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Studying for finals, midterms, and even regular tests can be inherently linked with stress. In fact, where stress is already built into a situation where you need to call up all the important information that you’ve learned in each of several classes over the course of several months, the last thing students need to do is add to the stress of important tests, midterms and finals, right? Well, unfortunately, many students inadvertently do just that. Certain common practices that often make finals and other tests even more stressful than they need to be.

Here are ten gadgets you should turn off before you start your studying for exams, midterms and other tests that are very important to your career.

1. Cell Phone

Smartphones have redefined the term “distracting” and have made it to the Top 1 Gadget to Avoid While Focusing on Coursework list. Text messages, email alerts, phone calls, app notifications, and rage-filled birds all beg for your attention. Unless you are using your smartphone to contribute to your online college course, you are probably just using it to waste valuable study time.

2. The Vacuum

Vacuums rank 2nd in the Top 10 Gadgets to Avoid While Focusing on Coursework list. Clean freaks everywhere will probably cringe at this concept, but put down the vacuum cleaner. If you usually distract yourself with cleaning tasks to avoid coursework, then make sure to remove all cleaning gadgets from your study area. People always looks for distractions, and with cleaning temptation lingering, it might be easy to make an argument for tidying up when really you should be studying hard.

3. The iPod

Music players like the iPod rank 3rd in the list. According to a study conducted by a team at the University of Wales Institute of Cardiff in the United Kingdom, background music can interfere with your ability to memorize new information. While the research also shows that certain types of studying can benefit from a soundtrack, you should opt for mellow music and avoid sound entirely if your coursework relies on memory-based tasks.

4. The Remote Control

The remote control for television ranks 4th in the list.Many academic catastrophes began with the words, “Just one more episode.” Remote controls make that episode far too easy to reach. However, research from Shawn Achor shows that simply removing the batteries from the remote and putting them in a desk or nightstand was enough to mute the remote’s desperate call for attention.

5. The Shake Weight

Exercising gadgets like the Shake Weight rank 5th in the list. Exercising helps relieve stress, but it is also a way to distract you from focusing on course work. While it may seem like a good idea to postpone finishing class work in order to work out, it will only prolong what you need to finish—stressing you out even more.

6.The Handheld Games

Handheld game consoles rank 6th in the list. While “Game Boys” may not exist anymore, those beloved old bricks have been replaced by a host of handheld gaming devices. Put down your PSP, PSP Slim, and PSP Go; your Game Boy DS, DSi, and 3DS; your PlayMG; your Sony Xperia; and, yes, even your iPod Touch.

7. The Webcam

Webcams rank 7th in the list.Webcams make talking face-to-face with someone a reality even when he or she is not in the same room. Programs like Skypethat use webcam technology make staying in touch with family and friends easy and free. But unless you are using your webcam to connect to a study-buddy, you should turn it off and focus on the coursework at hand.

8. The Wii Console

Multiplayer gaming consoles like the PlayStation and Wii rank 8th in the list. Thanks to Netflix, multiplayer gaming, and online marketplaces, video game consoles now offer a practically unlimited lineup of distractions. If you find yourself falling into the trap of “one quick game” before your coursework, consider storing your controller in a different room from the console itself.

9. TV

Many people come home from a day’s work and “relax” in front of the tube. Little do they know that the rapid flickering, the constant changes in images, and the glowing pulse on the screen actually reduces their energy level.

On the other hand, if they were to go out and jog or have a workout in the gym (or write a new Web page , they would become more energized. Ironic, isn’t it?

Watching TV also inhibits your imagination and has a numbing effect on your mind. This is because TV viewers passively take in information as opposed to actively doing research and thinking about what they are watching. You sit back and watch what is essentially somebody else’s imagination.

How?

• For starters, you could throw away the remote control. It would amaze you how much less time you’d spend in front of the tube if you had to get up to change the channel or adjust the volume every five minutes.
• OK, if that is too much, you could give the remote control to a friend for, say, 21 days. At least you could realize how silly it would be to visit your friend and ask him or her for your remote control…
• What about a TV-watching plan where you choose to watch only certain shows in a week. You watch only these shows and immediately turn off the tube when they are over. It might be hard at times due to the fear of loss, but this method served as my first step towards successfully avoiding TV.
• When you are eating, turn off the box at all times.
• How about making it a point to devote at least 15 hours a week to reading?
• Ultimately, if all that fails, remember that you can always give your TV to a charity!

