Video by TheOceanCleanup
On June 22nd 2016, The Ocean Cleanup unveiled its Prototype in Scheveningen harbor, the Netherlands.
For more information, and to contribute, please visit www.theoceancleanup.com
Share this
Praise Maukazuva, 7 Feb 2017
Most people use a convenient password that they can recall in the future.
According to the Cyber Streetwise campaign that was carried out by the U.K Government in 2016, it is said that 35% of the people struggle to remember their passwords.
Unauthorized access is a major problem for people who use computers, tablets, mobile phones and other computer devices, and passwords act as the main defense in protecting your data. Here are some of the methods used by cyber criminals to acquire your passwords, for fraudulent reasons.
1. Password cracking
The “Most Common Passwords of 2016 List” researched by Keeper Security revealed that 17% of the people used “12345” as their password to secure their accounts. More weak passwords include “Password” which comes as the second worst password. “QWERTY,” on the other hand is also widely used. Besides it being rather short and letters only, which makes it easy to break down. However, the movie “StarWars” based passwords have been widely used lately.
An example of a strong password that can be difficult to crack is “My$3cur1ty#” for “My security number.” as it includes all the required characters.
So how do these cyber criminals crack passwords? Two most common ways are “Brute Force Attack” and “Dictionary Attacks”.
In Brute Force attack, every possible password is tried and tested until it finds the right password. This method is only suitable for short words, because the longer the word the more time it takes to test the password. Brute force attack uses a lot of software tools, such as Cain and Abel, John the Ripper and Air cracking depending on the operating system.
Dictionary attack uses a list of common single words from the dictionary. This method is suitable for long words, and it is more advanced as you can add symbols and numbers in front or at the end of the word. But the words have to be real dictionary words that are spelt properly which can be a limiting factor. Software tools such as brutus and crowbar are used.
Image: Dribbble, Kristin Fall Bonett
2. Malware
Spyware is an example of malware, a malicious code that can access your computer through downloading pirated files or simply clicking pop up ads that are infected. This malware monitors a user’s activities such as sites visited and programs that were run thereby tracking log in passwords and usernames.
Shockingly 80% of personal computers is infected with some kind of spyware, without their knowledge, as it works in the background silently making changes and recording activities.
Image: www.taringa.net
3. social engineering
This is a manipulative way of getting personal information from individuals, this information is then used for fraudulent ways. Types of social engineering include, phishing and scareware.
“You won $1 million! Click here for your reward!”
With all the excitement you are quick to click on the link that will require you to enter your password.
The more developed we are in terms of technology, the more methods of acquiring passwords maliciously there are, advancing with time also.
However, There are many ways of keeping your data safe with a password that is difficult or impossible to acquire.
People struggles to create a good password because they think that the strongest passwords are not easy to remember. This is not true. Below are some of the ways of creating a strong password.
1.
Use of Long phrases with numbers, symbols, letters, lower cases and upper cases. The longer it is, the harder it is to break down.
2.
You need to have a different and unique password for every service. Avoid using the same password for your E-mail services and also banking services.
3.
Use of Biometrics. Nowadays mobile smart phones, tablets or laptops allow you to gain access to them using your fingerprints or through voice recognition. You don’t need to remember your password.
4.
Use of Password Managers. Examples of these include LastPass, DashLane, 1Password and Norton. It can be in the form of a mobile application, that stores all your passwords, for every service. You just need to remember your master password that will unlock your other passwords. They usually come with a browser extension where you can log in to your accounts automatically.
5.
The two-step Verification. During the signing in process, a code is sent to your mobile phone, and you are supposed to enter that code in order to gain access for example to your e-mails.
6.
This consists of simple steps, that are easily ignored such as, not sharing the password, not to write it down, and also to change it regularly.
Implementing a few of these facts is better than not implementing any of them. However the goal here is to make sure that our Personal files and data are kept safe by a very strong password.
by Praise Maukazuva
Imagine the amount of personal information, the purchases you make and all your day to day processes that are stored in your computer. Are they all secure?
