The Future Of Technology Could Change As Silicon Goes Down, And Graphene Goes Up!

Here's something that we never normally think about. Whenever you are surfing the web on your laptop, playing Angry Birds on your tablet, or playing Black Ops II on your Playstation 3, do you ever stop and think what is making all of that technology work? 9 times out of 10 the answer is going to be a no. We don't ever really think about how something works as long as it works. However, inside your favorite devices are multitudes of different transistors and microchips that make it possible for your tech to do what it does. Almost everything it mad out of something called silicon. A readily available resource that is conductive enough to have everything work properly, but not conductive enough to fry all of the electronic inner workings. While silicon is definitely the "go to" resource for any real tech company, our friends over at Samsung may have found something that could knock silicon off of the map

Is anyone familiar with something called graphene? No? Not shocking as it isn't something that tech companies use very often.

Graphene is a pretty amazing little material. We are talking about something that is actually HARDER than diamond and with only the thickness of an atom. It's conductivity levels are through the roof and has the potential to, ultimately replace silicon. The only limitation that has been found with this amazing little metal is it's size. Because of it's small size, the qualities that it possesses can't really be replicated and mass produced to benefit electronic products for consumers. Samsung however may have cracked the code to the whole "miniscule" problem.

Researchers at some of Samsung's facilities have found a way to grow the crystal on a "large area, single crystal wafer scale". What does this mean exactly? One word: Synthesize. Simply by finding a way to "grow" and copy, or synthesize, the graphene crystal, Samsung has effectively created a way to properly utilize the material despite its small stature. Now, while synthesizing most materials tends to deteriorate some of the materials natural properties, that hasn't been the case for Samsung's graphene endeavors. By synthesizing the material upon a semiconductor, it has been able to retain all of it's properties without deteriorating later.

Samsung isn't new to graphene either. It's in almost every display to date. That iPad or iPhone that you're reading this article on? Yup. Graphene in it. There is one drawback to the material though, aside from the small size. The fact that it is SO conductive that it's almost TOO conductive. There is no real "energy gap" like with silicon. Since this material is so super conductive, it almost can't really be turned "off", even with the help of transistors. The transistors are what is used to help maintain power within the materials so that they don't fry the inner workings of the devices. Remember, there can be a thing as too much power.

Some scientists within the Samsung research facilities might be onto something when they say that they could "dope" the material. By "doping" it, they'll add chemicals to the material in order to tone down it's conductive nature, however testing is still going on as they aren't sure how the "doping" will affect the other properties.

Silicon is slowly becoming more and more scarce, and graphene is starting to looking really inviting. Should Samsung be able to work graphene into their products and start becoming more reliant on that instead of silicon, we might be in for a very different future in terms of our technology.

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Magnetic Materials Could Make Computers 1,000 Times More Powerful

If you have ever had to actually use your laptop on your lap, you know all too well that they can produce a ton of heat, especially when the processor is working hard. No matter how advanced computer technology gets, the amount of heat that a computer produces is something we can't seem to get away from. If you think about it, all of the extra heat given off is just wasted energy that could be used for something else. A team of engineers at UCLA have found a way to make integrated circuits more efficient using a class of magnetic materials that are called multiferroics.

Basically, everything you use daily, like your computer, phone, TV, and many other things, relies on tons of transistors packed together making an integrated circuit. When chained together, transistors act as logic gates. The energy passing through these transistors results in large amounts of heat and loss of electrons. There really shouldn't be a way around it, but multiferroic materials have found a way to bypass this.

By simply applying an alternate voltage, a multiferroic material can be switched on or off. Doing this allows it to carry power to different parts through spinning electrons instead of actually moving them. This effect is call a "spin wave bus". The energy of the wave moves in, but the actual molecules don't have to move at all. It is a little bit hard to understand, but trust me... that's how it works.

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There was actually an experiment that the team did to test the ability of the materials to keep a stable spin wave bus. The device that they used in this experiment was made of nickel-based film on a piezoelectric substrate. The initial voltage is applied here to generate the spin wave. In the middle of the chip they used for the experiment was a 5-micrometer-wide ferromagnetic strip, which is where everything happens. The strip is the waveguide for the spin wave bus and directs power from one section to another without moving any electrons at all.

The experiment worked and successfully generated a voltage-driven spin wave. It is still a super long way away from replacing a regular charge current, but the team thinks that the improved efficiency of this method could make processors 1,000 times more efficient at very least. This would mean that there could be a whole new generation of computers that could work so much harder with a lot less power. The possibilities are endless.

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Sony Gives Up On The PC Market

Times are tough for everyone in every industry these days, and even huge companies that are making the PCs that you use every day are no exception. There are a ton of companies out there doing the same thing, and less people have extra money to upgrade to the latest and greatest things that are coming out. When your company is struggling with a business that isn't even your main priority anymore, it's probably about time to give it up. And that's exactly what Sony is doing. They are selling their PC business to investment fund Japan Industrial Partners.

