eZ Cash - Behind the Veil

An interesting point came up in our last Marketing Management lecture-the true motive of Dialog eZ Cash. Whether it is merely a convenient mobile payment method or a tool to acquire information about customer behavior was discussed. In this information age, information about the spending patterns of customers is potentially worth millions to organizations. This type of information can be used for targeted advertising. It can bring massive profits to an organization by helping them to better understand  their customers and to cater specifically according to their requirements.

Although Dialog eZ cash is not extremely popular, it's certainly catching on. Despite some concerns about delays and problems in withdrawing cash from merchants, it is undoubtedly a convenient mobile payment method. While the newer payment methods via NFC are quicker and more straightforward, at present only a handful of smartphones used in Sri Lanka are equipped with NFC. In this regard eZ cash scores by being accessible to the masses. This also broadens their source of customer information. Such information is valuable only if it's extensive. Whenever a customer uses eZ cash, information about the transaction amount, place and type gets recorded at the company servers. Users of eZ cash agree to their information being used, stored, analyzed or transferred by Dialog without the consent of the user, when subscribing for the service.

users agree to their information being stored,analyzed and transferred. source: http://www.dialog.lk/content/uploads/pdfs/tc/ez-cash-tc-eng.pdf

Collecting customer information is not necessarily a bad thing. Most of us are familiar with the personalized search results and news feeds in Google and Facebook which  utilize search history, browsing patterns and location to serve personalized information. While some people argue that this is an invasion of privacy, it is often helpful to most of us. Personalized search results bring relevant information quickly. The data collected by eZ cash also could be put into good use like this, to serve customers better and to personalize the telecommunication giant's service.

The flip side to this story is the consequences if this data falls into the wrong hands. It can be used for spamming or in the worst case, for fraud and theft. A security breach or something similar could turn out to be a threat to customers. Dialog would surely be aware of this and have taken necessary measures to avoid such a situation. Still, some people don't feel comfortable about their information being used in this way. But complete anonymity in today's world is impossible to achieve. The best is to be aware and mindful of how your information is used and shared by the services that you use.

Man of Steel Flies to Sri Lanka

The highly anticipated Superman reboot will hopefully be screened at Savoy 3D from the 26th of June 2013. The movie is listed under the upcoming movies section with the above release date, and a countdown is on display on the home page of the EAP movies website. being only 14 days after the world release date fans won't have to wait too long. However there have been occasions in the past where movies that were shown on countdown never actually made it to the theater. Hopefully it does not happen this time.

Building upon the success of the Dark Knight trilogy, this reboot differs from the previous Superman movies while having some similarities with the Batman movies. It has a more realistic take on the superhero and from its trailer it is evident that the "S" on his chest does not even mean "Super"! :) Fans of the DC universe who want to see a Justice League movie-a superhero ensemble movie like the Avengers or even just a Superman Batman team up movie will be delighted to see that Man of Steel is set in the same universe and timeline as Batman. According to the director of the movie, There is a scene in the movie where the villain destroys a satellite with the Wayne enterprises logo on it. Wayne enterprises is owned by Bruce Wayne a.k.a Batman and therefore a ensemble movie cannot be written off. So keep your eyes open :)

image from : http://manofsteel.warnerbros.com

3D experience at MC Platinum Ruined!

There have been several complaints about the active shutter glasses issued at MC Platinum 3D. The most common issues are, one lens being completely blacked out, or simply that the glasses don't produce the expected "3D effect". These problems arise because the glasses are of the active shutter type, and are required to be powered by batteries. I mentioned about this problem in a previous post of mine, but I didn't think it will occur so soon until I saw it for myself. If you find out that your pair of glasses is not working once the movie starts, you will probably miss the first half of the movie completely. But luckily, there is a way to find out whether your pair is in working condition before the movie starts.

The Cause

Like I mentioned before, this problem arises because the glasses are powered by batteries and are synchronized via an Infra Red signal emitter. So if the batteries go down, there can be synchronization errors leading to flickering or a distorted 3D effect. If the batteries run down completely, the glasses will stop working altogether and either one or both the lenses will go completely black, or the glass will look clear and normal but will not produce the 3D effect. This is the worst scenario, because if you don't identify it before the movie starts, then you are in trouble. So here is how to check it beforehand.

