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In Depth: Google: NFC will bridge gap between online and offline shopping

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/people/Osama%20Bedier%20Google-200-200.jpg"> If you thought the NFC chips that Google has started putting into Nexus phones are just there to turn your Android phone into a Google credit card, think again; Google's plans for real-world shopping are much more ambitious than that, according to Google's Osama Bedier, vice president of platforms for mobile and new ventures. It's not just about avoiding the ads for things we already own that 75% of us see online, although Bedier would clearly like to make that more efficient. And when he says that 20% of people are more likely to buy something that a friend or family member has recommended it sounds like the FTC's privacy penalties for Buzz haven't discouraged Google from considering the opportunities in social networking. What Bedier wants to do is use the smartphone - which he calls "the iconic device of this decade" - to bridge the gap between online and offline shopping. "We're about to see some major changes. It has the promise to bring best of both worlds. Online you get unlimited inventory and the best prices; offline you get to touch and feel the product and you get to take it home with you immediately." Some UK stores are already combining the two, he points out, "Dominoes in the UK already gets a third of their delivery orders online. Tesco has the fifth most downloaded app on iTunes that allows you to scan grocery items in the store and put then on your online grocery cart for online checkout." The Google vision Bedier's vision of the future of commerce "begins to look like shopping did fifty years ago, when everyone shopped at the local store". But instead of the shopkeeper knowing you because you've shopped there for years, remembering your favourites and offering you credit if you've left your wallet at home, Bedier says technology can give shopping the personal and convenient touch. "I should be able to walk in the store and that store greets me. I decide to share my identity, I decide to share my location and when I walk in the store it greets me by name, it tells me the cheese I like is available. The fridge may have already looked at what I'm out of and created a shopping list - and it also included ingredients from recipes I liked on Epicurious. "And that shopping list turns into an in-store map where I navigate the most efficient way. If I get to an item that's out, I scan the barcode and it tells me where else I can buy it or have it delivered to my house. And when I go to check out I walk with that shopping cart directly out of the door. NFC stickers on all the items can actually tell whether the item is paid for or not and the sensor lets it go through." Already possible All the technology is there today, Bedier claims - the problem is making it interoperable. "First, payments need to go digital." Today shops make the choice of what payment methods to accept based on things like how much it costs them to process the payments; he wants to see the choice go to the customer. "All my cards - whether they're credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, private label cards - they need to move into the platform, they all need to be digital and they need to be available to me at any store I want to use them. I need to be able to use my choice of cards, not what the merchant wants to accept." And like web sites, stores should tell you what's in stock (think of a Google search that covers physical shops): "Consumers should be able to find an item in real time at any store online or off and to be able to pick it up and buy it right there. Inventory needs to live in the cloud. A merchant used to sell in a physical store and the web came along and they made a copy of that storefront. Now mobile is coming along and that model wont scale any more. Inventory needs to move and live in the cloud." None of that is going to work if you have to create an account to tell every shop you go into who you are. "Identity needs to be interoperable," says Bedier. "The whole idea of going to store by store by store and signing up for gift cards and credit cards, all this signing up - no. Identity needs to work seamlessly across merchants across devices, across use cases." It's a grand vision that needs shops and stores to reveal a lot more information - like inventory levels - than they usually make public; and we're not sure how well banks will take to making all your different cards work on the same payment system or how much we'd like shops that remember us a la Minority Report.

In Depth: Google: NFC will bridge gap between online and offline shopping

If you thought the NFC chips that Google has started putting into Nexus phones are just there to turn your Android phone into a Google credi...

