Sawfish are avoiding extinction by reproducing without sex This is the first time 'virgin births' have been seen in a vertebrate species in the wild.





 A routine DNA study has discovered that endangered female sawfish in Florida are producing offspring without first mating with males.
This 'virgin birth' process is known as parthenogenesis, and has previously been observed in certain shark, snake and fish species living in captivity. But this is the first time scientists have observed asexual reproduction occurring in a wild vertebrate species, which suggests the process could be more common in vertebrates than previously thought.
The discovery was made while researchers were examining the DNA of 190 smalltooth sawfish captured in southern Florida to find out if they were regularly breeding with their family members because of their smallpopulation size. "What the DNA fingerprints told us was altogether more surprising: female sawfish are sometimes reproducing without even mating," said lead author Andrew Fields from Stony Brook University in the US. In fact, one population of sawfish was made up of 3 percent parthenogenesis births.
The team found that seven of the female sawfish were born via parthenogenesis, after analysing 16 different sites on the individuals' genomes - the same technique that's used in human paternity tests.
So how exactly does an animal give birth without having sex? Parthenogenesis is a common process in invertebrates, but it's rare in vertebrates. It's thought to occur when an unfertilised egg absorbs a genetically identical sister cell, producing an offspring with two identical chromosomes. This means that it has around half the genetic diversity of regular, sex-produced offspring.
"There was a general feeling that vertebrate parthenogenesis was a curiosity that didn't usually lead to viable offspring," said one of the researchers, Gregg Poulakis from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. But the seven virgin births found during this study all appeared to be perfectly healthy, and have now been tagged and released back into the wild. The team will continue to research the individuals, with the hopes of finding out whether they grow up to be fertile themselves.  
Smalltooth sawfish have been driven close to extinction over the past century due to overfishing and habitat degradation, and the global population is thought to be around just 1 percent of 1990 levels. The researchers now believe that the sawfish may be using parthenogenesis as way to help maintain their numbers during this critical period.
In the long-term, this parthenogenesis strategy will greatly reduce genetic diversity, leaving the species susceptible to new threats, such as disease and climate change. It also makes them vulnerable to any genetic mutations. But in the short-term, it might help them keep their numbers high enough to survive extinction. "This should serve as a wake-up call that we need serious global efforts to save these animals," said Feldheim.
The researchers have published their results in the journal Current Biology, and are now hoping to find signs of other endangered species using this strategy in the wild

9 Super Useful Books On OpenOffice And GIMP

Together, OpenOffice and GIMP represent arguably the most popular of all open source software. Almost every Linux or open source lover uses either of these software at some point. So, here are some books that will let you exploit their full capabilities!
OpenOffice, GIMP, GNU Image Manipulation Program, Linux, OpenOffice 3.0, open source, top linux software, learn linux software




1. Beginning OpenOffice 3: From Novice to Professional

If you want to fly with OpenOffice 3.0, publish to your local wiki, create web presentations, or add maps to your documents, Beginning OpenOffice 3 is the book for you. You will arm yourself with new OpenOffice.org 3.0 tools, from creating wiki docs to automating complex design steps. OpenOffice has been downloaded almost 100 million times, and this is the book that explains why.

2. Formatting eBooks with Open Office Writer

This guide is designed for formatting eBooks using Open Office Writer version 3.0 and greater. The basic principles in this guide should work equally well with any word processor. These step-by-step instructions are easy to follow and help authors correctly format their documents in eBook format.

3. OpenOffice.org Calc Functions and Formulas Tips. Essential OpenOffice.org Calc Skills, 1st ed

This book teaches the reader how to master functions and formula writing using OpenOffice.org Calc spreadsheet. Unlike many others, this book is short, concise, and filled with practical tips on OpenOffice.org Calc--a premier desktop spreadsheet software that can be used as a free replacement for Microsoft Excel.

4. OpenOffice.org For Dummies

This book has the following strong suits,

- Uses the straightforward For Dummies style to show Linux and Windows users how to use the OpenOffice.org desktop productivity suite
- OpenOffice.org has a user interface and feature set similar to that of other office suites and works transparently with a variety of file formats, including those of Microsoft Office
- Explains how to download, install, and set up both the Linux and Windows versions of OpenOffice.org
- Organised by the four key desktop applications provided in the OpenOffice.org suite: Writer (word processing), Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentations), and Draw (graphics)
- Other topics covered include creating and formatting documents with Writer, using templates and styles, creating spreadsheets with Calc, manipulating spreadsheet data, creating a presentation with Impress, and creating and editing images with Draw

5. Beginning GIMP: From Novice to Professional

Beginning GIMP: From Novice to Professional explains how to use the open source image manipulation program, GIMP version 2.4. You’ll learn how to install GIMP on Windows, Linux, and MacOS X platforms. Once you’ve installed the application, you’ll learn about the interface and configuration options, and then jump into a quick–and–simple project to familiarize yourself even further.

6. GIMP 2.6 cookbook

This book is part of Packt's Cookbook series. A Packt Cookbook contains step-by-step recipes for solutions to the most important problems you face when working with a topic. Inside this Cookbook you will find: A straightforward and easy-to-follow format, A selection of the most important tasks and problems, Carefully organized instructions for solving the problem efficiently, Clear explanations of what you did, Details for applying the solution to other situations. This book is for anyone who wants great images, without worrying about how a system as powerful as the GIMP works to get them. If you're a graphic designer, a photographer, or just want to prepare images for the Web, you will find the answers you need here.

