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Kim T

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Is that cellphone kosher? - 1 views

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    The Haredi community limits their access and use of the phone and internet to protect themselves. However, this causes a separation between those who have different views on what extent the limitation should be put up to.
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    This article meets the requirements for ITGS because it mentions the three strands related to the ITGS triangle. The social and ethical significance includes the digital divide and equality of access, policies, people and machines and digital citizenship. In this article, members of the Haredi community in parts of Israel were restrained to usages of the internet and cellphones. There are a few people who do use what we consider all the normal features of the internet and cellphone but many others use "kosher" cellphones that do not allow texting, internet usage or even calling numbers that are of non-kosher cellphones. For those who use the government's internet, they have to follow the policies set up by the government's filtered internet service provider and are unable to go on many websites. Because of their limited access as well as for many youths who are given restrictions, they are on one end of the digital divide. Once they may actually have control to use the internet freely as some people may choose to do in their area, they will have to learn self control and stay within the boundaries of digital citizenship because they were not familiar to the use of IT growing up. Furthermore, the use of internet raises concern in the Haredic community and some members look down on others for using it because the internet may interfere or give them "unsafe" images against their religion, therefore relating to people and machines. All these are related to the interference for those who do business online and need access to certain websites and the government's censorship on the internet.
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    It really makes me wonder about the things that people do because of their devotion to God and religion. However, people who need it for business should be able to surf the net without having the "urge" to do anything else but do research. Filter or no filter, it's up the person to make those smart decisions and not look up anything inappropiate other than what their top priorities are for even going online. Even if filters are installed, some people who are a whiz at computers could easily use proxies or unblock any material they want. But it's all up to the person and how strong their values and beliefs are.
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    Dear Kim, All I have to say about this article is...WOW. I think that this article is very interesting . I didn't know that in order to sign up a child for school you would have to have a certain cell phone number in order to call the school or for the school to call you. The school also requires a certain cell phone. I think this is a little extreme to allow your child just attend the school. I also find it a little crazy to constrict the internet as well. If a child has a school assignment based on something not found in that service package, they would have to go to very far lengths to do the assignment.
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    Wow this is amazing. I have never heard of such a thing, and it intrigues me that there is such a thing as phone's influenced by RELIGION. It's new and strange to me because I can't believe a religion would take it as far as making phones with such restrictions. It intrigues me though, and it makes me very curious as to how the restrictions so many things have on childrens lives will affect them. Will they grow up like any other child or will they come out different and strange?
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    Wow, this is simply the most fascinating article I have ever read. It's interesting how the Haredi community isolates themselves from the use of technology. But of course, as times modernize, it's important to be in contact for safety reasons. This kosher cellphone is quite unique, only for the kosher stamp found in foods as well, because it's basically a smaller cellphone version of the ones that first came out. But this community surprisingly reminds me of the Amish, how they choose not to use any technology, the only difference being that Amish don't use electricity at all, where the people of the Haredi community do. But I don't think it's easy living without technology these days, now that everything is going to involve technology in the future. Like the Shift Happens Video: Did You Know 3.0 "We are currently preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist...using technologies that haven't been invented...in order to solve problems we don't even know are problems yet."
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    This is a very interesting article, I am still shock how religion still influences some people today. It is even more shocking because in the article that I picked, the situation was exactly opposite. People and governments were demanding equality of access. I am shocked at this people are voluntarily limiting themselves from the rest of the world. I wonder in this ever evolving digital age will these traditions last for much longer?
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    This article exemplifies the impact that technological integration has had on the preservation of traditional customs and morality from the Jewish perspective. Interestingly technology in this case also defines a person for the strength of his or her religious commitment, for example: if one does not have a "kosher phone", then he is not to be admitted into Jewish society because he is ultimately characterized as being immodest and immoral. Restraining one's self from the magnetism of the internet and the dangers it also possesses is illustrated once one takes certain measures to signify the act of taking a stand to secure the sacredness of religion and customs. But once I began thinking about this concept, I started to change my mind gradually. I believe that yes, technology is a potential threat to one's "beliefs", but it only becomes a problem once the user allows such practices to get out of hand. We come back to the same idea: technology has become a label, something that defines us superficially in the minds of others. Just because one may not have a kosher phone, does not have to mean that that person is sending inappropriate texts to another cell phone user. Our bond of trust and reliability upon others is destroyed once we enter the position of forming inconclusive judgements based on the type of technology used and the limitations it draws.
Madeline Brownstone

