Hole puncher: so simple yet so useful!

The hole punch, hole puncher, holing pincer, paper puncher or perforator is a simple device that... punches holes in paper so that sheets can be stored together in a binder. It can be found mainly in schools and offices although often it is used as a ticket puncher to prove admission.
The origins of the device are fairly unclear or at least not confirmed. They can be traced back to 1886 when Friedrich Soennecken invented a metal device capable of punching holes in paper. He called it Papierlocher fur Sammelmappen. Fredrich received a patent on his design in Germany on 14th November 1886. The way the device worked was through a long lever used to push a bladed cylinder straight through a number if sheets of paper.

This classic design developed and changed over time when other inventors started to create their own versions of the machine. Benjamin Smith was the first to be granted the US patent. He called his device a conductor's punch. His design used two metal pieces, attached by a spring, with a hole in the bottom one and a sharp cutting implement on the other end. The spring gave the it strength to cut through stacks of paper.


In 1893, another innovation was introduced by Charles Brooks who called his device a ticket punch. The design was similar to Smith's but included a small jar, or a cannister, attached to the bottom part of the punch that held the waste pieces cut from the paper as they were pushed out. It resembled modern version of the hole punch. The machine kept improving over the years and by the end of twentieth century there were also some plastic hole punchers released to the market. The shapes of cutters also changed and it became possible to punch a hole in the shape of a heart or a star.

Since 2000 hole punchers have become more convenient and easy to use without having to apply much force. Pressure plate was developed which enabled the device to punch through an even bigger pile of paper as well as electronic hole punch that did not require manual labour at all. Manual lever spacer was also introduced which allowed users to change the size and spacing of the holes. It is now commonly used by many manufacturers.

Did you know...?

The little piece of paper that's punched out of a hole puncher is called a 'chad'

Aside from the classic one-hole, two-hole, three-hole and four-hole variations, there are also some hole punches designed to make five, six or even up to eight holes simultaneously!

One-hole punch is commonly used when making paper crafts, scrapbooks and confetti (Casey Larrain, the Guinness World Record holder, owns a collection based on 1,700 unique shapes)

Some artists use hole punch as tool in their projects (based on either making holes in a piece of material or using colourful chads to create impressive images)

Also see: I've got a stapler and I'm not afraid to use it!


Hole Punchers | Single Hole Punch | Puch 2-Hole | Punch 4-Hole | Electric Hole Punch | Heavy Duty Hole Punch | Replacement Cutting Dies

Apple reveals how it's planning to use the surplus cash

Apple decided to use the $97.6bn cash on its balance-sheet to pay dividend, for the first time since 1995, and buy back some of its shares.

The company confirmed it will pay a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share starting from July which is a dividend yield of 1.7 per cent on the current share price. Apple will buy back up to $10bn of its own shares starting in the company's next financial year.

There have been a many speculations as to how the money will be used. The cash had been held for a long time mainly because of Apple’s near-bankruptcy in the mid-1990s. Also, Steve Jobs was not a supporter of dividends. Another reason for Mr Cook’s cautious approach to paying dividends may be the Microsoft’s experience. The firm suffered a slower growth as soon as it began to return cash to shareholders in 2003. Some therefore view the decision to start paying dividends as a signal that company’s glory days are over. Parting with money is therefore a big step for the company to take.

On the other hand the dividend rewards shareholders and opens ownership of Apple shares to a wider range of funds, as most ‘value-oriented’ funds are not allowed to buy stocks which don't pay dividends.

Apple’s share prices continue to rise thanks to this decision. With the new iPad sales boosting company’s wealth is growing at enormous rate. Three million iPads were sold in the first three days at $400 gross profit per unit making up for the $10 billion return to shareholders.

As Tim Cook ensured in his statement:  ‘We have used some of our cash to make great investments in our business through increased research and development, acquisitions, new retail store openings, strategic prepayments and capital expenditures in our supply chain, and building out our infrastructure.’