10.  Messenger

We understand that you need your computer when studying, but you don’t really need the messenger, these include Skype, Facebook and MSN. If you don’t want to automatically log in to Messenger when your computer boots up, then you should disable it. Fortunately, by learning how to disable Windows Live Messenger, you will still be able to log in when you need to. We recommend that you disable these distractions before your study period begins.

Remember: While remembering the importance of a test’s outcome can be a good motivator for studying, too much focus on the outcome can backfire. If you’re the type of person who is already pretty conscientious, and the idea of doing poorly on the test is starting to cause significant test anxiety, it may be time to shift your focus. This is because being overly anxious about a test’s outcome can actually cause you to do poorly, or to score lower than you normally would. To avoid obsessing, try some positive affirmations, visualizations, or tips from this article on overcoming test anxiety.

The more you think about it, the more you realize that the world is moving at a rather fast pace. Just think about the tech behind computers when your parents were born and the fact that nowadays, any smartphone is ten times more advanced than the first PC prototypes.

Who could actually predict what will happen in the next 50 years accurately, considering the popularity of tablets and groundbreaking mobiles only began a few of years ago? In the light of these facts, I cannot help but wonder, just how soon the technologies people use today will become obsolete. Let’s examine the top ten of them that seem to be on their last legs.

1. Landline phones

If you were to analyze the statistics, you would notice that many households have already given up on their landline phone. Since almost all members of the family have a mobile phone with them at all times and can be reached easily, having a landline counterpart makes no sense anymore. It’s just an extra utility bill you do not really use, but have to pay at the end of the month. Furthermore, nowadays you have more convenient and not to mention cheaper alternatives to that, namely VoIP services and mobiles communication devices.

2. Personal printers

Ten years ago, nobody could imagine getting a personal computer without purchasing a printer as well. Without denying the fact that the printer is still very useful for both personal and commercial purposes, it is necessary to mention that the plug-in printers will soon make way for the wireless and communal printers. The main indicator for this change stems from the decreasing demand and popularity of the desktop computers as opposed to the growing dominance of laptops.

3. Phone numbers

Truth be told, most people still remember the number to their parents’ house even today. However, at the same time, people don’t bother with remembering or dialing other numbers when it is so simple to tap somebody’s name in the contact menu. Furthermore, the various VoIP services today allow you to make calls by simply accessing the other person’s username. Therefore, it is believed that in the future people will be asking for a person’s user ID rather than their phone number.

4. Hard drives

Once the SSD drives were launched on the market, it marked a point of no return for the spinning magnetic hard drives. While it is true that they are currently more expensive and are unable to store as much data as the HDDs, there are clues indicating that this won’t be a problem in the near future. The second blow that the HDDs took in the past few years was the advent cloud storage technology. Cloud storage is even better than SSD, since you will no longer have to invest in physical space and essentially, you will be paying a lot less for the same storage space.

5. Movie theaters

It’s funny, but the demise of the movie theater has been predicted a long time ago when the first TV sets became available on the market. It could be nostalgia, but the reason why they are still around resides in the fact that few things can compare with seeing your favorite movie on a large screen. However, with the 3D feature becoming more affordable and accessible, the HD TVs presence in most homes and since some studios have begun to release on-demand screening online, it is easy to understand why the era of the movie theaters is coming to an end. In addition, it is much more cost effective on long term to invest in a home theater system than taking your entire family out for a movie each weekend.

Technology should move us forward.  Every once in a while, the wheels of progress get stuck in the ditch of “terrible ideas”. The following top 10 gadgets are an embarrassment and should not be used.

1. Blackberry

BlackBerry is one of the most under-featured and under-powered gadgets, especially when you compare it to other top-tier smartphones out there. It is also about to go completely irrelevant once RIM unveils its new mobile operating system, BlackBerry 10.

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM)  has had some rough years, prompting experts to speculate whether the Canadian telecommunications equipment company is inching closer to its demise. It’s quite the change from just five years ago when RIM was leading the smart phone sales game with its seemingly ubiquitous BlackBerry line of handheld devices.