Commercial Vehicles « Denver Accident Information - 2 views

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    "Obama Signs Executive Order Limiting Text Messaging for On-The-Job Government Employees Monday, November 23rd, 2009 On September 30, 2009, the Obama administration ordered a ban on texting for all government employees while driving on the job or driving government-owned vehicles. Studies show that talking on a cell phone causes almost 25% of all car accidents. Already, seven states have banned any cellphone use while driving, 18 states have banned texting while driving, and 17 states have made it illegal for school bus drivers to use cellphones while driving. This is all great news for U.S. drivers since last year distracted drivers caused nearly 6,000 deaths in this country alone. The administration is considering additional restrictions on cellphone use by rail, truck and bus drivers."
Saida K

How to make sure your smartphone payments are secure - 0 views

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    This news article specifies the considerations of using a cellphone to make secure payments. In order to make secure transactions using one's cellphone, a certain procedure must take place. Of course, the mobile phone must have access to the internet, and will go to any website of their choice in which they find something they want to buy, or to simply pay a bill. Also, this can be done using an "application" such as PayPal. PayPal is technically more secure considering that a consumer would only have to write they're credit card information in one place. But with so many people using it, it becomes easier for hackers to access this data, especially with vast quantities of money in the savings. Afterwards, no matter which way you started a transaction, encryptions are always used to transform the that so that only the consumer and business company can read the transaction with the decryption. One possible stakeholder is the consumer whom is indeed effected by making payments using their mobile devices. It's only been recently that they began trusting the internet using a computer, but using the internet via cellphone is a new change that must take time to adjust to. But they are effected since hackers can easily take their money. Plus a third party, can occur during the process of the transaction while the consumer is using another window, and might not notice that they're information is not only going to the business itself. These are all issues of security.
Madeline Brownstone

BBC NEWS | Technology | Big Brother is watching you shop - 0 views

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    "There is an enormous pent-up demand for personalised location advertising, whether it is on your cellphone or PDA, on your radio in your car, or on the billboards you walk by on the streets and inside stores," says Bruce Schneier, chief security technology officer of BT. "This is yet another technological intrusion into privacy. And like all such intrusions, it will be taken as far as the owner of that intrusion finds it profitable."
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    "There is an enormous pent-up demand for personalised location advertising, whether it is on your cellphone or PDA, on your radio in your car, or on the billboards you walk by on the streets and inside stores," says Bruce Schneier, chief security technology officer of BT. "This is yet another technological intrusion into privacy. And like all such intrusions, it will be taken as far as the owner of that intrusion finds it profitable."
Mohammad A

iPhone takes a trip to \"return to sender\" - 1 views

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    Chinese people wait in line for each of the new Apple iPhone releases, buy them at premium price of $600, and send it back to where it was made to get it unlocked.
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    Chinese people wait in line for each of the new Apple iPhone releases, buy them at premium price of $600, and send it back to where it was made to get it unlocked.
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    This article meets the requirements for an IT article because, to begin with, it discusses one of the main IT systems, the cellphone (a sophisticated phone such as the iPhone however). It is reliable because it comes from a new source such as the New York Times, which has a reputation of giving reliable information to its readers. The time that the article was written is as recent as can be (less than 24 hour news, meaning that it involves one of the main issues and impacts that affect society on a greater scale today). There are stakeholders involved - the people responsible for the social/ethical issue(s), the people being affected by it, and the people becoming involved as a result of the impacts of these issues. Therefore it can be stated that this article meets all the requirements for ITGS. The social and ethical issues that result from this IT situation are significant to what it led to. One of the main issues that revolves around this issue is the digital divide and equality of access. Once the iPhone is "unlocked", the user has access to many digital streams of data; data in which regular iPhone users do not have access too, or they are unable to stream it. Integrity is also one of the main social and ethical issues; the IT device in question (an Apple iPhone) was "tampered with" and has therefore lost most of its value as well as its originality. People and machines, although it is a social and ethical issue that affects almost all IT systems, it can also be said that it is relevant to this situation as well. The people who are unlocking the iPhone are on this "digital treadmill" in which their life revolves around the database and access to digital information. Information that is so immense and updated so quickly that it can be overwhelming sometimes, yet provide the user with an extensive amount of knowledge, which is often put into good use. The specific scenario that this IT system and its impacts are based upon is politics and government. The act
Mariam B