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The Olympic Torch Relay and its controversial origins

The Olympic Torch became the main symbol of the Olympic Games. It originated in ancient Greece where it is believed that the flame kept burning throughout the celebration of the Olympic Games. The classic flame commemorates the legend of Prometheus stealing fire from the Greek god Zeus. The Flame was later reintroduced in Amsterdam at the 1928 Olympics and has been a symbol of the modern Olympic Games ever since.

Despite the long history of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Flame, the torch relay is a modern establishment. Shockingly this tradition originated in Germany during the controversial 1936 Berlin Olympics. Hitler was convinced of the connection between ancient Greece and modern Nazi regime and used the relay in his propaganda as an expression of Aryan superiority.
The Olympic Torch is lit several months before the opening ceremony in Greek Olympia, the original site of the Olympic Games. The ceremony is performed by eleven women, representing ancient priestesses, at the site of the Temple of Hera. The torch is ignited by the Sun’s rays concentrated by a parabolic mirror. It is then placed in an urn and transported to the ancient stadium where the first carrier takes over.

There have been many unusual ways in which the torch has been carried. Here are some examples of the remarkable means of transportation:
1948 – The flame transported by boat to cross the English Channel,
2008 - Carried by dragon boats in Hong Kong
1952 – Transported by an airplane to Helsinki
1956 – All carriers travelled on horseback
1976 the flame was transformed into a radio signal which was then transmitted from Athens to Canada and used to trigger laser beam to re-light the flame
2000 – The flame carried by divers near the Great Barrier Reef.
Other extraordinary means of transport included: carried by rowers in Canaberrs, by Native American canoe, a camel and Concorde.

In 2004 the first Global torch relay, which lasted 78 days and covered distance of over 78,000 km, was undertaken. 11,300 runners visited all previous Olympic cities as well as Africa and South America before returning to Athens.

The last bearer of the torch lights the flame at the central Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony, which continues to burn throughout the Olympic Games. It is put out at the closing ceremony.

The last runner is usually a celebrity or an ordinary, not announced till the last minute. It may be however an ordinary person that represents Olympic ideals.
The most amazing ignition of the cauldron took place in Barcelona in 1992 when Antonio Rebollo lit the gas rising from cauldron by shooting a burning arrow.

In Beijing in 2008 Li Ning lit the flame by ‘running on air’ around the stadium supported by wires.
In 1964 Yoshinori Sakai, born in Hiroshima the day the nuclear weapon destroyed the city, opened the Tokyo Games. It constituted a symbol of the rebirth of Japan after the Second World War.
In 1976 at the Montreal Olympics two youngsters: one from French-speaking and one from English-speaking part of the country lit the cauldron symbolising of the unity of Canada.
For the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Cathy Freeman walked across a circular pool of water and lit the flame through the water, surrounding herself within a ring of fire. The final ignition however was delayed by a technical fault. Due to the computer error the Olympic flame was suspended 'mid-air' for several minutes, rather than rising up a water-covered ramp to the top of the stadium. The mistake was quickly discovered and corrected letting the cauldron continue up the ramp.

Some torch relays have been met with protests, mainly because of their origins in Nazi regime. Unsurprisingly there have been uprisings in Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia against the first run however the disruptions were shortly suppressed by the local security forces.

In 1956 a student Barry Larkin protested against the Melbourne Games by carrying a fake flame and passing it to the Mayor of Sydney. The torch was made of a pair of underwear in a plum pudding can set on fire. He did manage to trick the audience and escape unnoticed.

Also there were many critics of the Olympics being held in China that attempted to disrupt the relay. The human rights supporters succeeded  in the end by putting out the flame in Paris.

The route for this year’s Olympics had already been revealed.

For those interested, here it is: torch relay street-by-street routes (Source: BBC)

The Raspberry Pi: huge demand and production setbacks

Raspberry Pi, a £22 device created to help children learn programming, was sold at the rate of 700 per second, 42,000 units per minute, at one point last week. The massive demand for the Raspberry Pi exceeded everyone’s expectations, it was 20 times greater than the company could supply.

