The figure of Steve Jobs is controversial, like the whole tech business and innovation that makes people’s lives better and more complex at the same time.

Over the years, the successes attributed to Jobs have acquired a mythical flavor. However, this only proves the postulate: it was Steve Jobs who elevated marketing to the rank of art, convincing the whole world that ideas are worthless if you do not convince others of their value.

Throughout his short life, Steve Jobs talked about the values ​​of the IT sphere, which will become an integral part of the existence of mankind in the years to come.

Some of the predictions made in numerous interviews can already be verified today.

1. Thesis of S. Jobs: a computer will turn from a tool into an agent (interview with Access Magazine, 1984)

Fact: being inside the network, a modern gadget is always active: it collects and distributes information flows.

Experts thesis: also, a modern gadget is often a “double agent” – it collects information about the owner in favor of third parties: authors of mobile applications, operating systems, and those who will pay for this information.

Tracker software modules often inform “whoever needs it” about their location and activities on the network without the consent of the owner.

Jobs did not make assumptions about such permanent control in the 80s, but under him the introduction of trackers into the iOS operating system took place.

2. Thesis of S. Jobs: the computer will become a miniature assistant for everyone for many years (interview with Access Magazine, 1984)

Fact: today, a smartphone stores large amounts of information, including information about the owner’s past.

But even remote servers that host huge amounts of social media data a great helper for people. These data can show the growing up of Generation Z, which has not parted with gadgets from early childhood.

Experts thesis: S. Jobs in the 80s did not yet anticipate the huge impact of the communication component on society. Without the Internet in its modern form, combining smartphones and server power into a single network, an isolated computer would not be the very assistant that Jobs talked about.

Only plugging into the network allows the gadget to remain miniature and be useful for all occasions. Without the network, the gadget would remain a day planner, library, calculator, and alarm clock.

If we talk about miniaturization, then Jobs, who held engineering circuits and soldering iron in his hands only in the era of “wall mounting” of his youth, really sought to reduce devices while preserving their functionality.

However, the engineers at SONY, who gave the Walkman to the world in July 1979, also were thinking in the same direction.

3. Thesis of S. Jobs: computers will appear in every home (interview with Playboy, 1985)

Fact: If we consider a smartphone as a computer (and this is so!), then half of the world’s population has a computer.

Experts thesis: marketing axiom – the main profits in the market are in the mass market segment. Widespread innovation is the foundation of a successful business. So no one would leave computer technology only to the military and scientists.

S. Jobs, being a businessman since his school years, simply stated the well-known trends at that time.

4. Thesis of S. Jobs: computers will be purchased to connect to a communication network (interview with Playboy, 1985)

Fact: Indeed, most computers are connected to the Internet. Moreover, a computer without a network connection is a highly specialized rarity in our time.

Experts thesis: Already in the early stages of co-programming, team members connected computers into one network to work more efficiently.

Steve Jobs with Steve Wozniak, are widely recognized as two prominent pioneers of the personal computer revolution. And they understood perfectly well that the computing power connected to the network only increases.

So the existence of a computer outside the network was initially recognized as less effective, and the expansion of the network to the size of the global Internet was a matter of time.

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What do you need for work?

1) Program/(s)

EaseUS Todo Backup Free – a free and very handy program that allows you to easily create backups of everything and everyone (documents, folders, disks, etc.). The program impresses with its simplicity and reliability: in just a few clicks of the mouse, you can arrange everything.

Additional features:

• cloning disks (including system disks);
• the ability to configure schedules;
• creating an emergency flash drive;
• viewing and selecting files that you will restore from a backup.

2) USB flash drive or external hard drive

It is most reasonable to make a backup to some external media (which will calmly lie aside from the computer/laptop, and will help out if something happens).

Just imagine yourself – if you make a backup copy to the same disk that you are using – then in the event of a breakdown (for example) – this backup will not help you.

A flash drive or external drive (which is even better) – must be large enough to fit all your documents and files that you want to save. Let’s say, if you have a 60 GB system disk and you want to back it up, then you need a flash drive (disk) with at least 80-90 GB.

Making a disk backup

And so, we will assume that you already have the program installed.

The first thing to do is to click the “System Backup” button located in the top menu of the program.

Next, you need to set a number of parameters:

• select your system drive;
• specify the location where you will save;
• plan name: the name of your backup is set here – it can be anything, if only you yourself remember what you have saved there, for example, in a month or two;
• description of your backup;
• schedule: if you need to make a regular backup, you can configure it once, and then the program will do it automatically;
• proceed – button to start the operation.

