Kunal Dua » articles

RAOTW – Wireless USB

Kunal — Mon, 13 Jun 2005 19:29:45 +0000

Nothing much happening at all anywhere (or so it seems), so let’s go back to take a look at a technology of which I’ve heard a lot less than I expected to when I wrote this article around the same time last year. I wonder what’s happening on this front – yet another item added to the always-growing-never-shrinking to-do list.

Also, stay away from Mr and Mrs Smith – do not let your friends talk into seeing it no matter what. Give the money you would spend to charity instead – I promise you the movie isn’t worth it.

RAOTW – DivX Internals

Kunal — Thu, 21 Apr 2005 17:45:19 +0000

Here’s a layman’s guide to how DivX works.

PS – In case you’ve been wondering (for weeks) what RAOTW is, it stands for “Random Article Of The Week” – innovative or what?!! Consider this as a feature where I take you back to one of my “retro” articles; articles that are still relevant of course.

Handhelds revisited – Palm Tungsten C/ T3

Kunal — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 18:09:24 +0000

The Palm Tungsten C
The lean mean business machine

The Palm Tungsten means business. It runs Palm OS 5.2.1, is powered by a 400 MHz Intel XScale chip and ships with 64 MB of RAM. The Secure Digital/ Multi Media Card (SD/MMC) expansion slot lets you push the capacity of your Palm by an additional 512 MB.

It features a 65,000 color trans-reflective screen and an integrated keyboard just below it. You will find a five-way navigator, and four function buttons at the bottom. Your communication options include Wi-Fi and IR.

The Tungsten C comes with an excellent software bundle including a VPN client, a good browser and the powerful Palm VersaMail 2.5, which can handle almost all kinds of e-mail attachments better than most PDA e-mail programs. It also comes with a USB cradle, which can be used for both charging your device as well as syncing it with your PC or Mac.

But the Tungsten C isnï¿½ï¿½ï¿½t quite music to your earsï¿½ï¿½ï¿½it ships only with a mono headphone jack, and has no MP3 player installed by default. You can always download a player, but thereï¿½ï¿½ï¿½s pretty much nothing you can do about the headphone jack.

So if you want music on your Palm, take a look at the Tungsten C cousin, the T3. The Tungsten T3 has a stereo headphone jack, a stretchable screen and Bluetooth. But remember, in this case you have to let go of the integrated keyboard and Wi-Fi.

Tungsten C
Vital stats: 4.8 by 3.1 by 0.65 inches, 180 grams
Full review Buy it now

Tungsten T3
Vital stats: 4.3-by-3.0-by-0.63-inch, 155 grams
Full review Buy it now

Handhelds revisited – Dell Axim X30

Kunal — Sun, 10 Apr 2005 19:59:46 +0000

I found a few write-ups on specific PDAs lying around on my system today. These write-ups were never used where they were intended, so in the spirit of recycling I have decided to post them here. As you can see they’re kinda crisp and to the point – as much information packed into a 30 second reading routine as possible.

Dell Axim X30
“The powerhouse”

It may seem like an ordinary PDA until you look under the hood. If youï¿½ï¿½ï¿½re the type who wants to be ahead of the others in technology, then this workhorse is definitely worth a look. While most PDAs today are still based on Intelï¿½ï¿½ï¿½s Xscale processors, this one moves ahead and uses Intelï¿½ï¿½ï¿½s next generation processor, the Bulverde, which zips along at 624 MHz.

The PDA also uses the latest Windows Mobile OS 2003 SE. Other major features include built-in WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, and 64 MB of RAM and ROM each. Given all these features, itï¿½ï¿½ï¿½s fairly compact in size. It has a standard 3.5 inch TFT display that supports 65,536 colors and 240×320 pixel resolution. Besides the regular five-way navigational keypad, it has two shortcut keys. One enables/disables WiFi, while the other controls the voice record function.

If you think youï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ve had enough, then youï¿½ï¿½ï¿½re mistaken. The PDA also has an IR port and a flash memory expansion slot.

Vital stats: 4.6 by 3 by 0.6 inches, 133 grams

You can read a full review over at CNET or buy it here.

