What is Technology

Technology is a broad term that refers both to artifacts created by humans, such as machines, and the methods used to create those artifacts. More broadly, technology can be used to refer to a way of doing something or a means of organization: for instance, democracy might be considered a social technology. Technology comes from the Greek technologia, which is a combination of “techne”, meaning “craft”, and logia, meaning “saying”. So technology might be considered the articulation of a craft. The word is also used to describe the extent to which a society can manipulate its environment.

When the word “technology” is used today, it is most often used to refer to high technology – computers, cell phones, rockets – rather than technology in general. But when anthropologists use the word “technology,” they go all the way back to the controlled use of fire (from about 500,000 – 1 million years ago), the invention of the wheel (c. 4000 BCE), and beyond. The first technological tools were simple hand-axes made by our hominid ancestors millions of years ago.

The earliest technological divisions are from mankind’s early history, divided into the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age depending on the primary tool and weapon-making material at the time. Each building material is superior to the one before it, but more difficult to develop requisite metallurgical techniques. The Iron Age began in about 1400 BCE. 

Since the formulation of the scientific method in the 15th century, technological progress has apparently been accelerating. Some technologies developed since then include the telescope, the microscope, the clock, the engine, the electric generator and electric motor, radio, nuclear power and weapons, television, computer, and many others.

Technological development continues strongly today, fueled by the multibillion-dollar economies of the world’s most prosperous nations. The hottest developments in technology today are happening in computers, nanotechnology, materials science, renewable energy, entertainment, space travel, and medicine.

Philosophers as well as laypeople often debate whether or not technological progress is, on the whole, a good thing for humanity. On the pro-technology side of the spectrum are techno-progressivists such as transhumanists, on the anti-technology side are anarcho-primitivists, and Neo-Luddites.

What Is 4G Mobile Technology

4G mobile technology is the name given to the next generation of mobile devices such as cell phones. It became available from at least one provider in several parts of the US in 2009. There is not yet an agreed industry standard for what constitutes 4G mobile, so for now it is merely a marketing term.

The use of G, standing for generation, in mobile technology covers the major advances of the past 20-30 years. 1G technology involved the first widely available mobile phones. 2G technology, which began in the early 1990s, switched to a digital format and introduced text messaging. 3G technology improved the efficiency of how data is carried, making it possible to carry enhanced information services such as websites in their original format. The latest iPhone is the best known example of 3G technology.

4G mobile is not yet established as an agreed set of standards, so its features are currently simply goals rather than requirements. As well as drastically increasing data transfer speeds, 4G mobile should use enhanced security measures. Another goal is to reduce blips in transmission when a device moves between areas covered by different networks. 4G mobile networks should also use a network based on the IP address system used for the internet.

Within the United States, there are two major systems using 4G mobile technology. One is known as WiMax and is backed by Clearwire, a firm whose majority owner is Sprint Nextel. It began testing services in Baltimore in 2008 and was set to expand this into major new markets in 2009. Sprint intended to have 80 cities covered by the end of 2010.

The rival system, Long Term Evolution or LTE, is backed mainly by Verizon. It was expected to be ready for testing in 2010 but not available for widespread use until 2012. LTE's backers hoped to overcome this disadvantage by offering faster speeds and producing cheaper equipment.

Unlike previous generations of mobile technology, 4G mobile will be widely used for internet access on computers as well as carrying cell phone communications. Customers in areas which have strong 4G coverage will be able to use it for a home broadband connection which doesn't require any cabling to their household. It can also be used for accessing the internet on the move without having to be in a wireless hotspot such as those offered by some coffee shops, airports and libraries.

What Is Microfiche

A microfiche is a four by five-inch (10.2 by 15.2 cm) piece of photographic film, used to store printed information in miniaturized form. To read a microfiche, a user places the film card under the lens of a microform reader, magnifying it greatly. Its thinness and small size enables it to be stored very easily and efficiently, allowing libraries, museums and businesses to increase their resource collections without the need for additional space. While many libraries and businesses now store records digitally, microform records are still in use and, in fact, have some advantages over digital storage options.

How it Works

Microfiche is a subtype of microform, a term used to describe several mediums that provide storage for exact, miniaturized copies of documents. Unlike microfilm, which producers spin into a reel, microfiche is a flat sheet of film. These thin, flat cards take up less space than microfilm and do not require a separate canister for storage.

