Android’s Ice Cream Sandwich

8 Replies Christopher Roberts

Google has revealed a fair amount about the new version of Android, known as Ice Cream Sandwich. The Sandwich moniker is used since Google see the new OS as “one OS everywhere”, or a single version of Android running across all their phones and tablets. Will this unifying system be as tasty as it sounds?

In terms of release date, it looks as though some Android devices shipped before Christmas will run this OS, with some sources suggesting it could arrive as early as October. The new version is rumoured to be known as Android 2.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, which is a little mystifying since it brings together Android 2.3 and Android 3.0 Honeycomb. Wouldn’t Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich make more logical sense?


Google Android's LogoThe Ice Cream interface will bring together all the fancy features from 3.0 Honeycomb, which was designed purely for tablets and larger screen devices. This includes an updated app launcher, holographic user interface, interactive new home-screen widgets and a multi-tasking panel. Leaked shots give a positive impression of the homepage look and feel, which has a great feeling of depth and Minority Report-style futurism. This ties in with Google’s statement that the new OS is their “most ambitious release to date”.

But the Ice Cream Sandwich is about more than the UI, and will bring all the previously tablet-only Android 3.1 features to mobile phones. In real terms, this suggests compatible Android tablets and smart phones will be able to act as hubs and inputs for connecting mice, keyboards and game controllers.

There is also a 3D “headtracking” feature utilising the front-mounted camera. This determines who is speaking and focuses on them during a video call. This detection technology is apparently a key feature in the OS, and it will be interesting to see how developers can further enhance this novelty.

Google intends to make the Ice Cream OS fully open source in an attempt to make things more consistent between devices. When it becomes fully established it will doubtless prove an exciting time for Android affiliates and early adopters. In terms of reputation, Android provides the leading mobile phones; find out more on these models on the Phones4U website.

Are We Reaching Satellite Saturation Point?

19 Replies Jonny Hankins

Satellites surrounding the earthWe all like our satellite navigation systems and mobile phones, Google maps and BBC World when we find ourselves in hotel rooms, but a report just published by the US National Research Council claims that we are on the brink of clogging up space to the point of no return.

A couple of years ago 2 satellites collided destroying both of them, one had already been decommissioned but the other was a communication carrier that was still in use. Also recently, astronauts had to get in to the emergency escape capsule on the International Space Station as debris passed close by.

There are about 22000 big pieces of debris floating round the Earth and many more smaller but potentially equally damaging pieces, and the problem is the lack of international agreement upon the use of near space. Almost everything from Sputnik onward is still floating about up there. The Chinese military destroyed one of their disused military satellites in an experiment in 2007 but that just created thousands more potentially dangerous pieces. More of a political action than a potential solution.

Now maybe we can live with the odd collision now and again, but a related and really serious problem and the underlying cause, is our reliance on this technology. Scientists talk about potential damage from solar flares and the likes, that might even knock the entire system out for an undefined period of time. This would have catastrophic effects on the world, no Satellite navigation means no aeroplanes, ships navigating by the stars, emergency services having to rush out and buy maps of the city, UPS and their competitors losing their way, and even worse than all this Sainsbury’s not being able to deliver Mrs French’s vegetables on time.

Easy to take lightly but really quite a serious problem.

Dependence is a difficult thing to overcome, but scientists are experimenting with bringing old satellites back to Earth. A sort of Kite is being trialled that once attached to its objective slows it down so that it enters the atmosphere and burns up, but this must be seen against a backdrop of more satellites being launched every month. They are both commercially and militarily extremely important.

Who has the right to govern space though? Competition rules and it is big business.

For a more detailed incite have a look at these postings on the Bassetti Foundation website.

Is your computer damaging your eyes?

42 Replies Christopher Roberts

Do computer screens do any real and lasting damanage to our eyes? There is a lot of debate on this issue, which I am going to explore in this article.


A healthy looking eye

There is no escaping them, screens are everywhere. At home, many of us choose to use computers, games consoles, and televisions – although they all seem to be merging into one.

At work we often are forced to spend hours each day staring at screens in order to get our job done. Word and Excel vs the dreaded filing cabinates, it’s an easy decision for many of us! In schools, many children now use computers more than they use pens and paper. Even when we are on the go, many of us carry phone with us, to keep us up to date and in sync, whilst we are out and about.

Eyes

One must therefore consider: are there any potentially dangerous side effects of using all these devices? We all get headaches from time to time, and computers are probably the cause of some of them. Often, when working at a screen for prolonged periods of time, many of us also get eye strain.

The short term effects of using a PC are unquestionable, but are there any dangerously irreversible long term effects on our eyes? Well according to my research, no, there aren’t. However, there is the possibility for long term effects for other parts of our body.

UPDATE: This article was written in 2011, and whilst there is still no conclusive evidence that suggests prolonged exposure to screens can cause irreversable damage to the eyes, there is a growing body of evidence which suggests that looking at screens too closely and for too often may well cause eye problems in later life.


The eye of someone staring at a computer screen

Posture

Our back and neck are especially vulnerable, due to the large amount of time we spend sitting down in one position. Even with good posture, sitting in the same position for hours on end is not good for your body, that’s why we have muscles, bones and joints!

Repetitive strain injury is also a big issue. Many office workers will at some point experience this, in either their wrists or hands, due to the nature of typing and using a mouse.

In fact, repetitive strain injury is such a big issue, it is estimated that its annual cost to UK industry is between 5 and 20 billion pounds! In the US, the figures are also similar.

Despite its potentially harmful effects on the body, computers cause no proven long term damage to your eyes. Symptoms like sore eyes, blurred vision and a change in colour perception are usually only short term, and clear within hours of leaving the screen.

To help yourself avoid the short term computer-related symptoms of eye strain, my best advice is take regular breaks. Get a drink, go to the loo or just have a wander around every 30-40 minutes and you should be able to avoid such symptoms altogether.

Why not have a break now? Go on, get up from your desk and go and have a wander. 🙂 If you are using a tablet or are on your mobile, take five minutes off and then read another article. 😉

Why not? Your eyes will love you. 🙂