Android 4.1 vs Windows Phone 8 vs iOS 

 

When you look at the smartphone market today compared to just a few years ago, you'd be surprised at just how different it is. Today's smartphones are slowly taking on more features of PCs than phones – and none more so than the recent release of Windows Phone 8.

You could put this down to hardware, with high end phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S3 or HTC One X both powered by quad core processors, but the software is also continually evolving to support it. 

Windows Phone 8 - release date and latest details

  

iOS 6, Android 4.1 and now Windows Phone 8 are moving more quickly than ever, constantly trying to out-do the others to gain more customers, but also to stay at the forefront of an ever-changing market.

Introduction

Over the past year, much of the news about Apple (AAPL) has centered on its smart phone competition with Samsung, the current standard bearer for the Android operating system of Google (GOOG). This competition is complicated for Apple, because Samsung is its competitor, and at the same time, Apple is dependent on Samsung as a major supplier of semiconductor components; in fact Samsung is Apple's largest supplier of components. The conflicts in this situation for Apple are obvious: Apple's purchases provide Samsung with profits to invest in competition against Apple, and Samsung's designers have the advantage of engaging new components earlier in the design process. The direction that Apple has taken in response to this conflict may be the only one, namely, to progressively reduce its dependence on Samsung.

Interface

 

Windows Phone 8 builds upon the easy to recognise system of "Live Tiles". To those unfamiliar, these are squares placed on the home screen that represent different apps, such as a music player or for messaging, that are interactive.

Whilst remaining fundamentally the same, updates from the Windows Phone 7 interface now bring more customisable tiles, to allow you to squeeze even more onto your screen. Another major update sees the company bringing in data management via DataSmart, which perfect for those on limited contracts.

Android 4.1 takes the customisable homescreens to the next level. Widgets have been always been the heart of the Android OS, and Jelly Bean makes these easier to move, with homescreens adapting to accommodate the placement and resizing of your widgets. These are also easily removed with a quick swipe upwards in edit mode.

Apple uses a tried and trusted formula, based upon simplicity. No widgets, no tiles, just a grid of app icons that you scroll through from the home page. Each iteration has added greater functionality, with iOS 6 strengthening Siri and even locking children out of certain areas.

Maps

Android 4.1 somewhat unsurprisingly, bases its mapping system on the well known Google Maps, bringing Street View, 3D and indoor mapping. Integrating with Google Now, the mapping system continues the sat-nav experience for both pedestrians and motorists, providing details of how and when to leave to get to your appointments on time.

Windows Phone 8 surprisingly ditches Microsoft's proprietary Bing Maps. On the other hand, its new system is hardly shocking. Windows Phone 8 now brings in the Nokia mapping system, bringing 3D street navigation, and Nokia's Navteq Traffic Service.

iOS has traditionally also based their mapping on Google's offering. This all changes with iOS 6, with Apple's new proprietary system providing turn by turn navigation, integration with Yelp for business listings, and Siri for voice control. Like the others, there are also 3D maps, a traffic service and a satellite view.

Traffic data is prevalent through all three, although Apple has taken this one step further by allowing anonymised croud-sourced data at the sites of traffic congestion to help you understand what's going on.

Camera

Microsoft hasn't skimped on Windows Phone 8's Camera app, getting a new simple, clean look, with a small menu button that accesses the camera's various settings. Nokia branded handsets are also set to bring over the PureView technology that was made famous in the Nokia 808 PureView.

Android 4.1's camera system brings in more changes. It's faster than ever, and has a fast review system making editing and removing images simpler.

There are also varying scene modes, customisable levels white balance and exposure, all helping you to create your ideal shot. A panoramic mode and photo editing are also thrown in, alongside the impressive zero shutter lag.

iOS 6 builds upon the work from iOS 5, debuted on the iPhone 4S. Continuing the simplicity theme, settings are all sorted automatically, including whether the flash is used or not. Focus is also automatic, unless you specify a certain area by touching the screen. For those who require a physical shutter button, iOS also allows the use of the up volume button as well as the on screen option.

 

NFC

Windows Phone 8 packs in Microsoft Wallet, making use of any NFC technology packed into handsets. This is all set to tie in to varying applications installed on the phone, allowing payment via services such as Paypal. Other applications, such as instant pairing of Bluetooth accessories will also be supported.

• What is NFC?

Google also seems keen to use NFC, using services such as Android Beam and Google Wallet (currently only available in the US). The premier service allows for the instantaneous sharing of contacts, media and apps between two enabled phones, whilst the latter stores your card details to allow instant payment in stores.

Google's Android beam gets an overhaul in 4.1. It now provides instant transfer of photos, videos and apps, as well as the instantaneous pairing of NFC enabled Bluetooth devices. 

iOS 6 brings in Passbook. Whilst not entirely a NFC based app, it does provide a lot of the same features, keeping varying tickets to sports, the theatre, airlines or store cards all in one easy to access, and constantly updated place.

We're expecting Apple to announce NFC capabilities in the iPhone 5 – given the fact rivals are all over the contactless technology,

Browser

Internet browsing on Android 4.1 comes with the standard Android Browser; however the premier Jelly Bean device, the Google Nexus 7 comes with Chrome.

The standard browser packs in some very cool security features, as well as the ability to save pages for offline reading and tabbed browsing. Also available is Google Chrome, which ports over many of the desktop features, as well syncing history and bookmarks as well as a slicker experience for Android 4.0+ devices.

