Wednesday 18 February 2015

A New App That Provides Real-Time Sun Protection Advice


Sunscreen
Now to get the real time sun protection advice, all you need to use a new smartphone app, which is good enough to provide individually personalized, real-time sun protection advice to improve sun protection behavior, according to new study reports.

This new Smartphone app provides real time sun-protection advice purely based on personal information from users and UV Index forecasts, as well as basic alerts to apply or recover skin with sunscreen. Klein Buendel, Colorado in an association with National Cancer Institute of US have developed “The Solar Cell app” for the purpose of real time sun protection advice.

In 2012, David B Buller from Klein Buendel and few other co-authors conducted a randomized clinical trial that enrolled 604 participants with 305 individuals in the treatment group. In research 232 people have downloaded the Solar Cell app whereas; 41 per cent or only 125 individuals used it. After the whole research data was available as per the study on 454 individuals in which 222 people were in the treatment group and rest 232 people were in the control group.

As per the study reports it’s clear that there were no significant difference in the number of sunburns, which were for the duration of three months between two different groups. Users of the Solar Cell app reported spending more use of sun protection behaviors while spending less time in the sun like; use of protective clothing, sunscreen and shade combined. All participants from same treatment group reported that they spend more time in shades with an average of 41 per cent and use less sunscreen for that particular duration with an average of 34.5 per cent.

It is expected that “the Solar Cell mobile app” will promote the sun protection practices and it will also spread the harm of UV rays among the public. The other possibility is that it can enhance the use of shade because shades are good enough to reduce the direct exposure of UV radiation or UV-R, but to avail these benefits person should have this app on their Smartphone, as authors said. In second randomized trial of the app, it showed some specific improvements, which was associated with more sun protection.

Researchers and scientists have found that all participants in the group have received the app with wide-brimmed hats for the duration of seven-week through follow-up process and then it control participants, who didn’t receive any app.

The ratio between men and women participants, who used the Solar Cell app reported that more use of sun protection like; protective clothing, shades and sunscreen was 46.4 per cent vs 43.3 per cent, whereas; the ratio between men and older participants were 32.7 per cent vs 35.5 per cent.

Now if you have the Solar Cell app on your smartphone, so you don’t have to take advice from medical experts or doctors as it is obvious that app is providing authentic advice and as well as information.

The JAMA Dermatology was published same study and research in their online journal.

Tuesday 17 February 2015

Your Broadband Internet Technically Isn't Broadband Anymore


FCC
Recently, the FCC (the Federal Communications Commission) has given a fresh definition of high-speed internet and there are chances are that your current connection is not according to the standards. The Federal Communications Commission was given the task of overseeing the regulations and rules, which govern the internet. They have now raised the standard for broadband to nearly 25 megabits per second from what it used to be at 4 Mbps. The upload speed has been increased from 1 Mbps to 3 Mbps.

What the report says? 

According to the reports, while dissenting Republican commissioners have blasted the new move stating it as over reaction, the other commissioners have voted 3 to 2 in support of the change. These changes came into limelight when FCC published their 2015 Broadband Progress Report. This progress report is used by Congress to assess the US broadband market.

The main meaning behind the new definition indicates that the millions of American customers who have subscribed for the internet services but receiving less than 25 Mbps will no longer be considered as "broadband" subscribers. The average speed of service that can be expected in America is around 10 Mbps. Going by the standards the agency identified that in the report it has been highlighted that the current broadband speed is never delivered at a timely manner.

According to the agency’s report, 17 percent of the population or 55 million Americans have no access to the advanced broadband services. Most of the rural areas have no access to such high speeds. The report also indicated that nearly 53 percent of rural Americans lack broadband and do not have the download speeds of 25 Mbps.

