Week 12: New Ideas CONTINUED BRUTHA

And yes my faithful followers. It is now nearing the end of this blog. And to go out with an appropriate bang, I will touch on what we further learnt this week: New ideas and innovations through the use of the internet.

You have not brushed your teeth in 2 days, this app says. disgusting

With new innovations utilising the power of the internet, we are able to connect daily chores with our technological devices such as handphones and computers. such as this smart toothbrush that lets you know how much of your mouth you have cleaned out. Coolio.



Google, the mother of all cool things and innovations, has had its fair share of new inventions too. like this human-powered monorail called Shweeb: a space-age transportation device that combines the unique properties of monorail with recumbent cycle technologies.

How amazing, is the human mind to conjure up such grandiose and fancy gadgets to improve on everyday life. It really makes me wonder, will we one day end up the product of our own genius?? it is a harrowing yet humbling thought indeed. One of my most favourite and crazy japanese anime films, Ghost in The Shell, sums this up at its finest.

not porn.

Using microchips to control real-life gamers, sounds like fiction?

 What if one day, we humans and machines get integrated to such an extent that we end up losing most of our humanity to the near-perfection of machine precision? Shows like terminator and the Matrix come to mind. Maybe you think me mad, but it is already beginning. NBC has predicted that come 2017, all Americans will be retrofitted with a microchip implant that will supposedly help identify individuals in case of John/Jane Doe cases. But whats to say the chip will not be used for more dubious purposes, like say, the Montenegrin of its own citizens by the government? Premise for a new box-office smash hit much.


 So as much as we think innovations are a thing of the distant future, it is actually accelerating as a much faster pace than we think. Hopefully, I'm able to think out what I want to write on a blog without actually typing on it. It would save so much time.

Week 12: NEW IDEAS MUCH

This week was one of the more interesting topics we did! It was about how people(ORDINARY PEOPLE, mind you) are able to create absolutely amazing applications and new ideas that change the way we use and apply social media to our daily lives. Lets take a look at one innovations that have personally helped me improve on my daily dealings

Carousell(surprise surprise)

Something to start off with, lets go local! Carousell started out as Snapsell with founders Lucas Ngoo, Quek Siu Rui and Marcus Tan. Snapsell began in March 2012 at Startup Weekend. Snapsell's team took 54 grueling hours to produce a demo for the final pitch. It impressed the judges and they won.

additional info: They're from NUS. Shocker

The idea began with a problem the founders faced just days before Startup Weekend. One of them had a white MacBook that was still working great and with reasonably good specifications, but it had been abandoned for months since he had gotten himself a newer, more portable MacBook. Having always wanted to sell it on a marketplace like Hardwarezone or Craigslist but just never got around to doing so, it became clear that one of the key reasons for this perpetual procrastination was the hassle in listing stuff for sale.
Listing something for sale is truly non-trivial, especially when it involves photos (and photos are key to getting good offers). The process goes something like this: You take photos with your camera, upload them to your computer, use a photo editing software to enhance/resize the photos, then upload it to an image hosting service and then embed it into the post where you are listing your item. It’s a painful process that easily takes 30 minutes or more. With that, it occurred to them that with smartphones, this process could be streamlined to a process that would take just seconds. Hence, at Startup Weekend Singapore, Snapsell was submitted for the voting round as “a dead easy way to sell your stuff”. Since Startup Weekend concluded, the creators have been encouraged by requests for the app to launch sooner, and have spent a lot of time listening to feedback and understanding the problems associated with selling stuff. Internally, they have distilled all the information gathered to the essence of the problems of selling today. And that has given the makers new insights into the possibilities of what Snapsell can become.
Today,  Snapsell has been successfully been transformed into Carousell! For more information about this new venture, here is a newspaper cutout.


I personally use both Facebook and Carousell, although I subscribed to the latter only recently because I needed a quick way to get a headmount for my action camera. Furthermore, allowing me to chat instantly with any buyers/sellers is a great way to get to know more information about the product I'm buying or whether the buyer is legit or not. So far currently I'm in the dealing with this guy for the purchase of three fire-bellied toads. lets hope it all goes well and I'm not going to get caught.

Internet and Journalism

The coolest image of a journalist I can think of. 

