Hello! I am Lindsworth Deer, a former Telecoms Technician, freelance Telecoms Researcher and PC Repair Technician and CCTV Camera Installer in Kingston, Jamaica. My blog focuses on Telecommunications, Broadcasting Renewable Energy and Science in Jamaica. Email: horatiodeer2357@gmail.com. Whatsapp: 1(876)5460286 or call 19045956136. Skype: lindsworth.deer (after 6pm!!)
Contact me about any of my articles! Thanx!
Facebook's
CEO Mark Zuckerberg has plan to make WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram
communicate seamlessly as reported in “Facebook
to merge WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram messaging”, published JANUARY 25,
2019 by Queenie Wong and Lori Grunin, CNET.
While
Whatsapp is ad-free and has E2EE (End to End Encryption), Facebook Messenger
and Instagram are not encrypted.
Knowing
Facebook, this is just another way to add data to their social Graph and sell
it to Third party Advertising companies.
The
previous 2 work on Android devices.All
these options sport E2EE and come with VoIP calling.
However
Apple iMessage is great once you have an Apple device. At least you get
FaceTime and iMessages from a close group, itself a great security feature.
Telegram
is especially handy, offering encrypted chats with self-destructing messages. Of the two, it has the same look and feel like Whastapp, making users feel quite at home.
It is both app and browser based and its messaging feature, called Secret
Chats, allows the sender of a message to enable and disable E2EE for each
conversation.
Signal
is possibly the simplest and best. It is renowned for its E2EE, which is
applied by default on all conversations. And yes, it was indeed endorsed by
Edward Snowden.
The
event takes place on February 20th in San Francisco and will
introduce the world to the newest additions to the Galaxy family, revealing an
exciting future for the smartphone as Samsung celebrates 10 years of leadership
in mobile innovation.
If
you can’t make it to the event in person, don’t worry! You can still watch the
action unfold live from the comfort of your own home at 11 a.m. PST via any of
the links detailed below.
The
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked2019 celebrates a decade since the launch of the first Galaxy and will
present a new device designed to satisfy today’s Smartphone market, so
consumers can do more of what they love. Here is the link for the YouTube Channel to
watch:
1.Tell
customers upon request what personal data they have collected and why
2.Which
categories of third parties have received it
3.Allow
consumers to delete their information and not sell it
But...what
if you wanted a slice of the action? After all, those free social media services
are paid for by these Silicon Valley tech giants collecting your data...so why
can you not get a cut of the profit?
Apps and device
signatures - Third party advertisers making billions from your data
This
seems to be the arguement of California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is seeking
to do just that as noted in his first State of the State speech Tuesday January
12th 2019, quote: “Companies that make billions of dollars
collecting, curating and monetising our personal data have a duty to protect
it...... California’s consumers should also be able to share in the wealth that
is created from their data.”
Tech
companies, for example, sell the data to outside businesses that send targeted
ads to users. This data is often collected from apps that collect the data even
when you opt out of their advertising and access to your Smartphone as noted in
“These
Android apps have been tracking you, even when you say stop”,
published February 14 2019 by Laura Hautala, CNET.
According to research from the International
Computer Science Institute, some 17,000 Android apps are collecting your
Smartphone’s unique device signatures:
1.MAC
address
2.IMEI
3.Android
ID
This
data allows these apps to create a permanent record of the activity on your
device. They can then resell this data to third party advertisers who can
continuously send you advertising. By right, they are only allowed by Google to
use the Advertising ID assigned to developers for their apps.
But
according to research from the International Computer Science Institute, less
than 30% of these 17,000 Android apps surveyed follow Google's best practices
for developers.
Clearing
this Advertising ID could stop advertisers from building up data about you over
time. But you can't reset other identifiers, like the MAC address and IMEI.
How smartphone data is
used by Advertisers - MAC address, IMEI and Android ID track you forever
The
MAC (media access control) address is a unique identifier assigned to a network
interface controller (NIC) in your Smartphone.
It
is used for communications at the data link layer of a network segment for
internet connections with devices such as Wi-Fi routers. MAC addresses are used
as a network address for most IEEE 802 network technologies, including
Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
The
IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a 15- or 17-digit code that
uniquely identifies mobile phone sets. The IMEI code can enable a GSM (Global
System for Mobile communication) or UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications
Service) network to block a stolen phone from initiating calls.
