The Polytechnic Reporter
Transcription
The Polytechnic Reporter
THE POLYTECHNIC REPORTER The Voice of the Student Body of the NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering Tuesday, October 28, 2014 oSTEM Expands on Both Campuses Club Names New Board Members BY CHRISTIAN CABRERA oSTEM (Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) at NYU was created in 2013 by a few students looking to change the focus of their existing LGBTQA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Ally) club. The transformation from Poly’s LGBTQA club to oSTEM started a little over a year ago. Previously, Poly’s LGBTQA was a social club that held bimonthly meetings. It focused on the gay experience at Polytechnic by creating a more inviting community for those students. The secretary of oSTEM at NYU, Hunter Cavat-Gore, said recently, “Four years ago, there was no active gay, lesbian, bi and transgender club on the Polytechnic campus.” Courtney Spellman, the president of oSTEM at NYU, worked alongside the club’s adviser, Peter Li, and her peers to create the initial gay and lesbian club. When they first started it, it had a very small membership base, no club room to themselves, limited funding, and low attendance at club-sponsored events. “We felt like we could do more so we made a transition into the oSTEM club,” CavatGore said. oSTEM at NYU is one of over 50 chapters of the national oSTEM Inc., founded in 2009. It’s the first organization of its kind to dedicate its mission to advocating and providing opportunities Continued on Page 5 Top, from left: Janine Niekerk, Courtney Spellman, Hunter Cavat-Gore, Robert Fung, Suzie Su, Peter Li, and, kneeling, Jonathan Lee. A Lesson for Us All: Author Points Route to Success Poverty need not keep us down, says this young innovator By JOHN MAIR Picture a world where you can't readily charge your phone at any given moment. Scratch that —picture a world where you don't have access to electricity or even a secure supply of fresh water. Such is the case for a number of third world countries. Every- one is more than aware of the abysmal living conditions in impoverished nations and we often see many efforts on the part of the developed world to assist these countries. What we don't often hear of is effort on their part to remedy the situation, but that's exactly what William Kamkwamba did. He took matters into his own hands. In 2002, Kamkwamba, an author and inventor, built a windmill in his MalaContinued on Page 4 Incubator Firm in Forefront On 'Vertical'-Farming Efforts By RICHARD GOLDFELD What if you could turn your idea into a reality? For example, consider an idea that comes from just watering your plants and then evolves into your own start-up company. Dreams can come true. “I took the leap and succeeded,” says Jason Green, founder of Edenworks. Edenworks is a product of the NYU-Poly incubator. It’s a start-up company that is redesigning and creating “self- sustaining eco-systems,” says Green. Edenworks is completely changing inner-city farming by bringing the technology of aquaponics to the rooftops of Brooklyn. Aquaponics is a foodproduction system that combines the cultivation of plants in water with nutrients supplied by a separate tank with aquatic animals whose excreContinued on Page 3 INSIDE Editorial....................................................2 Grooming Tip...........................................3 Student Spotlight......................................4 Tech Tip: iPhone Battery..........................5 Internship Opportunity............................5 Faculty Profile: Luciano Medina..............6 Grad Assistants Seek Contracts................6 Smartwatch...............................................6 Tech Tip: Cloud Storage...........................7 Wafels and Dinges....................................7 Windows 10 is here.................................. 8 Restaurant Review: Junior's................... 8 2 | Tuesday, October 28, 2014 THE POLYTECHNIC REPORTER THE POLYTECHNIC REPORTER Editor-in-Chief NATHANIEL GRAMMEL Executive Editor MARUFUR BHUIYA Managing Editor ALI NAGI Deputy Managing Editors JOHN MAIR JOHN HENRY Staff Reporters RAKINUR ALAM DANIEL LUCI MOHAMMAD JONAID CHEONG FAI WONG CHRISTIAN CABRERA ALEC BAUMAN EVAN MOSKAL RICHARD SCHALL RICHARD GOLDFELD MICHELLE GBOLUMAH MOHAMMED N. HOSSAIN Design, Layout and Editorial Director JESSIA LEONARD Faculty Adviser LOWELL SCHEINER The opinions and views expressed in The Polytechnic Reporter do not necessarily reflect those of the NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering. The opinions expressed in guest editorials are not necessarily the opinions of The Polytechnic Reporter or of NYU. All submissions should be e-mailed to the editor at [email protected] Editorial The Rogers Hall Elevators: Can’t Anyone Fix ’em? If you’re part of the NYU Polytechnic community, you’ve probably been inconvenienced by the disconcerting elevator situation in Rogers Hall in recent weeks. From day-to-day, one or more elevators have been out of commission, with the most important one being the large- capacity freight elevator. True, as of this writing, they’re all operating, but we’re holding our breath that there won’t be another breakdown in the near future. This situation has become a serious issue of late, as students have been arriving late to class and, what’s more, it’s no fun having to walk up six or seven flights to get