But with competitors such as Apple’s iPhone and the Android-based devices rapidly gaining ground and winning over smartphone customers, RIM and Blackberry has really lost its niche on the global markets. Its stocks have fallen to unprecedented low levels, and has in the past year lost 77 percent of its value.

Adding to RIM’s hardship is the laundry list of misfortunes, including a multiple-day global service outage in October 2011, which prompted infuriated users to take to Twitter to vent their frustrations. Another service disruption occurred in March 2012, affecting users in the Asia Pacific region. The problem was solved within hours but it nonetheless the nightmare still had its effect on the brand.

2. Toshiba Excite 13

Smartphones and waistlines are expanding to include tablets on the market. It seemed that this was what Toshiba was think when it  introduced the Excite 13, a “family friendly” 13-inch Android tablet that is being sold for just over $600. Unfortunately, the 1600 x 900-pixel display had a lower resolution and brightness than the iPad and the Android Tablet. And, you think stretched-out Android phone apps look bad on a 10-inch screen? They looked even worse on this gadget. They need to do better, if they want to compete with ASUS, Samsung and Apple.

3. Google Nexus Q

A failed Apple TV mimic – indeed!

Nexus Q is similar to the modern Apple TV and Roku. It is basically a streaming device. Unlike the Apple TV, you can’t use it to stream video from an attached drive or from  a server.

Instead, all you can play on it are videos and music from Google’s Play Music, Play Movies and TV, and, YouTube. Netflix? Sports? Not present. All your content must be kept in Google’s cloud services.

To play these, the Nexus Q supports 10/100GB Ethernet. It does  not support the new Gigabit Ethernet. You can also use 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, but do not count on it to support the newest popular wireless standard: 802.11ac.

To manage your content you must utilize an application on your Android smartphone or tablet. Google also sees a big selling point as that your friends can also access and control your Nexus Q Google entertainment library from their phones or tablets.

You can do without it.

4. Sony VAIO Duo 11

Sony’s Vaio Duo 11 is a convertible Windows 8 tablet/laptop. I heard about it on the radio, while driving to work.

The 11.6-inch screen is situated on the face of the 18mm, 1.3kg device. Slide the screen backward and up, and you have a laptop with an 11 cm deep keyboard and a fixed 45-degree screen incline.

It’s completely non-adjustable, meaning that the only way to change your viewing angle is to change the height of your chair. If you are trying to watch a video from a meter away, forget about it.

The keyboard is below full-size, with tiny buttons that are too far spread out for quick typing. Travel is minimal – more like buttons than keys – which is quiet but uncomfortable. I was able to type at up to 100 WPM, but not with my usual accuracy nor for any great length of time.

There’s also no room for a typical touchpad; instead there’s a micro touchpad about the size of a small joystick and located in the centre of the keyboard. It’s hard to navigate it, but the good news is that it provides more accuracy.

5. Acer Aspire 5552

I bought this laptop 2 years ago, since then it broke down twice on me. The Hard Drive got busted after just two years of use. The up arrow key broke off in the first month. The speakers got busted after 1 year.

If you are looking for an inexpensive laptop, you don’t have to limit yourself to this netbook’s small screen and keyboard. You can do better, if you want things to last. My Toshiba laptop is still working 9 years later and in perfect condition and so is my Compaq Presario.

Technology is never at a standstill and every science discipline is constantly searching for ways to improve the existing methods and develop newer, more applicable solutions to address the world’s problems. However, the evolution of science is made on a trial and error basis and, while some theories prove valid and are successfully applied in practice, others have to be discarded and replaced with more suitable ones.

But that is just the beauty of science, its never-ending quest for knowledge, as the light of reasons shine across the darkened corridors of the universe, hallway after hallway. Let’s explore what currently constitutes the primary attraction point for the world’s most brilliant minds.

