| Jan 21 |
Archive for the 'Technology' CategoryGPS Tracking Cell Phones Through SpywareToday’s technology has made tracking a person on a cellular phone to be quite simple – in some cases, as easy as the point and click of a computer mouse. Though many people use these technologies for very positive reasons – such as making sure that their kids are where they should be – the introduction of spyware into cellular phones has made things a bit less wholesome. Current technology, readily available, offers services that can allow users to track cellular phone handsets to within a few dozen feet of its actual location. The technology depends on GPS chip technology within certain cellular phones. It was initially designed in order to allow emergency workers to find 911 callers who have called from their cellular phones. Spyware, on the other hand, was initially designed for cellular phones to be used by suspicious individuals who wished to have access to the calls and text messaging done by their potentially cheating spouses to prove honesty…or lack thereof. The most recent technology, though, is the combination of both of these elements. Now, there is spyware that can be applied to a cellular phone that exploits any GPS chips that happen to be installed so that the behaviors of the phone user can be tracked. For example, it has been confirmed that even large, well-known corporations have been sending emails to cellular phone users, who, when they open the email, become subject to a spyware in their phone that will track their location and behavior for those companies to use for their own purposes. This has many people concerned about their own personal information and privacy rights. After all, this kind of technology is permitting anybody with the right software knowhow to be able to trace online behaviors and physical locations of anybody with the appropriate kind of cellular phone. Personal security can become a real concern for people who could be tracked by individuals or companies with unethical intentions. This can include anything from harassment through phoning and text messages to identity theft. Rapidly, this risk is leading to a substantial market in cellular phone security technology. |
| Jan 10 |
Archive for the 'Technology' CategoryOutsourcing Information Technology it Benefits & AdvantagesSoftware companies need to develop a lot of different types of software for their many clients. A software company may develop for large organizations, such as banks, financial institutions, airlines, engineering and government agencies. Because of this, they need a lot of capital and people to handle the growing tasks for different types of softwares that is needed for the company. Information technology software companies in developed countries, such as Canada, USA, and Europe are now looking at outsourcing their information technology projects in developing countries, such as India, Philippines and China to reduce the manpower costs to remain competitive in the growing information technology industry. If you are an entrepreneur in this very competitive industry, you have to find ways remain competitive in this industry. You want to satisfy more clients in order to keep those information technology software orders coming and let your company grow. When you outsource IT, you will be making very large savings in terms of salary and also other expenses that your company may provide your employees. By outsourcing, you will only have to worry about the contract and the payment that you will be providing the outsourcing company in other countries, which can be cheaper than doing it in-house. Most IT jobs that are often outsourced are creating software in .Net, database solutions, smartcard solution, Java/J2EE, and wireless application developments. You have to consider that creating software for these things will require you to invest a lot of money and manpower if you do it in-house. When you outsource it, the technology and manpower is readily available. There are many talented information technology professionals in these developing countries. Also, they charge far less than equally qualified professionals in well-developed countries. For example, try to imagine that you need a software and you let someone in your IT department design the program. The person you hired charges 1000 dollars for the job. However, when you outsourced it, you will see that an equally qualified professional did the same software design with the same quality and they did it for only 100 dollars. Now, try to imagine that you need a thousand of that software. You will see that you will save a lot more money if you outsource it rather than get it done in-house not to mention the company benefits that you will provide, such as insurance. These are the advantages of outsourcing IT to other companies. By outsourcing, you will not only save a lot of money, but you will also get equal quality of IT software since there are a lot of talented and qualified professionals available in those countries. They will charge you far less on every IT job done instead of doing it in-house. Because of the savings, you will be able to let your company grow. And, because of the quality of work, you will also attract more clients to hire your company to do the software they want. Another great thing about outsourcing IT is that you can outsource all the small projects your company has and let your company focus on larger projects. This means that you will be able to effectively manage your company’s priorities with outsourcing. With outsourcing, you will be able to save a lot of money, prioritize your company’s goal and also get quality IT software products. |
| Jan 04 |
Archive for the 'Technology' CategoryTechnology and Children – a Wake Up CallIf your children know more about technology and computers than you do, this message is for you. If your children or teenagers are nearby, now is the time to usher them out of the room because this is for your eyes only. If it’s not possible to read this in private right now, than be sure to bookmark this page and come back to it when you can read it without ‘inquiring minds’ hovering nearby. You’ll understand why in just a couple of minutes. Do your young children or teenagers know more about technology and computers than you do? Do you scratch your head in amazement and utter confusion when your children discuss the latest and greatest technological advances that you know nothing about? How about this: Do you really know what your children or teenagers are doing while they are online? If that in itself doesn’t concern or worry you, it should. Advances in technology play an ever-increasing role in our lives today, with much of it being positive, and it will only increase in the future. While there are great potential benefits with technology and computers for learning and discovery, there is also tremendous opportunity for misuse. According to the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children), “early childhood educators (and parents) carry the responsibility to critically examine the impact of technology on children and be prepared to use technology to benefit children“. That begs this question: How can the non techno-savvy parent “critically examine the impact of technology” on their children if they are clueless about technology and computers? Parents may tell their children not to talk to strangers, not to open the door if they are home alone, and not to give out personal information to persons unknown. Parents often keep track of where their children are, who their friends are and where they live, etc. However, many parents do not understand or realize that this same attentiveness and supervision must include critical examination and supervision while their children and teenagers are online. Children and teenagers are not protected by a parents assumption that online service providers are supervising and regulating what goes on in “chat rooms”, “news groups”, or social networking sites like MySpace. Websites like MySpace “require” users to be at least fourteen years old to join, however there is no way that MySpace can verify the truthfulness of age. Therefore, someone who is well into their 30’s or even 50’s and older can easily pretend to be someone in your child’s age group and communicate with your child. Educate yourself-Recently a news story was published about a young girl named Megan who was a victim of online bullying, which unfortunately lead her to commit suicide rather than continue struggling through this horrific ordeal. I dare say that if her parents’ were closely monitoring and supervising Megan’s online activities with the tremendous help of commercially available computer monitoring software, Megan would likely be alive today and her tormentors in jail where they belong. “Get It? Got It? Good!” is a free download booklet on the topic “family guide on getting to grips with technology“. It’s an extremely useful booklet offered by a children‘s charity called NCH, full of information for the techno-challenged parent. You may even want to print off several copies for family and friends, or email them the link so they can benefit as well. With personal effort and practice, parents can do much to ensure their children’s safety, and hopefully this has been a wake up call for you. |