The time is here to get a new Computer

Technology Grade 5

Look closely and you can see the USB 3.1 Type C port.
(Copied from Alienware.) 

Skylake, the code name for Intel's long awaited 6th generation processor is finally, officially here. Not just on paper but actually available on computers available for purchase right now. In addition to the availability of Skylake, several other advancements have been released in concert. Not to say that Skylake was the key to all of the other advancements, it just made sense to have all of them released at approximately the same time.

As I had eluded to in my  post titled "2015 is the year to buy a new PC" Not only did Skylake get released but DDR4 memory, PCI Express SSD's and usb 3.1 type C are all now available at the same time (Windows 10 missed the party by 2 months). What this has led to is computers that boot to the desktop in 10 seconds with lightning fast response and faster data transfer speeds. All of this leads to more productivity and better gaming.

So how does all of this affect you, the user? Not only is Skylake 10%-15% faster than the previous generation, it also has higher energy efficiency, so you're getting faster performance while using less energy. Now let's talk about storage speeds. That 10 second boot time that I mentioned earlier had more to do with the PCI Express SSd's that are now shipping with most computers that have the capability. The PCI Express based drives that are currently available are 3 to 4 times faster than the previous generation.

As I had stated in January, this is the year to buy a new computer. Whether you want to get the previous generation and save yourself a few dollars or go all out on the bleeding edge of technology and speed, you won't be disappointed. If you are in the market for a new PC this is what you should be looking for. Right click on the windows button/logo on the desktop of any computer - click on system - from there, you will be able to determine what processor is in the computer.  The first number after i3-, i5- or i7- has to be a 6. This number is how Intel annotates the different generations. The easiest upgrade to spot is the USB 3.1 type C connector. The memory and  SSD drives are a bit more complicated to confirm and if you're shopping that information should be readily available.

I highly recommend always buying from a trusted or reputable source, especially if you're looking into getting a high end system. Always try to get at least one second opinion on a unit before making a final decision and never shy away from asking about the type of technology being used in the computer that you are interested in. Search for model numbers using your phones. Its holiday season so try not to fall prey to the impulse buy. Feel free to post any questions you might have in regards to picking a system or deciding what to get, I will ensure that I respond accordingly with my recommendations and opinion. 

House of Cards binge follow up

Technology Grade 1

When Netflix decided to do HoC, they signed for the first 2 seasons. Season 1 and 2 were written at the same time. That being said, I do think that season 3 was a bit rushed. Too much happening and not enough story and details to intrigue the audience. In reality, I feel that they had sufficient material in the first ten episodes to complete the season, the next 3 episodes should have been a part of season 4. 

House of Cards isn't about politics nor relationships. It's about power and that dynamic changed at the end of season 2 when Frank achieved what he ultimately wanted. Season 3 is about the struggle to keep the power. More than that, it was about the people surrounding Frank wanting a piece of that power as well. Netflix wanted season 3 to hit as hard as season one and two but in the end they tried too hard. I dare to say they might have jumped the shark but only the future will tell.

House of Cards binge has commenced

                                                              Technology Grade 1

It has Begun

Season one run time is a total of 661 minutes, which is 11 hours and 1 minute. Each episode has a minute and a half intro that can be skipped and at least 2 minutes of closing credits. This adds up to 45.5 minutes. Final season one run time is approximately 10 hours and 15 minutes.  I calculate that I will skip through a few scenes that are either filler or off-topic so that might get me down to 9 hours. Season two run time is 649 minutes. That’s 10 hours and 49 minutes. Subtract the 3.5 minutes and filler puts us at approximately 10 hours. Using the same math from season one puts me at nine hours for season 2 as well.

I Tweeted Netflix, asking what time I would be able to start streaming season 3. No answer so far. Will post an update if I do get an answer. Not focusing too much on the first few episodes. Trying to watch around the episodes as opposed to watching the episodes. It's hard to not  try to break down the episodes and explain some of what happens' but I am not a fan of spoilers. All I can say is aside from the fact that most of what happens is not possible, the story and cinematography is very detailed and enthralling.

One thing I will state. The use of technology in telling the story is very impressive and relevant in House of Card (HoC). The story brings to light a few things that are relevant in today's society, another great reason to watch this series. In my Media 101 class we watched Twin Peaks as an example of cinematography and storytelling.  In five to ten years HoC will be the twin Peaks of media classes everywhere.

R.I.P. Windows RT, another casualty in Microsoft's history

 Technology Grade 4 

Image used from http://pureinfotech.com

Microsoft has made what many of us in the tech industry, known to be true for a very long time official.  Windows RT is dead.  From its inception and subsequent release I tried to make sense of the move but for every pro there was a con.

When Microsoft released Windows RT, tablets was an emerging market that they needed to capitalize on. They  wanted to make up for lost time by releasing a limited version of Windows 8 that had a windows app store and utilized the same hardware that the available tablets were operating on. Unfortunately, their app store never gained traction in the app market and due to consumer confusion, this move hurt Microsoft's foray into the tablet market.