A controversial decision: 

This decision has put Chairman Tom Wheeler, who is a Democrat, appointed by President Barack Obama, against Ajit Pai and Michael O'Rielly, the two Republicans on the commission, who were selected by the Republican-controlled Congress, into a very bad state. According to Wheeler, this change is an inspirational target in accordance with the marketing claims of broadband providers and increasing demands of the customers. According to the other counterparts, this move is completely over reaction and a broadband should be considered as what actually a consumer can buy.

Strong viewpoints: 

Consumers are happy with this decision. This decision was also applauded by the Communications Workers of America union. But on the other hand, the conservative groups derided this decision. According to FCC's Republican commissioners, the broadband vote looks to be a setup for the agency's for settling the Net neutrality fight with new regulations and also force the local municipalities to build new laws and their own Internet networks.

At the center of the et neutrality debate, there is an option for a new rule that will help in reclassifying the broadband under the Telecommunications Act as Title II service. The FCC is expected to allow two new rules that will supersede state laws in North Carolina and Tennessee, which actually forbids municipalities from constructing or expanding broadband networks.

Sunday 15 February 2015

Google Agrees Privacy Policy Changes With Data Watchdog


It is after the pressure put on Google by the UK Information commissioner’s office (ICO) that they have decided to rewrite their privacy policy.

Following this similar reviews are being conducted around Europe, where the firm must make it easier for its users to get to know how and for what the data is collected and used and need to submit a two year review which is the outcome of an investigation done by the regulators. It has come to the attention of the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) that the personal data collected from the web services and products of Google are being too unclear. The outcome of this, made Google plan to implement the same with other European regulators.

The process involved in the inquiry: 

It all triggered off when the Mountain View company started being noticed by the regulator and its continental counterparts following their controversial policy which was updated on March 2012 that pooled 70 existing documents. This was later also joined by other data regulators who form the European Article 29 Data Protection Working Party. The investigation held made Google not only to agree, but also ensure that the accessibility to the privacy policy is easy as well as to redesign their account setting features in such a way that it allows the users to find its controls more easily.

Appeal: 

Apart from these clarifications, the company will also have to provide information pertaining to the anonymous identifiers, which are similar to that of cookies. Google has been given time till 30 June 2015 to put into practice all the changes and according to the rumors the company will be rolling out a single policy across the EU with the aim of satisfying each and every regulators who has opened the investigations. Google has also dropped the appeals related to these investigations which are being undertaken by the Spanish and French watchdogs.

According to Steve Eckersley, the ICO's head of enforcement, this step which has been taken will mark a very important step towards a long standing investigation and also the extended dialogue. He also added, while their investigation summarized that this case has not brought out any substantial distress and damage to the consumers, it is still very important for the organizations to accurately understand the influence of their actions and the need to meet and comply with the requirements of the data protection law. According to the spokesperson of Google, the company is very happy that the ICO has finally decided to close and put an end to the investigation. Google has agreed that they need to make improvements in their privacy policy and vowed to continue to work constructively along with the commissioner and the team in the near future.

As the result of closing this investigation, the company will not be fined for any of their actions in the United kingdom, this is completely opposite to the fine and penalties imposed on the company in France and span.

Few Tricks Every Android User Should Know


android
Most of the phones with the android system in the market are very easy to use but there are some easy tricks, which can be used for making these phones, not only efficient but more enjoyable as well. Android being an open platform gives lot of opportunities for customization. Apart from personalizing the phones, these tricks can be used to keep the phones neat and can be practiced for keeping them organized. This will allow plenty of battery to survive all day long.

Google: 

Google is one such application, which is more like a personal assistant. User’s have to open the Google app, click on get Google now and fill all the necessary preferences. To get personalized notifications from Google, you need to tell the app about your favorite sports team, stocks among others. Google can be given direction about the Google Maps transportation in the user’s preferred mode.

Make use of lock screens and launchers replacements: 

Not everybody can stare at the same weather widget every day. Google play store now provides the user with changing interfaces for the android phones.