 

 

 

Traditional media and journalism has taken a HUUUUGE hit since the introduction of the internet and with it social media websites. Journalism, in its rawest form, is basically "the collection and editing of news for presentation through the media". A journalist would be one who does the collecting and interviewing of people for information, and then editing and publishing it to the general population. 

NO YOU CANNOT CRITICIZE MY SHIT

Yes journalism in the past required the collecting and collation of information to be then disseminated to the public for reading. However, one limited drawback of traditional journalism was that it was basically a one-way means of communication; from the printing press to the public. There was basically no channel for feedback or communication. Also, traditional media was solely limited to where you could get the nearest newspaper or television set. There was limited availability as to where you could get your information from. Those who could not afford such luxuries were thus denied the basic privilege of general information and knowledge.

Lets hope free internet journalism doesn't come to an end.

So how did the internet change all that? Before we delve into the benefits of the internet as a means of journalism, let us all agree on one thing: we love free stuff right? Well, the internet as a whole is technically free to whoever has access to a router and decent internet connectivity. Reading up on news online is therefore free to everyone who has internet connectivity. I don't know about you, but that sounds like a freaking deal to me. 60 cents for a set of newspaper when I can go online and read about the exact same thing, perhaps even more?? Screw that, hand me a computer.

Another good advantage of having digital journalism, as it is more commonly referred to on the internet community, is the added benefit of accessibility. In the past, you had to physically obtain a copy of the local paper to be updated on the latest happenings, which to some people seemed a bit of a bitch (because money, mostly). 

Convenience is also another good point about internet journalism. you can literally use your phone and surf the net for news and any interesting happening around your locality. Stomp citizen journalism is an example of the convenience of digital journalism. Anyone can snap a photo at anywhere at ANYTIME and then upload it to the website for all to see. However this ultimately results in people uploading rubbish like soldiers sitting on trains and the like. Really sad stuff.

WORST. IDEA. EVER.

OK BYE.

Internet Security

For this post, I will introduce you to the threat of viruses and hackers on the web and why IT security is so important for everyone who has personal infomation online. And most importantly how you can prevent yourself from getting hacked and receiving viruses.

First off, an online virus is a malicious program, usually made by hackers whose main intent is to cause mischief and spread their virus on the web. Hackers are basically extremely intelligent individuals with extremely inflated egos. They aim to hack and break into the most secure of locations, primarily government databases and various banks online. However there are those who start out small; amateur hackers who just want to disrupt people's lives and cause a little bit of mayhem.

There are many ways you can prevent yourself from becoming a victim of these hackers.

1. Follow forums
It is always a good idea to follow hacking forums as you will be able to pick up on all the latest methods being used. A good ethical hacking forum can be found at http://zerosecurity.org

 

2.  Change default password immediately
Some software has built-in password to allow the first log in after installation; it is extremely unwise to leave it unchanged.

change your password now bad boi

3.  Identify entry points
 Install proper scanning software programs to identify all entry points from the internet into the internal network of the company. Any attack to the network needs to start from these points. Identifying these entry points, however is not at all an easy task. It is better to take the help of skilled ethical hackers who have taken special network security training to perform this task successfully.

one of the best programs around: McAfee. Not ad advertisement.

4.  Perform attack and penetration tests
 By running the attack and penetration tests, you can identify those vulnerable points in the network that can be easily accessed from both external and internal users. After identifying these points, you would be able to thwart attacks from external sources and correct the pitfalls that could become the entry points for intruders to hack into your network. The test must be done from both the internal as well as external perspectives to detect all the vulnerable points.

5. Make user-awareness campaigns 
All possible steps must be taken to make all the users of the network aware of the pitfalls of security and the necessary security practices to minimize these risks. You can conduct the social-engineering tests to determine the user awareness. Until all the users are aware of certain factors related to the network, protection cannot be carried out in the true sense of the term.

6. Configure firewalls
 A firewall if not configured properly can act like an open door for any intruder. Hence it is vitally important to set the rules to allow traffic through the firewall that is important to the business. A firewall must have its own configurations depending upon the security aspect of your organization. From time to time proper analysis of the composition and nature of the traffic itself is also necessary to maintain security.

 7. Implement and use password policies
Use strong password policies by having passwords of seven characters which are of secure length and relatively easy to remember. Passwords must be changed in every 60 days. The password should also be made up of both alpha and numeric characters to make it more unique.

