HB Blog 137: Android "O" Supports New Emoji With Unicode 10 Standard.

Emoji are ideograms and smileys used in electronic messages and Web pages. They are used much like emoticons and exist in various genres, including facial expressions, common objects, places and types of weather, and animals. The first emoji was created in 1999 in Japan by Shigetaka Kurita, who wanted to provide users with a way to communicate through images. Originating on Japanese mobile phones in the late 1990s, emoji have become increasingly popular worldwide since their international inclusion in Apple's iPhone, which was followed by similar adoption by Android and other mobile operating systems.

Apple was looking to expand its market in Japan. People had been using these characters to provide context to their communication, so Apple added a hidden feature in the iOS5 update. Suddenly, yellow faces and poop icons became a part of our lexicon.

Android "O" an upcoming release of the Android mobile operating system, supports new emoji that will be included in the Unicode 10 standard. A new emoji font was also introduced, which notably redesigns its face figures to use a traditional circular shape, as opposed to the "blob" design that was introduced on Android "KitKat".

One Emoji to Rule Them All Before an emoji can become an emoji it must be approved by the Unicode Consortium. Approval process typically takes 1 to 2 years.

Unicode Consortium Submission Process:-
1. Submit a proposal
2. Provide justification for its creation by proving a need.

Argue that the icon is already popular online and frequently searched. • Show that a currently existing family of emoji is missing this pivotal group member. • Prove that there is no other way to express this idea with an existing emoji combination.

Emoji communication problems(With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility) :-
Research has shown that emojis are often misunderstood. In some cases, this is related to how the actual emoji design is interpreted by the viewer, in other cases the emoji that was sent, was not shown in the same way at the receiving side.
The difference between these two problems is, that the first relates to the cultural or contextual interpretation of the smiley. When the author picks a smiley, the author thinks about the smiley in a certain way, but the same smiley may not trigger the same thoughts with the receiver. See also Models of communication.
The second problem is technological. When an author of a message picks a smiley from a list of smiley faces, this smiley is encoded in some way during the transmission, and if the author and the reader do not use the same software or operating system for their devices, the reader's device may visualize the same smiley in a different way.

Small changes to a smiley's look may completely alter its perceived meaning with the receiver.

...Keep Smiling 😊😊😊

HB Blog 73: Inside The Mobile Phone.

A mobile phone is an electronic device used for mobile telecommunications over a cellular network of specialized base stations known as cell sites. A cell phone offers full Duplex Communication and transfer the link when the user moves from one cell to another. As the phone user moves from one cell area to another, the system automatically commands the mobile phone and a cell site with a stronger signal, to switch on to a new frequency in order to keep the link.

Mobile phone is primarily designed for Voice communication. In addition to the standard voice function, new generation mobile phones support many additional services, and accessories, such as SMS for text messaging, email, packet switching for access to the Internet, gaming, Bluetooth, camera with video recorder and MMS for sending and receiving photos and video, MP3 player, radio and GPS. 

Signal Frequency in Cell Phone

The cellular system is the division of an area into small cells.
This allows extensive frequency reuse across that area, so that many people can use cell phones simultaneously. Cellular networks has a number of advantages like increased capacity, reduced power usage, larger coverage area, reduced interference from other signals etc.

FDMA and CDMA Systems

Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) were developed to distinguish signals from several different transmitters. In FDMA, the transmitting and receiving frequencies used in each cell are different from the frequencies used in the neighboring cells. The principle of CDMA is more complex and the distributed transceivers can select one cell and listen to it. Other methods include Polarization Division Multiple Access (PDMA) and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA). Time division multiple access is used in combination with either FDMA or CDMA to give multiple channels within the coverage area of a single cell.Mobile phone is a Duplex device. When we use one frequency for talking, a second separate frequency is used for listening. So that both the people on the call can talk at once. The Mobile phone can communicate on 1,664 channels or more. The Mobile phones operate within the cells, so that it is easy to switch on to different cells as they move around. A person using a cell phone can drive hundreds of kilometers and can maintain a conversation during the entire time because of the cellular approach.

