Friday, 28 December 2018

Computer Chip Vulnerabilities Discovered

Computer Chip Vulnerabilities

Researchers discover new Computer Chip Vulnerabilities!

We all know computer chips, software updates and their ilk are all not free from bugs and more. But now researchers at Washington State University have discovered another flaw in computer chips that could cause some serious vulnerabilities. These so called computer chip vulnerabilities were previously unknown to man and now that they are known can cause some huge problems.

These computer chip vulnerabilities can cause failures in modern high tech electronics even though they of the high performance variety. One would expect the high performance computer chips to be relatively free from such problems but the reality is something else altogether. 

Causing a deliberate Computer Chip Vulnerability: 


Researchers at Washington State University found that by deliberately adding malicious work load onto the computer chip they could affect the communication system on the chip. This communication system on the chip is important and damaging that could cause some big problems.

Talking of big problems, such a computer chip vulnerability could cause the computer chip’s life to shorten drastically.

Working to Understand Computer Chip Vulnerabilities: 


Researchers have been at work trying to understand how vulnerable computer chips really are to malicious attacks. This they do in order to identify threats and devise suitable actions to remedy such computer chip vulnerabilities.

Many tech vendors such as Samsung and Apple deliberately send software updates that intentionally slow down earlier phone models as a way to encourage people to buy newer more expensive models.
Research into computer chip vulnerabilities has earlier looked at various computer chip components like computer chip memory, circuit boards, processors and other areas for computer chip vulnerabilities. But researchers at Washington State University have discovered new threats in the most important part, which was previously not looked into – The communications system.

Not only was this vulnerability discovered in the backbone of the computer chip, it was also discovered that high performing computer chips had such vulnerability too.

“The Glue that Holds Everything Together”

The communications system in a computer chip is the glue that holds that entire processing of the chip together. Once that glue breaks down, a very powerful chip becomes useless.

High performance computer chips have a number of processors that perform large amounts of complex work. These processors communicate with each other through the communications system on the chip. This communication system also coordinates all the processes. So it is not hard to imagine a slight flaw in such area could cause some serious damage.

Researchers are at present looking for ways to incorporate such high performance chips with multiple processors onto hand held devices. This computer chip vulnerability could potentially affect our smartphones too.

Researchers at Washington State University devised a series of attacks that targeted the communications system. The results were shocking, in that the entire communications system was affected and was likely to fail because of such an attack.

Such computer chip vulnerabilities could be used by malicious persons to target a computer chip and cause it to malfunction.

Tuesday, 25 December 2018

MOZA Mini-MI Gimbal is a Handy Accessory for your Smartphone

MOZA Mini-MI Gimbal
The MOZA Mini-MI gimbal is a very useful accessory for your smartphone. With most of the smartphones, you can take HD videos. However, when making these videos while you are walking and talking becomes a bit difficult. Here is where the MOZA Mini-MI gimbal will sort out the problem. It provides your smartphone with a stable cradle. It helps to stabilize camera movements and capture perfect shots. The MOZA Mini-MI gimbal also provides a wireless battery boost. It is available at the PCWorld Shopor the PopSci Shop for $94.99. It is a very handy accessory which you can even gift your loved one.

What is the MOZA Mini-MI gimbal? 


The MOZA Mini-MI gimbal is compatible with most of the smartphones available in the market. It comes with a freely moving head which remains balanced every time.

It features built-in controls so that you can begin recording with a single tap. With the companion app, you can focus, zoom and time your shots. There is a whole load of professional photo and video settings via the companion app. The built-in buttons together with the companion app helps you get the perfect shot. The MOZA Mini-MI gimbal allows you to focus, zoom, take panoramic views, carry out slow-motion time-lapses and much more to enable you to get stunning videos and perfect shots. All this you can do from the handle’s built-in buttons.

With the help of the zoom dial, you can zoom in without any need to touch your smartphone.

The MOZA Mini-MI gimbal also comes with eight follow modes which helps the user to capture moving videos by keeping the main subject within the frame. By using the eight follow modes you can get good cinematic motions.

The MOZA Mini-MI gimbal comes with a wireless charging technology and keeps your smartphone charged while you are shooting. The MOZA Mini-MI gimbal helps to stabilize and energize your device with the help of the built-in wireless charging technology.

When you are busy shooting videos, the MOZA Mini-MI gimbal keeps your device charged through the 5V micro USB port. With a 2,100Ah battery, you can carry on video shooting for the entire day.
The MOZA Mini-MI gimbal is a very handy accessory for your smartphone which enables stabilization of the device to get stunning shots.

The Sport Gear mode that comes with the MOZA Mini-MI gimbal helps you to create very quick transitions.

The Inception mode allows for Dutch tilt shots. 


The MOZA Mini-MI gimbalis very handy for videographers and photographers. It allows for a continuous yaw, tilt and roll movement through 360 degrees, 165 degrees and 310 degrees respectively. If you want to film videos from your smartphone without any shaking of the hand, then go in for the MOZA Mini-MI gimbal. Though it can be obtained from the PCWorld Shop or the PopSci Shop for $94.99, you can get it for $75.99, by using the Cyber Monday offer code, CMSAVE20.

Thursday, 13 December 2018

15 Things you should know about PUBG the most Popular Game of 2018

PUBG Games
PUBG is one of those games that everyone’s heard of and has rightly become the most popular game of 2018. Anyone and everyone have heard of the most popular game. So unless you’re living under a rock or not from this planet, PUBG would not only be something you’ve only heard of but also have played.

Since most of us already know what the game is about, here’s a little jist of the most popular game of 2018 for those uninitiated into the world of PUBG- PUBG or Player’s Unknown Battleground, if you prefer the longer version, is an online game that starts when participants parachute of a plane. Once landed, the players have to look for ammo, weapons, gears and even clothes all needed to fight and survive in the game. Getting more to the point, the game is survival of the fittest or in this case the last one standing. So you loot, fight and all that goes with it and win only if you’re the last one standing.

While all this may sound like it’s simple it is far from that. You’d need some skills in order to get anywhere near being the winner and a part from those skills here’s 15 things to know before landing on the Battleground-

Get your smartphone Battle Ready for PUBG the most Popular Game of 2018: 


PUBG is an online game and you need to stream the game while playing. So to get most out of the game, you need to be present in real time on the battleground and that means that there can be no lag time.

In that case your smartphone needs to be battle ready and that means all background apps must be off so as not to take up any precious RAM that will be consumed with PUBG.

Be Equipped for Battle in PUBG the most popular Game of 2018: 


To be Battle ready you need to be equipped and the first thing you need for battle is your earphones with a mic. You need to be able to hear all that is around you in the virtual game and also to be able to communicate with your teammates in the game.

Second important thing to be ready for PUBG is to have your smartphone with a full battery or enough battery to last one whole round of the game.

