Windows Phone 8.1 and Android 5.0 Lollipop

Windows Phone 8.1.1 and Android 5.0 a.k.a Lollipop have been the best versions so far for the both Microsoft’s Windows Phone and Google’s Android operating system. If one were to be simple, one could say that Android is packed with every feature and customizability option under the sun while Windows Phone is cleaner, lightweight and more efficient. But that would be simplifying. Both of the operating systems were already pretty good and the latest updates bring them much closer together. So which one is the best? Let’s find out.

User Interface

When it comes to UI, Android and iOS looks similar, they both share the tried and true grid of icons approach.  Windows Phone (or Metro) takes a different – some may say daring- approach with the user interface. While Windows Phone has certainly been more beautiful over the years, Android Lollipop finally catches up with material design. Here Google introduces more animations and colors to the UI  making Android feel almost as cohesive as Windows Phone and iOS in terms of design.  Without bogging you down in details, the UI of Android 5.0 is beautiful, smooth and colorful. It certainly deserves the name Lollipop.

Android Lollipop vs. Windows Phone 8.1 – the Start Screen

As I stated earlier, the Windows Phone UI is very different  from Android (or even iOS). Windows Phone 8.1 brings several changes to the user interface. Microsoft introduced start screen background with Windows Phone 8.1 which makes the start screen look a lot different than it was before. In fact, if you use a Windows Phone 8 device now, you’ll probably think “What, did I really like this UI?” Unlike Android Lollipop, animations on Windows Phone is an old feature — though, I would like to see some improvements on animations with Windows 10 for Phones. Currently, Windows Phone is clearly not as colorful as Android nor is Android as minimalistic as Windows Phone. Which one you would prefer is up to you, they are vastly different philosophies.

Features

Windows Phone comes with several unique features. Android, on the other hand, is filled with tons of features. However, Windows Phone 8.1 lags behind a bit when it comes to features. With Windows Phone 8.1, Microsoft introduced a notification center, battery sense, Wi-Fi sense and handful of new features. Google wowed the audience with Android 5.0 — there is actionable notifications (a.k.a heads-up notifications), smart lock, improved battery saver, heads-up notifications and much more.

Battery Saver – Windows Phone 8.1 vs. Android Lollipop

So what features do I like on both of the operating systems? I, personally love the notification center on Windows Phone 8.1. Cortana is another feature that I love on Windows Phone 8.1. Including that, I really love battery sense and the  data sense app. Windows Phone 8.1 also comes with the ability to change the start screen background – which I really love to use.

I also love couple of features on Android 5.0. The Smart Lock and actionable notifications on Android 5.0 is simply awesome. In case you didn’t know, Smart Lock allows you to easily access your Android smartphone if you’re near a ‘trusted device’. The actionable notification is one of the best feature on Android 5.0 — it basically lets the user interact with the notification. For example, if you’re playing a game and you receive a message, a small notification will pop-up at the top of your screen and you can reply from the notification – without even closing the game.

It’s worth mentioning that Android comes with tons of features for the ‘power users’ as well. The operating system allows the users to change the default apps. For example, if you don’t like any default app on the operating system, you can easily download a third-party app from the Play Store and select it as a default app.

Android 5.0 and Windows Phone 8.1 brings tons of new features. Windows Phone 8.1 is a bit behind. Though we definitely expect to see a bunch of new additions to the operating system with the upcoming version.

Performance

When it comes to performance, no other operating system can beat Windows Phone. Android is quite slow and ‘laggy’. I used Android Lollipop on a Nexus 5, Moto G (2013) and even the HTC One M8. The operating system was very fast on the HTC One M8 and Nexus 5. However, the operating system lags on low-end devices like the Moto G. As I stated, Windows Phone is truly the most optimized operating system. It’s fast and sleek on high-end devices and even on low-end devices.

Cortana vs. Google Now

Android 5.0 and Windows Phone 8.1 comes with a virtual personal assistant. Google introduced Google Now with Android KitKat, but Cortana was introduced with Windows Phone 8.1. Both of the personal assistants are very smart and cute. However, Cortana is a bit ahead of Google Now when it comes to reminders. With Cortana, you  can set reminders based on several different things, such as location, contact and even traffic. App developers can also integrate their app with Cortana – allowing the user to take advantage of Cortana’s smart voice command feature.

