The Features of Mobile Tech and their Applications for Good Causes - Usability & Portability

Having looked into how the connectivity of mobile devices can be useful in providing flexible and diverse communication channels for those carrying out charity work, the following part of this article highlights the more interactive features that increase the functionality of the devices for both aid workers and disadvantaged individuals.

Cameras
A digital camera is now standard in the vast majority of portable or mobile devices and an increasing proportion can capture both photo and video. Coupled with the aforementioned connectivity of such devices, this provides many charity or health organisations with the ability to capture evidence and information on what is happening ‘in the field’ and share it almost immediately with their target audiences. For example, the visual aspects of symptoms can be recorded and reported by health professionals to their colleagues for further analysis; or evidence on the extent of disasters can be collated, shared and assessed to inform what actions should be taken next. Moreover, this evidence can be shared with the wider world to effectively communicate situations where aid action is required to the public, across the globe, in order to raise the profile and ultimately the funding for a cause. Even where charity or aid workers are not on the scene, the prevalence of portable devices with in-built cameras and connectivity means that the public’s attention can be drawn to those in need by witnesses with such devices documenting events.

Size
Arguably the second decisive factor in defining a device as portable is its size. Devices such as tablets and particularly smartphones can be carried and transported to any part of the world that people can get themselves to. As these devices are packed with computing power that would have, only a few years previously, been restricted to desktop PCs, plus connectivity that crosses boundaries, they are not only able to collect information but process it, analyse it, share it and report it wherever they are. Whether it’s individuals who require more assistance themselves, or people and organisations helping others, the fact that they are not tethered to a location means that they are able to deal with demands when and where they occur.

Touch Screen Displays
The development of a touch screen is fundamental to the existence of portable devices as it has allowed them to do away with both physical keyboards and mice to become handheld and pocket sized.

What’s more, however, touch screens provide a more intuitive way for some less able users to make the most out of their device. By generating possibilities around the creation of specific accessibility applications, they open up functionality to individuals with specific needs. Large, increasingly high resolution displays, for example, allow touch screen controls to be made as large as possible and well defined for those who have difficulties perceiving the usual small controls. Using software (see below), controls no longer need to be fixed and can be dynamically configured to suit the user’s needs. Button colours, keyboard layouts and languages, for example, can all be changed using software to benefit the device’s user.

Software
Finally the element that brings many of the hardware capabilities together, integrates them and leads to ingenious solutions to niche but demanding problems is the software. On each platform, solid and useful pre-packaged software is complemented by stores of 3rd party applications, developed by people ranging from global software companies to keen individuals building apps in their spare time. It is hard to find a problem too big or too small where someone hasn’t attempted to develop an app to deal with it. Therefore with mobile device processing power growing at an exponential rate and the physical capabilities of high connectivity, GPS and camera functions all on offer, the real potential mobile devices have in aiding good causes is the creativity of those developing solutions for them.

To find out more about how mobile devices are being used for good causes you can check out these videos from the Vodafone Foundation, or get more information on communications and networking from this provider.

The Powerhouses of Global Steel Production

English: A view of the former Bethlehem Steel from the Fahy Bridge in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. This photo was taken shortly before demolition began to make way for the Sands BethWorks casino project. Jschnalzer 23:29, 31 July 2007 (UTC) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This article takes a look at some of the principal producers of steel across the world and how the profile of the global industry is evolving, with focus moving to the East, both in terms of production and consumption.

In the latter stages of the 20th century, through to the present day, there has been a shift in emphasis within the steel producing industry, from the old powerhouses of Europe, where production has dropped significantly since the 1970s, to the new manufacturing hubs of Asia, with their vast natural resources - including of course the iron ore and fossil fuels required to produce steel. As the industry has become more efficient and reliant on mechanical processes the number of individuals employed by producers has dropped but this effect has been more pronounced in these old powerhouses, demonstrating the relative scaling back of operations. For example, in the EU, employment dropped by 72% between 1974 and 2000, from 996,000 employees to 278,000; whilst in the US it was down by 71% from 521,000.

The following lists the top 3 steel producers in the world using 2012 output figures from the World Steel Association and highlights the changing landscape of the industry.

China

China has emerged as, by a distance, the largest producer of steel across the globe accounting for a whopping 46.3% of the world’s annual production in 2012, according to the World Steel Association. Most countries, witnessed a dip in 2009 due to the economic difficulties but China’s output marched on regardless, rising by 221.6 million tonnes between 2007 and 2012 - a margin in itself double the total level of output of the next main producer Japan. China’s output of 716.5 million tonnes in 2012 was over 4 times that of the entire European Union put together, and over 8 times that of the US. The UK, who sit 18th on the list of global suppliers, meanwhile have an annual output of a mere 9.8 million tonnes, just 1/73 of China’s.

