Computer technologies are being developed and designed all the time as people seek new technologies and new features we all might want to use in the future. Technologies which will ease our lives, make things simpler for us, and more efficient.

Creating technologies require resources, and finance, it is not enough to have the new computer technology idea. In order to manifest the idea into something material, something we can use, you need to create the idea, to make the technology. Well such creation is being done by companies. They have the resources, the man power, and tools to enable the idea become a reality.

This article is about those companies (well some of them). There are so many ideas popping up every day, you can’t track them all, you can’t make them all. There are companies which work on new ideas every day, and you probably heard of many of them.

Here are some of those computer technology companies:

1. Microsoft – This company has been known for creating new technologies, they have developed the most commonly used operating system, which most of us use every day. Their Windows operating systems have created a new way of using computers, using mouse and keyboards to create a new way of computer programs. Their OS and their applications have changed the future into the computer life we know today.
2. APPLE – Apple has always been a pioneer of computer technology solutions. They where the first to create the windows operating system for graphic designers which where the first Macintosh computers, that enable graphic designers to use a mouse and keyboard to accurately create their designs. Some would say Microsoft windows where the pioneers, but as one of those who started computers with the black screen using only text, while taking advantage of the Microsoft DOS, I can say for a face Macintosh was the first to see the light of day. Apple has always been unique, keeping to themselves, keeping their operating system’s environments closed to their own OS and applications. The I-phone cellular phone, is one of their best and common computer technology being used by many which loved their palm sized computer, which could also be used as a cell phone.
3. SCORPIO TECHNOLOGY – This company specialising in supplying schools and the public with different types of technology kits which include solar car solutions and clock technologies. The main idea is for students to create their own devices with learned skills and enjoy those devices on their day to day life. The technology is built upon learning tools which include the study of different skills, using electrical and mechanical components. The kits include teaching aids and tools. Clocks creating using different designs, woodwork, pens etc…. Solar cars can be created using solar cells, solar modules and other different suitable components that enable the creation of solar cars.
4. YOGGIE – Yoggie security systems, had a great innovative idea, they have created a miniature (USB / express card fit) Linux computer which held a full firewall security system, protecting against all harms, which are out there, no matter where you connect with your computer, either a secured or non secured wireless router, you will be protected. The innovative architecture was a brilliant design. Eventually the design miniatures into a chip like a cpu processor, which can be built into the laptop’s circuits to protect your laptop at all times.

This is just an example of how companies have shaped the computer technology age, we can just enjoy it.

Computer technology, in general, is a super advancing area, where everything gets more efficient and decreased in size, which means we get more in smaller and more efficient packages. We can see how mobile phones are advancing, as they become like computers. You can use them for browsing the internet, sending e-mails, video calling your friends, family, and colleagues, you can load applications and applets on them, etc… which means that you get many of the computer functions in your palm/hand.

That is technology, as things get more efficient, usable and comfortable. Who knows when we will be able to place the computer into our eyes, and blink the commands 🙂 hahaha.

Computer technology associates (CTA) is a company that does many of the technological developments. They have clients all over the world, from governments to businesses which says much about the type of technologies this company develops.

Many large companies require specific solutions that will enable them to cope with the enormous flow of information and challenges a huge organization needs to cope with. Such solutions you can’t find on your local computer store’s shelf, these systems need to be fitted and customized to fit the organization’s exact needs.

CTA develops such complex and reliable systems, program management solutions, security solutions that cover up to date threats, using all of the resources which relate to security from licenses, risk assessment, vulnerabilities, intrusion detection, training, high assurance, and testing protocols. They also provide high-end engineering solutions for mission-critical systems for those organizations with supercritical systems that keep lives hanged by technology.

Their clients consist of government and military organizations like USSPACECOM, AFSPC, NORTHCOM, NAVAIR, the FAA”s Air Traffic Control System, as well as TRICARE Medical Health Systems. They are also being used in the space systems/intelligence market which supports the air force radar systems and imagery architectures.

It seems there are new technologies at work here, even some which we are unaware of, so it is good to know 🙂

Skype is being considered in the IT world as a security threat. Mostly because you can use Skype to send and receive files (without supervision), use video chats (which might show your office and things that might not be allowed to be seen), and of course open online chats to the world with much difficulty to monitor and supervise.

Many organizations that value their privacy, and for security reasons might want to prevent this threat from opening a hole in their defense, so they might want to block Skype from accessing the internet.

What makes Skype such an elusive application. is that it can adapt and has a smart mechanism that enforces it to be able to reach an internet connection by any means. The outbound connection can be used on various combinations of TCP and UDP ports including the generally opened ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS) which of course are being used for internet browsing. Skype also has methods of hiding itself as an application by using STUN (Session Traversal Utilities for NAT) and

TURN (Traversal using relay NAT) to ensure communication can pass through the network and get the connection. Most conventional layers 3 & 4 blocking attempts will fail and most IDS & IPS (Intrusion Detection Prevention) tools will fail as well.

So what can we do – to block Skype?