Get your Facts Straight in PUBG the most popular game of 2018: 


You are not entering the game as a killing machine. So get the mercenary agenda out of your head and stick to the plan- SURVIVAL. So instead of bagging the award of most number of kills (psst… there’s no such award), concentrate on survival and not much else.

Pick your Style in PUBG Game


You can go solo or play as a team of two or even get your own squad. You can have your pick on PUBG the most popular game of 2018. So pick whatever is convenient to you at the time.

Know where you are on PUBG Game: 


To be battle ready, you need to know where you are and that means knowing your maps. Currently PUBG has three maps Erangel, Miramar and Sanhok.

Snahok is the smallest location there is on PUBG and will be easier when it comes to learning your layout. Besides learning the map, you should also keep in mind places where the loot is or anything that will help you in surviving in the game. The key locations in the game are Pochiniki in Erangel, Ruins in Sanhok and Picado located in Miramar.

Strategize in Solo Mode first with PUBG Game: 


If this is your first time in the game then it might be helpful to go solo first. Once you’ve a good lay of the land and how the game is played then you can go in as a team of two or as a squad. This is also a useful tip as when you’re in a team you are expected to pull your own weight and if it is your first time then you shouldn’t be wasting your time and your team’s time getting your bearings.

Land as soon as you can in PUBG the most popular game of 2018: 


This one is simple yet effective- try to land as quick as you can. This tip will help you collect armor and other weaponry before you opponents and will help in annihilating them first.

Know you circles in PUBG game of 2018: 


There are two zones in PUBG the white one indicates the safe zone and the blue one is the kill zone. Blue circle is out of the play zone and that means that it is a kill zone.

Fight or flight in the most popular game of 2018: 


Picking your stance will be important in the game. Is it going to be Fight or Flight will be your call and will be an important call to make while in the game.

Weaponry of your Choice in PUBG game of 2018: 


The game offers an array of 40 guns. You need to pick the gun according to your strengths. If you prefer close combat then an SMG rifle is the one you should pick or if close combat isn’t really your thing then you could always go in for the sniper.

Get your armor in PUBG game: 


There are three levels of armor in the game. Long story short, aim at getting the level 3 armor as that will improve your chances at winning the game.

Strategize with you teammates on PUBG game: 


Keep a line of communication with your teammates on continuously. Discuss layout and strategy while on duo or squad mode.

Keep Running in PUBG game: 


Running in the game will be very useful and to make further improvements to this is to lessen your load by carrying less weaponry (as this will increase you speed by 6%) and removing your shoes to be silent.

Fire Wisely: 


You can go to settings and enable the peak and fire option. This will allow you to hide most of your body behind a tree or some other object while allowing you to peak and fire.

Keep your guns battle ready: 


Your guns need to be always loaded and in case it is not switch ammo instead of wasting time reloading and getting killed in the bargain.

Monday, 10 December 2018

Google has Unveiled Flutter 1.0

Google unveiled the Flutter 1.0 at an event at the Science Museum in London, UK. The Product Manager Tim Sneath introduced Flutter 1.0 to the enthusiastic developers.

What is Flutter? 


Flutter 1.0 is a cross-platform portable UI toolkit. It is an app engine that brings software development kit (SDK) out of beta.

Since 2015, it was undergoing various stages of development. Several of the beta versions were out last year and a preview of Flutter saw the release this summer.

It allows developers to build apps that can work on Android and iOS from a single codebase.

Flutter was designed by Google so that there could be a better collaboration and rapid development between the developers and coders. It is powered by Skia 2D graphics engine.

Material Design widgets which would look nice on both, Android and iPhone devices, will be powered by Google’s Dart platform. It will enable compilation to native 32-bit and 64-bit ARM code for Android and iOS. With the ‘stateful hot reload’ feature, you get quick visual results without any need to restart, thus saving time and increasing productivity. According to Google, the development cycles are three times more productive.

Flutter, being an open source, with a BSD-style licence, allows contributions from developers all over, since there are plenty of third-party plug-ins and widgets ready to be tried out.

Ashley Narayanen told Computer Business Review that even though it has the ability to target more than one platform which is not a new concept, the others being Xamarin, Cordova and React Native, it is a product of Google and not a third party component.

The other point to be noted is that Flutter is slated to be the main framework for the next-Gen operating system, Fuschia.

Though the Xamarin framework offers a native experience, there are still problems in cross-platform targeting since a complete 100 percent of the components cannot be used across both the Android and iOS platforms.

It has been designed to support Google’s ‘Material’ design language as well. Since there is heavy use of shadows and other effects, one can use the native hardware graphics acceleration on both the Android and iOS platforms. With the result it is capable of handling such workloads.

Many Big Companies are using Flutter


Big companies like Alibaba, Groupon, Tencent and others are developing and shipping apps with Flutter.

The mobile payment service Square announced two new Flutter SDKs whereby accepting payments for goods and services would become easier with Flutter. It could be done by using a Square payment reader or payments within the mobile app developed on the platform.

Animators 2Dimensions announced the use of ‘Flare’, a tool that enables designers to create animations which could be embedded into a Flutter app and manipulated with code. With Flare, there is no need to design in one app, animate in another and convert everything to a device-specific assets and code.

With Flutter, app design is radically simplified. Google made an announcement that they would be experimenting with running Flutter on the web under the codename, Hummingbird.

Saturday, 1 December 2018

Upgrade Your Daily Drive with New Android Auto features

Android Auto

New Android Auto Features to Make Driving even more Entertaining!

Since its release Android Auto is making driving a lot more entertaining for us and it just keeps on getting better. Google has added more features to Android Auto to make driving more helpful and convenient. Among the updates are a bunch of Android Auto features to help with messaging and easier media browsing. There are even new Android Auto features for visual message previews as well as staying connected in a group through group messaging.

All these new Android Auto features will be present in apps such as Google Play Books, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Google Play Music and Pocket Casts. Add to that the all popular messaging apps like whatsapp and hangouts to the update list. All these new Android Auto features and more will be available in the next few updates that Google brings about in Android Auto. So don’t forget to get yourself updated.

Better Media Navigation with new Android Auto Features: 


If a silent drive to your destination isn’t for you, then listening to media and searching for your favorite media just became a lot more easier with this new Android Auto Feature. Google has made an update in the form of this new Android Auto feature that brings all your media content directly onto your screen for easier browsing. That means less time searching for your favorite media and more time enjoying it.

With the new and improved layout with large sized options, makes it easier for you to select your selected media while on the go. With this new Android feature, you simply browse, select and click on your favorite tunes for a more entertaining ride.

New Android Auto Features makes Improvements to Voice Activation: 


So you don’t want to browse, “Ok Google…”has got you covered. Google has made further improvements to its voice control assistant making it easier for you to just tell the Google assistant what you’d prefer and Voila! Your song starts playing for you on your ride to the office.