there if you’re unable to squeeze into one of the elevators that are operating. You may have noticed a public service announcement by James Burgess, the facilities and construction management director, saying that mandatory service for the elevators would continue until Oct. 17. Well, I’m writing this piece on Oct. 22 and, thankfully, all four are operational now, although, believe it or not, Elevator 1 has no lights and so is, essentially, still out of service. But this should not be a problem without a solution. This newspaper sent an email to Burgess requesting an amplification on his announcement. We did not receive a response. All we want to know is why these elevators are continually performing so abysmally and what’s being done to bring an end to this continuing annoyance. It’s especially troubling when, as occurred last week on Elevator 1 with nine people inside, one of them gets stuck between floors. And trapped they were for over half an hour. Luckily, none of them were claustrophobic. To Our Readers: The Reporter is an independent newspaper and none of the money spent to produce and publish it is provided by Polytechnic or NYU. Students who were interviewed for this editorial are not a happy lot. Nick Spyropoulos, a junior majoring in civil engineering, said, “Since there have been only one or two elevators available for weeks, the wait times are long and I usually end up being late for class.” Another student, Ed Klementowicz, a junior majoring in biomolecular science, expressed his dismay this way: “We pay a lot of money to go to this school and do not have working elevators. It’s a disgrace.” This is not, by the way, a recent problem. During the last academic year, Elevator 1 was out of service for five months, you may recall. It’s clear that the NYU Polytechnic community is not only concerned but at this point also thoroughly frustrated with the recurring elevator breakdowns in Rogers Hall. How long must we wait until the school provides four consistently operating elevators, ones that we can rely on all day, every day? One cannot rationalize this matter by blaming it all on a continuous stream of heavy traffic. If crowded elevators can operate trouble-free day after day in office and residential buildings throughout this city, we should expect no less here. Public service announcements in themselves won’t resolve this unfortunate predicament. -AB THE POLYTECHNIC REPORTER Tuesday, October 28, 2014 | 3 A Grooming Tip for the Ha(i)rried Student By EVAN MOSKAL Whether you’re looking for a retro pompadour, the 80s Wall Street look, or just a simple trim, the booming barber scene in Downtown Brooklyn will most certainly have you covered. Old school is in these days and more and more young men are blocking off time in the morning to attain those classic looks. The barbershops around here, old and new, are catering to this new trend among the “Millennials.” Students interested in getting a classic, clean haircut or even just a well-executed trim are encouraged to get away from the $8 chop shop down the street and to check out the Clinton Street Barber Shop near the promenade, The Barber on Pearl in Dumbo on Pearl Street, and the Cutting Edge Barbershop on Montague Street. Whatever your needs, you can find a barber at one of these spots that will more than satisfy. Let’s start with Clinton Street. This hole-in-the-wall shop, just a five-minute walk from campus, has a streamlined system without making you feel rushed. This shop’s selling point is its speed and versatility. They work with five chairs and five barbers. Each one is filled regardless of the hour. Whether you’re looking to get in and out in 20 minutes or stay around and have a cup of coffee with the owner, Sergey, Clinton Street will deliver. Cost: about 15 bucks for a haircut and shave. A less-known gem close to the East River in Dumbo is Barber on Pearl, just a short walk from the Brooklyn campus. This shop is literally located under the Manhattan Bridge and has an authentic Brooklyn feel. The cobblestone roads and the high brick walls give Dumbo a rustic feel and those who emerge from Barber on Pearl look as cool as the area. With haircuts ranging from $17-$20, it can fit into a college student’s budget while giving you a clean, sophisticated look (if that’s what you’re going for). There’s a perk here as well: a complimentary cold beer while you wait, but only if you’re of the legal age (21), of course. Take a stroll down Brooklyn Bridge Park afterwards if you haven’t been there yet. You’ll be impressed. Cutting Edge Barbershop on Montague Street gives one the traditional haircut experience: no bells, whistles, or perks. Cutting Edge keeps the price competitive – $15 – and provides a relaxed atmosphere. The place is open 7 days a week so it should be quite easy to find a time that fits into your busy class and work schedule. Edenworks From Page 1 tions are then filtered back, completing the closed-loop system. “We are using this idea to redesign how New Yorkers will get their food in the future,” says Matt LaRosa, cofounder of the company. Where did Edenworks, as an idea, begin? It started two and a half years ago. Green was just watering plants in his apartment when he noticed that they were being destroyed by various bacteria and aphids. Traditional gardening wasn’t working, so he looked into “alternative growing techniques,” one of which was aquaponics. “After doing