The Mac Pro is the only Apple product that fits the bill, and a new one is due in 2013

Posted on 09 December 2012.

Screen Shot 2012-12-08 at 6.27.39 AM  FORTUNE — When Tim Cook announced Thursday that Apple (AAPL) would be investing $100 million to build one of its Mac line of computers exclusively in the U.S. next year, he didn’t say which line that was. But he really didn’t have to. There’s only one Mac that fits the bill, and that’s the Mac Pro. Here’s why:

  • A $100 million factory, Dan Luria, a labor economist at Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center told Bloomberg, employs about 200 people and produces about 1 million units per year
  • Last year, Apple sold 18 million Macs, including 13.5 million MacBooks and 4.6 million desktops (iMacs, minis and Mac Pros). Only the Mac Pro and mini sell fewer than 1 million per year, and the Mac Pro is considerably heavier and more expensive to ship
  • Apple, through a spokesperson and through Tim Cook himself, has already indicated that it will be producing a new Mac Pro in 2013
  • Any extra labor costs associated with manufacturing in the U.S. can be more easily absorbed by a $2,500-$3,800 Mac Pro than by an iMac or a MacBook that sell for less than $1,000.
  • Mac Pros are easier to build and customize than any other Apple product

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How To Control Your Computer With Your Phone

Posted on 09 December 2012.

How To Control Your Computer With Your PhoneWant to pause a Netflix stream from the comfort of your sofa? Email a forgotten file from your home to your office? Gain full remote access to your PC from halfway across the world?

No matter what OS your smartphone is on, there’s a mobile app that can make it happen. Here’s a look at some of the best tools for every major platform.

Android

TeamViewer is everything a remote access app should be—simple to set up, easy to use, and free for non-commercial use. Install the client software and you can use a short numerical code and password to gain access to your PC/Mac from your Android phone. You can transfer files between computer and mobile too, and the app works over 3G and 4G as well as Wi-Fi.

How To Control Your Computer With Your Phone

GoToMyPC offers many of the same features, but you’ll need a monthly subscription to be able to use it (a 30-day trial is available if you want to test it out). Connection is handled through the GoToMyPC website on your PC or Mac, and again the remote access features function over a high speed cellular line as well as good old Wi-Fi.

How To Control Your Computer With Your Phone

If you have less ambitious needs and simply want to control a particular program over your home Wi-Fi, there are a number of dedicated apps for the likes of iTunes, VLC and GrooveShark. Google’s own YouTube Remote lets you play and pause videos on your computer, as well as queue up clips, search for more content and get information about what you’re watching. Finally, Unified Remote covers a host of applications on the Windows platform, including Spotify and Windows Media Center.

iPhone

Apple offers its own Remote app for controlling just about everything in iTunes—movies, music, search—from your iPhone. It’s free to install and easy to set up to work with a PC or Mac.

How To Control Your Computer With Your Phone

If you need full remote access for your computer, then LogMeIn is a free app which can tunnel in to any PC or Mac with the client software installed. Keyboard and mouse shortcut keys are included, so you can perform just about any task you could if you were right in front of the computer. If you upgrade to a paid-for LogMeIn subscription, you can access additional features, such as file transfers, but the free plan will be enough for many users. It works over both 3G/4G and Wi-Fi connections.

How To Control Your Computer With Your Phone

Other apps offering similar functionality include Splashtop Remote Desktop, currently on sale for $2.99, and PocketCloud Remote Desktop, which is free to use. The aforementioned TeamViewer and GoToMyPC have iOS clients too, so there’s plenty of choice.

As on Android, program-specific remote controllers are available as well—you can pick up apps for VLC, Windows Media Center and Winamp, to name a few.

Windows Phone

The lack of apps available for Windows Phone is part of the reason the platform is struggling to break the dominance of iOS/Android, so it’s no surprise that there are fewer choices here. There is PC Remote, one of the best tools for taking control of your computer—as long as it’s also running Windows. A $2.99 Pro version is also available with a few extra features and no advertisements. At $9.99, ConnectMe is another option—it uses Windows’ built-in remote desktop capabilities, so doesn’t need any client software installed on your PC. But it won’t work with the cheaper Home editions of the operating system.