Anything from 80’s music to a particular song, the Google assistant has got all that and more. Just say “Ok Google” and the song or songs title you want to hear and it starts playing.

New android Auto Features for Messaging and Staying Connected: 


If while driving you don’t want to miss out on important messages, this new Android Auto feature will come to your rescue. Android Auto now shows you a preview of messages while the car is stopped. You can always turn off this feature if it interferes with your driving.

Android Auto features also add more support to apps that use multimedia and RCS or rich communication services. This means that get you get the best out of messaging apps while on the go, like for example support for group messaging. You can now stay connected with loved ones and with important family updates with group messaging.

Google will bring out all these new Android Auto features in the next several days. You can also visit the app store for further updates on the new Android Auto features.

Thursday, 29 November 2018

Why Being Able to Convert Video Formats Can Benefit Users

Most people are aware of the fact that there are many different video formats out there, and are also aware that there are converters designed to convert between them. However many don’t actually use converters – often because they don’t see a benefit to it.

To be completely honest nothing could be further from reality, as there are lots of benefits to being able to convert video formats. Some of the more important are the fact that it can:
  • Ensure videos can be played on any device or platform

    As you probably know different devices and platforms support different video formats, which is why you may have trouble viewing videos on some devices. Rather than attempting to find a software to play the video (which may not always be possible), a far more effective solution is to convert it to the format that you need.

    Typically nowadays the MP4 format is as close to a universal format as possible – so you’ll want to convert your video to it in most cases. That can be done easily, and if you want you could use Online Video Converter to convert any formats including MTS to MP4.

    Keep in mind that it is best to use a format with a codec that has hardware support on your device, so that it can be played without requiring too much processing power.
  • Reduce the file size of videos

    Part of the video format that is used is known as the video codec, and it is what compresses the data in your video files. Some codecs are able to compress data more efficiently than others, and will let you reduce the file size of your videos without adversely affecting its quality.

    Typically newer codecs are better than older codecs in that regard, and have improved compression rates. For example H.265 can reduce the file size of H.264 videos by about half in most cases.
  • Match the recommended format of online platforms  

    Most online platforms recommend that videos be uploaded in particular formats. While some may reject videos that don’t comply with that format, others will convert it themselves.

    As a rule it is always best to follow the recommended settings when uploading videos so that you don’t have any difficult and avoid it being transcoded – which could affect its quality. For instance you can look at YouTube’s recommended settings and see that they prefer MP4 with H.264.
  All in all being able to convert videos between formats is generally useful. Depending on how frequently you handle videos and the different types of devices you use, you may even find that it comes in handy every single day.

If the converter that you use allows you to adjust the video settings as well (which many do), you may find that it has other benefits that are worth exploring. In short you could compress, adjust or prepare your videos in a wide range of different ways if you require.

Tuesday, 27 November 2018

Google Maps Now Lets Users Send Messages to Businesses

Google Maps

Users Can Now Send Messages to Businesses through Google Maps!

Google has recently rolled out a feature whereby users can send messages to local businesses in Google Maps. The whole “sending messages to local businesses” part of it is not new, though. Google had initially brought out the concept of messaging businesses as a part of its Google My Business campaign. This took place somewhere last year. But now to get more users on board and to keep the messaging local businesses separate from messaging personal contacts, Google has rolled out messaging local businesses to Google Maps.

Google My Business Profile:

Last year, Google initiated Google My Business which allows users to initiate convos with local businesses over the Google My Business profile. These text messages were sent and received through your normal SMS.

A New Option to Send Messages To local Businesses through Google Maps: 


Users now have the option of sending messages to local businesses through the Google Maps app. There will be an option to send messages at the side menu of the Google Maps app. You can then start a conversation with a local business by tapping on the ‘Message’ button present in ‘business profiles’.

The whole idea behind this move is to keep user’s personal messages separate from messages to local businesses in Google Maps.

The next benefit, is that Google My Business messaging feature will open up to more people across the globe. Before the Google My Business option was present only in a few countries that Google rolled it out to.

What this Means for Businesses: 


With this new initiative by Google, Business will be getting a lot more messages from users or potential customers, which in turn means that they have to be aware of the bulk of messages about to be received.

Business’ can also opt out of receiving messages from users by not turning on the messaging feature. It is already turned off by default anyway.

But those who wish to take advantage of “Messages to Google my Business through Google Maps” feature can do so by turning on the feature in messaging, found in the Google My Business dashboard.

Business engaging with customers over the messaging feature on Google Maps will also be able to get stats over time, such as number of clicks by customers on the message option, number of conversations had, total number of messages received and so forth.

Business can also have a separate individual managing their Google My Business profile such as a social media manager. Such persons have to be designated as a manger under the Google My Business listing in order to interact with users or customers over the Google My Business messaging service on Google Maps.

Initiating messaging with local businesses through Google My Business on Google Maps also has the added advantage of users contacting businesses when they search for a business in Google Maps. So users can now simultaneously search for business on local maps and make enquiries of them at the same time.

Thursday, 22 November 2018

Google Introducing Call Screen

Call Screen May Require A Save Option!

Google’s Pixel 3 and 3XL’s feature is heaven send when you don’t want to answer those annoying spam calls that come multiple times in a day. If you don’t want to answer any of those calls, and who does anyway? then send the caller directly to call screen. This new software feature initiated by Google to the Pixel 3and 3XL phones has been one of the most innovative and best feature to come to a phone as yet, not to mention it saves you the immense hassle of getting rid of the robot troll caller.

But is it all great? On the surface yeah! We all know how annoying robot troll callers can be but what happens when you want to save a call or need important information right away?

What is Call Screen? 


A feature that can be found on Google Pixel 3 and 3XL allows the user an option of putting a call through call screen whereby Google Assistant picks up the call and you can monitor the call proceedings in chat form while the call is ongoing.

The moment a person calls and you want to press the call screen option, Google assistant immediately picks up and lets the caller know that they are speaking to an assistant. The caller then has to explain who they are and what they want. While all this is going on you can view the chat form of the dialogue taking place between the caller and Google assistant.

So what’s the Problem with Call Screen then? 


While everything seems to be picture perfect with call screen, it’s just that it does not store the transcript of the message or have an option to send the caller to voicemail.

This can be bad in instances, where you need some important information that the caller has. You can always screenshot the chat screen while the call is taking place, that is if you remember to do so. But if you forget, there is no way to get that specific information back, unless you go to the call log and call the person back.

While none of the chats are stored after the call in call screen, some may actually appreciate the fact their privacy has not been affected.

What Should Google do to improve Call Screen?

To improve the call screen feature which is pretty great now but can be made better, Google can do three things- save the transcripts of the chats to the Pixel 3 or 3XL, give a “send to voicemail” option and lastly have the option to save particular calls. Google says that the first option of saving transcripts of the chats onto phones may be coming soon.

