Monday, October 24, 2011
Key Person of Computer and Internet Revolution
Monday, October 17, 2011
VPN (Virtual Private Network) and VRML(Virtual Reality Markup Language)
Virtual Private Network - VPN
1. For data, the logical configuration of a group of hardware components that includes direct connection THROUGH (as opposed to TO) the Internet. Usually refers to a network in which some of the parts are connected using the public Internet, but the data sent across the Internet is encrypted, so the entire network is "virtually" private. This sort of arrangement allows certain users reasonable access to a fully operational corporate network via the Internet.
2. In telephony, a switched network with special services like abbreviated dialing. A customer can call between offices in different area codes without having to dial all eleven digits.
Virtual Reality Markup Language - VRLM
A scripting language used to define three-dimensional "worlds". VRML, pronounced ver-mal, and short for Virtual Reality Markup (or Modeling) Language, VRML is a specification for displaying 3-dimensional objects on the World Wide Web. You can think of it as the 3-D equivalent of HTML. Files written in VRML have a.wrl extension (short for world). To view these files, you need a VRML browser or a VRML plug-in to a Web browser. VRML produces a hyperspace (or a world), a 3-dimensional space that appears on your display screen. And you can figuratively move within this space. That is, as you press keys to turn left, right, up or down, or go forwards or backwards, the images on your screen will change to give the impression that you are moving through a real space. The newest VRML 2.0 specification was finalized in August, 1996. It is known officially as ISO/IEC 14772.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Wireless Technologies : Bluetooth,WiFi,WiMAX
What is Bluetooth, WiFi and WiMAX?
Bluetooth, WiFi and WiMAX are wireless technologies which allow devices to inter-connect and communicate with each other. Radio waves are electomagnetic waves and have different frequencies. These technologies are radio frequencies. Similar to the analogue radio, or FM radio. Bluetooth works on 2.45GHz frequency. WiFi works in two frequency bands 2.4GHz and 5GHz. WiMAX works in two frequency bands, 2 - 11GHz and 10 - 66GHz.
Bluetooth 
Named after the Danish king, Harold Bluetooth,was the first to emerge, several devices like mobile phones, pdas, headsets, keyboards, mice, medical equipment and even cars now come with this feature. Due to its low cost, manufacturers are willing to implement this technology in most devices. It is designed for short range communications with a range of about 10m. As a result, it consumes less power and are suited for very small battery powered devices and portable devices. Problems associated when devices communicate via infrared or cables are removed. Infrared requires a line of sight, bluetooth only needs to be in reasonable vicinity. As cables are not required, it would be less cumbersome carrying a personal bluetooth device and space would be less cluttered. As bluetooth devices automatically communicate with each other, it requires very little from the user. Bluetooth allows for a wireless Personal Area Network (PAN) with it's short range.
WiFi 

WiMAX is Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access. The IEEE standard for WiMAX is 802.16 and falls under the category of wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN). WiMAX operates on two frequency bands, 2 - 11GHz and 10 - 66GHz and has a range of about 50km with speeds of upto 80Mbps. This enables smaller wireless LANs to be interconnected by WiMAX creating a large wireless MAN. Networking between cities can beachieved without the need for expensive cabling. It is also able to provide high speed wireless broadband access to users. As it can operate in two frequency bands WiMAX can work by line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight. At the 2 - 11GHz frquency range it works by non-line-of-sight, where a computer inside a building communicates with a tower/antenna outside the building. Short frequency transmissions are not easily disrupted by physical obstructions. Higher frequency transmissions are used for non-line-of-sight service. This enables to towers/antennae to communicate with each other over a greater distance. Due to infrastructure and costs involved it would be more suited to provide the backbone services for ISPs and large corporations providing wireless networking and internet access.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Differences B/W CDMA And GSM
The ultimate outcome of the battle for dominance between these two competing cellular data transmission technologies may lie more in their history than their respective merits. To understand the current prevalence of GSM, one needs a foundation in the forces that converged to push one technology ahead of the other.
One of the most contentious battles being waged in the wireless infrastructure industry is the debate over the efficient use and allocation of finite airwaves. For several years, the world's two main methods -- Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) -- have divided the wireless world into opposing camps. Ultimately, the emergence of a victorious technology may owe more to historical forces than the latest wireless innovation, or the merits of one standard over the other.
CDMA's World War II Foundations
CDMA, put into an historical context, is a recently patented technology that only became commercially available in the mid-1990s, but had its roots in pre-World War II America. In
CDMA was not field tested for commercial use until 1991, and was launched commercially in Hong Kong in 1995. CDMA technology is currently used by major cellular carriers in the United States and is the backbone of Sprint's Personal Communications System (PCS). Along with Sprint, major users of CDMA technology are Verizon and GTE.
Advantages of CDMA include:
- Increased cellular communications security.
- Simultaneous conversations.
- Increased efficiency, meaning that the carrier can serve more subscribers.
- Smaller phones.
- Low power requirements and little cell-to-cell coordination needed by operators.
- Extended reach - beneficial to rural users situated far from cells.
- Due to its proprietary nature, all of CDMA's flaws are not known to the engineering community.
- CDMA is relatively new, and the network is not as mature as GSM.
- CDMA cannot offer international roaming, a large GSM advantage.
The Euro-Asian Alternative: GSM
Analysts consider Qualcomm's major competitive disadvantage to be its lack of access to the European market now controlled by Global System for Mobile communications (GSM). The wireless world is now divided into GSM (much of Western Europe) and CDMA (North America and parts of Asia).
Mobile Handset manufacturers ultimately split into two camps, as Motorola, Lucent, and Nextel chose CDMA, and Nokia and Ericsson eventually pushed these companies out and became the dominant GSM players.Advantages of GSM:- GSM is already used worldwide with over 450 million subscribers.
- International roaming permits subscribers to use one phone throughout Western Europe. CDMA will work in Asia, but not France, Germany, the U.K. and other popular European destinations.
- GSM is mature, having started in the mid-80s. This maturity means a more stable network with robust features. CDMA is still building its network.
- GSM's maturity means engineers cut their teeth on the technology, creating an unconscious preference.
- The availability of Subscriber Identity Modules, which are smart cards that provide secure data encryption give GSM m-commerce advantages.
In brief, GSM is a "more elegant way to upgrade to 3G," says Strategis Group senior wireless analyst Adam Guy.
Disadvantages of GSM:- Lack of access to burgeoning American market.
Conclusion
Today, the battle between CDMA and GSM is muddled. Where at one point Europe clearly favored GSM and North America, CDMA, the distinct advantage of one over the other has blurred as major carriers like AT&T Wireless begin to support GSM, and recent trials even showed compatibility between the two technologies.
GSM still holds the upper hand however. There's the numerical advantage for one thing: 456 million GSM users versus CDMA's 82 million.