How To Control Your Computer With Your Phone

BlackBerry

Over on BlackBerry, your choices are even more limited. (But it can be done.) One of the few apps with remote desktop capabilities is RDM+, which will set you back a not-insignificant $39.99. However, it does give you a pile of features for connecting to your PC or Mac computer. Check the listing to make sure it’s compatible with your device.

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What should you do to a computer before you sell it?

Posted on 09 December 2012.

You know you should securely wipe your hard drive before you sell a computer, but is there anything else you should do before you put it up on eBay?

Selling (or giving away) an old computer is often a little scary. You likely invested a lot of hours into using your computer, and it’s packed full of all your personal stuff. You also want to make sure it’s in tip-top running condition before you sell it off so you can get the most money. Here’s what you need to do.

Step 1: Back up all your files
The first thing you want to do is make sure you back up everything you need. How you do this really depends on what you have on your computer. If you just need to hold onto a few files, Dropbox (or any cloud storage service) will do the trick. Alternately, you can easily back up your data to an external hard drive.

If you’re going to go a little while between computers, a cloud backup solution like Crashplan might be a good bet, and it’s very easy to back up and restore your data. Regardless of what method you choose, make sure you run the backup before you do anything else so all your files are up to date.

Step 2: Deauthorize any software
Next, deauthorize any digital software or files you have. This includes programs like the Adobe Creative Suite, Amazon’s Kindle Apps, and files you download from online stores like iTunes.

 

Likewise, it might be a good time to clean up the services you enabled two-factor authentication on. While the chances of someone having your password after you securely delete your hard drive in the next step is slim, it’s a good idea to make the process of someone logging into your accounts impossible from the start.

One last thing to note before we delete everything: If you’re a Mac user running OS X Mountain Lion or OS X Lion, you might need to make your own USB or DVD boot disc so you can easily reinstall the OS in step four. You can also download and install the OS during the reinstallation process, but a physical copy of the OS will put your mind at ease just in case things don’t go as planned.

Step 3: Securely Format Your Hard Drive
As we’ve mentioned before, the only secure way to clean out your computer’s hard drive is to format it so you start from scratch. This process is time-consuming, but it’s necessary before you sell your computer to stranger. You don’t want any personal information remaining on the hard drive.

We’ve walked you through this process before, and it’s very simple. On Windows, we like the program Darik’s Boot and Nuke to format the hard drive, and on Mac the built-in Disk Utility works great.

Step 4: Reinstall the Operating System
Once your hard drive is formatted, you won’t have anything on it. This means you need to reinstall an operating system before you sell it. The process is easy provided you still have your operating system discs. Reboot the system, and boot from the OS disc itself. Windows should automatically boot from the disc, but if not you can change the settings in your BIOS to make it work. For Mac, hold down the Option key after you hear the startup chime and select your boot disc (the USB or DVD you made yourself in step two).

Once you’re done reinstalling the operating system, it’s up to you how far into the setup process you want to go. If you’re selling a computer online at a site like eBay, you can stop at the new user creation screen. Just power off your computer when it asks your to create a user account and you’re good to go. If you’re selling on Craigslist, you might want to create a dummy user account so you can show the person buying the computer that it works.

You don’t need to worry about registering the software or anything else, but if you have to prove the computer is in good working shape, just create an account with a simple username and passwords (admin/password works), and tell the buyer to delete the account once he or she decides to buy.

Step 5: Clean it Up
Finally, clean up the computer and make it as nice as possible before you sell it. Not only will it likely sell for more if it looks good, it might also run a little smoother. As we’ve talked about before, you should do a few simple things: Wipe down the computer, clean out the keyboard, clean the screen, and pop it open to clean out dust from the inside. This makes the computer a lot more aesthetically appealing, and that makes it easier to sell.

Once your computer is cleaned up and it’s looking as good as new, take some great pictures of it, and then sell it online at the right time to make the most money.

More from Lifehacker:

  • How do I pick the right lens for my DSLR?
  • How can I close accounts for old services I don’t use anymore?
  • What’s the best way to save all the useful articles I come across online?

 

 

 

 

 

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The original Apple Macintosh computer was $2495 ($5555 in 2012 dollars …

Posted on 09 December 2012.