During call screen when the caller knows they are talking to Google assistant, they automatically give their name and certain other details. Many a time, this information comes in handy and you don’t want to necessarily miss out on that info. Hence the need to save transcripts or chat history in call screen.

Sunday, 18 November 2018

A New Thermal Transistor to ensure that Devices Don’t Overheat

Devices Don’t Overheat

A team from Stanford has developed a thermal transistor that could ensure that devices don’t overheat. It is actually a nanoscale switch that makes sure that heat is conducted away from the electronic components of various devices.

At one time or another, many of us are faced with the problem of our electronic devices overheating. It could happen to our smartphones overheating due to running a navigation app or even the laptops getting overheated. The chips and circuits fail due to overheating of the devices.

An engineering team from Stanford has developed a novel way to ensure the devices don’t overheat. They have developed a way to manage the heat and also route the heat away from the devices that get overheated.

According to the article in Nature Communications, the researchers have developed a thermal transistor which is a nanoscale switch. This switch conducts the heat away from the electronic components of the devices. In addition, it insulates the electronic components against the harmful effects thereby ensuring the devices don’t overheat.

Kenneth Goodson, a senior author and professor of Mechanical Engineering says that the development of a thermal transistor could be a game changer in the field of electronics.

Developing a nanoscale switch to ensure devices don’t overheat

There has been a lot of research conducted in the past in the development of heat switches. Earlier the thermal transistors were too big, too slow or not sensitive enough in terms of practicality.

They were in the process of developing a nanoscale switch that could go on and off repeatedly, have a large hot to cooling switching contrast and no moving parts.

Goodson’s team comprising of Eric Pop, an electrical engineer and Yi Cui, a materials scientist first used a thin layer of molybdenum disulfide, a semiconducting crystal, made up of layered sheets of atoms. The layer at 10 nanometers thickness and effective at room temperature could be integrated in current day electronics. This is the main factor which contributes to the technological practicality.

The first step is to make the heat-conducting semiconductor into a transistor switch. To do this, they immersed the material into a liquid with lots of lithium ions. On applying a little amount of electric current, the lithium ions infuse into the layers of the crystal, thereby changing the heat-conducting characteristics. When the lithium concentration increases, the thermal transistor switches off. This happens because the lithium ions push the atoms of the crystal apart. This in turn makes it harder for heat to pass through.

The researchers are of the opinion that thermal transistors that are connected to computer chips would turn on and off thereby limiting the heat damage in the devices and ensure that the devices don’t overheat.

The research conducted by the team also throws light on the reasons of lithium ion battery failure. Since the porous materials in a battery have lithium, they prevent the flow of heat which causes the temperature to rise. This process becomes vital when designing safer batteries.

In the future, researchers could develop thermal transistors that could be arranged in circuits to compute using heat logic in the same way that semiconductor transistors compute using electricity.

The possibility of a practical nanoscale thermal transistor is within reach thereby ensuring that devices don’t overheat.

Friday, 16 November 2018

How to create Custom WhatsApp Stickers

WhatsApp Stickers
There's a new WhatsApp feature that's crushing it right now.

That is nothing but the "Custom Whatsapp Stickers feature."

You all might already know about the WhatsApp and its crazy on the internet. So, I won't be saying about the craze of the WhatsApp in this post, but I'll be letting you know about the new WhatsApp feature.

The popular messaging app WhatsApp has finally rolled out some big-time update which gives lots of new stickers to express your emotions freely. By having a glance at this feature, most of the people are just thrilled to use this awesome feature. Within no time this awesome feature has gained momentum and impressed number of people throughout the internet.

Previously, this new WhatsApp feature is just rolled in beta devices, so beta users used to enjoy this feature. But, now WhatsApp has felt bad and released this Custom Whatsapp Stickers feature to all the WhatsApp user. So, from now on you all can access this awesome update and have lots of fun with this superb feature.
Custom WhatsApp Stickers


Most of the people are raring to hit social media with their awesome customized Whatsapp Stickers on the internet. If you are one of them, then there is no stopping for you. Just check out this post on how to create custom WhatsApp stickers on your own and create your custom sticker and have lots of fun.

That's it.

Brief about Stickers? 


If you are not living the internet world and just explored the word stickers means you might feel hard to get the above sentences right? Don't worry; stickers are ruling the internet for many days. Firstly if you are hike users, then you will know about these stickers perfectly because this is the first platform which has given lots of sticker updates.

Stickers are barely similar to the emoji's, but the main difference between the emoji and stickers is the stickers are large in size and have life form, and emoji will not have those. So that's what the stickers are all about.
Custom WhatsApp Stickers

You can find lots of stickers on hike, Snapchat and even on Facebook & Instagram as well. There are literally everywhere. So, you can just see them faster than any other thing on the internet.

Now you might be wondering why stickers have this much craze right?

Why WhatsApp Stickers has so much craze? 


Stickers are mainly used to express your feelings without writing thousands of words. Previously to express our opinions we used to write sentences then we changed that to emojis to show emotions, and presently we are using stickers to express our feelings. These stickers are very flexible and very easy to find and use. So, you can simply spice up your boring chat with some great stickers. If you use your own custom expression on stickers means you can love your conversation.

It this new update WhatsApp has made some awesome sticker packs and released it for its users. So this is one of the critical updates for users but wait there more in this update. You can even create your own customized stickers with your facial expressions.

Do you believe that?

You should believe that because the new update is filled with customized features. Although this cant be done on WhatsApp, but You have to take help of the third-party app, and with that help, you can quickly create your own customized WhatsApp Stickers. You can quickly send your own personalized stickers pack.
Custom WhatsApp Stickers


Now you might be curious to know about the third party application and its process right?

Don't worry, I'll clearly cover everything in this post and will be helping you to create your own Custom WhatsApp stickers. Some of you might think this might be a premium app or something like that but it’s completely free. That's the main reason why this feature has earned thousands of people's praise.

Now to get started first you have to check whether your current version has the capability to support the latest sticker functions. If your WhatsApp version is not supported with that version means you have to update your version.

Updating makes it simple for you to access and enjoy these customized Whatsapp Stickers. This feature is released for both Android and IOS users, here I mentioning about the Android Device in the latter post you can check out the process of iPhone devices as well.

So, let's get into the process of creating your own customized stickers.

Whatsapp Stickers Version: 


To get WhatsApp stickers packs, you have to update your WhatsApp version to 2.18.329 or Above in Android Devices. The Stickers packs for WhatsApp which are released such as Biscuit by Ghostbot, Bibimbap Friends, Cuppy and so on. Once you download these stickers, you will be able to access these stickers offline as well.