Harriet Green, chief executive of Premier Farnell, said last week that the company will increase production of Raspberri Pi ‘as far as it can’ in order to meet demand instead of raising the price. The device itself is not expensive to make despite its ‘beautiful’ design. The cost will therefore remain £22 and the price will still be fixed by the charity that controls the production. The Raspberry Pi foundation has already sold its initial production run, around 10,000 units through two major distributors, Premier Farnell and RS. Their websites struggled to cope with the heavy traffic. The first version of the product, which sold out within minutes of going on sale, will first go to developers who can write supporting code and help develop the device. The initial design is a simple circuit board without the casing, however later models are expected to go on sale with packaging and may increase in price.

Unfortunately the Raspberry Pi foundation has already suffered a manufacturing setback which might cause delays in delivery to end users. There has been a part mix-up as the wrong ethernet jacks were soldered on, without integrated magnetic parts that provide network connection and help filter noise. Before the product can ship they will have to be removed and replaced. Installation of the correct jacks is quite simple, however sourcing the right components may prove challenging. One of the foundation’s representatives said in a statement: ‘We’re having to start again and move through the negotiating/ordering/delivery cycle as fast as we can.’

The simple device has also attracted interest from outside of the UK. A Middle East government, the country has not been revealed, contacted Raspberry Pi regarding its plans to issue one device to every schoolgirl in the country to increase their job prospects. The reason for such widespread interest, particularly from teachers and parents, may be a result of the concern over growing consumerism. Children that do not obtain basic technical knowledge at young age then lose interest and turn into consumers rather than creators and innovators. It is also important to include girls in the project as according to recent study most young women, between 13 and 18 years old, do not express any interest in computer technology or business study.

Online communities that formed around the Raspberry Pi and social media helped to keep the demand and curiosity high. The community that has already grown around the device is interested in developing and writing programs for it. So far the operating system for the product has been downloaded 30,000 times. As the project developed and matured, it exploded in popularity and attracted the interest of many Linux enthusiasts as well as some security researchers. Nadim Kobeissi, a developer of a secure communications program, hopes that the device can be used to bring secure communication to those whose free speech is threatened. Mr Kobeissi developed a secure communications program called Cryptocat which works inside a web browser and enables people to chat online via encrypted instant messaging. He plans to buy the small size computers to work as servers running Cryptocat. Because of their size and low-cost, Raspberry Pi are easy to ship to NGO’s and activists in places where free-speech is not accepted. Stephen Urbach of Telecomix supports the idea claiming that: ‘in the democratic and free countries where I do not trust my government because of data retention as in countries like Syria or the Bahrain where a wrong word can bring you to death, secure communication can save lives.’

Technological giants like Apple, Dell or Lenovo are also encouraged by Raspberry Pi developers to get involved in the development process to help with the innovation. If the powerful microprocessor that can currently be found in smartphones was applied to Raspberry Pi the idea could potentially grow extremely fast. Ms Green therefore welcomes interest and suggestions from other companies: ‘I would really encourage the major companies to have a look at the power of this idea.’

The new Apple iPad has been unveiled!

Apple has unveiled an updated iPad tablet with a high-definition screen and faster communications. These were the two most important expectations set for the device. At an event in San Francisco on Wednesday Tim Cook unveiled the third updated version of the tablet which he referred to as the ‘new iPad’ instead of giving it a specific name. It will become available on March 16 in the US and nine other countries: UK, Canada, Germany, France, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and Japan.The product looks and feels like iPad 2 although slightly heavier and thicker. Rupert Goodwins stated on his technology website: ‘Unless you are a big Apple fan it will look like any other iPad.’ Its starting price is also the same: $399 for the Wi-Fi only models, or $659 for models with Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity. The price of the iPad 2 is dropping to a starting price of $329. Apple tries to appeal to its users by the variety of technological improvements instead of the low price in its attempt to stay ahead of competitors.