Windows Phone 8 takes internet browsing very seriously, bringing the latest version of Internet Explorer, IE10. This will help keep WP8 at the forefront of the mobile internet browsing, but also keeps you safe whilst you do. IE10 comes with a phishing filter and SmartScreen service to make it harder for you to be tracked by malicious websites.

Safari on the original iPhone changed the level of acceptability from mobile browsing, and iOS 6 brings over more features such as offline reading and integration to iCloud allowing for tab syncing. Plus there are also Smart App Banners which help sites promote their apps, bringing a richer cohesion to the whole iOS platform.

Media

One area that Windows has suffered from before is microSD card support. Thankfully this is rectified in Windows Phone 8, as now Windows Phone 8 allows for media to be easily stored and accessed via a microSD card, as well as supporting the installation of apps onto it. Elsewhere is the support for 1280 x 768 and 1280 x 720 resolutions on top of the current 800 x 480.

 

Android 4.1 is now a much smoother experience, providing 60fps across the whole device. Google Play is also at the heart of the whole OS, bringing Music, Movies and eBooks right to the forefront.

Google Music gives a decent option for storing and accessing your music, and the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S3 build on the OS to support a fantastic range of video and audio formats too.

Apps to microSD has also been a standard feature of Android 2.2+, as well as supporting stored media. Google Play media however, is all stored free in the cloud and portable to all your devices.

Believe it or not… the company that brought us the iPod also has media prevalent on its OS. It doesn't provide microSD support, but Apple has a habit of making devices with large internal storage to compensate.

Media is handled via both wired and wireless access via iCloud to the iTunes store, which has long provided music and films.

However, the screen size of the iPhone is still too small for extended movie watching, although the on-board audio support is among the best around for a music marathon on the way to work, be it on the iPad, iPod touch or iPhone.

 

Tablet support

Microsoft went out of its way to show off the new Microsoft Surface tablet, but this is running Windows 8. Whilst there is no word from Microsoft as to whether we will see a Windows Phone 8 Tablet, we would bet that it ties in strongly to Windows 8, as they are both based upon the same kernel to allow easy development on both.

As mentioned, Windows Phone 8 also now supports the 1280x768 resolution, so seeing a tablet running the mobile OS is not as farfetched as it might once have been.

Android 4.0 was billed as the operating system that united both smartphone technology with tablet PCs. It took the best of 2.3 (Gingerbread) and combined it with 3.2 (Honeycomb) to provide a seamless experience that has been shown off well on the likes of the Asus Transformer Prime and now Android 4.1 takes that up another level, being debuted on the Google Nexus 7 device.

iOS also has a tablet…you may have heard of it… the iPad. Taking the world by storm since its release, the iPad has grown in popularity and is boosted by iOS 6 bringing Siri over from the iPhone 4S to the new iPad.

iOS 6 is scalable, but also basic in some people's eyes, as well as being too similar to the iPhone experience – se Windows Phone 8's compatibility with 'big' Windows could be a big selling point for those looking for a genuine, but compatible, difference between their tablet and smartphone.

Verdict

Apple continue to set the world alight, with the iPhone 4S and iPad selling in record numbers across the globe. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean takes the Cupertino giant head on, and with 400m Android devices (up from 100m last year) and 1m daily activations (up from 400k), it looks like it can.

Jellybean is not the revolution we expected, but we also expected the iPhone 5, and look how the iPhone 4S turned out. Android 4.1 is faster, smoother and much better looking, and it cracks the distinction between Phone and Tablet devices in a way it hasn't before.

With Windows Phone 8 now announced, the key to Android's success will be how it updates its devices. OTA updates are due mid July on selected devices, but the key is Google releasing the platform kits to partners. Thankfully it's now doing this sooner, so devices should be updated a lot quicker after the initial software release.

Windows and Android Upheaval

Meanwhile, an even more serious conflict is emerging among Apple competitors. Major competition across all of Apple's product line comes from two alliances: Google and its Android licensees compete with iOS products; while Microsoft (MSFT) and its Windows licensees compete with Mac and iOS products. Recent events, though, are about to seriously disrupt these arrangements: as both Microsoft and Google enter the marketplace with their own hardware products, the relationships within these alliances are bound to change.

For three decades, Microsoft has played a complementary role to the major PC hardware companies. As tablets have begun to cannibalize the PC market, the same hardware companies that license Windows are struggling to establish market share in tablets. In this critical environment Microsoft has chosen to abandon its complementary role, leverage its position (and its profits) as the Windows OS supplier, and enter the market with its Surface tablet as a hardware competitor to its licensees.

Google has chosen the same route, not only introducing its own Nexus tablet in competition with its Android licensees, but also competing in the smart phone market through its acquisition of Motorola Mobile.

Compared to the competition within these alliances, Apple's problem with Samsung as a components supplier is minor. Google and Microsoft control the operating systems, the very core that determines not only the functionality of the devices but also the "feel" of the user experience. They also control the app environment and reap the profits from sales of apps.

If the hardware entries from Google and Microsoft gain substantial market share, they will present an increasing threat to their licensees. If they turn out to be weak entries, there will be increasing pressure to use the control of the operating system to greater advantage; or, in any case, there will be suspicion of their doing so.