Cortana – Windows Phone 8.1

Google Now, on the other hand, doesn’t come with smart reminders. However, the personal assistant can remind users based on location (and time, of course). It’s worth mentioning that Google’s powerful search features come with the personal assistant as well. Google Now also comes with an “OK Google” hot-word detection – allowing the user to search anything pretty easily. Both of the personal assistants will show you articles, stocks and team stats based on your interests. However, Google Now takes a different approach and shows different ‘cards’ based on your browsing history. Though you can add interest to get updates on a certain topic.

Cortana and Google Now is pretty good, but there are tons of room for improvement. Cortana is still in beta and Microsoft has been continuously updating the personal assistant with new features.

App Stores

Windows Phone has struggled a bit for its range of apps. Some of the popular apps aren’t available on the Windows Phone Store. However, there are some brilliant third-party apps available in the store. Microsoft has also produced some great apps and the third-party apps make the Windows Phone Store much better. With Windows Phone 8.1, Microsoft has improved the Windows Phone Store with several UI improvements.

Windows Phone Store vs. Google Play Store

The Google Play Store includes tons and tons of apps. There is apps for almost everything you can think of. The Windows Phone store is more limited in size, but it also still has lots of great apps to choose from.. Both of the app stores are great in their own way- Play Store is already big and Windows Phone Store is getting bigger and better better very quickly.

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Conclusion

Windows Phone 8.1 and Android Lollipop are awesome. Android Lollipop is a candy land full of color and sleek animation whereas Windows Phone 8.1 is simple, but unique. Both of the operating system has its own ecosystem, personal assistant and unique features. Android Lollipop is a bit ahead when it comes to features and customizations. Windows Phone 8.1, on the other hand, is great for performance and productivity. Which operating system do you prefer? Let us know in the comment section below.

Introduction of Computers.

Computer Basics

Learning computer basics is a dreaded nightmare for any new computer user. There are so many things to learn about computers and the fact that they change with new updates every day, the entire learning process seems a little bit crazy. I have been working on computers for more than 25 years and when I first started to use a computer there was no such thing as Windows. You had to navigate around the computer by using DOS command lines, and believe me, computers did not look pretty in those days.
I must say, that learning computer basics now days is a lot easier, as everything is right in front of you on your desktop with a graphical interface. The Windows operating system has made it as easy as possible for you to navigate around your computer and get your job done.

Quick Computer Tips for New Computer Users

1. Enlarge the text on the screen:
Press CTRL and + on your keyboard to enlarge text while using Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Firefox. Press CTRL and - to reduce the size again.
2. Clicking on links:
Sometimes when you click on a link it might open on another tab or even in another window altogether. Often people keep clicking a link because they think it is not opening. When browsing the Internet and you click on the link, it does not always open in the same window. Look for other tabs at the top of your browser. 

The First Step in Computer Basics

Basic Computer Components Computers come in different shapes and sizes.  However, there are several parts on a computer that are universal to all computers. Hardware vs. Software Hardware includes the parts of the computer system that you actually can touch (like the keyboard, mouse, monitor, or CPU).  What’s a CPU?  It’s explained below.

Software refers to the programs that you use on your computer (like a wordprocessing program) or the programs that make your computer work (you physically cannot touch these).  Programs are also called applications.  

CPU (Central Processing Unit):

This box is the brain of a computer system.  It processes, stores, and communicates information.  Wires connect your CPU to your monitor and other devices.  Computers are somewhat similar to people.  They have memories just like us.  The memory on a computer is stored in data on disks.  Disks look like small heavy old style records.  Disks function similarly like records.  As the disk spins inside the computer, the data on the disk is accessed.  The programs that you use (such as word-processing) and the program that runs your computer (the operating system) are stored on the CPU’s hard disk.   

Monitor:

This part of the computer system that visually communicates with the user.  It is somewhat like a television.  Almost all information communicated from the computer to the user is through the monitor.  (The monitor is also referred to as “the screen”)

On most computer systems, both the CPU and the monitor have a power switch that turns them on and off.  Most power switches have this symbol.    

Printer:

This device takes information (usually text and pictures) from the computer and prints it on paper. 
Keyboard: The keyboard is an important tool that allows a user to communicate with the computer.  It is composed of “keys” that send a signal to the computer that the computer recognizes and uses to carry out processes and programs.  Keyboards come in various shapes and sizes, but serve generally the same purpose.  We’ll go over the specific keys in another part of this guide.   

