The technology that can take over blog 7

Cell phones are starting to take over and I believe at some point of time it’s possible that they’ll put a lot of technology out of business. With smart phones nowadays people do not have to buy as many different types of products.  Everything that a person wants to use is on their cell phone and it is extremely convenient. We have GPS but those individual products are not as useful anymore since phones have GPS on them now.  With phones and all the apps now we have everything at our disposal that we could possibly want. What I like the most about cell phones is being able to access all of my emails and social networks. I do not have to wait until I get to my room to check my emails I can do everything on the go and don’t have to slow down.  My cell phone is like having a pocket computer. It does everything my laptop can do and I’ve used my phone for everything I have used my laptop for. I have used my phone to do homework I’ve written word documents and have even done PowerPoint on it. I can honestly say I do not use my computer as much as I once did because of my cell phone.

Cell phones can be viewed as a Swiss Army Knife. It is something that is basic but has everything you need. It can be your alarm, calendar, IPod, and of course your phone. Setting reminders on a cell phone can be one of the most useful things for people who have bad memories. I know I do not remember birthdays well so I set reminders in my phones for all of the important people in my life birthdays. My cell phone wakes me up every morning. I also use it as a calculator, all the functions that are found on Texas Instrument calculators can be found on the calculator on my cell phone.

            Phones can start to but other products out of business since there is so much in one. People do not have to pay 100 plus dollars for an IPod then another couple hundred for a phone and more money for all the other products that can be substituted with a cell phone. NO a cell phone cannot completely put all of the products out of business that are incorporated in it but many could be put out of business. Even though the prices of cell phones keep increasing they could start to save people a lot of money.

Here we go again... the SECURITY of the INTERNET!!! (Blog #7)

            This week for the IT blog, I am able to discuss any topic about technology. For this week I thought about social networking sites and their risks.

            Although I have only recently started playing around with social networking cites I have already been having a bit of fun with them. The main reason is that I am not afraid to let my opinions known online, because I don’t have to worry about being judged in public. But I see and have heard that that some people either take this ability too far or that they use it against others online.

            Starting in high school I started hearing about how people could take advantage of these sites: bullies, stalkers, child molesters, the list goes on an on. I heard that these people use these sites to either pretend to be someone else, or to find information on people who do not keep the information private. Although I knew that this was happening at the time, I did not realize how easy it was to do for these people, and it is still very easy.

            Some of the best ways to prevent people form being taken advantage of through these sites is by being careful with what a person posts and what information they make public. There are some general rules to keep in mind, and although these rules were made for the business owner in mind, they work well for the average person as well.

            First of all, be discreet, do not post anything that could get you unwanted attention. Things like your daily routines, home address, and family information are not the best things to post publically (Security).

            Next is, be skeptical, not everyone tells the truth, in fact treat everything you read with a grain of salt. Networking sites do not have any form of lie detection, so the person has to be the judge of truths and lies (Security).

            Be thoughtful, while the Internet is a very liberating tool, making inappropriate comments, or just throwing a comment out there on a whim could come back to bite you in a very real way, not just through the Internet (Security).

            Be professional and don’t post videos or pictures that show you in a bad light. First impressions are powerful in the real world, and Facebook is another way people are profiled in the real world (Security).

            Be wary of other users. Once again people lie, and you really don’t know who a person really is until you meet that person. On these sites a person could be lying about their age, sex, appearance, practically everything really (Security).

            Finally, be aware of the privacy policies of the site. Make sure you are aware of what information is really private and what is not at risk of being told to others or sold away (Security).

All of this does not mean to stop using  Facebook and other similar sites, but it is a reminder that the internet is not a perfectly secure tool.

           

"The Security Risks of Social Networks." Free Product Comparisons and Guides. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2012. <http://www.comparebusinessproducts.com/fyi/security-risks-social-networks>.

We're Perfect Where We Are (Blog Number Seven)

Our "simple" world isn't so simple these days. Technology has literally permeated every aspect of our lives. We have technology in our cars, in our houses, even in our pockets as we go through daily life. Technology is everywhere, but what place does it really deserve? Does it deserve to be everywhere we are at all times? Yes.