1. P2P internet versus today’s design

Ted Stevens was widely ridiculed because of his clumsy definition of the internet, which he compared to a vast series of “tubes”. His metaphor was expanded by humorists to “a series of tubes full of cat”, which in all fairness, is not that far off. Joke aside, the massive amounts of digital information that is constantly increasing in proportion to the available storage space and comprises of movies, TV shows, user made videos, etc. will eventually slow down the transfer rate to full stop. What Ted Stevens was trying to state with his comparison is that the internet has a fractal-like structure and once a section of the fractal becomes overburdened, the impact transmits to the other branches as well, right up to the source. However, since peer-to-peer transfer would provide a safe haven for piracy although it could solve the “clogging” problem, the architecture of such a network requires a few improvements.

2. Nano-charging solar power via quantum dots

In spite of the fact that solar power is the cleanest and safest form of energy, the technology in its current state is perceived as inefficient. To summarize the main issue that scientists battle, the electrons running through semiconductor circuitry from the source to the depository are partially lost, making the transfer unfeasible and inefficient. The alternative, which implies utilizing photovoltaic materials like silicon is extremely costly. However, expert chemists are considering replacing the standard method with quantum dots, which are essentially miniature semiconductors that measure a couple of nanometers and have excellent capabilities of interacting with photons.

3. The cloak of invisibility

What was until not long ago a science fiction topic – see H.G. Wells – might just be possible within our lifetime thanks to David R. Smith and his crew. The underlying principle comprises of utilizing photonic crystals to mitigate the propagation of visible light wavelengths. To simplify the theory, he explains that it is basically like inserting a needle in a tightly woven thread, because it forces the threads in its proximity to bend around it.

4. Individual medical monitoring

John Guttag came with the idea of individual health monitoring systems following an unfortunate event, more exactly his son being diagnosed with a collapsed lung which he had for an year, although he showed no detectable symptoms. The idea is that, because they often fail to notice symptoms before the condition reaches an advanced stage, people are forced to engage in difficult and expensive medical procedures to regain their health. However, with the aid of a personalized health monitor, these issues would become obsolete.

5. Diagnosing a person with a single cell

Paying too much attention to a group of cells is a surefire way to miss a critical aspect that an individual cell presents and that is exactly what Norman Dovichi, who is an expert chemist working for the University of Washington intends to prove. In essence, he theorizes that the properties of cell are altered with the advancement of specific illnesses and that could be the key to unlocking a new step in modern medical diagnosis.

Times have changed. Women are increasingly finding top jobs in fortune 500 companies. Many of them are changing the IT world and influencing our future. This article is dedicated to 10 of them that pave the way.

1. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook

She is the COO of Facebook. She monetizes the largest social networking site and manages Facebook`s sales, marketing and business development, human resources, public policy and communication. WOW!

2. Mitchell Baker, Mozilla

Winifred Mitchell Baker is the Chairperson of the Mozilla Foundation and the former CEO of the same corporation. She was trained as a lawyer and now coordinates business and policy issues for the Mozilla Foundation. She was included in Time Magazine`s list of 100 most influential people in the world in 2005.

3. Meg Whitman, HP

In September of 2011, Hewlett-Packard replaced its CEO with former eBay CEO Meg Whitman. The move came with the company`s bid to garner new leadership. The incumbent, Leo Apotheker was highly criticized for how he handled a major strategy shift in 2011.

4. Sue Gardner, Wikimedia

Gardner is the director of the Wikimedia foundation. She turned the online encyclopedia into the first reference point for all who look for information. She is a Canadian born.

5. Ursula M. Burns, Xerox Corporation

Burns is the Madam Chairman and CEO of Xerox. She is the first African American to head a Fortune 500 company. She was rated the 14th most powerful woman in the world.

Assistive Technology for Learning (ATL) is a device that is used in learning environments to overcome barriers for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, speech, learning or behavioural exceptionalities to actively engage in learning and to achieve their individual learning goals.

Like other technologies, ATL ranges from simple tools to complex systems. It could be as simple as providing a pencil grip for writing or as complex as a computer with screen reading software for reading and learning.

The primary goal of the ATL initiative is to support all students, including those with special needs, in achieving the learning outcomes of the curriculum or their individual learning goals.

This article focuses on the top 10 most popular assistive technologies for everyday classroom use.

1. Bionic Ear:

Bionic ear is an assistive technology that is useful for all students with hearing impairment. The teacher wears a microphone cuffed to his/her shirt. The student wears a listening device, which is attached to their ear. Teachers will never have to scream to get their point across. All students will be able to understand with this technology.

