Microsoft Struggles to Stay Relevant in Windows 10

Held back by unsuccessful attempts to penetrate the mobile market, Microsoft gears up for its latest strategy. The new Microsoft aims to build universal apps that work on all its devices. The future of the company lies not only in consumer acceptance but also in how they are viewed by developers. A common complaint many programmers have is that Microsoft often abandons their own standards. Always grasping to keep up with trends it deems a threat, Microsoft has a reputation of sometimes throwing away the baby with the bathwater. In the early days, that meant forgetting about MS-DOS and accepting Windows. Not long afterwards, it also came to mean rewriting many applications as Visual Basic became engulfed by the .net platform. Today, we find ourselves in a similar predicament as radical changes to Windows and a lack of sufficient APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) leaves many developers befuddled.

With some possible good news on the horizon, Microsoft appears to be making progress. The return of the Start menu in Windows 10 and apps that no longer force you into full screen mode are just some examples. The ability to build universal apps across all their devices is also greatly appealing but it still leaves developers with a dilemma. Should I write apps for the Windows mobile device market and get in early or stick with conventions and try to edge in on the already overcrowded Apple and Android device markets? A better solution is to use a single tool that allows cross platform app development on Android, iOS and Windows devices. Although these emulators do exist, they typically offer less functionality than a person would have writing apps specifically for each specific platform. Unfortunately, that requires learning Objective-C for iOS, Java for Android and the .net language of choice for Windows devices. Many developers would prefer the one shoe size fits all approach but will Microsoft continue to support it? Only time will tell.

Sources:

http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/27/8503035/microsoft-build-2015-developer-conference-preview
http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-windows-10-will-offer-software-creators-more-support-universal-apps

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How Far are we from a Bionic Eye?

It may sound like science fiction but bionic eyes already exist and they work quite well. Even after major eye damage has been done, the technology provides remarkable restorative capability. As project leader / Professor Sheila Nirenberg of Weill Cornell Medical College, New York notes "This is the first prosthetic that has the potential to provide normal or near-normal vision..." To accomplish this, a chip is implanted in the eye to translate the visual field into electrical signals. Those signals are then passed as light impulses that stimulate photosensitive proteins in the retina.

Although the chip is an integral part of their system, gene therapy is also used to stimulate light-sensitive proteins in ganglion retinal cells. Unlike competing systems, the process allows the actual "code" to be transferred resulted in a more realistic depiction of the outside world. Their experiments revealed blind mice were able to recognize facial details and similar results were reported with monkeys. The latter case is particularly exciting because monkey retinas are closely related to human retinas.

Before the breakthrough can be applied to humans, several extensive trials will likely be needed to satisfy safety requirements. Gene therapy is a particular concern but the chip itself must also not cause excessive irritation or other unwieldy side effects. It is unfortunate that we may very well have the technology to help the blind now but the threat of litigation and politics involved stifle innovation and make today's reality just a hope for the future.

Are E-Cigarettes Safe?

Are e-cigarettes really safer than regular cigarettes? Proponents argue electronic cigarette usage gives them greater stamina, whiter teeth, healthier gums and the ability to sleep better. Critics claim the benefits are outweighed by negative factors like exposure to Tetramethylpyrazine, a carcinogen that can lead to abnormal brain development. So who is right? Are the risks overstated or does the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) need to take action?

As with any new technology, the jury is still out on this one. Nevertheless, there are some conclusions we can make. Even trace amounts of nicotine can be harmful to your heart. In this case, there is an actual solution. "No nicotine cartridges" are available for e-cigarettes but other carcinogens in the formula may be hard to avoid.

Critics also argue that long term exposure to e-cigarettes may lead to cancer. While a direct cancer link is still yet to be proven, these studies take many years to perform. In the meantime, do you want to be their guinea pig? As The New York Times notes, "some popular e-cigarettes get so hot that they, too, can produce a handful of the carcinogens found in cigarettes and at similar levels." Moreover, heat is radiation. Prolonged exposure to radiation in any form is always a concern. Yes even mobile devices are questionable in this regard but that is the subject of another debate.

Another major concern is that the liquid in e-cigarettes is extremely concentrated and a powerful neurotoxin. If the casing breaks, even a tiny amount on the skin is poisonous and potentially even lethal. With accidents likely to happen, this danger is a threat to even non-users.