some research, I realized there were only DIY kits, no full products. I started designing a system for my apartment, when I realized I could sell a modular system,” he says. “The idea gained traction at the New York University Inno/Vention competition,” he said. The competition is one in which various students from across NYU’s disciplines come together to turn their dream Edenworks’ prototype greenhouse in Brooklyn. idea into a reality. “I then started working at the NYUPoly Incubator in Dumbo and started to interact with inves- Jason Green, founder and CEO of Edenworks (left) and co-Founder and head of fabrication, Matthew LaRosa tors,” Green said. Edenworks became a reality after receiving a Green Grant, a $20,000 award, from New York University. The Green Grant allowed the company to start financing its efforts into building a working prototype. “We are increasingly successful,” Green said. “We are meeting technical milestones.” “When we first started, vertical farming was not practical, and it will still be a long time before we can completely turn around the food market.” Vertical farming uses buildings as the medium to grow plants. Instead of the usual crop field, a skyscraper can be just one giant vertical farm. Edenworks indeed is a success story. It has won multiple grants since its founding and is currently building a prototype greenhouse in Williamsburg. Starting one’s own company is not an easy task. “You have to figure out how you’re going to be the most effective each day,” says LaRosa. “Your day ends up being as productive as you really make it. Real hands-on work experience is infinitely more valuable than what you can pick up in a classroom. Running your own company and having people work for you is an entirely different flavor of experience. "You need to be different from your potential competition; our construction practices are carried out with sustainability in mind.” Edenworks itself is not the only thing that needs to stand out. “Our personalities on the team complement one another very well,” LaRosa said. “Our different points of view lead to eureka moments, inspiring us to solve problems together. I would call the team an eclectic group of problemsolvers.” Edenworks today is a fully operational company of nine employees that has come out of New York University’s incubator program. 4 | Tuesday, October 28, 2014 THE POLYTECHNIC REPORTER Kamkwamba From Page 1 wi village. Just 15 years old and equipped with nothing more than a science textbook titled "Using Energy," Kamkwamba used materials from a nearby junkyard to build the windmill. His village was dependent almost exclusively on farming. It experienced drought regularly, and that year was particularly bad, he said. His parents couldn't afford to pay for his education, so he had to rely on books from a nearby library. He couldn't read well at the time, he said, and had to depend on diagrams. He saw a picture of a windmill on the cover of a book, and thought it would be a good source of energy to power an irrigation system for his village. "I didn't want to become a farmer like my father," he said. Kamkwamba made these remarks at a lecture on September 25 in the Pfizer Auditorium as part of Poly's First Year Dialogue Talk. The theme this year is "Currents of Change," with Kamkwamba's talk entitled "Harnessing the Power of Energy." He is the co-author of "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope," which was the summer reading assignment for discussion among incoming freshmen this fall. In his talk, Kamkwamba discussed the turmoil he faced along his path to success and why his steadfastness allowed him to achieve his goals. Kamkwamba comes from a family of seven siblings, he said, of which he is the only boy. "I didn't want to look weak in front of my family," he said. Such is the reason he sought to help his village. He was determined to complete his task, despite the sneers he got from villagers as he pillaged through the garbage for spare parts for the windmill. "You aren't going to be able to find a wife -- nobody wants a crazy man," his mother told him. His mother had reason to worry: The junk in his room nearly covered his bed at one point. His curiosity, he said, was born long before this boyhood venture. When he was much younger, he disassembled his parents' radio "to see the little people inside." Much to his surprise, there were a number of different mechanisms inside that didn't yelp when he pinched them, and through the process of reverse engineering, he was soon able to fix radios for everyone in the village. Soon after his completion of the windmill, the world took notice of his story. He was invited to TED Talks, interviewed by bloggers, and contacted by journalists. He left his village for the first time to take advantage of these invitations, in hopes of bringing back money to his village. "I didn't know what to expect," he said. "I had never even seen an airplane before." People started to take an interest in Kamkwamba's endeavors. Donations of money and materials were offered to him during his travels. Between these donations and his speaking fee, he gathered the funds to build a second windmill in his village, along with two holding tanks in order to have a supply of fresh water. "These utilities would be useless if they weren't properly maintained," he said. Since he wouldn't always be there, he taught the villagers how to fix the