War of Mobile OSes

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean vs iOS 6 vs Windows Phone 8

In today’s world, one not only buys a phone on the basis of hardware but takes into account the operating system. As we know technology changes every moment, therefore stepping out of the current version available of Apple’s, Google’s and Microsoft’s operating systems, I will be making the comparison of Apple’s iOS6, Google’s Android 4.1 named Jelly Beans and Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8. Therefore, which one is best among these, here is the comparison:

Aesthetics

Apple’s iOS is considered to be one of the most user friendly and evolved OS, having said that barring few minor visual changes it has come to, well let’s just say, standstill visually.^{[1] [2]} I love that in Jelly beans personalization is only restricted to one’s imagination and yeah his/her wallet with plethora of launchers and weights .^[3][4] The new Windows Phone 8 is more customisable than before, thanks to tiles you can resize into three pre-determined sizes, depending on how much information you want a tile to convey. ^[5][6]

Functionality and Performance

We all know the looks though matters but are just skin deep now coming to an important aspect what all new functions are included and how the device perform in this new iteration

 “Project Butter” describes a new Google initiative to offer Android users a faster, more responsive OS starting with Jelly Bean by optimizing hardware usage, improving overall user experience and prolonging battery life .Many new features are included and updated effectively like Android Beam, Expandable Notifications app, Google wallet, Google Maps offline support (i.e. in certain countries at first), Google Search now what’s new in that! Well it takes into account all the data Google has about you to offer tailored, automatic responses based on Search and triggered by daily activities.^[7] Other major updated features include touch-based and its voice-based typing (dictation) , better faster camera app, additional voice and video calling features, you get integrated social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox, Picasa, its own Google+, and more, redesigned the Google Play store experience.^[8]

Apple comes with many great new features and as always enhancing the user end experience .So what’s is in iOS 6! , Siri is now available in more languages and support variety of other features, Facebook has been integrated this time twitter was integrated in iOS5^[9], Passbook is a mobile wallet that keeps your debit cards, credit cards, tickets, Shared Photo Streams app , Apple in this outing has ditched Google map and introduced their own map app which will have 3D support, noticeable updates can also be found in phone app, safari, mail and other  200+  changes which although are small but make big difference in user experience .^[1][10]

Microsoft’s windows phone 7 is considered to be a big improvement over its pervious 6.5 and now its turn of windows phone 8. Starting with WP8, the company will support dual-core and multi-core processors, two extra screen resolutions (1280 x 768 and 1280 x 720) and micro SD memory expansion which will increase the performance.^[11] It includes variety of new features like Microsoft is creating its own Wallet Hub in WP8, security tool Enterprise, WP8 will have some cross platform elements from Windows 8 will give boost to gamming and other apps, Bing maps also available offline ,Facebook and twitter integrated, NFC support. Microsoft have small but rapidly expanding App store.^[12]

Verdict

Considering the Apps, Jelly beans and iOS6 have edge over WP8 as both have more apps. Apps looks a bit mature in iOS than Android and hence iOS wins in app front. WP8 missed few tricks that other two OSes have able to pull (like on basic phone app in iOS you can not only accept or reject call but can send personalize response, do not distribute and can send reminders).^[11]

Success of a OS also depend on how will they update the existing devices. This is a problem with Android and Microsoft as in Android updates come in slow and painful manner as seen with ICS and jelly beans will also follow same path, Microsoft’s WP8 is not backward compatible with existing WP devices whereas in case of apple it is not much of a problem as update will come to all iPhone after iPhone 3GS, iPod4G, iPad2 and the new iPad simultaneously.^[12]

On the sheet and in world where money doesn't matter iOS6 seems to win but speaking of real world Android have edge over iOS6 and WP8. Tell me what you think!

References:

[1](“Apple - iOS 6 - iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch get 200+ new features.,”

       URL: http://www.apple.com/ios/whats-new/)

[2](“Apple iOS 6 review: Moving forward - GSMArena.com,”                            http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_ios_6_review-review-821.php)

[3](“Android - Android 4.1, Jelly Bean,” URL: http://www.android.com/about/jelly-bean/)

[4](“Jelly Bean | Android Community,” URL: http://androidcommunity.com/tag/jelly-bean/)

[5](“Windows Phone 8 review: Str8 up - GSMArena.com,” URL: http://www.gsmarena.com/windows_phone_8-review-839.php)

[6](“Windows Phone 8 review | Operating systems Reviews | TechRadar,” URL: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/software/operating-systems/windows-phone-8-1086692/review)

[7](“Android 4.1: Jelly Bean review | Operating systems Reviews | TechRadar,” URL: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/software/operating-systems/android-4-1-jelly-bean-1087230/review)

[8](“Android 4.1 Jelly Bean: When is it coming to my phone? - Pocket-lint,” URL: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/46277/jelly-bean-when-update-coming)