1. Well, the solution is about recognizing Skype as an application,
   with application blocking systems/tools. There is such a solution to SonicWall in their UTM appliances which includes a singed-based IDP platform that uses a detection engine that can identify not only individual fingerprints but the sequence of fingerprints. This enables to identify the application from an unrelated sequence of traffic by collecting them into one recognized application. This enables a deeper packet inspection for more reliable recognition of the most elusive protocols, like Skype.
2. The other option is using Routers that support NBAR (Network-Based Application Recognition) protocols. NBAR enables the recognition of Skype packets and enables blocking them. There are some Cisco routers that support this technology. Most routers only look at layer 3, but NBAR the routers can look at Layers 4 to 7. This means the router can identify applications and you can decide if you want to give applications priority, drop packets (blocking it) or take other measures. The NBAR came with IOS (a package of routing, switching, internetworking and telecommunications combined into a multitasking operating system) 12.0 version, but the NBAR from version 12.3 is much improved with the use of PDLM (Packet Description Language Module) that covers more applications.
   • Tutorial: How to use Cisco MQC & NBAR to filter websites like Youtube
   • Info: How to block bit torrent on CISCO router with NBAR
   • Info: Cisco NetFlow NBAR Impacts Router Performance
   • info: Blocking Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Programs with the PIX Firewall
   • Info: What can Cisco’s Network-Based Application Recognition (NBAR) do for you?
   • Info: NBAR Reporting
3. WebWasher – by McAfee – Skype is also a VOIP type of an application. The WebWasher recognizes Skype by using a generic body filter, using the fingerprinting method based on Skype’s unique binary pattern. WebWasher also comes with an SSL scanner which can block Skype attempts to use SSL through ports 80 & 443.

So, now you have learned a couple of ways to block Skype from being used on your network, I hope this helps anyone who has contemplated solutions to this challenge.

There are many issues with computers that need support. The way we can receive that support is what computer support technology is all about. Since support is part of computing
life and there are always bugs, problems, guidance, etc… that need to be given by some sort of a support entity, we can expect ways that will help us receive that much-needed support.

The ways that we have today for giving support
are either making a phone call for a support member at the service center or contact him by online chat, and just chat with him about your problems, exactly as if you were chatting with your friends on a messenger software, describe your problem and get the instructions to your solution from the tech guy on the other side. Another option is to get someone to log in to your computer and see what you see and solve your problems. You can decide just to open a support case, on the company’s support page on the web, and you will get your solution via e-mail.

So, to summarize what I just mentioned, there are these types of support ways:

1. Calling a support tech, talking on the phone to describe the problem and get solution options.
2. Opening an online chat, write your problem description and read the answers given by the tech support person to get solution options.
3. Opening a support case, describe the problem, and wait for the solution via e-mail. Unless you have registered to get full support, then maybe you will get a call from the support person and get the solution options on the phone.
4. Ask someone to login to your computer with your permission and let him fix your problems online. (web-based shares – or programs that enable control).

•    The telephone, Cell-Phones: Well this technology is one of the oldest, as the first telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in the year 1876. Using phones is the quickest way of getting the information exactly when you need it. Many use cell phones today since it’s available, quick and efficient to get the information you need ASAP. If you get lost in a city and need to find a place you can call a friend with an internet connection, that can quickly check on an online map, to find you the address you need and direct you to it, so the Phone technology is one of the more common ways to get support.

You have to remember that every website – usually has the “contact” section, where you can usually contact the company, by either phone call, sending an e-mail request by filling out a form, etc… The contact ways will be detailed there.

•    Since most of us use the Internet today, there are options to browse online and seek a solution to your problem. You can address the company that gives the support, and if they have an online chat option, you can use that to talk to someone online and get the answers you need immediately.

i.    (the downfall of that is that most of those online chats are really busy, and you might spend some time waiting for the tech support person to be available to you.)

Some Examples:
a)    Live Person – This company has some solutions, for placing a live support chat on your website, check it out.
b)    Provide Support – This is another solution to place a live chat on your website.
c)    Mioot – Another live chat software – check it out.
d)    SightMax – This is a live chat software – that also fits a smart mobile phone.

•    Opening a Support Case: There are websites that enable their clients to open a support case. Mostly the support case might be available only for registered users, or it might enable you to enter the contact information, during the process of opening the support case, since they have to know how to contact you when they have the solution, which e-mail to contact or the phone number to give you a support call back.

Some Examples of Support Case websites:

• Citrix – Explanation on opening a support case.
• Automation Anywhere – This shows how does an online contact information form look like.
• Cisco – This shows a login screen for returning registered clients – by Cisco.
• SugarCRM – This website shows on the left menu – the options given for customer support.

•    Remote Desktop Sharing: There are ways to get the support you need by just allowing someone to access your computer, with your permission (you have to allow them to go in, following their instructions) so they could see your screen, and do the problem solving for you. They can see the problem you are experiencing and help you solve it. You can even see them do it.

