Two computer related articles recently caught my attention (as they often do). Both directly related to the direction of our society from a technological standpoint, but first some background is needed.
I am waiting in anticipation for several new very mobile devices from Microsoft to be presented at its October 6, 2015 launch event, all based around Windows 10. As a Microsoft Windows Insider, I have followed the ups and downs of the Windows 10 roll out since the first release in fall 2014. With each new “build,” Microsoft added new features and enhanced existing features of this new operating system. When the “Release to Manufacturing” (RTM) version was released to the general public in July 2015, it had some “quirks” and fixes are being constantly developed. Many of these are small “tweaks” which will be fixed in a reported October/November 2015 general release (update).
What is the upshot of this new push for a new operating system from Microsoft? Windows 7 was one of the most utilized and successful operating systems in the history of computing. As noted in a previous blog, it had a market share above 90% worldwide. While IOS and Android are used on the majority of the ”cell” phone market, Microsoft still has the enterprise and desktop market. As an operating system Windows 7 was reasonably secure and was capable of running most legacy software. So why the change to Windows 10? What changed in the computing world?
As phones became more popular, and tablets were developing, there was a shift from the “large screen” on desktop computers to computers which were small, and portable. Increasingly, data was being stored in the “cloud” so that it was accessible anywhere, anytime and by any device. This made it critical to develop software that could operate across devices.
In addition, the running of “APPS,” became the “rage.” While fun, using APPS is not the way to run an enterprise system. Android and IOS cannot run many legacy consumer or business programs in use around the world. Business cannot operate in an environment with just “apps.” They need enterprise software which can explore and take advantage of massive amounts of data. This is the direction which Microsoft has been and is going. For example, it was one of the first major “cloud” service and data center providers on the planet (via its Azure product).
Microsoft terms this use of one operating system across multiple devices and screen sizes “continuum.” It is designed to make your software experience the same whether on a smart phone, tablet, desktop computer or large screen (such as the new 84 inch Microsoft “all in one” Hub). Whether running an Excel spreadsheet, a Word document, a PowerPoint presentation or a “legacy” program, the goal was to make your experience the same, regardless of the device or the screen size. “Continuum” by Microsoft clearly, is an ambitious undertaking. Windows 10 is the first step in this process.
There is, however, a down side to this concept of “continuum” and increased mobility. One of the two articles which caught my attention addressed this downside. The article was in the September 2015 edition of Desktop Engineering magazine entitled Mobility Means Complexity, authored by Jamie J Gooch. It noted:
“The expectation of constant connectivity and mobility is a driving force in just about every industry. Not content with connected computers in our pockets, we’re putting them in every device where they make sense – and in some that don’t. Wearable electronics are the next frontier, according to industry watchers. ‘In 2014, global mobile data traffic of wearable devices amounted to 15 petabytes per month and is expected to grow to 175 petabytes per month in 2018,’ according to Statista. That presents some interesting challenges and opportunities for design engineers.”
Clearly, just the data use and manipulation will be a massive undertaking. It makes the development of new software such as Windows 10 essential. But software alone will not suffice. New hardware is also critical to this process. Mr. Gooch further notes the complexity of the engineering considerations alone are staggering.
“Engineering increasingly smaller products with constant connectivity opens a can ow worms that includes battery requirements, software integration, antennae placement, thermal dynamics, electromagnetic interference and user interfaces, just to name a few.”
The second article was in the September 2015 Electronic Design magazine entitled “Iris Scanner Unlocks Smartphones Using Infrared LEDs.” This article notes the increasing complexity and mobility of devices adds another major concern. To combat this new threat, new technical design and software iterations are being developed by necessity. The new concern is security.
“The growing number of smartphone thefts, both in the United States and abroad, has prompted manufacturers to incorporate more resilient security methods into their designs. Fujitsu Ltd., for instance, has recently unveiled the Arrows NX F-04G smartphone, which uses infrared light-emitting diodes (IREDs) to support iris scanning authentication.”
