Tsikbal: from my perspective

For the looks of it, laptops and tablets will live along each other for quite some time. The smartphone being our constant companion when using a laptop or a tablet is not really that practical, or we aren't near them. The desktop computer will become a niche product, mainly used when mobility isn't necessary or it better fits the users computer needs. For most people, it would make a lot more sense to have a laptop or a tablet as their main computer. The choice between a laptop or a tablet, will be based mainly on what it's going to be used for. Each form factor has its strengths and weaknesses, laptops being more adept for working and tablets for consuming. So, which one you should get depends on what you intend to use it for. Yet, the smartphone will be the second companion for our primary device. Smartphones give us the practicability to be able to take them with us all the time, but the screen size isn't the best one to use for prolonged p...

Even though my experience so far with a BlackBerry device, specifically with the Bold 9650, has been quiet good I still targeting for an Android powered smartphone. The main reason for me to do so, is that I want as many of my electronic devices run open source software. On my laptop I'm running Ubuntu 13.04, after a couple of months using Linux Mint 14. As such, I want and prefer to run an OS that's open source as Android. If the timing is right, I'd consider making the jump to an Ubuntu Touch powered smartphone or one using Firefox OS. Both, as Android, are open sourced and are based on Linux. Yet, due to the fact that I already use Ubuntu, an Ubuntu Touch powered smartphone would have a clear advantage for me. It would allow me to better integrate my mobile experience with the one I've on my desktop. As I said, all is about timing. So, it seems like Android will be the winner on that account, since Android is already available while Ubuntu Touch and Fire...

The power of current microprocessors  it's quite impressive, both in their processing capabilities and how small they have become. In many ways, microprocessors are fundamental to our way of life and it seems that they'll become ever more important. Almost everything we use has a microprocessor in order to function, and most of our communication technology relies on them to what we expect them to do. Many of our devices are gaining more capabilities, allowing to decrease the number of devices we need to have in order to do things in our daily lives. Not only that, those devices are actually becoming are becoming smaller as time goes by. Mobile phones are among the most obvious beneficiaries of the smaller form factor and addition of capabilities. We can not only use them to make calls, but to take pictures and videos. We even can listen to the radio and to our music on them, doing the things that we would have needed several devices to do. Not to mention, th...

One of the things that brought the Internet, is the ability to create communities around common interests with people with who otherwise it would be next to impossible to do so. It has given the power to the people to have a greater control over the products and services they consume, to the sharing of whatever they want with the others. The Internet empowers people, it's the tool that allows to take greater control not only of what we consume, how we consume and to share it with other to whom we think it would be relevant. It also allows us to generate content, and to share it with others in order to make them aware of our concerns and our hopes. In many ways we are becomes less of a passive audience, and more of active participants of what's going on beyond of what going on at our immediate surroundings. More than ever, people can have an impact on what happens not only on their community, but on events that are ongoing on other parts of the world. We can actually s...

Today the World Web marks its 20th anniversary, and there is no way to understate its importance to the world as we know it. The main reason the World Wide Web has achieved such importance, is its free open nature. Everyone can build upon it since it's open to all, and use it freely according to their needs or interests. If wasn't free and open, we wouldn't have the Internet as we know it today. This is why we should keep it like this, if we want to be able to keep using as we have been doing it so far. The World Wide Web has become the common forum where ideas can be discussed and information is shared among all the interested. It's where we come to find information just about anything, or to share what we love with others. In many ways, the World Wide Web has allowed the world to become a smaller place by allowing people to connect with others in distant places in any way better fits them. It has become pivotal for many to be able to keep in touch with lo...