Some Examples of such solutions:

• The top 6 remote desktop sharing programs – You can see some of the remote desktop sharing solutions out there, which enable a support person to access your computer, see your desktop and give you support.
• Mikogo – This website enables you to share your desktop, and other solutions like online meetings, conference and remote support.
• SkyFex – A web solution that enables remote desktop support.
• NetViewer – This website enables online support, online meetings, and presentations, etc…

Anyone who uses computers knows how much storage is important, as storage capacities have increased immensely and for a very reasonable price, which means anyone can acquire a large-capacity storage device, for storing his data, for backing up, or for any other purpose.

Computers are based on storage devices, as the programs needs to be stored somewhere to be run from there, mostly it will be a Hard-Disk drive, either internal or an external one.

Which storage types of solutions do we have today ???

1. Compact Disc, DVD, DVD/RW – those are writable CDs/DVDs which you can burn files to, and store for a long time, as long as they stay at a cool place.
2. Hard-Disk drivers, internal or external – These are the most common storage devices we know since the beginning. They have increased in size and can contain a large amount of data. They can be connected together by a controller, to create a larger continuous storage space, for even larger capacities (RAID controllers). The downfall of such drives is that if they FALL they are most likely become unusable.
3. Solid state storage – like USB flash memory units, smart cards, SSD, etc… – which increase in capacity, and will eventually I believe reach a large amount of capacities, hard disk drives do. The reliability is much higher than a hard-disk. If the SSD fails, it doesn’t get damaged and it usually smaller and more easy to carry.
4. DAS – direct-attached storage – This means a digital storage system, which is directly attached to a server or workstation, without a network connection (which has the network limitation, in terms of read/write speeds.
5. SAN – Storage based on fiber-optic networks, which guarantee a fast connection – This storage solution enables the Gigabyte speed of data traffic between host and destination. Usually used in distant storage locations.
6. NAS – Network Attached storage – solution for multiple clients simultaneously, good for data archiving, backup and redundant storage.

After giving some examples, you can see that there is a storage technology for each purpose, some intended for large organizations, some can be used by regular users, even for home backup purposes.

You can find a good comparison table on this link:
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci1088267,00.html

We can think of many types of uses for using computer speech technology, some might be if you think of it, just assisting us to save typing everything by just saying them, and let the computer type them for us by recognizing the words coming out of our mouth.

This technology is not that easy to implement since each and every one of use uses different pitches, different pronunciations, different lingo, different slang, different voices, etc… We might be using voice recognition using a phone line, which might make it difficult to identify our voice etc..

When you understand how complicated these issues is, you can try and understand what is out there that we can use. What type of technologies are out there and maybe we can make some for our own needs to make our lives simpler, more fun, and maybe more efficient. It is easier to speak than to write, it takes less time, and mostly has fewer mistakes, since we do speak before we start writing 🙂

So let’s go over some of the computer speech technologies out there:

Text to Speech

There are technologies (already working pretty nicely) that can turn written words into speech, those type of programs can identify the words, and read them to you in a simulated voice (using a speech synthesis program) which will enable you to listen to the article instead of reading it, wouldn’t this be more usable? sometimes we do not have the time to sit down and read the article, maybe we just want to read while we have a long drive somewhere, so maybe we could be more productive since we can’t drive and read. We can drive and listen 🙂

There are some who have a 1-hour drive to and from their working place and some learn languages while driving. Maybe you might just want this system to read your e-mails ? while you’re on your way home, or on your way to work? This will be a time-efficient solution. Maybe just talk and your mobile phone will write the SMS to your friend or colleague by itself. There are of course many other examples, but I am sure you have got the picture. .

Here are some text to speech solution software/websites:

• NaturalReader 9.0 – It can read almost from anything and turn it to voice, so you can hear (instead of reading) from your IE browser, you PDF file, or your Word document.
• yRead2 – This program is free and simple. It has also a yRead3 that is more suitable for XP and Vista operating systems.
• Verbose Text to Speech Software – This program reads aloud any text, and saves the files in MP3 file format.
• TextAloud – This program turns text into speech, and has many different voices to choose from, check it out.
• vozMe – Free online text to voice converter – try it out
• yakitome – Free online text to speech converter – try it out

Speech to Text

We might want someday to record all conversations, but instead of keeping them as voice files (since they do take much more space than a text file) we might want to turn the recorded conversations into text files, for safekeeping. This solution might be excellent for those who have hearing impaired problems, and when the phone rings (and the light is lit), they can read the voice message on a monitor attached to the phone, while they can’t actually hear the voice and they can type back the message and by using the previous solution of text to speech, talk back to the voice on the other side of the phone.

Here are some Speech to Text software solutions out there:

• Dragon naturally speaking solution – This is one of the oldest and the only one worth using in the market today, I checked it once myself a while back. It was working great, and I am sure they have progressed and improved much since then. This program lets you turn talk into text. You can dictate to the computer (instead of dictating to your secretary) and the letter will be written by itself :).
• Article about – “Interlingual speech-to-text-conversion in real-time: Challenges and Opportunities”

Speech Recognition
Some use speech recognition as a way to secures chats for only those who are authorized by the system, the system knows how to identify the caller. This might be usable on Voip switchboard or other more sophisticated switchboards for a business that needs such a security feature. When using switchboards, you might want to identify if the speaker is a male or a female for processing and market audience evaluation, so that might come in handy as well.

