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Deals for June 18th - 2TB Buffalo LinkStation Live for $135
Subject: Editorial, Storage | June 18, 2012 - 09:56 AM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: deal of the day, external drive, Hard Drive, buffalo
Today's deal offers us a 2TB version of the Buffalo LinkStation Live, a NAS device (network attached storage) that allows users to easily backup their systems while being able to share the resources on the drive at the same time.
The Buffalo LinkStation Live series of drives allows you to access the NAS through Android and iOS applications over the web, supports transfer rates as high as 1 Gbps, is Apple Time Machine compatible and integrates a BitTorrent client too. A copy of NovaBACKUP Professional is included for users to install and setup easy, automated PC backups. And you can use the LinkStation Live as a DLNA media server to boot.
Today, LogicBuy has a deal on this unit for $135 with free shipping, using a coupon code found in the product's description.
Buffalo First To Market With 802.11ac Gigabit Wi-Fi Router
Subject: Networking | May 15, 2012 - 05:38 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: wireless, router, networking, ethernet bridge, buffalo, 802.11ac
Netgear and Buffalo have been working hard to build and get to market new wireless routers based on the 802.11ac (pending ratification) standard. PC Perspective recently ran a giveaway for the Netgear 802.11ac router, but it seems that Buffalo has managed to beat them to market with their new gear. In fact, Buffalo yesterday released two 802.11ac devices with the AirStation™ WZR-D1800H wireless router and WLI-H4-D1300 wireless Ethernet bridge. Both devices are powered by Broadcom's 5G WiFi chips (what Broadcom refers to 802.11ac as–the fifth generation of consumer WiFi) and based around the IEEE standard that is set to become an official standard early next year.
The Buffalo 802.11ac Router (left: front, right: rear view)
The router and Ethernet bridge both support the upcoming 802.11ac standard as well as the current 802.11 b, g, and n standards so they are backwards compatible with all your devices. They also support all the normal functions of any other router or bridge device–the draft support for 802.11ac is what differentiates these products. The router stands vertically and has a router reset and USB eject buttons, one USB 2.0 port, four Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, and one Gigabit Ethernet WAN port. Below the WAN port is a power button and DC in jack. The Buffalo Ethernet bridge allows users to connect Ethernet devices to a network over WiFi. It looks very similar to the router but does not have a WAN port or USB port on the back. It also does not act as a router, only a bridge to a larger network. The largest downside to the Ethernet bridge is pricing: (although out of stock now) Newegg has the bridge listed for the same price as the full fledged router. At that point, it does not have much value–users would be better off buying two routers and disabling the router features on one (and because the Broadcom chipset should enable custom firmwares, this should be possible soon).
The Buffalo 802.11ac Ethernet Bridge (left: front, right: rear view)
What makes these two devices interesting though is the support for the "5G WiFi" 802.11ac wireless technology. This is the first time that the Wireless connections have a (granted, theoretical) higher transfer speed than the wired connections, which is quite the feat. 802.11ac is essentially 802.11n but with several improvements and only operating on channels in the 5GHz spectrum. The pending standard also uses wider 80 Mhz or 160 MHz channels, 256 QAM modulation, and up to eight antennas (much like 802.11n's MIMO technology) to deliver much faster wireless transfer rates than consumers have had available previously. The other big technology with the upcoming WiFi standard is beamforming. This allows wireless devices to communicate with their access point(s) to determine relative spatial position. That data is then used to adjust the transmitted signals such that it is sent in the direction of the access point at the optimum power levels. This approach is different to traditional WiFi devices that broadcast omni-directionally (think big circular waves coming out of your router) because the signals are more focused. By focusing the signals, users get better range and can avoid WiFi deadspots.
Hajime Nakai, Chief Executive Officer at Buffalo Technology stated that "along with Broadcom, we continue to demonstrate our commitment to innovation by providing a no-compromise, future proofed wireless infrastructure for consumers' digital worlds."
The Buffalo AirStation™ WZR-D1800H router and WLI-H4-D1300 Ethernet bridge are available for purchase now for around $179.99 USD. The Ethernet bridge is listed as out of stock on Newegg; however, the router is still available (and the better value).


