The Microsoft HoloLens

During the Windows 10 event held in January 2015, we saw something a lot more than Windows 10. Something that is virtual reality and at the same time, is not virtual reality. This peculiar device is Microsoft’s HoloLens. There isn’t much to say about the HoloLens. But some say it is Microsoft’s answer to PlayStation’s Project Morpheus, while others say it is a device to “combine the digital and real world."

The main idea of the HoloLens is to have a new medium to express creativity. For example, on a Skype call, instructions for the other person can be drawn while performing a task, which are holograms.

HoloLens can also be used for gaming. Minecraft was one game shown by Microsoft (probably) because of Microsoft’s recent purchase of Mojang), and there could be more games soon. It shows  the world of blocks in your living room. You can use your table to build a house, a model of a dinosaur or even a pair of underpants. You can create anything!

You can do a lot more such as sticking virtual sticky notes, looking at virtual recipes, making designs to anything or even use your wall as an App Drawer. HoloLens integrates the real world with the virual world for an enhanced experience of the existing world. This is a new medium of creating and sharing ideas.

The HoloLens can also be used for entertainment. Want to watch your favourite sports team play? Just turn on your device. Want to watch the video of the Mars Rover? Go ahead! You can use gestures and your voice to control the device. HoloLens understands your movements and Gestures.

HoloLens is an interactive device that can change the way we create and share ideas. This is virtual reality and at the same time, it isn’t as we have a virtual world, as well as the real world interacting together. This device can also have a great impact on learning and the way we understand. Here is a preview of the HoloLens:

As a fan of Back To The Future, I can safely assure you that the future is here.

Installing an Alternate OS

Why most programmers need an alternate operating system and how you should go about getting one

A few (of the many) Linux Distros

If you are reading this on a laptop or a desktop computer, I can say with 98.98 percent (Courtesy : netmarketshare.com) surety that you are using a version of either the Windows or Mac Operating System

Generally, a single operating system is sufficient for most computer users. But when you are developing software for multiple operating systems, or using your computer for things like making a web server, or running very specific development environments, often one operating system ceases to be enough.

Running more than one operating system on a computer or dual-booting as it is usually called ( or triple-boot, quad-boot, etc, although the word usage is not as common as dual-boot) is actually very simple and easy, but if you fail to follow some basic procedures, you could end up losing your data, or being unable to use even one OS. Even more terrible things, depending on how bad you mess up.

However operating systems need not always be installed. More on virtualization later.
Here are some questions you will most probably have if you are new to installing operating systems :

1) Which OS should I install?

You should install whatever operating system best suits your particular programming requirements. Windows and OSX are generally best suited for app and software development for those platforms.
For most other things, Linux flavours are popular. If you simply want to install a Linux OS, I would personally recommend either Ubuntu or Debian. Both have easy installations, great support bases, lots of software and applications, and a modern UI.

In the end it comes down simply to what best fits your comfort zone. The Mac OS is better suited for programming than Windows. But neither of these are as popular as open-source Linux distros.

2) Is it compulsory to install an OS to use it?

First of all, it is not required for you to actually install an OS on your hard disk to use one. Lots of Linux operating systems let you run operating systems on flash drives and cd’s. Usually this is to let you demo the OS before installing, but with this method you can actually use an entire OS without it installing on your hard drive.

Virtualbox

Almost all operating systems out there can be run by virtualization. What this means is that you use an OS within another OS. There are several great software for doing this, for both Windows and Mac (Also Linux). Virtualbox and VMware (Virtualbox is free) come on the very top of the list.
You can run pretty much any operating system - Android, iOS, Windows, OSX, (Xu/Ku/Edu/Lu/U)buntu, Debian, Fedora, Red Hat - anything as long as your processor supports (hardware) virtualization technology or VT.

Virtualbox can, to a large extent manage on older processors which do not have `VT` enabled, however performance might be low. VMware requires some bypassing commands to do the same.

Anything newer than Intel Pentium or AMD Athlon would probably support VT, but check your processor specifications before trying to run a virtual OS.

3) Are there any precautions I should take before trying to install a new OS.

Yes! As I mentioned before, you might murder your computer by accident when installing an OS, so always take a backup of all you data onto ANOTHER COMPUTER or a HARD DISK.
Before installing any OS, always read the specifications fully, including the version you are planning to install. Check on forums for any complaints people have had when they have tried to install that particular version of that OS on your computer model.

Also its always better to partition your hard drive when you start the installation process. Most Operating Systems allow you to partition your hard drive before installation, but its always better to do it beforehand to ensure nothing goes wrong. It's usually easiest if you use your current OS to partition. If you're on Windows use the Disk Management tool, Disk Utility on Mac, and GParted on Linux.

Never,ever,ever install an OS onto the same partition as another OS. Always take care you select an empty partition during installation.

