Communication, Collaboration, and Creation.

As you know, cell phones are not allowed at school. Everyone has their opinion on how they are not good for anything, besides distracting the student. But has the person who controls this matter ever taken the time to think up all of the pros' cell phones could have on schools, and particularily students. Of course, during tests they should be banned, but as for during school hours, there are a lot of good things cell phone's could be used for. For one, they have a calculator. During math class, it is difficult remembering to carry a calculator in your binder, so just being able to take your phone out of your pocket and use a calculator is easy and quick. Some phones also have a metric conversion application, which makes converisons easier than your calculator.

Even if you don't own the IPhone, any other phone has most applications that would help during classes. Every phone comes with a calendar, so students can put their assignment due dates in it. This will help them finish on time, since they know when everything is due.

Teachers are always having to tell the students to quiet down, even when we are asking for help from our peers. Except, if we were able to ask for help via text, then our work would be done, and we would be quiet. Communication would happen through text so we can learn together.

Each thing, has a purpose for everything, and being able to have your phone at school would have more than one purpose. It would be the perfect mix of communication, collaboration, and creation.

Technologies of the Future

As the theme of our Fun Friday is once again, "Technologies that may change the Future", it would be my job to tell it just like it is. Each day, new inventions are made, ideas are brought up, and the latest products are sold- for a price. This price could be cheap but it could probably rob some of us broke as well. As some of them can be extremely useful, even teaching our children new things, while entertaining, we have to decide if all of these technologies are a pro for our world, or a con. Weigh the pros and the cons and see which one outweighs the other.

If you think of these technologies, they are not only right in front of you, but also through the computer. Partly, their ruining our world. Social Media is no longer just a fad, it never has been actually. It keeps advancing, creating new social networks to go on. Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace are just a few social sites you can go on to publish, chat, share. If you think into this subject a little bit more, you'll understand there's a completely different world apart from the "real world". That world, is on the Internet.

An example of a new technology, I recently saw, while shopping in Staples, was the new Bamboo Pen & Touch. It comes with a pen as well, if you buy that set, and only costs about $150. Connecting it through a USB port to your laptop, or computer, it's touch. Sort of like a smart board. You can scroll up and down, edit pictures, as well as right click, double click, etc. Easy to use, and cheap cost. Seems like the new technology to have, which as any technology does, will change our future. This time, I believe it's for the good.  

In my opinion, I do believe that some technologies are great for us, although others could be just a waste. I've researched and watched videos of technologies, usually on Ted Talks, and I must say they are all fascinating. For our world to evolve as much as it has already, it can be kind of frightening to think of what we'll have in say, 10 years. Only time will be able to tell... unless we get in some fortune tellers to tell the future for us.

Siftables- The New Educational Creation

Siftables are the first product made that are little computers, the size of about a small cookie, that have many feautures and are targeted as an educational purpose. Feautures of this magnificent project are wireless communication, graphical display, neighbor detection, and motion sensing. These were made for the purpose of users to physically be able to grasp them to either pile, group, or sort so that they could interact with digital information. It's amazing the things you can do with siftables; not only for young children to play with, to build up blocks, but also for adolescence to make music on, or use as a calculator that calculates numbers together quickly.



Siftables.



As I watched the video from Ted Talks, I learnt more about the product that fascinated me in many ways. These blocks can help tons with mathematics for any age as it is much easier to understand a concept when you can demonstrate it to yourself. They work to help children find others ways to play which involve them learning in the process. Depending on a reasonable price, that has no yet been set, since this product has not been sold yet, I would, as you should also, consider buying this product for your children, for yourselves, or as a gift to your family or friends.

Siftables- to be able to play and learn at the same time; it's a two-in-one package.

The Sixth Sense

When I first heard of the technology Sixth Sense from my teacher, I wasn't sure of what to expect. As of right now, our topic for this month in our Information Processing class is Personal Technologies that will change the Future. As my peers and I watched the video of Ted Talks, I learned that it is a very updated type of technology. I have to say that cell phones have come a long way. With this technology, all you do is use the touch of your finger to do just about anything, using a surface; and your hand, if needed.

