Technology innovations help us move away from the old, inefficient ways of doing things. Tech&U looks at how technology has progressed.

Changing face of technology
As we celebrate the nation’s independence today, Tech&U looks at technologies that have helped us embrace the spirit of independence and become more free in terms of how we do things, think and say.

Powering computing devices
The microprocessor is the heart of the computer. From the turn of the century, only three big competitors are left in the consumer space – Intel, AMD and Cyrix (VIA acquired Cyrix Corp in 1999).

A key way to rate a processor is through clock speed. Clock speeds raced from the onegigahertz barrier and stopped just a shade under 4GHz.

Intel’s Pentium 4 crossed 2GHz and started blossoming, and multi-tasking took off in a big way.

AMD turned to another rating system dubbed Instruction Per Clock (IPC), which took into account instructions processed by a processor for every clock cycle and matched their clock speeds to the Pentium 4 accordingly. But it was Intel that started the GHz craze with its more efficient Pentium M, which debut at 1.6GHz in 2003.

And though Intel may have initiated the 16-bit to 32-bit from the 80286 to the 80386, it was AMD that got the ball rolling on the x86 platform, dubbed x86-64, or otherwise known as AMD64.

With a 32-bit platform, users were stuck to four gigabytes of memory, but with a 64-bit, users could have up to 128GB memory. With the exception of Intel’s Atom processor being deployed in netbooks, almost all Intel and AMD processors today are 64-bit-capable.

More cores let users get more things done with less time by spreading out a particular task over multiple cores. As with all good things, multi-core processors usually come in pairs, with the exception of AMD’s Athlon X3.

While AMD will neither confirm nor deny if the X3s started life as a triple-core processor or quadcore processor with a disabled bad core, the triple-core seems like an oddity – like a threelegged beast, as some would say. But it offers more power than a dual-core and is cheaper than a quad-core.

More choices is a good thing.

Notebooks today usually run on dual-core; the simpler Atom-based netbook platform has a single core.

There is also the processor for graphics from NVidia and ATI. The graphics processing unit isn’t just good for fragging your friends online and designing three-dimensional wire frames, but also great for processing multiple threads in parallel such as crunching large chunks of data in a distributed computing environment or even encoding video.

Mobile phones to the fore
Mobile phones came into the picture in the 1980s with the introduction of “cellular” phones – based on cellular networks with multiple base stations located relatively close to each other, and protocols for the automated “handover” between two cells when a phone moved from one cell to the other.

The first-generation phones were bulky and converted for use from “transportable” phones the size of a briefcase to truly portable, handheld phones.

In the 1990s, 2G mobile phone systems such as GSM were introduced. Such systems were characterised by digital circuit switched transmission and the introduction of advanced and fast phone-to-network signalling. The 2G phones were smaller, too, and weighed between 100 grams and 200g.

During this phase, text messaging became possible, initially on GSM networks and eventually on all digital networks.

2G also introduced the ability to access media content on mobile phones.

Then came 3G systems. The first pre-commercial trial network with 3G was launched by NTT DoCoMo in Japan in the Tokyo region in May 2001.

During the development of 3G systems, 2.5G systems such as CDMA2000 1x and GPRS were developed as extensions to existing 2G networks. These provide some of the features of 3G without fulfilling the promised high data rates or full range of multimedia services.

Other than text messaging and voice, current mobile phones support many additional services and accessories such as e-mail, gaming, Bluetooth, infrared, camera with video recording and MMS for sending and receiving photos and video, MP3 player, radio and GPS.

There are a few categories of mobile phones, from basic phones to feature phones such as music phones and camera phones, to smartphones. And a few phone series have been introduced to address a given market segment such as Research In Motion’s BlackBerry that focuses on enterprise or corporate customer e-mail needs; Sony Ericsson’s Walkman series of music phones and Cyber-shot series of camera phones; Nokia’s Nseries of multimedia phones; and Apple’s iPhone that provides fullfeatured Web access and multimedia capabilities.

Evolution of Windows
An operating system is an interface between the hardware and the user.

It is responsible for the management and co-ordination of activities and the sharing of resources of the computer.