pumps, powered by the windmills, on the water pipes. His recent contributions to his village include eight new classrooms for a local grammar school as well as the installation of solar panels on the roof of his old high school. Thanks to the funds from his speaking tours, Kamkwamba was able to study environmental science at Dartmouth, from which he graduated in June. "I want to focus on renewable energies," he said. Biofuel is his latest fascination, primarily due to the deforestation around his village and most parts of Southeast Africa. Aside from small amounts of kerosene, renewable energy like biofuel is the only source his village has for cooking and fertilizer, he said. Kamkwamba's initial motivation, he says, came from his grandmother, who was a brickmaker in his village. Making bricks was considered a man's job, and he always wondered why she did it. "When your jacket catches fire, you don't wait for someone else to put it out," she told him. Her motivation inspired him to help his family and his village. "In your life, you will face many challenges," Kamkwamba said. "Don't allow those challenges to take your dreams away." As for his immediate future, he will be working for a design firm in San Francisco. Student Spotlight: Meghan Clark This young woman has achieved success not only in her major (CS), but in extracurricular activities as well By RICHARD GOLDFELD Meghan Clark has always enjoyed living in Bensonhurst, but there was another part of Brooklyn that had to be explored. And that part was Downtown, where Polytechnic resides. Clark, a junior in computer science, was drawn here to attend an open house in the summer of 2012. There, Clark spoke with several computer science professors, and their conversation piqued her interest in programming. Even though she had had no previous computer science experience, “the professors assured me that I would be able to succeed,” she says. And succeed she has, not only in academics, but in extracurricular activities as well. Currently, Clark is the vice president of Academic Success on the Student Council. She is also a mentor in the mentorship program, a service ambassador for the Poly Project, as well as an orientation leader on the Polytechnic campus and a Welcome Week leader at the Washington Square campus. In addition, she is currently working on starting a monthly event with computer science professor Linda Sellie, graduate assistant Crystal Dilonez, and computer engineering student Sabrina Fletcher. The purpose of this event, she says, is “to promote connectivity between female students and faculty in the computer science and computer engineering departments. This will allow women to feel more empowered in the engineering field, which is dominated by men.” Clark first became acquainted with Sellie after volunteering to assist in a Cyber Security Program for Young Women, “a program for high schools girls each summer to introduce them to computer science and cyber forensics to encourage them to pursue a career in the field,” said Sellie. In the first part of the summer, Sellie said, “Meghan organized ice-breaking and team-building events, encouraging the girls to collaborate. In the second part of the summer session, Meghan volunteered to step in to teach networking. Our other instructors are college professors, but Meghan excelled nonetheless.” When Clark isn’t scampering around the various NYU-Poly buildings to carry out her various responsibilities, she can often be found in one of the far corners of Magnet. “It’s a big, open, quiet study space,” she said. THE POLYTECHNIC REPORTER oSTEM From Page 1 for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in STEM fields. oSTEM Inc.’s official mission is “To educate, empower, and engage a diverse community. To identify, address, and advocate for the needs of LGBTQA students in the STEM fields. We fulfill these needs through mentorship connections, networking opportunities, strategic collaborations, and professional leadership development.” The transition to a chapter of oSTEM was a decision made toward improving the gay and lesbian experience at the Polytechnic after students graduate. By creating connections between NYU students and employers, as well as other gay and lesbian students across the country, oSTEM at NYU hopes to have a far-reaching impact on the careers and lives of each of its members, says Cavat-Gore The NYU chapter provides a link to everything the national organization has to offer (workshops, career opportunities, networking, etc.). Toward this end, Spellman says, the club promotes diversity on campus and hosts events that provide career development experiences. It also hosts social and what she calls fun events where members get to know each other in a welcoming environment. One social event that has carried over from Poly’s LGBTQA club is the annual outing to “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” around Halloween. This is an event where members are urged to dress up as their favorite characters from a popular 1975 gay and lesbian friendly movie. Apart from social events, the e-board members also run professional events with guest speakers. This year’s e-board members include Spellman; Cavat-Gore; Janine van Niekerk, vice president; and Malcolm Lewis, treasurer. These officers help run the biggest annual event for oSTEM, the national conference. In a recent interview, Spellman expressed her excitement