There's a lot you can expect from seeing the video, though some of the things shown were just for laughs; such as, instead of having to read the newspaper, you can just watch the video on the newspaper from your cell phone. The new technologies that are being invented nowadays are much more updated than I ever thought could be created. To be able to use just your fingers to do anything, from calling, to say, painting a picture is extraordinary.



There's always going to be something new to invent, or create to update what is out there already. New, fascinating inventions are made up everyday and are released shortly after, usually sold in China first. I can see that in about one hundred years, our world is going to most likely be virtual, and almost fake-looking.

That is, if we don't all die in 2012.

Google Reader Response #1

In the recent two months that I've been on Google Reader, usually visiting it once a week, there has been a few specific posts that caught my eye and were extremely interesting. I will introduce three of them today, as I need to limit how many I could actually talk about on here.

The first one I noticed easily, was one I saw today. Since we're just passed Halloween, I thought I should include one of my explanations on a very creative costume made. Have you ever watched the movie 'Up'? Well this costume has been made as based on it. The costume is fit to be worn on the head, and torso. A house, made from cardboard and tape, is worn with 470,000 balloons on the head. Moonboots are worn, just on the feet. This costume, caught my eye seeing the bright colors and recognizing it from the Disney movie. So, I guess there's always that person with a creative mind ready to think of anything, at anytime.

Enough about my joyful Halloween talk for now though, the second post is called, Zip Bed by Florida Furniture. Okay, so as I'm a teenager, having to make my bed every morning kills time, and gets old.. real fast. Recently, there was a new invention made up, the Zip Bed. Instead of making your bed, and fixing your sheets each morning, you can zip it up; in about two minutes. Now wouldn't that be useful. Open it up at night to sleep, and zip it up again in the morning; that would keep everything neat and tidy at all times. Creative ideas are made everyday; a reason why people are hired, for their imaginations. Now I can't say I have the best imagination; not like these people, but I'll always have the random idea which kills two birds with one stone.

Last post I'll talk about today, and I promise it's not about Halloween. This one can be called, Trollin'. Not many words are spoken on this one, but the picture is enough to tell all. Typically, every person will look at the glass as either half full, or half empty; as they are either optimistic or pessimistic. I, for one am optimistic which means that I always look at the bright side of everything. I can't say I ever had thoughts of how the glass could be completely full, but this post gives me different perspectives on it. In a half-full or even half-empty glass, there's half of it filled with water. The other half of can be thought of as to have nothing; except the other half is full of air, whether you think of it like that or not. This post fascinated me as it changes and influences the minds of the challenged; and the ones who think they have everything figured out.

These posts all had different aspects to them, whether one is based upon a holiday, or a new creation. Either way, they caught my eye in a flash, as lightning does during a thunderstorm.

Cyber Bullying- The New Things I've Learnt.

Just recently, I researched more about my main topic, Cyber Bullying. I learned a few important things, mostly how cyber bullying came to be what it is today, and how it got started in the first place. One definition for cyber bullying is, "Cyber bullying is being cruel to others by sending or posting harmful material or engaging in other forms of social cruelty using the internet or other digital technologies." That definition explains a lot, although I take cyber bullying as something similar, yet different. In my words, cyber bullying is an act of making a certain person, or group, inferior about themselves using digital technology by saying or posting material that harms each of them to make the predator (bully) feel better about themselves. These days, there isn't just one definition for anything; not even cyber bullying.

Bullying happens over the computer in emails, and internet messengers, over texting on your cellphones; anywhere that happens to be available in that moment. It's a never-ending behavior that only came upon when the adolescence started using the computer and cellphones for more social needs. I couldn't tell you how it effects a person completely, but i'm sure it's exactly how a person being bullied face-to-face would feel; inferior, and believing what the predators are saying to them. In my experience of being bullied, the only advice I could give you is to try not to let it get to you. I've had many friends who bullied, over the computer and face-to-face, and that's really all I could think of to tell them. Just think, there has to be a reason why their doing this to you through a screen. Their scared, and they need to be able to feel better about themselves. That's exactly what I learned through my research, and my previous experience.