• Vista speech recognition – Explaining how to use the vista speech recognition feature.
• Dragon naturally speaking solution – This program enables speech recognition as well as transferring speech into text.
• e-speaking – This one is an easy software that enables you to control your computer, dictate documents, and have text read to you. This engine is using Microsoft’s speech engine (Vista / Win7).
• Lumenvox – (Speech recognition as a service solution) – You can pay a small fee per month, and get a voice recognition solution.
• VoxForge – This is an open-source speech recognition system (can be used with Linux, Windows & Mac).
• VeCommerce – This website gives some solutions, that include security and customer interactions, check it out.

Security, what is it? well, it is our way of keeping safe against harm.

Security can be against external or internal threats. There are companies that have very secret information, that should stay internally without getting public and leaking outside, so they take measures to keep the information internal and prevent it from leaking outside by following certain security protocols. The same idea is being taken in order to prevent external access to that delicate secret information.

The main issue with security is that many resources need to be shared, some need external access to reach the internet or another resource of information on external servers. Since there are programs running on both sides, which gain different access privileges, there is always the risk of exposure. The security technologies need to close all of those risks, by minimizing 

accessibility, using secured protocols and exposing only the data that we have to expose, so we will reduce risk to a minimum.

The best way to secure everything is to only work locally and of course in a very secured facility that no one is allowed to exit or enter the facility 🙂 ha ha ha – that sounds far fetched, so if there are people there, they will not see daylight until they die. Since this is a nice thought but not really doable, we have to understand that we need to take some risk in order to function properly, and sharing info is part of using computers, so there is some risk involved.

The fact that there is some risk to it all, means we need to secure those risks and try and reduce to minimize the exposure risk. That is why we have security technologies, to help us achieve that goal.

Now, I will try and go over some of the security technologies that are being used and available today, as far as I could find. There are many different types of security techniques and technologies which are being used, and I will probably won’t be able to cover them all, but I am sure you will get some idea of what is out there and what we can use. I am not giving the actual solutions, only the techniques we can use today and there are tools that can be used to perform those techniques.

Securing the network:

We have technologies that enable to secure our network by using these techniques:

1. Monitor and identify secured login– making sure only authorized access is granted.
2. Penetration testing – always perform penetration scenarios, to make sure all aspects are covered and we are still protected. This also assists in discovering holes, a breach or changes in regular mechanisms (like if a hacker has changed something, like some code in one of the systems that enable him access or pull out info).
3. There are tools that give you managed and controlled supervised solution on what goes where and what comes in, mostly based on a web monitoring system that can be securely accessed from anywhere, or if we choose only internally. Those mechanisms can identify changes and close them to tighten security.
4. Anti-virus tools can keep threats quarantined or eliminated, so they won’t be used by those who sent them to gain information on our system or harm our system.
5. There are many different firewalls that can guard our WAN/LAN networks from harm. Those firewalls maintain the traffic we allow or disallow between branches, or on internet access. They are the WALL that keeps us safe and they are getting more sophisticated and more secured which makes them harder to breach.
6. There are intrusion detection and prevention tools which provide comprehensive safety against threats that might arise.
7. There are security tools that supervise downloads and application installations. This prevents people from downloading harmful and unauthorized software and installing them on our system.
8. E-mails are a real big threat if it is unsupervised. There is much spam out there that reaches our mail server, and different e-mails that contain threats. There are security technologies that enable mail supervision and control over harmful e-mails, to either be tagged, quarantined, or destroyed depends on the definitions defined and security policies.
9. There are tools that check and manage vulnerability by using the software as a service (SAAS) approach.
10. Encryption technologies are out there using higher cipher bits, which can lock files and folders, which can guard/block the network secured protocols etc…
11. There are safeguarding tools, that protect boots and secured hard-disks using state of the art encryption using innovative technologies.
12. There are technologies based on intrusion prevention solutions (IPS), which uses snort detection engines that defend corporate networks from continuous attacks, during and after the attacks.
13. The security technology consists of both Software and Hardware solutions. There are many different types of security appliances.

I believe this covers much of what security enables today and you can find some further information within these website links.

http://www.cstl.com/Solutions/Network-Security.asp
http://csrc.nist.gov/
http://www.microsoft.com/security/default.aspx
http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Computer-Security-Technology-Amoroso/dp/0131089293
http://www.peterindia.net/ITSecurity.html
http://www.itsecurity.com/
http://www.cstl.com/CST/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_security

Computer maintenance technologies are required to enable the smooth work ing condition of our computers and servers. We all work with computers one way or the other, either ourselves or by using computer services like the internet which is a collection of computers/servers around the world.

Companies nowadays tend to have servers who are so crucial that they have to be online at all times, there is no downtime allowed, so by keeping maintaining those servers at all times, supervising them, and use computer maintenance technologies and certain condition to ensure that those servers never go down.