The accessibility of technology is the most helpful aspect of technology being in our lives. We can do anything from anywhere. I've even seen Facebook posts from the top of Mt. Everest. We have the unrivaled ability to multitask. Alarms set on phones, dates and times, full schedules, everything on our phones at our fingertips. It's making us more proficient and more efficient. Aaron Lynn makes a comment along these same lines in the blog Asian Efficiency:

"If you really stop and think about it, this is revolutionary. At your fingertips, you have a device that connects you with your finances, your workout routine, the latest news from around the world, the latest shopping catalogues and information, and every social network you can imagine. All on-the-go." 

But do we really stop to think about it? Not these days. We go about our lives with something in our pockets that would be completely foreign to 1990's us for sure. I think we have reached the peak though of how much technology should be in our lives. I fear that if we continue to be more wrapped up in our technology, we will become more lazy and less productive. The task manager on an Android phone will be sacrificed for another installment of Angry Birds. As we lose the productivity aspect for entertainment, what are we really losing? We're losing the purpose the phone was actually meant to serve...To put this concept into perspective, I ask you one last question...genuinely, how many phone calls do you make on your phone? My answer was well, not that many. If we continue the way we are going, we're going to lose the purpose of the phone, or the purpose of our computers, or the purpose of any technology. If it gets too advanced, we will lose our productivity, and that is a problem in my eyes.

Source:

Lynn, Aaron. "Sync: How Technology Makes Us More Efficient." Asian Efficiency. N.p., 24 Jan 2012. Web. Web. 9 Oct. 2012. <http://www.asianefficiency.com/technology/sync-how-technology-makes-us-more-efficient/>.

Facebook is the scrapbook of my life.

 If I was to choose a piece of technology that has changed my life….it would be Facebook. Yup. Isn’t that sad? Out of all the technology to choose from I pick Facebook. But trust and believe readers I have reasons for this.

 When I was in ninth grade (back in 2006-2007) Myspace was the thing that kept me refreshing Safri. I couldn’t wait to receive a comment or even take a dumb survey. But then it happened….Facebook. Suddenly, Myspace became an old thought; I didn’t even sign into my Myspace for about six months—that’s how addicted I was to this new technology. As you see from this fabulous graph by Peter Lang’s Traveler, it is apparent that in mid 2008 Facebook started booming through the roof.

 Why Facebook beat Myspace was because it was so simplistic but filled this void I didn’t even know existed. I was able to “like” and “poke” my friends and I could even make an album of photos—Facebook didn’t limit me to twelve photos like Myspace. It gave me freedom…plus like everyone had it.  As Facebook grew more and more popular, Myspace faded away. I remember thinking to myself, “Oh Jessi, in about a year there will be a new website that will fulfill you’re needs.” Nope, six years later it’s still doing it’s job and still improving. That is the main reason why Facebook is improving. It went from this small community of college students to everyone’s grandma having it. Apps were added, special groups, chat, and even video chat was thrown into the mix. It keeps growing and is becoming more and more attractive towards the public eye. One gravitating aspect of  Facebook (which they just recently added this year) was “timeline.” You can have your whole entire life put up on a website…is Facebook the new family album? I mean it’s this organized scrapbook of your life where you and your fellow friends can find out just about anything with one simple click. I’m planning on keeping my Facebook forever, so my children and even myself look how I’ve changed and grown over the years.

 But of course, you still ask, why is Jessi addicted? WELL— it’s simple as this: it never gets old. The excitement of getting iPhone and macbook died quite sometime ago, but Facebook never fails me. It’s like this brand new toy that keeps yelling your name for attention. “Hey Jessi…hey Jessi…come on you know you wanna check me…come on” and ugh,  it pulls me in and voila, it has me. If I ever a good laugh, I check my newsfeed, probably because a good half of my friends are dramatic teen mom’s who are always bitching about their husbands. But also, because there’s that need to see… “did I get a notification? Did someone like my post? Did someone comment on my wall?” It’s like this little Christmas present each day; I love it.