Mouse:

Similar to the keyboard, the mouse is used to communicate with the computer.  The mouse is like a remote control to a TV—It is a tool that drives the computer that can be used “away from the computer;” though the mouse is considered your direct connection into the computer world.  We’ll go over how to use the mouse later in the guide.  

Computer literacy is the knowledge and ability to use computers and technology efficiently. These computers basics tutorial will help you understand everything you need to know.

Importance of Computer Education.

 

 

Computers have brought about a revolution across all industries. They have changed the face of society. They are no longer specialized tools to be used by specially trained people. They are ubiquitous and used in almost every sphere of life. Computers are the best means for storage and management of data, they can serve as huge knowledge bases and can be harnessed for all sorts of financial transactions owing to their processing power and storage capacities. As computers are a daily utility, they have gained immense importance in day-to-day life. Their increasing utility has made computer education the need of the day.

By computer education, we mean, gaining the know-how of the basic concepts related to a computer and gaining the basic knowledge of computer operation. Knowing about the basic components of a computer, the basic concepts behind the use of computers and the know-how of some of the elementary computer applications constitutes computer education. Learning about the computer basics followed by a practical experience of using a computer is the key to computer education. As computers are widely used today, acquiring computer education is the need of the day.

Computers are not only storage devices and processing units, but also are excellent communication media. They are the means to access the Internet and get connected to the world. They are also an effective audio-visual media. Computers can be used to access a vast knowledge base and search for information archives over the Internet. Only computer education can facilitate the use of computers for purposes of communication and entertainment.

Computer knowledge coupled with certain other job skills increases one's chances of getting a job. Those with knowledge of computers are considered trainable for many kinds of jobs. As most of the jobs involve the use of computers, computer education is an eligibility criterion for almost all the modern-day jobs. Higher education involving network administration, hardware maintenance or software skills open doors for brighter job opportunities.

 

Computer education helps one manage one's own business assets and personal finances. Computers serve as efficient means for management of information. Personal financial assets, medical records and important documents can be stored in an electronic format in a computer system. Today, banking transactions and payments of bills can be done over the Internet. Similarly, online shopping is becoming widely popular. To be in the race, it is very important to take computer education.

The word processing applications of a computer serve as an effective means of documentation. The database management software that are a part of computer systems serve as the means of managing large amounts of data. The networking capabilities of a computer facilitate connecting to the Internet to reach out to the world. Gaming applications and media players are some of the popular computer software, which are popularly used across the world.

Computers, which have such a wide variety of applications, are indeed ruling society. To keep up the pace in this fast life of today, computer education is extremely important. Computers are an integral part of life and so is computer education!

Computers for Beginners/The Basics 

What is a computer?

Simply put, a computer is a machine that performs mathematical and logical calculations.

Brief History

A large computer used in the 1940's.

Computers, by our above definition, have been around for thousands of years. One of the earliest computers was the abacus, a series of beads arranged on metal rods. Beads could be slid back and forth to operate on numbers. This was a very rudimentary device and is not commonly thought of as a computer in modern times. Our idea of computers involves electricity and electronics.

Electricity makes computers much more efficient. The first computers used an incredible amount of electricity, which changed voltages in vacuum tubes to operate the computer. These computers were given instructions using punch cards, and were behemoths, taking up entire floors of buildings. Only the more privileged universities and government facilities had access to them.

In the 1960's, the vacuum tube was replaced by the integrated circuit and transistor. These greatly reduced the size and power consumption of computers. They were still very large by today's standards, but more institutions had access to computing power than ever before. At the end of the decade, the microchip was invented, which reduced the size of the computer even more.

By the end of the 1970's, computers were widespread in businesses. Using a computer involved typing on a terminal (a keyboard and monitor connected to a large central computer). Soon, parts became small enough to allow many users to have a computer at their home. Thus the Personal Computer, or PC, was born.

Since then, personal computer has have become tremendously more efficient. They are much smaller, and yet have seen extreme performance gains. In addition to these improvements, computers have become affordable enough for many families worldwide.