How Good Software makes us Stupid - 1 views

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    This article discusses the drawbacks of using digital technology as a mode of acquiring knowledge. Although many believe that the emergence of digital technology allows individuals to increase their knowledge through the use of navigation devices and laptops, studies show how our intellectual capacity of storing and memorizing information is suddenly decreasing due to our dependancy on such devices.
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    Within our current society, individuals are very dependent on their digital devices in order to provide them with knowledge. However, studies prove that the more reliant we become on this technology our ability to calculate, process, and store information decreases. We resort to our laptops, cellphones, and navigational system devices in order to find out how to get to a certain location or to quickly gain some information about a certain topic. This article investigates the social and ethical concerns involving people and machines: individuals are able to access knowledge, gain answers to their questions, and fulfill their curiosity using digital devices. This is beneficial in the way that we able to expand our knowledge on a variety of separate topics in a generally fast and efficient way. However a drawback that is triggered through the continuous use of this technology is the dependancy on using it as the only mode of gaining information. Traditional means of reading a newspaper or book have been abandoned and many individuals have resorted to search engines on the internet. This alternately limits our in-depth knowledge on a focused subject. The stake holders in this case are taxi driver who would usually memorize highways and routes to various places within a city have adopted to using their GPS as a easy guide to reach their destination. Additionally students, parents, and many organizations also often just use their digital devices such as the GPS, cellphones and their laptops to get quick answers. This article explores the use of IT in the process of teaching and learning. We are using our digital devices to learn from online forums and research from search engines like google. Individuals immediately turn to technology to search up the answer to a question that they have. Additionally it concerns the idea of mapping virtual globes through the use of GPS, taxi cab drivers are able to locate the destination that the passenger wants to arrive at.
Jaymee C

Mobile phone safety. The real truth about the hazards explained for the layman. - 0 views

  • "...with medical science indicating increased risks of tumors, cancer, genetic damage and other health problems from the use of cellphones, the government and the cellphone industry have abandoned the public."
  • he changed his opinion in the face of accumulating evidence about the dangers and wrote a book about it.
  • A scientist who maintains that mobile phones are safe to use is either corrupt or seriously incompetent.
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  • Furthermore, the data may have been faked so as to suit the intersts of the sponsor. In other cases there may be a hidden influence (read corruption) from the industry.
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    health issues from cell phone usage
T Graham

Are cell phones safe? Researchers still uncertain | Signal Strength - CNET News - 0 views

  • The question over whether cell phones pose a health risk has been debated for years, and researchers say the final answer could still be years away.
  • The Interphone study, which began over a decade ago involving 13 countries and has been funded in part by the wireless industry, was supposed to settle the dispute. But the report's publication has been delayed as researchers disagree over how to interpret the data.
    • T Graham
       
      If the data is that unclear, that means that effects are different for different people.
  • indicates that children absorb twice as much radiation from cell phones as adults do, mostly because their faces and heads are much smaller.
    • T Graham
       
      This ia big health risk because children are pobably the most common users of cell phones.
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  • can you
  • The question becomes how can you accept the epidemiologic research, if it's not plausible from a biological standpoint?"
  • There are 3 to 4 billion people using this technology throughout the world, so it's an important question to answer."
    • T Graham
       
      With this many people using this technology wouldn't it be harder to slow the problem down, because it would be too hard to keep track of al the users.
  • What is really needed is for the wireless industry to provide detailed usage information."
    • T Graham
       
      The wireless networks would not cooperate with this because they could lose money.
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    Leading scientists gathering in Washington, D.C., this week say more research is needed to once-and-for-all determine whether cell phones pose major health risks. Read this blog post by Marguerite Reardon on Signal Strength.
Karen M

Ease of use more important than price - 0 views

shared by Karen M on 15 Sep 09 - Cached
  • Cellphones, smartphones and other mobile devices
    • Karen M
       