Cyber Security is one of the most urgent issues of the day. Cyber attacks have evolved over the years in parallel to the advancement of the tech industry and will continue as the network expands. It is advisable to take the right prevention techniques as they say prevention is better than cure.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common cyber attacks around.
Malwares are basically software with a malicious intent to either steal your data or to destroy your operating system. It operates on computers, smartphones, tablets and even servers. It houses a variety of cyber threats:
Malwares are transmitted via email attachment, instant messaging or a website that is either infected or malicious. Some websites will automatically download the malware without users’ knowledge.
It tricks you into clicking, for example, an email attachment or a software download, resulting in it being installed in your computer. Once installed, it spreads and starts executing malicious commands.
This is a new type of malware. It limits users from accessing their systems or files by locking their screens or the files until a ransom in the form of money is paid in order to restore your computer.
The data can be converted into a code that can not be read or understood, and in order to make your data understandable, an online payment must be made. This malware can be delivered to your computer through email attachments or pirated downloads.
It tricks you into clicking, for example, an email attachment or a software download, resulting in it being installed in your computer. Once installed, it spreads and starts executing malicious commands.
Phishing is when personal data such as passwords, usernames, or credit card information are stolen. How does it work?
A user receives an email from someone pretending to be a trustworthy bank or credit card company for example, that will redirect the user to a fake website that is identical to the original website.
The website will then prompt the user to enter personal email address, password or credit card information.
Phishing, however, can be avoided. Received emails must be checked carefully. Phishing emails usually have a “dear customer” without stating the name of the receiver. Such emails need you to verify with the organization stated in the email. During the verification, one should not use any email address or phone number from the email received.
Entering confidential information should be avoided at all costs, and this information should never be sent through emails. Online banking credentials should be changed regularly to avoid targeted attacks.
This cyber threat disrupts the service of a network and brings servers to a halt. Attackers use multiple computers to send large volumes of data packets and traffic to the network.
This will slow down the network performance and the user will not be able to access any websites, resulting in low productivity especially for businesses. There will also be a dramatic increase in spam emails.
DDoS attacks can be prevented by installing a firewall. Firewalls can be hardware or software based, and they control the amount of incoming and outgoing traffic.
Firewalls can detect irregular traffic patterns and fend them off.
Email filters, on the other hand, will reduce spam emails.
David Mount, Director, Micro Focus, London – April 2016
In July of 2016, Malaysia and Singapore signed an agreement to build a high speed rail system that would extend 350 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur’s Bandar Malaysia to Singapore’s Jurong East.
The project, estimated to cost between RM 50 – 60 billion and slated to begin its construction in 2018, will be completed by the end of 2026, connecting 8 cities across Malaysia and Singapore.
The initiative is part of the Malaysian government’s Economic Transformation Program (ETP) that aims to further develop the local economy through investment and infrastructural development.
It is estimated that trips between Malaysia and Singapore will more than double by 2060. This presents a problem because the causeway between Singapore and Johor in Malaysia is already overly congested and in need of a re-assessment.
The railway is expected to cut the travel time between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to 90 minutes instead of the current 4-5 hours by road or 3 hours by air.
The high speed railway is also expected to cause a boom along the towns and cities along the line due to the ease of transportation of labor, goods and tourism.
The Japanese company that has expressed the bid for the construction of the Malaysian high speed railway is Shinkansen. A company with a long and impressive history with high speed railway development.
Not only does Shinkansen hold the record for the fastest high speed railway in the world, it also boasts impeccable safety accomplishments. The Japanese high speed railway has not had a single fatal accident in more than 50 years, despite having passenger numbers that have surpassed 10 billion.
The Japanese regularly smashes its own speed records, establishing and breaking its own top-speeds in 1997, 1999, 2003, 2015 and recently when the Japanese Maglev reached speeds of 603 km/h in 2016.
The train that broke the recent 2016 record, the floating Maglev, earned its name because, unlike traditional trains, the Maglev doesn’t use metal train tracks. Instead, it floats 10cm above the rails through the use of magnetism. The magnetic levitation means that the train has no contact with the ground whatsoever, allowing for friction-less movement.
