. This will eventually depend upon the hacker's logical expertise. It could involve a probable guessing of the password based on the victim's Facebook and other social networking profiles.
There's been a lot of fuss going around the whole 'social networking giant Facebook Inc buying mobile messaging sensation WhatsApp', leaving fans and enthusiasts alike in a state of dizziness regarding the future of the app. Of course, WhatsApp on its part has made it clear that it would continue to remain an independent entity prior to the deal. But, honestly we know Facebook integration might eventually be pushed at some point of time. As of now, WhatsApp undoubtedly remains to be a compelling, dependable and practical messaging experience!
Here are 10 tips, tricks and apps to get more out of your Whatsapp:
1. Hide "Last Seen" Timestamp
-WhatsApp shows a "last seen" timestamp by default. However, you can disable this timestamp on both iOS and Android.
-For iOS users: all you need to do is go into Settings > Chat Settings > Advanced and set Last Seen Timestamp to Off.
-For Android users: third party apps such as Hide WhatsApp Status is there for help. It works by disabling your WiFi and data connection when you open WhatsApp.
2. Backup And Restore WhatsApp Chats
-WhatsApp allows automatic backups of your chats, however there is also a manual option to do it.
-For iOS users: Settings > Chat Settings > Chat Backup, then tap Back Up Now.
-For Android users: Settings > Chat settings and tap Backup conversations to create a backup. To backup media you will need to use a file manager to copy the media folders in /sdcard/WhatsApp/Media.
-However, if you want to restore a backup you will have to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp.
3. Lock Your WhatsApp
-For Android users: use WhatsApp Lock.
-For BlackBerry users: use Lock for WhatsApp.
-You can then protect WhatsApp by a PIN (WhatsLock) or a password (Lock for WhatsApp).
4. Create Shortcuts For Important Contacts
-For Android users: simply long press on the group or contact you want to create a shortcut for. Tap on Add conversation shortcut on the menu that pops up and you have shortcut right on your homescreen.
-For iOS users: third-party apps such as 1TapWA are there to help.
5. Stop WhatsApp Images from Appearing In Gallery Or Camera Roll
-For iOS users: go to Settings > Privacy > Photos and then turn the WhatsApp switch off.
-For Android users: create a .nomedia file in WhatsApp’s images or video directories by using a file explorer such as ES File Explorer (Navigate to the images or video folders, tap the 'New' button in the lower left, pick 'File' and create a file named .nomedia)
6. Change Your WhatsApp Phone Number
-You don’t need to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp everytime you change numbers on the same phone.
-Go to Settings > Account > Change number. Enter your old phone number in the top field and then your new phone number in the bottom field and press Done. Verify your new phone number, and you're good to go!
7. Install WhatsApp On An Android Tablet
-Get the latest version of the WhatsApp .apk. Then download SRT AppGuard. Install both.
-Run AppGuard first. Select WhatsApp from the Dashboard then press Monitor. At completion, scroll down and disable read phone status and identity under Phone calls. WhatsApp will now successfully run on your tablet.
8. WhatsApp Chat Heads On Android
-Using WhatsApp Chat Heads you can add chat heads for your conversations.
-The chat heads are also customisable, and come with specific LED colors, notification sounds and chat head colors for each of your contacts.
-Advisory: The app requires root access. Plus, it’s also still in beta.
9. Get Messaging Statistics On Android
-WhatStat provides information on your 'top' friends, most active times of the day when your friends and groups use WhatsApp as well as message distribution for both one-on-one and group chats.
10. Get WhatsApp notifications On Desktop
-You need to install Desktop Notifications on your Android phone. Install either the Chrome or Firefox extensions depending on your choice of browser. Link the extension to the app using the code provided and you’ll now get WhatsApp notifications on your desktop.