MACINTOSH-IMAC.jpg
The original Macintosh computer introduced in 1984 and one of the early iMacs from 1999.
Associated Press

$1,298: Introductory price in 1977 of the Apple ][. One of the first popular home computers, it featured the ability to display color graphics and had 4K of RAM.

$4,955: Adjusted for inflation, the 1977 Apple ][ price in 2012 dollars.

$2,495: Price of the original Macintosh, introduced during a Super Bowl ad in 1984. Selling points included inclusion of a mouse, faster speeds with a processor running at 8 MHz and a 9-inch monitor.

$5,555: Adjusted for inflation, the 1984 Macintosh price in 2012 dollars.

$1,299: The price of Apple’s first iMac, introduced in 1998. Noted for their colorful exterior designed and aimed for the low-end consumer market, the first iMacs came with a 56Kpbs modem, a 4GB hard drive and a 15-inch monitor.

$1,834: Adjusted for inflation, the 1998 iMac price in 2012 dollars.

$1,299: Apple’s least expensive iMac today, featuring a 21.5-inch screen, 8GB of memory a 1TB hard drive.

Sources: apple-history.com, Apple Inc. and Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Bangladesh crimes tribunal accuses The Economist magazine of hacking …

Posted on 09 December 2012.

The tribunal is trying 10 opposition politicians on charges of arson, rape and other atrocities committed during the country’s 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.

Bangladesh says that during the war, Pakistani troops, aided by their local collaborators, killed 3 million people and raped about 200,000 women.

International human rights groups have called for fair and impartial proceedings and raised questions about how the tribunal is being conducted.

New York-based Human Rights Watch has complained about flaws in the tribunal and expressed concern about a police raid on defense lawyers and the disappearance of a witness at the courthouse gates who had reportedly been preparing to testify for the defense.

In an order passed last week, the tribunal accused The Economist of computer hacking and asked it to explain how it got emails and heard Skype conversations between Presiding Judge Mohammed Nizamul Huq and Ahmed Ziauddin, a lawyer of Bangladeshi origin living in Brussels, Belgium.

The order was issued to Adam Roberts, South Asia bureau chief of the magazine, and Rob Gifford, its Asia specialist, the tribunal said in a statement.

It accused the magazine of “interfering into the work of the tribunal and violating the privacy of its presiding judge.”

The tribunal threatened to bring contempt charges against the pair unless they give a satisfactory reply within three weeks.

In an article published Saturday, The Economist said it has heard 17 hours of recorded telephone conversations and seen over 230 emails between Huq and Ziauddin.

“These emails, if genuine, would indeed raise questions about the working of the court and we are bound to investigate them as fully as we can,” the article said.

The Economist rejected the tribunal’s demand that the emails and recorded conversations be returned to it without being published.

“This material is confidential and we are bound by law and the British press’s Code of Conduct not to reveal such information except in matters of the most serious public interest. We did not solicit the material, nor pay for it, nor commit ourselves to publish it,” it said.

But the tribunal said the materials were obtained illegally and accused the magazine of calling the judge for comment, adding that interviewing a sitting judge is illegal and tantamount to contempt. Under Bangladesh law, a contempt conviction carries up to six months in jail.

Most of those on trial belong to the Islamic Jamaat-e-Islami party, which in 1971 campaigned against Bangladesh’s war of separation from Pakistan. The party stands accused of supporting or in some cases taking part in atrocities committed by Pakistani troops. If convicted the defendants could be hanged.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Five Best Computer Monitors

Posted on 09 December 2012.

Upgrading your computer’s hardware isn’t the only way to feel like you have a new machine. A new monitor can go a long way towards making your computer more fun to use and more functional. At the same time, there are hundreds of displays out there by dozens of companies at all different price points. Still, we’re only interested in the best, and here’s a look at the top five, based on your nominations.

Earlier in the week we asked you to nominate the computer monitors you thought were the best. You came up with dozens of great monitor suggestions, but we only have room for the top five.