Shinkansen’s advanced technology has not only been used inside Japan, but has also been adopted by other countries like China’s CRH2 Railway, which is designed after Shinkansen’s E2-1000 series. Or Taiwan’s high speed rail which operates the 700T series which was built by Japanese engineers. India also decided to adopt the Japanese high speed railway system. In addition, the Japanese system, Shinkansen, is expanding to Thailand and the US.
If the Japanese Maglev technology was applied to the Malaysian high speed railway, it would take about 50 minutes to reach Singapore from Kuala Lumpur.
High speed railways do have an indisputable reputation of growing local businesses by allowing ease of transportation of goods, tourism, services and labour.
A research paper co-authored on the effects of the HSR on Japanese businesses by economists from Dartmouth College, the University of Oslo, and Japan’s Research Institute of Economy, Trade, and Industry took into consideration the linkages formed between different businesses and their suppliers by the construction of high speed railway systems found that the construction of advanced transportation such as the high speed rail allowed smaller businesses to compete with its bigger counterparts.
This is because smaller firms may not have the capability to transport goods from their respective suppliers across long distances, which may cause a lapse in quality.
So far, Japan, Germany, Spain, France and China have all expressed tender intent to the Malaysian government, but Malaysia has yet to make a decision on who will be the main contractor of the HSR.
Do you support the HSR project? Share your view.
The transboundary haze plaguing Malaysia annually has raised the public’s awareness on the importance of good air quality. Consequently, there are now a plethora of air purifiers in the market. As such, shopping for one can be a daunting task.
We surveyed the market to give you a brief review of what is available in Malaysia. Below, we compare the attributes of air purifiers from five popular brands – Coway, Cuckoo, Dyson, Panasonic and Sharp.
A good air purifier is effective in both removing airborne particles and improving indoor air quality. The objective of the air purifiers is to minimize the hazardous health effect of polluted indoor air in a user friendly manner by continuously reducing the concentration of particles in the air to a minimum, especially the smallest particles (nano particles, below 0,1micron) as these are considered causing the most severe health problems.
Coway has four air purifiers available in Malaysia. The Dolomities has a 4-step filtration, the Indicator and Tuba have 5, and the Lombok II has 6. All of them feature Coway’s Anti-Flu HEPA™ Filter that eliminates cigarette smoke, micro dust, bacteria, viruses and germs. Indicator and Lombok II have a resistive barrier discharge (RBD) plasma and filtration system that generates charged ions that capture airborne particles and sterilise moulds and germs like Aspergillus, Nigermand and E.Coli and decompose harmful gases like formaldehyde. All but Dolomities have a deodorisation filter.
Source: Coway
Cuckoo only has one air purifier in the market, simply named B Model, which is certified with the Clean Air Mark by the Korean Air Cleaning Association. It features an 8-level filtration, which consists of 5 filters – “Pre-Filter, Allergen Plus, Harmful Gas Relax, Deodorixing, 4-in-1 HEPA” – and a plasma ionizer. Cuckoo boasts of filters that are 1.5x larger than those of regular air purifiers (300×465).
Dyson, meanwhile, boasts of filters capable of capturing pollutants as small as 0.1 microns. Moreover, Dyson’s 360° Glass HEPA filter is engineered to draw air from all around, allowing free positioning of the machine. A layer of activated carbon granules captures odours and potentially harmful toxins like paint fumes.
Dyson’s patented Air Multiplier™ technology draw air through the filter and accelerate it through the machine, creating a long-range stream of smooth air. It’s the same technology used in Dyson’s bladeless fans.
The Dyson Pure Cool™ and Pure Cool™ Link are also low maintenance. Some purifiers rely on you changing, washing and drying your filters every month or so. Waiting for the filters to dry can result in up to six hours without a purifier. It takes fewer than 60 seconds to replace Dyson’s filter, and only after using it for 12 hours every day for a year.
Dyson’s 360° Glass HEPA filter is engineered to draw air from all angles
Panasonic, meanwhile, feature long-lasting filters (other than the pre-filters). The filters of the F-VK655A last 5 years while those of F-VXK70A lasts 10 years.