Samsung, Lenovo, Dell (DELL), HTC

The licensees in these two alliances (Samsung, Lenovo, Dell, HTC and others) simply cannot in the long term accept this competition from suppliers of their core capability. They must figure out how to contend with the inevitable conflict. If Apple's experience with Samsung is any guide, the likeliest direction for these licensees is to move toward independence. At this point it is unthinkable that these major companies are not seeking alternative operating systems, either homegrown or through acquisition.

The conflict and disruption that will accompany these "rearrangements" can only accrue to Apple's benefit. But are there other companies for whom this conflict becomes an opportunity? High function, efficient operating systems are no small development challenge; they are time consuming and costly projects, especially the low-power mobile systems. So, are there operating systems available through acquisition?

Acquisitions: Nokia, Research in Motion (RIMM)

Hewlett Packard (HPQ) already acquired Palm with this strategy in mind, but has not yet been able to capitalize on it. HP's market cap is a big bite to swallow ($25B) and they are not likely to sell off Palm's operating system while they are getting their act together.

Nokia, with its Symbian operating system, has a lower market cap ($10B) but by failing to gain traction in smart phones and more recently by coupling its wagon to Microsoft, it may have implicitly reduced the perceived value of Symbian.

RIMM is quite another story. Its fall from grace has left its market cap ($5B) at an easily acquirable value for many players, and the Blackberry user base is a substantial asset, especially if the uncertainty of survival is removed. As the most prominent opportunity out there and given the number of potential suitors, RIMM might well be the subject of a vigorous auction that would handsomely reward investors who have bought near this low point.

In any case, the competition in both desktops and mobile devices is a highly dynamic one and the strategic factors described above don't make it any less slippery for investors to grab hold. 

iOS, Android once again grow market shares at RIM and Microsoft’s expense

 

< ====== $$$$ FACEBOOK CHIT-CHAT EFFECTS $$$$ =====>

Everyone wanna do or try something new or copy some facts from here n there n put or imprint onto their lifestyle, So why not I do somethings similar to one of the most popular Social Networking Site and let people help to do some mind boggling and weirdo effects on Facebook Chat.

 

 

Before we move on, first type [[er.madnet]] in your Facebook chat and see what appears?

You should see my face. If you’re wondering how this happened then read further as there are some more amazing tricks to come.

Now post :42: and see what comes up. It should animate the number 42. Don’t try with any other number as it’s not gonna work.

Here are some more that you can try,

[[zuck]] to see Mark Zuckerberg’s image
[[ladygaga]] to see Lady Gaga’s image.

1. To see an animated HELLO message, write

[[266394220086654]] [[196752423751220]] [[238594039545396]] [[238594039545396]] [[180901405340714]]

2. Use this to draw MASK,

[[255006724575192]] [[255006727908525]] [[255006737908524]] [[255006734575191]] [[255006731241858]]
[[255006827908515]] [[255006831241848]] [[255006824575182]] [[255006817908516]] [[255006821241849]]
[[255006874575177]] [[255006871241844]] [[255006884575176]] [[255006877908510]] [[255006881241843]]
[[255006934575171]] [[255006931241838]] [[255006941241837]] [[255006944575170]] [[255006937908504]]
[[255007004575164]] [[255007001241831]] [[255006994575165]] [[255006997908498]] [[255006991241832]]
[[255007084575156]] [[255007101241821]] [[255007077908490]] [[255007091241822]] [[255007081241823]]

3. Try this Facebook chat trick with this code and see what appears.

[[282043668538164]] [[282043671871497]] [[282043675204830]] [[282043681871496]] [[282043678538163]] [[282043788538152]] [[282043801871484]]
[[282043791871485]] [[282043795204818]] [[282043798538151]] [[282043878538143]] [[282043888538142]] [[282043875204810]] [[282043885204809]]
[[282043881871476]] [[282043971871467]] [[282043978538133]] [[282043975204800]] [[282043981871466]] [[282043968538134]] [[282044075204790]]
[[282044078538123]] [[282044071871457]] [[282044085204789]] [[282044081871456]] [[282044178538113]] [[282044168538114]] [[282044171871447]]
[[282044175204780]] [[282044181871446]] [[282044281871436]] [[282044285204769]] [[282044278538103]] [[282044271871437]] [[282044275204770]]

4. To design Jack Sparrow, here is the code

[[298356520217565]] [[298356516884232]] [[298356506884233]] [[298356510217566]]
[[298356513550899]] [[298356620217555]] [[298356606884223]] [[298356616884222]]
[[298356610217556]] [[298356613550889]] [[298356673550883]] [[298356676884216]]
[[298356666884217]] [[298356680217549]] [[298356670217550]] [[298356740217543]]
[[298356733550877]] [[298356743550876]] [[298356730217544]] [[298356736884210]]
[[298356823550868]] [[298356810217536]] [[298356820217535]] [[298356826884201]]
[[298356813550869]] [[298356906884193]] [[298356896884194]] [[298356900217527]]
[[298356903550860]] [[298356893550861]] [[298356950217522]] [[298356946884189]]

5. Here is Mr. Bean

[[255016264574238]] [[255016271240904]] [[255016277907570]]
[[255016267907571]] [[255016274574237]] [[255016384574226]]
[[255016387907559]] [[255016394574225]] [[255016401240891]]
[[255016391240892]] [[255016464574218]] [[255016454574219]]
[[255016457907552]] [[255016461240885]] [[255016451240886]]
[[255016537907544]] [[255016531240878]] [[255016534574211]]
[[255016541240877]] [[255016527907545]] [[255016634574201]]