Companies keep IT (information technology) professionals to keep maintaining those vital servers to prevent them to ever go down and become unreachable. Those maintenance techniques include proper installations, configurations, repair skills, LAN & WAN understanding, data communication, telecommunications, and computer integration.

There are schools/colleges that teach computer maintenance technology to students who wish to become computer-integration engineers and maintain those vital servers by using their wide knowledge in computer infrastructure and integration.

Let’s go over some of the basic computer maintenance technologies:

1. Performance maintenance of computers and servers.
   • This includes installation, configuration, optimization, upgrades, identifying tools, diagnostic procedures, troubleshooting techniques, preventive maintenance actions
2. Managing operating systems.
   • This includes an understanding of client/server environment, keep the network integration of such environment intact, supervised at all times, prevent harmful events causing the system to become unstable, recovery precautions, abilities to resolve and troubleshoot problems.
3. Taking security measures.
   • This includes the understanding of security, the harmful environments out there, the amount of allowed exposure, how to block attacks, how to provide inner and outer protection against attackers and harmful programs, identifying intrusions, perform and implement preventive measures.
4. Network monitoring systems.
   • There are open-source monitoring systems and there are Microsoft windows monitoring systems that can track changes in your network capabilities, and check your server’s availability making sure you get notified in case your servers are unreachable.

• I gave some basics, just to understand what computer maintenance technologies relate to. I will have more details on the techniques on other posts, which will be covered in more detail on how to do those theoretical Ideas to use the computer maintenance technologies while keeping your organization safe from harm and damages.

Laptops, are portable computers, their main use is their portability, so they need to be light and at a convenient carry size. Laptop technology enables the laptops to become thinner, more powerful and there are more affordable models, that can suit a student’s budget. When in the past laptops where reachable only by those who could pay their price, today anyone can find an affordable laptop.

Most of laptops problems are their battery life, their resources are consuming the batteries and achieve only a few hours of constant use without a recharge. Even though there are 9 cell batteries (6 cells are the common ones) and the recommendation is to place another battery in your bag as a replacement, someone needs to find a solution for this problem. We know cell phones have been able to achieve longer battery wait time (when the cell phone is not used) which can be for days without recharge, using them saves energy and use time is viable for a couple of hours only.

Laptop CPU‘s – The laptop CPU’s are forming the type of laptop you are getting according to their performance and their designated audience. There are computer for students, gamers, business, graphic designers and some even replace your desktop computer in terms of performance.

We have: AMD, Celeron, Core 2 Duo, Core Duo, Mac-Book, Power-book laptops which all are designated for different purposes. The CPU’s are mostly lower-powered than our known desktop CPU’s, since they need to save battery life, this also enables them to be cooler than desktop computers an we all know laptops tend to heat up. Currently we are moving toward Dual CPU‘s which have better performance, but in time I am sure we will see more powerful CPU’s with Quad core CPU’s showing up on our laptops.
If you need a powerful laptop, for gaming or graphics, use the Intel’s Core 2 Duo processors and the T7… Series if you need to cheap out, use AMD processors or older Intel chip set.

Mini laptops – These series of laptops around 8 – 10 inch screen size, are becoming more common. Mostly since we needed a more affordable laptops, which are mostly used by students around the world that needs little of the laptops, as they use it for browsing the internet and for Office applications (Word, Excel, PDF reading etc…). Such laptops do not need much power, they just need to be light, thin, and compact. The mini laptops cost around 400$ and the 10 Inch ones become the most common ones. Thought they are mostly coming with a WSVGA 1024×600 resolution, Intel Atom 1.66Ghz processor, 160GB hard-disk, around 10 hours of battery life, 1GB DDR2 RAM (2GB RAM Max), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1.

Example of Mini Laptops/Notebooks:
ASUS 1005HA 10″, Dell Inspiron Mini 1011 10″, Samsung NC10 10″, Lenovo S10-3t 10″, Acer AOD250 10″, Toshiba Mini 300 NB305 10″.

Laptop screens – LED (light-emitting diode ) laptop screens are becoming common on almost any laptop nowadays, but the advanced technology of laptop screens are going toward OLED (organic light emitting diode) screens. The OLED screens do not require a backlight to function, which enable them to display deeper black levels and be thinner.

Blu-ray players – Laptops are coming out with the new Blu-ray DVD drives for Blu-ray discs which can contain up to 25GB, which enable to play high definition videos. You can find these Blu-ray DVD drives on these Netbooks: Sony Vaio VGN-AR370 CTO, Toshiba Satellite P505-S8980, Dell XPS M1730 and more.

GPS Laptops – HSPDA – There are new laptops that contain HSPDA technology chip, that enable 3G (3rd generation mobile telephone communication protocol) and GPS capabilities that enable you to use your laptop for navigation. There are some car cradles that enable the connection of a laptop into your car – to enable the use of their media center and their road navigation’s programs to be used while traveling your car. We used to see 3G USB modem cellular sticks that enabled your laptop to be connected to the internet even when there is no Wi-Fi spot around, but now they are going to be built-into the laptops, it is just a matter of time.