Five Best Computer Monitors

Dell UltraSharp U3011 30″ Display ($1049)

Dell’s flagship 30″ U3011 display is a gorgeous IPS panel that leads Dell’s UltraSharp performance line if monitors. It sports a 2560px by 1600px 16:10 display, and comes packed with inputs, including 2 HDMI, 2 DVI-D (with HDCP), 1 DisplayPort, 1 VGA port, and Component connectors, making it ideal for use with multiple devices at the same time. Dell’s UltraSharp displays have always been popular with people looking to connect multiple computers or game consoles to one or two large monitors at a workspace, and the U3011 is no different. It also packs a USB hub and a 7-in-1 card reader mounted on the side, just as an added bonus. It’s a pricey panel, but Dell is well known for giving out coupon codes like candy and hosting online sales and discounts that would bring the cost well under the $1000 mark, so keep your eyes peeled if this is on your wishlist.

Five Best Computer Monitors

Yamakasi Catleap (and Variants, approx $400)

Yamakasi is a Korean company, and the Catleap is a display that’s earned the love and devotion of many monitor enthusiasts, mostly because they’re the same LG IPS panels that Apple uses in the 27″ iMac. They’re $700-$1000 displays that are easily available for half the price, and to get them all you have to do is be patient and give up some of the features you may get from other monitor manufacturers. Yamakasi’s displays don’t come with bells and whistles, but they do come with stellar panels. The Catleap is a 2560px x 1440px 16:9 display, and you get a single DVI-D (with HDCP) input (Some models have a VGA input as well.) It’s not available through traditional retail channels in the US, it is available easily via eBay, and the people who have taken the jump and ordered one absolutely love them. If you have trouble finding one of these, there are plenty of variants to look for, including the Achieva Shimian 27″ (which earned high marks from PC Perspective) and the Auria EQ276W 27″. They’re all variants and use similar (if not the exact same) glass, all at amazing prices.

Five Best Computer Monitors

Apple Thunderbolt 27″ Display ($999)

Apple’s 27″ Thunderbolt Display is a stellar TFT panel, boasting a 2560px by 1440px 16:9 LED backlit display, a built-in Facetime camera, and a ton of built-in ports (audio inputs and built-in speakers, Firewire 800, Thunderbolt, and 3 USB ports) to connect any device you choose to it. The Thunderbolt port can also be daisy-chained to other Thunderbolt devices, like external hard drives and NAS enclosures. The display is clearly designed for use with Mac OS desktops and laptops, and even has a built-in MagSafe charging port to keep your laptop juiced up when you connect it for a little added real estate. The limiting factors? Price, for one, and it’s only fully compatible with Thunderbolt-enabled Mac desktops and laptops. Still, Apple is known for buying some of the best glass in the industry and for amazing colors and calibration in their displays. For many, it’s worth the cash.

Five Best Computer Monitors

Dell UltraSharp U2410 24″ Display ($450)

The 24″ Dell U2410 is a great IPS display for people looking to add a nicely sized screen to their laptop, or for someone who wants more real estate but thinks that 27 or 30-inch monitors are a little much. It sports a 1920px by 1200px 16:10 display, and comes with a wealth of inputs for connecting multiple devices, including a DVI-D (with HDCP) input, a VGA input, a DisplayPort input, as well as component and composite inputs. It also has the UltraSharp line’s trademark USB hub and card reader mounted into the side. Again, it retails for about $450, but Dell’s display line is often on sale, so with some research you can do better before pulling the trigger.

Five Best Computer Monitors

ASUS PB278Q 27″ Display ($699)

ASUS has earned a place in the hearts of many monitor shoppers for being a budget-friendly brand, especially compared to some of the other bigger display names out there, and even though the PB278Q is ASUS’s flagship 27″ panel, it still comes at a price that many other displays can’t match. It’s a 2560px x 1440px 16:9 PLS (a Samsung-developed update on IPS) display with Samsung glass, has a pair of built-in speakers, and sports a dual-link DVI (with HDCP) input, a VGA input, a DisplayPort input, and an HDMI input, along with a pair of audio ports (headphone/microphone.) The display is a bit spartan in design, and less flashy than some other models, but it gets the job done and function reigns over form in this case. If you’re looking for warranties and support, it’s an affordable and highly functional 27″ display.

Now that you’ve seen the top five, it’s time to put them to a vote to decide the winner.

