Month: February 2017

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How Google Collect and Use Our Personal Information

Posted on by Rubayat M.
Google

Google – worlds most advanced search engine and tech company. These days any technology you see, you will find Google’s name on it. They have become a house hold commodity name and part of our life. Google changed our life so much.

But how much we actually know about Google. We all know that Google provide free information about everything and some of know that they also collect a massive amount of information about us. But how much information do they collect ? What types of information do they collect ? What do they do with that information ? Hers is your answer –

What Information They Collect

Personal Information

  • User’s name
  • Email address
  • Credit card associated with Google account.
  • What language you speak.

Device Information

  • Device type like cell phone, laptop, tablet, desktop, others.
  • Model of the device – eg. Samsung Galaxy s7 or iPhone 5 or Macbook Pro.
  • Device software – Operating system, browser name.
  • Device hardware unique number – like the IMEI (every cell phone has a unique 15 digit number) number for the cell phone
  • Telephone number – if you are using your cell phone.
  • ISP/Cell phone carrier information.

Location Information

  • Your physical location –  when you ware using Google’s service. Google is able to detect your physical location if you are using Google’s service from your home of from a grocery store.
  • Your IP address.

Activity History

  • Your search History– eg. If you search for cooking recipe or if you search for a famous person.
  • For Android Phone – phone number, calling-party number, forwarding numbers, time and date of calls, duration of calls, SMS routing information and types of calls.
  • YouTube – what video you watched and what videos you liked.

How Do They Collect

Google collect your information every time you use any Google service like –

  • Google website – www.google.com to search something.
  • Google Product – Android phone, android tablet, Chrome operating system.
  • Google has created software that runs in the hardware level and collect these information.

How Google Use The Collected Information

  • They use the collected information mainly to maintain and improve their products.
  • They also use these information to (eg. location or language etc.) to display adds and other commercial contexts.

With Whom do They Share Information

Share For Business

Google do not share their users personal information with companies, organizations and individuals outside of Google unless one of the following circumstances applies:

  • They share their user’s personal information with companies, organizations or individuals outside of Google when they have their user’s consent to  do so.
  • Google provide their user’s personal information to their affiliates to process the collected information for them.

Share with Law Enforcement Agency

According to Google – They share personal information with companies, organizations or individuals outside of Google if they
(in good-faith) belief that access, use, preservation or disclosure of the information is reasonably necessary to:

  • Meet any applicable law, regulation, legal process or enforceable governmental request.
  • Enforce applicable Terms of Service, including investigation of potential violations.
  • Detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues.
  • Protect against harm to the rights, property or safety of Google, our users or the public as required or permitted by law.

Google’s Warranties and Liabilities

Google provide their services using a commercially reasonable level of skill and care. But there are certain things that they don’t promise about their Services. They will not be responsible for lost profits, revenues, or data, financial losses or indirect, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages.

 

We are giving away so much our personal information to get free information every day to Google and other search engines. Google’s sophisticated algorithm now knows more about us, then what we know about our self. I guess this also makes us a resource and at the same time product of Google.

Writer – Rubayat M.

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About Internet of Things and What You Need to Know

Posted on by Rubayat M.
Wearable Device

Definition of Internet of Things – IoT

Independent individual devices connected with each other or to system to share information over the standard internet.

This is a cloud based system. IoT or Internet of Things does not mean artificial intelligence, but they can be part of an AI. They usually perform some certain tusk, but together they create an ecosystem. In other word, it is more than a machine to machine communication without human interaction.

Impact and Use

It’s impact and use is huge. From regular house hold application to health, transportation to large-scale industry. One example – lets say your favorite yogurt is out of stock. Your IoT equipped fridge (it comes with sensor and knows it’s inventory list) will then use the home WiFi to contact the yogurt company’s ordering server and place order for you. Your per-approved credit will make the payment. Yogurt company then send the ordered items to your house. The whole inventory maintenance happens without any action from you.

History of Internet of Things

Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University

The idea was first discussed at the begging of 80s.In 1982 a coke vending machine was placed in Carnegie Mellon University. The machine was able to send report about the inventory to the main system automatically. The name Internet of Things was first used in 1985 by Peter T.Lwise at US FCC meeting. In his speech Peter talked about interconnected devices and how it can be used to ease the system of collecting data and managing system. Even though it took some time, but at the end of 90s the concept became popular.