 Also, a main reason why people (& myself) are in love with daaa F-B is because there’s that need to be constantly communicating because of that fear or missing something. But the reality of it is the more we are plugged in a machine, the more we loose. 

SOURCE: 

"Traveler." Peter Lang. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2012. <http://www.peterlang.us/2010/04/decline-of-myspace-rise-of-facebook-graph/>.

LEAVE BOOKS ALONE!! (Blog #7)

All right. Here we go. Rant time.

E-books.  I am so not a believer of e-books.  The Kindle, the Nook, they all just need to get out.  I hate them, they just really shouldn't exist in my opinion.

Now, I understand that a like or a dislike of e-readers/e-books is purely based on ones own preferences, and that it can seem fairly insignificant to some, but for me it's a really big deal.

I grew up in an incredibly literary household.  At a young age I was taught to turn to novels for entertainment and not the television; I passed the time at my dad's church conventions reading book after book, my favourite thing to do on vacations was to go to used bookstores and buy books I really didn't need, I love having so many books and not enough space, and having a stack of books by my bed that I really want to read but I can't get through them all because I keep adding more.  The smell of old books is intoxicating to me.  The feel of the pages, the delicacy you must have when the spine of your book cracks because you've read it so many times, it's all so blissful and wonderful and comforting to me.

E-readers? A chunk of plastic with some buttons.

Yes, there are advantages to the e-reader.  Books are cheaper electronically, you save paper, etc.

But here's the problem.  The rise of e-readers means the downfall of actual books.  And that is just not ok.  Bookstores are closing left and right; over the summer my very favourite bookstore back home closed down and I was crushed.  Second hand books stores are becoming harder to find because no one is really interested anymore.

Adrian Turpin, director of the Wigtown Book Festival, says that "There was a time when second-hand book sellers in book towns were first of all selling books and secondly selling the experience of browsing" and that "the days when second-hand book shops were the only place to find a book...are long gone."

Authors are feeling it too.  Turpin says that "Speaking to writers who have published in e-format - they say it is only when they hold a real copy of their book that their work feels validated."

It saddens me that everything I knew, what I grew up with, what brought, and still brings me, joy is disappearing right in front of me.  Yes, this is a biased opinion.  But think about it.  What would you do if there were no more bookstores in the world?  If you could never buy a new book again?  That idea terrifies me.  So, just cool it with the e-readers, and give me back my bookstore.


Rinaldi, Giancarlo. "How Do Book Towns Survive in the Age of the E-reader?" BBC News. BBC, 10 June 2012. Web. 08 Oct. 2012. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-19814700>.

The Abundance of Idle Matter

The Abundance of Idle Matter (Blog #7)

            My interests are more in the impact of technology than the technology itself.  At the moment I’m particularly interested in everything to do with the way technologies impact the way we live, work, interact, etc. 

            The main issue that I tend to grapple with is the increasing mismatch between the information coming at us and the way we’re able to manage or process that information; and I’m not only talking about information overload here.  Overload is a recurring feeling, and a look at history puts things in perspective.  In 1613, English author Barnaby Rich wrote “one of the diseases of this age is the multiplicity of books; they doth so overcharge the world that it is not able to digest the abundance of idle matter that is ever day hatched and brought forth into the world.”  Every time a new technology comes we feel overloaded by it, the internet is no exception.

            What I am talking about it a broader issue.  I am wondering whether technologies are really in line with the way we function, and if not what the consequences are.

            After the initial euphoria over IT – which allowed us to do more things more efficiently than ever, it might be time to put technology back into its proper place; in some way we have to regain control.  If you look at the technological developments of the past 10-15 years, it is like a massive tank of information has been overwhelming us without asking for our consent.  We have so many different connections plugged into our brain at the moment, the problem being that we don’t control these streams of information anymore:  email, mobile, Twitter, Facebook, etc.  Via these tools we have ‘outsourced” to the outside world numerous access points to our brain.  This is associated with several problems, the biggest being a loss of control (one more IT induced loss of control) over our capacity to think.  Nowadays you can be interrupted and rerouted to another mental thread at almost any given time.  It is becoming increasingly harder to think for more than ten minutes without a call, sms, e-mail or tweet interrupting.  Most users love these inputs; somehow they make you feel like being in the center of an active and gratifying social world, but I would argue that there is a price to pay for this.  Being creative is harder than ever, because having ideas requires a high level of energy and continuity of thinking that is hard to achieve in an intermittent world.