To date, tests have all been done on cadavers, so while researchers know that the device works (the sound signals are being transmitted to the right parts of the ear and vibrating the umbo), that doesn’t tell anyone what the experience might be like for students wearing the device. Tests in living patients are still a few years away.

There is also still some work to be done in enhancing the microphone, which has some trouble with lower-frequency, quieter sounds. The charger for the device would also still be external, just as in conventional cochlear implants.

2. WordQ

The program recommends words students can use when writing. It also offers spoken feedback to help students find mistakes. The program is used by children of all ages and has a set vocabulary for all levels. Overall, it is an excellent text to speech program that benefits students with special needs.

The software is used by students from primary school to college, by CEOs of major corporations, journalists and many more. How they use it is completely personal to their needs – a total advantage. Fortunately, WordQ is flexible enough to adapt to the users’ needs.

3. Talk Pad

This is a picture schedule for students with disabilities such as ASD. Some students with ASD have trouble following a schedule that is different than their normal routines. Teachers have to use repetitive verbal prompts to keep the students on track. The talk pad is a device which pre-records 3 steps for those students that have time management and organizational issues. Picture schedules are there to compliment the verbal cues.

4. Kurzweil:

The program provides reading and writing material which help people (students) with vision problems and learning disabilities such as dyslexia. There are many scanned and copied material and books on Kurzweil.

5. Watchminder:

This device is a wristwatch used by students with learning disabilities. It helps them organize and manage their time. It also makes sure that students are on top of things and not slowing behind. For those who are hard of hearing, the device has a vibrator.

Thanks to technological development in information and communication technology, manufacturers are increasingly coming up with cutting edge products. Consumer electronic products, especially handheld devices have been the main area of focus. Cell phones are no longer items of making and receiving calls but have gone further to integrate entertainment. Products such as iPhone, iPodtouch, iPod and iPad from Apple Inc are taking consumers worldwide by storm. Whether it is internet, music, games or office applications, they are all made available to you on a single touch.

Of all the consumer electronic products from Apple, iPhone is the most popular of all amongst the masses. Millions of people worldwide prefer it as the number one means of communication and entertainment. In an attempt to try and differentiate iPhones on consumer hands, the developer enables users to download themes they can use on the phone. These are just but extension of ones personality. There are those which come by default with the purchase of the phone and those that are available for download. Pre-installed themes are common amongst all iPhone users, but downloadable themes are distinct.

Discussed herein are fresh top ten iPhone themes which you can download for free. If the current theme in your iPhone does not create a stir amongst your friends, then you need to consider downloading the following themes. Compared to buying a new iPhone, altering your iPhone theme is more affordable and gives your handheld device a fresh new look in the simplest of ways. The following were some of the best iPhone themes in 2013 and are still a darling to many iPhone users.

1. Vista Perfection:

The previous theme had too dark  of a color, so this next theme is for those who love white themes. NOKI Theme HD has been designed by veteran designer FIF7Y in order to go along with the release of the white iPhone 4 back in the old days. And just by looking at the theme, you will know that it is quite a perfect creation for the iphone lover and for those who are seeking the best iPhone themes. This is a predominantly white-colored theme complemented with a stylish and pseudo-futuristic looking design. Again, this is one of the best white themes out there to go along with your white iPhone 4 / 4S / 5. Even if you don’t have a white iPhone and just love white iPhone themes in general, we highly recommend Noki.

2. iMatte V5:

We shall start the list with something rather slick. When it comes to “THE GROOVE” and style, then you simply can’t go wrong with matte. iMatte v5 HD is just a perfect option for those who are in search something classy for their theme to go with their equally classy Apple device. Some of the features of this theme include fully themed stock iOS UI, full Siri theme with most of the assistants themed, full notification center theme, static springboard / lockscreen theme, native weather springboard / lockscreen theme, SBSettings theme with 37 toggles, and many others. This is a total package of a theme and not a bad way to start this best Winterboard themes countdown.

3. Jeans iPhone Theme:

If you are an old school folk like me, then this iPhone theme will come highly recommended. The jeans iPhone theme is specially designed to take you back to your high school years. The background created by the jeans and badge are but a reminder of campus years. If you are a freshman, then this is the iPhone theme to flaunt to your friends.