Sony has previously came out and said that they were talking to Lenovo about joining forces, so it's a little bit odd that Vaio isn't being sold to another huge PC brand. That makes the whole thing a bit more surprising. But, if you really think about it, the PC market isn't doing that well at all. In 2013 the entire PC market went down by 10%, even after 316 million PCs were sold.

When Sony announced the sale of Vaio, they spoke on the huge changes in the global PC industry and also stated that smartphones an tablets were the number one concern of the company. They have been moving more toward the mobile side of tech, and that's where they need to aim their focus.

If this news surprised you, then you may have quite a few more surprises headed your way. It's very likely that we will see many more huge brands doing the exact same thing as the industry keeps changing. Everyone was blown away when IBM sold it's PC business and when HP said that they were going to do the same thing as well. But for most people, this probably makes more sense than those situations, because Sony has made themselves a top contender in other markets that are far more important.

The craziest thing about the move that may make a few people really sad, is that even though Vaio will continue, it will not be widely available. Mainly, it will be available in Japan, and that's about it until they decide otherwise. So, this spring is the last time you'll ever see Vaios on the shelves.

Sony made good computers. They were even doing a lot of the same things that Apple is doing now, but years before. It's been made known that Steve Jobs himself even wanted Sony to use Apple's operating system on their machines! They weren't always the hottest seller, because they were fairly pricey and basically no different than any other computer on the market when it came to a lot of specs. But with the high price tag came an expensive looking design. Having a Vaio was almost like making a fashion statement.

Though it seems like a sad day in the PC world, something new will more than likely pop up next week that will excite us and make us forget that Sony ever made computers. Luckily for us, this is one of the fastest moving industries ever. There is never enough time to be sad.

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New Phase-Change Cooling System From Captherm

For over a decade, the best way to cool your PC has been with a water cooling system. This year at CES 2014 a new product has emerged and introduced what could be the new standard for cooling your PC.

The MP1120 from Captherm may have a slightly boring name, but don't let that fool you. This awesome new product that has PC enthusiasts excited is an extremely simple integrated phase change cooler, and it plugs directly into a processor socket adapter. The way that phase change cooling works is by heating up the liquid until it turns into a vapor. Then, the vapor moves to a condenser and is changed back into a liquid and finally returned to the processor.

This method cools your PC much more efficiently and does not require the use of a pump. Eliminating the pump also eliminates the risk of break or leaks and annoying noises that you may have to put up with.

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The MP1120 is made of corrosion resistant metals, but these metals can't be welded together in a normal way because they won't accept a strong and long lasting bond. So, they have to use "explosion welding", which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Large chunks of the materials are put together in slabs, and then they are bonded together by the force of an explosion instead of welding. After that, they are cut to fit the pieces of the cooler. Using this method means that the bond will never leak or get weaker.

In case you were wondering, yes; There is a built in window so that you can watch the process of the phase change cooling. You can actually watch the water turn into vapor. You also have the choice of any color lights that you would like, as the system comes with fully customizable LED lighting.

According to Captherm, the MP1120 will sell for $249. This may seem a little bit pricey compared to other cooling systems, but it's actually a pretty good price compared to other phase change cooling kits on the market. Some sell for over $1000.

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Apple's all new 12" MacBook and a higher-res sixth-gen iPad for 2014

Apple has a newly designed 12-inch MacBook featuring a high-resolution display, and a new 9.7-inch sixth-generation iPad with an even higher pixel count than the most current Retina display. Both are to be released next year according to knowledgeable insider Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo, who is an an analyst working for KGI Securities, has said that Apple has a ton of major new products in the works for 2014. The biggest one being the new 12-inch MacBook which will feature what he said is an "ultra-slim clamshell form factor."

He says this new and improved MacBook will bring the best of both worlds from both the portability of the 11-inch MacBook Air and the greater productivity brought by the 13-inch model. The display is said to be up to par with Apple's high-resolution MacBook Pro Retina display.

Kuo says that the newest MacBook being worked on will "redefine laptop computing once again following the milestone created by the MacBook Air."

Despite all the rumors that Apple will probably introduce a notebook powered by its custom A-series chips like the ones found in the iPhone and iPad, Kuo made it clear that he does not expect that the new 12-inch MacBook will run on an A-series chip. Instead, he thinks that the new MacBook will feature a traditional Intel CPU.

He has also revealed that Apple is currently working on a new sixth-generation iPad that will feature a higher pixel-per-inch count than the current 9.7-inch iPad with Retina display. Going against the recent rumors yet again, he doesn't expect Apple to launch a 12-inch iPad next year.