 

This week’s honorable mention goes out to Dell UltraSharp U2711 27″ Display, which runs about $999 retail and sits nicely between the U2410 and the U3011, for people who want a 27″ panel. It’s a 2560px by 1440px IPS display that comes packed with inputs and a USB hub and card reader, all like you would expect from Dell. Here’s a secret: it also uses the same (a slightly later model, the LM270WQ2 compared to the LM270WQ1) glass that’s used in the Korean panels we mentioned earlier.

Have something to say about one of the contenders? Want to make the case for your personal favorite, even if it wasn’t included in the list? Remember, the top five are based on your most popular nominations from the call for contenders thread from earlier in the week. Make your case for your favorite—or alternative—in the discussions below.

The Hive Five is based on reader nominations. As with most Hive Five posts, if your favorite was left out, it’s not because we hate it—it’s because it didn’t get the nominations required in the call for contenders post to make the top five. We understand it’s a bit of a popularity contest, but if you have a favorite, we want to hear about it. Have a suggestion for the Hive Five? Send us an email at tips+hivefive@lifehacker.com!

Title photo by William Hook.

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The World-Changing Computer You’ve Never Heard Of

Posted on 09 December 2012.

On this day in economic and financial history …

On Dec. 9, 1968, a group of about 1,000 computer scientists attended a demonstration so advanced that its true importance wouldn’t be understood for many years. The vast majority of attendees thought the demonstrator was a “crackpot.” They questioned the usefulness of his developments. They didn’t know what they were looking at. What they saw was the future, in a very real way.

It was the “Mother of All Tech Demos,” presented by Douglas Englebart of SRI International, then known as the Stanford Research Institute. What he created for that demonstration remains so staggeringly advanced that it’s yet to be fully replicated in today’s operating systems. Computers of 1968 used punch cards and paper printouts, were huge and bulky, and barely had anything that could be considered graphical. Englebart showed the computing world of 1968 a real personal computer.

 

Englebart’s demonstration contained the first use of a pseudo-graphical user interface, the operating system of which was dubbed NLS, for “oN Line System.” It was also the first public use of a computer mouse, which Englebart and his team had named. It introduced the world to hypertext, the linking of one reference point to another, which featured in the first word processor that Englebart’s team had developed. It included  the earliest computer videoconference, and it had a proto-network that allowed collaborative real-time edits, with multiple people working on the same document simultaneously. It even contained the earliest conceptual form of PowerPoint! The demo was so streamlined that a Wired  retrospective on the the event’s 40th anniversary claims that “even a modern-day computer user might feel envious at the speed and ease with which he moved words, sentences, and outline headings on the page.”

Professor Andries Van Dam remembers  the demo as a seamless operating environment that modern computers still haven’t matched. On the 40th anniversary of the Mother of All Tech Demos, he told The Register that “NLS hasn’t really been realized with the mainstream market.” More than four decades later, we still don’t have a system in which all the component programs work together seamlessly. “Everything interoperated in this super-rich environment,” Van Dam says. “And if you look at the demo carefully, it’s about modifying, it’s about studying, it’s about being really analytical and reflecting about what’s happening.”

NLS was the inspiration for Xerox‘s PARC team to develop the Alto computer, which is often considered the grandfather of personal computing. PARC built a true graphical user interface on top of NLS’s mouse-based navigation, which later inspired both Steve Jobs at Apple and Bill Gates at Microsoft . These two companies earned far more from Englebart’s innovations than Englebart ever did, even though he’s listed as the inventor on the 1970  patent for the computer mouse. SRI International later licensed the mouse patent to Apple for its groundbreaking personal computers for about $40,000.

Today, a fifth of the Dow Jones Industrial Average — Microsoft, Intel , Cisco , IBM , and Hewlett-Packard — is directly or closely dedicated to furthering the innovations originally demonstrated on Dec. 9, 1968. Together, these five components make up about 16% of the Dow’s total weighting and are worth a combined $670 billion.

Englebart continues to be active in the computing world as he approaches his ninth decade. He also continues to use NLS, a modified version of which still runs on his home computer.

You can watch the Mother of All Tech Demos in its entirety on the Stanford website.

Red scare
At the height of McCarthyism, on Dec. 9, 1953, General Electric became one of many companies to succumb to shameful anti-Communist fearmongering. That day, the company revealed its plans  to “immediately fire admitted Communists, spies, and saboteurs and suspend employees who refuse to testify under oath before ‘a competent government authority’ on such matters.”