Difference Between Linux and Windows Dedicated Servers

Regretting the hosting package or server you had chosen will not help you after you have selected the hosting package or server and found that your requirements are not fulfilled with it. This is the reason you are suggested to consider a dedicated server once you find that other hosting packages are not able to cope up with the requirements of your websites and applications. However, before you choose a dedicated server for hosting your websites and applications, you need to select an operating system for it and the selection depends on the features and options you need for your server.Mostly, hosting providers offer 2 operating systems with the server and these are Linux and Windows. Linux and Windows dedicated servers have been widely preferred due to various reasons. Dedicated server hosting usually consists of a hardware with a specific configuration and the operating system is installed on it and the features of the server varies according to the operating system it has. You may know that you need dedicated web hosting to host your website, however, you might not be aware of the server or say the operating system you should choose for your websites. Information given below will help you to choose an operating system for your dedicated server.Features:First of all, let us clear the concept. It has been noticed that some of the website owners who develop a website feel that it would be better to host the website on a Windows dedicated server if the website is developed on a Windows machine which is absolutely not correct. The operating system of your local machine does not make a difference and hence you can host your website on the server with any operating system. However, the programming language in which the website is developed is important and you can get information about this below. Another benefit when it comes to dedicated server hosting is the root administrator access provided with the server so that you do not face any problem while performing some tasks on the server. Root access is no doubt available with other hosting packages and servers also, however, the benefit of having a dedicated server with root access is unmatchable.Linux as an operating system is fabulous for dedicated servers and this is because it actually supports most of the applications and software's or say technologies which are available. This actually means that you will be able to install most of the components required and as root access is provided, you are on the go once you decide to install the applications, however, the only drawback when it comes to Linux is the fact that you won't be able to install some of the applications of Windows and this is due to the lack of compatibility of the Windows applications.The applications of Windows are basically designed for Windows dedicated servers only and hence most of the applications like asp, asp.net, MS SQL etc. aren't supported on Linux but are supported on Windows. Though, there are some applications available which can help you to run these applications on Linux dedicated server hosting, they aren't reliable enough and hence we won't discuss about them.Security:Linux operating system is available for free and this is the reason the source code is provided to everyone so that they can develop it and make it better than it is. Because of this, it has been made better and even if hack attempts are made, it is considered to be more secured. However, this is not the only reason it is considered as secured. Most of the viruses do not affect Linux which is the best benefit in terms of security as it is found that viruses can really harm the system and cause problems to your data. The only thing, though, it cannot be considered as a drawback is the fact that it is a bit difficult to install some of the security applications on Linux as it is a bit difficult in terms of usage when it is compared with Windows.Windows on the other hand which has been in the industry for a long time can be affected with Viruses, however, as it is easy to install the applications you need for security and most of them are programmed by Microsoft only, this can be avoided. Also, you will find that some of the applications are provided as standard for security with Windows operating system so as to make sure that dedicated web hosting of Windows is secured enough which is an added benefit. As it is not very difficult to install the applications you may need on Windows, you can install the applications you need easily through root access provided.Usage:Windows operating system has been preferred widely for one of the reasons which is easy interface. Managing dedicated servers will be as simple as managing your local machine as Windows operating system with a simple interface is installed on the server and you feel like you can actually using your local machine when you are logged in your server.Though, it is not very difficult to use Linux as well, it can be a little tricky for your to start with as it requires some of the commands which are bothersome for a while. However, as it has been developed by many people, it is found that it has become better in terms of usage and hence you won't face a lot of difficulties thanks to the easy interface which has been developed.Price:Now comes the point which can indeed make a distinct change in your decision and this is the price. Windows, as a product of Microsoft requires licensing fee and hence you need to pay the charges for the operating system as well, whereas, Linux is a free open source application which is available for free and hence you do not pay anything for it which reduces the overall cost when compared to Windows dedicated servers.	 	 		 			 				 					 						Carl Owen writes about <a href="http://www.bodhost.com/dedicated-server-hosting.shtml" target="_new">Dedicated Server Hosting</a>, Dedicated Servers and <a href="http://www.dedicated-web-hosting.us" target="_new">Dedicated Web Hosting</a>

Difference Between Linux and Windows Dedicated Servers

Regretting the hosting package or server you had chosen will not help you after you have selected the hosting package or server and found...

Difference Between Toner and Laser Printing

<a are="" major="" modern="" of="" there="" title="#jsArticleIntroImageCredit rel=thinbox><IMG title=" two="" varieties=""></A> There are two major varieties of modern printer.Fotolia.com</A>"> If you have a <a class="StrongLink"" href="http://www.ehow.com/computers/">computer</A>, you'll probably need a printer at some point. Modern computer printers fall into two basic categories, inkjet and laser. Inkjet printers use cartridges, while laser printers use toner. Inkjet PrintersInkjet printers print with liquid ink that is sprayed out through very small nozzles in the head of the printer. An electrical current causes the ink to heat and form a bubble, shooting a tiny droplet onto the paper.Laser PrintersLaser printers print by sticking toner, which is a fine powder made from plastic, to the surface of the paper. The toner contains polymers that allow it to stick to the paper successfully.ComparisonToner and liquid ink come in cartridges. Toner cartridges tend to be more expensive, but last longer and can print out more sheets. Inkjet printers are smaller and good for printing photographs, so they tend to be more popular in the home market. However, laser printers are capable of better quality printing and are used by most <a class="StrongLink" href="http://www.ehow.com/business/">businesses</A>. The FDA has classified toner powder as a class A carcinogen. References <a href="http://www.inkandmedialtd.co.uk/blog/toners/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I AM B Ink and Media Blog: The Difference Between Ink and Toner</A> <a href="http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/color-laser-printers-2,1534-2.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tom's Hardware: Inkjet Vs. Laser: An End To Stereotypes</A> <a href="http://www.pcmech.com/article/real-world-costs-of-inkjet-vs-laser-printing/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PC Mech: Real-World Costs of Inkjet vs. Laser Printing</A>