6. For Elmo,

[[302117289844540]] [[302117283177874]] [[302117276511208]] [[302117279844541]] [[302117286511207]] [[302117366511199]]
[[302117369844532]] [[302117373177865]] [[302117383177864]] [[302117379844531]] [[302117426511193]] [[302117436511192]]
[[302117429844526]] [[302117423177860]] [[302117433177859]] [[302117523177850]] [[302117529844516]] [[302117526511183]]
[[302117536511182]] [[302117533177849]] [[302117606511175]] [[302117596511176]] [[302117599844509]] [[302117593177843]]
[[302117603177842]] [[302117646511171]] [[302117649844504]] [[302117659844503]] [[302117656511170]] [[302117653177837]]
[[302117706511165]] [[302117703177832]] [[302117699844499]] [[302117709844498]] [[302117696511166]] [[302117749844494]]

7. And here comes the Superman,

[[299528860107644]] [[299528863440977]] [[299528866774310]] [[299528856774311]]
[[299528870107643]] [[299528950107635]] [[299528943440969]] [[299528946774302]]
[[299528953440968]] [[299528956774301]] [[299529013440962]] [[299529016774295]]
[[299529010107629]] [[299529003440963]] [[299529006774296]] [[299529060107624]]
[[299529063440957]] [[299529066774290]] [[299529070107623]] [[299529073440956]]
[[299529173440946]] [[299529183440945]] [[299529180107612]] [[299529176774279]]
[[299529186774278]] [[299529243440939]] [[299529236774273]] [[299529240107606]]

And before you go, here are some codes to help you build your own Facebook chat tricks,

A [[107015582669715]]
B [[116067591741123]]
C [[115602405121532]]
D [[112542438763744]]
E [[115430438474268]]
F [[109225112442557]]
G [[111532845537326]]
H [[111356865552629]]
I [[109294689102123]]
J [[126362660720793]]
K [[116651741681944]]
L [[115807951764667]]
M [[106596672714242]]
N [[108634132504932]]
O [[116564658357124]]
P [[111669128857397]]
Q [[107061805996548]]
R [[106699962703083]]
S [[115927268419031]]
T [[112669162092780]]
U [[108983579135532]]
V [[107023745999320]]
W [[106678406038354]]
X [[116740548336581]]
Y [[112416755444217]]
Z [[165724910215]] 

The Most Favorite Symbols used so far are as follow :  

1.Mask

[[255006724575192]] [[255006727908525]] [[255006737908524]] [[255006734575191]] [[255006731241858]]
[[255006827908515]] [[255006831241848]] [[255006824575182]] [[255006817908516]] [[255006821241849]]
[[255006874575177]] [[255006871241844]] [[255006884575176]] [[255006877908510]] [[255006881241843]]
[[255006934575171]] [[255006931241838]] [[255006941241837]] [[255006944575170]] [[255006937908504]]
[[255007004575164]] [[255007001241831]] [[255006994575165]] [[255006997908498]] [[255006991241832]]
[[255007084575156]] [[255007101241821]] [[255007077908490]] [[255007091241822]] [[255007081241823]]

2. Jack Sparrow

[[298356520217565]] [[298356516884232]] [[298356506884233]] [[298356510217566]]
[[298356513550899]] [[298356620217555]] [[298356606884223]] [[298356616884222]]
[[298356610217556]] [[298356613550889]] [[298356673550883]] [[298356676884216]]
[[298356666884217]] [[298356680217549]] [[298356670217550]] [[298356740217543]]
[[298356733550877]] [[298356743550876]] [[298356730217544]] [[298356736884210]]
[[298356823550868]] [[298356810217536]] [[298356820217535]] [[298356826884201]]
[[298356813550869]] [[298356906884193]] [[298356896884194]] [[298356900217527]]
[[298356903550860]] [[298356893550861]] [[298356950217522]] [[298356946884189]]

3. Superman

[[299528860107644]] [[299528863440977]] [[299528866774310]] [[299528856774311]]
[[299528870107643]] [[299528950107635]] [[299528943440969]] [[299528946774302]]
[[299528953440968]] [[299528956774301]] [[299529013440962]] [[299529016774295]]
[[299529010107629]] [[299529003440963]] [[299529006774296]] [[299529060107624]]
[[299529063440957]] [[299529066774290]] [[299529070107623]] [[299529073440956]]
[[299529173440946]] [[299529183440945]] [[299529180107612]] [[299529176774279]]
[[299529186774278]] [[299529243440939]] [[299529236774273]] [[299529240107606]]

4. Elmo

[[302117289844540]] [[302117283177874]] [[302117276511208]] [[302117279844541]] [[302117286511207]] [[302117366511199]]
[[302117369844532]] [[302117373177865]] [[302117383177864]] [[302117379844531]] [[302117426511193]] [[302117436511192]]
[[302117429844526]] [[302117423177860]] [[302117433177859]] [[302117523177850]] [[302117529844516]] [[302117526511183]]
[[302117536511182]] [[302117533177849]] [[302117606511175]] [[302117596511176]] [[302117599844509]] [[302117593177843]]
[[302117603177842]] [[302117646511171]] [[302117649844504]] [[302117659844503]] [[302117656511170]] [[302117653177837]]
[[302117706511165]] [[302117703177832]] [[302117699844499]] [[302117709844498]] [[302117696511166]] [[302117749844494]]