4) Which installation method should I use?

When you ‘download an OS’ in most cases you are actually downloading an ISO file, or a compressed ISO file. This ISO file can either be burnt to a CD, or to a USB. Its up to you, to choose which. Some old computers may not be able to boot from USB.

Its not just enough MOVING the ISO file to a CD or USB. It must be burnt, so as to make it BOOTABLE.

There are plenty of software for burning ISO files. Here are two free ones, for the lazy and the uninitiated (Disclaimer : Don’t blame me if this causes your computer to explode, or transform into a killer robot)

• For burning to discs : Free Iso Burner
• For burning to USB : ISO to USB

Boot devices menu in the BIOS 

After you burn the ISO image, insert the USB/Disc. Run the autorun if it has one - it most likely will - or directly proceed to restart your computer. Before your OS loads, on the BIOS screen, hit the key for the boot option menu (Usually f9 on PC’s) and select either USB or CD depending on which your OS is loaded. I bid you smooth sailing.

5) Precautions to take DURING installation

Stating the obvious here - Whenever you are installing a new OS, make sure to keep your computer fully charged and plugged in.

Keep your Internet easily accessible. Always. WiFi is recommended, but Cable will also work. If you use a dongle, try to convert it’s network into a hotspot as the OS you just install maybe unable to use it. Have another computer standing as backup, in case your installation goes boink.

Ensure you have all the files you may need, already downloaded and ready to be booted if required. I personally would recommend downloading the boot repair disk and putting it on either a bootable CD or USB, especially if you are installing Linux.

The boot repair disk can be downloaded here.

The boot repair disk can be booted from directly. It’s main function is to fix GRUB, but it also contains very useful tools, such as GParted the partition editor, as well as an OS-Uninstaller. It can also be used to access the Internet, in case you need some urgent help.

6) What should I do if something goes wrong during the install

Odds are, the install will not go ferpectly the ristf eimt. Maybe there were driver problems. Maybe your computer was not fully compatible with the OS version you tried to install. Maybe you made some other mistakes. Whatever happens, it’s always best if you try the whole install afresh. If you think the operating system has not installed completely or with some defects, use the boot repair disk to uninstall the operating system, format the partition that you installed the OS on, and try again.

In case of a failed install, Purge, Cleanse and Start over!

7) The OS has been installed. Now what?

So all the installation is done. Check if everything is functioning as it should. The only tests you need to run, are with the hardware. Just make sure all your hardware components - speakers, keyboard, touchpad/mouse, camera, ports - are all functioning correctly. If there is a problem with anything, try looking on forums if you're experiencing a known issue with the OS. More likely than not, the drivers will need to be updated, and once this is done, your new OS will be ready.

Also ensure your multi-boot screen is functioning correctly. ( This will be GRUB if you have any linux versions installed ) The boot repair disk can fix most issues with GRUB. If you have installed Windows freshly, GRUB may not be accessible during startup and you will directly boot Windows. Again, the boot repair disk can fix this issue.

The Grand Unified Bootloader

Aah, the satisfaction of using a freshly installed OS

Some General tips for Linux : Start using the terminal for even basic things. That way you'll get the hang of it. Install updates, as soon as you get your system up and running.

General tips for Ubuntu : Click Here for a quick list of things to do immediately after you install Ubuntu.

---

This post is crosspublished on my blog, The New Age Tech Connoisseur
Go forth and conquer!

Texas Instruments Quiz - More Questions!

Hello everybody!

So as I said in my previous post, I wanted to put up a few more questions for preparation and just for fun. These are some interesting questions which you can try.

1. Most vehicles have an RPM meter but even when the vehicle is at idle, the RPM meter does not show zero. (But the engine is turned on). So this meter shows the RPM of what? (Try to get the specific answer)
2. When you open a refrigerator and then close it, sometimes the fridge door get 'stuck' and needs a lot of force to open it. However if left alone for sometime, the door opens normally again. How do you explain the door getting stuck and then opening normally again sometime later?
3. Satellites are placed in space and many of them continuously face the sun and receive heat from it. This should cause them to keep heating up until the temperature becomes very high and the satellite is damaged. But this does not happen. How / Why?
4. Nokia posted this as a response to 'X'. ID X.
5. There is a natural gas field in Turmekistan called the Door To Hell. Soviet engineers in 1971 found this natural gas site but the whole region collapsed into a crater. They lit the gas and expected it to burn out within a few weeks but it continues to burn till date. Even though burning the gas produces CO2 which is a greenhouse gas, it is considered to be better than letting the gas escape. Why?
6. In a camera with an electronic flash, immediately after clicking a photo with the flash, a high-frequency whirring sound can be heard sometimes. We say that the 'flash is charging'. What exactly needs to charge? Why does it need to charge? 
7. Related to the previous question. Explain why this sound is heard. (You might also hear it some other electronics)
8. What purpose did screensavers serve on computer screens and TVs?
9. There was an app called 'Bump' which allowed two people with the app to just bump their phones to share files with each other over the internet. It does not use Bluetooth or NFC. Can you explain how this worked?
10. The picture below has many red dots. What do these represent? (Hint: Related to automobiles)

 

Try to answer as many as you can!

