Computer Program that Lets Users Learn Keyboard Shortcuts With Minimal Effort.

A computer scientist from Saarbrucken has developed software which assists users in identifying and learning shortcuts so that they can become as fast as expert users. This new interface mechanism is easy to integrate in programs using a toolbar, a menu or ribbons as a graphical user interface.

If somebody wants to shift text elements within a Word document from one position to another, he usually uses the mouse. This procedure is rather cumbersome for the user, since he first needs to click and highlight the text element before he can put it at the appropriate place. The user could avoid such complications by using a few shortcut keys, so-called hotkeys, instead. Certain hotkeys correspond to mouse clicks regarding the actions they perform. Nevertheless, users frequently do not know enough keyboard shortcuts to work with them efficiently, or are not aware of the available combinations.
Gilles Bailly, researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Informatics and the Cluster of Excellence at Saarland University, wants to change that situation. By making the shortcuts readily accessible to everybody, he wants to increase the use of hotkeys among less-experienced users and help them maximize expert performance by using consistent shortcuts. To accomplish this, Bailly developed a special interface mechanism in collaboration with other researchers from several universities. It enables hotkey browsing, supports physical rehearsal and assures rapid hotkey identification.
"To see the hotkeys, the user needs to press a certain key button," explains Sylvain Malacria from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.

He calls this special key the modifier. On an Apple keyboard, this function is taken by the command key; at a Windows computer, by the control key. As soon as the user has pressed the modifier, the software overlaps the icons on the screen, as for example all the symbols in a toolbar for a Word document, with shortcuts for a few seconds. Thus, the interface mechanisms shows small boxes in which every equivalent keyboard shortcut is displayed. In so doing, users who rarely use the computer are given the essential hints to apply the shortcuts until they know them by heart. The program supports them by proposing the hotkeys very quickly; they need only press the modifier key. To use the shortcuts more generally, the user frequently has to repeat the same finger moves. In this way, the user keeps remembering the key combinations. Professionals, on the other hand, can expand their shortcut knowledge and accelerate their working speed by using this mechanism, which the researchers named "ExposeHK."
"If the user is in the middle of a workflow, he does not need to remove his hands from the keyboard and reach for the mouse. He is able to enter his commands into the computer directly," says Bailly. To test their software, the researchers ran some studies. They asked participants to identify icons in toolbars and select them as fast as possible. To do that, the participants could either follow the instructions of a speaker, who was reading the key combinations to them, or they could use the mouse or the new software's hotkey display. After that, the test participants had to choose which of the methods was easiest to manage. Most of the participants decided in favor of Bailly's mechanism. The study results show that amateurs used the keyboard shortcuts four times more often after they had sampled them for a few minutes. "It's no matter if the user forgot a shortcut. The only thing he has to do is to press the modifier again and the shortcut overview pops up," Bailly explains.
He could observe how positively the user community responded to his software when he exhibited it at a Human-Computer Interaction research conference (ACM CHI) in Paris. "With our mechanism, we offer the user a simple and elegant solution to operate efficiently. And it is neither expensive to integrate nor to learn," says Bailly. He is therefore confident that his mechanism will be available every conceivable application soon. Read more

Microsoft Excel 2007 and beyond- The Logical If Function

 

Microsoft excel is a spread sheet application package designed mainly for statistical and mathematical computation. The built in function in Microsoft (MS) excel makes if uses simple and logical, hence relieving it user(s) of most common computational task like computation of student results, Salary payment sheet, pension sheet and more. This is only achievable by inputting logical formula into cell(s)

The logical If Function.

IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false,)

The major thing to note here is these three items between the round brackets of the word IF above. These are the arguments that the IF function needs. Here's what they mean respectively;

logical_test

The first argument is what you want to test for. Is the number in the cell equal to or greater than 80?

value_if_true

This is what you wish to see when the logical IF is true/yes. That is, if the answer to the first argument is YES. (Award an “A” grade if the referred cell value is >=70 for instance)

value_if_false

This is what you want to do if the answer to the first argument is false/NO.

Should the above explanation made no sense to you, open spreadsheet on your system by following this direction “Start>All programs>Microsoft office>Microsoft excel” for practical illustration and do the following:  

 Fig 1.0  

 

I.        Enter Fig. 1.0 data into the spreadsheet (MS Excel) you just opened. 

II. Place your cursor on cell D4, in the “Grade” column and input/type =IF(C4>=70,"A",IF(C4>=60,"B",IF(C4>=50,"C",IF(C4>=45,"D",IF(C4>=40,"E",IF(C4<=39,"F"))))))onlythe logical formula in red should be typed into cell D4. 