            It might sound like an easy problem – don’t check your mail after 5, don’t leave your phone open – but we are reaching a point where expectation makes it impossible for one person to solve that problem alone.  Five years ago, I could take a week to answer an email, now if I don’t reply in 24 hours, I am asked whether something is wrong with me.

            I believe that IT is slowly reaching a point where it becomes a bit counter productive, because our daily tools are designed for an infinite amount of attention but that is not the reality of our brains.

            Take mobile phones: there are different ways to use them.  Some people switch off their phones at night, and therefore it is always ok to call because when that person does not want to be disturbed their mobile is turned off.  Others will leave their phone on at night so that emergency calls can always reach them.  We need an indicator of these behaviors; I should know which type of user you are before calling you. 

Another example is of email.  I treat each message as an item of my “todo” list.  Every person that writes to me adds something to my list of things that I need to do in the short term.  Others treat email as a flow, and will simply ignore a message they don’t me to answer.  We need names for these behaviors, and nobody who wants to interact with me should know which kind of user I am. Creativity and good decision making are not infinite resources, but out tools assume they are.  You should always be ready to be creative, to be productive.  But that is not how things are in reality.

Success cuts you from the very purpose of these tools.  We need a solution there too.  Another example of why we will have to seriously rethink our communication tools.

I think that society needs to catch up with the technology it has created.  We need to regain a measure of control.  We need to define the norms of etiquette for using these tools effectively.  Maybe the future may be less technology.  A bank in Switzerland after a recent scare with stolen bank data, is considering a return to paper.  Maybe there’s a lesson in there, where less IT means more productivity and more business.  It also could spark a return to work for thousands who have been replaced with machinery and technology.

-         JT

technology in my life (blog 7)

I chose to write this blog post about pieces of technology I use every day, and during certain seasons "hunting season" "fishing season". The first piece of technology I use would be my predator light and call set. This technology is used for hunting coyotes, the light has a red lens on it because coyotes cannot see the red beam of light going towards them and exposing them to a hunters vision. The set of calls are all electronic and have a range of sounds, all of them being injured animal noises simply because coyotes mostly scavenge all of their food and pick apart enemies that are already injured. After they are lured in with the calls you use the light to look for their eyes and most avid coyote hunters are equipped with a night vision scope on their rifle to be able to see their target without the use of the light. The next piece of technology I chose to discuss is the trolling motor on my fishing boat. It is battery operated and makes no noise at all other than the rippling of the water. It is able to propel the boat through the water without scaring away all the fish and also not making a bunch of noise in area's where people are camping or live near the river. These two pieces of technology are very useful to me, some may find them useless, but it is all about the activities that people are interested in that make technology amazing.

I want it now! (Blog#7)

"I want it now" is a common thought that goes through people's minds everyday. "I want the new IPhone...now" "I want this, this, and this." Everybody wants something and fast. When we don't know something, we want it fast. I know that when I was a little kid all I wanted was the new phone because everyone had it, and it was better. Once a new version of something comes out, that's what everyone wants because it's "better."

The IPhone 5 came out not too long ago and in 3 days Apple sold 5 billion Iphone 5's. And now they are having trouble with their camera on the phone. There is a purple blur when there is a large amount of light in the picture. People have been sending in complaints and trying to get a new phone. In an article by Erik Sherman, he writes how, "Now come reports that the iPhone 5 scratches and scuffs more easily than previous models. In fact, some customers have found scuffs on their new phones when they took them out of the box." Because of the constant demand of the newest product Apple had to rush to release it for the population. 

This is why people should wait. If you wait, then the kinks in the technology will be worked out and the phone will be even better. Apple was -14.96 in the stock market yesterday (Sunday) and now its
-9.75, all because of the IPhone 5 being recalled and fixing problems.