over this year’s oSTEM national conference, scheduled for Nov. 7-9 at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. “There will be keynote speakers and interview opportunities with organizations such as the CIA, Google, GM, Raytheon, GE, Chevy, Lockheed Martin and at least 20 other organizations,” said Spellman. “This will be a great time to meet hundreds of other STEM students and graduates from around the United States.” The e-board members hold bimonthly fundraising events to raise money to pay travel expenses to the national conference for members needing such financial assistance. If you’re interested in getting more information about oSTEM at NYU, join the Facebook group oSTEM at NYU or visit its website, www.ostemnyu.com. Tuesday, October 28, 2014 | 5 Dow Jones News Fund Announces Paid Summer Internships In Digital Media and Print Areas The Dow Jones News Fund is accepting applications now for its 2015 paid summer internship program. To be eligible, students must be in their junior or senior year or in graduate school. Positions will be filled in the following areas: digital media, business reporting, news editing, and sports reporting. These paid summer internships are competitive. All applicants must take an editing test to demonstrate specific skills, including, of course, a good command of the language. Following a brief training period, successful applicants will work either online or on the print side of a newspaper, depending on their choice. The newspaper will be determined through a selection process in place at the Dow Jones organization. Those interested should register immediately at the firm’s website, www.newsfund.org click on the “Programs” tab, then on “College Internships," and register as an “Intern Applicant.” Following this, applicants should contact Prof. Lowell Scheiner of the TCS department, who will administer a one-hour test covering gram- mar, current events, digital knowledge, and text editing. He can be reached at ext. 3642 or at [email protected]. Tests will be sent to the Dow Jones news organization, where they will be scored. They must be postmarked no later than Nov. 3. Interested? Register today; then take the test as soon as possible. Tech Tip: the iPhone 5 Battery Replacement Program Here’s a fully charged solution for your dying iPhone battery By Michelle Gbolumah Did you just charge your iPhone 5 completely to 100 percent but, all of a sudden, the battery level is at 80 percent? Is your iPhone 5 dying prematurely at a 40 percent or even 50 percent battery level? Do you desperately need to replace your phone battery, but do not want to pay around $80 for a new one? Short battery life or the need to be charged frequently is a problem that happens to a very small percentage of iPhone 5s. Fortunately, there is a costfree solution to the problem— the iPhone 5 Battery Replacement Program. If your phone is experiencing this problem, follow these steps to have your battery replaced: First, your phone has to meet eligibility requirements. If your phone was sold between September 2012 and January 2013, falls within a certain serial number range, is in working order, and has no damage—such as a cracked screen—your phone battery can be replaced free of charge. To learn whether or not your phone’s serial number falls within the eligibility range, use the serial-number checker on the iPhone 5 Battery Replacement Program page on Apple’s website. If your phone meets the eligibility requirements, you can choose one of three service options for battery replacement: an Apple-authorized service provider, a retail store, or the company’s technical support. Before receiving your new battery, prepare your phone for the replacement process by backing up your phone’s data to iTunes or iCloud, turn- With the iPhone 5 Battery Replacement Program, whether your phone's battery life functions normally from day to day no longer has to be a matter of "luck." ing off “Find my iPhone,” and erasing your phone’s data and settings. Finally, get your iPhone 5 battery replaced, and have a normally functioning phone once again. 6 | Tuesday, October 28, 2014 THE POLYTECHNIC REPORTER Faculty Profile Luciano Medina By RICHARD SCHALL Grad Assistants, Researchers Seek a Contract Here By JOHN HENRY NYU Polytechnic researchers and graduate assistants gathered here and in front of the New York Municipal building on Oct. 22 to call for a contract with the university, the first of its kind that would include this group. Most graduate assistants and researchers now earn about $11 an hour. They are seeking a waiver of tuition, a competitive wage, and improved health care benefits. Negotiations between the union that represents graduate students, Graduate Students Organizing Committee of the United Auto Workers, and the university have been under way since last February. The university has not yet made an announcement regarding the issue. Smartwatch: Worth the Splurge? By MOHAMMED N. HOSSAIN In 2008, Luciano Medina faced a tough choice. He could continue his career at EJ-Electric as a project manager for exciting projects related to Yankee Stadium and Citi Field or he could accept an offer that Polytechnic gave him to return to the school from which he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, this time as a professor. He took the offer, and now Medina is a professor in the math department, one who is quite popular with his students, who