Computer Forensics Career - What Does a Computer Forensic Investigator Actually Do?

Computer forensics is a division of overall forensic science specifically involved with exploring evidences that are hidden in various digital computing devices. This particular field of study basically retrieves unearthing hidden data from digital storage devices such as hard disks, CD-ROMS, flash memories and cell phones.

Throughout the years, this particular field of study has branched and spread its branch to other fields such as retrieving email files, processing systems and data packets traveling on a network. Generally, any information explaining a sequence of events that can be retrieved from a digital computing device can be used as court evidence.

Currently, technology has been widely exploited in order to commit serious crimes including ID thefts, phishing and other online fraudulent crimes. In order to keep a step ahead of these criminals, various detective and investigative agencies from different countries; have strengthened their forces and prepared them with the expertise to fight such crimes. Firewall forensics, database forensics and network & mobile device forensics are some of the many fields that have emerged out of computer forensics in the last decade.

Normally, an investigation of this area is divided into five broad sections:

• Preparation of an investigation
• Collection of data from digital computing devices
• Examination of the data
• Analysis of the data
• Reporting

Much like any other forensic investigation, evidences based on this particular investigation can be used to charge the culprits in court. Computer forensic investigators normally work in the lab for hours - sometimes they have to stay overnight in the lab looking for important leads in some criminal cases.

What Makes Mobile Applications Development Special

The world currently has a population of around 7 billion people, and among those 7 billion people a good 65 percent of them use mobile phones. In today's technology driven world, one can't seem to survive without owning a cell phone. There are simply so many uses for this wonder of science and modern technology, and it has even become a top priority for people to own at least one mobile phone. Apart from being a useful tool for communicating, cell phones can also serve as mini PC's in the palm of your hand. How, you ask? Well, depending on the current model of your mobile phone it can either have a GPS (Global Positioning System), web browsing capabilities, and wireless technology among other things. Mobile app development has truly changed the way we look at mobile phones and has really added more to this gadget's usefulness.

What Makes It Worthwhile
Mobile app development has truly evolved much over the years and has made one of technology's most practical innovations even more useful. If mobile phones were once restricted to simple calls and text messaging purposes only, they are now used for a variety of purposes. For example, you are not at home or anywhere near a place which has access to a computer. What you would do in this situation is to use your phone's Wi-fi features so that you can access the internet with the push of a button. From here you can send emails, check up on the latest news reports, and even browse your Facebook page.

Speaking of Facebook, many Facebook app developers have designed numerous software applications that allow your phone to instantly connect information to your Facebook account. So let's take for example that you are reading about the latest gossip on your phone and you want to share it with your friends. You could send it to them via e-mail, but that would take a considerable amount of time. So what you can do is to automatically share the news by linking it to your Facebook account. Within a matter of seconds all of your friends will be able to see what you have been reading about through your wall.

Career Opportunities
Great job opportunities await those who have good skills in designing mobile applications. Many companies all over the world are looking for people who are skilled in the field of software application development. There are many employers who are willing to lose a leg just to get the services of people with such talent, and if you are one of those people, then you my friend have a bright future ahead of you. It doesn't matter whether you're a neophyte web developer or a mobile app aficionado because as long as you work on those skills many opportunities will be available for you and your career.

Netbooks, Mini-Laptops Leading the Mobile Computing Proliferation

Netbooks or what are also known as mini-notebooks are the latest ventures in the personal computers arena. Netbooks are attracting attention all over the world because of their miniature attractive size and small price tag. Because of their cheap price tag, people who can't afford typical laptops can now look forward to purchasing netbooks instead. But there are several things which you will have to take into consideration before buying a netbooks. If you love speed, don't go for it, as netbooks are slower.

These mini-notebooks require sufficient performance of the processor in an effort to carry out basic computing tasks like email, spreadsheet, word processing, web browsing and photo editing. Most of the netbooks, however, use Intel Atom processors while the other use processers from VIA.

Owing to their cheap price tag you can't expect mini-notebooks to offer the same plethora of features as compared to laptops. For example, there is no support for optical disk drives like DVDs or CDs and they depend on software which is being supplied over a network or from USB devices. The main purpose of introducing mini-notebooks was to be used along with wireless networks for quick surfing web and sending and receiving emails etc.

Netbooks do not contain any important hard drives and use flash and solid state drives. This results in images, documents and other material having to be stored online which could be retrieved later through the internet. More modern netbooks now have micro drives integrated ranging up to 300GB.

In an effort to make netbooks affordable, manufactures are using smaller screens. The first netbook introduced had a 7 inch screen. But these days' netbooks support up to 11 and 12 inch screens. Companies are still looking to increase their size further during the coming months. Owing to their smaller size the netbooks are lighter in weight, but contain a very small size keyboard which can be uncomfortable if using the keyboard for long periods of time. Most netbooks use Windows XP or Vista 32bit as the hardware performance has yet to give the min-laptops the ability to run 64bit systems. It is hoped that Windows 7 would contain a lighter version made exclusively for min-laptops. However, users can opt for Linux OS also for their min-laptops.