7. GIMP 2.6 for Photographers

Image editing has become a crucial element in the photographic workflow. Image editing tools, most notably Photoshop, are usually sophisticated and deep applications, and are fairly expensive. The only open source tool in this market is the GIMP, which has developed into a powerful, multiplatform system running on Linux, Mac OS X, and Microsoft Windows.

GIMP 2.6 for Photographers is a beginner's guide to the only open source image editing tool that provides a low-cost alternative to expensive programs such as Photoshop. Topics include the basics of image editing and simple adjustments, as well as advanced techniques using layers and masks, stitching panoramic images, and preparing high-quality black and white images. The most important editing functions are presented in individual, easy-to-follow workshops.

GIMP 2.6 for Photographers has evolved from classroom materials that the author developed and taught in courses and workshops on image editing with the GIMP.

8. GIMP Bible

If you're a digital artist or photographer, the step-by-step explanations in this authoritative guide show you how to power-use GIMP throughout a production pipeline. Topics include understanding the GIMP interface and how to work with it, how to use all of GIMP's tools to create high-quality images, GIMP's default filters and plug-ins, advanced techniques for customization with Python and Scheme scripting, and much more.

Healthy skin cells harbour a high number of cancer-causing mutations And apparently, it's completely normal.


 

A quarter of healthy skin cells could harbour cancer-causing mutations resulting from Sun exposure, a new study by researchers in the UK suggests.

The finding offers clues about the transition of cells from a healthy to a cancerous state, and demonstrates how normal tissue analysis can provide clues about the origins of the disease.

It was previously thought that tumour-forming cell mutations were rare, and occurred just before the onset of cancer.

But this latest study, which examined healthy eyelid skin that was removed from four patients during cosmetic surgery, has revealed that these cancer-linked mutations "are staggeringly common in normal skin," one of the team, oncologist Philip Jones from the University of Cambridge, told Tina Hesman Saey at Science News.

The researchers performed ultra-deep gene sequencing on 234 biopsies of skin taken from the four patients, who were aged between 55 and 73. They were scanning for 74 known mutations.

They found that about 25 percent of skin cells carried at least one mutation linked to cancer. This equated to more than 100 potentially cancer-causing DNA mutations in every 1 square cm (0.1 square inch) of skin, which is roughly the size of a fingernail.

"The most surprising thing is just the scale, that a quarter to a third of cells had these cancerous mutations is way higher than we'd expect, but these cells are functioning normally," senior author Peter Campbell, head of cancer genetics at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, told James Gallagher at the BBC.

Skin cancer is caused by overexposure to the Sun's radiation. The mutations observed in the analysed skin samples showed the patterns associated with the most common and treatable form of skin cancer, known as cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, rather than the more lethal form, melanoma.

The team found that these mutated cells had grouped into clusters - or 'clones' - and had grown to be around twice the size of similar clusters consisting of normal cells.

But interestingly, none of the mutations uncovered had developed into cancer.

"The burden of mutations observed is high but almost certainly none of these clones would have developed into skin cancer," lead author, Iñigo Martincorena from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said in a press release.

"Because skin cancers are so common in the population, it makes sense that individuals would carry a large number of mutations. What we are seeing here are the hidden depths of the iceberg, not just the relatively small number that break through the surface waters to become cancer."

The findings, which have been published in the journal Science, could inform the development of new cancer drugs targeting changes in the cell-life cycle, and also highlight the importance of keeping your skin protected from sunlight.

"Whilst the body's immune system can prove quite effective at removing mutated cells, it is important to remember that some of cells aren't removed and mutate into cancers," Bav Shergill from the British Association of Dermatologists, who wasn't involved in the study, told the BBC. "Prevention is the first line of defence."

10 Apps For Best Use Of Ubuntu

Are you switching to Ubuntu or any other Linux product? Then it means more than a change in the operating systems and you must know that. You should know all the apps which will help you in this change. There are a lot of critical apps but we will be sharing 10 of them on which you can rely on.
Ubuntu, Linux, Ubuntu apps, 10 apps for Ubuntu, Firefox, Parcelite,  Bittorrent Sync,  System Monitor,  PulseAudioControl,  Skype,  Kdenlive, OpenShot,  Writer, SimpleScreenRecorder




1. Firefox:

When it comes to a Linux desktop software, there are two categories – everyday use and other uses. So Firefox comes under the category of every day use and it's the most trustworthy among others. It's reliable, safe and also cross-platform. Firefox is great for daily browsing and you can also make bookmarks through Firefox. Firefox performs daily duties like Plex, Zoneminder, router/WAPs and my file server.

2. Parcelite:

If you don't have a good clipboard manager then it's difficult to perform on Ubuntu. And in this category Parcelite is the best option for GNOME desktop. It's simple, easily accessible, and it includes everything like white space handling. There are many other clipboard managers on the board, but Parcelite is the best, and it's undisputed.

3. Bittorrent Sync:

Among all the open source alternatives for file syncing the best one is Bittorent Sync. It will never let you down as it's easy to run and install. Its new GUI offering has made this app more simple. Bittorent Sync allows you to transfer huge video files quickly from one machine to others without wasting much time. You can also share files with others through this tool very easily.