Codes in the Mobile Phone

Mobile phones have special codes associated with them. These include:

• Electronic Serial Number (ESN) -Unique 32-bit number programmed in the phone
• Mobile Identification Number (MIN) - 10 digit number derived from the phone’s number.
• System Identification Code (SID) – unique 5 digit number that is assigned to each carrier by the FCC.

ESN is a permanent part of the phone while MIN and SID codes are programmed in the phone when a service plan is selected and activated.

Activation of SIM Card

SIM card (Subscriber Identification Module (SIM)) is a type of Smart card used in mobile phone. The SIM is a detachable smart card containing the user’s subscription information and phone book. This allows the user to retain his or her information even after switching off the handset. Alternatively, the user can also change service providers while retaining the handset simply by changing the SIM. SIM card Securely stores the service subscriber key having 15 digits.
The digits of the key are :

• First 3 digits – Mobile country code
• Second 2 digits – Mobile network code
• Third 10 digits – Mobile station identification number

Subscriber Identification Module SIM

When the Mobile phone is used for the first time, it sends a number called International Mobile Subscriber Identity – IMSI present in the SIM card to the network, which looks it up in a database to ensure the card is registered. If the IMSI is recognized, the network creates another number called a Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI), which is encrypted and sent back to the phone. In all subsequent calls, the phone identifies itself by broadcasting the TMSI. 

What happens when we make a call?

1. When we switch on the mobile phone, it tries for an SID on the Control channel. The Control channel is a special frequency that the phone and base station use to talk to one another. If the Mobile phone finds difficulty to get link with the control channel, it displays a “no service” message.
2. If the Mobile phone gets the SID, it compares the SID with the SID programmed in the phone. If both SID match, the phone identifies that the cell it is communicating is the part of its home system.
3. The phone also transmits a registration request along with the SID and the MTSO keeps track of your phone’s location in a database. MTSO knows in which cell you are when it wants to ring the phone.
4. The MTSO then gets the signal, it tries to find the phone. The MTSO looks in its database to find the cell in which the phone is present. The MTSO then picks a frequency pair to take the call.
5. The MTSO communicates with the Mobile phone over the control channel to tell it what frequencies to use. Once the Mobile phone and the tower switch on those frequencies, the call is connected.
6. When the Mobile phone move toward the edge of the cell, the cell’s base station will note that the signal strength is diminishing. At the same time, the base station in the cell in which the phone is moving will be able to see the phone’s signal strength increasing.
7. The two base stations coordinate themselves through the MTSO. At some point, the Mobile phone gets a signal on a control channel and directs it to change frequencies. This will switch the phone to the new cell.

Inside the Mobile phone

Mobile phone is a sophisticated device using SMD components, Microprocessor, Flash memory etc. In addition to the Circuit board, Mobile phone also has Antenna, Liquid Crystal Display(LCD) , Keyboard, Microphone, Speaker and Battery. The circuit board is the heart of the Mobile phone. It has chips like Analog-to-Digital and Digital-to-Analog conversion chips that translate the outgoing audio signal from analog to digital and the incoming signal from digital back to analog.Following are the Chips present in Mobile phone.

1. Digital signal processor

It is generally rated as having 40 MIPS (millions of instructions per second) to conduct calculations of signal manipulation at high speed. This chip deals with both compression and decompression of the signals. 

2. Microprocessor

It handles all the housekeeping tasks for the keyboard and display. It also deals with command and control signaling with the base station, and coordinates the rest of the functions on the board.

3.The Flash memory and ROM Chips 

They act as a storage location for the phone. These chips store the customizable options of the cell phone, as well as the entire operating system. The power and radio frequency sections of the phone, phone recharging and power management etc are controlled by this chip. It also controls several hundred FM channels. The RF amplifiers focus on signals that go in and out of the phone’s antennae.

HB Blog 72: Inside The Cell Phone Jamming Device.

A mobile phone jammer is an instrument used to prevent cellular phones from receiving signals from base stations. When used, the jammer effectively disables cellular phones. These devices can be used in practically any location, but are found primarily in places where a phone call would be particularly disruptive because silence is expected. A jamming device transmits on the same radio frequencies as the cell phone, disrupting the communication between the phone and the cell-phone base station in the tower. It's a called a denial-of-service attack. The jammer denies service of the radio spectrum to the cell-phone users within range of the jamming device.