Difference Between Toner and Laser Printing

There are two major varieties of modern printer.Fotolia.com "> If you have a computer , you'll probably need a printer at some p...

How to Find Information on Family Members From Between 1940 & Today

Begin by going to beta.familysearch.org. This is the website for Beta Family Search and will start you on your quest for information on family members.Type in as much information as you have available, including first and last name, dates of birth and death, and location of birth and death, and then press search. This will be the default page. You can click on advanced search toward the bottom of the form to input more specific information to narrow your search.Sort through the listing of names to see if your match appears. If found, this is a good starting point for information. Whether or not a match appears, more extensive research should be conducted.Click on Family Search Centers on the top of the page and input your zip code, city or state. This will display a list of free public facilities (about 4,500 locations) that offer genealogical records in more than 80 countries. These facilities also offer over 2.5 million microfilms from over 100 countries, as of 2010.Retrieve the address of your nearest facility. There you will meet expert researchers who can help you run a better search. Free classes are also offered to teach you how to conduct a quality search. With these resources available and guidance from the facility technicians, you will have access to the resources that professional genealogists use to search for family members.

How to Find Information on Family Members From Between 1940 & Today

Begin by going to beta.familysearch.org. This is the website for Beta Family Search and will start you on your quest for information on fam...

What Is the Difference Between a Disk Image & a Bootable Copy?

<a a="" goes="" something="" title="#jsArticleIntroImageCredit rel=thinbox><IMG title=" when="" with="" wrong=""></A> When something goes wrong with a computer, it's always good to have backups.computer image by blaine stiger from <A" href="http://www.fotolia.com/">Fotolia.com</A> A hard drive crash usually means a lot of frustration and lost work. Fortunately, there are various backups and recovery methods available. Two of these are a disk image and a bootable copy of the operating system. Disk ImageA disk image is a complete copy of the hard drive or disk in question, down to the bit level. A disk image preserves every bit of data on the drive at the time the image was made. This can be useful to copy the files to a new, working drive, or to restore the drive to a previously working configuration.Bootable CopyA bootable copy of the operating system or disk is used to get a <a class="StrongLink" href="http://www.ehow.com/computers/">computer</A> running in the event of a catastrophic crash. This usually isn't a complete backup and is mainly useful for attempting recovery of any files and work on the drive or reinstalling the operating system.DifferenceA disk image is useful for a complete recovery of the drive as it was, but images usually aren't created in real time as a user works. A bootable copy is useful in the event of a catastrophic crash when files must be salvaged from the hard drive or the system software needs to be repaired. References <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=disk+image&i=41507,00.asp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PC Mag: Disc image</A> <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=bootable+CD&i=38850,00.asp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PC Mag: Bootable Copy</A> Who Can HelpSponsored<a class="jsNoFollow" rel="http://www.justanswer.com/computer?r=ppc|ehow|1|Computers|PC+Support&JPRC=1&utm_campaign=ehow&utm_medium=CPC&utm_source=ehow&utm_content=PC+Support" target="_blank">Ask Tech Support Online Now</A><a class="jsNoFollow" rel="http://www.servicemagic.com/ext/3114864" target="_blank">Find Computer, Electrical and Telephone Services Here. Compare Up to 4 Quotes, Free Service & No Obligation.</A>Photo Credit computer image by blaine stiger from <a href="http://www.fotolia.com/">Fotolia.com</A>

What Is the Difference Between a Disk Image & a Bootable Copy?

When something goes wrong with a computer, it's always good to have backups.computer image by blaine stiger from Fotolia.com A hard dri...