Sen. Joseph McCarthy had, by that point, already been investigating alleged Communist infiltration at defense plants, including some run by GE. At the time, GE operated 131 plants, with defense-contracting work concentrated primarily in 14 large plants employing 69,000 workers out of a total workforce of 230,000. McCarthy himself commented on the action, saying that GE “certainly should be complimented” for its actions.

A year later, McCarthy’s paranoid nuttery earned him censure  from his fellow senators, making him one of only nine in the upper chamber so publicly rebuked in the history of the United States. General Electric, for its part, quietly pushed the incident under the rug.

 

Foolish wrap-up
Today, Microsoft and Apple are engaged in a battle to decide the future of mobile. They’ve moved well past the mouse, but can either company come close to the operating fluidity Doug Englebart first displayed more than 40 years ago? The Fool’s tech analysts have been covering both companies very closely and can answer your questions in our detailed and unbiased premium research reports. Whether you’re an Apple fanatic or a Micro-softie, you’ll find plenty of information to help you decide whether these computing titans deserve to remain in your portfolio for the long haul. Click on Apple, or click on Microsoft, to subscribe to the report of your choice today.

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Computer network disruption delays SkyWest flights

Posted on 09 December 2012.

ST. GEORGE, Utah — SkyWest Airlines says a disruption in its computer network kept its flights throughout the country from taking off for about two hours.

Spokeswoman Marissa Snow says the system went down about 5 a.m. Mountain time Sunday and was restored by about 7 a.m. She says that service from the airline’s network provider was disrupted. That kept pilots from getting information about planes including fuel amounts, weight and balance.

Snow says ongoing delays of 90 minutes to two hours are expected on flights throughout the day.

SkyWest is a Utah-based carrier that services flights for United, Delta, US Airways, American Airlines and others. It was ranked 11th among major airlines in on-time arrivals in September.

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NSF Joins in Commemorating Computer Science Education Week 2012

Posted on 09 December 2012.

Yesterday was the birthday of computing pioneer, Grace Hopper. In commemoration, her birthday every year marks Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) intended to spotlight the transformative role of computing and the need to bolster computer science at all educational levels.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is pleased to join in recognizing CSEdWeek 2012.

“Computer Science–or more broadly information technology or computing–drives our economy, ensures global competitiveness, accelerates the pace of discovery and is crucial to achieve many of America’s national and societal priorities,” said Jan Cuny, NSF program manager for computer education and broadening participation.

“Yet, despite the growing demand for IT specialists and professionals with computer science skills in all disciplines, we are teaching less computer science in our schools,” she continued, noting that just 19 percent of high school students take computer science courses.

Cuny touts the enormous potential of computing. She argues that regardless of a student’s interests, computer science education will enable and empower students to “do what they want to do even better, at a higher level.” She notes, “how cool this stuff is.”

She is not alone in her assessment. Attached is a video in which a variety of NSF-funded computer scientists proclaim the virtues of their computer science education and boast about a profession to which they are committed–a field, they believe, is exciting, challenging, cool and will change the world.

Computer science is the only STEM–science, technology, engineering and mathematics–discipline with more job openings than there are college graduates to fill them. Leadership in NSF’s directorate for Computer Information Science and Engineering (CISE) is working to address this underproduction problem by promoting ways to make computer science more prevalent, engaging and accessible to K-12 students.

Last year, NSF began publishing its CS Bits Bytes newsletters to participate in CSEdWeek 2011.

Now in its second year, CS Bits Bytes continues to engage students across the country in the exciting field of computer science. Biweekly issues highlight cutting edge scientific research, videos, interactive activities and profile a computer scientist from the diversity of individuals who do this inspiring, multidisciplinary work. To reach the desired middle and high school level audience, NSF has drawn on the expertise of those in its Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program–comprised of elementary and secondary STEM teachers from around the country serving at NSF.

CS Bits Bytes has been well received by the academic community worldwide, with subscribers from 17 countries. Positive comments from subscribers abound.

“I devour your newsletter for ideas and inspiration for my programming classes,” wrote Rose Truglio of Lindenhurst High School in New York, “As the only [computer science] teacher in the district, I truly enjoy connecting in some way with other educators who are challenged with keeping the flame of innovation and programming alive in our schools, even without mandates for its instruction.”