In Malaysia, like mostly everywhere around the world, Microsoft’s Windows OS is popular. Windows dates back to September 1981, with the project “Interface Manager”. Then it was announced in November 1983 under the name “Windows”.

In the early days, the applications available in Windows include Calculator, Calendar, Cardfile, Clipboard, Clock, Control Panel, Notepad, Paint, Reversi, Terminal and Write. The OS became more widespread with version 3.0 (1990) and version 3.1 (1992) because it had virtual memory and loadable virtual device drivers which allowed them to share arbitrary devices between DOS windows.

In 1995, Windows 95 was released. It featured a new user interface, supported long file names of up to 250 characters, could automatically detect and configure installed hardware, ran 32-bit applications, and had improvements that increased its stability over Windows 3.1.

Microsoft’s next release was Windows 98 in 1998. It released a second version of Windows 98 in 1999 called Windows 98 Second Edition, or Windows 98 SE.

As part of its “professional” line, Microsoft released Windows 2000 in February 2000. The consumer version following Windows 98 was Windows Millennium Edition, or Windows ME.

In October 2001 came Windows XP, a version built on the Windows NT kernel that also retained the consumer-oriented usability of Windows 95 and its successors.

Mainstream support for Windows XP ended on April 14 this year.

Extended support will continue until April 8, 2014.

Windows Vista was launched in January 2007. New features included a redesigned shell and user interface and technical changes, with a particular focus on security features.

Microsoft’s newest OS, Windows 7, will be available in October.

The Net: Information anytime, anywhere
What started as part of the United States’ military project to build robust, fault-tolerant and distributed computer networks in the 1960s, has led to the development of new networking technologies and the commercialisation of an international network in the mid-1990s, resulting in the popularisation of countless applications in virtually every aspect of modern human life.

The Internet is a standardised, global system of interconnected computer networks that connects millions of people using the TCP/IP standard rules for data representation, signalling, authentication and error detection. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private and public, academic, business and government networks of local to global scope, linked by copper wires, fibre-optic cables, wireless connections and other technologies.

The Internet carries a vast array of information resources and services, most notably the interlinked hypertext documents of the World Wide Web and the infrastructure to support e-mail, in addition to popular services such as video-on-demand, online shopping, online gaming, exchange of information from one-to-many or many-to-many by online chat, online social networking, online publishing, file transfer, file sharing, voice over Internet protocol or teleconferencing, and telepresence person-to-person communication through voice and video.

Many use the Internet to access news, weather and sports reports, to plan and book holidays, and to find out more about their random ideas and casual interests. Social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and many others also put and keep people in contact for their enjoyment.

Today, it is estimated that a quarter of Earth’s population use the Internet.

From mobile broadband to smartphones

Technology, especially ICT, has advanced by leaps and bounds. It is empowering and liberating individuals in ways never imagined before.

Rozana Sani finds out which technologies and products are among the most impactful today.

• Ryaz Patel, country manager, Intel Malaysia
The combination of Wi-Fi and laptop has allowed me to work and communicate with colleagues, friends and family from just about anywhere. It allows companies to implement telecommuting efficiently and securely.

Intel has a telecommuting policy where managers are encouraged to be flexible and allow their staff to work remotely. At the Intel office in Kuala Lumpur, there are employees that we see once a month. Some of them even work from home fulltime.

They are just as productive and valued while outside the office as they are inside.

• Yasmin Mahmood, managing director, Microsoft Malaysia
Microsoft, through the Windows OS over the years, has helped “liberated” Malaysians in making personal computing a part of everyday life to connect with the outside world.

It’s our belief that every Malaysian should not be left behind, hence our efforts in bridging the digital divide in the country. At the end of the day, we hope that Malaysians from all walks of life realise their fullest potential.

• Jeanisha Wan is marketing director of GOLDSOFT
The Google search engine has certainly made an impact. Being a curious person, Google has helped made learning about new things so easy and quick. You just need to Google about something and you will read all you need.

Wikipedia helps, too.