The key technology in Panasonic air purifiers is nanoe™ – it claims that this technology inhibits 99.9% of viruses and bacteria, reduces 90% of odour after 30 minutes, and even restores moisture back to your skin! A nanoe™ is a fine (5-20nm) and weak acidic water particle with a reactive substance and an electric charge. nanoe™ possesses the characteristics of removing hydrogen from viruses, bacteria, odours and allergens. It has a lifespan 6x of normal ions. The nanoe™ dimension is one-billionth parts of vapour, which enables it to easily penetrate textile fibres and eliminate bacteria and odour.
Sharp has a similar technology, which it calls Plasmacluster Ion technology, that powerfully and quickly removes airborne particles.
Mechanism for removing bacteria from the air using Plasmacluster (for illustration purpose only)
Source: Sharp
Filtration aside, there are other unique characteristics that may sway you to consider them.
Sharp, for example, has two air purifier models that can also double as a mosquito catcher! Some of the Panasonic and Sharp models are also humidifiers. Cuckoo has voice guide enabled — you can choose between English, Malay and Mandarin.
Dyson air purifiers double as fans and arguably the most aesthetically-pleasant air purifiers in the market. Not that because they are fans, they tend to be louder than others when on higher fan speeds. Nonetheless, they are quieter than regular blade fans. Moreover, while other air purifiers rely on big AC motors and large filters to purify the air, taking up valuable space in your home, Dyson purifier fans use a small efficient DC motor. Its compact footprint makes it smaller than conventional purifiers.
Dyson purifiers can be set to automatically monitor, react and purify the air — multiple sensors detect changes in conditions, before automatically adjusting airflow to maintain your target air quality. Live air quality metrics are then sent straight to your Dyson Link app (for Pure Cool™ Link machines). You can also control your purifier remotely via the app.
| Brand | Model | Power Consumption | Airflow Rate | Noise Level (dB) | Pollution Indicator | Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Indicator |
5.6 – 38.0W | 1.9 – 5.1 m³/min | 21.1 – 48.0 | Colour Indicator | 7.9 |
Lombok II |
13 – 72W | 1.6 – 7.1 m³/min | 20.0 – 70.5 | Colour Indicator | 12.0 | |
Tuba |
106W Max | 4.2 – 16.8 m³/min | 31.2 – 52.5 | Colour Indicator | 25.0 | |
 |
B Model |
16.4 – 33W | n/a | n/a | -Colour indicator
-Contamination figure -Voice Guide |
11.4 |
 |
Pure Cool™ |
56W | 33.4 litres/s | 63dBA (Max Setting) |
Colour indicator. Detailed reported shown via Dyson Link App. | 3.03 (desk)
— 3.2 (tower) |
Pure Cool™ Link |
56W | 418 litres/s | 63dBA (Max Setting) |
Colour indicator. Detailed reported shown via Dyson Link App. | 3.03 (desk)
— 3.2 (tower) |
|
 |
F-VK655A |
12 – 54W | 1-5.5m³/min | 10 – 58 | Colour indicator | 11.9 |
F-VXK70A |
n/a | 1.1-6.7m³/min | 18 – 54 | Colour indicator | 10.2 |
| Brand & Model | Power Consumption — Airflow Rate |
Noise Level — Pollution Indicator |
Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Indicator |
5.6 – 38.0W
— 1.9 – 5.1 m³/min |
21.1 – 48.0
— Colour Indicator |
7.9 |
| Lombok II |
13 – 72W
— 1.6 – 7.1 m³/ min |
20.0 – 70.5
— Colour Indicator |
12.0 |
| Tuba |
106W Max
— 4.2 – 16.8 m³/ min |
31.2 – 52.5
— Colour Indicator |
25.0 |
|
B Model |
16.4 – 33W
— n/a |
n/a
— Colour indicator, contamination figure, voice Guide |
11.4 |
Pure Cool™ |
56W
— 33.4 litres/s |
63dBA (Max Setting)—Colour indicator. Detailed report shown via Dyson Link App. |
3.03 (Desk)
— |
|
V6 Entry |
56W
— 418 litres/s |
63dBA (Max Setting)—Colour indicator. Detailed report shown via Dyson Link App. |
3.03 (Desk)
— 3.2 (Tower) |
|
F-VK665A |
12 – 54W
— 1 – 5.5 m³/min |
10 – 58
— Colour Indicator |
11.9 |
|
F-VXK70A |
n/a
— 1.1 – 6.7 m³/min |
18 – 54
— Colour Indicator |
10.2 |
Decent air purifiers are not cheap. Coway and Cuckoo air purifiers can also be rented if you prefer not to buy them outright.