4. System Monitor:

A tabbed GUI is always better for your eyes. If you use GNOME's System Monitor, then you can discover a runaway process and kill it too easily. You can also get a visual perspective using graphs in real-time for CPU, memory and disk usage. So if you are a visual person then real-time resource usage is the best option for you.

5. PulseAudioControl:

If you are confused about sound devices and continuously change you options then here comes PulseAudioControl for you. If you are such a person who loves to have control over your audio then this is the most precious tool that you can have.

6. Skype:

If you are looking for a podcast or just want to catch up with your business contacts, Skype simplifies your Internet video conversations. There are several alternatives but if you use Skype for once then you just can't get your hands off. There are some other awesome open source options like Ekiga and Jitsi, but at the end of the day it's Skype which makes your day the best.

7. Kdenlive:

Video editor options are always flooding us but if you want to edit a video heavily then the best tool that you can use is Kdenlive. This tool is best used for picture compositing and editing large-complex videos. Even if you are not successful in editing any video on other video editors, Kdenlive will surely not disappoint you.

8. OpenShot:

This is another video editor which is more frequently used by Ubuntu users. For video editing tasks you can blindly rely on OpenShot. OpenShot is most popular for quick edits and using this editor you can work on two tracks simultaneously. It also offers great effects and its blender title effects as well as video transitions make OpenShot a fabulous editor for your projects.

9. Writer:

Writer is quite a reliable option which you can use both with OpenOffice and LibreOffice. It does everything what a word processor is capable of. Some other office suites may offer more options than Writer, but what 99 per cent people want in these office suites are covered by Writer. So LibreOffice Writer is another great app to use for you.

10. SimpleScreenRecorder:

If your job requires multiple monitor support then there is no better option than SimpleScreenRecorder. It can also capture OpenGL applications and it's very easy to use and it's reliability is unquestionable. SimpleScreenRecorder offers a great experience and it's highly recommended for multi-tasking people.

So whenever you decide about apps, don't bother much about their popularity or brand label. Just have a note how it performs for you.

15 Upcoming Linux-Friendly Single Board Computers Of 2015

Number of SBCs (Single Board Computers) were introduced in 2014. Some new open-spec, community-backed SBC gained lot of popularity last year. Most of these SBCs were powered by Linux or Android. Raspberry Pi was hit the market for a while.
SBC, single board computer, linux, open source, open SoC, A20-OLinuXinoMicro, Raspberry Pi, Banana Pi, Banana Pi pro, Creator CI20, Cutieboard 2, gizmo 2, hummingboard.




Single Board Computers with high specs are available in the market. Some SBCs come with new quad and octa core CPU boards with more memory, built-in WiFi and extra features. The most growth was under $50 segment. Developers prefer open-source boards for prototyping. Today we have listed top fifteen hacker-friendly SBCs that you should look forward to in 2015.

1. A20-OLinuXino-Micro:

This is a dual-core OLinuXino model, and it is powered by 1 GHz A20 processor coupled with 1GB DDR3 RAM and Mali-400 GPU. The board comes with pre-loaded Android and it supports optional flash drive of 4GB which comes at extra cost of $14. The board supports 1080p video output. A20-OLinuXino-Micro is priced at $67.

2. Arduino TRE:

Arduino has gained tremendous popularity last year. Arduino TRE features full version of Linux. It comes with 8-bit Atmel ATmega microcontroller for AVR compatible shield module. The board is powered by 1 GHz Ti Sitara AM335x processor and 512MB of RAM. The commercial version of the board is not available yet but it will be launched for $39.

3. Banana Pi:

Banana Pi is a clone of Raspberry Pi model B, it has the same port positions and 24-pin header layout. Banana Pi is powered by 1GHz A10 processor coupled with 1GB DDR3 RAM and Mali-400 GPU. The board features all I/O including a SATA support and micro-USB port. It is priced at $50

4. Banana Pi Pro:

This is an updated version of Banana Pi. It features 40 pin connector and microSD support. It has WiFi module and micro-USB OTG port. Banana Pi Pro is powered by 1GHz A20 processor, 1GB DDR3 RAM and Mali-400 GPU. Banana Pi Pro is priced at $62.

5. Creator CI20:

This board by Imagination Technologies runs on Android 4.4 or Debian 7. It is powered by 1.2 GHz Igenic JZ4780 processor coupled with 1 GB RAM and PowerVR SGX540 GPU. Creator CI20 features on-board WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI, camera and other digital I/O. The board is available for $65.

6. Cutieboard 2:

This is an upgraded version of original cutieboard. It is powered by 1 GHz A20 processor, 1 GB DDR3 Ram and Mali-400 GPU. The device also comes with 4GB NAND flash storage. Cutieboard2 supports both Android and Linux. It comes with SATA, microSD, Ethernet, HDMI and dual USB ports. It is priced at $59.

7. Gizmo 2:

Gizmo 2 is the upgraded version of original Gizmo board. It features G-series SoC. The device is powered by 1GHz AMD G-series GX210HA and 1 GHZ DDR3 SDRAM. It has HDMI, microSD, mSATA and USB 3.0 ports. It supports Linux, Windows and Minoca OS. Gizmo 2 is available for $199.