The Internet facilitated all this, but it wasn’t until Google and Wikipedia arrived that learning or finding out information became so effortless and can done any time.

• Azri Wan Jaafar, PR executive, Alpha Platform
Wireless broadband such as Wi-Fi and 3G has had the most significant impact in my life. Such technology has allowed me to do my work without needing an office and be mobile.

Like a truly mobile office, these wireless technologies make it easier to get things done, especially to keep up with the pace in an increasing global work environment.

• Ahmad Faiz Abdul Rahman, communications manager at a multinational company
There are two pieces of technology I can’t do without, today. One is the mobile phone, the other is Internet broadband, which is essential for connectivity.

I need to know what the latest news and views are, and I need to communicate what my latest news and views are, so my friends know that I’m alive and kicking. This contributes significantly to my wellbeing, too.

• Mufizah Moslim, change and communications adviser
For me, it has to be Wi-Fi on almost every gadget. Ever since mobile phones started having Wi-Fi compatibility, it just gets better.

Azri At home, I can do without all that messy cabling to keep all the computers, storage and peripherals connected. At work, I can sit wherever I want, or walk between meetings and still have access to all the information I need.

Best of all, most of the time Wi-Fi connection is free! All I have to do is search for an area with a wireless network I can tap into and voila! knowledge at my fingertips seemingly out of “thin air”. That’s modern-age magic for you.

• Nadine Hamid, PR executive I would choose the BlackBerry as
the most significant technology in my life because it’s both a phone and a computer.

The use of BlackBerry Messenger allows me to connect with all my friends not just in Malaysia, but also abroad – with no additional charge.

I don’t think I would mind getting stranded on an island with just my BlackBerry as I will be connected to the world on my hand.

• David Gibson, PR practitioner
It’s got to be mobile broadband, which simultaneously mashes up business connectivity and social networking (which is currently everything else and now includes business) in my pocket.

Nadine But I’m still waiting for something that integrates the capabilities of the Star Trek Communicator, Tricorder and Holodeck. Perhaps location-based services and virtual-world sims will take us in the direction of full-immersion “avatarisation”!

• Brandon Teoh, co-blogger at www.it-sideways.com
The Internet has been very significant. I feel that the Internet offers everybody an opportunity to be equal – it certainly did for me. It not only breaks down communication barriers, but most importantly, it also breaks down inequality and differences in terms of intellectual.

With the Internet, everybody has equal access to the same information, idea and enlightenment at a low cost. Apart from that, it is truly the ultimate and will be the last frontier for freedom of thought.

• T.S. Lee, PR practitioner
It has to be wireless network.

In the past, I could only access the Internet and everything digital from my desktop PC, which is shared among my siblings. It was very inconvenient. From time to time, I had to interrupt them when I needed immediate access to my documents and the Internet.

Now, we’re able to enjoy the connectivity and reach our digital files anytime at our own pace. No more transferring files into thumb drives or CDs. No more unplugging the network cable.

• Anom Abdullah, graduate student
I have enjoyed using the computer and the Internet connection, and most of all, the use of the mobile phone. These technologies have made me more IT savvy, I would say, especially now being a graduate student.

They have allowed me to exchange ideas, notes and knowledge, and of course, be in touch with the world.

• Amin Ashaari, corporate communications assistant manager, P1
In my line of work, sometimes I have to be at 10 places at once! Mobile broadband allows me to do this. I can be in a meeting outside the office but still get things done at the office through e-mail and instant messaging.

Also, mobile broadband gave rise to useful applications such as Twitter. When my wife was in labour with our first son, I live tweeted the six-hour process! Family and friends tell me they felt like they were part of our son’s birth, just with the updates! There’s no other easier way to communicate to everyone that’s important to you than with Twitter.

All this thanks to mobile broadband!

• Emran Firdaus Mohd Said, businessman
I choose the smartphone.

As a businessman, I deal a lot with clients and potential clients.

From the meetings I attend, I have to gather all the business-related information in a fast manner, and there is no better and faster way to this but through my smartphone.

I can send and receive quotations on the go, so clients don’t have to wait. The phone’s GPS functionality also helps me a lot in getting around.