Now, let's see

How to create your own WhatsApp Stickers pack: 




  • To create your own custom WhatsApp Stickers pack you have to install the app called
  • “Sticker maker for WhatsApp Applications" from your Google Play store.
  • Then you have to install that app and open that app soon it was installed.
  • Click on the “Create a new Sticker pack" option in that app.
  • You should enter the name of the WhatsApp Stickers pack to proceed to the next step to keep the best name you like.
  • Once you have completed creating name -- Click on the sticker pack from the top of the screen.
  • Now, you will see an empty screen with some placeholders and an option called "Tray Icon."
  • Just click on "tray icon" along with thirty stickers in on sticker pack. You should get two options -- the First one is "Take Photo," and another one is "Select File."
  • If you choose "Take photo" option means take photo after asking permission.
  • If you choose “select photo," then you should select your desired image from your gallery.
  • After selecting one option in two now it is time to draw an outline for your image.
  • This outline is nothing but the area you want to keep as the sticker.
  • You can simply use your finger to draw the outline. If you want, you can zoom your image to get an accurate outline.
  • Once you completed outlining, then you should save your WhatsApp Sticker because you have done editing.
  • Similarly, add 30 WhatsApp Stickers you like in the same process.
  • As the limit of the stickers are thirty WhatsApp Stickers for a pack.
  • If you want to re-edit the pack means you can tap "try again" option in outline."
  • Once you finished outline means click on “Publish sticker pack" option towards the lower right-hand side of the screen.
  • Now, you will get a question that if you want to add the sticker pack to your WhatsApp.
  • Then click on Add option, and with that, you have completed adding your WhatsApp
  • Stickers. You can directly share your stickers with your friends and contacts in WhatsApp.
  • Make sure you don't delete this app because once you remove that app; your stickers will be gone from your WhatsApp.



  • So, it's best not to do that.

    This is how you can create your own custom WhatsApp stickers.

    Monday, 12 November 2018

    The All New Harley Davidson- LiveWire Electric Bike

    LiveWire Electric Bike
    This is the generation of electric vehicles. Many companies are in the process of making their own spin off on the modern day fuel powered vehicle. But this time around it is with electricity. In many places still, the electric powered vehicle is in use, so it is not just a concept that is thought of, but now a reality. The latest company to show off its new electric vehicle is Harley Davidson. Harley Davidson now brings us its new and first of its kind- electric powered motorcycle- the LiveWire.

    It has been 4 years since Harley Davidson came out with news of the concept electric bike. But now finally the wait is over. The motorbike company is all set to release the LiveWire.

    The Launch of the Electric Motorbike- LiveWire: 


    The production ready bike LiveWire has been launched by the company at the EICMA motorcycle show held in Italy earlier this week. At present LiveWire is just production ready and will be available at stores only next year.

    LiveWire to Save Brand: 


    Harley Davidson has a lot riding on the LiveWire. The company hopes that their new electric bike will help revive a drooping brand. LiveWire will not be the only electric bike that Harley Davidson plans on coming out with.

    LiveWire will just be the first in a long and successful electric bike lineup that Harley Davidson hopes to launch in coming years. The first portfolio of Harley Davidson electric powered bikes is all set for take- off in 2022.

    Encouraging the switch to Electric: 


    To make the switch to electric smoother for customers, Harley Davidson plans on starting Level 2 public chargers at dealer locations that will sell the LiveWire.

    At present many people are weary of using an electric powered vehicle because of a lack of charging stations but with this initiative, Harley Davidson hopes to remove such notions and get people to buy the LiveWire and its ilk.

    What little we Know of the Specs of the LiveWire: 


    The LiveWire will be powered by a magnet electric motor that will lower the center of gravity and make it easier for the driver to handle the bike at different speeds and also to make it easier to control when stopped.

    The LiveWire will also have two batteries one main one which is encased by a finned cast aluminum housing and a secondary 12 volt lithium ion one that will power the lights, controls, horn and instrument display of the LiveWire bike.

    The LiveWire bike will also have seven riding modes 3 of which will be rider defined. The LiveWire bike will also have an adjustable screen above the handlebar which will be used for Bluetooth connectivity, navigation, music and many other features.

    The signature Harley Davidson Sound: 


    This time around the Harley Davidson sound will not be present as it is an electric powered bike.But fear not Harley Davidson has put in a tone that will increase in pitch and in volume as the Bike increases its speed.

    Thursday, 1 November 2018

    What is NFC? How to use NFC on Android

    NFC has become the buzzword in this modern Android Dominated world. Although NFC exists for a long time but it is becoming popular these days. It is mainly happening because of the growth of online payments services like Android Pay and Samsung Pay. You can find this NFC (Near Field Communication) options in almost all Android devices that are from mid-range to the high-end Android Devices.

    Now, if you are a tech freak means you will obviously know about the NFC but If you are relatively new to this NFC means you might be struggling to know about NFC. Right? Now, don't worry in this article I am going to explain what is NFC and how to use NFC on Android.

    What is NFC? 


    NFC is nothing but the Near Field Communication. It is the modern technology which actually works to communicate with the near or close devices. This technology helps to communicate with nearby devices via the radio frequencies. This NFC is almost similar to the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi options, here in NFC a device will transmit information from one device to another device with the help of radio waves as mentioned above.

    In conventional android devices, NFC option is often marketed as the file -sharing option. With this NFC option, you can simply swap files faster than other wireless transfers. You can even do more with this helpful feature in Android such as Pay wave, Data sharing, sharing apps & mobile payments, etc.

    Now, you have got some knowledge on what is NFC right?

    So, let's get into the other aspects such as How to use NFC on Android device and more.

    How to use NFC on Android: 


    Using NFC on Android is pretty simple, and the process is almost similar to the WiFi & Bluetooth options. Now, as you want to try NFC on Android, you need to whether your device has NFC option or not.

    Nowadays, almost all android phones are having this NFC options, but in older versions, you can only find this option in some high-end devices & mid-range devices. If you want to check this option on your Android device means there is one way to check it without going into the settings.

    In particularly the Samsung phone, you'll see an option called “ Near Field Communication” which is printed on the battery pack. On Sony devices, you can see N-mark on the back of the battery which indicates that the device is NFC enabled. However, this is an old process of check NFC now in new models you don't have to look at that as you have other ways to check it quickly.

    Just follow these simple steps to know whether you have NFC on your mobile device or not.



    • Hover over to the settings section in Android.
    • Click on More.
    • Then scroll down and watch out for "NFC" and " Android Beam" Option.
    • Some devices, you can find NFC in general setting.
    • Open settings > more and type in NFC.


    Now, these settings may vary depending on the device you use. But by following the above steps, you can get to know whether your device has NFC or not.

    Until now we have seen how to check NFC on your device. Now, if you have that NFC option means you can soon activate it and use this device.

    If you want to activate NFC on your mobile device means follow these steps.

