Tech Tuesday @ Boost Turku 4.12.2012

I'll start with explaining about the mysterious thing that is BoostTurku.

" Boost Turku is a student-based network for young entrepreneurs and entrepreneur-minded people sharing knowledge among the universities of Turku. Boost Turku strives to be an ‘easy-access’ open society for any kind of academic entrepreneurial matter. The underlying reasons for being involved in the society vary in large scale. It can be anything from just being interested in entrepreneurship as a concept to aiming to establish a global business changing the world. The core idea of Boost Turku is to match active people and create motion both within and outside of the society. "

(http://www.boostturku.com/about)
 
So when I got intrested of an idea of founding my own company, naturally I was intrested in their activities, so I liked them on facebook.

Then 13th of November, my newsfeed notifyed me of the event, this blogtext is supposed to be about:

TechTuesdays: How to iterate a game until it works

First I must say, that I was very pleasently suprised, by the light and easy-going athmosphere of the place. It is created with a warm welcome, and free refreshments such as snacks and soft drinks.
Also by the people who are genuinly intrested about who you are, and what you do.
Music was playing all the time, while waiting for the presentators to get ready. And friendly chitchat was taking place all around.

After a short wait the presentations started with a welcoming speech, on behalf of BoostTurku. And then continued with presentators from gamestudio called Tribeflame (http://www.tribeflame.com/). They specialize in games for tablet devices. Their speech was about the process into recognizing what are the factors that make the game great. And their process into finding out, what changes are needed to make the game more fun to play.

As a thecnique to achieve this, they presented A / B iteration. Wich basicly means, making multiple versions of the software, and then measuring the average duration of one gaming session. The one more fun to play obviously keeps the players more committed to the game, and that is then selected to be the new baseline. After this, just repeat the process untill you have a product that best suists your customers needs.

After the presentation they answered questions from the crowd, clarifying for example, that they used their own data gathering tool to analyze the players activities. Main reason beeing that free services were not good enough to please their needs.

Then the evening continued with networking, and resumed consumption of refreshments and snacks. All in all, best seminar I've ever been a part of. And I recommend anyone who's at all intrested by the topics in TechTuesdays to take part! I believe they said that the next one will be kept at the beginning of the coming year.

At least I'll be coming back for more! A sinciere thanks for the people @ BoostTurku and to TribeFlame!

P.S. The seminar was wholly kept in English, which suited me fine. Just a heads up :)

P.P.S. If you spot a typo, let me know. Part of why I'm writing this blog, is to sharpen my English.
Thank you for reading! And see you guys soon hopefully! :) Don't hesitate to comment!

A new medium of storage?

I am of course talking about the quartz glass piece @  http://2045.com/news/30602.html.
And am I the only one who immediately remembered the crystals filled with information, from the superman?

And then the search for this exact picture got me here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/8699852/Supermans-memory-crystals-may-become-reality-in-computers.html

"Martynas Beresna, lead researcher for the project at Southampton University's optoelectronics research centre, said they can currently store the equivalent of a whole Blu-ray Disc – up to 50GB of data – on a piece of glass no bigger than a mobile phone screen."

That is rather impessive I would say. And glass/crystal memorysticks would be AWESOME! Though the size of a mobile phone screen varies a lot nowdays, still I'm intriqued.

"The material currently has four layers of dots, which can hold 40 megabytes per square inch" It seems the two techniques are diffirent in a such a way that the UK universitys model has no layers, but still holds better memory capability. Would somebody please go and show these people each others research, so that we can have high capacity crystal memory sticks? Pretty please?

I'm sorry for the Blog being updated only just now. Schoolwork (and Red Dead Redemption PS3) is taking up my energy. Though this is a shorter post, I could see myself doing these more in quantity, less in length. Occasionally writing something more informational for you, when someting is exeptionally intresting to me.

Thanks for you patience, not even a single E-mail complaining about my lack of activity! :)

Natpc M009S Tablet Review

So, here is how the story goes :)

I've been looking for inexpensive Android OS Tablets over the internet. I came across this site called  www.ebellking.com. I found out they sported a lot, and I mean A LOT of diffirent devices. Natpc M009S seemed to be the best option. I tried to buy straight from e-bay, where I first saw the device. But it so happened that they were not able to ship outside United Kindom.
So when I saw the same device in sale for 92€, @ E-bellking, after getting a little consultation from their live help service conserning their insurance policy and their cabaliblity to ship cargo to finland, I made the decision to place an order.