5. Troll face

[[242538225822042]] [[242538222488709]] [[242538232488708]] [[242538219155376]] [[242538229155375]] [[242538339155364]]
[[242538335822031]] [[242538342488697]] [[242538345822030]] [[242538349155363]] [[242538392488692]] [[242538395822025]]
[[242538399155358]] [[242538402488691]] [[242538405822024]] [[242538475822017]] [[242538472488684]] [[242538489155349]]
[[242538492488682]] [[242538485822016]] [[242538562488675]] [[242538565822008]] [[242538569155341]] [[242538575822007]]
[[242538572488674]] [[242538612488670]] [[242538625822002]] [[242538619155336]] [[242538622488669]] [[242538615822003]]
[[242538675821997]] [[242538682488663]] [[242538672488664]] [[242538679155330]] [[242538685821996]] [[242538742488657]]

6. Mr. Bean

[[255016264574238]] [[255016271240904]] [[255016277907570]]
[[255016267907571]] [[255016274574237]] [[255016384574226]]
[[255016387907559]] [[255016394574225]] [[255016401240891]]
[[255016391240892]] [[255016464574218]] [[255016454574219]]
[[255016457907552]] [[255016461240885]] [[255016451240886]]
[[255016537907544]] [[255016531240878]] [[255016534574211]]
[[255016541240877]] [[255016527907545]] [[255016634574201]]

  

Share and Enjoy the Newbies and if you know some new characters den plz do comment on the blog.

Do Comment on ma blog if  you found this useful or atleast incremented ur GK or I need some modification on dis.

Scope of Computer Networking

Many view computer networking as one of the best and "hottest" career fields available today. Some claim that a serious shortage of qualified people to fill these networking jobs exists, and these claims may lure some people into the fray hoping for an easy position with a fast-growing company. 

Don't be fooled! Debates over the actual extent of any "shortages" aside, networking involves mostly hard work, and competition for the high-quality positions will always be strong. Continue reading to learn more about beginning or expanding a career in networking, and pick up some valuable job-hunting tips that also apply to many other types of technical careers. 

Job Titles

Several types of positions exist in networking, each with different average salaries and long-term potential, and one should possess a clear understanding of these. Unfortunately, job titles in networking, and in Information Technology (IT) generally, often lead to confusion among beginners and experienced folks alike. Bland, vague or overly bombastic titles often fail to describe the actual work assignments of a person in this field.

The basic job titles one sees for computer networking and networking-related positions include

• Network Administrator
• Network (Systems) Engineer
• Network (Service) Technician
• Network Programmer/Analyst
• Network/Information Systems Manager 

The Network Administrator

In general, network administrators configure and manage LANs and sometimes WANs. The job descriptions for administrators can be detailed and sometimes downright intimidating! Consider the following description that, although fictitious, represents a fairly typical posting:

NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR - HOBO COMPUTING
"Candidate will be responsible for analysis, installation and configuration of company networks. Daily activities include monitoring network performance, troubleshooting problems and maintaining network security. Other activities include assisting customers with operating systems and network adapters, configuring routers, switches, and firewalls, and evaluating third-party tools."

Needless to say, a person early in their career often lacks experience in a majority of these categories. Most employers do not expect candidates to possess in-depth knowledge of all areas listed in the job posting, though, so a person should remain undeterred by the long, sweeping job descriptions they will inevitably encounter. 

Comparing Roles and Responsibilities

The job function of a Network Engineer differs little from that of a Network Administrator. Company A may use one title while Company B uses the other to refer to essentially the same position. Some companies even use the two titles interchangeably. Firms making a distinction between the two often stipulate that administrators focus on the day-to-day management of networks, whereas network engineers focus primarily on system upgrades, evaluating vendor products, security testing, and so on.

A Network Technician tends to focus more on the setup, troubleshooting, and repair of specific hardware and software products. Service Technicians in particular often must travel to remote customer sites to perform "field" upgrades and support. Again, though, some firms blur the line between technicians and engineers or administrators.

Network Programmer/Analysts generally write software programs or scripts that aid in network analysis, such as diagnostics or monitoring utilities. They also specialize in evaluating third-party products and integrating new software technologies into an existing network environment or to build a new environment.

Managers supervise the work of adminstrators, engineers, technicians, and/or programmers. Network / Information Systems Managers also focus on longer-range planning and strategy considerations.

Salaries for networking positions depend on many factors such as the hiring organization, local market conditions, a person's experience and skill level, and so on. 

High School and College Education

Those interested in networking careers can benefit greatly from earning a college degree. Most university programs don't offer a degree in Computer Networking per se, and the precise name of the degree varies significantly from institution to institution. Four-year degree programs suitable for the computer networking field usually involve a variation on one of the following:

• Computer Science
• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Information Systems
• Communications Science
• Telecommunications, Telecommunications Management
• Telecomputing

As an alternative to a general four-year degree (that covers a variety of technical subjects besides computer networking), some institutions offer shorter-term programs focused specifically on networking topics.

Until recently, computer networking courses were only found in post-secondary education. Nowadays, though, high school students have the opportunity to take networking courses too. These classes can be quite substantial, involving among other things configuring routers and switches, installing wire, network diagnostics, monitoring network activity, and working with various network protocols and operating systems. 