8. Use password-less authentication
 Regardless of the policies above, passwords are less secure than SSH or VPN keys so think about using these or similar technologies instead. Where possible, use smart cards and other advanced methods. Most banks in Singapore area already this method by employing a one-time authentication code sent to the owner either via sms or with a keycard.

 

9. Remove default, test and example pages and applications that usually come with web server software

 They may be a weak point to attack and as they are the same in many system the cracking experience can be easily reused. Some viruses, like the Trojan, use seemingly innocently looking files sent via email of through hyperlinks to attack other computers.

10. Install anti-virus software

This is quite pointless to reiterate, but I will do it for the benefit of those who really don't have half a brain to do so. Both intrusion detection systems and anti-virus software must be updated regularly and if possible on a daily basis. The updated version of anti-virus software is necessary as it helps in detecting even the latest virus. 

 

So yes, I HOPE (really) that people take the time to read this and beef up their internet security. We are already so vulnerable in the digital age, with all our personal information readily available on public platforms, no need to make our lives harder by allowing people to hack and access even more personal, intimate info. Stay safe people!

Week 11: Internet and Politics

Ever since the first politician saw the power of the internet in changing the face of political campaigning, there has been a mass exodus of presidential candidates and government figures flocking to social media as a way of getting more supporters or to get in touch with their constituents.

Singapore is no exception. With the realisation that a political campaign was not limited to long hours of driving through estates with a loudhailer shouting out empty promises, Singapore's ministers have set up Facebook pages and Twitter accounts, or at least their public relation's liaisons have. With an easier access to their target audience, Singapore's ministers have a much easier reach to the fellow man on the street, and everyday Singaporeans are able to keep in sync with what their GRC minister's are up to.

Mrs Obama is not impressed. 

Capitulating on the success of American President Barack Obama and his effective use of social media to win a presidential campaign, Our very own prime minister has been busy too. 

Lol

The Power of Internet on political campaigns

The internet is now a core element of modern political campaigns. Communication technologies such as e-mail, web sites, and podcasts enable faster communications by citizen movements and deliver a message to a large audience. These Internet technologies are used for cause-related fundraising, lobbying, volunteering, community building, and organizing. Individual political candidates are also using the internet to promote their election campaign. Campaigns are now studying popular Internet social networks, like Facebook, as ways to reaching groups of potential supporters with similar political views or cultural interests. Below is a video of how politicians utilise the internet for their campaigns.

Such revolution has allowed a low cost, yet an efficient method of mobilizing voters and increasing participationamong various voter populations. This new media was incredibly successful at reaching the younger population while helping all populations organize and promote action. Analysts say the campaign television advertisement, already diminishing in influence with the proliferation of cable stations, faces new challenges as campaigns experiment with technology that allows direct messaging to more specific audiences, and through unconventional means. Those include Podcasts featuring a daily downloaded message from a candidate and so-called viral attack videos, designed to trigger peer-to-peer distribution by e-mail chains, without being associated with any candidate or campaign.

Obama’s Presidential Campaign(2008)

Signifying the importance of internet political campaigning, Barack Obama’s presidential campaign relied heavily on social media (including Facebook, YouTube and a custom generated social engine), and new media channels to engage voters, recruit campaign volunteers, raise campaign funds and to reach new target segments. The Internet also let people repeatedly listen to the candidates’ own words in the face of attacks, Mr. Huffington said. As Reverend Jeremiah Wright’s incendiary words kept surfacing, people could re-watch Mr. Obama’s speech on race. To date, 6.7 million people have watched the 37-minute speech on YouTube.

Limitations to use of Internet in Politics 

However, as modern technology continues to adapt to changes in society, Internet campaigning will never be able to serve as a complete replacement for traditional political campaigning without reducing the significant barriers to entry. Internet political campaigning leaves out entire portions of each population because it only is accessible to a certain portion of the population, leaving those without this access disconnected. For example, during Obama’s recent presidential campaign, Internet political campaigning was effective at reaching the younger population, as they remain  engaged with social websites and new media. Because of the limits of technology, Obama’s Internet campaign failed to reach older generations (Americans over 65) who tend to be the nation’s most reliable voters and didn’t use this new media, as well as significant amounts of the population who didn’t have access.