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Some key tutorials that I have found to be helpful when working out how the crazy beast called GMF works:
- The cheat sheet in Eclipse itself: Help > Cheat Sheets
- http://wiki.eclipse.org/index.php/GMF_Tutorial -- the basics
- http://wiki.eclipse.org/GMF_Documentation -- especially the rest of the tutorial parts
- http://www.eclipse.org/articles/Article-FromFrontendToCode-MDSDInPractice/article.html -- integrating GMF etc into an actual project
- Creating a new GMF Editor
- GMF Diagram Partitioning
- GMF Drag Drop (Shortcuts)
- GMF Static Labels
- Enabling Dynamic Templates in GMF
- Migrating Dynamic Templates to GMF 2.2
- Having Multiple Containments of the Same Domain Element in GMF
- GMF Code Samples (lots in here)
- GMF Refactoring
- Using EOpposite in GMF
- Ecore
- GMFGraph
- Using Platform Resources as EReferences in GMF
- GMF Custom Figures
- GMF Troubleshooting
- GMF Troubleshooting 2
- GMF Troubleshooting 3
- GMF Troubleshooting 4
- GMF Troubleshooting 5
- GMF Troubleshooting 6
- GMF Troubleshooting 7
- GMF Troubleshooting 8
- GMF Troubleshooting 9
- GMF Troubleshooting 10
Advanced tutorials:
- How to have both a visual outline view and a tree outline view simultaneously
- How to have icons in the outline view
- Hiding unnecessary properties
- Different EMF model versions in GMF editors
- EMF model documentation: using <!
- Representing a node with a JPEG image
- Loading .ecore Resources through Browse Registered Packages
- Eclipse Development with GEF and EMF (256 page PDF)
- GMF Labels
Adding the GMF source files to your source pathThe easiest way to do this is to go to the software update manager thing, and download the GMF SDK -- similar to the method used to install EMF/GMF in the first place.
Cannot insert new nodes into an EMF editorIf you cannot right click and add children to a wizard-generated model in your EMF-generated plugin workspace, ensure that the properties "children", "create child" and "notify" in the .genmodel are set to true. (This may be because "Containment" isn't set to true in the underlying .ecore model: See GMF Troubleshooting.)
DanglingHREFExceptionIf when creating a new model, trying to add a child to a node, you get a DanglingHREFException, make sure that in the .ecore model, the particular EReference has the "containment" property set to true. (ref)
This has the effect of setting a reference from merely an association into an aggregation.
You can set this property in annotated Java by adding
@model containment="true"(ref)
Top level node 'Containment Feature' must be available in the diagram 'Domain Element' or its super-classI think this means that you are trying to make GMF create an editor for a model element that can't actually be displayed in the current editor. e.g. You are trying to make a model, based in Map, which displays both Topic and TopicConcept, but you cannot currently create TopicConcept in the Map object. Or something... I haven't quite worked this one out yet
The object 'SomethingImpl' (text: content) is not contained in a resourceThis error occurs in the Eclipse workspace when you try to save a model which has an invalid structure -- commonly when it refered to an old .ecore metamodel. The solution to this is to edit the model with a text editor and remove the invalid model elements.
Some random helpful images
Categories: GMF | Technology

subset: commoncrawl


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Biometrics is one of the fastest growing technologies in the access control industry. Advances in data processing, systems integration, biometric technology and smart card manufacturing makes identifying people much easier. These advances are taking place at break-neck speed, and it's important that electrical contractors understand this lucrative market.
A powerful incentive driving government and large corporations, such as defense contractors, to employ it is
the ability to ensure identity at the door. In some instances, it's simply not enough to use a card or personal identification number (PIN). Sometimes the stakes are so high that a more stringent ID method is necessary.
Traditional access control manufacturers use three basic methods to establish identity at the door. They are something that the user knows, something the user has, and one or more physical characteristics.
In truth, there's a fourth, a combination of two or three of these. Examples include the use of an ID card or PIN in conjunction with a physical characteristic. The biometric component of the process is to compare a stored biometric template to a real-time scan of an eye, finger or some other body part.
The most common physical attributes used for determining personal identity include fingerprints, face, voice, hand, eye and skin. Each has unique advantages and disadvantages. But each seeks to identify users based on who they are instead of what they know or have on their person.
This advantage is driving biometrics over a number of vertical markets, such as healthcare, security and financial. In fact, according to a financial report titled The Global Biometrics Market, conducted by BBC Research of Farmington, Conn., the global biometric market, which is currently approximately $2.7 billion, is expected to reach $7.1 billion by 2012.
According to the report, "Demand within the biometrics market is driven by the steadily growing need for security in a multitude of areas within both the public and private sectors. Biometric technologies are primarily employed by the public sector. Government initiatives (both in the United States and abroad) mandate the use of biometric technology on an unprecedented scale with applications found in government, law enforcement, the military and the aviation transport market."
The United States has enacted laws mandating the use of biometric technology, for example, to track legal immigrants and illegal entrants who have been apprehended multiple times.
The Real ID Act of 2005 provides regulations for state driver's licenses. According to the act, its purpose is to prevent terrorists from abusing this nation's asylum laws and to "…unify terrorism-related grounds for inadmissibility and removal, and to ensure expeditious construction of the San Diego border fence." Many state legislators, however, have fought the Real ID requirements since Congress passed it in 2005.
Time-and-attendance is another biometrics market driver. Here, the application of biometric identifiers, in conjunction with electronic access control, enables management to document when employees clock in and out.