Cell Phone Jamming Device 
Jamming devices overpower the cell phone by transmitting a signal on the same frequency and at a high enough power that the two signals collide and cancel each other out. Cell phones are designed to add power if they experience low-level interference, so the jammer must recognize and match the power increase from the phone. Cell phones are full-duplex devices, which means they use two separate frequencies, one for talking and one for listening simultaneously. Some jammers block only one of the frequencies used by cell phones, which has the effect of blocking both. The phone is tricked into thinking there is no service because it can receive only one of the frequencies. Less complex devices block only one group of frequencies, while sophisticated jammers can block several types of networks at once to head off dual-mode or tri-mode phones that automatically switch among different network types to find an open signal. Some of the high-end devices block all frequencies at once, and others can be tuned to specific frequencies. To jam a cell phone, all you need is a device that broadcasts on the correct frequencies. Although different cellular systems process signals differently, all cell-phone networks use radio signals that can be interrupted. GSM, used in digital cellular and PCS-based systems, operates in the 900-MHz and 1800-MHz bands in Europe and Asia and in the 1900-MHz (sometimes referred to as 1.9-GHz) band in the United States. Jammers can broadcast on any frequency and are effective against AMPS, CDMA, TDMA, GSM, PCS, DCS, iDEN and Nextel systems. Old-fashioned analog cell phones and today's digital devices are equally susceptible to jamming. The actual range of the jammer depends on its power and the local environment, which may include hills or walls of a building that block the jamming signal. Low-powered jammers block calls in a range of about 30 feet (9 m). Higher-powered units create a cell-free zone as large as a football field. Units used by law enforcement can shut down service up to 1 mile (1.6 km) from the device.

Inside Cell Phone Jammers

 Electronically speaking, cell-phone jammers are very basic devices. The simplest just have an on/off switch and a light that indicates it's on. More complex devices have switches to activate jamming at different frequencies. Components of a jammer include:
Antenna
Every jamming device has an antenna to send the signal. Some are contained within an electrical cabinet. On stronger devices, antennas are external to provide longer range and may be tuned for individual frequencies.
Circuitry

The main electronic components of a jammer are:

• Voltage-controlled oscillator - Generates the radio signal that will interfere with the cell phone signal
• Tuning circuit - Controls the frequency at which the jammer broadcasts its signal by sending a particular voltage to the oscillator
• Noise generator - Produces random electronic output in a specified frequency range to jam the cell-phone network signal (part of the tuning circuit)
• RF amplification (gain stage) - Boosts the power of the radio frequency output to high enough levels to jam a signal
  

Power supply
Smaller jamming devices are battery operated. Some look like cell phone and use cell-phone batteries. Stronger devices can be plugged into a standard outlet or wired into a vehicle's electrical system.

HB Blog 36: Mobile Operating System - Android/Ios/Windows/Blackberry.

A mobile operating system, also referred to as mobile OS, is an operating system that operates a smartphones, tablet, PDA, or other mobile device.
Many differences and many similarities are seen in the mobile technology. Now-a-days people need variety of choices to select, and comparison between these mobile technology helps them to so. There are many aspects to look over, I have just mentioned few of them.

What are latest version updates in mobile OS:-
Android(Lollipop 5.0):

Material Design- A bold, colorful, and responsive UI design for consistent, intuitive experiences across all your devices.

Notifications- View and respond to messages directly from your lock screen. Includes the ability to hide sensitive content for these notification.

Battery- A battery saver feature which extends device use by up to 90 mins.

Security- New devices come with encryption automatically turned on to help protect data on lost or stolen devices and use Android Smart Lock to secure your phone or tablet by pairing it with a trusted device like your wearable or even your car.

Device Sharing- More flexible sharing with family and friends.Multiple users for phones.

New Quick Settings- Get to the most frequently used settings with just two swipes down from the top of the screen.

Connectivity- A better internet connection everywhere and more powerful Bluetooth low energy capabilities.

