Group items tagged

This article is about how the Apple Company is not paying the laborers enough and how the conditions in the working area are not safe.  They work with many hazardous chemicals in producing Apple products for long hours. Apple has already made some efforts in changing the conditions of the work area. Other electronic companies are also in the same situation as Apple where they have laborers working in a harmful area. People have made a petition demanding that the labor practices would be more sincere. In my opinion I think that the Apple Company should change the labor practices because it is unfair to those who are working, even though they would need those labor conditions to produce their products efficiently. 

For a service that had such an artificially high demand, the tech industry has not really capitalized on Video Chat. When Apple unveiled their video chat service 'FaceTime' in June of 2010, many thought that this would become the primary standardized service used by all. In practice, FaceTime is a clunky system that is evidently less productive and convenient than just vocal or text communication. So why hasn't video conferencing taken off as the industry had hoped? The answer is most likely because there is no standardized system and the market is too saturated; Polycom Inc. hopes to adress this issue by introducing a Universal Video Chat in early 2013. The product (called RealPresence CloudAxis) monetizes all of your contacts from Skype, Facebook, Google Talk and other apps into one place - all hosted on a web browser. This is a very ambitious task and if it delivers on what Polycom says (with the "same security and reliability as enterprise systems"), then there may be some validity to the video conference service. This relates to Privacy and Security because when monetizing a group of services, there is a chance for data leak and possible identity theft; Polycom promises to adress all security issues in order to make a safe and immersive experience for its users. This relates to eLifestyle because companies and their consumers have been trying for the past years to create a universal video chat service that actually worked in order to establish a multi-faceted social network: it might be too early to tell if Polycom has something that will fulfill the needs of consumers. This relates to ICS20 because as a class, we are no stranger to multiple accounts that often times serve the same purpose. As consumers, we hope for a streamlined service that can connect all of our multiple accounts into one place, preferably on a browser. It will be hard for Polycom, both legally and economically, to convince all of these pre-existing video chat developers to allow Polycom to

This article talks about some businesses that now only hire non-smokers. This article states that this is the new trend among North American employees. This new hiring practice has slashed in half the cost of employee health benefits compared to five or six years ago which means that businesses will save a lot of money. Smokers cost more money, miss more workdays and have more health problems which is why businesses don't like to hire them. Some people think that they shouldn't be excluded as long as they do their job and isn't going to help them end their addiction. This article relates to the tag economics because it doesn't allow non-smokers to work therefore limiting the amount of people that would apply for a job. This is a downside because if not many people apply for a job and if some of those applicants were smokers, less people would be able to take up that occupation.

This article is about a new concept developed by Berkeley that allows users to emit their password through their thoughts. This concept uses a technology known as Neurosky, and the actual headsets that use this technology look like cat ears. This device is still in testing, but for those eager people who want their thoughts converted into Passthoughts, they can get their hands on the device for a very pricey $199. I don't believe that this invention will "take off" because it doesn't seem very practical in real world situations when typing in a password can be as quick as 2 seconds. However this is a very imaginative invention and will most likely inspire people to create products just like this one. I chose the eLifestyle tag for this post because it may become a fashion trend in some part of the world, (Asia maybe) and people will truly enjoy using this product. I think it is safe to say though that I will not be walking into school wearing cat ears in the future!    

With the thin, sleek design, the shiny screen, and the convenient touch screen, the iphone has grown to become one of the most wanted phones in our country. Behind the high-tech phones and tablets though there's a much more serious issue. Iphones are often created in factories in China that exploit their workers. Things like child labor and abuse are practiced often in these factories. However, this article didn't only bring up the issue of human rights violations, but also our role in it. In the past, companies like Nike have been forced to improve the quality and treatment in these factories after many people boycotted the brands once discovering the ethical issues in the production process. We have not let the exploitation of workers in China pass before, so why are we doing it now with these Apple products. Every time we lay down our money and pick up a new iphone or ipad, we are encouraging this type of production and becoming a part of it. Even our simple, silly complaints about the Apple products can make the conditions worse for those poor workers. They are forced to work even harder and longer, no matter how tired, underpaid and overworked they already are. Has it become important for us to own the best phone, that the rights and sufferings of other human beings no longer matters? Why are we not taking the action necessary to help those workers and send a clear message of opposition? Before, reading this article I also wanted an iphone. It's a great phone, very convenient and high-tech. Knowing the conditions these phones are made in though has started to really make me doubt what I used to consider an amazing phone. It's an ethical issue. Do I want this phone so badly that I'm willing to turn a blind eye to the places it came out of? What scared me was that as much as I knew what the clear answer was, it was still a hard decision to make. Exploiting other humans is wrong and no matter how big Apple is, they are not an exceptio