One thing to consern when shopping from E-bellking, is that their conversion rates to Euro -values are not up to date. So the 88,63€ it says on the price tag, really says about 92€. It is converted into real value before purchase. And I say that is still a heck of a deal! And a risk worth taking despite the fact that it is a Chinese product, shipped straigth from Hong Kong.

Below is the link for the product I bought:

http://www.ebellking.com/promotion/7-natpc-m009s-allwinner-a10-capacitive-touch-screen-android-4-0-tablet-pc-8gb-1-6ghz-upgrade-bbc-iplayer

I recommend getting a PayPal account before making a deal, it simplifies the process considerably.

Their shipment time:

I've got to say, that the free DHL shipping they provided was quick as heck. I actually got the product BEFORE i got the E-mail for the procuct.

I placed  the order 3rd of September and the package arrived at the 7th around 4 pm. Later that same day, I got the DHL package follow-up-code.

The Product:

As you guys can see, the package included the device and USB - microUSB,  Data-cable. Recharger cable, Headphones (with a really crappy sound quality) and an USB-in - microUSB cable.

About the use:
In some movies, the sound and screen are out of sync, but 6 out 7 movies apparently run just like they should.

I also bought 32gb microSD memory-card to really get everything I possibly can from the device. The Natpc M009S automaticly searches the external memory for media files and puts them to the gallery or the dedicated music folder. It really is just as easy as that. Put stuff you want in your device, to your microSD-card, and plug it in. And in moments you get all you've paid for.

Battey Life:
After installing the GO Power Master app, it made my life a lot easier. With the widget and the app, I get more detailed information from the usage, and it's ever so simple to kill off applications not in use. With full battery, the music listening time is almost 12 hours! And watching video the battery lasts for 5 and a half hours. On standby the battery lasts over 130 hours. As an example, with my high quality gaming headset, listening to music at an comfortable volume (loud to some), it only took 3% of the battery on an 45 minute trip.

The Screen:
Is very well responsive and quick. As expected from combination of 800 x 480 pixels and 1,6 Ghz processor. Screen brightness is easily manageable with system widget straight form the front screen. 
At the brightest setting, there is no broblem in using the device, even on a brigh sunny day. And on the lowest setting, it is still comfortable to read an article in a dark room just before going to sleep.
And as for the 7 inch size. I think it is ideal, for it boosts the portability of the device, still remaining easy to use and type with, when compared to smartphones.


Summary:
All in all, I've been very pleased with the product. Currently using it to do my schoolnotes using Evernote application, that syncs automaticly with my homecomputer. Aslo got the AVG antivirus for my tablet to have some security while downloading apps.
I dont have miniHDMI cable or an adapter so I didin't get the chanse to test that out yet. Never the less my PS3 system is cabable to read music files straight from my tablet, and that was fun to notice. It didn't get access to the SD card, but is capable of using the internal memory, no problem. Also, Golla makes stylish tablet covers, one fit for a 7 inch reader im using right now, works for me perfectly. It cost 35€ though, but atleast I have my screen and rest of the device shielded from sudden impact or a fall.

Thanks again guys, for reading :) If you have any questions conserning the tablet. Or a sudden urge to correct my English, please do! I dare you!
See you soon! And again if you have any intresting topics you'd like my input on, please tell :)

Android Information Security At Question

What are the information risks conserning mobile devices with Android OS?

With a short study about Android information security, it is safe to say that in the todays market, information security on mobile platforms is still taking babysteps. There are number of big companies who have acknowledged the field, especially as an unconquered market, and are currently offering their own services. These companies list names such as: F-Secure, Symantec, Kaspersky and Webroot. But the field still lacks the fullhearted effort of hobbyists and semi-professionals.

Current setting leads to few big names, running the show, taking money not really having to do that good of a job. Just because nothing better is in the markets, and it is better to have some protection, than nothing at all.
This is not an excuse to hold back developement especially in a field that is expanding as fast as mobile technologies are doing right now. Main concern for mobile users in general, is the speed of their individual system. Question of how fast can they achieve what they want, where-ever they want. A few years back it was still more convinient to find the nearest computercafe if affairs needed to be attended to whist on the move. Now quad-core processor mobile”phones” with 4G network, make the activities over handheld devices ever so convinient. 
 