 

Common Internet of Things Devices

Wearable Deceives

Wearable devices are the device that people ware in their hand like wristwatch. These are connected to internet. It send and receive data. Some shows live update of text message or phone call.
Examples: Fitbit, jawbone used to collect user’s physical movement and update the online database.

Household Devices

Nest Thermostat

Nest Thermostat

Smart thermostat :   These devices can collect the weather data and save user preference. Based on that, the device can set the house temperature.
Example -Nest Thermostat

Home Assistant : Amazon Echo. Users can verbally ask Alexa to play music, provide a weather report,

 

 

Transportation : Public transportation system has WiFi, that connect millions other devices. Some personal cars also connected to internet. So users can use that. This system also connect other cars as well.
Example : Connected cars

 

What you need to know – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Good : Ease of Life

If properly use, IoT or Internet of Things are a big blessing for us. One good example of this – the Fall Alarm Devices used by the elderly people or nursing home. These devices can send a distress call, if the person who is wearing this fell or have a medical emergency.

The Bad : Security

Most of the IoT or Internet of Things devices that we use these days are not secured. They are easy to compromise. For example – if a hacker is able take control of the home  smart thermostat (IoT or Internet of Things device), they can do damage to the home. Like in -25C cold temperature, if the home heating system is turned off,  it will create serious damage. Like the water pipe could get frozen and that can eventually cause flood.

The Ugly : Privacy

IoT or Internet of Things devices maker companies collect users information. But with whom do they share this information ? How extent does this sharing goes ? How the other companies is going to use that information ? Because of this information sharing, what if someones social  reputation is damaged whom should they  contact to rectify the problem ? There is no specific guide line about this.

IoT or Internet of Things is a great thing. But it will only became truly helpful once –
These deceives become fully secured
and
The companies who makes them – start strictly following the ethical and consumer guideline.

Writer – Rubayat M.

Disclaimer – all images collected from internet. Please let us know if there is any concern or copyright issue regarding these images. We will remove them.

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Rise of the Machine 2 – Internet is Slowly Killing the Newspaper

Posted on by Rubayat M.

Internet has changed the traditional news media. The way we used to get news fifteen years ago is not the standard anymore. In old days – we used to read about an event few hours after it happen. But today we learn it almost right the way.

Thanks to the internet and advancement in communication technology – we have many sources for news. Now if anything happen in any part of the world, we learn about it in Twitter, then we read about it online if different news sites and finally we watch the video in YouTube. We don’t wait for our favorite newspaper’s early edition to read about it anymore.

Also because of the advancement of mobile device like cellphones and tablets we are no longer tied with our big home computer. We are carrying our source of news all time with us anywhere we go.

And this change everything. We are not buying newspaper any more. We are not subscribing paper based magazine any more. Now we read online and we subscribe online. As a result of this the traditional print media business is slowly dying.

In next few year, we will see another big change in the job sectors related to print media. Some job will remain and some job will be gone. Here is a snapshot –

News Reporter or Journalist

People who collect, research and create information about a certain event.
Future : These job will remain as these jobs are the core of the news media industry.

Newspaper Editors

Newspaper editors is the person who decide which news stories are to be printed in the paper. They also assign the news reporter or journalist to check news and also check the accuracy of the news. A newspaper editor’s professionalism and ethical values define a news paper’s value and respect.
Future : These jobs will remain as these jobs are the core of the news media industry.

Here comes the part that may not have any future –
Printing press – this is the place where news gets printed in paper. Multiple other services involved here that are required to run the process.

Service 1 Paper Supply 

To print news paper materials are needed. Papers are made from wood pulp and recycled matter. Making paper is a big industry.
Future :Declining rate of news paper will not kill the industry, but it will face serious financial trouble.

Service 2 Printing Press Employees

People who operates the printing machinery and other services. If print media industry stop printing news in a paper format, then these people will need to look for job elsewhere.
Future : If the news media stop publishing news in paper, then people who work here, will lost their job.

Service 3 Distribution

This department is responsible for getting the newspaper from the print press to the reader.
Future : If the news media stop publishing news in paper, then people who work here, will lost their job.