 III.        Hit the enter key on your keyboard to activate the command. If you have done it according, “B” will appear in that cell (D4). To have grade displayed in the rest of the cells in grade column, place your cursor on cell D4 where grade “B” is and copy the content of that cell painstakingly. Now, select the rest cells in the grade column which has no grade for scores and paste the content of D4 that you have just copied. If you have done it correctly, all the scores should have grades now accordingly.

Note; what you copied from cell D4 is not the displayed “B” but the formula that produced “B”

                        Fig 2.0

                                  IV.        The next task is to format the remark column so that each cell in that column can have either “pass” or “Fail” remark according to student score. In same manner, place your cursor on cell E4 and input/type =IF(C4<40,"Fail","Pass") then hit the enter key to activate the command. If you have typed it correctly, “pass” will be seen in that cell. Now, place your cursor on cell E4 with the remark “pass” and copy it content carefully. Select the rest cells in the remark column where there is no remark and past the copied information to have remark display against every score in the spreadsheet.

                                                  Fig 3.0

Note;Ensure you have all the commas, double quotes and bracket in the correct places, otherwise Excel will give you an error message. The right angle bracket “( >)” is known as Conditional Operator.

 

Summary

The whole grammar above means just three (3) things:-

I.              logical_test: Is the value in cell C4 greater than or equal 70?

II.            value_if_true: If the answer is Yes, display the grade "A” or if it is >=60, display grade “B” or if it is >=50, display grade “C” or if it is >=45, display grade “D” or if it is >=40, display grade “E” or if it is <=39, display grade “F” 

III.           value_if_false: This also draw response from II above.

All of the three (3) put together give IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false,)

You tell Excel what you want to check for in the cell, then what you want to do if the answer is YES, and finally what you want to do if the answer is NO. You separate each part with a comma, Proper double quote and close every opened bracket.

Keep in touch for update in the future.

Use your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot: Tethering

The connection uncertainty among digital service provider over the years has strongly encouraged multiple phones for individual to minimize missing important calls experience. It is common today to see an individual with multiple smartphone with different service provider, the BIG question now is: Should this individual also pay for multiple internet services?  

It is of commonly knowledge that the entire mobile services provider now provide daily or weekly or monthly data plan to their subscribers depending on the choice of service by the subscriber. It will interest you to note that advancement in technology has unveiled us with the  possibility of sharing data plan of a smartphone among other smartphone, tablet or laptop via tethering by using one of the smartphone as wi-fi hotspot as outline below.

Guide to tethering in smartphone

What is Tethering?

Tethering is the use of smartphone to offer internet access to other Internet-enabled mobile device such as PDAs, Laptop, IPhones etc. In a simple term, Tethering is the process of sharing a smartphone internet access among others.   The connection is made either with a cable (USB or serial) or wirelessly through bluetooth or Wi-Fi or the good old days IrDA (infrared). Tethering enables users to go online from their laptops or PDAs in situations where there is no other means of Internet access: If you are already paying for data service on any of your smartphone and your service provider does not require any extra fees for using your cell phone as a modem for your laptop, tethering can also save you money, since you will not have to pay for separate mobile broadband service or buy additional hardware just to get your laptop connected to the internet. With tethering, you can share the data plan of your smartphone with other devices such as a tablet or laptop.

A smartphone's small screen is not in most cases convenient to be used for browsing as compare to that of tablet when it comes to web or streaming videos from the net. But tethering offers you the opportunity to use your smartphone as a portable Wi-Fi hotspot, and share its data connection with your Wi-Fi-only tablet. This setup is called tethering or internet sharing, and many smartphones provide this feature, including iPhones, BlackBerrys, Windows Phones and, of course, Android handsets.

General guide to tethering

To every smartphone (Android, iPhone, BlackBerry and Windows Phones) tethering means the same thing in all mobile operating system, but is the method of setting them up that differs. As pointed earlier, Tethering is when you turn your smartphone into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot and share your phones 3G/4G data connection. Once you have turned tethering on, any device with a wireless connection can connect to the internet via your smartphone's connection and this is where security issue will be of importance.

It is important to note that is not all smartphones that support tethering, but most popular models do, including the iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S3, Nokia Lumia 920 and BlackBerry Z10. Tethering is not limited to the use of Wi-Fi to share your smartphone's internet connection: some now allow you to connect a laptop or tablet possibly through a universal serial bus (USB) cable. Alternatively, you might be able to use Bluetooth.

Regardless of the connection method, it's important to check whether your mobile tariff allows tethering before using your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot. In some cases, the mobile operator can prevent the option from appearing on your handset if tethering is not part of the deal. iPhone owners can attest to this because Personal Hotspot does not show up in the General settings menu in most iphones.

Available alternative to tethering if one is denied by phone manufacturer.