8. HummingBoard:

This sandwich style board comes with several MicroSOM modules. You can switch between dual-core and single-core. HummingBoard is powered by Freescale i.MX6 Dual, DualLite and solo SoCs. It comes with either 512 MB or 1 GB DDR3 RAM. The price of HummingBoard varies from version of version. It starts at $50 and the high-end version is available at $120

9. Odroid-C1:

Odroid-C1 runs Android or Ubuntu. It is powered by 1.5 GHz Amlogic S805 processor coupled with 1GB DDR3 Ram and Mali-450 GPU. The device is similar to Raspberry Pi compatible 40-pin connector. Odroid-C1 offers microSD or eMMC storage expansion as well as HDMI out, gigabit Ethernet and USB ports.

10. Odroid-U3:

This is another board by Hardkernel. It sports 1.7 GHz Samsung Exynos 4412 Prime processor coupled by 2GB DDR2 SDRAM and Mali-400 GPU. This is an upgraded model of Odroid-U2. It features microSD, eMMC expansion and micro-HDMI, Ethernet and USB ports. The board supports Linux and Android 4.4. It is priced at $65.

11. Parallela:

Parallela is designed to be power-efficient and parallel programming research. It is powered by Xiling Zynq 7020 SoC and 1GB DDR3 RAM. The board offers microSD, gigabit Ethernet, micro-HDMI and dual USB ports. It comes with 60-pin connector for Epiphany and FPGA extensions. The board is priced at $99.

12. Radxa Rock:

Radxa Rock is a tiny SBC that can run Android or Linux. Two models of the board are available based on memory option. It is powered by 1.6 GHz Rockchip RK3188 processor coupled with 2GB DDR3 RAM. The board offers WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI, Ethernet, USB and S/PDIF ports. The expansion header support many interfaces. The lite version of board is available for $59 while, the Pro version is available for $99.

13. Raspberry Pi A+:

A+ is an upgraded version of A. Raspberry Pi A+ is very tiny in size. It weights just 23 grams. It is powered by 700 MHz Broadcom BCM2835 processor coupled with 256MB SDRAM and Broadcom Videocore IV GPU. It offers 40-pin connector and audio circuit. It doesn't come with Ethernet port. It has one USB port. Raspberry Pi A+ is priced at $20.

14. Raspberry Pi B+:

Raspberry Pi B+ is an updated version of B. It is powered by 700MHz Broadcom BCM2835 processor coupled with 512MB RAM and Broadcom VideoCore IV GPU. The board comes with 40-pin GPIO connector and four USB ports. It offers microSD card slot also. The board is available for $35.

15. Warpboard:

This single board computer by Freescale was launched an year ago at CES2014. The board is available for pre-order at $149. It runs Android or generic Linux. The board is powered by 1GHz Freescale i.MX6 SoloLite. It doesn't come with any internal memory. The board offers KL16 daughter card and dual Freescale Xtrinsic sensor modules.

Top 10 Reasons Why Java Programming Language Is A Must!

Java, considered one of the best programming languages ever, has so many reasons to become the favourite among developers. Java's popularity has been growing immensely and with new versions, performance has kept improving and Android app development has been made easier. In terms of job opportunities too, Java is the best language to learn. So here we will discuss the top ten reasons why Java language should be learnt anyhow, without any miss.
Java, Java programming language, Java language popularity, reasons why Java is important, Top 10 Reasons Why Java Programming Language is important, Object Oriented Programming language, Java libraries, Java development, Java applications




Reason #1:

Java is the programming language which can be learnt in the easiest way possible. Java's syntax is fluent and it makes it easy to read Java programme and learn it faster than other languages. If the learner gets familiar with installing JDK and setting up PATH, then it's easy to write programme in Java.

Reason #2:

Java is an Object Oriented Programming language and it also helps to keep system modular and flexible. If the key concept of OOPS is clear to you, then Java can help with its best practices and design patterns. Java promotes use of SOLID and Object oriented design principles in form of open source projects.

Reason #3:

Java has rich API and it's highly visible with Java installation. Java programming beginners usually code applets which provide animation capability. It also provides API for I/O, networking, utilities, xml parsing, database connection and more.

Reason #4:

Java has huge contribution by Eclipse and Netbeans and coding in IDE is a huge pleasure. DOS Editor and Notepad help in code completion and they also provide powerful debugging capability. Java development is made easier by IDE as IDEs make it easy to search, refactor and read codes too. Java platform has several tools for building Java applications too.

Reason #5:

Java can be used anywhere, thanks to open source libraries. Great libraries have come from Apache, Google and other similar organisations and Java development is made easier, faster and cost effective too.

Reason #6:


Java gets huge strength from communities as communities contribute a lot to share knowledge. Java has many active forums and these forums help Java beginners a lot.

Reason #7:


Cost is always an important factor for learning any language and as Java is a free language, you don't need to pay anything to create any Java application. Java is mostly popular for this reason and Java programmers are easily available for any enterprise too.

Reason #8:

Java has some great piece of documentation which discusses Java API and the method of coding with Java. With IDE, Javadoc doesn't require any browser now as it can be opened in an IDE window only.

Reason #9:

Java complies with every platform and this is one of the main reasons behind its popularity. Java's tagline itself proves how much exciting it can prove for any programmer - "write once run anywhere".

Reason #10:

Java is prevalent everywhere – on desktops, on mobiles and across every platform. Java programmers are highly available and that's why every organisation prefers Java to develop any new programme.

Here Are 10 Big Data Jobs With Whopping Salaries!