Exept the simple fact that depending on your habits on the web, you might more than easily be infected with a virus. A new breed of computer-virus that can utilize all of your precious mobile devise's extended capabilites: Read your message history, get your call history and even track your current position on this elliptic water covered rock of a planet. Worst case scenario, you have bought something using your creditcard-numbers, thus risking all your finances.

So it is clear that some sort of protection is needed on any modern mobile platform.

Viruses tend to go, where the money is. And currenty it is most cost-efficient to produce viruses for Android platform. That is because iPhone uses iTunes store, that is the only place you are able to download any additional content to iPhone, apart from the ones of your own making. That makes the application database easily manageable, thus better protected. In Android, anyone can publish a website filled with fully downloadable applications. Lack of regulation makes it easy to get malicious software on the move. It is true that android has it's own Google Play- store, that is regulated. Still, freedom of individual application dispersion creates opportunities, but as a sideproduct, multiple risksfactors are born. 
 
Android phones are in comparison, cheaper, easier to modify, and all in all more straightfotward. Wich has resulred in wide spread of the platform around the world. Like said before, viruses go where the money is, at least the most dangerous ones do.

That is the exact reason that, now that I have decided to purcase a Tablet PC with Android OS on it, I decided to go with WiFi capabilities with no support for 3G networks. Beeing in touch with everything, all the time, means also that everyone can be in touch with you, all the time. And that is not exactly what I'm looking for. That and also the fact that 3G capability cost's about 100€ depending on the model and the distributor.

Still the best form of information security remains to be, and probably always will be, common sense. Downloading applications only from trusted sites is a good advice. Limiting yourself to using only properly protected devices while using online banking, should'nt be too inconvinient. In a sense, older generations are smarter, in their mistrust of these new technologies. It seems as if it is commonly taken for granted, amongst younger generations, that the system we are sold, is properly protected by the manufacturers and diffirent mobile operators.



What is to be done to ensure our continued safety over this explosively expanding mobile world. To me, it is increasing the awareness, and making the ”big boys” a run for their money, by developing a free, mobile information security software, that rivals the current commercial models.

I have yet to seen one.

What do you think about Android Informationsecuritywise?
What protection do you use with your smartphone?

Thank you for reading! This was actually a paper I made for one of my courses I'm taking. Back to shcool. Let's see if others like this find their way in here :)

Good times!
-Juho

Your Brain, My Controller.

Hello hello!
Here again with my blog. It took a little time to figure out from what I'm gonna write this time.
But then it hit me: Scientists Successfully Hack Brain To Obtain Private Data.
@ http://seattle.cbslocal.com/2012/08/25/scientists-successfully-hack-brain-to-obtain-private-data/

After reading a bit from the site, I took intrest in the equipment. And it seems the product is quite old. And I remember reading from this "Emotiv" EEG device a few years back.

So here is a quick tour for you to the consept and technology behind it:

Btw, I love TED channel and it's videos. You'll see me referencing there a lot in the future.

After and during the research, my mind was filled with the wildest ideas to put this to use. Head-apparatus with the sowtware costs only 299$. Thats amazing! Conserning the appiability of the device. Medical application of being able to use computers and other home appliences with just your brain. Within games to let your brain control few selected actions to improve peformace. And as an Android developer, using it to change presentation sheets with just a flick of your finger during "out of office" conferences. Just take your Android device with your presentation in it and plug it in on the projector, put emotiv over your head and take the stage!

The configuration is easy too. Bind your wanted command to what you are thinking.
Image just about dying in the game of Diablo III and the command "OH F**K!" inside your head uses up a healing potion to save you from the situation.

I think the games Emotiv headset is used to play right now are too much based on the brain as a controller. I'd love to see and applicate a hybrid, using your brain to help on a sticky situation, and as said to improve on performance. If this comes to the hands of big time gamedevelopers. I see the second coming of The Matrix-games. Where you can be Neo, in training. Using your brain commands to slow time and stop bullets.

Where would you use the "brain controller"?
What do you think of the product in general?
Do you think we'll be seeing a lot of these in the future?

Thanks for reading! :)
See you next week! Or sooner you you guys have someting juicy for me to write about!