Coways range from RM2,500 to RM4,500 or RM85-150/month to rent. The Cuckoo B Model is RM2,988 or RM120/month to rent. Dyson’s Pure Cool™ Link tower costs RM3,399 while the desk model costs RM2,599. Panasonic models range from RM599 for the entry level F-PXJ30A with 20m2 coverage, to RM2,999 for the F-VK655A. Sharp air purifiers range from RM549 to RM2,619, with the two mosquito catcher models costing RM769 and RM1,049.
If Dyson tickles your fancy, you may want to take advantage of its trade-in campaign running from 10 Dec 2016 to 29 Jan 2017. Enjoy 15% off all Dyson technology (vacuum cleaners, bladeless fans and purifier fans). When you trade-in any vacuum cleaner, desk/floor standing fans or air purifiers. Terms and conditions apply.
Hassle-free cordless vacuum cleaners is what you should really consider.
Hassle-free cordless vacuum cleaners is what you should really consider.
Vacuuming can be such a chore. If the thought of having to lug around a big heavy machine turns you off, you might want to consider a cordless vacuum cleaner.
The freedom that comes from cutting the cord is awesome– you can reach higher, lower and further without a pesky cable holding you back. Cordless vacuum cleaners tend to be smaller and lighter, making it easier to whip them out for a quick clean. The best ones are light and easy to manoeuvre, sucks up dust and dirt just as well as an ordinary vacuum, and still have enough juice for a full-home clean.
We surveyed the market to give you a quick review of what is available in Malaysia. Below, we compare the attributes of cordless vacuum cleaners from three popular brands: Dyson, LG and Electrolux.
With cordless, power is a concern. After all, you wouldn’t want the machine to run out of juice before you’ve finished cleaning. Most cordless vacuum cleaners today are powered by a lithium-ion battery, or two, in the case of LG’s VS8400SCW and VS8401SCW which come with two swappable power packs to last twice as long — 2x 30 minutes in regular mode or 2x 20 minutes in power mode.
The Electrolux ZB5021 has the longest working time of 50 minutes, according to its specs, but this is on the lowest setting. On normal power, it can run for 26 minutes before needing a recharge, and 14 minutes for max suction power of 16W.
Source: LG
Dyson boasts of “fade-free” powerful suction of up to 20 minutes for V6 and V6 Fluffy, and 40 minutes for V8 Fluffy and V8 Absolute, or about 25 minutes when using the power-guzzling motorised head and 7 minutes of higher suction for more difficult tasks. V8 Absolute’s operational time will feel substantially longer too as the vacuum cleaner only powers up when you pull its trigger, it’s using up the battery only when you specifically need it to. Very nifty!
Dyson’s machines have the most powerful suction in the market – up 100AW for the V6 variants and 115AW for V8. One airwatt (AW) equals to 0.9983 watts (W). By comparison, the most powerful Electrolux only clocks up 16W. We could not find information on LG’s suction power but playing around with one, we find the suction power stronger than the Electrolux machines but weaker than Dyson’s.
Dyson also has the fastest charging time of 3.5 hours* versus Electrolux’s 4 hours and LG’s 4.5 hours.