What Microsoft should have done was put more work into windows 8 at the time. If the resources that were used in the development of Windows RT was utilized to develop Windows 8 then the full version of Windows 8 would have had the capabilities to run on tablets. This statement is now verified to be true as not only is Windows RT dead, but the full version of Windows 8 is currently being shipped with all Windows based tablets.

Microsoft now seems to be moving in the right direction as they have started to unify their operating systems.  Windows phone, XBOne, tablets and personal computers will all be running Windows 10. It was always my hypothesis that Microsoft would have to unify their operating systems. In fact, they initialized this process with the X-Box 360 (XB360).

When they upgraded the operating system on the XB360 to the tiled interface, that was the beginning of their unification goal.  Stage 2 started with Windows phone and their transition to a tiled interface.  One can infer that Windows 9 is the bridge that connects Windows 10 to Windows phone and the XBOne, but I'm getting ahead of myself here. One of my upcoming articles will cover the upcoming Windows 10 release. Back to windows RT.

The Windows based app store never really matured and this was another reason why RT failed. Apple's iOS and Google's Android Operating systems were so mature at the time Microsoft started their app store that Microsoft would have needed to provide some sort of incentive for users and developers to create or port apps to their app store. As a result of this oversight, Microsoft lost market share in the lucrative app store business.

Microsoft seems to have seen the light and has started a rebirth that has coincided with the appointment of the new CEO Satya Nadella. Since he has taken over the reins at Microsoft there has been a lot of positive changes in their overall business plans. Putting the final nail in the windows RT coffin was another positive move in Microsoft's and more importantly Windows future.

House of Cards Binge 2015 preparation

                                                                       Technology Grade 1 

Got my days off for the House of cards weekend approved. I think I'll be breaking it down like this:

1. Watching  HoC season one on February 25th. Live blogging via twitter throughout and synopsis of season 1 via drslevy.blogspot.com
2. Watching season two on February 26th. Continued live blogging via twitter. Synopsis of season two and season three preview via the blog.
3. Watch season three on February 27th. Exact time to be decided.
4. Breakdown season three on February 28th. I'll try to keep the spoilers to a minimum and break it down from an expectation/directing and acting point of view.

I need to work on my refreshment list and itinerary for the 4 day event. I'm also thinking about hosting an XBOne party and have anyone that’s interested watch the seasons or at least the premier of season three with me. I'll check on that and post the details if it's possible. I'll definitely be using the XBOne to watch HoC as I can get away with watching it and watching or playing something else at the same time. I would welcome some ideas and suggestions from my readership. Also if the XBOne party mode can work, I'll be looking for people to join the party.  

Mega Technology Companies and the future

                                                             Technology Grade 5 

Microsoft, Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon are the major technology players in today's society. When it comes to technology, the internet and social connectivity they are the pioneers of the future. The biggest key to these companies success so far is their ability to expand their businesses and brands to services and devices beyond what they are typically known for.

Microsoft has transformed their brand from being synonymous with software to being synonymous with every aspect of technology. Their biggest foray into the future of technology from a hardware point of view was when the original Xbox was launched in 2001. 14 years later Microsoft is still head to head with Sony PlayStation in the video gaming industry. They continue to innovate by buying Nokia, Skype and other companies to bolster their hold on their market share.

Google as a company isn't even 20 years old yet but has eclipsed many companies that have been around longer than they have. Google has done this by fostering the ingenuity and raw talent of their employees and engineers. They have a reputation for taking chances on new technologies and services. So far their tenacity and aggressiveness has paid off and they are a force to be reckoned with in the technology sector in all aspects.

Apple's contribution to technology and how electronics are viewed is unmistakable no matter how much you might hate or despise how Apple maintains a vice grip like hold on their ecosystem. They singlehandedly showed the entire pc industry that computers could be beautiful and even be viewed as art. We could hazard to say that without Apple, Microsoft might not have been pushed to make better software, Intel might not have pushed the boundaries of CPU technology as hard as they did. The late 90's and early 2000's was a P.C. arms race where Apple was always a target of technology companies of the time.

With the passing of Steve Jobs, Apple is in the midst of reinventing itself under the leadership of Tim Cook. Their aggressive stance has been softened during this transition but they are still a company that will always be at the forefront of technology. Microsoft is going through a similar transition with Satya Nadella succeeding Steve Ballmer as CEO of Microsoft but it is still early days in that transition.

Amazons claim to fame was online shopping. Established just two years before Google they have slowly gained momentum in the technology space with the Amazon Kindle devices and cloud services. Make no mistake, Amazon, under the leadership of Jeff Bezos is here to stay and continues to challenge the status quo of the online shopping experience and how consumers consume not just technology but the internet as well.

Facebook, the new kid on the block, claim to fame is the ingrained need that most humans have to communicate and interact with each other. Add the internet to this need and we have Facebook. The company started in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg under a cloud of controversy in regards to whose idea it was to create a social networking site that still remains to this day. Facebook has yet to foray into the hardware side of the technology pie but it is early days still for them. Their online business has continued to grow and prosper and maybe they will never have the need to get into the hardware aspect of technology.