Big data is certainly the talk of the town lately! It is one of the fast growing technologies that can help you get jobs with the tech biggies. More and more firms now believe that big data will help businesses make better decisions in the days to come (some believe it's already started). There is a definite surge in demand for people who can collect, organise and interpret big data.
big data, big data jobs, salaries, Data warehouse manager, Data architect, Database manager, Business intelligence analyst, Data warehouse analyst, Data modeler, Database developer, Portal administrator, Database administrator, Data analyst/report writer




1.Data warehouse manager

Skills required: in-depth background in database theory and practice; hands-on experience in data warehousing tools and architecture; strong analytic abilities; project management experience; technical proficiency in database languages and applications etc.

Starting salary: $115,250 to $154,250

2.Data architect

Skills required: planning and coordinating data resources, working knowledge of network management, application architecture, and performance management etc.

Starting salary: $111,750 to $153,750

3.Database manager

Skills required: in-depth understanding of all aspects of database technology, plan information system strategy etc.

Starting salary: $107,750 to $149,000

4.Business intelligence analyst

Skills required: background in all aspects of database technology; experience with database queries, stored procedure writing, Online Analytical Processing (OLAP), and data cube technology, etc.

Starting salary: $101,250 to $142,250

5.Data warehouse analyst

Skills required: research, analysis and problem-solving skills; strong oral and written communication abilities; knowledge of relational database theory etc

Starting salary: $99,000 to $133,750

6.Data modeler

Skills required: excellent data analysis and problem-solving skills along with good communication skills; familiarity with data modeling tools and methodologies; knowledge of database system applications, stored procedures and data warehousing etc.

Starting salary: $97,250 to $134,250

7.Database developer

Skills required: solid understanding of relational database theory and practice etc.

Starting salary: $92,000 to $134,500

8.Portal administrator

Skills required: complex problems analysing and solving skills; knowledge of enterprise web applications, services, systems and supporting technologies etc.

Starting salary: $91,250 to $121,000

9.Database administrator

Skills required: strong foundation in database structure, configuration, installation and practice etc.

Starting salary: $87,500 to $126,000

10.Data analyst/report writer

Skills required: strong analytical, quantitative and problem-solving abilities; thorough knowledge of relational database theory and practice etc

Starting salary: $67,750 and $101,000

Five Reasons Why Big Data Will Be A Huge Hit In 2015!

Big Data has been one of the trending topics over last few years. Better yet, some companies have gained expertise in it. However there is still confusion about how to unlock business potential using Big Data. We are expecting to see companies explore and grab expertise in multiple domains related to Big Data in this year. Let’s take a look at five reasons why 2015 will be a hot year for Big Data.
big data, growth, data hacks, data science, big data, hadoop, Internet of Things, DevOps, Mobile Analytics, Security analysis, application performance monitoring, APM.




1. Security Analyst:

Analysts have played a key role in detecting and preventing threats last year. According to a recent survey, organization detects about the security attack after 200 days. Attackers get to access the victim’s network for over 200 days. In most cases, victim is informed about the attack by someone outside their organisation. Data Analysts need to be more aware and productive in order to spot the unusual event patterns and to prevent these security attacks. With the fast growing IT industry, network frauds are easy to spot but they are constantly changing. It is challenging for security analysts to manage these records. Writing security rules in software isn't enough these days, the nature of fraud patterns are constantly changing.

2. Hadoop:

Analysing the data stored in Hadoop in EMEA is time consuming and expensive. Some new tools will be introduced in 2015 which will make the analysis of data stored in Hadoop much more easier. Organisations will be able to gain business insights from Hadoop in real-time by opening organisation data to new audience. Number of organisations are testing new Hadoop solutions, which will bring some affordable solutions in 2015. Some leading companies like Amazon are also opting for PAYG (pay as you go) method for payment. Companies these days have freedom to experiment with Hadoop. The new approach of offering ‘Big Data as a Service’ will enable the small organisations to identify ROI and possible return on big investment.

3. IoT (Internet of Things):

We witnessed number of consumer products in field of IoT. 2015 is expected to bring innovations in IoT. Experts are expecting the conversion of IoT beyond consumer devices. Organisations are working on revolutionary tech products that will connect industries like manufacturing, transportation, construction with internet communication. Manufacturing is already benefiting from IoT and Big Data. If we link up sensors and robotics to automate processes, manufacturing industry will have a great benefit out of it. Manufacturing industry can become much more efficient if we generate machine data that can be indexed, monitored and analysed. Implementation of IoT in transportation can be used to contribute to Big Data which can help in changing strategy that the industry has been using for long time.

4. DevOps:

With the growing number of organisations, DevOps all drive the quality of software and delivery exactly what customers are looking for. DevOps can be very helpful in analyzing the data generated by interacting with customers. This analyzed data can be really helpful while releasing new web app, mobile app or a feature in existing apps. Companies can build strong DevOps (developer and IT operational analytics) team to predict the performance and identify issues. With the fast growing software product industry, DevOps are really important aspect of the company.

5. Mobile Analytics:

According to the survey statistics, 60 per cent of the traffic to e-commerce companies is from mobile devices. The mobile app is as valuable as websites these days. A customer experience on mobile applications is much more efficient as compared to web app. Developing a mobile app of great user experience will become essential part of 2015. Analytics will play pivotal role in both, helping retailers to trailer as well as a customer journey for mobile and spot usual event patterns that can lead to potential security threats. DevOps can also help in measuring APM (Application Performance Monitoring), this can predict application delivery cycle of apps.

