TRAFFIC JAM CHAD BENNETT TRAFFIC
Twenty Million and Counting Long live the mouse and the keyboard!
Monday -Thursday nights One pound of shrimp (fried, grilled or boiled) $9.99
Tuesday night
Crab Legs served with redskin potatoes and mixed green salad $7.99 a pound
Wednesday night
Bone in fried catfish over blue cheese grits and salad $6.99 *dine in only
LUNCH - DINNER
6 DAYS
French Market Grille West
375 Fury’s Ferry Rd. next to Earth Fare · 706.855.5111
Yes, that is the mantra from those who dismiss the coming of Web 2.0 as a fad. To them, smartphones are useless novelties that will never supplant the form and function of the desktop PC. The story goes that any serious computer user cannot possibly populate forms or create documents without using a keyboard. Given the state of technology existing today, I would have to (reluctantly) agree. The Electronic Health Record packages we support all require a mouse to navigate the system and a keyboard to enter data. The method is intuitive and, after all, it’s always been that way, right? Well, actually, no. The mouse and keyboard came into fashion about 30 years ago when Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) became popular. Prior to that time, the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) consisted of what we commonly call a Command Prompt. Personally, I find command line interaction and scripting still the fastest and most efficient method of working with a computer. However, the average consumer seems to prefer the less efficient “Point and Click” method. Hence, Windows and MacOS have dominated desktops for the last three decades. Will “Touch and Swipe” eventually replace “Point and Click”? Yes. If you don’t believe me, ask anyone under 20 that has grown up using both. One caveat… application developers need to make the transition. Most tablet applications I’ve seen are simply touchscreen versions of programs written for keyboard and mouse. Not optimal to say the least. The short-term solution is to get a keyboard attachment for your tablet. The Apple iPad2 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab seem to currently have the best support from third-party keyboard vendors. The next big transition to Touch and Swipe will probably come with Windows 8, so stay tuned. Experiencing problems with the iPhone 4s battery life? Apple engineers haven’t specifically identified the problem, but many iPhone users point to the “Setting Time Zone” feature, which automatically sets the phone’s time zone, a the probable culprit. When you travel outside your time zone, the location-based feature constantly polls cell towers for the phones location. Under normal operation, the feature polls only occasionally. The result
AUGUSTATEK
HOT POT.
10 METRO SPIRIT 11.03.11
GREGBAKER
is a greatly reduced battery life; in some cases, just a few hours even with minimal use. If you are experiencing problems with battery life, try disabling the service. The “Setting Time Zone” function can be located within Settings, moving into Location Services, scrolling down to System Services and sliding the toggle on Setting Time Zone. BTW — HP announced last week that it is officially out of TouchPads. Literally. These devices started selling like hot cakes when HP announced that it was discontinuing the product in Augusta and reduced price to liquidate inventory. HP also changed its position from another announcement made in August. HP CEO Meg Whitman stated that keeping the PC business within HP is “right for customers and partners, right for shareholders, and right for employees.” Interesting developments since tablet computing will likely grow and the PC market will likely decline over time. I expect that we will hear more from HP on both of these fronts. Finally, there’s good news for all of you ladies that are looking for potent suitors. Loes Segerink, a researcher at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, has developed a “fertility chip” that measures sperm concentration and motility (I’m not sure what motility is, but it sounds important). The chip contains a channel designed to funnel fluid under specially-designed electrode bridges. As the cells pass beneath these bridges, brief fluctuations of electrical resistance occur, providing a method to enumerate the little soldiers. The magic number is 20 million per quarter teaspoon. Fertility might be an issue with anything less. Segerink is reportedly working toward creating a company that will commercialize her research into a home-use product where samples can be collected a bit more… (a-hem)…discretely. Until next time, I’ll see you on the internet…tweet me @gregory_a_baker. L8R.
Gregory A. Baker, Ph.D., is vice president and chief rocket scientist for CMA, which provides information technology services to CSRA businesses and nonprofits. V. 22 | NO. 62