consider him friendly and approachable. “I’m very close to my students,” he says, “I’ve mentored various undergraduate students through the NYU-Poly summer undergraduate research program.” Among the courses he teaches are Calculus 1 and 2, Linear Algebra, and Multivariable Calculus. Does he have a favorite course to teach? Yes, in fact, he does and it’s Linear Algebra. Medina says that it’s his favorite to teach because of the difficulty of the course. “It really tests my teaching skills,” he noted. “There’s an art to teaching and, thank goodness, I believe I have it.” Since coming back to the university, Medina has received his master’s degree in mathematics and his Ph.D. As for his research, Medina has investigated the physical model of the Quantum Hall Effect. This phenomenon, he explained, is the discovery of a voltage that was perpendicular to what was expected, due to strong magnetic fields and low temperatures. Medina’s efforts toward the Fractional Quantum Hall Effect (a piece of the larger theory that looks at the electrons in the system) have resulted in an existence and a “uniqueness proof” of this voltage as well as a method of calculating the magnetic flux of the system; it would prove to be a huge step to modeling the effect of this phenomenon, he said. His research resulted in his Ph.D. thesis in the spring of 2014. His paper, “Vortex Equations Governing the Fractional Quantum Hall Effect,” was submitted to the Annales Henri Poincare journal and is currently being peer-reviewed. Medina has taken it upon himself to add some sort of numerical computation to the theory, but he says he hasn’t seen such a method yet. Medina is very passionate about his work and says that is what led him to the position he is in today. “What interests me most is being able to apply math, to be able to do research in a field that I’m interested in. Math, to me, is like a tool. I get to use it to explore the different fields of science.” Being passionate is something that Medina stresses to anyone looking to find a calling. “If you’re very passionate, then you’re going to spend time on it; you’re going to enjoy it, whether it’s difficult or not,” he says, “and that will lead you, usually, to success.” Today’s tech market is rife with different smartwatches but many are still skeptical about the technology. In recent years, many different manufacturing companies have been trying to get the technology “right.” Currently, there are some very impressive technologies packed into this watch, but not without flaws. The smartwatches that are available today are highly fashionable; they replicate a regular watch in terms of style. There are rectangular and circular faces made of metal and plastic. Some even have customized plastic or metal straps. Smartwatches are ca pable of connecting to your smartphone via Bluetooth. Unfortunately, most of the popular smartwatches are compatible with Android systems and not iOS devices. Some of the more impressive features of these devices include checking the number of texts and emails just by a simple glance at your watch. Also, you can read the full text or e-mail messages with one or two touches. Although you can’t directly talk through the device, you can still answer and place calls while your phone is tucked away in your pocket and con- nected to your headphones. Some watches allow you to see and hear step-by-step directions to a destination. But all is not positive in this field. There are a number of drawbacks that manufacturers are still working to eliminate. Unlike a traditional watch, where you do not have to worry about your battery, a smartwatch requires you to recharge the battery regularly. Also, there are limited apps you can install on these devices. The apps that already exist have numerous bugs. As for price, the well-known brands range from about $150 to $400. Although smartwatches are already flooding the market, we’ve yet to arrive at the golden age for these devices. However, at the rate at which new and improved watches are coming out, it’s safe to say that we’ll be seeing some impressive technology in the years ahead. To buy one or not this stage of the technology is a difficult decision. To put it another way: would you buy an electric car today? That technology, too, like that of the smartwatch still leaves much to be desired. THE POLYTECHNIC REPORTER Tuesday, October 28, 2014 | 7 Tech Tip: Data Storage in a Cloud If you are not familiar with the benefits of this technology, here’s a primer for you In today's world, everyone relies heavily on technology. People keep important documents, pictures, videos, and other digital information in computers, phones, and various storage devices. Unfortunately, technologies, unlike humans, have short life expectancies and tend to fail or even get lost. What would you do, in fact, if the device that holds all your important information suddenly disappears? With cloud storage, there won’t be any need to panic when your device fails or the file vanishes. So, what exactly is cloud storage? No, it's not actually located inside the cloud. Here, “cloud” refers to datacenters located around the world, places filled with networks of computers where we can store our data. With cloud storage, not only is your data safe from system failure, but you can also access it remotely. Oh, I forgot to mention that it's free--up to a certain limit. There are many options to