Tag Archives: Future of Computers

Goodbye our friend NPAPI

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We are starting to see changes in web browsers that will let us move forward, towards a future of the web that works for everyone on any device. Google has announced that it will stop supporting NPAPI in it’s Chrome browser and Mozilla has announced that it is changing how NPAPI works in the Firefox browser. This is a big change because mobile devices, tablets and locked down systems do not have plugins or can not have plugins installed.

With the advent of new web standards like HTML5, WebRTC, and others the operating system that runs your browser is less vulnerable to security holes, bugs or other attacks that can corrupt the operating system. The operating system should be silent and out of the way. What you want to do is use the tools and services provided, you should not be required to learn how to install a printer, find missing DLL’s, or patch the kernel.

Example of the command line

Example of the command line.

The natural progression of computers is to reduce the focus on the operating system in the same way we stopped using the command line. What is meant by this is that you can still use the command line if you really wish, but most people will never need to use it. The command line is not the focus of the operating system anymore and has been locked out or hidden. Over time the operating system will slowly fade in to be the background much like the command line, and we will only care about programs and services that are really part of the web and accessed through the browser regardless of what operating system you use.

Imagine a time when you do not need to be setup on the computer, you do not need to install your programs, you can toss your computer in a lake (DO NOT TOSS YOUR COMPUTER IN A LAKE) and all of your files, work, tools, and services are instantly on any system you sign on to. With the Web as the next layer of computing we can have this vision but it is only after we have abandoned our demand that all games, programs, and services are installed locally to one machine. We have many more reasons to do this and many companies are working hard at pushing hard for this vision of the future. 

References:
http://blog.chromium.org/2013/09/saying-goodbye-to-our-old-friend-npapi.html
https://blog.mozilla.org/security/2013/01/29/putting-users-in-control-of-plugins/

Revised with: Mitchel Holt

Next Gadgets

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The gadget days have not ended, we do not carry around pocket organizers, e-book readers, camcorders, digital cameras, handheld gaming systems, and dumb cell phones.
All of this is now part of one device our Datapads, you could have a better camera but you do not need to have it always. So what is the new gadgets will the geeks start to collect? I mean the people that are always looking for the next gadget. The gadgets that they will collect will not be cool or useful or popular, but they will be innovative and forward thinking. This is the tech that we all will use in the next 10 years after is has been refined and merged into one device that we will all use.

This is my short list of tech that I can not wait to get my mitts on and test what they can do for me.
In no particular order.

  1. The Oculus Rift
    This is a ground breaking immersion virtual reality head mounted display. What this does is shows a separate view to each eye using a head mounted unit that is very light. The device will also track your the movement of your head changing the view point in the virtual world. This will be one of the most immersive experiences that you will have in gaming for some time.
  2. The Muse
    The Muse is a portable head mounted brainwave monitor. You will be able to see your brainwaves in real time on your Datapad or your computer. This will have options to control games, visualise your mental state, and help in reducing stress.
  3. Google Glass
    One of the most popularized devices of the year, if you have not heard of this device you must be living under a rock. Google Glass is a head mounted display that shows notifications, takes pictures and videos, connects to your Datapad and lets you search the web. The surface of Glass has not even been scratched for what it can do. One of the more exciting
  4. Watch Display
    The best example of this is the Apple iWatch, A wrist mounted display that will show incoming calls and messages. The idea has been around in the past but the technology was never up to the idea. We might be able to make it work now. I hope before it become relevant.
  5. Biometric Monitoring
    This is a very broad field but soon we will have temporary tattoos and implantable rice grain sized devices that will monitor your biometrics. This is very interesting feedback, you could show your doctor your pulse rate and blood pressure over a week period. You can tell when you are dehydrated, and so much more. The important part is that you are an organic machine and you need to keep your self in proper running order for peak efficiency.

The next set of gadgets are going to be very interesting, I will keep you posted.