Understanding the Benefits of Wireless Charging Technology

Whether you're at home, on the go, or at the airport, everyone has experienced that feeling of sitting awkwardly on the floor, tethered to a wall outlet while waiting for your mobile device to charge. It's a helpless feeling, and with the wealth of technology already within our reach, it's an outdated practice which no one should have to endure.

With so much important information sitting in our pockets and on our wrists, it's ridiculous that our devices have such limited battery life and our options for charging those devices on the go are so limited. As the IoT (Internet of Things) revolution comes to fruition, wireless charging is shifting from a luxury to a necessity. Modern devices revolve around user mobility, so our charging solutions should too. Wireless charging will give us freedom to no longer worry about carrying around charging cables and hoping that our devices will keep running until we reach the next power outlet.

In addition, wireless charging will make a huge difference for medical patients with technological devices embedded in their bodies. Currently, patients with implanted devices have to endure frequent and invasive surgeries since their devices have short battery lifespans. Wireless charging will allow medical patients to charge their devices without surgery, improving the patients' wellbeing and also saving them time and money.

Wireless charging capabilities also need to be built into the infrastructure of cities. Imagine if every workplace, school, and coffee house had wireless charging; finally you would be able to ditch power cords and use your devices without worrying about the batteries dying. IoT and wireless charging will make a huge impact on a variety of industries.

Today's electric cars or many other vehicles charge by the charging pads. It does not require any diesel or petrol, which can greatly help in making the environment clean and pollution-free. In the future, you do not have to stop or park your car to charge it. In England, lanes on the road sends electrical charges to electric-powered cars, which means it won't run out of battery. This can be a huge technological breakthrough should other countries implement the same.

Clearly, there's a lot of promising technology here, but there's still one big question to be asked of wireless technology: why should consumers choose it over the convenience of a bedside USB cable? Honestly, it's a tough one to answer, but ease of use and ubiquitous gadget support and charging stations will probably be required.

Despite being around for a number of years already, wireless charging still hasn't become critically important technology in the gadget market. Perhaps some of the improvements and new product ideas that are in development will push wireless charging into the mainstream.

Exciting New Technologies that Could be Hitting the World in 2017

Now that 2016 is finally behind us, there’s the saying, “out with the old and in with the new.” However, technology in the second decade of the 21^st century can be a bit confusing since what was about to come out in 2016 could spill over in 2017 or a product can suddenly have a big upgrade.

Regardless, we’re not here to see what products are looming ahead in the next year, or if your hoverboard won’t explode since you bought a ‘made in China’ brand. We’re here to see what exciting new technology in general may hit with an impact in 2017.

Jet Pack International H202

Jet Pack International is making great strides with its H202 and H202-Z jetpacks. As the name suggests, both the H202 and H202-Z are hydrogen peroxide-fueled jetpacks that allow users to fly up to 77 miles per hour at a maximum height of 250 feet. However, the higher-capacity H202-Z is only capable of a maximum flight length of 33 seconds and a maximum travel distance of 3,300 feet. Admittedly, it’s a start and since when was technology successful overnight, anyway?

Aerofex Aero-X

If you’re a Star Wars fan, the Aerofex Aero-X, a real-life equivalent of the Star Wars speeder bike, is definitely something you’ll want to keep your eyes on. The Aero-X is the result of more than 15 years of research and development. It is powered by a water-cooled 240 HP engine and two large rotors. The Aero-X can hover at an altitude of 12 feet and at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. It can even carry up to 310 pounds. Also, as a result of this extended research and development period, Aerofex claims to have overcome the dangerous coupling effect that can arise due to using two rotors, ensuring that the Aero-X will be safe and easy to control.

Prosthetics with a sense of touch

As far back as 2013, Denis Aabo Sorensen had the privilege of testing a new type of prosthetic hand, created by a group of European engineers and scientists. Unlike conventional prosthetics, the new prosthetic hand connects directly to the remaining nerves in Denis’ upper arm. This means that the prosthetic hand has a sense of touch and is actually controllable. Blindfolded tests showed that Denis was indeed able to differentiate between different items such as a bottle, a baseball and a mandarin orange. It could also exert different levels of pressure to touch, hold or grab something.

TALOS “Iron Man” Suit

TALOS stands for Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit, a combat suit that the US Army hopes will become a reality within the next year. The TALOS provides ballistic, shock, and fire protection for Special Operations soldiers. The aim is to provide these soldiers with better, more mobile and more versatile protection than what currently exists. The development of the TALOS suit will be a collaborative effort between universities, government agencies, and corporations.

The Difference Between OEM and Retail Versions of Windows Operating System

We’re betting our Christmas dinners that not many people aren’t aware that there’s such a thing as an OEM version of Windows OS and Retail version of the same Windows OS, let alone the difference between the two.

So, what is the difference?

OEM is short for Original Equipment Manufacturer. This is the Windows operating system with its license referring to the installed Windows OS on pre-built and manufactured computers, laptops, and some tablets for sale to consumers in stores or online. For this reason, it’s very likely that the Windows you’re using right now is OEM. The primary limitation for this version is that you cannot install this same system and its same license key on another computer, even if you uninstall it from the original computer first.

Many people find this very impractical, and may even feel that it’s very restrictive, but the manufacturer saves money on a bulk number of licenses by accepting that restriction and passed their savings on to you. And this works out for most people most of the time. It’s rare that someone would benefit from the ability to transfer their Windows installation given that a new computer purchase usually comes with a new OEM license.

The Retail version of Windows operating system is a retail license for the need for installation on multiple computers. It’s usually sold as a single installer that can be installed on some 3 or 4 or more computers. It’s only available as a standalone purchase so if you’ve bought a copy of Windows on its own, separately from a computer, then you have this version. To be clear, though, the OS can still only be installed on one computer at any given time. This means that, for instance, if you decide to upgrade, you can buy a computer with no OS, uninstall your retail version of Windows from the old box, and install it on the new one. It’s a way to save money if you know that you’ll be sticking with Windows long term. Another advantage of the retail version is that if you have different devices, say a PC, a laptop, and a PC, all you need to buy is a single Windows OS installer to install Windows in all three. You don’t need to buy three separate installers.

Another difference between the two is that OEM copies do not come with any support from Microsoft. If you need to call Microsoft, you must pay a fee to do so. Retail copies come with a phone support. To be clear, the free upgrade to Windows 10 is for lower versions starting with Windows 7, regardless of whether the OS is OEM or retail. However, the free upgrades were only until last July.