If
this is even a bit true, advertising networks can send you advertising as long
as you have the phone. So ultimately something has to give; either you accept
giving up your privacy for free services while Silicon Valley makes billions
from studying your personal data or they share the profits with you....as the
“Free” services have to be financed one way or the other.
Electric
Vehicles are on the horizon. Jamaica will soon have to start changing over to
all-Electric vehicles or Hybrids, as the world's automakers are shifting gears
come 2030.
This
was the sentiment expressed at the launch of the 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman by
ATL Automotive Group on Friday February 7th 2019. The Plug-In Hybrid
Countryman was on display at their showroom along Lady Musgrave Road in St
Andrew.
Among
the speakers at the event were:
1.Dionne
Nugent, senior vice president of business development of Jamaica Public Service
2.Sloane
Jackson, ATL Automotive’s head of business for BMW and Mini
3.Jason
Robinson, CEO of SolarBuzz
4.Eleanor
Jones, managing director and consulting principal of Environmental Solutions
Limited and chairperson of the Environment Committee of the Private Sector
Organisation of Jamaica.
So
what so special about the Plug-In Hybrid Mini Cooper Countryman? Does this mean
that other All-Electric or Hybrid vehicles are on the horizon?
2019 Mini Cooper
Countryman - Regenerative charging means on Eco Mode is king
2019
Mini Cooper Countryman is able to run on either its Li-Ion Batteries or
gasoline or use both.
The
2019 Mini Cooper Countryman combines a 3 cylinder twin turbo gasoline Engine
with a synchronous electric motor. Combined, that's a total power output of 224
horsepower or 165 kW.
If
the synchronous electric motor and its Li-Ion Battery pack weren't present, you
would only have 134 horsepower or 100 kW of power, which means that the Battery
pack add an additional 90 horsepower or 65 kW or power.
The
work is divided between the two power sources, with the Gasoline engine running
the front wheels and the synchronous electric motor running the rear
wheels.Initially, when you move off,
you're running on the electric motors, and then a balance between the gasoline
Engine and the synchronous electric motor is established, with the Mini Cooper
Countryman shifting more to the gasoline the faster you go.
The
2019 Mini Cooper Countryman has three modes of operation:
1.Max eDrive Mode
- Uses the least amount of Battery power
2.Auto eDrive Mode
- Uses the most efficient mixture of gasoline Engine and the synchronous
electric motor
3.Save Mode
- Uses Regenerative Braking to trickle charge the Li-Ion Battery
The
Mini Cooper Countryman comes with regenerative charging, meaning as it runs on
gasoline only at higher speeds, it trickle charges the battery. Albeit slowly,
if you are someone who likes to travel on the highways a lot, you may notice
that the battery, which at low speed can manage 42 kilometres, will hardly need
to be recharged.
This
is great if you live in the city, as you can use that battery power for your
work commute and back and will last you for at least two weeks if your
workplace is super close. You can even carry a portable solar charger to give
it a trickle charge when you have it parked in the sun.
With
fuel consumption of 2.3-2.1 litres per 100 kilometers and carbon dioxide
emissions figure of 52-49 grams per kilometre, you'll soon realize that you can
stop spending on gasoline for the entire month!
2019 Mini Cooper
Countryman - Savings in gasoline are worth it
Mini
Cooper Countryman accounts for 85% of Mini sales in Jamaica over the last three
years. Its price is not for everyone…..but the technology adoption is a must as
you will see.
But
if you care about the environment and saving on the use of gasoline, then this
may be the vehicle for you as pointed out by Sloane Jackson, ATL Automotive’s
head of business for BMW and Mini: “…..for the environment, it helps us in
cutting down the use of fossil fuels, by cutting down the end product, which is
carbon monoxide”.
But there is the added plus of regenerative charging as pointed out by Jackson,
quote: “However, the car can also charge itself, so if you are in petrol mode
and you want to get back some charge on the battery, there is a way to actually
have the battery charged by the car while driving and then you can go right
back into petrol mode”.
In
numbers it works out like this for a typical regular vehicle e.g. Toyota
Corolla:
1.JA$3,000
per week to top up with gasoline with a regular vehicle
2.JA$156000
per year to top up with gasoline with a regular vehicle
With
the Mini Cooper Countryman Plug-in Hybrid, the costs work out as follows:
1.JA$3,000
to $4,000 per month on electricity to charge
2.JA$48,000
per year on electricity to charge
3.JA$3,000
per month to top up with gasoline
4.JA$36000
per year to top up with gasoline
That
works out to be JA$84000, thanks to the reduction in the need to use gasoline,
as most of the time you will be driving at low speed to conserve on gasoline
and get the most out of the synchronous electric motor.