With the constant demand of the wanting the new thing now, companies can't take their time a properly test the new device to keep things like this from happening.

It's really sad to see that people can just learn to love what they have now. Instead its always wanting more. More features, more apps, more effects, bigger screen. It's a never ending list. Once people realize that the newest thing isn't always the best, we will be in a better place.



"More iPhone 5 problems: scuffed out of the box - CBS News." Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News - CBS News. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2012. <http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505124_162-57520538/more-iphone-5-problems-scuffed-out-of-the-box/>.

post 7, graphics cards

The topic I have chosen is the separate graphics card and its place in the computer, and how it makes everything better for both the computer and the user. *First of all, a graphics card is either a part of the motherboard itself, or an integrated circuit board attached to the motherboard via PCI or similar slots. This device's function is to generate the main output of the computer, what is displayed on the monitor.

Basically, a graphics card is like its own computer that augments the capabilities of the one it is attached to. It takes in binary data from the computer to be displays it, turns the binary data into an object to be displayed, and then displays it.** They have their own special processors that use parallel computing (breaking down big problems and solving them in pieces, simultaneously), have their on on card memory, and for higher end models, need their own power source.

What this does for the computer is it takes the workload away from the computer's main processor(s), and uses its specially designed processors to do the work instead. This is important because standard issue consumer processors do not handle complicated graphics well and it takes much longer to generate images, animations, etc, due to there being so few processors working at once, the opposite of parallel computing. This graphics process of course would work on top of normal computer processes, which causes everything to be bogged down considerably. The graphics card uses many smaller processors working in tandem to produce the image. This relieves the man CPU of having to deal with the graphics and allows more complex and smooth graphics.

This all means that with a standalone video card, the computer runs cooler, smoother, and is greatly more responsive. For the common person, this means that they have a much more enjoyable experience with their computer, without having to wait for graphics to load. Not all cards are made the same, but certaintly any card is better than no card. The biggest names in video cards currently are NVIDIA and ATI. NVIDIA is the leader of video card technology, making top-end video cards and separate parallel computing processors. I prefer NVIDIA cards due to the fact that even the older ones pack plenty of power, (I have a GeForce 560 that runs everything with no noticeable lag, and the newest one is 690), and they are very high quality.

*"video card." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 08 Oct. 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1388514/video-card>.

**"How Graphics Cards Work." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2012. <http://computer.howstuffworks.com/graphics-card.htm>.

I used Facebook in School Today! (Blog #7)

Technology has affected various parts of our society. People around the world would like to think that we are not changing with the development of technology. Yet, as technology becomes more integral in our day-to-day routine, the impact is more serious than many imagined. All of our resources from clothes, food, and even education can be found online. Today, more people are taking online classes or using online tools to enhance the learning experience. Even at Juniata, there are many online sites such as Moodle to submit work and get our assignments. Juniata has its own network where students, faculty, and professors have different drives to use for classes and other information. Technology has been proven to offer better opportunities. On the other hand, is technology hurting or harming the educational system around the world and how students learn?

            For the student, using technology in education is requiring him or her to become more independent and become more active in their learning.

“This means that the student must take a greater responsibility for his/her own learning and the teacher becomes more of a tutor than a lecturer. Today there is plenty of literature, and new electronic programmes are continually appearing on the market so that access to teaching material is adequate within most areas.” (Eide and Johannesen, European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning)

     

With Principles of IT, I realize that this is true. Although we are required to come to class every day and participate in class, we have to submit all of our assignments online. This means that we have to be responsible for our own work more so because we have to check and see when everything is due. I do not think that this class is extremely independent as other online classes tend to be where there will be hardly any interaction with the professor. For me, I think that it would be harder learning in online class because I value that interaction that I get from the professor. As an article found in Education Week points out, students benefit more from teachers and technology working hand-in-hand together.