Runtime and Performance- A faster, smoother and more powerful computing experience.ART, an entirely new Android runtime, improves application performance and responsivenes.

Media- Bolder graphics and improved audio, video, and camera capabilities.

OK Google- Easy access to information and performing tasks.

Android TV- Support for living room devices.

Accessibility- Enhanced low vision and color blind capabilities.

Ios(8):

Photos- The all-new Photos app makes it simpler than ever to find and rediscover your favourite photos with new search features and smart albums that organise your photos for you. 

Messages- Messages lets you connect with friends and family like never before.Send a video of what you’re seeing the moment you’re seeing it. And easily share your location so they know where you are.

Design- In iOS 8, you’ll find a convenient new way to respond to notifications. Helpful shortcuts to the people you talk to most. 

Keyboard- iOS 8 makes typing easier by suggesting contextually appropriate words to complete your sentences. It even recognises who you’re typing to and whether you’re in Mail or Messages. 

Family sharing- Up to six people in your household can easily share each other’s purchases from iTunes and the App Store.

iCloud drive- You can work on any file, anywhere.That includes presentations, PDFs, images and more — straight from iCloud.

Health- Now your activity tracker, heart rate monitor and other health and fitness apps can talk to each other.

Windows Phone(8.1):

Folders- Folders let you organise your Start screen the way you want.
Messaging- Combine multiple text messages into one, then forward them to someone else.
Selection- With improved selection, you can now delete multiple calls, messages or contacts.
Apps Corner- Apps Corner lets you specify apps that other people can use on a Windows Phone.
Store- The new Live Tile for Windows Phone Store helps you discover new apps and games.
Internet Explorer- Improvements to Internet Explorer 11 for Windows Phone give you a better browsing experience on your phone.
Alarms- Now you can customise the snooze time for an alarm-
Accessory apps- Use accessory apps to get notifications from your phone on your smart watch, active phone cover, fitness tracker or other kinds of accessories.
Internet sharing- Now you can share your mobile data connection over Bluetooth, so you can get an Internet connection on more kinds of devices.
VPN-VPN now supports L2TP, which lets you connect to more VPN services.
Narrator- Narrator now has touch typing and a way for you to turn off hints for controls and buttons if you don't want them read aloud.

BlackBerry(10.2)-

Priority Hub- BlackBerry Priority Hub curates a view of your most important messages.
Sound technology- BlackBerry Natural Sound technology lets you hear every word with intense clarity.
Instant Previews- Instant Previews of BBM, SMS and email from any app let you respond or go to the BlackBerry Hub with a single touch.
Lock Screen Notifications- It let you view the sender and subject of your latest email, text or BBM without unlocking.
Keyboard- BlackBerry Keyboard updates further improve your efficiency.
Copy and paste- Easier copy and paste comes from more precise cursor control, a double tap to select feature, editing options that automatically appear and direct sharing.
Battery life- Optimized battery life with new monitoring options and indicators.
Call management- An options so you can respond on your terms, even by email/BBM/text.
Cost management- The tools to manage roaming and data usage
Broadcast communications-Groups can be created for SMS and email for more efficient broadcast communications.
Security- Picture Password for quick unlocking.
Offline Browser- Reading Mode lets you save the current web page for later viewing, even if you are offline.
FM Radio- It does not require any network connection so can you listen to local FM stations.

	Android	Ios	Windows	Blackberry
Developer	Google	Apple Inc	Microsoft Corporation	BlackBerry Limited
Operating System	Linux	Darwin	Windows NT	QNX
Latest Version	Lollipop 5.0	8	8.1	10.2
CPU Architecture	ARM, MIPS, x86	ARM	Windows NT	ARM
License	Apache License 2.0 Free and Open Source	Proprietary EULA	Commercial proprietary software	Proprietary
Programming Languages	C, C++, Java	C, C++, Objective-C, Swift	C#, Visual Basic, C, C++	C, C++, Java
IDE	Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA	Xcode, AppCode	Visual Studio	Eclipse, BlackBerry JDE
Official Website	www.android.com	www.apple.com/ios/	www.windowsphone.com	www.blackberry.com