Touch Screen – There are touch screen laptops out there. You probably started to see many Tablet PC’s coming out, like the iPad but there are also regular laptops who comes with a touch screen, some have swiveled screens.
Example Laptops with touch screen capabilities:
Toshiba Portégé® M780, Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t, Samsung NB30-Black.

Computer animation technology – is the graphic process of animated figures, where you animate a real figure, only it is created graphically using CGI (Computer-generated imagery) and at the end of the process, the result is close to a real figure that looks and acts like a real one. Animation also includes the motion of the figure. All that creates a living breathing animated figure, that animates a real figure, resemble a real person, creature, animal, etc…

The nice fact of all that is that you can even create creatures or any type of character that we have never seen before, you can invent a whole race of aliens, and they will look as real as they can, using the computer animation technology we have today, which is growing and improving from day today. We can see those effects when we

go to the movies, or when we play computer games (as they become more realistic), on advertisements, almost everywhere.

There are builders who use computer animation technology to simulate a new house, so the buyers will be able to see every little detail about the house from the exteriors to the internal design and decoration. Instead of visualizing things in our mind, trying to figure out how will the house come out at the end when it will be finished, we can just see it as if it is already have been built. We can see every detail as if we were walking through it, visiting it physically. The accuracy and realism of computer animation and CGI technology enable us to see an accurate replica of what we would expect a built house to be.

After we gave a bit of background on what is computer animation technology, and how it effect
s and assists us in our daily life, we can check what are our options in taking a part of such technology. There are options to study the technology, there are degrees you can achieve while studying it. It is a profession like any other, and you can understand from my opening, that there are so many possibilities of using it and it is still evolving, changing and advancing as the technology improves.

Here are some schools I found, just a couple of examples, but I am sure you can find one that suits you best:

1. Bachelor’s in Game and Simulation Programming – at DeVry University

2. Computer Gaming and Animation Technology – at Anglia Ruskin University

3. 3D Animation Program – at The Art Institute Of Pittsburgh

4. Bachelor – Computer Animation – at International Academy of Design & Technology

The technology of computers is all around us, we are living with them, using them, play with them and also study from them. The children are using computers, they are aware computers are there and we tend to let them play on the computer from an early age. There are many educational games and programs that the children can benefit from and of course, get entertained as well.

There are advantages and disadvantages of children using computers. There is no arguing it is fun, children get amazed by the colors, the sounds, and the attraction a computer gives them and like very little babies, children are thrilled by the discovery of new things. They are learning to use a mouse, a keyboard, and to react to the happenings on the computer by doing the appropriate action that is required from them. So, they are learning.

The advantages are that the computer is a whole world in one box, one place. They can sit down in front of the computer for hours and even for days, and learn so many things including having fun. They can learn school materials, they can read online, they can play computer games that challenge their knowledge, they can find anything they need on the internet (It is the larger “library” in the world), learn on different countries, learn history, learn mathematics, learn how to take care of their pets, etc… So, we
can see that the computer is a really good teacher for our kids.

The disadvantages are that the computer prevents them from doing kids’ stuff like we used to do before computers. They might not get out playing with other kids, play ball games, run around, chase each other and just take out a lot of energy (that they have as kids) and of course by doing that do some fitness to keep healthy. By sitting down in front of the computer all the time, they damage their eyesight, they might get fat (since they do no exercises), even though you can contact others using the internet, there is no replacement for face to face chat, fight, game playing, feeling each other, etc… and not just cyber do it .

Summarizing, I have to say that there is much good at computers, but like anything else, it has to be in the right dosage. Like anything else you exaggerate with and might cause damage, the same is with computers, we need to make sure they still do the old ways of enjoying life, and the company of other kids, by actual playing with others, going out to get some sunshine, absorb life, and from time to time benefit from the advantages the computer can give us, by using it for fun, games and of course as a teacher, to learn new things, use its resources to discover more, and find the information we need.

Assistive computer technology is a way to assist others, with easy to use technologies that enable those who need assistance to make their life easier.  There are many techniques that enable ease of use, like speech recognition, on-screen keyboards, other ways of placing information into the computer. There are learning technologies, which include different types of tutorials, like video lessons, listening to lessons, etc…

Assistive computer technology also includes virtual reality, special patents that make it easy to do things, like gadgets that are small and easy to use, for monitoring heart problems, or assisting medical needs and helping students who have difficulties to study what they need to learn. There are assistive technologies for helping children, autism, assistive technologies for legislation and more…

Just to specify some of those technologies, which will enable you to know they are there, and if you or your friends might

need them, it’s good to know there are such options. If it can assist us, why not use them and easy the fight we need to do in order to achieve what we find difficult to do.

There is a well known assistive technology innovation in Israel, called “Yad Sarah” which has many assistive technologies for the needy. They have breast pumps for the maternity mom, that needs to pump breast milk for her child. They have different devices for different needs, you can read more information on their website.