The digitalrevolution has borne fruit to these companies and others that haven't had as much influence on society as these five over the last 30 years. The future of technology is the increased blurring of the lines between the internet, hardware and software. All of these companies except for Facebook have one thing in common, the fact that they started in one sector and have successfully entered into another sector of technology increasing their market share and dominance in their primary market.

The digital age has given these companies the capability to grow and transform into these mega companies that continue to snatch up smaller companies that might pose a threat to them in the future. It slightly reminds me of the Bell System breakup based on monopolization of the telecommunications system at the time. Just from the monopoly point of view it can be visualized that any of the companies mentioned above could attain influence and capital to monopolize their business segment.

Imagine the possibility of a Microsoft/Google merger or an Apple/Facebook merger in the future. It may seem implausible today but this is a real possibility. The Weyland-Yutani Corp, also known as "The Company" from the Alien franchise or Skynet from the Terminator franchise are becoming more of a possibility as technology advances. The real question is that if this does happen, If these companies become so mega that they can't fail, will they use their power for good or bad.

2015 is the year to buy a new PC

                                                         Technology Grade 6 

When it comes to the technology that makes a computer possible there are several subsystems that are combined to make it a fully functioning device that is the future of technology and productivity. Every year there are faster and more efficient processors available. Graphics processing units continue to increase in performance as power requirements go down. This is just the tip of the iceberg, there is a lot more to the computer under the surface.

Memory (R.A.M.), storage (Hard drives and S.S.D.), data buses (S.A.T.A., U.S.B. and P.C.I.express), processors and operating systems are the primary building blocks of every modern computer. Due to the fact that each of these subsystems are designed and implemented by different governing bodies, the rollout of said components are usually never within the same time frame. When a few of these building blocks are updated within the same time frame, it's like a solar eclipse that rarely occurs. The last time a few of these were updated within a year of each other was in 2003 with DDR2 RAM, SATA, PCI Express and the introduction of 64 bit processing in consumer computers by AMD.

Sub-systems like the SATA interface only get redesigned and updated every two to three years and even though RAM speeds are always getting faster, major overhauls going from one memory interface to another like DDR2 to DDR3 and now DDR4 takes years to develop and then implement. On the software side of things, most people know that Microsoft only updates Windows versions once every few years. With the last major update being Windows 8 that was released in 2012.

This year has no less than six different subsystems that will be introduced to the computer ecosystem which will drastically increase performance while reducing overall power requirements. Memory interface will be moving from DDR3 to DDR4, SATA to SATA express, USB 3 to USB 3.1, Windows 8 to 10, PCI express 3 to 4 (Might be cutting it close for this upgrade due to the lengthy process of finalizing the specifications) and as usual, the bi-yearly intel processor upgrade. This is like six planets lining up within the solar system that is the computing galaxy. What this means to anyone in the market for a computer is better value for your money from a performance point of view along with a healthy dose of longer battery life, lighter laptops and a lower energy bill.

Let's look at the value and performance point of view. Processors are typically updated every six to eight months on average and every iteration gives better performance with lower power requirements so that is typical. Windows 10 will be released later this year that promises to increase performance by reducing the OS overheads and increasing performance on everyday tasks by streamlining how you interact with the OS. It doesn't hurt that it will be a free upgrade for anyone running a legitimate copy of Windows 7 and 8 so we don't have to worry about waiting for Windows 10 to be released. USB 3.1, PCI express 4.0 and SATA express data buses will allow data transfer speeds to skyrocket and in turn increase productivity. USB 3.1 has a pretty cool feature that will be very welcome in the computing world. the cable will be reversible on both the host and device side. In other words, you will never have to figure out which end of the cable is the right side as it will work regardless of which end is plugged into the device or computer. 

From an energy saving point of view, desktops as well as laptops benefit because lower power consumption leads to longer battery life without compromising performance. DDR4 will reduce power consumption by running at lower voltages and at the same time process data faster with higher clock speeds. The processor helps with reduced power consumption as well. Let's not forget about storage. As SSD prices drop it will become a more popular choice for consumer computers. SSD's typically consume an average of 50% to 80% less energy than traditional Hard drives, while at the same time increasing average data transfer rates by as much as 70% over traditional hard drives in certain circumstances.   

As opposed to what has been happening during the last ten years, which is one or two subsystems get updated at a time and everyone that buys a new computer reaps the incremental increase in performance. This year, several sub-systems will be upgraded within a short period of time which in turn will drastically increase the overall performance of future computers. Indeed, later this year is the time to buy a new computer. If you are considering finally replacing that Windows XP clunker chugging along on your desk, you will not be disappointed if you get something later this year with all the goodies that I mentioned above. Feel free to leave questions in the comments section or your own thoughts as to the validity of my statements. All opinions are welcome.