First, and most obviously, you could switch to a different operator or tariff (or request a bolt-on to your current tariff) that allows you to use your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot. That might mean paying more each month, but it's likely to work out cheaper than the alternatives.

If you haven't already bought a tablet, you might consider buying one with 3G or 4G support. You'd then have to get a data-only SIM card for it, and either pay monthly or pay as you go for this separate tariff.

How do I setup tethering on my device?

The process is straight forward that involves enabling the hotspot option on your phone and most importantly, configuring wireless security with a password to prevent other people wireless device into your connection, then connecting your tablet to the wireless network just as you would with any hotspot. If you have configured your device properly, tethering just work.

In some cases, You will have to enter the password once to connect, but on subsequent occasions, your tablet connect automatically.

Some major challenges of tethering

Some of the major problems in tethering (i.e using your phone as a portable Wi-Fi hotspot) are that your tablet will assume it is connected to a fixed data plan or broadband line and ignore all mobile data plan limitations thereby using the bandwidth extravagantly. The implication of this is that, it will use up your limited monthly data allowance very quickly. What your smartphone would have ignored during browsing normally on mobile data plan (downloading application updates and any other large data files) your tablet would assume its ok with tethering and download everything downloadable during access thereby consuming bandwidth in great amount. Hence, you are strongly advice in your own interest to either disable automatic updates or download. Better still, maintain a close attention on download behaviors and how much data is being used by looking in your phone's settings or through a dedicated application you may have installed earlier.

It will be wise decision to disable the hotspot running on your smartphone when you are no longer using to prolong your battery life.

I`m Watch

                                                                         

Italy has made history with creativity and style in our world of technological dispensation without compromise. Smartwatch has taken a new look and can now be worn on the wrist just as wrist watch with mind blowing, mouth-watering and head banging applications and functionalities. I’m Watch is the perfect combination of the most innovative Italian technology and a unique, unmistakable style. High-quality materials and excellent manufacturing standards make it comfortable, durable and attractive to see and to wear. I’m Watch is designed, engineered and built entirely in Italy. i’m Watch is much more than a watch. It is a latest generation device that makes the most of your smartphone. With i’m Watch, you can leave the phone in your pocket, in your purse, on your desk and what have you and connect to it via Bluetooth with full functionality on your wrist. It comes in different factory designed style to suite your distinct fashion and style in fact, the new smartwatch is like you: i'm Watch Color in aluminum is young, dynamic, Tech in titanium is durable and stylish and elegant in all dimension. This im watch technology is affordable Starting from $ 299.00 against the suppose $ 399.00 and can be purchase online though this available off is limited online store.  

Everything that could be achieve with modern smartphone (such as calls, sms, e-mails, music and Apps) is achieve also in the new Italy i`m watch that communicates with your smartphone with crystal clear and bright display. If you receive a call on i`m watch, you can see who calls, wherever you left your smartphone provide your smartphone is within Bluetooth distance (about 10M away). Not your usual store but a treasure trove of hundreds of apps ready to be downloaded and installed on your i’m Watch. Customize as you like and add many new functions: leisure, games, office, useful applications, music; there is no limit to the imagination of the developers who work for your i’m Watch world’s most advanced smartwatch operating system. The software that controls i’m Watch is a condensed form of the best technologies. With a single gesture, you open and close applications, receive social networking notifications and read e-mails. And even with all this power - and the compact dimensions of a watch - the battery goes on and on. I call this A small, BIG technological miracle in our modern day world of technology Be in touch of with your smartphone always to avoid miss calls. I’m Watch connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth, and thanks to the i’m android 2 operating system, it runs all the main functions. And if you want to use the Internet from i’m Watch, it goes through your smartphone, in “tethering” mode.
                                                     

 BELOW ARE THE SOME OF THE ATTRACTING FEATURES OF I`M WATCH  

                                                                        Calls

 If you receive a call, you can see who’s calling, wherever you left your smartphone. Make a call straight from your i’m Watch by dialing the number or selecting a contact from your Address book 

                                                                         SMS 

Receive and read all your texts directly on your i’m Watch display. Think later about how to reply.

                                                                        E-mail

  Don’t miss a single e-mail: Mail is perfect for managing your e-mail in any situation. Appointments Not just any old calendar but a complete management system for events and appointments.

 Waoo you may say, but we are not stopping here technologically because the best is yet to happen. 

                                                     

CARRER CHOICE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

Computer Science usually abbreviated as CS is the science that practically deals with computation and its application. Computer science is one of today’s hottest/top majors, according to the Princeton Review. With new technological innovations driving up the demand for skilled scientists, computer science majors have a number of exciting career opportunities open to them, in anything from cloud computing to mobile application development. 