The main features of the new iPad include HD retina display- an unusually sharp display, support for the 4G connectivity known as LTE (10 times faster than 3G found in the iPad 2) and a faster microprocessor chip with improved graphics performance that helps run realistic-looking videogames. It therefore seems like this new improved tablet is designed more as a tool for the creative class. The device important to Apple’s efforts to increase control over the number of activities consumers are able to do digitally. The new iPad proves that mobile devices such as tablets can in the future replace personal computers performing the same number of operations. Tim Cook talked on Wednesday about the ‘post PC era’; where PC is just a device not the centre of our technological world, and Apple’s dominance of it. He highlighted the company’s capability to create a broad range of digital devices that had become central part of consumers’ lives.

This launch is the first major event for Apple since the death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Now Apple Executives need to show why all these innovations are worth it. Although the changes are not radical they seem to have met the expectations of technical analysts and Apple followers that have been speculating about the new device for months. Most technical experts are impressed by the improvements and believe the new iPad will sell well. However, others express their disappointment that Apple failed to include haptic touch-feedback technology in the display or access to the iPhone 4S’ voice-controlled Siri ‘intelligent assistant.’ So far there is no explanation as to why the device has not been given a specific name, like expected iPad 3, which may confuse the purchasers. It may be in connection to the trademark dispute raised by Proview but the only reason given was ‘because we don’t want to be predictable’.

Also see: ‘We have something you really have to see. And touch.’ Technological Updates

Since the introduction of the first iPad in 2010, the firm grew rapidly taking over the tablet market. Despite many disputes and lawsuits, Apple continues to dominate the market, having sold over 50 million iPads so far. More than 83 per cent of all U.S. tablet users choose iPad according to eMarketer. The company, however may face a challenge from Microsoft once tablets running Windows 8 system go on sale as the improvements introduced are not considered enough to ensure Apple’s lead in the market.

During the event, Apple also mentioned that a new version of its Apple TV device with higher-resolution video would go on sale March 16. The product enables viewers to get Internet video on traditional TV as well as purchase movies via iTunes across Apple devices. The event was closed by Mr. Cook announcing that there is still more to come this year.

Also see: Apple worth more than most countries in the world! | Apple remains in the centre of patent and trademark disputes | Patent disputes: protecting manufacturers or threatening innovation 

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Former Olympus executives charged for their involvement in the accounting scandal

Olympus and three of its former executives; ex-chairman Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, former vice-president Hisashi Mori and former auditor Hideo Yamada, have been charged in connection with the £1bn accounting scandal. Three outside advisers, Akio Nakagawa, Nobumasa Yokoo and Taku Hada, have also been arrested for their alleged involvement in dubious acquisitions. In a recent statement Olympus said: ‘We take these charges very seriously and will continue to strengthen our corporate governance.’

The board initially denied hiding investment losses through complex takeover deals however they later admitted they had been falsifying securities reports for over twenty years. It proves that the firm has been badly managed for years. The scandal was brought to light by former chief executive Michael Woodford who questioned Olympus accounting practices, particularly the payment of $687m to financial advisers during the acquisition of UK medical equipment company Gyrus. He claimed he was later fired for the accusations. Mr Kikukawa resigned shortly after the scandal came to light in October however he was arrested last month, altogether with Mr Mori, Mr Yamada as well as former bankers and financial advisers for the company.

Also see: Olympus loss-hiding scandal

Olympus has been going through a tough time since the cover-up was revealed. The way it handled the crisis is also questionable as despite suing 19 people involved in the wrongdoing, some of those accused continued to work as board members. The company assures that the rest of the management involved will resign by April. In an attempt to recover from the situation Olympus proposed a new board of directors which will be subject to approval at an emergency shareholders' meeting next month.