Hardware

Hardware is the stuff you can touch, as opposed to software which is abstract and exists only in a virtual world as computer code. Hardware is made of materials found in the universe and are subject to the laws of physics. Contrary to the latter, software is bound only by the creator's imagination and the user's willingness to believe what the creator 

The Peripherals

Peripherals are hardware attached to a computer, but external to the main case that houses the CPU, Hard drives, and other such equipment. They are basically devices that allow people to communicate to the computer. It is generally a good idea, although not as important as it used to be, to add and remove hardware from the computer while it is turned off. Things such as USB storage devices and keyboards/mice can generally be inserted and removed at a whim with no consequence, however more advanced things such as printers should be installed according to the manufacturer's instructions, which may include shutting down your computer.

Keyboard and Mouse

The keyboard and mouse are basic input devices.

Keyboard

A keyboard with a QWERTY layout.

The keyboard has keys that, when pressed, send information to the computer. The keyboard is the most widely used device for interacting with a computer, and even many modern operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows XP can be operated with nothing but the keyboard or little but the keyboard. The most commonly used keyboard, by far, is the QWERTY layout, which almost all keyboards sold use. This is the same layout as most typewriters sold within the last century. The second most common, but a very distant follower, is the Dvorak Simplified Keyboard. While this is technically better, the industry and consumer market as a whole has mostly rejected it.

The QWERTY keyboard was designed to prevent typewriters from jamming while keys were being pushed at a fast rate, by keeping keys as far apart as possible. The Dvorak keyboard layout was designed for computers, where this is obviously not a problem, and thus places the most commonly used keys where they are easy to reach, and because of that, quicker. However, because of the popularity QWERTY had, the Dvorak keyboard layout never became popular, for two main reasons. The first being that because most people already know how to use QWERTY keyboards, and people are thus unlikely to switch, and the second being that because most people know how to use a QWERTY keyboard, there is very little use of Dvorak.

It is generally advised that you use a QWERTY keyboard, as even though Dvorak users gain significantly faster typing speeds, the rarity of the layout makes it hard for people who use Dvorak to use most other computers.

Keyboards vary in appearance. Those attached to a desktop computer are frequently large with an additional number pad built in on the right side, while laptop keyboards are attached to the computer and are often much smaller. Some keyboards also offer special buttons to control the mouse on the screen or to play music.

Mouse

A three button mouse.

The mouse is an input device which is primarily used by physically moving the device across a surface, which causes a pointer symbol, called a "cursor", to move across the screen, and secondarily by pressing a button while the cursor is over an object on the monitor, or "clicking". All mice have at least one button, with the most common layout having three.

• One button mice: The Apple mighty mouse is the only mouse known to most people which uses a single button. This button is usually activated by pushing on the front of the mouse, or pushing the entire mouse down. This has the benefit of being a simpler interface, and arguably more attractive, but suffers from this of being slightly more of a hassle to use, with tradition "right click" needs being changed to pressing a "control" or "ctrl" key on the keyboard while pressing the main button. These are only used with Macintosh OS, such as Mac OS X.

• Two button mice: The second most common layout, more common in older computers, which has a button on the left and right, usually for the index and middle finger. While less useful than a three button mouse, they are, when teamed with a standard keyboard, capable of performing almost all computer tasks.

• Three button mice: The most common layout, Fundamentally the same as a two button mice, but with a third button added between the "left" and "right" click buttons. While the mouse technically has three buttons, this may be confusing to some users, as the "middle"/"center" click button is also a scroll wheel. This design allows the user to scroll through documents, make selections, and do other tasks by moving a finger, rather than pressing an arrow key or "Page up/Page down" key on a keyboard. The center button can also be press inwards to create a "middle click" button, which although not common, is used in some programs to perform a simple function, such as the Firefox web browser, which uses the middle click to open a link in a new tab.

• Four (or more) button mice: Usually seen only on gaming and multimedia specialization mice, extra buttons generally do not serve any native purpose, and rather are assigned a function to perform by the user. For example, a user who uses the mouse to play games might assign the additional buttons to switch between weapons in a shooter, or cast spells in a fantasy game.

There are two other major differences in mice, which is Optical/Laser mice, and Ball mice. This is how the mice tells where it is, with the laser measuring the distance it crosses when it is moved, and the ball measuring how it rotates. The laser is generally more accurate and less of a hassle to use, and can be used on more surfaces, but the ball mouse is cheaper. Ball mouse are rarely seen today.

The last important consideration when buying a mouse is size. You should always try to put your hand on a mouse and move it around, to see how well it feels in your hand. If it feels awkward, small, big, long, or short, look for something better! Not only will your hands thank you, but you will be more efficient.