“In addition to courses that offer an online instructor, some researchers say students have had the most success with hybrid or blended education. That can mean that students use digital content with a face-to-face instructor, or an online instructor and an in-class teacher may work together to assist students. Hybrid charter schools, which use mostly digital curriculum with face-to-face support and instruction—sometimes even combined with an online teacher—are gaining a foothold in K-12.” (No author, Education Week)

I am grateful that at Juniata most of our classes are like that. I would have struggled trying to finish many of the labs in this class with Professor Mickel. I appreciate the explanation that is provided for many of the PowerPoint presentations. In fact, digital simulations enhance how students are learning. “Digital simulations and models can help teachers explain concepts that are too big or too small, or processes that happen too quickly or too slowly to demonstrate in a physical classroom,” (Kessler, Mashable Tech ). This concept has to force teachers to figure out creative methods to keep students interested in the material and stretch beyond the material.

“Technology is helping teachers to expand beyond linear, text-based learning and to engage students who learn best in other ways. Its role in schools has evolved from a contained “computer class” into a versatile learning tool that could change how we demonstrate concepts, assign projects and assess progress.” (Kessler, Mashable Tech)

Juniata students are very lucky to attend this school. If a student needs a computer, there are many locations that he or she can go from P107 to Beeghly Library. However, many schools cannot afford to keep up with the expensive costs of technology. The constant additions to technology are not manageable for many school budgets especially in our current economic state.

“Schools are forever playing technological catch up as digital innovations emerge that require upgrading schools’ technological infrastructure and building new professional development programs. Some schools have been adept at keeping up with those changes, while many others are falling far behind, creating a digital divide based largely on the quality of educational technology, rather than just simple access to the Internet.” (No Author, Education Week)

                Technology is slowly becoming attached with education. No longer is a computer an extra tool but required by many schools even some giving laptops to their students. No longer is e-books frowned upon but encouraged to get along with tablets and other e-readers. Education is shifting to match the need for technology in classrooms. Is technology harming or helping us in our learning? I think that as one of the articles discusses, teachers need to be one step ahead of technology and students need to not rely heavily on electronics in classrooms. If we can find a balance between both, I think that technology and education can work well together.

Works Citied

No author. “Technology in Education.” Education Week. Pub. 01 Sept. 2011. Accessed. 07 Oct. 2012.  http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/technology-in-education/

Else Margrethe Eide and Tove Johannesen. “The role of the student in the age of technology: Will the role change with use of Information- and communication technology in education?” European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning. Pub: 23 Nov. 2000. Accessed:  07 Oct 2012 http://www.eurodl.org/index.php?article=82

Sarah Kessler. “8 Ways Technology Is Improving Education.” Mashable Tech. Pub: 22 Nov. 2010. Accessed: 07 Oct 2012. http://mashable.com/2010/11/22/technology-in-education/

It’s Good to be Free (Blog #7)

This week we were asked to write about any topic of our choice on technology.  This gives a man/woman a lot of freedom.  One would even say too much freedom.  But these are the sort of papers that I really like because I can allow my creativity and imagination to run wild.  What piece of technology should I choose to go on a rant about?

I chose to write about cell phones.  Cell phones are a vital piece of technology in today’s day and age.  What can you do on a cell phone?  Maybe the better question I can ask is what I cannot do?  With today’s research technology is becoming mind blowing.  I bet a few statistics would do better here to show you, according to Pew Research: Generations. What percent of people ages 18-34 own a cell phone? – 95%.  What about the percent of people ages 35-46? – 92%.  And so on the percentage becomes gradually smaller.  Until it reaches 75 years or older which equals 48%.  But out of all adults that took this survey, what is their percent? – 85%.

More and more people are upgrading their cell phone to a smart phone where they have instant web access at any moment.  At what age did you first own your own cell phone?  For me, I did not receive my own until I was aged 16.  If you look at children today, I see Kindergarteners with iPhones texting and tweeting today.  I find it shocking that they are that young and already being exposed to the newest technology. 

I was on Apple’s home webpage the other day and came across the Steve Jobs tribute video.  It is incredible for how far technology has come today.  Makes me really appreciate the things that I have.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dInYmYI7Q20

Pew Research: Generations. Enter the Net. February 3, 2011. from http://www.enterthenet.com/pew-research-generations-and-their-gadgets/