*Disclaimer: Charge time is based on model variant.
| Brand | Model | Power | Suction Power | Working Time | Charging Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
ZB5021 |
21.6V | 16W | Booster(14min),
Normal (26min), Low (50min) |
4 Hours |
ZB3107 |
14V | 10W | High (15mins),
Low (30mins) |
||
ZB3114AK |
18.8V | 14W | High (16mins),
Low (45mins) |
||
 |
VS8400SCW |
18V | n/a | 60min in regular mode (2 x 30min)
40min in power mode (2 x 20min) |
4.5 Hours |
VS8401SCW |
|||||
|
V6 Entry |
21.6V | Standard Mode: 28AW, Max Mode: 100AW | 20min, 16min with motorised cleaner head, 6min in Boost mode. | 3.5 Hours |
V8 |
21.6V | Standard Mode: 28AW, Max Mode: 115AW | 40min, 30min with motorised cleaner head, 7min in Boost mode. | 5 Hours |
| Brand & Model | Power / Suction Power | Working Time / Charging Time |
|---|---|---|
ZB5021 |
21.6V
/ 16W |
Booster (14min) Normal (26min) Low (50min)/4 Hours |
|
ZB3107 |
14V
/ 10W |
High (15min) Low (30min)/4 Hours |
|
ZB3114AK |
18.8V
/ 14W |
High (16mins) Low (45mins)/4 Hours |
VS8400SCW |
18V
/ n/a |
60min in regular mode (2 x 30min) 40min in power mode (2 x 20min)/4.5 Hours |
|
VS8401SCW |
18V
/ n/a |
60min in regular mode (2 x 30min) 40min in power mode (2 x 20min)/4.5 Hours |
|
V6 Entry |
21.6V
/ Standard Mode: 28AW |
20min, 16min with motorised cleaner head, 6min in Boost Mode.
/ 3.5 Hours |
|
V8 |
21.6V
/ Standard Mode: 28AW, Max Mode: 115AW |
40min, 30min with motorised cleaner head, 7min in Boost Mode.
/ 5 Hours |
Given its power, Dyson should be the noisiest of the lot, right? On the contrary, Dyson seems to emit the least noise. Technically, Dyson and LG both boosts of relatively low noise emission of only 70dB. The decibel range for a normal human conversational voice is around 60dB. LG machines sound louder for some reason. This is perhaps due to Dyson’s acoustic engineers who are constantly looking at how to dampen or reduce the noise emission on their machines.
Meanwhile, the Electroluxes are loud — 81dB for ZB5021, and 79dB for ZB3107, ZB3113 and ZB3114AK.
Source: Dyson
On the surface, the weights of the cordless vacuum cleaners from the three brands do not seem to differ very much. Electrolux machines weigh between 2.5kg (ZB3107) to 2.8kg (ZB5021). The LGs weigh 2.8kg each. Dyson’s V8 Fluffy and V8 Absolute each weigh 2.55kg and the Dyson V6 Fluffy weigh only 2.34kg. However, with extended usage, every extra gram matters. As does the design.
We find Dyson’s design most ergonomically. With the centre of gravity located towards the grip, handling is easier and causes the least strain with extended use, especially when you do a lot of reaching upwards to the ceiling. Balance, then, becomes of utmost importance. We also like the look of a Dyson best as it looks more futuristic.
Source: Dyson
In terms of technology, Dyson leads the pack.
Dyson has been continually refining vacuum cyclone technology since inventing it more than 20 years ago. Dyson’s patented Root Cyclone™ technology captures more dirt than any other and very importantly, without the loss of suction. 15 cyclones, arranged across two tiers, work in parallel to increase airflow and capture fine dust and allergens such as pollen and dust mite faeces, and expels cleaner air. The technology is approved by both the British Allergy Foundation and Service Allergie Suisse.
Technology comes at a price. Dyson, being the most advanced, is also the most expensive. The flagship V8 Absolute is retailed at RM4,500, the V8 Fluffy slightly cheaper at RM3,999 and the V6 at RM3,229. Electrolux machines are the cheapest, ranging from less than RM350 for the Dynamica ZS-320 to RM1,119 for the ZB5021. LG’s VS8400SCW and VS8401SC are around RM1,899 a pop. The VK94070NCAG, which looks just like a conventional vacuum cleaner (rather than a stick) but cordless, comes at RM3,799.
If Dyson tickles your fancy, you may want to take advantage of its trade-in campaign running from 10 Dec 2016 to 29 Jan 2017. Enjoy 15% off all Dyson technology (vacuum cleaners, bladeless fans and purifier fans). When you trade-in any vacuum cleaner, desk/floor standing fans or air purifiers. Terms and conditions apply.