    How to Activate NFC:




    • Hover over to the settings tab.
    • Click on More
    • Then Click on "NFC" to Activate the feature.
    • Now, when you turn on "NFC" the Android Beam option will automatically turn on.
    • In some cases, if it didn't turn on means click on the Android Beam and select yes to turn it on.


    In general, Smartphone’s NFC wide range of features can only be used when you activate Android Beam. If the Android Beam is disabled means, you can't enjoy full functionalities of NFC in Android.

    Now as you are thinking about how to use NFC on Android.

    Here are the features you can use NFC on Android.

    Should Keep a Note on these Data Sharing options:

    NFC is always faster in sharing data with other devices than most of the other Wi-Fi sharing apps. If you activate NFC on your phone means you can successfully share your data with other nearby devices. Now while you are sharing data with other make sure you follow these:


    • While sharing information both sender and receiver devices should have NFC and Android Beam Activated on their devices.
    • Both devices shouldn't be asleep or locked once they are locked then data sharing will be stopped.
    • You'll usually get the audio and feedback when two devices detect each other.
    • It is always best practice to not to separate your devices until the beaming started.
    • You'll hear audio feedback when you successfully receive content or other data.


    The process of Beaming Content:


    No matter which device you use to share such as a tablet to phone or phone to table the beaming process will remain the same. Even for sharing different files the beaming process is similar. Here is the step by step beaming process to start sharing data with other devices via NFC on Android.


    • As said above, Always make sure both devices are turned on.
    • Open the content which you want to share.
    • Just place the two android devices backs against each other.
    • Stay still until you heard a haptic confirmation sound on both devices.
    • Now, just notice the sender's screen shrink into a small thumbnail, and it displays " touch to beam" at the top of the screen.
    • Just click on the sender's screen to start beaming.
    • You will generally hear some sound at the start of beaming content and at the end of transmitting content as well.


    Until now we have seen the process of How to use NFC on Android. Now let's see the real features of NFC.

    Sharing apps:


    Sharing apps through NFC is not recommended by most of the people because it will not the App's Apk with another device. Instead, it shares the app's play store page, so it is considered as the major cons in the NFC.

    Sharing Web content & Youtube Videos: 


    If you want to share web content means it will not share the offline downloaded page instead it will share the webpage URL with another device. Similar to the web content your youtube videos will not be shared through NFC instead it will share the Youtube URL.
    Sharing Web content NFC on Android

    Sharing Content is comfortable with NFC:


    This is one of the best options in NFC while sharing contacts info in NFC it will automatically be saved to the device' phone book. So, no need to save contacts, unlike some disturbing sharing apps.
    Sharing Photos:

    With NFC you can merely send photos. To send images all you have to do is the open image you want to send to the other device and pace both devices closely and tap on the sender's screen when beem promoted. It won't take much time to share files as it is faster than regular sharing apps.

    Mobile Payments Features in NFC: 


    The best feature of NFC is the mobile payments features. In NFC you can quickly, pay just by waving at the device. This is the main reason people use NFC for other than small features. There are lots of options available in NFC payments the best of the payment methods are Google Pay and Samsung Pay.

    Now, if you strive to make payment with your phone via NFC means you have to sign up for one of the popular payment methods and you can start making your payments at the supported retailers. Always remember to make a payment you have to activate NFC.

    Steps to make mobile payment:




    • Activate NFC on your phone.
    • Hold your back of the device very close the payment terminal for a couple of seconds. Then wait until the payment is completed.
    • It's that easy you can find these type of payments in all US, UK, and Australia.


    This is how to use NFC on Android. After seeing the above options, you will definitely love to use NFC for payments as it is super quick and very secure process. It is worth a try if you haven't used this process yet for your payments.

    Monday, 22 October 2018

    Fall Detection, a Clever Feature of Apple Watch Series 4

    Fall Detection
    The Apple Watch Series 4 is one of the most sought-after wearables. The sales figures have hit the roof as the orders suggest. Besides a great improvement on the internals, there is also a larger display. Along with this the Apple Watch series 4 has come out with better and improved health features and includes the ECG monitoring feature.

    The Apple Watch series 4 has an added feature called Fall Detection. If the wearer has a significant fall, then it will call for help in the absence of any movement within a minute of the fall.

    How does the Fall Detection feature work? 


    If the wearer has had a significant fall, then the Apple Watch Series 4 will tap on the wearer’s wrist. It sounds an alarm and will display an alert. In the eventuality of an emergency, you can contact the emergency services. In case there is no cause of raising an alarm, you can dismiss the alert signal by either tapping ‘I fell, but I’m OK’ or ‘I did not fall’

    If the Apple Watch detects that there is some motion after the fall, then it will wait for the wearer to respond to the alert and will not call the emergency services immediately.

    On the other hand, if the wearer is immobile for at least a minute, then the Fall Detection feature will begin a 15-minute countdown. It will tap on your wrist and sound a warning. The alert keeps getting louder until the wearer or someone nearby can hear it.

    At the end of the countdown, the Apple Watch will contact the emergency services. The Fall Detection feature also sends messages to your emergency contacts letting them know the location of the fall and also that the emergency services have been contacted.

    In order to contact the emergency services, the wearer should make sure to turn on the Fall Detection feature. To do this, you need to open the Settings app on your smartwatch, tap General and turn on the Fall Detection feature. Along with this, the falls will be recorded in the Health app, unless the wearer replies in the negative when the Apple Watch asks about the fall.

    The Apple Watch Series 4 stores all the fall history in the Health app. To check the fall history, open the Health app on your iPhone, tap the Health Data tab and tap Results.

    Apple’s Jeff Williams has explained that the Fall detection feature of the Apple Watch Series 4 detects only serious falls and not the usual stumbles and trips.

    In order to check out this Fall Detection feature, Joanna Stern of The Wall Street Journal employed a clever strategy. She used an actual Hollywood stunt double to test out the Fall Detection feature. The stunt double aped a significant fall as accurately as possible. After the test was conducted she noted that the Apple Watch Series 4 was quite accurate when it came to detecting a serious fall and ignoring a fake fall.

    The Fall Detection feature turns on by default for the wearers who are 65 years or older.

    Wednesday, 17 October 2018

    Researchers develop 3D printed objects that can track and store how they are used

    3D printed objects
    Researchers at the University of Washington have devised a way by which technology can be made from 3D printers, which can be got from the off- the shelf and what’s more is that these 3D printed objects wouldn’t have to use electronics or be made from electronic materials to work. These 3D printed objects can be in the form of a pill bottle which is “smart” in the sense that it helps a patient remember when to take their pills.

    However with 3D printed objects made of plastic, they cannot be monitored by researchers to show how the pill bottle and such is being used by the patient- that is whether they find it convenient enough for a next time use or once is enough. But researchers have found a way to overcome this obstacle as well.