Power saving mode: 

User should turn on the power saving mode on their phones by going to the setting menu. Some of the android phones also have the option of higher-level battery-saving mode. Unfortunately, not all the phones have battery saving mode option.

Always keep an extra battery: 

Always remember, the battery can die anytime and it is not possible to be beside a store. If your android phone has the option of replaceable back, then you can keep an extra battery that can be used when required.

Google Chrome: 

Using Google chrome to login to the Google account will allow the users to carry over all their bookmarks and preferences automatically.

Create folders for apps: 

Users can divide all their apps into different folders and keep it organized. This not only reduces the time to search for application but also minimizes the clutter from the screen. To create a folder, you need to press and hold on any app and you will get an option to create folder on the top left hand side. Some of the phones have the option to dragging and dropping one app on another to create folders. This is the perfect example for iOS.

Third party keyboard: 

Users now have the option to choose different types of keyboard and they do not have to be restricted to the Google standard keyboard. Google play store provide plenty of option, one such app is the Swype, which allow the users to swipe between the letters rather than type.

Bandwidth management: 

One can cut down on the amount of the data usage but turning on Reduce Data Usage in the Google Chrome. This will ensure that all the unnecessary whitespace is removed and large images are reduced to a smaller size.

Google Authenticator: 

Google account can be verified through this app. Through this app, the user has to enter the security code apart from the login password to access the account. This allows no stranger act on your phone.

6 Ways Online Technology Can Create a Residual Income for Small Businesses


Some small businesses are overly dependant on local customer sales in order to remain open. Often times, a loss of a high-volume client can cause one of these establishments to close down. This happens a lot in rural areas where the foot traffic of local consumerism is very low. However, there are ways that technology can be used to help create a residual income to keep the doors of a brick-and-mortar business open to the public. The best part about these methods is that most do not require a huge investment in order to begin.

Website Ad Revenues 

Building a website is easy. It's the maintenance and constant vigilance to create a successful site that can be stressful. However, ad revenue through your website could bring in a bit of money depending on how popular your site and business niche is. People such as Bob Parsons of Godaddy have made a great deal of money by developing a site that sells domain names and hosting. With proper marketing, your site could be a success as well.

eCommerce Income 

Operating an eCommerce site may be something your business could get into depending on its structure. If you own an ice cream shop, you may not be able to sell scoops of ice cream on a waffle cone online. However, you could sell ice cream accessories and home kits. Nearly any business can break into eCommerce giving you access to a much wider market than what is available locally.

App Development 

Many developers create apps to use on smart devices and have made large amounts of money. This will depend on your skills as a developer and what kinds of apps you want to create. Of course you can hire a developer to create the apps for your business. Just keep in mind that it will take a decent amount of marketing and advertising in order to get people to download and install the software.

Reseller Accounts 

Many services online host reseller accounts allowing you to make a bit of money by leasing those services out. An example of this is when web hosting companies offer you space and bandwidth to resell to local or online customers for any price you wish. For computer-based businesses, this could be a sensible idea as you could help people set up websites using WordPress or Joomla for instant activity for low monthly payments.

Browser Apps 

Much like mobile apps, those that operate on browsers can help create a residual income through subscription fees. This may take extensive website programming knowledge, but it could be lucrative depending on the idea. Again, hiring a developer to assist can help get the application operational. Examples of these kinds of ideas are apps such as Quickbooks Online and many others.

Informational Videos 

Video content is growing online at an incredible rate. By creating informational videos on sites such as YouTube, you could make money through ad displays. However, entertaining and engaging videos may be more difficult to produce than your realize. The flip side of this is that a video could go viral turning your company into a quick success if the video is produced correctly.

While some of these may require a bit more work and increasing knowledge of technological advancements, they can be used to help stabilize income when sales are low or a major client moves away. By keeping costs as low as possible through efficiency and expanding the capabilities of the business to include some of these methods, it may be possible for the small business to continue thriving.