How to Check

Soon as you get the glass, go into the theater (It won't work outside the theater) and while holding the glasses about a foot away from your face, look through both lenses at a well lit area. (the theater will be well lit before the movie starts) Looking at the white screen also would do. If you see a slight flickering in both lenses you are good to go. If you don't see any flickering, if only one lens flickers, or else if one lens appears to be a shade darker than the other lens, then the glasses are faulty and you will have to get it changed.

Movie fans should not go through this hassle in a properly maintained theater. It is the responsibility of the theater personnel to replace the batteries regularly and to check the glasses from time to time. From the experience I had today, it is evident that about half of the glasses are faulty. and watching a movie with faulty glasses like that can lead to severe headaches and nausea. Unfortunately, the personnel at MC platinum just don't care about this issue. When complaining about this issue all they did was nod in approval as if to say, "yes we know about the problem, but we just don't care!"

If this happened in another country, people would sue the theater. But this is Sri Lanka and sometimes we suffer in silence. I'm just hoping that this problem will be sorted out soon. If not, and if its a movie that you really can't miss(like Iron Man 3), make sure that you check your glasses before the movie starts. Hope this guide was useful :)


UPDATE (19/2/2014)

These problems due to the battery powered active glasses will not arise again because MC Platinum has switched from active shutter to a polarized filter projection system. The passive glasses used in this method will not cause any of the above problems. 

the new lightweight polarized glasses

The Future of Wireless Charging

While Android and IOS dominate the operating systems in today's smartphones, Nokia stays in the game with its innovative hardware. The inclusion of wireless charging in the recently released Lumia 920 made wireless charging a hot topic. Although wireless charging may sound like a modern breakthrough in technology, it is a pretty old concept. For starters, we tend not to realize that our radio sets are actually receiving energy wirelessly. The purpose of external power in radios is to amplify the signal and to play it back with clarity. The simplest radios-crystal radios operate without any external power.

Wireless charging by inductive coupling has been used in Oral-B toothbrushes since the early 1990s. But wireless charging was not common in consumer electronics such as mobile phones and laptop computers due to constraints in efficiency and rate of power transfer.  However with new improved technologies and standards such as "Qi" and Qualcomms's WiPower, wireless charging has started to make its way into modern smartphones and tablets. Intel's upcoming ultrabooks will come with the ability to charge smartphones that are placed beside them.

source : qualcomm

Wireless charging of consumer electronics is primarily classified into two categories.
1. Inductive Coupling.
2. Resonance Charging.

Inductive coupling uses the theory of electromagnetic induction to transfer power from one source to another without physical contact - like the power transfer from the primary winding to the secondary winding in a transformer. Because the strength of a magnetic field diminishes rapidly with distance, inductive coupling requires the charging source and the device to be very close or in contact with each other.

Resonance charging improves the above concept by using electromagnetic resonance. The coils are made to resonate at the same frequency and this enables power transmission through a greater distance. This means that the device only needs to be in the vicinity of the power source. This method has been found to be effective over distances of several feet.

source : intel

So what will the future of Wireless charging look like? Current areas under research provide clues about it. Major computer manufactures are already in the process of introducing remotely powered phones, laptops and tablets. The idea would be eventually to make charging as simple connecting to a WiFi network. Wireless power transfer using Resonance Charging has already proved successful in charging several devices in a room simultaneously. In the future coffee shops and other public areas will be equipped with the facility of wireless charging and our smartphones and computers will power themselves automatically using these "charging hotspots".

Moving on to a larger scale in wireless power transfer, a prototype aircraft called SHARP which flies using energy transmitted from the ground has been developed. Laser propelled spacecraft is another field under research. The company Lightcraft Technologies aims at developing spacecraft which will be powered by laser beams directed from the earth. The idea is to use the laser beam to rapidly heat and expand air which in turn will propel the spacecraft. This eliminates the need to carry fuel, which is the heaviest component in a space craft.

source : popular science

Using microwaves to beam power from solar power stations in space to the earth is another idea that is under consideration. Beaming power to earth from space has some environmental benefits but it poses a lot of challenges. Safety also would be a major concern in such an arrangement. Starting from handheld devices, wireless power transfer will one day be used in all our energy needs and will give rise to a truly wireless future.