"What we've seen with biometrics in terms of early adoption is time and attendance. We have lots of people coming in and out of facilities, especially since it's becoming more of a service-oriented environment. Here you get buddy punching, and putting a biometric in place helps curb this practice," said Peter Boriskin, director of product management with Tyco Fire & Security's Access Control and Video Systems unit, Boca Raton, Fla.
Traditional vs. biometric access
Until recently, the most common way access control systems determine identity has been through a keypad PIN or a card containing the user's identification and other data. The problem with these methods, however, is they can be compromised.
Access cards, for example, can be lost or stolen, and an onlooker can observe a PIN. But a physical characteristic cannot easily be duplicated, stolen or observed.
The level of protection is even better when one or more traditional access technologies are used along with biometrics. Examples include a conventional Wiegand, magnetic stripe and a keypad.
"If you add another layer of authentication or two, like a PIN and a biometric identifier, you're vastly improving the security at that portal. This will provide better protection for drug lockers in doctor's offices and hospitals as well as radiological materials at universities. Honestly, the cost of not doing this far outweighs the cost of implementing the technology," Boriskin said.
One of the drivers associated with this effort is Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), issued on the heels of the Sept. 11 tragedy by President Bush. The security industry had been headed in that direction, having already developed hand geometry, fingerprint identification, retina/iris scanning and others, but HSPD-12 put that effort on a fast track.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in Gaithersburg, Md., was appointed the difficult task of creating common, open-source standards that manufacturers could use to take HSPD-12 from concept to practice. This effort, along with government mandates, has made it possible for many security equipment manufacturers to design products that will talk to each other over a common network.
Biometrics encourages convergence
One of the oldest methods of determining personal identity is the fingerprint. The FBI has used fingerprints as a means of physical identification since July 1, 1921, when Congress passed legislation allowing the FBI to take and use fingerprints. The actual beginning of fingerprint taking dates back to 1902 with the New York Civil Service Commission. The New York state prison system began using fingerprints as a means of identification in 1903.
It's been found that people retain the same fingerprints throughout their entire lives. Today's biometric access control systems make use of this fact by using the thumb or forefinger to identify valid users.
"We don't use hand identification much at this point, as we believe that finger and iris identification systems perform the best. Big, bulky hand readers are less attractive to the client. As far as accuracy per cost goes, the finger offers the best cost point for a similar accuracy rate," said Tim Miller, vice president, ASG Security/AccuTech Systems, Beltsville, Md.
Another use for fingerprint identification technology involves access to data. In this case, a small finger reader pad is installed at a computer, and a user must place his finger or thumb before he or she will be allowed to access the data on it or the network to which it is attached.
"It's inexpensive, and it's a great verifier, which is what these systems are used for: to verify the identity of the person at the read location. We've used it as a convenient means to arm and disarm security systems as well as to establish login rights on a PC. It's relatively unobtrusive for the client and inexpensive to implement," Miller said.
Other biometric technologies
Among other biometric identifiers is enrollment using face or hand geometry. This involves taking pictures of the body member and analyzing it according to predetermined criteria. A mathematical template then is derived, digitized and stored in memory. Often, several images are taken, creating a range of mathematical identification criteria. The average then is used to compare to a real-time scan as it occurs at the door.
The eye is commonly used to determine identity—either the iris or retina. Experts say no two eyes are alike. So this biometric technology is fast becoming popular. Like the hand or face, several images of the iris are taken. The average then is used to determine identity at the door in real time. Airports and government contractors are two significant users of eye-based biometric readers.
Recent advancements in biometrics also include the use of human skin. This is accomplished using a special processing algorithm capable of analyzing patterns in the dermis. The result is what some experts call a "skinprint." Vein biometric scans also can be used for the same purpose. Analysis is much like the fingerprint, face or eye. Images are processed and converted into mathematical templates that are then used to validate user identity.
In the future, one of the most powerful biological identifiers governments and high-risk corporations may elect to use is that of a person's genetic composition. Readers, containing processing chips already on the market, can analyze a person's genetic makeup, logging a number of elements that act to distinguish one person from another.
Systems integration will continue to play a growing role in unifying physical and logical biometric-based systems with vertical markets, such as healthcare, banking and government. Although there is contention within the security industry on the issue of biometrics, it is a technology that is growing by leaps and bounds. Low-voltage companies who intend to be players in the modern access control market will have to embrace it and learn how to use it.
COLOMBO is a 32-year veteran in the security and life safety markets. He currently is director with FireNetOnline.com and a nationally recognized trade journalist located in East Canton, Ohio.


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Event box
Central Square Sing-Along and Storytime
Join us for a lively half hour of songs followed by stories. All Ages are welcomed. For more information, please contact the Central Square Branch at 617-349-4012.
- Date:
- Thursday, December 6, 2018 Show more dates
- Time:
- 10:30am - 11:15am
- Location:
- Lewis Room
- Campus:
- Central Square Branch
Event Organizer