4. Blueprint iPhone Theme:

Fresh is the word that describes the blueprint iPhone theme. The blue backdrop created with schematic sketch icons on the front creates a dazzling look. The theme is best suited to those persons who are susceptible to fashion trends. It is a show of modernity. Just like the other themes, it is available for download for free.

5. iMac Theme:

Mac fans must have been wondering, “where is our theme?” Well, here it is. The iMac theme is everything you ever wished for from your iPhone to match your Mac. The tinge blue backdrop is just perfect. The theme is the hallmark of minimalism.

By Amy Miller

Military and law enforcement has a tough job to do. Fighting crime and terror, defeating risks the world over, and creating a safe environment for civilians to raise families and enjoy freedoms. Law Enforcement technology has come a long way since the days of the old west gunslingers. The technology starting to breakthrough and that which is on the horizon is some of the most fascinating that has ever seen. Law Enforcement technology is taking great leaps forward, in some cases literally (see number 3 on the list).

1. Metamaterial cloaking camouflage

Cloak and Dagger is an excellent platform for usage, and maybe even a potential brand name for this technology, which at its current stage employs hundreds of thousands of mirrored holographic discs to blend into an environment. The potential for operatives, snipers and entry teams to avoid detection by sight makes it almost an unfair fight. Law enforcement by fear alone? It’s a distinct possibility that simply knowing law enforcement can act counter to a criminal without their knowledge could decrease criminal activity at even the highest threat levels. Currently only in its infancy, metamaterial cloaking is one of the more widely desired, and closely watched technologies especially in the law enforcement space, as it has the opportunity to have the single biggest impact on human personnel law enforcement procedure of any other conceived technology. Future designs will likely include a combination of shape changing liquids/materials and highly faceted reflective discs which can also absorb color and light to further disguise the user in a more natural way. It has worked for Harry Potter, and within the decade it may provide an amazing supplement to law enforcement agencies in the fight against terror, and all manner of other criminal activity.

2. Nanotechnology

In some circles Nanotechnology is being dubbed the future of just about everything; these “critters” have the potential to rule the future of law enforcement in ways that span from the mundane to the inconceivable. From fabrics so slick they can resist and prevent knife thrusts, to nanotech fingerprint rendering from cases decades old, this technology has so many possibilities that it couldn’t possibly be quantified at the current level of understanding. Nanotechnology can improve everything from bullet proof armored fabrics, to the effect bullets have on the body once coming in contact with a target’s flesh, to reproducing latent evidence from crime scenes by using biological remnants of DNA and other particles. Biologically enhanced weapons can further be strengthened and even controlled using nanotechnology, allowing for drastic changes to the cloak and dagger world of spygames. Nanotechnology gives law enforcement hope of one day operating with a lower rate of failure and risk by being able to control outcomes, and protect against changing threats with legions of tiny “bugs” to carry out the dirty work. Nanotechnology-creating a new respect for the scrubbing bubbles in bathrooms all across the United States.

3. Exoskeleton HULC suit/Robocop

Half man, half robot, all cop. Exoskeleton armor has been in existence to brutal effect for thousands of years-Think Cockroaches and Crabs. It’s pretty difficult to mortally wound a cockroach, and even if it happens, the roach can still function with amazing capabilities for up to a few months. The HULC suit is another product in the Military to Law Enforcement distribution model. It’s a power assisted suit of armor which can be combined with other pieces of defensive and offensive technology to make hybrid law enforcement personnel. It can sense the direction that a wearer wants to move in and help propel them forward towards their target. It can prevent muscle strain and over usage by deploying special enhancements to lighten the load on the human inside of it. It runs on jet fuel for 72 hours, and enhances strength, speed; endurance and most likely, morale for all involved on the same side as the suit. The coolest part about the HULC suit? It’s not the only suit on the market, the Sarcos suit is another viable contender for the space, with the only operational difference being the power supply and some additional enhancements. The six million dollar man and Robocop might look cool, but this suit defines cool. It’s the coolest new technology, and probably on the top of every gadget lover’s wish list.