Moreover while the Internet is efficient at reaching supporters, who tend to visit and linger at political sites, it has proved to be much less effective at swaying voters who are not interested in politics. In this age of multitasking, voters are not as captive to a Web site as they might be to a 30-second television advertisement, or a campaign mailing. That was a critical lesson of the collapse of Mr. Dean’s presidential campaign, after he initially enjoyed great Internet success in raising money and drawing crowds. Therefore the internet is a “double edged sword”, with speed, efficiency and success in penetrating the various target segments, a party must also be very careful and pay close attention to details it includes in the campaign, and to make sure there is no mistakes in the campaigns, because once the word is out in the public there is no turning back, and the party’s reputation will be smeared.

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality WOW!!!!

Wow it has indeed been a season since I have posted. I DO apologise, really I have no excuse. How could I. :(

This week,(I don't really know which week it is already, so messed up) its all about the FUTURE!!! We've really come a long way since the analog era, because right now, on the cusp of the 21st century, augmented reality(AR) and virtual reality(VR) are becoming REALITY(RR). ok that last one was a joke. I kid. Today, we will be exploring two different kinds of tech: Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, both which have made strides in improving our society and way of life. 

First on the list! For all you car lovers out there: This is one new technology you guys will appreciate.   Jaguar, the huge British car manufacturing brand, has recently come up with a nifty new tech that will forever change the game and the way we drive our cars from now on. Jaguar's Land Rover's new Virtual Windscreen concept wants to provide drivers with an interactive virtual display on the car's windshield, delivering a kind of augmented-reality experience. Here is a video for your viewing consideration. Take a look and you will know why I'm saying this is a total game-changer.

In the video, (IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT) the concept system's features include virtual racing lines that change colour from green to red to indicate a change in direction requiring the driver to apply the brakes. This feature is especially useful for drivers operating in treacherous or poorly-light roads, where the in-car GPS can navigate the driver through these meandering roads. 

Another neat feature of this Virtual Windscreen concept is the ability to place "virtual cones" on the road in real-time. Beginners, pay heed. Perhaps in the near future there will be no need for a grumpy old man scolding you whilst sitting next to you during your driving lessons! In his place could be a classy middle-aged lady whose dulcet tones would guide you along the road, how about that. 

DMV Eat your heart out

If you think that there could be nothing more that could convince you to otherwise scrap your dull-looking Toyota and go balls-out for a Jag, hold on to your (not so expensive) car keys yet. Now of the most exciting and perhaps groundbreaking innovations this new tech has come up with is the introduction of a "ghost mode", something synonymous with many arcade racers. A "ghost" car visualisation will allow users to actually race virtual drivers on a real road, competing against said drivers in lap times that will be recorded and uploaded. So the premise of this would be that you essentially COULD race your friend on the same race course, while your friend stays at home with the missus awaiting your lap time. Make sure you guys do it on a legal track though. No street-racing in Singapore, kids. 

Carl! I'm winning!

Often since the day I first picked up my very first gaming console(It was an Xbox, and I have no regrets) I often wondered when would come the day where I could actually interact with my games. WELL Microsoft recently released Kinect, and with the new Xbox One now in stores, gaming has become much more personal than ever before. I mean have you ever thought of working out to a gaming console? Neither did I!

But that's not the point of this rant. Since the dawn of technology Man has always dreamed up grandiose imageries of using augmented reality to enter worlds beyond our realm. The guys at Oculus  have done just that in the 21st century. Introducing the next step in gaming, the Oculus Rift VR headset. 

The Oculus Rift is a brand new concept virtual reality(VR) headset designed for gaming. It is by far the MOST interactive way to play a video game. With an immensely wide field-of-view, enabling you to use your peripheral sights to play the game, high-resolution display and ultra-low latency head tracking, the Rift provides any gaming enthusiast with a truly immersive experience that allows one to literally 'step inside' your favourite game and explore new worlds like never before.

more on the Rift here: http://www.oculus.com/

Video Week!

Hi all! as the title already says it, this is a video which I had the chance to do with my friends and classmates. with the help of a few actors (mainly me and my friend Xin Da) we made this video showing the possibilities of IT in retail and shopping. Enjoy!