    The Solution to 3D Printed Objects is “Backscatter”: 


     Researchers at the University of Washington have found a technique known as “backscatter” that helps these devices store data offline and then send that information when the device is back online using an antenna. The 3D printed object can also receive information in the same manner- by reflecting the signal off of an antenna.

    This backscatter technique helps sort the problem of not knowing how the patient uses the 3D printed object. It also helps keep the cost low by using only plastic and non- electronic parts.

    Connecting the 3D Printed Object to Wi- Fi: 


    Researchers at Washington University have found a way for the 3D printed object to connect to the Wi- Fi. This will allow the 3D printed object to order a pill bottle online when the current stock is running low, say for example, when the patient requires some more.

    By making 3D printed tech from plastics and without using any electronics, it keeps the cost low while also you could get the object wet without worrying about spoiling it. This opens up a whole new set of applications where the same technique can be used.

    The Monitoring Problem in 3D Printed Objects: 


    In the researchers previous study they could track data going in one direction and wanted to do so in two directions as well. That means that while a 3D printed object could track detergent levels which saved information in one direction, researchers also wanted data to be tracked in both directions like the opening and closing of a pill bottle.




    With one directional data movement, researchers used gears that allowed a fluid to move through when the gear moved in one direction and this liquid would push a switch down to reach the antenna.
    For two directional data movement, researchers have now developed two gears one on the top and the other on the bottom. This apparatus works in the same way as well with the fluid and gears. So as the pill bottle is opened the gear moves in one way, pressing the top antenna and when it is closed the gears move in the other way, pressing the bottom antenna.

    Monday, 15 October 2018

    Discovery of a new Printing Technology Making use of Sound Waves

    Printing Technology
    Engineers from the University of Harvard have come out with a new printing technology that makes use of sound waves. This is a great revolution in printing where the sound waves control the droplet flow of highly viscous liquids. In other words, the new printing Technology involves a printer which uses sound to print with the help of tiny droplets of highly viscous liquids.

    The new printing technology will help in the manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals and bioprinting. Here they use biopolymer and cell-laden solutions which are 100 times denser than water.

    According to Jennifer Lewis, a senior author and professor of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, the new printing technology that they have created helps printing in a drop-on-demand manner.

    In the new Printing Technology, how the liquid can be manipulated with the help of sound waves: 


    We see in Inkjet printing which patterns liquid droplets, the liquids are about 10 times more viscous than water. The researchers are far more interested in liquids that are more viscous. In the case of biopharmaceuticals and bioprinting, biopolymer and cell-laden solutions are about 100 times more viscous than water. There are some sugar-based biopolymers which have the same viscosity as honey which is about 25,000 times more viscous than water. Viscosity of fluids is influenced by temperature and composition changes. With the result, controlling the droplet size becomes difficult and hence it is not possible to optimize the printing parameters.

    The researchers therefore wanted to develop a new printing technology independent of the viscosity of the fluid. They thus turned their attention to using sound waves. When we consider a liquid under gravitational force, the droplet size is large and the flow of the droplet is difficult to control.

    The researchers have thus turned to generating sound waves in order to enhance drop formation. Pressure waves have been used to defy the earth’s gravitational force, as is seen in Acoustic Levitation. These same sound waves are being used by the researchers to assist gravity and the new technology adopted is known as acoustophoretic printing.

    The researchers have built a sub-wavelength acoustic resonator that can generate a highly confined acoustic field that can pull a force that is 100 times more than the gravitational force at the tip of the printer nozzle. In this new printing technology, the controlled force then pulls each droplet from the nozzle on attaining a specific size. It is then ejected on the area for printing. If the amplitude of the sound waves is high then the droplet size is small, irrespective of the fluid’s viscosity.

    The new Printing Technology can have a wider scope: 


    The new printing Technology was carried out on different materials like honey, stem-cell inks, biopolymers, optical resins and liquid metals. It was seen that the sound waves do not travel through the droplet and hence the method was safe to use even in the case of sensitive living cells or proteins. They hope that the new printing technology can help in the manufacture of new biopharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food.

    Wednesday, 10 October 2018

    What We Know About Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL

    All there is to Know about Google Pixel 3!

    As the year reaches its close, all the big smart phone manufacturers are set to launch their latest mobile offering and while many of them have already dons so, Google is still left. With the latest Galaxy and the latest iPhones from Samsung and Apple respectively, Google’s Pixel 3 is the next highly anticipated phone. But what can we expect from Google’s to- be- released- offering?

    While there are facts in the world there are also rumours and the tech world is filled to the brim with them. So, without further ado let’s see what new rumours Google Pixel 3 has brought out.

    Design of the new Google Pixel 3:


    Continuing with the Pixel name tag, This year around, Google plans on releasing its new Google Pixel 3 and 3 XL. The main design upgrades that both phones have in store is that both the Pixel 3 and 3 XL will feature front facing cameras. This is besides the rear one, of course.

    Talking about Google Pixel 3, the phone will be the same as last year’s Pixel 2’s design except now with smaller bezels and a 5.4inch display.

    Google Pixel 3 XL on the other hand will be bigger at 6.7inches display rather than the 6inches last year. The Google Pixel 3 XL will also bear the same notch design that major manufacturers have adopted in this past year.

    Cameras on the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL:


    The bar is set at a high level this year as was last year. Google’s camera has been one of the best on the market and this year expectations are higher than ever before.

    The rear camera on the Google pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will be the as that of last year standing at 12.2MP. What further improvements Google has in store for its camera layout is anyone’s guess.

    The only improvement heard so far through rumour mills is that Google plans on updating its Pixel Visual Core Image Chip.

    The front facing cameras will each be 8.1MP.

    What more can you Expect from the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL?

    Both of the phones are said to come with a USB-C port instead of a headphone jack and a finger print scanner which is the same as last year’s models.

    The only thing different this year around is that both phones will come with wireless charging that is a welcome addition form last year’s models.

    As for the processor on both Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL- both will come with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor.

    Apart from this, the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will both come with Android 9 Pie and also have an “active edge grip” that summons Google Assistant with a squeeze at the sides of the phone.

    Colour Choice on the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL: 

    Black and white will be the common options for the Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL phones with unexpected pink and mint green options also being lined up.

    Monday, 8 October 2018

    With the Facebook Hacked Your security is compromised

    Facebook Hacked
    The Facebook Hacked was discovered on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 25th. The security of about 50 million account holders have been compromised. This discovery was made by the engineering team of Product Management. The VP of Product Management wants all the account holders to know that after the Facebook Hacked came to light, they are taking the issue very seriously. They want the users to be aware of the Facebook Hacked and that they will be taking prompt action to safeguard the user’s accounts and details.