“I love having this resource to show students that CS can be fun, can help make lives better, and is applicable no matter what your interests are,” wrote Pauline White of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School in New York.

“We look at each issue of Bits Bytes as it comes out,” said Suzy Crowe of Milton High School in Georgia, “Students love the insight it provides into computing, applications, and what Computer Science is all about.”

“I love being able to connect real world situations to what [students] are learning in the classroom,” added Heather Subocz of Franklin High School in New Hampshire.

Issues profile interesting professionals and academics in the field, as well as the creative applications in which they are involved. In addition, each issue suggests activities to engage and educate students and teachers–to entertain while teaching. Since its launch in 2011, 21 issues have been published covering a wide range of topics:

Visit the CS Bits Bytes website to subscribe.

-NSF-

 

Media Contacts

Lisa-Joy Zgorski, NSF (703) 292-8311 lisajoy@nsf.gov

Program Contacts

Janice Cuny, NSF (703) 292-8900 jcuny@nsf.gov

Ann Drobnis, NSF (703) 292-8950 adrobnis@nsf.gov

 

 

 

Related Websites
Computer Science Education Week 2012: http://www.csedweek.org/
NSF’s CS Bits Bytes: http://www.nsf.gov/cise/csbytes/
Computer Science Education for the Twentieth Century (CE21): http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503582org=CISE

 

 

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, its budget is $7.0 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives over 50,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,000 new funding awards. NSF also awards nearly $420 million in professional and service contracts yearly.

 

Get News Updates by Email 

Useful NSF Web Sites:

NSF Home Page: http://www.nsf.gov
NSF News: http://www.nsf.gov/news/
For the News Media: http://www.nsf.gov/news/newsroom.jsp
Science and Engineering Statistics: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/
Awards Searches: http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/

 

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Easy, Effective Android Applications For Gas Pipelines Serve Better

Posted on 28 November 2012.

Android applications are accepted by various industrial sectors all over the globe and it is its immense benefits that have helped business owners to making work process, interaction and communication among people easy and fast. Accessing information remotely was not always very easy but today there are many software developing companies working to develop new android remote control applications for phones and larger tablets. The oil and gas industry is also no exception as this sector is also adopting latest android application development for different working phases.

With smart phones available with people and different applications coming up, it has become easy to make working remotely. Android gas pipeline applications are created by software developers to assist the contractors, sub-contractors and operators in the implementation of safety programs and detect any faults in the pipeline in a particular location. Such applications include different equipment inspections of tracks and outriggers, drill rig, moving parts and fuel and hydraulics, operational gauges and warning light functionalities. These applications are actually customized to meet the specific needs of drilling operation and drilling rig.

It is through android application development that a technical data sheet can be shared with the operators in the field to detect the proposed location of the pipeline, pipeline sizes, length and width of the pipeline and different types of pipelines. Many applications also cover the tracking of materials required for pipelines and the area to be disturbed by the pipeline. There are also android sales pipeline apps that includes the access to customer contacts, features to add new contacts, lists of existing tasks and quickly add tasks and even more. The ability to quickly add or make changes to different information can give more control over the working process. The operators can also be updated with the necessary changes via phone and this offers great business intelligence and strategic planning fodder.

If you are working with a team then android applications development for gas pipelines can help you to maintain your work plans and even deal with database easily. These applications can be easily run on your tablet or on your smart phone. These applications are powerful enough to work well and you get an opportunity to get your finger on the pulse of your business processes. Within seconds you can take decisions, locate areas for pipeline construction and detect faults if any.

Customized android applications are capable of overlaying files onto Google maps data and they aid in finding a location and demarcation. Such applications run seamlessly on varied devices like smart phones, tablets and GPS devices also. From Google’s satellite views, you can trace the exact location of the pipeline with the touch of a button. This unique arrangement enables the users to locate maps using landmarks that are only visible on the street map or satellite view. Such applications also provide a simple solution to locate and inspect utility gas pipelines throughout the country and more and more advanced features like map location, transparent feature layer mode etc allows the contractors and pipeline companies to easily and reliably locate any destination.

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