Assistive technologies are mostly designated for those with handicaps, which the advancements in technologies enable many gadgets that ease those with handicaps to perform regularly, and perform regular day to day activities.

It is amazing how to advance technologies can improve our lives, some say technologies decay our life, where we stay more at home, we do not go out for sportive activities, keep in shape, as we use our car to go to work, watch TV all day, play computers, but these assistive technologies enable those who can’t really do all of those regular activities to conduct them with the aid of technological tools. So there is some good in technological innovations 🙂

A boy with a disability.

The market is changing, the computer tools businesses are using today, are different than the tools they were using before. The cost benefit of computer technologies are being perfected using more advance computer technologies, like Virtual Servers, more efficient operating systems, open source operating systems with open source free software options, that used to cost so much before, now they are in the palm of your hand, and easy to use.

There are some computer business technologies which you might want to consider using, and change your business computer ways, to a more cost effective way.

* Virtualization – The computer virtual world has started where you can use virtual servers that enable you to install many different operating systems, on one computer, and let them all work at the same time. So, as an example, if you take 5 Linux computers (5 separate PC’s) which each of them has a different purpose, like web hosting, ftp, file server etc… and install all of them on one PC (not even a server), and get 4 PC’s free, and all that you might need from that PC with visualization is a bit more memory and hard-disk capacity which today are not too expensive.
A regular PC today, has more processing power, and large memory capacity than it used to be on a regular PC, so you can use that PC to host almost anything you want, servers, client operating systems, or just different Linux software application that are being used in our business network, and all are on the same platform, saves the cost of buying a computer for each of them, and of course save the place to hold those servers, like if they are being installed in a rack-mount cabinet on our server room, we clear those rack-mount servers for only one server that contain all of them, saves us space on the cabinet to install other computers (maybe more virtual servers).
You might want to seriously consider Virtual environment for your business.

* Video – Business computer technology includes new technologies of communications, as we can use much faster communication channels, and as such use video and not just chats. We can conduct a meeting online using video conference equipment and see each other while you conduct the video conference, with very good audio qualities using tools that automatically know how to focus on the person that talks around the conference room’s table. Such computer technology enable the business to communicate and control his branches even if they are in different parts of the world.
There are good equipment for audio and video, and my favorites are the POLYCOM equipment which enable smooth high quality video conferencing.

The “all in one” computer is a computer that includes all of our needs in one computer. This means that if we need a good screen (for games or accurate graphics, and to show movies in HD (high definition)) this computer can enable us to do so on it. When we need performance to run anything, including high-performance games, this computer will have the correct configuration to achieve these needs. When we want internet speed, and the high rate of traffic transferred through its network card, it will have the appropriate devices/tools to achieve it. In short, all in one computer serves all our needs in one box.

When computers were not as powerful as we know they are today, we used to have a couple of them for different purposes. Graphic designers would use only the MAC computer for their graphic design tools and now they can use the same powerful graphic design tools on a regular PC with a windows operating system. We used to have servers to run server designated applications, to be able to use large databases and server operations and now we can do all that on a regular PC. So when we look at things from the point of the progress view, today’s computers have the power to become an all in one solution.

We know that we would prefer to use one device that does it all, instead of using a couple of devices for each purpose, this solution saves us space to place all of those separate devices, and we get all of their functions in one device, that stand on our desk, and does it all, like an all in one printer, which includes fax, scanner, printer, etc…

Now, we want to know if we can use all in one computer to do all of our needs. The answer, in my opinion, is that we can have it all in one computer. We can install a VMware server on a regular computer, and install on it several of our operating system needs. We can include the Linux operating system, and Server operating system, and a regular desktop operating system like Windows XP or Windows 7, and be able to run them all together at the same time.

The only thing we might need is an enhanced regular PC, which has more memory (8GB RAM and more), quad CPU, larger hard-disks, depending on how much hard-disk we would like to allocate for each instance (instance is each operating system we choose to install on a VM platform since the computer itself is the VM server).

Those enhancements are not as expensive today as they used to be, and for quite a reasonable price you can get all of the operating systems you need running on one computer.

So an all in one computer can definitely be done today.

Assistance computer technology is a way to assist others, with easy to use technologies that enable those who need assistance to make their life easier.  There are many techniques that enable ease of use, like speech recognition, on-screen keyboards, other ways of placing information into the computer. There are learning technologies, which include different types of tutorials, like video lessons, listening to lessons, etc…

Assistance computer technology also includes virtual reality, special patents that make it easy to do things, like gadgets that are small and easy to use, for monitoring heart problems, or assisting medical needs and helping students who have difficulties to study what they need to learn. There are assistance technologies for helping children, autism, assistive technologies for legislation and more…

Just to specify some of those technologies, which will enable you to know they are there, and if you or your friends might need them, it’s good to know there are such options. If it can assist us, why not use them and easy the fight we need to do in order to achieve what we find difficult to do.

There is a well-known assistance technology innovation in Israel, called “Yad Sarah” which has many assistance technologies for the needy. They have breast pumps for the maternity mom, that needs to pump breast milk for her child. They have different devices for different needs, you can read more information on their website.