4. Metal storm stacked munitions (MAUL, Firestorm, Redback)

Metal storm weapons may not be true Future Law Enforcement technologies as they already exist. Rather, the “simple” technology behind the complex pieces produced by Metal Storm conceals the future proof capabilities. Stacked munitions allow for rapid deployment of ammunition, accelerated reloading for continued engagement, and the safest, most foolproof operation of a weapon-which is paramount until law enforcement can find a way to take the human factor out of the combat equation. The MAUL is an add-on system which allows law enforcement to add five shotgun shell sized munitions to their current entry weapons. This could facilitate door breaching, riot control, or lethal munitions where before those tools would have been too cumbersome to carry, or require additional personnel. Firestorm is a 40mm stacked munitions grenade launcher which allows border patrol and other remotely operating law enforcement groups a system of backup and protection against larger groups, or high threat targets. The Firestorm can launch 24,000 grenade rounds a minute, operated from safety via an internet connection, rf, and dc power. Redback is a high volume rail gun, the backbone perhaps of the Metalstorm brand, it truly unleashes a storm of metal upon its targets with multiple barrel builds, and stacked in line munitions, this machine rains down hell on its targets.

5. Microwave technologies ADS (Active Denial System)

Has a chicken breast ever gone into a microwave oven without an absolute massacre being the end result? The ADS system aims to do the same thing to pesky rioters, high risk threats, and otherwise heavily shielded and protected targets. Now in its advanced testing stages within the military facilities, it’s entirely likely that Law enforcement will be the number one consumer of this technology for its unmatched abilities within the riot and mob control scenario. High frequency targeted microwaves are projected at an offender sparking a reaction in the water carrying (read: all) molecules and fatty tissues, causing the target to heat up from the inside out. Immediately the target is unable to continue in the same fashion as before, they are in immense pain, and too uncomfortable to continue as a threat. It provides a biological reaction in the body, incapacitating the target and rendering them effectively useless for a longer period of time than other “non-lethal” methods.

The media has portrayed hackers in several different ways such as high-tech government agency spies as the one shown in the movie Mission Impossible where the lead actor sneaks into a room with a mission of stealing government top secrets and your every day school going teenager looking for ways to kill boredom by hacking into the school network.

Nonetheless, the fact is that hackers are a much varied group. They have been blamed by numerous security agencies around the world for not only stealing sensitive documents and money from unsuspecting bank account holders but also causing havoc in millions of dollars in terms of disrupting normal communication or disabling organizational information systems. The silver lining in all these is that because of hackers, several high-tech security companies have emerged in addition to improving the World Wide Web.

Hackers are classified as black hats and white hats. The former use their skills to exploit the weaknesses within an information system for their gain. There are those who engage in it as a way of satisfying their curiosities while some do it just for fun. The latter on the hand, use their skills for good. They purpose to find weakness within a system and improve on it. Discussed herein are the world’s top ten hackers who have managed to make headlines for themselves.

1. Jonathan James:

James rose to fame when he became the first underage to sent to prison for cyber-crime, i.e. hacking. By the time he was being sentenced, he was only 16 years old. To him, his online exploits were simply for fun and not anything else. His main targets were blue chip corporate organizations. He managed to install a backdoor virus in the system of a government agency – DTRA. Using the backdoor, he was able to read sensitive e-mail messages and capture usernames and passwords of the agency employees stored in the database. In addition, he managed to hack into NASA computers and did away with application programs valued at $1.7 million. On realizing this, NASA was compelled to switch off its computer systems costing them approximately $41,000 in the process.

2. Adrian Lamo:

Adrian Lamo was made famous after managing to break into various corporate organizations’ computer systems, i.e. New York Times and Microsoft Inc. He was nicknamed “homeless hacker” given that he utilized computers in public libraries and cyber cafes to hack into other networks. Lamo’s work mainly consisted of finding flaws in corporate organizations security systems and alerting them of it. Some of the organizations that Lamo managed to hit were Yahoo, Citigroup, Bank of America and Cingular. What made Lamo’s activities illegal is that he was not hired by any of the companies to find and rectify flaws in their systems. After breaking into New York Times local area network, he was able to include himself as part of the network administrators thus giving him access to personal data, i.e. social security numbers.