Pricing for Netbooks, Mini Notebooks [http://www.comnauts.com/collections/netbooks-mini-notebooks] range depending on the internal hardware and manufacturers brand, one key thing to mention is the netbook is designed for casual and mobile use and acts much like a highly advanced cell phone. Most netbooks come ready with advanced microphones and camera interfaces built in.

Some of the netbook brands available today are: ACER Aspire One AOD150-1920 10.1" Netbook, Samsung NC10 14-GB 10.2 Inch Blue netbook, HP Mini 1101, MSI Wind U100 etc. min-laptops manufacturers include Lenova, Benq, acer, Samsung, HP, MSI, Sylvania, Asus etc.

Just What Is Mobile Broadband?

Here I am to get rid of people's confusion, as I explain mobile broadband to you!

The road to mobile broadband - how the online world evolved

As we look back on the history of the internet, we can see a constant evolution. Things never stay the same, they move and evolve, fighting to set new standards, to become more than they once were. It really is like evolution, with advancements being made, and the best surviving. And in doing that, the internet has evolved from the lumbering beastie it used to be, into a swift, nimble-footed creature, running like the wind, and following us wherever we go (yep, I know how to stretch a metaphor well past the point where it ceases to be useful!)

It all started, for me, at least, with dialup, using a modem you had to actually take your computer to bits to install. Which was both annoying and painful, if you caught your fingers in the case (as I did EVERY time). Then along came broadband, and the internet got fast. And my god, wasn't it better! So, as broadband evolved, and got faster, we went from modems to wireless routers, and that opened the world's eyes to something cool: using the internet, on a laptop, whilst wireless and moving about was cool. But it was only this year, in 2008, that the idea reached its true potential. Not WiFi... fully mobile broadband.

Mobile Broadband - what we've all been waiting for

2008 is a big year for the internet, because this is the year that mobile broadband goes big time. I'm talking full-on, no-holds-barred world domination. Imagine the wonder of it. No more wires, and going online wherever you want. Oh, it's going to be glorious!

So, why is mobile broadband so good? What makes it achieve a level of brilliance that no other broadband system can match? Well, in truth, there are a couple of factors. First off is obviously the fact that it's completely mobile. With absolutely no need to go hunting down a WiFi hot spot, and no need to have a home landline, it frees up the internet, setting it free from boundaries, so you can carry it round with you wherever you go (probably not in your pocket, though, unles you've got pockets big enough to fit a laptop in...). The second big factor is simply how easy it is to set up. You get the USB Modem, you plug it in, it installs itself, you go online. It's so easy it beggars belief. Compare mobile broadband to any other internet package, and I guarantee it will come off well!

What Makes Mobile Learning Ubiquitous?

ubiq·ui·tous - Pronunciation: \yu-'bi-kwE-tEs\

Function: adjective, Date: 1830, existing or being everywhere at the same time: constantly encountered: widespread "a ubiquitous fashion"

Source: Merriam Webster

The term ubiquitous often appears in conjunction with scholarly articles on mobile and communication devices and more specifically, mobile learning. This article will help us understand more about this term and why it has become so relevant in the field of mobile learning.

Wikipedia states that ubiquitous learning (or u-learning) is equivalent to a form of simple mobile learning, e.g. learning environments that can be accessed in various contexts and situations.

With mobile learning expanding globally, more and more people have begun to experience ubiquitous learning (learning that can happen whenever you need it, however you want it) using their mobile devices.

Features of Ubiquitous Learning

The main characteristics of ubiquitous learning are (Chen et al., 2002; Curtis et al., 2002):

Permanency: Learners can never lose their work unless it is purposefully deleted. In addition, all the learning processes are recorded continuously in everyday.

Accessibility: Learners have access to their documents, data, or videos from anywhere. That information is provided based on their requests. Therefore, the learning involved is self-directed.

Immediacy: Wherever learners are, they can get any information immediately. Therefore learners can solve problems quickly. Otherwise, the learner may record the questions and look for the answer later.

Interactivity: Learners can interact with experts, teachers, or peers in the form of synchronies or asynchronous communication. Hence, the experts are more reachable and the knowledge is more available.

Situating of instructional activities: The learning could be embedded in our daily life. The problems encountered as well as the knowledge required are all presented in the nature and authentic forms. It helps learners notice the features of problem situations that make particular actions relevant.

Adaptability: Learners can get the right information at the right place with the right way.

By looking at the features of ubiquitous learning, it's easier to understand why many consider mobile education to be a form ubiquitous learning.

With the development of mobile learning, the concept of ubiquitous education has become more tangible. While u-learning itself extends beyond known technologies like portable computers and mobile devices, this decade has ushered in the advent of mobile education, considered by many as a vital step towards a truly ubiquitous learning system.

Reference: Chen et al., Curtis et al., 2002, In Young Scientific Research(2) no. 15700516 from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.