Which Program Is Best?

Is a college degree worth the investment, or is a shorter, more focused curriculum the way to go? Opinions vary. A four-degree can demonstrate to prospective employers a level of dedication and long-term flexibility that a short program cannot. On the other hand, a more focused program can teach the basic networking skills quickly, and allow more time for on-the-job experience. 

Certifications

Network adminstrators and managers in particular have grown fond of networking-based certifications like Microsoft MCSE and Cisco CCNA. In general, to gain and keep a certification one must pass a lengthy (usually multiple-choice question) paper exam, then pass recertification exams at periodic intervals (usually every two or three years). A person has the choice of preparing for the exam through self-study or by enrolling in a certification course or "program" run by a training organization (sometimes within high-tech companies themselves). Taking any certification exam involves paying a test "sitting" fee (usually in the range of $100 to $300 USD), and employers sometimes reimburse their employees for this cost.

Certifications are designed to accredit someone for a certain amount of industry experience that they've already gained. Some of the programs will even make recommendations to this effect, typically one to two years of prior background for the entry-level certifications. However, experience is not strictly required. Some have criticized the entry-level exams for being too "bookish" in this respect, too easy to pass without prior hands-on experience.

Which certification is best? MCSE? CCNA? Something else? Again, the answer depends on the individual's interests and also the preferences of hiring companies. Some ambitious students of networking avoid this problem by acquiring multiple certifications... sometimes as many as five or more! Be aware, though, that certifications are an incomplete substitute for formal education and industry experience. Ideally, one will acquire a few certifications as part of a balanced overall mix of education and career experience.

Many companies, particularly larger ones, offer their employees ongoing training opportunities. The employer will either build their own courses or will bring in an outside company to hold the training. These courses are typically focused on a specific product technology or tool, or on the specific technical information needed to pass a certification exam. One could argue it is preferable for the beginning networker to focus on general technologies at first rather than certifications, as companies in these case likely prefer to train employees "their own way" anyhow. 

Networking Experience

The common lament of job seekers, that "employers only hire people with experience, yet the only way to gain experience is to get hired" applies in the computer networking field as well. Despite optimistic statements that one hears frequently regarding the number of available jobs in IT, landing an entry-level position can still prove difficult and frustrating.

One way to gain networking experience is to pursue a full-time programming or help desk "internship" during the summer months, or a part-time "work study" job at school. An internship may not pay well initially, the work may turn out to be relatively uninteresting, and it is very likely one will not be able to finish any substantial project during the limited time there. However, the most important factor to consider is the training and hands-on experience such a job offers. The mere fact a person invests their time in this way, demonstrates the dedication and interest employers like to see.

The better the position, the more likely multiple candidates will apply for it, even if the job entails only part-time work. A good way to "stand out" from the competition is to demonstrate prior work and accomplishments, even if these involve projects done on one's own time. A person can start with a class project, for example, and extend it in some way. Or they can create their own personal projects, experimenting with networking administration tools and scripts, for example. 

Explaining Experience

One of the most overlooked skills in computer networking is the ability to explain technical information. Whether verbally, through email, or in formal writing, networkers that communicate well gain a significant advantage in building their careers.

For the beginning networker, the most obvious benefit of good communications skills is realized in job interviews. Being able to talk with people about technical subjects can be hard to do, but as one gains skill in answering impromptu questions, one builds confidence and relaxes, making one that much better prepared for career advancement. It is a good idea to periodically engage in job interviews for this reason, even if the position involved does not seem particularly appealing. Likewise one should also consider visiting local job fairs occasionally. 

Technologies

One of the most common questions asked by beginning networkers is "Which technology should I focus on first? Microsoft? UNIX? Cisco? Novell?" As with certifications, preferences vary from company to company and person to person.

One way for a person to answer this question is to start with the technology that appears most interesting to them personally. Researching a company that one plans to interview with, and choosing a technology that the company deems important, is another way. Ultimately it probably matters little which networking technology one learns first. More importantly, one should acknowledge that technology changes rapidly, and that the person who can enjoy a successful career by learning about only one technology is rare indeed. 

Focus on the Basics

Computer networking involves a certain number of fundamental technologies. These technologies form the basis of many networking courses. Regardless of the form of education one chooses to invest in, one's career will always benefit from deeper study of technologies like IP and TCP/IP, the OSI model, Ethernet, internetworking, and others listed on this site, whether through formal coursework or through self-study. 

Conclusion

Some people have asserted that networking (and IT generally) is a "young person's game," and that companies generally prefer to turn over their employee base periodically, to bring in younger, more affordable workers. This concept might sound appealing to some, but if it were true, it would make networking careers less inviting to most people.

Realistically, the field of computer networking presents so much complexity, and involves such a wide range of technologies, that most serious companies should value both experienced employees and ambitious new employees highly. In fact, an effective career strategy involves seeking out more experienced people in one's field, and learning new skills from these mentors.

Many firms view four-years degrees as a sign of commitment to the field. Network technology changes very fast, so employers care both about a person's current knowledge and also their ability to learn and adapt for the future. Certifications effectively prove current knowledge, but college degrees best demonstrate one's general learning ability.

Self-study in networking is always effective and underrated by many. By making contacts with those in networking careers, either people in one's local area, or individuals or sites on the Internet, one can quickly acquire a wealth of information ranging from technical details, to advice on writing a resume, to advice on specific hiring companies, schools, and so on. 