One of the great new features of the Windows 10 platform is “Windows Hello.” This uses infrared, color and 3-D cameras to allow facial recognition instead of passwords to sign into Microsoft accounts. About this technology, Microsoft notes:
“Windows Hello is a more personal, more secure way to get instant access to your Windows 10 devices using fingerprint, face, or eye recognition. Most PCs with fingerprint readers are ready to use Windows Hello now, and more devices that can recognize your face and iris are coming soon.” – Source: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/what-is-windows-hello
I purchased a USB camera from Intel designed for the Windows 10 which complied with the Windows Hello specifications and found it works very well. Facial recognition is almost instantaneous. It is indeed, much quicker than typing in a password, and much easier than remembering what my password is for my login account. As these new recognition hardware and software systems are included in new technology, more and more web pages, APPS and accounts we use will take advantage of the increased technology. However, the transition is not easy, as computer security is a very complex issue, which is not prone to “simple” solutions.
The Electronic Design article also notes:
“Such technology is part of a larger movement toward biometric identification methods as users become more vulnerable to theft. A report issued by the Federal Communications Committee in late 2014 found that more than a million smart phone thefts are reported in the United States each year. Because smart phones hold a large amount of personal information, manufacturers are investing in more secure alternatives to four-digit passcode locks and computer backups.”
I really enjoy and marvel at the new technology, with its increasing mobility and usability across platforms. For example, it is “really cool” to have my Windows smartphone look and operate in a similar way to my 8” tablet, as well as, on my 24” desktop monitor. The new Windows smartphones being introduced will be able to dock with my 24” desktop monitor and, using continuum, I will have the same experience as having my Surface Pro 3 connected to that monitor.
However, it is very clear that the increasing complexity of having our data available on many different types of devices including smartphones, tablets, desktops, stoves, microwave ovens, televisions and automobiles makes for a very complex infrastructure. This infrastructure also includes such infrastructure components as water supply and wastewater systems, and transportation systems. Not only do we have to manage the data in a “cloud” environment (so that it is always available), but we also have to manage the engineering, social and even psychological considerations of dealing with such a complex system.
Our journey into a very complex inter-connected world is just beginning. Part of the Windows 10 launch, which was and is not well known, is the availability of Windows 10 for the IoT. A September 2015 article in ChannelPro Network magazine entitled Microsoft Tees Up Windows 10 for the IoT by Richard Edwards notes:
“Microsoft is pinning its future hopes on Windows 10 too, but it isn’t about recapturing the important mobile operating systems market; it’s about gaining a strong foothold in the next multibillion-dollar market: The Internet of Things (IoT).”
About this market, Mr. Edwards notes:
“Windows 10 IoT is free for small devices, and Microsoft is urging manufacturers to consider Windows as they build their intelligent, connected devices. These might range from home automation units to robotic systems and medical devices.”
One example noted in an article entitled Innovating processing power in cars by John J. Paliotta, September ECN magazine brings out the incredible complexity of this IoT technology:
“Consider these incredible statistics: today’s vehicles have more processing power than any of NASA’s early spacecraft, including the Apollo lander. [This is an oft quoted statistic] [Even more amazing is the following] A modern vehicle has more lines of code (10M) than the latest technology in the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter. [127M to 150M per plane – source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/15/us-lockheed-fighter-cost-idUSBRE92E12E20130315]”
As I look at the advancing technology, I think back to what we have accomplished with far less technology. One example is presented in my EPub entitled EROS, Journey to an Asteroid. There are over 300 high resolution photographs taken by a very small spacecraft of a ‘Near Earth’ asteroid which is over 14 million miles from Earth. This space craft had a journey of over 1 billion miles, and the mission ended in 2001. With the exponential advance in technology, we should be able to accomplish so much more in today’s world.
As noted previously, these Windows 10 devices include smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers. However, the IoT devices market is exponentially larger. It may include virtually any device which we can imagine, and many which we have not yet imagined.
As Mr. Gooch notes about the future:
“In the not too distant future, maybe my daughters won’t have to yell at their kids to put down their phones and enjoy the scenery. Their kids might look out the [car] window and still socialize and be entertained via a Heads-up display in the glass. And my daughters will remember when they didn’t even have 100% cellular coverage and think ‘It was a simpler time.’”
Sincerely,
H. Court Young
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