However, because of the delay in sorting out the management issue, the scandal has already negatively affected the company. It cost Olympus its shares which plunged more than 50 per cent on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The firm also made a 33.09bn yen (£269m) loss over the period. The TSE assured that the charges would not affect the company's current listing status although the firm was fined 10m yen by the exchange. It was decided in January that Olympus could keep its listing but would have to be put on a ‘security on alert’ as a company that needs to improve its internal management.

The firm is under investigation by law enforcement agencies in Japan, Britain and the United States. The Securities Exchange and Surveillance Commission (SESC) pressures the Financial Services Agency to fine Olympus more than 100 million yen ($1.2 million) for false accounting. Olympus itself is suing five of its internal directors, including current President Shuichi Takayama, for mismanagement.

Also see: Olympus and the impact of the accounting scandal

The Windows 8 experience

On Wednesday 29 February, Microsoft introduced the consumer preview version of Windows 8 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Steven Sinofsky considers it the most important ‘generational change’ since Windows 95 that introduced Start menu and taskbar.

The new version attempts to bridge the gap between desktop, laptop and tablet. The software is available to download, before its public launch in a few months. Since Windows 7 is quite difficult to use on touch-screen devices, the new operating system is designed for the low power chips to be compatible with mobile phones and tablets in an attempt to effectively compete with Apple and Google: ‘We challenged ourselves to bring the best of mobility and the best of PCs, in an experience where you don't have to compromise.’ Steven Sinofsky chose to present its new operating system at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona instead of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas which shows a new direction in Microsoft’s approach to computing.

Windows 8 has two modes: Metro-style, a modern mobile operating system built on a new ‘Windows Runtime’, and the standard Windows desktop, still needed by Microsoft for existing applications such as Office. In the Metro mode apps are installed from an online store, run full screen and are simple to use. Apps can run at the same time, but only two can share the screen, they also remain responsive when performing long operations thanks to the new runtime. Some important changes have been made since the Developer Preview. There are many more apps available which include Mail, Music, SkyDrive, and People. All store apps are free for the time being and will remain free until the commercial launch. The Metro-style Windows 8 performance of is excellent when tapping on-screen controls, using the keyboard or flipping through apps. Microsoft's social media account synchronisation also works great. As soon as you log into Windows Life  your contacts from Twitter (or other social networking site) are imported to the People app. Windows 8 will also use the cloud to store users' preferences so that they can automatically load when the user signs in.

Metro apps look quite different from the standard Windows apps that we are used to, with their clear design and bold controls. There are several swipe patterns set up to make the use of the tablet quicker and more convenient. Many familiar smartphone gestures; pinch to zoom out, tap to enlarge and swipe, remain featured. The mouse control has also been improved since the Developer Preview. When you move the pointer to the corner of the screen with your mouse you can perform common actions: access Start menu, Windows charms and switch apps. Finding applications however may prove frustrating at times as many of them are hidden and accessible only from the Start menu. There are two versions of the Internet Explorer included: the Metro-style Windows does pure HTML5 with no add-ins installed and the desktop mode has Adobeflash, Activex etc. Some sites therefore do not work on the Metro version but Microsoft is hoping that most sites will adapt to the changes. Another issue is whether it is possible to create a user interface that works as well with touch as with mouse or a keyboard. So far, it does seem that the Metro side works better with touch, while the desktop side is still difficult to use without peripherals.

It seems that most innovations were made to the Metro platform and therefore desktop Windows 8 users may feel disappointed by the new operating system. Some consider its features, designed mainly for the Metro-style software, awkward to use. However, a few changes to improve Windows’ overall performance have also been made, such as fast boot and smart networking that switches automatically to cheaper connections.

There are a lot of expectations set for Windows 8. Windows 7 sold 525m licenses however its popularity was only on PCs. The new software has a huge potential for success, its design is more elegant than Android and despite a few minor issues it works fine and is very convenient to use. The one obvious advantage of  is the possibility to access all desktop applications at any point on your tablet.This radical move however may run a risk of alienating ordinary Windows users. Furthermore, Microsoft cannot disregard its rivals. Windows 8 may find it difficult to get acceptance facing tough competition from Apple and Google.