The sixth-generation iPad is expected to launch in late 2014, and will cram in as much as 40 percent more pixels than the current iPad's Retina display.

Inside the Apple supply chain, he is expecting the company Parade Technology to benefit from an large amount of embedded DisplayPort technology in the 2014 lineup. Kuo said eDP, which is a standardized display interface that makes graphics processors interface with display panels, will more than likely play a large role in the company's products next year.

"We think Parade will defend its status as Apple's sole eDP provider going into 2014, making it one of the top stories in the Apple supply chain," Kuo wrote in a research note.

Kuo has quite the track record of accurately revealing Apple's future plans. He was the first person to reveal that Apple would retire its 17-inch MacBook Pro. He also correctly forecast Apple's fall 2012 product lineup in its entirety, and his predictions for Apple's 2013 launch schedule made in January have thus far proven 100 percent correct.

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What is an App?

Today’s How-To Guide for the computer beginner we are going attempt answer the question, ‘What is an app?”

Today I will briefly explain:

What is an App?

What is the difference between a Native app and a Web app?

Don’t worry – the difference is easy to remember!

What is an App?

App is short for ‘application’.  A computer application is what most have referred to in the past as a computer program.  Software program even!

When the word app became popular I remember all the commercials going on and on about ‘We have an APP for that!”

My picture above is what most people see on the face of those fancy phone now days.  They are touch screen, and you push on one of the logos – and the program starts up.

Yes, its like doubling clicking on a program to open it up. You use your finger instead, because the screen is meant for fingers – not mouse clicks!

Just last week we had leak in the roof, and the water was coming into one of the teenager’s rooms.  I asked my daughter's boyfriend if he wouldn’t mind looking in the attic to see where the water was coming from, and if we needed to cover the area until the roofers got here. 

Once he was up there?  It dawned me that a flashlight just MAY help him!  He told me it wasn’t needed, and he whipped out his Apple Iphone – clicked on an ‘app’ called flashlight…and there was LIGHT!  The next thing I know he also clicked on another app to take pictures of where the leak was coming from.

Yep, they have an app for that!

App – to me anyway – is internet slang for computer program.  It’s the new and improved LINGO of this generation!

Now keep in mind there are two different types of apps that most people refer to.   Yes, I’m sure there will be more in the future!  Let’s start with the two basic ones!

You have what you call a Native App, or a Web App.  Most of the time people do not use those terms (they just call them an app), but there is a difference.  Read on, and you can impress your FRIENDS and FAMILY! (giggles)

Native App

Most of the software programs that come preinstalled on our computers in the past are Native Apps.  Yes, that could include your operating system – like Vista, or Windows XP.

One small program I use from time to time is called, ‘Calculator’.  Microsoft Word is another one that I use to write letters.  The flashlight app I spoke about?  That also is a Native app.

All I have to do is turn on the computer, and I can use those programs without the use of the internet.  The native app is installed directly into the operating system of the computer. 

No internet required!

In other words, I can write a letter in my word process, use the calculator to balance the check book, and click on flashlight – all without having to be ON the internet!

Yes, you may get updates to your programs online.  The big difference you need to see today is you don’t NEED to be online to use them!

Web App

With a web app you may have to download some software at the beginning, or small updates from time to time.  The big difference here is if you want to use the program? 

Internet Required!

For example, Facebook has an app that people use on their fancy phones we see today.  If they didn’t have access to the internet (internet is turned on)?  They can open the facebook app all they want to, but they can’t ‘use’ it to read the friend’s notes, or post one themselves.

Its much the same principal as clicking on your Internet Explorer Icon on your desktop to go online, and yet if your computer isn’t connected to the internet.   The window may open, but you can’t ‘surf the net’ can you?

I hope I explained it well enough for everyone to understand.  I tried to keep it pretty simple!

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.


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Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner, and today’s lesson on “What is an App?”

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What is the Windows Lock Screen?

Today’s How-To Guide for the computer beginner  handles the question:

What is the Windows Lock Screen?

In the past if you have a password you had to enter into your computer before it would completely boot up?  You saw a screen similar to the one below.  I have heard this referred to as the ‘sign on screen’.

As you can see below on a Windows 7 Machine?  A gentleman named “Paul” will have to enter his password to get into his account on this computer.

Windows 8 starts with a lock screen similar to the one below.  When you tap, double click, or hit a key on the board….

You will get a similar screen to Paul’s sign in screen we pictured first.

As you can tell with Windows 8 lock screen it gives you the most basic of information.  The time and the date are regular’s to show up! 

Depending your machine widgets, known as lock screen apps, they will allow you to view information – such as new emails, weather, calendar appointments, instant messages or social updates – without even unlocking your PC.  If you have  laptop?  It could show you how much battery life you have left.

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.


Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.

Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner, and today Explanation on What is the Windows Lock Screen.

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