Google VPN is on its way

How many times have you been on public Wi-Fi and needed to transmit some form of private, sensitive data? The answer is usually to wait until you get back to the office or home, when you're connected to a wireless connection you can trust. Soon, that will no longer be necessary, as Google plans on rolling out their own VPN service.
The Google VPN can be found in Android 5.15 -- however, it isn't ready yet for prime time. But when a viable version does finally roll out, you can be sure this will be a feature many business professionals will want to take advantage of.
My major question, regarding a Google VPN, is whether or not it speaks to Google's bigger plans. Yes, I'm talking about Google Wi-Fi. Imagine having Google wireless available as well as being able to connect to a Google VPN to ensure the security of your data. This could be a game changer for many users.
There is one major caveat to this -- if you don't have Lollipop, you need not apply. That's more of an issue than one might think. Consider that less than 2% of Android devices are using Lollipop, and only a fraction of those device have Android 5.1 (the iteration that includes the slightest hint of the VPN service), very few will actually be able to experience the VPN service -- even when it's ready for prime time. That's right, if you don't have at least Android 5.1, there will be no Google VPN available.
Some people might simply say "Use your provider network to ensure your data security." But not all providers are created equal. Data breaches happen. AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile all have suffered data breaches. Take a look at this interactive chart that offers information on the largest data breaches across the world. On that chart, locate Google. It's not as easy as you might think. Considering the amount of data that passes through the Google systems and services on a daily basis, you'd think the search giant would rank near the top. The truth of the matter is that Google properties are one of the most secure on the internet. With that in mind, who would you rather trust securing your data? The small coffee shop you use as your office? Your carrier?
Not me. I'll trust Google every time.
Of course, there will always be naysayers who refuse to trust Google with their data -- or even their internet searches. That, in my opinion, isn't an issue that takes data security into account. Those who don't trust Google are looking at the issue with personal privacy in mind. But we all know that having a connected life these days is akin to handing over at least a modicum of your personal privacy.

       1.Amazon will know what you like to shop for
       2.Facebook will know how to target ads to you
        3.Google will know what you search for
Yes, there are steps to take to prevent the above, but it's an active, on-going process -- one that most average users aren't willing to take. But the idea of data security should be considered far more important than the privacy of your online search patterns. And this Google VPN service (when it rolls out) will go a very long way to securing that data. It could be a major game changer for on-the-go power users, especially those whose companies either do not have a VPN setup or have a poorly configured VPN (which occurs more often than you'd think).

There are also people who will point to a number of VPN clients/services already available on the Google Play Store. However, these would require you to hand over your data security (in some cases) to small companies that can't possibly stand up to the level of security offered by Google.
Personally, I think the Google VPN service is long overdue. I've connected to open Wi-Fi and limited my usage too often because the network simply could not be trusted. Having a built-in VPN ready for action would render this fear unnecessary.
Now, all I have to do is finally get the Lollipop upgrade.
What do you think? Is the Google VPN a good idea, a bad idea, or something you'll never try? Let us know your thoughts in the discussion thread below.

New C# Features That Support LINQ

Introduction
In this article we will learn some basic concepts of LINQ and apart from that we can see the C# features that support LINQ. This is the basic knowledge of LINQ, we should understand these things perfectly. C# features make the LINQ query easier and more understable. These features are all used to a degree with LINQ queries, they are not limited to LINQ and these features can be used in any context, at what context (beyond) we think it will be useful for us.    

Now let's try to understand all those features one by one.
Query Expression
Before we begin to understand the concept of Query Expression, let's try to understand what a query is.
A Query is a set of instructions that describe what the data is to retrieve from a given data source. And a Query Expression is a query, expressed in query syntax. A LINQ Query Expression is also very similar to SQL. A LINQ Query Expression contains the following three (3) clauses:
From: specifies the data source
Where: applies data filtration
Select: specifies the returned elements
Let's understand the Query Expression using the following example. 