RAOTW – GSM Technology

Kunal — Tue, 29 Mar 2005 18:07:56 +0000

An overview of a typical GSM setup. Actually it’s more than an overview, but a little short of “in-depth”. Somewhere in between. Read it here.

RAOTW – Cell Processor

Kunal — Sat, 19 Mar 2005 19:11:04 +0000

A recent article that looks at the the cell processor, supposed to be the next big thing as far as processors are concerned. The highly anticipated PS3, will be powered by one of these babies.

Wrote this one for the January issue of PCQ. Read it here.

RAOTW – The MPEG Evolution

Kunal — Tue, 08 Mar 2005 17:58:37 +0000

A brand new feature… where I point you to one of my articles. Some of these articles were written a while back, but I’ll post only ones that are equally “fresh” today as well.

The MPEG Evloution and How MPEG works
In this article, I take a look at how MPEG has evolved over the years and, in very basic terms, try to explain how the MPEG compression works. So if you’ve always wondered what the hell MPEG stands for or want to know a bit more than that, click here.

All comments/ criticism to be left right here on this page :)

Alternate Careers for IT professionals (contd)

Kunal — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 16:59:07 +0000

Here’s the final part like promised.

Unusual Careers for IT professionals – Part 3

Tech Cop

Put your analytical skills to some good use and save the nation. Okay, maybe thatï¿½ï¿½ï¿½s a little bit theatrical and over the top, but you can atleast use your technological expertise to help catch some of the bad guys.

The ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½regular: cops are no techies ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ to them Java IS a cup of coffee (not even that to the cops I have seen in Delhi Police, but that is for another time and place). If the investigative agencies are to fight against cyber crimes and the likes they need more IT guys working with/ for them. Going though ISP logs trying to track down the hackers is quite a challenge and a UNIX guru is more likely toï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ grepï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ out the offender than a traffic constable. That is where you can chip in and go back home satisfied having put one more bad guy behind the bars. And get paid a reasonable amount as well.

Investigative agencies all around the world are almost always ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½on the lookoutï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ for techies guy willing to work with them on such assignments. Sub-Inspector Software Engineer could be your very own answer to B.A.-L.L.B. ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ well almost!

Or you couldï¿½Ä¶

Just help some non-profit organization streamline their data flow.

In other words, you could use your experience gained from working on projects for large corporates to provide IT solutions to smaller organizations that work for a cause. They may not be able to pay as much as the bigwigs, if at all, so you might (understandably) not be too enthusiastic to work for them full time. But you can always keep your current job (or get one if youï¿½ï¿½ï¿½re starting out) and utilize your spare time to work for them. It will make you feel a lot better about yourself, I can assure. Earning money isnï¿½ï¿½ï¿½t the only objective, is it? Call it geeksï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ social work, if you like.

*Concluded*

Alternate Careers for IT professionals (contd)

Kunal — Thu, 03 Mar 2005 16:53:02 +0000

This should tell you how serious I am about this daily updates thing ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Iï¿½ï¿½ï¿½m on dialup right now!! The meterï¿½ï¿½ï¿½s running, so here you go.

Unusual Careers for IT professionals – Part 2

Sports Technology

So you love sports, eh? Eat, drink and sleep cricket, soccer or any other sport? And of course you consider yourself to be a tech buff as well. So why not consider a career that combines both your passions? Sounds too good to be true doesnï¿½ï¿½ï¿½t it? Well, it isnï¿½ï¿½ï¿½t.

Technology has had a huge impact on Sports, like practically every other sphere of life. Some of this is apparent to you, as a viewer and a fan, while a lot of it isnï¿½ï¿½ï¿½t. Players and teams prepare for their events using scientific methods and techniques that were unheard of some time back. Needless to say, computers are the heart and soul of these methods. Be it simple tasks like keeping track of the playerï¿½ï¿½ï¿½s diet and weight or complex ones like tracking the movement of each player in a soccer game, all of these are done by computers.