As a social generation, we use various online 'social networks' to connect with others and share information (e.g. photos, text, videos.) But has anyone ever considered integrating one of these networks into a scholastic environment? This is exactly what Assistant professor of education at Michigan State University, Christina Greenhow has found in a recent study. While most say that social networks like Twitter are poisoning the minds of our youth, destroying their grammar and face-to-face skills, Greenhow finds that using Twitter in her class has allowed for more engaged students proven to attain higher grades. By integrating Twitter into some of the class' exercises, Greenhow was able to contextualize the material into something the students could relate to, "The students get more engaged because they feel it is connected to something real, that it's not just learning for the sake of learning." Twitter; something bored students would initially hide from teachers in class is now seeing some valid and practical applications in the classroom. This article relates to the tag "eLifestyle" because teachers are constantly trying to integrate web-based teaching into their classrooms in this constantly evolving technological age. This relates to ICS20 because we are one of the classes in the school on the forefront of technology, integrating web services such as Codeacademy, Diigo and even Twitter to enhance our learning experience. This article is not meant to give students excuses to wander off to Twitter during class, but to show teachers the validity in using a web-based social network to improve their teaching methods in the classroom.

Love this post. I've been thinking about this stuff for a while, as in - how do I work twitter into class activity? Any ideas?

Video gaming is pretty big in our society.  It may seem like it's just fun and games to most people, but to others it could be serious.  Is it possible that video gaming could be bigger than sports?  Possibly.  The amount of spectators spectating individual gaming events are immense.  Not only do people spectate it live, but they could also spectate from the comfort of their own computer.  The Major League Gaming Spring Championship in June attracted 4.7 million online viewers.    This affects our everyday life because instead of training for a physically active competition, people could "train" and hone their skills to play video games.  People from all around the world could connect with each other and compete with each other through video games.    Whether I agree or disagree with regards to making video gaming a real sport or not is still in between the borderline.  You can practice your skills while playing a sport, but you can also hone your skills by playing video games.  Nonetheless, if video gaming does become an official sport, then we could say goodbye to society as we know it today.

This article explains how it is practical that Facebook bought out Instagram. Facebook is very popular when it comes to sharing photos and Instagram brings the latest and most innovative ways to take photos. So, it is only right that Facebook and Instagram team up. I agree that the partnership between Facebook and Instagram will be beneficial for the both of them. Separately Facebook and Instagram are quite popular but by partnering together it will definitely boost both their popularities. Also, I think it's good to see that Facebook is doing something more than just changing their layout every couple of months.

Britain has completed designing and building their Type 45 HMS Diamond  air defense destroyer. This battleship costed an unbelievable one billion pounds and for a good reason. It's equipped to be practically missile-proof which makes it an excellent meat shield (or in this case, a metal shield) for other warships as well as a reliable escort ship. It's also eqipped with a large array of weaponry including anti-air missiles and turrets, missile interceptors, torpedoes, cannons, machine guns, and highly-advanced radar. Before we revel in the supposed awesomeness of a huge warship, we have to ask, "why does Britain need a warship this heavily armed?" With the growing conflict in the Middle-East, war seems not far off so it's important countries are prepared to stop any insurgencies before they can pass 

Online courses are now being used by students in university. This allows them to study and complete work from their own home, but the question asked by most is if the online course investment is worth it, in terms of careers. Lou Adler, (a self proclaimed hiring expert) believes not so, because when you take an online course,classes require you presenting your skills to your employer. An online course is not the same as a sit down university course, because it does not provide you with the practical skills necessary. Someone taking an online course can still have an advantage over people who commute to university. e.g. submitting a project you did using your computer, easily, and using it in a job application. You can distinguish yourself from others, using computer generated projects, etc. Depending on what field you want to get into, online courses can be harmful or helpful.

Google is improving the security of their email application. Gmail is switching to https, and is looking at a more private future for its users. Sending messages over a secure https connection ensures no one can come in contact with a message. This now has become the default in all gmail practices. It is no longer an option like in 2010. In addition, emails sent will be encrypted, along with communication. This is the news that I actually liked hearing from google, most of the time it's them trying to steal our identities through google search and targeting ads towards us w/out permission.

The BentProp Project is a group which has been searching for WW2 relics in the Pacific Ocean for the past few years. Some of the things they find is downed aircraft and unexploded bombs, with a side of human remains. Recently they started using robots to create a 3D map of the area of ocean explored rather than towing a side-scanning sonar device behind their boat. Although progress is very slow the team will not give up. I believe that the employment of new technologies to find pieces of the past really interesting and important, especially when it is such an enormous event like the Second World War. This kind of history must be expressed and remembered so we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. I feel like this kind of practice should be continued and funded for the next couple decades

I can not count how many times already that I have had something spoiled for me, be it a television series I have yet to watch, a book I have yet to buy and read, a movie still left to watch, or even a new music video for a certain Korean boy band that I follow and cry over. And all of these disgusting spoilers, that ruin my entertainment, come from the single source that is the Internet. I can't even innocently scroll through my dashboard on Tumblr to update my blog anymore without discovering five plot twists in which I have not yet been pleasantly surprised in, a death scene I least expected before it was my time to watch it, and maybe even a leaked practice video to a supposedly secret EXO comeback. Not only does this infuriate me to no end, but it also fuels the fires of my happiness in that someone created the "Spoiler Shield" app - a way to specifically block all of the spoilers you will find while going through your social media sites. Just simply input the subject you would not like to previously see before you invest the time to actually watch it, and the app will block all spoilers relating to it in real time so that going on your social media daily will never be a problem again. At last, I have found an app that will keep my eyes innocent to .gifs from Game of Thrones Season 4 so that I can now watch the show without it being ruined. The idea that this app will prevent me from stumbling over random spoilers greatly pleases me.