1. var query = from n in numbers  
2.                   where (n/2)==0  
3.                   select n;  

Object and Collection Initializer
The Object Initializer helps to assign some value to assessable fields or properties of an object at creation time, without invoking a constructor. This feature enables the specific argument for a constructor. Objects and collection initializers make initilization of objects possible without explicitly calling a constructor for the object. This is typically used in a query expression when they project the source data into a new data type.

Example

1. Student studentQuery= new Student{ name= "Rajeev" , Address = "Pasir Ris" }  

Implicitly Typed variable
We can use local variables as an inferred "type" of  var  instead of an explicit type. The var keyword instructs the compiler to infer the type of the variable from the expression on the right side of the initialization statement. The inferred type may be a built-in type, an anonymous type, a user-defined type, or a type defined in the .NET Framework class library. A variable decleared as a var are just as strongly-typed as variables whose type you specify explicitly. The use of var makes it possible to create anonymous types.
Example

1. var num = 5;  
2. var str="Rajeev";  
3. var query = from s in StringArray  
4.                   where s[0] == 'm'  
5.                   select s;  

Anonymous types
Anonymous types are class types that derive directly from an object and that cannot be cast to any type except objects. It is not different from any other reference type. The complier provides a name for each anonymous type. Anonymous types are typically used in the select clause of a query expression to return a subset of properties from each object in the source sequence. Anonymous types contains one or more public read-only properties. The expression that is used to initialized a property cannot be null.

An anonymous type is constructed by the compiler and the type name is only available to the compiler. It provides a simple way to group a set of properties temporarily in a query result without having to define a separate named type.
Example

1. select new { name= student.Name, Address= student.Address};      

Extension Methods
The extension method is a static method that is associated with a type. If we want to call it then this will be called using an instance method syntax. Their first parameter specifies which type the method operates on and the parameter is preceded by the this modifier. An Extension method is only in scope when we explicitly import the namespace into our source code using a using directive. This feature enables us to "add" new methods to an existing type without modifying them. The standard query operators are a set of extension methods that provide LINQ query functionality for any type that implements IEnumerable <T>. 
Lambda Expression
A lambda expression is an anonymous function that we can use to create delegates or expression tree types. By using lambda expressions, we can write local functions that can be passed as arguments or returned as the value of function calls. Lambda expressions are particularly helpful for writing LINQ query expressions. A lambda expression is an inline function that uses the => operator to separate input parameters from the function body and can be converted at compile time to a delegate or an expression tree. In LINQ programming, you will encounter lambda expressions when you make direct method calls to the standard query operators.
Example

1. int[] numbers = { 25, 7, 6, 4, 12, 58, 67, 92, 42, 60 };  
2. int oddNumbers = numbers.Count(n => n % 2 == 1);  

Auto-implemented Properties
Auto-Implemented properties make the property declaration simple where we need not write special logic to define the getter and setter. This feature enables the client code to create objects. When we create the property the complier creates a private field that can be accessed using the property's get and set assessor.
Example

1. public string Name { get; set;}     

Summary
In this article we have learned the new C# features that support LINQ. These features make the LINQ query more concise and popular in developing prospective things.

Windows 10

Windows 10 is the first step towards an era of more personal computing. Not sure what it's all about? Learn about the ‪#‎Windows10‬ story here: http://news.microsoft.com/windows10story/
 

Microsoft and Google Join Hands to Build Better Angular 2

Microsoft surprised many when it announced the open sourcing of the .NET Framework at Visual Studio Connect in New York last year. Since then, Microsoft has been continuing to open up its software. Microsoft is also joining hands with other companies to collaborate. Openness is the new mantra at new Microsoft led by CEO Satya Nadella.

 

TypeScript is an open-source JavaScript language that extends JavaScript with many advanced features. Check out Microsoft recently announced TypeScript 1.3 for more details.

Angular, also known as AngularJS, is an open-source JavaScript framework originally developed and maintained by Google and a group of open-source developers. Check out AngularJS Quick Start to get started with Angular.