Also see: Patent disputes: protecting manufacturers or threatening innovation?

Raspberry Pi expected to revive British IT education

Raspberry Pi, a credit card sized, low cost computer, created by volunteers from technical industry, has gone on sale this week. The machine is designed to help teach children to code. Enthusiasts believe this cutting edge technology will help to enhance programming skills in the UK. The demand for the device is already sky-high as some suppliers saw their websites crash under the heavy traffic. A test version of the Pi has already attracted bids of more than £3,000 in a fund-raising auction on eBay last week.

The machine runs on Linux, an open-source operating system, and is relatively easy to interface to other devices. It can be connected to a typical computer monitor with additional ports to attach a keyboard, mouse as well as an ethernet for high-speed internet connectivity. The Pi's inventors have drawn inspiration from the BBC Micro, a project produced by Acorn that was adopted by British schools. BBC Basic, the programming language on the devices, served as an introduction to programming.

The model that is currently available costs £22, however a cheaper version priced £16 will go on sale later this year. The Raspberry Pi Foundation claims it has already produced thousands of the machines, using a manufacturer in China but the volumes are likely to increase soon. The Foundation originally planned to open production in the UK however it was not possible to do so at the convenient price. The company has already set up deals with two distributors that agreed to handle orders and deal with manufacturers. Thanks to this success the foundation can now focus more on teaching the programme instead of concentrating on sales.

The timing to launch the product could not be better and the hopes for product’s success are running high. The Department of Education is currently looking to focus more on specific skills, like fundamental programming, when teaching computer science at school. Therefore, bear-bone machines like Pi are thought to encourage children to code and play an important role in future IT education.  Ian Livingstone, co-author of  the Next Gen report, suggests there is a need for an examination of how computer science taught in UK schools could better meet needs of visual effects industries. The report also stresses a general need for teachers's professional training in computer science. Despite the Raspberry Pi being simple enough to be used by non-specialists, in order to get the most out of the experience some level of IT expertise may be required.

The supporters of this initiative believe that the community that has emerged around the Pi will help with its innovation, improvements and creation of additional software. Further development will be possible because of the experience shared between owners the devices.

For the interested here are the specifications of Raspberry Pi:

Cost: Model A $25 (£16) and Model B $35 (£22)

Weight: 45g

Dimensions: 86mm x 54mm x 17mm

Power: 5v micro USB

Processor: ARM 11, 700MHz

Memory: Model A, 128MB and Model B 256MB

Connectivity: 10/100 wired Ethernet on model B

Operating system: RISC OS, Linux. Debian, Fedora and ArchLinux will be supported from the start.

Source: Raspberry Pi

Apple worth more than most countries in the world!

Apple, world’s most valuable company, announced its market value closing at $542.44 on Wednesday. There are only six other US businesses that have ever passed the $500bn (£314bn) threshold: Exxon, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Intel and General Electric. However, none of them are near it now, therefore Apple is currently the only firm priced that highly. Furthermore, there are only twenty countries in the world that reached the $500bn gross domestic product mark.

 The company’s sales and profits are growing at enormous rates as the popularity of its iPads and iPhones increases. It is expected to make a profit of $40bn in 2012 with its iPad3 launching next week. Its shares are already up 32 per cent this year. Apple has also approximately $100bn of cash on its balance sheet. Investors are hoping that the firm may use some of the reserve to pay out a dividend. Tim Cook assured shareholders that the board is thinking ‘very deeply’ about ways to use the cash.

This remarkable turnaround, for a company that used to be worth only $3.19, took place under Steve Jobs, the revival started with computers, then iPods, iPhones and iPads. Despite all patent and trademark disputes future remains optimistic for Apple, fuelled by the supposed launch of a new iPad next Wednesday. The new iPad is expected to secure Apple’s domination on tablet market and ensure further profit increase. 

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