Perhaps the most controversial issue is not so much the product but its marketing. Flavors such as bubble gum, cotton candy, caramel and gummy bears entice adolescences who are already impressionable enough. As the Star Tribune reports, poison control centers have witnessed a major spike in nicotine poisoning in kids resulting from electronic cigarettes.

As far as quitting smoking is concerned, e-cigarettes may be a safer bet than smoking tobacco but a dependence is still a dependence. There are better ways to quit smoking and regardless of how its supporters spin it, consuming toxins is never a smart idea.

Paralyzed After Sharing Makeup Brush

When 27 year old Jo Gilchrist found herself recently paralyzed, the incident was attributed to sharing a makeup brush. Unaware of the danger, Gilchrist thought nothing of sharing the makeup brush despite her friend having a staph infection at the time. Shortly afterwards, she began experiencing symptoms that led to her spine being damaged. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) warns that if you suspect you have been introduced to a staph infection, to wash and bandage the area and then seek medical assistance.

Gilchrist is believed to have been exposed to a drug-resistant strain of bacteria known as MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus). The same staph infection can occur by sharing towels and razors. Despite the bleak prognosis, Gilchrist was fortunate enough through treatment and therapy to hear she might still be able to walk for an hour or two each day (something she did not expect).

Almost everyday we hear about stories like this thinking it's one in a million. Such incidents only happen to other people. Although our immunity to the news tends to mitigate health risks, no one is immune to these dangers and should ever assume an unwashed hand towel, makeup brush or razor is safe.

Is Car WiFi Risky?

Having WiFi in your car may seem like a great idea but is it really safe? While some security experts argue the danger is overstated, others say not so fast. Proponents of the technology will often point out that hacks allowing access to critical components such as brakes and steering typically require a physical connection to the vehicle. More frequently, a hacker would prefer wireless access but that requires bypassing the security network.

Posing as mechanics, experts testing car security were able to sign up for accounts on several automobile manufacturer sites to gain access to technical documents, wiring diagrams and how their network security worked. To assess the threat, the study focused first on wireless access features that could permit intrusions such as bluetooth, WiFi, keyless entry, cellular network connectivity and tire pressure monitoring. By studying how much these features were connected to more critical components such as automatic braking, lane assist and parking, they were able to gauge each security concern. The report found major vulnerabilities in Infiniti Q50, Jeep Cherokee, later Cadillac Escalade models and Toyota Prius.

It should be noted that the study is by no means definitive and their hands off speculative approach leaves many critics including myself. Nevertheless, the ease of which these technical documents were obtained is enough to merit concern that no automobile manufacturer should take lightly.

Companies Fight Back Against Fraud

Yesterday, I received a call from the "Awards Department" informing me I won $25,000! Gee, isn't that great? I didn't even enter a contest but I won anyway. It's disturbing but each day roughly 156 million phishing scams are sent out via email and 80,000 people respond by giving out their personal information.

A particularly disturbing spin on this has been the recent IRS impersonations. The scam goes something like this. The victim receives a call claiming they owe money and threatening imprisonment unless the person makes immediate payment. Like many of these scams, the money is wired outside the country and beyond U.S. jurisdiction. The problem has become so bad that EBAY has actually sent undercover agents outside the country to trace scams involving automobile purchases.

While no home or office is safe, Discover is rolling out a new card that allows you to freeze the card when it is not in use. Unlike total deactivation, the card can be reactivated at the click of a button making it possible for the user to minimize the chance of theft. Discoverer also allows auto-payments that have already been established to continue even when the card is frozen ensuring regular payments are still made. Although no fraud protection service is perfect, innovative solutions like this provide at least some protection against con artists. Nevertheless, no one can ever afford to let their guard down as crooks will always find new ways to fool even the most experienced users.

How Safe Are Medical Apps?

The recent surge in medical apps has caused the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to carefully consider the matter. Concern that IT professionals with no qualifications to build these apps and the misapplication of their usage has prompted swift reaction. Despite concerns, the idea of a virtual doctor or quick access to more advanced diagnostic tools cannot be denied as invaluable assets in emergency medical responses. With more and more health care professionals embracing the technology, the challenge of regulating these apps has become nearly insurmountable.

A common objection often raised is the second-rate view the physician or app user must contend with. Even the best resolution cameras are susceptible to lighting issues that can affect x-ray quality and visual interpretation. Without a firsthand examination of the patient, the medical professional is more likely to rely on anecdotal evidence and inferior device readings that can be misleading. The matter becomes more complicated as miscalibrated instruments forego regular inspections that a qualified healthcare worker would be less likely to overlook. Digital blood pressure monitors for instance are not infallible and must be routinely checked.