Assistance technologies are mostly designated for those with handicaps, which the advancements in technologies enable many gadgets that ease those with handicaps to perform regularly, and perform regular day to day activities.

It is amazing how to advance technologies can improve our lives, some say technologies decay our life, where we stay more at home, we do not go out for sportive activities, keep in shape, as we use our car to go to work, watch TV all day, play computers, but these assistance technologies enable those who can’t really do all of those regular activities to conduct them with the aid of technological tools. So there is some good in technological innovations 🙂

We use computers, and as we know computers advance very quickly. The technology advances and in order to be updated with those advanced technologies, we can read about that news on the internet, on technological magazines, maybe on the TV news.

We can find articles, computer technology magazines, online newspapers that update about computer technologies. There are so many changes in the computerized technologies that there is a lot to write about, almost every day.

The technology changes articles might be published on forums, online newspapers, online computer magazines (Those articles might show up on regular newspapers or computer magazines but I would prefer to focus on online websites since we are talking about computers 😉 ). There are many websites that contain and focus on those computer technology changes, and the benefits or disadvantages of those technologies. Some computer technology progress might not be so good for us, but basically the new technologies just improve things and are more effective.

I will include highlighted computer technology changes on this website, but you can look for computer technology news websites, computer magazines, there are many websites out there, enjoy reading the information and learning more about computers, this is what this website is all about.

If you need assistance in finding such websites, that include computer technology changes, just write to me here, and I will give you some recommendations.

• List of computer magazines
  

Computer technologies are the advanced features and improvements which are done on the computer components (the devices that build the computer). We know what the computer is build from, the box (the computer cover, where all the parts that build the computer goes into), the motherboard, where all of the components connect to, and binds all of those hardware devices to work together. The CPU (Central Processing Unit)  which gets more efficient, quicker, and it even multiply itself on the same chip so you get better performance and multitasking.

We have another computer technology that has advanced and enabled us to run more complicated applications that need much resources, that technology is RAM (Random Access Memory), it has become quicker, and it’s capacity has grown enormously during the last 20 years. The larger capacity enables us to run more complicated application, professional graphic design programs which load complicated graphic designs into the memory, instead of using assistance by hard-disk storage. The RAM is much quicker for compilations and it enables to load larger capacities into the fast RAM to boost performance of complicated application.

The hard-disks now contain larger amount of files. The capacities of hard-disks have increased much and gave us instead of 8MB or 20MB of hard-disks, 1TB (1000GB) hard-disks, which now can contain high definition movies, place to install our computer games, work on large and complicated graphic applications, edit, design and create movies. Tasks that we could only do on very expensive huge computers, now we can do it on our home computers.

The computer cooling systems (since computers tend to get heated) have improved, from simple fans that blew the hot air out of the box through venting holes, to sophisticated water cooling systems.

We got used to being able to use our equipment’s without wires, as we call it “wireless“. The technology of wireless enabled us to connect our laptops to wireless networks, without wires. We have equipment’s that work on wireless, as you use your keyboard and mouse while you sit away from the computer, sitting comfortably wherever you want to, and still be able to do your work.

We also have the bluetooth technology, which for security purposes was limited to 10m radius and still enable us to use different equipment, like our cell phones, synchronizing to our blue-tooth laptop, without plugging anything in, or using any wires. The communication with close friends, co-workers and close proximity devices has been made easy 🙂

Computer technologies are

the base for how computers advance to what we know today. I grew up with the beginning of home computers, before that there were only huge computers for organizations purposes which were filling up a whole room, only for that computer server. It had its own air condition,  to prevent it from heating up and breaking down.

Those huge servers were huge and if we compare their performance, it was so slow in comparison to our home computer (which are much faster), but then with the technologies that were in those days, those large computers were a breakthrough. They were advancing and improving, and eventually, the technologies enabled them to reduce the size, become more efficient, faster, until we were able to get them into our homes. Technologies were advancing and improving, and as they became more efficient, the cost of them has reduced as well, so the cost became profitable for home use. Before that, the cost of huge servers was very expensive.

Computer technologies, what are they ?, Well they are what makes the computer what it is. There are technologies that relate to the computer box (from heavy IRON to light ALUMINUM), motherboard, the CPU (getting smaller and faster, as the technology-enabled miniaturizing). The wireless technology enabled us to lose computer wires. There are many other technologies that effected the way computers work and look today.

We almost forgot where we were 20 years ago, there where 1.2MB flexible floppy diskettes, then we got the 1.44MB plastic-covered floppy diskettes. Hard disks were very small (20Mb, 40Mb), and for programming, we had to use any available resource just to compile our programming sources, so we created virtual flash drives, just to accelerate the compilation process (using the hard disk to compile the sources was too slow). These examples can just show you how advanced we are today from 20 years ago.

I believe computer technologies were advancing a lot quicker than other technological areas. If we look at what we achieved in the last 20 years, and where we are today, as everything becomes smaller and smaller, we can appreciate how much computer technologies advanced since

then.