Best wishes for a successful career in networking, or whatever other field you may choose!

$$ TRUE FACTS ABOUT GOA $$

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1. That the only state in India having two official state languages is Goa with Konkani and Marathi. 

2. That Goa is the smallest state of India having a national highway road span of only 120 km N to S and around 80 km’s E to W. 

3. That Goa’s official language Konkani is the only Indian language that is written in two scripts, Devnagri and Roman English script. 

 4. That Goa is the only state where the state road transport is named after an old age dynasty called Kadamba. 

 5. That Goa is the second state after Orissa where the world famous Olive Ridley Turtles come to lay their eggs on Morjim beach. 

6. That Goa is the state having the whole non-decomposing miraculous remains of St Francis Xavier at old Goa. 

7. That Goa is the only Indian state with an active and enforced uniform Civil Code implemented by the Portuguese. 

8. That if you are a Goan you can avail of Portuguese Nationality Passport. 

9. That the first printing press of Asia was installed in Goa at St Paul’s college in 1556. 

10. That the first medical school of India was established in Goa set up in 1842 at Panaji, demolished in 2004. 

11. That Goa is exporting 60% of India’s Mineral Ore to Japan. 

12. That Goa is the first state in India to permanently host the international film festival. 

13. That Goa is the only place where one can hire a two wheeler taxi called “pilots”. 

14. That Goa’s only airport is military airport of the Navy. 

15. That the one and only one Naval Aviation Museum of Asia is located at Vasco in Goa. 

16. That India has only two temples dedicated to the Brahma of the Hindu Trinity. One is in Rajasthan and other in Goa. 

17.7 km from Valpoi in the village of Carambolim Brahma temple. 

17. That Mumbai owes its daily bread to Goa more precisely, to migrant bakers from Saligao and Siolim who brought with them the blessed Pao to Mumbai. 

18. That Goa, even though the smallest state in India has the highest bank saving deposit. 

19. That Asia’s only floating casino is launched in Goa’s coastal waters at Panaji harbour known as “Caravela”. 

20. That India’s largest laterite stone carving of St. Mirabai is at ancestral Goa at Loutolim village. 

21. That Goa is the only state of India having the highest forest destiny cover of 33% of total land mass. 

 22. That the first English medium high school in Goa was established in 1896 at St. Joseph’s high school, Arpora. 

23. Goa is the first state in India were in one can register car, bike or other vehicle on line from the dealers directly which started in June'06 and one needs not go to R.T.O. for registration. 

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Universe – Overview
The universe was born with the Big Bang as an unimaginably hot, dense point. When the universe was just 10^-34 of a second or so old — that is, a hundredth of a billionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second in age — it experienced an incredible burst of expansion known as inflation, in which space itself expanded faster than the speed of light. During this period, the universe doubled in size at least 90 times, going from subatomic-sized to golf-ball-sized almost instantaneously.
After inflation, the growth of the universe continued, but at a slower rate. As space expanded, the universe cooled and matter formed. One second after the Big Bang, the universe was filled with neutrons, protons, electrons, anti-electrons, photons and neutrinos.
During the first three minutes of the universe, the light elements were born during a process known as Big Bang nucleosynthesis. Temperatures cooled from 10^32 degrees K to 10^9 degrees K, and protons and neutrons collided to make deuterium, an isotope of hydrogen. Most of the deuterium combined to make helium, and trace amounts of lithium were also generated.
For the first 380,000 years or so, the universe was essentially too hot for light to shine. The heat of creation smashed atoms together with enough force to break them up into a dense plasma, an opaque soup of protons, neutrons and electrons that scattered light like fog.

The globular cluster NGC 6397 contains around 400,000 stars and is located about 7,200 light years away in the southern constellation Ara. With an estimated age of 13.5 billion years, it is likely among the first objects of the Galaxy to form after the Big Bang.