Recently, the Angular community has been working with teams at Microsoft and Google to build a better Angular 2, the next version of Angular.js. The move also includes major user of TypeScript. Currently, Angular uses an AtScript superset of Microsoft’s TypeScript. The goal of both companies and the Angular community working together is to not duplicate work and instead provide a common ground to all open-source developers. The work on these two language will be merged and TypeScript will be used to write Angular 2.

Developers must rejoice the moment. It is very exciting to see large corporations and communities come together to achieve a common goal to help developers.

The Angular community has more plans for the language. Here is the detailed announcement on where the future of Angular is headed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHulaj5ZxbI&list=PLOETEcp3DkCoNnlhE-7fovYvqwVPrRiY7

CIA Hacking Apple

According to The Intercept's article iSpy: The CIA Campaign to Steal Apple's Secrets the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been doing their best to hack Apple’s iPhones and iPads. The reports claim that the hacking has been going on from before the iPhone was released.
The attempted hacking was reportedly done by targeting security keys used to encrypt data. To the extent they have been successful, they could put malicious code into Apple devices and would have the freedom to find other vulnerabilities.
The reports also say that the CIA has created a modified version of Apple’s software development tool, Xcode. That could help them to put surveillance backdoors into programs created using Xcode. Xcode is used by hundreds of thousands of developers.
The Intercept is an online publication of First Look Media, the news organization created and funded by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar.

Twitter requiring phone numbers for some new accounts

Twitter is now requiring Tor Browser users to provide a phone number to open a new account and plans to track troublesome users by their mobile phone number.
Tor is different from other browsers in that Tor allows anonymous browsing. It can be used both by hackers and others intending to do harm but it can also be used  by people and organizations with a valid need for privacy, such as in Turkey last year.

Zuckerberg makes case for free mobile data; operators cautious

by Ken Wieland

Mark Zuckerberg told delegates at Mobile World Congress (MWC) that offering free basic internet services can help mobile operators grow their businesses faster in emerging markets.
Under questioning from Wired Magazine’s Jessi Hempel, the founder and chief executive of Facebook said internet.org “works”.
A Facebook-led initiative, internet.org has the aim of connecting everyone on the planet. As part of making that happen, the Facebook CEO wants to raise awareness of the internet. One way, he contends, is for mobile operators to offer some services for free. And once users get a free taste of the internet – so this argument goes – they’ll be more inclined to pay for mobile data.
The internet.org app, rolled out in six countries since its mid-2014 launch in Zambia, offers a suite of basic services – including Facebook – without charge. Zuckerberg said there was no cannibalisation of revenue among operator partners, with customers not deserting paid data for free services.
Mario Zanotti, senior vice president of operations at Millicom, an internet.org partner, said first signs were encouraging. Joining Zuckerberg on stage, Zanotti said there was a 30 per cent increase in data users when free data packages were launched in Paraguay, which then led to more paid data users. In Tanzania, he said there was a 10 per cent increase in smartphone sales after internet.org was launched, although he stressed it was still early days.
Christian De Faria, chief executive of Airtel Africa, another internet.org partner, would not be drawn on detail regarding the internet.org business, only to say there was no adverse business impact.
Jon Fredrik Baksaas, chief executive of Telenor Group – which is not an internet.org partner – was the most sceptical among the panel. He maintained that any initial encouraging statistics would need to be sustainable. “Only then,” he said, “would there be a business proposition.”

Google to offer mobile data plans

Google is entering into the cellular data plans to compete with AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and other cellular data providers. Even though, Google Vice President Sundar Pichai said, Google has no plans to compete with data providers.

Mr. Pichai said at the the Mobile World Congress wireless show in Barcelona, "You will see us announce it in the coming months,".

"I think we are at a stage where it is important to think about hardware, software and connectability together. We want to be able to experiment along those lines." Continues Mr. Pichai.

"We don't intend to be a network operator at scale," he said. "Our goal here is to drive a set of innovations which we think the ecosystem should evolve and hopefully will get traction. Again, we will do it on a small enough scale so that, just like Nexus devices, people see what we are doing and hopefully carrier partners think our ideas are good."