3. Kevin Mitnnick:

Unlike other hackers, Kevin Mitnick is a self-proclaimed hacker with the nickname “hacker poster boy”. His arrest was highly publicized by the police. Whereas, the media managed to make him as one of the most feared hackers, in actual sense his work was lesser compared to the above two. The Department of Justice has labeled him as one of the most wanted cyber criminals. There are two movies which detail his exploits, i.e. Freedom Downtime and Takedown. His hacking activities begun when he started to exploit the Los Angeles bus punch thus enabling him to get free rides in the buses. He got into trouble with the law when he decided to on a hacking spree from coast to coast. However, his main undoing was when he managed to hack into a fellow hacker computer, Tsutomu Shiomura.

4. Kevin Poulsen:

Kevin is also referred to as Dark Dante. He rose to fame for hacking into LA radio’s KIIS-FM telephone lines. This act enabled him to acquire a brand new Porsche in addition to other property. He got into trouble with the law when he decided to hack into the FBI database. As he was being pursued, he got deep in mucky waters by hacking into the federal PCs so as to obtain wiretap information. Unlike other hackers, his hacking activities mainly revolved around hacking into telephone networks. Surprisingly, when his picture was eventually released on television show, the telephone lines crashed. Eventually, he was arrested in a supermarket.

5. Robert Tappan Morris:

Morris is famed for developing the Morris worm. It is the first worm which was released on the web. As a result of his actions, he became the first individual to be prosecuted under the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. The code used in the worm was written by Morris whilst he was still a student at Cornell. His main intention was to get to know the extent of the internet. However, the worm managed to duplicate itself all over the World Wide Web bring a couple of networks to a halt. To date, the number of computers that were affected by the worm is still not known

Over the years mobile phones have become more of a device that one cannot do without. Gone are the days when mobile phones were basically items for making calls and receiving calls and sending and receiving short text messages. Presently, mobile have phones have the capability to access the web, listen to music, watch video, capture images and send and receive multimedia files.

As such, mobile phones have turned into an integral part of an individual’s life. Whereas, they were initially regarded as objects of luxury they are now a necessity. No one can survive without one. Illustrated herein are some of the most shipped mobile phones in the world.

1. Nokia 1100:

The Nokia 1100 to date has shipped over 250 million units to different parts of the world. A majority of cell phone users prefer the cell phone given its simplicity. It is a GSM enabled phone and can be used anywhere that has a mobile phone coverage. The Model was launched by the company towards the last quarter of the year 2003. In addition, Nokia 1100 has been rated as the best selling consumer electronic product. In developing nations, the phone is a top seller.

2. Nokia 3210:

Apparently the second best selling phone in the world today is a brand still from Nokia. So far 160 million units have been shipped by the company since its release in 1999. It has been a success and has not disappointed its users. The design was meant to target the younger generation in the market.

3. Motorola RAZR V3:

Motorola managed to bring class, style and taste to the mobile industry by releasing a sleek mobile phone that was targeted to the middle level income earners. Despite the revolution in mobile phone industry, the Motorola RAZR still remains one of the most favorite mobile phones amongst users. To date, the brand has sold over 130 million units. The brand was part of mobile brands that incorporated camera which was launched back in the year 2004. Motorola RAZR has been graded as the number 12 in “The 50 Greatest Gadgets of the Past 50 Years”

4. Nokia 3310:

Nokia 3310 is another brand from Nokia that is widespread amongst a majority of mobile phone users. The brand has so far sold 126 million units plus. Nokia 3310 is a Dual band GSM mobile phone. To date, it is still the 4th best selling mobile phone in the whole universe. Nokia 3310 was an upgrade of the Nokia 3210. Even though better cell phones have since been released, Nokia 3310 still remains one of the most favorable phones to have.

5. iPhone 3GS:

iPhone from Apple revolutionized the world of mobile telephony as we know it. As a smart phone, iPhone 3GS has more and better capabilities than the previously mentioned phones. Of all the iPhone models that have since been released, the 3GS still remains the best selling unit from Apple having shipped 30 million plus units. The iPhone 3GS was released by the Apple company as a 3rd generation cell phone. It is designed with a high resolution camera, high performance and a load of other features.