After specifying the main parameters, in the next step, the program will ask you to specify the drive (and folder) where the backup will be saved (by the way, it will be a regular file).

Back up folders and files

It is performed, in principle, in the same way as creating a copy of the disk (which was done in the previous step). First, launch the utility and click the “File Backup” button.

Next, you need to specify:

• select the file or folder: folders (or even entire drives) you want to add to the backup;
• destination: where to save the backup;
• you can specify any name and description (Plan name, Description);
• schedule: if necessary – set;
• proceed – the beginning of the operation.

By the way, the backup file itself can be recorded later on to another medium (or even uploaded, for example, to somewhere in the cloud).

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In modern laptops, there are several types of drives (sometimes 2 are installed at once, for example, under the system – SSD, under documents – HDD). A little more about them below.

HDD (hard disk drive)

HDD (hard disk drive) is the most common discs today. All information on such a medium is contained on magnetic disks (plates) located in a sealed case. The magnetic head, quickly moving through them, reads and writes information (by the way, it is because of it that there is a slight grinding and noise when the HDD is working).

Currently, HDDs are outperforming SSDs in terms of speed, but they are much cheaper than them. Therefore, most often resort to combined use: for Windows, you can buy a small SSD drive of 60-100 GB, and for the rest of the HDD, 1-2 TB.

SSD (Solid-state drive)

An SSD (Solid-state drive) is like a “big” flash drive, so it has no moving parts (which means there is no noise, rattling, they do not heat up so much, and are less afraid of a shock). However, they have a serious drawback: their cost is several times higher (at least for now)! In addition, their resource of use is limited: you can write/erase only a certain number of gigabytes.

SSHD (Solid-state hybrid drive)

SSHD (Solid-state hybrid drive) – is a magnetic hard disk in which a small solid-state drive is integrated.

All data is stored, as well as on a hard disk – on magnetic plates, but frequently used information is loaded into specials an area (in the cache memory, a kind of small SSD) for faster access to it. All this works in automatic mode, therefore, the user does not need any complex settings.

SSHD is intended to be something between SSD and HDD, providing high speed, coupled with a large amount of data.

But they have some disadvantages:

• firstly, they are inferior to SSDs in speed, and not much outperform HDDs;
• secondly, the amount of cache memory in them is usually 8 GB ÷ 32 GB – which is clearly not enough for all the data to which fast access is required.

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The computer has long moved from luxury items to the category of the most important technical means. With its help, business is conducted, blocks of necessary information are transmitted at any distance, communication is made with relatives and friends who are in another part of the globe.

Regardless of the purpose for which you are going to buy a computer, you should take it question very seriously, because such equipment is not cheap, and you will use it for many years. Therefore, when choosing a PC should take into account all the nuances – from the manufacturer to the characteristics of each component.

What is better – a PC from the manufacturer or assembly of the device from individual components?

There are several ways to get a new computer. The simplest of them is to purchase a factory assembly. The computer assembled by the manufacturer is usually characterized by the excellent assembly, reliability, and quiet operation.

Those who are buying a computer not the first time, prefer to assemble the device from components. In this case, there are also two options.

Independent assembly. But today it does not save money. You can do it if you have the appropriate knowledge and skills. Moreover, it should not be a superficial knowledge of what parts ensure the operation of the PC, but professional knowledge of the characteristics that must have each component, the compatibility of certain parts, and confident assembly skills, excluding the possibility of involuntary damage to details.

Otherwise, you not only risk overpaying by buying certain components several times, but you are also unlikely to be able to ensure the reliable and productive operation of your computer, which can be achieved only by assembling the most balanced system.

With the necessary experience, when self-assembling a PC, you can achieve the maximum value for money. But it is better to trust professionals.

Professional assembly to your order. The most suitable option if you do not have the necessary skills. But at the same time, you still need to be extremely careful, trust the assembly to a person or company that has a good reputation. You must clearly explain to the professional what responsibilities will be assigned to the future computer. so that he understands what the characteristics of the device are fundamental for you. For example, a processor that fully satisfies the universal PC is absolutely not suitable for a computer for gamers who prefer modern games.

In both cases, the advantage of assembling a computer is the ability to get a device that fully meets your expectations without spending extra money. But there is a downside to this solution, which depends on both the quality of the assembly itself and the performance of the assembled device, from the professionalism of the specialist who conducted the assembly. However, most buyers who know how to choose a PC prefer to assemble a computer than to buy a ready-made unit.