It is impossible for the human eye to read microform as is, one must use a specially designed machine. These machines include a magnifier and a simple projector that allows the user to read the greatly magnified image or document on a screen. These machines are usually expensive and can be found in institutions that use microform documents, such as libraries or government offices.

Advantages

The advantages of microfiche include its storability: Even a small storage cabinet could hold thousands of cards which, in turn, contain tens of thousands of pages of material. In addition, computers or specialized software is not required to read a microform document. Unlike some digital storage methods, such as CD-ROMs, microform is also remarkably stable and, if kept in a temperature controlled environment, can last as long as 500 years.

Libraries, museums and businesses that own valuable or important documents also value this data storage method as a way of providing researchers with access to important records and archives without significant risk of loss or damage. Since it is impossible to read without a special machine and has no aesthetic value of its own, microform data is of little interest to thieves. If a card becomes damaged, the organization that owns the original document can have a new one created.

Disadvantages

Microfiche lacks the portability of digital files: Special equipment is needed to both read and duplicate the cards. Microform readers, for example, are bulky and aren’t as accessible as personal computers. Making a paper copy of a microfiche also requires using a special printer integrated into the machine. It is usually impractical to use color ink in microform, meaning that documents are usually stored only in black and white.

Researchers may also have difficulty using microform documents. For example, if a needed document is only in microfilm or microfiche, a researcher may have to travel to the physical location where the record is actually stored. If the data was in digital form, the researcher could receive the data via email or a document sharing system and then read it on his or her personal computer. Machines used to read microforms are also cumbersome to use, sometimes requiring the user to scroll through the documents in order to find needed information. Digital data, on the other hand, is easily and quickly searched through the use of specialized software.

What Are LED Christmas Lights

Stringing up Christmas lights has traditionally been one of the most tortuous of holiday tasks. Untangling wires, balancing on a ladder and attaching them to the house are all chores associated with this endeavor, but the biggest problem for many people is finding that mysterious broken bulb. Hours are lost and tempers flare, but this is where LED Christmas lights can show their true benefit.

LED Christmas lights use light emitting diodes rather than the traditional miniature incandescent bulbs. LEDs are much like incandescent bulbs except that they do not have a filament inside that can burn out and take the entire string of bulbs with it. Instead, they are illuminated by the movement of electrons in a semi-conductor material. Another benefit of this light source is the absence of excessive heat and wasted electricity.

LEDs have been around for a long time, but only caught on for use as Christmas lights in recent years. One reason is that older LEDs originally came in only red. Incandescent bulbs, on the other hand, emit only white light but are encased in colored glass. Another problem was a lack of brightness of LEDs. The potential was there however, and advanced LEDs solved these problems. Today you can find LED christmas lights in all kinds of shapes and sizes. They can blink just like the regular incandescent varieties and come in a wide range of colors.

The end result is a string of lights that use about one-tenth of the electrical current of the more commonly used incandescent lights. They are also encased in thick plastic rather than flimsy glass, so broken bulbs and mistakenly stepping on one won't result in a holiday tragedy. As mentioned, the life of LEDs are extremely long-they are used often in the dashboards of jet planes-so burn out after one season is highly unlikely. One last benefit is the relative thickness of the wires used for these lights, making wires less likely to get tangled in the closet or garage.

Caring for LED lights is simple with such a long life and tough casing. Users can simply roll them up and store them at the end of the holiday and fully expect to come back next year and find them still functioning.

What Is a 4G Network

A 4G network is the fourth generation of wireless communication. While still in development, the foundations for the replacement of the present network is currently being researched and constructed by the cellular phone industry and other technology developers. The overall goal for the network is to provide a comprehensive and secure Internet Protocol solution with much faster data speeds than previous generations.

The first wireless network, known as 1G, was founded during the 1980s. 2G was introduced in the early 1990s as a way of allowing more transmissions to occur per communication channel. The foundations of 3G were established in the late 1990s and have been implemented throughout the majority of the world as of the early 21st century. While the 3G network was the first to allow for multimedia applications, 4G promises to take this basic technology and amplify its usage.

The specifics of the 4G network are geared towards a higher quality of service. Better reception and less dropped data and information exchanges are a priority. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the organization that oversees the standards of the present wireless networks, has stated that it requires substantial improvements to multimedia messaging services, including video services, in order to approve a new generation. It wants a data speed transfer rate of at least 100 megabits per second while a user is physically moving at high speeds and a one gigabit per second data rate in a fixed position. The ITU also requires interactive roaming between networks.