Getting Started with XDA

XDA Developers is a mobile software development community of over 5 million members worldwide, started in January 2003. Although discussion primarily revolves around Android, members also talk about many other operating systems and mobile development topics.


Why would I use XDA?

Have you thought of rooting your Android device, or changing something that is not really available using an app? If yes, I'm sure you've come across XDA. As I already mentioned, XDA is a site where people discuss about Android and find guides to customize their devices to the highest levels.

XDA is a also the major hub for Open-Source Android Development and there is always something to learn.

The following sections give you the basics to understand XDA lingo

What is rooting? 

Well there’s no real definition to rooting. But I would say it as “Gaining superuser access to an android device”. Its similar to running programs as administrators in Windows, or running a command with sudo in Linux. (sudo is "SuperUser do")

Some important terms: 

Root:  It is the permission obtained to run special apps to enhance the working of your Android device. This can include SetCPU or Helium. This can be done by either flashing the SuperSU application through the recovery or flashing a custom rom which has root privileges.

Flash:  When you install something on your device using methods other than running a simple installer. These methods are generally "flashing" from a custom recovery or bootloader.

For eg. When you install the Gmail app from the Play store it is not called flashing.

But if you install Gmail on your phone using the recovery, it can be called flashing. Why would you install Gmail using the recovery? Read on to know what GApps are.

ROM:  A rom is the firmware (software) that runs on an Android device. There are two types of ROMs.

Stock ROM:  This is the original firmware which comes with the device when you buy it and/or gets updates from the manufacturer.

Custom ROM:  This is the ROM you flash when you want to completely change the software your phone is running. Popular examples include CyanogenMod, AOKP, Paranoid Android.

GApps:  When you first install a custom ROM, you need some apps to actually use the device. These apps are generally the Google apps. These apps are standardized according to your Android version in a package called GApps that is flashed right after flashing the ROM.

Bootloader:  Lowest level of software which runs all code for the OS to boot up.

Recovery:  It is a piece of software which allows you to take backup of ROMs, flash ROMs and many do many system level tasks. This is also a main part of rooting a device. In most cases it is recommended that you first install a custom recovery like TWRP or CWM.

Brick:  Bricking an android device is the act of ruining the internal firmware or the kernel. Again there is soft brick and hard brick. A soft brick, is usually just when you're phone is stuck in a bootloop, and as the name implies, is caused by a software error, usually the lack of a system to boot from or some other minor software bug that glitching boot. Hard brick as the word suggests means that the phone can now be used only as a paper weight.

Kernel:  A kernel can be thought of something which communicates between the firmware and the hardware of your device. There are many custom kernels too which can be used to overclock the CPU or enhance battery life and things like that.

ADB:  It is a command-line tool from Google to communicate with your device when it is connected to the computer. It stands for Android Debug Bridge.

OEM:  This is an acronym for Original Equipment Manufacturer. Every Android device manufacturer is an OEM.

A more technical post can be found here [Link]

GENERAL METHODS FOR ROOTING
(Based on OEM)

(WARNING!: This is not the recommended guide for your specific device. Official rooting guides can be found on xda-developers. )

There are some applications which help you root your device. However it is not recommended as they can brick your device unless they are verified by users.

SAMSUNG:
Since Samsung releases a heck load of devices every year, so it keeps changing from device to device. Old Samsung phones like the Galaxy Ace, Galaxy Pop, etc., required just flashing a Superuser zip file on a ClockWorkMod Recovery. Samsung phones(2012-2013) need Odin (which is a tool from Samsung to tweak Samsung phones) to flash a zip file to root your devices.
Newer Samsung devices have difficult procedures to root due to implementation of Samusung Knox on Exynos chipsets.

HTC:
Just a few years back HTC phones were the toughest phones to root.
These days HTC phones are as easy as they can come. But you need to register on their website to your device.
There are also plenty of HTC rootkits available. 

SONY:
Since Sony is becoming open day by day the methods of rooting their phones is also becoming easier. Older phones like the Xperia S/T/U require the rootkits from Sony. Newer phones get rooted using TowelRoot itself (Xperia Z/Z1). 

LG:
This is surprising but there this app called StumpRoot which root can all LG devices. 

Nexus:
Since these devices are from Google, they require some special steps to root the device. ADB should be installed on the PC, bootloader should be unlocked using this and custom recovery should be flashed. Using the custom recovery flash the SuperSU zip and you’re done.
But one important thing of note is that there is almost no way of hard-bricking a nexus.