    Though the investigation regarding the Facebook Hacked is in its initial stage, it is quite clear that the hackers have found a way to access the user’s accounts. It is thought to be a vulnerability in the Facebook’s code which impacted the ‘View As’ feature. This feature of Facebook allows the users to see what their personal profile looks to others. The hackers could steal Facebook access tokens which enabled them to take over and operate the Facebook user’s accounts. The access tokens are actually the digital keys wherein a Facebook user can remain logged in without any need to re-enter their password every time they need to use the app.

    Action taken towards Facebook Hacked


    The primary action towards the Facebook Hacked was that the law enforcement agencies have been informed and the vulnerability has been fixed.

    The access tokens of the affected 50 million accounts have been reset in order to protect the user’s security. As a precautionary measure, the access tokens of about 40 million accounts which have been subject to ‘View As’ in the past 1 year have been reset.

    Due to the Facebook Hacked, at least 90 million users will now have to log in to Facebook or any other apps that use Facebook Login again. After this is done, the users will receive a notification at the top of their News feed explaining about the Facebook Hacked.

    The ‘View As’ feature is temporarily turned off so that they can conduct a thorough investigation to figure out where the breach occurred. They have yet to see if any of the user’s accounts were misused or any personal information accessed. It is also not clear who is behind these attacks and where the hackers are based. If they find that there are more accounts that have been affected, then the access tokens willbe reset immediately.

    Further Details regarding the Facebook Hacked


    Only last week some additional details came to light. The vulnerability of the system was exploited and the Facebook access tokens for the user’s accounts in HTML were exposed. This happened as a result of three bugs.

    The ‘View As’ feature which is a privacy feature allows people to see what their profile looks like to others. ‘View As’ is a view only interface. The box that allows you to wish your friends on their birthdays, with the ‘View As’ feature incorrectly enabled it to post a video.

    In the second instant, the new version of the video uploader, (which appears due to the first bug) that was introduced in July 2017, gave an access token that had the accessibility of the Facebook mobile app.

    Thirdly, when the video uploader appeared, it provided the access token not to you as the viewer, but for the user you were looking up.

    All these three bugs combined became a vulnerability when the ‘View As’ feature was used to see your profile as a friend, the code did not remove the person that allows people to wish you; the access token was generated with the video uploader and the access token was not for you but for the person being looked up.

    The access token was present in the HTML which the hackers extracted and could log in as another user. They could then access other accounts and get more access tokens.

    Thursday, 4 October 2018

    Google Project Stream will be Huge for PC Gaming

    Project stream to REACH New Heights!

    Streaming has been the greatest invention since the internet or at least in my view. There is no hassle of downloading just the need for an internet connection. You can then watch your favorite shows, movies or listen to your favorite songs all without any problems. But that is not all streaming can do. Google plans on pushing the limits of streaming even further with its project stream operations. To make streaming even more capable than what it can currently do, Google’s project stream will be much more demanding than just streaming your average day video.

    Project stream is Google’s way of pushing the limits when it comes to streaming in a good way. It is a test of sorts to see how far streaming can actually go. Our current day streaming has come a long way since only a few years back. But now for the ultimate test in project stream Google plans on streaming a blockbuster game.

    Streaming a Blockbuster video game through Project Stream:


    To really push the boundaries in project stream, Google has come up with a way to stream a blockbuster game and this is no ordinary game either. The game chosen for project stream is one of the best known and highly played games- Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. The game may not be released just as yet but it is well on its way to becoming one of the most played games in the world.

    The game to- be- released by one of the best gaming publication houses out there- Ubisoft, is all set to feature as Google’s test on streaming with project stream.

    Who gets to be a part of Project Stream?


    The game is all set to reach Google’s project stream platform on October the 5th. For the duration of the project stream test, Google will select a certain number of participants to play the game for the duration of the project stream test. This will take place at no extra cost to the players.

    To play the game you have to be a US resident and aged above 17 years, plus (this goes without saying) you also have to have a working internet connection like say 25 megabits per second to play. This is besides there being other criteria which you can check out on Google’s help center.

    The Difficulties of Streaming a Game on Project Stream:


    Streaming comes with its own set of problems like buffering and the annoying wait for that to happen. But this is when you watch something like a video. But when it comes to gaming it’s a whole different ball game.

    You have graphically rich content to stream and not only that, there can be no lagging and buffering, there has to be instant interaction between the player and what happens on screen.

    The only latency that is acceptable is a few milliseconds and no more. Plus if you take in graphics, that makes it a really complex process that Google hopes to overcome with project stream.

    Tuesday, 2 October 2018

    Switching Silicon in Solar Cells Drops Production Costs

    Switching Silicon in Solar Cells

    Cutting the Costs of Solar Panels through a Change of Silicon

    In the summer when it gets really hot, the first thing we think of is the air cooler but after a while, after we have properly cooled down, we think of the exorbitant bill that is going to come our way on account of the A/C. In such times getting a solar panel is the best solution. Although they do cost a lot to install, the subsequent costs are brought down. But who can shell out all that cash at the beginning? Here’s where scientists plan on bringing down per unit costs by changing out the silicon used.

    Scientists at Michigan University have found that by switching out the silicon in solar cells, the costs drop by about 10% per unit manufactured. Solar energy has been in use for a while, as concerns for green- house gas emissions started to increase, solar energy became the new “in thing”. In some places the costs of using a solar panel instead of conventional forms of electricity is almost the same. But this 10% drop in costs will give solar panels another boost in the industry.

    The Use of Silicon in Solar Panels: 


    Silicon is the norm raw material that is used in solar panels or photovoltaic cells. They come in two forms- perfect crystals that cost more but will give you more efficiency and multicrystalline silicon that costs less but gives you less efficiency.

    In both cases of silicon, the cells have to be etched to reduce sunlight reflection. This reduces efficiency as some part of the sunlight is lost. This loss of light through etching on the cells, gives the cells their bluish color.

    The Alternative to such Silicon Treatments: 


    The alternative is to use nano- texturing silicon with a dry etching technique. This gives you a blackish silicon surface that is much more efficient at capturing sun rays than the norm blue one.

    The reason this type of silicon surface is black is that the entire surface of the cell is covered in etchings which resemble a forest of tiny needles. This is done so that what sunlight falls on the surface gets captured and does not get reflected back.

    Another challenge to using this form of Silicon: 


    With surface defects on the surface of the cell, normally you would have problems in conducting electricity. But scientists have discovered a method known as Atomic Layer Deposition or ALD for short. This coating minimizes the surface defects problem of conducting electricity.

    The dilemma in using black Silicon: 


    Using black silicon instead of the bluish ones in solar panels and then its subsequent treatment of ALD all adds to the cost of the solar panels. This is at least what scientists thought. Scientists thought that by using black solar panels instead, the cost would go up by 15 to 25%.

    But on further notice, scientists seen that they could, in this case, use the lesser efficient and lesser costing multi crystalline silicon and get the same efficiency or even more than the normal silicon solar panels cutting costs altogether by 10%.