Service 4 Circulation

This department maintains subscribers record. They also maintain record of the rack sales and sales of the coin-operated dispensers. News carriers are usually independently contracted employees who deliver the newspaper to reader house. They are also a part of the circulation channel.
Future : If the news media stop publishing news in paper, then people who work here, will lost their job.

These changes that we just talked – will not happen tomorrow. It will take long time. In some country these changes will happen fast and in some country it will take long time. It all depends on the technological advancement. Either it happen tomorrow or many years from now, we need to start working from today. We need to find alternative job solution for the people who will lost the job.

But one thing we are certain – news media industry will not go anywhere. It will continue satisfying human curiosity as long as the human civilization survive.

Writer – Rubayat M.

Disclaimer – all images collected from internet. Please let us know if there is any concern or copyright issue regarding these images and we will remove them.

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All About Electric Car and Hybrid Car

Posted on by Rubayat M.
Tesla

I am planing to buy a new car. So I have been doing my research on different cars and technologies.Based on my research findings – I found that there are mainly four different types of technology. They are electric, hybrid , hydrogen cell and conventional. Conventional cars are the one that we know as the regular cars that we use present days. Here is what I have found.

Electric

Electric cars also known as Battery electric vehicles or BEV. These car has electric motor and rechargeable batteries. Electric motor get the power from the batteries to move. Batteries also supply power to the rest of the system. Like headlight, wiper etc. Once the battery charge is depleted, they can be recharged from a electrical outlet. Most of them do not have any conventional transmission – as it is not required.

Tesla is a good example of electric car.

Tesla

Tesla – courtesy internet

How Tesla Works

Tesla cars are full electric. Tesla cars have batteries. And just like a cell phone, drivers need to recharge it. They can use a standard electrical outlet to recharge their car. Once the batteries have enough juice, the car can be driven and when the batteries are depleted, drivers need to recharge it again.

 

Hybrid

Hybrids care are between conventional car and electric car. Hybrid cars has battery, electric motor and gasoline engine. The best thing about the hybrid is that gasoline engine doesn’t have to work as hard and thus uses less fuel. Hybrids also get better mileage.

There are 2 main types of hybrid

Conventional Hybrids

During startup, the car use juice from battery to run the electric motor. When the battery charge is depleted, the gasoline engine kicks in and start powering the electric motor and also recharge the battery.When maximum acceleration is needed, both can work together.

Toyota Prius is the best example of hybrid car

Toyota Prius

Toyota Prius courtesy internet

How does Toyota Prius work?

During start-up and low speeds, the Prius is powered only by the electric motor, which is fed by the battery. As the battery charge is depleted, the gasoline engine responds by powering the electric generator, which recharges the battery.

 

Plug-in Hybrids

Plug-in hybrids has the same functionality like a Conventional hybrids. Major difference is –

  • These car can be plugged in to an electric outlet to recharge their batteries.
  • At the same time batteries can also be recharged when the car is on move. (like a conventional hybrid )
  • Their batteries are larger then the Conventional hybrid’s batteries. Plug-in hybrids cars can go longer distances on electric power. And just like Conventional hybrids, when maximum acceleration is needed, both can work together.

Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV is good example of Plug-in hybrids.

 

Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Fuel cell is a device that convert chemical energy to electricity. Fuel cells are different then battery. Battery holds electric charge and gets depleted when use. But fuel cells can continuously create electricity as long as there is a continues supply of source chemical.Fuel cell use hydrogen gas as source chemical and then it mix oxygen with it.

Benefits of Fuel Cell

  • By products are heat and water.Which is environment friendly.
  • Two to threes times more efficient than traditional combustion engines.

 

So what is the best option ?

This is hard to answer. It depends on personal preference and financial situation.

Electric Car

Good : if you live in big city. Big cities has more more people and base of that more charging stations. So in the middle of your daily commute, if your electric car lost it’s charge, you can call a tow truck and while you are wating, you are not in danger. Beside they are environment friendly.

Bad : If you live in a rural area. Less population means less charging station. Yes you can always charge your car at your home, but what if your car’s charge depleted, in the middle of nowhere ? You are stranded in the middle of no where. Besides electric cars are still very expensive. Close to $100,000 UD dollar.

Conventional Car

There is nothing much to choose – you know your budget and what you are looking for. You can a good deal from any car dealer.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell

This is another environment friendly car.

Hybrid Car

This is the best options. They are environment friendly and good on gas.

 

Writer – Rubayat M.