The financial side of choosing a PC

Computer technology today is represented by a huge variety of devices with different characteristics, which are in a wide price range. Depending on the cost of computers can be divided into several groups, each of which is represented by computer technology capable of solving certain problems.

Budget PC. This group is represented by computers, which cost about $500, are able to solve relatively simple tasks: work with text, simple office programs, and Internet resources, watch videos, etc. Some models of this category of computers are even able to play the games of modern creators, but only at the lowest settings, which do not provide a comfortable game.

Universal Desktops, costing up to $800. The category is probably the most popular in the modern computer market. It is represented by devices equipped with quite powerful processors and productive video cards, which determine the possibility of solving quite complex problems and use programs of fairly high capacity. In addition to solving the most complex office tasks, they are able to run modern games at medium (and some – and at the highest settings).

Gaming computers. High power devices that cost more than $800. This category includes high-performance PC, they are able to cope with the most difficult tasks and allowed play the most difficult games at maximum settings, providing the comfort of the game. Their disadvantage is the need for efficient cooling, so some models are characterized by increased noise during operation. The high cost of PCs in this category makes them less popular in the market. They are usually bought by professional gamers or those who are very fond of modern computer games.

Specialized computers. This category consists of PCs that are assembled individually for specific tasks. As a rule, they are equipped with a powerful processor, a productive video card, and several RAM cards.

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According to IBM researchers, these innovations and developments will determine how our world will become in the near future.

Quantum computing

Today, quantum computing is more likely a playground for researchers, but within five years they will become a familiar reality for professionals working on problems that previously seemed insoluble. Quantum computing will be mastered everywhere in universities and even (to some extent) at the high school level.

Now already, IBM researchers have successfully modeled an atomic bond in beryllium hydride (BeH2), the most complex molecule ever modeled by a quantum computer. In the future, quantum computing will solve much more complex problems, and ultimately they will surpass everything that we can do with classic machines.

Cryptography and blockchain

Most recently, IBM introduced a microchip the size of a salt granule and a cost of about 10 cents. In terms of computing power, it is comparable to computers in the 1990s. It supports blockchain technology and can serve as a data source for relevant applications.

In the near future, such tiny chips can be used as “cryptographic anchors” to track the supply of goods, control food safety, identify genuine luxury goods and so on. Buyers themselves will be able to track the entire path of the goods from production to the time of sale.

Grid Cryptography

To keep up with the times and new technologies, IBM is developing encryption methods that can surpass all existing protocols. A lot of hope lies in the method of post-quantum encryption, the so-called cryptography on lattices, that is, on complex algebraic structures.

Hacking such encryption is practically impossible, even future quantum computers will not be able to do it, IBM representatives assure. That is why this technology can be used to protect the most valuable data from hacker attacks.

AI robots

In the next five years, with the help of artificial intelligence and robotics, one of the most important problems of mankind can be taken under control — pollution of the oceans. It is planned to introduce a network of autonomous microscopes that signal adverse effects.

We are talking about micro-robots united in the cloud and located around the world, capable of monitoring the behavior of plankton. It is plankton that is a biological sensor that characterizes the content of harmful substances in the seas and oceans. Data on the movement of plankton will allow much faster to determine changes in water composition.

Unbiased Artificial Intelligence

To prevent the bias of artificial intelligence from becoming a real problem soon, IBM is already working on systems that can be trusted. First of all, it is AI trained on data free from racial, gender and ideological prejudices.

To this end, the company’s researchers have developed a method of reducing bias, which can be used in the set of educational materials of AI. This approach will create an objective system that will not contribute to the spread of inequality, IBM researchers are sure.

Picture Credit: Pixabay

Source: PCWorld

More and more businesses are adapting cloud computing. IBM has announced following new clients benefiting from IBM’s Cloud initiatives: the Australian Bureau of Statistics, C&D Foods, Crawford & Company, FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, General Milling Corporation, General Motors Components Holdings and the Zoo and Aquarium Association of Australia.

Recent research shows that worldwide spending on cloud computing will be reaching $44,2 billion by 2013.

IBM LotusLive is a suite of business and collaboration services based on the Cloud computing and is hosted by IBM.

LotusLive offers following services: LotusLive Notes, LotusLive iNotes, LotusLive Engage, LotusLive Meetings, LotusLive Connections.

IBM has recently announced of availability LotusLive Symphony for cloud. “LotusLive Symphony authors will be able to co-edit documents in real time or work privately, store and share documents in LotusLive, comment, chat and manage revisions with other authors in real time, and assign and manage sections and tasks across multiple authors,” IBM said.

Source:
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