The eastern superpower also claimed to be the top steel exporter in 2011, although not by the same margin due to the size of their internal market and consumption. In total, 47.9 million tonnes left the country in 2011 however due to China’s aforementioned demand for the raw material and their consequent imports of foreign steel, the country slips to 2nd when it comes to the top net exporters, behind Japan.

Japan
In contrast to China, the output from Japan has actually dropped a little in the last 5 years (-11%) but it remains the second highest producing country in its own right (the EU collectively has a higher output), producing around 107 million tonnes. However, Japan does almost catch China when it comes to the amount of that steel that is exported rather than earmarked for internal consumption (40.7m tonnes) and indeed takes top spot as the highest net exporter in the world, above its neighbour. As well as having slightly lower levels of steel imports than China, Japan exports a far higher proportion of its output, around 38% in comparison with China’s 7%.

United States
The US has slipped to 3rd in the pecking order, and, similar to Japan, has been hit by the recession with production levels almost halving between 2007 and 2009, before rallying in 2012 to sit just 10% below 2007’s levels. With output of 88.6 million tonnes in the last year it seems inevitable that the US will be caught and overtaken by India in the next few years as their steel output sits just 12 million tonnes behind, having risen by 43% in the last five years.

Due to the scale of manufacture in the US, the superpower consumes most of its steel internally and thus, as well as sitting far down the table of exporters, holds the position of the worlds primary importer of steel, both in sheer numbers and when offset against their own exports. Only the EU (thanks primarily to Germany) as a collective can claim to import more of the world’s steel than the US.

In summary the global steel markets are witnessing the US and EU moving away from production and instead relying on imports, particularly from Asia, to meet their high levels of demands. China meanwhile, has taken on the role of the industry's megalith, with almost unparalleled natural resources and driven by the need to meet both global demand alongside the manufacturing and building demands of its own mammoth population and internal markets.

To find out more about the state of the global steel industry you can visit this organisation who trades in steel.

A Glossary of Housing Related Terms - Part 1

English: An icon from the Crystal icon theme. Nederlands: Een icoontje van het Crystal icon thema (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Legal rights and regulations concerning housing related matters are most commonly associated with laws surrounding the ownership of property (in its broad legal definition) and more specifically, fixed property (buildings, land, fixtures and fittings etc), known as real estate in some jurisdictions. The following article aims to provide an introduction into some of the key terms that are involved in property and therefore housing law.

Landlord
The owner of any real estate or property (including land) that is rented (i.e., leased – see below) by another party. In some scenarios the landlord can be the party who rents the property from the party who has personal ownership of it, and in turn subleases it – in which case they will still have superior title to that property over the underlying tenant.

Tenant
A tenant is someone who has hold over something – defined as a tenement – but does not own it. The term is most prominent in housing law where a tenant is therefore someone who rents the use of a property from a landlord. Tenancy comes with rights of occupation over the property concerned, despite the fact that the property is never considered to be under the tenant’s personal ownership.

Lease
A more general term describing a contract requiring payment by a user of something to the owner of that thing, for a certain amount of time. In the context of fixed property or real estate, a lease will commonly be referred to as a rental agreement and will be arranged between a landlord (lessor) and tenant (lessee).

Eviction
The process of removing someone from a property, the term ”eviction” doesn’t describe a specific scenario. Lawful evictions occur where the inhabitant has no legal right to live in the property because they have broken terms of their lease, their lease has expired or someone else has a superior claim to the ownership of the property (including lenders following a default on a mortgage).

Unlawful eviction can occur when these conditions are not met, most commonly when a landlord forcibly removes a tenant without following legal processes, particularly when they have failed to serve to required notice.

Repossession
The process of an owner of a property who has superior title/ownership rights on that property claiming it back into their possession, without going through court. The process can be carried out by a lender where a loan has been secured against property, or by an owner in the case of property being leased out. The legal right to repossess will usually be triggered only by a failure to pay monies due in either case.

In the UK the term is most commonly associated with the reclaiming of a property stake by a mortgage lender in the event of the borrower defaulting on the mortgage (i.e., failing to make repayments).

Squatter
An individual who occupies land or property (usually abandoned or unoccupied before they take up residence) over which they have no legal rights. Depending on the jurisdiction a squatter could be committing either a civil or criminal offence, however, in England and Wales squatting has been classified a criminal offence as of 2012.

To find out more about legal matters surrounding housing issues you can visit a specialist housing law firm.