What Is Wireless Charging & How Exactly Does It Work?

We live in a wireless world. Except we don’t. Sure, we can send huge amounts of information across the airwaves, but the devices capable of sending and receiving it are tied down to power cords. Batteries allow some freedom but, eventually, we all have to come back around to the familiar face of the power outlet.
What if we didn’t? What if we could charge anywhere, at any time? This is the promise of wireless charging, a concept that seems ripped from sci-fi. But it’s not – it’s real, and it’s available today. Let’s look at the reality and see what this technology can and can’t accomplish.

How Wireless Charging Works

The term “wireless charging” usually refers to inductive charging. This technology uses a charging station that creates an alternating magnetic field. A device with the proper induction coil will receive energy from that field when it is placed nearby, making it receive power without a physical connection.
Cordless toothbrushes and other bathroom devices have used inductive charging for a long time. The technology has traditionally had problems with low efficiency and slow charging, but these were not considered a disadvantage for bathroom appliances that might be used for only a few minutes every day. Using inductive charging is safer, as well, because the conducting material is not exposed. Touch it with a wet hand? No problem.
Inductive charging is not magic. It needs specific hardware to function, and that hardware must be built into a device. Most devices do not have inductive charging coils built in to them, so a sleeve or adapter must be attached to enable inductive charging.

History of Internet in Pakistan

The Internet industry in Pakistan has come a long way when the first dial up E-mail service was introduced in the country by Imran-Net in 1992-93. Serious support was accorded to Email services in Pakistan with the launch of a UNDP funded project called SDNPK - Sustainable Development Networking Programme in Islamabad in 1993; on the lines of such projects launched by UNDP in other countries. This self-sustainable project was meant to provide dial-up, UUCP based email service to general public and support to projects related to education, sustainable development, NGO’s and other related areas. These store and forward email services were charged by the service providers on bytes size.
The size of SDNPK subscriber base expanded quickly since it served a very important and un-addressed market segment. A number of customers in cities outside of Islamabad also joined the network since the cost of communicating via email was substantially cheaper than either international fax or international dial up services. The project was sustained by UNDP funding for a number of years and the activities expanded to other cities such as Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar where nodes were set up. The project however lost its charm after many ISPs entered the online market.
In 1995, Digicom, an entrepreneurial Internet venture launched on-line Internet service in Karachi. This heralded the beginning of Internet industry in Pakistan. Brainnet, Paknet and COMSATS followed the suit.

Timeline of Internet in Pakistan

1992-93	ImranNet introduced first dialup email services from Lahore.
1993	SDNPK launched dialup email services from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
1995	Digicom launched online dialup services in Karachi using a direct satellite SCPC backbone link of 64 kbps.
1995	Paknet, a subsidiary of state owned incumbent, PTCL, started dialup text based Internet services in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
1996	Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) established.
1996	Paknet started offering dialup graphics based Internet, speed 14.4 to 28.8 kbps in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
1996	COMSATS launched ISP in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, speed 28.8 kbps
1996	Cost of dialup Internet @ Rs. 100 per hour
1997	Cybernet started services in Karachi
1997	Dialup Speed moved to 33.6 kbps
1998	Dialup Speed moved to 56 kbps
1998	Internet calls were exempted from multi-metering by the Government
2001	First broadband, DSL launched by Micronet Broadband
2006	Transworld Associates launched Pakistan’s first alternate submarine cable linking Karachi to UAE
2006	First FTTH launched in Islamabad by Nayatel (Pvt) Ltd
2007	First WiMax services launched by Wateen Telecom followed by WiTribe and Qbee

Network topology

Computer networks may be classified according to the network topology upon which the network is based, such as Bus Network, Star Network, Ring Network, Mesh network, Star-Bus Network, Tree or Hierarchical topology network. Network topology signifies the way in which devices in the network see their logical relations to one another. The use of the term "logical" here is significant. That is, network topology is independent of the "physical" layout of the network. Even if networked computers are physically placed in a linear arrangement, if they are connected via a hub, the network has a Star topology, rather than a bus topology. In this regard the visual and operational characteristics of a network are distinct; the logical network topology is not necessarily the same as the physical layout. Networks may be classified based on the method of data used to convey the data, these include digital and analog networks.