A variety of working groups have been established to help develop the 4G network. Proposals from these organizations include implementation of WiMax, a faster version of wireless data transfer than WiFi networks. The groups also plan to utilize packet-based information exchange based on standard IP technology. This promises to be the fastest mobile communication method without cables ever devised.

In order to make the 4G system work, the concept of smart antennas must be developed and implemented. With the establishment of the 2G and 3G networks, a number of different methods of data transmission were created. Many of these technologies can be rolled into the 4G network, however, the working groups and ITU prefer a standardized antenna system that can communicate across company lines. 

One of the proposed technologies to make this happen is known as spacial multiplexing. Spacial multiplexing uses a series of antennas linked into a single transmitter and receiver. These antennas are capable of functioning simultaneously, speeding up the space-time data exchange rates.

Overall implementation of the 3G network around the world took nearly a decade. The ITU plans to have the 4G network rolled out to the global market in a much more effective and timely manner. With the speeds and video technology, the possibilities for wireless communication will revolutionize the global communications network. However, concerns over stability and security are also prime factors in the development.

What Is BD Wise

BD Wise is a new technology from Samsung™ that seeks to add a new level of resolution to the home entertainment market, especially in the DVD market. The technology uses interactivity of other electronic products, most notably a Blu-ray™ disc player. The BD portion of the BD Wise name actually refers to the abbreviated term for Blu-Ray™ disc. Though the technology is seen as more of an enhancement to DVDs, it may also help provide some enhancement to the Blu-ray™ format as well. 

In order for BD Wise to work, both the BD Wise DVD player and the television set must be Samsung™ products. If one or the other is not, the inter-connectivity will not work, and the feature will be useless. Therefore, if you are in the market for a new player and considering Samsung™ for the BD Wise feature, then you need to make sure that your television set is compatible. In addition, the television set must be a high definition set that is capable of adjusting its own resolution. 

The main benefit of the technology is that it seeks to find the best resolution setting possible for viewing DVD products. Most DVDs were created before high-definition televisions became extremely popular. Therefore, the resolution of the DVD, while better than the old-style VHS tapes, is not set to a level where it can take advantage of the resolution available on a high definition television. The BD Wise system helps by not only providing an enhancement, but also setting the television in way that can take advantage of that enhancement most effectively. 

In some cases, user may wish to rely on their own settings rather than the automatic settings that the automatic process may use. The automatic settings may be better most of the time, but there could be times when the system does not adequately set an optimum resolution for a particular disc. In those cases, users can turn off the BD Wise feature and proceed to come up with their own settings. While this may take a little more time to set up and get right, it may be the better option for some discs. 

The BD Wise feature does not come standard on all Samsung™ Blu-ray™ players. Most of the newer, higher-end models do include the technology, but you should check the features on the box or product to make sure. The higher-end models also include other features such as BD Live, which allows users to connect to the Internet and download content.

What is a Ten Key

Ten key can refer to either the number pad on a keyboard to the right of the letters, or to adding machines or calculators. Acquiring skills in ten key is sometimes necessary to gain entry into certain fields where either a large amount of data entry, number listing, or accounting is acquired.

Learning ten key is a little bit different than learning to type. For example, the home row contains the numbers 4,5,and 6, and is typed by the index finger, middle finger and ring finger respectively. The right hand is used, though there are left handed people who modify ten key for the left hand. There are also some keyboards with the ten key pad on the left side of the keyboard.

Instead of measuring speed of ten key proficiency with words per minute (wpm) measurements as in typing, ten key is measured in either keys per minute (kpm) or strokes per minute. Most use the kpm designation when seeking employees and set a minimum kpm for applicants. Minimal proficiency in ten key is considered at least 140 kpm, though some companies which require only a little data entry might accept less.

Employment agencies frequently ask for applicants to take typing and ten key tests so they can pass this information along to interested employers. Usually most people gain proficiency in a short period of time, since there are fewer keys to learn. If you claim a certain kpm rate, however, you must be certain you can prove consistent error free ten key typing at this rate.

Few traditional ten key classes exist for those who wish to become proficient. However, there are some excellent software based courses that can easily help one acquire the skills to perform proficient ten key work. Many consider one the best of these to be Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, which teaches not only traditional keyboard typing but also ten key fingering. The software is available on both PC and MAC platforms and tends to be fairly inexpensive, usually about 20 US dollars (USD). 

With a few weeks of practice, you can usually learn all the keys of ten key and demonstrate proficiency. If you are already an accomplished typist, the skills may take less time to acquire.