So
what of the future of Electric Vehicles and Hybrids in Jamaica?
Electric Vehicles and
Hybrids in Jamaica - Change is coming as by 2030 we'll have no choice
Along
with the long-term benefits of reducing the carbon footprint in the environment
and the cost effectiveness of having such a vehicles in terms of reduced
gasoline consumption, the case for Electric Vehicles and Hybrids is compelling.
Jamaica
needs to remove the duty on these vehicles in order to spur their adoption in
the island.
This
as soon we may have no choice, as ATL Automotive’s Group Marketing Manager,
Christina Taylor, change is coming, quote: “If you look at the way that the
automotive industry is developing, the future is electric. There is going to be
a point in time where a lot of the automotive brands, by 2030, are mandating that
their entire lineup will either be hybrid or electric. So it is not a matter of
waiting to join, it is when you join, because it is inevitable”.
The
2019 Mini Cooper Countryman Plug-in Hybrid may be the start of that
shift...with Toyota and more popular brands to follow in the next two years
leading up to 2030.
But
with all that power under the hood it takes some engineering magic to
make sure that all the components stay cool while you’re gaming or
doing some intense multitasking.
Samsung
has innovated smartphone cooling on the Galaxy Note9 with its all-new
Water Carbon Cooling system. Water cooling first debuted on the
Galaxy S7.
The
Galaxy Note9 improves both the capacity and efficiency of smartphone
cooling. So how did they make it happen?
Samsung
Note 9 - The thermal throttling problem
The
problem is that making phones with batteries that can last all day
and play console-quality games comes at a cost: heat.
When
a phone’s internals become too hot, the CPU slows down. This a
problem known as thermal throttling which leads to a loss in
performance.
Thus
a good cooling system addresses the following problems:
Sluggish
gameplay
Poor
multi-tasking
The
Galaxy Note9 had an ambitious set of goals. Samsung wanted to create
a phone with a battery that could last all day, provide a PC-like
experience with Samsung DeX as noted in “Samsung
DeX Offers Linux on Galaxy and Productivity on the Go”,
and handle graphic-intense games like Fortnite.
This
means putting in a 4,000mAh battery and the latest 2.7GHz mobile
processor, which would challenge the phone’s performance. Thus the
new cooling system needed to be both faster and more efficient than
previous generations.
Samsung's
solution to thermal throttling - Water Carbon Cooling
When
Samsung had launched the Galaxy S7, they'd introduced a new type of
water-based cooling into our phones.
It
used a porous thermal spreader filled with water, which absorbed the
heat and turned into steam and then carried the heat away through a
pipe. Once the heat dissipated, the steam condensed into water again.
This
system was the blueprint for the Water Carbon Cooling system in the
Galaxy Note9, but bigger and more efficient.
The
most difficult part of improving the cooling system was to make it
more efficient. The original system was thin and used two Thermal
Interface Materials (TIM), one made of highly conductive carbon
fiber, to transfer heat away from the processor. This takes advantage
of the face that graphite and diamond are very good non-metallic
conductors of heat.
Samsung's
solution was to add a layer of copper between the two TIMs, making it
possible to transfer more heat between the two materials for more
efficient heat dissipation. Samsung also engineered a wider thermal
spreading pipe, coming in at 350mm3 compared to the Galaxy
S9’s 95mm3, to dissipate heat over a wider surface area.
Samsung's
long-term goal - Batteries that last for weeks, not days
Thanks
to the improved Water Carbon Cooling system, the Galaxy Note9 can
effectively manage heat generated from its powerful processor. With
the wider thermal spreader and enhanced Carbon Fiber interface, the
cooling system conducts and transmits heat efficiently to the surface
of the device
This
allows the Galaxy Note9 to operate at peak performance consistently.
When compared to the Galaxy Note8, the upgraded cooling system’s
heat absorption is three times greater and the thermal conductivity
is 3.5 times higher.
Back in the writer's
chair on my blog after spending much time adjusting to teaching at a
new school, Calabar High School. But blogging is my passion and I
intend to keep going, as I prefer to be tired than broke!!!
Effective immediately, all
stocks of single use plastic bags of dimension 24"x24"
or less and disposable plastic straws should be embargoed by
manufacturers, importers and distributors in a manor prescribed by
the National Compliance and Regulatory Authority. pic.twitter.com/Si1vtDLAj7
Ministry of Economic
Growth and Job Creation Daryl Vaz is quite insistent that this ban be kept in place.