Furthermore, many computer science jobs have seen significant growth in recent time due to businesses and organizations increasing their reliance on technology to advertise their products and services and possibly trade electronically. Computer science is a wide field hence individuals who are interested in choosing a career in  the field can make a choice from the under listed.  

1. Software Engineer
2. Java Developer
3. System Analyst
4. .NET Developer
5. Software Developer
6. Web Developer
7.  Systems Administrator
8.  Project Manager
9. Network Engineer
10. Systems Engineer
11. Graphic Designer
12. Data Administrator
13. Computer Instructor/Lecturer

Employment opportunities for computer scientists are expected to increase 21% between 2012 - 2020. Computer science field is one field that is open to all irrespective of individual discipline which is one of the competitive factor also in computer science today. Caleb whom studied Agricultural science in the university diverted into networking and graphics design after graduation and become a good competitor to Ezinne who originally studied computer science. Read more

WHY PASSWORD SECURITY ON MY DEVICE?

Device could be any electronic machine where information is contained /stored. Some good examples of device are Mobile phone, PCs, USB Flash drive, Hard disk drive (HDD) and the like. Password is what protects your file/document or device from being access by others either on a network or directly on the system. When choosing a password, make sure your choice is not what can be easily guessed by people that know you. It is advice that you do not use your name, surname and date of birth as password since any of these could be easily guessed by pals or relations. There are different levels of password, these ranges from simple level to complex level. A given password is considered simple if it alphabetical phrase only like AROME or arome or numerical only like 12345 or 54321. It is obvious that any of this can be guessed by people that are close to you. When choosing a password, choose a complex level password which is the combination of numerical symbols, numerical symbols and even special symbols like %#Arome23 or 32#abc2&wa. It takes special software like Horse to reveal a complex password like this. You are strongly advice in your own interest to have a diary where your password can be written should it escape your mind otherwise you will be at some experts mercies.

In the wake of a couple of massive security breaches, security experts have advised that we have a password on every of our device containing information that we considered vital either on the network or directly on the system. Device manufacturers are aware of this that is why almost all the device that can be purchased today comes with password capacity to prevent unauthorized access to devices. By now you have probably heard the time-worn guidelines for creating strong passwords: Don’t use your name or other common words. Use different passwords for different sites. Change them often. Choose security questions that don’t involve information that everyone knows about you, or stuff that crooks can easily find on your social network like Facebook, Twitter etc.

IS TECHNOLOGY A RIGHT MOVE IN A GOOD DIRECTION?

The consistent growth of technology in our modern world today is gradually humbling the universe with diverse innovations of the brave mind. The world is rapidly changing that we wake up every day to realize what we knew yesterday is no longer relevant today thereby compiling us to be consistently update our knowledge base as to meet up with the unforeseen technological challenges. Before the advent of wireless digital mobile phone in Nigeria in 2001, communication was done on the then popular NITEL land line where callers and receivers journey to make and receive their calls respectively. This mobile phone was then mainly for certain individuals who were rated above the middle class but today, the story has a new song as even the beggar on the street is now a proud owner of smartphone having access to the entire world from a given geographical location, buying and selling without having a glimpse of how the manufacturers factories and store house look like. Individual now run their daily bank transaction using technology hence bringing the services of bank staff to minimal and this has cost many their jobs in recent time in the banking industries to be precise where mass retrenchment ensue periodically after technological advancement. The current cashless policy can attest to this fact where numbers of staff at the bank counter were drastically reduced thereby increasing the unemployment rate.  While many have come to believe that technology has brought positive results to the society because of the present improvement in the social well-being, some are still skeptical. Nevertheless if there were no technology, you wouldn’t have been able to read this post.
Technology has undoubtedly enhanced modern life in many ways to mention but a few are in communication, transportation and sciences. Before the invention of telegram and telephones, taking information from one place to another was quite challenging and unmanageable. If we look at it critically today, the revise is the case. Information can now be conveyed swiftly from one end to another within a twinkle of an eye. The global news networks had also aided people all over the world through information dissemination. For instance, news can be presented on website and social network (Facebook, tweeter, etc.) about what is happening on the other side of the world, weather forecast and natural disasters are foretold before they occur base on feasibility studies. click here for further piece

Life event can be viewed from distance as it happen crystal clear via remote computer/telecast, places can be monitored via CCTV-www.stencomm.com and record for playback with good visibility, employers can monitor the timing of his/her employee with time attendance register, fire out break can be monitored with fire alarm system and all of that. All of the aforementioned were in the time past human responsibilities and now that they are handled technologically and denying people of their jobs , the big question is “Is technology a right move in a good direction?

A wise man once said “In life, if you solved a problem you have only succeeded in creating more problems”. Technology were meant to add colour to life, relieving people of their daily stress by simplifying life, but in life, everything that has a good side also has a negative aspect in which technology is no exception.