choose from when it comes to deciding on which platform to back up your data. Dropbox, Google By Rakinur Alam Drive, Sky Drive, and iCloud are just few of the popular ones. I personally prefer Dropbox because of its simplicity. What follows are tips on how to begin using it to back up your data: First, open your Internet browser and go to www. dropbox.com. Click on the sign-up button and fill in the information required to register. At the top right-side corner, click on the download button. Once downloading has been completed, install the downloaded file. Open Dropbox, and login with the information you used to register. You can now store any of your documents in Dropbox by simply clicking and dragging or copying and pasting the files into the Dropbox folder or icon. Storing data in Dropbox is different from storing it in your local storage device. When your informa- tion is inside Dropbox software, the chance of its getting lost is very slim. In fact, you can burn your computer, spill coffee over it, or leave it unattended so that someone can steal it, and not worry in the least about the files it houses being lost. One other key point: Besides being backed up, your files are now accessible remotely. Consider this: Have you ever gone inadvertently to a meeting or class without your laptop or tablet con- taining your presentation or homework? Well, if so, with Dropbox, you won't have to suffer embarrassment or even accept a penalty for not having your homework. Thanks to Dropbox, you can easily access the document from anywhere. All it takes is a computer connected to the Internet. To sum up, I would recommend you back up your data in a cloud, whether you use Dropbox or some similar tool. We live in a world where technologies are advancing rapidly. It is not uncommon for technologies to fail or get lost. With your data backed up in the cloud, you won't have to worry about moving to a new technology or losing important data due to a technical flaw. You may argue that Dropbox is also based on technology, and therefore could itself fail. True enough, but chances of that happening are as rare as winning the lottery. Nonetheless, if something is really important and you can print it, do so and keep a hard copy of the document in a safe place – the old-fashion way. Food Truck Is Latest Eatery Spot in Downtown Area Yes, a truck whose fare is Belgian wafels, of all things By Cheong Fai Wong There are lots of dining spots in Downtown Brooklyn and now add another one—this in the form of a food truck featuring unique cuisine: Belgian waffles. The company, Wafels and Dinges, sells desserts such as waffles with ice cream, chocolate fudge, and fresh-fruit toppings. Its food truck parks on the corner of Lawrence Street and Myrtle Promenade every Thursday in time for everyone’s lunch break. And, wow, does it attract a crowd—and not just NYU Poly students, but scores of workers in the MetroTech complex as well. The vendor, Joe Kurtz, says he decided to come here because the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, a non-profit organization seeking to improve the community, asked the company to do so. “The business is successful right now but, of course, a lot depends on the weather,” said Kurtz. This reporter interviewed students who have sampled Wafels and Dinges’ fare. Daniel Park, a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering, says he bought a liège wafel for $6. A liège wafel is soft and chewy, he said. Park said he walked by the truck and the food looked very tempting. “You can’t buy Belgian food like this around here,” he said. Another student, Anthony Mekhanik, a sophomore majoring in electrical and computer engineering, also bought a liège wafel, one served with nutella and strawberries and a sweetened hazelnut chocolate spread. Price: $6. He said he never had this before and it looked appealing to him. His only complaint: a bit pricey, he said. A truck selling what looked like “delicious” food is what enticed Jimmy Kim, a sophomore CS major, to give it a try. “I like variety in food choice, and I’m especially pleased when I can get Belgian waffles in Brooklyn,” he said. For someone who had tried Belgian waffles previously—in his high school cafeteria—Kibria Islam, a sophomore CS major, also thinks it’s nice to have a delicious dessert once in a while, something totally unexpected, he says. Waiting in a long line to buy a waffle was not a problem for Roshni Natarajan, who’s studying for her master’s degree in electrical engineering. She bought a WMD waffle for $8, she said. She never had this before. As she put it, she just couldn’t walk by the truck without making a purchase. And, she adds, she’s glad she did. Enjoying something new: from left, Daniel Park, Anthony Mekhanik, Kibria Islam, Jimmy Kim. 8 | Tuesday, October 28, 2014 THE POLYTECHNIC REPORTER Microsoft ReleasesWindows 10: It Corrects Flaws in Prior Versions By MOHAMMAD JONAID recently Microsoft gave us a first look at its new operating system—Windows 10. This operating system will cover all of Windows’ hardware and is said to cure the flaws that haunted Windows 8 ever since its release. Microsoft intends to release an OS that is more intuitive and reliable and will help customers update from Windows 7 or older systems. Here’s a brief summary of what was shown at the recent press conference held in San Francisco. The natural name would have been Windows 9, but