Wireless technologies

Terrestrial microwave – Terrestrial microwaves use Earth-based transmitter and receiver. The equipment look similar to satellite dishes. Terrestrial microwaves use low-gigahertz range, which limits all communications to line-of-sight. Path between relay stations spaced approx. 30 miles apart. Microwave antennas are usually placed on top of buildings, towers, hills, and mountain peaks.
Communications satellites – The satellites use microwave radio as their telecommunications medium which are not deflected by the Earth's atmosphere. The satellites are stationed in space, typically 22,000 miles above the equator. These Earth-orbiting systems are capable of receiving and relaying voice, data, and TV signals.
Cellular and PCS Systems – Use several radio communications technologies. The systems are divided to different geographic area. Each area has low-power transmitter or radio relay antenna device to relay calls from one area to the next area.
Wireless LANs – Wireless local area network use a high-frequency radio technology similar to digital cellular and a low-frequency radio technology. Wireless LANS use spread spectrum technology to enable communication between multiple devices in a limited area. Example of open-standard wireless radio-wave technology is IEEE 802.11b.
Bluetooth – A short range wireless technology. Operate at approx. 1Mbit/s with range from 10 to 100 meters. Bluetooth is an open wireless protocol for data exchange over short distances.
The wireless Web – The wireless web refers to the use of the World Wide Web through equipments like cellular phones, pagers, PDAs, and other portable communication devices. The wireless web service offers anytime/anywhere connection.

Google Chrome Browser visibility in iOS: is it true?

Google has planned to share its revenue ads with Apple for doing the Google searches performed through Safari, a deal that presently sees Google paying off the Apple approximately $1 billion per year. Not only this, Google plans to earn some decent amount of revenue from Chrome browser for iOS devices which will ultimately to Google keeping all revenue for searches through the browser for itself, Google will see a massive amount of financial benefit from this plan only if it can attain a significant number of user base on iOS.

Business Insider has recently reported through an analyst named asBen Schacter, who has claimed that Google is planning on a new version of the Chrome Browser to install into the iOS devices. Conferring to the report: it says:” Apple may already be studying” the app, which could unveil before the end of quarter of 2012.

The main problem which Google can face is that Apple does not make it convenient enough for users to take advantage of third-party browsing websites such as with Safari alternatives like Opera and Dolphin signifying only small fractions of iOS browser share idea.
System wide also plans for taking the browser actions to get introduced into the iOS apps specifically linked to Safari which means that users may have to take some extra steps and effort to use these kind of different versions of browsing websites, with the inconvenience factor which may lead to the massive number of users to only use Safari for their iOS devices to meet their browsing needs.

A Short Introduction to Operating Systems

Notes Review:

These are the lecture notes of Operating Systems, courtesy of Mark Burgess, a full professor at the Faculty of Engineering of University College Oslo, Norway. As with other lecture notes, these are relatively short (168 pages) for a subject traditionally covered in thick volumes.

The notes cover most of the basic topics of operating systems, many which have only been covered superficially. Nevertheless, readers will find these lecture notes as a decent introduction material that should give them a good grasp on the subject of operating systems.

Topics covered include:
- key concepts, resources and sharing, resource management and spooling
- single task
- multi tasking and multi user
- processes and threads
- memory and storages, physical and virtual
- networks, services and protocols
- security, super users, firewall

PayPal technical problems delay UK transactions

 

PayPal made changes so funds can be transferred from customers' PayPal accounts to be their bank accounts within a few hours. Photograph: Frederic Sierakowski/Rex Features

Payments business PayPal has been hit by technical hitches in the UK which has led to some transactions being held for security checks.
A spokesman for PayPal, which is used on eBay as well as other websites to transfer cash securely, said the business has been having "a few issues" over the last few weeks which have affected a small proportion of customers.
Changes have been made to its system to speed up the process when customers transfer funds from their PayPal account to their regular bank account. The process, which previously took three working days, is now meant to take a few hours.
But the volume of the quicker transactions has led to some hitches, meaning some transfers have been held for security checks rather than the money being quickly transferred.
"We have had some technical issues which mean more transactions than usual are being reviewed for risk reasons," the spokesman said.
He said the underlying issues have been resolved and PayPal is working to clear up the problems by the end of the week.
The spokesman declined to put a figure on how many people were thought to be affected but said it was a minority of customers.