TechFarmer
Wheat
The "Mini" Harvester
Issue #4April 2011

 

 

TechFarmer News 

  

 

 

TechFarmer Office 

  
  
March Giveaway  
  
Congratulations to Sarah M. for being the winner of TechFarmer's first quarter giveaway! Sarah won two tickets to Four Mile Park's 8th Annual Corks and Cuisine! If you are interested in attending, please click here for more information about this event.
  
  
 Corks and Cuisine 
  
  
  
Outdoor Buddies  
  
TechFarmer attended the Outdoor Buddies Banquet at the Wildlife Experience

on March 26th, 2011 and was honored to participate in the silent and live auctions. We also donated a full day fishing trip at Eleven Mile Canyon for two people, where one or both people are mobility disabled. We hope that the folks that get to go on the trip have a wonderful time enjoying the beautiful outdoors! For more information about Outdoor Buddies please click here

 

 Outdoor Buddies 
  
  
  
 Please Recycle! 
  
Remember to recycle technology that is no longer being used. Because electronics contain toxic elements and are not biodegradable, they should be broken down and reused. This is where we come in! Please contact us at TechFarmer if you would like to find out more about our recycling program. Feel good about yourself and this beautiful planet! 
  
    
Recycle  
  

Smart Phones and Tablets 

Smart Phones and Tablets

 

The time is upon us where computing technology is truly at a new starting or reset point.  We are engaged in a more relaxed coexistence with these devices and the functions they perform.  We call these types of technologies Lite Computing or LC for short.  Smartphone and Tablets make up the majority of these devices mostly due to the Consumerization of IT. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumerization

There are many types of LC devices becoming more and more available and while the hardware is important, it is the software and content driving the market.  Operating systems such as Android (DROID-Google), IOS (iStuff- Apple), Windows Mobile (Microsoft) interact with content delivery systems like the Android Market, and the Apple App Store.  For measure, the mobile app market for LC type devices was $6.8 Billion dollars in 2010.  It is estimated to reach upwards of $25 Billion by 2015. 
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/marketsandmarkets-world-mobile-applications-market-worth-us25-billion-by-2015-114087839.html

It's very common to hear someone say, "There's an app for that!"  There usually is and it's just getting started.  For instance, I have an app that can interface with the digital port on my vehicle.  How amazing would it be to be able to plug my phone or tablet into any vehicle, generate communication to the dealership or repair shop of your choice, have them know what the problem is without even having the vehicle?  Imagine them acquiring and staging parts before you show up.   Before too long we will no longer be making phone calls.  We will just communicate and collaborate.   

We are experiencing a complete shift in how we interface with our technology, and what our technology can accomplish.  Tech guys like us have been waiting for a long time to have powerful computers in the palm of our hands.  We are now more focused of the "experience" of the technology rather than the technology itself.  Tablets and Smart Phones provide such an experience.    

In the field of education, tablets will become a necessity.  Tablets allow students to interact with the lesson plan more effectively and educate intuitively to the student.  How about delivering a history lesson interactively that can be touched, felt and heard?  What if that student then wants more information?  It is simply a finger press away.  Imagine.  http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-elizabeth-charter-school-students-go-digital-with-ipad2-20110309,0,6311783.story

Smart Phones are everywhere, but tablets are really just starting to emerge themselves.  If you are in the market for a tablet, there are a few things to consider.
 

Cost: Entry level tablets are what we label anything under $200.00 USD.  Once you go above that mark and increase, you are getting into serious tablet computing and options.
 
Capacitive vs Resistive: This is the type of screen.  Resistive devices are less expensive, while the capacitive devices make up the more advanced types of LC.
http://www.techfarmer.com/articles/capacitive_vs_resistive.htm

Connectivity: All devices will have standard WiFi, but would you want to be more connected?  This is where 3G and 4G data plans and services from Verizon, ATT, Sprint, etc... will come into play.  With one of these plans you could be connected anywhere, anytime where there is coverage.  Devices with that capability will cost a little more and will have a monthly service fee.  Service fees start around $20.00 per month and go upwards of $80.00 per month.  These plans are unfortunately metered.  This means there are no unlimited data plans and if you go over your metered amount, there will be an additional fee of around $10.00 per Gigabyte of transfer.  Let the market breathe and we should see larger plans for less money, but it could be a few years out.
 

Droid vs IOS:
This really has to do with the app store and currently these are two that dwarf everything else available.  While the Droid Market and the Apple App Store have tens of thousands of apps, it ultimately comes down to which device and experience you like the most, and which app store you believe will give you the best overall experience.  Unfortunately Apps are not transferable between app stores, however any app purchased within each store can be installed to as many of each respective device you own.  For instance, if you buy 1 app from the Droid Market, you can install it on as many Droid based devices as you wish.  Same holds true with Apple App Store and I-devices.  One cannot however transfer an app from a Droid to an Apple or vice versa.  You will likely find if you locate an app that you really like in one market, you can probably locate it in the other.
 
Keep in Mind: Tablets and Smart Phones are not a replacement to a computer.  They are supplemental.  That being said and in a few years time, that statement will likely be reversed.

E-Reader Capability: Tablets all will come with E-Reader capabilities; however a tablet may not be the best choice, especially if you read for long amounts at a time.  Tablets are backlight which means your eyes will fatigue quicker than devices specifically made for reading.  If reading is your need, consider an Amazon Kindle (or something else with electronic ink technology) in trade or in conjunction with a tablet.  Your eyes will thank you.      

The following is a list of devices that are fully functional and offer a great experience:

Samsung Galaxy Tab
iPad and iPad2
Motorola Xoom
Asus EeePad Transformer
Acer Iconia W500
Sprint HTC Evo View
LG G-Slate
RIM BlackBerry PlayBook

Other LC devices and technology you may have not seen.
 
http://www.notionink.com/ 
 
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/07/kno-single-and-dual-screen-tablets-hands-on-video/ 
 
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/06/asus-tablet-lineup-preview-slider-transformer-memo-and-slate/ 
 
http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/WEBTOP/Meet-WEBTOP 
 
http://www.corninggorillaglass.com/

 

 

Thank you so much for your continuous support. We are proud to be your local IT provider! If you have any thoughts or suggestions please email or call us, we would love to hear from you!
  
                                                  TechFarmer

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