Media Devices (Floppy, CD-ROM, DVD, USB)

These devices carry data, in the same way that a hard drive does, but are much more portable. They are the primary method of storing data outside of a computer, and the main method of transferring information between computers without the use of a network, such as the internet.

There are three main types of these in use today:

• CD-ROM: Capable of storing 700MB of data, CDs have been the most common method of storing data for most of the last decade or so. They are being largely replaced by DVDs and USB drives (see below).
• DVD: Capable of storing 4.7GB of data in their single layer form and 8.5GB in their double layer form, they are the most common method today for most store-bought programs, as well as videos.
• USB/Flash: While not usually used by commercial software, USB 'sticks' and Flash 'cards' have become popular ways of storing data because of their ease of use and low cost. While sizes range from 2GB on old units to 256GB on larger, more expensive modern units, the average stick today is 4 or 8GB, with an average 4GB USB stick costing about 15$ US.

The floppy disk has been phased out.

Monitor

The monitor is the main method for the computer to produce output, in the same way a book has pages. A book filled with letters, but in a way you can't possible understand or even see is of no use to you, and the same is true for a computer. While older monitors, CRTs, were rather bulky like TVs, newer monitors, or LCDs, are much more compact, and can be easily lifted.

For much of the history of computers, the most common monitors were CRTs, short for Cathode Ray Tubes. They work on the same principle as a television. They were generally heavy, had a lower image quality, and were in general less reliable than an LCD. They come in two forms, the normal version, which has a curved monitor, and "Flat Screen", where the display is completely level (although it still has the bulky back end). It is suggested that if you plan to remove a CRT, it is better for the environment to safely dispose of it (not just into a bin, an electronic waste bin), as CRT's contain high levels of toxic chemicals. The most common type of monitor today is an LCD, or Liquid Crystal Display, which is much lighter, although slightly more expensive. They have a smaller form, a higher image quality, and are overall better than CRT monitors.

Tip: To take proper care of your monitor, always be sure that the screen is not left on a static image for long periods of time. This can "burn" the image into the monitor, meaning that it will have a ghosting effect, even when that image is not displayed. This can not only be highly annoying, but in some cases, make it so the monitor needs to be replaced. To avoid this, either set a moving screensaver, which will trigger after a set amount of time, or simply turn the monitor off

Printer

If you have a printer attached to your computer you can print your information and keep a physical copy of data. Depending on what type of printer you have, you can print in color, double-sided or book form. The output quality of some printers goes from draft (to save ink) all the way to photo quality.

Printers come in all price ranges and in many types. The most common for home use are ink jets (bubble jets) and laser. There are specialized printers for data plotting (mapping), photos only, labels and more.

A lot of printers are "all-in-ones" which simply means they combine more than one function. They can be any combination of printer, copier, fax and scanner. If you are looking to buy an all-in-one make sure it has all the features you are looking for. You don't want to get it home and find out you still need a separate fax machine or scanner that you thought was included!

Basic Operating Tasks

Moving the Mouse

The mouse controls the movement of an on-screen pointer, called the cursor, that often appears as a small white arrow. When you move the mouse, the pointer on-screen moves too, usually in the same direction as the mouse. In other words, move the mouse toward you to move the on-screen pointer toward the bottom of the screen, you move the mouse to the away from you and the arrow moves to the top, and so on. You indicate to the computer what parts of the screen you want to interact with by placing the pointer over those areas on the screen.

Keyboard

The keyboard is used for inputing text into the computer. It is designed so that users can type all the letters of the alphabet without moving their hands. Many programs from word processors, media players utilize the keyboard.

• The numbers at the right of the keyboard can work in two ways. While in normal mode, the keys will function as another set of arrow keys, in num lock mode, they will instead be an alternate way of inputting numbers. This is mainly useful when putting in more than a few digits at a time, when using the numbers over the letters becomes more of a hassle than a time saving method.

• The keys labeled F1, F2, F3 ... at the top of the keyboard are the "function keys". F1 is usually assigned as a "help" key, which will open a help dialog when pressed. If you are having trouble with a program, or just want tips, reading these files can often be useful or insightful.

• "Ctrl" and "Alt" at the bottom means "control" and "alternative". These keys are normally used to type special symbols or for shortcuts. More on that below.