IT Happens : December 2003 Monthly News Notice of IT Happenings
Issue - 30

Feature of the month
Mobile Phones Now Combine Walkie - Talkie Style 
The cell phone announced recently by Nokia is based on push-to-talk technology that lets one chat instantly with users at the push of a button along with its ability to quickly connect users at the push of a button. 
With just the push of a button, phone owners can connect to friends and family by using the push-to-talk feature for quick voice communications, or to access the built in VGA camera to communicate visually. The push-to-talk feature can be used to quickly connect the user to one person, or to a group of people, simply by using the convenient side-mounted key.
While the model 5140 phone is the first GSM handset to feature push- to-talk capability, it marks the first step as push-to-talk becomes an increasingly common function. 
Since, push to talk may create interest in trekking enthusiasts the phone also integrates an integrated digital compass displays the direction both graphically and numerically. After dark, a built-in flashlight helps to guide the way. For the fitness enthusiast, a new Fitness Coach feature uses training regimens based on professionally recommended training principles.
Additional functionality of interest to the fitness minded is an interval timer and stopwatch for keeping track of workout routines and an integrated FM radio to help make that time go by even faster. An optional Active Headset enhancement is available to provide easier wearability while on the move, and for increased resistance to bumps and splashes. The Active Headset features one button to answer and end calls and another that can be used to activate the push-to-talk capability of the phone.

IT-Quote

IT Snippets
Nature Patterns Helps In Antenna Designs

Many natural objects, such as tree branches and their root systems, peaks and valleys in a landscape and rivers and their tributaries are versions of mathematical fractals which appear pleasingly irregular to the eye but are actually made of self-similar, repeated units. 
Based on above observation, Penn State engineers Dr. Douglas H. Werner have developed innovative design methods for a new class of antennas composed of an array of fractal-shaped tiles that offer anywhere from a 4:1 to 8:1 improvement in bandwidth compared to their conventional counterparts.

The new broadband antennas are composed of irregular but self-similar, repeated fractal-shaped unit tiles or "fractiles" which cover an entire plane without any gaps or overlaps. The outer boundary contour of an array built of fractiles follows a fractal distribution. 
While fractal concepts have been used previously in antenna design, Werner and his research team are the first to introduce a design approach for broadband phased array antenna systems that combines aspects of tiling theory with fractal geometry. 

(Source : www.technologyreview.com)

Drivers : Pay Attention

A team of researchers at the University of California, San Diego, is developing a tool that keeps an eye on the driver to make sure his or her eyes are on the road. 

Led by electrical engineer Mohan Trivedi, the team has come up with a single-camera system that simultaneously tracks both the driver's head and the road. Mounted on the dashboard, side mirror, or sunroof, the camera is coupled with a dome-shaped mirror that gives a 360-degree view of what's going on inside and outside the car. 

Software running on a computer in the trunk analyses the camera image to estimate what the driver is looking at in real time, based on the tilt of his or her head and face; if the system determines the driver is not paying attention to an imminent hazard, it sounds an alarm in the car. 

The researchers have so far installed the prototype system in two experimental vehicles and are now testing it to see if it can detect where a car is in relation to lane markers and alert the driver if the car is unintentionally drifting out of the lane.

(Source : www.technologyreview.com)

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For universities and other research institutions, ScienceDaily provides free uploading of news releases and free monitoring of readership statistics, so institutions can see how effective their releases are and what kind of audience they are reaching.

IT Humour

A group of managers were given the assignment to measure the height of a flagpole. So they go out to the flagpole with ladders and tape measures, and they're falling off the ladders, dropping the tape 
measures -- the whole thing is just a mess.

An engineer comes along and sees what they're trying to do, walks 
over, pulls the flagpole out of the ground, lays it flat, measures 
it from end to end, gives the measurement to one of the managers and walks away.

After the engineer has gone, one manager turns to another and laughs. "Isn't that just like an engineer? We're looking for the height and
he gives us the length."

IT Quiz

1. What does the term Spoofing stand for in Network Security?

2. What does NTFS stand for?

IT Quiz Solutions

1. Spoofing is the act of fabricating an identity so that it appears to be a trusted party and is allowed access to information. Spoofing can be done at any layer. It is basically done by hackers to gain access to resources or a system.
   
2. NTFS (New Technology File System) was introduced with Microsoft NT operating system. NTFS benefits over the earlier FAT file system used in Windows 95/98/Me are improved reliability, security & access control at file level and efficient storage even with very large disks. With Windows 2000 & XP an improved version of NTFS -version 5 adds features such as encryption, compression, quotas, sparse files and reparse points etc.