[9](“iOS 6 review | Operating systems Reviews | TechRadar,” URL: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/software/operating-systems/ios-6-1096515/review)

[10](“iOS 6 Review: The Highs, The Lows, And Everything In Between | TechCrunch,” URL: http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/19/ios-6-review-the-highs-the-lows-and-everything-in-between/)

[11](“iOS 6 vs Jelly Bean vs Windows Phone 8,” URL: http://tech2.in.com/features/smartphones/ios-6-vs-jelly-bean-vs-windows-phone-8/322972)

[12](“Android 4.1 Jelly Bean vs iOS 6 vs Windows Phone 8 - The Ultimate Comparison | Redmond Pie,” URL: http://www.redmondpie.com/android-4.1-jelly-bean-vs-ios-6-vs-windows-phone-8-the-ultimate-comparison/)

CLOUD COMPUTING

CLOUD COMPUTING IN EDUCATION: INDIA

Cloud computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal Management effort or service provider interaction.[1]

In this article I will be focusing on a problem faced by most of the Indian government i.e. providing computer facilities to its students. It is mainly due to the fact that funds if allocated are either eat up by corruption or computers bought get stolen.

one traditionally needs components of computer like  processor, ROM, RAM, permanent storage device say hard drive and input/output devices to get going, which can cost up to Rs.30,000  per PC for hardware only additional cost of software licencing has also to be borne by the government , which is huge considering the size of audience we want to  cater.

One of the solution Indian government is looking at is using cloud computing. All they have to do is provide computer in schools which have basic components computer i.e. low end processor (just to process basic functions like booting the system),ROM to boot the device , a cache memory and input/output devices .It need not be a desktop PC even a low end touch pad device like (Akaash tablet) can also get the job done .These end user devices can be provided in all government schools which would be connected to a central server, These servers can be placed around the city . Cable network can be used to form the network from schools to servers mainly because of range they provide and security reasons ,Now all the major processing ,storing data work will done on a central server from which the device is connected .The end user device (Tablet/low end PC) will merely act as an interface between user and server.

This will have many advantages on traditional systems and cures main problems of government i.e.:

   1.End user Cost will come down drastically from on average 30k to mere 3k as one neither have to purchase whole traditional PC nor software licencing.

   2.  Less scope for corruption (a major concern of government these days).

  3.There would be no theft as end user devices is of no use until connected to the server which could be password protected and could be banned from accessing server if any such case comes up.

  4.Mobility can be provided by using tablets as end user devices and wireless network at schools via WiMax and WiFi.

   5.  Open ups a great source of knowledge i.e. world wide web for every student

   6.It can even reach the rural India.

But implementing all this our government has to face many challenges like

1. Higher initial cost of setting up servers and under laying the network from schools to server.

2.  Providing end user device.

3. Technical and administrative hassles (deciding the final end user device to be used tablet or low end PCs, selecting type of networking, arranging the funds etc.)

Therefore making by making use of cloud computing Indian government can solve its major problem of spreading IT knowledge across all its government schools be it at rural or urban India thus providing quality education to intriguing young Indian minds.

SOURCES:

1.http://www.informationweek.in/Cloud_Computing/11-09-09/Why_rural_India_needs_a_national_cloud_computing_plan.aspx

Compact packaging

Why small is better

We all have seen an example of the popular saying “Good things comes in small packages”, but nowadays everything comes in small packages literally .It’s not that the companies have taken the saying too seriously, it’s just that they have finally recognize the importance of saving the planet in which their business is best known. In past few years many big manufacturing companies have taken steps to reduce their carbon footprints, one of them is streamlined and compact packaging of sales products.

Smaller sales package= Huge savings on paper (e.g. in form of concise user manual) + Smaller and lighter packaging reduces transportation needs + few things to recycle in the end.

To throw some facts and figures let us take simple example of cell phone sales package of Nokia.

According to company’s report [1] from 2006-2008:

Compact packaging has saved 99000 tons of paper in user guidance
and packaging material

Transportation efficiency:

The report also states that in theory in all of Nokia deliveries every other truck has been omitted. It has generated € 474 M direct monetary savings from reduced materials and transportation costs.

Recyclable material:

They prefer easily recyclable paper over plastic as material. Nokia states that it uses less than 5% of plastic as packaging material.

This just an example of Nokia, combined the saving of all the products besides just cell phones and all the product manufacturing companies these figures will be astonishing. Clearly all the manufacturing companies have either adopted or are planning to adopt the idea of compact sales packages because it’s a win-win situation for them as it saves carbon foot prints and also reduces their logistic cost.  

[1] http://www.grontpunkt.no/files/dmfile/Nokiapackagingoptimalizationexperiences1.pdf