Microsoft named it 10 to suggest that this version is not incremental but, rather, something unique that is a completely new experience for customers. Windows 10 was originally aired on a desktop computer, but it will be applicable and embedded in all of the company’s products: tablets, computers, and cell phones. People will no doubt be wondering whether there will be a start menu. The answer is yes, says the company, and it closely resembles that of Windows 7 and previous versions. It combines the menus of Windows 7 and 8. Will you have to switch between two apps? No, says Microsoft. With Windows 10, “We want users with mice and keyboards to have a familiar UI—a taskbar and a start menu,” said Joe Belfiore, a corporate vice president. With Windows 10, Microsoft brings back the windows; in other words, users will be able to resize and drag the apps around the screen. The interface resembles that of Windows 8; this might confuse a few people. Some complained about being concerned about what is opened and what isn’t in Windows 8. In Windows 10, there is a feature similar to OS X’s mission control. The feature lets you zoom in and out and see everything that’s opened on the PC. You can also have multiple desktop configurations and switch between them. So, if you have two apps on the screen, exactly the way you want them, and then open some other app, you will still be able to come back to those two original apps without resizing them. Windows 10 will be touch-enabled. Users will still be able to use touch to scroll and pinch to zoom on lap- Junior’s By Daniel Luci tops and tablets. The Command Prompt is still present in Windows 10, and Microsoft has brought back CTRL+C and CTRL+V so you can copy and paste in a directory listing from another app. With this new feature, Microsoft is trying to address the diverse range of users who will be installing Windows 10. Now to the big question: When will it be launched? In the middle of next year, says the company. But before its release, Microsoft released what’s called a “technical preview build,” a trial version. The company has not yet addressed the price. Top: Start menu: On the left, apps are displayed in a Windows 7 style; on the right are the “live tiles.” Bottom: Control center in Windows 10 Control center in Windows 10 Restaurant Review So you thought Junior’s was going to leave Brooklyn. Well, it’s not. It’s staying here for good. Originally, its iconic building was in negotiations to be sold for some $45 million to condo developers -- and don’t we have enough of these skyscrapers in Downtown Brooklyn already? Its owner had a change of mind and now the well-known eatery will stay put. This said, the Reporter returned for a follow-up visit to this restaurant, which was originally reviewed in this newspaper several years ago. If you’re looking for an escape to a classic American atmosphere, Junior’s is the place for you. The Marvellete’s “Please Mr. Postman,” along with other hits from the 60s and 70s, played through the speakers as dinnertime patrons carried on cheerfully. Junior’s, on the corner of DeKalb Avenue and the Flatbush Avenue Extension, is easily identified as you pass it by its glittering bright lights, reminiscent of diners that were popular throughout the country several decades ago. A very pleasant way to start your meal here is with the complimentary serving of coleslaw, pickles, pickled beets, and rolls as soon as you’re seated in this large dining establishment. I finally ordered fish and chips, a standard dish at a diner. Sad to say, the quality of the fish was not the best. The portion was oversized, which is understandable (considering its high price). In fact, it was impossible for me to finish -- it could have fed my entire family. The fries that came with my meal were a bit soggy, not quite as good as the ones supplied by fast-food joints around here. If you have another option for the side, go for it. The dinner also came with a Caesar salad, which was good. For dessert, I tried the carrot cake cheesecake and it, too, was good, exactly what you would expect from a bakery claiming to sell the number one cheesecake in New York. The total for my meal was $37, including the tip, making this dinner impractical for the typical college student. To sum up, I’d say, based on my experience at least, it’s only worth going to Junior’s for the cheesecake or the cookies -- in short, its superb baked goods. As for its ambience, the place is spacious, the lighting is soft with overhanging chandeliers, and the booths are comfortable. Dakota Calvert, a student in integrated digital media at NYU, gave me her view: “It has a chill atmosphere and good music, but the food is overpriced and certainly average at best.” Another student, Paige Linehan, a sophomore in business and technology management, noted that she went there once and had a different take on the food: “I would definitely recommend the cheeseburger if you’re looking for a burger and you’re sick of Five Guys and other fast-food places. Junior’s is pricey, but the food I had was certainly worth it. Just don’t expect a dollar menu when you go there.” Final word: If you’ve already eaten and crave a delicious dessert or simply want to experience “New York’s Best Cheesecake,” well, by all means, visit Junior’s; otherwise, keep your wallet full and find some less expensive place to dine.
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