The maximum fine under the Trade Act (Trade Plastic Packing Material
Order) 2018, is $2,000,000, while under the NRCA (Plastic Packaging
Prohibiting) Order 2018, the fine is $50,000.
So we really had
only 4 months to prepare!!! With the threat of such a hefty fine
hanging over the heads of retailers and Jamaicans alike, was the
public adequately prepared for what was to come?
Plastic
Ban - Ban needed on Plastic used in packaging
Still there will be
resistance, especially from members of the informal sector i.e. vendors who sell cooked food, who use styrofoam
containers to sell food as noted in the article “Now
what? Vendors question options after plastic ban”, published
Friday December 28, 2018, The
Jamaica Gleaner.
So are there any
alternatives to single-use plastic bags, straws and Styrofoam?
Alternatives
available - Biodegradable Bags and Bamboos straws but no Styrofoam
replacement
Alternatives are
available as at least three (3) companies have popped out of nowhere,
mostly run by young entrepreneurs to supply alternatives to
single-use plastic bags, straws.
First, there is a
start-up called Creative People Tings.
Creative People
Tings sells cloth tote bags and have been thoughtful enough not to
use plastic in their packaging, as noted by director of operations,
Marc Gayle, quote: "One of the things that we've debated [among]
ourselves is not using plastic in our packaging. So we decided,
early, to use cloth strings and paper tags to label our bags, as well
as package them in paper bags".
But equally as
troubling as single-use plastic Bags is plastic packaging.
It's really
irritating to have to purchase an item in a plastic bag, only to then
have to take that item out of the plastic bag and now have to throw
it away or find some use for that additional bit of plastic.
Otherwise we will
soon be dying of illnesses due to plastics in our foods and
experience continued flooding of our roadways due to plastic clogging
our drains.
Safe and secure storage, especially for sensitive data
To
this end, I've compiled a list of my favourites I've used over the
years as well as other new on the scene worth mentioning. They all
offer free and paid options, but based on the quality of service many
of them offer, you will not find it hard to upgrade to their paid
services,
This
as many of them offer encryption options for your precious data.
Cloud
storage - 2019 is gonna be a great year
Ok
so as to make thing simple, here are my main file storage solutions
arranged in an easy to read table:
Name
Free Storage
Paid Storage
Website
Dropbox
2GB
1TB for $10 a month with Dropbox
Plus
2TB for $19.99 a month
https://www.dropbox.com/
Google Drive
15GB free
100GB for $1.99 a month
200GB
for $2.99 a month
2TB for $9.99 a month
10TB for
$99.99 a month
20TB for $199.99 a month
30TB for
$299.99 a month
https://www.google.com/drive/
Mega
50GB free
200GB for $6 a month
1TB for
$12 a month
4TB for $23 a month
8TB for $35 a month
https://mega.nz/
OneDrive
5GB free
50GB for $3 a month
1TB for
$8 a month
5TB for $11 a month
https://onedrive.live.com/
iCloud
5GB free
50GB for $0.99 a month
200GB
for $2.99 a month
2TB for $9.99 a month
https://www.icloud.com/
Box
10GB free
100GB for around $10 a month
https://www.box.com/home
IDrive
5GB free
2TB for $52 a year
250GB for
$74.62 a year
https://www.idrive.com/
pCloud
20GB free
500GB for $3.99 paid annually
2TB
for $7.99 paid annually
500GB for 175$ for life
2TB for
350$ for life
https://www.pcloud.com/
As
you can see, they all have paid options.
Personal
cloud - NextCloud lets you DIY
Of
special note is NextCloud, which is a self-hosting cloud storage
solution that allows you to set up your own cloud-storage center.
They offer a free software to download and install a cloud storage
service.
This
means that you are effectively dedicating a computer to become a
Cloud server on your Home or Office Network and thus you benefit from
faster storage and data access speeds. NextCloud also offers
encryption, making it pointless for hackers to steal your data
Newbies
to Server installation and maintenance can purchase a pre-configured
NextCloud Box with 1TB HD, but I recommend that you get the
experience of DIY (Doing it Yourself).
Google
Drive - At US$19.99, they are the best cloud storage by far
My
main go-to solution is Google Drive, but Dropbox is the all-time
favourite, even with my students at the High School I teach, mainly
because its been around the longest.
But
you won't go wrong paying for Google Drive cloud storage......as
their prices for 100GB which is US$19.99 for the year is quite
reasonable.