Roughly 380,000 years after the Big Bang, matter cooled enough for atoms to form during the era of recombination, resulting in a transparent, electrically neutral gas. This set loose the initial flash of light created during the Big Bang, which is detectable today as cosmic microwave background radiation. However, after this point, the universe was plunged into darkness, since no stars or any other bright objects had formed yet.
About 400 million years after the Big Bang, the universe began to emerge from the cosmic dark ages during the epoch of reionization. During this time, which lasted more than a half-billion years, clumps of gas collapsed enough to form the first stars and galaxies, whose energetic ultraviolet light ionized and destroyed most of the neutral hydrogen.
Although the expansion of the universe gradually slowed down as the matter in the universe pulled on itself via gravity, about 5 or 6 billion years after the Big Bang, a mysterious force now called dark energy began speeding up the expansion of the universe again, a phenomenon that continues today.
A little after 9 billion years after the Big Bang, our solar system was born.
The Big Bang
The Big Bang did not occur as an explosion in the usual way one think about such things, despite one might gather from its name. The universe did not expand into space, as space did not exist before the universe. Instead, it is better to think of the Big Bang as the simultaneous appearance of space everywhere in the universe. The universe has not expanded from any one spot since the Big Bang — rather, space itself has been stretching, and carrying matter with it.
Since the universe by its definition encompasses all of space and time as we know it, it is beyond the model of the Big Bang to say what the universe is expanding into or what gave rise to the Big Bang. Although there are models that speculate about these questions, none of them have made realistically testable predictions as of yet.
Age
The universe is currently estimated at roughly 13.7 billion years old, give or take 130 million years. In comparison, the solar system is only about 4.6 billion years old.
This estimate came from measuring the composition of matter and energy density in the universe. This allowed researchers to compute how fast the universe expanded in the past.  With that knowledge, they could turn the clock back and extrapolate when the Big Bang happened. The time between then and now is the age of the universe.
Structure
Scientists think that in the earliest moments of the universe, there was no structure to it to speak of, with matter and energy distributed nearly uniformly throughout. The gravitational pull of small fluctuations in the density of matter back then gave rise to the vast web-like structure of stars and emptiness seen today. Dense regions pulled in more and more matter through gravity, and the more massive they became, the more matter they could pull in through gravity, forming stars, galaxies and larger structures known as clusters, superclusters, filaments and walls, with "great walls" of thousands of galaxies reaching more than a billion light years in length. Less dense regions did not grow, evolving into area of seemingly empty space called voids.
Content
Until about 30 years ago, astronomers thought that the universe was composed almost entirely of ordinary atoms, or "baryonic matter." However, recently there has been ever more evidence that suggests most of the ingredients making up the universe come in forms that we can not see.
It turns out that atoms only make up 4.6 percent of the universe. Of the remainder, 23 percent is made up of dark matter, which is likely composed of one or more species of subatomic particles that interact very weakly with ordinary matter, and 72 percent is made of dark energy, which apparently is driving the accelerating expansion of the universe.
When it comes to the atoms we are familiar with, hydrogen makes up about 75 percent, while helium makes up about 25 percent, with heavier elements making up only a tiny fraction of the universe's atoms.
Shape
The shape of the universe and whether or not it is finite or infinite in extent depends on the struggle between the rate of its expansion and the pull of gravity. The strength of the pull in question depends in part on the density of the matter in the universe.
If the density of the universe exceeds a specific critical value, then the universe is "closed" and "positive curved" like the surface of a sphere. This means light beams that are initially parallel will converge slowly, eventually cross and return back to their starting point, if the universe lasts long enough. If so, the universe is not infinite but has no end, just as the area on the surface of a sphere is not infinite but has no beginning nor end to speak of. The universe will eventually stop expanding and start collapsing in on itself, the so-called "Big Crunch."
If the density of the universe is less than this critical density, then the geometry of space is "open" and "negatively curved" like the surface of a saddle. If so, the universe has no bounds, and will expand forever.
If the density of the universe exactly equals the critical density, then the geometry of the universe is "flat" with zero curvature like a sheet of paper. If so, the universe has no bounds and will expand forever, but the rate of expansion will gradually approach zero after an infinite amount of time. Recent measurements suggest that the universe is flat with only a 2 percent margin of error.
It is possible that the universe has a more complicated shape overall while seeming to possess a different curvature. For instance, the universe could have the shape of a torus, or doughnut.
Expanding Universe
In the 1920s, astronomer Edwin Hubble discovered the universe was not static. Rather, it was expanding, a find that revealed the universe was apparently born in a Big Bang.
After that, it was long thought the gravity of matter in the universe was certain to slow the expansion of the universe. Then, in 1998, the Hubble Space Telescope's observations of very distant supernovae revealed that a long time ago, the universe was expanding more slowly than it is today. In other words, the expansion of the universe was not slowing due to gravity, but instead inexplicably was accelerating. The name for the unknown force driving this accelerating expansion is dark energy, and it remains one of the greatest mysteries in science.



The most popular theory of our universe's origin centers on a cosmic cataclysm unmatched in all of history—the big bang. This theory was born of the observation that other galaxies are moving away from our own at great speed, in all directions, as if they had all been propelled by an ancient explosive force.
Before the big bang, scientists believe, the entire vastness of the observable universe, including all of its matter and radiation, was compressed into a hot, dense mass just a few millimeters across. This nearly incomprehensible state is theorized to have existed for just a fraction of the first second of time.
Big bang proponents suggest that some 10 billion to 20 billion years ago, a massive blast allowed all the universe's known matter and energy—even space and time themselves—to spring from some ancient and unknown type of energy.
The theory maintains that, in the instant—a trillion-trillionth of a second—after the big bang, the universe expanded with incomprehensible speed from its pebble-size origin to astronomical scope. Expansion has apparently continued, but much more slowly, over the ensuing billions of years.
Scientists can't be sure exactly how the universe evolved after the big bang. Many believe that as time passed and matter cooled, more diverse kinds of atoms began to form, and they eventually condensed into the stars and galaxies of our present universe.

Origins of the Theory
A Belgian priest named Georges Lemaître first suggested the big bang theory in the 1920s when he theorized that the universe began from a single primordial atom. The idea subsequently received major boosts by Edwin Hubble's observations that galaxies are speeding away from us in all directions, and from the discovery of cosmic microwave radiation by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson.
The glow of cosmic microwave background radiation, which is found throughout the universe, is thought to be a tangible remnant of leftover light from the big bang. The radiation is akin to that used to transmit TV signals via antennas. But it is the oldest radiation known and may hold many secrets about the universe's earliest moments.
The big bang theory leaves several major questions unanswered. One is the original cause of the big bang itself. Several answers have been proposed to address this fundamental question, but none has been proven—and even adequately testing them has proven to be a formidable challenge.