15 Great Free Android Tutorials

Android Programming language utilizes specialized form of Java. Android is known to be a software stack consisting of an operating system, key applications and middle-ware. It is ideal for different kinds of mobiles and tablets.  that provide a detailed description of all the aspects of an Android App along with the capabilities of an Android platform. Please refer to the links below-

1. Official Developer Tutorial – This is made by the android community and open source developers. It is a getting started tutorial designed for beginner developers.

2.Official Developer Tutorials Community - This is created by android community and is designed for experienced developers.

3.Tutorial by Lars Vogel -This is free single page web based tutorial created by Lars Vogel.

4.Android Tutorials By Core Servlets - This site consists of a series of android tutorial with exercise for each section. It also has some other good Java related tutorials for free.

5.Android Hive – This is a android tutorials blog by a enthusiastic android developer (Ravi Tamada) for sharing his knowledge and experience with the world.


Free Video Tutorials

These video tutorials are a great way to begin with Android. It is a huge tutorial series that is available online containing tons of free content, which is bound to teach you coding in the best possible manner. Please refer to the links below-

1. Chet Haase Android Tutorials on YouTube - Some great and simple tutorial by maker of Google and author CHET HAASE on youtube are, please see the links below:-

o DevBytes: View Animations
DevBytes: View Animations
o DevBytes: Property Animations
DevBytes: Property Animations
o DevBytes: Window Animations
DevBytes: Window Animations
o DevBytes: CrossFading Animations
DevBytes: CrossFading Animations
o

2.By Udemy

3.By OreillyMedia

4.By MarakanaTechTV" target="_blank">By MarakanaTechTV

5.By Android User Group
Free E-books - The web is filled with over a hundred of free e-books on Android programming containing all the basic concepts relating to the language, both at the beginner and advanced levels. Please refer to the links below- 

1.Android Tutorial By Stanford University

2.Android Tutorial

3.Commonsware Android

4.Andbook

5.E Reading Llib Android eBook

Top 8 Android Apps To Automate Tasks!

We live in a tech era where we want everything to be automated. With the versatility of Android and open source, it has become possible too. Number of Android apps are already available that makes this possible. There are limitless things that you can do with Android devices. Power users often tend to use apps that automate the task. Most of these apps are available for free. Today we have listed 8 such apps that can automate your day-to-day activities.
 1. SkipLock :
 This is a leading password storing app that offers reliability and great user experience to users. The app offers great features to every Android device and users. The app is designed to skip the lockscreen when you are connected to custom configured WiFi network or Bluetooth device. You can even unlock the smartphone by connecting it to paired Bluetooth smartwatch, headset or a car.
 2. TOT (Turn Of Text) :
 This app promotes safe driving to users. You can set the speed limit and once the speed limit of your vehicle exceeds, the app automatically blocks the alert for incoming text messages. The app has one more add-on version for parents. Parents can remotely block texting for their child’s safe driving. TOT automatically replies to texts received during blocking period.  
 3. Call Recorder – ACR :
 This is another free call recording app. The app features number of functions such as recording, password protection of recordings and various other recording formats too. You can also flag the important and non-important call recordings for the easier access and filtering. You can filter the calls by number, contact name and dates.
 4. Changelog Droid:
 If you are tired of checking for the update for apps installed on your Android device, this app comes to a great use. You can check the changelog of the app pretty easily using this application. The app checks for the updates in background and also notifies you with the changelog of new version of app. This gives you a choice to know if the app update is really important or not.
 5. App Cache Cleaner:
 Another big issue of Android apps is the amount of cache data and temporary files it collects. This app simplifies the headache. You can easily check for the cached memory files and junk using App Cache Cleaner. The best part is, the app is available for free and you do not need to have ROOT access to use the app.  
 6. Velis Auto Brightness :
 The app has customised brightness modes which give you complete access to determine the right brightness for the environment that you are in. You can control and choose the optimum brightness level of your smartphone display using this app. This is a great replacement for the existing auto brightness feature in your smartphone settings.
 7. AutomateIt:
 AutomateIt allows you to automate Android device to run few specific tasks like triggering some specific  features based on time and location. The app is very easy to use and comes with multiple customization options. The setup is pretty simple too. The app is great to automate your Android device to run certain tasks.
 8. MacroDroid:
The app has very simple and user friendly interface. It can automate tasks. You can simply click on Add Macro to create a custom macro. The app lets you access to number of custom tasks from a list, you can configure an action for the task. There are multiple options to add more constrains too