A giant, spinning 3D helix of a bookcase, by Google. How cool. A digital bookcase for your digital books is what Google Books thinks is best. Over 10, 000 books can be held at any one time, so you'll probably never reach the limit. Navigation is done by spinning it around or swiping it up and down. It's kind of like browsing through a REAL bookstore. This is very practical for any and all avid readers, and can apply to almost anyone - you don't have to fill up the thousands of spaces immediately to love it.

It's a bird! No, it's a plane! No, it's the world's first "Spherical Flying Machine," brought to you by Japan, the place where all the cool stuff seems to come from. Remember in Star Wars: A New Hope, when Luke Skywalker was practicing Jedi Lightsaber skills on a small, flying sphere that could hover and move quickly in every direction? Well, Japan's Ministry of Defense seems to have brought Jedi training balls to the world. Mostly driven by remote controls, the sphere utilizes a combination of propellers and wings to hover, fly in all directions at up yo 60 kph and can even move along the ground and walls. They created this ball to solve a problem they were having with aircrafts (they can apparently stand up vertically after flying horizontally, but take-offs and landings were "difficult," as one could have imagined). It is not known whether they will market the flying ball or not, but this is certainly a huge leap forward in the field of robotics, as well as flying. 

The new locking handbag is one sure-fire way to protect yourself from thieves and pickpockets. Plus, it looks a little daunting. It requires a security combination to open, and once opened, the handle can be looped around shopping carts, public benches, and anywhere else a theft may take place. Made from Tonka-tough copolymer plastic, it is harder than leather and other fabrics to open, it also happens to be dirt and waterproof, making it practical and useful, for, say, the beach. Not the most beautiful thing, but very useful and helpful for people everywhere, especially the incredibly paranoid.

This article was written for the parents of young children. I thought that what they were advertising was very cool and practical. This new table is just the right size for young children and it's much more durable than a regular tablet If it were to be dropped on the floor not much harm would be done. The kids growing up in this time period are surrounded by technology and they'll want one of their own. Parents are able to monitor the websites their child goes on and their child can learn on it by playing educational games. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of these in the near future.

This article describes the unfortunate unlikeliness of having iPad textbooks. It seems practical in this generation to have iPad textbooks, however there are still many aspects of this idea that need to be thought through. I think it will be more beneficial for students to carry one iPad as opposed to several textbooks, as well iPad would be more eco friendly because they would eliminate the need for printed textbooks. Nevertheless iPads can and often break and it would be much cheaper to replace a textbook as opposed to an iPad. Also,  I think that textbooks can easily out live an iPad especially if being used for long periods of time. I agree with this article that, at the moment, iPads would still be too expensive and impractical for today's use. However, I am certain that students in future generations will have the privilege to have iPad textbooks for educational use.

It's actually pretty cool that ipads would actually be entering the schools. But the problem is the cost of the textbooks, and installing the textbook work in the ipad. Which costs a lot for the school boards, but also for the parents. Schools will end costing much more, and schools will be needing an ipad hardware on top of the textbook software. But the cost can be lowered if Apple can think of a way to lower the prices. 

this is a problem because people are demanding more computers and phones now because life without them is hard, now you can only apply for jobs on computers or do homework on computers now, so more people need them. This is affecting the environment because to make all these devices are harming the environment, for example the pollution from the factory making the products and the precious metals and supply's we are using to make the devices are non-renewable. So we should find a way to make computers and phones without effecting the environment as much as we are now. this is how computers and phones are affecting the environment, and the demand on computers are just gonna get higher and higher, so we should find a way to build the computer without effecting the environment as much fast.

This is an article about how computers affect our environment, how we can help, and what computers can do to actually benefit us in the world. Some examples of computers ruining the environment could be usage of valuable resources and pollution due to computer waste. Some examples of how we can help would be sanitizing our hard drive, donating our mobile device, raising funds from techno trash, and re-using ink cartridges. Technology can help the environment by helping us develop and produce sustainable practices in the environment. It also allows for paperless communication which limits the taking down of trees. In my opinion I completely agree with what this article has to say. It expands on computers issues but also its strengths.

Many people do not know that just throwing away your old electronics can build up and create a lot of air and water pollution, as well as heat and noise pollution. In our electronics there are many different types of non-renewable resources, also many precious metals are used such as gold, and silver. All electronics contain hazardous  materials that can have a negative impact on our environment, this materials have to be disposed using special methods. You can help the environment by buying more energy efficient products, as well and products that have less hazardous materials inside of them. Also you can dispose your electronics properly and safely. But on the other side using computers can help the environment, because less trees will be cut down for paper. When disposing of electronics improperly can increase the amount of carbon emissions that are the main cause to global warming, also known as greenhouse gases.