How the FDA or AMA (American Medical Association) could possibly anticipate and regulate every feature in medical apps is not clear and unlikely even possible. With each technological advance, a loophole is created to circumvent existing standards. The enormity of this task not only makes regulation unpractical but also likely to backfire on legitimate innovation.

Supermodel Attacked by Big Bird?

According to rumor, supermodel Christie Brinkley had an "accident" with a large agitated bird. Although no witnesses dared to come forward, some have speculated that it could only be "the yellow one". A cat fight between the two might seem unfair given Big Bird's avian descent but when you are eight feet tall and have lions for breakfast, no feline is safe!

Spokesmen for Big Bird did not respond to our calls and his elite guard has shielded the celebrity like the Secret Service after Happy Hour. Did the two really have a squall or was it just mating season and a territorial dispute?

What Makes a Product Green?

The definition of what makes a product green varies considerably depending on the manufacturer or established standard. Some manufacturers will label their products as green if they contain a high percentage of recycled content. Buyer beware that many recycling centers pay little attention to the recycling symbol and only recycle products that are easy and profitable to recycle. This wasteful practice leaves tons of material destined for landfills.

A product can also be green if it is biobased or made from renewable plant-based materials such as corn starch, sugarcane or soybeans. Ideally, the product will specify how long it takes to break down in commercial composting but some brands fail this test. Products specifically labeled as compostable at least provide a clearer indication of how eco-friendly the product is but one cannot assume the product will breakdown quickly without actually putting it to the test.

At a still higher level are products that pass an independent set of standards such as ASTM D6400. A product that is ASTM D6400 has been certified to comply with specific standards and stands above manufacturer invented standards such as "the Greenlist".

Products are also marketed as green if they utilize less fossil-based materials (like petroleum) in their production. The byproducts left behind after the product degrades should also not be toxic in any way to the environment.

As with any movement, the notion of eco-friendly, biodegradable or green products is an evolving concept that is still being hashed out. What passed for environmentally safe five years ago may now be considered nothing but clever marketing. Until a better consensus is established, consumers must use their own judgment as no standard is perfect and top brands are not necessarily the best choices.

Age Old Riddle Solved - The Egg Came First!

Despite attempts from some of our best minds from Galileo to Hawking, an age old riddle still remains:

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Having devoted my entire life to solving this conundrum (not), I can safely say from a scientific standpoint at least, the egg definitely came first! Why? It's simple; grown species do not mutate directly into other species but genetic mutations can and do happen all the time at birth. Usually these accidents of nature are detrimental to an individual but every once in a long while, a mutation occurs that gives the animal a distinct survival advantage. A perfect example is with humans. Often we are born with webbed hands and feet. This "defect" is usually corrected shortly after birth because we consider it undesirable. However, ducks, geese, swans, penguins, cranes, egrets and even polar bears and tigers all have this anomaly that allows them to take advantage of food opportunities that would normally be out of reach.

The successful trait is then passed down to the next generation and ultimately, this is how you have birds like penguins becoming more fish-like and unable to fly. You can fly all you want in the arctic and still be at a disadvantage if you cannot take advantage of food sources deep below the waves. Mutation that are passed to subsequent generations can only occur during the embryonic stage so take that you "chicken came first" conspirators!

AbilityOne Faces New Legal Challenge

Although the AbilityOne program is widely regarded as a beneficial nonprofit program that helps people living with major disabilities, a new legal case against their adviser SourceAmerica has called into question SourceAmerica's screening practices. The National Telecommuting Institute (NTI) alleges SourceAmerica has been giving preference to certain companies that do not follow best practices for determining what constitutes a major disability.

"NTI filed its lawsuit after watching lucrative government contracts being awarded year after year to the same few companies that report implausible claims about the make-up of their workforces." SourceAmerica bases its recommendations upon doctors' notes rather than direct screening. Previously, Bona Fide also sued the AbilityOne partner SourceAmerica for similar claims. With the possibility of government funding cuts necessitating compromises for AbilityOne to remain operational, one must consider all the factors before making judgment.

Haskell New York Inc. is an AbilityOne partner that sells AbilityOne products through the SKILCRAFT brand on GSA Advantage, the DOD EMALL and its proprietary website, OfficeSalesUSA.com.