Ever thought of who crunches those numbers or keeps that software running in perfect shape? It could be you. Almost every top team in most sports today utilizes services of one or more computer experts to help them realize the potential of modern day technology to the fullest. And you donï¿½ï¿½ï¿½t need any special qualifications to get one of those jobs ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ I guess being at the right place at the right time is all that matters. And if you get a chance to work with a Indian cricket team or Liverpool Football Club, the money will be good for sure as well.

Another area where technologists fit in is the sphere of sports broadcasting. Most of you would have seen software technology like ProZone (used to analyze soccer matches) and Hawk Eye which is used by broadcasters. All these have been made possible thanks to the ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½techiesï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ who have worked to see these ideas through to success.

To drive home the point that this work is not all play, consider that ProZone is a company that employs hundreds of people who work towards providing computer generated analysis and reports of hundreds of soccer matches played all over Europe to anyone whoï¿½ï¿½ï¿½s interested and willing to pay their fees. Most of the top broadcasters and clubs in UK and abroad, subscribe to their services. They are the ones who tell you that Steven Gerrard makes an average of 6.57 tackles per game and that Henry dribbles 3.44 times a game.

Hereï¿½ï¿½ï¿½s to a career where your boss wonï¿½ï¿½ï¿½t give you an earful when youï¿½ï¿½ï¿½re watching a match at work!

To be continuedï¿½Ä¶

Alternate Careers for IT professionals

Kunal — Wed, 02 Mar 2005 11:53:45 +0000

In this 3 part series (a part a day) I’ll take a look at some of the options techies can consider when looking to do something “different”. They aren’t “build-an-egg-farm-the-hi-tech-way” kind of unusual – I leave those kind for you to find out. These are careers you’re definitely aware of, but may not necessarily be aware how easy or difficult making the switch can be.

I wrote this for PCQ originally but they never got around to publishing it – don’t ask me why. So you may find that I have “toned myself down” a little bit here – go figure. There might be a few India specific references in the article as well which I can’t be arsed to change/ remove right now. Here you go.

Unusual Careers for IT professionals

There are careers and there are careers. Even within the IT industry there are many paths that you can follow ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ you could be a coder, tester, an analyst or if youï¿½ï¿½ï¿½re lucky and know Word and Excel, you could be a project manager. But all of these are more of the same ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ all of them are predictable, done-to-death kind of jobs. Have you ever wondered if you could do something that isnï¿½ï¿½ï¿½t your typical job whilst still using your technological skills? Read on.

Music

If you love music and think creating software is more of an art than science, there might be a musician hidden in you somewhere! Technology is playing a bigger part that ever in the creation as well as distribution of music. So whether youï¿½ï¿½ï¿½re a twenty something software engineer looking for a career change or someone just starting out with a zest for technology, if you believe you have music in your genes, you can seriously consider it as a career option.

Artists that are afraid of experimenting with technology fear being left behind these days. But since the computer is already your best friend, no fear! All you need is some decent hardware and specialized software and youï¿½ï¿½ï¿½re good to go. You no longer need to hire an orchestra or rent a studio to create and record your own musical masterpiece.

Infact, you donï¿½ï¿½ï¿½t even need to know how to play any of the musical instruments to create digital music. No harm done if you can play them of course. The software can ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½simulateï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ the sound of practically any musical instrument out there ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ you can change the ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½vroomï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ into ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½whamï¿½ï¿½ï¿½, with one stroke of genius, err, keyboard. You need some music sense and a MIDI controller to create some real original stuff ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ you can buy the latter off the shelves. Or you can use one or more of the various pre-recorded ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½loopsï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ that ship with the software to come out with your own remix version of the latest hit number.

The line between technology and music is blurring by the day ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ and no Iï¿½ï¿½ï¿½m not referring to techno music. Many a performer illustrate this example. DJs who mix music on their laptop at home and plug it straight into the sound system while performing are no longer an uncommon sight. Our very own A.R. Rehman is a bit of ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½geekï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ himself as he composes most, if not all, of his music on his computer.

Even distributing music is now tech friendly with stores like iTunes that make selling music for the garage band musicians a reality. So whatï¿½ï¿½ï¿½s stopping the Rehman in you?

To be continued…