Iron Man 3 at Savoy

UPDATE : Showing once again how misinformed the people at EAP movies are, Iron Man 3 has been removed from  the upcoming movies section of their website. So it seems like the only hope of seeing Iron Man 3 in Sri Lanka will be at the MC Cineplex. But this being Sri Lanka, that is also quite uncertain.. Will keep this post updated. 

Iron Man 3 will be screened at MC Platinum 3D from 10th May 2013, according to ticketslk.com.

Iron Man 3 is the most anticipated 3D blockbuster of 2013 and chances are that it will hit cinemas in Sri Lanka just like The Avengers did. The EAP movies website has listed Iron Man 3 under their upcoming movies section with a release date of 3rd May, which is the worldwide release date as well. So there is a very good chance that it will be screened at Savoy 3D, although the release date may change.

From the looks of it, Iron Man 3 promises to be a great movie and a huge improvement from Iron Man 2. The plot is based on the Extremis story arc and Sir Ben Kingsley will play the villain, Mandarin. Given below are some plot details that are known so far, so spoilers ahead-read at your own risk ;)

"Extremis" is a scientific technology that gives super human abilities to its users by altering the "biological code" of the human body. Aldrich Killian, played by Guy Pearce works for the Mandarin and uses this technology for evil purposes. So iron man is most likely to fight superhumans this time around.

Tony Stark develops technology that gives him the ability to control his suits of armor using only his mind. He also builds an entire fleet of these suits which operate on his command. Col. James Rhodes has a customized suit of his own and is called the Iron Patriot.

The new trailer shows a new massive suit, possibly the "Hulkbuster" but it is not confirmed. There is also a possibility of the space suit appearing in the movie as well. Since Iron Man 3 is expected to set the stage for Avengers 2, a post credits scene connecting the storylines is also expected.

image from : http://marvel.com/ironman3

Hulkbuster?

Free gems in Android

The Android Market or Play Store has loads of free applications available. But most of them are either limited in function or riddled with advertisements. But there are a few good free applications available which are as good as most paid versions and most importantly, without annoying advertisements. Given below are some them

1. Google products
All google android apps are free of charge. Most of them are well designed and apps such as gmail, maps, voice actions and google drive are the best in their respective categories.

Although not developed by Google inc, "Sky Map" is free application worth checking out. It turns your phone into a dynamic start chart. Just point your phone to the sky and it will show the names and details of stars and other heavenly bodies. The application uses the phone's magnetic and accelerometer sensors and location details to orient itself in the virtual celestial sphere. It is an open source application supported by Google.

2. Temple Run 2
The Highly addictive successor to Temple Run, is better than the first game. While keeping the same game mechanics, the developers have improved the game environments and the graphics.

3. Swiss Army Knife
Swiss Army Knife has a very useful set of tools like compass, level, ruler, unit converter, stop watch and timer. While being ad-free, due to its simple and clutter free construction, it is of a very small size- in fact, it is smaller than most standalone tools.

4. Fb Reader
Probably the best free e-book reader on Android. It supports the integration of dictionaries and has a vast searchable catalogue of e-books built into it.

5. Evernote
Evernote is an excellent note taking app. With the ability to attach recorded audio and pictures and synchronize with an online server, it is arguably the most feature packed application in its category.

 * Note : At the time of writing this post all of the above apps were free of charge and ad-free. However there is no guarantee that they will remain that way in the future.

Turtles at Chaaya Tranz

The coral reef in front of Chaaya Tranz Hikkaduwa, formerly known as Hotel Coral Gardens is one of the best preserved coral reefs in Sri Lanka and is a perfect spot for snorkeling. Lots of colourful fish and turtles can be seen close to the shore. Despite fears in the early 2000s that the reef was shrinking, it is in good condition today. Especially when comparing it with the reef in Beruwala which has deteriorated considerably, Hikkaduwa still has a variety of healthy corals and reef fish in abundance.

On my recent visit to Chaaya Tranz, I got to see some of the familiar reef fish and turtles that I saw when snorkeling there a couple of years ago. The types and numbers of fish have not decreased. There were hundreds of colourful fish including a lion fish. Unfortunately I did not have an underwater camera to take pictures of the fish. But the turtles came wandering towards the shore in search of food, and I was able to take plenty of pictures of them.

Hopefully this place will remain as it is in the future. It is important that relevant authorities take required measures to prevent actions such as illegal sand mining which could harm this reef, in order to preserve it for future generations.