Back to basics

(Karthik Narayan)

I thought I was going the next level as a quizzer - what with knowing complex stuff like puns and tributes in Asterix to etymologies of the English Language. I was wrong - I am still wrong!!

There are loads of things we do not know, things and stuff we come across in our daily lives. I had my eye-opener in the form of a simple question from my cousin as to how an AC works; the question triggered few more questions - how do we measure the capacity of an AC, what is meant by 1 ton, 1.5 ton etc, what is the difference between an AC and a refridgerator, what is the capacity of refridgerators, how is it measured and so on...

Soon we both found ourselves gawking at the number of questions that came our way - for which we had no answers. Along the way, we tend to gather so many facts, we conveniently do not question the basics. We take it for granted - now is the time to unleash to understand those basics. The reason why I have started the Back2BaSIX quiz....

The Classroom beckons - bye now!!

Of locks without keys

Karthik Narayan

Still scratching your head and your windowpanes wondering how to get your keys out of the car? Or getting locked outside your home with keys inside?

Sometimes you even run the risk of (ugghhhh) someone stealing your footprint for biometric locks!!

It's time to move on - welcome to the world of keyless locks. "What?" you ask. Locks and keys were best friends, until now!! Read on...

A remote keyless lock system is a system designed to remotely permit or deny access to premises or automobiles. There are several RKE systems on the market, including but not limited to KeeLoq by Microchip, HITAG by Philips, and AVR411 by Atmel.

In the case of automobiles an RKS performs the functions of a standard car key without physical contact; power door locks can be locked or unlocked from several feet away or even from inside a building. (In this regard, the term "keyless" is a misnomer since the fob acts as an electronic key. Locking it in the car is just as much of a problem as doing the same with a mechanical key.)

A remote keyless lock system can include both a remote keyless entry system (RKE) and a remote keyless ignition system (RKI).

Remote keyless systems first began appearing as an option on several American Motors vehicles in 1983, including the Renault Alliance. The feature gained its first widespread availability on General Motors' W-platform vehicles (the Buick Regal, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and Pontiac Grand Prix) in 1989.

Keyless locks and technology, hip hip hooray!!!