PS. I realised, I kinda neglected the Scientists hacking your brain stuff. But I'm not one to hype about negative stuff on my blog. There is a possibility to enhace the technology and It could be dangerous in the wrong hands. But then again, nuclear weaponry is a thing.
Before we can make accusations using EEG as a basis, it needs to be common and public knowledge, that we all have impulses of thoughts. And it's not what we think that define us, but how we decide to act. Emphasis on the DECIDE. That's all I have to say about that.

- Juho

OUYA! ... and other stuff.

As promised here's my article on OUYA, the fully customizable android 4.0 OS gameconsole.
Just the facts listed above about the console, make it already awesome. We've already seen the rise of casual gaming on the mobile platform. So to me, it's only logical to embrace the whole concept with a dedicated console. Just thinking what this does to the gaming industry in whole gets my mind buzzing.

One con in a list of pro's seems to be, that at least I, have not seen a single groundbreaking multiplayer game on a mobile platfotm. As they are making prepurchase available with up to 4 controllers (at http://www.ouya.tv/buyouya/)!!  I'm wondering and truly hoping that they have at least a few sincerely playable multiplayer games on board at launch date.

3rd person shooter with static background and waves of enemies from all around, should be simple multiplayer enough. Add some power-up's and unique humor to the mix and there you have a game concept. Last man standing, style gamemod also possible with split screen individual games.
To me,  it's the game's "personality" that really appeals to any gamer. Game needs to be fun and challenging at the same time. Yet it needs to have something new, and something to have gamers get to it time and time again.

I personally really appreciate a storyline in a game, needless to say, I'm a great fan of Metal Gear Solid -series, Uncharted -series and Final Fantasy -series. By the way, it is said that Square Enix has it made so that the OUYA console comes with an ready to go Final Fantasy III, which I think ramps up the value of the 99$ asked for the system considerably higher. (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ouya/ouya-a-new-kind-of-video-game-console/posts/278237)

As a programmer in training, and a gamer or a nerd, as many would say. I see the possibilites within OUYA to be THE console of the decade. And I hope to myself work on a OUYA game project. If someone af you readers need a perspective from a mind filled with the wildest ideas, message me to my Google+, or E-mail.

Right now I'm working on an Android based ISMS (Information Security Management System) as a summer job for the company I work for. Also just finished keeping software training to Microsoft Lync, as a head trainer.

I'd like to hear you'r opinion on the following topics. Your input is most appreciated.

What are the games you most wait from OUYA?
What kind of game would you develop?
What would you like to read from me next?

See you next week. ^^ - Juho

Introduction

Hello.

My name is Juho Kanniainen and I am a student of Turku University of Applied Sciences. I decided to start blogging about things I'm intrested in the context of my studies and technology in general, also improving my english in the process.

Right now I'm studying towards my BA in Information Technology and Business. Specialicing myself into Android -programming and other mobile technologies. I currently code mostly in Java, with only a little profiency in PHP and HTML. I'm a little more familiar with SQL.

I wish to have a lot of conversation concerning my posts, and I try to release my blog in a weekly basis. But if you'd like me to express my feelings conserning issues close to your mind, in my blog, then just e-mail me and I see what I can do.

And all the grammar freaks out there! Yes, I called you out. You are free to correct my postings in the comments section. As I said I'm here also to improve my english, and all the help is welcome.

In my freetime, I like to play games and develop business ideas. The games I play mostly are, League Of Legends, Battlefield 3, Skyrim, Sins of a Solar Empire, Diablo III. Maby I'll start a new blog about just the games, who knows. :) I also own PS3 and we just got PS Move added into our entertainment system. UFC Trainer sure gives you a workout, 30 min of active workout and I was sore from my legs for three whole days... Maybe that is just a testament to my decline in physical fitness. But I'm really enjoying the game. And hopefully im going to see some awesome results in a few months.

In technology world, I'm intrested right now, in OUYA console. The Android based game console system that is fully customizable. I'm really hoping for it to revolutionize the gaming experience and community. I'm sure there are a lot of awsome game ideas out there, stopped in their tracks because lack of resources. Looking forward into joining OUYA community and maybe get a few of my own brainchilds out there. I'll be digging deeper into this OUYA -stuff and post about it in the future.

I hope you'll enjoy my blog,  See ya!