      These are the IT systems that are going to be discussed in this article.
  • small business owners attach a high value to the benefits of staying in touch with clients and colleagues at all times, wherever they are,
    • Karen M
       
      These are the benefits of using smartphones. However, the Social and Ethical Issue may be "Equality of Access" because it is possible that not everybody could afford one of these phones.
    • Karen M
       
      This also shows us the Area of Impact, "Business and Employment." Business people are the ones who use the phones in order to stay connected with their clients.
  • Dependable, easy-to-use and high-quality mobile solutions pay for themselves quickly by enabling small businesses to be more responsive, efficient and productive, and allowing them to do more with fewer resources.”
    • Karen M
       
      This is a description of the IT systems.
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  • ‘Maintenance’ and ‘Reliability’
    • Karen M
       
      These elements need to be worked on in order to make these phones even better.
  • business benefits of being in touch with clients and other business stakeholders are perhaps even more important than they are for their larger competitors.
    • Karen M
       
      This explains the benefits for the people who are being affected by these smartphones.
Madeline Brownstone

India in talks with BlackBerry maker for access to corporate email service | Technology... - 1 views

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    This article Talks about Research in motion, the company of blackberry in talks with India about the services that the phones provide
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    This article meets the standards of ITGS. From assessing this article through strand 1 we see that their are a number social and ethical conditions to be considered in this story. Security is a major issue here, RIM's encryption is so secure that not even powerful governments can't crack. This brings up the issue of security because countries like India are worried that this secure network can be abused by the terrorists. This brings up the issue of the digital divide and equality of access. This issue is brought up because India was threatening to disrupt Blackberry access because India did not have access to some features that blackberry users from other countries have. This leads to another problem, Reliability and integrity. Since RIM's network is the most secure network that even the most powerful governments can't crack, because of this many Corporations use Blackberry, RIM fears that if they(RIM) allow governments get a little more access, they will lose their reliability of their majority steak holders. This brings up the number of steak holders, the steak holders are RIM. their customers, India, and other middle eastern countries who are threatening to cut off service due to inequality of access. The IT systems that are mentioned are cellphones, and RIM's network. The applications that apply to the article are Business and employment, and governments control and use of information.
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    Nick originally posted this article, but did not cache it.
Olivia M

Iran's Protests: Why Twitter Is the Medium of the Movement - TIME - 4 views

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    In the most recent Iranian elections, the government censored many websites on the Internet in order to prevent news and other information from leaking the country/"classified governmental issues within the election". The Iranian people started using social networks (mainly Twitter) to spread the information of governmental oppression around both nationally and through out the world. After Twitter started blocking such sites, Iranians started using their cellphones as the method of sending out information on the injustices occurring during the election.
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    This is a very interesting article. I find it interesting that Iran is afraid of the word of their government is getting out, so they block one of the most used wrbsites on the internet, I feel as though you could have argued the point that the tweets were not neccesarily the most reliable. As said in the article, "The vast body of information about current events in Iran that circulates on Twitter is chaotic, subjective and totally unverifiable. It's impossible to authenticate sources. It's also not clear who exactly is using Twitter within Iran, especially in English. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the bulk of tweets are coming from "hyphenated" Iranians not actually in the country who are getting the word out to Western observers, rather than from the protesters themselves, who favor other, less public media."
Madeline Brownstone

A survey of technology and government: E for express | The Economist - 0 views

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    This article raises a number of issues related to e-government and the use of mobile phones for government transactions. It appears that India embarked ahead of more developed nations in the West to go electronic. The problem of access to phones and widespread illiteracy is discussed and raises some important concerns.
Lenny H

Telemedicine Healing Haiti Earthquake Victims, Puts Healthcare on the Map - 2 views