Users right to hack the devices, and the software that runs in them, shouldn't be questioned at an level. It should be a given than users have the right do any modification they want to any device they lawfully bought, and even to share how they did such hack. If there should be a limit, is that users should not profit with those hacks without compensating the original vendor. Even though the people who do the hacking can expect some sort of compensation for the time they invested making a hack useful, there should be a clear limit on how that compensation is made. Yet, users should be allowed to share with others within some reasonable limits. Those limits shouldn't make it impossible for users to actually hack their devices, just how they are allowed to share the information about how to do a hack and how they can expect to be compensated for the time and effort put into doing so. The most important thing is that users must remain o...

As I keep using the BlackBerry Bold I got, the more I'm liking the experience, yet I'm still quite interested on an Android smartphone. When time comes to get a replacement, it will be decided by my ability to use an Android device for some time in order to directly compare it with the BlackBerry I'm using. So far, the biggest issue I've with the BlackBerry Bold is the optical trackpad, I just don't seem to be able to get used to it. So, it seems that a touchscreen device seems a better option for me. With this in mind, it seems that if I decide to stay with Blackberry it would be with the Z10, which is an touchscreen base smartphone. Yet, I'd like to keep all my devices running open sourced software, as such Android is still a strong contender. And if the Firefox OS hits the market on time for consideration, it's also a strong contender. The choice it's still some mounts away, so there is some time to do some testing.

I've been using a BlackBerry Bold for the four days, and even it's got the Blackberry 6 OS which is dated, I found that it's quite enjoyable to use. The only thing is that bothers me a bit, is that the software is closed source and I'd prefer to use FOSS. Yet, I'm quite taken with both the software and the hardware. I just find that they work quite well, just with a bit of a lag because of the age of the device. I don't mind it much, since the lag is not that long and I see the device as something that I intend to use just while I save enough to get a new one. With the experience, with what I've been reading about the new BlackBerry's OS and the Z10 I'm starting to considering them as a serious buy for me. I've enjoying the whole experience with both the software and the hardware, I'm just able to set the phone just as I want it with relative ease. Now the only two serious contenders I've in mind for my next smartphone is the...

What needs to be protected should be data contained by software, not the software itself. After all, keeping data safe is important to keeping our privacy. Accessing the internal working of software should be allowed, in a way such action should taken from granted. The study, modification, and redistribution of a piece of software should be something that can be done by any user who wished to do so. On the other hand, such actions on data shouldn't be allowed. Software and data should be separate things, and data should be protected by default. All data belongs to the original user, as such only that user has the authority on how the data it produces can be used and by who it can be used in what manner. Individuals have the right to legally own their data, and shouldn't lose that ownership under any circumstance at all. Only permissions are granted on certain parts of our data to a given party, and those permissions can be revoked at the time on which the individua...

Like in every other area in human activity, we need women to active in every way on tech and science if we want them to be in good shape. Any woman that wants to come into these areas should be able to do so, on equal terms with her male counter parts. The fact that women that have a talent for science or tech, are not actively encouraged is both sad and disturbing. We need them to come, actively contribute if we want to advance as a society. Their contributions are as valuable as any one a male can make, and not allowing them to do so has a negative impact not only on a personal level. It also negatively affects society at large, because at the very least we can suffer a minor set back. Both science and tech need to be stop being viewed as men's turf. It's the turf of any one that wants to work in it, regardless of their gender. What should be taken into account, is the quality of their work and research. Until both women and men can actually be equally respected ...

It's sad to see how curiosity is killed, and replaced with the inability to question the what happens around us. Some just do what they are told, never really thinking about what they are doing and why they are doing it. Others don't even dare to do even that, they even see any kind of questioning as an act of disloyalty. The idea of an individual thinking by himself, or herself, it's an aberration and something that must be avoided at all costs. There is no higher need than to live a life where they are told what to think and do by those they view as superior to them, they are sheep. Curiosity is a virtue, one that should be fostered and allowed to grow. There is no age in life where curiosity should be avoided, since it leads us to meet and surpass new challenges. By doing so, it allows great discoveries that make our lives richer fuller. What's better, the benefits are not only for the individual that followed his curiosity to it's satisfaction. It b...