Technology Category Archive

Careers in the ICT Industry

1 Reply MattRawlings

A lot of University students will be turning their attentions to their long-term futures over the coming months with millions graduating from their courses this summer. As a result the demand for jobs is likely to increase and, as we all know too well, the number of positions available is far outweighed by the number of applicants.

This can cause many job seekers to get disheartened and end up working in fields that have no use for their skills or abilities. The whole three years at Uni can seem like a complete waste of time, while the debt continues to rise making you even more frustrated!

For those completing computer or media-related courses, the opportunities are always on the rise, with more and more brands looking to move into the online space and with those that are there already trying to expand wherever possible. Traditional newspapers and magazines are moving into digital sectors and many companies and brands are looking to develop their existing websites or to create new ones that will help them to grow their brand identity.

This means that even if you had your sights set on a career in PR or journalism, for example, you could be presented with a series of opportunities that are not exactly what you may have wanted or what you had considered previously but could suit you to a T. For instance:

Web Design

You might have been the sort of person who loved coming up with innovative designs and you spent every spare few minutes you had doodling on pieces of scrap paper to stay entertained and develop your skills. The graphic design industry is one that’s difficult to get into, but web design is a sector that is growing rapidly.

As the demand for game-changing websites continues to grow, more and more creative people are needed. If you have knowledge of how websites work as another string to your bow, you might find your true calling in web design.

SEO

Google SEO Ranking Chart

SEO is a rapidly growing industry, and is now a major global employer.

Search engine optimisation has turned from a small acorn into a mighty oak in the past decade or so as a result of technology and websites developing. Site and company owners all want to reach the top of the search engine results for specific terms and phrases so that they get as much business as possible. The higher up the rankings you are, the more likely you are to be seen and that is their target.

To do this, you need experts who are capable of implementing a series of strategies to help find their way to the top. Anyone with knowledge of how sites work, meta descriptions, link building and other forms of “tech wizardry,” can get into SEO a growing and ever-evolving sector.

Touchscreen Problems (Zombie Finger)

32 Replies Jonny Hankins

iPad zombie finger - Touchscreen ProblemsOver the last couple of weeks I have flown from the USA to Britain, then to Italy, and back finally to the USA. I flew on some lovely new Airbus aircraft, but had a constantly recurring problem with the on-board entertainment systems.

The problem is that in the seat above me there is a fantastic touchscreen entertainments system, but my fingers do not work. My son who was sitting next to me has good fingers, he touches the volume section and can turn the sound up or down, but I cannot because the slider does not seem to recognize my body.

So it must be my screen I think, my son leans over and it works perfectly well for him. We swap places, now mine works for him but I still cannot change the volume, this time on a different machine.

It must be me I conclude, but why? Long ago I gave up using anything touchy for this reason. I try licking my hands, warming them up, cleaning the screen but I do not make any progress. So I started looking around the web for some answers to find that I am not the only one, hurrah. There is even a recognized name for the problem in some fields, Zombie Finger!

Touch screens operate in many different ways. At Walker Mobile you can download a free PDF that explains how the different technologies work, but the vast majority of application that we know use one of two approaches. They can be described as Resistive Touch and Projective Capacitance.

Resistive touch is old school analogue. Two surfaces are together, typically one of glass with a thin film over it. You push down on the film and it makes a circuit using a grid of electrical conductors. The system is cheap but being mechanical liable to damage and wear, and it is thick.

Projective Capacitance has no moving parts however, and some of its advantages mean that it is rapidly taking over the market. It is a system that works on capacitance, which is the thing that gives you a shock when you walk over a synthetic carpet and then touch the brass door handle in the hotel that you are staying in.

iPhone touch screen technology

How iPhone touch screens work.

Again there are two layers, both charged but to a different extent. When you touch the screen some of the charge is released into your finger, and this tiny change can be measured. And here lies a variable, because the nail will not carry a charge, gloves stop the action and so I wonder if even the state of the skin at the end of the fingers might effect usability. Do I type too much? No charge transfer means no volume.

For a fuller explanation of these 2 competing systems see this article, it is short but extremely informative. I would just like to know if anyone else has issues with touch screens, and if so if they have been able to address the issue in some way. As technology advances this interface is becoming the norm, and we wouldn’t want to leave people with particular skin types behind now, would we?

What renewable energy will you be looking into?

8 Replies Stephen Kenwright

The recent government incentive to promote ecological mind sets in the home is good news for the environment. Householders will be offered loans to deck out their homes with energy-saving appliances and equipment, including extra insulation and new boilers.

So what exactly do you need for your home?

Loft Insulation

If you’ve no loft insulation in your house, you could be losing up to a quarter of your home’s heat through the roof.

Most newer buildings are built to a standard taking into account this loss, but if you have a home that’s a little older, chances are you’re wasting all that lovely warmth and putting yourself out of pocket.

The Green Deal will provide owners of uninsulated homes the chance to reduce the energy used in heating by proving loft insulation.

Wall Insulation

You could be looking at losing up to a third of your home’s heat through uninsulated walls. Cavity walls are much more energy efficient than the solid walls of older houses, and if your home was built before around 1940, it’s more likely to have the latter.

With good wall insulation, you’re looking at making a real saving in energy bills so it’s a good idea to find out if you’re equipped to keep all the heat in your home.

Boilers

According to energy efficiency ratings, a band A boiler is 20% more energy and cost effective and a band G one. It’s usually the older boilers branded with the G rating.

If your boiler is outdated, you could be losing a lot of money from it. Modern, band A boilers have an energy efficiency rating of 90% and allow you to keep much better tabs on your energy use. It’s worth investing in thermostatic radiator valves so rooms that aren’t being used aren’t heated too.

Katy Jones at Dulas had this to say of the feed-in tariff scheme:

“The feed in tariff incentive from the UK government is encouraging many people to consider installing renewable energy technologies; it will naturally mean that some renewables companies also look to offer energy efficiency measures as part of their product portfolios.”

One single wind turbineProducts which will include solar panels. Fitted onto the roof, solar panels are capable of generating renewable energy for the home. And if they are producing more energy than your household needs, you can sell that energy back to the National Grid.

“From our perspective,” Ms. Jones continues, “Solar PV is a viable, cost effective way to generate free electricity and is especially good for high energy users looking to reduce their energy costs or with Carbon Reduction Commitments to meet.”

Other renewable energy sources will include micro wind turbines, which will be accepted on the Green Deal. Though they are a little small to provide all of your energy, it’s the little things that make a big difference to an energy bill.

With the government backing you, it’s never been a better time to look into renewable energy.