Photosynth

Photosynth is a software application that takes photos which you've uploaded and mixes them together. The result is a 3D picture that you can move around to see closer up and farther away. It combines thousands of photo's to make the end result clear and light. I haven't tested out this application, but I would like to, one day. It is the new photo editing application, and also known as the new digital camera. I think this gadget will be useful and make it easier for everyone to edit pictures.

Multi-Touchscreen, Great Investment

A few years back, there was an invention of a multi-touchscreen. Anything could be done with the touch of a finger, or two. In a video production, Jeff Han explained and showed many insane things you can do with it. It has a low cost for a touchscreen, and has a high resolution making it a very valuable item.  I truthfully think that many of these will be sold all around. If I had the choice to buy it, I would save up and do so. It is a great piece of art, and art can be made with it, such as clay as lava, and others. As much as I haven't seen these creations firsthand, through a video and hearing the audience was enough to know it is a great buy. So, go out and research this multi-touchscreen and save up to buy it, I highly doubt you'll regret the decision.

The Processor

 

 Processor- is an electronic device designed to accept data, perform prescribed mathematical and logical operations at high speed, and display the results of these operations; the heart of the computer. 

It is the computer's brain and it allows the processing of numeric data, and the execution of instructions stored in memory. 

The Central Processing Unit's main responsibility is to carry out each instruction of the program in sequence. There are many different types of CPU's; older computers may still have the 486 CPU. Newer, and more advanced computers would have an Intel Pentium, Intel Celeron, or AMD Athlon chip. These CPU's come in different types and speeds, with the choice of an Intel Pentium III, a Pentium 4, a Celeron CPU, AMD Athlon XP, and Athlon CPU's.Central Processing Unit speeds vary from 1.6 GHz to 3.2 GHz.  

The prices of a processor vary from $55.00 to $1100.00. An AMD Athlon with 2.8 GHz has the lowest price. An Intel Core with 3.33 GHz is the most expensive costing about $1100.00.

The importance of the Central Processing Unit can be compared to that of a heart in a human.

Glogster Poster

http://katiehall22.glogster.com/info-processing-10/

The Negative Influences Found On The Internet

On the internet, there's a countless amount of negative influences found. It begins with the chat sites, such as Habbo, and can end with blog sites, which can have pornography found on them. Recently, my peers and myself, watched a video based on the internet, and how negative it is for our adolescent. There is three reasons I can think of on the top of my head as to why the internet is bad for our present: Chat sites, pictures being posted, and privacy.

All over, chat sites, or even Windows Messenger, gives anyone a chance to use it negatively and abuse it. Lately, our adolescence abuses these programs to bully others over the computer. Suicide has been recorded from children being bullied over the internet, or even in general. Letting our adolescence have the chance to use the computer, and bully others using it is giving them more options to make their peers inferior. Cyber bullying is wrong, and the only way to stop it would be to not let our children to have access to these sites.

Over the year, Facebook has grown to become one of the biggest social networking sites. It is used to chat with your friends, post pictures, and in other words, record your life. Posting inappropriate pictures of you and your friends drinking, or wearing limited clothing, is what my teacher would call, abusing the internet. In the future, it becomes more difficult to find a job, if the pictures you have of yourself on the internet are all inappropriate. Even if you delete a picture or post, it stays on the internet forever and will never be erased.

There is no such thing as privacy found on the internet. You post a blog on the internet, and later erase it, it's still on the internet. The same with pictures, and what you type into search engines. Facebook resets their privacy settings every few weeks so it is recommended to check on them every once in a while to ensure your safety. Truth is, there's nothing completely safe about the internet and that is one of the problems we're facing today.