Xiaomi: 
There are also some devices which come pre-rooted which enables the user to have root permissions out of the box.

The Moto G has already been covered in a previous blog post.

Consequences of rooting: 

• Warranty is void (On most phones).
• Chances of getting bricked become high.
• If you don't know what you are doing, you may get unexpected behavior.

How do I use XDA without harming my device?

While following guides

• Read the whole guide once and check if have all the prerequisites to complete the process
• If you don't know how to do something, ask around or find out
• Follow each and every step carefully and do not skip anything or mess up the order.

Should I register on XDA?

We were all once new to XDA-Developers, and it can be daunting to get started on a site as large as XDA. If you use XDA to simply read and download files (attachments), there is no real use of registering on the website. But if you want to post questions and add your own stuff then you should register.

I would also like to mention that there is a mobile app, where you can browse forums.

You should really watch this video if you want to be a member on XDA

If you run into problems, feel free to tag the author, Sanjay Krishnan, Gautam Padiyar or Sushant Rao and ask a question on the G+ Community. We’ve all been in those situations.

Don't forget to +1, share, comment and point out mistakes (if any) in the comments section below.

Bio Mimicry

Please read the prequel to this here

When you are an admirer of Nature, it is hard to look at Nature without considering the acts of Man. Many of our scientific inventions and achievements appear to be narrow-sighted and flawed. What Nature produces is completely bio degradable – safe for the planet, safe for all the living creatures. But when Man started using technology to ‘enhance’ living on this planet, he has done more damage than good. Harmful toxins are released; dangerous radiations that threaten the survival of several species are the results of man’s rapid progress. Watch this

Is there any solution? Yes, people are now looking towards Nature and Her ways of solving man-made problems. This relatively new approach to science and technology is termed Bio Mimicry. Look around and just observe Nature’s fascinating ways.

Microbes, the tiniest of living creatures are ingenious engineers; watch how ants make ant hills and you will be surprised at the architectural skills

Impressed? Watch the TED video to understand how bio mimicry is being accepted today.

ReflecITion

Technology today has redefined our lives. What was unimaginable before has become a reality – wait a minute! Was it really unimaginable? The recent news article that carried the stories of inventions by ancient Indians seems to defy this statement. The fact that Indians initiated several technological advancements, show that as a civilization, we were far ahead in our approach to technology.

This might give rise to the all-important question – Are these claims true? What evidence do we have to substantiate this claim? Answering this is not easy. We have relied on oral rendition/transfer of knowledge in the past. Documenting our country’s rich history and scientific progress was undertaken by foreign travelers like Hiuen-Tsiang and Fa-Hien.This again has a philosophical connotation – our ancestors believed that knowledge is free and never felt the need to own what they have achieved – life itself is transient, so is owning (patenting) of success.

Today we work and think different – our needs revolve around technology- owning the latest phone, documenting our achievements in a digital format, having a flat screen Television, connecting to people through social media– the list grows for adults and the young alike. We have come a long way, haven’t we? It’s time now to think, to pause.Where are we heading? Should we not document/patent our achievements now? Where is that elusive progress in creative thinking, as a Society /as a Civilization? Should technological advancements be unfettered and exist without global boundaries? Can technology be the leveler, the panacea to bridge the gap between the developed and developing countries?

Texas Instruments Sci-Tech Quiz 2015

Hello everyone!

So the Texas Instruments Science and Technology Quiz is back in its 11th edition this year. The quiz will be conducted in 5 cities followed by a national finals which is held here in Bangalore. Students from classes 8 to 10 can participate. Our school has done really well in this quiz, and hopefully we continue to do so. 2 years ago, Barghav Cavale and I won this quiz. (In my 3rd attempt) A lot of you must be interested in attending this quiz, so I thought I could help all of you in preparing better.

The quiz primarily focuses on knowledge science concepts and the technology isn't really about the latest gadgets and its NOT an IT quiz like the ones which have been held in school for IT Fair or the TCS quiz. The science questions require some thinking and need to be explained.

Other than general knowledge and thinking, the best way to prepare would be to read howstuffworks.com's Science and Tech Sections (http://science.howstuffworks.com/). We were able to answer 3 or 4 questions from reading stuff here. (Ex: How noise cancelling headphones work, Regenerative breaking etc.) Knowing stuff about scientists, and the periodic table and the elements is necessary.

Last year, we conducted a quiz in school to select students for the TI quiz but the quiz was never held that year. So to get you started, have a look at those questions here and see how you do.
http://1drv.ms/1wWULxI (Its kind of difficult)

All the best to everyone who will be going this time! (Ask Chethana Ma'am for more details)

Abhishek