10 Tips And Tricks For Android Lollipop!

Google launched Android v5.0 Lollipop last year. The update brought many important changes to Google’s open source mobile platform. Google has added many new features and shortcuts. Everything on the Android has changed with the new UI based on Material design language. Let’s take a look at top 10 tips and shortcuts for Android v5.0 Lollipop.  
1. Settings Search Bar
Settings menu in Android Lollipop has its own search bar. This may look like very minor addition but it comes handy at times. For example, if you are looking for specific network settings and you don’t know where to look for, you can simply search for network and find out your needed setting in matter of seconds. This one minor addition has increased the efficiency of Lollipop to high extent.
2. Swipe With Two Fingers
Lollipop has redesigned notification bar. You can simply swipe down once from top of your screen to look at notifications and swipe down more to access quick settings. However, if you swipe with two fingers of one, you can directly access quick setting options. Quick settings include shortcuts to all necessary Android features.
3. Flashlight
Android has now built its own flashlight button, you can access it from notification bar quick settings. You no longer need to install some third party app to use flashlight. With this option, you can use your phone’s LED flash as flashlight. This is a standard flashlight app like the one Windows phone or iOS.
4. Data Usage Notification
This feature comes handy when you are on strict data plan. Everyoneof us has tendency to go bit overboard when it comes to internet data usage. You can enable data usage notification and use two finger swipe on notification bar to access quick setting then, you can tap on phone’s signal symbol to set specific data warning as well as data limit. If you set data limit at 5GB per month ad warning at 4GB. The phone will show you warning at 4GB and data will be automatically turned off at 5GB.
5. Hide or Disable Sensitive Notifications  
Google has focused on enriching the notifications in Lollipop.You can now see the notifications right on lock screen. You can see what’s happening just by taking glance at your lockscreen. The downside is, anyone can see those notifications on lock screen hence, Google has added an option to hide notifications that include sensitive content. You can find this option under Settings > Sound > Notifications.
6. Remove Notification Spams
Lot of notifications come with lot of apps. Sometimes they are helpful such as, news or weather updates in notifications but sometimes they are quite painful like, a software update for not-so-important app or some games that keep pushing you notifications to buy upgrades. You can tap and hold on such notifications until a small ‘i’ appears on right hand side. You can tap ’i’ and block the app from sending such notifications.
7. Do Not Disturb

Android Lollipop’s DND (Do Not Disturb) feature is quite easy to set up and user friendly. You can use your volume rocker and a small pop up with come up with options, None, Priority and All. Simply tap on None and no notifications will disturb you anymore. This includes calls, texts, updates and even alarm. If you choose Priority, then only predefined notifications will be shown.
8. Profiles
With Android Lollipop, you can create custom user profiles. Simple swipe down your notification bar and tap profile icons in the top right hand corner to view user profiles. You will see your own user profile activated. There is an option to login as guest or create new profile. This feature comes very handy when you are loaning your phone to friend or co-worker, you can simply change the profile to Guest and lend the phone to other person.
9. Pin Your Screen
You can limit the functionality of your phone by pinning your phone. Go to Settings > Security and activate Screen Pinning feature. You can even pin single app to your screen by switching to multi select view and selecting green pin button next to each app. The specific app will say open while other functionality in your phone will be disabled. This feature comes handy while lending your phone to somebody else.
10. High Contrast Text
This is experimental feature in Lollipop. You can enable high contrast text by heading to Settings > Accessibility > System Sub-Heading. If you are struggling to read text on your smartphone, you can enable high contrast text. It makes everything look different. The feature comes handy when you have trouble reading or typing specially while travelling.

Want To Hack Into Your Android-Powered Smartphone? Here Are 10 Neat Tips!

A lot of tech savvy users like to play around with their smartphones. From editing your lock screen to using your phone to perform other activities, your smartphone can be used for all of them. Here are a few fun hacks that can come in handy! 
Android, android smartphone, hacking, Force reboot, safe mode, face detection, phone status, SD card, Hard Reset, Factory reset, Context menu




1.Force reboot

-Press Power Button + Home Key + Volume up button simultaneously, and you can reboot your Android smartphone in case it's frozen. 

2.Quick Google Access

Did you know that Android smartphones provide an easy way to access Google search in just a single click.

-Press menu key, hold it for couple of seconds and you'll have Google search ready for all your search needs. 

3.Reboot Android in safe mode

Android versions jelly bean and upwards provide an option to reboot in safe mode.

To reboot in safe mode:

-Long press the power button

-Long press on the power off option

Users will be prompted to confirm a reboot in safe mode

The trick will disable all the 3rd party applications on your device, and is particularly helpful when either of these apps is playing spoilsport. You can re-enable the applications when you reboot your phone normally.

4.Unlock android phones by face detection

Android versions jelly bean and upwards provide a way to unlock your smartphone using face detection. Android jelly bean has added another layer of protection to make the feature even more secure. The smartphone can only be unlocked when the face matches as well as you require to blink your eyes to allow access. The blinking feature tells the device that you're alive and not a still image used by someone other than you to access your device.

To turn on the feature:

-Settings > Security > Screen lock > Face unlock

5.Get detailed information about phone status

Get detailed statistics like phone information, battery information, usage statistics and WiFi information by simply dialing the USSD code *#*#4636#*#*.

6.Move android apps to SD card

To move apps from your Android phone memory to SD card:

-Settings > Application settings > Manage application > Select the application > Move to SD card

7.Hard Reset and Factory reset your android phone

-In case of factory reset, your phone will be formatted to factory level: all your settings will go back to factory default and all the internal data will be deleted.

To factory reset a phone dial *#*#7780#*#*.

-In case of hard reset, all the data (including internal and external SD data) as well as settings of your android phone will be deleted without prompting for a confirmation.
To hard reset a phone dial *2767*3855#.

8.Context menu in android

Long pressing on the screen will bring out additional options for customising your android device.

9.Taking screen shots on android phone

You can take the screen shot on your Android phone without using any 3rd party application.

-For most Android phones: Press the Home button + power button.

-For Galaxy Nexus: Power button + volume down button.

-For Galaxy Note 2 and S3: Swipe your palm on the screen to take screen shot.

And so on.

10.Android Version Animation

-settings > about phone > Tab repeatedly on ‘Android version’.

The Android version will be animated after sometime.

Don’t Be Google..!!!!!!