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    This articles with the solutions that were created by telemedicine during the disastrous earthquake. Much similar to victims in Argentina or those in Argentina who don't have telemedicine, those victims in Haiti are being treated through telemedicine. After the unfortunate earthquake in Haiti, the University of the Miami took into their own hands to set up various tents around Haiti. Besides having very little medicine, Haiti also had a communication problem. These from the University of Miami were not able to communicate with those from the United State. Therefore, they set up real time technology as a form of communication in order to consult colleagues at the University of Florida. Two devices about the size of a laptop were donated to them, and the satellite telephone, internet and video camera contained in each allowed the doctors to communicate with each other. These satellites allowed doctors to conduct and give prescriptions as well as well as communicate to other doctors of those patients who needed to evacuated from the are and taken to the United States for Health care. This article also talks about doctors who are using cellphones in order to take pictures and perform x-rays. There are a variety of stakeholders in relation to the satellites that are allowing the doctors from the University a Miami to perform their real time operations for their consultations and for prescribing medicine. One of these stakeholders would be the people or victims in haiti. After the Earthquake, many were left in dangerous need of assistance, and without these satellites, there would be no way in which they could communicate with people in the United States (The University in Miami) in order to get proper prescriptions. These are very important stakeholders, because if the people of Haiti aren't provided with this form of telemedicine, they would not be able to get treated for the illnesses/injuries that occurred to them during the earthquake. Another stake holder is the U
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    niversity of Miami. Without these satellites, they would not be able to do their job. This is the only form of communication they have with their fellow doctos in the United States. In the Article, is specifies that the doctors had a hard time creating forms of communication in Haiti, therefore if the satellites do not function, the doctors from UMiami, would not be able to prescribe medicine to the victims, and the victims would not be able to get their treatment. Social and Ethical issues then arrive from the Article and the IT system. These satellites that allow for communication and telemedicine are breaking down the digital divide. Specifically in the article, it states that Haiti did not have doctors and that form of technology in order to perform telemedicine. These satellites and bringing them to Haiti was breaking down a digital divide, in which it was giving them the IT that other countries were already familiar and working with. Another Social/Ethical issue that arrives from the IT system is Globalization. In the way in which it breaks down cultural, economic, or divisions causes by a countries location to another. The IT system allows for those in Haiti to communicate with those in the United States. Therefore, it is creating or breaking down any divisions that were previously there because of their location as countries. Another major Social/Ethical issue that arrises is Reliability. The doctors from the University of Miami are relying on these satellites in order to perform their job. If there is an issue on their reliability, it would be catastrophic to the worked (not having any form of communication with their colleagues) as well as the people who would no source of medicine through the real time consultations.
T Graham

PIA Information Services - Philippine Information Agency - 0 views

  • SM, NOKIA partner for cellphone waste collection
    • T Graham
       
      This is an interesting topic because the actual cell phone providers are helping to recycle their own products. Usually it's a private group or organization.
  • promote promise of electronic recycling.
    • T Graham
       
      Promotion is the key because it educates large numbers of people, making it easier to enforce the movement. Promotion from large companies makes it eaiser to reach the stakeholders.
  • She said this activity is in support to the earlier tie up of SM Supermalls where collaboration was made with concerned institutions and entities last September 2007
    • T Graham
       
      With the large coporations and the concerned private groups joining together they will make a bigger difference. The coporations can easily pitch recycling ideas to their costumers and the organizations will provide information and ideas.
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  • "This we can say that SM is no longer just a business enterprise but is a partner in helping the environment," she added.
    • T Graham
       
      This is where business and environment fuse together, to create an extremely helpful supercause. The business is not just making money its making money and saving the environment.
  • As we use, lose, abuse, and eventually upgrade our electronic tools we are leaving behind a massive transistor-filled leftover known as e-Waste. Thousands of mobile phones and all its accessories goes along with other e-Waste
    • T Graham
       
      E-waste can affect our water, air and soil. The waste that comes from cell phones can also takes hndreds of years to completely disentegrate.
T Graham

AFP: Taiwan unveils hydrogen-powered mobile phone chargers - 0 views

  • Taiwanese researchers said Friday they have developed hydrogen-powered mobile phone chargers
    • T Graham
       
      Hydrogen is a natural resource, it can be used over and over again. Hydrogen also doesn't give off any pollution in the air or give off any toxic waste.
  • "We will continue to improve the invention. We hope the hydrogen-powered device can replace current cell phone recharge systems in 2012."
    • T Graham
       
      Do they mean for all people who use cellphones, or just the users in Taiwan?
  • The charger will be key to the Taiwan government's endeavour of carving out a space for itself in future energy generation
    • T Graham
       
      Taiwan is mixing this technological move with its business endeavors and profit potential. This is mix of business and employment and environment.
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