Dear Google: what happened? Android sales are falling. Chrome has become a bloated hog. Analysts are calling you the new Microsoft, or, much worse, “the new Yahoo!” And most damning of all: you have squandered our trust. You used to be special, Google. Or at least we used to believe you were special. But you seem more and more like just another megacorporation.


View image on Twitter
 Does that sound harsh? Consider the Zoe Keating kerfuffle:

YouTube gave Keating a take-it-or-leave contract, some terms of which were unacceptable to her. Some of the terms were also pretty hard to understand […] As YouTube now explains it — following a public debate following Keating’s blog post — Keating has a relatively simple choice […] These responses go against descriptions of the agreement presented to Keating (and transcribed by her) by YouTube previously, and presumably represent an update to the contract’s terms.
 At best, Google is guilty of incredibly confusing and heavy-handed communication, something they have long been (rightly) accused of. At best. But, as Jamie Zawinski put it:

This sounds like Google using the same strategy they used with Google Plus: instead of creating a new service and letting it compete on its own merits, they’re going to artificially prop it up by giving people no choice but to sign up for it. Except in this case the people being strong-armed are the copyright holders instead of the end users. (So far, that is! Wait for it.)
 Consider “Never trust a corporation to do a library’s job“:

As Google abandons its past, Internet archivists step in to save our collective memory … Google Groups is effectively dead … Google News Archives are dead … Projects that preserve the past for the public good aren’t really a big profit center. Old Google knew that, but didn’t seem to care […] The desire to preserve the past died along with 20% time, Google Labs, and the spirit of haphazard experimentation.
 …or, as VICE puts it: “Google, a Search Company, Has Made Its Internet Archive Impossible to Search.”
 Consider “Google to shut down GTalk on February 16, will force users to switch to Hangouts“:

 Remember the good old days, a decade ago, when everyone admired everything Google did? What happened?
 …I believe I may have an answer or two to that question.

 Google has long been a bizarre swan of a company. To the casual eye, it’s a billion Android phones playing YouTube videos, its nonpareil search engine, plus its Google Xmoonshots and miracles, robot dogs rescued from the militarySpaceX funding rounds, etc, all cruising effortlessly along. Call that Awesome Google. But under the waterline, a gargantuan advertising machine paddles desperately, propelling Awesome Google towards its applause. Call that Mammon Google.
 For all those analysts cavils, Mammon Google is still a colossal money-making machine, and both it and Awesome Google employ thousands of the smartest people alive (including — disclaimer/disclosure — multiple personal friends.) I fully expect Google to overcome the business challenges it faces…
 …but I no longer expect to be particularly happy about this.
 We’ve all been conditioned to see Awesome Google, but of late, Mammon Google seems harder and harder to ignore. Why is this? There seems to be no need for this. Mammon is still pouring money into Awesome. So what happened to the golden glory-days Google we knew and loved?
 It’s true what Ben Thompson of Stratechery says: Google today is very reminiscent of Microsoft in the 90s. They too were the beneficiary of a seemingly endless, unassailable, firehose of money. But instead of spending that money on moonshots, Microsoft became a much-loathed corporate predator that wasted colossal amounts of time and money on infighting and horrors like Microsoft Bob and Windows Vista. Why has Google apparently taken a few steps down that cursed primrose path? Why is Mountain View in danger of becoming the new Redmond?
 Why indeed. It turns out that Google is literally the new Microsoft:

 (And we’re not just talking about low-level engineers here. Vic Gundotra, the former head of Google Plus, was a former Microsoft executive; which kind of explains a lot.)
 This may help to explain why Google is, I believe, slowly but steadily losing our trust. Nowadays, when you interact with Google, you don’t know if you’ll be talking to Awesome Google; Mammon Google; …or a former Microsoftian whose beliefs and values were birthed in Redmond, and who, as a result, identifies a whole lot more with Mammon — and with bureaucratic infighting — than with Awesome.
 Say what you like about Apple, and I can complain about them at length, you always know what to expect from them. (A gorgeous velvet glove enclosing an exquisitely sleek titanium fist.) But Google seems increasingly to have fragmented into a hydra with a hundred tone-deaf heads, each with its own distinct morality and personality. That wouldn’t matter so much if trust and awesomeness — “don’t be evil!” “moonshots!” — weren’t so intrinsic to the Google brand … which, to my mind, gets a little more tarnished every year.

New app lets you control exactly how much energy each appliance uses


Australia's national science organisation, the CSIRO, has developed a new app that lets you remotely keep track of exactly how much money you're spending on electricity at any given time - and even lets you monitor and control individual appliances from your phone.
While we can already stay on top of how much electricity our houses are guzzling on a daily basis using smart meters, the new prototype app - which is called 'Eddy' - wants to take things one step further by putting people in control of their power consumption, with the overall aim of saving people money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  

Right now the app only works on big devices such as air conditioners and pool pumps, but the developers are hoping that in the future they'll be able to take it down to the level of monitoring and turning on and off individual lightbulbs. 

కరోనా కోవిడ్ -19 గురించి ఏ వికీపీడియా మీకు చెప్పలేము?

కరోనా కోవిడ్ -19 గురించి ఏ వికీపీడియా మీకు చెప్పలేము? మిమ్మల్ని మీరు రక్షించుకోండి  Your మీ చేతులను తరచుగా కడగాలి Eyes మీ కళ్ళు, న...